"Kebarah, do you believe in prophecies?" Yvonne asked once she could see the walls of the air nation.
Unlike their Kingdoms that are segregated, the air wielders are ruled by one king, so they are called the air nation.
"I do." He replied.
Yvonne almost laughed at her predicament.
Here she was, finally the queen of her kingdom yet all she can do is dance to the tune of a man she can not trust.
"Do you believe Noelle is the monster?" She asked again, hoping he would give her an answer to give her doubtful mind.
"You will only wed him for a short period of time. I know my son fancies you and I am not about to give what he wants to another man. I want you to see this as the sacrifice you have to give in order to win. I sacrificed my homeland, did I not?" He asked and she nodded happily.
"Then I want you to give your time and body just till after the war."
"Then what happens after the war?" She asked hopefully.
Would she remain the wife of some monster nobody or would they find away to rid her of him.
"You will take care of him just like you should have of Neil and this time you will not fail." He answered looking dead in her eyes.
Yvonne smiled at the revelation, relieved she was not about to be discarded.
She will definitely not fail this time for her life depends on it.
Kebarah smiled at the young woman.
Not that he valued relationships but keeping her would be of use to him.
*********
"Seeing your kingdom makes me wish the decision for this war was in my hands." Aveedah said as Velaine escorted her back to her chambers after he had introduced her to his court members and explained their relationship.
He did not reply to her for he knew she was not finished.
"Embracing our differences. Would that ever be possible in the larger world?" She asked, stopping to look at him.
"Not until you pull out the root of hatred." He replied quietly.
"How did you pull it out of your little world?"
"I did not. Which is why sometimes I have to weed out the the rotten sprouts. The root of hatred have gone way too deep that it is impossible to pull out. The greed of man keeps nourishing it and no matter how hard you try, it only grows stronger. You are only left with two options your highness, you either have your enemies submit to you or you grow and protect your kingdom so they are never threatened." He explained, a part of him curious as to which path she would choose.
Would she thread the path of her father or would she go against it?
"What would you choose?" She asked him, her gaze never wavering from his eyes.
"I would choose to have them bow to me. I will suppress them forever if that is what it takes to have them never threaten me." He replied truthfully.
Aveedah shook her head then replied.
"I should choose to do the same, should I not? My father had chosen that too." Her voice sounded distant like that was not what her heart wanted. Like she was forcing it to reason differently.
"Yet your heart is more inclined to simply protecting your kingdom." He stated, watching as the emotions in her eyes affirm his statement.
"That would make me a coward." She protested weakly.
Velaine smiled a little as he moved closer to her .
"What do you plan on doing when you get to the air nation?"
" I plan on telling him to remain the way he has always been. Protect his kingdom and not pick sides in this war." She replied honestly.
"What if he refuses and picks side with the water wielders? What if Yvonne gives herself to his rejected son?" He asked, making her speechless.
She had been thinking of that since the matter of alliance had come up and she has not been able to find a solution.
An army of water and air wielders would be a very tough opponent and even if she is victorious, she would lose more than she can ever reclaim.
"Aveeridah, to render mercy you have to be powerful beyond threat. Do all it takes to secure the air wielders and who knows, the sensible kings of the water wielders might see the foolishness in fighting you and they would beg for peace. Only then will you afford to be merciful."
"If they refuse to and the war happens, I will be laying the foundation on which the monster will mount and take the throne."
"Have you not heard? Warriors will fight and a king will rule. The monster will take advantage of the war." She argued almost desperately.
"Then we will find a way to stop that but even to protect your land, you have to fight your enemies. If they want war, you should not fold your hands and watch them."
"Why are you on my side, king Velaine?" Aveedah asked.
She had asked this question before but now she was asking to enable her trust him.
"Because I decided that I do not have to sell my soul to the devil to protect my people. You have a better chance of victory anyway." He replied nonchalantly, a smile playing on his lips as he said the last part of his sentence.
Aveedah found herself smiling back.
She had seen him smile more than ten times but never had she had this reaction before.
Her heart had skipped a beat then picked up it's pace.
"You should rest. We have a long journey ahead of us." He said as he opened the door to her chambers for her and stepped back, the smile still on his face.
She walked in and stopped to look at him.
" You should not dwell on the words I had said earlier, it is my subconscious speaking, just that part that nobody ever listens to. Have a good night rest." She said and closed the door behind her.
She was blushing and did not want him to see it lest he gave meaning to it. It was just her body translating things as it wills.
As she undressed to change into a more comfortable dress to sleep in, something crossed her mind.
Velaine had called her by her name earlier but that is not what was causing her alarm.
He had not said Aveedah.
He had said Aveeridah.
Could it be a mistake or did it have a meaning behind it?
***********
"Leo, you have been avoiding me since you returned." Irina stated furiously.
"I have not. I have been busy." He lied.
Of course he had been avoiding her, but who would not?
He knew what she wanted to ask so badly and he did not want to tell her a news he knew would break her, why did she have to love the king so badly?
"Velaine has changed..." She started when Leo glared at her and she stopped abruptly.
"His highness has changed, he has been glued to that woman since his return, he smiles at her, they speak intimately and there was a time I caught him deep in thought. Leo is this some sort of plan? "
"I have no say in his highness's actions. I am bit a guard who have sworn to protect him with my life Irina. If you want explanations it is best you go to him." He replied nonchalantly, turning his back to her.
"Leo!" She called, her tone threatening yet it did nothing to the man.
"Leo, I am asking for your opinion. Do you think his majesty has fallen in love or do you think he fancies the queen?" Irina asked, her voice now pleading.
"Irina, I do not assume this is that should not be my concern." He replied stoically hoping she would give up and go.
"Leo!!! " She screamed.
"I am not doing this for myself. What do you think will happen if the puppeteer falls in love with his puppet?"
"It will be perfect Irina." Came Velaine's quiet voice.
"Your highness." They both bowed, Irina impatiently.
"You see Irina, love is a kind of power granted to thou who feels it over thee who feels it more. You control the person with his consent." He explained, a wicked smile on his face.
"Your highness, do you mean this is all a plan." She asked, enthusiasm in her voice.
"Irina, you should not be here discussing irrelevant matters. You have a journey tomorrow and Leo has a kingdom to look after. Get some sleep." He ordered, walking out on them, a grateful Leo following him.
"And Irina." He called handing her a scroll.
"I want this prophecy in the original language it was revealed before we commence our journey." He ordered.
If she does not want to sleep she can as well be of some use.
She collected the scroll and bowed slightly, her eyes filled with questions she could not ask.
He had not answered her last question.
Is it all a plan or is he also surprised by the turn of events?