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Episode 11: By Hook or Crook
A.N. = I know I'm behind with episode 12 already being released but damn this series has been fun to watch! I know I'm not the only one who's hoping for a season 2.
Also expect chapter 12 to be out by the end of the month
Reviews and any feedback is always appreciated
Scene Change (Marden Palace)
"Marchioness Zenovia," Prime Minister Sirgis said as he bowed slightly, "I hope you can forgive my sudden arrival unannounced and without invitation."
"Think nothing of it," she said. However, on the inside she was absolutely incensed. She would've been less annoyed at his arrival if it was during the daytime, but it was pitch black and she was already in bed when Jiva came to her room and told him that Sirgis had arrived.
She knew that Sirgis would visit Natra or Marden eventually because they had decided to not listen to what Sirgis had asked them in the letters that were sent to both. She knew that Wein's action of not listening to them could possibly end up dragging both to another possible war. So she had to tread carefully.
"To what do I owe the pleasure," she asked him to be thought she fully knew why.
"It's about the letter I sent the other day," Sirgis said as he looked at her directly, "we are heavily conveying the trade goods that are being exported by Marden to Delunio may be fraudulent."
She wasn't surprised that they were wary of the goods. Everyone who was directly involved with the goods knew they were fraudulent. They hoped that the west would never find out about them. However, Zenovia believed it to be a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode on Marden and Natra. "Fraudulent," she asked him as she feigned ignorance, "what do you mean by that?"
"So you have no intention of discussing the matter," he asked before he sighed loudly, "very well then, I'll have to go speak with Prince Wein. Isn't he currently visiting Marden?"
'This piece of shit,' Zenovia thought furiously as she figured out his intentions, 'I was just a stepping stone for him so that he could talk with Wein! I would love to show him what respect is as well as kill him in the most horrific way possible.' As she mentally ranted, Sirgis smirked when he saw her brows scrunch up as she tried to contain her fury.
'That's right, have an outburst,' Sirgis thought as he observed the Marchioness.
"You wanted to talk with me," Wein asked as he entered the room, "I'd be more than happy to oblige." As he approached the two, he said, "I am Wein Salema Arbalest, Crown Prince of Natra," before he took the empty seat to Zenovia's right.
As he sat down and looked at Sirgis, he couldn't help but feel annoyed at the man's presence. Just like Zenovia, he was already in bed and fast asleep when one of her servant's woke him up to inform him of Sirgis' sudden arrival. "Let's get down to business," Wein told him as he pushed away his tiredness, "this is about the goods being exported to your kingdom?"
Sirgis, who didn't expect Wein to have joined them this late, replied with, "Yes, indeed." Sirgis hoped that with Wein here, the matter at hand would be resolved quickly so everyone could go back to sleep. "I wish to halt the imperial-made goods that are flowing to the west via Natra," he told the two as he showed them the palm of his hand, "as you both know, the empire is the mortal enemy of the Levetian religion, and if their goods continue to make it to the west, the empire's influence will take a stronghold in the west. Which is what everything the Levetian religion doesn't stand for!"
"I know that Natra has had a long and deep relationship with the imperial empire," Sirgis told Wein as he understood why they did it, "however, since you are from Caleus' bloodline, you should act a respected member of the west and put a stop to all of the empire's goods that are being exported to the west from Natra."
"I do see where you're coming from Prime Minister Sirgis," Wein told him as he nodded in understanding, "however, all the goods that are being exported to the west are all tailored made in Natra."
"Don't try to spew such nonsense," Sirgis said as he leaned slightly forward in his seat, "for example, the bright yellow attires that have been imported are what the youth's favor. We will not tolerate any imperial kingdom goods! We've recently determined they are an imperial product being passed off as Natran made!"
"I'm afraid I still no not know what you're talking about," Wein said as he closed his eyes, "the followers of Levetia all believe that the eastern nations are all nothing but barbarians, am I right?"
"Yes, but…" Sirgis tried to say before Wein interrupted him.
"So then do you believe such barbarians are capable of making any of the goods that have been imported to Delunio," Wein asked him. When he saw Sirgis slightly flinch, he knew that he got him.
"Tsk," Sirgis said as he realized that trying to argue this issue will lead him nowhere. "It's not only the matter of the trade goods," Sirgis said as he relaxed in his chair, "it's also the issue of the empire peddling their goods to Levetian pilgrims who pass through the Mardenian region." He looked at Wein and said, "And as a descendant of Caleus, you should know that this is wrong. Absolving themselves from undue interference with pilgrims is customary among Levetians. To allow that to happen is that same thing as dragging the entire religion through the mud!"
As Sirgis spoke, Wein just wanted to go back to bed. He was exhausted and didn't feel like dealing with Sirgis right now. However, any blatant disrespect would easily cause a war between Natra, Marden and the west. "While I believe it's in your right to claim that our current policy is against Levetian religious beliefs, you are just a mere follower and not a Holy Elite. So, you're going way past your boundaries to speak of the Levetians." As Sirgis' face scrunched up, he asked him, "Would you like to add anything else?"
"No," Sirgis said as he stood up, "it seems that we will be unable to come to an agreement today. So I will return home at once and discuss the matter with my homeland and go from there." As he walked towards the door, all the guards were on high alert just in case he tried to do something. "Oh and one last thing," he said as he opened the door, "the both of you will severely regret this later." And with that, he left the room as he slammed the door behind him. The echoes of his footsteps become fainter with each passing step.
Once his footsteps were no longer audible, Wein face planted onto the table startling Zenovia in the process. "Wein are you okay," she asked him. Wein just nodded as he rested his head on his arms. "I'm sorry for having to trouble you tonight," she said as she stood up.
"Don't worry about it," Wein said as he lazily picked up his head and looked at her, "it could've gone worse if I wasn't here." Wein knew that Zenovia would've been at a huge disadvantage if he and Ninym left earlier to Soljest instead of tomorrow.
"I know," she said as she opened the door as she too was ready to head out, "and I'm appreciative of it. Now lets both head to bed." As she took a few steps out the door, she turned around and told Wein, "Don't forgot to give me an answer once you return from Soljest." After she spoke, she resumed walking as Wein heard her heels clicking down the corridor as she left Wein all alone in the room.
