Chapter 414 The Oakheart Queen
Archer nodded as he started walking toward the main entrance and used Aura Detection to find the two princesses.
When it activated he knew where everyone was and found the girls. They were sitting on a balcony on the opposite side of the palace.
Summoning his wings, he took to the air, eager to reunite with the girls he wanted to see but had been busy.
As he flew above the palace, he observed a bustling scene below, with maids, butlers, and guards moving about their duties.
His flight led him to a balcony, where a cat girl and Wood Elf were peacefully sipping tea and engaged in a conversation.
Archer discreetly listened in, catching Llyniel's hesitant question, "Have you done it with our husband yet?"
Leira's ears perked up at the question, and she fixed Llyniel with an intense gaze. "He's not your husband yet, Llyn. Your mother seems to disapprove of the idea."
Llyniel responded with a huff, "I don't care what she says! I want to be with him, not anyone else."
The cat girl cast a glance at the elf and broke into a smile before offering her observation,
"Well, it's a good thing you're so fond of him because he won't easily let you slip away. If your mother opposes it, he might just whisk you away. He is a possessive dragon, after all."
The two laughed causing Archer to smile as he cast Blink and appeared behind them, he sat on the railing as they continued to speak.
Llyniel asked after taking a sip of her tea. ''Have you heard from the other girls?''
''Yes. I've spoken to all of them apart from Hecate or Sia.'' Leira answered.
Before Llyniel could respond, Archer's voice chimed in from behind them. "Hecate values her privacy and enjoys having her own space, and Sia is occupied with the Silverthrone family."
The two girls were taken by surprise and jumped as if they were startled rabbits, and let out adorable screams as they turned around.
They discovered Archer leaning casually against the railing, his face adorned with a broad grin.
The moment they saw him, the girls dashed towards him. With a warm smile, he embraced both of them, and they clung to him tightly.
Archer playfully tousled Llyniel's hair and affectionately stroked Leira's cat ears, causing them to erupt in giggles. Leira emitted a cute sound of delight, and Llyniel laughed happily.
However, he soon held onto the two a bit tighter before talking to Llyniel, "I'm going to talk to your mother. Either she'll agree to our marriage, or I'll have to resort to kidnapping a certain princess."
Both girls shared a hearty laugh, and then Leira leaned in, planting a tender kiss on Archer's lips which caught him off guard.
He savored the sensation of her plush, gentle lips meeting his, relishing every moment of their connection.
Once they separated, Leira stepped back to let the elf have her turn. But Llyniel didn't do anything but hug him.
Archer delicately lifted her chin with his hand, planting a kiss on her lips that sent shivers down her spine.
Leira stood nearby, chuckling at the Wood Elf's reaction, finding it endearing. However, his kissing spree came to an end.
When he finally glanced at her, he couldn't help but notice her blushing, which prompted a hearty laugh. He then pulled her into a warm, affectionate embrace.
Laughter filled the air before he gently released her, and Leira took the lead, guiding them to the emperor's study where Archer was to chat with the Oakheart Queen.
The trio navigated the palace's winding corridors until they stood before a wooden door.
Where Leira gave a polite knock. A voice from the other side beckoned, "Come in!"
Leira pushed the door open and led the way, followed closely by Archer and Llyniel. As they entered the study, the emperor's eyes widened with surprise.
Archer's gaze fell upon a woman seated at the desk. When she turned around, he was taken aback.
She was an older version of Llyniel, the only distinction being her mother's striking green eyes.
Her scrutinizing gaze settled on the three visitors, ultimately focusing on Archer. With a narrowed gaze, she inquired, "Osoric, is this the boy?"
''Yes, Lythalia.'' The emperor answered with a smile on his face.
The woman rose from her seat, striding purposefully toward Archer, stopping right in front of him, her voice seething with anger. "You think you can marry my daughter without my consent?"
Archer met the woman's fury with a sly grin before responding firmly, "Yes, she's mine now, and I won't let her go."
