SHIFTERS

two

"This is the great hall. It's a place for the elders and  the royals held all their meeting. The king and the prince has been expecting my lords inside," The guard explained as their steps stopped in front of a pair of wide door. As the guard said, what was it behind the door was the great hall.

Dayu's the oldest brother nodded. He was about to advance into the room when the guard hold him. "My Lord, before all of you entering the room, I need to inform something to you. I've been told that the youngest prince of Cathlea will be choosen to be Prince Wang Qing's mate. Cavelean has a tradition that the heir of the kingdom isn't allowed to see his choosen mate before the night of mating ceremony. That is why I need My Lord Feng Jianyu to wear a veil in Prince Wang Qing's presence until the mating ceremony,"

The three princes looked each other. But they didn't really have any words to refuse if this was really Cavelean's tradition. So when the guard called for a servant to bring a veil to cover his face, Dayu was obediently put it on his head. The veil was a piece of silk cloth that net like. The small holes on the article of the cloth still allowing Dayu to see when his face was staying covered.

After he wore the veil, the guard continued to let them entering the hall. Just few steps upon entering the hall, they already could hear a heated argument between two persons blasted and echoed through the big hall.

"I won't change my mind, brother! I will not marry and mated with anyone other than from our kin. What do you think when you arranged a cat shifter to be my mate? We are the strongest creature, we don't need my future offsprings get their blood mixed and not pure."

The steps of the three Cathlea's prince were halted in abrupt. They consciously gritted their teeth knowing that the first thing they heard just when they were about to meet with the Cavelean's  kings was words of disrespect to their kin. Not to mention such words came from someone who they suspected as the prince; the one Dayu would be marry with.

"It's my king for you, young man. I don't accept such a familiarity of addressing me in a formal meeting. Right now I speak as the king of Cavelean, not as your brother." The king said firmly. Even he looked so young, his voice was showing a certain degree of wiseness. His appearance was rather strong and charismatic that would make people respecting him starting from the first glance.

The Cathlea's princes heard the story before, about the former king of Cavelean died in such a young age because a rare kind disease. After that, his legacy was taken over by his oldest son named Wang Yangzhi; the current king of Cavelean. But Wang Yangzhi didn't have a child, that's why the next heir of Cavelean should be his younger brother; Wang Qing.

Even though the Cathlea's prince tempted to advance and prove themselves that their kin wasn't something they could look down upon, they decided to hold on, staying quiet as the king and the prince had not yet realize their presence.

"And... You need to remember that this is for the future of our kingdom. As the elders' prognosis said that our kingdom would suffer the failure in harvesting for few years to come because our soil condition won't be good. We need an alternative if the elders' prediction is turning true or else our people will be starving. Cathlea agreed to share their land for us and provide us with food, if you marry their youngest prince, it will solve our problem and we don't need to worry about the prognosis."

Dayu bite on his lips. So this was the true intention of Cavelean agreed to form an alliance with them.

"But my king, that is really unnecessary. If we want to take over a certain part of the land, we can just attacking them and take it by force. We are the strongest kingdom, they will not be able to fight us. Why bother to form an alliance and stick our nose to their stupid battle?" Prince Wang Qing said heatedly.

"Don't you have any shame saying those words with your status as Cavelean's heir? We are the greatest kingdom with honor and respect, we don't attack weaker kingdom to rob some foods,"

"And join the side with Cathlea to fight with vampire and werewolves in exchange for some foods is still better for you?"

"Actually I've been thinking to create relationship with the kingdom from the land for awhile now. There will be a time for us to be in need of other kingdoms despite what glory we are currently behold. This is I see as a good opportunity. Moreover, we don't need to fight if we can make vampires and werewolves scare of us and step down from the battle,"

"That still sound ridiculous to me, my king." Prince Wang Qing almost snorted. He still couldn't accept his brother's reasoning.

Meanwhile, the guard who led the Cathlea's princes fidgetted awkwardly on his feet. He brought in their guesses in such terrible situation. He wondered if the king would punish him for making their guesses encountered the argument between the king and his brother. Deciding to not waiting anymore, he immediately stepped closer to make the king and the prince aware of their presence.

"All glory to my king," He greeted, "My lord, the princes from Cathlea has arrived,"

The king immediately directed his eyes toward their guests. He was a little stiff realizing their guests had listen to his argument with Wang Qing. But contradicted from his brother, Prince Wang Qing smirked with smug expression on his face as he realized one of the new guesses was wearing a veil. He must be the prince that his brother arranged to be his mate. Now he didn't need to hide how he truly felt about this alliance. That Cathlea's omega and weak prince needed to know that he didn't want him as a mate. He was just a low life creature and incomparable with the dragon kin.

"Ah, welcome to Cavelean the three princes of Cathlea. Come, I've been expecting and prepare a welcoming banquet for you." The king welcomed them warmly.

Haoshu however suddenly snorted, "How could us enjoy your banquet when the dragon's prince makes it so clear that he doesn't want our presence and disrespect us?"

Dayu immediately grabbed Haoshu's hand to make him stop his daring attitude, but the latter just ignored him. Aside from very protective of Dayu, he also a little bit hot headed.

"I don't know that Cathlea's prince, just a mere shifter from feline family could be have such a gut to confront the mighty creature like us?" Prince Wang Qing however didn't hesitate to counter with another insult.

"Prince Wang Qing! Please put some respect in the words you choose or it's better for you to just bolt than disrespecting our guests"

"That sounds couldn't be better for me. I'm going!" In matter of seconds, Wang Qing shifted into his dragon form. His size was very big with a wide pair of strong wings. His color was dark blue that very close to black. His eyes were sharp as if it could pierching through your soul.

Dayu hold his breath. This was his very first time he saw a dragon shifter and it was truly amazing. Compare to him that only could shift into a small cat with creamy fur, sure he was nothing. It was no wonder the dragon prince looked down on them. Dayu's heart had crumbled even more.

With last cold glance toward Dayu's direction,  Wang Qing in his dragon form walked closer to the window; started to sway his wings and fly away.

"It seems we need to evaluate the future our newly forming alliance. Prince Wang Qing didn't look like he was still willing to make a compromise." Feng Jiang said to the king calmly. But somehow, Dayu still able to sense the worried laced in his oldest brother's words.

No alliance, then no future for Cathlea. He knew it very well.

Without he realized, a small drop of tears fell on Dayu's cheeks. But no one knew since his face covered with the veil. He felt anguish, after all he still had no use to Cathlea.

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