Trapped In Hisstory

While King Leonidas had his usual smile plastered on his face, King Cadell's face showed no emotion and stared back at the King of Canopus.

Hiding a lynx in his territory, such a statement caused silence between the two kings, enveloping the whole room with a gloomy atmosphere.

While his hands were together in front of the lower part of his face and elbows rested on top of the table, the King of Antares emitted a serious aura and his expression darkened. "What a terrible accusation to make, Leonidas."

King Leonidas chuckled and sat back down at his seat, leaning on it. "Do not get me wrong, Cadell. I am merely telling you what I heard, I never accused you." 

He narrowed his eyes and rested his cheek on his hand, "Unless the rumors are true?" he asked with a smile.

Every time he smiles, the corners of his eyes lift as well. People who always smile should be pleasing to look at, but for King Cadell, he always hated it when King Leonidas smiles. It makes him want to take his lips off and gauge his eyes out.

"It is ridiculous for you to believe such rumors."

"Well, I do not really believe it. That is why I came personally to ask if it is true." He said, "So then, is it true or is it not?"

King Cadell sighed, "Of course it is not."

"Despite you being young at the time where we went to war, I am sure you watched and still remember how the tribe had fallen." 

"You speak of it as if I did not fight in the war."

"Oh, did you? Seems that a kid playing with weapons did not catch my attention back then." King Cadell said and Leonidas was slowly getting tired of smiling.

"Going back, you can very well tell that I am not lying. The empty field was clear enough to see that no one survived except the Aranea Clan." King Cadell said.

"How can I be sure that no one really survived except the Araneans?" Leonidas squinted.

"Is the mountain of animalia corpses floating in their own blood that you saw with your own eyes, not enough of a proof that they are dead?"

The two of them stared at each other and King Cadell could feel the change of aura from the King of Canopus. There was still a slight smile on his lips, but it was no longer the same as before.

"The Lyncas Clan are great. Such a pity that they were all wiped out." King Leonidas said, "But they are known for their determination to survive."

"What are you trying to imply, Leonidas."

"It may be possible that one survived. You found one and it went to your terri—.

King Cadell slammed his hand on the table, a loud sound that even those outside the room would hear.

The King of Antares gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, "Unlike before, you are no longer stating rumors. You are accusing me of taking in a survivor of Animalia!" 

"Go on, if you think that way." Leonidas said, not giving the slightest care whether the King of his neighboring kingdom would be angered by his accusation.

"You brat, your father, Lionel Stein was with me in that war! We are the ones who planned out everything to destroy Animalia!" King Cadell exclaimed, "What good would it bring for me to take one in!"

King Leonidas stared at the King of Antares and a smile formed again. He chuckled until he suddenly laughed aloud. Once he calmed himself down, he faced the King with a smile on his face, "I see. I guess what I heard was wrong." 

"After all, you are right. Why would you bring in a survivor that would do you no good? No good, yes...because if you did,"

"Your family will be doomed and you will crumble in front of the one you took in."

Silence once again dominated the entire room. For a moment, King Cadell's eyes could not look away from the Canopus King's gaze. He could not move at all from the tremendous pressure of his dangerous aura.

Suddenly, Leonidas' usual smile appeared on his face once again and the tension came to an end, "Now, now! I believe I have asked you and received my answer already. I shall take my leave first." 

King Leonidas put both his palms on the table and stood up. Before he could walk away from his seat, King Cadell spoke.

"Star Kingdoms and Animalia war was already over a decade ago. No one will remember how they all looked or who they are." He said, "Now what I am more curious about, is how you get such rumors."

King Leonidas chuckled, "It is a secret." he answered and the doors opened, leaving King Cadell on the table with his hands clenching to a fist.

"That insolent little ruler..." 

~~~~~~~~~~

Chance looked around the halls to see if the girl was still inside the palace. He peeked outside the windows, trying to spot the child.

Chance clicked his tongue, "She was right there, almost there. How unfortunate to waste that chance to approach her." he muttered andet out a deep sigh.

"Alec." The Crown Prince called out and the knight turned to him and bowed, "Yes, Your Highness?"

"Do you remember that kid from the library?" He asked.

Alec did not answer for a while as if recalling what happened in the library. The Valorian Knight was displeased as soon as he knew who his master was talking about, "Yes but why do you ask?"

"I saw her earlier back when we were in the dining room." Chance responded.

It was deeply against Alec's will to follow after a child, a girl, that he dislikes to see again.

~~~~~

The Valorian Knight was still wearing his usual blank face, but he does not know why he felt hostile towards the child. There was no aura emitting from her that would say that she is bad or an enemy, but there was something weird around her that the knight cannot point out.

The mood instantly changed when Teri and Alec were left alone upstairs. The two of them stared at each other, with Teri's cute smile disappearing from her face. "Best if you leave His Highness alone, from whatever your motive is from approaching him." Alec said. 

"You two are the ones who approached me," Teri said in return.

"You showed yourself in purpose for us to approach you."

"And yet, in the end, you two still approached me."

Alec raised his sword and pointed it once again to her face. "How cruel. Do you have no pity for this poor child you are pointing at?" she asked with a cracking voice, as if she was on the verge of crying. "How scary, how will the Goddess bless you if you have this kind of personality!" she whined.

Alec stared at her with empty eyes. "I believe in no Goddess."

The two of them stared at each other in silence, right before Teri laughed. She put her hand on her mouth, preventing another chuckle from coming out as she looked at the knight, amused.

"You do not believe in the Goddess yet you all use her to greet your Royalties with the wish of them being blessed," she muttered and the tone of her voice slowly changing. "How cute."

Her voice changed and the thin and little voice of hers vanished, looking at the knight with her amused smile. The Valorian Knight suddenly stepped away, feeling a strong aura. At that point, he knew that there was danger in being near the little girl.

Chance's footsteps were heard as he rushed upstairs with plates in both of his hands. "Here! I brought dess-"

"Let us go, Your Highness," Alec said, blocking his way from going near the girl.

"What is wrong?" Chance asked, in confusion.

Alec did not answer, and Chance put the plates on the table. Alec grabbed the Crown Prince's hands and guided him towards the stairs to leave.

"Howard." the girl called out, and Chance turned around to look at her. "Once you see me again, approach me. And I will guide you to hear the prophecy." Chance looked at him with furrowed brows, but the girl just smiled.

"A prophecy that even Fate did not tell you."

~~~~~

His expression darkened which is surprising for a blank faced man like him. Chance was curious as to why it seemed like he hates the girl so much.

Not even those big and scary people could scare Alec Valorian, his personal knight, but why was it that his mood changes when Teri is the topic? Chance wondered.

"What..." Alec muttered and raised his gaze to the Crown Prince, "What are you planning to do, Your Highness?" 

Chance put his hand on Alec's shoulder, "Help me, Alec. I want to find that girl." he said.

'To ask her about Fate.'