Barlo who is the most reserved among the envoys finally spoke up. By now the sound of the insects were faint probably due to the heavy rain earlier.
They took their shade under a thatched house inside the forest.
The house was almost broken down, except the drooping side of the house which appeared to be properly shaded.
The twelve of them squeezed themselves inside. They laughed heartily.
"Brothers let's make our tent here for tonight, tomorrow we should try to be faster to get to the teleportation portal, I don't know why the Academy forbade us from using theirs; even the palace," Barlo said solemnly.
Everyone nodded in agreement. They have strong faith in each other and unity because they are all direct apprentices under elder Gwamho.
"What do we eat tonight?" Igule asked with concern.
With their cultivation there is no need to eat but they still prefer to eat.
Dertry who is the youngest among them reached into his pocket and brought out roasted desolate beast meat and wine finely preserved from his space ring.
"Here brothers, let's manage for the night."
They all bursted out laughing. In a matter of seconds they were all seated round the fire enjoying the meat and wine.
Even though it was not enough to feel the young men up, they were happy. As cultivators they don't really need food they can easily replenish their essence with spirit stones
"Dertry always has a plan up his sleeve," Fraris pointed out
They now recalled the story of what happened few years ago in the academy. Then they were just new students. They used the liberty and prestige of the school to enter a courtesan house.
Elder Gwamho was very angry. He decided to punish them for three days. No food, no water. After the first day, they were all famished except Dertry who would occasionally sip his wine hidden in his body and proceed with eating the dried meat he hid in his pocket.
They found out and reported him, but elder Gwamho couldn't care less. He told them off.
"He is the youngest but he is smarter than the rest."
The young men bursted out laughing again in the dead of the night. Their laughter echoed through the whole forest.
On their faces, one could see determination and strong desire to keep Lhney safe even at the cost of their lives.
It has been two weeks since the royal wedding and the royal engagement.
The crown princess Naia Gwamho has been nauseous since morning.
She looked paler than she was. She decided not to call the imperial physician out of fear.
"What if am not pregnant?" she asked herself.
After all, she had only met with the Prince for four times.
Even tonight, the crown prince had called for Zamir Nayuel. She sat on her bed counting the number of days, she had not been called.
Her porcelain like fingers dancing up and down to calculate the exact days.
She furrowed her brows, her long lashes seemed to be broken by a streak of tear from the corner of her eyes.
The maids stood their some arranging the bed, while some were making tea. She looked at them with eyes full of rage.
"Maybe the maids are part of the problem," she thought.
"Get out!"
Since her first night with the prince, she have become obsessed with sex. Forgetting that there are two other women in the harem. In addition Tarh needed to rest too.
But she couldn't help being jealous of them.
She motioned her hands to show the gravity of her command. The maids hurriedly finished up and rushed out.
Outside the door they stood drooping. Their eyes contains bags and some black marks. They look worried and tired.
The more brazen ones giggled to each other how horrible Naia was. A stifle of laughter could be heard.
The beautiful Zamir Nayuel was not worried at all. She lay beside the crown prince stroking his hair while lying on his chest.
He would occasionally murmur some warm words into her ears and she would let out a gentle laughter.
Earlier in the day, she had called the imperial physician who checked her pulse and told her the good news.
"Your highness is with a child."
The whole palace is still oblivious of the news. Zamir occasionally stroke her stomach. If she gives birth to a son earlier than even the crown princess, then her son will be the next in line to the throne.
This is the law of the Vaharyl clan according to Tarh the great when he founded the Northern Empire.
The first and oldest prince will succeed the throne as the next emperor.
The only exception is when the prince is born of low status. But if the mother is a crown princess or noble consort or a consort then the prince will ascend the throne.
It has been passed down since time immemorial in the Northern Empire. Finally the crown prince turned over to Zamir Nayuel.
"What do you want to tell me?" he asked