Once Upon a Time (Calluvia's Royalty 3)

Many have been curious about the delegation that arrived from Tai’Lehr a few days ago, but who would have thought that it would include the long-lost heir to the Fifth Grand Clan?

Rohan’ngh’lavere, Lord Tai’Lehr and the governor of the colony, personally accompanied Prince Warrehn.

“My father wasn’t willing to risk the prince’s life by making him travel through the war zone, but after discussing it with the prince, we decided to take the risk,” Lord Tai’Lehr told us. He’s a handsome, tall man with rather exotic features, with a fascinating faint accent we could listen to forever.

When asked why now, Lord Tai’Lehr was refreshingly straightforward. “We heard that Prince Samir’s coronation was approaching and Warrehn felt he owed it to his people not to allow the wrong person to ascend to the throne, even if he had to risk his life to get here. Preserving the true line of succession is paramount for all clans, as we cannot allow civil war to destroy our grand clans from within.”

This Author couldn’t agree more with Lord Tai’Lehr, but it brings up an interesting point:

What’s going to happen to Prince Samir, who has been raised to be the King for the past nineteen years?

We imagine the atmosphere will be rather awkward in the Fifth Royal Palace…

* * *

Castien Idhron closed the article and set his multi-device aside. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Eridan,” he said, deep in thought.

“Aren’t you worried, Master?”

Castien shifted his gaze to his apprentice. Eridan was leaning his hip against Castien’s desk, his bottom lip caught between his teeth as he eyed his master.

“Worried?” he said. “Why would I be?”

Eridan huffed, giving him a flat look. “I’m not stupid, Master. If the regent is removed from the position of power, you’ll lose your influence on the Fifth Grand Clan. It’s a pretty heavy loss for us.”

Castien observed him carefully. Despite the master-apprentice bond that they shared, Eridan had his emotions impeccably guarded, which was a rare enough occurrence to be notable. Castien wondered about the reason for such guardedness and came up with several possibilities, none of which pleased him. However, he didn’t push. Not this time.

“You still have a lot to learn, Eridan,” he said. “Sometimes you have to lose something to win the war. I’m not worried about Warrehn’ngh’zaver.”

“But he’s a rebel, too. He was with the other rebels who kidnapped me. They’re all unbonded. Powerful.”

“That they are,” Castien said, eyeing his apprentice’s usually animated face. As much as he always urged Eridan to be less emotional, seeing his annoyingly vibrant, emotional apprentice so guarded was strange. And slightly disconcerting.

Eridan’s lips pursed. He leaned forward, a lock of golden-brown hair falling into his eyes. “I still don’t understand why you let the prince-consort return home. Now with Prince-Consort Mehmer’s safe return and the supposed rescue of Prince Warrehn, the rebels seem like heroes, Master! With the recent positive press, they’re in a good position to go to the Council and actually be heard. How can you be so sure that they won’t betray us? That they won’t tell the Council about the High Hronthar’s influence on the majority of the ruling monarchs? Lord Tai’Lehr could easily rat us out.”

“He won’t,” Castien said, flicking his fingers to push the stray lock out of Eridan’s eyes. “Because he still needs me.”

A wrinkle appeared between Eridan’s brows. “What for?”

Castien thought about the overwhelming desire and love he’d glimpsed in Rohan’ngh’lavere’s mind, and smiled coldly. “Patience, Eridan. What did I teach you about patience?”

“But Master!” Eridan scoffed, his full lips folding into a pout.

Castien averted his gaze.

He found that emotions like love and desire were most useful—when they weren’t his own.

“Cease being immature, Eridan, and go meditate,” he said coldly. “I have an appointment now.”

“I hate meditating,” Eridan grumbled just as there was a knock on the door.

“Your eleven o’clock is here, Your Grace,” his assistant said, bowing deeply to him.

“Let him in, Irrene,” Castien said before glancing at his apprentice. “And get a meditation appointment for Eridan with Master Tker. Right now, if he’s free.”

Eridan scowled deeply and jumped off Castien’s desk. “You know I hate joint meditations with Tker,” he hissed.

“Master Tker, Eridan,” Castien corrected. “Now go with Irrene.”

With a last dark scowl at Castien, Eridan left, nearly colliding with Lord Tai’Lehr in the doorway.

“Oh,” Eridan said, blinking, before sending a vicious thought through their bond, “Patience, huh? You could have just said he had an appointment with you, Master. Why do you always have to be so frustrating?”

Suppressing his amusement, Castien looked coldly at Irrene. Correctly interpreting his orders, she ushered Eridan out of his office.

As the heavy door closed behind them, Castien shifted his gaze to Rohan’ngh’lavere and said, “What can you offer me for my support of the divorce bill you want to push?”

Tai’Lehr just looked at him for a moment.