"Your highness?" Yeran looked up at the sound of knocking.
"Come in," he said, having expected the person visiting far too late to be considered polite.
The door opened, the person swept in, graceful and somewhat bewitching in blond hair and a dark tan, beautiful in a black trousers and a long peacock blue tunic that reached his knees.
At first glance he seemed unassuming, a young master of a wealthy family with no care in the world, it is by observing the sharp cool eyes it can be said that this person is far from who is shown.
"You summoned me, your highness," he took a deep bow.
"Yes, there was no other I could trust with this task."
"You seem troubled, your highness," the person asked, silently calculating, eyes stoppong at the bruise marring Yeran's jaw.
"Moren, how much do you know of the royal family of Dilhevia?"
Yeran asked, gesturing for Moren to take a seat. He inclined his head in thanks, sitting down.
"I did as much digging as I was capable of while being busy with that other task your highness asked me of, what might your highness wish to know?"
"Tell me all you know,"
"For all I searched your highness, it is about the fifth prince, prince Aki, that I found least of, people say he changes like the wind, no one really knows how to describe him, and yet, he is quite popular among many for he is always kind and compassionate. Those people say he is a free spirit, spending his time helping around the city, if people could find no solution from royal Court, it is to him they go. But also, the there are those who are not much of a fan of him, they say he is cruel and vicious with a sharp tongue and even sharper blades."
Yeran's brows jumped high.
"Contradicting, yes? That was my first though as well."
Yeran nodded, thoughtful.
"And what of his twin?"
"Prince Ruth," Moren tapped a finger against his chin, several rings glittering on his hand.
"The two princes are not seen together at any time, willingly, at the least, I had had not enough time to search for him other than to say that he, unlike his brother has a clean state. He is straightforward, and he has no care in status, wealth or blood line, he will punish and reward as what he finds just."
"Anything else?"
"Neither of the two princes' are close with the family, other than Prince Aki with the youngest prince Nuwee. Prince Aki and Prince Ruth's interactions with elder siblings are minimal, but not as less as with each other, treating each other as hostiles at best and downright enemies at worst. King Dilherra isn't attached to any of his children, all of them just pieces in a chess board for him."
Yeran nodded, slowly.
"Moren, I know you just returned from a mission, but would you be able to visit Dilhevia, I need more information regarding the relationship of the two princes'." He asked.
"Anything for you, your majesty. By two princes I think you meant Prince Aki and Prince Ruth?"
Moren inquired.
"Yes," Yeran nodded.
"Did something happened, your highness?" Moren asked with concern, eyeing the bruise again.
"You can say that,"
"Am I allowed to ask?" Moren asked uncertainly, knowing Yeran likes to keep his deck of cards close to his heart, playing only the necessary at one time.
"Soon, Moren, but not yet." Yeran folded his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together to look at him above them. A barely there smirk adoring his lips.
Moren felt a shiver run down his spine at the feral look in his master's eyes.
"If that is all your highness, may I be permitted to leave?" Moren asked, slightly uncomfortable. For all he trusted his highness with his life, Yeran is dangerous when he comes into moods as this.
"Yes, thank you Moren, have a day of rest, it is far too late now and let me have the reports of your last mission tomorrow and leave next day."
Though Yeran was demanding, he was also not ignorant of his employee's being.
"Thank you, your highness, Have a good night," Moren rose with a bow.
Yeran waved him off with a nod.
"Ah, Moren," Yeran called, just as Moren layed his hand on the door handle.
"Yes, your highness?" He turned around questioningly.
"Have a massage sent to the Dracon squad, have them on the standby to be deployed at any notice"
Moren's brows drew close, suddenly aware that there are many cards at play than that his highness let know of.
"Yes, your highness," he nodded, knowing better than to question Yeran.
Just as the door opened, the four standing guard at Yeran's door hastily looked away, following the thought, 'out of sight, out of mind'. All of them knowing the late night visitors of Prince Yeran being none of their business.
¤¤¤
'Exactly how much are you hiding from me and exactly how much truth are you saying?'
Yeran questioned in his mind, urging Ruth on with cross questions and shows of sympathy.
He mentally tallied the points Moren had found out, and what Ruth is saying, there were some that Moren had failed to find out, 'The Demon of Dilhevia' being one such phrase. Yeran catalogued for it to be searched more thoroughly.
Ruth had omitted the point of him and Aki being close to the point of being attached at the hip at their younger days, only to have more and more falling outs as they grew older, before finally having the massive break off around when they reached sixteen or seventeen of ages, Moren not being able to find the exact time line.
'It seems as if you are telling me the truth Prince Ruth, and you have prooved that you can be trusted, and yet, I have not lived so far without developing a healthy amount of mistrust, so, do forgive me for having my doubts.' Yeran thought.
¤¤¤
"I cannot believe your father sent me an assassin wrapped in glitter as a husband!" He joked, when in reality it was Ruth he was questioning,
Yeran had oscillated between being surprised and not at all, hearing Moren say that his new interest is not only a warrior but a trained assassin as well. Surprised, at King Dilherra being so bold, turning one of his own children into a weapon and, not at all, knowing how silent Aki is as a norm and seeing those moves that night. He almost snorted remembering how Aki said that he is unwilling to kill an animal when his hands are already dripping with blood.
He knew Moren had to overturn the very ground Dilhevia was built on just to unearth the fact of Aki being as assassin, it being as closely guarded secret as it was. But he still did not know that work had earned his dearest husband a title so grand. There still were secrets they were not willing to part with.
He listened to Ruth explaining how there was no ulterior motives in choosing Aki as the Consort and could see a logic in his words, but he wasn't as willing to trust anyone with just some reassurances.
He nodded, smiling, pulling on a mask of understanding.
'Let's see how this game play out, I haven't even started bringing my star players to the court yet.' He thought silently.
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Yeran
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Hey,
As a story which was supposed to end within 20 chapters at the beginning, this thing has grown into a monstrosity that even I do not have a control of anymore. Hopefully it won't be a behemoth that bore you to death.
See you,
Arkhane.
P. S. : This will definitely not end in 20 chapters.
P. S. S. : It's alive! It's alive!! It's alive..!!! Muhahahaha.....!!!!!!