Lythalia, upon hearing his words, flared with anger and retorted, "What do you mean she's yours? She's destined to be engaged to the Novgorod Empire's Prince, not some rascal who pilfers the wealth of others."
Archer's temper erupted, and he shot back, "What do you mean she is meant to be engaged? She's mine!"
Sensing the escalating tension, Leira and Llyniel discreetly distanced themselves, feeling Archer's overwhelming aura engulfing the room.
The emperor, his imperial guard, and the Oakheart Queen sensed an impending disaster, but that's when Archer spoke once more, his voice carrying a weight of danger.
"I've reduced kingdoms to ashes, my flames have decimated entire armies in an instant. If you dare betroth her to any prince, you will regret it."
When Lythalia heard this her anger turned to happiness as she realized that the boy does care for her little girl.
She stepped forward and bowed her head as she apologized. ''I'm sorry for my words Archer. I just had to make sure you weren't just collecting her. I can see you care for her.''
Leira and Llyniel were shocked but not as much as Archer who stood there dumbfounded causing the elf queen to laugh as she sat down.
That's when the queen explained herself. ''You see my son Alaric told me about you and the rumors that surround you.''
She returned to the chair and settled in, and Archer and the girls followed suit, while the emperor observed the scene in silence.
Lythalia resumed speaking. "I once believed that you were collecting princesses and had no true affection for them, but now I realize that it was only partially accurate."
Archer shook his head and replied with a hint of humor, "Well, you could say I do have a collection going, considering seven of my ten fiancées happen to be princesses."
The queen laughed at his answer causing the other two girls to laugh before she spoke.
''Very good at least your honest. Well since Osoric has his daughter engaged to you I might as well jump on the bandwagon and have you look after my little acorn. She is a very special girl.''
Archer looked at the woman and then at an embarrassed Llyniel before speaking. ''Yeah, she is special to me, she isn't like the other girls and I looked forward to getting to know her even more. Especially now I'll have free time.''
''That's very good, son-in-law her brothers will be happy to hear that. But you really must visit the Oakheart Kingdom. I heard you love all different kinds of food and I must say that my kingdom does have some delicious dishes.''
Upon hearing her proposal, Archer answered, "Certainly, I'll come visit during the break, once things calm down and the pursuit of me subsides."
Lythalia nodded her head with a smile and turned to Llyniel. ''You must take him to meet your Father, he's still in training but I'm certain he would like to meet the boy who stole his little acorn.''
Llyniel become embarrassed again before looking away causing everyone to laugh at her cute reaction.
Osoric spoke to Archer once everyone stopped laughing. ''Thank you for helping the empire. We will arrange for your reward shortly. Everyone is busy organizing repairs throughout the empire.''
Upon hearing this, Archer nodded before conveying the message to the emperor, "Fjordhelm is now under my protection, and they've graciously given me Jungleheart Island as a gift."
Osoric regarded the young man and let out a sigh before responding, "That's acceptable. You've expanded our territory significantly, so one island kingdom is of no concern, as long as they are allies moving forward."
Archer chimed in, "Yes, they've become quite friendly, and I genuinely like the down-to-earth nature of their royal family."
The five continued their conversation for another hour, and eventually, Archer and the two girls bid farewell to the emperor and queen.
As they left the study, Lythalia gently reminded him to visit her kingdom, and he readily agreed before departing the room.
As they were about to depart, the emperor addressed Archer with a final request, "Archer, I'll send a message to Leira in a couple of days. We're planning an empire-wide celebration to express our gratitude for your help.
Osoric sat back and continued. ''You must attend, the people want to see the white dragon, and the girls are more than welcome to join you. Also, when you find some free time, could you explain the realm you visited and what transpired there?"
Archer looked at the man but gave him a nod of agreement. With that, the trio left the room.
When the couple were out of the room Archer opened a portal to the the domain and stepped through, with Leira and Llyniel following suit.
Once outside the portal, the elven girl turned to Leira and said, "Come, see the garden my husband made for me."
Leira nodded in agreement, and the two girls sweetly kissed Archer on the cheeks before leaving the treehouse to go see Llyniel's enchanting garden.
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