Iftia: Iftia-Riva Border, Meeting Room

• Rowan •

"Your Highness, I suspect that this water poisoning incident is not as simple," Tristan claimed, facing Rowan.

He also sensed something amiss about the situation. Iftia and Rivia had been in a good relationship since a long time ago. This incident was obviously a plot to stir tension between the two kingdoms.

"Brother," Matthias called out and Rowan rasied his head to looked at him.

Matthias shifted uncomfortably in his seat but steadied himself before continuing, "I would like to speak to you alone."

Kaylon was the first to stand up from his seat, casting a wary look towards Matthias. On the other hand, Matthias' knights also stood in defense, but their expressions were washed over by confusion.

Rowan raised a brow, not expecting that Matthias would suggest talking to him alone. He had his suspicions placed on the Queen but he wouldn't put too much hopes on getting any information from Matthias. Sighing, he lifted his hand to signal for his knights to leave the room. Alec shook his head, but Rowan remained indifferent. Following his gesture, Matthias also signalled for his knights to retreat.

Then, everyone left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Rowan stared at him intensely, awaiting whatever that was going to spill from Matthias.

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• Matthias •

I wished I could turn into Elianna right now, so that he would stop staring at me like that. Matthias mentally cursed at Rowan repeatedly before he cleared his throat and sat up straight, feigning courage.

"What is it that you would like to say?" The silence hung for too long and Rowan was growing impatient.

"I hadn't talk to you in nine years," Matthias said.

"Matthias." His brother pinched the centre of his brow in annoyance, "I didn't chase the entire room of people out for you to say that."

"I know you hate me," Matthias continued.

"I don't—" Rowan wanted to deny but there was guilt in his tone.

But before Rowan could explain himself, Matthias interrupted, "But I had to tell you this because I care about you, Brother."

Rowan's head shot up once again and looked towards Matthias. His eyes were wide with shock but the eye contact was brief because Matthias couldn't bear to spill the truth while looking straight into his brother's eyes. Those startling blue eyes would threatened to swallow him whole because there was too many things that his mother had done wrong to him.

"This whole thing was plotted between the King of Thethia, Father and Mother," Matthias swallowed hard before he continued, "Don't you find it too timely that Princess Elizabeth and the Royal Secretariat of Thethia arrive in Iftia and all of the sudden there was this 'infectious' disease?"

Rowan looked like he wanted to say something, but Matthias needed to speak all the words before his courage runs out. So, he cut in immediately, "Thethia not only want to marry their only Princess to you. They also plotted with Father and Mother to take down Rivia. Having Princess Elizabeth in Iftia would show Rivia that Iftia is backed by Thethia. They wanted to corner Rivia and eventually wage a war to conquer Rivia. That was their plan. I insisted on coming here with Elianna because I knew what happened."

"Matthias." Rowan simply stared at him in bewilderment. Matthias understood that look. He knew that his brother thought that he would never betray the Queen just because the Queen is his birth mother and they are half siblings. Yet, knowing that they had strained that far since that incident nine years ago causes a complicated ache to grow in his chest.

"I never wanted to take anything that belonged to you, Brother. That includes the throne or even Elianna." Matthias smiled dryly. "Mother had did unforgivable things to the previous Queen. It's understandable if you hate me, but I'll never hate you."

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• Rowan •

Words seemed to get choked up in Rowan's throat when he looked at the brother that he shut away for the past nine years.

Do I hate him?

Absolutely not.

Rowan had never hated Matthias. He only distant himself away from him because of the Queen. He recalled the times when little Matthias would run to Lyx after the whole mess, crying for forgiveness. He knelt in front of the main gates for long hours, pleading for his mother. He was fifteen, while Matthias was only nine. Thinking about it, it was perhaps that he had been too cruel to his brother.

"Why did you tell me these?"

"I just wanted you to know," Matthias sighed.

"The Queen would not forgive you."

Matthias muttered, "By forcing my way to the borders, I was already unforgivable."

"Matthias," Rowan's voice softened drastically. "I'm sorry for how I treated you."

