Iria returned to her chamber after she instructed the servants to take Trevor to the chamber prepared for him. Sitting alone on a chair behind the desk, the Queen's mind was completely occupied by the things that the General who was now the Jerivian King said to him.
Where could Athena be?
Though Iria knew that the death of Zaro Aventine was also the end of the Aventine family as the King had no heir, thinking how the Jerivian throne was now occupied by someone with a different family name hurt her a bit.
After all, she spent more than a decade of her life trying to protect that throne so that the Aventines will always be the ones occupying it. Her father spent his whole life that way too and so was her grandfather.
But now, the throne belonged to the Amaris and... she was the one who let that happen.
The Queen was snapped out of her thoughts when Morin walked inside. Seeing the Prince's face, she realized what she said to him before.
She said that she will come and train with him after meeting the guest but... she had completely forgotten about it as she was too shocked by the news!
"Morin," she called out and rose from her seat. "I'm really sorry -"
"I'm visiting the camp, sister-in-law!" the young Prince exclaimed and hurried to her before she could even finish talking.
The camp?
"You mean the Royal Army camp?" she asked, raising her brows.
"Yes! My instructor offers to take me there," Prince Morin replied with excitement written all over his face.
Iria wondered if it would be a good idea to let Morin go there. However, the Prince was too excited and she can't bring herself to stop him.
"Elian."
The Vice-Captain of the Royal Guards promptly walked inside the chamber when he heard the Queen calling for him. "Your Majesty."
"Prince Morin is visiting the Royal Army camp. Select some guards to escort him there and you should also go too. That way, I'll be able to be at ease."
That means he will have to leave the Queen's side and Elian was a bit worried. However, as it was an order, he can only bow his head and accept. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Elian left the chamber to comply with the order and Iria turned her attention back to Morin. "You should be careful, alright? Don't go anywhere alone and listen to Elian." With a playful smile, she added, "If something happens, your brother will turn crazy."
The young Prince's lips curved into a smile and nodded. "Alright. I will remember that."
The Queen smiled and stroked the Prince's hair. "Come back before dinner," she said. "You know that we have a guest, right? As the royal Prince of this kingdom, you will have to learn how to deal with guests from other kingdoms."
"I know that," Morin Helev muttered with a little frown. "Arin always says that once I grow up, I will have to travel to many places on his behalf and represent our Qalagon."
The Queen chuckled. "Isn't that a good thing? Why did you frown?"
"I don't want to travel," the Prince promptly said. "Once I grow up, I will maintain the army and also fight for the kingdom but apart from that, I want to spend all my time with you and my brother. My parents too."
"That makes sense," Iria remarked and the young Prince's face instantly brightened up with hope. Iria saw this and with a smile, she continued, "But do you know this, Morin? If you want to be a great Commander, you will need to gain knowledge and the best way to have that is to travel as much as you can.
"Once you're strong enough, you can even go to our enemy nations and study the landscapes and situation there so you can use that knowledge to your advantage in case you have to fight against them."
Morin Helev thought of what the Queen told him and asked, "Did you use to do that?"
Iria nodded with a smile. "Many times but don't tell anyone. It's a secret."
Secret? It made Morin flash a wide smile and he nodded. "Then I will travel as much as I can so that I can become like you."
The moment Morin finished talking, they heard the sound of knocking on the door and Elian walked inside.
"Everything is prepared now, Your Majesty."
The Queen nodded and shifted her attention back to the Prince. "Remember what I said. Come back before dinner and listen to Elian. You shouldn't go anywhere alone and only visit the camp."
"Don't worry," Prince Morin quickly said. "I memorize everything."
Morin left with his instructor and the guards and Iria was alone in the chamber. Though the Queen had no plan to go out today, Lady Vienna crossed her mind and she wondered if she should go and visit her.
After thinking about it for a while, Iria dressed up in clothes that would be comfortable for riding a horse. Then she left the palace alone riding a horse.
*
Less than an hour passed and Iria finds herself in the Lorin family mansion. She was in the main chamber with Lady Vienna and General Hanson who was sitting right beside his wife.
"I heard that you can be in labor anytime now," the Queen said to her friend who sat opposite her. "That's why I come to check on you." She briefly glanced at Hanson Lorin and added, "But it seems like I have no reason to worry."
"I'm so glad that you come, Your Majesty," Vienna Lorin promptly said. She had that same elegant yet genuine smile on her face and Iria was at ease because of that.
It seemed like everything was going fine for Vienna now. Besides, Arin and Hanson had reconciled and the General seemed to be doing fine too. He didn't appear to be tormented anymore.
"Did you come alone, Your Majesty?" Hanson Lorin asked and his gaze trailed to the door. "I don't see any guards when you arrived."
Iria nodded and with a chuckle, she replied, "But don't worry, General Hanson.. I don't sneak out this time."
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