[anwhile, in the master suite. Sotis later...]
"...So, that’s why I’m here," Athillia concluded her narration.
"Oh, dear!" Anna exclaid. "Thank goodness the war preparations consud the king, causing him to postpone your wedding! Otherwise, you would have fallen victim to him!"
Her expression had changed entirely—from hatred to pity for the Bargesian Princess. On the other hand, Callis still sat with her mouth agape, stunned by everything she’d heard.
"You’d better sit down," Anna said quickly, stepping forward to take Athillia’s arm and gently pulling her toward the settee.
"You... you don’t hate ?" the Bargesian Princess hesitated.
"Why would I?" Anna replied. "You’ve done nothing wrong."
"But I’m a Bargesian. Lord Kyren told Lord Brone Morro destroyed most of Ardel’s important places, ruined the previous governnt and tried to harm you. I hate him too. But still, we co from the sa kingdom... and he’s one of my father’s most trusted n."
"You didn’t choose to be born a southern princess," Anna said, her voice filled with quiet understanding. "I truly feel for you. I understand what it’s like to have a father who only sees you as a tool for his ambition. Of course, what your father did to you was far worse..."
Callis lowered her gaze, her eyes heavy with disbelief. She never imagined soone as cruel as King Emir could exist. Then she looked back up at Athillia.
"The whip scars... If you don’t mind, may I see them?" she gently asked.
Athillia’s expression tightened with concern.
"You don’t believe , do you?" she asked, visibly hurt.
"No, no!" Callis imdiately raised both hands, waving them in protest. "That’s not what I ant! I just—"
"Fine. You can look," Athillia interrupted, not wanting to feel doubted again.
She turned around and loosened the knots of her dress. As she pulled it down to expose her shoulders, the marks ca into view—hideous and shockingly grotesque.
Her back was covered in scars, large and small, so fading, others still raw. The marks trailed down to the parts still concealed, clearly suggesting there were more.
"Dear Lord..." Callis gasped, nearly choking on the words.
The derian Princess grew up in a loving ho, where her parents pampered and indulged her every wish.
Even Kiev, who often disagreed with her stubbornness, had never once raised a hand against her or subjected her to any form of corporal punishnt.
The derian Prince and the rest of her family had cared for her deeply and protected her fiercely.
So, for Callis, it was difficult and nearly impossible to accept that a father could do such things to his own daughter.
This was beyond madness!
Callis turned away, her tears slipping down silently.
"Your father is not even human!" she cried. "How could he hurt you like this?"
Anna quickly helped the Bargesian Princess adjust her dress, gently covering her again.
Athillia turned back around, only to see Callis sobbing softly.
"I’m sorry," the derian Princess said through her tears. "I wasn’t doubting you earlier. It’s just... It’s hard to believe that soone supposed to love and protect you could do sothing so cruel."
Athillia stepped closer and took Callis’s hand. The response cald her. So there hadn’t been suspicion, only empathy and disbelief.
"It’s all right," she said gently. "I’m fine now. It doesn’t hurt anymore."
"Huuu!!!" Callis whimpered, louder than before, her cries echoing softly in the hall.
She covered her eyes with one arm as tears stread freely.
Athillia looked on, feeling a little awkward. She had been hard... yet she was now comforting soone else who had been shaken by her past story.
She patted Callis’s hand to calm the derian Princess.
"Still, it’s not fair for him to get away with this!" Anna suddenly exclaid. "If only we could take action against him! No one deserves to be treated like dirt. Neither you nor the innocent people of Barges!"
Her fists clenched at her sides. The urge to act, to punish that monstrous king, burned within her.
However, she wasn’t in any condition to use her powers yet. Her body was still adjusting to recent changes, and though she was no longer weak or helpless, the use of magic remained out of the question.
Moreover, she was pregnant and had nearly miscarried twice. Kyren would lose his mind if she even ntioned the idea of marching to Barges right now.
