Vrag knocked on the door of his bottom chamber. There is no answer to it so he open the door and found Edmund absorbed in the desk where all the papers and documents scattered. Some papers are spreaded on the floor.
"Edmund." Vrag called to him making sure he realized someone is in the room with him.
Edmund gave him a short look while fixing his glasses and return back absorbed in the documents.
"It's you."
"You seems busy."
"This..." Edmund look devastated. "This can't be real. All these documents."
"I got it from a trustable source so this is real."
"It's unbelievable that Arethea decided to sink this low."
"I'm at Judecca."
"Children turned soldiers with hypnosis?"
"..."
"They are using azure jewel too..." Edmund clenched his fist. His territory is where they can mine the purest azure crystals. He thought as he is useless he will help his country in another way. While he excel in economic, he has chosen to be the ruler of their main source of trade, azure crystals.
"Marley is missing for some time now. Where did you get his research papers, Vrag?"
"He gave it to me."
Edmund's eyes widen. "Where is he now?"
"Somewhere hidden. He decided he didn't want to be involved in the war."
"He is my mentor. I need to see him."
"I'm aware of that, but he didn't wish to see anyone currently."
"He is in Slothia, isn't he?" Edmund sit on the chair. He lost his strength, he can recognized his mentor's handwriting. All these research papers are his. He is still digesting the horrible research he just read.
"I wanted to ask your help. We want to capture Maranth."
Edmund's attention is fully on Vrag now.
"You are asking me to betray my own brother?"
"Basically I have to kill him. And your eldest brother too."
"Are you insane?" Edmund can't believe what he heard.
"If I killed them both, you will be the next king, Edmund."
"This... This is outrageous!"
"They wanted to war, Edmund. We wanted to end it. This is a sacrifice that we have to take."
Edmund can feel a headache overcome him. He has no sleep last night as he rummage through all the documents that Vrag has promised to show him. It's about his missing mentor, the most brilliant researcher in Arethea. The research papers have his brothers and father's signature on it. They knew about this, they consented to it. He suddenly remembered about one more thing he wanted to ask.
"I heard rumours. Is it true that you are holding Zils hostage or have you killed her?"
"It's a pity to kill such beauty, Edmund." Vrag gave him an emotionless smile.
"It's true then that you hold her captured here."
"She is quite famous in Arethea?"
"Is Marley the one that told you about her?"
"He told me about everything including her origin and status."
Edmund's mouth gape open.
"Why do you think I keep her if she is just some famous pretty general?"
"Keep?" Edmund can feel anger rising.
"Ah yes. I didn't tell you that I keep her in my chamber."
Vrag can feel two hands grabbing his shirt collar. Edmund's hands are shaking as anger is controlling him now. Vrag didn't bother to hold his hands, adding insult to Edmunds that his strength is nothing to Vrag. Vrag can tackle him down to the ground if he wanted to.
"Bastard!! She is not some women to throw in your harem."
"She will be my Queen, Edmund. Don't fret about it."
"Queen?" Edmund don't understand what he just heard.
"Yes. A Queen."
"But you are not the Crown Prince." Edmund has released his hands on Vrag's collar.
"I'm not for now." Vrag answered coldly.
"Are you planning to take the throne?" Edmund can't believe it. This guy is insane.
"I'm still the only Prince born from the Queen. The rest are just born from his harem even though my status is the fifth Prince." Vrag took a chair in the room and sit. He gestured to Edmund to take a seat as well.
"Now let's talk about your second brother and Zils."
***
Zils looked at a wooden stick showed to her in the room. One of the chambermaids has bring her a blueprint design of a cane. She has finished her dinner, take a bath and prepared to sleep on the bed when the chambermaid brought her a design of a cane to see.
"If My Lady like the design, we will start the work tomorrow. It should take a week to finish it."
"This is just a cane for me to walk. You don't need to get special carver for this."
"Prince Vrag has ordered us to get a cane design for you."
"I don't need this."
"Well we will ask them to create another one then."
"No need for that. The design is beautiful but I don't need it. Just prepare a normal cane."
"Well, My Lady if you like it then we will start the work."
The chambermaid took the blueprint from Zils, bowed and exit the room. Zils is quiet for a while and then sighed. She never get used to these royal treatments she gets and imprisoned at the same time. In Arethea, her half brothers are mean to her except Edmund. She didn't really have royal treatments.
When she was small the King always visited her when he has time. She is his favourite. Her black hair and blue eyes are the King's exact features. The King always come with her half brothers.
The King provided her a chamber in front of the palace royal garden. Her mother is forbidden to care for her as her child. Zils have to call the Queen as "mother" earning disgust from her everytime she gave her respect to her.
Her half brothers always bully her, calling her dirty princess. Only Edmund is the one that always protect her, earning insults from his own brothers. He grow to hate fights and prefer books.
Zils has shown her beauty since young age. Zils is a kind child and the servants are easily accepting her as a Princess. As Zils grow up, she decided to joined the navy as she can't bear living at the palace with the Queen's constant harrasment. She climb up as a navy general and the news about her beauty spreaded accross the nation. She earned the nickname "Azure beauty" comparing her blue eyes with the nation's national jewel.
As far as Zils know only the inner Palace people knew about her status as the King's daughter. The public knew her as the brilliant navy general so how Vrag able to know who she is? Her real name too. Is there a traitor in the Palace? Zils felt tired and she close her eyes falling into deep sleep.
Vrag entered the chamber not long after, he saw the bed as Zils sleep peacefully. He caress the black silk hair.
"I will make you mine soon." He whispered.