(King Thalor Therald’s Chamber)
The chamber was steeped in silence.
Heavy curtains framed the tall windows where King Thalor stood, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked out over the palace grounds.
Behind him stood Eyan, Luca, Leo, and Hans.
Waiting.
Eyan was the first to break the silence.
“Father,” he said evenly, “what is it that you wished to speak about?”
King Thalor did not turn immediately. Instead, he spoke a single name.
“Prince Velco Morvalis.”
The air in the room shifted. It grew colder. Tighter.
King Thalor turned slowly to face his eldest son.
“Eyan,” he said calmly, “I believe I do not need to tell you what must be done.”
Eyan’s expression hardened at once. “No, Father. I know what to do.”
Luca frowned slightly, looking from his father to Eyan. “Eyan… what are you planning?”
Eyan did not hesitate. “I will declare war against the Dravareth Empire.”
The words fell like steel.
“War?” Luca stepped forward. “But why?”
Eyan’s eyes darkened. “You know better than anyone what he did. Everything that went wrong… began with him. It was Velco who cornered me. Velco who forced my hand. Velco who made me release the Dragon King.”
His jaw tightened. “He deserves punishment. And that punishment is death.”
Luca inhaled sharply. “But—”
“Luca,” King Thalor interrupted calmly, “are you worried that Eyan cannot win against Dravareth?”
“Of course not,” Luca replied immediately. “I know exactly what Eyan is capable of.”
“Then what concerns you?” the king asked.
Luca’s voice lowered.
“Prince Velco is no ordinary man. He may not be physically strong… but his mind is terrifyingly precise. Calculating. The last time, he cornered Eyan with nothing but strategy and foresight. He forced him to release the Dragon King while standing inside this very palace.”
His gaze shifted to Eyan.
“You tried so hard to hide sister-in-law from him… yet he still found out about her. You don’t know the extent of what he can do.”
He exhaled slowly.
“It would be better if we simply left him alone. Keep him away from Velmoria. Do not provoke him.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“Luca,” King Thalor said, his voice sharp now, “you are my son. The master of the Magic Tower. I did not expect such cowardly words from you.”
Luca did not flinch.
“Call me a coward, Father,” he said quietly. “But I will still advise against provoking that man. He has done nothing for now. Let him remain that way.”
“Luca, you are worrying for nothing—” Eyan began.
Hans suddenly stepped forward and bowed.
“Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty… but I agree with Master Luca.”
His voice, though calm, carried weight.
“Prince Velco is extremely dangerous,” Hans continued calmly. “Underestimating him once nearly cost the kingdom everything.”
Silence swallowed the chamber once more. The tension thickened, pressing against the walls.
Leo looked from Eyan… to Luca… small brows slightly furrowed in thought. Then he stepped forward, breaking the heaviness.
“Uncle Luca,” he said gently, “I think you’re not understanding what Father is trying to do.”
Luca frowned. “And what is that?”
Leo’s gaze sharpened. “Father knows how dangerous Velco is. That’s exactly why he wants to move first. If we wait, Velco will be the one making plans. By declaring war on Dravareth before he can act… we take control of the board.”
The words settled.
Leo turned to Eyan. “Right, Father?”
Eyan looked at his son. For a moment, pride flickered in his eyes.
“Right,” he said, a faint smile forming. “I’m not doing this out of anger. I’m doing it to prevent something worse from happening.”
Luca’s resistance faltered. Understanding slowly replaced tension. He exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair. He lifted his gaze back to Eyan.
“Then when are you planning to start this war?”
“I intended to begin preparations in one week,” Eyan replied. “But now that your wedding is approaching… I’ll move it to after the ceremony.”
Luca nodded once. “Good. Then I will participate in the war too.”
“Luca, you won’t—”
“I’m not asking for permission,” Luca cut in firmly. “I’m telling you. I will participate. And you cannot stop me.”
The stubborn resolve in his voice was unmistakable. Eyan stared at him for a long second.
Then suddenly— He laughed. A low, amused sound.
“Fine,” he said at last. “You can participate.”
Luca blinked, slightly surprised by the easy agreement.
“But only if Lady Aranel gives you permission,” Eyan added smoothly. “You will ask her first. If she says no—you will not step onto that battlefield.”
Luca frowned. “Why do I need her permission?”
Eyan raised a brow. “Because she is your future wife. If you expect her to stand beside you for life, you should start respecting her voice now.”
