Rumble!

Something fell over. Crack!

A glass? It broke, spreading shards all over the floor.

Dazzling.

“Are you certain? She’s returned?” The robbed man said.

“Indeed, my lord.”

The man had been praying all this time. To the golden dragon statue before him. He’d been praying, with his divine cup. Now broken, yet the man didn’t even glance at the holy shards. He just stared at the man before him. “Wh-where is she?”

“She’s waiting for you in the audience-”

Mouth curled; his skin stretched as though they weren’t properly adhered to his face. What was that, a smile?

He walked straight for the door. Some shards bit into his feet but, but they were immediately repelled by his holy aura, turning everything to dust. Even if he’d gotten a cut, he would have recovered instantly, so it wasn’t a concern for him.

What was a concern however, was the fact that Azura had returned!

“That means, the ship sinking news was false after all,” he mumbled to himself. Face a bit pale, he’d been praying all this time for her safe return.

“Actually, my lord,” the other man said. “Both the ships before and after the one lady Azura came in, have sunken near the lost continent; but lady Azura is perfectly safe. It is a miracle.”

The man in golden robes shrugged. “Not our problem. But yes, it truly is a miracle she’s back!” Ah, the sleepless nights were worth it!

As long as Azura was safe, nothing else mattered.

Ah, how long had it been seen he last saw her? How long had it been since-

“My lord, before we go in,” just as they stopped by the entrance to the audience chambers, the other man stood in his way. “There’s something you must know.”

“Be quick.”

“Lord Albatros is also present in the audience chambers.”

“You…” the robbed man glared. “You led me here just to-”

“I didn’t know. And lady Azura is indeed present.”

“Tch!” With a shrug the man went in, followed by the other man, who was promptly kicked out of the room anyway.

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Bright white. Massive ten tired chandelier. Glass ceiling; domed. There were no windows in the room. Just two entrances.

Two sets of sofa and a table in between.

Terribly clean. Sparkling even. If someone looked at the marble floor, even if they didn’t squint, they could tell how many freckles they had.

“My lord Albatros,” the robbed man greeted the tall, frail man first.

Just the three of them. A hint of jasmine.

“High priest,” the man nodded, not even attempting to stand up.

“My lord,” an eccentric knight did stand up though. “I have returned.” Her dazzling armor was nowhere to be found. Instead, she was rocking a shirt and some half pants along with a half coat.

“Welcome back, Azura,” he smiled, almost warm. “Glad you look wonderful as ever.”

Azura smiled, bashful.

“Hmm… I didn’t know you were able to fake your emotions to this degree, Julifer,” said the tall, frail man, Albatros.

Julifer smiled, albeit mockingly. “If you say so, my lord.”

Albatros snorted, crossing his legs. “Now, take a seat. We have business to discuss.”

“Of what sort?” Julifer took his seat. Azura too. But instead of sitting next to him, she sat on his laps, wrapping her around him, pressing soft things on his chest.

“Paladins.” Long hair, tidied behind his head. A black suit and white tie. He appeared to be Slunten nobility of sort. At least that’s what the draconic insignia on his chest suggested.

Julifer’s brows knitted together. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I will personally-”

“Let me be frank, both your and my lives are at risk because of the mere existence of this boy. The moment his marriage officiates, he will have the right.”

“I plan on taking care of the problem before that.”

“How?”

“We will have the duke’s daughter assassinated; no royal blood, no ascension.”

“And the boy will stay quiet? However political the marriage may be, he has to at least put an effort to show that he would hunt down the assassin even if he were to go against the church. Besides, all he has to do, is find another bride with royal blood.”

“No one is stupid enough to actually go against the church, especially young talents like him. I’m sure he knows,” Julifer said. “And he wouldn’t carelessly risk, actually, no sane woman would want to die for him either.”

“We’ll have to deal with the duke and the Sovereign as well. Speaking of the Sovereign, that woman is almost back to her feet. Didn’t you say the disease was incurable?”

“It was. But… that boy apparently found a cure.”

“He possesses dangerous knowledge as well. We must get rid of him one way or another.”

“We can’t kill him,” Julifer admitted, albeit disgruntledly.

The boy was possibly a deity bearer. A host of sorts. He could even be an apostle which would only make him even more dangerous. Killing him would only make things worse. And he might end up turning into them.

“I know that!” He banged his hand on the table. “That’s why I propose a transfer.”

“Yes. The boy would be away. His bride eliminated and the problems all sorted. By the time he even hears about the situation, it’ll be too late and he won’t be able to do anything because he would be on the other side of the world.

“We could also accidentally mess with his ship and-”

“Well, I’ll leave the minor details to you,” Albatros said. “But remember. One failure means you’ll kiss your knightly times goodbye,” he eyed the peacefully sleeping knight on top of the man’s lap. Her head resting on his chest, arms loosely draped over his shoulder, hugging.

“Of course, my lord.”

“Well then,” Albatros left.

…

It was just the two of them now. “I know you’re not asleep,” Julifer said. “Your heart’s racing too much.”

“Just wondering what you’ll be doing to me tonight,” she said, whispering.

“I was thinking ‘the usual.’”

“You’ll read me three bedtime stories!”

“Of course.”

“And then milk and cookies!”

He patted her head, smiling. “Of course… anything for you, my… princess.”