The Unbreakable Bow

" What do you desire?"

"Huh?" Aefrine was stunned by the question.

"What is the thing that you value the most? And beware, you better not think about lying at any cost!"

Aefrine was confused. Was this a threat or a warning. He had to think carefully and fast so he didn't seem suspicious. But what was the thing he valued the most? Of course, breaking his curse will be an easy answer.

However, he as far as he knows if the victim of a curse openly spoke or used his curse for his own benefit, the horrors of that curse will double and the curse itself will be unbreakable. After some mixed thoughts, he replied:

"Peace, I suppose.."

He wasn't sure if that was a proper answer. He just hoped it would work...

"And what is your definition of peace ?"

Damnit, what is he supposed to say now. Blood rushes to his brain trying to find a logical response. Then a forgotten memory has been unlocked. The old friend did in fact give him his definition of peace, his only friend Salrine. He couldn't remember her face, but her voice still echoes in the emptiness of his mind.

"Er-r, a comfortable ... uneventful life with your loved ones. Enjoying life whilst trying our best to benefit life of all forms without worrying about tomorrow because err-r...God has already written our paths and he is a just and loving god to his creation. "

He had just repeated Salrine's words one by one but he didn't lie. He believed in every word she said. A grim smile appeared on the king's face.

"That's nice. ... So you plan on achieving that peace using the keys of Fate?"

Aefrine thought for a moment. Then he spoke firmly:

"Yes"

"Very well, come here son " He put his hand around Aefrine 's shoulder and took him near the battlements of the tower. As the wind blew stronger, the sight of the sleeping city was magnificent as much as its awake state.

"You know ... If you met me eleven years ago and I told you that I would become the king, you would politely tell me that's a nice dream. "

Aefrine looked to him in the face. He no longer understood what this whole conversation was about. The king in return let out a nervous laugh.

"I was a local lord of my small town. It was lovely. I loved the people and they loved me back. Despite the hard times we lived back then, we all managed to make a peaceful living. However, one day the mysterious man entered the town and called for my help. I welcomed him like everyone else. You wouldn't believe who was it."

"Who ?"

"The former king himself! He told me that he needed my help. The nobles of the capital have dethroned him trying to seize power for themselves. He had barely managed to escape after they tricked him up a tower attempting to push him off. He needed my help to link up to his daughter who was hiding with the few loyal soldiers elsewhere. I was hesitant at first I did not want to interfere with the royal house but I felt the man was more eager to see his daughter than take back his throne. He really looked more like an old man wanting to see his daughter one last time before he died.So, I accepted his request. "

"I remember that one night, as I was preparing my local troops. A messenger arrived and delivered to me secretly a letter. It was from the nobles, they wanted me to hand over the king. They even dared to suggest to tell the king that we are invited to peace talks as a trap. That was the moment, I knew that I could not trust whoever was on the throne. I do not know about you,humans, Aefrine but we orcs see vows and promises as holy words that must not be broken. It is dishonourable for an orc to break a promise. The people take a vow to stay loyal to the royal house and the royal house takes a vow to protect the interests of the people. It was only that night that I realised that the nobles had lost their right to rule, the moment they betrayed their king. So, I was more ready than ever to confront them. If you want to hear the full story it will take us a whole night to finish. So ..." He yawned a very long yawn, so long Aefrine thought that only orcs were capable of such a thing .

It was clear that he was tired but Aefrine wasn't really. He could listen to the full story all night if he wanted. Staying up all night didn't really bother him, but the feeling of just sleeping peacefully was still a delightful experience for him.

"...long story short, the king met with his daughter. And we managed to defeat the nobles despite our dire position. Most of them were executed after they were found guilty of killing the other four sons of the king. "

"What does that mean ?"

"Oh well, let's say they got the same treatment, they gave the princes according to what the law permits us to do."

Aefrine felt a gulp in his heart. For he acknowledges the severity of the crime but he still feels that straight-up killing is too harsh a punishment for them. He wasn't familiar with organised laws at all.

"And the king was back ruling our kingdom and he even made me his first advisor. I refused of course. I really wanted to just get back to my normal life but he insisted and I couldn't just disobey the king "

He laughed a bit. Aefrine laughed too, a nervous laugh while printing that sentence deep in his head: I couldn't just disobey the king.

The orc king continued:

"My time as an advisor was well nice. I was a bit nervous at first but I managed to get along quite fast. I gained the respect of the high officials. So there wasn't something that bothered me except the fact that it didn't last long. The old king fell sick. We all were worried for him and the kingdom. There are rumours that there are still some conspiracies hiding in the shadows. And that was the king surprised us. His last commandment was for his daughter to marry me and for me to become the next king. We were dumbfounded ..literally. And I was confused. But she? Well, she was more willing than expected. In fact , I still believe she was the one to suggest the idea to her father. And after honoring the department of our great king in the afterlife, we were married and I was crowned King Hans Otto the First. "

So his name is dis Otto, I should call King Hans Otto the First from now on ...

"And in the same year we had our very first child. A beautiful and strong girl ." Aefrine stared at him

"Yes, Alma that you had saved is my only daughter obviously. Unfortunately... her mother died giving birth to her. She was truly a wonderful woman. "

There was a deep silence that filled the air violated only by the calm bruise. Everything made sense now. That was why he never met her mother and why she doesn't have any siblings.

"I know this might sound normal to humans but between orcs it's bizarre.A mother dying after giving birth...That is why I feel like this still affects Alma. I feel like she trying to prove herself or something. That's why she went on a solo hunting trip without anyone's permission. That is how she got kidnapped. Anyway, the point is... The reason I wanted to you hear my story was to..."

He took Aefrine again by the shoulder and turned back to the door they came from. Aefrine noticed a bell on top of the doorway. It must have been the source of ringing sound before he reached the door.

"We orcs see honesty and loyalty as the most important aspects of a person. You see before the king's illness, he brought me here to the same tower and asked me the same question and I answered your answer although I said it in a less religious way than you did. But still, it was almost the same. "

Then he cleared his throat. "I am a grumpy white-beared dwarf "

The bell fell crashing down fast and smashed the floor underneath it. It had a weird purple-glowing

"To us, dishonesty is a sin rewarded with death. Don't worry, you have earned my trust and thus my protection even against my own men. They want to steal your keys, Aefrine . I know some other kings myself and trust me if you were in the presence of any other monarch you would be back in the same cell you came from. But nothing to be afraid of, God made you come to my kingdom. I will tell the others that you weren't sure of what you were saying and Ryuji was probably using a secret code for something else. "

"But wouldn't that make you lie?"

"Ah, Aefrine. You know, the hardest part of being a king is that you are forced sometimes to hide the truth for the greater good. The people are afraid of the new possible enemy. We are not sure if we should join the coalition or stay neutral.

The former king's greatest mistake was joining the humans in their war thirteen years ago. So, I am not sure what to do. Most of the orcs are just trying to pay their debts to the humans with the blood of the people instead of their wealth. Tell me, is it true that Ryuji's katana can cut through anything ?"

Aefrine thought about it for a few moments. Ryuji did talk about something like that, but in practice, he only cut the buildings. In fact, Aefrine's bow had blocked his katana multiple times.

" No, it is definitely very sharp, but it can not cut through anything... or maybe he wasn't using the same sword?"

"Very well, I see. So, about the keys of Fate, do you know anything about them except what you have already said?"

"No, I am still trying to figure out how they work, but I don't know where to start..."

"Ok, hmm... I think I have an idea that might help you ."