The twins awoke to the shuffling of steps and Walce’s voice outside of their room this morning. Apparently, the masters decided to finally occupy the empty fourth floor and everyone was transferring their belongings to their respective rooms.

  There were only six rge rooms upstairs compared to the twelve rooms on the third floor. They even accounted for Ryndell although he had stayed in town since his arrival. Still, he’s welcome in the mansion and they let him have a room of his own.

  “Is he awake yet?” asked Kani quietly, although it was still heard by the twins watching everyone move their belongings as they stood in the corridor.

  “Yes,” answered Mersya quietly.

  The healer suggested not telling anyone about Feiwel’s identity until they settled everything. The room transfer was also to let him be comfortable upstairs where only Walce had access to, unless the trusted maids needed to clean.

  Haliff then knowingly smiled at his older brother and pulled him elsewhere. It seemed like the masters knew him and they sneaked inside the room to take a peek during te afternoon. They found him sitting on the window sill, seemingly solemn as he looked outside.

  Both of them shared a look as they inched closer.

  “Why are you sneaking up on me?”

  The twins froze on their tracks then chuckled softly. “Master Kani often visited you, so…”

  “You shouldn’t just enter a stranger’s room casually.”

  Surprise painted their faces once they shared eye contact, taken aback by his features then smiled brightly.

  “They won’t just invite some stranger here, for sure!” remarked Haliff much to his older brother’s chuckles.

  Hariff then bowed and introduced them, “I’m Hariff, the older twin and this is my younger twin Haliff. And you are?”

  Feiwel smiled, a bit mencholic. “I’m Gue—” He cleared his throat. “I’m Feiwel Arrynden.”

  Haliff grinned then whispered, “Don’t worry, your secret is our secret. No one dares utter any word about your identity here. Everyone doesn’t want Kani to get angry, you know.”

  Feiwel raised an amused eyebrow at that. “Not Karel?”

  “Kani is scarier.”

  Hariff shuddered. “Don’t remind me!”

  Feiwel then chuckled. “Then, please keep it a secret.”

  He motioned for the twins to sit on the nearby chairs as he continued looking outside.

  “Say, Feiwel…”

  “Hm?”

  “Can you tell us more about Astadvran?”

  Now, that caught his attention.

  Hariff chimed in, “Hendrika said they have scenic cliffs. Norn, where they used to live, has vast meadows.”

  He nodded. “Yes. That’s right.”

  “Where do you live there?”

  “In Rouwen, but at the border. In the fortress I used to live in, I can see everything around us.”

  “A fortress?”

  “Can you tell us more about Astadvran then?”

  “Sure. Where do you want me to start?”

  Haliff hummed. “Why not how Astadvran was established instead?”

  Feiwel chuckled. “That was a long time ago, but let’s see.”

  Astadvran was founded by Leicester Aestad von Ranval, one of the nobles exiled from the Empire of Kresimir millennia before the said empire’s downfall. He sailed southwest from the said empire accompanied by his most trusted aides, leaving their lives as former nobles.

  As they arrived in the southwestern isnd, they became part of an indigenous society who lived there since antiquity. As a man from a far more advanced society, Leicester shared his knowledge with the people, earning him a good reputation.

  In the end, he had established Norn as the capital city of the newly founded kingdom Astadvran te into his sixties and the name of the kingdom itself came from his own name. When the second king rose to the throne, they expanded their territories to the east and established Montes, then after expedition to the west, the whole Isnd of Astadvran became rightfully theirs. Throughout the millennia, the Astadvran Royal Family reigned over them.

  “Wasn’t your real name also…”

  “Yes. My mother told me my uncle chose it for me, saying it fits me.”

  “Uncle?”

  He nodded. “My uncle, my father’s older brother, was the former king.”

  His father ascended the throne due to his uncle’s death orchestrated by some nobles. Guerrid, merely an infant back then, only heard of the story when he’s already receiving his training as a knight. The truth behind his uncle’s death never saw the light of the day as if deliberately buried.

  However, despite the current king’s efforts to keep it under wraps, there were still people who talked about it from time to time. Not openly, of course, only whenever reminiscing about how more peaceful and prosperous the kingdom was during the deceased royal’s reign.

  Feiwel sighed a little at the thought.

  While his father had his own capabilities to lead and reign over them, comparing his reign to his older brother’s had always been a blow to his ego.

