Chapter 4

The prince knelt right before the king who sat on the throne proudly while his beloved concubine stood next to him, wrapping her arms around the king's neck.

"I am here for your call, Your Majesty." Calamir didn't raise his head.

"Calamir, my son. Your sister rebelled quite hard, it's your turn to settle her like I used to when you rebelled against me before. Make sure she learn to dance so that she can dance with her fiance at the banquet."

"I understand, Your Majesty." Then he got up and walked to the exit door, but King Charles called for him.

"Calamir. I'd appreciate it if you call me 'father' like you used to."

He stared at those yearning eyes of that old man, but somehow, Calamir couldn't find to pity him. "It's fine. Let's be this way, Your Majesty." And he left.

King Charles didn't mind about his son ignoring him, he just wanted Calamir to be the next king with that attitude so that peoppe won't look down on him. It's even better if he's never find someone he loves, only a worth heir to raise on the throne.

Knock, knock!

The door was knocked, while there's no response.

"Eclara, can I come in?" Despite waiting for her answer, Calamir opened the door and saw his sister who's enjoying the soft breeze on the veranda. "Did you not hear me knocking?" He came closer to Eclara, not even looking at him.

Calamir passionately gazed into her pretty eyes that only displayed sorrowful. Her cherry lips were chapped as the time passed by, even the wrinkles appeared under her eyes.

"Calamir."

He was surprised by the way she addressed him, not like the usual 'Your Highness'.

"If I was going to rebel, would you be with me?"

An unexpected question was thrown directly to him, who's becoming more confused. He stared at her unwavered persistent eyes.

"There's a limit to stay stupid, Eclara. Is this because of the king told you to dance? This is for your sake, for your fiance too."

Furious by listening to the word fiance, Eclara glared at him. "So you're saying that you and the king know me better than me?" A frustration was shown in her aqua blue eyes.

"You're taking out your anger to me now. Maybe it's my fault for not educating you myself. Only then, you're not able to talk back to me."

Those words were like a dull sword that forcely stabbed on her chest while it was hardly penetrating into the chest. Eclara now being taken over by Ronea, of course she knew Eclara better than anyone, and she knew Calamir too! But she couldn't tell the truth of everything.

"Calamir. You said it yourself. But aren't you the same? Living as the king's lifeless pawn who only does what being told like an idiot?"

Slap!

He snapped, that's why he slapped his own sister. The sister who'd never talk back, the sister who'd never get mad, the sister who'd never raise her voice. All the same as he himself, now he tasted the rebellion of her sister who used to lower her head like he did to King Charles.

Was that a spitting image of him if he were going to rebel against his father once again? He'll get slapped by his father just like how he slapped Eclara. A wheel was going to wheel until the end.

He looked at his trembling hand that slapped Eclara's white cheek. While she just stared in those dark gray eyes, that showed only remorse. And Eclara knew that better than Calamir himself.

"Calamir. You shouldn't decide other's thing yourself. If you're claiming that you know me better, then I will also claim that I know you better. I accept no debate."

Strange, he noticed how the sister changed so much. Those eyes that were used to be dead, now they're as if an ocean that wanted to swallow everything. Did something trigger her brain that she turned into someone else? Calamir just couldn't find the answers to every of his questions.

"I'm waiting for someone."

He looked at Eclara. "Who?"

"Doesn't matter. But she is a girl. Let's make a deal, if she comes to me, you have to side with me. But if she doesn't, lock me up and burn me to death."

Of course, whoever heard that would think that she's crazy for sure. "I can do the deal, but I will not lock you up or burn you."

"You're the next king, Calamir. How can you be so soft? What if I were to betray you someday? Would you still say those words?"

He couldn't look directly in her eyes, starting to doubt everything and getting baffled all over the conversation. Like what will happen if he rashly make decision?

"Calamir. You're supposed to respond. It's more polite to answer the question than being silent." Eclara's strong gaze was burning towards him. Knowing that he's in a panic and confusion, she told him to sit on the chair that near the veranda doors. "Calamir. You should know the king better than me. But I can't say that since I know him too."

"How can you changed so much?" He replied all of Eclara's questions with a question.

"Doesn't matter. What you need to do is, pick a side."

Calamir was known as a very strong crown prince and he's scary as much as the king. But people know how much he loved his sister, that's why he's having the worst beakdown when both of his beloved siblings died. But now, he only knew the existence of Eclara, since the plot changed, and Ronea knew it well.

Step, step, step...

She glanced at the doors and looked at Calamir. "The deal, has been made."

