The grand banquet hall remained a whirl of music and distant chatter, but at the head table, the air was thick with a suffocating tension. King Arthur leaned in, his voice a sharp whisper that barely concealed his agitation.
"Have you both lost your minds?" Arthur hissed, looking at Amelia and June. "I don't care how perfect this alliance looks on paper—I cannot allow my daughters to walk into such a massive risk."
Amelia's eyes flashed with defiance. "Risk, Father? This is the greatest opportunity our kingdom has ever seen! With this union, the shadow of war from the North will vanish forever."
June let out a sharp, mocking breath. "You call this a risk? You never question the 'strange' and dangerous things Zen does, yet when it comes to our bright future, you suddenly find reasons to worry. It's clear your only concern is Zen, never us."
"Enough!" Queen Elizabeth's voice was low but carried the weight of a warning. "You are speaking to your parents. This decision will define the rest of your lives. If this choice is wrong, there will be no turning back. Your entire future will be ruined."
"Stop it, Mother," Amelia snapped, her ambition blinding her. "Prince Ezekiel is not a man one regrets marrying. Father, you rule one kingdom. The Supreme Kingdom rules countless lands. Can you not see the scale of what we are joining?"
Arthur looked at them, his heart heavy. "Do not marry him because you want to save the South, or because you want a bigger crown. Marry him only if you are certain he is the right man for your soul."
"He is the one, Father," June insisted, her voice dreamy yet stubborn. "Did you not see him? He is perfection itself."
"Think carefully," the Queen pleaded one last time. "You are both walking into a marriage with the same man. This will destroy the bond between you as sisters."
Amelia laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "June and I have always been close. Our bond is unbreakable. Now, if it were Zen in her place, I would have refused this marriage myself."
"Stop slandering Zen," Elizabeth sighed. "She isn't even here to defend herself."
The conversation died instantly as Ezekiel appeared, flanked by the ever-watchful Kaien. Ezekiel reclaimed his seat with effortless grace, while Kaien stood like a silent gargoyle beside the King's chair.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting," Ezekiel said, his smile perfectly crafted. "Have you reached a decision? Whatever you choose, I shall accept it with honor."
Arthur looked at his daughters' determined faces and sighed. "The decision of my daughters is my own. They have agreed to marry you, Prince. I cannot object to their happiness."
Ezekiel stood and bowed deeply. "I am humbled that you find me worthy of your daughters. However..." He paused, his expression turning apologetic. "I must ask for your forgiveness. I must depart for the Supreme Kingdom this very evening. There is much work pending in my realm, and the journey is a long six days. If I stay any longer, my kingdom will suffer."
He looked at the sisters with a glimmer of false regret. "I only wish you could join me now. I would show you the wonders of my land and give you the exquisite jewels I have had crafted specifically for you."
Amelia and June's eyes lit up with greed and excitement. "We want to go with you!" they blurted out together.
"Is that not a bit rushed?" Arthur asked, his protective instincts screaming.
Ezekiel offered a disarming smile. "Perhaps. But if they travel with me now, they will know me truly before the wedding. We must understand one another, don't you think?"
"It is our decision, Father!" June declared. "We leave with the Prince tonight."
Later, in the privacy of his chambers, Arthur sat with his head in his hands. Elizabeth entered, her face etched with worry. "You are thinking of them, aren't you? My heart is heavy too. They have never been this far from us."
"The North has its own laws, Elizabeth. Darker laws," Arthur whispered. "And I have never seen them this stubborn. It's as if they are under a spell."
A firm knock at the door interrupted them. Kaien entered, his face unreadable. "Your Majesty, I must speak with you regarding Prince Ezekiel. I do not trust his words. This decision... it feels wrong."
Elizabeth turned on him, her voice cold. "You are the son of a traitor, Kaien. Your opinion on loyalty holds little value here."
"Elizabeth, enough," Arthur commanded. "His father paid for his crimes; do not punish the son. Kaien, arrange for a squadron of our finest soldiers to escort the carriages."
"As you command, Sire," Kaien replied, bowing low.
The courtyard was bathed in moonlight as the grand departure began. Ezekiel stood by his carriage, the image of a perfect gentleman. "Allow us to depart, Your Majesties. We shall expect you at the Supreme Kingdom soon—with Prince Charles and Princess Zen."
"We shall be there," Arthur promised, though his voice lacked conviction.
Amelia and June shared a final, hurried embrace with their parents before climbing into Ezekiel's carriage. Ezekiel stepped in after them, and with a crack of a whip, the procession began to roll out of the palace gates.
As the dust settled and the sound of the wheels faded into the night, Kaien didn't waste a second. He turned toward the stables. His mission was clear. He had to reach the Kingdom of Eldoria. He had to bring Zen back before the shadows of the North swallowed Royal Ford whole.