36: Sole Heir

After our lunch, we went back inside the King's palace, maids began to trail after us, including those that the King of Holland has told to accompany me.

"Where are you going?" Zairo asked when he noticed that I have chosen another direction

"You are still discussing about trading matters, I do not wish to interfere." I answered

"Are we not discussing the next step?" King Skylark asked

"You can focus on your discussion regarding the trades, I'll just take a stroll then I'll follow you inside the king's study as well." I answered

"Well then, be back in fifteen minutes, Queen." Zairo said and I nodded

"I will, don't worry, we cannot postpone the next step after all." I answered

"Enjoy your time strolling around then." King Skylark said and I nodded

They headed to the king's study while I headed to another direction. The two maids assigned to accompany me are trailing after me as I walk in the hallways, I wish to give them privacy as it seems that they're still talking about trading matters that do not affect the plan.

"Where are you going, my lady?" one of the maids asked me

"I wish to stroll as they talk about trading matters." I replied and headed to the garden near the king's study

The flowers have lost their petals and almost everything I can see in the garden are yellow, orange or red, indicating that it is indeed already fall. Strangely, I do not feel freezing at the low temperature despite the cold wind hitting my bare shoulders and arms.

"Your majesty," Dame Maia bowed before me when she approached me

"Dame Maia," I said and she stood up

"What had brought you here?" I asked

"I found the young prince, your majesty, however he had run off here and I still could not find him. I apologize." She said and I smiled

"I understand, it's nothing to be apologizing for." I said and looked around

I wonder where that young prince could be…

"Where can a child hide here?" I asked the maids

"A child might hide behind the bushes or wedges, my lady." One of them answered

A normal child would definitely hide behind one of the bushes and wedges here in the garden but it's not the same for that young prince.

'Malika, where are you?' I asked him through the communication device

I did not receive a response but I figured where he might be. I decided to go back inside the King's Palace, Dame Maia followed along as well.

I continued walking in the hallway when I noticed a mist on the corner, it's not impossible for mist to get inside the palace, however at this time of the day that would be quite suspicious as it's not yet dusk and there's no fog or mist outside yet.

This is interesting…

I manipulated the mist to condense turning into water and it revealed a young kid wearing a white prince outfit, one that's almost identical to the outfit Zairo's wearing, stepping on the water on the floor.

"What a good hiding spot, don't you think?" I asked and his eyes widened when he saw me

"Queen!" he said and ran to me

I chuckled and knelt down to reach his level.

"You cheeky little prince," I said and pinched his cheek

"You intentionally hid the moment they focused on something else, didn't you?" I asked and he nodded

"I want to look for you." He said and hugged me

"Oh, Malika…" I said shaking my head

He released me from the hug and I stood up then held his hand.

"Let's go, you haven't paid your respects to the King of Holland." I said and we headed to the King's study

Dame Maia knocked on the door and Baron Tariq opened it to let us enter, I went in while holding the young prince's hand, the maids stayed outside, while Dame Maia entered and stood next to Sir Charles after closing the door.

"I found the young prince." I said speaking of the obvious

"Greeting to the king of Holland," the young prince greeted and bowed down

"You are?" The king Skylark gave the both of us a confused glance

"The prince of Arcadia, your majesty." The young prince answered and stood up

"What is your purpose here?" King Skylark asked

"I wished to see the Queen and I play a part in the plan of reclaiming Astrae." He said slowly but with conviction

"This is Baron Tariq, our information will come from him." King Skylark said

"Let us start our meeting then." I said and sat on the other chair

"As our next step, we'll be waging war against Astrae to reclaim the territory they had lost before." I said

"Our army may have improved through the years but Astrae's army had become stronger through those years as well." Baron Tariq said

"Yes, but there's one enemy on par with Astrae, even better actually if they were to combine their technology and army, one that Astrae had always been against," I said

"We will work with Arcadia to reclaim the territory." King Skylark said

"And as we all know, Astrae's current ruler may be complacent as Holland often lost against them." Zairo said

"But they wouldn't expect Holland to actually team up with their mortal enemy to reclaim that territory." I said

"And once we reclaim that territory once again, the next step comes in." Zairo said

"What's the next step?" Baron Tariq asked

"Reclaim Queen's throne, of course." The young prince said and looked at me

"They wouldn't suspect if you were to populate the newly reacquired territory, and we will use that to our advantage." I said

