[Fairy In The Forest] By Minutestory017

part 63

Finally, the door creaked open, and Mike emerged, Uncle Jake by his side. The group's collective sigh of relief was palpable, but their faces still held a mix of worry and anticipation. What had transpired inside? Only Mike and Uncle Jake knew.

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As they journeyed on, Mike and his companions discovered the full extent of Queen's plans. They learned that she had formed an alliance with her brother, the King of Plovdiv, who had agreed to support her in the war against his own nephew. This revelation only strengthened Mike's resolve to stand against his mother's tyranny.

Furthermore, they found out that the queen had forcibly conscripted the young men of Jozeia into her army, using the late King Michael's name to justify her actions. The palace was now a heavily guarded fortress, with the queen's soldiers and the Plovdiv king's troops stationed at the gates.

Undeterred by the odds against them, Mike and his companions pressed on, driven by their determination to bring down the queen's regime. After days of travel, they finally arrived at the palace gates, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

As they stood before the imposing entrance, Mike felt a mix of emotions: anxiety, fear, but also a sense of purpose. He knew that the battle ahead would be fierce, but he was willing to risk everything to save his kingdom and his people from his mother's grasp.

As the gates swung open, Mike and his companions expected to see the Queen emerge, but instead, they were met with the sight of King Edward riding towards them on his horse. The king's presence was a surprise, and Mike's instincts told him to be cautious.

But before he could react, Lake, his trusted friend and advisor, grasped his arm, holding him back. "No, Mike," Lake said, his voice firm and serious. "Let me handle this."

Mike turned to Lake, questioning his decision, but Lake's expression was resolute. He nodded towards King Edward, who was now approaching them with a warm smile.

"Let me speak with my father," Lake said, his eyes locked on the king. Lake pulled his horse's ropes, the stallion came to a stop, its hooves kicking up clouds of dust. King Edward, resplendent in his ornate armor, eyed his son with a mixture of anger and contempt. Lake, his face set in a determined expression, dismounted his horse and approached his father.

The two men faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. King Edward's face was red with rage, his jaw clenched in an effort to control his temper. Lake, on the other hand, seemed calm and collected, his eyes flashing with a hint of defiance.

"I have come to address the Jozeia queen's orders," King Edward spat, his voice dripping with venom. "And from the looks of my opponent, I'm sure there will be no need for me to introduce myself to my son, right?" He sneered at Lake, his lip curling up in disgust.

Lake raised his head, his eyes never leaving his father's face. "I have also come to provide the words of the future king, Prince Mike Enasthum," he replied, his voice steady and firm. "And you know me very well, Father." He emphasized the last word, his tone dripping with challenge.

"Your prince is no longer this kingdom's prince," King Edward declared, his voice dripping with malice. "How will you defend someone who is no longer a part of this kingdom?"

Lake's expression faltered for a moment, his eyes widening in shock. He had expected his father to be angry, but not to use the queen's words against him. He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts before responding.

Lake: The queen is not the only one who makes the rules," Lake said finally, his voice measured. "And she was not the only ruler from the start.

King Edward raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "What do you mean? There can only be two people who rule, the king and his queen. Who are you to object?"

Lake's gaze never wavered. "We believe the superior words are the first to obey, as she is the second to rule."

Edward's eyes narrowed,  "You want to see the dead king come to life?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
But Edward's joke had fallen flat, and Lake's laughter only seemed to enrage him further. But Lake's next words left him stunned.

"No, no, father. You don't need to bring back the king from his resting place, his testament is enough to show who will rule the kingdom after him."

Edward's eyes widened in shock, his face pale. "T, t, testament!" he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lake nodded calmly, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yes, and we have brought the original one, which we would like to show to the court to prove and obey the king's words."

The implications of Lake's words hung in the air like a challenge. Edward's eyes darted back and forth, as if searching for an escape or a way to deny the truth. But Lake's confident demeanor and the mention of the testament had clearly caught him off guard.

"What...what are you talking about?" Edward stammered, trying to regain his composure.

Lake's smile grew wider. "The king's final wishes, Father. The ones he wrote down before he passed away. We have the document, and it clearly states who is to succeed him."

Edward's face turned red with rage, but Lake's words had clearly shaken him. The mention of the testament had brought a new dynamic to the conversation.
King Edward's face twisted in a snarl, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he raised it. "Do what you want!" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "We have more than 50,000 soldiers to smash all of you into 50 pieces. And I promise you, before you even touch the gate, I will cut your head off with my own hands before you realize it."

Lake stood tall, his eyes never leaving his father's face. "Then tell your queen that we will fight, and do whatever it takes to get what is ours," he declared, his voice firm and resolute. "Even if it costs me my blood. I won't back off. I will defeat you, and your ego."

King Edward's voice was laced with malice as he said, "we'll see." He pulled his horse's ropes and turned to gallop back to the palace, his soldiers following close behind.

Lake watched him go, his expression grim. He knew that his father's response was far from a simple dismissal - it was a declaration of war.

Blezi: That means they're not going to negotiate with us?

Lake: Yeah, I don't think so.

Mike looked at the palace, his eyes clouding with memories. He had once called this place home, but now it was a symbol of everything he had lost. He spoke, his voice firm, "We tried the conversation method, now..... If they want to have a fight, then it's their choice. We won't back off."

He turned and walked away, leaving everyone around him speechless. His destination was Uncle Jake, who was preparing for the camps with others. Sallah kum was also standing with them, and when they saw Mike coming towards them, they stopped.

Mike took a deep breath and spoke, his face serious. "They will not let us show the testament."

Jake asked, his expression concerned, "What they want then?"

Mike looked down, his voice barely above a whisper, "My uncle has come to join the queen in the military."

That was it. That means the queen and king Edward, her brother, don't want to solve this problem and don't want to let them show the truth to their people. That's why they will do anything to stop them from spreading the truth and letting them go. They are preparing for a fight.

Uncle Jake and Sallah kum accepted the reason and nodded in agreement. They had come prepared, they were also ready for a sudden attack, so if it cost them blood, they were ready to deliver. They both stood for Mike and alerted their army for it.

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