๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?
It was general knowledge for any citizen of any country, that the largest, mightiest, and the most prosperous land, in the entire continent of Godsland, was the golden Kingdom of Sol.
It was even ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ general knowledge that the only reason for this prosperity was the Sun king's unending thrust for war โ that He, who was the ruler of this omnipotent land, was brutal, lascivious, and a vile tyrant, who bathed in blood and lived in the battlefield.
What was not general knowledge, however, was the fact that this very "vile tyrant" surpassed all his predecessors in all fields of knowledge and skill. That โ due to his abilities โ the Kingdom was flourishing more than it had ever been, in the entire past decade.
It was truly a pity, that human nature chose to pay attention only to the bad and ignore the good. Such was the case with Mykel von Aseph, the second of his name.
Mykel โ ก was an exquisite king, unlike any before.
All his subordinates knew of his hidden qualities and massive achievements โ be it as a warrior or a King โ and hence, they chose to ignore his 'shortcomings', otherwise known as his bad personality and erratic behaviour, that had become the subject of bad rumours in recent years.
In fact, it was not so much that they "chose" to ignore it, but simply that the rumours could not be contained. The number of noble ladies that had been charmed by his looks, or the soldiers that had served under him and witnessed his martial and Majikal prowess, could not be stopped from exaggerating their accounts to make up the huge mess that was the rumoured "tyrant" king, known across all of Godsland.
Moreover, it certainly did not help that the King truly DID enjoy war. He was a master strategist, well-versed in the arts of warcraft, and was known across Godsland as a great swordsman. As soon as he was crowned King, he set out on a four-year campaign, waging conflict across the Kingdoms of Vatroslava, Farghan and Ayeri, and expanding the territory of Sol.
The rumours, though exaggerated, had sustained justifications.
And this was precisely the core dilemma faced โ not by the King but โ by Estefan Capricho, the head of the Privy council and his Majesty's personal advisor. To expand on the topic, the patriotic Estefan was troubled that these rumours were tarnishing the grandiosity of the Sol royalty and desperately sought for a way to quell such nonsense.
This was why the following situation was being carried out in the esteemed Solar Royal Court at the moment:
"Your Royal Majesty, please!" Estefan was on his knees, prostrating before the Sun King, who was busy lounging on his throne as if it were a casual chair and not the fabled Dragon seat meant exclusively for Sol Royals.
"Please, reconsider your decision to kill the Moon princess!" Estefan continued to beg, his voice resounding against the walls of the courtroom.
"You impudent thing!" The Head Eunuch who stood beside his Majesty shouted at Estefan's prostrated figure, "How could you, a mere councillor, dare to arrange a bridal candidate for the Sun King without his Majesty's consent! You have tarnished the loyalty of those who serve his Majesty! Even a thousand apologies won't suffice, you halfwit! Imbecile!"
On normal occasions, the Head Eunuch would not be able to say such sharp words to any member of the Privy Council โ much less the Head, Lord Estefan, himself โ but circumstances had drastically changed from "normal occasions."
Due to the terrible rumours flying around, mixed with the recent talk of War in the courts, Estefan had made a very rash and impulsive decision. He had good intentions, of course, but his actions were not planned and meticulously thought out like they usually were.
Instead, Estefan had โ quite hastily โ manipulated the foreign envoys, and, all by his own self, promised the Mahina Kingdom a Treaty of Non-Belligerence (a Treaty that promises not to engage in acts of non-violence) if the Sultan met the following two conditions.
The first condition was money-oriented. Estefan requested that 20 Mithril mines of the Mahina Kingdom, which were near the border, would be gifted to their future in-law, the Sol King, as an act of goodwill and cooperation.
While the second condition...
... was (shockingly) about an interstate marriage.
Estefan had proposed that one of the many Mahina Shehzadi's would be hand-picked by the Sultan, and travel to Sol, where she would reside and study to become a 'potential' bride for his Majesty, the Sun King. Following this, a dowry of 50,000 gold coins and 5 Majikal stones with a purity of 40% at the minimum, would be sent to the Capital along with the chosen bridal candidate.
