Howard Hildemar stepped back into the throne hall, seeing King Otto laughing and joking with Prince Edmund and some of his ministers.
"Duke Howard. What do you think about Prince Edmund's wedding plans with Lady Sera Lorelei?" asked Otto Reingard to the person he trusted most besides Crown Prince Edmund.
"The marriage between Prince Edmund and Lady Sera should not be held now, Your Majesty," replied Duke Howard, returning to stand on the right side close to the other ministers.
King Otto squinted his eyes, wondering why Duke Howard refused the wedding to be held, "Why? Didn't you propose to hasten the wedding?"
"That's right, Your Majesty. Precisely when the entire region is not in the flames of war," Duke Howard replied.
"We're talking about a wedding, Duke Howard, not a civil war," declared Archmage Dieter.
"Weddings are joyous moments; the whole country should be celebrating Prince Edmund's marriage, but not this day," Duke Howard explained.
"Tregaron is bleeding from war. In the south, Highvale is gearing up for war as the two Houses of the King's alliance clash. In the west, the White Coast is still trapped in the cold war between the Houses," Howard explained, glancing slowly to the left side, looking at Minister of War Harold Ivo.
Harold Ivo nodded, bowing his head with his eyes focused forward, looking at King Otto Reingard, "Duke Howard is right. I was afraid if the wedding proceeded, misfortune would befall us."
Duke Howard paused, refocusing his eyes on King Otto, who had the right to decide anything regarding this issue.
"God sees all!"
"Then what do you suggest, Howard?" asked Otto.
"Send envoys to the conflicted places other than Tregaron and persuade them to make a truce," Howard replied.
Otto clucked his tongue, sitting back on a soft, gilded throne with wooden carvings of lion heads on the two armrests, "They won't do it if I don't offer them something."
"You are King Athalaris. You have power over all things here: gold, army, power. You can use it to settle the war raging in White Coast and Highvale," Duke Howard revealed.
Duke Howard walked up to King Otto, then seemed to bow his head in obedience, "If you want to seek a truce. I can work it out with every House there."
King Otto remained silent for a moment, his head seemingly in deep thought as to what was best for him to decide regarding this conflict. However, when Prince Edmund touched the back of his hand, he knew he had to agree to the truce.
"Do it! I want the wedding to take place next month," King Otto insisted.
Duke Howard smiled, taking another step back after hearing the order from King Otto Reingard, "Of course. I will do, Your Majesty."
"Then what about Tregaron? Hartwin's troops are far more numerous compared to Roderick, along with the help of Prince Quentin," Harold Ivo pointed out.
King Otto turned to the minister of war, then laughed loudly as his right hand tapped his thigh several times. Prince Edmund also smiled but did not burst out laughing like his father.
"Do you still not get it, Minister Harold?" asked King Otto.
Duke Howard and the other ministers turned their heads quickly to look at Harold. Harold realized the ministers, the King, and the prince were watching him.
Shortly after, Harold Ivo realized King Otto's intention of sending Prince Quentin to fight in Tregaron; they wanted to keep the heir to the throne, Prince Edmund Reingard, safe.
"I understand, Your Majesty." Harold nodded with both eyes closed. In this entire palace, no one sympathized with Prince Quentin.
The young man was just a lucky man who could hold the title of prince because of Otto's bad behaviour in the past. His mother had borne Otto's child out of wedlock, so Prince Quentin was practically King Otto's bastard son.
Quentin's mother died on the way to Lanercoast. Some people only knew Catherine Reingard died because she was attacked by a group of bandits. However, the truth was different.
King Otto's First Queen, Queen Isabella Reingard, ordered soldiers from her house to destroy the convoy of the Second Queen, Catherine Reingard.
Isabella successfully killed Catherine, causing her to become the single most powerful woman in Athalaris.
However, Isabella's life was shorter than what she expected. She was hit by a poisoned arrow while the royal entourage was organizing a hunting trip in the forest. In the end, Isabella died of poison sickness.
***
One week later.
"We were never going to win this battle," stated one of the soldiers, the commander of the aid troops, Reynold Ingo.
He sat on the saddle side by side with Prince Quentin. Reynold's body was much bigger than Quentin's, who was 17.
Quentin sat firmly on the horse, looking down at the valley below where the fortified city of Oakenport was guarded by soldiers in full armour.
On the other side of the east, there were troops already preparing to destroy Oakenport City, a city with a free trade road connecting the northern area full of farms to the southern region.
Despite the war, they still opened the trade route, wooden carts passing through Oakenport without fear of their convoy being attacked by Hartwin's soldiers.
While Prince Quentin was still sitting on the saddle next to Commander Reynold, Princess Mary walked over carrying Quentin's sword.
The girl handed the sword to Quentin. Quentin smiled, accepting the sword as he dismounted.
Now, he stood tall before his sister and held Mary's body tightly, whispering something in the girl's ear.
