Princess Estina’s entire body went cold. Shock at his words blinded her thoughts. She had never even considered Prince Yernal may try to over-rule their arrangement. He could now that Prince Weston was walking with his ancestors if he claimed or believed it was for the best interest of the kingdom.

Fear pummelled through her body, and she gripped onto the table for support. What did that mean for her and the rest of the people who had joined her? She had promised Menelt the mountains. She had given the mountain men hope, but now it could be taken away from them before she was able to give it.

All of a sudden, a warm large hand wrapped around her thigh and squeezed gently. It was Menelt’s turn to send his support.

“Prince Weston’s blessing still stands,” Prince Alain said from beside her. His voice seemed distant, but it had the ability to draw her back. Princess Estina became aware that eyes were upon her waiting for her reaction.

“The wedding will go ahead whether you approve or not,” she said, taking her brother’s lead. She looked Prince Yernal in the eye. She would not go down without a fight.

Prince Yernal stopped and pointed his fork at Princess Estina. “I’m not happy with your recent movements, sister. Old Man Tehlea’s sudden death is very suspicious, and now, you’re happily residing in his residence with your so called soon to be betrothed. It’s very convenient for you. Remember your place.”

“You sound more concerned about Old Man Tehlea’s death than of your own brother’s,” Prince Alain snapped. “Prince Weston’s death is very convenient for yourself as well, isn’t it?”

Princess Estina suppressed a smile and made a great show of placing her hand on Menelt’s bicep. “Yes, you’re correct, Prince Yernal,” she started. “It was a surprise to hear of Old Man Tehlea’s passing, but I have been fortunate to find another far more suitable and powerful partner. Our union is genuine. I’m sure you can understand our position and that you will acknowledge the strength we will bring to the border and the Arina Pass. They were weakened terribly two years ago,” she said pointedly.

Prince Yernal leaned over the table in her direction. “You and your little group of men are no threat to my plans. Be clear of that. You will learn that you answer to me.”

Princess Estina reached for her cup of wine, and in a very unladylike act, finished it off in one go. “Maybe, Prince Yernal,” she said when she dropped her cup heavily back onto the table. “It depends on what you want.”

“Exactly,” Prince Alain added, “our past has always been a turbulent one, but we accepted your invitation. What do you want?”

Prince Yernal chewed his current mouthful of food slowly, dragging the time. “You always were the diplomatic one, weren’t you?” He placed both hands on the table and when he spoke, Princess Estina was surprised to hear that his tone was calm. “My dear sister,” Prince Yernal started again. “I have a purpose for you. Agree to support me, and you can keep your merry little Old Lake Tehlea estate. I could do with more men.”

Princess Estina paused. It was an unexpected and surprising admission. Prince Yernal had just revealed his key weakness. He had the centre of the kingdom but as of yet, he did not have the east because it was filled with Prince Weston supporters. And, he did not have the west because she had claimed it with Menelt and her brother.

It was a surprise. Prince Yernal believed he needed them?! He needed the men in the west to help strengthen his claim! It didn’t matter that Prince Weston was dead. He must have received opposition already to his claim for the throne. Who was retaliating in the east? They had not heard of anything. She wished she could share her thoughts with her brother. Depending on who it was, they desperately needed to make contact with them. Her eyes flashed to the cage with the Lombock inside as another thought entered her mind. Parading the Lombock in broad daylight only reinforced her belief that Prince Yernal needed him to try and reinforce his strength.

“So, sister,” Prince Yernal stated loudly. “What is it? What are you going to decide? Are you going to support me?”

The hall was deathly silent. No one moved as they waited for her response.

“If you don’t support me, you will feel all my might and strength that I have now,” Prince Yernal stated, turning his attention to Prince Alain. “I don’t really want to do anything to my dear little sister, but if you don’t follow my orders, I’ll send the Lombock after you and I’ll handle the houses in the west myself. However, I would much prefer to the quicker route and know that I have you and the west by my side.

He pointed across the room to where the Lombock huddled in his cage.

Whether he was aware of the conversation that was taking place, Princess Estina wasn’t sure. In some ways she hoped he wasn’t. His glassed eyes didn’t even focus on them now.

“He doesn’t look like he’s up for too much fighting,” Menelt finally spoke as if he had been reading Princess Estina’s mind.

Prince Yernal spun in his seat and narrowed his eyes at Menelt.

“So, my sister has managed to teach you some proper Keglan, huh? You do have a brain,” he spat.

Still, Menelt did not show any reaction to Prince Yernal’s insults. Princess Estina only had profound respect for the man.

“What you don’t realise is that I now control the Lombock!” He rubbed his hands together in glee. “I have a potion that prevents the spell from controlling him, and to keep him in line, I have some Talekan Assassins on standby to douse him with Ashkin poison. The whole set up is going very well.”

Aghast, Princess Estina looked at the Lombock with pity. Her suspicions had been correct. No wonder his gaze was glassy. He was drugged.

Prince Yernal’s tone remained coy, and her attention reverted back to him as he said, “I think now might be a good time to show you what I do to traitors and to people who try to work against me.”

Princess Estina swallowed and tried to keep her features neutral. There was a sudden shift in the ambience of the room, but she couldn’t place what it was.

Prince Yernal snapped his fingers to two guards at the entrance of the hall. “Get the Keglan out of the other cage.”

He rose to his feet, placing his hands into his pockets. Prince Yernal spoke to the entire hall again, all of them seeming to be captivated by his words. “I have in my possession a traitor to the Keglar Kingdom.”

A smattering of cheers and applause filled the space around them. The mood in the hall shifted further. Now, Princess Estina could put her finger on it; excitement and tension filled the air.

The soldiers dragged the thin and desperate looking prisoner out of the cage opposite to the Lombock. Shackled, the man dropped to his knees as if he was too weak to stand and he was dragged until he was before Prince Yernal’s table. He fell onto his stomach as they let him go, only to be kicked by one of the soldiers. Princess Estina grimaced as a ragged gasp of air expelled from the man’s mouth. One of the soldiers grabbed the prisoner from under the arms and roughly lifted the man back to his knees.

Another round of applause erupted, and to her dismay, Princess Estina believed this was not the first time they had witnessed such an event. A lump formed in her throat. She didn’t know this man, but she did not want anything to happen to him. What was she about to see take place?

“Let the Lombock feed!” one woman shouted excitedly from the other side of the table. “Let them see it!”

Prince Yernal laughed as other people in the hall cheered and shouted their agreements.

Princess Estina’s heart began to pound. This was not an event that she wanted to bear witness to. Disbelief filled her. Was her brother really forcing the Lombock to commit such acts in the open? Prince Yernal had said the man was Keglan, but the style of the prisoner’s trousers depicted a person of the Talbecan Empire. Her time hiding away there had allowed her to become familiar with their style of clothing. She shifted on her seat. Why had Prince Yernal said he was a Keglan traitor?

“You don’t know who this is, do you?” Prince Yernal spat in disgust.

Princess Estina looked at the dirty, bloody man with pity and shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

“This man is a traitor! This man betrayed our kingdom and became a spy to the now dead Emperor Rathner of Talbec.” Prince Yernal stepped around the table towards her. She did not move. “This man is Jale, Prince Jale, your cousin!”

Princess Estina startled as Menelt slammed his hands onto the table and leapt to his feet.