At the time he sent the envoy with these conditions, Estefan thought that his plan was peerlessly perfect.
After all, he had not only found a way to stop the impending war โ that held the potential to fracture the already depleting finances of the Kingdom and cause millions of soldiers to die in vain โ but he had also increased the assets of the Empire's treasury in both Gold and Mithril, and even found a way to add not one, but FIVE Majikal stones to his Majesty's collection.
In addition to that, Estefan had also found a bride for his Majesty, who was from a respectable-enough background. This would, in turn, be effective to quell the rumours that his Majesty liked to "kill girls after having his way with them" and improve his Majesty's popularity with the commoners.
Moreover, the promise of an interstate marriage would boost the country's diplomacy, rack in money and protection, and even produce a future heir, guaranteeing that the Aseph Royal bloodline would continue safely!
Besides, it wasn't like the Shehzadi was actually his Majesty's wife. She was just a "bridal candidate," so even if the King did not like her, he could still benefit from her nonetheless.
These outstanding benefits begged the question...
Wasn't Estefan just too perfect of a Councilman?
And yet, here he was, in such a humbling position โ leaning down to his Majesty's feet and begging for mercy โ not only for his own life, but also for the life of the Princess who had yet to arrive. Estefan wondered what had gone wrong.
Didn't the King realise the profit to be gained from his actions?
Estefan shed invisible tears at his situation, while his forehead kissed the expensive carpet of the Court.
He wished for the Sun King to open his eyes and recognize the value of the Princess and himself. Truly, Estefan was much too intelligent to be flogged here! And the princess held the potential for use as well! He bit his lips and waited with agony, praying to the Sun God that the king would be merciful.
However, unbeknownst to Estefan and his internal monologue, the King before him was actually already aware of the benefits. And it was these benefits that irritated him and caused him to hesitate.
The Sun King stared at the prostrated figure of the esteemed Head of the Privy Council, and sighed deeply, with a bit of mild irritation.
"Estefan."
The moment Mykel von Aseph II spoke, silence befell the hall โ both in movement and in thought.
There was not one courtier, soldier, or retainer within sight, who wasn't struck by the dignified sonority of his speech. All the subordinates stood awestruck for a moment, gazing at their lord, as he radiated an exalted air that matched his Noble lineage, and spoke in a voice that was so wonderfully fleeting.
It had been a long while since they heard this familiar beautiful voice, as the Sun King rarely spoke.
But whenever he did, it was difficult for the common man to not feel strangely servile in his presence. His voice was like a cruel yet beautiful piece of composition, that struck the deep chords of their hearts.
As Estefan watched the King, whose hair was as golden as the bright Sun, and whose eyes shimmered like scarlet rubies, he wondered how the rumours that he looked like a "beast" came to be. And once again, Estefan felt a strange feeling wash over his chest.
He stared at his King, feeling his heart pound erratically. He felt this way almost every time he looked at or conversed with his Majesty. It was like a subordinate's satisfaction, as he realized that the master he served was truly magnificent.
"Stand," The King ordered. His tone was not lazy or angry โ in fact, it held no inclination to any emotion. Unsurprisingly, this lack of empathy made his voice sound more chilling than it actually was.
Estefan scrambled to his feet, dusting himself off and bowing sincerely.
"My liege," He greeted, his voice trembling with deep respect, as cold sweat began to form on his forehead.
"I understand your reasons," Mykel's voice echoed within the courtroom, and each person held their breath as they listened on, "Hence, I shall forgive you for not informing me of your actions. But do tell me โ what am I to do, if this foreign princess appears to be too troublesome to keep?"
Estefan's eyes flashed, noticing the threat behind the King's comment, and he searched for the right words to explain.
"Firstly, your Majesty, I thank you for your generosity for forgiving my folly." He bowed down.
