[Music Recommendation: Arcade (Instrumental version) ~ Duncan Laurence]
Adric followed his personal guard until they were far from earshot.
"Someone has been selling some of our military secrets," Rowan said. "Some enemy kingdoms found out that we are only living on past glory and that our soldiers are yet to heal from the last battle."
Adric sighed, "We just need a little more time."
Rowan didn’t say anything, but deep in his thoughts, he wondered what plan the Crown Prince had. They were short on soldiers, and if any kingdom should attack, Avon would go down.
"What about the kingdoms we helped in the past, also those benefiting from us? Do you think they will help if a war should break out?"
Adric chuckled, "Rowan, other kingdoms are only good to us because of what they might benefit and also because they see Avon as invincible. They try to keep a good relationship. If for any reason we come out as weak, even our closest allies would be the first to devour us." Adric sighed. The information about Avon’s weakness wouldn’t just leak if it wasn’t from an insider.
"What have my sweet mother and sisters been up to lately?" he asked his personal guard.
Rowan cleared his throat, "I haven’t noticed anything special, except Princess Jasmine still spends her time trying to groom the two prince to take over the throne. And for Queen Gwen, I haven’t noticed much."
Adric shook his head, "There should be more. Nicholas is not someone to sit back when he feels threatened. He would pick a boat to help bring me down. I’m betting his choice would be Gwen."
"Did you do that knowing he would go against you?" Rowan asked, receiving a nod from Adric, who continued by saying,
"Nicholas knows what I know. I need him to show his cards. That’s the only way this fight will be fair," Adric muttered, staring into blank space. He wasn’t going to be at peace until he was sure his father’s legacy, which was the throne, didn’t leave the Galgani family. All these years, he played the fool. He still did, acting like he wasn’t interested in the throne while watching and learning everything he needed to know in handling the affairs of the kingdom.
"If news is going around that Avon is weak, it won’t take long before a smaller kingdom tries to attack. If they make an impact, others will follow. First, move the soldiers who are wounded to the border, but make them put on armor in the daytime. Then those at the border who are still healthy should go back to the camp base and keep training," Adric ordered. "Now, from the new slaves, pick out other healthy men and take them to the base. Also, make sure that the swordsmith is producing more strong swords and armors too. We should be prepared for anything."
Rowan nodded, "I will do so, Your Highness," he bowed. "And the wedding tomorrow?"
"It’s going to hold. That’s what we need at the moment. A marriage means an alliance between the two kingdoms. If other kingdoms think Orion is backing Avon, they won’t want to risk it. We can use that to stall time."
"I will get everything ready now," Rowan bowed deeply before leaving Adric alone there.
Adric exhaled when his guard left. He walked straight to the only cherry blossom tree in the palace and sat under it close to his mother’s headstone.
"How are you doing, Queen Charlotte?" he muttered, using his hand to pick out fallen flowers. "Is it cold over there as it is here?" Adric spoke to himself.
"I caught a small bird; she wants to fly so bad," Adric’s eyes turned to look at the palace where Oriana’s room was located. "I was going to let her live her life, but then she got caught in the crossfire."
Adric sighed, resting his head on the gravestone, he closed his eyes. "I hope I’m making the right decision, mother," he muttered.
Far away from where Adric was, in the small swordsmith shop, Freya carried the already cleaned swords, going to stack them in their positions. She paused to wipe her face clean, then continued. When the Crown Prince had given orders for them to be moved, she prayed desperately to be in the same place with her father, and luckily, she was.
"Pa," Freya waved at her father, who was busy hitting the hot steel with a big hammer. Louis, who was used to making food in the kitchen, now sat on a small stool making swords for the kingdom.
"All bow to the Queen and Princess of Avon," a loud voice called the attention of everyone in the room. At this time, Freya was still carrying a heavy steel she was yet to place in its position, but she stayed still and bowed just like the others.
Gwen’s eyes roamed inside the room, her chin tipped up with pride. "Adric is really doing a lot of work here, I must commend."
Freya gulped, not because she did anything wrong but because her hands were really starting to shake, including the materials she was carrying. She was worried that her father might be disqualified because of his weak body.
"How many swords do they produce in a day?" Gwen asked, looking around the room. When she saw a girl carrying some, she walked straight to stand in front of the young girl, then picked up the steel.
The chief swordsmith replied, "Your Majesty, more than a hundred in a day."
Freya tightened her grip when the Queen came to stand in front of her. Her legs were beginning to wobble.
"Mother, why is brother Adric preparing so much?" Jasmine, who had entered with her mother, asked. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was doing there, and her dress was beginning to gather filth.
Gwen turned to look at her daughter, "Before you handle the throne, you must first know the defense system." The woman muttered, "Do you know if our soldiers are healing well?" The swordsmith shook his head and bowed.
Jasmine, who was looking for what to touch in the room and feel among, moved her hand mindlessly, pushing the girl by the side as she fell with the steel she was holding.
Freya groaned when she landed on her bottom but quickly tried to stand straight again.
"You stupid dirt, are you trying to ruin my dress?" Jasmine glared at the girl, stretching her hand forward to slap her face, but the young girl recoiled.
Gwen’s attention turned to them when she noticed the girl on the floor. "Stop," she said to her daughter.
"But Mother," Jasmine turned to tell her mother.
Gwen ignored her, turning to the girl, she asked, "You there, how old are you?"
Freya used her tongue to wet her dry, parched lips. With her knees on the ground, she replied, "I- I am seventeen."
"Ripe," Gwen nodded. "Move her from here. I’m sure some ministers would be willing to do just anything to have a taste."
When Freya heard this, her heart jumped straight into her stomach. She bowed her head, with her forehead touching the ground. "Your Majesty, I am willing to serve here. I’ll do my best."
Gwen scowled, "Before sending her to any minister, make sure to groom her well," the woman replied, turning to leave the room when a scrawny old man came to kneel in front of her.
"Please, not her... I’ll do anything but not her," Louis begged. He couldn’t watch his daughter be taken in to be a courtesan. She was just still very tender.
"You dare disobey the Queen of Avon?" the guard walking with Gwen asked with a loud voice before shoving Louis to the side.
"Pa!" Freya shouted.
Jasmine looked at both the girl and man, then she whispered to her mother, "That’s her father."
"I know that much. Adric always brings in people with no respect for me," Gwen replied, hinting at the new bride whose party was being held at the moment. Turning to look at Freya, the Queen smiled. "If you want to save your Pa so much, make sure to act right." She waved at her guard to drag Louis away while the maid dragged a wailing Freya out.
"Pa!!" Freya shouted, trying to wriggle herself from the maid’s grip.
Louis, on the other hand, shouted, "Freya... no!" But nobody listened to them.
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