After they finished their little plan, they all left to do their tasks and assignment for the day.
Mihkael stands from the throne and walked the steps down it.
"Raphael, can you inform Hedwig that we will begin the meeting for leaders soon?"
"Of course."
Both Raphael and Mihkael separate to head to different directions. While walking to the meeting room, Mihkael starts to think about his daughter. His eyes lightly narrowed in sadness. But if someone saw him, they would think he was mad.
'I finally thought I was closer to Sakura, but it seems she had a wall against me even now. Looks like I have to do even more so my daughter can count on me.'
Mihkael made the resolution to spend even more time with Sakura, he even though about skipping work a few days so he can spend the whole day with her.
If Seraph knew what he was planning to do, he would be fuming and cursing him out for pushing the work to him. But sadly, he'll know when his work is piled up.
Mihkael reached the room used for the leaders meeting. In there, he placed the communication crystals on the table and
Activated them. A light yellow glow appears, and pulses till it connects to the other side.
While waiting for the connection, the first one to connect was the elven empress, Alyona.
"Hey! I'm gonna have a meeting with Mihkael soon, shoo!!"
Alyona looked like she was pushing away someone, the man grabbed her arm and leaned closer to her, his hair was long and a light mint green. His eyes were a dark sea green, and they looked deeply at her.
"So you would ignore me just for another man? Do you think my feeling for you is a lie? I don't want to let go, but if you promise you'll marry me, then I'll do so." The man smiled a devilish and seductive way, causing Alyona to blush a crimson red.
"Y-y-you!! I, why would I like a snot nosed brat like you! Go back, I don't have anymore time to waste on you!!"
Alyona shakes his hand away and fixed herself. The man still kept a smile in his mouth and whispered something in her ears which caused her to yell at him and use water magic to shoot him away.
The man laughs and used his own magic to deflect her attacks and left the room. Alyona looked at the door panting in anger and humphed in annoyance. She turn around to face the crystal and sighed, but a small smile bloomed in her face when she thought of the man.
But then she noticed the crystal wasn't pulsing a light yellow, but was steady. She had a bad feeling about it and slowly looked up, only to see Mihkael leaning on his chair, his leg crossed over the other and his arms crossed too. The moment she made eye contact, he raised a brow and looked like he was enjoying a show.
"Y-y-y-you! H-h-how long???"
"How long what?"
"Dont play dumb with me, you know what I mean!!"
"Oh! The whole flirting? don't worry, I just began watching when you tried to shove him away and him grabbing your arm."
"Ahhh!!! You saw that!? Why didn't you say anything!?!?"
Her face was burning up and she glared at him. He started to laugh and felt much better that day.
"That man, his name is Igor right? He was the half-elf boy you found and decided to raise out of boredom. He became a knight 3 years ago. Who would have thought he rose to the position of standing beside you."
"Shut up! I never said I'll marry him !"
"Oh? So you'll marry him at a later date, that's fine. Just don't forget to invite me ok?"
"What makes you so sure I'll marry him!?"
"Because you were happy. And you trusted to be yourself when beside him. Not many see your true face."
"I just met him a bit and got used to him! It doesn't mean that I love him back!" She slammed her table and was fuming red. Mihkael smiled at her which caught her off guard.
"I never once said you loved him back, just that you trust him enough to be yourself."
"!!!"
"I'm happy for you. Just don't play too hard to get. Just get together with him soon ok."
"You talk too much! When is the meeting gonna start anyway? I have other things to do."
"Flirt around?"
"Shut it brat! And you better not bring this up to the others, got it!"
"Bring what up? What's all the yelling I hearing?"
The crystal connection to the dwarf emperor who was grumbling and smoking a pipe.
"What ye brats arguing about?"
"N-nothing! I-"
"Alyona is finally going to marry."
"Oh! Well congratulations then! Why haven't ye say so to begin with!? Who's the lucky chap?"
"Wai-!!"
