Unexpected Destiny: The Half Dragon and The Nine Masks

Chapter 1

"Arion Sclater has been proven guilty. As punishment, his royal status will be revoked and he will not be allowed to live in the palace." 

Everyone in the room was shocked to hear the decision of the king who was famous for his wisdom and justice. The crown prince sitting next to the king did not expect his father to give such a cruel and painful punishment.  It was better to be sentenced to prison for some time than to be stripped of his royal status and barred from living in the palace, in other words, Arion had been evicted subtly. 

Contrary to everyone who regretted the king's decision.  Arion who is a defendant in this trial, his face radiates happiness with a bright smile he rarely shows. 

Arion must not waste this opportunity that will not come for the second time in his life.  Everyone wanted to be in his position, as a venerated prince, everything he wanted he could easily get, be served twenty-four hours by servants, and live a luxurious life without worrying about running out of money.  Arion is different.  He had been looking for a way to get out of the shackles that had trapped him since he was born into this world. 

It doesn't matter what people say and look down on now.  Arion felt his body very light, like the invisible iron that bound him all along had been released.  He will welcome his new life with joy, without any regrets at all. 

Arion walked out of the room cheerfully, his green eyes not showing any concern for the new world he was about to live in for the rest of his life. 

"Rion." 

Arion stopped his activity of tidying up the arrows when his mother and twin sister walked up to him. 

"Rion." Adena stroked her son's right arm. The line on his face looks like she is sad about the fate that befell his son. "I believe, you can't do it. Why don't you try to defend yourself?" 

Auristela folded her arms as she sat on the edge of the bed, her tiny lips pursed in annoyance. "That Arion has gone mad, Mother." 

Arion smiled wryly in response to the annoying remarks that came from his twin sister. 

"Mother and Auristela will do anything way to find evidence." 

"Don't forget it, Dad." Axelle, the man was standing in the doorway. Why is he always forgotten by his wife and children? Yes, he realized, he was rarely by his little family's side, but his concern for the happiness and destiny of his family was very high.

"I think you believe in them," said Arion. 

Axelle looked at Arion with a hurt look, Arion's words pierced the deepest recesses of his heart. "Dad doesn't like your naughty behavior and likes to break the rules, but," Axelle looked straight at Arion, "I believe you won't do such a lowly thing." Arion smiled faintly at his father's statement which made his heart feel warm.

Auristela leaned her head against the bedpost. "That Rion loves crown prince Dellano very much." Auristela clenched her hands into fists, her green eyes flashing annoyance. "You ignorant man! He seems to have forgotten that it was Arion who had accompanied him to sleep when it was raining and accompanied him to bathe in the river because he was afraid of snakes. Looks like I have to remind him of all that. " Arion intercepted Auristela who was angry, he was worried that Auristela would punch Dellano's nose for the umpteenth time. 

"Don't add to the trouble, silly." Arion smacked Auristela's head in annoyance. 

Auristela glared at Arion. "He forgot your services. Must be reminded!" 

"Unnecessary." Arion gritted his teeth. He was starting to get annoyed with his twin sister's stubbornness. "Leave him alone. Maybe now he doesn't need me anymore." 

Auristela put on a face that wanted to throw up when she saw Arion who lowered his head limply, like someone who had just experienced a breakup. "Looks like you're not ready to part with him." 

Adena and Axelle smiled cutely at the debate they heard almost every day. 

"Arion." Adena cupped her son's face with both hands. 

Arion smiled reassuringly at his mother who looked very sad. There is no way a mother would not feel sad to see her child who had a tragic fate. 

"Mom, there's nothing we can do." Arion shook his head weakly.

"Dellano has been devoured by the cobra's incitement."  Auristela bit her lower lip in annoyance.  Arion then slapped Auristela's head who was rude to call Dellano only by his name. 

"Just a moment. Wait a little longer."  Axelle patted Arion's shoulder.  "Dad is trying to find evidence to let off you from all these wrong accusations."

Arion sighed.  His parents insisted on changing his fate back, but he was happy with the punishment the king had put on him.  Arion was so excited that it didn't even come up to him to look for evidence to clear his name. 

"Mom, Dad."  Arion took a deep breath and then exhaled.  "Never mind, there's no need to do that. When the time comes, all the truth will reveal itself." 

Adena looked at Arion flatly.  Even though she was fighting desperately to prove that Arion was innocent, her son didn't seem to care.  "You seem happy to be kicked out of the palace." 

Arion grinned widely as he scratched his head that didn't itch.  He had been caught off guard by his mother. 

"Yes, that's what Rion wanted all along," Auristela said casually without noticing Arion's face abruptly become pale, "get out of the palace."  Auristela instead of defending her twin sister leaked Arion's secret. 

Axelle and Adena shook their heads in disbelief at Arion's way of thinking.  "Considering Rion's behavior that always breaks the rules, it's appropriate that he has been thinking about leaving the palace."  Axel nodded her head.  He finally found the common thread, it turned out that Arion did not like living in this magnificent palace. 

Adena knows everything about her two children. She often heard Arion's outpouring of his heart to Auristela who intended to leave the palace, he thought it was just a joke.

