The countdown for the ritual has already begun. The ritual was on the morrow and the palace was an utter mess. Everyone was running around doing errands and making the final preparation and so was Joon Wo.
He was on his way to his mother's chambers. He was going to make everything clear for himself, his mother's plots, and wickedness…he was going to put an end to them.
He reached his destination and took a deep breath before knocking and he entered when he heard a reply.
"Oh," Queen Eun Ae said with the same smile she always had on as a façade. "I thought that my son will be busy with the ritual to come to visit his weak old mother, how good of you son!" she gestured for him to sit opposite to her which he did without protest. Though her description of herself being weak was making him feel disgusted, she may be old but weak? No way.
"The ritual is the exact reason that I'm here, mother." He said.
"What can I help you with?" she said giving him a dumbfounded look.
"Tomorrow during the ritual," he said. "are you planning something?"
"Planning something?" she said keeping up her act. "What else am I going to do other than standing next to His Majesty?" she chuckled as she waved her hands in the air, thinking that this was some sort of a joke.
"Mother, we both know what I'm talking about. So, let's save ourselves from headache and tell me, what are you plotting." He sighed trying to manage his temper. "I heard you talking to the maid the other day."
She tsked her tongue after she knew that playing dumb wasn't going to take her anywhere with her son. "What else do you want me to do if I want to make you king?"
"Mother," he said. "I'm getting tired of mentioning over and over that I don't want the throne!" he raised his voice gradually through the sentence.
"You are still young to know what's good for you, son." She said.
"Funny,"
"What is?" she frowned when she felt that he was mocking her, there was only so much she could take. Her ego was too much for her own good.
"Now I'm your son but for the past 10 years I wasn't?" he scoffed coldly.
"Joon-ah, you know that your mother was busy." She said trying to act cute as if she was talking to the old him 10 years ago.
Then sighed deeply trying to focus on the matter at hand. "Let's be a little more honest with each other, shall we?" he raised his hand to his face. "Tell me what you are going to do tomorrow?"
"What good would that be?" she smirked. "Will you stop the attack and make yourself a suspect? Or run to your sweet big brother for help?"
Joon Wo clenched his fists next to him that his knuckles turned white, his teeth grinding against each other so hard that they could break. She was leaving him with no options to avoid this, he had to follow the King's plan on the morrow.
He tried to stop this whole mess but it looks like following his father's crazy plan was the only choice at hand at the moment, because convincing his mother to change her plans that she was working for all this time doesn't seem like an option.
"Looks like there is nothing more to say then." He looked at his mother with anger and disappointment as his last resort to beat some sense into her failed miserably.
She only looked at him with the same façade smile.
"Excuse me," he said bowing his head and not wasting any more time with an already lost cause.
Once his feet met the floor outside his mother's chambers, he felt that the air got lighter, exhaling deeply as if he was holding his breath the whole time.
"Greetings, brother."
He raised his head to see his sister in front of him, guessing that she is here to see their mother as well. Unlike his brothers, he didn't know what to feel with his sister, he was too neutral a couple of times that they have met each other during his short stay here.
"Good day to you, Noona." He said and started walking before she turned and grabbed him by his arm which took him by surprise.
"W-what?" he said his mouth slightly open with an ignorant look in his eyes.
"Why?"
"Noona, please," he sighed. "Stop talking riddles. I've my own riddles to solve." He straightened his poser.
"Why didn't you keep contact for the last 10 years." She said looking him right between his eyes. "Why didn't you ever reply to them! Do you have any idea how hurt they were when they never got a reply?"
He scoffed. "Should I have sent a reply to a nonexistent letter then?"
"N-nonexistent?" she said her eyes glittering from her held up tears. "Do you know how many letters they sent! Even if you wanted to cut off ties you shouldn't lie..."
"W-wait what!" he raised his hands in the air between them to interrupt her nonending lecture of morals. "What letters? I never got any!"
"Are you serious right now or do you think I'm an idiot?" she narrowed her duo eyes that were the same shade like him, clearly getting annoyed from his so-called ignorance in her eyes.
Slowly her eyes started to widen when she read the expression on his face. He wasn't lying!?
"W-wait," she said. "You actually mean that you never got any letters?" the words came out as if she was stating a fact rather than asking a question.
"You are actually asking me this? I've sent letters for 2 years and all I got was the rustling of the wind in the desert (what he meant is he got nothing. So poetic while talking.)" he raised one eyebrow as he pushed back the strands of hair that were falling on his face.
"T-that's what we did…" she said her hands jolted up to cover her mouth in shock.
He knew that she wasn't lying. Was it the bond that they shared from coming out of the same womb? He wasn't sure but he knew that something wasn't right and that there is a missing piece of the puzzle, that was probably kept hidden by someone. Just like what his gut feeling was telling him, but he ignored it and threw a tantrum. Long talk short, listen to your gut feelings…
"I need to go now, Noona," He said holding her by both shoulders which took her by surprise. "I promise we will talk about this…just not now, okay?"
She found herself nodding at him in obedience that shook her. So, she just stood there like a tree, looking out at her brother's back view that was partially hidden by raven hair as it flew freely around him.
"I wished I was there to comb your hair like I used to, Joon-ah."
~~~~
The sound of the silver sword slashing through the air made Tari clap in existence as she watched Ashkan train to make time pass by while the others were in their lessons.
"Woah! Ashkan that was incredible!" she raised her hands in the air above her head as she walked over to the middle of the arena where Ashkan was fighting for his breath and in the far back Azar sat down under a tree hiding under its shade, the invisible bond as her personal knight tying him down to her…not that it bothered him. He just wasn't a morning person.
So, he just sat there with nothing in mind watched as his princess started to spar with his ex-prince.
Azar sighed. "What a shame," he said. "I was looking forward to meeting Prince Javid? I wonder if he still remembers me?" he kept mumbling to himself crossing his arms under his head as he leaned back on the tree. Reminded by the fact that he is a spy for the Persians so yes, Javid must still remember him.
After all, he is a valuable source of information.
"Long time no see, friend."
He turned his head to look up at a man dressed in the familiar crimson armor that he once used to wear.
He groaned after he recognized the knight that he used to serve with years ago. "What a very unpleasant coincident!" Azar said as he sat up straight.
The other knight shook his head in disappointment. "I'm not here to remind you of our old days, my friend."
"Then to what do I owe the pleasure?" Azar raised the corner of his eyebrow.
"Shesh, Grumpy as usual." He said. "I'm here to relay a message from the Raven."
Azar's eyes narrowed as he heard the code that they use to relay their messages, the thought that he is going to work this far away from home as well wasn't the most pleasant.
"Go ahead, I'm all ears."
"He is telling you to prepare, because his plan is about to be executed, and you are the one who will carry it out."