The whole place was silent and calm, Amaranth appeared again and removed his spell, making the camp accessible to everyone. A few others came inside the tent, to get their supplies and just looked at these people who sat quietly.
"So.... That is almost everything.", Eleni said.
"Almost?", Riya asked.
"There is something, but I am not yet sure of it...", Eleni said eyeing the people staring at them.
"It's alright... What we said before still stands, we are a family.", Sil said and other nodded in agreement.
"Thank you..", Eleni said and hugged them.
"We should get going and pack as much food we can, The journey from here to the capital is almost a day.", Riya said helping Eleni.
"Yup, So we are in the 12th battalion, hope we don't meet the demons of hell anytime soon.", Kyle said walking out of the tent to the wagons.
"Ignore him..", Sil said patting Eleni.
"It's true though, we need to be careful. Just because we are here, we ain't completely safe.", Riya said.
"Yes, Let's start a new life there. If we get a permanent post, our past life can be pardoned too.", Sil said hugging Riya.
"Yes, Let's do that.", Riya said and all of them took the wagon to the capital.
*******
At the Lozano Palace
"My king, Please reconsider your decision, if we mobilize the 7th battalion our defenses may crumble!", The Defense minister pleaded.
"Attack is the best defense, Minister.", The General said.
"But-", Defense minister pleaded.
"Why must I sit back down? It was them who first pointed fingers and ruined our years long treaty! If we take a back seat, We will lose. They know our defense style and country situation... It's best if we proceed with it, the attack on Porcelain Market. If we get hold of it, We can have resources for a few more months without exhausting our country's people.", The King said.
"But sire, Please reconsider. If we lose, we lose defenses. We lose resources and morale.", He managed to say.
"Then what do you suggest?", The King asked.
"Send the Prince to exile. Remove his right to throne. That will please the ruler and we can get back our previous friendship. Fighting with each other will just ruin our situation in this time of war. The spies say that the Rowan military is making its way to Lozano!", He said.
"Do you realize you're basically asking me to remove the prince of the country?", The King asked sternly making the whole noisy court quiet.
"It is not treason, but an act of peace. We have a crown prince already and another prince to look after the internal affairs too, Just removing his right as the prince doesn't make him useless. Just put aside.", He said. All stared at the defense minister who dared to speak such words that too in front of the King.
All thought he might have lost his mind or trying to relieve himself of his position as a minister. But the truth was far from that, The Defense Minister cared deeply for the royalty and had unbreakable royalty, the king knew that himself.
But he had to choose, whether to just make a royal not have throne was better than risking the lives of people serving in the army of both the nations and the subjects.
"So, he is to be exiled completely? Even though he had done nothing?", The king asked again in disbelief.
"The prince's weird behavior regarding the guest drinking the tea was the proof. We can't argue about it. If our crown prince would die in Kamaj, we too would take such drastic steps. But we have to step down out of war!", He pleaded by kneeling down.
"I see then, Hear this, The third son of mine, who has the blood of me and the nation's mother, The Empress, Prince Kaelius Hugh Lozano, is stripped of the royal privileges like Right to throne, his land of The Quarter Mountains, The three gold mines under his name is returned back to the throne and he is sentenced to house arrest for 10 years. He shall not receive any invitations for any celebration till he is of age!", The King said.
"Proclaim this everywhere with my seal. Write up a letter to The King of Kamaj, invite him for a truce meeting in the Border, with the representative of Fiera.", He said.
***
"My son! You are being punished... that too for a crime you didn't do! I am sorry... I was unable to do anything!", His mother hugged him and wept.
His world changed due to that weird maid. He hated her more than anything in the world.
He promised himself, the nest time he saw her, it would be him putting a sword in her throat. After the punishment being declared, the whole palace had no respect for him anymore. He didn't have hot meals anymore. Cold and weird smelling milk which made him throw up every time he drank it.
He wasn't allowed to talk to his mother or father. His brothers never really cared for him before to come now and help him. They always had that fight for dominance. Now that Kael was forbidden the Royal studies, His eldest brother, Raphael felt happier than ever. He had hated his youngest brother forever. From when he was born, he was a fast learner and would often correct him.
This made many courtiers have an opinion that Kael would be the next prince.
Now, that Kael can no longer be a King rightfully, he relaxed for the first time ever. With an evil grin on his mouth he called over a palace maid to serve him that night. He couldn't care less that day. It was a day to be celebrated.