In the middle of a pitch black night, a crow was heard flapping its wings in front of a window. In an instant, the window went open, and an arm stretched out for the crow to stand on it . The man's other hand went straight to the note tied on the bird's leg then let it fly back to the woods. His ice blue eyes scanned the paper's content, soon after that, a frown showed up on his handsome face.
"Jack..." he called out. The door opened and a man in his early 20s , dressed in a black servant suit, stepped in the study room. "Yes, my lord?" he said. "Prepare for the journey. We're parting to the capital tomorrow." ordered the blue eyed man.
"the capital? I thought you won't be attending the victory celebration party, my lord." Jack said in confusion. " well, something occurred. We'll be staying there for a fortnight so prepare me enough sedatives for a month or so. send word for our capital residence's butler to get prepared, we'll have a lot to do once we get there" the lord instructed his servant in a commanding voice. "oh, and inform Alexander that he will be coming along with us." .
After hearing the last instruction his master gave, Jack's face went pale. Noticing his servant's anxious appearance , the lord asked " what is it, jack? " . Not knowing how to inform his lord , he stuttered " th-the thing i - is , the 2nd young master i- is actually in the capital my lord.". "Since when?" the lord said nonchalantly . Since there was the upcoming victory celebration party, it was normal for his younger brother to go to the capital as the Krams household representative and the lord of a march, but the answer was unexpected for him.
"t two months ago, my lord" jack stated . The lord gazed hard at the trembling man in front of him and said:"What did you just say? And why don't I know about this, Jackson?" his voice was cold exactly like the ice that's now spreading in the floor around him. Jack could see his master's ice blue eyes gleaming. Whenever his master couldn't hold back his anger , he loses control on his ZIHR* abilities , the whole place will freeze, sometimes even people when they don't get out of there in time .
Jack was trembling, not only in fear, but also because of the low temperature in the study room. there was no difference between staying in the freezing woods or in this room, only that you won't get killed by an angry lord out there. The whole room is now covered in ice . ' no matter how many times I see this I'll never get used to it ' jack thought.
"Answer me!" the man's voice roared, sending chills to the frozen servant. He then managed to say: " he went there to court a lady, my lord. I didn't tell you because I didn't think it's important, and we were incredibly busy because of the movements in the border these last few months that I totally forgot about it. I sincerely apologize your grace, please punish me accordingly . " he bowed . Jack knew better than to ask for forgiveness. It will only make his lord more furious.
Jack understands the severity of his mistake. The lord took his current position as duke by killing his father and making his younger brother give up the title of heir. Legally, the title of heir should rightfully be the first born male's. But right after the birth of the second child Alexander Aaron Krams, the past duke, Christopher William Krams, stripped his older son of his title and gave it to his newly born child instead. At the age of 18, the first born son, David Voltaire Krams, revolted with the help of the current crown prince. But there was still some vassals who are on the duchess side opposing to him. The duchess, his step-mother, had connections and supporters all over the empire, that he couldn't clean them all. And his brother staying away for long is too dangerous.
David trusted his brother, but not his step-mother. he can never put his guards down. She can even take his life if he's not careful enough. Not that she didn't try that before. The sole reason why he left her alive is because of his little brother. Alexander loved his mother and was too naïve to know of her true nature. And god knows what that woman is planning now.
After the last word jack uttered, a dreadful silence filled the study room. The lord kept gazing at him with piercing eyes while taking sips from a light red liquid. He was trying to calm down, so he didn't question jack further. He was trying to quell his anger because he didn't want to hurt jack. He was his childhood-friend after all.
Finishing his drink, he then said: " What do you think I should inflict on you as punishment for your mistake, Jackson?" , though with a stoic voice, but jack could clearly tell that David was still mad at him. He would call him Jackson instead of Jack whenever he gets mad at him. ' well, it would be impossible for him to forgive me just like that ' thought jack to himself, then replied with a bowed head: " I'll accept whatever punishment your grace sees fit."
" I'm glad to hear that. Then making you the next meal of my hunting southern wolves won't be a problem for you, will it? " the lord said with menacing eyes, making jack gulp in fear. He then averted his gaze to the side while touching the edges of the empty glass. As though reminiscing about something, a sad smile crept on his thin lips. "but she wouldn't like it." He mumbled, but jack heard it clearly thanks to his sharp senses . A melancholic atmosphere engulfed the room soon after.
"You may go. you still need to prepare for tomorrow's departure. We're leaving at dawn." The lord said while ruffling his blonde hair. "Thank you, David." Jack said, a gentle but somehow sad smile on his lips. He couldn't help but to call him by his name like he used to do in their childhood days .
"More sedative?" he suggested noticing the new formed thin layer of ice under David's hand. "One glass should suffice. Just send it with a maid. Go get some sleep, Jack." David replied. "As you wish, my lord."Jack said, then left the study room after wishing goodnight for his lord.
****
It was lively in the capital. Unlike the southern lands of the empire of JAZAR which was dressed in a white gown-like snow conveying serenity all over the region, the capital which was in the northern parts of the empire, was more green and vital.