He folded his arms. “If she refuses, you stay.”
Slowly, Luca's gaze narrowed.
“What about you?” he asked quietly.
Eyan’s expression shifted.
“Did you ask for permission from your wife?” Luca continued. “Did you tell her you plan to go to war?”
The question landed heavier than before. Eyan did not answer immediately. The silence itself was telling.
Finally, he spoke.
“No.”
His voice was steady—but distant.
“I won’t tell Eva about the war.”
Luca’s eyes widened slightly. “You won’t?”
“I’m planning to leave without telling her.”
The chamber fell utterly still. Even Leo looked up at him in surprise.
“You’re going to leave,” Luca said slowly, his voice dangerously quiet, “without telling sister-in-law?”
Eyan’s gaze remained fixed ahead. “Yes.”
The single word was enough.
Luca’s restraint snapped. “Are you out of your mind?”
Eyan’s eyes flickered, but his voice remained controlled. “Lower your voice.”
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“No,” Luca snapped. “You expect me to ask Aranel for permission before stepping onto a battlefield—yet you intend to walk into war without even informing your own wife?”
Eyan’s jaw tightened. “This is different.”
“How?” Luca demanded. “Because she is carrying your child? Because you think that gives you the right to decide what she can endure?”
The words struck harder than intended.
Eyan’s voice dropped, cold and controlled. “Yes. She is carrying my child. That is exactly why.”
The room stilled.
“She has enough burdens,” Eyan continued, anger simmering beneath his calm. “Her body is already enduring more than it should. I will not add fear to it. I will not have her lying awake every night imagining blades at my throat.”
“And you think disappearing without a word will protect her?” Luca’s voice rose. “You think when she wakes and finds you gone—when she learns from someone else that you rode to war—she will thank you for sparing her fear?”
“I will return before it reaches her ears,” Eyan snapped.
The air between them grew heated, thick with unspoken history.
“You did not see her last time, I did” Luca continued, voice shaking with restrained emotion. “I saw her when everything collapsed last time. I saw how she broke when you left her alone.”
Eyan’s composure fractured.
“Do not speak to me as if I do not know what she went through,” he growled.
“Then act like you do!” Luca shouted. “She is not made of glass—She deserves the truth!”
The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop.
For a breathless second, it looked as though they both might truly come to blows.
“Stop.”
Leo’s voice rang out—not loud, but firm.
Both men froze.
The child stepped between them, small hands clenched at his sides.
“Father,” he said, looking up at Eyan, “you’re not wrong to worry.”
Then he turned to Luca. “And Uncle, you’re not wrong either.”
Leo’s gaze returned to Eyan.
“But Father Mother is stronger than you think. She deserves to know the truth.”
The word hung heavy.
Before Eyan could answer, King Thalor’s voice cut through the charged air.
“That is enough.”
He stepped forward, authority radiating from him.
“Eyan.”
His tone held no anger—only command.
“You wish to shield her because you are worried that is natural. But a husband does not protect his wife by keeping her in the dark.”
Eyan did not move.
“If she is strong enough to bear your child,” the king continued, “she is strong enough to bear the truth.”
Silence swallowed the room.
“Tell her,” King Thalor said firmly. “Not as a ruler announcing war. But as a husband seeking understanding.”
Eyan’s breathing slowed..The anger drained, leaving only conflict behind. For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then—
“Very well,” Eyan said at last, his voice quiet but firm. “I will tell her.”
“Good,” Thalor Said.
King Thalor did not look at him. He had already turned toward the tall window, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze lost somewhere beyond the palace walls.
Eyan studied him carefully.
“Father… is there something else you wish to say?”
A brief silence followed.
Then the king spoke. “Yes. There is one more thing.”
King Thalor’s expression hardened, the weight of a ruler settling over him.
“I want you to keep your marriage—and Eva carrying your child—secret from the court. From everyone in the royal palace.”
Luca frowned immediately. “Why, Father? Why does he need to hide it?”
The king’s eyes shifted to Luca, calm but grave.
“Luca, did you forget what Leo told us? The child will be born in four… perhaps five months.”
Understanding did not come at once.
Then—
Luca’s face slowly changed.
King Thalor continued, voice measured.
“If we reveal Eva now… and the child is born in only a few months, the court will question it. The nobles will whisper. They will calculate.”
His gaze darkened.
