“What exactly do you mean?” Prince Kovu sat down his wine cup on the table. He looked over to his fellow prince, Ojas. They both lay on the same couch which could easily fit five grown men. Both men ignored all others in the party hall.

Kovu, the first prince of the country of Eden at the age of eighteen possessed the handsome features of a sculpture. His pure white hair spiked up with a few strains of black. His eyes and skin a tan brown with the body of a well trained soldier. He dressed himself in a white robe shirt lined in blue, golden shoulder pads, white shorts that dropped over his knees, golden gauntlets on each wrist, sandals that rose up to his knees and a blue cape clung to him by a golden pin.

Prince Ojas tilted his cup toward the Eden prince. “Each time I have come here, I have only been allowed to see your Noble Districts. And according to what you have told me you are the same. Do you not wonder about your nation? I have explored mine several times.”

“Considering how large the Akiraian Empire is I find it hard to believe.” Prince Kovu took up his drink.

“I have unlike you taken great consideration in knowing my people,” Prince Ojas teased. “Are you not curious about yours?”

“My people are happy so what does it matter?” Prince Kovu shut his eyes with a smile. He put down his cup on the table again. “Eden is a paradise so there is no need to worry; besides my father believes I am not to leave the Noble District.”

“You refer to the incident of what happened to you and your brother as children?”

“Indeed.”

“That was years ago, you are a man now.” Prince Ojas slammed down his cup. “Are you that frightened of the world?” The Akiraian prince’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

“Do not be ridiculous.”

“Then, let us go now. Both our fathers are busy. I am sure they will not notice if we were to leave. This is my last night here before I return home.”

“Prince Kovu,” a woman’s voice drew the Eden prince’s attention away from his friend. A beautiful noble girl held onto another young lady by her shoulders. The other girl had been dressed in Akiraian garments with a very red face. “I believe this one has had too much to drink.”

“Indu.” Prince Ojas stood up and walked toward them, grabbing a hold of his sister.

“That is very unlike the princess.” Kovu leaned one arm on the couch to support his body. “Perhaps you should get her to the guest chambers before your father sees her.”

Prince Ojas gazed back at him. “Yes, I suppose that is best. When I return to Eden again I hope we can do what I spoke of.”

Kovu nodded. “Certainly.”

“Come with me, Indu.” Prince Ojas escorted his sister out of the hall.

The noble girl walked over to the Eden prince after the two Akiraian royals left. “Prince Kovu, you certainly look well tonight?” She pushed her hair back over her shoulder.

Kovu stood up with a smirk. “Indeed I am.” He took the lady’s hand and kissed it before he smiled up at her. “Perhaps we can see what cupid has in store for the two of us.”

*

The first thing Prince Dayo heard was the pounding knocks against his door. Its frustrating sound made the young man grab his own head in annoyance. He lifted himself up from the comfort of his bed. His eyes barely parted to reveal his tan color eyes.

"Who is it?" The prince spread out his arms. His eyes were aimed toward the door while he stretched his upper body. "Why are you disturbing me so early in the morning?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he awaited the hidden person's answer.

The young royal was a very handsome young man at the age of seventeen. His black hair was as dark as the night spiked backward with a few strains of white. A few hairs dropped over his forehead. His face devious yet charming at the same time that drew the young ladies wild. His skin a dark brown and his body well built and strong from years of training it.

"I-I apologize, your highness," a young man's voice called out from behind the door. "However, your brother has been waiting out in the training yard for over an hour for your arrival."

Dayo dropped his hands into his lap. "I forgot about that. Tell him I will be out there in mere moments." After he heard the servant’s reply and step away, he glanced over at the naked woman who lay on his right. The prince followed up by looking at the second woman wrapped in his purple silk sheets on his left before he finally looked down at the last woman who slept across his lap.

"I suppose there's no other choice." Dayo loudly clapped his hands together as if he were calling the attention of an audience. All three young ladies who were as lovely as fully bloom flowers awaken to the prince's gesture. "I need to get up. Please show yourselves out."

The prince himself quickly removed himself from his bed. Dayo slipped on his pitch black shorts. Thrust his arms through the holes of his matching robe shirt; he crossed it over his well fitted chest. Dayo wrapped his thick leather belt around his waist to keep the clothing in place. He slipped his golden armband over his bicep along with a number of sliver ones on each arm. Lastly he pulled his head through the hole of his royal purple cape.

He made his way over to his wall where he stored his weapons. He slipped his dual blades into his belt and added a curve longer sword for good measure. He headed out of the room before the women had a chance to grab their clothes.

He rushed out of his halls. He pushed open the dual wooden doors that lead to the battle grounds. "Sorry-" Before the prince could finish his words he saw a whirling ax that spun through the air.

The ax impaled itself in the door behind him as it nicked his cheek. Dayo took refuge behind the marble pillar nearest him. His back rested against it as he took the dual blades out from his belt.

Footsteps approached from the courtyard.

A droplet of sweat rolled down the side of the prince's face. He clenched his teeth, shifting his eyes to see his opponent coming. He tightened his grip on the blades ready to attack. Faster than he had expected a throwing axe swung right for his head.