  “It must have been tough back then,” muttered Haliff, snapping him out of his thoughts.

  “How about you two? What’s your home like before you came here?”

  The twins frowned before Hariff spoke quietly as he held onto his neckce then showed it to Feiwel. “Oh, we didn’t have a home.”

  “What?”

  “But according to father, someone gave us this neckce to protect us since that person saved us when we were still young.”

  Haliff nodded, also holding onto his neckce. “We were only a year old when our father was saved by the masters.”

  “Oh, that means…”

  Hariff nodded. “Aunt Mersya said Karel visited the infirmary where she used to work and looked for her master but at that time, he already died. Then, Karel looked for us instead.”

  Guerrid frowned deeper.

  “Karel saved us again and finally brought us here. Kani helped us, also Hendrika.”

  “Who’s Hendrika?” They also mentioned her a while ago.

  “She’s the former head maid but died a few years ago. She taught us many things.”

  “That’s right! If we have a mother, then she would be our mother!”

  Feiwel smiled, letting his cheek lean on his knuckle. “You’re treated well here, right?”

  “Yes! We have good food, nice clothes, a big room and lots of toys!”

  “Isn’t that nice? Are you making friends with the other kids in town?”

  “We did but some are wary because we’re different.”

  “Different?”

  The twins let their fluffy ears and tails appear and Feiwel blinked his eyes in surprise. “Those are…”

  “We’re Louvikas, werewolves.”

  Feiwel hummed, focused onto their slightly flicking ears. “I’ve also met people like you before.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. I’ve also worked with them. They’re good people.”

  “That’s good to know! Even the workers from Ize are good people! We talk with them sometimes.”

  Haliff muttered, “I also want to go to Ize.”

  “Mersya is an elf, right?” Feiwel wondered.

  “Yes. I think she’s a High Elf though.”

  “And Walce is a Ramayan?”

  “Yes! He’s strong too!”

  Feiwel chuckled. “This house really is diverse.”

  A knock sounded from the door and the twins flinched. Feiwel chuckled and told them not to hide because only Walce and a trusted maid were coming in and out of his room nowadays.

  The butler strode in with a tray of food in his hands. He also saw the werewolf twins and gnced at them. “You sneaked in?”

  They chuckled awkwardly and looked away.

  “I don’t mind them here.”

  Walce nodded as he put down his food. “Do you want to hear some news from Astadvran?”

  Feiwel frowned a little. “Is it… starting?”

  “The war broke out yesterday.”

  Guerrid shakily mumbled, “How about my sister?”

  “She’s safe, protected by Her Highness’s people. So, please don’t worry.”

  The twins then hugged him on both his sides. “It will be fine,” they muttered, letting him cry in their embrace.

  “I know you want to help but this is your life now. The only thing we can assure is to protect your sister and let her sit on the throne.”

  “I owe the imperials my life… but this…”

  “It’s your sister’s choice and I hope this war will be won by her faction.”

  Feiwel looked outside again, silently praying for his sister’s success.

  In Astadvran, three days before the war broke out—

  “You shouldn’t do this!”

  “And why? I don’t have any hopes for my brother anymore! He had chosen to go down the wrong path and even have our brother killed!”

  The queen sobbed on the floor, still holding onto her daughter’s skirt. “Please, my child…”

  “No, mother. I will fight! Not for myself, but for the people. They don’t deserve someone like Riagan to sit on the throne.”

  “Please…”

  “I’ve had enough,” she balked and turned away to walk away but the queen still held tightly onto her skirt, halting her steps.

  “Guerrid… he…”

  Mentioning her brother’s name seized her whole body. Ever since the report of Guerrid’s death, the princess had been inconsoble and crying herself to sleep until exhaustion took over. When she regained her strength back, also heard of the news about the king’s refusal of handing over the throne to her brother and said brother was fighting back by mutiny, she decided to step up.

  True, she never had any supporters as solid as the opposition backing up Prince Riagan but she had always been good with words.

  What she promised the other nobles may have been empty promises as of now but Her Highness was determined to see it through because without their help, even her would end up executed if Prince Riagan’s pns succeeded. They knew the risk but even so, they trusted the princess and her words, their little ray of hope in the tumult brewing in their kingdom.

  “What about… him…” She gritted. “Are you not yet done with the disrespect you’ve given him even though he had shed blood, sweat and tears in making this kingdom peaceful?”

