Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

🐦‍🔥 Reincarnation [3/10] 🐦‍🔥

Edward's POV:

After sneaking out of the Horizon Library, I managed to find a way to get back to Northwynd via fishing boats.

Even though almost every kingdom was being held under siege or in serious conflict with rival regions, I took a risk and decided to head home.

Marshall thinks I'm napping with Sophii in the unofficial Peeping Pillow Fort, but luckily, he's too focused on keeping Addison company to notice my absence.

Plus, I'm somewhat redundant to the group anyways, who even cares if I suddenly go missing?

Only Sophii knows I'm out, and I trust her enough not to snitch on me.

I promised her extra cuddle time when I came back, so I better survive to fulfill that promise.

As I walked through the grand entrance of the Northwynd palace, I was surprised to see four different people huddled around the throne.

My father, of course, was sitting on the royal chair, fiddling with his obsidian crown.

Tia stood right beside him, her face hidden underneath her captain's coat hood and leaving her expression unreadable.

However, via body language, I knew she was uncomfortable.

Her legs were tense, almost as if she was ready to bolt off at any moment.

One hand was firmly gripping the handle of her sheathed RipTrident, the other placed on the side of King Arthur's throne.

She seemed like she was trying to prevent herself from collapsing.

Queen Xera of Everhallow had coiled herself loosely around the throne, contently resting her serpentine head on the back of its golden frame.

King Lance, Her Majesty's husband, sat just beside her, addressing my presence with a subtle nod.

"Hello, son." King Arthur smiled, greeting me with a friendly wave. "How have you been doing lately?"

I was glad to see his face again. "Great, Dad! I snuck out of the Horizon Library to see you. And Tia, of course. And everyone else."

Even though I just saw the two royal serpents, I completely forgot to acknowledge them. "Oh, and, hello Your Majesties!"

Queen Xera flared out her cobra hood and dipped her scaly head as a friendly greeting. "Hello, mini Arthur."

"Mini Arthur, really?" King Lance chuckled from beside her, his forked tongue flickering out of his serpentine mouth. "Prince Edward, Your Majesty, I believe that you don't deserve to be addressed in the shadow of someone else, even though your father is quite magnificent himself."

I understood their jests, laughing. "Clever, very clever. Anyways, you both may simply call me Edward. Unless we're in front of the public, we don't have to be so formal, y'know?"

"Xera calls me Arthur anyways," My father chimed in, casting a quick glance at the Everhallow queen. "We're all friends when no one is watching."

Tia, who was standing silently beside him, let out a quiet, distressed whimper, pulling her hood further down her face.

Queen Xera frowned at her. "Are you alright, Miss Aquaticlaw?"

The captain gave her a quick nod, tightly crossing her arms and swinging her orca tail around her legs. "Yes, Your Majesty. I am alright."

She seemed like she was about to cave in from a serious amount of pressure.

Something was wrong.

Luckily, my father picked up on what was happening and rose from his throne.

"Excuse us for a few minutes," He politely stated to the two royal Everhallow serpents. "Tia and I must speak together in private."

He offered his hand to her as a comforting gesture, as if he knew why she was so stressed out.

Wait, obviously he did, since Tia isn't afraid to be honest around him.

She reluctantly rejected his offer, but they silently went down the hall together, probably to head towards the training room to blow off some steam.

That left me in the awkward situation of entertaining two massive, oversized snakes.

I don't mean that in a rude way, but they were just... Really big.

That's definitely an understatement, but I shouldn't dwell on the thought for too long or I might just start panicking.

"I hope you like being in the spotlight, Your Majesty," King Lance chuckled, raising his serpentine head. "You and your fierce counterpart will be wonderful to work with."

I cocked an eyebrow at the Everhallow king. "Fierce counterpart? Who do you mean by that?"

"Why, Miss Aquaticlaw, of course." Queen Xera chimed in, slowly uncoiling herself from the throne. "Isn't she your fiancée?"

I felt warmth surge into my cheeks, my face reddening at her assumption. "What? No, no, she's just my friend! An alliance, if you will."

King Lance gave me an amused snort. "Really? Because from what I've heard from your father, you seem to really enjoy her company."

I frowned at that statement.

False, false, false...

They were metaphorically (and literally) living under a rock.

"She's not really my taste." I mumbled, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. "Also, what do you mean 'work with'?

Queen Xera blinked at me. "You didn't hear the news?"

Her husband quietly sighed. "No he didn't, darling. He wasn't present at the meeting with Arthur."

I squinted at both of them, eyeing them closely. "Are you both hiding something from me?"

"Not at all!" The two royal snakes exclaimed in unison, slithering over to where I stood. "Well, we're about to reveal it."

"Tia was drafted to fight in Everhallow's frontlines in exchange for being allies with our kingdom," King Lance began, raising his cobra hood. "If she ever went down, we would need someone to take her place."

"However, that's Arthur's decision, since he drafted her." Queen Xera continued, flicking her scaly tail at me. "And if your father passes away, then..."

"I get to be the new king of Northwynd." I completed her sentence for her. "Sweet!"

"One problem," Her husband interrupted, his eyes narrowing down on me. "You will make the kingdom's new decisions, yes, however, you will be under Everhallow's power as long as we are allies."

"Not a problem!" I smiled, adjusting the tiny golden crown on my head. "This will be fine."

They exchanged a worried glance with one another, visibly concerned about something.

I wish I knew what it was, but I was too focused on thinking about my upcoming reign.

Let's not focus on the future just yet.