"I will avenge our mother's death," Quentin declared.
Mary was silent, then cleared her throat with a cute nod. She had already heard the story from Quentin, making her heart burn with hatred towards King Otto and the royal family in Telmarath.
Quentin soon rode away from the top of the hill together with Reynold. They rode down not with the 5000 troops, but they were going to Hartwin to negotiate something.
Mary was still at the reinforcement camp, waiting for the result of the discussion between Quentin and Hartwin.
During the journey from Telmarath to Tregaron, Quentin had talked about this. To be able to avenge the royal family, he had to start by controlling Tregaron.
Free trade routes were important. Controlling the trident of trade routes was the same as maintaining the supply of food and clothing to Telmarath.
Quentin planned to take Oakenport, charge every merchant who passed through, and then save the money to build a large army.
In the distance, Hartwin's gatekeepers witnessed the arrival of two horsemen with armour and white coats with gold lion faces.
Undoubtedly, they were from Telmarath. Suddenly, it made the soldiers draw their swords and alert them to the arrival of Quentin and Reynold.
"Telmarath troops," announced the soldier outside the south gate.
Quentin and Reynold stopped their horses, standing right before the gatekeeper, who wore armour and an ash coat with the face of an elephant, Hartwin's pride and joy.
Without thinking, Quentin told the soldier before him about his intention of coming to Hartwin's castle, "We wish to see Lord Hartwin."
The door was still closed, and they had not yet approved Quentin and Reynold to enter. One of the soldiers ran from the gate to the manor house where Lord Hartwin was strategizing.
The arrival of a soldier into the room surprised Clark Hartwin —Lord of House Hartwin. The soldier immediately informed his lord about Prince Quentin's arrival.
"Prince Quentin? Not Edmund or Alexander?" asked Clark.
"No, My Lord. Prince Quentin is coming," replied the soldier.
Clark Hartwin turned his head and looked at the five people standing at the same strategy table as him. They nodded. It wouldn't hurt to hear Prince Quentin's reason for coming.
"Get him to come in," Clark pleaded.
The soldier nodded, stepping quickly out of the strategy room to arrive directly in front of the open south gate, "Lord Hartwin awaits you at his manor."
Quentin nodded, dismounting as he strode toward the two-story house where Hartwin was strategizing. Reynold did the same, his watchful gaze continuing to cast at every soldier inside the fort.
"What are you going to do?" asked Reynold.
"I will negotiate with Lord Hartwin about Oakenport," revealed Quentin.
He walked up the steps until he reached the wooden door that led to the strategy room of the manor.
After hearing a shout from inside inviting him to enter, Quentin opened the door and saw Lord Clark Hartwin standing in the centre of the strategy table, accompanied by five people.
Lord Hartwin and the others immediately bowed, saluting the newly arrived Prince Quentin.
"Prince Quentin," greeted Clark Hartwin.
Quentin nodded, reached into his shirt pocket and handed over a scroll tied with a string. The letter was addressed to Hartwin regarding the conflict in Tregaron.
One of Clark's five confidants handed the letter to Hartwin to read. There was a tense silence, as the two men were the opposing parties from the point of view of the people of Telmarath.
"What?" asked Hartwin, shocked.
"What was in the letter, My Lord?" asked one of Hartwin's confidants.
"A demand for an alliance," replied Hartwin, smiling broadly and looking seriously at Quentin.
"Are you sure, Prince? This letter might as well be a form of treason to Telmarath," Hartwin replied, holding up the letter he had read earlier.
"YOU WANT TO JOIN THEM?!" asked Reynold, shocked and shouting.
An irritated Reynold began to draw his sword, a palpable tension created in the place. Prince Quentin remained silent, as did Hartwin. However, Hartwin's confidants began to fear.
"Yeah. This is the best way to teach them the meaning of life," Quentin replied.
"What do you mean, Prince?" asked Reynold.
Quentin looked back, staring at Reynold, who had served the palace for decades, "Before you were assigned to me, you were appointed to guard Queen Catherine, right?"
"How could my mother die while you didn't?!" snapped Quentin, squinting.
"I don't know anything about that."
"Here, I could have chopped off your head and put it on a spike if you hadn't been honest with me. How come you're still alive?" Quentin asked.
Hartwin said yes, his soldiers were ready to behead Reynold according to the wishes of Prince Quentin. His ambition to control the Tregaron region left Hartwin with no other choice but to accept Quentin's invitation to the alliance.
"Talk!" Quentin pleaded.
"Tch!"
Reynold clucked his tongue, realizing his unfortunate position and being tricked by Prince Quentin.
The man tried to escape by opening the door. Hartwin's soldiers immediately chased and captured the man.
"My mother was murdered on her return to Lanercoast. I believe the murderer was from the royal family," Quentin replied, refocusing his eyes forward.
"So, that's why you want to avenge your mother's death on Telmarath?" asked Hartwin.
"Yeah."