124. Departure. * Volume Final.

After the people left we all went to them and give our own congratulations.

" You planned ahead huh little brother?

" Of course he did deputy leader..

" Dem, stop it..

" Ughh..Concentrate on your duties! LEADER ZEPHYR just said..

" Yeah, yeah ..calm yourself Master.

" That sounded sarcastic..

" Maybe it was..

" Zeph thank you for considering us family and know, we feel the same way. "

He took all their crazy and smiles and letting the girls off one by one. " I meant every word. For all you..good luck. "

Granny and Menir stayed. " I guess thinking of keeping a secret was pointless huh? "

He took granny hand. " No..I had a spy, obviously. "

""" Who!? """

He raised an eyebrow and pretended to think about it.

" I suppose, I keep that to my self for now, every good leader needs secrets. Now, let's go and get dressed we want to make it to the city tonight and sleep in a bed. "

He pointed at Carlos before taking my hand and lead us home to pack and say our goodbyes.

——

" Who is it? "

" Guess.."

My first and obvious one. " It's newly appointed Master Lucian, right? " - I peeked behind us and searched for the double agent.

He didn't answer or even changed his facial expressions. " I didn't say, I'm not just going to confirm it .."

Instead of spending our limited time with this, I just pulled him closer and enjoyed this time.

Inside our house they quickly went upstairs bundled up for the rode.

" Well that was.. expected, almost. " - Demelza voiced all our thoughts.

Granny took a well deserved seat next to the fire her partner currently worked on. " He looks so young, sometimes others and myself forgets just how much more mature he is that those his age."

" True, even on our first meeting.. " - Metill finally got the logs burning and fanned the flames until it enveloped them. " ..I honestly thought he will take my daughters..some of my land even, and Old Tori village will be practically owned by the boy. "

He took a seat next to her and they locked hands.

" He wasn't only a powerful individual but, also very smart and had a good heart to boot..and that was just the first five minutes. " - he smiled at the new comers who haven't heard it yet.

I had to smile at those summer memories.

" I'm sure Dharma will be charmed as well..Seline? What's the city name? "

Granny and the rest of us turned to her.

" They call it Civitas Dei. The holy city, where their Pope resides but not the king. " - she said it with a little smile.

They probably talked a lot, she could hold some information about snakes and such inside the Em household.

" Pope? As in priests? What about the King? " - this time it was Eleanor who asked all our questions.

She shrugged. " I only know that he is a high priest like the first acolyten in Malai with almost the same beliefs..stop the looks..it's not like, I'm a local. "

She turned to Ciren who quietly listened us and quickly understood. " Yeah..I'm ten."

She turned back to playing with Anna and Sir Dog.

We turned to the Boreas and the twins.

Nifa was the one took over. " The king and pope have a symbiotic relationship on the ourside just like here in Insatel. " - she picked out various cups and turned them into different colours one white and one black.

" The Faith and the Crown. Both positions are hereditary and both occupied by blessed for over a century. The King, lives with his family not far from the capital since, before I was born."

" Their 'unity' what allowed Dharma to remain independent from Chensler and his father's aggression. " - Cintia took over from her and had her eyes glowing, indicated she used her powers.

Two small doll size but, perfectly real people were formed on the table drawing everyone attention.

A young girl, who twirled around as if dancing with someone. Red hair, beautifully dressed in a yellow dress and a small tiara on her head.

She looked happy and bright enjoying the company of whomever held her hands,we couldn't see.

The other was a middle aged man around Carlos age maybe?

Except he was unattractive and did nothing but stood still staring at the dancing girl. Even tiny, he looked depraved with that disgusting expression on his face.

" Soon the only daughter of King Helim turns sixteen at which point she marries King Chensler oldest son..almost 20 years older...it's Eww but, will secure peace for generations between nations...if, it happens. "

She undid the illusions of the two.

" Doesn't the King have more male heirs? " - Eleanor was revolted like the rest, still looking at the place where the little princess danced gracefully.

One of the twins, Saam leaned forward. " He does..in fact he has several. But, his oldest son Jin as crown prince and little princess is who will be queen one day is a match. In Dharma theres no law against female royals inheriting the crown. "

It was all too political, disgusting for sure. Poor girl.

I remembered Cintia's last words. " What do you mean, if it happens? "

She looked upstairs toward our room. " The way I see it, Mai Sakarai will have to die because Zephyr will never kneel. So once he inevitable dies, his older brother the King will somehow, someway will find out."

She stole the attention again creating two man on the table slightly larger scale.

I never saw them in person but, these two must be the the king and his brother.

Both looked like snakes taking human form.

Tall and skinny, with black hair both shoulder length in fact they would've looked identical if not for the one on the left having an almost grey beard.

He must be king Chensler the Conqueror huh? He looked nothing like those faces carved on the coins used in Insatel.

She smiled and made a larger scaled man..my husband sitting behind them on the throne. " Let's face it...numbers only mean anything on actual battlefields. The King, if he understands anything of his power will have to hide underground like a sewer rat. Otherwise he dies and my love, remind me what happens once the head of the army dies?"

" Well.." - she smiled at her talented wife." ..usually the one left in command will have two choices. One, fight and possibly die a horrendous death for a now dead and might I add..unpopular King. "

She nudged her wife whose eyes immediately lit up again.

" Or..he kneels before one of the children of God. " - she pointed a bunch of soliders look alikes kneeling in front of Zephyr in endless rows. " ..after all, its not unthinkable or unprecedented. Powerful individuals can erase noble houses as easy as they breathing. "

Nifa made a theatrical hand gestures around the Zephyr illusion and her wife created a crowned version of my husband.

Once again her power of charming this many at once is ..insane.

"" That's what we think anyway..""

They left the room stunned and with a lot to unwrap. I heard noises..

" Hey, it's time my loves..w-what was that? " - Zephyr in the flesh this time pointed at the table where the illusions were a second ago.

He walked down wearing several layers under his coat and Carlos were the same plus a bag filled with probably just food and coins now.

" I'm entertaining the people Astoria..problem? You know how much my actual services cost? I'm just as famous as Nifa! "

Her words and attitude was enough too dispel his suspicions. " Calm down..geez. I think ..just saw myself there in an..

" Didn't you say, it's time...c'mon Zeph, I'm burning up over here. "

Carlos was quick on the uptake and nudged him towards the door. We followed outside each saying our goodbyes.

" Three days! Understand? "

" You know what?..from now on, I will only stay three days wherever I go!!..until you tell me otherwise..how does that sound? "

I pinched him before our final kisses for..three days.

" Babe..? "

He looked up." Yeah, I know...souvenirs. "

" I love you.."

" I know you do.."

I saw from the edge of my view that mother was holding hands with Carlos and give him a tight hug.

" Princess..look after your mother and keep up with training. "

" I will.." - she was sad to see him leave but Ciren was close behind as support.

" Alright, good people..we will be back three days right here. "

He gave us a few more sad kisses then waited for Carlos to hop on his back ..they looked silly and endured our laughter before disappeared completely.