The Elwicks

"the celebration is in two days, and the other kingdoms are acting normally. So far nothing unusual has been identified. It is all too quiet for my liking.," Henndar spoke to a middle-aged man in a purple robe and grey hair that went below his shoulders. He was handsome by leagues above handsome men, and even Henndar whose beauty was unnatural had to accept Henndar as his superior in that area. He had a slight resemblance to Henndar, and his yellow eyes seemed to contain the experience of the whole world. He looked so calm one would feel relaxed just being by him. He was Gebreth, the grand adviser to the king, and even though he looked young, rumors said he was very old, even older than the kingdom itself. It was a known fact that the higher one climbed the rungs in the ladder of cultivation, the more easily one could appear young. There were even the prodigies who took the appearance of children. There wasn't a single person in the kingdom who could go against the grand adviser, and people had not even seen him use his power before but feared him like crazy.

Gebreth seemed to glide across the floor in the manner with which he walked " Everything is quiet you say?" He asked Henndar

"Yes, and with that, I feel this might just be the calm before the storm. Their greatest plots always go unnoticed until it's too late," Henndar replied.

Gebreth nodded in agreement. " I have the same thoughts as well. As of now, do you expect any visitors from outside the kingdom? "

" Invites have been sent as usual, but they will only start showing up starting tomorrow "

"What about the Elwicks, your other family? Their influence has increased some more and per my sources, they are deliberately leaking information to the public, soiling the name of the royal family. Their lies are gaining roots. What have you to say about that?" Gebreth skillfully changed the topic. He watched Henndar carefully but saw no change in his expression.

Henndar sighed at that. It was clear the issue about the Elwicks bothered him as well. His original surname was Elwick. That was his real family, the most powerful family in the Vermillion kingdom so far. They were business tycoons and had been growing since the kingdom was created. They had part of the royal blood in them, but the true blood runs through only a select few. He was the one to have the blood flow through his veins after the previous king had died. He had to ascend the throne and take Vermillion as his surname and discard the Elwicks. initially, the Elwicks were benefitting from having him on the throne, but when they started doing the unthinkable, he separated himself and that started the cold war between the royal family and the Elwicks. Things got worse when he married the half-elf, Kethra. Now they were desperately trying to turn the populace against him.

"Not long ago, I sent some spies into their places and found lots of illegal products being bought in large quantities. I had the buyers traced but the leads got nowhere. the products disappeared right under their noses., so I put in extreme measures to prevent them from being smuggled into the walls of the kingdom. Yesterday, I had one auction house closed because among the slave girls, I found one of the merpeople. Something else was also found," Henndar opened his palm, and a glass vial with a thick, deep red liquid within appeared. He held it up and Gebreth took it.

"Beast bane," Henndar said. Gebreth eyed it carefully for some time than some dark particles within caught his eye. After a while, he shook his head knowingly.

" This is not just beast bane. Normal beast bane will make beasts go rogue and attack crazily till death, but this has been mixed with the blood of a powerful beast. Even damned cultivators would go rogue as well if they come into contact with it."

Gebreth carefully opened it and pointed his index finger at it. It started to swirl slowly, With the center turning a darker shade of red. In no time, a bead started to form in the middle of the swirl. It began to rise, and thin strings of red from the vial hung onto it like a web. It floated above the vial and smaller rivulets floated to enter it. the strings of blood were absorbed by it, and it hardened. He took it in between his thumb and index finger, feeling it over like a pirate would a pearl.

"It is normal when this variant is mixed with normal beast bane, but the beast that was used for this one was way too powerful to have gone unnoticed. This did not happen by accident" HE frowned, ", the Elwicks purposefully imported this from wherever their source was and was going to give it to whichever devil wanted it. I can assure you that whoever the buyer is is no friend of the kingdom. I believe the same person bought the space eyes and Aleus. "

Henndar slightly frowned, a small crease on his brows" That doesn't sound correct, I see no connection, " Henndar stated. He noticed the bead had reduced slightly, he wouldn't have noticed it if not for his keen sense of perception around him. He thought it weird, but then he noticed the thin red threads around his two fingers and understood that Gebreth was absorbing them.

"Where are the children now?" Gebreth asked suddenly.

" they should probably be coming our way soon, " Henndar shrugged then a smile crept up his lips.

" The three you assigned to them, are they still on them?" Gebreth asked

" Yes, they should be concealed somewhere near them by now. Why the sudden curiosity?"

" Just feel they should be more attentive around them, especially these few days. Eyes may be on them, Evil eyes," Gebreth said emphasizing the last two words

"Okay"

" I suggest you send some men to keep a close eye on the people the other kingdoms may send. It could get risky, but it is appropriate for our safety." THe bead had disappeared then, and Gebreth seemed lost in thought.

" Well, Gebreth? I wanted you to let the kids off for today so they can have some free time. "

Gebreth chuckled " Your majesty doesn't have to ask me this"

" But you're their trainer. It's common courtesy that I ask."

" You don't need to, anyways I was already going to leave them to their own devices."

" Oh, that makes things fit in place perfectly then. Too bad Aramith won't be joining them." Henndar sighed and Gebreth eyed him.

" As a father, I find it quite strange that you let your son go through that, and you seem to even enjoy it. I wish you had that same childhood, then you'd understand his pain."

"It's not like he's being murdered or thrown off a cliff, and why do you have to make it sound like I'm the one doing it to him."

" That is no feasible excuse, you know. You have more than enough power to keep him out of all that trouble, but you still do nothing to help him. All you do is nothing other than aggravate his pain. A great father you are, Henndar."

"A great father I am, yes but the sarcasm with which you used to say those words say otherwise. "

" Quite impressive that you thought that as a compliment, king."

"I wouldn't have that title if I were dumb enough to think so, and why...this doesn't make sense."

"What are you muttering about over there? You should respect your elders you know?"

"Great words from a divine being such as you," Henndar grinned. Gebreth shook his head and stared at him weirdly.

"And where is your crown?"

Henndar's eyeballs moved up like he wanted to see the top of his head, then he grinned some more

" My crown? I don't need to wear it all the time to announce who I am. I can even choose to wear nothing, and I will still be respected as the king"

"You wouldn't have that respectful title in the eyes of your people if you did so, you know?"

"Ah using my own words against me, I see."

"I sense them nearby. we will be seeing them when we round this corner," Gebreth pointed with his palm, but stopped and turned to look at Henndar who'd stopped a few paces behind.

" What are you doing, " He asked.

Henndar looked at him seriously and caught up to him. He looked at the corner they were about to round, then back at Gebreth. " I'm thinking," he said " Once we round the corner, there will still be a little more walking before we meet them. Don't you think it would ruin the whole thing?"

God, he's going eccentric again, Gebreth thought. " What exactly is going on in that head of yours, Henndar?"

" I mean there will still be some walking. They are still walking towards us and if we go, they won't oh mind. " Henndar waved at him and turned to walk on ahead. Gebreth stood a little, looking at that head. "What crazy scene are you about to create," He thought out loud then followed.