Clack!

She didn't know who was that man who's all smiling when entering the room without even knocking. But then she recognized the hair colour and those beautifully spine-chilling eyes.

"Nyxon, you're not knocking before entering a girl's bedroom." She glares at Nyxon who just walked closer without listening to her.

"My Prince, you're sweating alot. Are you having a seizure?" He brushed Calamir's hair with his five fingers.

"No... I was having an intense conversation with Eclara." Calamir wiped off his sweats while Nyxon only looked at him and then at Eclara.

Knock, knock!

The three of them turned that way where there's Eclara's personal maid, Kayla, who's standing at the door.

"Your Highness the princess, Madam is calling for you at her room." She bowed.

"Tell her, I won't go." Her eyes contained no feelings, but those cold bluish colour made Kayla obeyed her.

Of course, both Nyxon and Calamir would be surprised and looked at her.

"What do you think you are doing, Eclara?" The brother shook her body while the panic started to attack him.

"I told you, right? I am rebelling." She threw such a blazing stare at him, while Nyxon silently noticed how much she had changed.

"But father will punish you later."

"Huh? Father? Who?"

Nyxon tried to hold back the excitement in him, because Calamir seemed snapped. "Eclara. You've gone mad."

"Say what you want. That old man will only be under my foot soon." She glared at both of them.

"My Lady! This is bad, the madam is coming here!" Says Kayla looking so panic over that.

And Claudia barged in with two of her lady in waiting, looking at me furiously while swinging her hand fan towards me. "You stupid girl, you've anger me now. You should know the consequence."

"Of course. But should I care?"

"Eclara!" Calamir still couldn't let her be rude.

"Calamir. If you're here just to be noisy, get out." Her words made Calamir speechless and only Nyxon could comfort him.

"How can you talk to your brother like that?" Claudia came a bit closer to Eclara.

"Is that your business?"

Eclara's words finally made her snapped, and she slapped her twice. Calamir and Nyxon were only there just to watch both of the women fight each other even though it's one sided.

"Damn, it's thrice today." She wiped the little blood that came out from the corner of her mouth. And then her eyes glimpsed at the window, and saw a beautiful girl who's standing at the palace main gate. A smile crossed her lips and she broke the window with her bare hands, jumping out through the it without turning to either of them.

"Eclara!!!" Calamir reached out his hands to catch her but it's too late, the feelings of losing someone he loved finally hit him. Because of how weak he was, she decided to kill herself.

'This is my fault...' Not ready to look at the corpse, Nyxon was there tapping on his shoulder.

"She's not dead." He said, and Calamir looked out for the body.

*

15 minutes before...

The paper that I held tight was my only source, to look out for Ronea. There's a kind uncle who drew me a palace of Axteg, but I couldn't find it anywhere here!

Could it be... A scam?!

I shook my head, avoiding from such negative thoughts. Let's see, who should I ask? Ah, there!

"Em, excuse me." I almost stuttering from having so much anxiety about whether he will look down on me for not knowing the palace location. But when he turned his head, I was shocked and him too.

It's the man from the forest! The so-called male lead!

"You! You ran away with that guy!" He grabbed me by my shoulder, of course my tiny bone would feel hurt! "Now I caught you, tell me about that guy too. And I will sue you two for sure!"

Hm, what to do? I couldn't do anything... Since he's the son of a marquis. Firstly, punch him.

And I ran as fast I could after I landed a punch on his nose. Maybe he's having a mental breakdown after his nose being crunched twice today. Ha! Serve you right!

After a while, I stopped. But I don't think I was lost, since I was at the front main gate of Axteg palace. But what to do? Talk to guards? Meh, they will kick me and accuse me for being suspicious.

Step, step, step, step...!

Hm? Wait, that's...

"Claire!!"

The princess I barely know, but my real name that no one knows except only her. And I know she's Ronea.

"Ronea. Did you wait long?" My hands clutched onto her back as she gave a big hug. She nodded as a response while the guards were reporting the situation to the king.

"What a pain..." She sighed before turning her head to the guards. "Every little thing must you all report to the king? If that so, why don't you report to him about your night with your wives? Make sure don't leave a detail where you sticking it out or in."

The death glare of the obedient princess finally shut them up and they returned to their positions.

"Let's go in first, let's take a shower and eat together. You might be hungry from a far journey, right?" She smiled and gave me a kiss on a cheek. And the people who witnessed that, were shocked by such treatment I got from their princess.