“They will ask how a royal heir could be born so soon.”
“We cannot tell them that Zeradros has been reborn as the heir of Therald,” the king said quietly. “No one must know the Dragon King is gone.”
Silence fell heavy and suffocating.
“And more importantly,” King Thalor added, his voice lowering, “there are enemies who would move the moment they learn Eva carries the next heir.”
Eyan’s jaw tightened.
“That is not going to happen,” he said sharply. “I will not let anyone harm Eva… or my child.”
The king finally turned to face him fully. “You cannot protect them every second, son.”
Eyan’s eyes flashed.
“When your mother was carrying you,” King Thalor continued slowly, “she was poisoned four times.”
Both Eyan and Luca froze. “…What?”
The word left them in unison, disbelieving.
The king’s expression did not change. “Yes. No one knows this.”
“I did everything in my power to protect her. And still… enemies planted spies inside this very palace.”
The weight of those words pressed heavily into the room.
“That,” King Thalor said firmly, “is why Eva’s identity will remain hidden until the child is born. No one must know she is the Queen of Velmoria.”
He paused.
“Once the child is safely born, we will announce both your marriage and the heir to the court.”
Eyan exhaled slowly. “I understand, Father.”
But then his brow furrowed. “…However, some knights and servants have already seen me with Eva and Leo when I brought them to you. I don’t believe we can keep it completely contained.”
Before the king could answer—
“Don’t worry about that,” Luca said smoothly.
Both men looked at him.
Luca’s lips curved slightly. “I’ll use memory erasing. They’ll forget they ever saw sister-in-law and leo.”
King Thalor gave a single approving nod. “Then do it.”
“Yes, Father.”
King Thalor exhaled, the weight of command settling back into place. “Now everyone may go. I have said everything I needed to.”
Eyan inclined his head slightly. “Then we will take our leave.”
Without further delay, they turned and exited the chamber.
__________________________________
The corridor outside was long and quiet, lit by the soft glow of evening lamps.
Eyan walked in front, his stride long and purposeful. Behind him, Luca followed at an easy pace.
Leo—
Was struggling.
Hans walked a step behind the boy, watchful as ever.
“Father… Uncle…” Leo called, slightly breathless. “Can you walk a little slow? I can’t catch up…”
Both Eyan and Luca stopped at the same time.
They turned.
Leo stood several steps behind them, cheeks puffed in mild indignation, small hands planted firmly on his hips.
For a heartbeat—
Silence.
Then Luca broke first.
A laugh slipped out of him, warm and unrestrained.
“Oh, I forgot,” he teased lightly. “My little nephew has short legs.”
Hans cleared his throat immediately. “Master Luca, do not make fun of His Highness.”
Leo’s puffed cheeks grew even rounder. Before the boy could protest— Eyan moved. In two strides he was in front of Leo. Without a word, he bent down and lifted the child effortlessly into his arms.
Leo blinked in surprise—Then instinctively wrapped his small arms around Eyan’s neck. Eyan adjusted his hold with quiet care, one hand secure at the boy’s back.
“…Better?” he asked, voice low and calm.
Leo’s earlier pout melted almost instantly.
“…Yes,” he admitted softly.
With Leo secure in his arms, Eyan began walking again, his stride steady and unhurried.
Behind him, Luca and Hans followed at a respectful distance, the corridor lamps casting long shadows across the polished floor.
After a few quiet steps, Eyan spoke.
“Luca. Tomorrow we will go to Marquess Calren Delyss’s residence to formally discuss your marriage. Be properly prepared.”
Luca straightened slightly. “Understood.”
Eyan continued, tone calm but decisive.
“And if Marquess Calren Delyss accepts the proposal, the wedding will be held in fifteen days.”
Luca nearly stumbled.
“…Fifteen days?” He looked at Eyan in disbelief. “Don’t you think that’s a little too early?”
“No,” Eyan replied without hesitation.
His hold on Leo shifted slightly, protective, careful.
“Eva wants to attend the wedding. And from what we know… her belly will soon begin to show.”
His voice lowered a fraction.
“If that happens, she will not be able to appear publicly. It is better we hold the ceremony within fifteen days.”
Luca’s expression softened with understanding.
“…Understood.”
For a moment, only the quiet sound of their footsteps filled the corridor.
Then—
Leo tilted his head back in Eyan’s arms, looking toward Luca with bright curiosity.
