Once the group was in the room, Rya was given a bed and a warm blanket. She smiled happily when she saw them.
"There we go. Now you can sleep comfortably," Quin told Rya.
"Hmmm... Thank you, Quin..." Rya said softly as she wrapped herself in the blanket.
"Sleep well, Rya," Quinus whispered to the sleepy Dark Elf before he stood up.
Rya could hear voices as her consciousness began to slip. She looked so adorable that Quin had to pat her head briefly before returning to business.
"Percy... Lady Dalia... I need you both to keep an eye on Rya while Sir George and I catch up with Baron Zellin. I'm counting on you two... Oh?... And no mating!" Quin said with a raised brow while looking at the two lovebirds. Quin didn't want a repeat of what happened at the Inn this morning.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Percy replied with embarrassment. He now realized that the Prince had heard the two of them making love in the same room they slept in.
"No promises, sir. But we will try to restrain ourselves," Dalia said with a sly smirk.
Quinus glared at her, which made Percy jump in front of her while waving his hands.
"WE WON'T DO ANYTHING, MY LORD, I PROMISE!... We'll wait until we can get our own room," Percy stuttered.
"Huh?... Oh fine! I promise to behave, Beta," Dalia said with a serious look.
Quin let out a sigh. He would have to talk to the two later on about the dangers of breeding and pregnancy. With that done, Quin looked back at Rya, sleeping comfortably in the queen-size bed.
'Hajdah had to pick on Rya just because she's a Dark Elf. For a century-old mage. He's dumber than he looks!' Quin thought to himself, annoyed by Hajdah's unnecessary and useless test.
"Shall we, dear Prince?" Hajdah asked.
Quin nodded and followed Hajdah out of the room with Sir George.
After a moment, Percy and Dalia found themselves alone with Rya in the large bedroom.
"I think Prince Quinus is angry with the Dwarven Mage," Percy addressed Dalia with an air of concern in his voice.
"Yeah, you're right. I could smell Beta's anger in his body odor... I wonder what he's going to do," Dalia answered.
The Ranger shuddered at the thought of what would happen to the old mage if he were oblivious to the Prince's anger.
"We'll find out soon enough. Until then, I'll grab some food from the kitchen. Is there anything that you would like, Lady Dalia?" Percy asked.
"Okay. I'll watch Alpha. OH! And grab me some of that wild boar I like so much. I could smell them slow-cooking one!" Dalia said as her tail wagged under her cloak.
Percy smiled and nodded to Dalia before leaving the room to get food for everyone.
***
Meanwhile, Quinus, George, and Hajdah were walking the halls of the palace toward the Baron's chamber. The silence was eerie, and Hajdah could hear the creaking of the floorboards under their feet.
'Did I anger the prince?' Hajdah thought to himself. 'I was looking out for his own good. Maybe I should see if this is my imagination?' the old mage thought as he readied himself to talk.
"Your Highness. I like to say how relieved we are that you came back from the Labyrinth unharmed. And I couldn't help but notice that you also tamed a Wolfkin... If you don't mind my asking, how did you tame such a creature? I've never heard of a wolfkin not being enslaved before," Hajdah asked casually.
Quinus stopped abruptly, as did Sir George, upon hearing Hajdah's inquiry regarding Dalia. The Prince was trying his best not to scream at the old mage, but he needed to let him know that he was displeased.
The Crown Prince sighed, "Are you asking if Dalia has charmed Percy as well, and you mean to test her, too, Hajdah? We can't have a Wolfkin running about now, can we? I would hate to have to cut her down, especially after she's done nothing wrong other than being born a wolfkin. Right?" Quinus said in a condescending tone.
Sir George had his hand on the hilt of his sword and was ready to pull it out if he needed to defend Quinus from an attack. The last thing he wanted was to explain to the King why he let the heir apparent be harmed by an old dwarven mage.
Upon hearing and seeing the Prince's displeasure, Hajdah realized he'd made a mistake. He felt a sense of dread at the Prince's words. He knew now that Prince Quinus was very protective of the Dark Elf and didn't want her to come to any harm.
'H-He's actually furious! I need to do something to show that I'm loyal to the Prince. I can't lose the trust of the crown!' Hajdah thought as he took a few steps back from Quinus.
"No, I was just curious why a wolfkin seemed to follow you all. Especially Percy, since he is not a wolfkin," Hajdah said with worry in his voice while trying to deflect the conversation.
Quinus turned and walked closer to Hajdah. He glared down upon the nervous dwarf, who didn't know if he should defend himself.
"Stop playing coy with me, Hajdah. You knew Rya didn't cast any spells on me, and you refused to listen when I said she was an ally. You came out in a show of force when you brought out the Mages Guild to surround her... Be thankful that I don't use the same show of force on you and your guild for your lack of faith in your prince," Quinus hissed as his golden eyes glowed brightly.
Hajdah gulped, then bowed his head and said, "My apologies, Your Highness. I will try to be more mindful of the trust you give me in the future."
The Guild Master felt ashamed for what happened, as he had put himself in a situation where he could lose everything for a single moment of doubt. He was responsible for protecting the kingdom, but he knew that Quinus wasn't charmed, and he should have known better than to question the Prince.
Quinus sighed, "It's fine, Hajdah. Please know that you're still in my good graces. Just don't disappoint me with another incident like this again."
"Th-Thank you, Your Highness!... I promise never to question you again!" Hajdah replied nervously.
The Dwarven Mage didn't fully believe that he was in the Prince's good graces. Not until he made it up to the person he had wronged. The Prince's Dark Elf-friend, Rya.
'I must apologize to Lady Rya at once! If she accepts my apology and I help her with anything magic-related, then the prince will no longer be angered with me!'
And with that, they started walking again to the Baron's chambers.
***
The hallways of the Dwarven Palace were dark and quiet except for the occasional creak of the wooden planks beneath their feet. The ceilings were slightly lower than usual, and the walls were made of stone rather than wood. Yellow crystals dimly lit the hallways, unlike the bright white crystals most humans preferred. However, the light reflected off the polished silver mirrors adorning the walls to add a bit more illumination. As they approached the Baron's chamber, two big windows lit the area with natural light.
A large door with a heavy lock was at the end of the hallway. This particular door was unique because the key to unlocking it was kept within the Baron's personal quarters. As one would expect, the guards stationed outside of the door wore full dwarven armor and carried battle axes. It looked like both of them had seen battle, as each bore several scars across their bodies.
As the Prince, Dwarven Mage, and Human Knight entered, the guards saluted and stepped aside to allow them entry.
"The Baron is waiting for you, Your Highness," one guard said with a bow.
Quinus motioned with his hand for the guard to open the door. After unlocking it, the guard stepped inside first to announce their presence.
"My Lord, Prince Quinus Meredydd of the Kingdom has arrived," the guard stated loudly.
The Crown Prince saw the well-dressed Dwarven Noble seated at a desk with a book in hand. Upon hearing the announcement, the Baron quickly set the book aside and rose from his chair.