Finding Stardust

"You promised," Therius said firmly. He looked at the girl intently. "General Stardust is known to be a man of integrity. He always keeps his words. How could you smear your father's reputation by being a disloyal and untrustworthy woman?"

Emma fell silent at Therius' words. She looked away with a puff. Finally, she could only take a deep breath and answer hesitantly. "Fine. You can keep my word. I won't break my promises."

"Thank you," said Therius. "A future queen must have integrity."

"Tss .." Emma was about to argue that she was not a future queen, but in the end, she decided against it. She did not want to extend the conversation between them.

****

"We've arrived!" exclaimed Xion happily. He, Emma, ​​and Therius were at the bridge with General Moria and they were watching the navigation screen eagerly.

Emma didn't say anything. Her face seemed filled with enthusiasm that she could not hide. Finally ... after nearly six months of tiring and tedious travel, she would soon be able to meet her family.

She was really happy! She couldn't wait to see them!!

"The tower wants to communicate with General Moria," said one of the crew members in charge of communications. Weirdly, his tone sounded anxious.

Therius narrowed his eyes and turned his head to the side. Somehow he had a bad feeling.

"Go ahead," he said without waiting for General Moria's reply. The crew bowed respectfully and then turned on the transmission line.

ZING

The large screen in front of them immediately lit up and revealed the stiff face of a military officer. He gave his salute to Therius first and then to General Moria, then he started talking.

"Welcome back, Your Highness Prince Licht and General Moria. General, you are asked to immediately go to Thaesi by the Minister of Defense, after The Dragonite landed and deliver Prince Licht in the capital. They need you at the border to capture Princess Arrya and quell her rebellion. The situation is currently very chaotic."

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and Emma could feel her body freeze.

What did the man say just now?

The Minister of Defense wanted General Moria to capture Princess Arreya? That's my mom, right? What did happen exactly?

So many questions filled her head.

General Moria was no less surprised. He had not heard anything from his crew and his arrival was greeted with such serious issue? Going to the border with The Dragonite would only mean one thing: War.

"What happened while I was gone?" asked General Moria.

"Stop it!" Therius immediately interrupted the man's words while raising his hand with an angry expression. The tower operator immediately fell silent and his face was colored with fear. He didn't say anything at all.

Therius turned to Xion and spoke in a very firm voice. "Xion, take Emma back to her room. Now!"

"W-what is this? I don't want to be taken away. I want to hear what's going on!!" protested Emma. "Ugh.. Let. Me. Go!"

"Xion, NOW!" Therius repeated his order, this time he raised his voice to show how serious he was with his words. 

The prince could already guess what was going on and his chest suddenly felt hurt.

Something really really bad must have happened that made Princess Arreya so desperate to attack Akkadia.

Therius didn't want Emma to hear anything about it, because she was bound to get hysterical. If Therius' guess was right, then ...

Sigh.

Xion pulled Emma's hand out of the bridge but the girl stubbornly refused to move.

"Come on, Emma. This is a political matter. We shouldn't get involved," Xion talked to her gently.

"They're talking about my parents!" screamed Emma hysterically. "I want to hear what's going on! What did they do to my father??!!!"

"You can hear about it later, let's go now. Let Therius handle it," Xion was still trying to persuade the girl, but Emma hit his hand with a fireball.

FIRE

"Aaahh!!"

Xion reflexively let go of his hand, which was almost burned by Emma's attack. He immediately grabbed the girl with his giant aero hand, which astonished everyone on the bridge.

"Let go of me !!! Don't you dare take me away ...! I will hate you! I will not forgive you .. !! Xion...let me gooo!!!" screamed Emma repeatedly as her hands and feet punched and kicked here and there as her body was lifted into the air and pulled by Xion out of the bridge.

Actually, Therius couldn't bear to see Emma like that. He wanted to bewitch Emma into sleep using telemancy so that Xion could take her in peace. He wouldn't even mind if other people on the bridge find out that he was a telemancer.

Unfortunately, he was helpless since he couldn't use his telemancy on Emma because he loved the girl.

He was forced to witness Emma scream as loudly as she could while Xion took her away. Her scream was so pitiful and wrench anyone's heart who heard it. Therius could only close his eyes and tried to detach himself from her voice.

After a while, finally, the girl's scream could no longer be heard.

Therius heaved a long sigh. His head throbbed with a massive headache all of a sudden.

Someone had sabotaged his plan and now ....

His efforts to take Emma back to Akkadia was now useless.

He would make whoever was responsible for this treason to pay dearly. He wouldn't let them have an easy death. He promised.

After Xion managed to take Emma away, Therius immediately asked the tower operator to continue providing the information to him.

"You can talk now," Therius finally said to the man. "I want to hear everything."