‘Why wasn't she in pain? She had white hair and everything.’ Edmund is moving from left to right while muttering to himself.

  What surprised him the most was how strong she was, but it gave him hope to test more things; the problem would be how he would see her again.

  ‘The king wanted to meet me tomorrow; perhaps I can see her again and talk about the nail; even if she does not feel pain, she might die.’ He thought.

  The young man lay down on his bed and tried to recall the face of the woman who had looked after him, the moments they had together, and the care she took, even when it was difficult for her.

  ‘I wonder what will happen tomorrow, but at least I will see Lucia.’ He smiled.

  The following morning, Edmund awoke to someone banging on his door, so he rushed to it and opened it.

  'Sir Gustav?’ The boy looked surprised.

  ‘The king is waiting for you, so put this on.’ Gustav gave clothes to Edmund.

  The white-haired boy changed his clothes, and before leaving, he opened a drawer and picked up a nail. He slipped it into his pocket and walked out, revealing Gustav in an all-black ensemble with gold details on the jacket.

  Edmund followed the knight toward the castle, passing the passageway that would take him to the library and entering an area with more details on the walls than anyone could see. Edmund was familiar with these, but it had been a while since he had seen them.

  The maids and guards looked at him more out of curiosity than anything else, but one stood out with her long red hair and green, clear eyes, now more mature. Lucia was there. With tears in her eyes, she followed behind him.

  ‘Poor Edmund, with white hair on top of it all, I hope you understand why I could not see you for all those years.’ She sobbed.

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  Lucia followed him while holding a piece of cloth in one hand to wipe away her tears. She felt guilty for not being able to do more for him. Initially, he was difficult, but with time, he became an extraordinary child in an unfortunate situation.

  ‘Don’t worry, Lucia; I am fine. If I could, I would hug you right now just to let you know how much I miss you.’ Edmund grinned as he looked at the maid with the corner of his eye.

  ‘We are here.’ Gustav looked at Edmund.

  Lucia was left behind as Gustav opened the door and moved aside to let Edmund enter the bigger room, where a more extensive table had been set. A Shafran with a beast-like face was standing on the opposite side of Rufus.

  Other people were on the table to its sides; he assumed it was his brothers and sister because they were looking at him, but the woman he believed was his mother was the real surprise. She appeared surprised to see him, and he could sense her sadness or shame. As he approached, she looked down at the table, and her posture changed.

  Ariadne and her fan were all he could see when he turned the other way. However, she appeared unconcerned. Her eyes, which were filled with greed, betrayed her. and the Shafran to her side, whom he assumed was the Archduke of the kingdom of Lavan; it was interesting that they did not have a king but an Archduke as leader. According to his books, it was more of a custom for them.

  ‘Now that the fourth prince is here, we can begin the negotiations.’ The king looked at Edmund.

  ‘Well, the border skirmishes are something we can no longer have; there is no justification for fighting.’ The Archduke gave Rufus a serious look as he did so.

  ‘Yes, Archduke Adrian, I will be honest with you. Before, the soldiers disregarded mercenaries and bandits who crossed to your side.’ Rufus smiled

  ‘The kingdom of Lavran will no longer tolerate this. If things continue, we will be forced to start a war with Velvent.’ Adrian tapped his finger on the table and spoke calmly.

  ‘War is not in our best interests. It would be preferable, Archduke, to find a guarantee for a peaceful resolution to this issue; trade is a far better option than war, as war would open us to opportunists.’ The king looked at Adrian with a serious face.

  Edmund tried to pay attention to what they were saying while turning his head from side to side, but every time he looked at the Archduke's side, he felt as though Ariadne's eyes were swallowing him whole. The king even said he would eat, but nothing was on the table.

  ‘The Chatzi and their families who live at the border are still my people; even if my people don’t see it as such, it is still our territory. I understand that war serves no purpose for us.’ The archduke started reading the papers in front of him as he spoke.

  ‘The Archduke has an exceptionally kind heart.’ Rufus' eyes shifted to Ariadne.

  ‘Thank you; the birth of my daughter opened my heart to the Chatzi, but difficulties persisted even after so much time had passed; that is a conversation for another time.’ He put the papers on his side.

  ‘It appears that you have no issues with the agreement; now, Edmund, you will perform your responsibility for the kingdom's welfare." The king smiled at the young man.

  Ariadne stood and walked to Edmund's side. Another man by the king's side also walked to Edmund, who was confused by what was happening. They touched his shoulders, and he couldn’t move anymore.

  'Edmund, it is time for you to sacrifice for our kingdom; for this peace treaty, you will serve the princess as a slave.' Rufus grinned.