As Sam waited for Kiera's answer to his proposed alliance, he had Kepler look into the information he had gathered from the tavern. It was information he had been willing to share with her as soon as she agreed to their alliance, but because she needed to talk it over with her King, he had withheld such information.
First and foremost, Sam knew the importance of withholding certain pieces of information. Knowledge was everything. The right information could be an essential bargaining chip for the right people. It was how Sam had managed to survive as the Third Prince all these years.
He hated withholding information from Kiera, but it was necessary. He could read from her face that she was also withholding information from him. He would hold off from sending his best people to investigate the Beasts for now. He hoped it wouldn't come to it, but should the Lion Lord decline his offer of alliance, he would have to resort to his other methods.
"Prince Sam," a knock came at his door while he was nose deep in paperwork. He continued working diligently as he told his butler to enter.
"Beast General Kiera Blackwater is at the gate." His hands froze at the mention of her name.
"Let her in." He said as he stood up from his chair. "Is she alone?"
His butler nodded.
"Bring her to the receiving room and tell her that I will be in shortly." Sam rubbed his weary eyes as he went to the corner of his office where a wash basin had been set up for him. "Send Kepler here as well. I wish to speak with him before I meet with the General." His butler bowed his head before leaving the room.
He poured the water from the white ceramic into the basin. Cupping the water between his hands, he washed his face with the refreshing water, and once he was done he dried his face with the fluffy towel that had been placed beside the basin by one of his maids.
There was a part of him that wanted to stay inside his study so that he did not have to hear the decision Kiera and the Lion Lord had come to. He did not want to resort to underhanded methods if possible. His heart was set on bringing Kiera over to his side as genuinely as he could.
"Though the person I have become is seen as a mere fool." He lamented to no one in particular as he kept his face towel to his cheek and ruminated.
If only he had known of Kiera's existence before. He wouldn't have let his family's darkness take root inside him. He wouldn't have made plans for their destruction.
Is it too late now?
Another knock at the door halted his darkening thoughts and he shook his head to rid himself of any lingering regrets he had.
"Is that you Kepler?"
"Yes, sire." His aide's muffled voice from behind the door made it to his ears. His face broke into a slight smile when he saw the exhausted state of his aide. He looked ragged. His hair was disheveled as if he had been asleep for hours prior. There was no monocle over his eye but there were black circles that made their appearance just underneath his eyes.
He let out a long whistle as he circled Kepler jokingly.
"You certainly have seen better days Kepler," Sam told the man with a grin.
"With all due respect my lord, I feel like absolute shite." He looked at him with utter displeasure. "The amount of work you put me through is enough grounds to ask for an early retirement."
"Early retirement?" Sam stroked underneath his chin with one hand. "Why? You might feel this tired now, but I assure you that you are as fit as a fiddle."
"I hope this is all worth it, in the end." His dark pupils peered at him grimly. "The General does not look like the sort of a woman to forgive, no matter the smallest infractions."
"She might look that way, but you would be surprised how soft she is when it comes to the people around her."
He thought about the tears that dropped from her dark lashes. That day he held her close as she cried. Then there was the time he had danced with her at the ball. He had mistakenly thought he had her then. But she had left him all too easily.
It was too soon still. He needed to keep a cool head if he wanted to continue pursuing Kiera. She could shut him out completely if he wasn't careful.
"What do you wish for me to do? Should I continue with all our other plans?" Kepler's voice brought him out of his head. He turned and began heading out of his study.
"Yes. Proceed with what we planned." He said over his shoulder to Kepler.
***
Sam opened the door to the room where Kiera was waiting. As soon as he entered the room, Kiera paid her respects to the prince.
"Please, sit down." He gestured towards the couches inside the room with a smile. "You can drop the formalities. It's just us remember?"
He settled on the couch across from Kiera.
"Have you talked it over with the King of Beasts?"
She nodded.
"He has agreed to us temporarily working together in this investigation your Highness." Sam rejoiced at her words, but something in the air around Kiera made him think there was something else. Something she was dreading telling him.
"King William has also given me permission to tell you more about the Beast People." Kiera kept her eyes peering straight ahead. "This information I am about to tell you is the secret behind the Beast People's origins, and the reason behind why we are not permitted to step foot outside the Forest."
"I suppose this secret is one I need to take to my grave?"
Her eyes rolled to the side. "Not quite. King William has allowed you to tell only your close aides. I must let you know though, because I am the one who is telling you, it falls on me should this secret be disclosed to the public. Do you understand what I am getting at?"
"You'll kill me." She nodded again, and Sam couldn't help but smile at her instant response.
"I understand."
Kiera kept her cool blue gaze on him but he still gave her a warm smile.
"This doesn't affect my affection towards you in the slightest."
"It might after I finish telling you everything." She responded, again without any hesitation. He stood up and went over to sit next to her on the couch. The emotion behind her azure eyes changed slightly as she watched him sit down next to her. Their hands lay on the couch, coming close to contact with the other.
"Shall we see then?" He wiped his face clean of any smile. Sam wanted to convey to her his sincerity. "Please tell me, Kiera."
She looked down and placed her hands on her lap.
"How do I even begin?" Then she looked up at the ceiling. "Where do you believe the Beast People came from originally Your Highness?"
"To begin with, there has never been much information about your people." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. Everything that happens within the Beast Kingdom has always been protected from the outside world, and much of the information that was out about them seemed skewed.
Presumptions were always made about the Beasts. Animal worshipers to average southern savages, the list went on and on. Ever since he became interested in Kiera, he was intrigued by the enigma that was the Kingdom of Beast People.
"I have never put much thought to it, I just assumed the Beasts had always been at the Forest." It wasn't a concern to the Humans though, as the Beasts were contained within the borders of the Forest. Humans were content with leaving them there just as long as they did not venture out.
"Though by the look on your face, I now think that isn't true." From the corner of his eye, he watched her. It was clear to him that she hadn't ever been placed in this kind of situation before.
Her brow furrowed as she took great care to think out her next words. As always, he let a rush of giddiness rush over him while observing the Beast General's tiniest movements. He greatly enjoyed catching any moments of hers that were different from what he had seen so far.
"The Forest isn't the place where the Beasts are from. Originally, it was created to be our prison."