"The true purpose of the war will be mistaken by them, they wouldn't know that the true purpose is not really to reclaim the territory." King Skylark said

"Not exactly," Zairo shook his head

"Queen's technically reclaiming her territory." The young prince said and looked at me and I smiled

"So, you'll be using the land as a decoy?" Baron Tariq asked

"No, we'll be covering who's really pushing the war forward." King Skylark said

"You'll be this Queen's puppet? Why would you agree to that?" Baron Tariq asked and Zairo chuckled because of his words

"Wow, Queen definitely seem like a villainess if it's put like that." Zairo said and the King Skylark shook his head because of his words

"Well, planning against your own kingdom and conniving with your kingdom's enemy and making their ally turn against them is something that villains usually do." He added and I rolled my eyes

"Stop bullying Queen, King." The young prince frowned at the grey-eyed king who lost his professionalism the moment they closed the door of the Holland king's study

"Stop playing around, King Zachary." I hissed at him

"You're all too serious around here." He shook his head

"Maybe you shouldn't have included him, Queen." The young prince said and I glared at Zairo when I saw that he's about to refute

Sometimes I'm wondering if the young prince is the only kid in Arcadia because it somehow seems like even this crowned king is one.

"Why are you calling Lady Vielle as Queen? Is she your wife, King of Arcadia?" Baron Tariq asked

"No, Queen can't be his wife." The young prince denied immediately

"She's an heiress, the sole-heiress to be precise." King Skylark said

"I forgot to formally introduce myself, Baron Tariq," I said and smiled

"Patrice Avery Mae Jilliane Astrae, the rightful heir to the throne of Astrae." I introduced myself and I saw how his eyes widened

"Yes, she's that rumored heartless, callous, rebellious princess." I glared at Zairo because of how he described me

This guy really…

"Now, can we go back to discussing seriously?" I asked and they nodded

"As we were talking about, once we've populated the newly reacquired land with both the army of Holland and Arcadia, we will send forth to waging war to overthrow the ruler." I said

"During the war, the purpose would seem like Arcadia wants to claim Astrae as one of their own." Zairo said and I nodded

"Astrae and Arcadia had been enemies for millennia, the feud had been passed from one generation to another and here we are now." I said

"That being said, they will mistake that the current king of Arcadia teamed up with us to claim the kingdom of Astrae." King Skylark said and I nodded

"When we've finally surrounded Astrae's main palace, that's where we'll overthrow them from within." Zairo said

"How do you plan to overthrow them from within?" Baron Tariq asked

"Ezra claimed the throne after the news of my death, didn't she? As I didn't have a husband or even an heir, the throne was automatically inherited by the legal Astrae." I said and the young prince raised his hand

"That's where I come in." He said

"Not yet, Reagan, not yet," Zairo shook his head

"However, that legal Astrae must not have any issues before her appointment." I said

"This is where we will use king Skylark's authority." I turned to King Skylark who seemed confused

"Earl David Rondsten is the next patriarch of the house of Rondsten, isn't he?" Zairo asked and the two nodded

"Dave Renzo Astrae-Rondsten," they looked at me in surprised because of the name I spoke of

"Astrae?" King Skylark asked

"Yes, he is Trinity Ezra Astrae's illegitimate son with a married man." I said and their eyes widened

"This will be a huge scandal if this were to leak…" Baron Tariq said

"Indeed, and not only will Earl David be the one to take the hit but the one who will receive the most impact is the one seated at the top." I said seriously

"Since their child was born prior to her appointment, it means that she is legible for impeachment, am I correct?" King Skylark asked and I nodded

"And here comes Reagan," Zairo looked at the young prince who looked serious

"Wait, you mean to say, you'll be involving him?" Baron Tariq asked and looked at the young prince

"If you're not aware, Astrae's royal family has a unique hereditary trait." King Skylark said and his eyes landed on the young prince's hair

"If an Astrae successor is not at the legal age when the current ruler passed away his or her other parent, no matter the circumstance is legible to rule." I said

"However, we will only take that rule into account during the war, not after the war," Zairo said then turned to me, "Because after we win the war, Patrice will make her appearance." He added and I nodded

"I am an Astrae, trained and raised as the sole heir." I said smiling