I stayed just as long as I needed to understand that the following events were probably going to be a lot of pompous drivel meant to rouse the spirits of the who’s who of Draconis city and the nobles who had come with the King himself.

I slipped away as soon as I could, and finding the palace still bustling, I returned to my room.

Sitting, I whiled away the time by reading a book on the political situation of the Kingdom of Leon.

Heavy reading, that, but I wanted to know more about the situation we were facing.

As I flipped through the pages, I realized that the Hagarian Empire had been united many years ago and was an enormous empire in its own right.

The unfortunate thing?

In the south - the Merchari Empire and the Kingdom of Eos bound them geographically.

In the East, the sea of death - that ensured only coastal travel - confined them

To the North was again the Sea of Death, but coastal travel led directly to the west and that was where the Kingdom of Leon was.

The Kingdom of Leon boasted access to the first port after Hagarian Seas and being hostile meant that the Hagarians could never trade using the sea because of logistics.

The 10,000 peaks also blocked the only land route to the west of the Hagarian empire, and the only passable valley had Draconis City right at the end, blocking access to the Hagarians.

It was an impasse.

They could not enter, we could not go out.

As such, we have remained at peace ever since the battle of Pyrrhia.

A peace that was now threatening to break since war was being spoken so openly.

As for allies?

We were ‘allied’ with the Kingdom of Gonzalo who was fighting on two sides with the smaller Kingdom of Grayhost on the north and the much larger Kingdom of Daxon on the south.

I know what you’re thinking.

Are the Gonzoleans so strong that they can fight two versus one?

The answer, of course, is no.

It’s only with our aid that they have repelled the invaders, but the Gonzoleans won’t hesitate to go after us should they defeat the Daxons and the barbarians of the Kingdom of Grayhost.

It’s a delicate balance that has to be maintained, for sure.

Flipping the page, I saw further commentary that detailed how the Hagarians, frustrated by the secure location of the Kingdom of Leon - tried turning their attention elsewhere.

Namely, to the Kingdom of Eos.

But the book finished there.

Turning the book over, I saw the book had been written 30 years ago by a man called James Knight.

Thinking the name was familiar, I thought idly as to who it could be.

Imagining a bald knight with his pate gleaming, I chuckled, right before the image overlapped with a dashing man that was staggering cock-eyed as he attempted to hold back his puke.

It can’t be. I stood upright; the book clattering away from my hands.

It can’t be that rogue, can it?

Clicking my tongue at my absurd thoughts, I heard knocking on the door.

Opening it, I found Sia, who was tugging at the ceremonial gown as though she couldn’t wait to slice it to pieces.

Ushering her in, I offered her the chair while I sat on the bed.

Sitting gratefully, she exclaimed, “I’m so tired! All that standing and curtseying! Faust, you won’t believe how many people know our teacher!”

“I believe,” I said as I attempted to make myself comfortable before discovering that I was sitting on the book that I was reading.

Closing it, I handed it to Sia, who raised an eyebrow at me.

“Read the name,” I said.

She read it before her lips quivered in shock.

“It can’t be?”

“It is, I think.”

“How terrible was it?”

“Pretty good, actually,” I replied.

“Really?”

“Yes, He explained the political situation really clearly. Speaking of which, did you hear anything important?” I asked as I bounced around in excitement.

Grimacing, Sia responded, “I was trying to hear but Baling Alastor kept trying to talk to me.”

“Alastor? Who’s that?”

“The prince of our Kingdom,” she said as she rolled her eyes at me.

“What!” I barked.

“What does he want with you?”

“To have a talk, apparently.”

“Over my dead body,” I said viciously.

“Pft, don’t worry. I gave him the slip and came straight here.”

“Good job. But when did you get on a first-name basis with him?”

“Why do you care?”

“I care becau-” I stopped, flummoxed.

“Because?”

“Because I don’t want you to get hurt,” I said weakly.

“Oh, is that all?” She said as she pursed her lips.

“No, it’s just-”

At that moment, knocking on the door was again heard.

Puzzled, I looked at Sia, who looked at me as confused as I was.

Opening the door, I saw a visibly nervous Ares who was standing outside.

“Honorable Faustu-”

“Hello, my name is Alastor. I came to meet Count Callum Drayke’s son, Faustus Drayke. I presume that’s you?” interjected the keen-eyed youth I had seen before.

“Pleasure to meet you,” I said, very insincerely.

I would have been courteous to the boy, but now I knew there was another purpose behind his ‘visit’.

“I wonder why your highness came to visit me at this time when everybody is discussing important matters?” I asked.

“I wonder why you, the count’s son, is not there when everybody is discussing important matters,” Alastor shot back.

Touche, I grumbled inwardly before putting on a fake smile and saying, “It is because I am too unworthy to sit in amongst those matters, but your Highness surely would be able to participate in them!”

Smiling as insincerely as I was, Alastor replied, narrowing his eyes, “Alas, us juniors are only meant to serve as the rearguard while the vanguard discusses those matters. I thought since we are of a similar age, I being just a few years older than you, I would be able to become friends with you - especially after all that I heard!”

Smile frozen on my face, I replied, “I wouldn’t dream of being friends with such an illustrious person as Your Highness, but if you need me for anything, please do not hesitate.”

Cursing inwardly, the prince wondered how shameless this boy was.

He was even more thick-faced than the prince himself!

“Don’t worry, we can b-” pausing, the prince stopped with an ugly expression as he caught sight of Sia behind me on the chair.

“Ah, my lady… I wondered where you went off to. I did not know that you and young Faustus here were acquainted,” he said as he rearranged his face into a pleasant expression.

Grumbling inwardly at the usage of young Faustus, I widened my smile and said, “Me and Sia…” I emphasized her name, “are actually very close. Very close indeed. Bosom buddies,” I said as my smile became wider and wider.

Blushing behind me, Sia resisted the urge to kick me and nodded along.

With an expression that emitted benevolence, the prince nodded affably, “I see. I must be disturbing you, so I shall take my leave. I hope to see you around, Lady Alessia!” and pointedly ignoring me, he left.

The only signs of anger that I could see were the slightly forceful footsteps, but in everything else, this prince’s acting skills were quite decent.

Tapping my fingers thoughtfully, I gazed after his back, while Sia frowned behind me.

“He gives me a bad feeling,” she said.

“Aye, but more than bad, he gives me a dangerous feeling.”

Shrugging, I turned back to walk inside.

“What comes, shall come and if he dares-” I narrowed my eyes.

“Then I shall let him see the sky from the ground for a while.”