As Wein stood up, he looked out the window and thought, 'Just what will you do Sirgis,' as he too followed suit and left the room to head back to his own quartets for the remainder of the night. When he opened the door and scanned the bed, he saw Ninym laying on her side as she faced the door. Once he quietly shut the door, he slowly got into bed as he tried to not wake her up.
Once he was under the covers, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to where her head was pressed up against his chest. "Wein," she mumbled sleepily into his chest as he fell asleep and overtook him once again.
"Good night Ninym, I love you," he said before he fell asleep for the second time tonight.
Scene Change (Infront of Marden Palace)
"I would like to once again apologize for last night's events," Zenovia said as she bowed to Wein and Ninym as they got ready to enter their carriage and travel to Soljest, "I made Your Highness have to wake up for something so trivial."
"Don't fret it," Wein told her as he waved his hand dismissively. In all honesty it wasn't that big of a deal for Wein. It benefited both Marden and Natra to have addressed the issue now before Wein and Ninym head to Soljest than later. "Because of last night, we both now have an idea of what Sir Sirgis is as a person," Wein said as he rubbed her head, "and expect him to be back sooner rather than later. So don't let your guard down!"
"Yes, leave it to me," she said as she basked in the affection that Wein was showing her, "also, don't forget to give me an answer when you return."
"Don't worry," Wein told him as he halted his action, "I don't go back on my promise." After he said that, he turned around to get onto the carriage that Ninym had already boarded. As he was about to board the carriage, Zenovia rushed from behind and enveloped him in a bone crushing hub.
"Stay safe," she whispered in his ear as she stood on her tippy toes to lay her head on his shoulder. Even though she wanted Wein to stay with her for a little while longer, she knew it was for the best to allow him to go to Soljest.
"I'll miss you too," Wein told the marchioness as he turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist, "stay alert and make sure to keep your guard up these next coming days."
"I will," she said as she pulled back to allow him to enter the carriage so she could start the journey to Soljest. As he took a seat, he looked at her and waved to her before the carriage started moving.
"My Lady, what do you think his answer will be," Jiva asked her as he wanted to know what she thought. Zenovia turned to face Jiva.
"I think he'll say yes," she told him as they started to walk back to the palace. After she answered, the rest of the short walk back was in complete silence. Once they entered the palace, Zenovia went to the study room to get back to work.
'I'll be waiting,' she thought as she entered the study room and sighed when she saw the gigantic mountain of paperwork that needed to be done, 'how do you do it Wein?'
Scene Chance (Carriage)
Once they were out of view from Zenovia, Ninym got up from her seat and walked over to Wein before she plopped herself down on his lap. "I don't like when she flirts with you," she grumbled as she leaned back to look up at him.
"I know," he sighed out as he ran his hand through her black hair, "but since they are a vassal of Natra, we also have to think what's best for both of us."
"Gently," she hissed at him, "or you'll remove the dye!"
"Oops sorry," he said as he slowed down his pace.
"I know that you're trying to do what's best for everyone," Ninym said before she fell silent. Wein could easily tell that it was eating at her a bit but knew the best course of action was to stay quiet about It until they came back from Soljest. As he continued to stroke her hair, he pondered what Sirgis and Delunio could possibly do.
'I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up declaring war against us. However, how would the Holy Elites react to Delunio declaring war against Natra? They more than likely would have an issue against Marden but Natra? They'll probably be incensed,' Wein thought as he thought about the possibility of war, 'or, they could try to send another envoy to try to negotiate terms again. Which Zenovia or I will deny unless the terms are extremely favorable for our side to where we'll agree to halt exporting those goods.'
"Wein," he heard Ninym mumble into his chest as she fell asleep in his lap. She curled herself on his lap like a cat as she nuzzled him.
'So cute,' he mentally beamed as he enjoyed seeing her in this state. On impulse, he wanted to mess up her hair but stopped himself when she slept.
"Don't mess it up," she lazily said as she cuddled him. Wein sighed in resignation to just light stroke his hair. As he repeated the action for a couple of hours, he too felt himself doze off to sleep.
Scene Change (Outside of Piska)
"Your highness," Raklum said from outside the carriage, "we have arrived." When he got no answer, he got off his horse and knocked on the carriage door. "Your highness, are you okay? We have arrived at the capital of Soljest," he said as he stopped knocking. Once he repeated the action three times, he opened the door, only to smile at the scene laid out in front of him.
To Raklum's right, he saw the prince and his aide curled up with each other. Ninym was still fast asleep in his lap as she leaned back against his chest. Wein had wrapped an arm around her waist as he had his chin rested on one of her shoulders. 'It feels like a crime waking up the couple,' Raklum thought as she slowly walked towards the two lovebirds.
"Your Highness," Raklum said as he gently shook Wein's shoulders, "we're currently on the outskirts of Piska." When he saw that Wein didn't move a muscle, he shook him again, albeit a bit more forceful. "We're almost here Your Highness," Raklum said as he shook him more violently.
"Wah..," Wein exclaimed as both his eyes shot open, "what's going on?" As he looked around the carriage frantically, he calmed down almost instantly when he saw Raklum.
"Sorry for disturbing you, Your Highness," Raklum said as he slightly bowed, "but we have almost arrived at Piska." As Raklum left the carriage, Wein tried to gently wake the sleeping angel that was on his lap.
"Ninym," he gently called out to her, "wake up." She only shifted slightly in his lap and pressed her body up against his. "Ninym," he said a little louder as she stirred slightly in his lap. As she slowly opened her eyes, she groaned as the light entered her eyes.
"Afternoon sleepy head," Wein told her as she smiled looking up.
"Afternoon," she groggily responded as she stretched like a cat while she rubbed her eyes, "are we there yet?"
Wein nodded and said, "Yea, Raklum just woke me and we're just a few miles away." Ninym nodded at what he said and sat up from his lap to go look out the window. Her eyes widened at the city not so far off in the distance.
