“I will be there,” Illaria replied.
It was already past evening. Edric had called for her after dinner. Since they were close, Illaria went straight into his room without announcing herself. Edric was standing with his back to her. The moment he sensed movement, he turned sharply and pointed his sword at her.
“Who are you, young lady?” he demanded. “How did you enter my room?”
Illaria was already irritated, and now Edric was only making it worse.
She replied in an annoyed tone, “Brother, the day is already terrible, and now you are just making it worse.”
Edric blinked, then broke into laughter. “Oh—so it’s you! I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you. I’ve always seen you in men’s clothes, I really couldn’t—” He paused, then stared at her properly. “But wow, you look so pretty, sister! You could easily be counted among the most beautiful ladies of the South. You should dress like this more often.”
“Enough with this nonsense,” Illaria snapped. “Why did you call me?”
Edric turned away and replied playfully, “Oh! If you don’t want to chat with me, then you can go back. Hmph.”
“Elder brother,” Illaria sighed, “stop bullying me. You know very well I’m dying to talk. Let’s sit first.”
They both took seats around the table, and Edric began.
“So, father asked me to tell you a little about the Northern family—mainly because you don’t even know the name of the prince you’re supposed to marry, not dad’s fault. So, let’s start. The Northern Emperor is Elmar Neor. He is the firstborn son of the previous emperor. Years ago, when he was about to take the throne, his cousin—who was second in line—tried to have him killed. A terrible cold war broke out between the two, but Elmar emerged victorious. He had to kill his own cousin to claim the throne.”
Illaria listened silently.
“He later married Leonella Neor,” Edric continued, “a princess from the noble family of Oldstone. She is the current empress. Apart from her, the emperor has married six other women, but their status and power are far below that of the empress.”
Illaria groaned. “Brother, this is so boring. I think I’m getting even more depressed.”
Edric laughed. “Ahahaha! Alright then—here’s something more interesting. Did you know that the Northern Emperor has only three princes but many daughters? He could have brought his daughters too, but he only brought his sons. I really wish I could see some Northern princesses.”
“Brother!” Illaria exclaimed. “What are you talking about? You do know you can’t take concubines like the Northerners! Why would you want to waste your marriage over some stranger princess?”
Edric said, “Who said I was going to marry them? I just wanted to have a look. We Southerners can’t even look at a woman freely. These Northerners look so different from us, I wonder how the northern beauties look.”
Illaria rolled her eyes. “Brother, if you weren’t capable, by now everyone would have started giving me the throne instead of you.”
“Oh come on! An emperor should be fun, not cold.” Edric laughed. “And, I’m your elder brother! Tell me honestly, there is someone you secretly love, right? That’s why you are denying the marriage?”
Illaria felt her cheeks grow warm. She didn’t like this kind of talk. She quickly replied, “Enough. Tell me about the princes. And wait—what did you mean by only three princes?”
Edric nodded. “Right. So, in the North there are currently three princes and seven or eight princesses. It’s not like the emperor didn’t have other sons, but apart from these three, all the others apparently died during training at Kelzar—which is rather strange—or refused to train altogether. That’s how it is.
Among these three, the empress has two children. The first is Willem Neor, the first prince and the current crown prince. He is eighteen now. He was the one who raised his hand today and ordered the Northern troops to lower their weapons at the gate. He has trained at Kelzar, and he manages the Northern army. Her second child is the one you fought with today. He is—”
“Marcus Neor” Illaria said. “Yes, I remember his name.”
Edric smiled. “Good. So Willem and Marcus are the empress’s sons. The one your marriage has been suggested with is the second-born prince of the North, Lyn Neor. He is the son of the emperor’s second wife. Unfortunately, he holds no military power. All military authority is controlled by the first prince and the emperor.”
Illaria frowned. “Why? Is he not capable? Has he not trained at Kelzar?”
“He has,” Edric replied. “He trained there for five years. In the North, training at Kelzar is mandatory. Princes who refuse lose their status and are banished from the palace. Since he is still a prince, of course he trained.
As for his abilities—though he holds no military power, all noble families in the North fear him. He is called the ‘Master of Whispers.’ It is said that whatever happens across the continent, he knows it. His network is excellent. From what I’ve heard, he has already helped his father take control of lands the emperor desired.
