Succession Trial

It did not take long for the trio to be escorted into a large elegant manor which towered at the heart of not just the grand estate but the city itself. Upon entry, Lardah-Ru directed them towards one of its many expansive waiting rooms. Inside they were met by a tall dome-shaped ceiling which was adorned with beautiful murals. The murals depicted the desert's vast reach along with figures cladded in elaborate armor and even horrid monsters which laid slaughtered beneath their feet. Aside from such, at the ceiling's peak, an elegant chandelier hung high while to the room's side were mighty shelves hosting numerous books. 

At the center of the room was a long table carved out of pristine white jade. To its side were a total of ten seats made of the finest wood with golden outlines adorning them. The final notable feature was the wide half oval shaped window which exposed the bustling activity currently situated within the estate. 

Having been taken here, neither William nor Rosena stood in ceremony and immediately took a seat for themselves. Vince was the only exception to this as he merely walked to William's side and stood there silently. Having finally escaped the sun's relentless onslaught, they had all removed their hoods.

Now left bare was Rosena's dazzling face. Her beauty was worthy of being called exceptional. The soft features of her visage were perfectly complemented by her emerald green eyes and wavy brown hair which cascaded down to her shoulders. Naturally, her elegant temperament had yet to recede once, even as she made the most leisure of motions such as seeping the fragrant tea she had been handed. 

Similarly, William's own charm did not lose out to her in the least. He possessed a well defined jawline, smooth pale skin, ocean blue eyes, and bright golden hair which remained neatly kept. Although his youth did make his face possess a somewhat childish bearing, the sharpness in his eyes would deter anyone from ever daring to treat him with anything less than the utmost respect. 

As they waited, servants would occasionally enter with trays filled with delicacies. Beyond that, a few maids also entered before silently standing upon the corner of the room, ready to accommodate any request which the esteemed guests desired. 

Then after half an hour of waiting, the heavy doors were pulled back and a figure clad in a long majestic robe stepped forth. The figure's majestic robes perfectly complemented his stern temperament. Furthermore, decorative silver chains rested upon his neck, shoulders, and wrists, contrasting beautifully with the fine cloth which was of a deep maroon color. He possessed tanned skin, light brown eyes, and smooth black hair which was neatly slit back. 

Of course, the person which stood before them was The First Son of The Sounra Kingdom, Ceunh-Ru Sounra, The Venerated-Prince.

Standing with his hands hidden behind his back, Ceunh-Ru's eyes immediately locked with William's own as a confused and somewhat troubled expression appeared upon his chiseled face. 

"Venerated-William, I do apologize for my late entry, however I had never expected to meet such a mighty figure without any warning beforehand." 

William chuckled. 

"Ah, yes, yes. I am to blame for that. You see, I was in the middle of my own affairs within The Laywin Kingdom when word of what occurred in The Port City of Al-Neryda reached my notice. Soon after, my father sent me an order to serve as ambassador and mediate this matter." 

Upon hearing William's words, Ceunh-Ru's expression turned somewhat cold. When he spoke once more, his voice lost some of its previous reverence and shifted into a more neutral tone. 

"So The Vanastrea Kingdom, in its great wisdom, sent only you? After nearly two weeks of utter indifference no less? I do apologize if this shall sound harsh, however that is an insult after we have patiently awaited their response and halting any retaliatory actions even as the people of Al-Neryda protested fiercely that we do so." 

William's amicable smile subtly shifted, turning somewhat cold. Similarly, his voice lost some of its friendliness. 

"They sent a royal prince, who better to make amends than me? Furthermore, is Sounra so concerned with the cries of a single city that it would jeopardize the long standing relationship between our kingdoms? Tell me, is war what you would have preferred Venerated-Ceunh-Ru? Has Sounra perhaps forgotten what occurred the last time it dared to act against us?" 

Ceunh-Ru's expression darkened as he snorted.

"Your status is high, of that there is no denying. However, you are but a child still. We require those with the wisdom in foreign affairs to be present, else how shall we guarantee we are not being made fools of…"

Ceunh-Ru's eyebrows turned into a weak scowl as he continued, his voice turning cold. 

