Elena was surprised by the noble’s warning, she was unable to answer, but she knew he was mentioning that there was a spy near the king.

As the noble finished his warning, he along with other nobles continued their walk in the castle hallways. Elena then walked on the opposite end to her room to finally pack her things for her secret escape to the border.

As she walked down the hallway, she reached her room’s door and opened it, by her surprise a silhouette of a man was at her balcony, she looked at her room vigilantly and in one of her desk, was an opened letter, he probably was the one that opened it.

She became vigilant, she raised her hand a little, and a small spark of flames started sparkling on her palm, eventually making a small fireball.

“Elena, are you scared, it’s just me.”

This familiar voice, a low and serious tone, it was his first brother, Julius Linoire, the first prince and next heir to the Linoirean throne. She was rest assured in knowing the man was her brother, her fireball then disappeared at her palm.

He was standing at the balcony, neither observing the view or thinking of what to do next, but for her surprise he interrogated her.

“I suppose you don’t know yet, but Duchess Lia is connected to third prince Jon, she is certainly planning on trapping you. Both sides are at a standstill, the Nobility of Jon knows they are defeated, their largest army is crushed.”

He said in a straightforward manner at Elena.

“What do you mean? She is not connected to him, she is my friend and classmate in the mage academy I can trust her.”

Julius, her brother, looked back at her, rotating his entire body at her, he then walked to her with his hand at his sword’s handle.

“You don’t know anything about war, war is not only about strategies, it’s also about deceiving.”

He told Elena in a manner that was warning her.

“What do-“

She was interrupted by her brother’s addition.

“There is a rat in our lines, a golden rat, maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe not.”

“I’ve heard of it brother! But aren’t you a little anxious? You’re even pointing your sword at me.”

Elena told his brother to which he was still vigilant.

“I’m watching you, Elena, if I find you snooping in places, you’re not allowed in, I’ll kill you.”

He then walked pass Elena and left the room in a storm.

“What’s is wrong with him.”

Elena then had forgotten their argument and proceeded to read the letter that was left on the table, it was already read, so there was no point in keeping it a secret escape anymore.

First brother is too anxious and cautious, I mean his own sister, a spy?!

The contents of the letters was that the father of Lia, Duke Votle, had agreed to send in 2,000 of his soldiers, but first Elena needed to talk with the duke and oversee his volunteers, for a more appropriate and official negotiation and intervention.

***

Meanwhile in another room, the king, Leona, and Fredrick sat in different chairs and conducted a secret meeting.

“Father, we need to end this diplomatically! Our knights and soldiers and tired, just give them their land back!”

Fredrick requested his father to end the war against the nobility of Jon, Politically. But his father looked down on the floor of the room in a depressed state.

“I can’t.”

He straightforwardly said to Fredrick while looking at the floor. This almost enraged Fredrick who stood up from his seat.

“What do you mean we can’t? we destroyed their largest army, didn’t we?! Use that to negotiate peace!”

Fredrick yelled at his father, he was desperate to end the war, without no more lives being costed, but his father gave a shocking reply.

“I already tried! They killed the emissary!”

This made Fredrick silent, but his father was still not done.

“They killed the Emissary and they want all of the kingdom’s land! The Nobility wants our heads! Can’t you see?!”

His father, this time yelled back at Fredrick, after yelling, he gave a sorrowful look at the floor, evading eye contact from the two of his children.

“The King of Jon said to me before his execution… ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth… this runs in our family’s blood.’ He said to me.”

He then looked back at Fredrick and said.

“To which I responded, ‘Then I’ll have to kill your entire bloodline!’, I didn’t want this to happen.”

Hearing his father, the king’s response, Fredrick sat in a defeated like manner.

“If you want leave and hide, then go, I’d accept my death, but I can’t stand to see my children die, I made a promise to her, and I’ll fulfill it.”

His father wanted his children to escape from the kingdom, leaving him to command alone. But Fredrick was shattered, with no way to end the war without no more blood being shed, he was at a standstill.

“So, this is what King Jon felt when I marched my army in his castle.” the king silently laughed.

All three of them then went silent inside the room.

But they were being eavesdropped by another person from outside the door, not being noticed by the three royal family members, to which he had heard everything.