Everyone has secrets, and he not only knows them but also finds ways to exploit them. After returning from training, instead of joining the army, he built this spy network. I’ve heard that in the last few years, noble families now pay five times the taxes they used to, yet there is no sign of rebellion in the North. I suppose that is why he holds no military power—he is already powerful enough.”
Edric paused, then quickly added, realizing his description sounded too dark, “But sister, don’t worry. He’s not a cold person. I’ve heard he cares deeply about his citizens. Winters in the North are brutal, and every year he personally arranges camps to help the people. The common folk really like him. As long as you haven’t committed a sin, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
After a brief silence, Illaria let out a quiet sigh.
Edric continued, “And lastly, there is Prince Marcus.”
Illaria straightened slightly. Ever since he had attacked her with that dagger, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him—or the weapon itself. Both felt like mysteries. The descriptions of the other two princes had been impressive, but she was far more curious about Marcus.
“Well,” Edric said, “he holds neither military authority nor valuable information like Lyn Neor. In fact, he rarely stays at the palace and is hardly involved in politics or state affairs.”
Illaria felt a flicker of disappointment.
“But,” Edric continued, “he is called the ‘War Beast of the North.’ He rarely stays at the palace because he is almost always outside, hunting beasts and training himself. After he returned from Kelzar, he was first sent out with guards. But his hunts were too long, too dangerous, and too frequent. No guard wanted to accompany him anymore, and he felt they only slowed him down and risked their lives unnecessarily. So after a while, he began going alone.”
“He is sometimes absent from the capital for long periods—sometimes even up to three months. But whenever he returns, he has either hunted down a high-level beast or brought back a rare treasure. Every year, a fighting competition is held in the North, open to warriors of all ages and ranks. Prince Willem and Prince Lyn do not participate in it, but Prince Marcus does.
Before you ask why—Prince Willem is responsible for organizing the event and ensuring the emperor’s security, so he cannot compete. As for Prince Lyn, after his birth mother passed away, he gave up participating altogether.
Prince Marcus, on the other hand, has won the competition consecutively for the past four years. His strength is definitely not a joke.”
Illaria felt that Prince Marcus was indeed a strange character.
“I see,” she said. “Brother, it’s getting late. I think I should go back to my room.”
“Eh! Wait!” Edric called out. “Do you know the schedule for the rest of the week?”
“Yes, brother. Rest assured. Good night.”
Illaria lay on her bed, holding Prince Marcus’s dagger in her hand, examining it carefully. Everything had happened so fast that she hadn’t returned it—and now she didn’t want to. The dagger was unique. Even now, she had to apply spiritual energy to suppress its movement. She was glad she had been careful enough to hide it inside her new robes without anyone noticing. Now that it was night, no one would disturb her. She could finally try to understand how Prince Marcus had forged such a weapon.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
As the night passed, she found herself thinking about Prince Marcus and their fight. Father was right—she really did want to keep fighting him. She had fought with her elder brother countless times, but she had never felt the same thrill she had experienced during her clash with Prince Marcus. She even wondered what a life of hunting would be like.
Eventually, she fell asleep with the dagger clasped tightly in her hand.
The next morning, Dany barged into her room. “Princess, princess, wake up!”
“For the sake of seven gods, Dany. Let me sleep,” Illaria groaned.
“Princess, it will take at least an hour to get you ready. Have you forgotten what is happening today?”
Illaria remembered very well. Today, her father and his court were meeting the Northern emperor and his court, mainly to discuss trade and currency. Her marriage with the second prince would be discussed tomorrow. Father had arranged it this way so she could first get to know the Northern princes better and have a one-on-one conversation with Prince Lyn.
Illaria got out of bed and let Dany dress her. Today she wore a blue gown embroidered with pink threads and golden beads. The dress itself was already heavy, and to make matters worse, Dany pinned what felt like a hundred golden ornaments into her hair.
With a tear in her eye, Dany said, “Princess, you look so beautiful dressed like this. If Prince Lyn is not impressed by your skills, I’m sure he will be by your beauty.”
“I hate the compliment you just passed Dany, but thank you.” Illaria said. “But stop getting emotional. I have no interest in impressing him. Let’s go—Elder Brother and Robert will be waiting.”