“Uncle,” he asked innocently, “can I attend your wedding too?”
Luca’s lips curved into an easy smile. “Of course you can.”
Leo beamed.
Then, with the pure, unfiltered logic of a child, he added—
“Then after you and Aunty Aranel get married… you’ll have a baby too, right?”
He leaned forward slightly, eyes shining. “Then I can have a little sibling to play with.”
—
Luca, perhaps out of pure survival instinct, forced a bright smile. “Well… of course you’ll have a sibling someday.”
Leo’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”
“Really,” Luca said, already beginning to regret every life decision that led to this moment.
Leo nodded seriously, clearly processing something very important.
Then—
“So the baby comes when they do it all night, right?”
—
Eyan stopped walking.
Luca froze mid-step.
Hans made a sound that could only be described as a spiritual malfunction.
The corridor fell into absolute, suffocating silence.
Three grown men. One horrifying shared imagination.
Luca’s face turned red so fast it was almost impressive. Hans violently coughed into his fist, shoulders shaking.
Eyan…
Eyan looked like he was reconsidering every decision he had ever made.
Very slowly, very carefully, Eyan lowered his gaze to the boy in his arms.
“…Leo,” he said in a dangerously calm voice, “what exactly do you mean by that?”
Leo blinked at them, confused by the strange reactions.
“You know,” he said earnestly, “when father and mother—”
Eyan’s eye twitched.
Leo continued innocently “—pray all night.”
…
Silence.
Blank.
Utter.
Silence.
Leo tilted his head.
“My mother told me,” he explained very seriously, “that when father and mother prayed very sincerely all night… I was born.”
—
Luca lost it.
A wheezing laugh exploded out of him before he could stop it.
Hans abruptly covered his mouth, but his shoulders were shaking violently now.
And Eyan—
Eyan slowly closed his eyes.
Long. Deep. Controlled. Relief.
“…I see,” he said at last, voice carefully neutral.
Leo beamed proudly, completely pleased with himself.
“Yes! So Uncle just has to pray very hard with Aunty Aranel!”
Luca nearly tripped over his own feet.
Hans outright turned away, laughing silently.
And Eyan—
Eyan pressed two fingers briefly to the bridge of his nose.
They had barely taken three steps forward when Leo twisted in Eyan’s arms again, clearly not finished.
“So Uncle—”
“Leo.”
Eyan’s voice was calm. Too calm.
Leo blinked up at him. “Yes, Father?”
Eyan stopped walking and slowly lowered his gaze to the boy in his arms. His expression was composed, but there was a very clear warning in his eyes.
“That,” he said evenly, “is enough questions for today.”
Leo puffed his cheeks slightly. “But I was just—”
“Enough,” Eyan repeated, not raising his voice even a little.
The quiet authority in his tone worked better than any shout.
Leo’s mouth snapped shut.
__________________________________
(Palace Living Hall)
The moment they arrived, Eyan stepped through the doors first—
—and stopped dead.
The living hall was empty.
The tea set remained neatly arranged. The cake plates were half-touched. Chairs slightly pulled back… but the two women who should have been there—
Gone.
The maids stationed nearby immediately bowed deeply when they saw him.
Eyan’s gaze swept the room once more before settling sharply on them. “Where are the two ladies who were here?”
The maids stiffened.
“Your Majesty… they left after drinking tea.”
Eyan’s eyes narrowed. “…Left?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the maid continued nervously. “They asked us to inform you that they were going shopping.”
Silence fell.
For a brief moment, nothing in Eyan’s expression moved. But the air around him cooled noticeably.
“…I see,” he said at last.
He waved a hand dismissively. “You may leave.”
The two maids bowed quickly and hurried out of the hall.
The moment the doors closed—
Luca exhaled slowly, brows knitting with concern.
“They went shopping…?” he muttered. “Is it really okay for sister-in-law to be walking around in her condition? She lost consciousness just yesterday.”
Eyan did not answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the half-finished cake. Unreadable.
Then—
Leo spoke, completely calm. “Don’t worry, Uncle. Mother will be fine.”
Both men looked at him.
Leo stood with quiet confidence, small hands resting behind his back like he knew something they didn’t.
Eyan’s eyes softened for the briefest second. But the tightness in his jaw did not ease. Because even if Leo believed it—
Eyan knew one thing very clearly.
Eva Therald… had a dangerous habit of worrying him.
