"Your highness, your grace," General Ming Yan bowed in difference, eyes scanning the crown prince and the Consort subtly.
The crown prince nodded his head in acknowledgement while the prince consort smiled and inclined his head.
Ming Yan felt uneasy, for all the boy, the 'young man', he corrected in mind, is to be the future queen in official terms, he is an outsider, his features more than enough proof, standing beside his highness.
'Is it wise?' He asked himself, to bring an outside force where they are about to be locked in a battle with another force?
Ah well, he never understood politics, or he would have already been promoted to at least closer to the main city instead of being left to marinate in a border.
"We are honored to receive the both of you, your highness, your quarters have been prepared." Ming Yan swept a hand, indicating for them to follow.
"Thank you, it has been a long journey, I'm certain Prince Consort will appreciate some rest. Till we get settled, summon all the highest officers that can be spared, I would like to speak with them." Ming Yan didn't expected their young prince to have that much authority in his calm voice.
"Yes, your highness," he bowed, gesturing some guards to do as ordered.
With his back turned he failed to see the withering glare the Prince Consort send to the Crown Prince or the answering mocking smile of him.
"These two chambers were prepared for your highnesses, I apologize if anything were to be amiss your highness, we only received the missive yesterday." Ming Yan said, the two rooms sitting side by side.
Originally his order was to prepare one, but realizing that most upperclass wedded couples slept in separate rooms ordered to prepare another.
"Please do not trouble yourself, General, we understand that this is nought a vacation," The Consort spoke for the first time, a lilt of an accent in his voice, surprisingly deeper than he thought, but pleasant.
A small smile graced his lips which put the General at ease, his worry of offending the foreign Prince and causing an international conflict fading.
"Yes," Crown prince nodded in agreement.
"Why don't you retire for the night, Aki? I must speak with the officers to discern a path for advancing.
"Yes, husband, have a good night" Prince Consort smiled, giving a small bow and shutting the door behind him.
Seeing that neither giving any response at seeing two rooms Ming Yan realized his assumption to be correct.
"Lead the way, General..." The crown prince trailed off.
"Ming Yan, Your highness, please, this way,"
His highness gave a nod.
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"There are no movements from troops your highness, nothing that can be detected as odd at least, but the amount of trespassers have greatly increased with the past two months. Originally we thought it was just civilians fleeing from the drought that has been plaguing Mehera for the past year, but we got suspicious that this continued even after rainfall." It was 2nd officer, in charge of gathering information and keeping records.
"Have any of these trespassers been allowed to pass through?
"No your highness, none, they were kept for questioning and imprisoned for a month for retribution and released to their own kingdom." Ming Yan answered.
"Good, any such prisoners still unreleased?" Yeran questioned.
"Yes your highness, there is about twenty such prisoners currently within the holding."
"Hmm....I want to question them, from the least suspicious to most,"
"Why least suspicious your highness?" Ming Yan asked in confusion.
Yeran didn't gave a precise answer, instead thinking of a certain someone.
"I have my reasons," he turned to the maps, clearly indicating closing of topic for the moment.
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"The interrogation room has been prepared your highness, will you be conducting them today...?"
"Tomorrow, schedule that to the 1st thing tomorrow, I shall be retiring now, it's quite late" Yeran replied, the meeting having dragged onward for longer than he expected.
"Ming Yan, which room was prepared for Prince Ruth?" He asked.
"Prince Ruth, your highness?" Ming Yan asked in confusion, not even knowing of another prince, much less them arriving here.
Yeran gestured at Ruth who had been shadowing him the whole time.
Ming Yan's eyes shot wide open, eyebrows raising. His highness' bodyguard? A prince?
"Prince Consort's brother," Yeran clarified.
Fuck! Ming Yan cursed in his head.
"I...I was not informed your highness, I apologize for the inconvenience and ask for a few moments for a room to be prepared" Ming Yan bowed.
"Your highness, it is fine, they must have already prepared accomodations for your entourage." Prince Ruth murmured.
For certain they did, and a bit higher in standing place for the Prince's Bodyguard since he is of higher ranking, but a prince? Someone from Dilhevia and the Consort's brother as well? Ming Yan felt a headache rising.
"You are not one of my entourage Prince Ruth. Get to work," the last sentence was directed at Ming Yan.
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"What do you think, Ruth?" Yeran leaned back against the chair, eyes on the closed door where a prisoner was just escorted out.
"The first one was a farmer just like he claimed to be, every occupation leaves marks if you know where to look."
Yeran nodded, accepting the answer.
"The second one though...he claimed to be a fisherman, but he is a smith, I don't think iron, maybe gold?"
"Yes, I noticed as well, what did you think of it?"
"Either he was a smith who lost his business and doesn't claim it as such, since because of the draughts fishermen could be the most effected and he might be looking for a better chance..."
"Or?,"
"Or he is someone else as well as a smith and is looking for a new angle, since if we get suspicious of him being a smith while he is a fishermen, that's an easily excusable, also acting as a ploy to misdirect us in his real motive and occupation,"
Yeran nodded, again, Ruth repeating all that he had been contemplating in the past moments.
'Clever' He thought, 'both of them are,'
"And the third one?"
"He is the least suspicious of all three and definitely must be interrogated further," Ruth replied.
"Very good, Prince Ruth, how come I did not know you were this proficient in this?"
"My father was very demanding and knew exactly what uses he wanted from his children." Ruth replied lightly.
'Ah,' Yeran thought. 'So one brother is an assassin, the other an interrogator, I wonder who the other children are,'
"OH," he nodded.
"Let's keep going," He added, nodding to the guard at door to bring the next prisoner in.
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"Your highness," 2nd officer Ren is about to have a heart attack.
"Hmm..." Prince Consort hummed.
"Should...should you not be in your room, your highness?"
"I did not come here to enjoy a vacation officer, I came here to assist my husband and that is what I would be doing, as the Consort my place is not at the war council, but I am capable of management, please, escort me to the kitchens and the infirmary first, then the armory. They would be the critical points of a troop, yes?"
And officer Ren has no counter argument.
"As you say your highness, please, this way,"
"Thank you."
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Yeran (I was told that he looks too young, if that is so, let your creativity do the job yh? 😅🤭)
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Hey,
Missed a day didn't I? Apologies my darlings.
See ya,
Arkhane.