The memory of that day is still fresh in my mind. It does not feel like it happened a time ago.
It feels like something is still missing.
The war chamber was really quiet when Elira entered.
It was not peaceful though.
It was like everyone was holding their breath waiting for something to happen.
King Aerion was standing in the middle of the room.
There was a sealed letter on the table in front of him.
The black wax on the letter had a crest that everyone in Kaelmyra knew.
It was the crest of Valtheris.
"You got here quickly " he said without looking at her.
"You told me to come father" Elira replied.
There was a pause.
"So, you know this is not a casual meeting " he said.
Her eyes looked at the letter.
"No, it is not " she said.
Then he turned to face her.
"You have heard the rumors " he said.
"I have heard a lot of rumors " she said. ". They all say different things."
"That is good " Aerion said. "It means you are listening carefully."
He opened the letter.
The sound of the seal breaking was small.
It seemed really loud in the quiet room.
He read the letter quietly.
Elira watched his face carefully.
His expression did not change much.
She knew him well enough to notice that his jaw got a little tighter.
"They are accusing us of something " he said finally.
"What are they accusing us of?" Elira asked.
Aerion looked up at her.
"They say we are planning a revolt " he said.
Elira was surprised.
"That is ridiculous " she said.
"Yes, it is " Aerion said calmly.
There was a pause.
"But it does not matter if it is true or not " he said.
Elira thought about this for a moment.
"They do not need the truth " she said slowly. "They just need a reason to do what they want."
Aerion corrected her.
"They need a reason, not the truth " he said.
He put the letter down on the table.
"They say they have evidence " he continued. ". If they can prove it, they will take action."
Eliras expression got harder.
"Like they did with Ardentis " she said.
The room seemed to get colder when she said the name Ardentis.
Ardentis was the kingdom.
It was the kingdom to resist.
It was the first to fall.
"They fought for one year " Elira said quietly. ". Then they just gave up."
Aerion did not say anything.
He did not need to.
"They became part of the kingdom " Elira said.
Aerion just said "yes".
There was silence for a moment.
Then Elira said, "Five years after the war we sent my sister to marry their king."
Aerion nodded.
"She was the princess " he said. "We sent her as a message. We were saying that we would not fight them."
Elira continued.
"And still they do not trust us " she said.
Aerion looked at her.
"You are my daughter " he said.
This caught Elira off guard.
"Your oldest daughter is good at diplomacy " he said. "Your second daughter is good at keeping the court."
He looked at Elira sharply.
"But you… " he said, "are not afraid to ask questions that no one else will ask."
Elira looked back at him.
"And that is why " Aerion said, "I cannot send soldiers to help us but I can send you…"
Elira understood what he was saying.
"To find the rumored hero that might still be alived" she said.
Aerion nodded.
"There are rumors that someone knows the whereabouts of the hero " he said. "Not the hero himself. Someone who might know where he is."
Elira took a step closer.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"A blacksmith " Aerion said. "He lives near the border in a town called Durnholde."
The name of the town seemed important.
"A blacksmith?" Elira repeated.
"Yes " Aerion said. "That is our lead."
Elira looked at the map.
Durnholde was a town near a dangerous border.
"Why would a blacksmith know anything about the hero?" she asked.
Aerions voice got a little softer.
"That is what I need you to find out " he said.
There was a pause.
"Even if it is a one in a million chance that the rumors are true " Aerion said, "The hero is the only one that can help us turn the tide of this situation."
There was silence, for a moment.
Then Aerion said, "Please my daughter, find him."
Elira did not hesitate, kneeling on one knee.
"I will Father" she said.