Illaria stepped out of her room, Dany following behind. They headed toward the palace training grounds. Though she would not be fighting today, Illaria was still eager to be there. Prince Marcus’s dagger remained hidden inside her clothes. She was supposed to meet him as well today, and she wanted to know how he had obtained such a deadly weapon—one that had nearly taken her life.
After some time, she reached the training ground. Robert and Edric were already there. She could see Prince Lyn and Prince Willem too, but Prince Marcus was nowhere to be found.
“Sister, you’re late,” Edric said.
“Sorry,” Illaria replied. “This dress is such a bother. It takes forever just to walk in it.”
“But you look really pretty,” Robert said.
“Well,” Lyn added with a slight smile, “I agree with your younger brother, Princess. And since you have finally arrived, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Prince Lyn Neor.”
“Greetings, Princess,” Willem said. “I am Prince Willem Neor.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Illaria replied. “But I wonder—where is Prince Marcus? Isn’t he supposed to be here as well?” She could feel Edric watching her, and the very next moment she understood why.
Willem said with a faint smile, “Well, it seems the princess is quite concerned about my younger brother, Marcus.”
Illaria quickly tried to cover it up. “Please don’t misunderstand. It’s just that after our fight yesterday, I’m afraid I may have wounded him, and I owe him an apology for my rash behaviour.”
Lyn shook his head gently. “Princess, you don’t need to worry about him. I checked on him yesterday—you didn’t hurt him even a little. He is in perfect health.”
Illaria knew she hadn’t left even a scratch, but she had to keep up the lie. Still, she couldn’t hide her disappointment that he hadn’t shown up.
“And anyway,” Lyn continued, “Marcus is a warrior. Injuries and wounds mean nothing to him. He wouldn’t accept your apology for something like this.”
Robert asked innocently, “But if Prince Marcus isn’t hurt, then why hasn’t he joined us?”
Lyn and Willem exchanged a brief glance.
Willem answered, “Father has grounded him for the duration of our stay here.”
“Grounded?” Edric repeated in surprise.
“Yes,” Lyn explained. “Marcus spends most of his time hunting, constantly putting his life in danger. Because of that, he is far more alert than my elder brother and me. Even yesterday, we had no idea the princess was hiding in that tree—but he sensed it immediately. However, he is also very rash. Without thinking, he threw his dagger, and then attacked the princess with his sword. Princess, you would agree—when he attacked you, he showed no sign of restraint.”
Illaria nodded. “That’s true. The only reason I knew he was behind me was because I felt a strong murderous aura.”
“Exactly,” Lyn said. “When Marcus feels threatened, he doesn’t hold back. He almost ended up seriously hurting the princess. Father was furious with him and said that if he continued like this, he would only cause unnecessary trouble. That is why he has ordered Marcus to stay in his quarters. He will only be allowed to attend official meetings as a prince.”
Willem stepped forward. “Princess, I apologize on his behalf for all the trouble he caused you.”
Illaria replied calmly, “It’s fine. I would have done the same if I were in his position.”
Edric then smiled and said, “Well, in that case, I think Prince Willem and I should have a friendly duel. Illaria, why don’t you show Prince Lyn around the palace meanwhile? You two can talk as well.”
Illaria hesitated for a moment. “Right… Robert, come with me and Prince Lyn.”
Robert shook his head eagerly. “No, I want to stay here and watch the fight, Sister!”
Illaria felt slightly flustered. Even if her marriage was being discussed, it wouldn’t look proper for her to be seen alone with Prince Lyn. She herself didn’t care much—but she didn’t want her father to lose face.
Illaria said firmly, “Robert, just come.”
Robert shook his head. “No, sister. You go ahead.”
Lyn added gently, “It’s fine. We can stay here and talk.”
Edric intervened, “No, Prince Lyn. Illaria, don’t worry, go ahead. I will make sure no one says anything against you.”
Illaria nodded. “Very well then.” You handle dad, she said in her mind.
Illaria and Prince Lyn began walking through the palace corridors. In a way, she was secretly glad too that Robert hadn’t come along—this way she could speak freely with Prince Lyn and clearly tell him that she wasn’t interested in the marriage.
As they walked, they talked about many things—trade, politics, war, their experiences at Kelzar, and more. From Prince Lyn’s words, she could tell her father had been right. He truly was capable. After nearly ninety minutes of conversation, it was time to accompany him back to his quarters. That was exactly where Illaria wanted to have a serious discussion—somewhere private, without the risk of anyone overhearing.
