Illaria, Edric, Robert, and Ryan stood beside the long table where the map of the continent of Merwan lay spread out. The Northern royal family had left them shaken, and they were still trying to process everything they had just heard. There was one thought all four of them shared, yet none said aloud: Prince Lyn was a force to be reckoned with. For someone only seventeen years old, his way of thinking was far beyond his age. Illaria could still feel every word of the earlier discussion echoing in her mind.
Lyn had said, “This marriage proposal was a gamble — or rather, a calculated move with some risk — to understand what was truly happening. Let us assume for a moment that the South and the West were conspiring together. If that were the case, once their plan was executed, they would naturally want to strengthen their alliance. And how would they do that? Through a political marriage.”
“It could be either Prince Edric marrying a Western princess or Princess Illaria marrying a Western prince. Most likely, it would be the princess, because Prince Edric is the crown prince, and the South would surely prefer their future empress to come from a Southern family. So what happens when the North suddenly proposes a marriage to the South? There should be chaos. Mistrust. If the South were truly involved with the West, they would never have allowed us to set foot on their land in the first place. And yet here we are, discussing marriage as a serious matter. The fact that the South accepted our proposal and welcomed us here only further confirms that you are not allied with the West.”
Prince Lyn had taken a slow breath before continuing, “And even if, somehow, the South were involved, there would still be no real problem.”
Edric had frowned. “And how are you so sure of that, Prince?”
Lyn had replied calmly, “Prince Edric, do you remember how many soldiers we brought with us?”
“About ten thousand,” Edric answered.
“And did you notice,” Lyn continued, “that neither the empress nor any of my sisters came with us?”
Edric hesitated. “Yes, but how does that explain—”
Ryan cut in, his voice low and thoughtful. “That explains quite a lot, son. They did not bring any female royal members whom we could take hostage. When the emperor is absent, the empress holds the highest authority. If we were to suddenly act against the North or capture the royal family present here, the empress could immediately command the entire Northern army to march on the South. And I am certain Elmar and his sons are strong enough to avoid being killed or captured easily.” The room fell silent once more, the weight of Prince Lyn’s strategy sinking deeper than any of them had expected.
Lyn said, “Very correctly put, I must say — as expected of the Southern Emperor. And also, the soldiers we brought with us are all experienced fighters. They will not be easy to kill and will buy us enough time to escape in case something happens. Meanwhile, even if the West somehow tried to support the South, our main army would still be in the North. They could easily march in and crush the West, conquering their cities.”
He continued, “But the reason I chose a marriage proposal as an excuse was because it serves another purpose as well — it buys us time to plan and strike the West first. Under the guise of marriage, we can extend our stay here and think of how we, as a combined force, can take down the Western Kingdom. From the West’s perspective, all they would see is that the North and South are forming an alliance through this marriage.
If the marriage happens, the North and South become allies. If there is no alliance and they attack the North, the South will not interfere. But if the Southern princess is involved in the war, the Southern Emperor may send troops to assist the North. The same applies the other way around. If they attack the South, since we would have an alliance, and because the North and West have been in a cold war for years, we would have a valid excuse to assist the South.
So they cannot easily attack either kingdom without consequences. They will be forced to rethink their plans. But I say we should not wait. We should combine our armies and erase the Western Kingdom from existence, just like the continent was before the split.”
Ryan’s face had darkened. Illaria could tell how angry her father was just by looking at him.
Ryan said, “So the entire marriage matter — it was all just a plan to buy time and prepare for war? You were never serious about it, Elmar?”
Elmar replied calmly, “That was the real reason, yes, Ryan. Initially, we thought both North and South would launch a war against the West, and after the war, your daughter could marry Lyn as a symbol of our alliance for the future. But after seeing Princess Illaria and hearing her answer to Lyn the other day, I feel we can scrap the marriage idea. Of course, we are open to it if your daughter ever agrees.”
Lyn added, “I am sorry to interrupt, but the marriage was only ever meant to take place if the South decided to join hands with us.”
Ryan said, “Then say it clearly. What do you want from us?”
Elmar replied, “The West is planning something big. They may strike either the North or the South first, but that hardly matters. Whoever wins or loses will disturb the balance between the three kingdoms. We do not know when they will attack — it could be any time now.
So, to buy ourselves time, I suggest we announce a marriage between Lyn and Princess Illaria. Then both our kingdoms prepare for war against the West. After two months or so, once we are ready, we launch the war and ensure our safety. After peace is restored, if the princess wishes to marry Lyn, we will arrange it. If she still refuses, that will also be acceptable to us.”
Too much had been said. Too many points had been raised. Illaria did not know how many of them were truths and how many were lies, but one thing she felt strongly in her heart was that joining hands with the North and going to war against the West was a bad idea.
Their position was not good, that much was clear. Among the three kingdoms, the South was the least informed. And yet, something about this entire plan felt wrong to her.
