It is not a matter of should or not; it is a matter of must," responded the king.
"With all due respect, but you heard Lord Kieran. He said that some ambassador would surface. There is no need for you to go there yourself."
"Yes, he indeed said that, but the problem is much bigger from the way I see it. Since my uncle's death, they have been unsure in what way they should cooperate with KY. Me going there would be a good thing. It would make them feel more at ease and strengthen their understanding of how they should treat us."
"I am not saying that this is not a risky move, but the reward outweighs the risk tenfold."
Lord Kismet speaks.
"Well, now that you are going, who are you taking with you?"
"The Lord Commander and Lord Kieran. These two should be enough."
"With your permission, I think I should come also," said Lady Yasmina.
"I wish to see some of the paper factories they have there."
"Okay, very well. I wish to go as soon as we can. Two days to get there by ship, not staying more than a night, and to return home inside this week."
"Are you pleased now, Hand?"
"I hope it pays."
"It will."
King Kratosus:
"My lords and ladies, you have all spoken with wisdom and loyalty today. We face challenges, but I have no doubt that together, we shall overcome them. Our kingdom is strong, but only if we work as one. Let it be known that I will rule not only with the crown upon my head but with the council by my side."
He looks around the table, his gaze steady.
"Let us begin our work, for tomorrow the fate of this realm will be shaped by the decisions we make today."
The councilors bow their heads or nod in acknowledgment, leaving the room with a sense of purpose. The newly crowned King Kratosus, while still untested, has shown his ability to balance strength with diplomacy, and his first small council meeting has set a promising tone for his reign.
Kratosus is now in his royal room after the meeting with his advisors. Once used by the late King Kai, the room lacked character—maybe because it had been cleaned by the servants, or maybe it was always like this.
Kratosus lies on his bed and closes his eyes, but he cannot sleep. Something is eating him from inside.
Knock, knock.
????: "Your Majesty, may we come in?"
Kratosus: "----"
????: "He may be sleeping."
????: "You may be right. Let's not wake him up."
Kratosus recognized the voice that just spoke.
He screamed immediately: "Come in!"
Entering the room was an old lady with silver hair, a hunched back, and very dry skin, followed by 12 maid girls.
"Your Highness, we merely wanted to introduce ourselves."
"I am Ysabel, and I am the head servant of the castle and the royal family. These are my girls."
Kratosus: "----"
"We are here to serve you and to help you in any way within our abilities."
"Okay, good."
"Also, I should inform you that if you require our help, pull that rope above your bed, and I or any servant will immediately come and try to help."
Kratosus nods in approval.
"Now, with your permission, we ask to leave."
"How many years have you worked as a servant?"
"I officially started working around when I was 12 years old. Before that, I would help my mom with her work."
"Did you serve the great King Kratos?"
"Yes, I did, my king," she smiled.
"Cool."
"Before you all leave, I wanted someone to read for me before I sleep."
"Of course, we all know how to read. You may pick any girl you want, but I would recommend..."
"Well, you see, the voice is a very important thing for me. It needs to be as beautiful as music and calm like the sea. So I ask you all to sing one after the other the song 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.'
"Of course, my king."
Without a second thought, the girls started singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." After all of them had finished, the king spoke:
"I think I am going to choose that blonde-haired, blue-eyed maid. Tell me, what is your name?"
"Yara."
"Very well. Now you all can leave, except for Yara."
All the servants left the room except for Yara.
"Thank you for not telling them that we know each other," Kratosus said, only to Ysabel.
"You are welcome. I see you have moved up in the world."
Yara opened her mouth to respond but decided against it. She was too scared; the power dynamics had changed.
If it were up to her, she would not wish to be here, but she was handpicked by Ysabel, a late request by Grandma Yelena.
The atmosphere quickly became awkward. Kratosus hadn't yet learned how to navigate Yara's silence.
"My king, what book did you wish for me to read?"
"Oh right, I am a king now. What do you think about that?"
Yara showed signs of discomfort.
"Maybe that was too much of me to ask. Please, take this book and sit beside me."
Yara took the book and went to sit on the stool at the head of the king's bed.
"How did you get this job?" asked the king.
"I was handpicked by the head servant, a request by your grandmother."
"Typical of her."
"I know. She still torments me even after she's gone."
Kratosus: "----"
Kratosus: "If you could, would you refuse this job?"
Yara: "----"
"Tomorrow, I'm going on a journey to the Sunny Islands."
"I am sorry," said Yara, feeling as though Kratosus had understood her feelings.
"And you, along with some servant girls, will be coming with me."
"What?!" said Yara.
"I don't want to hear anything out of you. Please start reading the book."
Yara started reading the book with tears in her eyes.
"The Adventures of Tomie the Cat and Jerry the Rat."
"Zzzzz," Kratosus made a fake snoring noise.
"My king, did you fall asleep?" asked Yara with tears in her eyes.
"Zzzzzz," continued Kratosus.
"Then I am taking my leave," she cried.
Her sobbing could be heard outside the room.
Only tears slept behind the closed eyes of Kratosus.