The moment I stepped into the palace, I saw two men were standing at the front stairs. They're Calamir and... Urgh... Nyxon...

"Eclara! How can you jumped like that? Don't you know that's dangerous!?" Calamir quickly got to Eclara and hugged her deeply. While both of me and Nyxon only stared each other.

"So, Princess Eclara is the friend you're talking about. How unexpected, Lysandra." Nyxon ruffled my hair while the two siblings making out some drama.

"Sir, would you kindly refrain from calling me so intimately? People might misunderstand us." I had no energy to push him who's locking my head in his left arm, since it's not hurt.

"Misunderstanding? Why would they? They all know who I'm into."

I was surprised by that. "Who?" I looked at him curiously, but all he did was grinning like he was having fun teasing me. "Em. I'm sorry for trying to evading your privacy."

Nyxon's smile faded as he heard me apologizing, but then he stared at me. Of course I don't know what he's thinking.

"Nyxon. Don't do that to her. She's weak." There comes Calamir who pulled me from Nyxon's grasp, while Ron- Eclara was confused looking at them.

"Are the three of you... Know each other?" She asked, her hands tried to pull me too.

"That's what I want to ask you two, Nyxon and Eclara." Says Calamir, locking his eyes on both of Nyxon and Eclara.

"My Prince and My Princess, the question is being forwarded to you two." Nyxon smirked while his hands still strengthened to grab me.

"Who is that girl?"

The four of them looked up at the stairs, Claudia who slowly came down as she gave a disgusted look to me. I didn't recognize her but the way she talks, made me aware of it.

"Madam." Both Calamir and Nyxon bowed towards her. While there was me who thought that Nyxon can actually be respectful, since I forgot his fox-looking face.

"How dare you bring in someone dirty like her? Should I tell your father?" Claudia flapped her fan while her face was halfway can be seen by us.

"Eclara, don't say something like you said to me earlier." Whispered Calamir, his big hand pulled a tiny corner part of Eclara's sleeve dress. But she ignored his advice and glared at Claudia.

"You should lay low, you know?" Says Eclara, her hand was holding mine. That's how she said to go through things together. And Nyxon noticed our little action.

"What is with the ruckus?"

Claudia nervously looking at King Charles who just got out from his room, looking tired after handling so many works. His eyes were glancing at Claudia and the kids. And Eclara pulled Calamir closer to Nyxon as Nyxon was only next to him, to hide my existence.

"Eclara. I don't recall of letting you to be rude to your mother." His words was said in a low tone, but we know that he's actually mad at how people treated his second wife.

"Your Majesty, it's my fault for not--"

"I only have one mother. There's no second to her."

Calamir stepped in the tension between the two of them, but Eclara was much quicker to cut his words. That's why he looked at her with more anxious face, thinking that she might get scolded for this later.

"Eclara, you interrupt your brother's words. You know it's rude, right?" Claudia closed the distance between her and the king.

"This is between us siblings." Eclara was too stubborn than anyone could think, not because she was pressured but it's because she deserved to see their downfalls.

"Eclara!" The loud yet rough voice filled the hall room with echoes. But Eclara's eyes were still burning on the king.

Here I thought, Calamir only feared King Charles not because of the punishment. But it's because of he loved Eclara so much, not willing to see the father scolding her. But the stubbornness changed the situation, even King Charles was frustrated as hell right now. There's only Nyxon I could depend on since he's enjoying the show too much while holding back his excitement to kill the old man for Calamir's sake.

Yes, to be honest. I actually fell for Nyxon's loyalty and craziness. He might be the one who's the hardest for Calamir to control, but he's also the only who would be there for him in any worst moment.

So I decided to not let things get ugly, and I tapped on Eclara's palm with my index finger. And she noticed me.

"Don't stir up the trouble. Be a good girl, Ron. We'll meet again later." I whispered, of course using the air languange.

She was reluctant to let me go, but then she agreed and nodded.

And I looked at Nyxon and awkwardly smiled. "Can I be inside of your cape? Sir?"

Nothing could come from that wasn't funny, but to him, my words turned into jokes. He couldn't help it and brusted out laughing. Definitely, all the people switched their eyes target to him.

"Nyxon. What is so funny?" King Charles wrinkled his eyebrows while there's an upset looking on his face.

"Who are you to question me?" And the red bloody eyes pierced right into the king with a murderous aura, even Calamir couldn't withstand it and tried to stop him.