Dayo ducked under the blade of the axe, losing a couple of hairs. He tumbled away from the wielder of the axe. He gathered himself and took up his battle position. He created a decent space between him and the one who held not one, but two throwing axes in their hands.

His opponent ripped the axe from out of the pillar, spinning it in his hand with dazzling skill. The axe wielder quickly stepped into the prince's space. They fiercely swung both blades with a wild war cry. Their body covered in the shadow of the pillar.

Dayo held up his swords to block.

The axes hooked onto the blades. They circled them around and sent the swords flying into the air behind Prince Dayo. The twin blades spun through the air and stabbed themselves into the ground.

The prince eyed his opponent's position. As fast as lightning his hand grabbed the remaining sword on his person. His signature sliver curve blade with a blue jewel embedded at the bottom of the handle.

The blade cleanly sliced through the throwing axes' handles. A smirk graced the prince's lips at the sight. An overconfident glee flashed in his golden brown eyes. However his opponent shot his foot straight into the young royal's stomach which sent him flying.

Dayo fell right onto his back, sliding to a stop. He had a hard time opening his eyes after taking such a powerful blow. His eyes finally opened with his opponent slowly walking toward him.

The other warrior discarded their broken axe handles. They drew their own blade; that shinned like gold in the sunlight.

Dayo pushed himself back up onto his feet. He kept a close eye on his opponent. He searched for a way to get the upper hand on the fighter who clearly outmatched him in physical power. As he held his sword in front of him, he prepared to fight back while quickly taking in his surroundings to see how he could use them.

The golden blade of his opponent swung forward with a brilliant flash. Dayo blocked with his own sword. The blades separated. The two swordsmen clashed their swords over and over which sung the melodies of battle.

Sparks flew.

Bodies grew tense.

Eyes harden with desperate hatred.

The blades slid against each other.

Dayo swung his blade across with his opponent responding by dropping down on his free hand. The warrior swung his leg, sweeping Dayo's feet from under him. The swordsman spun around to deliver a second strike before Prince Dayo could hit the ground that shot him into the sand pit of the training grounds.

The prince rolled across the sandy field, landing right on his back in the center. Dayo winced as he slowly regained himself. He stumbled back onto his feet as he faced his opponent. A spark of anger rose throughout his body. His hand tightened on his handle.

His opponent stormed the field toward him. The warrior swung his sword toward the prince, but the prince countered with his own blade. Clash! The sword blades smashed against each other. Lightning shot off of Dayo's sword that struck the warrior's cheek, ripping it open.

Blood splattered across the sand.

Despite this however the other warrior merely shut one eye. His hand stayed firmly on his sword as he struggled to overpower Dayo. He dug his feet in the grainy earth to hold his ground.

The prince's opponent stared him directly in the eyes. "At last you take this seriously." A smirk lifted on the other warrior's face.

"You surely are eager today," the prince responded back. A light lit in his eyes as he smirked back at the man he wished to defeat, his older brother Prince Kovu who grabbed a hold of his blade.

Kovu used his own power to slowly turn his brother’s blade into sand. His body strong and built for battle though he was slightly shorter than his younger sibling he held a presence that showed his dominance in their relationship.

The brothers' swords shook against each other in an attempt to overpower the other. More lightning sparks shot off the younger prince's body as his sword crumbled to his brother’s will.

A loud clap sounded over the area. At the edge of the training ground stood a dark skin man with black hair who dressed in soldier armor. "That is enough for today."

Neither prince had bothered to hear the man’s words. Their entire focus was on one another. Their powers grew ever more intense as the seconds rolled by. Dayo’s sword was almost gone. And his lightning threatened to consume them both.

A hand pushed each away from the other. Both princes slid to the opposite end of the pit. The lightning had ended and there had been nothing for Kovu to turn to sand. The cut on his cheek gone with only a trail of blood as proof it was ever there.

The man who told them to stop now stood where they once did. This man was the head of the royal guard, General Abdul. He eyed each of the princes. “I told you to stop. You know very well you are forbidden from using your powers. You could have easily killed one another.”

Both of the princes lowered their blades, looking at the general. "You must be joking?" Dayo spoke. “Then when are we supposed to use our powers? It’s not as if you ever bother to train us in it.”

Abdul rested his arms behind his back. “I cannot train you in what I do not know. I only hold the power given to me by the King’s stones. Your power comes from within so it would be impossible for me to properly train you in this.”

“Then let us figure it out.” Dayo’s expression grew colder as he looked at the royal guardsman. He stood tall in an attempt to look down on the man.

Kovu returned his blade to its case. "That is enough, Dayo. For the time being, Abdul is our instructor."

"Thank you, Prince Kovu," Abdul spoke. "Now, please go clean yourselves before your next lessons."

“Why, you-”

“Dayo, come.”

Despite the younger prince’s objections he listened to his brother. The two headed toward the bathhouse. They walked through the wooden floor hall as sunlight flittered through the marble pillars.

Dayo stared at his brother's back as he trailed behind him. He lightly rubbed his fist against his cheek. "What were you thinking throwing an axe at me before I even made it onto the battlefield? You might have scarred my face for good."

Kovu slid his eyes back toward his brother. "It seemed fine considering you made me wait."