The time was around 2:00 a.m. Olivia, Kalvin, Kara, Andria, and Carl were in the library. Kara and Andria were exhausted after teaching Kalvin and Olivia how to behave in front of the queen for hours.

"So, that's all?" Olivia asked, staring at Kara. Kara nodded tiredly.

"Yes, that's all. You both seem to have everything down, " Kara replied, looking at Olivia with a satisfied expression.

"Except one"She added looking at Kalvin with a troubled expression.

Andria, the girl with the brown wavy hair and blue eyes, turned to Kalvin. "If you have a desire to live, you must bow in front of the queen," she said in a firm tone.

Kalvin looked at her stubbornly. "I'll not bow in front of anyone," he said firmly.

"Your wish," Andria said mockingly.

Olivia went to Kalvin with a worried look. "Kalvin, look, if you don't bow, they'll kill you," she said in a concerned voice.

Carl went there too. "What do you think, Olivia? I'll kneel and bend my head in front of a person who keeps our kind locked up and tortures them," Kalvin argued.

Kara, who was tired, turned to Olivia. "Olivia, I think I should leave, as we've already taught you everything. There's another childbirth scheduled for tomorrow morning, and I need to get some rest before that."

Kara said, walking to the door with Andria. Olivia nodded in agreement.

"Sure," she said, nodding as Kara walked to the door.

"Teach your friend to 'bow'" Andrea said mockingly closing the door. Olivia turned to Kalvin and Carl with a worried face. Carl let out a sigh and turned to Kalvin.

"Don't be stupid, Kalvin. It's just one bow. If you fail to do that, you'll die the most painful death possible. They'll give you electric shocks in public, then they'll take you to be a lab rat in their experiments. Come on, you didn't come this far to die like that," Carl explained in a concerned voice.

Kalvin let out a breath, putting down his crossed arms. "Do you know how many times Wise Chancellor Charles strapped me to get me to kneel in front of him during training? And still, he failed. I've never knelt in front of anyone except Bell and Maxwell," Kalvin said arrogantly.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Not kneeling or bowing didn't kill you in the cadet training, but it will here," Carl said worriedly.

"If you don't do this, we're gonna lose the conversation we've arranged with the queen, the spacecraft, and possibly the future of Octagon Verenda. Is your pride that important to you?" Olivia asked in a complaining voice, crossing her arms.

"Then I won't come. Your problem is solved," Kalvin said angrily.

"No, it's not. Everyone is supposed to be in the dining room and bow when the queen enters," Carl said in a concerned voice.

Kalvin let out another heavy breath, sitting on the table of the library.

"Would Bell be happy to see you getting electric shocks, Kalvin?" Olivia asked worriedly.

The mention of Bell's name gave Kalvin pause. He knew his old mentor would be disappointed to see him jeopardize their mission and potentially sacrifice his life out of stubborn pride.

"Bell... he wouldn't want me to throw away everything we've worked for. But I just can't bring myself to bow to that queen, no matter the consequences."Kallvin whispered.

" Just bow in front of the queen, Even right now Bell is awake thinking about you I bet, What he would feel when he realized you died the most painful death possible? As I know Bell has already lost all the family he had except you and Maxwell. He loves you so much, He'll lose his mind" Olivia said in a concerned calming voice. Kalvin could remember the look in Bell's eyes when he left. He gave out another breath.

Carl stepped forward, his voice grave. "If you refuse to bow, they'll make an example of you. Public execution, torture, experimentation - the queen's regime is capable of unimaginable cruelty. And they won't stop there. They'll use your defiance to justify further oppression of our people."

Kalvin's features tightened with anguish. He could envision the horrors his friends were describing - the electric shocks, the agonizing experiments, the humiliation and suffering. The thought of betraying his principles was sickening, but the idea of his actions leading to even greater hardship for his people was almost unbearable.

"Kalvin, I know this is agonizing. But please, for the sake of everything we're fighting for, for the sake of our freedom and the future of Octagon Verenda - you have to at least try. Even if it goes against every fibre of your being, you have to at least attempt to bow before the queen. If not for us do it for Bell and Maxwell" Kalvin gave out another breath and got up from the table.

"So what am I supposed to do then, kneel and bow? Is that all?" he asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Carl took the book on the table, which said 'Royal Costume and Behaviors', and showed Kalvin a winning smile.

"Yes, that's what the book says," Carl said, showing a picture of a man bowing in front of the queen.

As Kalvin took the book, Olivia and Carl exchanged a relieved smile. They could see the internal struggle on their friend's face but were glad that he seemed to be willing to at least consider the protocol.

Kalvin studied the image in the book, his fingers tracing the pages. "It's just a single bow, huh?" Kalvin murmured, more to himself than to his companions. Olivia suppressed a smile as Carl went to Kalvin to help.

"Yes, that's right," Carl said, his voice calm and reassuring.