"Igor. The half-elf guy she picked up 20 years ago."
"Oh!? Good, good! That'a boy is strong and impressive. He is someone I can see lovin' her for her and not cause of her crown."
"Yes, I think so as well, he makes a great addition to the family."
Half way through the chat, Adrik joins in and added that comment.
"What you mean 'family'!? When did you become a family member!?!"
Alyona was blushing and yelling at Adrik, but then she noticed who she was speaking to and then flushed even more in embarrassment.
"When the fuck did you get here!? Say something dammit!!"
"I was here at the moment Mihkael brought up your marriage."
"I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!!!"
"""Yet."""
Everyone else said at the same time.
After that a full on moment of everyone teasing and messing with Alyona, it even got more attention when Hedwig appeared.
"He is a man among men, even if he is 300 years younger."
"....craddlerobber...."
"Adrik I'll kill you!!"
Alyona slammed her fist on her table.
"Hahahaha!!! Ok ok. We should stop for now, we need to speak about something else today."
Hedwig laughed and was having fun but knew they needed to speak about the topic of today's meeting.
"Actually, you guys haven't told us yet what the topic is about and father! You left running with my son to Mihkael's empire!? No wonder I couldn't find you anywhere here in our territories!!"
Hedwig's son arrived just when his father spoke and was glaring at his father, the only response Hedwig gave him was a shrug of the shoulders and a laugh, which infuriated his son more, but in the end he just sighed and gave up in scolding his father anymore.
"Rostam, give up, you know he goes and does what he wants because he doesn't have any type of filter."
"Hey! Why do I have to feel bad about leaving? It was my time to relax and chill 200 years ago, but nooo~ he always found a way to escape it and I ended up ruling an extra 200 years. It was time he took control and I go out and play."
"I was only 25 years old!! You were fine and healthy at that time so you didn't need me yet!!"
"Yes I did! I wanted to go out and play and travel but you did it before I was able to push the crown on you! You left a damn letter and said 'I'm not ready, I will ruin this empire blah blah blah!' Your brothers even ran after hearing you ran dammit! I had no one to push it to because out of nowhere my brothers got busy and their kids too!!"
"I really find it entertaining to see the beastman tribe hate to be restrained, even running away so they don't end up inheriting the throne."
"While in other empires people fight and kill each other for power."
Adrik and Mihkael sigh when they think about their own homes and find it quite enviable to see no blood fuse for the throne in the beastman empire.
"The beastman do follow instincts of wanting to be top of the food chain, but despise the restraints of being watched and cooped up in a room with files and reports so they are surprisingly smart in never reaching too high of positions."
"Ok enough! We're gettin' out of topic again, so tell me what ye people want with gatherin' us to today's meeting?"
The dwarf emperor rolled his eyes and rested on his palm while staring at them through the crystal.
"Cough cough! Ahem! Well today's topic is actually about Mihkael's and Aurora's child, Sakura."
"What!? Did somethin' happen to the girl?? I haven't recieved any report about it?"
Keir was surprised and spoke up first.
"Who dares try anything! I'll send people over to track and terminate those basterds who tries to lay a hand on a child who recieved our sacred trees blessing!"
Alyona was furious and leaked out magic energy when she thought if a possibility of anyone harming Mihkael's child.
"I'll personally use hellfire on the culprits if needed to."
Adrik narrows his eyes and a bluish flame can be seen spreading in his surrounding.
Before anymore can be said, Mihkael quickly denied something like that happening.
"No no! No one did anything to her... it's just I want to ask for advise of a personal issue with her."
"Huh. Boy you made us worry thinkin' somenth' happened to yer child."
Keir sighs in relief but the next second looks at Mihkael in perplexing of what is wrong. The others aswell.
"Well... this is what happened."
Mihkael and Hedwig begin to explai what happened yesterday and this morning and wanted to ask them what they thought of the situation, especially Keir.
"Hedwig. Ye believe the sudden outburst might have somethin' to do with the corruption?"
