Reginald stood at a corner, using the shadow as his cloak. He had put off his armours and had worn his normal black clothes of Dragon Guards. It was best to hide himself. His eyes stayed on the door of Princess Zenith as he had orders from Master Valentine.

Master Valentine. The man whom he had been serving from his childhood. He knew the advisor had brought him here just to use him but he didn't care as he had been admiring him the time when he had killed his parents in front of him.

He still remembered when a man in dark clothing came to his village. He had brown cloak and wore leather boots with a simple white shirt and trousers. He had no worry of anything and would mix in any situation. When he came he brought a lot of money with him and goods to sell from a different city. The moment he had entered their village, he knew the man was going to die and he would be seeing yet another dead body. He would smell his blood and he would hear his cries. He didn't care. He was just 7 years old.

Gorouland, the village which was his home. A small village with 167 people in it. They were happy as they harvested, they sold goods and they bought goods. Everything was normal. A happy village.

But what others didn't know that in the morning, they appeared as mere villagers, doing harvesting, selling and buying but at night, they were murderers. 167 people including a seven years old Reginald would go out to hunt. Hunt for their blood hunger and money. Whether it was an outsider or the villages that surrounded them, the villagers of Gorouland would kill anyone for money.

Gorouland's people had the ancient dragon, Jerofa's blood running in them thus they were called Jerofs. The blood dragon who had excellent hearing, excellent smelling and excellent eyesights. But what they had the most was hunger for blood. They loved blood. To see people crying for help, to ask for mercy and in the end choking in their own blood. It was the best scene they would like to see everyday. Nearest villages and cities were scared of the unknown murders and loots and Gorouland's people pretended to be scared as well. Everything was normal just like yesterday and the day before yesterday and the day before that. Until Master Valentine came.

Little Reginald was playing with his sister when he saw the man appearing before his mother. He was asking for routes to the next village as he had planned to sell his goods there. As usual, their small flower shop was open and his mother told him the route; however, she told him to stay the night as it would take him two days to reach.

The man agreed and said he would take a room in the village inn. His mother gave him a very delicate smile but the man didn't see the evil glint in her eyes-or that's what he had thought...

Reginald's small village had rogue Dragons who killed and looted people. His father and mother were a part of that group where everyday he had seen at least one dead body before his eyes. Smelling the blood, seeing gruesome scenes and hearing the cries of people was the normal thing for him.

When he reached 6, his mother had brought him a knife to play with it. His father told him to play with people. His brothers had been doing the same so of course, it was the normal thing to do.

That night when the villagers were preparing for a very gruesome murder, Reginald thought it would be the same as before. They would appear unknowingly, they would bring out their weapons, the person would get scared and try to run and the other villagers would be waiting for him outside. Then he would get captured and everyone would have a chance to torture them to death. He would cry and ask for death but they would just enjoy it with ale.

When Reginald and his family were waiting for him outside of the inn, the innkeeper and his workers had already gone inside. They heard some noise and later when the door opened they were stunned but Reginald wasn't. He was awestruck. The man had killed the innkeeper and his five workers and came out with the heads of them as he threw it at the villagers.

A nasty smile played on his lips and his eyes glinted devilishly. The villagers were angry and went for him but he fought with them. Both of his swords danced in the air like they were parts of his body as heads after heads fell on the floor like coconuts. It wasn't normal. It was excellent!

Little Reginald watched from his place while his hand had the sword. He could not move as his eyes stayed on the man. He killed everyone as blood flowed like a river. Reginald saw how he had put his sword into his parents' hearts. They cried in pain and the moment their faces twisted in pain, Reginald felt they weren't worthy of his parents.

He thought they were invincible but they had offended him. Now, he couldn't even remember their faces anymore.

He remembered when he came before him and asked if he wanted to go with him. He nodded and leaving the small knife that his mother had given him, he followed Master Valentine. He was here to serve only Master Valentine. But another one resembled him slightly, it was the wizard, Seraphina.

He was waiting for the head maid to arrive. He knew she had been doing something as he had seen Princess Zenith appearing at Seraphina's chamber quite often.

For two days, the head maid hadn't come and he was about to leave when his sharp ears heard footsteps. He stayed still until the person came and it was just as he thought, the head maid. She didn't have any plates, nor any clothes that would speak the reason for her coming.

