The second prince, Clayton Novaria with a heavy heart somehow managed escape from there with some of his aides through a secret tunnel going all the way out of the capital city.
He had to stay hidden because he feared some people might be out there to pursue him.
For some days, Clayton stayed in a desert cave while his aides had gone out to check on the situation of the Novaria kingdom after they escaped.
Unfortunately, the news that they brought back was devastating for Clayton. Both his brother and father with their loyal guards died fighting the enemies in front of the palace that day.
The Novaria army stationed inside the capital city did not provide their king with any assistance as they should have.
It was because Clayton's third uncle had control over the army of Novaria as it was given to him by his brother that is Clayton's father as he trusted him then very much.
After the crown prince Jord and his father died in battle, Clayton's third uncle arrived with the army at the end of the battle.
But till then Elder Rey and those black-clothed people had already escaped. Soon Clayton's third uncle declared himself as the new King of Novaria.
Clayton's big brother had already warned him about their third Uncle therefore Clayton also did not return back. He already knew that his third royal uncle had betrayed them long ago.
Clayton had the suspicion that his third uncle might have made a deal with those disciples of Riverland Mountain sect and those unknown people who together attacked them at the crowning ceremony.
What shocked many people on the continent and Clayton was that the Fiery Phoenix sect did not bother to respond or even tried to get an explanation from the Riverland Mountain sect for their audacity to attack one of its allied kingdoms under their protection not to mention waging war with them.
It should have been a huge slap to their faces as it challenged their pride as the five big sects of the Belmont subcontinent but even then no one found them making any move.
It was only after some week when Clayton reached the headquarters of the fiery Phoenix sect having the biggest oasis in the whole desert did he knew why they did not care about their faces.
It was because the headquarters of the Fiery Phoenix sect had actually been destroyed by someone or something before he came and looked like it was done days ago.
In its place only lied the ruins of the sect. Clayton thought of his little sister Zara who he had not seen since she had gone to the sect. He mourned for her whole night in those ruins.
Slowly the people residing in the Belmont continent also came to know about Fiery Phoenix sect destruction that suddenly happened overnight.
Clayton was devasted as he had nowhere to go. He ran from one place to another hiding in caves and tribes to escape the people sent to kill him by his third uncle because he was a threat to him and his throne.
The hides and seeks happened until Clayton fell in love with a girl from one of the desert tribes he had taken refuge in. He soon married that girl and settled in her tribe. In a year after their marriage, Selena was born.
Clayton lived in the Cliff tribe for at least three years when suddenly he had to escape from there with her daughter because his third Uncle's thugs found him and soon brought an army at the doorsteps of the Cliff tribe.
They threatened the tribe to handover Clayton to them or else they will be destroyed.
But the Cliff tribe did not comply with their demands as Clayton being an Alchemist had previously cured many people of their tribe since the time he lived among them.
Clayton was already like a family to them not to mention he had also married the only daughter of the Chieftain of the Cliff tribe.
A battle took place between Novaria Kingdom's army and the Cliff tribe who were very strong. After two days of fighting, the cliff tribe was starting to lose the battle as their small numbers dwindled in spite of bravery and strength.
Finally, Selena's maternal grandfather forced Clayton to run away with Selena and her mother while he and some strong tribe members stayed back to keep the enemies occupied.
Once again Clayton found himself powerless to do anything as he failed to protect his loved ones. He had to run away with his wife, Selena and some of the remaining Cliff tribe numbering less than two hundred as Selena's grandfather did want his tribe to get wholly destroyed.
Finally one day, Clayton decided to leave the Belmont subcontinent altogether as it was not safe for them to stay here anymore.
They couldn't travel to the northern region of the Belmont subcontinent because the Novaria Kingdom governed by his third uncle was like an unpassable wall coming in between their way as there was no way to cross them safely.
Somehow getting hands-on some ships, Master Clayton immediately set sail for the archipelago in the north as he had read some information about it in the royal library of the Novaria family when he was still the second prince of that Kingdom.
But another tragedy struck them in between their journey as their five ships were engulfed in a very huge storm on the third at sea.
Before an hour the storm hit them, Selena's mother had boarded over to another one of their ships where a fellow tribe woman was going through the labour of childbirth and she had gone there to help as Clayton stayed back to look after Selena on the main ship.
No one could do anything in that situation as they were all left to the will of heaven.
After the storm passed away, only two ships managed to remain floating. The other three ships were nowhere in sight.
Unfortunately, the ship that Selena's mother had boarded one of them. Searching for half a day in that region, they managed to find some debris of a shipwreck that should be one of the three missing ships.
Even after searching around for a long time, they find anything else. Alas with the decreasing ration on the ship, Clayton did not even have the time to mourn for his wife as they had to reach a habited land soon or else everyone will die.
On the fifth day, Clayton found the Seashell island. There he and the thirty remaining members of the cliff tribe took refuge in the Dorbank city which was fortunately easy using Clayton's status as a Master Alchemist.
Since then Clayton has been living here with his daughter and the rest of the Cliff tribe working as his retainers.
...
"Sigh...and now here I am." Master Clayton sighed as he felt a heavy load has been lifted off his shoulders. Selena, as she was crying, suddenly stood up ran out of the room. Anna, Julie and Meg went right after her.
"Master Clayton...Selena is a strong girl. She just needs a little time." Donald said to Master Clayton.
"No, I am not worried about her. Selena is strong just like her mother was. She will get over it soon. But I don't know if she will ever forgive me for not telling her about our past. I only did that for her good." Master Clayton replied nonchalantly but Donald who also fathered a girl knew how he must be feeling now.