The Twelve

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CHAPTER 32 – The Twelve

'A villain is only a villain based on the point of view of who is telling the story.'

Her words replayed in the back of Xavier's mind. She was right in every sense possible but he had one question.

He had killed innocents and that was true. There was no denying it. After all he never earned the name monster for naught.

Although he was pushed to the wall, it wasn't excuse able. Yes, villains had their own hurt and he was no exception whatsoever.

However, that question did not escape him.

Can a beast, like himself, ever get redemption? And what if everyone preferred the tale of the point of view that painted him bad?

Not that they already didn't but there were those selected few, just like herself.

For their sakes, he wanted to be the villain if it would save them in the future. Better he take the pain than have yet another innocent live tied to him suffer.

He released a deep sigh as his hands clenched on the arm rest while his facial expression remained as neutral as it ever could be.

"So, what is your decision now that you and I have seen and conversed? What point fo view would you follow after?"

"I choose to write out my point of view, Your Majesty."

"And follow it?"

Her face engaged in a smile that created little wrinkles around her eyes and grooves in her cheeks.

"You and I barely know each other much but I think you already know."

Right now, Zeno felt like smacking her hard on the head. Until when would she learn that the one she spoke before was the ruler of Drakenflare?

And not just anyone but someone way older than her with over ten thousand years.

Nothing about their level of power, wits, fortune, name it. Nothing brought them to the same level. Nevertheless, her brain forgot about it all and she spoke at will.

Howbeit what he saw next, before he got to air out his view, made Zeno's eyes widen as he turned his entire body to the side.

Right before him, Sky went down on her knees and lowered her head before Xavier as she brought both hands in front of her head and pressed both against the floor.

"I pledge my allegiance before you, King Xavier of Drakenflare."

Watching her do something he had not thought of as possible so soon, Xavier's eyes dimmed as he recounted in his mind.

'Pendragon, Blade, Astarot, Hydra, Avalon, Mace, Starblaze, Tempest, Drakon, Eragon, Azar and Ember. The twelve houses of Drakenflare can once more, assemble, as it were in time past.'

"Your Majesty?" Zeno called out seeing how lost Xavier was in thoughts.

'All I have for now is words from their lips and nothing more. I can't say whom to trust or not but if there is one thing, I would trust the divine tree.'

Lifting his eyes, he let his gaze settle on Zeno briefly. "Yes."

Quickly, Zeno gestured with his eyes towards Sky who remained prostrated before him.

Getting the cue, Xavier gave his order. "Rise, Skylar Pendragon. Welcome to the Aisle of Drakenflame."

Adhering to his command, she rose from the ground, and with her head lowered she gave her thanks.

*****

As for Raven, she had so many thoughts racing through her mind. One was the fact that her long-lost friend suddenly resurfaced only to serve her enemy.

At that moment she could not understand the rationale behind what they were all doing coming to serve him.

Yes, he was the true king, but it did not excuse what he had done. And who ever did wrong should be held accountable for it, no matter what.

To her, she was more interested in the innocents who suffered from his fury. Looking at him now, he felt calm, good and innocent but she chose not to be deceived by anything.

Left to Raven, false appearances could always be put on and for a master of illusion as himself, who knows if this wasn't all a façade.

Recounting the tale of warning in her mind, she let every word play out carefully, looking for a loop hole in those words to prove he had good in him but found none.

'He simply went mad. Why?'

Letting out a deep sigh, she tapped away on her chin with her index finger, while her left hand supported her right elbow as she paced about in the room.

Throwing off those tales of dread, she fixed her attention on something else. 'Do not tell me he had all the twelve houses brainwashed or something?' Raven pondered within her.

'No. But, sigh. I cannot say. I do not know exactly who has come to see him but I know if more people lave Drakenflare, then disaster is bound to strike. Who knows, an internal war would take place within the dragon race.'

She dropped both her hands to her side. She could not come to a reasonable conclusion on her thoughts and that made her worry so much.

Yes, she had no business with the royal family or was even close to them, just her father had that personal relationship with the king.

Regardless, that did not mean she should see a mishap about to happen and sit still.

She had a soft heart for people, which was what lead her to being here in the first place.

She huffed another sigh and rolled her eyes while crossing both hands in front of her chest.

'I need to escape out of here. But since that king chose to ignore me. I wonder if he is tormenting me on purpose and having his fun. Heaven knows I can barely handle it no more. How dare he.'

While Raven paced with her side to the door and her head lowered, she failed to notice the visitor who had walked in to her room unannounced.

She had been too deep in her thoughts to realize anything. Her mind wandered off to the time when she was at home.

'Perhaps I can think of clues. Just anything. There must be something concerning the weakness of the Aisle of Drakenflare. I read so much from the past. How come they are all proving useless now?'

"Are you alright?" The intruder asked.

"No, I'm pacing," Raven responded and continued with what she was doing, ignoring the voice she heard.

"I can see that."

"Of course. A person who is all right does not pace," she stated as a matter of fact and shrugged while her mind wandered off once more.

"Care to share your burden?" The intruder asked with a face full of smiles at how distracted she was till this point that she failed to note his presence.

"Sometimes two heads are better than one," he added.

"Yes, but not when the other head is yours."

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