(Scene Change: Piska Palace Throne Room)
Once they arrived in the city, they were escorted by the guards to the palace. As they traversed through they city, Ninym and Wein couldn't help but take in all the amazing sights and sounds that the city had to offer. "It's such a lively city," Ninym commented from Wein's lap. Even though Wein didn't have an issue with Ninym ever sitting in his lap, ever since he woke up his midsection had been numb due to her falling asleep in it.
'Just bear with it a bit more,' Wein grimaced as he could see the palace. Once their carriage had made it all the way to the palace, Ninym had gotten off his lap, opened the door and left the carriage leaving Wein inside. Wein sighed at the long day ahead of him as he stood up and closed the door once he left.
"Ah, you must be Prince Wein," one of the guards said, "please follow us to the throne room, King Gruyere awaits your presence." Wein and Ninym nodded as they followed the fleeting guard. Once they entered the place's entrance, Wein put his head on a swivel as he analyzed every possible nook and cranny that was ever visible to his eye to see all the possible places and outcomes that come from this meeting.
'There's no way he'd try to assassinate me, right,' Wein asked himself as entered the large throne room. On the opposite side of the room, Wein saw King Gruyere sitting on the throne. His figure is imposing to everyone in the room. As he bowed to the king, something interesting caught his eye. 'A portable throne,' he asked himself as he saw the chair on top of something that could be hoisted up.
"Thank you, Prince Wein," Gruyere said as Wein bowed. The king invited Wein for two reasons. The first one being so that they sit down and talk and to see if any treaties or deals came out of that. And the second reason being so that his daughter, the princess of Soljest, would stop bugging him about Wein. Ever since she heard stories about Wein and all the amazing feats that he's accomplished, she would always tell her father about him and would nag him to invite him to their nation's festival.
"I'm extremely grateful for your invitation to attend your country's festival," Wein said as he looked at King Gruyere. In all honesty, Wein could care less about attending the festival and just wanted to set up a deal between Natra and Soljest. 'Not a bad place to take Ninym for a date though,' he thought as he took a side glance at Ninym
"Don't worry about it. After all, we're allies that freed Mealtars from the imperial empire together," the king said as four of his men went into a square formation around the king, "besides, I wish to speak with you one on one." As he gestured to the men, they bent down, and all picked up one of the protruding logs to pick up the king. "Well then," he said as they hoisted him up, "let's move to the banquet room! It's customary here to talk while doing so while having a meal."
As he finished speaking, Wein's eyes went wide once they had fully hoisted the chair up. "With my body, it's hard to walk by myself," he said as he saw the shock on Wein's face, "this is how I usually move." As he let out a laugh, the men started to walk towards Wein and Ninym. "Doing things that others cant is what make us nobles," he said as he passed the two, "traversing simply by foot is the way of the commoner."
As he passed them, Wein and Ninym hurried up to catch the king and his men. "If you want to show the world that you're extremely wealthy, you should have people carry you around like this," the king said as they left the throne room.
"I get the way you're saying but…," Wien tried to say before Gruyere cut him off.
"It's fine. Not all nobles have the same thing that makes them a noble," he said as they continued walking, "if you are unable to sympathize with my role that means your role is something else."
"My role…," Wein said as he tried to word his following words carefully, "I can't imagine what it would be."
"Enjoy your youth," Gruyere said as they rounded a corner, "experiment as much as you can. Allow yourself to have failures to become a better person. However, one day you'll notice what the beast inside you wants!"
As Wein turned away, he became enveloped by his own thoughts. 'I'm guessing they'll try to build a relationship with us. Nothing fancy. They'll try to halt Natra's expansion as they try to amend/grow their relationship with Delunio. What a conundrum. I had wanted to get Soljest involved with us in trade. But, this relationship could become even more than that.'
"We're here," the king said as his men stopped walking. Wein was snapped from his train of thought and looked forward. As he opened the door, a young girl with bright red hair was standing before him.
"So you're the infamous Prince Wein," she said as she walked around him, "nice to meet you!" She then proceeded to hold out her hand to him.
"And you are," he asked her as he took her outstretched hand.
"Father, you didn't tell him about me," she pouted as she looked at her dad.
'Father,' Wein thought as his eyes widened significantly, "then that means…"
"Correct," she said with a vicious smile, "I'm Tolcheila, the Princess of Soljest!" As Wein got a good look at the girl in front of him, he couldn't help but compare her to Falanya.
'They look the same exact age, have the same energy, only thing is really their hair color,' he thought as he imagined the two princesses side by side.
As she stopped circling, she stood in front of him and said, "Welcome to Soljest!" While they had their little interaction, King Gruyere had been lifted to one of the seats at the table. Seeing her father all set, Tolcheila backed away and went to her seat for the feast to begin. As Wein followed and sat next to the princess, Wein began to steel himself.
'I know Soljest is known for their food, so don't get distracted by the task at hand,' he thought as the chefs placed the first dish in front of everyone. Wein's eyes nearly popped out as he observed the plate of food in front of him.
"First on the menu is a fish and herb salad," To Sheila said as she smiled at Wein's reaction, "the fish from the coast needs to be transported very securely due to how easily it can be damaged. However, it's delicate flavor when it's fresh is second to none!" Wein didn't ever hear the princess talk as he was too mesmerized by the food.
'It looks amazing,' he gushed internally as he inspected every spec of the dish, 'better than anything you could find in Natra.' As he cut off a piece of the fish, he brought it to his mouth ready to try it. When the fish reached his mouth, Wein nearly fell out of his chair.
'How could something look this bland but taste like heaven,' he asked himself as he savored the taste of the fish. As Wein went off to a different world, Tolcheila couldn't help but buffer her chest out in pride at how their food made the prince wordless.
"So how is it," she asked the prince even though she knew his answer.
"It's delicious," he nearly shouted out as he finished the plate, "we have nothing like this in Natra!" Both Gruyere and Tolcheila chuckled slightly at his reaction. 'Calm down Wein,' he thought as he felt himself get distracted from his goal, 'you're here to negotiate a deal with Soljest, not to fawn over their delicious cuisine!'
