"Have a safe journey then, Uncle," Naeris wished Eros as she escorted her brother inside the study hall.
Kael trailed behind his sister, his mind busy with weaving plans to escape her clutch. Eros observed his nephew and could already guess what was running through that mischievous and small brain of his.
However, he had already made sure there was no way to escape. After all, the tutor was Wenzel Talonheart, from the ancient Owl Clan of Everdale—a man who once served as an advisor to the late king and as the personal tutor for the Crown Prince. It was Eros himself who requested that he be assigned to Kael.
Immense pleasure filled his heart at the thought of the sufferings his young nephew would have to undergo at the hands of Wenzel.
As Kael stepped into the study hall, his eyes roamed around the surroundings. This study hall was located on the eastern side of the castle, specially designed for the education of royal children.
"Stay here until Mr. Talonheart arrives. Behave," Naeris warned her brother before exiting the hall.
Kael obeyed his sister and sat in the chair until she left the room. Once her shadow had passed, he leaped down from the seat and looked around the room curiously.
The study hall was vast, with numerous books and scrolls stacked on the shelves. A heavy wooden table stood at the center, surrounded by matching chairs on either side. Above the desk, a few books as big as his head were arranged neatly.
The ceiling was as high as the sky, with a grand chandelier hanging in the middle. The study room's walls were adorned with paintings of an ancient eagle, its magnificent wings spread wide in display.
The ominous tick-tock of the giant clock mounted on the wall filled the room. The air was thick with the scent of aged books and parchments. Kael's attention was especially caught by the leaning stick placed near the study desk.
Perched over the edge of the leaning stick was a nest resembling a tree hole, with its entrance slightly ajar. Kael stood on his tip-toe and peeked inside the nest. Suddenly, bright yellow eyes opened from within.
"Ahhhh!"
Kael's cry echoed in the quiet study. He fell back onto the floor and watched an owl come out of the nest, transforming into an elderly figure whose back was slightly hunched, supported with an old stick in his hand. His long white beard was long, almost reaching down his knees.
The older man walked leisurely around the table and sat behind the study desk.
"Mr. Wenzel," Kael greeted as he stood up from the floor, dusting off his clothes.
The old man's lips twitched as he slammed a book on the table. "It's Governor Talonheart. Greetings to the Noctaran Prince. Kael Vandari, aren't you?" he asked, retrieving a scroll from under the desk and pushing it to the front.
Kael took the scroll in his hands and sat across from him. "I am," he said, quickly glancing over the questions written on the parchment.
"Make sure you finish it before waking me up," Wenzel said, placing his head on the table and dozing off.
Kael looked back and forth at the scroll and the white, furry head on the table. His brows knitted in confusion. Silas had told him that Mr. Wenzel was the governor whom everyone in Everdale detested the most. There was a history where one of the members of a noble family went mad because of his torturous teaching methods. Yet, here he was, handing him a simple scroll, instructing him to answer it before waking him up.
Kael felt that the day was fortunate for him and quickly started to read the questions, hoping to finish soon and escape from this place.
The only sounds in the quiet study were the old man's snoring and the ticking of the clock. As the minutes ticked by, Kael's expression turned gloomy, unable to answer a single question on the parchment.
Kael lost his patience and woke Wenzel right away. Mr. Wenzel was not pleased with his sleep being interrupted, but was taken aback by how quickly the young prince had finished the questions.
Upon receiving the scroll from the prince, he examined it, but to his disappointment, not even a drop of ink was on the parchment. He frowned and turned to look at Kael for an explanation.
"Mr. Wenzel, I am the Prince of Noctara," Kael stated solemnly.
Wenzel gave him a deadpan look. "It's Governor Talonheart. And what does you, being the Prince of Noctara, have to do with me?" he asked somberly.
"It does. Being the Prince of Noctara, why should I need to know the name of the thirty-sixth concubine of the very, very late king of Everdale?" Kael asked in exasperation.
