Chapter 22.1 – Hidden agenda and flight plan – part 1.1

Craydon saw the Ooman Ambassador smiling at the older Prince as if he were proud of him, and heard him saying, "Prince Edum, I am sure the young Prince merely committed an innocent mistake. He wouldn't be so foolish as to threaten you like that, considering you have the Alliance's support to be the next in line to the throne!"

Even weirder was the way the older Prince smiled at the Ambassador, making Craydon sure that their relationship was very special. Perhaps the Ambassador has been grooming the older Prince to turn him into a puppet of the Ooman Alliance.

It was hard for Craydon to maintain his poker face when the older Prince said, "Ambassador, do you think it will ever be possible to tame a few Karkadanns? It would be amazingly good, not only to aid the Alliance at the front lines, but also for my country. Goods being delivered everywhere, faster than by caravans. Visits to other countries to show Oka's power and influence. Send armies to aid Oka's Nobles in case of Monsters ravishing their domains or criminals robbing their wealth!"

While staring directly at Meryda, who was peacefully eating her food, the Ooman Ambassador said, "I am sure we will easily arrange something like that, Prince Edum."

Noticing that the King was in silence but visibly uncomfortable by the exchange between the Ambassador and his older son, Craydon said, "Considering no other Monster Tamer ever managed to tame such beasts, I don't see that happening anytime soon."

Such a sentence made the older Prince smirk, and he said, "It will be just a matter for your daughter to do that for us, won't it?"

"It is not a simple matter, I am afraid. First, someone has to find more Karkadanns, and I think there are not that many flying around. Second, she has to agree with that."

Then, it was time for the Ambassador to grin and say, "Even if she doesn't agree at first, nothing a little persuasion can't."

Without even looking at the man, Craydon continued, "The Prince forgets that neither I nor my daughter are Oka's subjects. We are here as mere visitors, and an attempt to force any of us to do anything against our will could have dangerous repercussions."

"As you said, you are here as mere visitors, and threats to a member of the royal family also have dangerous repercussions."

Staring seriously at the mocking Prince, whose words gathered a few laughs from the Nobles at the other tables, Craydon spoke, "I didn't threaten anyone; we are just talking. But I have to say we also have a small Emptiness near the two Karkadanns, and he is well-trained. Not to mention two other Monsters who came with us and are hiding nearby. We told them to hide because their mere presence would cause turmoil in the City. I am going to take your words and mockery as a youngster's innocent words, one who has been influenced by foreign powers, and I won't make any deal out of it, but you should think for yourself and remember that your words and actions will one day have a strong impact on the people you rule."

"I am well aware of my responsibilities in the future, and I don't need a mere commoner to remind me of that fact!"

Craydon looked at the King, searching for support, and saw him eating the food on his plate, completely abstracted from the conversation. With a sigh and after confirming that Meryda had finished her food and she was yawning while having trouble keeping her eyes open, Craydon asked, "King Vosen Rask, can we be excused? We are exhausted from the voyage, and my daughter is almost falling asleep over the table."

Before the King could mutter a word, the Ooman Ambassador spoke, pretending to be shocked, "Wanting to leave the table before the King? Such an insult!"

Craydon quickly faced the man and asked, "Did I not tell you not to speak to me? I was asking the King, not you. You may consider yourself the most powerful person in Oka, but to me, you are just another meddling Ooman, one I won't ever meet again when I leave tomorrow."

The Ambassador was about to speak, visibly agitated, but the King interrupted him by saying, "I shall allow it, because I want to accept your kind offer for a flight tomorrow, and your daughter needs to be well-rested to control those flying nightmares."

Craydon gently grabbed Meryda's arm and helped her get up. They both made a deep bow to the royal family, and Craydon said, "Thank you for your kindness, King Vosen Rask. Queen Na Sheman Rask, it was a pleasure. Prince Edum Sheman Rask and Prince Grevem Sheman Rask, may your lives prosper and be full of amazing achievements."

While the young Prince made a genuine smile, the older one said with a grin, "With the Ooman Alliance's support, my life will for sure grant me plenty of amazing things that will go down in history!"

Craydon slowly shook his head and said, "You should not lean on foreign powers to achieve greatness, Prince Edum Sheman Rask. In fact, you should suspect all outsiders, because someone who is not from Oka will probably not care much about Oka and its citizens and will always try to gain power and wealth at this country's expense."

"Last time I checked, you and your daughter are not from Oka, so that means your advice also implies you both?" asked the older Prince with a wicked smile.

"For the first part, of course. As for trying to gain power and wealth at Oka's expense, surely not. We are going to leave tomorrow morning, and we will probably never return, so there is no point trying to gain anything here."

With one last deep bow, Craydon and Meryda left, and the Fae stood at the table, thinking. When the strange green being got up, it said, "Prince Edum, you should take Craydon's words very seriously. You are the next King, and as such, you should think and act on behalf of Oka and its citizens instead of doing and agreeing with everything the Ooman Ambassador says. We know he has been your tutor for a few years now, but you have to start wondering why he insisted on doing that when there are far too many outstanding Demi tutors in Oka with plenty of experience when he has none. The Rask bloodline gave birth to amazing Demi-Cats in Oka's past, and it would be a pity if all that greatness got diluted in you, and you were misguided by someone who is not even a Demi."

