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Hajan
The sun had just passed its zenith the next day when a commotion erupted near the palace entrance. A rush of movement caught my eye, and one of my most trusted guards came charging toward us, clutching a sealed envelope with a distinctive, elaborate wax seal.
"Your Majesty!" he cried, breathless.
My Queen, Lugna, standing beside me, her platinum hair shimmering in the sunlight, took the letter. I had thought we'd heard nothing because all news had been delayed for so long. But now, holding the thick paper and the heavy, jewel-encrusted seal, my heart thumped with a mix of excitement and anxiety.
"Received a reply from the Cardinal of Brion Kingdom!" Lugna announced, a flush spreading across her cheeks.
"Can I open it here?" she asked, looking up at me with wide, eager eyes.
"Of course," I replied, my voice rougher than intended.
A faint rustle filled the air as she carefully broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. Her eyes scanned the foreign script, shifting from cautious hope to a mixture of surprise and profound delight.
"I apologize," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "…for the delayed response. I will be visiting… Tayar Kingdom soon?"
Her face snapped up, eyes glistening, and she turned to me. "I… am coming to our kingdom!"
A surge of hope and relief struck me, as if the weight of a thousand worries had lifted. "It must be to send us the Holy Relic himself!" I exclaimed. The Cardinal's visit was no minor affair—this was a direct, powerful gesture from the highest authority of Brion Kingdom.
Lugna's excitement dimmed slightly, though her eyes remained bright. "You might be right," she said softly, "but he never mentioned the Holy Relic…"
My gut twisted. She had a point. A sudden visit, out of nowhere, was highly irregular. Our kingdoms had never had prior contact, and now the Cardinal was coming himself? It was unprecedented. I looked away, brow furrowed, trying to suppress the unease rising in my chest.
---
A few days later, I rode ahead into the forest, scouting the path before the main procession. The journey weighed heavily on all of us, and I pulled hard on my horse's reins as it let out a tired snort.
"We should take a break," I murmured, stroking its flank. "Easy there."
I glanced back at the slow-moving procession. The Cardinal's elaborate carriage, drawn by four magnificent horses, had been clipping along the road—clip clop, clip clop—for hours.
Finally, the carriage stopped, and a handsome man with long, silver-braided hair and a weathered face rode up to my side. The most experienced of the traveling knights, he spoke with calm authority.
"The horses are exhausted. We need to stop briefly to let them rest," he reported.
I nodded, eyes drifting back to the carriage. "Understood."
I dismounted to tend to the horses, muscles aching from the long ride. After a few minutes, a quiet knock came from the carriage window. The Cardinal's personal guard, a white-armored knight, addressed the figure within.
"Your Eminence."
The window slid open. The Cardinal of Brion Kingdom, a striking man with golden hair and a knowing smile, met the knight's gaze.
"We'll be taking a short break before departing again," the knight informed him.
"Thank you for the update," the Cardinal replied, calm and melodic.
From a distance, I watched him wait patiently, a chill running down my spine. Something in his eyes—a deep, ancient awareness—seemed to pierce through the trees, the armor, even the air itself.
I muttered to myself, unease settling in my chest. This man wasn't merely delivering a relic. He carried purpose, heavy and deliberate.
---
Later, the Cardinal settled back into his plush carriage, his attendant stepping aside. A murmur reached me from the knight I'd ordered to rest the horses:
"I'm not sure if I will be so eager to welcome him…"
I understood the feeling completely. The Cardinal was courteous, even charming, but there was an underlying intensity that unsettled the soul. Age and wisdom reflected in his eyes, yet the rumors of him being over eighty seemed impossible.
I pushed aside the lingering unease. A guest of his stature demanded the utmost respect, regardless of the tension I felt.
I left the carriage and found Lugna in the courtyard, overseeing the reception preparations. She commanded the servants with fierce focus, her silver hair interwoven with glittering threads, dressed in a turquoise gown that seemed to capture the light itself.
"Please move that a bit further to the left!" she called, gesturing at the ornate decorations. "Send the food to Titi, not me! The smell still makes me nauseous…"
She looked radiant—every inch the Sovereign Queen of Tayar. I watched her, mesmerized by the balance of elegance and power in her every movement.
I approached slowly, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "Lugna," I whispered, wrapping my arms around her from behind.
"I—!" she gasped, leaning into my embrace.
"You truly look like a Sovereign Queen of Tayar now," I said honestly, pride evident in my voice.
I kissed her hair softly. "You've done an amazing job, even without Adar's help," I murmured, admiration swelling in my chest.
A servant girl entered, slightly nervous, sliding open a panel to reveal golden curtains. "Anyway…" she began, "I had initially intended to use these for our wedding…"
"But now they're being used like this," she finished, eyes wistful.
I stepped forward, concern rising. "No. Why not?"
Lugna rushed over, urgency in her flushed face. "You can't use them! I bought those decorations for our wedding, not for a welcome party for the Cardinal!"
"But…" I tried to reason, "we haven't had time to prepare because his visit is so sudden."
Shaking her head, hair flying around her face, Lugna planted her feet firmly. "If we want the Cardinal to hand over the Holy Relic… we need to throw him a grand reception! I'm not backing down."