  “Secret…” The queen muttered in between her sobs. “The secret of his birth. I’ve kept it to myself all this time.”

  Tears of anger welled up in the princess’s eyes. “What do you mean…”

  “A secret that should have been taken to the grave but…” She let go of the princess’s skirt. “If this is the end of your father’s reign… then I should…”

  “You better not lie to me this time!” yelled the princess, still holding back her anger.

  With a tear-streaked face, she looked up to her daughter. “It was your father who usurped the throne from the former king.”

  “What did you say?” asked the princess, hands trembling in anger, not directed at her mother but more towards her father.

  “I’m not supposed to know this, my daughter,” she sobbed, “not supposed to.”

  After knowing her husband’s pns of treason against the crown, and hearing of the news about the queen who only gave birth hours ago, the current queen, who’s a prince consort at that time, also went into bor, too shocked by the news she heard.

  Eventually, chaos befell the pace upon the news of her early bor. Taking advantage of the situation, seeing it as an opportunity of diversion, the opposition alongside their allies staged the coup d’etat, successfully at that as they managed to kill the royals—the king, the queen and the crown prince.

  The princess couldn’t help but ment at what she’d known, knowing the Queen’s Crown be bestowed upon her thereafter. “Guerrid… was…”

  “Yes…” The queen closed her eyes. “Your older cousin, not your brother…”

  The queen’s personal maid managed to save the infant Guerrid and brought it to the queen. The midwife, also a person of the said royal, decred that she bore twins.

  Thankfully, Guerrid and Riagan shared most physical features but as they grew older, everyone noticed how they vastly differed from each other.

  “The rightful heir…” Her Highness muttered in disbelief, crying more to herself. “How dare you…” She wiped her eyes. “You tolerated father and his wrongdoings!”

  When Guerrid gained divine powers, it devastated the Queen. She knew about the Temple’s Laws about those who were blessed by the divine. From that moment on, every hope she had for the young Guerrid shattered. Unable to take the news, the Queen exited the political scene. She rarely held balls except for those which her royal duties required, never hosted tea parties and kept herself locked inside her castle.

  “I’m sorry, my child.” She sobbed. “I tried to atone for my sins… but…”

  “Say no more!” Her Highness announced and exited the room. Once she came face-to-face with the knights, she decred, “From today onwards, the queen will be detained in her own quarters.”

  “But—”

  “Until the matters of the kingdom are settled, she shall remain locked up. Her Majesty needs to answer to the crimes she has committed.”

  Hearing the severity of her words, the knights saluted, “We received your orders, Your Highness.”

  “Now, I have somewhere to be,” she muttered to herself, marching with determination as she went to the King’s castle.

  This time, I must settle the matters right.

  After detaining the queen and learning the truth behind what happened years ago, Her Highness went to the King without prior notice. Barging in and forgoing etiquette, she confronted her father about what transpired years ago.

  “Don’t do this, my child.”

  “You should have told yourself those words before you usurped the throne years ago,” she gritted out, anger underlying her tone, “father.”

  “Still, I won’t give you the throne.”

  “Of course, you won’t.” She mockingly ughed. “Why would you, right? It’s because of your selfishness that we siblings are fighting over that,” pointing at him in disdain, “goddamned throne!”

  “What happened for you to be like this?”

  “I grieved for my brother whom you had the audacity to disrespect and because I had enough of your actions, I’d rather step up and fight!” She stood proud before him. Letting the world know, decring like a warrior stepping onto the battlefield, “I will never be like you!”

  The princess held back his anger, trying not to give in to the thrumming anger in her veins.

  “You have to pay for your sins, father.”

  “You—”

  “Don’t act innocent. After all, you’re not supposed to sit on that goddamned throne. Not any of us should,” remarked the princess as she closed the rge, intricate doors on her own, her gaze not leaving her father’s.

  This is just the beginning of my rebellion, father.

  “Her Highness seized control of the royal castle,” reported the knight quietly.

  “That’s surprising.” The noble muttered. “She had always been meek but it seems like she’s actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

  “What shall we do, my lord?”

  “Let them fight,” he mused, “and if they annihited each other, then isn’t it easy to take a hold of the throne?”

  The knight saluted then exited the room.

  “Lauren,” the man called the former king’s name, “it seems like the st ugh would still be mine in the end.”