After giving Atropa her "medication", he had proceeded to his study for his days' work.
Since, he got all the energy and inspiration he needed, he was able to concentrate and finish most of the pending papers.
He had to focus since, a lot of problems had arisen and he knew that he had to start solving them.
A few loud knocks sounded at the door.
"It is Nigel, may I come in?" a male voice said.
At his permission, his ever-trusted red head aid came in.
"Yes, Nigel?" Briar prompted. He thought that the aid would have given him a few snacks for their break but it seemed that he was here for a different purpose.
"Sorry for disturbing, your highness. You have a guest." Nigel informed.
"Who?"
"It is just me." Someone chimed in.
Aliester was in time to see another redhead who sauntered uninvited into his study. His elbow length hair which was tied into a braided ponytail swung like a rope. He acted as if he owned the place.
"Regius Ignatius de Thyme." Briar called out his name. "To what do I owe your presence, your highness?"
"Don't be so stiff, Briar. We are friends. Stop acting cold like that." The Regius slumped on a vacant sofa.
"You haven't changed." Briar commented while signaling Nigel to bring them refreshments. The aid left the two, so Briar was able to observe his guest.
Regius had grown a bit taller and well-muscled compared to the last time briar saw him. However, it seemed that in the last few years only his physique had grown not his attitude.
Though he is the crown prince and the eldest son of King Darius, Regius seemed to be opposite of his serious father.
If King Darius is like a magma-he is calm, collected unless provoked, his son is more like flare. Regius was a bit hotheaded and would have occasional outbursts.
Briar spent a couple of months in Thyme, so he got acquainted with the Thymian heir. During his stay in Thyme, he got into trouble.
Regius always dragged him around and forced him to be an accomplice of his pranks. He was aggressive, outspoken and mischievous.
Briar was contemplating that his friend might only have come here because he was bored. Bothering Briar might have been the new entertainment he must have thought of.
"So what brought you here?" Briar asked after Nigel had delivered their refreshments.
"You really don't like beating around the bush." The other prince commented before sipping his tea. "I have been sent to deliver the news."
Regius turned serious which was a bit unusual for Briar since he had not seen this side of the other prince.
"You need to go to the Treffen. You were chosen as the regent, so you needed to join." Regius began.
"I apologize, I was preoccupied with some cases." Briar tried to give an excuse. "Besides, although I am the regent, I cannot simply attend the Treffen. I am not officially acknowledged by the Enclave."
"I still could not use the same spell that they can." Briar further added. "If I wanted to attend, I have to go to the emerald tree."
"I know. That's why, you will have to come with me for an emergency Treffen, tonight." Regius said while grabbing Birar.
"What?!" the flaxen haired exclaimed.
"If we want to make it on time, we need to get there now." Regius said while leading him outside of his study.
"I still have a lot of work. Do we really need to go now?" Briar tried to pry his hands away.
"Of course!" Regius said with a sheepish grin.
The regent brows twitched in annoyance. Even though he wanted to resist, he knew that the Thymian's crown prince would not stop. So he finally gave in.
After a few hours of riding their steeds, they finally reached their destination.
Briar had noted that nothing much had changed since the last time he had been there. Then as the hour went by, the kings had finally appeared.
King Darius was the first one to emerged followed by Leo, and Caules.
"This attendance is similar to the one when I first stumbled into this place." Briar was overcame with nostalgia. The only difference this time is that Briar and Regius were joining them.
"The seal from Marjoram has been broken." High King Darius focused his green eyes on Briar. "Care to explain what had happened?"
Briar was a bit clueless at first, so he asked. "How is that possible?"
"That is why we are asking you." King Leo said. "You are the regent, you should know. The seal had been in the lost capital of Mageram and yet it got broken."
Briar thought for a while after he was given a run-through of things.
After contemplating he felt as if a light bulb illuminated in his head. "No way." He whispered.
'The seal they are referring to seemed to match with the breaking of the seal during his and Atropa's adventure.' He thought. 'The timing seemed to coincide.'
"Don't tell me… Atropa was the one who broke the seal." He muttered. 'If I view it that way, everything seemed to make sense.'
He seemed to deny it but the proofs are right there. They only need a few more evidences.
Regius grabbed him. "Briar, you look like you knew something. Care to share?"
Briar had no choice but to share his thoughts. He knew that Regius wouldn't stop bothering him until he gets what he wants. Not to mention the other kings would not allow him to leave unless he would tell them his thoughts.
"I went on a little adventure. We had been investigating the murders around Hopley. In one of the crime scenes, we were caught up in a teleportation spell and had managed to find Mageram." Briar shared.
"Go on." Caules encouraged him to continue.
"We found the former castle of the founder, Kreuz and had activated a spell so that we could get out. The spell was used to break a seal so that we could escape the enclosed space." Briar imparted as much as he could while hiding certain details.
The entire room was silent. Until King Leo broke it. "Briar, my boy. Do you know how grave this incident is? The seal broke of Marjoram broke and there is a huge consequence of breaking the seal."
"You were the one who brought up the signos. It seemed that this is the start of the revival of the dark suzerain." Caules pointed out.
"But Atropa was not related to the royal family." Briar argued. He did not want to get the girl into trouble. "and she is a she, not a male heir."
"Something is not right." Caules commented.
But his words were drowned out when Darius spoke. "Female---could it be Lily?"
Briar froze. His brain refused to acknowledge that the two girls are related. However, he had remembered that Lily had turned into a witch, so there might really be a possibility.
"I needed to get back to Marjoram…" he decided.