The servants started bringing them delectable food after sitting down and although she dislikes her life of nobility, one of the things she missed dearly from it was the food.
They ate in silence though she and her cousin knew, that they would be discussing what they came to discuss about after they had eaten. After a few more more dishes served and they were all nice and full with the king smiling and patting his belly with a smile on his face, he went straight to business.
"So, I had heard that my son and my niece who I haven't seen in some time requested for my audience. It must be of utmost importance if you had you get her all the way from inside the wall of Garuh, Ethros."
It wasn't all that surprising that he already knew. News travels fast, but it travels faster for the king.
"Yes, it is. Father, I would like to present to you these findings I have accumulated over time in regards to the magic laced on all five walls. They are all weakening, Father and if no action be done about this, then any dragon that might attack the walls will triumph."
Ethros gave his father the papers containing the evidence of the walls weakening.
King Erenth read through them for a few minutes, and set them down. A serious expression donning his face, now replacing the jolly disposition he had earlier.
"My son, I already know of this a few months before you even discovered it. The palace does have royal sorcerers serving me, so of course they'd notice this earlier and reported it to me as soon as they could."
As soon as the king said those words, her cousin was left speechless. She hasn't said anything as of yet and inclined to watch a little more. Between her and her cousin, she was the careful and calculating one. She didn't want to speak until she had heard everything. It was one of the reasons why her uncle would listen to her more than her son. She was a little more sensible.
"Father, what do you mean you already knew this earlier? If you did, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Because that's exactly what I wanted. That no one would know. I paid the sorcerer who informed me a hefty price to keep his mouth shut about this as well."
"But Father, why? Why would you keep this a secret? We need to tell everyone of this right now! Alert them, make them aware of it!"
"And for what, Ethros? For panic to ensue?"
"No! So that something can be done about it! The walls are weak so we need everyone knowing of it so they can be prepared if the walls do break, and we need to spread the word around so that we can seek the help of sorcerers everywhere to help try to rebuild the walls!"
"Son, I may not know much about magic, but I do know this. The walls cannot be fixed. Not unless the five sorcerers that created it can come back from the dead. There is no one in Stelera powerful enough to fix the walls."
"But Father-"Ethros stopped short of what he was about to say when he saw her cousin raise a hand to halt him from speaking.
The conversation would not progress if it was going like this. She had anticipated correctly. King Erenth would not easily listen to his son.
"Your Highness, please consider the Prince's proposition. There is no one recorded in Stelera that is powerful enough to fix the wall, but maybe we can find them. Someone who was powerful enough to fix the walls. And if that doesn't work, we can gather all the known powerful sorcerers there are across the lands of Stelera and ask them to help with our situation. Please uncle, I wouldn't be here right now after so many years if what I had seen wasn't something of great importance."
King Erenth listened quietly as she had explained her thoughts to the king. After she had finished speaking, he looked deep in thought and seemed to be considering what they had laid before him. She and her cousin started to feel an inkling of hope towards the king considering their proposal regarding the wall.
That is, until he let out a cold chuckle.
"My, my. You have grown into such practical and smart young lady even without the tutelage of your tutors and governess, Lady Ervea. It was truly such a shame that you had left the palace and threw away your nobility. To think you could have been quite the useful advisor to my son with how well you've proven yourself capable with such a compelling argument. But, you see..."
He smiled at them, but it was a cold and empty smile. It sent chills down both their spines when they saw it. It felt almost inhuman.
"My mind has already made up about the matter, and no matter what form of logical argument or evidence you present, I'm not going to fix the walls. And there's nothing you can do to change that. After all, the word of the King is absolute, is it not?"
It still reels her to this day how the man whom she calls King and Uncle would suddenly change so drastically to such a cold and heartless expression.
It was as though another person had taken his place right as he sat. Though for Ethros, this was something he had seen far too often. While Ervea still has trouble coming to terms with it, he has unfortunately accepted it. His father was a heartless monster masquerading as a man.