The Lost Heir: Battle Of Royalties - Chapter 127

As usual, the royal officials have different point of views therefore their suggestions contrast from each other.

At the end, no good solution came up from their meeting.

Shadrach was abnormally silent as well and that bothers the king greatly. It’s not like him to be silent during controversial issues like this. For the first time, he did not meddle about the current problem. But he was the type of man who loves stirring up troubles, that’s as far as he knew Shadrach.

He was surely hiding something and the king wanted to know.

“Father…” Prince Zyrie came to the king who was standing at the balcony in his uppers chamber.

“Prince Zyrie, what is it?” He replied, his gaze was still on the vast horizon.

“I came to let you know that prince Leo is on his way back to the palace now.”

The king glanced at him immediately.

“Prince Leo?” He furrowed his brows. “How come he didn’t inform me?”

“I think he was in a hurry.”

“What? Why is he in a rush?”

“He didn’t tell me either.” He sighed. “But father, I didn’t come to tell you about him.” He went to sit on the empty couch. The king followed him and sat opposite him.

“What is it then?”

“Prince Veziron…”

“What about your brother?”

“I just want to ask if you have given him the task to go and look for the shadow knights.”

The king gave a blank face.

“No. Why’d you ask?”

“Really?” He gave a surprised look. “I thought you did because I heard that he is currently in Rouen searching for that group.”

The king didn’t say a word. He was flabbergasted but to think that Prince Zyrie knew about it alarmed him too. How did he possibly find out about the shadow knights?

Although prince Zyrie gave an innocent expression, his attention was fully on his father. He was actually trying to read his father’s expression silently. And he must say the king clearly doesn’t know about what the first prince was doing.

He just wanted to stir up his father’s curiosity so when he confirmed his father’s innocence, he excused himself and went back to his chamber.

As soon as prince Zyrie left, the king called his personal ȧssistant and gave a command to look into prince Veziron’s current activities. If prince Zyrie was telling the truth then probably, Shadrach is up to something and he was obviously using the first prince.

MEANWHILE…

Prince Veziron and his personal guard entered the border town. They heard that the shadow nights meddled with the town’s problems few days ago. The news had reached the ears of their neighboring towns therefore, prince Veziron rushed to the town to see the chief himself. They might get some useful information about the group.

He introduced himself as the first prince so the town chief and his officials gave them a warmth welcome.

“To what do we owe this visit, my prince?” The town chief invited them inside his residence.

“I heard that the shadow knights came here, is that correct?”

“Oh yes!” Delight can be seen on the town chief’s face when he remembered them. “We didn’t expect their arrival but we believe that God sent them to save us from the fake shadow knights.”

“Fake shadow knights?” The prince creased his brow confused.

“Yes. A certain group came here a year ago and introduced themselves as the shadow knights. They offered to safeguard the town but they went overboard as months passed by. They imposed heavy taxes to the villagers.” He sighed when he recalled the days they struggled because of the fake Shadow knights. “Life was difficult during those times but just a week ago, the real shadow knights dropped by the town and found about their crooked ways.”

“They punished them?” The prince guessed.

“Yes. The commander of the shadow knight’s army fought them single-handedly.”

“The commander of the shadow knights?” The prince immediately straightened his body. Looked like he’ll get some really useful information about the group.

He’s been dying to know who the group’s leader was but no one knew how he looks like. Those who met him personally doesn’t want to give any information about him just like the chief of Nahshon tribe. That Drake and his grandfather said that they signed an exclusive contact with the shadow knights and part of the deal was to safeguard the privacy of the group. The leader of the Shadow Knights wanted to keep his identity a secret therefore, giving information about him will negate the alliance they formed between each other.

“Yes, the commander of the shadow knights dealt with them personally. Wait, I remembered his name… ” He was thinking for a second. “Ah, that’s right, if I’m not mistaken, his name was Cole. He was absolutely strong. No wonder he was the commander of the group.”

“Cole…” The prince muttered to himself. “Do you possibly know where they went?”