"I'm glad it's to your liking," she said as she flashed that devious smile once again. Once everyone finished the initial course, the chefs once again brought forth the second dish of the evening. And once again, Wein was nearly drooling over the impeccable dish that was brought before them.
'What a stunning dish,' he mentally yelled as he observed the flawless looking dish, 'this has to be just as good if not better than the last dish.'
"For the second dish, we have used the shell of the fruit as a bowl and added a mousse which was made by using seafood and eggs," Tolcheila said as Wein took a bite of the food. Tolcheila couldn't but feel giddy as she continued to observe Wein's reactions.
'Infinity out of 10,' Wein thought as tears of joy came to his ears, 'I want these recipes!' Once he finished the second serving of food, Wein started to feel his stomach start to hurt. 'Surely that's the end of it,' Wein thought as he ignored the pain. However to his dismay, the door opened and in came a gigantic, cooked pig and Wein nearly fainted at the sheer size of it.
"For our next meal," Tolcheila said as she turned to look at Wein, "is Soljest's specialty, roasted pig!" Wein's nostrils immediate flared up at the immaculate scent that the roasted pig gave off. As Wein looked around his entourage, they too were salivating at the sight, and smell of the pig let alone the taste. Before he could partake in the meal in front of him, his stomach ached in pain as he knew this would put a toll on his body.
'Just need to make it through the feast before I can negotiate with Gruyere,' he thought as he apologized to his stomach before he took a bite of the pig. 'Out of all the three dishes so far, this has to be the frontrunner,' he thought as he savored every morsel of food on his plate.
"Delicious right," Tolcheila asked him as she wiped her mouth.
"Indeed it is," Wein said as he tried to hide his excitement.
"Next dish," Tolcheila said as the servants brought in the next meal. Wein's entire body nearly shut down at the mention of more food. His stomach was almost at 100% capacity.
'Almost done,' he thought as the servants placed the next dish in front of him, 'I will not lose!'
As Wein ogled the newest dish, Tolcheila continued to observe Wein from the corner of her eyes. 'For a prince he can eat a lot,' she thought as she laughed internally, 'he does look quite dashing with the myriad of emotions that have graced his face…' Tolcheila's face turned the color of her hair as she looked downward at her food. 'No, no, no,' she thought as she shook her head furiously.
Time Skip/Scene Change (Nighttime/Wein's and Ninym's Room)
After the five-course meal was said and done, Wein had to excuse himself from the table to go lay down after ingesting all the glorious food that they served. The moment he entered the room, he collapsed on the bed and grabbed at his stomach in pain. 'I'm sorry,' he apologized as he felt his stomach grumble angrily.
As Ninym entered the room shortly after, she sighed as she approached the prone Wein. "You truly at like a pig," she said as she sat on the bed. During the meal, she couldn't believe that Wein had tried to eat all the food given. She knew that he was trying to make a good impression with the king, but she didn't expect five dishes to be served. She herself was full of the meal but ate smaller portions than Wein.
"My tummy hurts," he said in pain as tears formed in the corner of his eyes.
"You big baby," she told him as she began to rub his back soothingly. Wein couldn't help but sigh in pleasure as he felt her hand. Wein wasn't disappointed that he lost to food. He was disappointed that he wasn't even to negotiate with Gruyere at all during the feast or after.
"I'll just have to bring it up tomorrow with him," he told her as messaged his shoulders, "by the way the ceremony is straightforward, right?" Wein didn't feel like doing anything tomorrow that would exert a lot of energy.
"You don't have to worry about anything because it's only the opening ceremony," she said as she ceased her ministry and curled him behind Wein, "and the closing ceremony is two days later." With that said, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back.
"I love you Wein," she mumbled into his chest as she felt herself fall drowsy.
"I love you too Ninym," he told her as he felt shivers from her warm breath on his skin, "good night." As Wein fell asleep, Ninym couldn't but smile into his back as she soon fell asleep with him.
Scene Change (Tolcheila's Room)
Just like Wein and Ninym after dinner had concluded, Tolcheila went to their room for the night. "What a fun day," she exclaimed happily as she skipped down the corridor, a bright smile radiated from her beautiful face. As she reached her room, she puffed out her chest in pride as she reveled in taking out Wein with Soljest's cuisine.
Once she entered her bedroom, she went to change into her nightgown. As she stripped down, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. As she patted her chest, she sighed dejected and thought, 'Still no growth.' Even though she wanted to see some development on her bust, she knew that she had to have patience and to allow for her body to grow as she ages. However, that didn't mean she was envious of girls that looked her age with a way bigger bust size.
When she changed into the nightgown, she flopped onto the bed and hugged one of her pillows. As she laid in bed, she reminisced about what had transpired today. 'I had so much fun,' she thought as she nuzzled her pillow, 'I can't wait for tomorrow!' During her mental excitement, she thought about Wein and his comedic expressions as he observed the food that was served to him.
She yawned loudly as she felt herself fading in and out of consciousness. 'Wein,' she thought as she ascended to dreamland.
Scene Change (Marden Palace)
As one princess was allowed to go to sleep, there was another princess who was working through the night once again to stop the chances of Delunio waging war against Marden and Natra. She yawned loudly as she could feel her eyes start to slowly close. However, a knock at the door jolted her wide awake again. "Lady Zenovia," Jiva said as he opened the door to the study room, "Prime Minister Sirgis has sent another letter."
As he entered the room, Zenovia could feel a headache about to start as Jiva stood in front of her desk. "Another one," she asked him.
"Yes," Jiva said as he opened the letter, "it says, The Mardenian region includes land that the Kingdom of Delunio lent to the Royal House of Marden. However, since the Kingdom of Marden doesn't exist anymore, the claims to that land is invalid. Therefore, they should be reverted to Delunio effective immediately."
Zenovia sighed once Jiva finished reading the contents of the letter. She didn't feel like dealing with Sirgis and Delunio but, if she wanted Wein to look at her differently, she knew she had to be able to deal with this issue by herself as she knew Wein was busy in Soljest. "We initially wanted to purchase the land in question," she said as she rubbed her temples, "but with respect for Delunio, we agreed to a loan in perpetuity."
