"We already informed the Prime Minister that Lady Vienna will be here for a few days. We say that you're not feeling well and with the Crown Prince's absence, Prime Minister Casar immediately agreed to it."
Iria Alewine only narrowed her eyes as Prince Orius talked. She didn't respond at all but she seemed to be thinking of something.
"Iria, why don't you get a grip of yourself? You must know it well that this is the only way for her to live," Prince Orius said when he noticed the Commander's dull face. "Besides, by letting her live, I already break the rules and my principles. That woman knows even more secrets than that Captain."
"I know," Iria Alewine muttered. "I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing and instead, get ahold of yourself. We will leave soon and you don't have time to be like that," Orius Aventine firmly said to her.
"I understand," the Commander replied.
Prince Orius quietly glanced at her before he walked away to take care of other matters. Then the Commander also retreated to her chamber where Vienna Mareyi was sitting.
The hands and legs of Lady Vienna weren't tied anymore and the gagged on her mouth was now removed too. Besides, the Prime Minister's daughter had a calm expression on her face when she looked at the Commander. However, the latter felt guilty and she can't even meet her gaze.
Iria Alewine quietly walked towards the balcony and sat on the chair which was placed near the small door to the balcony. Her gaze fixated on the training ground which was visible from her chamber but... it only reminded her of Arin Helev.
In the past, the Crown Prince would practice there each day and she always watched him from the balcony. Then she wondered if he would be doing fine in the camp.
Will he take good care of himself?
When she recalled herself preparing for war, she realized how she often ends up working day and night to come up with great military tactics and a way to tackle the enemies while minimizing the risk. Knowing that the Crown Prince won't be much different only worried her more.
"If you're not the Princess, then what's your name?" Vienna Mareyi asked the Masked Commander who seemed to be lost in her thoughts. She remembered how the Jerivian Prince called her Commander Iria. Wasn't that the Princess's name?
The Commander shifted her gaze to Lady Vienna when she heard her question. Then she replied, "Iria Alewine."
Vienna Mareyi raised a brow when she heard her. "You have the same name as Princess Iria?" she asked.
Iria Alewine nodded. "She's my friend. Our fathers were best friends and they gave us the same name as a sign of their friendship," she explained as she knew that it was considered inappropriate to bear the same name as royals. In almost every kingdom, there were some names that were reserved for royals.
"The friendship of your father and the King must be great," Vienna Mareyi remarked. She never heard of such an occurrence before.
"King Tobias is like a father to me. I think that explains everything," Iria replied. When she looked at Vienna Mareyi, there was a feeling of easiness in her heart.
She was still the same, curious as ever.
Vienna Mareyi wondered if that was the reason why Iria behaved that way after the Second Prince mentioned the King. "Is that why you're afraid to let him down?" she cautiously asked Iria and the latter nodded.
"You might not understand how I feel but... I'd rather die than disappoint him," Iria Alewine muttered and turned her body towards the Lady. "You said that you are curious about the Masked Commander, right?"
Vienna Mareyi nodded.
"I never say this to anyone but I'll tell you," Iria started. "Ever since I was young, I spent a lot of time in the palace. My mother died before I turned one and my father was always busy fighting wars and in the army camp. I grew up under the King's supervision and he taught me almost everything.
"I always say that I fight for the kingdom and the people but I also have one more reason," Iria paused and added, "It's the King."
Iria Alewine remained quiet for a while, recalling her memories with the King whom she even spent more time with, compared to her late father.
"I don't want him to spend his time worrying about the kingdom's safety. That's why I always stepped in and brought victory for him. When he is wary of some rival kingdom, I would wage a war against the exact kingdom and weakened them so that he would be able to be at ease. I hate to see him worry," Iria Alewine uttered and shifted her gaze back to the outdoors.
"To be honest, I don't have much fear in life but... do you know what the Masked Commander feared the most?" The Commander made a deliberate paused and turned back to Vienna Mareyi. "To let King Tobias down. If that day ever comes, it will be the worst for me."
Vienna Mareyi thought of the things she just heard. Then what the Second Prince said crossed her mind. "If King Tobias heard of this, how will he think?" She paused and explained, "About you defending me."
"For him, you will be just a Qalagon woman. He won't understand me," Iria Alewine replied after giving a quick thought.
Vienna Mareyi narrowed her eyes at the floor as she pressed her nails against each other. "How did things go wrong?" she muttered. She still remembered how happy the people were when they learned that their kingdom would be finally having peace with their long-standing rival, Jerivia.
Was everything a lie since the beginning?!
"Everything went wrong when a false rumor reached the ears of King Tobias," Iria said. "We were willing to fulfil the alliance marriage and the Princess also prepared for that. But we heard that the Qalagons are using the alliance marriage as a cover and they still prepare to attack us once they are ready. That's why I came here."
Such a rumor existed? It made Vienna Mareyi raised a brow. Who did such a thing?!
"Then what about Princess Iria?" she asked.
Though Lady Vienna had many questions, Iria answered all her questions with patience. She thought that after fooling her, this was the least she could do. After all, this woman considered her as a friend.
"She was poisoned and left in a coma when I came here," Iria replied, much to the surprise of the Prime Minister's daughter. Then she added, "She died a few days ago."
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