Light from the Shadow

Chapter 26

King Ekua rested his head on his hand, obviously perturbed about something. He looked worried. How could he not? His daughter came to see him this morning, requesting his permission to let her go to Solbaru... again. It was not like he did not want her to leave again when she just came back, but it was the alarming situation in Solbaru that he could not pretend not to know. There had been rumors that some of the few prominent clans were planning to overthrow the ruling empire. It was just like the war from 15 years ago when the then most powerful clan, Tehra, led by General Tana Tehra, attacked the Imperial House of Mehari and seized the throne in one night. The history was repeating itself.

"Please, father! Allow me to go there!" His daughter had pleaded this morning.

"Do you have to go... now?" He asked.

Ayna showed him the letter she just received. "This is from Princess Ares."

The crown prince's consort?

"Rishi has been detained by the crown prince! Princess Ares did not explain much but... I'm worried about him, father!"

He remembered the desperate look on her face. It was strange to see his daughter getting worked up like this. What happened between the two? What had Rishi done for the prince to detain him? Was he involved in the recent clash? And Ayna? What could she do if she went to Solbaru? As a neutral country, Remblan was not allowed to participate nor intervene in any war, much less a civil war. They could not be seen taking sides. Rishi should have known that. He hoped the young man did not do anything careless. The king tapped his fingers on the table.

"Jyaga." He called his most trusted knight.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The knight answered.

"Can I ask for a favor?"

***

"Qwentine?" Ayna was surprised to see her instructor standing in front of her carriage. The king reluctantly gave her his consent yesterday to go to Solbaru. He gave her a letter that was to be delivered to Solbaru emperor requesting the release of his subject.

"You are early, Prin... Mr. Qwentine??" Jyaga who just arrived was surprised to see the royal instructor too.

"Is it true... is it true that Rishi has been detained in Solbaru?" Qwentine asked. The king had informed him the day before after the monarch heard the news from his daughter.

Both nodded slowly.

"Please, take me with you!" Qwentine lowered his head.

Ayna and Jyaga looked at each other, confused.

"I am worried about him! I need to see Rishi. Please!!" He begged.

"But..." Jyaga hesitated. The situation was different from last time. Solbaru was now in a brink of war. That's why they decided to travel in small group to avoid attention, leaving the king no choice but to personally assign the captain of royal knights to protect the princess. If they had to add another member...

"I will try my best not to burden anyone! Please! Please let me go with you!" The senior instructor begged again.

Ayna put her hand on his shoulder. "Let's go together, Qwentine."

The royal instructor's face lit up.

"But princess!" Jyaga protested.

"It's just one additional person, Jyaga. It will be alright." The princess grinned.

***

"How is he? Ares asked when Kuan came to see her.

"He is fine. He is a Remblan citizen now. Helten won't do anything to him." He answered and took a seat in front of his sister-in-law. "Are you okay, Ares? After all, he is..."

Ares shook her head. "It's in the past."

Kuan lowered his head. "I'm sorry... if only I have more power..." He clenched his fist.

Rishi had been invited to stay in Solbaru palace after he was seen frequenting the same place with one of the clan leaders who led the recent attack to the empire. When the imperial soldiers rushed to a bar, said to have been a secret meeting place for the rebels, they captured everyone there including Rishi. He was quickly identified as a Remblan, raising questions if the small kingdom had any play in the rebellion. Until the investigation was over, Rishi would be staying in the palace as they did not dare to put him somewhere lower than that. He was, as last informed, still the Head of Grand Library in Remblan, who the king personally appointed after passing a series of rigorous tests. Helten did not like him but he could not let his personal feeling interfere with his judgement. He needed to be careful when handling a foreign high-ranking official. More so, when he was an official from the country they wanted to welcome under Solbaru.

"I'm sorry I have to ask you to do this. Helten forbids me from meeting him." Ares sighed.

"It's alright. I want to do it." Kuan paused and turned to Ares. "It's better if you don't meet him for now. Less suspicion on him." Ares nodded in agreement.

"What are you going to do now, Kuan?" Ares asked.

"I don't know." He replied weakly and turned to her. "How about you?"

"We are both doomed if your father and brother found out what we are doing." Ares laughed. "My father hasn't made any move because I'm here."

"Everybody knows how much Lord Remwar loves you. You are his only daughter after all." Kuan smiled.

Ares' cheeks flushed. "Father told me about their meeting that night. He was very happy to see him again and could not stop talking about him after that."

Kuan laughed. "They might have been a father and son-in-law now if it's not for..."

Ares' expression changed.

"...sorry... I don't mean to..." Kuan apologized. Ares shook his head. "It's alright."

Kuan looked at his sister-in-law, his childhood friend. "Have you ever regretted marrying Helten?"

Ares did not say anything for a while.

"I may not be alive now if I refused back then. My family, and probably all the people in Remwar."

Kuan fell silent. It was true. Remwar clan used to be the second largest clan below his family when they were still under Mehari Empire, but both leaders did not get along well. After his father ascended the throne and formed Solbaru Empire, his first move was to conquer his rival, Remwar. Lord Remwar resisted and another war almost broke out. That was when Helten stepped forward and proposed to marry Ares, the first daughter of Lord Remwar. His condition was that the empire would grant Remwar autonomy in return for its allegiance to the emperor. The emperor agreed while Lord Remwar reluctantly accepted after Ares begged him.

Kuan knew his brother had always loved Ares since they were children despite knowing he could never be with her. She was engaged to someone else from the moment she was born. Engaged to the man whom was now being investigated by him, though he probably was not aware of the fact.

"Do you still love him?" Kuan asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you thinking about going back to him now that you know he is still alive?" Kuan added.

"Are you trying to make me cheat on Helten? You'll get charged for suggesting something like that, Kuan." She laughed and shook her head. "Rest assured I will not leave your brother. He may be your father's son but he never mistreats me and my people..."

"Ares..."

"Enough about me." Ares smiled. "What about you? Are you getting married to the Remblan princess?"

Kuan's cheeks turned red. "I don't know... I haven't received an answer..." And then he realized he had not been writing to Ayna lately because there were so many things going on in the capital that required his attention.

"Hmmmmm...." Ares rested her beautiful face on her hands. "I wonder who I should root for."

"What?"

"Never mind." Ares got up and walked to the window. Her eyes gazed at the fortress city that had been her home for the past 5 years. She moved her eyes to the palace gates. There were soldiers patrolling and messengers coming in and out. She wondered if the Remblan royal would come.