27: Home

Another couple of days had passed, it's our seventh day now. We've been here for a week now and until now, I still haven't formulated a plan for retaliation. I want to accept Zairo's offer but the thing is, Zairo had already helped us so much that I feel bad at the thought of relying on him in helping me reclaim my throne.

"Are we running out of stocks already?" I asked my knights when I saw them discussing something in the kitchen

"I'm afraid so, your majesty." Sir Charles answered

"We can go back to the kingdom and buy supplies, your majesty." Dame Maia said

I turned up the volume of the spy bugs for news regarding the palace, the rumors are recorded as well so we can hear everything.

[To think that the late queen had trusted them, those knights must've really wanted the power.] I looked at them and sighed

"As expected of them," I muttered

"You've been labeled as traitors." I told them and they don't seem that affected

"It's alright, your majesty, we would've been traitors if we failed to protect our queen." Dame Therese said

"Thank you for your loyalty." I said and they smiled

"Good morning, young prince." Dame Maia greeted the young prince who had just arrived

"Can we train now, Sir Charles?" he asked Sir Charles

"Are you not eating breakfast first, young prince?" Knight Stephen asked

"I want to train before eating." He answered

"Isn't it too early, young prince? The sun hasn't risen yet." Sir Charles asked

"The earlier, the better," He answered and looked at me

"Good morning, Queen." He said and I leaned down to kiss his cheek and he kissed my cheek

"Good morning, you've woke up quite early today." I said and he shook his head

"King woke me up." He pointed at his bracelet and I chuckled

"Oh, I see, I did tell him you asked Sir Charles to train you." I said and he looked at Sir Charles

"Can we train now, Sir Charles?" he asked Sir Charles again

"Your majesty?" Sir Charles asked and I nodded

"We can." Sir Charles answered the young prince and they left

It's quite amusing to watch a very determined young prince. He's merely four years old but he's too mature for his age, I guess it's because of the surrounding he grew up in.

"I wonder why the young prince of Arcadia is already mature." Dame Maia said and her eyes widened when she saw me looking at her

"I was just wondering, your majesty." She said

"Will Arcadia not target us? They can accuse us in imprisoning or holding their prince hostage." Knight Stephen suddenly asked

"I don't think so, Knight Stephen, the young prince was here before be we arrived." I answered

It took a while before Maia finished cooking breakfast out of the goods we have left, they finished preparing the table just in time as Sir Charles and the young prince arrive.

"Let's eat." I said and they all nodded before eating the food

"King's really busy, isn't he, Queen?" the young prince suddenly asked

"I guess he had to ensure that Arcadia will not be attacked." I answered

"No one will dare attack and overthrow him, he's the king." He muttered and took a spoonful of the food

After eating breakfast, the knights stood by the four sides of the living room.

"Aren't you tired of standing?" the young prince asked them

"Are you bored, young prince?" I asked him

"King's not visiting, he said he'll be here in two days but he didn't." He scowled

"He said he'll try, Malika." I told him gently

"But he's still not here." He replied

"Patience, young prince, learn to have patience." I told him calmly

"Do you want to go back to Arcadia?" I asked him

"I don't want to be alone." He answered

"Then be patient, everything has a right timing." I said and he sighed

"I'll be playing outside, Queen." He said and stood up

He bowed in front of me before going out of the door. He still is a kid after all.

I opened the compartment on the wall and took out a book. I really still don't have a plan for retaliation, I bet Ezra and Katrina are smiling proudly now that they have taken my throne.

I suddenly remembered Zairo's suggestion about building an alliance with Holland and Flashier, the king of Flashier won't probably listen to me, after all, they don't enthrone a girl descendant, and I doubt they'll recognize my right as the true heir of Astrae. As for the Kingdom of Holland, I can't technically trust their ruler that came from the first born of Noble families because how unlikely is it that they're not on Katrina's side.

I honestly can't trust anybody else right now. I looked at the calendar, it's already the end of spring season, summer is about to begin. I close the book because I honestly can't understand anything and I noticed the chessboard on the table, I must've forgotten to put it back inside the compartment. I was about to collect the pieces when I noticed something's odd with their arrangement. The white queen piece is on the black square.

White queen, huh?