After she said that, Jiva handed her the letter for her to look at. After she scanned the contents of the letter, she said, "This is absurd. Tell them the answer is no." Jiva knew that angering Sirgis and the nation of Delunio would more than likely end in war.
"But they'll more than likely threaten war against us," he told the marchioness. He was worried that they were overvaluing the little bit of land that they would lose. He thought that they should give it up to stop any potential armed conflict.
"We'll deploy our forces if needed," she told him as she looked up at Jiva, "but we must avoid open war at all costs and I doubt they want that, either." She wanted to make sure that it all ended peacefully. She sighed loudly as she placed it down.
'Hopefully, this doesn't turn violent,' she thought as she looked out the window, 'hopefully you're doing all right Wein.'
Scene Change (Piska Palace)
'Today is the day that I negotiate a trade deal with Soljest,' Wein thought as he got dressed for the opening ceremony. As he exited the bathroom, he was surprised to see Ninym still fast asleep on the bed. As he walked toward her sleeping figure, a devious smile appeared on his face as he sat on the bed.
"Wake up," Wein said gently as he shook her. After she didn't wake after doing this a couple of times, he decided to squeeze her breasts. She moaned softly at the action and mumbled something inaudible as she rolled over on her side. Wein, who decided that he had enough fun, shouted, "Wake up!"
Ninym jolted awake as she heard someone shouting. "What gives," she groaned as she tried to block the sunlight from her eyes. Since this was like a mini vacation, she wanted to catch up on as much sleep as possible. When she turned her head to look at Wein, she gave him a glare. "Why did you have to wake me up," she asked him as she plopped her head back down on a pillow.
"Let's see," Wein said as he rubbed his chin, "maybe perhaps the opening day ceremony that is taking place shortly."
"Oh, that," Ninym said without a care in her voice, "you didn't need to wake me up for that." With that she turned her back to him and attempted to fall back asleep. Win sighed and decided to give it up as he headed to leave the room.
Scene Change (Piska Palace Throne Room)
"And that concludes the opening ceremony," Princess Tolcheila proclaimed as she stood in front of her father. As her room applauded and cheered, she walked right to Wein and tried to talk to him. ``So, what did you think of Wein," she asked as they met each other in the middle.
"You did good, but can we talk later," he said as he was eager to start talks with Gruyere, "I need to speak with your father."
"Fine," she said as she pouted and puffed her cheeks in being brushed off. After she said that, she left the throne room to god knows wherever. To Wein's dismay, Gruyere had already got upon his sedan as he and his group had already exited the room.
"King Gruyere," Wein said as he caught up with the king, "may I have a moment to speak with you?" The people carrying the sedan stopped in their tracks as Gruyere turned to his right to look at Wein.
"If it isn't Prince Wein," Gruyere said as made eye contact with him, "why don't we head together to the great hall for breakfast?" Wein could feel his stomach grumble as if to say no to eating anymore food while he's in Soljest.
"I'd be honored too…" Wein started to say before Gruyere cut him off.
"Great! Today's main course is an omelet. A staple among the citizens of Soljest," Gruyere said. After he spoke about how they made an omelet and what the ingredients are, Wein couldn't help but lose a little bit of patience.
"That sounds amazing, but…," Wein said before Gruyere interrupted him once again.
"Please forgive me," he said, "but I have a matter to attend to. Let us talk later." And with that the men started to walk again as they headed down the corridor. As Wein watched the fleeting sedan, he couldn't help but feel what Tolcheila felt a few moments before.
'I'm sorry,' he thought as he apologized to the eccentric princess. He sighed loudly as he headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. When he entered the room, he saw Tolcheila all alone eating breakfast.
"Weren't you supposed to be with father," she asked him as she noticed him open the door.
'Talk about awkwardness,' he thought. A few minutes he basically blew her off to try to start negotiations with Gruyere. However, the plans quickly fell through when Gruyere went off to a meeting. "He told me to come to the Great Hall to have breakfast," Wein told the princess as he scratched the back of his head, "but, he bolted off in his sedan after he told me he had other matters to attend to…"
"So, I'm just your backup plan," she asked him as she puffed up her cheeks.
"Wah.. no," Wein told her as was taken aback at what she hinted at, "I'm trying to open talks with your father so that Natra and Soljest could become trading partners." With that, he took a seat next to Tolcheila and the servants brought him an "omelet" as Gruyere has described to him.
"That makes sense," she sighed as she took a bite of her food, "I guess I can forgive you."
"Really, that's great," Wein exclaimed as he turned to face the princess. However, when he looked over to her, he immediately felt dread as she eyed the plate of food in front of him.
"Say," she drew out as she flashed her signature smile, "care for round two?" Wein could feel his body almost go into shock at what she asked him. His stomach was begging him not to after last night's dinner.
"You're on," he told her furiously.
"Oh," she said as she leaned towards, "are you sure your body can handle it?" Once she asked this question, Wein nodded vigorously even though his body was screaming at him not to do it. He was determined to overcome his previous loss.
"Yes," Wein said as he balled his fist in determination.
"All right then," Tolcheila said as she stood up, "I presume father had described the dish in front of you?" When Wein nodded, she continued and said, "All right, then dig in!"
After he was given the green light, he cut off a piece of the omelet and took a bite. 'It tastes like heaven,' Wein screamed as he savored the amazing taste. Wein couldn't get over how perfect the ingredients blended to make such an impeccable dish. The aroma, the texture, the taste, just everything about the dish made it majestic!
"So, is it to your liking," she asked him as she leaned forward. When she saw Wein nod his head, she snapped her fingers, and a servant brought another domed dish. "Well big boy," she said as she placed her hand on the top of the dome, "let's see how far you can go!"
Time Skip (2 Hours)
'My tummy hurts so much,' Wein thought as he painfully finished the steak that was planted in front of him. After the second dish, made of duck meat and some sauce, he felt his stomach near capacity. And once he was done with the third dish, made of potatoes and turkey, he knew that he was crossing the threshold before his stomach wanted to kill itself.