I sighed, running a hand through my long hair. Exhaustion and admiration mingled in equal measure. "I can't win against you, Lugna," I admitted. "Do as you please."
Her eyes softened, a penetrating gaze of affection and triumph. I bent down and kissed her, silently acknowledging her strength. I bought those just for you, my unspoken words declaring loyalty and love that transcended even the sudden demands of diplomacy.
---
I had to admit defeat against Lugna's iron will. I let out a heavy sigh, running a weary hand through my hair. "I can't win against you, Lucina," I conceded. "Do as you please."
A look of triumph softened her beautiful eyes. She gave me a penetrating gaze—a silent, powerful promise. I leaned down and kissed her again, giving her a gentle squeeze as she spoke.
"I promise our wedding will be even more magnificent than this reception, Hakan," she whispered.
Then, the playful side I adored so much emerged, a mischievous sparkle lighting her eyes. "I won't wear the dress you prepared for me…" she declared, smiling sweetly as she held up a small, brown item—perhaps a new pair of shoes or a trinket. "...so please don't be too disappointed."
My heart melted at her teasing confidence, and my face flushed slightly. "Lucina..." I laughed, gently cupping her chin. "You're teasing me again, aren't you? You said I could use them!" She knew exactly how to push my buttons, yet always with affection. "You got me," I admitted, giving her a loving pinch on the cheek.
The moment of lightness passed as I remembered the matter of the preparations. "But what did you do with the gold I gave you? You said you needed it for work."
"Oh, that?" she replied, her eyes wide and innocent. "I gave it to the ladies of the court."
"Huh?" I was genuinely surprised.
She smiled again, a wise, queenly expression softening her features. "I thought everyone would work harder… if I promised them a reward for their efforts." She paused, concern creeping into her expression. "I'm sure everyone is feeling exhausted, so I thought it would be nice to use this as a reason to reward them."
I looked at her, truly seeing the depth of her consideration. She didn't just command; she inspired. She rewarded. She cared. I squeezed her hand again. "Well done, Lucina."
My pride in her swelled to an almost overwhelming degree. "There's no guarantee that a horse will do as you say if you whip it…" I said, voice soft but firm. "...but more importantly, you know how to look after your people." I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it. "You're going to make a great Queen."
I pulled her into a tight, loving embrace. "How did I find someone so stunning and admirable?" I whispered against her beautiful silver hair. "I look forward to the day we get married…" I leaned in, meeting her gentle gaze, savoring the closeness of our long-anticipated future.
Suddenly, a frantic Daaash broke the romantic spell. A servant came barreling down the hall, breathless and stumbling over her words. "They're here! Turan, I mean the Cardinal… No, the Holy Knights…" she stammered, huffing and puffing.
I steadied myself, exchanging a glance with Lugna. "Anyway, they're here! The Cardinal has arrived!" the servant finally managed to gasp.
"It seems like it," Lugna confirmed, posture immediately straightening. The time for romance was over. The time for diplomacy had begun.
"I'll go over and welcome him," I announced, my face settling into the grave expression of a king receiving a pivotal, yet unpredictable, guest.
The servant's frantic announcement had snapped me back to reality. Lugna immediately composed herself.
"I'll go over and welcome him," I stated again, my expression hardening into that of a king confronting matters of state. I turned to my Queen. "Lucina, I'd like you to stay here and oversee the final preparations."
"Okay!" she agreed readily, though I caught the faint concern in her eyes as I stepped away.
I felt the tension in my own shoulders as I approached the entrance. This is the first time I've ever seen myself this nervous, I realized, a thought Lugna would have immediately noticed.
I paused to gather my thoughts. Is the Cardinal really that important? The answer was undeniably yes. The fate of our quest for the Holy Relic hung on this meeting. I had never imagined he would actually come to Tayar Kingdom.
My mind churned with the improbability of the situation. Why would someone inactive for twenty years suddenly decide to visit? A single letter could not have moved him. And logically, there was no reason for an elderly man to personally deliver a relic. Something was deeply wrong.
I straightened my broad shoulders, forcing my anxiety down. Diplomacy required a flawless face.
"His Majesty the Great King has arrived!" the court herald boomed.
With a heavy clack of a carriage door, the Cardinal of Brion stepped out. He was exactly as I had seen him on the road—blond, handsome, and far too young to match the rumored age.
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Eminence," I said, offering a formal, deep bow appropriate to his station.
The Cardinal smiled, warm and disarming. "Thank you for accommodating my visit on such short notice. I'm sorry if my sudden arrival surprised you."
I met his gaze directly. "Not at all," I lied easily, kingly composure firmly in place.
Yet I could not resist the involuntary glance, trying to peer past the façade. He should have been at least eighty… Is he using holy power to maintain this youthful appearance? The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine. It was the only explanation that made sense, and it hinted at immense, terrifying power.
The Cardinal simply offered a gracious, serene smile, completely unbothered by my scrutiny. "Thank you. I look forward to my time here," he said, the picture of pious elegance.
I forced a cordial expression of my own. "I hope you enjoy your stay."
This man is dangerous, I concluded. Regardless of the Holy Relic, this visit was a political gamble. I had to tread carefully, or risk losing everything we had fought for.