That actually gave me an idea. I took the queen piece and started rearranging the pieces on the chessboard.

The pawns are in the front line, they protect the higher chess pieces from the opponent's pieces; however, they can only take minimal moves, just like the villagers. The rooks are positioned on both ends, can only move horizontally and vertically, like the walls that protect the kingdom. The knights are next to the rook, like how the knights protect the borders and walls, how they defend the kingdom. The bishops are positioned next to the king and queen, like the nobles and council, higher than the other pieces but lower than the king and queen. The King can only move one space at a time, just like when I was in the Palace; I have to take one-step at a time as I am only beginning. However, I am a Queen.

A queen can move horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, in shorter terms the queen can move wherever she wants.

I… I can move wherever I want. My grip on the white queen slightly tightened, how could I not think of it before?

If I were to make an ally, Katrina and Ezra will expect me to ally with Arcadia and the least likely they'll expect me to ally with is… is Holland Kingdom.

That's it, I know what to do to retaliate.

Holland Kingdom is on the Northern part of Astrae, I have to go pass Astrae to reach it as it's in the other end and there's a high chance that I'll get caught on the way. However, that's what makes it the best choice. If I were to choose the easy and most favorable way, I would choose Flashier as it's in the southern part of Astrae and it's accessible to where we are, however, there's a high chance that they've been informed that Ezra is the new Queen and they'll likely refuse to have an audience with me.

"Queen?" I looked up and I saw the young prince looking at me confusedly

"Are you playing chess alone?" he asked and I shook my head

"I'm just arranging it, young prince." I answered and collected the pieces before returning them to the box and hiding the chessboard away with it.

"Have you contacted King?" he asked and sat beside me

"I haven't." I answered

'Zairo,' I contacted him

"Patrice," he replied

'I've formulated a plan, however, I am yet to determine the rest.' I said

"What do you mean?" He asked

'Malika's growing impatient waiting for you.' I immediately changed the topic

"I will be there soon." He said

'Alright, I understand. I'll just focus on Malika for now.' I replied and closed the connection

I glanced on the young prince and I noticed that he's frowning, I caressed his cheek and he looked at me with his stormy gray eyes.

"You're missing him." I said seriously and he averted his gaze

"You can always go back home, young prince, it's safer for you to be back home." I said and I noticed the frown in his face never left

"You're under no obligation to stay here with us. Don't you miss your home?" I added and he looked at me

"Lady Margaret was not born in Arcadia, nor was I, Queen." He replied looking at me blankly

I see, that's how he got the concept of home. Home is where you were born and raised. He was raised in Arcadia, however he was born in Lady Margaret's home country. He stood up and went to a compartment then took out a pen, paper and ink.

I looked over his shoulder and I saw that he has a clean penmanship. He's just writing his name repeatedly.

"I'll go upstairs." I said and tapped his shoulders then headed upstairs

I opened the book and locked the door then began training.

Honestly speaking, training requires a lot of stamina, especially whenever I'm trying to master the skills I've learned.

I was trying to float the book using the small ice particles, however, it kept on falling or launching off like it was pushed. I picked it up and was about to put it on the table again when I saw a skill that would come quite handy, drifting through mist.

I sat on the bed and began reading the information about the skill. Someone with a gift like mine is capable of drifting through mist like a shadow, unnoticed and silently. It definitely requires a lot of experience and I lack that, mist appears in the north all year round, but if it were autumn or winter, there's mist in in Astrae.

If only I could turn my ice into mist that would definitely be a good help.

"Queen," I waved my hand and unlocked the door

The young prince entered and sat across me.

"Are you going back to Astrae?" he asked

"I'll be reclaiming y throne, young prince." I answered

"I don't understand." He said and looked at me

"Why would you go back to a place full of people who had hurt you?" he asked

"It's my home, Malika, and you can never forget about home." I answered

"I have." He shrugged his shoulders and I chuckled

"That's because you've mistaken the concept of home." I said

"What is a home then, Queen?" he asked

"It's where you feel belong, where your family is." I answered

"Then where's my home, Queen? I don't belong in Arcadia nor in Lady Margaret's kingdom." He asked and I looked at him seriously

"You know the answer to that, Malika, you just don't like to accept it." I answer and he sighed before nodding