~Roy
The next morning, the king was busy with meetings, so there was no time to see him. His daughter Ariana stayed with us and gave us a tour around the castle.
She took a few steps, calm and confident, her voice steady as she talked about the different halls and places of the castle. Ariana wasn't the type to smile much, but everyone, guards and servants, respected her.
"This was once an exploration room," she said, stopping in front of a large room with high windows and a long table in the center. "My grandfather led expeditions here when we expanded south."
Andrew nodded, looking impressed. "Your family has a lot of cool history."
She nodded slightly but didn't say anything. Still, her eyes focused on me for a moment longer than I expected. When my gaze met hers, she didn't look away. "I've heard a lot about you, but you don't seem to be the type that talk too much." Her voice was calm.
I don't know what she heard, but do I really look like a talkative person? "I talk when there is a need to." I simply replied.
Her facial expression changed slightly. It wasn't quite a smile, but it was gentler than before.
The tour continued through the gardens, the training grounds, and the old library, and most of the time, though Ariana still didn't talk much, she seemed more willing to talk when I asked her questions. She talked about the quiet corners of the castle, the changes after the war, and even some of her own thoughts on leadership and duty.
After the end of our tour, the time was before noon, and there was a quiet sense of understanding between us, a good start with her. As we were preparing to leave, she stepped forward and looked at me with slight hesitation. "I would like to have a cup of tea with you one day. If you don't mind."
That a strange question, but refusing this question would be a loss for us. I nodded "Sure, that will be an honor." With this. we left the castle heading to our base.
The road was chilly, with thick clouds covering the sky and blocking the sun, creating the kind of calm and quiet weather I liked.
As we rode, Andrew turned to me. "That was a big deal there. But now I feel like we're just like pawns in the king hands."
I replied, "It's alright for now. We've still got a long road ahead. Just remember that if a pawn wants to become something greater, he's got to cross the whole board first."
Andrew nodded with a smile then said. "That's true. By the way what's your problem with princesses, she wants to have tea with you now." He ended it with a chuckle."
In fact, I felt she said it in a friendly way rather than an admiring way. "I felt that she was lonely, and that she was happy with our company. I think that she wanted to be friends with us."
He smirked. "Jokes aside. I think you're right; I felt that too." He paused for a second. "Oh, let's pass by Professor house, it's on our way."
I nodded. "Alright."
When we arrived, something felt off. The tent was untouched, but there was no sign of him. Andrew cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Hey, old man! You in there?"
Silence. No response.
Frowning, Andrew stepped toward a small wooden box near the entrance, flipping open the lid. Inside, several letters were stacked on top of each other. He picked them up, flipping through them before holding one up. "Looks like he's been gone for a while. No one's checked these."
I exhaled. "Probably out on one of his collection trips again."
Andrew chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, wouldn't be surprised." He shuffled through the letters again, then suddenly stopped. "Huh? Roy… this one's for you. It was sent a week ago."
I took the letter from him and quickly opened it. My eyes scanned the words inside, and my stomach clenched. "It's Kevin. The Prince of Drayton wanted to meet me."
Andrew replied with surprise, "What? The Prince of Drayton wants to meet you?"
I held the letter tightly, my mind racing. How did he even know about this place? Why reach out like this? There were too many questions, but one thing was clear, Kevin wasn't the type to set up a trap like this. If he wanted me dead, he had better ways to do it.
Andrew leaned against the tent pole, arms crossed, as he absorbed the news. "So… what do you want to do?"
I looked at the letter again, thinking. "I'll meet him. I need to hear what he has to say."
Andrew nodded. "Hmm, if you want, I can come with you."
"We'll see, but later," I continued. "I'll set the time and place. Maybe next week."
After a brief discussion weighing the risks and benefits, we mounted our horses and continued toward the base. The ride was quiet, but my thoughts weren't. I kept replaying different possibilities in my head, trying to figure out what Kevin could want.
When we arrived, I saluted the soldiers at the gate before heading straight to my desk. I took out a fresh sheet of paper and started writing my response.
Kevin had left instructions in his letter, telling me where to send a reply. Some random location, not the palace. Strange. Why go through so much effort to keep this quiet?
Whatever the reason, I would find out soon enough.
After finishing the letter, I stood and called out to a nearby soldier. When he arrived, I handed him it. "Deliver this to the location written on it. No delays."
The soldier saluted. He took the letter and left quickly.
I sat back in my chair, fingers tapping against the desk.
"Let's see where this goes."
~Kevin
Days passed, and my patience was wearing thin. I reached the vendor in an old shop in the town. "Hey, old man, did you get a letter today?"
The vendor looked up from his work, chuckling. "Yes, yes, I got it today. You've been asking me every day this past week. Ha!" He waved his hand dismissively, clearly amused by my persistence.
I smirked, rubbing the back of my neck. "Sorry, sorry. I must be tiring you out."
He just shook his head, still grinning. "Ah, no trouble at all. I owe you a lot."
Finally, I held out my hand, and he passed me the letter. I tore it open quickly, eyes scanning the words. My lips curled into a satisfied grin as I read. "So... the meeting's soon," I muttered to myself. "And he accepted. Interesting..."
I folded the letter carefully and slipped it into my jacket. I'll tell Lily about this. She'll want to know.
I looked up at the vendor, already turning toward the door. "Alright, old man, time to go. Thank you!"