The Ooman Ambassador got up, and he almost shouted, "Fae, you are crossing the line! You are supposed not to take sides, and now you are telling the Prince that I am misguiding him?"

The Fae got up and said, while melting into the ground, "It is because of the way Oomans act that the Fae are getting fed up with your species."

As soon as the Fae disappeared, the King got up and asked, "What if we all went to the tearoom to drink some digestives? All this serious talk is not fit for a good night of peaceful sleep."

In their room, Craydon was seated at a table, while Meryda was taking her clothes off to go to bed.

The moment she closed her eyes, she immediately fell asleep. Craydon was looking at her, lost in his thoughts, when a gentle knock on the door alerted him.

The orange Salamander stood at his side when Craydon carefully opened the door. On the other side, Captain Ermo Sepp was next to the young Prince Grevem Sheman Rask.

With an awkward smile, the Captain said, "I am sorry for disturbing you, but the Prince asked for my help. He wanted to talk to you. May we enter?"

"I think so, as long as you try not to wake up my daughter. She just fell asleep."

"We will do our best," the Captain said as he entered the room with the young Prince right behind him, staring apprehensively at the two Sub-Monsters and the Slime who were peacefully seated in a corner of the room, attentively following all their movements.

The moment the night visitors sat down and, after glancing at the sleeping girl lying on the bed under the sheets, the Prince spoke in a low voice, "I want to apologize on my brother's behalf. I failed to notice that his words had insulted you, and it was only after my father told me you looked somewhat angry that I took the liberty of asking Captain Ermo to escort me here."

"There was no need for you to do that. As much as your brother's words messed with me, I am leaving tomorrow, and I don't think I will ever have to deal with him again. You are the one who has to, but not me."

"I know I can never escape his influence because he is the heir to the throne, and I will always be under him. I know that very well because I was told it was going to be like that ever since I was born. It doesn't bother me. Or at least, it didn't until three years ago, when Ambassador Mairo became his tutor. Over the years, my brother changed, and sometimes he says things that resemble a lot what the Ambassador says about Demis or our country. It makes me fear the future. And like me, other Nobles, soldiers, guards, and Royal Guards are also starting to think this way."

With a puzzled look, Craydon looked at the Captain, then back at the Prince and asked, "Why are you telling me that? I can't help with anything!"

The Prince glanced at the Captain, and after a slow, deep breath, the Captain said, "What the Prince is probably thinking, and I bet my King is also thinking the same, is that if your daughter stayed in Oka, things would change for the better, but if you go to the front lines, Oka's future will remain unchanged."

Craydon went silent, unable to give a suitable answer. Then, a green form took shape right at his side, and a serious-looking Fae asked, "Now you see why Fae doesn't interfere, Craydon? As much as we have good intentions, there will always be beings trying to use us for their personal gain. If you two and King Vosken want to change things in Oka, you should be the ones taking care of that and not relying on Meryda to do all the work for you. Start by releasing Prince Edum from that Ooman's influence, and then convince the King not to let that suspicious Ambassador have so much influence around here. It won't be good for Oka's future if Oomans decide everything in a Demi country ruled by a Demi King. It is now time for both of you to leave because Craydon has to rest, and you are about to wake up my sweet Meryda."

The young Prince slowly nodded, and in silence, he followed Captain Ermo Sepp out of the room.

The moment they closed the door, Craydon asked, "You are really taking seriously your part of being Meryda's shield. You even protect her in her sleep."

"We have been doing that ever since we met her."

"It is now that you are going to explain more about the Dark Eight, the ones who rule the Demon's country?"

"Now is not the time. It has to be them explaining to you if they deem fit."

After slowly nodding, Craydon asked, "Are things always going to be like this from now on? Everyone we meet will try to take advantage of my daughter and her power?"

"Most probably, yes. That is why you have to talk with the Ooman Alliance and, next, with the Demons. You and she have to decide what to do in the future but always remember that your actions or your inaction can change the entire World. But we are almost sure that when the time comes, you will know what to do."

While getting up, Craydon said, "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Are you going to stay here? Because I don't know if I can sleep with you here, looking at me!"

"Fae are always near you and Meryda, and at the same time, we are not. This Fae will vanish when you go to bed and visit the Karkadanns and the Emptiness to be sure they are alright. Tomorrow morning, we will come to wake you up, so that you get ready before a servant comes knocking on the door."

"Thanks. For a weird plant, you are very reliable when you want to be, but most of the time, you are extremely inconvenient."

"That is the Fae gift and also a curse — to be loved and despised at the same time."

The green being melted on the floor while making a sad smile, and Craydon almost took pity on them. Then he remembered how many times that weird plant annoyed him, and he mumbled, "Yeah, I totally get that."