As he took the last few bites of the fourth dish, Tolcheila clapped her hands together. "One more to go," she said cheerfully as Wein slammed his head on the table. Instead of a chef or a servant bringing a plate, Tolcheila took something out from her dress. "This chocolate," she told the prince as she handed him the rectangle looking thing, "out of all the sweets, this one is my personal favorite! It basically melts in your mouth."
'Melts in your mouth,' he asked himself as he propped up from the table and took the object from her outstretched hand. As he took it, he opened the wrapper to see a brown looking thing inside. 'Smells good,' he thought as he took in the aroma.
"Go on, eat it," she told him. Shrugging, he placed the piece of candy in his mouth and let it sit there. To his amazement, it melted in his mouth.
"What kind of magic is this," he asked Tolcheila as he was taken aback by the chocolate that had melted in mouth, "and, this flavor it tastes so good!" Tolcheila couldn't help but to burst out laughing at how childish Wein acted over a simple piece of chocolate.
"First off, it isn't magic," she said as she placed her hands on the table and leaned forward, "also, it's made from using cocoa beans that are harvested in the western Soljest!"
"Maybe I should do negotiations with you instead of Gruyere," Wein joked. Tolcheila placed a hand to chin and gave it some thought.
"If I could, I would," she quipped at him. As Wein laughed, she pondered about something. "Say, would you like to accompany me to the sweets store in town as we wait for father to return," she nervously asked him as she fidgeted with her fingers.
"I don't know," Wein said, "I don't want to be gone when Gruyere returns." Even though it sounded like fun to hang out with the princess, he knew that if Gruyere came back and saw that Wein was gone, negotiations would already be sour.
"Please," she begged as she gave him puppy eyes.
'Oh, god,' Wein thought as he flashbacked all the times Falanya gave him those exact eyes to get what she wanted, 'fight it off, fight it off.' As he turned to look away from her, she placed both of her hands on his cheeks and turned his head to make eye contact with him.
"Please, I promise to behave," she said as her puppy eyes got to him.
"Alright," he sighed out in defeat, "let's go!"
"Really," she asked him before he nodded, "I promise it'll be worth your time!" Wein sighed loudly as he stood up and took her hand.
"What are we waiting for milady," he asked her as he began to walk with her to leave then, "let's be on our way." Tolcheila's face became the same color of her hair when he took her hand. Unable to respond to Wein, she simply nodded as he guided her to the front of the palace and into town.
Scene Change (Piska Sweet Shop)
'I don't mind him holding my hand, but,' Tolcheila thought as she could feel the stares from everyone who passed by, 'this kind of looks like the Princess of Soljest is going on a date.' She shook her head as the Sweet Shop came into view. 'No, no, no,' she thought as she felt her body warm up, 'this isn't a date. Plus, he's already engaged to Princess Lowellmina and maybe Ninym.'
"Is that it," Wein asked her as he used his free hand to point at the building that was in view. As they were just a few steps from the door, Wein observed the building. Compared to all the other buildings they passed by to get here, this one was a lot more vibrant and colorful. Having been painted by using a myriad of colors, it stood out.
"It is," she said shyly, her cheeks slightly red.
As Wein with Tolcheila in hand entered the store, a man's voice could be heard. "Welcome to Piska's Sweet Shop," the man said, "how may I help you today…." When the man got a good luck at who entered his store, his eyes widened and he bowed at the waist, "I'm so sorry," he said, "please forgive my rudeness Princess Tolcheila!" Tolcheila placed her free hand on her temples and sighed.
"How many times do you have to tell it to act casual when I'm with you," she asked the man who had stopped bowing, "I've told you to act like I'm just a normal customer like everyone else."
"My apologies," he said before he looked over at Wein, "and who might this fellow be?"
"I am Wein Salema Arblest, Crown Prince of Natra," he said as he bowed slightly, "pleased to make your acquaintance."
"P-p-prince," the man stuttered as he put two and two together, "so, are you two engaged?" Tolcheila's blush came back with full force and even Wein's cheeks became red.
"No, no, no," Tolcheila said as she made an x with her arms, "Wein is here to open negotiations with my father. I asked him to accompany me here while father finished some other matter he had to deal with first."
"I see," the man said as he looked at the two with unbelieving eyes, "anyways, I am Guondo, manager and owner of the Piska Sweet Shop, the best sweet shop in the great city of Piska! So what can I do for you today Lady Tolcheila?"
"For me, the usual," she answered, "but for Wein, let him look around to see what he would like." Guondo nodded before he went to the back of store to get what was requested of him. "Have a look around," she ordered Wein is Guondo came back with her "usual" order. This order consisted of a few bags of saltwater taffy and a bunch of chocolate.
"So Prince Wein, what kind of sweets do you have in Natra," he asked him as he handed Tolcheila her order.
"We don't really have any sweets," he said, "besides like the odd sugar bun or cinnamon bun." Guondo gasped in disbelief.
"He's telling the truth," Tolcheila said as she took out a piece of taffy, "today was the first time he tried chocolate." Guondo's jaw nearly hit the floor as his eyes became saucers. After getting over his initial shock, we went and grabbed a few box of chocolates and placed them in a bag.
"What are these," Wein asked Tolcheila as he pointed to a crystal-like candy on a stick.
"Those are called rock candies," she answered as Guondo added a few of them in the bag.
"What are you eating," he asked her as she unwrapped a piece of taffy.
"This is taffy," she said as she placed it in her mouth before she grabbed another piece and tossed it to Wein, "they're really good." When Wein caught the taffy, he unwrapped it and placed it in his mouth just like Tolcheila. When his eyes lit up, Tolcheila smiled that Wein liked her favorite sweet while Guondo added three bags of taffy for Wein.
"Thank you," Wein said as Guondo handed him the bag full of sweets.
"Anytime," he said as Tolcheila placed a few gold coins down on the counter.
"Y-y-your Highness," he stuttered out as his eyes became saucers at the amount of money she placed, "this is way too much and there's no way I could make change for that."
"Don't worry about it," she said cheerfully as she watched Wein rip open the bag of taffy and start to eat it, "just think of it as a massive thank you."