On the way, however, she spotted Robert standing somewhere he shouldn’t have been. Prince Lyn was still beside her.
Illaria asked sharply, “What are you doing outside Prince Willem’s room?”
Robert hesitated. “Sister, um… I was watching him practice his sword. I want to learn too.”
“Sword fighting?” Illaria frowned. “Since when did you get interested in that? I’ve been trying to teach you for years, but you always avoid training at any cost. Training you has been a nightmare.”
Robert replied eagerly, “But sister, you didn’t see elder Prince Willem and elder brother fight. Prince Willem’s moves were so clean and precise that not only did he defeat elder brother, he even made me admire his fighting style.”
So Edric had lost. Poor elder brother—he would be furious if he knew Robert admired Prince Willem more than his own real brother. The thought just made Illaria glee. Edric was not going to hear the end of this from her.
By now, Prince Willem had heard the voices outside and stepped out of his room.
Lyn said with a light smile, “Looks like your younger brother has taken a liking to our Northern style.”
Willem added, “In that case, while I’m here, how about I teach him a few moves?”
Illaria quickly protested, “No, no, Prince! Please don’t trouble yourself over him.”
“But sister, I really want to learn,” Robert pleaded with eyes she just couldn’t say no to.
Willem said calmly, “Since he is eager to watch me train, let him learn. There is no harm in knowing a few extra techniques.”
Illaria sighed. “Well, although it pains me that as a Southern prince he is more interested in Northern styles, as his sister who always worries about him, if that is what he wants to learn, then so be it. Prince Willem, we will have to trouble you this week.”
Willem smiled. “It will be my pleasure.”
Robert beamed. “Thank you, sister!”
Illaria smiled back. “Learn well.”
Her momentary happiness faded as she resumed walking with Prince Lyn toward his chambers. She still had no intention of marrying him, and she needed to find a proper way to refuse the proposal. So the moment they reached his quarters, she decided to bring up a sensitive topic.
Illaria said, “I have heard that in the North, court ladies are not allowed to take part in state politics.”
Lyn replied, “That is true. But that doesn’t mean they are not involved. Look at our empress—her family is currently the strongest noble house in the North. Do you really think she had no role in that? She has many enemies and constantly gathers information to outmanoeuvre them. As long as my father supports her, she can work behind the scenes. She may not hold a legal position, but that does not mean she has no influence over the court.”
Illaria was slightly disappointed that her trap had failed, but she continued, “Then what about women in the military? I know the Northern army only recruits men.”
Lyn nodded. “That is true. But isn’t the Southern military the same? As far as I know, you don’t have a single female soldier either. Even though there is no law against it, look at you—you are such a capable warrior, yet you have never been given a post in your army. I’m sure your father does not want to send you to the borders. That is why he has not assigned you a position.”
Illaria thought to herself, He’s good. He really knows how to counter.
She said aloud, “Then what about concubines? In the South we have no such concept, but in the North there are even brothels—”
Lyn interrupted gently, “You don’t need to worry about that. My birth mother herself was a concubine, and I know how difficult her life was. What my mother went through, I never want any other woman to endure. I can promise you this—I will only marry you, and no one else. I am not the crown prince, so I don’t need political marriages. As for brothels, I barely have time to sleep, let alone visit such places.”
Illaria exhaled softly. “Prince Lyn, I accept defeat. I can’t win against you in words. Let me be clear—you are perfect. There is nothing about you that I dislike. But I still don’t want to marry. I want to stay here in the South, with my father and my brothers.”
Lyn sighed. “The moment we started talking—no, the moment I saw you fight Marcus—I knew you would say no.”
Illaria said, “You have travelled all the way from the North. I don’t want you to lose face. So in tomorrow’s meeting, please decline the marriage. Say anything—say I am not ladylike, say I won’t fit in the North, say whatever you wish—”
Lyn replied calmly, “I’m sorry, but I will agree to the marriage tomorrow.”
Illaria looked at him in shock. “Why?”
“I have my reasons,” Lyn said.
“What reasons?”
“Just wait,” he replied. “In a few days, you will agree to this marriage yourself.”
He gave her a faint smile and left, leaving his words hanging heavily in the air.