Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Forced.

Valerian was standing outside the room, he had just told Rectus and Quies about the situation and then how he cast the healing spell to cure the Prince.

However, the people were literally scared that this guy had almost killed the prince of the empire. Azula did not say anything to him yet, but she cast a curing spell on her brother and was busy tending to the guy.

Turns out that the first prince was a mage and since Valerian knocked his head with no hesitation, the prince was out cold. It was morning when the door finally opened.

Azula walked out of the room with a solemn face, with Priscilla behind her. She looked around and found that Rectus and Quies were standing in front of her. She asked, “Where is Valerian?”

Quies turned to look at the side, and Azula followed his gaze to find that the boy was sleeping on the couch outside the room with his body curled up like a ball.

Rectus wanted to say when Azula directly walked toward the child. He was shocked, but he thought that the princess was pissed off. Well, if it was his sister who had gotten hurt because of a subordinate’s action, he would have raised hell by now.

Azula walked forward and stood near Valerian, she said, “Wake up.”

.....

The cold voice plus the chilling aura emitting from her body, made the boy shiver as he stood up in an instant. Azula asked, “Do you not like to use your hands to talk then tell me, how dare you sleep after you hurt my brother?”

Valerian hesitated, he did not wish to say anything that might anger the lady even more and prove to be unfortunate for him. Azula said, “If you did not speak up, I will make you. Say it, why were you sleeping.”

At this moment, not only Rectus, even Quies and Priscilla were shocked and anxious. The princess may look gentle and she may be very nice and clear in her heart but once the vision is clouded by the blood of your loved ones, rationality falls short of the rage inside your heart.

Valerian said, ‘Your Highness, I did not do it intentionally.’

The princess snorted and said, “You attacked a direct descendant of the royal family, that is enough to have your seven generations to be sentenced to death.”

She mentioned the word generations to an orphan child. He felt a little cold in his heart, and said, ‘Yes, please kill the seven generations of an orphan like me. After all, you royals are the only ones who have a life and are entitled to be correct.

Instead of treating me like a prisoner, why do you not ask your brother, what he was doing inside the palace unannounced? I was acting on your commands. I found him walking inside, and the man was moving in a suspicious manner. Ask him, why he did that?’

His retort made the princess simmer down, she was overcome by her anger, but now she was rocked so hard by the silent noise made by him. She did not expect that he will rebuke her like this.

Priscilla said, “Valerian, do not forget that it is your mistake. You were the one who attacked his highness.”

Valerian turned his head to look at her and said, ‘How was I to know that the person in the palace, was the first prince? Was he supposed to be here? Why was he cloaked in dark clothes, and have you all ever told me what he looked like?

You all can never change, you blame others to cover your mistakes. Yes, you are all elder to me and very strong, so come, kill me.’

He paused and turned to look at the princess and said, ‘If not for my conscience, I would not have cast the healing spell on him to keep him alive. I had no idea who he was, even if I killed him to complete the task that you gave me, I would not have been in the wrong. Wars are won by the soldiers but the songs are all about the generals.’

The quote shocked Azula one more time, indeed, she was the one who had given him this task and she was the one who should be blamed for this mishap.

However, how can the princess digest this fact, she glared at the child and said, “Quies, place him in solitary detention for two days. You are not to give him any food or water. This ought to teach him how to behave in the presence of the royalty.”

Quies was surprised, he shivered at the thought of Valerian being put into the solitary hold. He cast a gaze at the child, thinking that the guy might be scared, but his expectations were not met.

If Valerian had shown some weakness, then he could have pleaded to the princess, but this did not happen. Valerian was not scared, simply because he did not know what the solitary detention meant.

Quies sighed in his mind and said, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Azula nodded and then with a graceful turn she walked inside the room. Rectus and Priscilla exchanged a glance and sighed. The princess was not so cold-hearted to send a child to the solitary detention, however, she was angered and could not help herself.

...

Inside the room, Azula stood beside the bed, watching a young man, slightly older than her, laying on the bed. Seventy-five percent of the young man’s face was matching to her.

Azula did not know how much time has passed as she stood by the bedside. She was gazing at the man in a daze. Suddenly she heard a voice, “Azula, is that you?”

The princess snapped out of her daze and found the young man to be speaking with his eyes closed. She reached out and held his hand and said, “It is me, brother.”

The prince slowly opened his eyes to look at his sister, he asked, “Did you also die?”

Azula was shocked and then she laughed, “No, we did not die, though you almost met the Primus.”

The prince raised his head and touched his throat and asked, “How did you pick up the hole that guy left inside my throat. Do not tell me that Archmage was scared off by you?”

Azula shook her head and said, “The hole was plugged or say healed by the assailant as well, and it was not an archmage. But it was my attendant, a battlemage.”

The prince nodded at first but then he sat up like a dead man out of his grave and asked with a shocking expression, “What did you say, that person was your subordinate?”

Azula nodded, the first prince asked, “Take me to him.”

The princess was shocked and asked, “What do you mean? I know that he attacked you, but that was on my instruction, he did not mean to harm you, he did not know your identity. He is a ten-year-old child, I have already given him solitary detention for two days. You should rest.”

Azula was not completely heartless, the exchange just now had told her that it was not Valerian’s mistake but she could not hold in the frustration and vented it on the boy. She thought that her brother was meaning to kill or punish Valerian. Thus, she told her brother to stay away from him. Regardless of what may happen to her, since the first prince was here, this meant that he cared for her.

The first prince shook his head and said, “You stupid girl, I have no interest in killing or harming that jewel. Do you know how skillful he is to have knocked me out and that too with such ease. Talent is meant to be cherished. Call him back from the prison hold.”

Azula was surprised at this request and knowing the habits of her brother she asked, “What do you intend to use him for?”

The first prince clicked his tongue and fell back to the bed. He said while gazing at the ceiling, “I would like to poach him.”

The princess stood up from the bed in disbelief, she did not expect this guy to say such a thing. The first prince said, “I came here to make sure that you are safe, but that kid last night just made me understand that you were safe already, however, my camp lacks such a talent, if I can have him on my side, then my chances will be higher.”

Azula was shocked, then she said, “It is not up to me, I will have you meet with him, his decision will be my decision. Also, I want to be present for the discussion, because as ignorant as you are, I doubt that you can understand the signs he will make.”

The prince asked, “How can I be sure that you will translate everything perfectly?”

“You can have someone else translate, I don’t mind, but I want to be present here.”, said the princess.

...

Quies had locked Valerian inside the cell and was about to leave the dungeons when the princess appeared in front of them.