Demian reached outer courtyard of the palace as if it belonged to him-it did, of course, after sending Lord Heartstone to the dungeon. Everything he had, now, was his.
The masses of people were waiting for him, huddled against each other and anxiously muttering. As he towered over them on the slop, they halted. A thick duvet of silence wrapped them under it as the young Prince let his eyes wander over them.
Their faces had little hopes as he made them to spread the rumor that their future king would save them. How wrong they were. But it helped him to gather them here as he had sent his men to fuel their anger.
Seraphina's brows raised questioningly but he had no time to answer it now. He could feel the anger accumulating inside of her as he hadn't said anything about it to Seraphina. But he didn't want her to entangle in dirty politics of nobles and royals.
The people of Rockdelia, from children to elders, everyone's eyes fixated on him. Their stares confirmed how little hope they had, some had wrath, some were looking at him with suspicious gazes and some were anxiety. But one thing they were determined was to finish the nobles. Yes, that was what exactly he wanted.
He moved his eyes toward his armoured men-at-arms who had surrounded the whole palace and as well as the crowd for safety precautions as if they were hungry wolves ready to pounce on them if needed. And it seemed they were well aware of them.
"My name is," Demian's voice bloomed through the whole yard as if ice cold needles had been sent at them, "Demian Salamander. I am the Young Prince of the Dragon Nation and your future King, The Crown Prince, Billard Salamander has sent me to look into the matter of Rockdelia."
"Then where was the future King all this time and why has he come now after everything ruined?" One of them shouted over the crowd making Demian's grin devilish. Looked like some people had some praiseworthy nerves and he appropriated it.
"When I say the task has been given to me, I meant to remove the Lords from their posts," Demian informed.
The people grumbled as he finished and as if they were offended at him, they muttered again and now, sending him distasteful glances. Seraphina beside him became restless and he could feel her clenched fists.
He began, "I had already heard about the oppression you have been enduring all this while and how effortlessly the nobles had taken everything away from you," Demian mocked the gathering crowd riling them up more and he added, "but despite of your poor efforts of rebellion against the royals, your future King has sent me to help a bunch of sheep." He hissed, "Poor, pathetic sheep."
Demian could taste their anger in the air, their gazes confirmed how betrayed they felt. How pathetic they could become after years of extortion. Demian scoffed in his mind and his face portrayed his thought which effected the people of Rockdelia more.
"Your people have taken our lands, our children and women. You made children orphans and starved us to death even after serving you. And now, you are mocking us?"
Whoever it was, Demian found himself impressed by him. Despite of loosing everything at least they had their respects in tact. At least they had a little fire in them.
Seraphina looked at Demian who had a serious face and her heart thumped at what was her dear husband was doing. Had he also went insane after seeing that much crowd of people? It was true that the people had been suffering and some of them even lost everything and as of now, they had nothing to lose, they were dangerous. As if Demian was playing with fire.
"I know but I don't care." Demian said with a cold voice as Seraphina snapped her head toward him. What the hell was he saying? Didn't he know his indifferent behavior would enrage them? He may have the power but he wouldn't go that far to kill everyone in this city, would he?
Seraphina had never felt this troubled to know what the little devil was thinking and she felt the urge to give his boyish face a punch. Her thumping heart increased its speed as his worried glances drifted between the crown and Demian. It was a moment where she could not take a break as if she would miss out everything.
The rage filled crowd growled and a coat of malice surrounded them as if they had enough. Sweat formed on Seraphina's forehead as she could taste their hatred for the royals. And Demian could not help but fuelling it with his barbaric words. Honestly, he should have learnt a thing or two from Billard as he, at least, knew how to handle angry bulls. Why would've he sent this child-man here anyway? To make it worse!
"What kind of inspirational speech is this?" Seraphina hissed in a whisper making sure that no one could hear it but Demian. Demian's left brow twitched but he maintained his hard face ignoring her comment.
So far, Demian observed, his inspirational speech seemed to be working well as it had already inspired quite a lot of anger. Even from where he stood, he could see the twitches in their jaws, fisted palms, the enraged faces.
Demian released a breath and his deep blue eyes glinted brightly as a ray of promised future shone in them but it also promised a twisted future. The crowd desisted their accusation as Demian added, "I don't care how much you have suffered, I don't care who have anguished you all this years and I, certainly, don't care what you have lost."
The male and females, children and elders everyone present their fumed with anger at his words. They were blaring their teeth at him and that was what he wanted to see. The determination to get back on their feet. And that was not with the help of others but with their own selves. It was time, they needed to stand on their own two feet.
"But, I do care if the people under my care suffer because of me." The whole masses of eyes turned wide at his sudden change in his fairly inspirational speech and their jaws hung low as he added, "The Lords here didn't do anything to help you instead they had snatched away your lands, your rights and that's why your future King is enraged by them. They had been punished but I know this is not enough to atone for your sufferings."
"And that is why from this instant, you will be freed from every lords and you will freed from every rules bounded you here in chains." Gasps erupted as he continued, "You will work for yourselves and you will protect your family and you will sell your own goods so no lords will ever snatch away that rights from you."
The citizens seemed to be awestruck by his words as they tried to gather his will. They felt an odd motivation in his voice as the fire in their eyes turned bright.
"That's why from this instant, all of the unnecessary taxes are abolished."
The crowd still hadn't believed as they exchanged looks among themselves and whispers started among the people but now they had found a new way, a new way to live, a new way to struggle again and this time they would be together in this.
"The lands which had been taken away from all of you would be given back to you without taking anything in return." The rage replaced by smiles of hope as Demian continued, "For six months, you don't have to pay any taxes and your King will provide you with all of the needed supplies and help you create this city again from the beginning."