Local nobles and foreign royalties' fancy carriages were running on the overcrowded roads in one direction, the royal palace. While a festival was held for the common people to celebrate their victory against the opposing kingdom of SIBANIA, a party in the afternoon and a ball in the evening was hosted for nobility by the royal family.
The hall was crowded. Noblemen talking with each other searching for possible business partners. Officials and the neighboring countries' representatives and royalties discussing politics. Noblewomen gossiping, and young noble ladies trying their best to catch the eye of some powerful nobleman in the hall. Oh, and knights. A lot of knights guarding and scanning the area for any possible threat since it wasn't too long some intruders attacked the palace.
The atmosphere in the royal palace was overwhelming for the young lady when she first came here. But as she is living here for three months now, she got used to it. Attending a party for the first time in her life , she was pretty nervous. She turned her light grey eyes right and left in search, then a sad look showed up on her innocent face. "Not here yet. Will he ever come?" She said depressed.
Suddenly, she felt someone's breath near her right ear. Her body stiffened in shock. Then she heard him whisper: "And who are you waiting for so eagerly, princess?". Recognizing the man's gentle voice, her once shocked expression became a joyful one. Like a child seeing his mother after being apart. "ALEX" she said in an excited voice, drawing the attention of the people surrounding them. She then apologized lightly.
"Are you this excited seeing me? we last met yesterday, you know. Missing me already?" Alex said in a playful tone. Her cheeks blushed instantly. "And here you are blushing." Her beautiful eyes widened and she cupped her cheeks subconsciously. "s-stop teasing me already." She stuttered. He chuckled looking at her pouting face.
Alexander couldn't help but feel attached to the princess. She was so different from the arrogant, small-minded ladies he had dated, and of course, more beautiful. He could also feel a sense of familiarity, maybe because of the same rare hair colour she shares with his beloved mother.
Sometime later, a maid came near Alexander and whispered something to him. His face became uneasy but he managed to get back his calm appearance. "I apologize Bethy. I have something important to attend to, so I'll be going for now." He said. She pouted, then uttered in a low voice "It's alright. It must be important." He bent down a little and left a kiss on her forehead, making her flush instantly. "I'll see you this evening then." Looking at his retreating back with a pouting mouth, with a hand on forehead she mumbled: ' This really is unfair. '
****
The party was near to an end. It was time for all the lords to take an oath of allegiance to the emperor. A custom always performed after a war or an event related to the ruler's legitimacy to the throne.
SIBANIA was claiming their king , the emperor's cousin, to be the rightful ruler of JAZAR for the emperor being a bastard and not deserving of the throne.
The oath was to be performed by the nobles of lesser status to the higher status. All the nobles from barons to marquises have taken their turns, leaving only two dukes to close the custom.
"I, Jerome Bruce Drake, Duke of the DRAKE's territory, and lord of the great GREANLANDS, oath my allegiance to his majesty, Kaiser Eden Delincia Dilenhart, and swear to serve him and oblige to his orders until the end of my life ." A fair skinned man with brown hair and hazelnut eyes said, bending the knee, and bowing his head in respect.
"Arise." The emperor said nonchalantly. A bored expression on his face.
" I , David Voltaire Krams, Duke of the KRAMS's territory, and lord of the unconquerable SOUTH , oath my allegiance to his majesty, Kaiser Eden Delincia Dilenhart, and swear to serve him and oblige to his orders until the end of my life." A blonde haired man with ice blue eyes said, bending the knee and seemingly bowing his head while gluing his gaze with the emperor's.
The hall went silent. The action of the duke was so challenging .
" Arise, duke. This majestic emperor will surely remember your oath." The emperor said clearly angry with the duke's action. The whole audience was expecting something more than only a threat, but the emperor knew better than to be enemies with the southern lord. Not yet. ' this bastard will soon know how to behave. But it will be too late then. ' the emperor laughed internally.
Preparing to leave the hall, the duke stopped after hearing the crown prince's call. " And what was it with that show of yours? You just provoked him, while we need him unaware of us." The crown prince said in a whisper worried. " I need him angry." The duke replied in a serious tone." I have prepared a special surprise for him." A devilish smirk on his lips, his eyes on the attendants. Soon, his expression flipped to a look of shock, surprise, and disbelief. He blinked his eyes several times, but it seems that what he was seeing now was true.
Noticing the change of expression on his ally's face, the crown prince followed his gaze to discover what's making him show such a face he never ever showed before.
"Interesting?" the crown prince said, looking at the lady in a silky pink dress. She has a curvy slim _ but in a healthy way_ body. Her beautiful silk like black hair swings till her waist with waves at its ends, complimenting her fair milky skin. Her face angelic, with rosy plump lips, and pointed nose. Long bushy black lashes coupling with a light grey disks encircled in a black circles, making her eyes so captivating.
"Who the hell is she?"asked the duke, his eyes still glued on the lady in front of them. the crown prince was even more surprised with what he was hearing now. The duke never cursed before, even when they were together in the war, not even once.
" Elisabeth Rosalia Dilenhart, my newly found sister."