King Charles, accustomed to wielding power, would find Nyxon's threats unsettling due to Nyxon's strategic cunning, unpredictability, and ability to exploit vulnerabilities in ways that challenge the traditional sources of the king's strength. Nyxon's methods may involve covert operations, information manipulation, and a keen understanding of political dynamics, keeping King Charles on edge.

Hm, I don't see Nyxon as a manipulative person or someone who's actually intelligent since he's always laughing with nothing funny was going on. But seeing how the king reacted nervously when Nyxon stared at him, maybe the author was right.

"Eclara. Come to my room." Says King Charles while returning to his room. "Claudia, don't stick into this." This time, he didn't let the concubine get involved. Of course, she was angry and left.

Calamir wanted to follow the two of them, but the king prohibited him to.

And Eclara was looking at me for the last time before she followed the king. I took the chance to tell her not to cause troubles and properly apologize. Her nod did send me some relief.

And there was Nyxon, staring at me suspiciously. "Are you and the princess..."

Ah, I would love to tell him or Calamir or the world that 'Yes, we're best friends!'

"Are you the princess' lover?" He snickered while messing with my hair. A bit disappointed, that I couldn't brag about our friendship. This man's every word was totally unexpected.

"Quit it, how do you know my sister, Lysandra?" Finally Calamir spoke.

"My Prince, won't you at least prepare to treat her as a guest?" Says Nyxon, wrapping his arm around my neck. He really loved choking me.

"Ah, I'm sorry for my poor manners. Butler James, please guide her to the guest room." Calamir ordered the butler who's already aged so much, and since James had a white hair meant that he's much older than the king.

We sat on the luxury baroque sofas while waiting for the tea being poured by a maid.

"So, how did the two of you meet?" The earlier topic was asked by Calamir, like an interviewer would ask.

"The first time was when she's crying." Answers Nyxon, proudly raised both of his eyebrows while glancing at me. I can see how his eyes were smiling.

"Crying?" He passed the tea cups to me and Nyxon.

"Nothing much. A depression just hit me at that time." I laughed awkwardly. "And he gave me his handkerchief."

Calamir glimpsed at Nyxon who's enjoying the tea, and finally he sighed. "That's the first, what about the second time?"

"The second time was when she begged me to guide her to Axteg. But unexpectey, her destination was the same as me. If I had known it sooner, I would bring her with me all the way to the palace. Instead, we parted way after lunch together." Nyxon was arrogantly telling a story with me as a total nuisance to him.

The prince nodded as he took turn to drink the tea.

"May I take the chocolate one?" My index finger was pointing at a slice of chocolate moist cake that was served on the table, there were also muffins and macaroons. But since my favourite was chocolate flavoured, my drool couldn't be hidden anymore.

"Sure. We prepared the desserts for you, Lysandra." Says Calamir, to be a little more responsive, he smiled briefly.

"Ah, by the way. During our journey, we met with Marquis Jude's son. He's crazily after Lysandra, maybe he thought that we both did something obscene at the middle of the forest, and in a daytime. That's why, as a heroic son of his father, he had to claim the job, to purge all the sinners?"

Calamir looked at Nyxon. "Seriously? Then what did he do to purge you?"

"He firstly sent his subordinates to kill us, but my sword was thirsty. You should know the consequence of having the bad intentions towards me. And I injures him, then escaped with Lysandra."

Calamir twitched his eyebrows. "So you killed people in front of her?"

Nyxon was silent as he glanced at me. "Are you... Afraid of me?"

I gazed into those red eyes, normally they'd filled murderous intent or hunger for bloods. But this time, his eyes were showing such a sadness within it while the smile kept hiding it.

Of course, Nyxon was one of the most tough characters, that's because he had to survive alone. And that's when he met with the prince.

"I'm not afra--"

"Nah! I know. If you're truly scared of me, you wouldn't waiting for me at the bridge. You would hop onto the bridge with my horse, while your life is at stakes before the bridge could fall. But you'd rather die as an accident than dying from someone's hand who would be called as a murderer."

His face didn't change as he said that, but the tone he used while the soft gaze was on me, I could feel that he's actually comfortable around me already. Maybe he's that confident.

"Yes." The tense in the atmosphere finally lowered.

"And? How did you two met?" Nyxon turned his head towards Calamir who's eating a green macaroon. But he seemed reluctant to tell the story.

"The Prince was the first person I met after I regained my consciousness." I smiled while looking at Calamir who's also looking at me.

"Wait, did you faint or what? Regaining consciousness?" Asks Nyxon, sitting up as he was riled up by my story.

"... Well... It should be a secret for now."