"Furthermore, how dare you come here and pretend as if the bombardment of a city section by a warship is a simple matter which should be brushed aside. The truth of the matter is that Sounran blood was spilled, lives were reaped, and then what? We are to look past that? The very fact that we share such a close relationship should have warranted more respect. That is especially the case when we have appeased The Vanastrea Kingdom's every demand for over a century now. To be frank, the very fact that your first urge is to threaten total war when you were the aggressors perfectly displays how unfitting to mediate you are." 

Quite brazen, isn't he?

William's smile had completely faded. He now looked on at Ceunh-Ru with an aloof expression. Understanding the anger which Ceunh-Ru currently felt, William decided to halt his bickering here. The fact was that doing so would gain him nothing for Ceunh-Ru held no authority over this matter. 

He sighed. 

"In any case, I am who came and so I shall handle it. On how offensive it is or how fitting I am, only your father has the right to decide such. On that note, I had wanted to come here and meet with the city warden so that he could inform the king of my arrival to Sounra and the scheduling of our impending audience. However I was surprised to find that not only is he ill, but you are currently within Rellunh. Tell me Venerated-Ceunh-Ru, what brings you here?"

Seeing that William did not wish to argue further, Ceunh-Ru naturally did not continue as well. While his feelings on the matter were rather sour, he knew there was a fine line of disrespect which he could walk. Sighing he answered William's inquiry as his brows knitted. 

"It is as you have heard. The Venerable-Warden has been ill for the past two weeks, as such I have fully taken over all management responsibilities for Rellunh. However even had the warden not fallen ill I would still have done the same, just to a lesser extent." 

William raised a brow. Ceunh-Ru meanwhile continued. 

"Venerated-William, you may be unaware of this, however unlike The Vanastrea Kingdom, The Sounra Kingdom does not believe that just because you are born first then it means you possess the right to inherit the throne. No. Capability is everything. That is what we have believed since the day of our conception and shall continue to believe until the time comes that our kingdom returns to the sand. Just like everything, trials are taken, history is accounted for, reputation is earned, and then, only then, can one be given anything." 

Ceunh-Ru made a gesture with his hands which signified him pointing out the entire estate. 

"We of the royal family undergo what is known as The Succession Trial. It involves taking a year to manage one of Sounra's cities under the careful supervision of the city's respective wardens. After every year, we move to a different city and repeat the process for a total of six years. The reviews of the wardens, measured by the stocks which they buy under our name, shall be what determines which royal child shall be named the crown prince or princess. So to answer you Venerated-William, that is why I am here…"

William nodded in enlightenment. 

"Then I must wish you luck. With my curiosity satiated, tell me, shall you grant my request in the warden's stead?" 

Ceunh-Ru naturally would not reject William, however, his expression turned somewhat dark as he sighed. 

"While I am rather busy, worry not it shall be done… However, Venerated-William, I do apologize but I can not assist you in making the journey towards the capital itself. I may be dissatisfied with The Vanastrea Kingdom's decision of sending you, however that would not have made me neglect my duties as host should my hands not already been tied so tightly with the issue of the warden's illness." 

With the appearance of such a high status individual, not to mention that of royalty, then the standard course was for the warden to ensure their passage through the desert with a grand force acting as protection. 

Despite hearing such, William appeared unbothered. His lips soon curled as a smile appeared on his handsome face. 

"Worry not, I understand fully. Actually, this shall work even better for me. I am an enjoyer of traveling to new lands and seeing its every intricacies. Therefore, I am rather pleased at the chance to try out your City Traveling Services which have been mentioned to me by many within Rellunh's markets." 

Ceunh-Ru's worry subsided somewhat, as a result he nodded before quickly excusing himself. He was quite busy after all and this audience had truly been unexpected. Had it not been related to Vanastrea's royalty then he very well would have refused to meet anyone. 

William understood this and did not hold him. However, just as Ceunh-Ru was about to exit the grand waiting room, his steps halted. 

"Ah, one final thing, Venerated-William. Even if you travel to the capital using Rellunh's services, please understand that the journey might be one harsher than usual. Currently our desert has been restless and fierce." 

Pausing slightly, Ceunh-Ru's eyes suddenly acquired an emotion which none present could discern. 

"Such a thing is a result of a Morthak's appearance. A Great Ranked Hell-Fiend which has not been seen within our lands since The Chaos Age."