"It was really sudden, and unexpected really."
He frowns a bit when he remembered the incident.
"She looked like she was filled with hatred and pain when Phelan kept getting closer to her. As if.... if he tried to go further to approach her, she may retaliate even more drastically."
"Haah~ this was Phelan's fault fully. He approached another child with no restraints, even more so, a girl. She must have felt scared and awkward meeting a strange boy who she had no connection with approach and hug her."
Phelan's father sighed and rubbed his head in exasperation.
"Why didn't you try to stop him Father? Look at what occurred."
"Hey! I think your forgetting the big picture here. The child automatically hated him. The question is; why?"
"That is peculiar? But how is her mental state now? Is there any side effects? Has she show dislike to you Hedwig? Maybe she fears beastman because they are different from the normal humans she has seen so far."
Adrik tried to find answers to the more important questions.
"From what I can see, she doesn't fear the beastman and she seems to be in a better mental state than yesterday. But the question is, I feel someone may have influenced her thoughts which caused that situation.... I thought maybe someone used the corruption to influence her state of mind."
When Keir listened to the discussion go to 500 years ago, he expression harden and he narrowed his eyes. Everyone were quite and looked at him.
".... 500 years ago. Millin' of lives were lost. People sacrificing people for power and wealth. It was an age of blood and chaos. Those days we fought against' the corrupt'd and our own people. I understand why ye worry about the child's state of mind. Yer thinking someone used her as a pawn for power?"
Everyone stared at Hedwig and he closes his eyes and sighs.
"Sakura this morning seemed like a smart and sensible child. Even more aware and intelligent than most children her age. So when I compare her with the child she was yesterday, I don't believe she would cause such a scene like it."
".... Have ye noticed anything else then."
"Huh?"
"Did the child have a strange aura around her? Did ye find her eyes become pitch black for a second or so? Did her pitch in voice change to a deeper raspy one?"
"....No, none of such effects appeared"
"I see... but I get where yer heading with this. Have her watched well and see if anyone other than those ye trust approach her. Double check her food and those that prepare it. We may not see the signs but we must never underestimate the possible and I say this to all of you too. Don't let yer guard down. We can't have a repeat of 500 years ago."
"Yes!"
Everyone did a light bow to Keir. They listened to his words of an elder, especially since he lived through the age of corruption and witnessed the chaos of it.
"Mihkael."
"Yes."
"Protect yer child with all ye have, never ever believe she'll be fine if you keep her isolated, because that moment of carelessness can be the cause of ye losing her forever."
".... I know Keir, I won't let it happen."
"Good."
Everyone looked at Kier in sadness. They remember that already 10 years passed since the death of his 3 sons and one of his daughter-in-law. The other daughter-in-laws became widows and were just 7 to 8 month pregnant, while the boy who lost both his parents was just 2.
"That boy is already 12 years old. He grew up to look more like his mother than his father."
"Haha! I'm actually glad for that. The boy is half dwarf so he grew to be taller too. One of my daughter-in-law is still mourning her loss. But I can't blame her, I remember you telling' me only one mate will be chosen and will always stick to that one."
Keir turns to look at Hedwig and does a light smile with remorse filled in it.
"I still found it funny how we became in-laws."
Hedwig sighs and laughs at the memory too.
"I never expected my youngest daughter ended up falling for one of your sons, I've normally seen her falling for those tall and lean men, but she comes up to me while dragging your son with her telling me 'I'm marrying this guy, he is mine from now on and forever.' Hahaha! The look at your sons face was priceless because he never expected that a girl would ever say that about him, I believe."
"Hahaha! He was more in the ugly side, I ain't gonna lie about that. But your daughter is a pure hearted child, she fell in love with his heart rather than his appearance. I remember she telling me it was because she saw him with my other son creating tools with enchantments. And that boy was the only one creating a delicate ring with such precise and soft details that she instantly fell in love with him when he does his craft, she felt her heart beat each time she watched him work."
