The Royal Engagement

Chapter 24

He only had ample time to tilt his head to the furious voice behind him when a fist collided mercilessly into the left side of his cheek. The sound of a crack brought everyone's eyes away from bloodied corpse of the King.

Pyro stumbled back from its intensity, his loose and slacked jaw a demonstration of its power. The sight sent a shiver down Amy's back. The other aristocrats and occupants also gasped in aghast at the hanging lower jaw of the Prince. The soldiers that stood unexpected of the King's demise now snapped back into reality has they held their swords to the enemy.

Pyro only snorted, grasping his mandible with an uncomfortable groan and snapping it back to place with a click. That looked as it should have hurt a lot more than Pyro showed it to be. But, Amy sighed in relief, only realizing then how quickly Hakan had put distance between them to reach Pyro.

"You have certainly gotten fast, brother," Pyro chuckled, jutting his jaw to the sides and clenching down. He had his bloodied sword trained on Hakan, just as Hakan had his on him. It didn't surprise Pyro that Hakan had chosen to not instantly kill him with that just now. He never had the gull to hurt his own brother until now.

Hakan scoffed, his eyes sharp slits. "How dare you call me brother now of all times?" He prodded the tip of his sword closer to Pyro threateningly. It did not faze him. He only smiled in a way Amy had never seen him before. It was twisted in its own way – like a cross between sympathetic and mocking to the obvious pain Hakan felt at the loss of his father.

Her eyes drilled into Pyro. Did he not feel the same misery? It was his father, the King, he had just murdered in front of everyone. She scanned over the graveyard of men, women and children, searching the faces of the survivors - they weren't so much as looking at the King anymore. Why weren't they rising up against Pyro for killing their King? Shouldn't they feel obligated to?

What was wrong with this country?

"What is it that you mourn the loss of more, brother? Your father? Or perhaps it was your future as King?"

Hakan leered at Pyro at his question...but the uncertainty had shaken his fierce expression enough for him to realize the intent of Pyro's actions.

"Im sure you understand but allow me to officially make a statement." He looked around at the occupants with a giddy smirk on his face. It was the face of a victor. "Your King is dead," he bellowed, with a grim voice. Amy felt the frozen air at that statement. No one broke their gaze with the Prince. "Your late King, my uncle, had stripped my older brother of his sovereign rights and banished him from royalty...The King, the ruler of the Sirium Empire...was the only one permitted to grace him with these rights once more. As of his death, these rights were not returned, meaning the crown will be given to next applicable royal..."

He lolled his head to the side to meet eyes with Hakan. That smile graced his face once more, reaching so wide that even his eyes mimicked it. "I've won, brother..."

Murmurs of confliction between relief, anger and confusion arose around the room. There was still quite a large number of survivors after the bloodbath, thankfully. Amy's eyes fell upon Charlotte who had squirmed her way over to Wendlyna and Shizuki, her expression stern and thoughtful as she eyed around the room and hastily discussed something amongst the distraction.

Her heart lightened. A small smile came upon her face. Did Charlotte have another plan to save them? As expected. She had always been flexible and resourceful. Her smile weakened.

Gino was lucky to have her as a wife...

...

She perked up, suddenly realizing something. Where was Gino? He was nowhere to be found and she had not heard of his leave from the Sirium Empire as of recent. Did he escape? Was he hidden! Did he...