CHAPTER 9
King Hendrick sat in his chambers with his eyes closed, his legs resting on a stool. The stiffness in his petrified leg had eased for a while. He sighed, opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling above him.
A knock resounded on the door, and Minos entered the room.
"You took too long," the King muttered. He raised his head and looked down at the half-finished chess game before him. "I was almost starting to lose interest."
Minos bowed deeply before taking a seat across from the King, settling at the black side of the chessboard.
Hendrick pulled his legs down from the stool and leaned forward,his gaze swept across the game, and a smile formed on his face.
"I guess there is a clear winner," he remarked, eyeing the number of black pieces he had already whittled down.
Minos smiled calmly,but he didn't respond. Now, with each of them seated and ready, the world seemed to fade away in the background as the game began again, the only sound heard was the soft click of chess pieces on the board.
Hendrick had dominated since the beginning—his pieces spread meticulously like an army in battle formation—his rooks commanded the centre, his knights brimming with killing intent, and his queen gleaming with confidence. Victory was already in his grasp.
Minos' gaze however, swept across the board with quiet calculation. A subtle gleam of focus in his eyes.
"My Lord, Kaelthor has shifted. Envoys of Tharion visited their kingdom yesternight," Minos said, pushing a pawn forward by two steps.
Hendrick paused, observing the move, his hand resting in his chin."Mhmm, Kaelthor has also joined them."A dark shadow glinted in his eyes as he also moved a pawn, capturing Minos's in an en passant.
"When is the Great Assembly going to be held?" He asked, leaning back. A frown marred his countenance.
"Five days after the ball, My Lord," Minos responded evenly.
"Mhmm, five days after the ball," Hendrick murmured as though ingraining it within. "What about Reggie? Has he received it?"
"Yes, My Lord, he has. However, it seems he is plotting something with the other nobles. He bought a high-grade High Human scroll from the black market—a few, in fact."
Minos moved his knight three squares to the right, capturing the King's rook.
"It's happening too soon. I mean, I expected it from Reggie,but Kaelthor–no." The King chuckled mockingly. "It seems I am going to fall to backstabbing."
"Reggie's father and his grandfather all swore fealty to the crown. I never expected him to deviate from their course."
He sighed once again and rubbed his forehead. He could feel a headache forming over all these issues.
Minos had a small smile on his face.
"My Lord, people are strange and unpredictable beings. They might feel sorry for you or even love you, but it is in this same love that they persecute you—heartlessly."
Hendrick clicked his queen on a piece diagonally facing Minos's King.
"Check," he muttered softly, relaxed his expression, and leaned back on the chair.
"So what do you feel, Minos? Do you pity me or do you love me?"
Minos paused, obviously not expecting his statement to be drafted into a question and passed to him. His fingers hovered over a single piece crouched in the shadow of his pawn. He moved his bishop—diagonally—slicing through the whole chaos.
Hendrick frowned as he didn't recognise the move, but soon realisation flickered in his gaze. His queen was trapped and his King cornered.
"I admire you, My Lord… checkmate."
Hendrick's frown gave way to a smile—a simple smile.
While her two elders were busily playing chess, Sera was running around looking for her brother.
She bit her lip in worry after coming out of the drawing room and finding no sign of him.
"Where could he be?"
Thunder roared through the skies, accompanied by the relentless pelting of rain. Sera shivered from the cold and descended the steps, walking towards the doors.
There she met Serevin doing his routine check.
"Serevin, have you seen my brother?"
Anxiety was evident in her voice, and she inwardly prayed he was safe.
"Your Highness, I saw him going into the High Steward's chambers a few minutes ago," Serevin bowed and reported.
Sera's eyes widened, and she ran to the hallway across her left.
"No, no, no. I hope he is not going there. Please, Garran!" Sera begged inwardly, holding up her skirt.
Minos returned to his room and pulled off his uppercoat. As he walked to the bathroom, a snow-white envelope on his desk caught his eye.
With a brow arched, he walked to his desk and picked up the envelope. The seal bore the emblem of a hammer striking a broken helmet.
Minos frowned and turned towards the window, yanking it open– but he found no one there.
Just then, the door to his room burst open, and a furious Garran stood in the doorway.
Minos turned to the door and subtly slid the envelope into his pocket.