Keir looks to the side as if he was there that moment listening to his daughter in law tell him how much she loved his son, only to sigh when it changed to a weeping women who looks at memory crystal to have a sense of his son being with her.
"I'll go to your home next after my stay in Mihkael's home. I should see how she is doing after not seeing her for a year or so."
"I bet she'll like that."
The atmosphere was more relaxed when they listen to the two old men's discussion about their family and then Mihkael thought of something.
"I actually have a favor to ask of you guys."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Let's have our children meet each other once a month or so. So they can interact and become friends."
"You sure about that? Didn't you say Sakura dislikes the idea of meeting and making more friends?"
"We thought so too. But then I started to think maybe she just said that to put a strong front? Maybe she actually wants to make friends her own age, she must feel lonely with so few to none around her."
"Hmm? I see no problem with this. Let's choose a day and location so they can interact. It can help us in the future too if the next rulers become closer and create a deep bond when they take the throne."
Adrik seem to find the idea not so bad and agreed with it with no troubles.
"And since Alyone may have a child in the near future, it doesn't appear to be such a bad idea."
"Hey!"
"That is true. It would be a well done group of royal children, maybe another marriage between the empires will occur again."
"Not so fast! I won't allow my daughter to marry anyone until she is 30!"
"What the hell!? People normally marry at 16, what you mean 30!?"
Mihkael was adamant about the topic and a whole new discussion occurred because of it.
"Aye! enough!"
Silence filled the room after Keir's shout.
"We're start the operation next month in the second week. All children will meet in one of the palaces, we just have to choose which one. Anythin' else!?"
""""""No sir!"""""
"Good, then we done. And Mihkael!"
"Yes?"
"Protect her well, and know we will be there to help too. I hope that it isn't as serious as we think it is."
"I hope so too. Goodbye Keir."
The dwarf emperor nodded a goodbye and the stone lost its light, signifying the stone is off.
One by one people left, but not without teasing Alyona a bit more.
"Mihkael!"
"Yeah?"
He looks at Alyone, who was the last one there. She stares at him and smiles.
"You better make a good ass speech for my wedding asshole."
Mihkael widens his eyes but laughs and nods.
"I'll make sure to reveal all your embarrassing moments and give your husband photo Crystal's of you that we took when I was a kid."
"You little shit!!"
"Hahaha! Bye bye Granny Alyona."
"Wai-!!"
Mihkael quickly cuts the connection and chuckles at the last expression she made.
"You walking in thin ice kid, I'll put flowers in your grave for ya."
Hedwig laughs and ruffles Mihkael's hair.
"Yeah yeah~ let's go see the kids, I hope they are doing well."
"Haha lets go then. But Mihkael, you sure about the kids having a group think? You sure your daughter will be fine with that?"
"I think maybe that's what Sakura needs. She should surround herself with kids her age rather than adults who lost their innocence and pure thoughts. Maybe then she'll live as a kid more than I was ever able to."
"Well I hope your right about this, because for some reason, I have a bad feeling about it."
"...... now I'm a bit worried when you have feeling about such stuff, because your feeling are always spot on."
"Hahahaha! Just hope it isn't this time."
A second time that day, Sakura felt a chill go through her back, she narrows her eyes and wonders.
'Is someone walking over my grave or something? What the fuck is wrong with today?'
Too bad for her, soon the second batch of capture targets was guaranteed to meet her too, and sooner that she would have ever expected or wanted.
The day was a day were many things were changed, and a group of beings are watching this change, they see the fate of everything and everyone change. The smile is surprise, and look to Sakura.
'Maybe this time... this time fate will truly be changed.... the world might be saved at last...'
A/N: ok that was really long. But what do we have here?? Who are this beings watching? And what do they mean??? The wheel of fate is moving to an unknown direction. Even one where the author doesn't know where the fuck its heading to. And poor Sakura😫😭 this few months will not be kind to her. Well goodluck to her Hahahaha.