Cheer erupted among the people of Rockdelia as Seraphina's eyes blazed with bliss and a smiled slowly crawled on her lips. He could feel her eyes on him with adoration.
"This city has been in the ruins and I know it will take long but to make it again, I will be needing your help. Without you, I would not be able to do that. So, people of Rockdelia, I want you to lend me your hands."
Demian's eyes watched as the people of Rockdelia nodded in agreement, happy that they would have a right to on everything they would do.
"Are you willing to take responsibilities of your families?" Demian asked them
"Yes!" The answered in unison as if all had one voice.
"Are you willing to lend your hand to your King, to Billard Salamander?"
"Yes!"
"Then from now on, rely on your future King as he would make sure aid you in your need." And Demian finished as he had accomplishment what he wanted to do.
The people cheered and shouted, "Long live our King! Long live Prince Billard Salamander! Long live Prince Demian Salamander!"
Alonzo from the corner smiled as his chest puffed with the young Prince's accomplishment and sighed with a relief as he resumed his work. It looked like he had got his hands full with it now.
*****
Billard sneezed as Master Valentine tilted his head.
"Have you gotten cold, Your Highness?" He asked.
"No. I don't think so. I am taking proper care of myself thanks to Zenith," Billard gave his advisor a look as Master Valentine complained Zenith that Billard hadn't been taking care of himself. And now, Zenith had taken this as her mission to provide him with the most notable care. She had been sending cups of herbal juices with bitter taste and not to forget, she kept coming whenever the sky gotten darker.
He sighed.
"No, I think it must be the blessings of your people or someone might be remembering you." Master Valentine said and Billard raised his brows. Who would be remembering him at this hour?
A knock came and Billard knew who it was as he glared at Master Valentine at which the old advisor gave him a knowing smile.
"Well, as a future King, you have to give this kingdom a heir. And I think, while the Young Prince is taking care of the matters, you should take it as a chance to do so. Don't you think, your Highness?"
Billard's brown cheeks got colours and his glare intensified as he thought the old advisor was very cheerful lately and he couldn't get to know why.
As for getting a heir, Billard thought it was still time as he needed to sort everything out before a child came. Especially of Demian.
*****
Seraphina and Demian were returning back to the great hall and the human princess seemed to be in a great mood.
"So, you will provide them all the needed supplies..." She mumbled as she had never expected Demian would ever go that far for his people. It seemed she had a bad impression of him.
"No."
Seraphina hummed a merry tune and as soon as Demian's answer registered in her head, she stopped. "What?"
Demian gave her a bored look, "I said no. I wouldn't give them anything."
Seraphina's jaw twitched as she said, "Bu-but you just promised them..."
Demian didn't say anything as he headed forward in a steady pace, lazily if Seraphina could add. She came beside him and hissed, "What's with this laid-back behavior? I thought you were going to help them!"
"I will." Demian stretched his back and said, "But I will not give the. anything from our vault."
"Then how will they resume their work?" Seraphina might have no idea but she had a hunch that without any help from them, the city would stay just like it was. Then what was all of those promises. Had he feigned it to tackle the crowd? And here she thought, a dragon doesn't go back on their words!
Words her foot!
Demian released a frustrated sigh as he tilted back his head, "What the Lords are here for?"
"But they don't have enough money to make it work and the citizens have nothing to give us so we can start it again."
"Yes, that's exactly why I am going to use the manors as private tourist spots."
Seraphina narrowed her eyes as she rummaged through her memories. The manors had antique pieces and almost every manors was large as if they were a bunch of museums. "You- you are going to sell them?"
"Of course not but yes, in a way." Demian thought for a moment and looked at her with a pair of glinting eyes, "Actually, this could be a great idea."
He held his chin while Seraphina's jaw was placed on the floor. "I'll just make them museums and some of those could be used as expensive inns."
"And what about its people?"
"I will help start the merchant ships to gather here and open a trade centre within this city and of course, all of this will be happening under supervision of Dragon city so, the extra money wouldn't be here but will be added to our wealth." Demian informed, "Since this city has already been reformed by Lord Heartstone, I don't think it needed any more of those decorations."
Seraphina's mind ran as she looked at him, "You told them the city will have no lords that meant-"
"Yes, that meant, this is going to be a merchant centre as I saw the sea routes are perfect for it. With three sides of only sea would be great to turn it into a merchant service."
"And there wouldn't be any rules-" she hung the sentence in the air as Demian added, "I meant there wouldn't be any rules for the monarchs but there would be rules of merchants."
Demian informed, "The people who had been farmers will be farmers and provide the whole city with their crops and goods and that way they would not have to worry about trading it somewhere else or wouldn't have to rely on anyone."
"And same goes for the porters and the artists of this city." Seraphina added as all the dots connected in her head.
Demian nodded a grin forming on his lips."Besides, what do you think by how a beggers' city would have its wealth back?"
"By trading goods..." she mumbled and face palmer herself in her mind as she couldn't see through his plans.
"Exactly. That's the only way to help its people otherwise they'd have to suffer from poverty and starvation for more years."
"So, basically, you are going to pay them by their money and also using their lands and goods?"
"That's exactly what is the plan." Demian smiled at her and with a nod he said, "I didn't know you were that smart, Seraphina. I'm impressed!"
Seraphina choked on her anger as he teased her. She gritted her teeth as she followed the devil of a prince.
"You know, Demian, I have never seen a man more vile than you."
Demian smirked, "Indeed?"
"Oh, yes. Indeed."
"Then I'll take that as a compliment."