This chapter is dedicated to @MonsterUnderTheBed! Thank you so much for the supergift!
Mouths hung opened. They all took a moment to process what the light fae queen had just said. They all looked at Evie with mixed emotions. Was this queen just so brave and believes in her own powers so much or had she just plain gone mad? Did she even know what she had just said? She had literally offered to send herself to die in the abyss! That was the general but unspoken consensus that all the lords who were within the king's tent were thinking after Evie's brief explanation.
"We need to destroy all the monsters. That is the only way to stop this war in the shortest time possible and also to stop the abyss from expanding further and swallowing the entirety of the Under Lands. And we are not going to be sitting ducks and wait to be preyed on and slaughtered helplessly. I'm not trying to do anything funny by keeping all of you out of this mission. All of you will stick to the dark faes' initial plan. You and your armies will keep surrounding the abyss and kill any monsters that emerge from it. Continue doing what you have been doing according to plan." Evie then fixed her gaze on the king's alone. "All I ask is for trust from King Belial. I won't ask for permission because whether you agree or not, I will still go ahead with this plan of mine at all costs. And I remind everyone here kindly for your own sake that none of you here can stop us." Her tone was neither arrogant nor overbearing, just as though she was stating a fact.
Everyone could not help but feel goosebumps as they listen to Evie and feel the immense power she had unleashed in her voice as she said that last sentence. It was as though she was backing up what she is saying with proof – and that was her powers. They were confused, however. They still could not quite understand why her plan would make a difference in the development of the entire war. No matter how strong they were, they could not possibly win a war against that darkness.
The King shut his eyes as he contemplated what Evie had just said and opened them slowly only after some moments. A long quiet sigh escaped from his lips before he met Evie's gaze again. "I don't have the power to stop you since you are going to use your own men and not my people, Queen Evielyn. Klauz and his armies are dark faes, but they are no longer my people. They're yours since you were the one who laid claim on them." He said in a neutral voice and Evie flashed a small smile.
She had a feeling that King Belial had already understood almost everything. She did not need to explain everything for this man to figure everything out – or at least almost everything. Even if he did not get it a 100 percent, it was still enough for Evie.
"We don't have any reason to stop you for wanting to end this war. So the trust that you wanted is already given, Queen Evielyn. And I will support you the best that I can from the side lines." King Belial gave his go-ahead on Evie's plan. He knew that she had her own plans as she was the one who had that vision on the future related to the war.
Before Evie could express her gratitude, Azrael's voice echoed out suddenly. He had been silent the entire time before this.
"Your Majesty." The lord rose and approached the king before dropping to one knee. "I would like to join the war. Please allow me to join Queen Evielyn's mission."
And the occupants of the tent fell silent once again.
Everyone knew how devastated Azrael was right now. The king knew. He had trained Azrael and Kione along with Gideon when they were younger. Beatrice was also hurt at the loss of Kione because that young lord had been her favourite among the boys when they were younger. Kione was that kind of knowledgeable boy who knows how to talk about every topic that existed under the sun – even the ones that only females usually talked about – things that Gideon and Azrael or even Gavrael would not even go near with a ten-feet pole.
"You have my permission, Lord Azrael." The king granted him the consent despite what Evie laid out as her conditions earlier. "However, you cannot ask your men to go along with you."
Azrael immediately bowed in relief. "Understood, Your Majesty! And thank you for granting my request!"
Once the king dismissed everyone to return to their post and wait for his call again for another meeting, Beatrice went to Azrael and embraced him gently in loving arms only as a mother could.
Azrael was surprised but he let the queen give him a comforting hug, even going as far as patting the man's head. She did not say anything, but Azrael already understood. Queen Beatrice was always scolding them since they had become grown-ups, but he would not forget what a loving woman she was to them when they were younger. Even now, she still was. Though they had strayed from her because of Gideon, Azrael could still feel the care in her embrace now. She was also very hurt now that Kione was gone.
"Azrael… don't go out there to be reckless, okay?" Beatrice finally said.
The man pulled away and smiled at the queen. His throat hurts but his gravelly voice somehow came out fine. "Yes, Your majesty. I'm going out there to avenge him, not to die. I won't be able to avenge that idiot if I die after all, right?"
Beatrice smiled up at him with teary eyes. "Keep your word, Lord Azrael. I'm holding you to it."
He bowed at her then to the King and Evie as well before he walked out of the tent.
Vera was quick to move as well, and after excusing herself, she chased after Azrael.
"Lord Azrael!" Vera called out.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Azrael stopped at Vera's call for him.