No... The ti wasn’t right.
"Another war would only bring misery to the people," Athillia said solemnly. "What happened in Ardel has already caused so much grief. We encountered a group of teenagers among the Bargesian soldiers, conscripted against their will. We don’t know how many of them had perished. But for as many as possible, we treated those with injuries and allowed them to return ho. If Cassian takes a stand to initiate another strike on Barges, I fear even won and children will be dragged into the conflict."
"No! I will not allow that!" Anna exclaid, shaking her head firmly.
She couldn’t support any battle that would harm the innocent.
"I’m going to plead with the King of Cassian not to wage war on Barges," Athillia continued. "Lord Kyren said he would support my request, since he owes his life. I hope His Majesty will agree."
"Oh, he will agree! I’ll ensure it, with or without Kyren’s support!" Anna declared resolutely.
Then she paused, blinking.
"But... what did you an when you said Kyren owes you his life? Now that you ntion it, I rember he called you his saviour earlier at the foyer."
"Ah... that," Athillia murmured.
She began recounting the events on the Agathe Islands—how Kyren had once completely lost his powers, collapsing into unconsciousness and nearly being killed by Kaizer.
Still sniffling from her tears, Callis listened attentively, while Anna’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"This must be during that ti, Anna!" the derian Princess interjected, referring to the possession incident. "There can’t be any other explanation! Your husband is a renowned northern warrior, blessed with exceptional strength and prowess. He wouldn’t just lose his power for no reason!"
"You’re right! That must be it!" Anna nodded in agreent.
"Wait... Lord Kyren is a northern warrior?" Athillia blinked in surprise. "Why didn’t he tell ?"
"You didn’t know?" Callis asked.
Athillia shook her head.
"I thought of seeing them in person, but Lord Kyren said it wasn’t necessary."
"Why are you so curious about them?" Anna asked.
"My grandfather, Aram, was a northern warrior too, like I told you, rember?" the Bargesian Princess replied. "He had this prophecy about a northern warrior who would bring back the direct descendant of the Ro’an Emperor!"
"A prophecy?" Callis and Anna echoed in unison, exchanging astonished looks.
Athillia nodded fervently.
"The prophecy says, ’He, one of the most honourable n, will bring forth the great direct descendant of the Ro’an Empire, thus uniting the entire continent.’ Those were my grandfather’s last words before he died, and my mother kept repeating them to . It’s been etched in my mind ever since I was a child."
Anna’s eyes widened in realisation.
"’The most honourable n’..." she repeated softly, her brows furrowing as she tried to recall the wording.
"Raychards!" Callis suddenly exclaid, turning to Anna. "Raychards ans ’the most honourable n’ in Ro’an!"
"That ans... the prophecy is about Kyren bringing back and saving the continent! Oh, my!" Anna gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
"You?" Athillia blinked in disbelief. "Hold on. Are you saying you’re the direct descendant of the Ro’an Empire?"
"She is!" Callis confird. "She’s the great Khasif! ’Khasif’ ans a person with green eyes in Ro’an, symbolising her power like the first emperor."
Callis continued explaining to Athillia about the dark magic possession incident, the accusations against Anna and Kiev, and how it ultimately led to the revelation of Anna’s royal lineage and her awakening power at the trial.
"No wonder Lord Kyren disappeared for a while!" Athillia said. "Sir Henderson refused to tell anything!"
"It’s a very sensitive matter. Of course he couldn’t say a word. That’s part of his duty," Callis explained gently.
Athillia nodded, understanding now. She no longer felt ignored by the young knight. It was unintentional or out of hatred. He had his reasons for keeping silent.
Turning to Anna, hope glead in the Bargesian Princess’s eyes.
"I’m so happy I got to et you in person, Your Imperial Majesty!" she said, bowing deeply.