The apology was difficult to express but the genuine happiness in Matthias' expression had proven that it was worth his effort. Those eyes sparkled in surprise and delight as they met his.

"What are you going to do when you return?" Rowan asked. "The Queen would take it out on you."

"There's nothing you need to worry about," he smiled weakly, but Rowan saw through the fear underneath.

"If you're in trouble, you're welcomed at Lyx. She can't reach you there."

"Really?" Matthias shot up from his seat, excitement filled his tone.

"Yes."

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Iftia: Iftia-Rivia Border, Dining Hall

• Elianna •

Over dinner, Matthias was chattering on and on excitedly and Rowan nodded slightly in agreement. Elianna looked at them, baffled.

"Had I missed out on anything?" She broke Matthias' constant babble.

"You missed the declaration that I'm going to steal my brother away from you," Matthias taunted. Triggered, she smacked a piece of bread right over but Matthias shifted quickly, catching the bread before a laugh erupted from him.

"Eli, you should not throw food at others." Rowan scolded lightly.

"You did that to Alec!" she argued back.

Alec raised his brows and stared at Rowan, casting a playful wink.

"That really happened?" Matthias asked, amused.

"Well, he even threw a fork at Alec," she giggled, standing prouder this time. All of Rowan's knights burst out laughing and Alec gave her a pat on her shoulder.

"I apologise for my poor display of dining etiquette. Eli, please do not take me as an example," Rowan sighed, burying his forehead into his palm.

Elianna chuckled in response and that placed a gentle smile on Rowan's face. The atmosphere in the dining hall was lifted and dinner went pleasantly.

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Thethia: Royal Palace, Throne Room

• Elizabeth •

Elizabeth stood outside the Throne Room, waiting for her turn to be heard. She could already figure out how enraged her father was from the way he bellowed, "Useless bunch!" 

News from Iftia came in and they lost the opportunity to wage a war and conquer Rivia. The Royal Secretariat of Thethia stammered, "I-It was the Second Prince. H-He followed all the medical officials towards the Borders." 

"The Queen's son? Why would he do that?" 

"W-We d-don't know!" The Royal Secretariat cowered in fear.

"Idiots! Get out of my sight!" Her father threw the paper in his hand out of frustration. 

At this point, Elizabeth had entered the Throne Room. Her father immediately held back his display of anger and she went forward to greet him with a curtsy, "Father." 

"Elizabeth, tell me about your assignments."

"The trade agreement was revised and settled," she reported accordingly.

"Excellent. What about your marriage?" her father asked, seemingly feeling slightly better at her news.

Thoughts about the marriage caused her to seethe as she never expected that a mere royal doctor could get in her way. More of it, she hadn't expected her to also be a skilled fighter and she was utterly humiliated by her in her visit to Iftia. Clenching her jaw, she remained silent and her silence didn't sit well with her father. He simply reminded, "Elizabeth, you have never let me down. I don't expect a disappointment more than the matter with Rivia."

Jarred out of her thoughts, Elizabeth dropped her gaze low and spoke through clenched teeth, "I apologise for my incompetence. Please give me one more chance,"

"Very well, my daughter," her father said before the doors to the throne room were pushed opened and several guards marched into the room. They held her maidservant in her arms and Elizabeth gasped, "Renae?" 

The guards kicked on the maidservant's thigh, forcing her to the ground and she struggled against their hold. Elizabeth panicked internally and turned her head sharply to face her father, she questioned, "Father, what are you doing?" 

"Fear, I see," her father said coldly. "Have you forgotten all that I taught you, Elizabeth?" 

"No, I have not," Elizabeth kept her head low but she could feel herself trembling. 

"I would keep my promise if you keep yours, my daughter," he stated.

Elizabeth faced Renae once again and the maidservant stopped struggling. Closing her eyes, she smiled at her and lowered her head to bow towards her as though saying her farewell. Silently, she was brought out of the throne room but Elizabeth remained where she was, too afraid to even move. Anger surged within her and she held her fists so tightly that her knuckles paled. 

Elianna Everson, I will not forgive you.

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End of Book One, Amberstone

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