A frown creased Rebecca's flawless forehead as she retorted, "I didn't come all the way here to endure this inanity," Determination set in her ruby lips, she pivoted on her heel, ready to storm out of the insufferable place.
But her motion was thwarted as Esther's hand shot out, her grip firm on Rebecca's wrist, yanking her back, "You do not walk away when I'm speaking," she commanded, her voice echoing in the vast chamber, the stern tone brooking no argument.
Rebecca scoffed, her gaze defiant, "Just because you're my elder sister, doesn't mean you can dictate what I can or cannot do. Not anymore. I am stronger and not answerable to you," she bit back, her chin tilted in a display of audacious pride.
Esther's face remained a mask of icy composure, "Strength matters not when it comes to the affairs of our House," she countered, then dropped a name that made Rebecca stiffen, "Do you really want Thorin to get involved?"
With a reluctant sigh, Rebecca relaxed her stance upon hearing her eldest brother's name, her protest mellowing into a grumble, "Fine, say what you want. I don't want you people eating my head later because I didn't listen."
Esther released her grip, her gaze locked onto Rebecca's, "Since we were children, you've been a rebel," she began, her voice echoing the truth of her words, "You've cared little for our parents' wishes, for the welfare of our House. All that mattered to you were your own interests."
Rebecca's scoff echoed around the room, "Don't pretend to understand me, Esther. Being my sister doesn't give you the right to judge my life."
"I don't care to understand," Esther retorted coldly, "We all have our crosses to bear. What I do care about is if you risk the reputation or safety of our House. The recent war cost us prestige and resources. Thorin had to apologize publicly for the treachery of his vassals and compensate the people with 5 years worth of our resources. The loss of the Kraken is an entirely different level of disaster."
"So? Why are you telling me all this as if I am the reason for all this? It's not like you people were the only ones who suffered losses," Rebecca said with a click of her tongue.
Esther furrowed her brows and said, "Apparently, the reason this war came to fruition was that a representative from the Umbralfiends had been staying in contact with the traitors for months or maybe more than a year, planning everything, including inciting a rebellion and learning about our weaknesses. But do you know what the strange part is?"
Rebecca squinted her eyes as Esther continued, "No Umbralfiend can enter our lands without our knowledge. Nor can they even get to the Kraken and free it from our hold without us knowing unless…somebody helped them."
Rebecca rolled her eyes as she said, "Obviously, it was the traitors who are pretty dead by now."
Esther shook her head as she said with a steely gaze, "Don't play dumb with me. None of the other Houses in this kingdom knows the secrets of our lands other than those in this House."
Rebecca scoffed as she said, "Then your son, who got himself in trouble, might have something to say about that."
Esther's expression didn't change despite Rebecca's hidden accusation, "Not even Thorin knows you as well as I do, especially since you have always competed with me ever since we were young. We trained and learned everything together. And that is why I know you always let your emotions get the better of you, especially now with your son in a coma and Asher, who foiled all your plans for Oberon, still walking around and getting stronger by the day. All this must have surely tempted you to do something-"
Rebecca shot her sister a venomous glare as she interrupted, "I have no idea what you're prattling on about, and I don't care to stay and find out," she snapped, her voice echoing in the hall, "And don't forget, I am no longer a Thorne, I'm a Drake."
As Rebecca stormed away, Esther's cold voice followed her, "You may change your name, but you can never change the blood that runs in your veins, Rebecca."
"Then more the reason you should know not to dig for answers to the wrong questions, sister, for the sake of 'our' House," Rebecca said with a cold smirk as she walked away.
The silence that followed Rebecca's departure was as heavy as the words that had been spoken as Esther stared at the door with a frown.
Morning light kissed the face of the northern lands, casting long shadows across the remnants of destruction, a stark reminder of the war that had ravaged the region.
The inhabitants of these cold, rugged territories were yet nursing their wounds, the echoes of chaos still ringing in their ears.
But, like the resilient flora that clung to the rocky terrain, they too were steadily regaining their footing, fortified by the strong support from House Thorne.
However, the gnawing void of their losses was a constant companion, a phantom pain that the balm of time would slowly soothe or so they hoped.
Voices of dissent and resentment whispered through the crowds. Some held the Umbralfiends accountable, their eyes dark with loathing for the people they considered pawns in a brutal game.
