Numerous armoured soldiers walked through the large iron gates on their horses, looking at the streets.
It was filled with men, women, and children– all were present, awaiting their loved ones, who participated in the war, to return despite the dazzling sun shining over them, emitting extreme heat.
They cheered for Prince Lucian, the captain of the Royal Knights Legion, the kingdom's prosperity, and the king.
Among the crowd, a few soldiers joined their families who rejoiced in their return, while others' corpses were given to their families who mourned their loss.
Amidst the men on horses, a dark-haired armoured young man looked at the crowd emotionlessly.
"Your Highness! We should head to the palace," Glain joined the dark-haired man, riding his horse.
Prince Lucian nodded, without saying a word and rode his horse toward the palace, followed by his subordinates.
Although they had the opportunity to meet their families first, they needed to report to the king about the situation before they could return to their families.
Lucian descended his dark horse once the troupe had arrived at the palace.
The knights behind mirrored him.
"Let's go," the prince said, walking toward the main palace where the king ordered them to go once they arrived.
Although the war had ended a week ago, they were asked to remain on the battlefield for a few additional days in case the enemy kingdom, Eldoria, attacked again.
As it didn't happen, the king ordered the troops to retreat back into the kingdom.
The main castle, named after the first king of Selvarys, Solarian Von Gwydor, Solar Palace was built on a vast greenery.
It had three large grey-coloured towers behind the third-floor building. Two large ponds were constructed in front of it, where numerous small flowers were planted around the edge of the pond and a road was built between them, giving space for everyone to reach the building.
Once the knights stood beside the courtyard's entrance, a guard announced their arrival to the king.
As the request to have an audience was approved— only the leaders of each unit were allowed to enter, Lucian and the selected men entered the courtroom.
It was a large space with seats surrounding the center. In the middle, the king's throne was placed, where a middle-aged man was seated, his legs crossed. He looked down at the group of men who fought wars for his kingdom from his throne.
The armoured men knelt to the ground, as knights were taught to greet and bow to the king.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," they said in unison.
"Raise," King Valerian ordered. "How is everything going?" he demanded, his emerald pupils falling on Prince Lucian.
"Everything is well, Your Majesty," he replied. "The war has come to an end so we can—"
The clicking sound of the king's tongue caused Lucian to halt. He gazed up at the king, wondering if he said anything wrong.
"The war can resume anytime."
The king's statement caused the whole knight legion to sense chills running down their spines. The horror of the battlefield wasn't one they could witness once again.
"Unless," the king carefully examined the soldier's dark complexion brightening.
"Unless?.." Lucian repeated, eagerly waiting for King Valerian to resume his sentence.
"You," Valerian pointed at Prince Lucian. "Marry the princess of Eldoria. Princess Cynthia, King Alistair's sister."
Lucian clenched his fist, his jaw tightened. What was the king asking him to do? To marry his enemy's sister— the princess of the kingdom because of which he lost his friends in the battle and the country against which he fought for years— losing half of his subordinates.
He couldn't possibly live under the same roof with a woman from the nation he loathed.
As Lucian parted his lips to express his disapproval to the king, Valerian resumed.
"We can't have another war. We have lost enough men in the past few years. We cannot afford to lose any other, am I right, Prince Lucian?" the King's emerald stare locked with the prince's emerald ones.
"R-Right. As you wish, Your Highness," Lucian bowed, unable to refuse him. He had surrendered to the man he occasionally had the chance to call "father".
He never held the power to oppose the king.
Not in the past, nor in the present.
A choice for his marriage— he never had any to begin with.
"You might leave. I will let you know when the wedding will be held," Valerian said, waving his hand dismissively at the knights.
The soldiers bowed once again before exiting the hall.
"What is the king thinking? Asking you to marry the princess of the enemy kingdom!" Dylan winced.
The thought of having to marry a woman who is from a rival country sent shivers down his spine.
"Talk properly!" a red-haired man tapped the blonde-haired man's head.
"That hurts, old man!"
"Your Highness!" Dylan shouted, noticing the prince wasn't reacting to his and Adrian's usual fights which he always interrupted, making sure they would refrain from such childish behaviour.
Lucian turned to glance behind, only to find his subordinates looking at him with puppy eyes.
He raised an eyebrow, perplexed by their complexions.
"What is it?" He demanded.
"You won't truly marry that princess, right?.." Dylan asked with a wry smile on his face.
Lucian sighed, not answering the question.
He wasn't sure if he was truly expected to marry her or if the king was merely using him as part of a scheme to deceive the enemy kingdom and find a better way to ruin them.
Scheming was no hard work for the king.
The conflict between the kingdoms began when the unclaimed territory between Eldoria and Selvarys became scattered with magic stones.
Both kingdoms coveted the region, eager to possess the red stones which were rare yet needed for magicians to not exhaust themselves during strong spells in battles.
However, such a power couldn't be won without sacrifice—war.
Although the additional countries coveted these magical rocks, they possessed little knowledge about them—their advantages, limitations, and dangers.
Hence, they kept a distance from such an intriguing yet dangerous object which caused a war between two great kingdoms.
"What are you thinking about, Commander?" A red-haired woman made her way through the crowd of soldiers.
"Nothing, Fiona," Lucian responded without glancing at the young woman who stood beside him.
"Everyone, you are dismissed. We will discuss the rest later," he ordered his subordinates. "You as well, Fiona."
Although unwilling, the red-haired lady obeyed.
Once everyone had left, Lucian let out a sigh. Only his dark shadow remained in the once-crowded space.
He jumped on the horse and galloped out of the castle mindlessly letting his horse lead him hoping beyond hope that this was all just a bad dream.
Lucian's glance fell on the sword attached to his waist and he halted his horse.
"Wait! That's..!"