Chapter 39 - The Crown's Solitude!

On the balcony of her room, Merlin watched Thalia with a face full of veins. – Did I hear it right?! Did he say engagement?! – gritting her teeth, Merlin grunted in frustration.

…

In the mansion's meeting room, Andromeda, Odyssey, Hera, and Alexia were sitting, waiting for Arthur to solve their problem.

– I informed the king about the audience. He said he just wanted to see princess Elenaris and he would be here... – an Amazon in a white military uniform said, looking at Hera.

Veins appeared on Hera's face. – What did you say?! He wants to see princess Elenaris...? – she asked, with blood in her eyes.

Arthur entered the room, two soldiers closed the door behind him, and two others followed him as he entered the room.

The four women stood up and bowed their heads in his presence.

Arthur sat down in the main chair of the table and the soldiers escorting him stopped behind him. – Hera, is the king forbidden to see anyone? – he asked, noticing the jealousy on her face.

With a green dress, and with braided hair, Alexia placed her clear eyes on the king. – Handsome as always, my king... – she said, with a smile on her face.

Andromeda, in a red dress with loose hair and light makeup, looked at Arthur. – It's true, my son... Hera is right to be angry, you look prettier. – she said, holding his hand.

Odyssey looking at Alexia from top to bottom, rolled her eyes. "It's not possible that they do not see this, the way this child looks at him..." she thought.

Arthur's expression changed and he leaned back in his chair, looking at them coldly. The room was filled with a sudden silence and chill.

– I heard you argued and that Alexia wants to leave. Enlighten me! – Arthur ordered, looking at them.

Alexia frowned. – Odyssey, she... – she began, but the king interrupted.

– Odyssey...? – Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow. – You should refer to your mother as 'Mother', not just any name. This is respect. Did you understand?

Alexia sighed. – Y-Yes, pardon me, brother... I want to leave because my mother doesn't want me here, everything I do, say or feel is wrong, she doesn't let me be me...

Arthur turned his gaze to Odyssey.

– I-I never thought the day would come when my little girl would wish for my death... – Odyssey said in a trembling voice.

Andromeda, hugged Odyssey and sighed. – Calm down, my aunt. Everything is going to be fine! – she said, looking at the king. – This is what is happening.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. – Alexia is not going anywhere, and I do not want to hear anything about wishing her mother's death, much less Alexia addressing her mother by her first name, understood?! – Arthur demanded an answer. His voice was imposing, like the dragons tongue: it demanded involuntary obedience.

– But, Arthur, they knew Farah killed your father, but they didn't want to tell you... – Alexia looked at Arthur but was silenced by his gaze.

Butler appeared behind Alexia and placed his intense gaze like thunder on her. – Princess, you dare call the king by his name...? – he whispered.

In just a few seconds, the room was filled with trembling and shivering. It was here where the barrier between Arthur and the others began to form. Arthur began to isolate himself, climbing the top of a mountain alone. A Dragon on top of a mountain, looking at the others below him.

With a red face, Alexia lowered her head. – Pardon me, my king... – she whispered.

– Leave! – Arthur said, looking at Alexia.

He was clearly upset with what Alexia revealed, but didn't show it. 

Andromeda, looked at Arthur with a worried face. – Son...

Yet, Andromeda noticed, he was really upset with her. She repeated the same mistake she did with his grandmother.

Arthur looked at her, and she understood the message. The women got up and left, their problem was solved.

– Call the others. – Arthur said to Butler, running his hand over his face.

Butler crouched. – Yes, sir.

…

Minutes later, still in the living room.

Arthur, sitting with his hands on his chin, watched his advisors argue.

Hearing Callen's words, Cassilda stood up furiously. – Are you crazy?! You want to end a war that hasn't started yet? How do you know it's going to rain? – she screamed, veins pulsing on her face.

Callen, in a golden military uniform, sat with a calm posture, looking at the general. He sighed. – I've made a lot of mistakes in life, and those many mistakes have brought me a lot of injuries. The time I relive the pain of every injury is when it's about to rain.

Orion, in golden military uniform, looked at Callen with sweat on his brow. – He's right, this feeling of his has never failed...

Wearing a white robe with a golden piece of armor on his shoulder, Lancelot the Saint looked at Arthur. – It's an interesting idea. If it rains, the field will be very wet and create mud. The greeks naturally wear heavy armor and use horses, so we will have more speed and agility than them...

Cassilda, in gold armor and a red cape, was incredulous. She ran her hand over her face. – That means taking off our armor and leaving the horses! – Cassilda grunted.

She couldn't believe the absurdity that these "juniors" were suggesting. It was madness to the ears of a hundred-year-old general.

Cassilda, looked at Arthur and bowed. – My king, please listen to the concern of this servant who understands war very well. – the general said, looking down at the ground.

Ryu, in a golden military uniform, with short black hair and a raised eyebrow accompanied by crossed arms, was indignant. – What is the other option we have?

Tristan, covered in a black and red kimono, sat to Arthur's right side in silence, watching them all. "I don't want to know about tactics, I want Zeus and the whole Olympus family to die!" he thought, clenching his fists.

Looking at everyone in a golden tunic and silver earrings, Persival raised his voice. – We Treadways have always been martial artists, we never relied on armor, so this discussion is futile...

Galahad, in the same golden uniform as the commanders, looked at the king. – Sovereign, what do you think? – he asked, trying to end the discussion.

All eyes were on Arthur, and silence fell over them. Arthur just smiled at their arguments.

– Everyone is right, and wrong at the same time. The Union army should be slower because of the weaponry, but they make up for it with their level of cultivation. Raining or not, we will divide the army... – Arthur began.

Arthur looked at them. – One group will make the first attack. The second group will make the second. The third group will be composed of the strongest of the army to attack the commanders and princes of the Union army. The last group, wich will be with me, will deal with the other kings while I deal with Zeus.

The general's muscular body began to tremble. – B-But lord, divided attack?! We are already like crumbs to them... – Cassilda asked in a low and trembling voice.

Tristan crossed his arms. – The Union of Kings does not have a plan, and if they do, it has been drawn up by the princes of war. Most of their army is made up of Greeks who know nothing about martial arts, are technically weak, easy to deal with, only the princes, the commanders, the giants and the soldiers of the other kings can give some trouble. The king is right, let's focus on the heads... – he said with closed eyes.

Arthur, looked at Cassilda and ordered. – Put fifty thousand archers in the rear. This will help reduce the number of their soldiers!

The general's face showed dread, but she sighed and stood up, looking once more at the king. – I'll do it... – she said.

Orion and Astrid, holding hands under the table, looked at the king.

Orion looked at the king, and shook Astrid's hand. – Lord, are we going to win?

…

Arthur closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he found himself on his knees, looking up at the sky in an open meadow.

"Hmm?! Wasn't I in the mansion now?" he thought, looking around. "Where am I? I'm absolutely sure that a second ago I was with my advisors..." Arthur reasoned.

Descending from the sky was a blond creature with golden eyes, wrapped in a snow-white robe. The creature transcended everything Arthur had ever seen. Its skin was a bright golden hue, its hair literally golden and resplendent, floating. It was an incredibly unimaginable sight, and when it opened its mouth, its feminine voice was like that of many waters.

– The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, sent me to you... – the floating being revealed to Arthur.