"Will do," Guondo said as Tolcheila started to head for the exit as she gestured at Wein to follow suit.
'Those two would make a good couple,' Guondo thought as watched the two leave the store.
Scene Change (Piska Palace)
On the way back from buying the sweets, to Tolcheila's surprise and disbelief, Wein had already finished two of the three massive bags of taffy. "You're going to get sick after eating all that," she said as they entered the castle. Wein merely shrugged as he placed another piece of taffy in his mouth.
Once they entered the castle, Tolcheila had asked Wein to escort her back to her room. As they got closer, she couldn't help but have a twinge of sadness at their day ending so that Wein could talk with her father.
"Thank you for today," she said as they stopped outside her door, "it was a lot of fun." As her cheeks became red with embarrassment, Wein told her.
"I also had a lot of fun! We should do this again sometime," he said as Tolcheila nodded as she shared the same sentiment.
'Do I do it or not,' Tolcheila thought as she let her mind wander a bit. "Thank you for accompanying me," she said as she turned around from Wein.
"You're welcome," he said as she opened the door.
As he turned around and started to head back to his own room, Tolcheila shouted, "Wait!" When Wein turned around, he saw a blur of red rush to his side before he felt something wet on his cheek. His body stiffened when he saw Tolcheila on her tippy toes as she had her lips pressed on his cheek.
"T-T-Tolcheila," Wein stuttered out as she disengaged the kiss. Tolcheila, whose face could rival a tomato, didn't say a word before she bolted into her room as she slammed the door behind her. Wein, who was still too stunned to move his body, could only touch the spot where she kissed him and could feel his body becoming warm.
Once he was able to get over the shock, he shook his head and headed out to find Gruyere.
However, over the next couple of days, it was becoming increasingly obvious that Gruyere had no interest in talking with him. Every time Wein saw Gruyere lounging around on his sedan, he would try to approach the king. Only for the people around his sedan to pick it up and carry the king to wherever.
On the other hand, Tolcheila, Wein and Ninym had all gotten to know each other well over the last few days because of the seemingly disinterest by Gruyere to engage in any sort of talks
Scene Change (Wein's and Ninym's Room)
"It just doesn't make any sense," Wein told Ninym, who was currently sitting on his lap as he gently brushed her hair, "Delunio and Soljest have never been on good terms. So if we were to ally with Delunio, it would keep the status quo."
"And that's why you think Gruyere invited you," Ninym told Wein as she nuzzled his hand, "to possibly forge an alliance with us."
"Precisely," Wein said, "however, over the last few days it seems like the king invited us for some other reason besides negotiations."
"That can only be," Ninym said as he eyes widened.
"Assassination," Wein said as he finished her sentence. He sighed at how downhill this entire trip was. Besides becoming close with Tolcheila, it was a complete bust. "I'm betting that Soljest sees Natra as a major threat to the west," he told Ninym as he laid his chin upon her head, "however, the issue with that is how he's had countless chances to assassinate the both of us." His eyes widened before he stood up and said, "He must be planning to do it now! Ninym, prepare to return to Natra at once!"
However, before either of them could do anything, someone knocked at the door. "Wein," Tolcheila's voice said as she entered the room, "father had told me that he requests to talk with you."
As Ninym and Wein glanced at each other, they both nodded before Wein said, "Thank you Tolcheila!"
"He's out on the awning," she said as she smiled as Wein ruffled her hair.
Once they left the room, Tolcheila twirled her hair as her face became red. 'Stupid Wein,' she thought as she relished at the feeling of his hand.
As Tolcheila was content, Wein and Ninym were currently on high alert as they observed every spot of the halls they walked to meet with the king. As they approached the awning, they could see Gruyere already seated as he held up a wine glass. "Please forgive me," Gruyere said as he noticed Wein and Ninym approaching him, "I knew you had wished to speak with me over the past few days, so why don't we have that chat now?"
"By all means," Wein said as he took a seat. 'He must be up to something,' he thought as glanced at Ninym. As Wein sat, Ninym had moved so she would be standing behind him, something that Gruyere had noticed.
"You there," Gruyere said as he called out to her, "there's an extra seat. You should sit as well."
"I am honored by your concern, but…" she said as Gruyere interrupted her.
"You're the rumored Flahm to be the aide to the prince are you not," Gruyere asked them, "it's fine. I don't care about such trivial matters." Even though it was meaningless to Gruyere, Ninym and Wein couldn't believe what they were hearing from one of the Holy Elites! Wein and Ninym made eye contact as they looked at each other in pure disbelief at what he had just said.
"Then I shall join you," she said as she bowed before she took a seat next to Wein.
"Do my words surprise you," he asked as he cut the silence that followed.
"Yes," Wein said, "the combination of the Levetian scripture as well as your standing as a Holy Elites makes asking a Flahm to sit with them almost sacrilegious."
As Wein spoke, Gruyere didn't really pay attention as he swirled his glass. "Scriptures are nothing but pieces of papers," he said to Wein's and Ninym's disbelief, "are deeds done in accordance with God's will? Is every person waking a righteous path? We must consider such questions and find our own conclusions."
As they sat there and listened to Gruyere, all they could do was listen in shock to what he had to say. "So, are you saying that Flahms should be treated equally," Wein asked the king. This was the most important question that Wein could possibly ask him given the current conversation.
"Yes," Gruyere said as he nodded his head slightly, "even though I'm king, I believe that everyone is of equal worth. Who cares if they have white hair or red eyes?" As Ninym listened to him, she couldn't help but touch her hair and glance at Wein at this current development.
"But would God allow such interpretations," Wien asked him as he couldn't help but feel like he made the right choice in coming to Soljest.
"If he doesn't, I will find out in due time," Gruyere answered with, "and if he does, I'll learn about it when I also die. Either living in paradise or burning in hell are experiences one can only have once they die."
