Things suddenly moved in a swift motion. Maxim only asked for detail when he met the prime minister and the army commanders, and then he took over.
"I will go to the frontline tomorrow. Get everything ready," he said without an ounce of emotion shown on his face. "I will teach Stevan a lesson for being so presumptuous and taking my mother."
"What about… Draec?" General Longfellow asked the king carefully. "They seem to be a force to be reckoned with."
So many people were surprised because not once Maxim talked about the real enemy, Draec.
King Stevan from Astland was just riding the enemy's coattails and took the opportunity to gain something from the conflict, but he was the only one that Maxim talked about.
"I can handle it myself," Maxim said coldly. "Now, my priority is getting my mother back, alive and well. Draec is not a big problem."
Everyone in the throne room exchanged secret glances. They had intel spread around the enemy's base too and had found some shocking information of which they were dying to confirm with King Loriel.
Was Lady Emmelyn really married to the king of Draec? Was his reason to come all the way to Atlantea really to get his wife back?
What was the relationship between King Mars Strongmoor, King Loriel Ashborn, and Lady Emmelyn Rosehill that ended up in such a big conflict between the two countries?
Was it… a love triangle?
Those who knew King Loriel personally and had met Emmelyn could vaguely guess that she was a special woman to him. They didn't know she was married before their intel gave them that information. So, it was all fine before.
However, now they knew she was a married woman, and what's worse… she was married to another king who was no less powerful than their own king?
This caused them such a massive headache. The ministers looked at the king with a gaze of pity. They were thinking, why couldn't King Loriel fall in love with another woman who was single, and had no baggage to burden their kingdom?
How hard was it to marry someone who had a nice and respectable background without any issues following their union? Weren't there many ladies with such characteristics around him now?
Look at the prime minister, he had such a lovely daughter who was said to be the most beautiful woman in Summeria.
Lady Rose was perfect. She was beautiful, educated, came from a good family who was loyal to the Ashborns, and what's important was she was not someone else's wife. Why couldn't the king love her? She would make a good queen.
Sigh.
Seeing how their king was infatuated with another man's wife, the government officials and army commanders were feeling secondhand embarrassment. It's true, Lady Emmelyn was really beautiful, but she was not all that special, seen from their perspective.
Maxim couldn't read minds, but he was a great judge of character and he could tell what those people around him were thinking. Yet, he didn't care.
"I will deal with Mars Strongmoor myself," he said coldly. "He has dared to challenge my authority and even collaborate with traitors from my family. Even if his wife is my good friend, I will not let him off easily."
He waved at them and dismissed the meeting. "I will leave tomorrow to the frontline. I want Duke Lance Goodwin to take charge while I am away. You all must listen to him."
Maxim looked at everyone and said calmly, "General Longfellow and the rest of our army will go alongside me to show those people our real power. Renwyck should be here anytime soon and he will also go with his dragons to the frontline. The rest of you can do your work like usual."
They all bowed down to the king and took their leave. Maxim could give them confidence and reassurance that everything was under control and going to be okay. Plus… he actually called Lady Emmelyn his friend?
So… he was not in love with her as they all assumed? Phfew… that was such a big relief.
Well… in that case, maybe they could really prevent war after all.
However, maybe it wouldn't be so easy since King Mars Strongmoor had collaborated with King Stevan from Astland, the family traitor. King Loriel's honor would be tainted if he didn't take strong action against them.
***
Maxim went to his chamber and asked Horatio to bring him a jug of wine. He was so depressed and wanted to drown himself in his sorrow.
Tomorrow, he would pick himself up again, but right now he just wanted to be vulnerable and drink his pain away.
"Your Majesty, Renwyck is here," Horatio's words moved Maxim from his reverie. He was deep in thoughts about what he would do tomorrow. He assumed Renwyck would be here soon. So, he planned to go with him to the frontline riding the dragons so they could arrive quickly.
He managed his timing quite accurately and now the wizard really arrived not long after he reached Castilse.
Things should go according to plan. Did he come with Raphael? Or did Raphael give Renwyck something to help Emmelyn with?
"Ask him to come in," said Maxim calmly.
He accepted the jug of wine and the cups from Horatio. He poured the wine into two cups. One for him, and the other was for Renwyck. Horatio nodded respectfully and left the king's chamber.
.
.
********
From Missrealitybites:
I am happy we are still on track to end this story in October. I know some of you are sad, thinking about how the story will end.
But worry not, after Mars' and Emmelyn's story ends, I will continue Maxim's/Loriel's story with Elise in <The Cursed King>. With the current pace, I think TCK can end by Dec 2021.
Meanwhile, I will keep updating TCP with Harlow's story, one chapter per day from November 2021. You are welcome to read it, or close this book and move on to another story and come back once this book has more chapters to binge read.
Once TCK ends in Dec 2021, I will focus more on Harlow and publish 2-3 chapters per day again. It will be a shorter story, compared to Mars and Emmelyn's story, maybe only 300 chapters. Hopefully, it can end by February next year. That's my current plan.
You can go back to TCP and read Harlow's story in January 2022, or you can also follow the story from the beginning in Nov. Whichever you choose is fine. I am always thankful for your support.
