“Then, at least let me say goodbye to father.”

Leona requested as her body was paralyzed.

“There is no time.”

Fredrick said to Leona and denied her request, to which she replied.

“I can use teleportation magic to escape.”

This made Fredrick wary, she might use this so that he would leave early and leave her with their father, she will obviously fight to the end.

“I can’t allow that.”

Fredrick refused and continued in carrying her on his shoulder, as he picked her up, the first enemy siege weapons fired, hitting the outer curtain, making a thunderous noise.

“It has begun, we must go now, before they encircle the castle.”

Fredrick then rushed outside the room with Leona on his shoulder.

***

Meanwhile inside another room, The King and his Heir, Julius, was inside a room. The king was clad in full iron armor with a golden chest plate and shoulder pads, his sword was sheathed in his well decorated scabbard.

While Julius was just clad in iron armor and his sword sheathed in his scabbard at his waist, the father and son accompanied each other waiting for the enemy to finally enter the castle and slaughter all those that were defending it.

“My time is almost up.”

The king said, looking up the clear blue sky, his eldest son was behind him, both were prepared to embrace the first salvo of flaming boulders that were launched onto the castle’s outer curtain.

The thunderous impact of the boulders on the outer curtain, was heard throughout the castle’s territory.

“It has begun…”

The King said, still firm. As from his balcony, he saw the enemy lines forming up their ranks, the second volley was on their way and the enemy nobility watched from afar.

“Yes, Father it has begun.”

Julius then silently unsheathed his sword as the second volley was about to fire, but this was immediately noticed by the king, who played with his eldest son’s game.

As the father and son saw the enemy trebuchet launch the second volley, Julius, seeing the trebuchet’s projectile fire, he immediately unsheathed his sword and rushed at his father’s rear, both had a significant distance with each other, whoever draws and strikes faster wins.

Julius, thinking that he surprised his father, was the one who got surprised, as the king also unsheathed his sword in a quick manner and the two swords clashed with each other, the king successfully blocked his own son’s attack, in confusion the king shouted.

“What are you doing?! Julius?!”

“What does it look like?”

As Julius finished his reply, the second volley hit the outer curtain again, making a thunderous crash in one of the walls.

“You!”

Both were struggling holding their blades blocking each other, Julius gave a smirk.

“I’m sorry old man, once your gone, I’ll promise I’ll fix this country from the ground up.”

In a fit of anger, his father, kicked him at his chest, and was able to make a distance between the two for a proper duel.

“I can’t believe you! Why are you doing this!”

Julius, took a defensive stance, signaling that his father attack first, still, he replied.

“Personal reasons.”

“You!”

Both then took defensive stances, holding their swords in a slant-like manner in front of their faces, gripping tightly their swords.

Both remained in their defensive stances, until the enemy’s third volley opened fire and made another thunderous crash, which made Julius make the first move.

He rushed his father this time with both his hands tightly gripping his sword’s handle and prepared for his killing blow.

To which his father parried to the right, making his son’s attack useless, giving time for his father to strike, to which he was unable to do so, eventually, Julius swung his blade at his father’s blade pushing his father back this time, confused as to why he didn’t give a blow, Julius asked his father.

“Why didn’t you attack?”

His father replied.

“You’re still my son, I can’t do it.”

His son, Julius, then smirked, as he pointed his sword at his father.

“Father, I’ve seen you slay countless soldiers and nobles, including kings, but you can’t even fend for your life as your son tried to kill you. When did you become so naïve?”

Julius gave a glare at his father as he pointed his sword at his father.

“When somebody tries to fight you, fight them back. Weren’t you the one who said to me?”

The king, again, took a defensive stance and prepared for his son’s next attack.