"Secondly, with the matter of the Princess, I can only offer my services to your Majesty. This servant [๐ฐ/๐ฝ: ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐] will personally take charge of the Princess, and teach her the ways of Sol," Estefan spoke slowly, eyeing his Majesty's reactions out of the corner of his eye.
"Moreover, she is but a mere bridal 'candidate'. If a time comes when the Shehzadi does not meet your Majesty's needs or expectations, I, Estefan, swear to personally expel her from the palace."
Estefan bowed down even further, trying to keep his shaking legs from buckling.
"Hmm."
Mykel made a sound as if he acknowledged what Estefan had said.
However, despite it, the Sun King's face remained a blank canvas โ expressionless, and open to interpretation, yet with no room to properly discern his private thoughts. Inside, though, his mind was like an automaton, always operating, turning wheels, forming calculations, and thinking 30 steps ahead. He was a calculative and thorough man, who didn't leave any step unturned.
Mykel gazed at his personal advisor, who had been honest at heart but brash with his decisions. He could briefly outline the reasons why Estefan's proposed treaty had taken effect โ despite not gaining the official approval of the Royal Seal that only Mykel controlled.
It was because of the Mahina Kingdom's Sultan. They called him Badr il-Mahrukh Mahina.
As far as Mykel could surmise, Badr was the sort of king he most detested โ the two-faced kind, that appeared as a benevolent ruler, but in reality, was a wolf in sheep's skin.
And the reason why this sort of King would ever agree to such a sudden, unrevised Treaty was roughly due to two reasons.
One, since centuries back, Mahina Kingdom held a history of being a neutral country, that preferred negotiations and peace treaties over a full-fledged war. It was unclear why, but the mysterious moonfolk never tried to expand their territories, unlike their other human counter-parts, and instead, they maintained their steady nation by quietly settling matters with other countries through business, transfer of funds, or some other means.
Even if a war was to break, there were seldom any clashes between soldiers. The unique territory of Mahina, which was covered in fog and mountains at the borders, made it a natural fortress. No army could invade the country without the Sultan's permission, who was the sole possessor of the Majik artefact that manipulated and allowed passage to foreigners.
This is why, it wasn't too far-fetched for Mykel to wonder, that perhaps the Sultan of Mahina was aiming for a similar situation, like his predecessors. Perhaps he too wished for the absence of physical battle, and thus, agreed to this peaceful way to end the war before it even got the chance to extend towards his people.
On the other hand, there was the second reason for his behavior as well.
The talk of war had not only made people of the Sol Kingdom โ like Estefan โ wary for their lives, but this feeling of caution had probably also extended to Mahina and its people. This state of unease that prevailed over both nations was a perfect chance for a third-party to strike.
After all, many enemies endangered the existence of both Sol and Mahina. The first for its expanding boundary and dominant wealth, while the other for its mystery and reserved information.
But... if the Sun and the Moon were to join together, with the justification of marriage, then their mutual enemies would not dare try to overthrow their respective ruling reigns โ or at least, that is what the Sultan of Mahina must be thinking.
'Really...'
Mykel remarked with disinterest. This was, without a doubt, the perfect cover. This marriage and everything else that came with it was an excellent way to avoid troublesome things like the half-empty Sol treasury, or the angry citizens, who had recently led a revolt to plead the end of the long war.
And although Mykel had been enjoying a consecutive strike of fighting, he too had grown a bit tired. Repeating the daily and dull routine of fighting between the sphere of life and death had in itself become monotonous.
Estefan and the Sultan's proposal was like a sign from the Sun God himself. It was as if Helios was shouting at Mykel to stop his madness and rest for a while.
'And yet...'
Mykel found himself deep in his thoughts. Because there was still something he did not like.
The Mahina Kingdom was an obscure land, and there was very little that was known about it. Even the Sol Empire โ with its superior military's reconnaissance unit โ was unable to find much about them.
Basic information like the physical features of the lands, their territories, and even something like the weather condition was still unknown. Even information of the Kingdom's militia, their numbers, weapons, and Majik abilities was difficult to grasp โ because the Kingdom had never dealt an actual attack and consistently drove out any unidentified persons.