"Please don’t call that," Anna said quickly, raising a hand to stop her. "I don’t like it. Honestly, I... I’m still coming to terms with everything. It’s hard to accept who I am. Furthermore, I’m still learning how to manage these powers."
"Of course! But now that we know the truth, we can make a plan to kill King Emir and save the people of Barges!" Athillia said excitedly.
"Kill him? But he’s your father," Callis said, shocked.
"He’s a devil!" the Bargesian Princess snapped. "The recent defeat won’t stop him. He’ll co back for revenge. You must save us all by putting an end to him!"
"I’ll have to discuss this with the King and Kyren," Anna replied cautiously. "It needs to be planned carefully as no innocent lives should be put at risk."
"I understand. But the killing... it has to be done by you, and no one else," Athillia insisted.
"Why?" both Anna and Callis asked at once.
"Because my father is a dark magic practitioner," the Bargesian Princess explained. "He can’t be killed by just anyone. Only the direct descendant of the Ro’an Emperor has the power to end him. That’s the only way to stop his evil once and for all."
Worry spread across the other two princesses’ faces.
"I can’t do that right now," Anna said, shaking her head. "I’m pregnant. I have to be careful. There’s no way I can travel to Barges and fight him... not with my child’s life at stake."
"Don’t worry," Athillia said confidently. "I’m not asking you to go now. He won’t be in any condition to take revenge so soon. It’ll take him a long ti to recover his army or find a way to retaliate. I’ve made sure of that."
"What did you do?" Anna asked, sensing that there was more behind those words.
A sly smile crept onto Athillia’s lips. The impulsive action she had initiated should have taken effect by now—and surely, the palace in Dago would be in an uproar.
***
"An oath?" Kyren looked back at the derian Prince with a questioning expression.
"Yes. A sincere oath that you will protect Princess Anna by all ans and never place her in danger. But it must co with a stake... sothing irreversible. Only then will I be able to retract mine. Would you be willing to do that?"
"With all my pleasure. Anna is my soulmate and my love. I will do everything to ensure her safety," Kyren replied without hesitation.
"Then, take my hand again," said the derian Prince.
The two princes clasped hands one more ti.
Kyren’s gaze locked with Kiev’s. "What is the stake?"
"Should you fail to protect Princess Anna... should she be hard again... you will lose all claims on her. I will take her to where she belongs, and every right you have over her will be revoked. You will not question any action I take."
Kyren smirked.
"Then I shall never fail. The one who shields her in her mont of fall shall not walk beside her beyond the threshold."
Kiev looked to the others. "You will all be witnesses to this."
They nodded in unison.
"Seal it with your power, Grand Duke."
Kyren’s eyes glinted. A faint, golden light swirled from his palm, seeping into Kiev’s grasp, and the air around them shimred for a heartbeat before fading, binding the vow in magic.
A collective sigh of relief followed.
"Thank you for that," said the derian Prince, his shoulders easing. "I am much more confident now in leaving Princess Anna in your care. Though you are not coming to Seta, I hope you will still allow Rafe to co with us."
"You want to take my healer to your island?" Kyren asked, one brow lifting.
Kiev chuckled.
"Not permanently! He’s married to my sister. I’d like to introduce him to my parents and have them conduct the official wedding rites there. Callis never had a proper ceremony here. So, I was hoping to make it right."
"Be my guest," Kyren said at once. "Surely the couple should receive blessings from the elders. I couldn’t agree more. Though Anna’s condition may keep from attending personally, I will send a delegation for the ceremony as a symbol of union between Cassian and Seta." He turned to his healer. "What say you, Rafe?"
"It would be my honour, Your Highness," Rafe replied warmly. "I would love to et my parents-in-law."
"I plan to depart when the season changes," Kiev continued. "Until then, I have ti to arrange what I must. I hope you don’t mind staying here in the anti."
"Definitely not," Kyren said with a smile. "You are most welco here. And if you need anything, I will gladly assist. For , you are no longer just an ally, but family."
