Crown Prince Arin was alone in one room of the 'Sublime Inn' which was located in the capital of Jerivia. Sitting on a chair behind the table, all his attention was focused on the drawing which he currently worked at.
The Crown Prince had always loved to draw since he was young and he often drew the picture of his mother so that he won't forget her face. He was so young when his mother died and there were no portraits of her in the royal archives, all thanks to someone.
But today, he finds himself drawing the picture of the woman he loved. It's his first time drawing her picture but he didn't draw some scenes from his memory. Well, it might be his memory but it was a mixture of two things. It was one piece that portrayed two absolutely different things and there was an invisible vertical line that cut the picture in half.
In his drawing, all the right part of Iria was wearing a dress suitable for the Masked Commander and she wore the leather boot on her right foot. Her right hand was holding a sword and half of her face was covered with the silver mask which she always wore. The right part of her lips curved into a cruel smirk yet sadness was hinted beneath it.
While the left part was absolutely different as Iria wore a beautiful light blue gown and a sparkling glass shoe on her left foot. Her left palm was revealed as gentle and tender flesh. There was no mask covering the left part of her face as she smiled genuinely with her mesmerizing aqua blue eyes shining brighter than ever. Her beautiful long black hair flowed in the air and some parts covered her left shoulder, presenting her as a perfect lady.
For a while, all Arin did was staring at his own work. Somehow this alone pained him.
Was it because this drawing portrayed the sad reality of the woman he loved? Maybe.
He wished to amend this cruel reality but... there was nothing he could do, for now.
Crown Prince Arin was very quick to put away the drawing when he heard the sound of knocking on the door. He responded to it and Antony walked inside. He was the only one whom he brought with him all the way to this kingdom.
His original intention was to go alone but... Hanson Lorin barely convinced him to let Antony tag along. As usual, the General was worried about his friend. Besides, even a fool would know that Jerivia wasn't safe for him right now.
"Your Highness." Antony stood in front of the table and bowed.
"Is there some news?" Arin Helev asked. He rose from his seat and walked towards the opened windows. He shut his eyes when the cold breeze of the night blew in his tired face.
"It seems like the King of Nardodia is willing to negotiate with us now. However... " Antony made a deliberate pause to think twice before he speaks. Then he continued, "Your presence might be necessary."
"I guess Aryan Tripas wished to see me in person, finally," the Crown Prince muttered, emphasizing the last word. "Is he that eager to die?"
"Are you planning to make a move right away?" Antony asked.
"Not that soon," Arin promptly replied. "For now, I think I should let him enjoy his newfound glory for a while. Besides, the soldiers need rest too."
Arin Helev turned around and returned to his seat. "Send a letter to my father and tell him not to worry. I have a way to turn the negotiation in our favor. Even Aryan Tripas won't be able to refuse me."
Antony was quite surprised by what the Crown Prince said. However, he bowed without asking any questions. "Yes, Your Highness."
Once Antony left, Arin shifted his gaze to the windows and he can also see the magnificent moon from where he sat. For a split second, he even thought of scaling her mansion walls as he was so eager to see her again. He was also confident that he won't get caught by others.
After thinking long and deep, he refused the idea with reluctance. She won't like it if he did that. At least, they weren't miles away for now but just a few kilometres. That gave him a sense of peace.
He wondered how he used to be stupefied whenever he heard that she still managed to sneak out despite the heavy guard of the palace. However, it made sense to him now.
She was the Masked Commander who managed to scale the palace walls of Helsia and conquered the capital with just a few soldiers! It would be a miracle if the walls and guards of his palace could stand in her way!
At least, there was some good coming from him knowing her real identity. He doesn't have to worry about her safety all the time. She was more than capable of protecting herself and it's just that... he knew it too late.
* * *
It had been a while since Commander Iria returned to the camp. She was alone in her tent, thinking of the thing she witnessed in the day.
Strangely, that wound can't stop bothering her. Of course, the King of Nardodia was no exception.
Aryan Tripas who was famous for his greed and cruelty.
What would be the limit of his cruelty? She was curious about that. She had never seen him in person and even if she did, she was sure that she won't be pleased.
Everyone knew that he was the mastermind behind that war Arin fought and... if possible, she would be more than pleased to end him.
However, with the current relationship between her kingdom and Nardodia, will she got the chance to do that?
The Commander was snapped out of her thoughts when Rion walked inside the tent. She hasn't seen or communicated much with him since the war started. She was leading soldiers through the underground path while he was assisting the Second Prince in the main war.
Even after the war ended, it was followed by a celebration and the Nardodian Crown Prince's visit. She was being busy, doing one thing after another.
"Commander."
"What's the matter, Rion?" she promptly asked. Though she was sitting on a chair, with him standing in her right, she turned her body in his direction and paid attention to him.
"It's hard to see you these days, Commander," Rion pointed out though he maintained a respectful tone. He had also seen and realized who the Nardodian Crown Prince was and it made him wondered if that was the reason. He also heard about the hunting that took place in the Amlant Forest.
"I know," Iria Alewine replied. "There are many things going on these days."
Rion stared at his Commander without saying anything until he finally mustered up his courage and asked, "Do I still disappoint you, Commander? Are you still upset with me?"
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