Until His Last Breath: A Romeo And Juliet Novela

Prologue- Cadmus

Sweat dripped down my face, burning my eyes. It was a particularly hot day and the sun blazed down on the battlefield, drying shed blood and mud into a puddle of ugly brown dirt. It wasn't an attractive sight, the wounded men riding tired horses back home after a great victory. But spirits were high, and despite the warriors we had lost, my men were still joyous that they were now able to go home to see their wives and children.

I stayed behind my men. I was in no hurry to get home, at only seventeen, I didn't have a wife or any children to happily greet me, no one to throw their arms around me begging me to never leave them again. I wished to prolong my journey home, unwilling to be thrown into the arms of my overprotective mother. The idea of seeing my father wasn't much better, he feared death, and this forced me to wage wars for him. They were both cowards who had no love for me.

With high canyon walls around, I didn't like riding through this area much, the echos made it sound as if calculated footsteps were falling steadily behind me. But no matter how many times I glanced behind my shoulder, no one appeared.

I took off my helmet and shook my hair out of my face, feeling a sticky sweat trail down the back of my neck. It was a stupid mistake. I disregarded the footsteps behind me, convinced myself that I was safe. And now I was being rewarded with a sharp sting in the square in the back. The breath in my lungs having been stolen from me, I fell off of my horse, desperately trying to grab at her reins, but to no avail. I layed, back pressed against the hard ground, staring up at the abnormally blue sky and gasping for air as I cursed my fate. Sentenced to death because of my father's fear.

A tall man crouches above me. His features were undefined, almost blurry, save his green-blue eyes and bold crown tattoo. King Nikolas- the enemy whom my Father fears most.

"Was the defeat not enough?" I ask, forcing myself to my feet so my height is even with his. "Do you really want Gamora to suffer another loss?"

Nikolas laughs, a wicked smile playing at the corners of his lips, "The only reason you won was because I needed to kill you in private. I want to savor the moment."

I cocked an eyebrow and raised my sword, Nikolas did the same. He was a fairly young king, only in his thirties. His daughter was very highly regarded around the world and it was said that even though she was only fourteen she could outfight most of the King's men. "Why did you not just send your little girl to kill me?" I smile politely, "I've heard she's fit to dethrone you soon."

"You dare mock me?" Nikolas spits, lunging at me and pushing me to the ground, knocking the sword from my hand. "I was going to make your death painless, but you leave me no other choice now." He kicks me hard with the toe of his boot, leaving bruises along my arms.

I don't do anything. I let him kick me, and when he raises his sword I don't stop him. Instead, I stare into his snake-like eyes as he thrusts it down, piercing my side. His footsteps and cold laugh fade away as everything goes black around me.

I don't know how long I have lain on the ground, I only know that when I wake up my head is in someone's lap and they're lazily tracing the outline of my face with a delicate finger. I try to sit up, but the pain in my side drives me back down and I gasp in pain. "Shh. It's alright." A girl's voice. I turn my head to see if I recognize her, but her face is completely covered in a thick layer of mud and her hair so dirty I can't tell if it was brunette or blond.

"Who are you?" I ask, trying to sit up again, but she puts her hands on my shoulders holding me down.

"A good samaritan." She says, carefully choosing her words. "Here, I have some water." She hands me a glass jar and watches intently as I down it.

"Thanks." I manage a smile.

"Come it will be dark soon and Dabarenth is still a two hours ride from here."

"How do you know I live there?" I ask, warily.

"Maybe you've forgotten, but you have the royal marking on your face." She laughs, her finger running against my temple. How did I forget about the small sword? I've had the tattoo my whole life.

"Right." I laugh softly but stop as an intense pain shoots through my abdomen. "Could you help me up, please?" I ask, struggling to get to my feet.

The girl stands and bends over me, giving me her hand. She's strong for her size. She helps me lay on the back of her horse, hopping on in front of me, taking the reins in one hand, her other hand clutching mine. I drift out of consciousness.

Once the sun has set I can see the outline of my palace just over a hill. "How can I ever thank you?" I ask.

"You don't need to."

"Could you at least tell me your name?"

"I already told you that it was unimportant."

"Please- Can I see you again?"

She thinks for a moment, "Maybe someday," she answers as we reach the palace gates.

My mother runs out of the castle sobbing, followed by my father and all of my men. The girl helps me down from the horse and my mother grabs me in a tight embrace that makes my fresh wound burn.

I turn to thank the young lady who has saved my life, but she is back on her horse, riding away from me. "She's gone," I muttered, drawing the hand that she had been holding to my heart.