This chapter is dedicated to @MonsterUnderTheBed! Thank you so much for the supergift!
The atmosphere was currently thick and heavy inside the tent. The oppressive air was obviously due to Klauz's presence in their midst.
King Belial was definitely triggered just by having the presence of Klauz amongst them. But just as Evie had predicted, the king and queen were trying their utmost best to disregard their personal grudges against Klauz. However, that did not stop the ugly expression that crossed King Belial's face upon seeing him. Not that Evie could blame him. If not for the situation they were being put in, Evie would be loath to even consider this cooperation between Klauz and them.
Even after Evie explained why they needed Klauz and his army, the king did not try to deny nor say anything to object Evie's words. No one mentioned about Klauz's past evil deeds since the king – who was the person who was being wronged – did not even start to spark it, of course, apart from the uncontrollable negative aura moving around his body.
"I'm not going to question you about your newfound army anymore, my dear daughter." The king focused his attention on Evie. "What I want to know more than anything now is the plan you had mentioned a while ago. Can you outline it out for the rest of us here?"
Evie held the king's gaze for a few seconds, gauging the stability of his emotions before she looked at everyone. Her gaze halted at Vera and the two ladies nodded in a wordless agreement between them.
"We are intending to go for an all-out war." Evie declared, causing everyone, except Vera to frown. Within seconds, there were murmurs arising among the noble lords. It was clear that everyone was not happy with Evie's suggestion, especially after their retreat from the earlier battle. Even Klauz looked at Evie with a slightly narrowed gaze.
"An all-out war… the moment the monsters broke the ice walls?" Lord Cadmus was the one who asked.
"No. We're not going to wait for that to happen." Evie's replied made their frowns deepen even more. But the king seemed to already realize what Evie was planning to do and his eyes widened. Evie who was watching the king's reactions flashed a small smile at him and nodded her head slightly in his direction. "Yes, King Belial. I will be the one to lead the legion to attack the abyss." Her tone was firm and confident as she spoke of her plan.
The tent erupted with murmurs once again. Everyone could not quite believe what they had just heard. Did this little lady just offered to be the one to lead the army and actively go and attack the abyss?! Even their most seasoned veterans would not dare suggest such a daring and foolhardy move!
"Silence!" the king's voice that boomed out within the tent made everyone shut their mouths. "Queen Evielyn, we need you to elaborate on your plans." The king's tone was solemn as he spoke.
Before Evie could respond, one of the lords stood from his chair and spoke. "My King. Do you really want to hear about what she is planning? Her plan is extremely ridiculous! She's trying to have us all get killed inside the abyss with that plan! Attacking the abyss is suicidal! All these times we were just managing even just being on the defence."
The Lords agreed, except for Azrael who had kept his head down ever since he had arrived in the tent. "All of us know that the abyss is the most dangerous place ever existed. Only the most powerful dark faes can come out from it alive. And this queen is trying to attack it?! I refuse to be a part of such a foolish suicide mission –"
"Whoever said that I will be taking your coward ass with me, Lord Kalian?" Evie cut the lord off and the dark fae lord blazed in anger from the direct insult from Evie.
"Enough!" King Belial's voice did not thunder but the blaze of his magic was enough to silence everyone once again. "Let her speak and DON'T DARE anyone interrupt her again." the warning in the king's voice made everyone who were standing slowly sat down in their seats again.
The king lifted his gaze back to Evie. "Please continue, queen Evielyn." He said in a calm voice. That calmness… Evie felt her heart squeezed hard at the thought of her husband. Oh, how she missed him dearly at this moment!
But she swallowed the lump in her throat and her gaze became steely, full of nothing but conviction.
"Every part of any land that the monsters seize from now on will be swallowed up by the darkness of the abyss. I'm certain all of you understand what that means. If we just sit back here and play the waiting game, the cycle will never end. No, I should say that it would end with us. The monsters will keep pushing us back until they swallow up everything that belongs to us. And all of us will eventually end up like cornered animals. I don't think anyone here wants to see that happening, right?" her explanation was met with a long pause of silence from the lords.
"So you're planning to attack instead of just defending? Is that the main gist of your plan?" The king calmly asked Evie as his other lords were not able to speak up for the moment. "What makes you think that this plan of yours will work, Queen Evielyn? Have you seen what the inside of the abyss is like?"
Evie gave him that face. The face that said 'yes, I've seen it'. "However… there is one thing I need to make clear. None of the lords or even you, King Belial, will join this war." This statement of hers once again brought another huge reaction within the king's tent.
Another shock swept through the lords. This time, even Queen Beatrice as well as King Belial himself started to look troubled.
"I will be the one leading all my dragons and Klauz's army into the fight. Also, Vera and her ice dragons will be coming along with me. And that is all. Everyone else and none will be the exception, will stay back outside the abyss. There will be by no means that any of the soldiers of dark faes will be allowed to join in." Evie's voice came out resolute and final.