After he finished speaking, Wein was completely taken aback and had to digest everyone that had just been said. He could feel his head explode at the amount of information that he had replay. 'He is a tough one,' Wein thought as he came to his conclusion, "I admire you as a king as well as an enlightened individual. And because of that, I'm certain that Soljest is the correct kingdom that Natra should have ties with. However, I must return home. So I ask you to allow us to forge the ties between our kingdoms. "
As Gruyere pondered about if he should or shouldn't, Wein and Ninym nervously looked at each other. The longer the silence lasted, the longer Wein thought that he would reject his offer. "Very well," Gruyere said as he cut the tension between the two parties, "I accept your proposal. An alliance between Soljest and Natra is beneficial to both nations."
'Seriously,' Wein thought as he was floored by Gruyere accepting their proposal.
"You said something about having to return at once," Gruyere asked Wein as he remembered him saying something like that a few seconds ago.
"Yes," Wein said slowly.
"Then I shall not keep you any longer," Gruyere said as he looked down at his glass. As Wein and Ninym stood up and were about to leave, Gruyere called out to Wein and said, "I appreciate you spending time together with Tolcheila. She doesn't have many friends and you've made a deep impression on her. And for that, I'm thankful for."
Wein flinched slightly when he thought the kiss Tolcheila laid upon his cheek. "Anytime," Wein said as he pulled out piece of chocolate, "plus, if it wasn't for her, I never would've found these sweets." Gruyere gave out a hearty laugh as Wein and Ninym took their leave and headed back down the corridor as they made their way to the front of the palace to board their carriage.
Once they were out of earshot, Gruyere turned around and said, "I can hardly wait to see how my little charade plays out. Wouldn't you agree, Sir Sirgis?"
Scene Change (Natra Palace)
After they had arrived back to Natra, Wein sighed when he saw the mountain of paperwork waiting for him on his desk. "I don't get it," he said painfully as Ninym brought him another stack of paperwork, "I fully believed that Gruyere was up to something." As he quickly scanned a paper, he signed it and put it in the done pile.
"Based on what you said, I was shocked when Soljest didn't try to ambush us once we left the palace," Ninym said as she placed down a new stack of paperwork as she collected all the completed ones.
"But there still has to be something else, but what," Wein asked as he laid his head on the desk as he already felt burnt out from working. Ninym sighed at his laziness and slapped him on the head to get him to refocus.
Just as Wein lifted his head from the table, someone frantically knocked at the door. "Forgive me for interrupting, Your Highness," the guard said as he opened the door, "but I have urgent news!"
"What is it," Wein asked the guard as he was handed a letter from Marchioness Zenovia. When he scanned the letter, his eyes widened as he dropped the letter. "I-I-is this correct," he asked the guard.
"Yes, Your Highness," the guard said as Ninym picked the letter up from the ground, "after we received the letter, we sent our own scouts out and they relayed the same information.
"Dismissed," Wein said as the guard bowed before they left the room.
"So Delunio had declared war on Marden and have troops on the border," Ninym said as she summed up the entirety of the letter, "and due in part to their alliance with Delunio, Soljest has also joined in on the war commencing a campaign against Natra."
Scene Change (Piska Palace)
"Father," Tolcheila yelled as she ran into the great hall, "why have we declared war on Natra?!" Ever since Wein and Ninym left, she became extremely lonely. The servants tried their best to raise her spirit but to no avail. However, when she overheard one of the maids talking about how her dad basically declared war on Natra, she knew that she had to find out why.
"Because of Soljest's alliance with Delunio," Gruyere answers with as he at his plate of porkchops (like holy fuck my stomach hurt from just looking at just his plate), "so we have an obligation to join in their efforts."
"But why did you specifically declare war on Natra and launch a campaign on them," she asked him as she felt her blood start to boil.
"Because I take pleasure in battle as well as I want to test Wein," Gruyere said as he devoured another of his pork chops.
Knowing that she would've lashed out against her father if she stayed in the great hall any longer, Tolcheila stepped out of the room and went to her room. "Stay safe, Wein," she said softly as she looked out her window. Her cheeks turned red.
Scene Change (Natra Palace)
"That goddamn pig," Wein yelled at the top of his lungs as lightning struck the castle, "how the hell is this an alliance at all?!"
"It was only a verbal agreement," Ninym said as she tried to calm Wein down, "so there was no obligation and could be easily broken." Even though it was in Gruyere's right to do so, it was just a scummy move no matter how you look at it.
"It's only Gruyere," Wein said as he slammed his hands on the desk, "it's also Sirgis! The only response we have is to quickly gather our troops and face Soljest in battle. And that'll be extremely hard to do."
"And we'll need you to know who," Ninym said as they nodded at each other.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness," a feminine voice said from the door as she startled both, "it's all my fault that this war has started. I should never have been baited by Delunio! I shall accept whatever punishment you see fit!"
Wein awkwardly looked at Ninym at what he should do. When he saw her merely shrug, Wein stood up, walked to her, and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Don't worry about it," he told her softly as he rubbed her head, "we all make mistakes."
Zenovia was shocked. She had expected Wein to berate her, to yell at her, and possibly even execute her for her massive and costly blunder. "If I were to punish you in any way, Marden would more than likely rebel against Natra," Wein added as he broke the hug much to Zenovia's ire, "plus, we need all hands-on deck."
"Please give me a chance to redeem myself," she said as she bowed to Wein.
"What's your plan," Wein asked her as he raised a brow.
"I will try to seek reconciliation with Delunio," she said as she lifted her head, "Soljest has only entered this war because of its' alliance with Delunio. If we make amends with Delunio, Soljest would have no reason to fight Natra anymore. I have already sent envoys to Delunio."
"I'll be honest," Wein said as he processed everything that she said, "I am completely shocked. To think you had the same exact plan I had produced and didn't even have any input from me beforehand. Let's set out to Delunio at once! Get everything ready Ninym."
"Yes, Your Highness," she said as she left the room.
"What about me," she asked Wein.
Wein shrugged and said, "Personally, I believe that you're not at fault for what happened. If you can convince most of my liege, you'll be absolved fully. Will you be able to do that?"
"Yes, Your Highness," she adamantly said.
"Then let's head out," Wein said as he stood and headed for the door with Zenovia following him.
FUCK, this chapter took way longer than I had expected. Midterms make us want to die.
Reviews/any feedback is much appreciated!