“I’m sorry but I didn’t ask further. They were in a rush to reach Patar for who knows why.”

“Oh…” The prince lowered his head dejected.

“But if you want to have an audience with him then you might want to ask the captain of his alpha group.”

“Captain? Alpha group?” Now the prince was lost.

“Ehm.” The town chief nodded in response. “Before they left, they ȧssigned one of the captains to watch over the town for the time being. Also, the fake Shadow Knights surrendered and agreed to be trained to be members of the group. They were currently under captain Gareth.”

“Where can I see the captain?”

“They built a camp at the hill of skull, it’s located at the west mountain. Why don’t you take a rest here for today then tomorrow, I will show you the way to their base camp.”

“Thank you.” The prince kowtowed gratefully.

“It’s my pŀėȧsurė to serve you, my prince.” The town chief smiled then called the chief of his maidservants and whispered something to her.

“Yes, master.” The woman who seemed to be in her mid-fifties kowtowed and left.

The town chief escorted the prince to the room they specially prepared for him. And as soon as the chief and his attendants left, his personal guard appeared before him.

“Did you hear the chief a while ago?” He smirked. “They left the captain of the alpha group and they even took the fake shadow knights onto their care. Don’t you think they are a bit suspicious?”

“What do you mean, master?” His personal guard replied.

“A thought crossed my mind just now. Though it was just a hunch but it may be the case.”

“But your instinct never failed you even once, master.”

“Right.” He chuckled proudly. “Well, I’ll see tomorrow if my judgements are right about the group once I met whoever that captain is.”

The prince sneered but his gaze went a bit serious after a second. Cole, the commander of the Shadow Knight’s army. How big could their group be? Are they truly copious than the royal guards they have in the palace? He was in deep thought when a sudden idea hit his mind.

Then, he must really get their loyalty at all cost. He smirked evilly.

**************

The final result was out!

The captain of the coastguards had already announced that no one survived the explosion, not even one. They only found 120 bodies in total and declared that the other bodies that weren’t found must have been torn in pieces and was either eaten by the wild fishes while others were lost in the sea.

And the woman’s body must have been one of those.

The coastguards and some volunteered fishermen roamed the area day and night but they gave up with the hope that they will be able to complete the numbers of the bodies missing.

There isn’t a single hope at all!

“Miss Diana….” Leon was the one who gave in first. He couldn’t stop his tears any longer. He tried yesterday but not now. Not when he heard the captain of the coastguards. “No!” His mournful cry echoed at the coastline.

But his grieving voice was only one of those people crying in despair due to the death of their friends and love ones. The family of the ship’s captain rushed to the shore early morning, having the same hope that Liam has within him.

Even the family and friends of the crew members came. The shore was swamped by people everywhere.

Nothing was heard except the mournful cry of the people who lost their love ones.

Liam, for one, couldn’t help but sobbed softly. He’s been trying to suppress his emotion but this time, he reached his limit. He fell on his knees and wept as his mind recalls the woman’s smiling face.

“Sorry… I’m so sorry…” He kept muttering the words over and over again.

“This is your fault, Liam! This is your fault!” He heard Leon yelling at him.

He was blaming him but what can he do, Leon was right, it was all his fault.

Leon came to him and grabbed his collar. He was as mad as a lion ready to kill his prey.

“If you didn’t push her away….” He was gritting his teeth in anger. “If only you didn’t insist your way! Then maybe… maybe our young miss is still alive!”

“Leon! Get a hold of yourself!” Cole and Asher held the man and pulled him away from Liam. “It’s no one’s fault. No one knew this would happen.” Cole teared up as well.

“She didn’t want to go back home, but you insisted. S-she … she wanted to stay a little longer… Now what? Are you happy that she’s gone now? For real?” He was breaking as he speaks.

“I’m… I’m so sorry!” Liam yelped as tears kept flowing from his eyes. He kept repeating those words over and over again.

Leon cried as well. He was angry at him that’s a fact, but seeing how Liam wept excruciatingly pierced his heart.

He totally loved the woman and surely, he will take this painful memory up to his grave.