"By the way, Dad, I was thinking about taking a short vacation just with you and another with Mom. We never spend ti together and you could use a change of scenery." Lith said.
"Why split the family?" Raaz asked.
"So we can do man stuff we enjoy without boring Mom out of her skull and vice versa." Lith replied.
"Can I co too?" Aran asked.
"Sure, little guy. It will be , you, Dad, and Trion." Lith said, making his older brother spit his food out in surprise.
The last thing he expected was to be invited.
"What about ?" Leria pouted.
"You can co if you want." Lith replied after throwing a glance at Raaz who nodded. "Why didn't you invite , Uncle Lith?" She stared at him with puppy eyes.
"For fairness. I thought you wanted to take part in the vacation with Mom, which I know Aran won't enjoy. Unless I'm wrong and you like touring cities and going shopping, little brother."
"No way!" Aran pretended to fall asleep on the spot to make his point.
"That's boring!" Leria said in horror. "Why should I enjoy that?"
"My bad, then." Lith chuckled.
After lunch, Lith spent his ti with Kamila and the babies while Solus kept talking with her mother.
"Mom, why don't we invite Fyrwal and Tessa to co here?" She asked. "They always talk fondly about you and even though they are a bit creepy, they are good friends."
"Sure." nadion combed Solus' hair with her fingers. "Not now, though. I want to keep you all for myself for a while."
The First Ruler of the Flas had many stories she wanted to tell her daughter, so of which very personal. Most of all, Ripha wanted to build a relationship with Solus based on mutual respect.
Sothing that would beco considerably harder if her old friends shared more embarrassing anecdotes about her past with Solus.
It was tea ti in the Blood Desert and dawn in the Kingdom when Lith's amulet started to blink.
"Damn, I've jinxed myself. The rune belonged to King ron and Lith couldn't afford to ignore him.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Lith gave the hologram a polite bow. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"It's not an honor at all, Magus Verhen." ron was sitting on the Royal throne, his right check resting against his closed fist. "Your amulet went back online two days ago yet not once have you felt the need to report the outco of your expedition or at least inform us you were still alive.
"It's a blatant act of disrespect to the Crown that alone calls for censure and that without even considering how much your stunt at the border with Chalal cost the Kingdom." ron's eyes narrowed.
"You have stord another country without permission, breaching the diplomatic treaties between the Kingdom and the free countries and creating a dangerous precedent that compromises our borders.
"On top of that, you have contributed to strengthening one of our fiercest rivals, tipping the power scale of Garlen against your people. I hope you have a good explanation and more to offer for the trouble you've caused than re apologies.
"The Crown went to great lengths to protect your reputation after you lost control over your Abomination side and went insane. We have rescued your victims and covered the costs to rebuild what you have destroyed.
"You should have spared us a few minutes of your ti for a call."
"I'm grateful for everything the Crown has done for , Your Majesty, but it has been just two days." Lith pointed out. "I suffered grievous wounds and even though I'm an Awakened, I needed ti to rest and deal with the aftermath of the battle."
"Already two days, you an." The King's tone was cold. "The consequences of what you have done to solve your personal matter will affect the entire Kingdom in the years to co. I expect to receive your report in person as soon as possible."
"Just tell when and I'll co to the Royal Palace" Lith replied.
"Now would be perfect. I'll inform the Guards of your arrival. ron out."
"Shot." Lith grumbled under the effects of the Guardians' auto-correct. "It seems that the ti to pay the piper has co earlier than I expected.
"Do you want to co with you?" Kamila put the kids in the crib.
"No. I'd rather keep you out of this as much as I can." Lith shook his head. "You weren't there and there's nothing relevant you can say. It would stress you and the baby for
nothing"
"Thank you." She rested her head on his chest for a second before letting him go. Then, Lith went to Solus' room to set their story straight.
"If the Royals have a contact inside the Awakened Council, they must have learned about the Fringe and that you offered the Ears in reward for my rescue. Solus pondered. "The news of the reappearance of one of the pieces of Mom's Set is too juicy to stay secret for
long.
"Especially considering that the contact rune of the World Tree is gone."
"I hadn't thought of that." Lith inwardly cursed. "The wooden bastard was still a mber of the Council and no one will believe if I say that their death right after so many Dragons mobilized is just a coincidence."
"Since we are cornered, I'd say that honesty is the only policy we can afford. At least, what passes for honesty in your head." She chuckled.
Lith shrunk the tower into its stone ring form and had it slip on his finger.
After that, reaching Valeron's Royal Palace required them to take a single step through the diplomatic Warp Gate in the Kingdom's embassy.
Lith could almost hear the Royal Guards frown from under their full helms.
The King had ordered them to escort Lith to the Throne Room upon his arrival but he was supposed to co alone.
"I'm pleased to see you are alright, Great Mage Verhen, but that's not enough to bend the law." Said one of the Guards. "What are the reasons for your visit?" "Supre Magus Verhen put everything on the line for ." She replied. "Please, tell King ron and Queen Sylpha that I formally request to take part in the audience as both witness and evidence of the events."
That last part left the Royal Guard puzzled but he made no comnt. He just raised two fingers to the side of his helm to transmit the request and receive the answer.
"One second, please." While one Guard kept the palace's defensive system on stand-by the other checked Solus' ID and life force. "All clear. Please, follow ."
The Royal Guards stood by either side and accompanied Lith and Solus straight to the
Throne Room.
Lith kept the pace, but he couldn't help but stare at the wide columns made of gold-veined white marble and the gold inlaid in picture fras, statues, and even
ceremonial weapons.
'I wonder how much all this useless pomp costs.' It had been Valeron's bloodline to pay
for the furniture but Lith's wallet hurt at the idea anyway.
"Supre Magus Lith Tiamat Verhen and Great Mage Solus Verhen." The room was empty, but the Royal Valet introduced them with his full, baritonal voice as if he had to drown out a crowd of chatting nobles during a gala.
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