Right time

"How come?" General Livius asked after getting over his shock.

"How come? Why don't you tell me?" King Richard asked in annoyance. "You should tell me how a Mocrisan arrow got here."

"I have no idea, your highness." General Livius answered now confused. There was no way an arrow would get to them all the way from Mocris, especially at the entrance of the dining hall. There was only one answer to this.

"I think there is a spy from Mocris, right here in the palace." General Livius said after thinking about it.

"Spy? In this palace?!" King Richard was surprised at this, and almost could not believe it.

General Livius could see that the King did not completely believe what he said and said, "We can't really be sure but that is the only explanation for this."

"But that still does not explain how an arrow got here, hitting one of the guards." King Richard said still not getting what General Livius was saying.

"There is no way an arrow can get here not to talk of right in the palace except if there is a spy right here for an arrow from Mocris to be able to reach the palace." He tried to explain to the King.

King Richard seems to be able to finally understand what General Livius is trying to explain. "So, how can we figure out who the spy is? There is no new worker here."

"Now, that is where the puzzle is." General Livius said not knowing what to say anymore. He was as confused as the King.

...

At Rovindall

General Cyan reading a book about war with her legs crossed on a table. She was deeply engrossed in the book.

Just then her right-hand man came in. Hearing the creaks of the door, she said, "Dherek what do you need?" Knowing that the only person who can enter her room without her permission was him despite her several admonishment against it.

"As always, you know that I'm the one." Dherek said moving forward to sit down.

"Who else comes into my room without my permission. You know, one of these days, I will cut off one of your fingers so that whenever you want to come in and you see your incomplete fingers, you'll remember to knock before coming in." She said to him.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" He asked her back, smiling. "Call it whatever you want. This will be my last warning to you. Try me." She replied sternly.

This seems to get Dherek as he gulps down nervously. "Can I sit down?" He asked for permission this time, deciding to not dare her knowing how scary she can get when angry.

Cyan nodded her head and said, "Sit." Dherek sat on the chair and cleared his throat. He looked around nervously and kept on making different facial expressions.

He noticed that Cyan was not paying him any attention and that she kept on reading her book. He walked around the room stamping his foot. Her focus was still on the book. He stood there and looked around for a few seconds. On seeing another book of hers, he picked it up and opened the pages noisily without really reading the contents of the book.

It still didn't caught her attention. He then dropped it on the ground with a 'bang'. Still, she did not move a bit.

He saw her most-prized sword at a far corner in the room. 'This should definitely do it' he thought while staring at it. He walked towards it. The moment he tried to pick it up, he was spun around and the next thing he knew, a sharp blade was set at his neck.

Cyan was looking at Dherek with a dangerous glint in her eyes with her sword pressed on his neck. "Do you want to die?" She asked In a cold voice.

Dherek was literally shaking in fear. Although he himself was not an easy nut to crack, still, he could not withstand General Cyan's aura. "N-no." He replied, his voice shaking a little bit.

"Then I would advise you to stay away from my things. You and I both know the reason I keep overlooking your disrespect and keeping away from killing you. Don't misuse your grace." She said.

Dherek nodded his head vigorously. Cyan placed her sword back on the table and gave him an handkerchief to clean the blood that was seeping out from a small cut that her sword made on his neck. He collected it, thanking her.

Cyan sighed. Since day one, Dherek has been with her. Although he can be frustrating and annoying at times, he has been a good

comrade and she must also not forget how his father had helped her when he was alive.

It was all because of these that she is keeping off from killing him but that does not mean she will tolerate disrespect from him.

Indeed she was closer with him than any other person but still, he needs to know his boundaries. She would not be closer with him than necessary. Definitely not making the same mistake she made in the past again.

"What is it that you want?" She asked sitting down back. Dherek also takes his seat, more cautiously.

He clears his throat, "Hmm hmm, so-uhmm- you're getting married? I thought you decided to never get married again after what happened then. It's surprising how people change their mind easily. Anyways, congratulations, General Cyan. I'm so happy for you." He finished, squealing like a girl while making to hug her.

Cyan immediately pushed him away, "Get away, you." Dherek goes back to his seat, pouting. "Are you crazy? Who said I'm getting married?" She asked him angrily.

"Queen Holly told me. Did you plan on not telling me? How could you? Despite everything we've been through, you decided to keep this away from your best friend? Why? Why? Cyan, how..."

"You call my name with respect. I don't want to ever hear 'Cyan' from you. And you are not my best friend. I do not have a best friend." Cyan angrily told him.

"I am not getting married. Even though I don't have to explain myself, we all know that you have a big mouth." Truly Dherek has a big mouth but at least he knows when not to say some certain things.

"But, Queen Holly told me you were getting married." Dherek whined.

"Who am I getting married to anyways?"

"General Livius. She told me you will marry General Livius from Yoniez." Dherek said, a little confused from the way Cyan was talking.

"Queen Holly always gets the weirdest ideas. What the heck is always going through her mind." Cyan said quite expecting the fact that she said that.

"So, you're getting married to General Livius?"

"Are you dumb to not have gotten that already?" She asked, tired from all the questions that he is asking.

"Then why did she say you both are getting married?"

"He came today."

"Why?" He asked. Cyan looked at him in a 'are you really asking me that?' way.

"Oh, he came for your help?" Dherek said, now getting the reason he came.

Cyan did not even bother answering him as she turned her attention back to the book that has been in her hands since."

"Are you or are you not helping them?" He asked her.

"Maybe. Maybe not." She said with her eyes still on her book.

"I think this will be the perfect time to carry out your plans." He said with all seriousness.

Cyan raised her head up from the book she was reading although not looking at Dherek but instead looking forward.

"Don't you think that this is the right time to take vengeance on those that inflicted pain on you?" He said. He sighed and then stood up, walked up to her and then patted her shoulder. Cyan glared at him over her shoulder making him to take his away real quick.

"Uhmm, I will be leaving now. Think about it General Cyan." He said and gave a light bow before walking out of her room.

Cyan looked at him till he left the room. She gave out a deep sigh.

---

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