After entering the room, Arlan was bewildered to see the tense atmosphere and realized that he intruded in a war strategy meeting. He bowed to the king. "Your Majesty, I have heard about Prince Cian's situation."
On his way to the study, Arlan had been informed by his men about what happened during the council meeting.
The King nodded lightly, and Arlan continued, "I am here to offer help if it's needed. As the Crown Prince, I can move an army of ten thousand men with my authority, as more would require a decree from the king. If King Armen needs more, I can send a missive to my Royal Father."
His words visibly lessened the pressure on the shoulders of all the officials inside the study. General Cavrois saluted the prince. "Prince Arlan, Abetha will be taking advantage of your generosity."
The war strategy meeting proceeded, and Arlan was quickly informed of the plans offered by Sir Berolt and General Cavrois.
Arlan studied the map. "Prince Cian is in Thevailes, so it will be better to get help from Megaris."
Hearing his words, the general's eyes brightened up. "Your Highness, in your opinion, will the King of Megaris agree to it?"
Arlan nodded and looked at King Armen. "It will be better if His Majesty talks to him in person. I'm sure he will agree to help."
The King looked at Lord Eudes. "Arrange for me to meet King Drayce."
Bowing, the white-haired advisor, left while they resumed discussing war strategies against Thevailes and Hatha.
------
A Megaris knight entered his chamber to inform Drayce about Lord Eudes's arrival.
"Your Majesty," the knight bowed at the young king looking out the window.
Drayce turned to him, and the knight asked, "Was it Dusk, Your Majesty?"
"Hmm." Drayce nodded and instructed, "You can let him in."
The knight was not confused; he knew his King was aware of the visitor even earlier than he did. He soon returned with Lord Eudes, who bowed to Drayce as royal etiquette required.
"Eudes Briggs greets His Majesty, Drayce Ivanov. May Megaris forever prosper under your reign," the old man said courteously.
Drayce nodded lightly, accepting the greeting, and waited for King Armen's right-hand man to talk.
"I am sure King Drayce must have heard about the abduction of Crown Prince Cian," said Lord Eudes.
"Hmm!" Drayce nodded, looking at the old scholar while standing by the window.
"With this regard, King Armen invites the King of Megaris to join him in his study," Lord Eudes informed.
"I'll be there," Drayce replied offhandedly.
Lord Eudes left after bowing to him.
---------
(Seren's POV)
It had been two hours since I escaped from the kitchen. Although I want to go back and fix the mess I made and perhaps find something to free me of my biggest problem—my poor starving little tummy—I could not convince myself to return.
"What should I do?" Back in my bedchamber, I continued to sit on my chair, curling myself like a ball. "Should I go to the kitchen and try to look for whatever is left to cook?"
Once again, I stood up from the chair and was about to leave the room, but the thought of having rats there scared me, so I curled myself back into a ball on the chair. I had been pacing back and forth like this since earlier.
'What if it's not just one, but there are many more?'
The image of countless rodents sent a shiver across my spine.
"Drinking water will do. I won't die till Martha returns," I consoled myself and grabbed the brass water pot on the table next to me to pour water into a silver glass. Just as I finished the entire glass of water, another thought struck my mind. "What if Martha takes time to return?"
Just then, I heard some sound outside, and one big eagle sat on my window sill as his wide wings folded into his majestic body.
It was the first time an eagle ever came close to me willingly, much less approached my tower. Wanting to observe him better, I approached him with slow, steady steps.
The proud eagle eyed me and unfolded his wings.
I scooted a bit away, thinking he might fly away upon realizing my presence. Surprisingly, the eagle didn't look like a wild bird but looked well groomed. When he folded his wings back into his body, I realized there was something tied around his neck, a thick black thread with tiny red color jade hanging to it.
"So you are a pet?" I concluded.
I also noticed that he was not scared of me but looked back at me as if he was observing me. I went closer, but my action didn't scare him. I noticed something was in his mouth.
The eagle was eating something, and the sight saddened my mood.
"No wonder you are so healthy. You keep eating. Look at me; I will disappear soon if I don't eat anything," I complained, but that bird kept chewing what was in his beak.
It irked me. "You have too much flesh on you. How about I roast and eat you?"
When I moved my hand towards him, the eagle fled away.
I looked at him flying away, disappearing in the soon-to-be-dark sky. "As if I would have really eaten you. I am a witch but not an animal."
My words didn't reach him, and I returned to my bed. It will be night in the next few hours, and there was no way I would leave my room in the darkness. I hope I won't die by starving.
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When Drayce entered King Armen's study, the war meeting was in full swing. He saw Arlan talking to a scarred man who looked like a war veteran, probably discussing the strategy to rescue Prince Cian.
Seeing the arrival of the King of Megaris, everyone in the room bowed to Drayce, except for King Armen and Arlan.
"King Drayce must have known about the situation till now," King Armen said, getting straight to the point.
Drayce nodded, and King Armen directly addressed the issue. "We are in need of help from Megaris. I hope King Drayce will help us. Abetha will make sure to return the favor."
Drayce nodded again before proceeding to accompany everyone around the huge wooden table. It was silent approval that he was willing to help.
