Third Person's POV
Manager of the Pendant Tower in Heln didn't know what to do with himself. He could only stand by the door and wipe his sweat on his sleeve nervously. A known important guest was suddenly here, and he had to await someone higher than him to receive them.
"Manager." The manager bowed and sighed in relief once he saw Malek. "Captain." He greeted Malek. "Where is he?" Malek asked. "This way." Manager escorted Malek to a private back room.
Manager opened the door and stepped back, allowing Malek to step in. Manager then closed the door and stayed outside, waiting patiently.
Inside sat a man in blue clothing and gold accessories playing chess on his own. Malek approached. "Third Prince." He greeted. Prince Melire, the third Prince of Heln which is nicknamed Mineral Kingdom. He glanced up at Malek. "The Master?" He asked before moving another piece.
"Master will be in Palk in five months' time. You will be allowed to meet her then." Malek took out a paper and placed it on the table. "At that time, you will meet here." Malek tapped the paper twice before looking around the room. "I don't think I need to remind you." He took a step back. "When it comes to master, be careful of your life."
Malek left the room and a woman stepped out of the shadows. "Your highness." Melire shook his head. "She's making you leave the Kingdom, who knows if she wishes to kill you!" The woman tried to persuede him.
"I almost died the last time I didn't listen to that woman. I can't risk not knowing what happened to my wife's body. That year, she appeared suddenly and before I could react, she left. She met me in the Pendant Tower in Yalki and when I tried to fight her..." Melire sighed but didn't say anything more.
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"Since we're passing nearby, why don't we get your siblings to come with us?" Poloria asked Kai as they sat on horseback, looking at the Capital of Regila from a distance. "Father will try to tag along." Kai shook his head.
"You don't like your father tagging along?" Kai sighed. "I don't know how to explain but he's different." Poloria smirked. She knew how to explain it, but she wasn't going to say anything. "Don't worry. I don't want him coming along either, but we don't need to go into the city."
She pointed towards a carriage coming out of the eastern city gates. "In that carriage are your siblings. I had already sent word to Lion. They'll meet us just off the official road." Kai smiled. "You really had me worried for a minute mother, I thought we had to go into the city."
Poloria chuckled. "Don't worry. I know you don't want to return home, that's why we're heading to your grandparent's Kingdom and it's just in time for a festival." Kai's smile widened. "Then let's get there quicker." He rushed off while Poloria stayed behind.
"Where is he?" Poloria asked Bira as she stepped out of the shadows. "In a small town in the border. Kana arrived eight days ago and sent word saying he's worse than we thought. Luckily, with the help of the pills and herbs you sent, everything is getting better." She nodded.
"In the south?" Bira nodded. "Everything is fine." Poloria nodded again. "Good. Let's go." They heard a snap, Poloria pulled out a dagger and threw it in the direction of the noise. Bira rushed towards the noise. When she came back, she handed Poloria the dagger. "It's just a rabbit. although injured, it still ran quickly." She raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She nodded. "It was a red rabbit."
Red rabbits were rare and extremely hard to catch. There were extremely aggressive as well. Poloria remembered reading about them in the royal library in the Feri Kingdom. The books she read held interesting information to her, but she couldn't look into it yet.
"Any movement in the Feri Kingdom?" Bira shook her head. "They aren't budging whatsoever, except for one. The Second Princess seems tempted." Poloria take the dagger from Bira. "Then make sure she's tempted completely."
"Malek went to Heln to deliver your note, but it seems like the third prince was planning on making a move against him." Poloria chuckled. "I didn't realize that he'd gotten so powerful. Powerful enough to forget the scars on his body." Bira sighed. "It seems like his people don't know your power and think that he's being too subservient."
"Send a message. Make this one last." She bowed. "Yes, Master." Bira walked back into the shadows as Poloria rushed off to meet up with the rest of the group. She could hear the noise from the group before she reached them.
In the camp, Ri was trying to discipline Heri, but it wasn't going as planned. "I am your aunt. How dare you be disrespectful!" Heri stood with her arms folded looking at Ri. "I accepted mother as my mother but just you're related to her doesn't mean that I'll accept you as my aunt. Don't think I didn't hear what you said. I'll give you the cold respect a random adult is given but we may never be close relatives."
Ri glared at her. "You want to get upset at the truth? Was I wrong? You aren't blood but my sister accepted you as her own and I see you as family. Were my words wrong? Did I tell my nephew the wrong thing?" Kai chuckled from by the fire.
"Then what does that make me? We've been interacting with each other all this time and I thought you saw me as no different from you blood nephew. I didn't know you thought of us that way." Ri rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean it like that. I acknowledge you as my nephew. That isn't a lie."
"Then why did you say something like that about my siblings? From the time we met, we've been on good terms treating each other as blood and you are stirring up conflict with your off handed words. Now you are upset because she's acting according to your words. On what grounds did you think it was acceptable to treat us this way?" Ri sighed and rubbed her temples.
"If this number of words can stir up your relationship, then what is the point of you treating each other like siblings? If something had to happen, I would only take care of that are blood related to me. Rather you like my words or not, those are the-..." Ri's hair was grabbed and her mouth was covered as she was pulled away.
Everyone froze. They hadn't seen or heard when Poloria arrived. Screams rang out accompanied by the smell of blood and the sound of flesh hitting into something soft and liquefied. After half an hour, the screams died down. An hour later, Poloria walked out of the small path leading into the woods dragging a bloodied and unconscious Ri.
She threw her sister's body towards Ruby, one of her people. "Get her cleaned up." She threw a bottle at ruby and she caught it. "I already gave her one. Give her another after you clean her off." Ruby nodded.
"Mother..." Lion stood up but Ria raised her hand to stop him from coming over. "Eat and get some rest. We move early in the morning."
Poloria walked back into the trees, down to a small stream and watched herself off in silence.