The surprise attack

The night was very dark. The sky glowed with the white light of the full moon. Eidrin was lying on the green grass in the palace garden, staring at the sky.

Romero: What’s on your mind, Eidrin?
Eidrin: Nothing… just some useless thoughts.
Romero: Useless? Like what?
Eidrin: Do you think Xander will stay close to us after he becomes king? Will he still see us as his friends?
Romero: That’s a useless worry indeed. Anyway, I’ll grab a few more bottles of wine.
Eidrin: Alright.

Eidrin remained lost in his thoughts, feeling alone even with so many people around. Memories washed over him—his happy days with his family, how his life had changed, how he was separated from his brothers, and then the fateful meeting with Alexander and Romero...

From a distance, Alexia had been watching him. She walked over and softly called his name.

Alexia: Eidrin, what are you doing out here?
Eidrin: Princess! What about you? Why are you here at this hour?
Alexia: I could ask the same. Everyone’s inside, and big brother was looking for you.
Eidrin: Oh… Romero and I were just lying here, talking about—
Alexia: Romero? He’s inside dancing with the entertainers and stirring up trouble again. But everyone knows him, so no one really minds.
Eidrin: What! I’ve told him countless times not to cause problems. I’d better go and drag him back.
Alexia: Relax. Let him enjoy himself. The real question is—why are you lying out here alone? I know you never leave my brother’s side. What’s different tonight?
Eidrin: How could I stand with him among all those kings and princes from other nations? I’m just a commoner.
Alexia: And who decides who is a king and who is a commoner? A person’s worth depends on their character, not their birth.
Eidrin: You’re right, but still… Anyway, why did you come looking for me?
Alexia: Because I wanted to see you.
Eidrin: To see me? At least someone cares about me.

Eidrin chuckled.

Alexia: Don’t laugh it off—I mean it. I came here just to find you.
Eidrin: But why?
Alexia: Why? How long do I have to keep showing you how I feel before you understand? Fine, let me say it straight—I…
Eidrin: Wait, people might be searching for you. If someone sees us together here, they’ll misunderstand. I also have something to take care of, so… I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.

Without waiting for her answer, Eidrin walked away quickly.

Alexia (to herself): This guy… He always runs away. He never lets me finish.

Inside the palace, in the guest chamber:

Lasar: I heard there’s a high chance of a terrorist attack tomorrow. Should we inform the king?
Karakos: Why bother? Let’s see the so-called strength of the Francian army. If they fail, we’ll step in with our men.
Trimur: You know what I hate about this place? The 12-nation alliance follows strict rules, but Francia is the only one that refuses them. They keep saying “a king’s true duty is to serve his people.” What nonsense! A king should wield absolute power, not lower himself to please commoners. It’s disgraceful.
Karakos: True. Sometimes I wonder why the Emperor even keeps this nation in the alliance.
Lasar: Who knows? But if the Emperor tolerates them, there must be a reason. All we can do is follow his orders.
Trimur: Hmph. Let’s just see what tomorrow brings.

The next day, the sun shone brighter than ever. Alexander woke up early, his nerves weighing on him.

Alexia: Good morning, big brother. Did you sleep well?
Alexander: Morning. Not really… I couldn’t sleep last night. But I’ll manage.
Alexia: Today is important. Don’t overthink it. Stop doubting yourself—I know you’ll make a great king.
Alexander: Thank you. I’ll try.

Meanwhile, Eidrin also woke early. After his daily training, he prepared himself in case of trouble. He spotted Romero wandering around.

Eidrin: Hey Romero, where were you last night?
Romero: Me? Where were you? I went to get wine but didn’t see you, so I headed back to the palace. Then, I had… a lot of fun.
Eidrin: Fun? What kind?
Romero: I met a beautiful girl. We danced, she flirted a little, and we even walked through the palace together. Then…
Eidrin: Then what?
Romero: Then she just vanished. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. After that, I drank even more… and blacked out.
Eidrin: Hah. I told you to stop chasing girls. Honestly, I think she was just your drunken imagination.
Romero: Hey, don’t joke about my feelings.
Eidrin: Come on, who would choose you? A girl you’ve never seen before, wandering around the palace? That’s not possible.
Romero: Oh really? Look who’s talking! You don’t even have a girl in your life yet. Still a virgin, aren’t you............

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The coronation.

The king, queen, Alexander, Alexia, and the royal family stood on the open stage of the palace. Alexander’s hands trembled slightly as the crowd’s cheers roared.

Eidrin and Romero stood among the citizens. Karakos, Trimur, and Lasar watched from the balcony reserved for honored guests.

The king lifted the crown and stepped toward his son.

Suddenly, a scream ripped through the crowd. Arrows whistled through the air. Panic erupted.

A hundred armored men stormed into the palace grounds—terrorists, sworn enemies of Francia. The king immediately commanded his army to fight back.

In the balcony, Karakos leaned back.

Karakos: Sit still. Let’s just watch.

Down in the crowd, Romero glanced at Eidrin.

Romero: Should we move?
Eidrin’s eyes hardened. He knew it was time. Time to unleash their true power.

Continue…