"It's useless, Dad is looking for evidence, Rion accepts his punishment gracefully." 

"I can't force you. Now I leave everything to you. If that's what you want," said Adena. "But you have to remember, Mom and Dad will still be looking for evidence to clear your name." Arion nodded. 

Arion was ready to step his foot out of the palace. 

"I am coming along." 

Arion, Adena, and Axelle were surprised to hear Auristela's voice booming like thunder. 

"You want to come with me?" 

"Yeah, I'll come with you." Auristela stood beside Arion.  

"I'm ready."  Auristela showed the bow and arrow that was on her back, then a sword slung around her waist. No one noticed Auristela carrying the three items hidden under her cloak.

"No, you can't."  Arion shook his head. 

Auristela pouted.  "I want to come with you."  Arion still wouldn't allow it. Auristela looked at her parents with a sad face, begging to be let go with Arion. 

Adena and Axelle exchanged glances.  "Are you sure?" Auristela nodded enthusiastically. 

"No, you can't. You stay here. Take care of Mom."  Arion denied. 

Auristela didn't care about Arion, her green eyes couldn't leave her eyes on her parents. 

"Are you sure, Honey?"  Adena rubbed Auristela's silver hair. 

"Mom, Dad. Arion and I were twins. We can't be separated, we've always been together since we were in the womb until today. Our lives would be empty without each other." Auristela held Adena's hands.

"Do you remember? When Arion was ordered to go to the blue sea, I fell sick. Then when I went to the land of the dwarves, Arion also fell sick. It has been proven, that our bond is very strong." Auristela spoke passionately. 

Arion rolled his eyes lazily. Auristela is too much.

Axelle and Adena exchanged glances again as if through their eyes they were communicating. "Alright. Dad let you go with Rion."  Auristela's face lit up, when her mother also allowed her, she immediately hugged her mother with great happiness.

Arion slapped his forehead, dizzy.  I don't know what will happen to his new life.  Arion had expected that Auristela would beg her parents to follow him, but he didn't expect her mother and father to easily allow her just because they heard the embarrassing words that came out of her twin sister's tiny lips. 

"Mom, Dad. Are you sure you will allow Auristela to come with me?" Arion confirmed it again, who knows that his parents were just talking?

"Yes."  Adena nodded. "I will feel more at ease if you are accompanied by Auristela. Even so, Auristela can cook."

Arion smiled wryly. Cook what? She even doesn't know whether the water is cooked or not. 

"What about Mom and Dad?" 

"Don't worry about us, Rion. Mom and Dad will be fine. You're the ones we worry about. You've been living in the palace with all the luxuries and services you get." Adena looked down sadly. "From today onwards, you will have to stay out there relying on yourself to survive."

Auristela hugged Adena tightly. "Don't worry, Mom. We're all grown up, we can handle everything. You know us better than anyone else." 

Adena wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Yes. My children are strong. If you miss Mom and Dad, come to the farm. So I can see your condition." 

Auristela and Arion nodded. 

"Take this."  Axelle gave six small pouches containing gold pieces.  Arion and Auristela glared in disbelief, her famously stingy father gave a large number of gold pieces?  What has happened to their father? 

"Use the money to buy food and rent a room. Eat good food and sleep in a comfortable place." Adena gave a message to her children that she loved very much.

"When the money runs out or you need more money, come to see Daddy at the farm." 

Arion and Auristela gaped. Their father had changed, he was no longer stingy. "Thank you, Dad."

"Wear this."  Adena gave her a robe made by herself. Arion and Auristela wore thick robes that warmed their bodies. 

**** 

Arion and Auristela stepped straight towards the palace gates. No warrior dared to drag Arion to leave the palace directly, even though his status as a prince had been removed, but still, Arion was the son of a prince Axelle Sclater. 

Just a few steps away, the two of them were confronted by a woman wearing a pink dress who was accompanied by two faithful maids who followed her everywhere. 

"Cobra." Auristela hissed resentfully.  Arion pinched his twin sister's hand, and Auristela grimaced in pain. 

The graceful-style woman pulled out closer to Arion, then whispered, "This is what happens if you don't do what I want." She smiled lopsidedly.

Arion whispered back, "Thank you for everything. You have made it easy for me to get out of here." 

The woman thinks Arion is crazy, Arion is the only one who feels happy to have been expelled from the palace. 

Arion pulled Auristela's hand to instantly leave the palace. 

"Wait," the woman's scream stopped Arion and Auristela who were already at the gate. "Princess Auristela, are you following your twin brother?"

Auristela looked up and nodded. "Yes." Auristela gave a mocking smile. "You will surely miss me, crown prince, Dellano's fiancé."

The woman held back a burst of rage, only Auristela dared to mock her. "Good. Fewer fools living in the palace." 

Auristela smiled crookedly. "Perhaps you mean. Your rivals have diminished." The woman glared sharply. "You know what, Shannon? Even if I'm not in the palace. Everyone will always remember me."

Auristela stuck out her tongue. The woman clenched her fists tightly, wanting her to stuff Auristela's mouth with cotton wool.

Arion and Auristela stepped away from the palace feeling happy. They did not realize, that someone was watching them behind the thick trees with unreadable eyes.