"Let's get going guys."
While Aizzy and co. made their way towards the King's Castle—
"Welcome, Lady Rugal." Zarial bowed, invisible sweat streaming down his face.
—Lady Rugal had arrived at Zarial's abode.
Is she still livid? Zarial thought, as he rose to meet Lady Rugal's mundane stare.
"Would you care to show me—" Lady Rugal paused, her gaze sweeping the area as if sensing something unseen. She turned to face Zarial, a faint smile tugging at her lips, she finished,
"Do show me the way in."
"Aa, yes, please right this way, my lady." He gestured.
The hem of her robe fluttered behind her like the flags poised on the castle's gates—which Aizzy and co. Stood behind, waiting for a response.
"Do you think they'll let us in?" Eldwyn asked, rubbing his temple.
"Probably," Aizzy said, shrugging her shoulders. "I also added that we're reps of Axim so—"
"Here they come," Sulivan interjected.
Two knights in iron-clad armor drew nearer, their golden and white outlines shimmering under the sun.
"You may meet His Majesty now," one of them declared.
The golden gates creaked open, pushed by the guards on duty, splitting the Kingdom's insignia in half—a white star.
As Aizzy, Eldwyn and Sulivan proceeded forward, behind them, the golden gate and fractured star remained a silhouette.
Their walk down the path to the entrance was filled with silent conversation. Their gazes shifted from the paved floors to the well-kept flowers on the sides, then to the butterflies.
The Castle door swung open. They followed the knights upstairs to King Lumar's throne room.
Upon arrival, all three knelt before the king, their expressions unfazed.
"Thank you for receiving us, Your Grace," Aizzy uttered.
Their gazes remained on the checkered floors until King Lumar spoke.
"You may lift your heads."
"And to what do I owe the pleasure of receiving Axim's representatives?" King Lumar added, though satisfaction simmered beneath the composed tone.
"Your grace, we came here on business to investigate the strange happenings in your jurisdiction."
"Oh, I see... Well," King Lumar's eyes shifted to one of the guards, then tapped his finger on the armrest twice before continuing.
"What such strange happenings do you speak of?"
Eldwyn and Sulivan exchanged glances after they noticed two guards moving toward the entrance—blocking it, after shutting the door. Aizzy didn't relent "Your grace, disappearance and displacement of townsfolk, also—"
"Hold on," his linguist said, "You dare accuse His Highness of such treachery?"
Aizzy smiled faintly.
*Exactly as I surmised. Of course, he'll act complacent. He really is involved with whoever is the orchestrator of this...* For a brief moment, she furrowed. *Wait! Could it be him?*
"But I did no such thing. His Highness may bear me witness. All I said was what we heard was happening here."
King Lumar glared at his linguist, then said, "Pay no heed to my subordinate, he's a bit rash, you see."
"It seems I've been kept in the dark—" King Lumar paused.
His advisor came walking in from the corner of the room, then bowed. All present in the room averted their gaze to the advisor then returned to King Lumar as he said,
"There's something I have to attend to at the moment... but I'd like to offer you residence here, so we continue our little chatter later."
"It would be an honor, Your Grace."
With that, as King Lumar walked away with his advisor and Linguist, Aizzy and co. were shown to their rooms. Eldwyn and Sulivan slept in one room as Aizzy slept in another. As they waited in their rooms a meal was being prepared for them.
But were they going to stay apart due to room separation? No.
Few minutes after the maids had left, Aizzy knocked on their door which was right in front of hers.
Eldwyn let her in as he said "So, what brings you to our fine residence Lady Aizzy?~"
"Oh, don't kid yourself—we aren't staying anyway."
"Whoa!? But we're guaranteed to have fine meals—"
"She's right Eldwyn, did you not notice the unease in the room? Like something felt off?"
Just then, they heard a faint creek on the door. They all fell silent as Sullivan approached the door.