Andres Francia just finished hearing out Iria and judging from the look on his face, Iria could tell right away that it wasn't good.
He thought that she suffered some new injury on her way here and that was already bad enough but... it already went on for more than a year?
The Cedore Crown Prince was reminded of the day he first saw his younger cousin. That day when Arin Helev brought her to the royal palace of Qalagon, unconscious.
Despite being a patient man, it took him a lot of effort not to lose his mind that day.
After waiting for more than 20 years, he finally get to see his cousin. The feeling was completely different from sending someone to know what she was up to and what she was like. However....
He never thought that the first time he saw her, she will be unconscious with three arrow shot wounds on her body and a completely shattered heart.
The rage he felt that day was something which he never felt before.
Being a royal family member, no one ever dared to provoke his family, let alone harm them. But that day, he experienced the pain which was very foreign to him.
"Andres," Iria called out when he sat still without saying anything.
"You should tell me," he muttered. "It must be hard."
Compared to the look on his face, what he just said wasn't what Iria expected. Then what Orius said to her before crossed her mind.
'It's hard to know what Andres really feels.'
That was the case right now.
The look on his face told her that it wasn't good but... he won't show any more thing, let alone say it.
What was he thinking right now? She had no idea.
However, before she could speak up...
"Go and rest now. You must be tired from the journey. You don't even get to rest since you arrived."
She knew this wasn't like him and it troubled Iria even more. However, as she didn't know what to say for now, she rose from her seat and walked out of the chamber.
Crown Prince Andres sat still for a while and though he appeared pretty calm, his fists were clenched the whole time. Complete silence occupied his chamber for almost an hour!
Finally, Zane walked inside and bowed.
"You told me that the King of Jerivia is on his way to Helsia, right?" the Crown Prince asked his right-hand man.
"Yes, Your Highness. He will be there in two days."
Will any of his family know that he keep watch on the Jerivian King for more than a year now?
He doubted that. He had never shown it, let alone talked about it.
"And his purpose?"
"The spies told me that King Zaro Aventine must be there to eliminate the remnants of Helsia and also to carry out a reform," Zane replied.
"Eliminate," the Crown Prince muttered and sneered. "It's funny. He should be the one who gets eliminated."
"What do you want to do, Your Highness?" Zane asked, noticing that the Crown Prince was different from usual.
Andres Francia thought about it and looked up at his right-hand man. "Let's play a game. I bet it will be very fun."
Game?
Zane didn't know what the Crown Prince had in mind but... judging from the past, he was sure that it won't be that pleasant for the one at the other end.
* * *
As Iria claimed, Arin Helev arrived two days later on the same day as Emperor Lucius Arille and Crown Princess Elysia Arille, the wife of Crown Prince Augustus. On the third day, the wedding took place and as per custom, a huge feast was held in the palace at night.
Emperor Lucius Arille might be the most powerful emperor of the continent but he was very good to everyone. The Emperor always valued friendship and alliance and he treasured his daughter. That's why he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Andres and his family.
The Aederin Emperor was also especially fond of Arin who was already famous as a warrior even before he became the King. So, during the feast, he spent a lot of time talking to the royal couple of Qalagon.
The newlywed couple also chat with each other and they seemed to be enjoying themselves and so was Orius and Valerie along with Emperor Kalos and Empress Amina.
"It seems like all the rumors I heard about you are true, King Arin," Emperor Lucius Arille said to the young Qalagon King who was even younger than his son. "You are just like my son," he continued. Shifting his gaze to his son and his daughter-in-law who were sitting a few steps away, he added, "You're both smitten by your wives."
At the unexpected remark of the Aederin Emperor, Arin Helev chuckled. "I think that's a compliment, Emperor Lucius," he stated.
"Of course, it is," the Emperor laughed. "Men who know how to love and respect their wives are real men. That's what I always taught Augustus and I think my teaching is very successful."
"That's right," the Qalagon King remarked and looked at his wife. "I'm lucky to have her in my life."
"My daughter always admired your wife," the Emperor said. Looking at Iria, she said, "I think you and your husband have many similarities. Though you sound like an odd couple at first, everyone will know that it's not the case if they see you together."
He turned to his daughter who was chatting with her new husband and said, "I really wish that she find happiness like her brother did. For us, her happiness is everything."
"It seems like you're also just the same as those rumors, Emperor Lucius," Arin pointed out. "You really have a soft spot for your daughter."
Lucius Arille looked at him and shook his head, amused. "It's the truth that fathers have special connections with their daughters and mothers with their sons. Augustus has that connection with his mother and for me, it's all about Ophelia."
He glanced at the couple and with a smile, he added, "Wait until you have one. You will understand everything I said."
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