Wenzel looked at the arrogant prince, who reminded him of someone from the past. He smiled at him. Kael, on the receiving end of that smile, felt a chill run down his spine.
"Hmm. You are right. Let me give you a task that might be more beneficial to you," Wenzel said warmly, the smile still lingering on his lips.
With that, he stood up from the chair and walked over to his nest. To Kael's astonishment, the man reached inside the nest he had emerged from and retrieved a jar.
He then strolled toward the bookshelf. Clearing some of the books in the front row, he took another jar, and Kael noticed a big worm inside it.
"The big worm over here is the 'Hex Vermis' I created a month ago, but it refuses to eat any worms," he said to Kael, placing the two jars side by side.
"Try to find one that suits its taste buds. Use the worms in the other jar to feed"
After giving the instructions, he returned to catch up on his sleep.
Kael looked at the jar of worms with interest. Noctara was famous for its potions and poisons. The kingdom, surrounded by dark forests and mountains, had become a habitat for a wide variety of creatures, both good and bad.
Silently, Kael gathered the jars in his small hands and sat down on the railing of the window. Cautiously, he opened the lid of the jar, revealing a variety of worms writhing over one another inside.
The midday sun radiated its blinding heat from its lofty angle in the sky. Wenzel, satisfied with his hour-long rest, opened his eyes and looked around the study for the young prince. Noticing the study hall's door was still closed, his gaze flew straight to the window.
When he reached the window, his gaze fell on the spills on the railing, and his long beard trembled in anger. His grip tightened on his walking stick, and he slammed it against the ground with such force that it sent waves through the floor.
Far away from the palace, Mirabella stood there in disbelief as her crewmates tirelessly and determinedly scrubbed the ship. Their features shone with a fresh radiance as they enthusiastically threw themselves into their job.
Her eyes drifted to Gideon, who was hanging from a rope, wiping Primrose's face, almost turning the wooden figurehead into a sparkling diamond. The stupid grin on his face made her lips twitch in annoyance.
She couldn't understand what had happened to her crew. Having completed her meal, she had made plans to meet Gideon at the dock to assist him with any chores. However, she was informed that they were departing the next day for an important expedition.
Gideon climbed to the bow, satisfied with having polished his Primrose to a shine. He carefully washed the rag before placing it on the rail to dry. Unable to digest his prim and proper attitude any longer, Mirabella asked him directly.
"Where are we going, Gideon?"
"We?" Gideon blinked at the question but soon narrowed his eyes and firmly replied, "You're not sailing with us this time, little egg."
The crew members paused in their tasks and looked at their captain. Mirabella was taken aback, her face filled with shock and surprise. From her memory, Gideon had never left her behind during any expedition. She had spent her life in the middle of the enormous sea, enduring the harsh weather and battling the valiant waves.
She wondered if the fever she'd suffered a few days ago was the reason he was refusing to take her on this mission.
"Gideon, my fever is gone, and I'm fine now. So why are you leaving me behind?" she asked in an aggrieved voice, trying to guilt-trip him. But Gideon didn't buy any of it and stood firmly by his decision.
Mirabella pouted and tears welled up in her eyes. Angrily, she turned away and stormed off the ship.
Gideon felt bad for his little egg, but he had no choice. Toby, with his short stature, approached him with a scroll in hand and asked, "Why did you do that?"
Gideon, his eyes still fixed on Mirabella's retreating figure, replied in a grim tone, "We're sailing to Netherveil, and it's not safe for her."
Toby nodded in understanding. "Why do you think the Crown Prince ordered us to escort the Dusthaven King?"
Gideon looked down at Toby. "I guess it might be Calder's doing. We can probably expect some action on the journey," Gideon grinned in excitement as he headed inside the deck to pick up the golden-embroidered bib that his little egg had gifted him. He wanted to look his best to welcome the King of Dusthaven aboard the Primrose.