Kiev’s eyes softened.
"Then, I shall consider you a brother from now on."
"Brother it is," Kyren agreed. The two shook hands firmly, their brief but genuine grip drawing smiles from the others.
"Great! Now that’s settled," Eric said with a broad grin. "I suppose we still have ti for the class, don’t we?"
"You an... the s*x education class?" Rafe blurted.
"Why, of course," the second-in-command knight replied, smiling widely like a Cheshire cat. "His Highness Prince Kiev is about to et his wife. He needs to be prepared. It won’t take long. Half an hour is enough since we have a good quorum here."
"Why would we participate in your class?" Rafe demanded. "While I’m already knowledgeable, Sir McQuinn’s a bachelor. He doesn’t require it yet. Sir Jarr and Sir Brooks don’t need further education or practice as they are already married. Their wives are off-limits anyway!"
"What do you an by off-limits?" Noah asked, narrowing his eyes. "Are you saying I can’t be intimate with my wife at all during pregnancy?"
"Definitely not! I wouldn’t risk it!" Rafe said firmly. "Your wife is in the early stages of the term. I would say the sa about Lady Jarr, who is unwell and needs more rest in bed. Also, Lady Raychard has had two near-miscarriages. None of you should get close to your wives! H*ll no!"
Noah folded his arms with a scowl.
"I get it. Pregnancy is a serious matter... but how long do we have to abstain?"
"I’d recomnd a year," Rafe replied solemnly. "Nine months of pregnancy plus three months of confinent after delivery. That should do it."
"What?!" Three voices—Kyren’s among them—exploded in unison.
"That’s insane!" Noah barked. "A year? Our manhood will wither like an untended vine! That’s practically a health hazard! Married n will lose their minds from that kind of neglect!"
"Really, Sir Brooks?" Alex asked, frowning.
"Do you think you could last a year without being intimate with your wife?" Noah shot back.
Alex froze. The ntal image alone was torture. He shook his head fast, like a man swatting away a nightmare. Kyren grunted in agreent.
"Now, now... you’re exaggerating, Rafael," the second-in-command knight cut in. "You’re not a midwife, and you’re just making assumptions. There’s no such thing as abstaining for a year simply because a wife is pregnant. Of course, we should be considerate and hold back when they’re unwell, but we can do it more appropriately once they feel better and healthier. S*xual activities, if done correctly, can accelerate the onset of labour in a healthy way."
"But I’m a healer!"
"And won’s health isn’t your speciality," Eric pointed out. "Frankly, I’d rather listen to midwives. I’ve learned a thing or two from my own experience and from them, so why don’t we have an open discussion?"
"I second that," Kiev chid in. "Actually, I have questions too. On my way here, I heard Sir Brooks got his wife pregnant right after marriage. How did you do it?"
Noah blushed at this while Kyren arched an eyebrow.
"You seem very interested in that matter, Prince Kiev."
The derian Prince grinned.
"Elis and I both love children. The restoration magic has healed her completely, so she’s capable of conceiving. If possible, I’d like to start a family imdiately with her."
"Aha! Then we should all pitch in and help," Eric said brightly. "We wouldn’t want to let His Highness Prince Kiev down, would we? Not after everything he’s done for us."
"I don’t think it’s necessary for or Sir McQuinn," Rafe said, already half-standing. Damon pushed up his body too, until the grand duke’s voice cracked like a whip.
"Stay! Both of you," Kyren commanded. "Learning sothing won’t hurt. Given how carelessly you speak, Rafe, you obviously lack experience with your wife. I wonder what you’ve been doing all this ti and why it took you so long to act. So, sit down and pay attention!"
Rafe sank back with a groan as the other married knights looked at him with a knowing smile, with Damon following suit.
"All right, boys!" Eric clapped his hands with far too much enthusiasm. "Let’s begin the course!"
Damon muttered under his breath, "This is going to be awkward..."
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