"Greetings to His Majesty the King," his voice rang in the silent throne room his head bowed to show respect.
"Arise and report on your findings. " The powerful and stern voice of the king sounded, nothing like the gentle tone he used to address us earlier.
" It is a bit sensitive to share in the company of outsiders Your Majesty." He responded and cast a cold glare at us as if we owed him something.
Does he imply that the king is unwise to allow us here while he gives his flimsy report? Such audacity. I thought with displeasure.
"Proceed with your findings. There are no outsiders here," King Tharion replied in a calm voice as if he didn't decipher the impudence in the young prince's actions.
The prince threw us an unfathomable glance before unfolding a scroll.
"The weakening of the portal has worsened drastically, and even different portals are appearing around the forest of exiles. The palace guards apprehended four spies who used black magic. They have been imprisoned in the dungeons. We are now interrogating them for information."
"Has there been any lead on the whereabouts of Prince Vaelric or his heir?" The king questioned.
"Apologies Your Majesty, all clues we gathered lead to a dead end, and the prisoners we caught are proven to be stubborn. We have yet to get anything from their mouths. "
The king nodded. " Try harder and deploy every means to give me a pleasant response the next time you appear before me. "
" Yes, Your Majesty. "
"You can leave and inform the crown prince to meet me in my study.
He turned to leave but halted in his steps as if deciding on something.
"Your Majesty, are you aware of the identity of these men?" He asked.
"Is that part of the duty assigned to you? Why poke your nose in matters that don't concern you? "King Tharion said displeasure etched between his brows.
"Apologies for my presumptuous words, Your Majesty, but these two men with a girl were sighted in the company of the crown prince coming from the forest of Eldwilde. You know the unholy trips of the crown prince never bring peace how -"
"How impulsive of you to utter such words against the Crown Prince of this kingdom. " King Tharion interrupted him before he could continue spewing nonsense.
"Apologies Your Majesty but -" he continued.
"Cut that pathetic apology and leave my sight. I won't tolerate any disrespect shown towards the Crown Prince, even if it's from you." King Tharion's stern and displeased voice boomed in the room.
The prince visibly flinched from the outburst of power forcing submission. He hurriedly exited the room.
The tension in the room remained till the king spoke again. " I didn't know you were acquainted with the crown prince. "
"I never knew he was the crown prince. He approached us as an ordinary person.
The king smiled slightly, his stern expression softening once again. " That is something he would do. I don't doubt your words. And pay no heed to the insolent rambling of my son he is young and a bit rushed.
I nodded, and with a wave of his hands, a thick crystal white wall encircled us. Cutting off the noise from outside. "I have cast a sound barrier. Nothing said here will be heard by anyone." King Tharion said
His gaze became unreadable, and a heavy silence blanketed the room, making Kevin and me a bit uncomfortable. "You are the chosen soul of the drape," he revealed, showing his knowledge about the truth.
King Tharion stood up from his throne and approached me. " Can I see the mark?" he asked.
"And how did you know there was a mark ?" I retorted.
"Hmm, you can say I saw the future, and I have an idea of what will happen. I knew you before the drape marked you, Iael. He said, looking at me straight in the eyes.
" Okay then," I lifted my sleeve and revealed the mark. He stared at it for a few seconds, and an indulgent smile graced his face. Tracing a line across the mark's edges a cool sensation I have never felt before since the very night this mark appeared on my arm pulsated through my veins.
Thread-like patterns glowing with purple ambiance extended and wrapped around his fingers as if welcoming him.
"The cold glaciers in the king's gaze melted, and a rare expression of tenderness appeared on his handsome face. " Welcome back."
The thread-like patterns retreated after some time, and King Tharion stood up from his bent position.
I felt the kind of peace I had never felt within me. The constant heated and agitated pulsation of the power calmed down.
" What kind of connection does this king have with the drape to command such calm from a mere contact while I have been forcing it to keep it untammable power in check.
A small nostalgic smile curved on the king's face as he resumed his seat.
" Thank you, Prince Iael, I have dreamed of the day Eryndroin would be accepted by someone, and you made that wish come true.
"Who is Eryndroin?" I asked
"I think that is the drape," Kevin answered.
" That is right, young man." King Tharion said.
" Why was it human before? " I asked cautiously
" Eryndroin was actually the only prince to survive when war ensued between the darkshades and lightshades. We were all young during those tough times. And so Queen Zelda trapped us in a cave, preventing us from engaging in that war.
"With whom were you trapped? Are they all in Lumeris now?. I asked.
" Yes, they are Freda, the one you met at the academy, Nephron, and seven other powerful mages and witches.
"After the war, the only royalty to survive on the battlefield was Prince Eryndroin. He became the king following the last wishes of his Mother the Queen since the crown prince perished in the battle.
"The kingdom of Ledra picked up after the huge tragedy and flourished under his reign for over a decade.
"I have never heard of that kingdom, Your Majesty.
" Of course you won't, Prince Iael. Lumeris was once a city of Ledra. All that was left of Ledra is what you see now. A larger part of the land is now swallowed in darkness.
" Is that the consequence of the war ?" I asked.
" No, it's not. The war did not affect Ledra because of the honorable sacrifice of our ancestors. The zeal they used to protect the kingdom was unparalleled.
"I would not have been so angry and frustrated if we had engaged in any form of war for this phenomenon to occur. At least the safety of our King would have been ensured. " King Tharion said, his voice brimming with pure resentment.
I could only look at him puzzled.
"Our king went out of the palace to meet Prince Vaelric. That traitor. How that Prince survived the war is still a mystery to us. We all thought he died, but we were proven wrong when King Eryndrion met him and never returned. Our search afterward led us to the crater of darkness.
"Crater of darkness?" I wondered what kind of place it was for it to be named as such.
" It is where King Vaelric honed his dark magic. " King Tharion continued disgust visible on his face.