Jacob’s mind was in disarray. He didn’t know what to make of this marking on that appeared on their arms. Jacob eventually showed her his own marking.

"I was marked too. I don’t know what it did to us or what this mark means, but it can’t mean anything good."

"Should we ask the towns people if they know what it might mean?"

Jacob thought for a moment.

"It’s a bit risky. I don’t want to put them in danger, and we just don’t know enough about what this means yet."

"But still... it seems like we can look at just fine without anything happening to us."

Jacob scratched his head.

"Maybe we can just ask a few. Just in case."

Maria and Jacob stood up and started gathering their things to head back. After a short while, they started their long journey home. The sun was still illuminating the world around them as they walked, but it was quickly starting to fall. By the time the pair arrived back home, it was well below the horizon and stars were starting to populate the sky.

Jacob walked up to a gentleman closing up his hardware store and pulled up his sleeve.

"Pardon me sir, but do you know anything about this mark."

The gentleman looked aggravated by his approach.

"Go play games with someone else. I’m trying to close up shop here."

The man quickly shut his door and walked away leaving Jacob stunned.

"I wonder what that was about."

It was Maria’s turn to ask someone. She went up to a woman who was walking with her kids through the streets.

"Pardon me ma’am, but do you know anything about this mark? Or perhaps someone who might know anything?"

The woman and her kids looked at Maria confused but still decided to look at her arm anyway.

"Ah. Your arm seems much tanner miss Maria. Your hard work clearly shows! Thank you for everything you do!"

The woman continued walking with her kids like nothing happened.

Jacob walked over to Maria.

"Something isn’t right. I’m not sure if they can see the mark or not."

"Same here. It’s almost like it’s not even there. How come we’re the only ones who can see it?"

"Perhaps it’s because we share the mark so we’re able to see who else may have it."

"Do you think we’re not the only people to receive this symbol?"

Jacob sighed.

"Something tells me we aren’t. Call it an intuition."

As they were walking back towards the palace, Maria suddenly remembered something important she had to talk to Jacob about.

"Hey, Jacob. Can I tell you about something that happened recently?"

Jacob seemed shocked by the sudden question.

"Sure. What happened?"

"I believe it was on your first day of training. I found you passed out on the top of the palace steps, so I rushed over to you to help. I made sure you weren’t injured or in need of medical assistance before carrying you inside."

"Oh. I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to scare you. Thank you for bringing me to my room."

"I didn’t."

"What? How did I end up there then?"

"On my way to your quarters, I was stopped by your father in the hall."

Jacob’s heart dropped. He had an ominous feeling where this story was heading, and he didn’t like it a single bit. His anger started to swell.

"When he walked over to me, he commanded me to put you down so he could carry you the rest of the way. I didn’t listen at first. I insisted on carrying you myself. However, when I did, the king punched me right in my stomach and dropped me to the ground."

Upon hearing this, Jacob didn’t bother listening to the rest of the story. He immediately beelined straight for the palace. His anger was seething out of his body. All he could imagine was beating up his father and giving him a piece of his mind. Enough was finally enough.

Maria strengthened herself and ran after Jacob. She tried pleading with him as he ran.

"Jacob, wait! I’m not done with the story!"

Jacob didn’t listen. He couldn’t. The only thing his mind could comprehend right now was wrath. He and Maria busted through the throne room doors. Jacob started angerly walking towards his father. A cold, stern expression was stuck on his face. He didn’t care about anything right now except seeing his father in pain.

"Jacob, my son. I must insist you stop breaking through that door. Eventually it will break off its-"

Before the king could finish, Jacob grabbed the king by his collar and pulled him towards his face. He looked his father right in the eye with unbridled fury. The entire throne room gasped and went silent. A tense aura filled the area.

"What did you do to her?"

"Jacob?! What is the meaning of-"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MARIA YOU BASTARD?!"

Everyone was so shocked, they couldn’t move. The king however, still held a fearless gaze looking at his son. He commanded his guard to stand down who were now approaching Jacob with caution.

"I taught her a lesson. The weak need to know their place. I thought you knew that."

It took everything Jacob had to not punch his father hearing those words.

"A lesson? You call beating a helpless woman a lesson?! You’re mad!"

"And look at what came out of such a lesson. She became strong, she earned the blessing of a noble clan."

"She always was strong! She was the one who put that giant man in that state, not me! I could hardly do a thing! I was helpless against his power and she saved me! I was the weak one that day. I was the one holding her back. Not the other way around."

"She is still nothing but common blood. I didn’t even want her in the Rose Clan, but Lidia persisted."

"She is a citizen of Iron Kingdom. There is no such thing as nobles and peasants. We all share the same blood, we all desperately want to survive, we all have hopes and dreams too. Why do only the strong get the choice to dream?!"

"Because that is a privilege that they earn. When you are strong, who is going to stop you from getting what you want?"

Jacob let go of his father’s shirt and threw him back in his throne.

"You... You’re so out of touch with reality it’s mind blowing. Get a grip for once in your life and realize being weak is not a bad thing. Have you even tried talking to the people in the kingdom? They have relationships like us; they have families like us dad. Are you trying to say if we were born as them you would despise your own existence? Even so, why does everyone have to strive for strength? What’s so wrong with being weak?"

"Everything is wrong with being weak. Being weak is what got your mother killed."

"Being BRAVE is what got mom killed. She knew she couldn’t save us, yet she still went out and fought with all of her heart. If you ask me, SHE is the strong one for making such a choice. Not you. All you did was cower behind your walls and people with your tail tucked between your legs. You’re nothing but a coward."

"I’ve had enough of this nonsense, Jacob. Stand down."

"Not until you stop treating the kingdom like we’re your prisoners."

Even the guards were extremely hesitant. They had no idea what to think of the situation, but it was true that the king’s rule was never a forgiving one. Jacob’s ideas seemed a lot more relieving.

"Stand down. I won’t ask again."

"Eat shit, Crimson King."

The king jumped out of his chair and charged toward Jacob.

Suddenly, a massive bang rang through the entire room causing everyone to flinch and look away from the impact. Maria’s fist had collided with the king’s face and completely busted his cheek open. Her hand was steaming with energy as if she threw it so hard that heat built up on her knuckles before impact.

She stood in between the king and Jacob; a deathly glare was painted on her face. Her emerald eyes looked like that of a serpent about to strike down its prey.

"I won’t let you touch the prince. Step away you monster."

Everyone, including Jacob, was in disbelief. No one in the history of Iron Kingdom had ever dared to lay a hand on the king. Not only that, but no one had ever been able to seriously hurt him before.

"What’s the matter, Crimson King? Are you scared?"

The king looked at Maria, first with an astonished expression then one filled with anger.

"I’ve had enough of this. With what you have just done, you have forfeited your right to live in this kingdom. My only mercy is that I will not strike you down where you stand."

Just then, a knight in glowing onyx-black armor walked into the throne room. His presence slowly flowed out of him. It was the leader of the Katra Clan who had finally returned from his scouting mission.

"My King, I have completed the mission you have requested. Your suspicions are confirmed. Your brother-in-law is planning to team up with that man in the forest and launch an assault on this kingdom. I am not sure when."

"Katra... why do you have your helmet on? You are away from the battlefield."

"I can take off if you wish, my lord."

"Do it."

Slowly, Katra took his dark helmet off. When he set it off to his side, the entire room gasped. The king was petrified at what he saw.

Across his right eye, was a large, festering scar. The man who had never been injured in battle, seemed to have hardly escaped with his life.