The fat lady came and knocked on the door as he heard Prince Zenith telling her to come inside. As the maid went in, Reginald with careful steps came near the door and stood there while his eyes stayed at the passageway. He had sharp ears and smell and eyes that represented hawkeyes and that was the reason why Master Valentine had chosen him.

"I saw the maid doing something with dry blood." He heard the head maid saying.

"Dry blood?" Princess Zenith asked.

"Yes, Celia was making something for that wizard."

"What was it?"

"I think that is to make her stronger. She said something like that. I was scared, Your Highness, that was why I could not say anything."

"Alright. I have to look into it. You may go now," Princess Zenith hissed, "And don't come so often people will doubt me."

"Err... Yes, Your Highness."

There was a moment of silence but no movements as Reginald concentrated on their conversation.

Zenith growled, "What are you waiting for? Go!"

"Err... Yes, Your Highness." The maid said and as soon as Reginald heard hurried steps, he moved away from the door and hid himself. The head maid closed the door behind her and huffed. Her face seemed to have a scowl and she slowly left.

So, the head maid knew Seraphina was a wizard and not only her, it seemed Princess Zenith had known it for a quite while. Reginald started to walk toward the west wing where Prince Demian had resided as Master Valentine's chamber was just outside of it. He needed to tell him that.

As he took a turn, a person collided against his chest and fell on the ground. He looked down and saw it was the maid of Seraphina, Celia. She had a bowl in her hand and now she hissed in pain as the substance fell on her chest leaving a big dark green stain. Vapour rose in the air and from the smell of it, he could guess it was a herb juice and it was hot.

The maid looked up angrily as she growled from beneath, "Can't you see I was coming?"

"You were the one who was running, you should have seen if anyone was in your way." Reginald said, which made the little maid angry more. She took the bowl and stood up.

Even when she stood up, she hardly reached his chest. She was just so small against his tall build. And she was a human... Reginald knew everything about her. He had been keeping an eye on them and had traveled with Seraphina.

"Thanks to you, I have to make it again!" She scowled angrily, her face twisted and it stunned him that a mere human was growling angrily at him. She was just a small fry that wouldn't take him a minute to break her bones.

Reginald didn't say anything but crossed her and started to walk toward his destination but heard the maid was sprouting something behind him. He didn't have time for this and he had no interest in interacting with a human. They were just so weak.

*****

Celia entered and grumbled as she was mad. The soldier had the nerve to say it was her fault. She had to go change her clothes and then make herb juice for Seraphina again. She had to go back to wash her clothes as she had a big stain on her chest. She huffed in frustration as she felt tired.

She looked at Seraphina and as she saw a pained expression on her face, she got worried. Did something happened between them? Honestly, something had always been happening between them. Whether they fought with each other or got complaints for each other, they always had some problems going on but this time, Seraphina seemed very troubled and upset.

Celia had been observing that Seraphina had been quiet for a few days. Was something bothering her?

But unfortunately, she would not spill anything and it irked Celia. What could it be that has been bothering her for so long. And why couldn't she just share it with her?

"Let's get you prepared as his Highness had asked," Celia said and placed the bowl. Seraphina was still recovering and the royal physician had said to give the herb juice for three days otherwise the fever would come back.

Seraphina looked at her, her eyes puffed with moisture as if she would cry at any moment and Celia panicked as she had never seen Seraphina that weak. She would always act like a stupid girl and annoy her with her endless questions or topics although she was still irritating her.

"Wha- what happened?" Celia asked as Seraphina shook her head.

"I don't know what to do, Celia..." Seraphina said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Nothing."

There she goes again! She wouldn't spill a word and it angered Celia more. "Fine! Don't say anything!" She avoided it and Celia clearly saw she had been brooding over something.

She grumbled and gave him the bowl. In normal circumstances, Seraphina would act like a child while drinking the bitter juice but now, as a good girl, she drank it.

Celia went to choose a dress for her as Seraphina asked, "Say Celia, what if you have to choose one person yet both of them are your important people?"

Celia tilted back her head and said, "Think with your heart, whoever is more important, choose them."

Seraphina nodded as Celia waited for her to open up but she didn't instead Seraphina went back to her thoughts. What did she mean by this?

"But in my heart, both of the persons are important," Seraphina mumbled to herself but Celia heard it already.

She hissed, "Then choose both!" She was getting impatient here as she was keeping everything to herself even though she said Celia was her friend.