"A knock would have been appreciated, Prince Garran," Minos said evenly. He gestured for Garran to walk in and took his seat behind his desk, opening a drawer and dropping the envelope in it.
"Acting all high and mighty." Garran growled."So what if you are Father's childhood friend? I would become the King, and I would show you your place!" Garran boomed.Suddenly the storm outside quietened down, as though silenced by his fury."How dare you give my sister's hand in marriage?"
Minos sighed, finally understanding the cause of the anger.
"What is wrong with that? Your sister is of marrying age, and your father wanted her to—"
"Don't tell me that bullshit!" Garran barked. His sapphire-blue eyes turned paler, and shades of purple circled his irises."You have no right over my sister!"
"Are you done?" Minos questioned after observing him silently. He exhaled and rose to the window. The intensity of the rain had softened, but behind him, Garran was on the verge of breaking.
"Why… why, why do you always have to interfere?" Garran yelled, his aura flaring in amethyst light–not as fierce as it was in the hallways; it flickered weakly as though restrained.
Garran saw Minos turn to look at him, and he saw pity in his eyes. Garran froze, but his fury bubbled over; his aura surged in the room, breaking all shackles that were holding it in place.
He took short and intimidating strides towards the High Steward, who slowly shook his head.
"Why are you so blind?" Minos murmured, as if regretting the fact that Garran couldn't see what was happening in his surroundings. "Why can't you see that I mean well?"
He walked towards Garran and met him midway, unperturbed by his furious aura.
Garran frowned at his words. He saw the High Steward place a hand on his shoulder.
"It shouldn't be like this. A King shouldn't be like this."
"Wh–what are you talking about?"
"You're the Crown Prince, but you have no control; your father even wants to make your sister the monarch," Minos revealed. He twisted his lips as though deeply disturbed by the idea.
"What do you mean? Are you trying to say Father wants—"
"Yes, your father wants to eliminate you from the contest. He wants to use your sister as a tool to maintain balance."
Minos' words sank deep into Garran's mind, and he frowned, his aura flickering weakly.
"Is that why… is that why he wants to get her married?"
Minos nodded, and Garran's lips trembled in horror.
His sister couldn't become the Queen. How could he protect her? How could he shelter her? No—no, no.
'The world is too cruel for her. They will hurt my sister.'
Garran simply refused to accept what he was told, but why was Minos telling him now? He was his father's loyal friend, so why expose him?
"What do you want?" Garran demanded, his eyes cold.
"Me? I simply want you to be King. Are you not curious about your father's sickness?"
Minos posed a question. Garran's frown deepened, and he turned to the High Steward, who had resumed his seat.
"I thought you said he was just stressed out?" Garran said, his expression turning darker.
"Well, that is an obvious fallacy." Minos clasped his hands together and rested them on the table.
"So you are trying to tell me that you are doing all these—giving my sister out for marriage, distracting me in court—all these for my sake?"
Minos pursed his lips. "For the disgrace part, you were getting annoying. But yes, I am doing all for your sake."
"So why is my sister the one getting married?"
Minos smirked, realising that he had finally gotten the Prince where he wanted him to be.
"That's because she needs to be taken care of– removed from the equation."
Minos stated as though it were a matter of fact.
The world stilled into silence before Garran burst into another bout of fury.
"Do not touch my sister, unless you want to die!" he barked. His chest rose rapidly in fury.
He stared at Minos for some time before he stormed out, banging the door as he exited.
"Curious." Minos murmured, tilting his head to the side, assessing what happened before him.
He had always known Garran to be one who took his sister's welfare to heart, but he did not know that their bond was this… intense.
Something was going on, and he was sure of it.
"Follow the Prince and report his every activity to me."
Minos tilted his head back a bit and ordered.
A silhouette fell out of the darkness and bowed.
"Yes, Lord Minos."
Minos kept looking at the door with several conspiracies forming in his mind until he finally gave up.
Opening the drawer, he picked the envelope, and a sombre expression lay on his face.
"I guess it's time," he muttered to no one in particular.
That night, amidst the unrelenting cries of the rain, the upper echelon of the kingdom was in a jumble of activity—and why wouldn't they be?
This was the first time in the year that a royal ball was being held, so they had many aspirations and expectations.