/27/ Farewell, Lord Caesar

Everyone was stunned, and all eyes turned to Sania at the same time sending a shiver down the young Queen's spine, and left her to wonder what she must have done wrong.

"A lady doesn't speak in matters like these unless they were asked to." Queen Lila explained while staring disdainfully at Sania.

"In case your human mother did not teach you that, I will." She added it was an opportunity to get back at Sania for the embarrassment her son caused, and she grasped it without a second thought.

"I apologize, my Lord," Sania uttered, she regretted not listening to Taffi and just listened. But at the same time, she wondered why women were being restricted so much.

"We can't decide who to marry, but the men can? We can't bring up our ideas in meetings but the men can. What nonsense," she thought.

"How did I not notice this in all my years as a princess? "

"I pardon you," Taffi said.

"Also you may speak to me privately about your ideas, I'll do well to let you know if they are welcomed," Taffi added with his King-like demeanor.

This was no time to treat her like he would when they were alone.

"I understand, my Lord," Sania replied and kept her head low.

"Your wife seems to know what to do, I'll wait for your reply then, Taffi." Caesar stood up as though he was ready to leave. It happened to be one of the shortest discussions Sania ever witnessed.

"I see you have concluded already, Lord Caesar," Taffi addressed him with respect only because the man was old enough to be his father.

"I concluded before coming here Taffi, let me know what you have decided in two week.We shall take our leave now." Caesar proceeded to depart alongside his council.

"Be careful what you call upon yourself Lord Caesar, you may regret it…

"I have nothing to regret Taffi, may the gods direct you," Caesar interjected and turned around to face Taffi briefly.

"Your father would have done better."

Taffi held his tongue, comments that compared him to his father never ceased to offend him, but as always, a king must learn to keep their emotions in check at all times to avoid looking weak or vulnerable.

"Farewell, Lord Caesar," Taffi concluded and watched his guest leave the throne room without escorting them like he would on a normal day.

Once he was gone, Taffi sighed heavily and sat back on his throne, his royal adviser Zafar came before him and said,

"I will proffer a solution to our problems within the next two days, my lord, the King of Belta wants nothing but war…

"That's what it seems," Taffi interjected.

"But I will not let that happen, my lord, I'll discuss it with the council and every nobleman in the kingdom, we might negotiate with Lord Caesar so this will not result in a conflict." Zafar took a bow, he was rather confident in his abilities, even though Taffi barely showed interest in his suggestions.

"Very well then," Taffi said,

"I hope to hear from you within two days."

Zafar bowed a second time before he exited the throne room.

"Hmm," O'Neil uttered for the first time since the discussion.

"I've never seen a ruler this interested in conflict, I have a feeling that his complaint isn't the only thing he wants."

"It isn't," Taffi replied, he already knew that after his father's death, a lot of rulers would come after his kingdom because they assumed he was quite a young king. He was the youngest King recorded in the Kingdom division.

He knew that they believed he couldn't handle a Kingdom, but he had proved them wrong so far by maintaining the prosperity that his father initiated.

To avoid conflict, Taffi worked hard to keep a good relationship with other rulers, but it appears that not everyone can be pleased.

"What will you do, then?" Ezekiel, the third prince of Azeera asked him, it was just then that Sania noticed that Taffi had two brothers and not just O'Neil, but she never met him.

"Who else am I yet to meet?" She wonder.

"I'll prepare, while I try to find a solution, I want to be ready in case Lord Caesar tries anything stupid."

"Very well then, if you need help, you know where to find me." Ezekiel excused himself and so did O'Neil.

That left Sania and Taffi along with Lila and Tehila. Sania became uncomfortable, with what happened before the meeting, she knew that Lila would not let it slide.

"I'll take my leave as well," she said, it was the option she had to escape whatever was coming.

"Please do, I hope you have learned a valuable lesson today?" Lila asked and Sania wanted to ignore it, but instead, she replied,

"Yes, my lady and I apologize. It won't happen again."

Lila ignored her, but Sania was glad that she did, so she walked out of the throne room with Melissa, out of curiosity, she stopped near the exit and stood in a place where she wouldn't be seen. She wanted to know what will be discussed, and Melissa has no right to question her.

"How could you, Taffi?" Lila started, she stared disdainfully at her son on the throne.

"I should be asking you the question, mother," Taffi snapped,

"If I remember correctly, you said you wouldn't sympathize with a stranger regardless of who they are to me, in the same manner, Mother, I will not agree to take a stranger as my wife, regardless of who they are to you."

He stole a glance at Tehila and stood up to leave, he didn't want to talk about it because left it to his mother, the conversation might stretch for hours.

"Taffi, don't you dare walk away from me…

"What else could be done to me, mother?" Taffi asked her,

"I am already cursed because of you, and as long as you don't accept my decision, the curse will stand, there is nothing else anyone can do. Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to my wife who has a solution to my problem that you do now have."

Without wasting a moment, Taffi walked away and as soon as Sania realized that he was walking away, she picked up the pace. But she had barely gone far enough when Taffi's voice echoed through the hallway.

"You are still here?"