43 Summon
Vervain, 4 years after that fateful Caster's battle…
The flaxen haired young man let his eyes follow the flight of the eagle.
"Looks like a message from his majesty is coming. It has been a while…" He mused as he blew his whistle.
Upon hearing the signal, the bird of prey swooped down towards him. It hovered just a few meters away before it perched on his outstretched arm.
"Good job, Eurie!" he commended while caressing the eagle. He tried to take the message orb from the bird but it refused to let the orb go.
Sighing, Briar produced a few treats. In response, the eagle let go of the orb. It happily took the treats before flying off.
The prince focused on the orb and threw it towards the base of a nearby tree. When the orb shattered, its contents took on the form of the current monarch of Azalea and Marjoram.
His brother's dark hair had grown quite a bit since he last saw him. Though he is not wearing a crown, Reed's image befitted that of a king.
Despite his kingly visage, Briar did not fail to notice that his brother had looked a bit more mature and stressed than before.
The figure then began. "Brother, it has been a long time… I know that you still refuse to go home because of your mission and your ridiculous idea of self-imposed banishment."
Briar scowled at the replica of his brother. But he kept his mouth shut, knowing that this message orb is a one way communicating device.
"I am afraid that you need to abort your mission and to stop beating yourself with that exile of yours. You have to make haste and return home. I need you here."
The flaxen haired prince narrowed his eyes as the king stopped speaking and paced.
Briar would have thought that that was the end of the message but after drawing his breath, the king continued.
"Strange things had been happening around the kingdoms."
That got the prince's attention. He would usually listen to his brother's messages but he would refuse his summons. However, this piece of information piqued his mind.
"Strange things... I wonder if this is Lily's doing. Did she finally make her move? But it has been years… why now?" Briar thought to himself.
Instead of dwelling on his thoughts, he focused on the rest of Reed's message.
"As the king, I have to look into some matters, especially in Azalea. You do know that I wouldn't ask for help if I can do it on my own. I do have ministers and other people, but I want someone I can trust."
"Typical Reed. Always the independent and reliable one." He nodded, forgetting that his brother won't be able to see nor hear him.
"I needed your assistance. I would like you to take over Marjoram while I am gone. I don't trust anyone else. Please return…"
After it delivered its message, the apparition disappeared as the residue of the fume vanished.
"It seems I am being summoned back to that place." Briar shook his head and got ready for the journey to Marjoram.
The kingdom of Marjoram is a couple of weeks away even when riding a horse. Since he is currently in Verbana, it would take time to reach his destination.
"At the very least, I can finally go back and continue investigating the other cases I am handling. Plus, I get to see her." He added with a smile.
The prince mounted his steed and pushed it into a gallop. He hoped that he can reach there before his older brother make his way to Azalea.
The dark haired royal had been busy since their father got dethroned a few months after Marjoram had fallen.
Although it had been almost three years, Reed still had a load of mess to clean up. What King Bulrush had done gave birth to a lot of complications.
Reed, being the first born, received the full brunt of the repercussions when he ascended the throne.
Briar would have helped his older brother… but due to his own guilt and his ties with the Enclave, he had to leave.
His self-imposed exile was not only to look for the missing princess and to investigate the treasure-Larmes de Lumiere's whereabouts, but also it served as atonement. He after all, had assisted the Enclave in dethroning his father.
A few months after the fall of Marjoram, his father was brought to trial by the Enclave.
In ancient times, it was permitted to colonize and siege other kingdoms. But when the Enclave was established, such practices where banned. Thus, his father had to be punished.
Briar had cringed when his father's sentence was read.
"As of this day forward, Bulrush of Azalea will no longer be king. The powers that had been his when he joined the Enclave will be ripped."
King Darius had simply raised his hand. Briar watched his father fell to the ground writhing in pain. Then all powers befitting a member of the Enclave left him.
King Bulrush may have been ambitious man but still he was Briar's father. Though he was not a good king and had ruled ruthlessly, betraying him is not what a good son would have done.
But Briar had chosen the Enclave's side. He could not stomach what his father had done. He had attacked Marjoram without any defiance sent and for that he must be punished.
Although, his powers and position were ripped from him, the Enclave showed him mercy. They did not sentence him to death and was only sent away in exile.
Marjoram, 3 years under King Reed's reign…
a fortnight after Briar was summoned…
Briar' footsteps reverberated on the hall towards the west wing of the palace.
A few maids whom he passed by and a couple of knights greeted him as he made his way towards the special chamber.
He was quite elated to finally come back and meet her. When he neared the door, he stopped for a while and tried to fix his unkempt hair.
He also fixed the lasso of the gift and rearranged the bouquet of wild flowers he had picked from earlier from the meadows outside the castle.
Drawing a huge breath, he knocked lightly and waited. But no sound came to invite him in.
"Is she asleep already?" he asked. But instead of going away, he tried the doorknob and found it unlocked.
At first he wanted to surprise the young lady with the presents that he have. But when he eventually opened, he was the one who got surprised.
The lady standing before him had deep hazel eyes and auburn hair. Unlike the usual pale women whom he usually saw, this one had sun kissed skin which was glowing in health.
The young woman is not at all pretty by the usual standards in their kingdom. She is slender and almost as tall as he is.
Her face was not covered with powder and her lips was not coated red, but there is something about her that drew him in.
She may look a bit ordinary and plain with her maid outfit and apron… but this cool beauty made him catch his breath.
'Wait… maid outfit and apron?'
He stopped short when an excited squeal snapped him out of his stupor.
"Briar! You're back!" a young lady of ten summers came barreling towards him.
He barely extended his arms to welcome the cheerful lass. "Rozen!" he muttered as he caught the girl.
"I missed you! Thank the deities that you are finally home!" the girl engulfed him in a warm hug.
"I missed you too, little poppet." He muttered while returning the hug of the girl. After he released the child, he gave her the presents.
"These are wild roses! They smell great…" he zoned out on whatever Rozen was talking about.
For some reasons, his eyes drew towards the young lady who had been trying to remain inconspicuous by the corner.
When she noticed that he was looking at her, she paled a bit and curtsied.
"Good evening and welcome home, your highness…" her voice was very soft. Briar almost failed to hear what she had said.
"If you will excuse me… I'll take my leave so that your highnesses could catch up. You haven't seen each other for years." She nervously made her way out the chamber.
After the lady-in-waiting left, Rozen had chattered about the things she has been doing. Briar half listened to what she was talking about. His thoughts were invaded by the lady-in-waiting earlier.
For the past four years, not a single woman had caught his attention. He was even glad that his brother was so busy that he never meddled with Briar's life.
Reed or their father could never force him to marry any woman whom he was not interested in.
Only Lily was on his mind for all these 4 years. But laying his eyes on this young lady-in-waiting made Briar's heart leap. Such strong attraction… this feeling is entirely new.
For the next few days he discovered that the woman is called Atropa Hemlock.
