"I'm definitely going to punch Shin next time I see him!" Gwyn yelled out of frustration while blocking yet another attack that sent her several steps back; the main doors to the castle behind her. At first she had tried to contain the undead inside Shea's room to keep the damage to a minimum and to buy more time for the others to evacuate using the door as a funnel. Unfortunately all that did was earn her several more bruises as the skeletons just broke down the walls and surrounded her; well it wasn't all bad as rather than spreading out the skeletons just single mindedly chased after her.

At most the little skeletons were a nuisance, if it were only those then Gwyn would have eventually taken them all down because they had rather monotonous and stiff attacks. If only... however there was still the larger skeleton and fighting it was like fighting a seasoned general as his movements were both fast, strong and tricky with feints mixed in along with kicks and punches. 

With a creaking sound the doors behind her opened causing Gwyn to reflexively start to turn back, if it wasn't for her insticts telling her to raise her sword she would've taken an axe to the body which probably wouldn't have broken through her armor but she hardly needed any more bruises. 

 "Oh, you're still here?" Peaking in through the door stood Joker with her head tilted, "You should just run you know? They're ordered to chase the army outside and if you aren't blocking their way they wouldn't have attacked." 

"TELL ME THAT EARLIER!!!" With some difficulty Gwyn managed to dodge the next attack and tumble to beside Joker who was standing slightly off to one side of the doors.

"Well explaining this stuff wasn't my job, I was just cleaning up you know." Joker grinned and held up a small golden statue of a dragon, it's body raised up and mouth open like it was going to breathe out fire.

"Where did you- Wait weren't you taken through a portal?" Unlike Joker who was casually standing there Gwyn was breathing roughly and watching the skeletons warily; like Joker had stated however the skeletons just ignored the two of them and started marching off towards the reforming nobel armies.

"I'm just a clone so don't worry~" Joker suddenly looked up from where she was previously admiring the trophy, "He's here awfully fast, tch if you hadn't stalled them the skeletons would've inflicted more damage on the nobels you know." Turning back to Gwyn who couldn't understand why she was being blamed, Joker pushed her back, "Let's get go see the king shall we? Things are going to be wrapped up here."

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If one were to ask if he was a good king, he himself would have answered with a no. Being born the son of the king did give him the opportunities others were lacking such as private tutors and material resources, he did not lack anything growing up. However just by being born into the royal family doesn't necessarily mean they are born with talent and that was what plagued him who had everything, a lack of talent. 

He was leeching off his parent's rule when he was young and when he became king after his father had become unable to rule anymore due to age he depended on his young wife, the daughter of a noble from the north that he coincidentally met and had fallen in love with. When she had passed away after Shea's birth he hadn't known what to do, to begin with he just wasn't suited to ruling, even with extensive help from trusted advisors the influence of the royal family started to wane and problems that he could't solve started popping up all over. Just when he was at the end of the line, this time his daughters stood up and supported him. With Shea taking over the domestic and diplomatic affairs and Gwyn taking over the military they vastly reduced his burden and was just starting to put the kingdom on track again. And yet.. here he was wtih rebellion being inevitable, all due to his own incompetency despite how little he had to do compared to his daughters.

Knocking on the door interrupted the king's thoughts. "Excuse me this is Shin, I heard you wanted to speak with me?"

Standing up from the chair he was sitting on he personally opened the door, "Thank you for coming and I'm sorry for calling you this late at night." 

Shin, a mysterious man that Gwyn had brought home with her who according to Carey is a dangerous individiual but had nonetheless helped the royal family and the kingdom a great deal during the current crisis. It was quite strange for a father to think so but he wouldn't mind if Shin took both his daughters as his brides, after all Shin had more than enough power to keep them safe... and the kingdom.

"It's fine" He looked around the room as the king closed the doors. "With everyone even your secret guards gone... this is a serious conversation?" 

He could even tell that just by stepping into the room, or did he know before he even knocked? The king slowly walked towards the balcony doors and opened them with a bottle of wine and three cups in hands, "Please join an old man for a bit." 

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"This isn't about Gwyn or Shea is it?" Shin awkwardly walked up and recieved a glass as the king started pouring the wine. "They are both beautiful and great but I would like to refuse." 

"Normally it would be the father refusing wouldn't it?" The king took a sip of the wine, "No, while it is true I would like you to take them as brides I won't push too hard for it." He starred off at the night sky as an awkward silence took over. Shin was off to the side shifting uncomfortably as he took a very small sip of the wine before putting it on the railing. He must not like alcohol very much the king thought inwardly as he gathered his thoughts, after all this was top quality wine despite their current financial state.