Thus, it wasn't shocking that Mykel โ who was such a thorough man โ felt that this wager was both beneficial yet risky. God knows when the Mahina Kingdom would turn their backs upon Sol.
Mykel stroked his chin, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of letting the Shehzadi inside Sol territory. On one hand, he would gain a thousandfold. While on the other, he would develop a weakness.
A weakness...
'Perchance, could the Princess be used as leverage? As a hostage?'
But as soon as the thought entered his mind, Mykel shook his head.
'No. If the King readily agreed for her to be sent, she might not have much value.'
As Mykel was lost in his own thoughts, Estefan took this chance to study his King's face. The Sun King looked annoyed over an issue regarding the Princess, and the diligent Estefan wondered what it could be.
Estefan was a smart lad when it came to palace affairs and politics. After all, he was a man that took pride in being able to see the entire big picture โ but similarly, because he only ever looked at the "bigger picture", he often forgot to pay attention to the minor details. That was his only flaw.
"My liege, if I may have permission to speak freely for a moment..." Estefan slowly said, looking up at the King.
Mykel waved his hand in the air, permitting him.
"I believe to further emphasize the gains of this plausible matrimony, I must tell you a bit of your potential spouse. The Princess, that is to arrive in a week's time, is the first Shehzadi of the Mahina Kingdom. From what I gather, she is known to be the most beautiful flower of Navratri, the Capital city of Mahina."
Mykel's eyebrows raised at the statement โ ignoring the useless detail of her beauty which was of no benefit to him, Mykel instead paid attention to her title. He was mildly surprised.
'First Shehzadi...?'
Now, that was interesting. Why was that old Badr sending such a high-ranking princess?
"She is called Shehzadi Amaris al-Sharaf Noor, which is Silvertongue for 'Child of Moon honouring light.' I believe she was named so because of her beauty that is as radiant as the moon," Estefan continued. "Ah, Silvertongue was the ancient language of the Moonfolk. It is still used and studied. Speaking of studies, I heard the princess is especially gifted in academia. Especially womanly arts like embroidery and dance, hohoho..."
Estefan kept babbling of the good points concerning the princess.
He was trying very hard to divulge good things of her, in order to pacify his King's wrath. Because ultimately, Estefan was still going to be punished for acting without orders (even if his Lord had forgiven him) โ and this was because his actions were akin to insubordination, though he did not mean for them to be that way.
It was clear what the consequences of insubordination were. But Estefan neither wanted to be fired nor be hit with a stick until he was black and blue. No, instead, Estefan hoped to appease his Lord and possibly get off with just a warning...
"It is even said the princess is skilled with horse riding and the sword. Although she is only a woman, it is said that she has bested even the finest of the Sterling Royal knights!"
Estefan continued to speak enthusiastically of the Princess. Excluding the fact that his life might depend on her certifications, Estefan had genuinely been pleased to hear of the Princess' achievements in such various fields whilst he investigated her.
He peeked above at his King, hoping for a change in his expression... but Alas! The King was still frowning slightly as if the problem he had been muddling over had remained unsolved.
'Amaris...'
Mykel found himself say the name in his mind, paying no attention to Estefan's internal dilemma.
'Why was she... the chosen one?'
Questions grew in Mykel's heart, and he took a deep breath to dispel this unnecessary curiosity. He gave a flat look to Estefan, and said, "Quiet."
At this, Estefan instantly shut his mouth which had been throwing endless flattery for the Moon Princess.
"Allow passage to the Shehzadi. We shall see what is to be done when she arrives."
Mykel continued in the silence of the court, and saying so, dismissed Estefan and went back to lounging on his exclusive Dragon throne. It was as if all his little queries had disappeared.
After all, why must he waste his time thinking of the unknown, when it was coming right towards him?
A cruel smile appeared on Mykel's face. His goal had always been simple and unchanging. Find information, wait for an opportunity, and then seize more land and expand the Kingdom.
