The Meeting

Hello guys I apologize for not updating for the past few days, I wasn't feeling too good, so I didn't have time to write and I also have school, watch out for extra five chapters tomorrow evening.

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A meeting is scheduled in the palace today to talk about the future of the Kingdom, who is going to be the next King, but before the meeting Elder Edgar had instigated some elders against the King's suspected decision. Since he asked Darren to be the groom of the marriage between the two Kingdoms they have been suspecting that Darren might be the new King instead of Killian and they wondered why.

"Your Majesty, it's time to appoint the Crown Prince officially," One Elder said

"Yeah, it is about time I stepped down as King," Jerome said with a sort of satisfied look.

"You have ruled us well your Majesty and your reign will be remembered for generations" Elder Edgar said which all other elders agreed and bowed to the King. "But your Majesty we will like to know, who will succeed you?"

That was an obvious choice, well at least that's what most of the elders thought but amongst them, only six elders knew of Killian's illness, Mr. Edgar and five other elders who were in a higher position compared to him. They were called the *Elders Supreme* they consisted of the King's special advisors, they were the ones who made the decisions of the kingdom along with the King, after the Royal Family they were the second-highest authorities in the kingdom.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Rumors are circulating round the Palace and kingdom that Prince Darren is the next in line for the throne" another Elder said which caused an uproar of murmuring in the throne room.

"Yes your Majesty, Darren, as we all know, is a skilled warrior and strategist, fit to be a general but when it comes to the throne, he is one with a childish behavior"

"Mr. Edgar it's disrespectful to call a royal by their names without the title to it, which gives the name authority when mentioned," Mr. Rovero said in a very polite tone in order not to embarrass him. Mr. Rovero and the King go way back, they had been friends since their teenage years when Rovero saved the King from a band of thieves at the market.

"I apologize for that, your Majesty, but the question still stands, will Prince Darren succeed you? But that is not correct as Prince Killian is the first son, it's his birthright."

"Yes, Your Majesty, we ought to know" Mr. Vince added.

"You elders should wait, for the King to make his decision and not force words out of his mouth," Mr. Rovero said.

"Why Rovero, are we wrong to want to know the fate of our own kingdom?" Mr. Vince said with a disgusted look at Mr. Rovero which was unnoticed by the others, he never accepted Rovero as an elder, not to talk about an elder supreme. He didn't come from a prominent family and was just a lucky peasant to Mr. Vince.

"Hey, calm down elders," Another elder said

"Well as we all know Prince Killian has been the most attentive and supportive of the two but the final decision is up to the King " Mr. Salazar a member of the Elders supreme said

"My Elders, I understand your concerns and I greatly appreciate it, I have never been impartial to both my sons. Killian is a filial son to me and to the kingdom of Kleevland and though Darren acts a tad unpredictable at times he is too. Talking about heredity, I wasn't my father's first son, was I?" Jerome asked

"But your Majesty.." Mr. Edgar tried to push the matter but was interrupted by Jerome

"No buts, I'll decide on that later. As of now, we need to be prepared for the annual sword-fighting contest, this year's champion that is *SWORD MASTER* will be given a special gift from me" Jerome said

After talking a few minutes more, they came to an agreement on how the sword fighting competition was going to look like this year, and then they bowed and the meeting was over and the Elders left the palace except for the members of the Elders Supreme, they stayed back to talk about the current issue of who will be the next King.

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Adriele went directly to her room after she got back to the Palace. She had asked Naina her handmaiden to go find Francis for her, while she took a bath. She was done and dressed up but Naina hadn't returned yet. As she got up to go look for them, a knock was heard at the door.

"It's me, My lady"

And Adriele walked over and opened up the door, to find Naina and Francis beside her and he winked at Adriele making her shake her head with a smile. As they got into the room she asked "What kept you guys so long?" with a concerned look.

"My Lady..." and before she could finish Francis cut in and said, "I was playing hard to get and then again there was a meeting. We had to wait for the elders to leave the premises"

"Hmmm, how have you been keeping up with the environment Francis?" she asked him "If you don't like it, I'll arrange a carriage for you to go back safely to Silverland" She added hoping he might change his mind and go back, she didn't want him to notice how unwilling and miserable she was here. But little did she know, he was well aware of her feelings, after that night when Prince Darren presented her as his chosen bride he wanted to talk to her but something urgent came up so he had to leave, when he got back and tried to talk to her again Cynthia told him she had accepted the marriage and was happy with it. He knew she was faking it, the Adriele he knows is a dreamer, she wants love and respect from the man who will be her husband, someone who will support her and if she had found him, she would have told him already, or he could have guessed it, from her behavior but nothing of that sort happened. And again, she wants freedom, being a Princess comes with a lot of restraints, she had lived in the Palace enough to know how to behave as a Royal and it was not the dream life for her. But since she had made her decision and didn't tell him the truth he guessed it was because she didn't want him to get worried and he wouldn't trouble her, he will fulfill her wish and protect her silently from the side.

" If you are looking for ways to send me away then forget it, it's never going to happen," he said shaking his index finger to her and added "What carriage? My Melissa is way better and faster than it," Melissa is the name of his horse. "And I can protect myself. If I couldn't even do that, do you think your parents would have assigned me to take care of you? Silly girl," he said as he pinched her nose and they laughed out. Naina who had been watching them all through could see that they were very close, like siblings, and enjoyed each other's company and she couldn't help but admire them especially the man. She stared at the man in front of her, his wavy blond hair, his brown eyes, sharp cheekbones, and even with the heavy clothing one could tell he had a well-shaped muscular and manly figure. She blushed subconsciously, which caught the attention of the other people in the room and Adriele leaned over to Francis and whispered "Your charm is contagious"

"What can I say? I'm irresistible" he said with a pride-filled smirk