Illaria said, “Prince Lyn, I have a doubt. Since the root of the problem is these strange happenings in the West, why don’t we send someone to investigate and find out what is actually going on there?”
Lyn replied, “Princess, if that were possible, I would have done it long ago. But infiltrating the Western Kingdom is nearly impossible. Anyone who enters through any gate or entry point is branded with a black tattoo mark. The rest of the borders are heavily guarded. Even the forests between are filled with hidden troops who kill anyone they find suspicious.
Over the years, I have sent my best soldiers through every possible route, and not one of them has ever returned. How do you plan to enter any Western city?”
Marcus suddenly spoke, “I can get into one.”
He had been silent for so long that Illaria had almost forgotten he was there. Of course, he had to interfere now, with one of his reckless ideas.
Prince Lyn looked at him in surprise. The reaction lasted only a fraction of a second before his face returned to its usual unreadable calm, but Illaria had seen it clearly. He had not expected this.
Lyn said, “Marcus, what are you saying? After everything I just explained—”
Marcus cut him off. “I can get into the West without the tattoo mark, brother. If you give me a map, I can show you how.”
Marcus was handed the map and laid it out on the table for everyone to see.
He said, “The North-West border is where most of the Western troops are stationed. On the southern side, the West is largely cut off by the Ranges of Ishtaar. Even in the somewhat open areas, the Western Kingdom is well protected by cliffs, beasts, and soldiers. But there is one route that remains open.”
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Lyn asked, “And which route is that, Marcus?”
Marcus pointed at the map. “This one. The mountain from which the river Ameys flows.”
Lyn frowned. “What?”
Marcus continued, “Some years ago, whether by mistake or by choice, you could say, I was tracking Gravolis — a huge magical frog that lives in hot, swampy areas. I ended up drifting nearly twenty kilometers down the River Ameys from the North. At some point, when the current slowed, Gravolis escaped into the surrounding mountains.
Those mountains were densely packed with trees, so I couldn’t search for it properly. I wandered for a while and eventually got lost. Then suddenly, I heard a scream. I ran toward the sound and saw it — Gravolis. The beast was already wounded from some earlier fight, so I killed it quickly and rushed to help the person who had screamed.
He was badly injured and bleeding all over, but still alive. I usually carry herbs and medicines with me, so I treated him as best as I could. He told me that someone would come looking for him soon, but even after two or three days, no one arrived. By then he was better, though still not able to walk properly. He asked me to take him to the nearest Western village. He had seen me fight beasts and trusted my strength. He even promised to reward me generously.
But obviously, I couldn’t just walk into the Western Kingdom, especially with the rules they have. And I also had to return home soon. So we came up with another solution. About fifteen kilometers from the nearest Western city, the River Ameys turns into a waterfall. I made him a small boat. He lay flat inside it, and I covered the top with a lid, leaving only a small hole for air. Then from the top of the waterfall… Well, I left him to his fate.”
Illaria asked, “So… did he survive?”
Marcus shook his head slightly. “I don’t know, Princess. You can’t easily climb back up from a waterfall, and I couldn’t go down to check.”
Lyn said, “How is this story helpful, Marcus?”
Marcus replied, “It is. When I asked him about the river’s course, he told me that beyond the waterfall the current is very strong, so there are no troops stationed along the riverbanks. The river flows directly into one of the major Western cities — Tyria, if I remember correctly. What I’m saying is that we can use this river route. We can avoid the troops and bypass the city gates altogether.”
Illaria looked at Marcus for a moment. He spoke so casually, as if drifting down a waterfall were no more dangerous than taking a bath, and as if Gravolis had been an old friend rather than a deadly beast and not too any deadly beast — one of the seven known powerful magical beasts of Merwan. Perhaps spending so much time away from the palace had dulled his sense of how absurd his plan sounded.
Elmar said sharply, “What kind of foolish idea is this, Marcus? Flowing down a river and plunging down a waterfall? And you killed a Gravolis, and never even told us? Have you lost your mind?”
Marcus replied calmly, “Father, it makes more sense than marching straight into the West and acting suspicious. We need information, and this is the only way to infiltrate their land. And besides, we are warriors. A waterfall won’t kill us. We will use Auren to protect our bodies. And about the Gravolis, well yeah I just forgot about that”
Lyn said, “Even if you manage to enter the city, what then? How will you reach the royal palace? A stranger like you — I doubt even a noble family would accept you easily. As for the palace, I don’t think you would ever be allowed inside.”
Marcus smiled faintly. “Brother, I still have an ace up my sleeve. Why do you think I told you that long story about the man I saved?” He reached into his inner pocket and took something out. It was a small wooden circle, engraved with a golden tiger.
Marcus said, “Before he left, the man whose life I saved gave me this. He told me that if I ever went to the West and faced trouble, I should show this to any guard of a noble family. They would know what to do.”
Lyn asked, “So this is the token you plan to use to get into the royal palace?”
