THE ART OF CONTENTMENT

Azra stiffened as he instantly noticed the horrifying state of the noble Crowned Prince.

In a swift motion, he dropped to his wobbling knees and welded his forehead to the ground simultaneously with his palms.

"Please punish me, Your Highness." He cried out with a trembling sound without disengaging his head from being cemented to the ground.

If only he accompanied the prince on his perilous mission, he would not endure getting wounded. Even though he was waiting patiently for him at the coastline, he should have trailed after him. 

Raigon admonished him with his authoritative hand and demanded him to rise up. ]

"I am at fault here. You don't have to condemn yourself," Raigon calmed his faithful helper down in a stern voice. He flexed his knees and lifted Azra, so he could stand up. Azra complied in an instant.

He gazed at the nighttime sky as he pondered on the unique events that took place while he was being 'Red'. 

As much as he wanted to stay and protect Zoe, his family would be in great peril if they would know where he is right now. 

"Are you still in connection with the Yangs?" He asked Azra.

The Yangs are secret spies of the land that Azra's family was connected with. 

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Pick one of them. I have something important for him to do."

"Yes, Your Highness."

'I couldn't bear to lose her again.' he resolved to himself. 

He stayed silent for a while, contemplating the events that unfolded. 

Though he couldn't carry out his intended purpose, he was satisfied with the imminent risk that he undertook just to get to Lord Howe Island.

He saw Zoe again and had a magnificent time with her.

His radiant smile didn't last long as he recalled the culprit of his injured arm. He furrowed his brows as he recollected him mentioning Lady Zhou.

Although he wanted to defend his beloved city, he couldn't shake off the possessive instinct to protect her too.

"Are you familiar with Zhou's?" He asked Azra in a grave tone. He has never heard of that surname in the Land of Terra. But perhaps Azra knew.

His grandfather is a historian and has kept information dealing with the region and the surrounding islands.

He knew Azra had been secretly snooping around his private library in his love for extensive knowledge. It is possible he had read something connected with them too.

"Zhous?" Azra mused about the curious Crowned Prince's burning question. He knew he read about the Zhou's somewhere.

He searched around him to see if anything could give a clue to him. He glimpsed back at the Lord Howe Island, which seemed like a lighted lotus from where they are.

After a considerable time, he remembered. "The Zhou's are one of the original landowners of Lord Howe Island, your Highness. But they fled the island fifteen years ago after the Great Bloodbath."

He proceeded on. "A few years ago, they came back and re-established their household businesses, which are flourishing now and generating enormous profits to the land."

"As of now, Lady Claudia Zhou and her daughter Veronica are managing their commercial affairs, your Highness."

Raigon narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin. 'A mother and daughter tandem. Could it be the same mother and daughter that he was looking for?'

"Have they been at Terra before?" Raigon continued to pry on them.

"There is nothing recorded on the documents about them entering our territory, Your Highness." He promptly reported.

After gathering the disclosed information, Raigon tucked his arm and contemplated in silence.

'If they haven't crossed the threshold before, are they attempting to do it now? Or was it the citizens of Terra who were going out of the island to negotiate with them?

And why is that man spying on them? Do they recognize him as a Crowned Prince? Or are they spying on Zoe? He recalled she also suffered some issues with that family a few days ago.

"I have to go back," he resolved to himself. He looked back at Lord Howe Island, beaming like a smiling moon at the dark canvass of the dreary sky.

At that point, he glanced at the Ball's Pyramid, which seemed like a worn rug compared to the former, with a murky foreboding shadow overclouding it.

It seemed too terrifying for a tourist to visit. But way beyond, remain a glorious and prosperous kingdom, thriving to maintain its splendor and stability amidst the decaying earth.

Both were beauteous and magnificent in their own way. And would remain to be if they would not be greedy to covet more.

"If only humans could learn to be contented," he sighed hopelessly as he got out of the boat and entered the abysmal depths of the dark, ominous Blackvine Forest.