And it was no different here. He had already gained land from Vatroslava, Farghan and Ayeri. Now, his aim was Mahina. But blindly charging into the unknown was like courting certain death. Myekl must find information before anything else.
Yes... in this case, knowledge took precedence over all else.
He would first understand the mystic country, wait until it was at her weakest point, use the Shehzadi, and then โ whoosh! โ take Mahina for himself.
As a quiet laugh bubbled in his throat at the stupidity of the old Sultan Badr, for actually accepting such a foolish deal and sending his rabbit-daughter to the den of a fiery lion, a voice interrupted his thoughts, and he jumped up, a bit surprised.
"U-Um, your Majesty?" Estefan had suddenly reappeared in front of him.
Mykel blinked, confused. Slowly, he composed himself and sat back down on his throne, clearing his throat. And when he looked back at his advisor, he wore the blankest expression he had worn to date.
He was trying to not let his embarrassment and annoyance onto his facial features.
'Just when I was thinking of something so revolutionary...'
To think his Royal advisor, the Head of the Privy Council, the genius diplomat, Estefan Capricho was... a KY. Mykel inwardly shook his head, wondering, 'What has this world come to...'
[๐ฐ/๐ฝ: ๐บ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ "๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐" [็ฉบๆฐ่ชญใใใชใ] ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐'๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐]
"Estefan. Had I not dismissed you?"
Estefan gulped, hearing the underlying tone of Mykel's words โ Why are you still here when I dismissed you? Do you want to die?
"M-My liege, apologies. I forgot to relay an important message earlier," Estefan quickly rambled. Estefan knew he probably did not need to remind this to his Majesty. After all, his Majesty should already be acquainted with the Sol customs, but he just wanted to make sure.
Mykel sighed, leaning back on his throne, "Speak."
Estefan quickly fell into explanation mode, "About the Princess... she will be manually travelling to Sol. It is one of the conjugal customs of the Eastern moon people to have the bride travel a great distance to reach her groom's home, as it shows her conviction and devotion for the husband. The Princess too shall be partaking in this custom, and will be using the Astrad roaโ"
"Is - that - all - you needed to say?" Mykel interrupted. His eyes held a dangerous gleam.
Estefan started sweating because his ears had heard something entirely different โ You came back to waste my time with this kind of nonsense? Do you really want to die that bad?
"Y-Your Majesty, that is the 'Mahina' custom," Estefan replied, emphasizing the word 'Mahina,' and continued to explain.
"However, the Sol custom decrees that the Husband must bring the wife to his home, himself, as it helps to build trust between man and woman. However, since these two customs clash, there has been a slight compromise. The Princess shall travel half the distance, while your Majesty will travel another half. Once a meeting has been confirmed, your Majesty shall escort her Highness back to the Palace. All the elder priests agreed to this as it conformed to both the traditions. But of course, your Majesty already knew ofโ"
Estefan could not finish his sentence, for Mykel had interrupted him.
"WHAT?!"
Mykel found himself shouting. This was the first time he had lost composure at court, and all his retainers โ Estefan included โ stared flabbergasted at his face.
"T-The meeting point shall be at the end of the Astrad road, which is a common route of travel between the six Kingdoms... I-It shall be in the cosmopolitan city of Uri. Y-Your Majesty will need to depart in approximately four day's time if you wish to reach Uri at the same time as her Highness is supposedly due there," Estefan continued, bracing himself for the consequences of suggesting such a thing.
But Mykel was not listening anymore. He was staring at his advisor like he had grown another head. And he was busy agonizing on his own stupidity.
How on Earth could he forget?
The Sol marriage custom, that a Husband must bring his wife home. Even though the Princess was only a "bridal candidate," of COURSE the old buffoons (Elder Priests) would still insist on Mykel personally escorting her to the Imperial Palace, because if he didn't, it would be seen as an insult to the ideals of the Temple of Light, which could arise a conflict with the Church.
Mykel cursed under his breath.
He forgot such an important detail.
'Dammit...' He cursed.
'How far was Uri again...?'