"First I must thank you for your help," He bowed towards Shin who suddenly got flustered.

"No, I'm getting something out of it too so there's no need to thank me too much, besides you're a king aren't you?" 

At that the king chuckled for a bit as he straightened himself out, "I'm not much of a king, so don't worry about it." He took a gulp of the wine before continuing, "Despite all the assistance you have given us this worthless old man must shamelessly ask another favour of yours." He turned to look at Shin who had a very uncomfortable look on his face, "Can't you help us more? I'm sure you're not lacking in the power to do so and I will give you anything, even my life if I have to." 

"And STOP!!!" Before Shin could reply a very young girl around the age of 12 burst through both doors and pushed her hands against Shin's mouth. "Oi old man don't you dare die, you still got two daughters that you've barely spent time with." 

"Sharena... I know I did invite you but to burst in like this..." Sharena, the current head and pope of Nara's temple and despite appearances was acutally-

"You were thinking something rude weren't you?" Sharena glared at the king, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"No, not at all." The king started sweating despite the cool night breeze. 

"That aside," Sharena turned around to face Shin acting daintily, "How about you marry me?" 

PFT!! The king couldn't help but spit out the mouthful of wine he just took in as Shin laughed a little as he looked away.

"Isn't a little late to try and act that way Pope? In the first place while I'm not exactly against someone older... shouldn't you act your age a little mo...re?" While the king was recovering Shin replied in an unexpected way, it would seem Sharena and Shin already met at some point? No considering her abilities it wouldn't be strange. It seems Sharena was angry as she punched Shin near the end but to little effect. 

"Damn brat... can't you please an old lady for a bit?" Sharena sighed and took the third glass of wine being chugging it all down. "Add my request to the old man's, if for nothing else but to pity us can't you give more assistance to us?" 

At that Shin thought deeply before replying in a way that caused the king to spit out the wine again... the gardener will have a tough time tomorrow. "I can... but on one condition, show me the core of the palace later." 

The core of the palace... was a secret place that only the king, the next in line for the throne and the popes of both temples knew of. "How... nevermind considering it's you it wouldn't be strange," Sharena sighed as she poured herself another glass of wine. "That isn't much of a problem, on my authority as the pope of Nara I will grant you access to it." 

"Even though I was the one that suggested it... aren't you treating a national secrety lightly?" 

The king and Sharena both looked at Shin in surprise, "What secret is worth more than the kingdom itself? Besides with your strength you could just force your way in, after all you probably know the general location since you know about it already." The king looked seriously at Shin, "Even though Sharena beat me to it, I intended fully to do the same you know." 

Shin didn't know how to respond for a bit before sighing, "I thought I would've needed to bargain for a bit. Well then I'll have Joker guarantee your safety and here." Shin opened the doors and stepped into the king's room before taking out boxes upon boxes of vialed liquid, "These potions should help greatly, the red potion heals most wounds, the blue one is a mana potion and the yellow one is a cleanse/refresh potion. As for the castle itself I'll arrange something, I don't know how much damage it will take or how long it will be until that annoying guy and his party arrives but the castle won't fall I'll promise that much." 

After that the king and Sharena had spent some time being both astonished at the potions and questioning his help, the best they got was that a very strong and reliable hero would come to save them. Just before he left Shin gave the king a sealed envelope and said he should read it later. The two leaders left behind spent some time in silence looking out over the city.

"Don't die... at least not before me you brat." Sharena was the first to break the silence after finishing the last of the wine, her eyes still contained many emotions but her voice conveyed how serious she was about it.

"Despite trying to avoid topics relating to your age after you got your powers..." The king looked towards a part of the castle where he knew his daughters were in. "Don't you die either, the temple, the people and we still need you... Nan-guh!?!" 

"You brat, getting cocky now? Like hell I'm going to die to those snot nosed brats." Sharena removed her fist from the king's stomache and walked towards the door, "I've been wanting to clean out those bastards for a long time and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. I'll let Carey know about the potions so prepare some bags for them." She stopped to turn back and look at the king, "I'll bring help once we're done so make sure you hold out until then." With that she left the room as the king looked into his empty glass with a gentle smile on his face.

"Everyone has always been too good for me." He looked up at the moon one last time before putting the glass down and exiting the room to call Hesn, "May the goddess's and the hero watch over us." 

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Fa-th--er... Fat-her... FATHER!!! The king dazedly open his eyes as he heard his daughter yelling his name. "Hmm.. Huh?. Wha, what happened?"