Both councilmen were stunned as they paled when their eyes fell on the eastern prince. When did he get inside the throne room without them knowing? They asked themselves inwardly.
"I'm very sure the door wasn't opened," councilman Sullivan said in a low voice to Baylor who was sweating profusely.
Baylor shook his head as his lips refused to move. They were the only ones inside the throne room. Of course the door was shut. "What is he doing near the throne? How did he even get there?" He queried but Sullivan couldn't answer the question either.
The eastern prince leaned against the gold made throne with an unnerving smile on his face. A smile that sprouted fear in the mind of the councilmen as they stared at him like statues. "I asked a question old fools," he reminded them and touched the solid gold of a throne. He inhaled sharply, lifting his head as if he were enjoying it.
"Yes, Your Highness. They were executed," councilman Sullivan replied swiftly. He decided to come clean because they didn't know how much the prince had heard.
The prince threw a glance towards the men. His piercing gaze almost made the men wet themselves. "Is that so?" He confirmed. He lazily rounded the throne and took his seat.
The councilmen gasped simultaneously at the prince's audacity to sit on a throne that wasn't his. He was also staring at them with a face that said "what?"
"Your Highness, it's against Asta's law for a person who is not the king to sit on the throne. Especially if they are not related to the king," Councilman Baylor stuttered like a child saying its first words. The room suddenly felt stuffed as he tried to breathe.
Ronan lifted an eyebrow in question and beckoned the men to come towards the throne. The Councilmen looked at each other before making their way towards the throne, trembling. They looked at the prince who was glaring down at them from the throne.
"That was a nice speech, councilman –" he paused as he blinked.
"Baylor, Your Highness," the Councilman replied with a forced smile and a small bow.
Ronan Thorne nodded, "Baylor it is. I'm betrothed to Princess Lysandra Flynn, am I correct?" He probed the men who were so loud a few minutes ago. Now, they looked like mice who fell into a bowl of cold water. When the man didn't reply to him, he stood, "I asked a question or are you dumb?"
"YES! YOU'RE CORRECT," the councilmen replied loudly in fear. The eastern prince has done nothing scary, yet they were acting so weak in front of him.
"Good," Ronan chuckled darkly and sat back on the throne. He was so enjoying this. "That makes me part of the Flynn household, isn't it? So I can sit on the throne anytime I like," he declared loudly. Taking a look around the throne room, he nodded to himself.
"Certainly, Your Highness," the councilmen replied in unison as tension hung in the air.
Councilman Sullivan straightened when the prince stood. The head of the scribe had said that the Eastern prince was a tale. Presently, he was beginning to doubt that. With mere words, he was able to unnerve them. He was beginning to wonder why King Owen wants his daughter to marry a man like this.
"You are breathing too fast, bald man. It is messing with my mind. Right now, I'm thinking which death would suit both of you," Ronan uttered and burst into a bone chilling laughter. "Perhaps the bald man would die first," he added and slowly made his way down from the throne.
Councilman Sullivan felt wind in his ears as the prince approached them. He was an old man, yes, but he didn't want to die now. "Your Highness, please spare my life. I'm not an enemy, I won't say a word. My family would be devastated at my demise. Please," he begged for his life.
Ronan paused on his feet and thought about what the man just said. He did not yet know what happened in this castle. Since his arrival, he hasn't set eyes on Lysandra and the butler was so prim and uptight. "Perhaps I have to kill both of you. Baylor, how do you see it?" He asked and stood before.
Baylor instantly went on his knees and bowed. "Your highness, please don't kill me. Besides, Sullivan is older. I promise to provide you valuable information about anything or anyone," he then looked up at the prince. "Only if you spare my life," he expressed in fear.
Councilman Sullivan thought he heard it wrong. He stood dumbstruck at Baylor's word. He looked at the councilman on the floor, "how can you say such a thing in my presence Baylor?" He inquired from the man.
"This is news," Ronan mused and looked at Sullivan who was white as a ghost, staring at him with wide eyes.
"Sorry Baylor, I like you more, but you are quick to betray your comrade to keep your ugly head in place. See you in your next life," he replied and went on his heels.
"I–I–I, please spare my life," he murmured absentmindedly as he stared at the prince. "I will tell you everything I know," he tried to reason with the eastern prince, but the former had set his mind already.
"I appreciate your thoughts Baylor," Ronan replied and grabbed the man by his neck and raised him from the ground. "But I can't let you live," he looked to the other councilman who was stepping back in mortification. "You would be the first to tattletale me to your esteemed king," he mused and squeezed his neck.
Sullivan thought he was hallucinating as Baylor struggled in the prince's arms. Baylor dropped to the ground with a thud, unmoving as his soulless eyes gaze at him.
***
A knock on the door woke Lysandra from her sleep. She stepped down from the bed with groggy eyes and made for the door. Turning the key, she pulled it open carefully. Just as she was about to peep from the small space, a voice came from the other side. "It's me."
Lysandra frowned in annoyance and pulled the door open. "What are you doing here?" She questioned the dark-haired man with silver eyes. He towered over her, making her look small in front of him. She looked towards the window and saw that the sky was dark.
"You lost this yesterday," Kael tucked his hand into his full-length coat and brought out a neatly brown folded paper. He handed it to the red-haired princess and watched her open it. Her hair was in all directions while they cascaded down her back.
Lysandra read through the letter and a smile bloomed on her lips. Her eyes lit up like Christmas lights as she looked at the Lord. "Thank you," she muttered and looked at the letter again. "I sincerely appreciate it."
"Who's there Lysandra?" Albertina's voice came from inside the room. She had fallen asleep after her sister slapped her. Which still baffled her.
Lysandra looked over her shoulder before looking at Kael. He was still standing there, staring at her. "What? You look rather odd," she expressed with a stifled grin. "Oh. About yesterday, I still feel something is amiss. You are not human," she uttered as she stared at him from beneath her full eyelashes.
Kael smirked and raised his hand to touch her appealing red hair, "what happened yesterday?" He replied, acting as if he were unaware about what she was talking about. "I'm human Lysandra. I don't know what you're thinking in that pea sized brain of yours," he mused.
"Shut up," she retorted and tried to avoid his touch, but his fingers held her face. His touch, so gentle and hard at the same time. Kael leaned into her space, just then Albertina came into view.
Her eyes almost popped out from its socket and she quickly lowered her head. "I apologise for interrupting," she replied and drew back with a faint blush on her face.
Lysandra flushed in embarrassment and stepped out of the room. She shut the door with a light frown. "Stop touching my face. The injury you left the first time just healed."
"It was just a scratch," Kael replied and put his hands into his coat pocket. "What if I can't stop?" He asked with a smile on his face.
"Then I'll cut your hands off," Lysandra tried to glare at him, but his smile unnerved her. "Stop smiling like that," she said and brushed the tip of her nose.
"Arin should stay away from my sister. He's a bad influence," she added and thought about what Albertina had said yesterday.
"I heard that," Albertina yelled from inside the room.
Kael nodded and started walking towards the staircase. He commended Arin in his mind for picking a quiet inn. He even paid for all the rooms for the princesses' safety. Then he turned to look at the beautiful yet feisty princess. "Stay out of trouble, Lysandra," he mused.
"I will. Thank you, Lord Darkhaven," she replied with a smile before stepping back into the room.