Others simmered with anger towards the sea people for initiating a war that had cost them so dearly. Yet, despite the bitterness that tainted their words, none dared to venture close to the Naiadon Tribe, where the Umbralfiends had taken temporary residence.
The Naiadon Tribe's abode was a sanctuary, a safe haven for the displaced Umbralfiends as they began the arduous task of building their new underwater home.
The tribe, large in number but constrained in space on their land, had graciously permitted the Umbralfiends to create a new home in the nearby seas.
It was a wise way to avoid any further sparks of conflict that could fan the smoldering embers of resentment into a destructive blaze while using them to make the lives of the people of the Naiadon Tribe easier by gathering resources and whatnot.
For the Naiadon people, the war was a distant thunderstorm, its destruction skirting their borders due to a combination of luck and the efforts of the royal consort.
Their stance towards the Umbralfiends was neutral, a delicate balance maintained through a combination of diplomacy and restraint and also respect for the royal consort's decision.
Meanwhile, the Umbralfiends nursed their grief and shame in silence. The loss of their kingdom was a wound that bled invisibly, staining their hearts with sorrow.
Their beloved king and queen no longer held any title but were reduced to common status while all of them were at the mercy of their enemies.
Yet the promise of a life free from the darkness and the constant threat of the Cursed Wraiths was the only source of relief from all this.
It was a new dawn, a second chance that urged them to swallow their indignation and bow their heads in acceptance. The war might have been lost, but life was theirs to live, one day at a time.
As the morning progressed, an unusual stirring in the sky seized everyone's attention. The thick canopy of dark clouds parted abruptly, unveiling the majestic form of a dragon.
Flaralis, her 50-meter-long body, painted in hues of dark red, sliced through the air, casting a gigantic shadow over the land below.
Her descent was marked by a collective gasp from the onlookers, their eyes riveted to the spectacle unfolding above them.
The people of the Naiadon Tribe and the Umbralfiends made way instantly, their movements a well-orchestrated dance of respect, fear and anticipation.
At the forefront of the crowd, Nereon, the Naiadon Chief, emerged. His heart pounded in sync with the rhythmic beat of the dragon's wings, his gaze locked onto the royal couple, and the Umbralfiend Emissary perched atop the mighty creature.
He fell to his knees, his head bowed in deference. His tribe followed suit, their bodies pressing against the earth in a unified show of loyalty and respect.
A murmur of reluctance rolled through the gathered Umbralfiends as they, too, dropped to their knees.
Their faces were masks of suppressed resentment, their pride stinging from the forced display of submission. Yet, as their eyes fell upon their princess, their expressions softened, replaced with a palpable sense of relief. There she was, their princess, whole and unharmed, a beacon of hope in their sea of uncertainties.
However, their hearts still harbored a shadow of worry. Was their princess truly safe amidst the enemy? Were appearances deceiving?
Their shared apprehension hung in the air, a silent question that echoed in their minds.
Isola's sapphire blue eyes wandered restlessly across the sea of faces.
As her gaze fell upon the gathering of her people, their well-being brought an unspoken relief to her heart despite the circumstances. At least they seemed to do better than she expected in this land.
However, a significant absence made itself known, her parents were nowhere to be seen. Her heart fluttered with a pang of worry.
Just as her anxiety began to crest, the sonorous song of shifting waves drew her attention towards the sea.
The rhythmic dance of the water parted to reveal two familiar figures, one having a powerful while the other having a slender, lithe form emerging from the ocean's depths followed by some of her people behind them.
The sight of her parents instantly brought a rush of warmth to her heart.
Moraxor's eyes, as deep and dark as the sea he hailed from, widened in surprise and relief. His gaze was a mirror of his daughter's, reflecting the same profound relief and love. The sight of Isola safe and sound comforted his worried heart.
Without a second thought, Isola leapt from the towering form of Flaralis, her lithe figure cutting through the air as she landed gracefully on the shore. With the urgency of a rushing tide, she eagerly walked towards her parents, her heart pounding in her chest. Her fins fluttered in the breeze, mimicking her heightened emotions.
Asher shook his head as he jumped down from Flaralis as well. He knew Rowena would have summoned Moraxor to come to her castle if not for the fact that she had business here to oversee personally.
At the same time, she wanted to come with him and see how the Umbralfiends were settling down and if they were causing any trouble.
However, Rowena furrowed her brows upon noticing that the baby Kraken was still nowhere to be seen. Shouldn't it be showing itself upon sensing Asher and Isola's presence?
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