Chapter 4 correct
1413 Words
"I hope you didn't come on a war footing and that we can put our pasts behind us," Nathan said first.
"Past?" asked Elhiás, arching an eyebrow.
"Yes, past," Nathan repeated solemnly. "We are a group of people who have obvious problems against each other, but we are also the people in charge of safeguarding this land, and we cannot allow our disagreements to fall on the people of Mihdel." Elhiás laughed and rested his back on the bench on which he sat, then shifted his gaze to Athelstan Neyer.
"Have you managed to put aside your quarrels, Athelstan?" asked the king of Aeris.
Athelstan looked at Elhiás and sighed. "The past is the past, we can't let it ruin our future," he said seriously.
Elhiás nodded and then moved on to Kyros Neyer. "How fitting it is for you that the past should never be rehashed... eh, Kyros?" Elhiás asked suddenly.
"There have been many things done in the past that have allowed us to be here, Elhiás Ackard, for better or for worse," Kyros replied coldly.
"The important thing is to get to the goal, isn't it?" repeated Elhiás.
"The common good is more important than the individual," Kyros said.
"And you'd do anything for that, no matter who you destroy or eliminate along the way, the important thing is to make the inconvenient pieces disappear, isn't it?" Elhiás Ackard insinuated . His eyes were cold, but when he said that, Sumon could see his eyes burning, and for a moment it seemed to her that the air was getting warmer than before, while Elhiás looked at King Kyros in a way that gave her chills.
His gaze was cold, emotionless, but nevertheless exuded tremendous power, and a fury that would crush him in a short time. Elhiás looked at him as if he knew every secret of Kyros Neyer, every single nuance of his black soul that had probably committed atrocities known only to a few.
"The end justifies the means," replied Kyros Neyer, without the slightest hesitation, and with Elhiás' gaze returning.
Sumon moved on to Athelstan Neyer, who was frowning at his father, as did Nathan, unaware of what secret he was hiding and that he knew Elhiás Ackard.
"I wonder instead," Taryn Fahan interjected, beginning to tap her fingers on the table, her eyes fixed on his movement. All heads turned to her, waiting. "Why is he still here to negotiate, when he should be as far away from any business as possible on the continent?" asked the queen, slowly looking up at Kyros.
The icy eyes, which could have killed anyone. The room grew even warmer, and it seemed to Sumon that the jugs on the table were beginning to shake, or perhaps it was just his impression. Elhiás Ackard shifted his gaze to his wife, one eyebrow raised, as the temperature of the room became almost scorching.
"Control it," Elhiás said almost in a whisper, and then tapped the table twice, and the temperature dropped suddenly, returning to normal. Sumon frowned doubtfully and looked around, looking for something she didn't even know what it was.
Queen Taryn sighed and then rested her palms on the table, hoisting herself up as she got back to her feet. "Elder and Aeris won't make any deals as long as Kyros Neyer continues to sit at this table," she said solemnly.
"Give up your crown and leave power to Athelstan. Only then can we talk about how to save this land, otherwise you will have to find someone else to play your game. And I don't think you can survive much without Elhiás," the queen concluded, looking Kyros Neyer straight in the eye.
Sumon shifted his gaze to Elhiás, who was looking at his consort with amusement, with a hint of admiration. The queen turned and strode out of the room, not looking back once. Elhiás snuggled up in his chair, a mocking smile on his face, as the knight in shining red armor scrambled to follow his queen.
"Aiden," Elhiás called him, setting her eyes on Kyros Neyer. "Do not allow anyone to enter the queen's chambers, not even the servants, until I give my consent."
The knight nodded his head and strode out of the hall. Sumon sighed and looked at her husband, who in the meantime had remained completely silent, watching the heated debate among the other kings. "You Allow a woman to rule," Kyros said, turning to Elhiás.
"She's my queen, and I trust her," Elhiás said mockingly. "As you have heard from my queen, the conditions for this alliance are clear," he continued, addressing the other three rulers.
Sumon ran a hand over the armrest, studying the behavior of his diners.
"Until these conditions are met, there will be no agreement... No discussion."
"Then you may as well go back to where you came from," said King Kyros through gritted teeth.
Was he really so attached to that stupid crown that he would endanger the whole continent just to keep it?, Sumon wondered doubtfully.
"Lucky for us that you're not in charge of Haefest," Elhiás said, looking at Nathan, waiting.
"You can stay until an agreement is reached," Nathan said, stroking his chin.
"Good," Elhiás said, and stood up.
"It is very likely that some of my lords returning from Cynemon will come to town, and they will certainly bring useful information for our future. I will reserve the right to share them only when our terms are respected," the king of Aeris added, before tapping his knuckles twice on the table and then turning and leaving, followed closely by the red-haired lord. They stood in silence watching the door close behind them, before Kyros turned his gaze to Nathan.
"You can't let them go on with their blackmail, they're just two kids who think they're powerful," he said angrily.
"We're all kids," Sumon retorted, stroking the armrests with both hands and looking grimly at the King of Locland.
"I advise you to do as he says," Nathan interjected.
"I'm not going to be blackmailed by a boy," Kyros said.
"I advise you to be careful how you speak, father, or I will take care to take off your crown myself," said Athelstan menacingly.
"My king, perhaps the time has come for you to step back and leave control to Athelstan, he is more than ready to take the place for which he was born," Queen Reanna interjected, resting her hand on the king's forearm.
"Ready? Only I can decide when he will be ready!" cried the king furiously, before rising and throwing himself headlong out of the door. Queen Reanna sighed as she looked at her son, while Nathan beside Sumon sighed.
"We need Elhiás," Nathan said, turning to Athelstan.
"I don't care how you do it, but take that f*****g crown, no one likes working with Kyros Neyer," he concluded, getting up and leaving the room. Athelstan let out a sigh as he closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of his chair.
"What do you think, mother?"
"I think your father has done a lot of scorched earth around him, and it's time for him to take a step back before it's too late," the queen said, looking at her son.
"What did Elhiás mean by the pawns that Kyros sacrificed?" asked Sumon suddenly.
Athelstan opened his eyes and looked at her with a furrowed brow.
"I have no idea," he said in complete honesty.
"I don't think the grudge the king and queen of Aeris hold against Kyros is entirely unfounded. The Fahan Queen seemed to me to be quite firm in her decision, while Elhiás seemed to know a little more than the rest of us," Sumon explained.
"I know my king isn't the most beloved person in the world, but he doesn't deserve all this hate either. All he does is to protect our family and Locrand, as we all do," said Queen Reanna with a weary sigh.
"Are you sure, mother? That doesn't seem like it to me at all," replied Athelstan haughtily. "In any case, I'll try to talk to Elhiás."
He bowed to both of them and headed out the door as well, leaving them alone. Queen Reanna shook her head, poured herself a cup of wine, and Sumon imitated her. They remained silent, both wrapped in their thoughts that surely went in the same direction. Kyros Neyer's elimination from the table
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