Crowned Prince | hendery

26: Truly, Feisty

"Your highness!" Illia's voice was just as hoarse as Julian's the moment he had entered his own office after being called by Julian.

To be honest, this was not how he imagined the day after his marriage would go. Though they were now very much a married couple in bed, he had hoped that physical connection would transpire further into the week, month and year after their wedding. Yet, it would be selfish of him to only have that in mind when the balanced peace was getting tipped by the nation that Count Illia had once called home.

"I hope you have some ideas inside that mind of yours." He walked straight to the table that once served as a meeting area for him, but right now it was covered by the map of the continent where they have placed figurines to represent Maha'ali, Sui and Hwei. "Where is Feliz?"

The room goes silent as they all turn their heads towards the count as if they were waiting for him to answer the question.

"They've chosen to not interfere with the war." Illia informs the prince.

Hendery runs a hand through his hair. "Renjun's grandfather is a coward. Isn't it about time for him to step down as king?" He grips at the edge of the table. "His own grandson could step up as a king."

"Your frustration towards the king of Feliz would not allow us to figure out what we have to do." Illia warns the prince, but that was a lot easier said than done. His presence was large in the room and his anger was probably even bigger than he was.

"Then enlighten me, dear count, what is it that you have planned for the success of this expedition when the closest allies do not choose a side?" Hendery glares at Illia.

"Upon investigations your highness–"

Illia stops talking upon the doors of the crowned prince's office opening. The room was already filled with men ready for war, some have been in this room for as long as Hendery has been with his wife in the room for consummation. There was hardly any space for another person to enter, however the presence that had opened the door matched that of Hendery's presence.

"Princess Taeha?" Hendery hears her name among the crowd making his head which was so focused on the table and the projection of the war on the table.

"Taeha?" He thought for a second that his eyes had fooled him.

"A princess should not interrupt in such matters." Illia stops her from walking any closer to both her husband and the table.

She snickers at the count.

"I am well aware that you are capable however this is not Sui, your highness, you must not intervene–"

"Let her through, count." Hendery crosses his arms over his chest seeing the brightest person in his life emanating the same aura that he has seen from his own father.

"What is this that I have heard that you are to depart by today?" The princess walked past the count and headed straight to Hendery.

Hendery sighs and looks around. "This is not the time nor place."

"Then when shall it be time? When I no longer have a husband?" Her eyes were on him, they were not backing down and with every confident stride she made towards him another man that stood close to the prince moved back.

"That is not–"

"Then fill me on the details of what had happened to Maha'ali."

"What?" Illia behind her nearly jumps out from the shadows. "I have mentioned that you cannot further involve yourself in–"

Taeha turns around making the count stop talking. "Do you think I would be no help?"

"That is not it, your highness, you are a princess. One would think that you do not have any background–"

Taeha snickers at the awful excuses of the count. "You know very well that is not the case."

Years have passed. They were once lovers known far and wide, but none have talked about how they came to be lovers. Sui stood differently from the strongly traditional nations of Hwei and Feliz; they were at its core, a rather new kingdom, due to what her father had committed in the name of her mother. She does not have many male siblings, with her only brother being the crowned prince. As a result they were trained just as he was, yet in the art of swordsmanship not a lot of teachers taught women.

Illia was a runaway prince of Farox. He was living day to day hoping that he would not die, but one night he encountered one guard from the royal palace of Sui and got himself involved in their matters resulting in a sword fight outside the bar. The royal tutor was coincidentally one of the viewers of the fight.

It was there that he was asked to teach the princesses that range in ages much older than he was and one who was younger. Yet due to the nature of being married women of these princesses, he was often left with the youngest, princess Taeha.

Some say that it is in their alone time that two fell in love, some say the fallen prince gave the princess some sort of drug to make her believe that she was in love with him, yet none could then deny that they were perfect for one another.

She was a feisty princess who did anything and everything in her power to make sure that her peace was not disturbed and he was once a prince whose peace was destroyed.

"It does not matter whether you are skilled or not." Hendery interrupts the two. "It is far too dangerous for you to participate."

"Is it not the same for you?" Truly, feisty. "Does it not occur to you that this may cause your demise?"

"If it is what my duty calls for."

Taeha was silenced by his answers. Hendery just looked at her, hoping that this was not how they would talk about this, but there seems to be no other choice. Time was of the essence and the further they discoursed the more they wasted their time.

"Has the king of Feliz decided to join?" The comment made the whole room fall silent. Taeha looks at Hendery as if all she was waiting for was confirmation.

"That is–"

"As expected," the prince's hesitation was all it took for her to understand, "then I shall make it my duty to convince him."

"Feliz and Farox are known to be a lot closer politically, with the king of Feliz's great grandmother being from Farox." Illia comes up beside the prince and princess. "How do you expect the king of Feliz, known to be a family man, to listen to the words of a mere princess of Hwei, to whom he has no relation with?"

"A man who truly values his family would not abandon his daughter just for baring a child out of wedlock." She shakes her head. "Not to mention, completely ignore the existence of his grandchild."

Hendery goes quiet at that very moment. She was right. Why was the king suddenly acting all righteous and familial when all these years he has decided to pretend that Renjun has ceased to exist.

"His philosophies are standing on sand." Taeha looks at Hendery. "We shall convince him from there."

Hendery nods her head and allows her to continue.

"Then I shall continue..." She looks around the room waiting for another person to speak up against her, but when none did she proceeded with the plan she came up with on her way here.

They were going to make sure that they made use of a couple of simple ideologies; patience and surprise.