"He has been gone, Cyro," Queen Cythis said, but there was no trace of begging in her voice. "At least let Ravenna go to him."
However, the Princess was not listening. She lifted her dress over her ankles and dashed down the steps, moving as if she was on the air. Aiyana was struck by how the Royals of Glacio were more like a regular family than rulers, not even referring to each other with their titles. Ravenna dove into Jason's outstretched arms, hugging him so tightly that Aiyana could make out the faint oof he released. When his sister released him, his face looked surprised as she immediately pulled Jaylyn into a tight hug, like they had grown up together.
Ravenna then turned to face the King and Queen, almost as if she was silently alleging her side. The King rolled his neck in contained fury but Aiyana could clearly see that he had a soft spot for his daughter.
"Prince Jason." Any affection the King had had for his son had clearly dissipated in his absence. "Upon your return home, you have brought only disappointment and suffering."
Jason said nothing.
"How dare you show your face here?"
Queen Cythis lay her hand on the King's arm, shooting him a warning glance that he had overstepped the line. Aiyana glanced around, noticing that all the other guards had lowered their heads, embarrassed to be a witness of the scolding of their favourite Prince. Aiyana, on the other hand, could expect information and she remained enthralled in the argument.
With a deep breath, the King said, "You knew why we made the alliance with Rova. You agreed to the marriage to Princess Zahra. Not only did you disobey me, but you also interfered with Rovan politics!"
Still, Jason remained silent and Aiyana had the suspicion that all his reprimands had to be taken without a word. Princess Jaylyn on the other hand, stared the King down, her jaw rigid. She had twitched at the sound of her sister.
The King looked back at her unflinchingly. "Then, you bring the other Princess her. If it had been Zahra, then I could have stretched my diplomatic hand. Yet, Jason, you parade in here like you are in love with her!"
Queen Cynthis examined her son from her high perch on the throne. At his father's words, he raised his head and looked at her calmly in the eye.
"I did what was right," he said.
"What is right is what is good for this nation!" King Cyro shouted, his composure slipping.
"Our country isn't always right," Jason hissed. "The Rovan Royals used magic from their own son to enchant their people to be benevolent while he forces them to fight for land that they do not care about. That sounds like slave labour."
"King Saito does not have magic. It would -"
Jason cut him off. "Not only does he force his people into poverty, he backstabs deals, plans on killing the innocent. He forced me and Princess Jaylyn to the confines of the Palace so that the public would not find out his schemes."
"And her schemes," Jaylyn whispered.
"Please speak up, Princess," the Queen commanded.
"My mother, Queen Malika, schemes too. She is the brain I believe," Jaylyn said, still quietly. "They have my sister there, the only one brave enough to go against the King, Queen and Crown Prince."
"Whether this is real or not," the King continued, "you have jeoprodised the safety of the people."
"It is not my job to protect others, despite our differences?"
The Queen nodded slowly, looking suspicious of Jason's point. Her eyes slid to Jaylyn.
"Therefore it was my duty to protect Princess Jaylyn too. The Rovans planned to marry her to the King of Nasta."
Aiyana perked up at the information. Though Fox had said something similar, his thoughts were now being confirmed.
"We are aware of this," the Queen said. "Your supposed kidnapping of Princess Jaylyn is the reason that King Logan of Nasta has declared war on Glacio."
Oh, Aiyana thought. What a petty reason.
Jason blanched. It would be obvious that Rova would declare war considering Glacio had broken the marriage alliance and taken one of the daughters of the Royals. Yet, it seemed unnecessary for Nasta to attack.
"Jason, do you still believe that you did the right thing?"
"Yes."
"Why did you not marry Zahra? Through an alliance, Glacio could have intervened with how the country was run and help quash corruption."
Jason shook his head. "It would have been impossible unless we took over Rova."
Jaylyn flinched, but it was so minor and small, Aiyana doubted anyone else had noticed. It was obvious Jaylyn did not agree with her family, but she would never want Rova to fall. She was still proud of her nation. It had been constructed out of rubble, all of Xera scorning the settlers for choosing a desert. Despite the doubts of other nations, Rova had grown.
"I... I also could not marry her."
The King's face clouded over in confusion. It was like watching a wave fall over his face. "And why is that?"
Jason seemed to be summoning the courage to answer but the Queen could not wait. She said, "Because he was not in love with her."
"So who are you in love with then?" King Cyro growled.
This time, there was no pause. Jason said confidently, "Jaylyn. I'm in love with Jaylyn."
It was not only Aiyana who watched the Rovan Princess. The whole room, including the other guards, turned to her. Though her skin was a dark bronze, Aiyana could still see the creep of red starting at the bottom of her neck and ending at her cheeks. She tried to contain her smile but it seemed impossible. It reached her eyes with pleasure.
Queen Cythis smiled indulgently and Ravenna looked happily surprised. The other guards were exchanging looks of shock but even they could not contain their glee. Jason cast a bashful look at Jaylyn to see how she had reacted and grinned sheepishly when she squeezed his hand delightedly.
The King was the only person who looked stormy. "As a Royal, Crown Prince, you do not get to marry who you love. If you fell in love with some pauper, it would not matter. Your marriage is for alliances."
"Wait a second, are you saying you are not in love with mu- the Queen," Ravenna said, her face twisting in disgust.
Clearing his throat, King Cyro laid a hand on his wife's. "There are of course exceptions. If you fall in love with another Royal l- "
"So what's Princess Jaylyn," Ravenna asked, her temper obviously flaring. "Some kind of vegetable?"
"She is not who we engaged Jason to in the alliance!" King Cyro yelled.
"Seems like you got the wrong Princess."
Jaylyn coughed politely, but Aiyana assumed it was to hide a snort.
The Queen took a breath, the King seemingly unable to speak without lashing out. "Jason, as parents, we are obviously delighted that you have found Jaylyn and of course, if it had been a different time, or you had met her sooner, we might have arranged for you to marry her. However," she continued sternly, unfazed. "There is no different time. You had not met her. As the older daughter, a marriage to Zahra would have been more advantageous thus our reasoning to pick her over Princess Jaylyn when Queen Malika offered us the choice."
Jaylyn shuffled her feet. "I am not meat."
"We understand that, Princess. Marriage alliances are not adapting to developing worlds. I hate to say that Xera, including Glacio, are still using marriage as a form of friendship. It is unavoidable right now and it is the utmost necessity that you understand that."
"We understand," both Jason and Jaylyn mumbled.
"Jason, you are required in all of tomorrow's meetings to discuss how you think we can save Glacio. Council dismissed," the Queen said, her face grave.
The Prince and the two Princesses bowed and turned on their heels before walking to the door. Aiyana pulled it open and watched as the Queen gently touched her husband's face and then descended the steps, following her children out of the throne room. Aiyana did not stay behind, pretending to close the doors from the outside.
She wanted to find Fox so badly and tell him about all she had found. So far, it had nothing to do with Arkin, but she never knew when it might come in handy.