Marcus nodded. “Yes. This tiger is carved from pure gold. That’s not something a commoner can afford. Which means the man I met was either from a noble family or perhaps even a Western prince.”
Elmar scoffed. “And why are we even entertaining this ridiculous idea? It’s not like anyone here is willing to take on such a suicide mission.”
Willem spoke up, “Father, I think someone should go and find out the truth.”
Elmar turned to him sharply. “Willem, have you lost your mind as well? Do you really think this plan will go as smoothly as Marcus makes it sound—”
Willem replied firmly, “Father, it is better to have information before attacking the West, whether we fight with the South or without them. That is why I believe we should send someone to carry out this mission.”
Lyn said, “Elder brother, you are forgetting one thing. Even if we send a spy, there is no guarantee he will survive the fall. As Marcus said, the person must have a very strong Auren core. Myrenn will not be enough. And even if we do send someone, what is the guarantee that he will not betray us? If he gets caught, he could feed us false information.
And brother, remember this is happening in the West. Right now, only the people in this room know about it. I do not want anyone else to know, because at this point anyone could be a spy. Even if we send a strong and loyal general, would that not raise suspicion? Why would the king suddenly send his chief general away? People will start asking questions. How will we manage that?”
Marcus said, “So since we cannot send someone who holds an important position in court, and we need a spiritual energy user whose loyalty is unquestionable, let me go on this mission, Father.”
Elmar snapped, “You are a Northern prince. How can you go just like that?”
Willem said, “Father, Marcus is young. Instead of him, I should go.”
Elmar glared at both of them. “You have both gone crazy.”
Marcus turned to Willem. “Elder brother, I am the one who has the token. I should go. What if the person recognizes that you are not—”
Before he could finish, an argument broke out between the brothers. Voices overlapped until Prince Lyn raised his hand and said, “Wait a moment. Even if we send someone, what about the South? Suppose we do get information from the West. Why should the South believe it is true? There is no point in discussing this plan if the South cannot send a person as well.”
Illaria stepped forward. “I will go from the South.”
Ryan looked at her in shock, then anger flashed across his face. “No, you will not, Illaria. This is too dangerous.”
Illaria said firmly, “Father, clearly someone has to go, and it has to be someone from among us.”
Edric said, “Then let me go, Father.”
Willem added, “Yes, I agree. Let the crown princes of the North and South go on this mission. We are the eldest. We will never betray our families.”
Elmar shook his head. “No. Willem is the crown prince. He commands the army. What if a war breaks out while you are gone? Who will lead our forces then? Lyn can go on this dangerous mission if he wants, but you and Marcus will not.”
Illaria felt a strange pang in her heart. It almost seemed as if Elmar did not care about Prince Lyn at all.
Marcus said, “Father, brother Lyn cannot go. He is the reason we even discovered that the West is planning something. He controls the entire spy network. His presence in the Northern court is essential. If he and elder brother Willem both disappear suddenly, people will become suspicious.
But I, on the other hand, am rarely at the palace. I do not hold any major position in court. That is why I should go.”
Illaria said, “Yes. Prince Marcus and I should go on this mission. Father, elder brother Edric commands the army, and Robert has not even trained at Kelzar yet. That only leaves me. In our Southern court, you can say that I have gone to some holy place for a few weeks because of my upcoming marriage to Prince Lyn. No one will doubt my disappearance.”
Ryan’s voice turned cold. “You all seem to be getting ahead of yourselves. Edric, Illaria, do not forget that I am the emperor. I decide what happens. And my decision is this. None of you will go anywhere.”
Illaria said softly, “But Father—”
Ryan interrupted sharply, “Are you questioning the emperor’s decision?”
The room fell into complete silence.
Ryan then turned to Elmar. “Northern Emperor, let me be honest with you. We have nothing to do with this war, despite your son’s claims and theories. All he has done is imagine what might happen if the West attacks a kingdom. But as far as I know, the West has not attacked us yet. When they do, we will decide what to do then. I refuse to participate in this war with you, and I will not send my children into the Western Kingdom based on information your son has collected.”
He continued, “You are our guests. We welcomed you because we believed you were serious about the marriage proposal. Clearly, you came here for another purpose. Tomorrow will be the fifth day of your stay. We have arranged a grand celebration tomorrow night in your honour. Please attend it. On the sixth day, Prince Lyn may decline the marriage. If he does not, my daughter will. And on the seventh morning, you will return to the North peacefully. I hope the next few days proceed exactly as I have said. Now it is late. Let my soldiers escort you back to your chambers.”
The Northern royal family left the room. Only the four members of the Southern royal family remained. Ryan sighed and looked at Illaria. “I am sorry, my child. I did not think that for them your marriage was just a gamble.”
Illaria said quietly, “Father, but what they said… should we not investigate it?”
Ryan replied, “We will. But on our own terms. Now it is late. Go back to your room and get some rest.”
Illaria nodded and slowly turned to leave, her mind heavy with everything that had just happened.