"King of Megaris? What are you doing here?"
Hearing their king calling the intruder the King of Megaris, all the royal knights guarding the tower retreated and sheathed their swords before paying respects towards the young man on a horse.
"Apologies, Your Majesty," the captain of the knights said. "My men mean no disrespect to your royal self. Please punish me if we have offended you." He then signaled his men to clear the way between him and King Armen.
However, Drayce ignored the people around him as his sight was fixed at the tower's gate as if something inside was calling out to him.
Drayce jumped down from his horse and stepped towards the gate, but no one stopped him. No one dared to move without the order of King Armen.
On the other hand, King Armen did not say a thing and only looked at the young king with a grateful yet puzzled expression. The King of Megaris had left to rescue his son with the party composed of his loyal men, the Prince of Griven, and some knights from Megaris. What was he doing here on his own? Did this mean that Cian had already safely arrived in the palace?
Drayce reached the gate and was about to push it open when everyone's attention was disrupted by the arrival of another person on a fast horse. All the knights present bowed to the person who just arrived.
"Cian, my son!" King Armen called out in delight, relief visible in his tired eyes. Although he had heard from the reports that Cian had been rescued, he could only put the weight off his shoulders now upon seeing his son in the flesh.
It had been a while since Lord Eudes had seen his king smile sincerely. He also paid his respects to the future ruler of the kingdom. "Welcome back, Your Highness."
Cian stepped down from the horse as he hurried to go towards his father.
"Father!" Cian greeted King Armen. "You should not have worried about me. Even without a rescue party, I would have escaped on my own. But enough about me. What happened here? Is Seren fine?"
"Everything is fine," the King assured his son and looked at Drayce. "I owe the King of Megaris for helping to rescue the Crown Prince of Abetha. It feels like no matter how much I show my gratitude, it will seem to be never enough. I would like King Drayce to rest as the journey must be tiring. Where is Prince Arlan? Eudes, prepare a lodging for our honorable guests, as well as a banquet tomorrow to celebrate Cian's return."
"If King Armen thinks he owes me, then allow me to enter this tower," Drayce said calmly.
His words startled everyone on the scene. Why would a guest from another kingdom wish to enter the residence of the Third Princess?
King Armen was wary about the intentions of the King of Megaris, but he could not openly show it on his face.
Cian felt that his request was strange as well, and he shared a look with his father before opening his mouth. "King Drayce, may I ask for your reason? This tower belongs to my sister, the Third Princess of Abetha, and no outsider is allowed to enter. Don't you think it is improper for a stranger to suddenly barge in without the permission of the person living in it? It is not that our kingdom wishes to be impolite with Megaris, but I believe you understand what I'm saying."
Although Cian phrased it that way, the truth was that no one but his sister and her lone servant could enter Seren's residence. This place was strictly off-limits, even for the members of the royal family. If Cian wishes to meet his sister, he could only inform her servant to bring her out to the garden, and only after getting their father's consent.
Even as the Crown Prince, he himself could never break this rule set by their father, King Armen. Despite not agreeing with this arrangement, he was helpless to change things as he knew his sister was special, and their father had ordered people to be kept away for her sake. But as a brother, he had always found her situation wrong.
Countless times, he had begged their father to let him bring her out of the tower, but he was constantly refused.
Drayce studied the father and son with a serious look. "I am aware that this is discourteous to the young lady, but I am sure something is not right, and we should help her."
"I appreciate King Drayce's kind intentions of helping us, but rest assured, we will handle our family matters very well without a need for an outsider to step in." King Armen sounded polite, but the underlying meaning was clear—that the King of Megaris was overstepping his boundaries and should not meddle in the matters of Abetha's royal family.
Arlan and Sir Berolt arrived in the middle of the strangely tense scene, and the vague atmosphere between the three men only dispersed after he jumped off his horse and approached them.
"Your Majesty." Arlan and Sir Berolt greeted the King.
King Armen nodded lightly to accept the greeting. "Prince Arlan must be tired from your trip. Why don't you and King Drayce go get much-deserved rest? Let my trusted advisor escort you back to your lodgings."
Lord Eudes stepped forward to stand beside him, but Drayce did not move from where he's standing in front of the gate. Arlan knew where they were, and he had an inkling about what's inside Drayce's mind.
Realizing the delicate mood of the people around him and the meaning behind the King of Abetha's dismissal, Arlan turned to Drayce with a meaningful look. "Well, if you are not tired, we should go visit your knights you left behind here. They must be eagerly waiting for their king to return."
His friend still refused to move. Arlan could only try again. "Dray, we have some important things to handle. Remember, Slayer is not yet completely out of danger."