LIAM
"There is no freaking way in the hell that I am going to Oblivara." I, the third prince of the kingdom of Solaryn, Liam Von Sylvyran, seethe furiously, veins bulging on my smooth pale forehead, and my jaw tight. I grip the edge of the polished desk as I stare down at the gray-haired upright man who has the same eyes as me.
The tall, majestic man sitting behind a large, wooden desk doesn't wane at his youngest child's— in short— my rebellion. "This is not a request from a father but a royal order from the king, Liam." He holds my angry gaze evenly.
The third king of Solaryn, Roy Von Sylvyran III, is still the mighty and overpowering ruler even in his sixties. He doesn't show any weakness before me, his youngest one, the commander of the imperial army of Sylvyran, sixth in line to claim the throne.
I hold my ground and stare right into my father's eyes. "I am not going to Oblivara, Father," I grind out through my gritted teeth. "They are the enemies, and I do not want to spare them for what they are."
"Liam, I am the ruler of this kingdom," Roy's voice is calm yet, heavy with authority, "Do you really think, I'd send my son to the enemy territory this lightly? Oliver is unreachable and I need a trusted aid to finish what Oliver started."
"Oliver is dead, Father," I state firmly. "The sooner you accept the truth, the better it will be for the royal family and the kingdom. And I have zero desire to invite my own death like Oliver did."
"Oliver is a capable guy," Roy shakes his head, his arms folded on the desk as he leans forward and looks at me with commendable authority. "He knows what he is doing. I just need you to go to Oblivara and seek out what he is up to."
"Step into Oblivara, and I won't be walking out alive—you know that as well as I do," I state. "I am not willing to sacrifice my life for someone already dead, Father."
"You don't have any idea what you are capable of doing, Liam. I know that you can do better than sacrificing yourself for a bizarre reason like this. I have faith in you. You are just as capable as Vivana. You are just the right person for the job." he seems slightly resigned.
I can't help but scoff. Comparing Vivana and me is like comparing the earth and the sky. Both are vastly different from each other.
"If I am that capable, then why don't you assign Vivana for this job?" I frown, deep inside knowing the answer to this question but unwilling to back down from this conversation so easily.
"She is the crown princess of Solaryn, Liam." Roy appears nonchalant to my stupid reasoning. "Her coronation is in two years. She cannot leave the capital during this time. I would have sent her otherwise."
I pause. After a moment of contemplation, I lower my head slightly and speak in a lower voice than before, "What if I disobey the royal order, Father?"
"You will be executed for treason." The words come out of the king's mouth almost immediately as if he were just waiting for me to ask about this. "So, I hope to see you leave the palace by tomorrow's dawn, prince. If you have any further reasoning, I will force you to leave."
I bite my lower lip and stare at my unbudging father for a beat before nodding firmly. "Understood, Your Majesty."
I salute my father and then leave the enormous office room, stepping into the long hallway. Sunlight filters through the ornate stained glasses, casting ominous shadows over the place. The scent of polished wood grazes my nostrils and the distant footsteps and sound of the crowd remind me that this is my fate to belong here. I must accept it.
No matter how much I reason with my father, I know the outcome will be the same. Roy is a stubborn man. If he wants something, he is hell-bent on that. He is not cruel or heartless. He just has a very strong sense of duty, from which his children suffer from time to time.
Now it's my turn to suffer.
The first prince of Solaryn, Olivar Sylvyran, was set up on a mission to go to our neighbor and enemy kingdom, Oblivara, and gather information about the seemingly upcoming war. The event occurred nearly six months ago, but the prince still hasn't returned to the capital. And so, I am assigned to go to Oblivara and look for my brother. This kind of incident isn't all that rare. Roughly any spy actually returns from that place.
And I dearly despise the whole thing.
I was never close to my older brother. We never actually interacted all that much. We were particularly invisible to each other. Or more like, I was and still am invisible to him. There are many reasons behind that but I do not wish to drag our past through the mud, at least not now. So I don't really care about whether my brother dies or lives. I have my own business to attend to. And other than that, Oblivara is an enemy kingdom. Solaryn's people hate Oblivara's just as much as Oblivara's people hate Solaryn's.
No one actually knows when the animosity began between these two powerhouses, but everyone knows how to keep the fire alive. And so do I. Honestly, I think that it is childish to fight like this all the time. But I'm too stubborn to let it go. Just like my old man. I inherited this trait from him.
But the king has other plans for me. He wants me to step into the shadow my older brother stepped in six months ago and seek out my brother or get killed.
If anyone from Oblivara knows that I'm from Solaryn, they will flay me alive, let alone that I'm the prince. Well, I can't blame them for that because I'd do the same if I were in their shoes.
I sigh as I take off my cap and run my fingers through my shiny brown hair, frustration evident in my action.
I know way too well that the way I am now, it will be extremely hard for me to survive in enemy territory, let alone do the task I've been given. I'm not Vivana, after all…
I push open the curved door of my room. The room is huge but kind of shady and smells of rich wood and luxury. My mind is pooled with various thoughts, and my chest is heavy with frustration and anxiety. As my mind is hazy and my eyes unfocused, I fail to notice the tall figure standing across my luxurious room. The woman's dark brown hair is flowing around her, and her shiny brown eyes are sharp and focused. She is wearing royal attire that is not quite feminine.
Vivana's arms are folded across her chest, and she is leaning against a wall beside the enormous window as she watches me enter the room. She then hurls a rucksack my way, which I catch reflexively.
"What the hell, Vivana?" I gasp.
"I packed your sack." Vivana crosses the room and approaches me. "Be thankful."
I roll my eyes. "Thank you, Your Highness." I don't even try to hide the sarcasm in my words.
"You're welcome." Vivana acknowledges simply, not minding the subtle sarcasm in my tone. "So, when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow." I throw aside the sack and collapse on my bed, which is way too big for me to sleep alone. "At dawn."
"Pretty early." Vivana comments and drops beside me. "Good luck. And give Oliver a good smack when you find him."
"Say, Vivana, do you really think that I will be able to find Oliver?" I am staring at the golden ceiling absentmindedly as I wonder out loud. "If Oliver has gone missing, then I will be dead before I even know."
Vivana pauses as she studies my expression. "Liam, you are stronger than you think you are," Vivana says, her sharp eyes meeting mine. "I've seen you lead, fight, and endure. You're more capable than you give yourself credit for. Stop doubting yourself—it's your only weakness."
I scoff. "As if. I can't even control my magic properly. How am I better than you? I don't even stand a chance against you." I flick my wrist and a huge amount of wind erupts from my palm. It sprints around the room, knocking out everything in its way, making a mess out of my perfectly maintained room.
I sigh, my shoulders drooping. I originally intended to make a small ball of wind and play with it between my fingers, but well…, it seems like this is what I can't actually do. Vivana pats my back sympathetically. Hell, she is even taller than me.
"Oh… damn…" Vivana screws up her face a little as her eyes skim over the mess my magic has made, "At least, you are the best fighter we have. Focus on the good part, okay? Be confident in yourself."
I look at Vivana and then chuckle. Vivana joins me with my laughter.
Guess, for this time, I will listen to my elder sister and have a little faith in myself. Well, maybe it will kill me, but even so, I will try since there is no other option aside from it. I better have a little hope in myself than dying like a soulless corpse.
"Honestly, I'd love to go to Oblivara myself." Vivana purses her lips, "Kian Eryx is someone I doubt you can handle. So, take this advice from your sister: Stay as far away as possible from that guy. The moment he finds out who you are, he will kill you."
My face drains color as Kian is mentioned. Hatred, rage, and fear seize my stomach.
Right… Kian Eryx…