King Aelon strode around King Elric's office, his eyes lingering on the various decorations and artifacts adorning the walls. King Elric remained seated, watching him with a contemplative expression.
After a moment, King Aelon turned to King Elric and asked, "What do you think of my eldest daughter, Lyra?"
King Elric paused, caught off guard by the question. "She's a beautiful child," he replied diplomatically.
King Aelon shook his head. "No, no, she is no child. She is a woman ready to marry anytime soon," he said firmly.
King Elric raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Who do you have in mind?" he inquired.
King Aelon looked directly at him. "I think you already know," he said pointedly.
King Elric sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So, you're still going on about that," he muttered.
"I believe we can bring our children together and have more power to take over the Six dāerysion," King Aelon continued, undeterred by King Elric's response.
King Elric's expression darkened. "You remember what happened to the dārys because of your father," he reminded King Aelon. "And now you're telling me you want to follow in his footsteps."
King Aelon's gaze hardened. "King Elric, you disappoint me. I thought you of all people would understand," he said, his voice tinged with disappointment.
King Elric sighed heavily. "Aelon, I will ask my son what he thinks of this matter," he said finally. "But I will not persuade him to do things that are not of his nature."
With that, King Elric stood up from his chair and gestured towards the door. "Let us head to the town square. We have to celebrate your arrival, my friend," he said, attempting to lighten the mood.
King Aelon nodded, a hint of resignation in his eyes. "Let's go then," he said quietly.
Together, they left the office and made their way to the town square.
When King Elric and King Aelon arrived at the town square, they were greeted by a commotion. King Elric quickly alerted his guards to stop the situation, only to see Davos, the son of the traitor Jorren, fighting with King Aelon's sons, Cassian and Finnian.
Fury flared in King Elric's eyes as he witnessed the altercation. He turned to King Aelon, who seemed equally enraged. "What is the meaning of this, boy? How dare you touch them! Do you know who they are?" King Elric demanded, his voice laced with anger.
Jorren, the traitor, stepped forward, pleading with King Elric. "Please, Your Grace, please forgive my son. He is but a boy, please," he implored.
However, King Aelon was unforgiving. "I will have you imprisoned, you peasant! How dare you touch my sons with your filthy hands! Guards, take them!" he commanded, his voice resonating with authority.
King Elric intervened, his voice cutting through the chaos. "King Aelon, I will take care of this," he stated firmly, turning to address Jorren. "What is the meaning of this? I specifically told them not to invite your family."
Jorren's voice trembled as he replied, "But, Your Grace, we received an invitation from one of your guards."
"I will take care of this," King Elric repeated, his tone final. "But your son will be imprisoned for the day."
Desperation flickered in Jorren's eyes as he dropped to his knees, pleading with King Elric. "Please, Your Grace, take me instead. My boy is just a child," he begged, his voice breaking with emotion.
Davos, unable to bear seeing his father in such distress, spoke up. "Father, don't kneel. Please, get up," he implored, his voice quivering with emotion.
But Jorren remained steadfast, grabbing his weeping wife and pulling her to the ground beside him. They both began to beg King Elric for mercy.
"Guards, take the boy and escort them home," King Elric commanded, his voice unwavering despite the tumult around them.
With heavy hearts, the guards obeyed their king's orders, leading Davos away from the chaos, leaving behind a scene of sorrow and desperation in the town square.
Trying to salvage the situation, King Elric addressed the gathered crowd. "Everyone, go back to enjoying yourselves. Nothing is going on here," he declared firmly, his authoritative voice cutting through the tension.
King Aelon, still seething with anger, approached King Elric. "Who were they?" he inquired, his tone sharp.
"That was Jorren," King Elric replied evenly.
"Jorren? You mean the witch's child, the traitor? He's still alive? I thought you would've beheaded him already for what he did to your family," King Aelon exclaimed, his disbelief evident.
"That isn't any of your business," King Elric retorted sharply.
"Do any of your subjects know who he is?" King Aelon pressed on.
"No, and I don't want anyone to know. It would just cause a commotion," King Elric replied firmly.
"Don't they deserve to know why they lost their previous king?" King Aelon challenged.
"Let's not talk about this matter anymore. We're here to celebrate, not discuss these unimportant things," King Elric stated, his tone final.
King Aelon laughed bitterly. "I guess all the rumors about you are wrong," he remarked.
"What rumors?" King Elric asked, intrigued.
"The ones about you being an evil tyrant," King Aelon replied casually.
King Elric shrugged. "Ask your boys what caused this," he said, gesturing towards Cassian and Finnian.
King Aelon turned to his sons. "What happened here?" he demanded, his voice stern.
Finnian, the younger of King Aelon's sons, stepped forward, his expression serious. "They bumped into us, but they didn't apologize. When I asked for an apology, they insulted us, and that boy started a fight. Cassian helped me," he explained, his voice steady despite the tension.
However, Rowan, King Elric's son, interjected, his tone defensive. "They're lying! They insulted Davos's father, and then they started the fight. They bumped into them, not the other way around," he countered, his words dripping with accusation.
King Elric silenced his son with a stern look. "Rowan, be quiet. Go to your mother," he commanded, his voice firm.
Turning back to King Aelon, King Elric's expression softened slightly. "My apologies for my son's behavior, Aelon. I assure you, I will handle the situation appropriately," he said, his tone diplomatic.
King Aelon nodded, though his eyes still held a flicker of annoyance. "Very well," he replied tersely.
With a darkened expression, King Aelon turned his attention back to his two sons. "You lost to that peasant? You imbeciles!" he spat, his voice filled with disgust. "And then you look me in the eyes and lie to my face! I know that man—he may be a traitor, but he would never teach his son to fight without provocation."
Cassian and Finnian exchanged nervous glances, shrinking under their father's furious gaze.
"But no less, since that boy decided to put his filthy, treacherous hands on my boys, he shall be put to death. I will make sure of it," King Aelon declared, his voice dripping with venom.
His sons trembled at his words, their faces pale with fear.
"And as for you two," King Aelon continued, his tone icy, "no food for the rest of the evening. You aren't worthy of the name Stormheart."
Cassian and Finnian hung their heads in shame, knowing they had disappointed their father deeply.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, King Aelon turned away from them, his mind already set on delivering justice to the traitor's son.