Though Commander Favian wasn't that convinced, he still nodded.
After all, it was already too late for going back.
"I heard that the Qalagon Queen must be up to something and my spies will try to know what it is," King Aryan said to the Commander and gestured him to take a seat. Then they sat down on the chairs opposite each other.
"She is not one to be underestimated, Your Majesty," the Commander said. "Even my soldiers felt the pressure when they heard that she will be leading the war. That fire already told us what she's capable of and it's obvious that she is capable of even more."
"I know," Aryan Tripas said. "It's why I tried hard to convince the King of Jerivia to join us. He knows her well and he will be of great help to us."
Commander Favian gave a quick thought and said, "Everything has its pros and cons, King Aryan. King Zaro Aventine will be able to provide great help but... he is someone whom the Masked Commander loathe. I think his presence will only be a strong driving force for her."
"If we are to take that into consideration, Commander Favian, I'm not that different in her eyes," Aryan Tripas stated.
The Commander understood what the King said as he also knew about the poisoning incident.
"You don't have to worry," Aryan Tripas continued. "The rebellion makes Jerivia very weak right now and it is why Zaro Aventine is willing to join me despite his hatred for me. He agreed to take care of the Alewine Army and the Masked Commander. So, if he can do that, it's enough."
The Commander processed what the King said and looking at Aryan Tripas, he raised a brow. "You want to discard him after making use of him?"
Aryan Tripas simply smiled. "I'm not a fool, Commander Favian. If Jerivia becomes strong again, I will become the target of Zaro Aventine right away. Do you think I will take that risk?"
Though Commander Favian knew how cunning the Nardodian King was, he didn't expect it to be this extent!
In the past, he kept on proposing a deal to the young Jerivian King as if he was serious about it.
Was that just a part of his scheming plan?!
"Why are you giving me that look, Commander?" Aryan Tripas simply asked and laughed. "That's the rule of life. I have to destroy my enemies or anyone who considers me as an enemy if I don't want to be the one getting destroyed."
Commander Favian didn't get the chance to say anything as a soldier walked inside and informed King Aryan that King Declan had arrived. Then both the King and the Commander walked out of the tent to welcome the King of Alora.
* * *
It was night and General Randal was meeting Theo inside a room at an inn in the capital.
"I'm sorry I can't come sooner," General Randal said to his friend. "I have many things to take care of due to the raised in tax."
"It's fine," Theo said. "I saw you leading the soldiers every day."
Randal nodded. "What do you want to tell me? Is it about the disappearance of His Highness?"
Theo let a few seconds pass before he nodded. "Though His Majesty commanded me to look for His Highness in secret, I think that you will be able to help me and... that means I'm risking my life to tell you this."
General Randal raised a brow when he heard his friend! He was willing to go against the order of the King?!
Theo was well aware of how his friend was a man of justice. Besides, he also knew that he will be able to do anything for the Crown Prince. He was always loyal to the royal family.
"Tell me," General Randal said, knowing that he will be hearing what the King commanded to be kept a secret. However, to find the Crown Prince, he was willing to take the risk.
Then Theo told the General how Alena disappeared, his journey with the Crown Prince to find Alena, the assassination attempt followed by another one in Qalagon, and how he strangely woke up in his quarters in the palace.
"His Highness was treated in the royal palace of Qalagon during that time," he said to the General. "However, when he was on his way back, he was attacked again and he is missing since then."
"Are you saying that you don't suspect the Qalagon King like His Majesty did?" General Randal asked his friend, feeling a bit confused.
"I'm sure that King Arin Helev didn't do that," Theo firmly stated. "Instead, he always tries to protect His Highness."
"Qalagon is our enemy and so is Arin Helev," Randal said. "What you said doesn't make sense to me."
Theo gave a brief thought and said, "You know that the Crown Prince always strives to be different from the King. That's why he used to help the Qalagon King so that he could prevent the King from turning too worse. His Highness didn't want the people's suffering to worsen. So, Arin Helev also trusts in him and they always help each other."
Though Theo's claim was not easy to believe, General Randal knew Crown Prince Emor well and he believed that doing such a thing was like the Crown Prince. As such, he finally nodded.
"The poisoning incident happened because His Majesty was convinced that Arin Helev is the one behind the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince," Theo continued. "At first, I suspected His Majesty because I know how he hated when he find out the cooperation between the Crown Prince and Arin Helev."
"Then?"
"But now, I know that His Majesty is innocent in this matter," Theo continued. "That means the culprit is someone else." He paused and said, "Someone powerful enough to execute all those plans, someone close enough to the King and someone who can freely walk around the palace to put me back to my quarter while I was unconscious."
General Randal thought of who might be such a person. "You mean.... " His eyes grew wide when one person crossed his mind. "Minister Colson?"
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