Looking at the map, Drayce listened to the discussion for a while. After understanding the progress the men had made so far, he spoke as he pointed his finger at a certain place on the map, "We can take this route to reach Thevailes, through Hatha. It will be faster."
"It won't be easy," Sir Berolt said with a frown.
"That's why we need to sneak in the night. A small elite force that will focus on speed and stealth. Tonight, we have to enter Hatha's border and cover as much distance through this forest."
Arlan looked at Drayce as he gave him a meaningful look. "We are good at sneaking in, aren't we?"
Drayce understood what Arlan meant and looked back at the map. "At first, we will join the Abethan soldiers and Griven soldiers who will attack the northern fortress between Hatha and Abetha with their combined armies, and it will be a large military force the enemies cannot afford to ignore."
"To distract them," the military general concluded, and Drayce nodded.
"This way, Thevailes won't get any help from Hatha, and vice versa," Arlan answered.
General Cavrois looked at the map and spoke again. "Once we rescue the Crown Prince, it will be difficult to return through Hatha. By then, we will be a lone island, and the enemies will have become aware of his escape and will keep watch along the Hatha and Thevailes border."
"Don't worry about it," Drayce concluded with a smirk. He told them what solution he had in mind.
After another round of discussions, the military general spoke towards King Armen, "Your Majesty, as everything is set, we can leave for Thevailes as soon as you order it."
"After having a nice meal," Drayce added.
"Of course," the King of Abetha said, smiling lightly. "We will set off tonight. Eudes, see to the preparations of all the soldiers and knights participating in this campaign."
Lord Eudes bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Drayce continued, "Of course, not just for my soldiers who are accompanying us. Every day, a three-course royal meal for the injured soldiers who will be staying back in Abetha."
Arlan looked at his friend in surprise as he couldn't understand why he suddenly made such a specific demand. Not like his soldiers would starve in Abetha in his absence.
"King Drayce can rest assured," said King Armen.
After everything was decided, they left the study and went to prepare for the upcoming battle.
On the way back to his bedchamber, Drayce turned to his personal knight who was accompanying him. "You know what to do, Slayer."
"Everything is set, Your Majesty," the knight called Slayer replied.
Arlan was walking with them. Looking at his friend's calm expression, he realized what his friend really meant when he said the King of Abetha might need their help. "You were already aware that this would happen."
"Did you really think I would come this far to another kingdom just because you begged me a few times to attend the engagement ceremony of your brother? I have my own kingdom to rule and am not so free."
"King Drayce thinks so highly of himself," Arlan commented drily as he added, "And I did not beg."
Drayce stopped walking and turned to look at his knight, who walked behind them.
"Slayer!"
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Refresh Prince Arlan's memory of the way he asked me to come to Abetha."
This sudden demand caught the knight off guard. His expression turned awkward. 'Is His Majesty asking me to act like Prince Arlan?'
Slayer was a nickname he earned due to his merits in every battle he participated in. He was a merciless and brave knight on the battlefield, but at this moment, he felt like he would rather die.
He wanted to scream, but he had no courage to disobey his King's order.
"Wait, wait! No need," Arlan interrupted them, and the knight gave out a sigh of relief as he stared at him like a savior.
As he observed the knight, Arlan continued, "It will be cruel for me to personally see Slayer destroying my nobility and elegance. To act like me, you should better choose someone wickedly handsome like me."
Drayce ignored Arlan and said coldly. "Slayer!"
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty?" The knight was ready to act, putting on a face as if he's ready to be executed.
"Okay! I admit I insisted a little bit more," Arlan interrupted, and again, the knight felt relieved. Arlan continued, "Rather than begging, you can say it was a request filled with a high level of desperation."
Drayce gave him a cold glare, and Arlan finally backed down.
"Apologies, Your Majesty, for expecting too much." Arlan commented sarcastically and asked something to change the subject, "What's with a three-course royal meal?"
"Let poor stomachs enjoy the hosting of the Royal House of Ilven," Drayce replied.
Arlan looked at Drayce's knight, Slayer. "Such a soft-hearted king the Kingdom of Megaris has."
Cough!
This sudden remark on his cruel and cold King startled the knight, and couldn't help but cough in surprise.
Ignoring the two, Drayce returned to his bedchamber. Someone was waiting for him, sitting on the window sill.
It was a majestic and proud eagle.
Drayce went to him, and he caressed his back.
"Seems like you enjoyed the rat," Drayce commented and then noticed something. "Did something scare you?"
The bird was quiet, and Drayce asked again in disbelief, "Who dared to scare you?"
The eagle rubbed his beak against Drayce's hand as a response. "Did someone scare you saying, 'I am a witch. I can burn you'?"
Drayce couldn't help but laugh remembering this. Seren said it to the rat, just in time for Drayce's ears to catch it.
There was no reaction from the bird, which signaled he was saying yes to what his owner said. Drayce asked again. "Was the starving kitten aiming to eat you?"
The bird lightly pecked his beak on Drayce's palm twice. Drayce understood he was not wrong this time. Drayce couldn't help but laugh again and didn't know what to think about this little kitten.
Even when she was in trouble, she would never forget to show her fake courageous act. She was interesting, and for the first time, he thought of someone as adorable.
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