Chapter 521: Athillia, the Princess of Barges
"The next matter concerns her."
Kyren’s arm extended toward Athillia. But the Bargesian Princess kept her gaze lowered, still drifting in her own thoughts while her face shadowed with gloom.
All eyes fell upon the young princess.
"Athillia, what troubles you?" asked the grand duke, noticing the heaviness in her expression.
She gave no reply, her drooping eyes lost in contemplation.
"Athillia!"
Callis lightly patted her shoulder, jolting her back to the moment.
"Huh?" The Brgesian Princess blinked, turning to the Mederian princess in confusion.
"His Highness is calling you!" Callis whispered urgently.
Startled, Athillia turned and found everyone staring at her.
"Are you all right?" asked the grand duke, his tone laced with concern.
Matthew’s expression darkened. The mere fact that Kyren called the teenager by her first name unsettled him. It suggested familiarity, perhaps even closeness... Too close.
"I-I’m all right!" Athillia stammered.
Pushing her emotions aside, she steadied herself and hesitantly moved to stand next to Kyren. Though she still felt a deep sadness for the young knight she had become smitten with, she recognised this was not something she could fight.
She had developed feelings for him, but he only acted as her escort and had no romantic interest in her. It was best to bury these emotions before they intensified.
Meanwhile, Matthew rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed as he looked at the Mederian Princess.
’D*mn, this grand duke is so brazen to keep another woman besides the Great Khasif! No wonder he didn’t desire the Princess of Galicia! He has another in mind! ’ he cursed inwardly.
"May I presume... this is another guest you have brought home?" asked King Kyden, his piercing blue gaze shifting to the Bargesian princess.
"Yes. Allow me to introduce her," Kyren’s voice rang clear. "This is Athillia Emir, the Princess of Barges."
The assembly gasped.
"What is the Princess of Barges doing here?" Aaron interjected quickly, before the others could speak. "Is she your captive?"
"She is not," Kyren replied firmly. "In truth, she is the reason we secured victory after victory. She escaped from Barges and fled to the Agathe Islands, where I met her. There, she exposed her father, King Emir’s schemes to conquer the continent. Without her help, we would never have triumphed so decisively," said the grand duke.
The revelation caught King Kyden’s full attention. His hand rose to his chin as his gaze narrowed upon the Bargesian Princess.
"And why," he asked slowly, voice edged with both curiosity and suspicion, "would the Princess of Barges abandon her kingdom and her own blood to stand with us? You must have had a reason strong enough to betray not only your father, but also your people."
Athillia readily answered, "I have three reasons... to escape my father’s abuse, to prevent his conquest of the continent that would bring ruin to all, and..."
Her voice then faltered, a lump rising in her throat. Her eyes flickered toward the Marquess of Roland, filled with longing.
"...to fulfil my mother’s request to seek out my kinsman in Cassian."
"How absurd!" Matthew burst out. "Barges are far to the south, and we’ve been separated for so many years. Our blood has no ties with theirs, least of all with the cursed Emirs! She’s likely misleading His Highness to earn his trust and deceiving us!"
Emir... the very name seared his tongue. Rage swelled in him at the thought of the southern king, the descendant of the lord who had murdered his father. Bitterness surged like a tide, and contempt blazed in his eyes as he looked upon Athillia.
Had it not been for the presence of King Kyden and the grand duke, he might have seized the girl then and there and closed his hands around her throat to silence the bloodline he despised.
"At ease, Marquess of Roland. We have yet to hear the full account," said King Kyden evenly. "My brother is not a man easily swayed by words. He chooses carefully whom he places his trust in. I want to hear more."
Unlike the Marquess and the other lords, the king stayed calm when Athillia’s identity was unveiled. He sensed there was more to her story than the brief introduction indicated.
Kyren knew well that the Marquess would scorn the Bargesian Princess the moment her background came to light.
Before the rest of her truth was laid bare, a firm foundation had to be set—one that would secure Athillia’s safety.
"Athillia is my saviour," Kyren declared. "When Anna’s power awakened during the possession, Kaizer Ronan nearly killed me. She struck him down and saved my life."
"Her Highness Princess Athillia is also an excellent informant," Sir Ashburne added. "She provided us with precise details about the enemy’s conquest, including maps, strategies, and the size of their armies. At first, I was surprised that His Highness’s the Grand Duke’s plans matched so perfectly to outmanoeuvre the enemy, but only during our way here was I made aware of her true identity."
The Grand Duke then spoke.
"I kept it secret for her safety. Athillia has sought asylum under my protection, and I now ask His Majesty to officially recognise her, so that no Cassian dares to harm her."
King Kyden’s expression hardened.
"This is no small matter, Grand Duke. Were she a mere commoner of Barges, I might have considered it. But she is of royal blood, the daughter of King Emir himself. How can we be certain she bears no hidden motives?"
"She does not," Kyren replied firmly. "I can vouch for her. Admiral Adam James can attest as well. She stood with us through two campaigns against Barges, each ending in their heavy defeat."
Matthew’s voice cut in sharply.
"Barges still stands as a kingdom. We would be wiser to march upon their land and finish them outright."
At this, the Bargesian Princess grew pale. Fearing the course of the discussion, she interjected quickly, "Your Majesty, if I may... please allow me to speak."
King Kyden gave a nod. "Carry on."
Athillia lifted her gaze, her voice trembling, "My father is an ambitious man. His dream is to conquer the entire continent, driven by the barren lands of Barges, without taking into account the people’s suffering. Even teenagers were conscripted to fight in the battles against Ardel. So, beyond my personal reasons, I wish to spare them from war again."
"Her words are true. We have heard the testimonies of the teenagers torn apart, who were forced into the war. Such was the fate of Ardel under King Ronan. Yet I place my trust in Cassian, a kingdom of peace, that it shall never permit such cruelty to befall the innocent," said Sir Ashburne.
"So," the king said, eyes narrowing with intent, "you are implying that we should not strike Barges, though now they stand at their most vulnerable?"
"Yes, I am," Athillia answered firmly.
"That is a dangerous stake, Princess," King Kyden pressed, his voice grave. "Barges may be defeated, but they have not yielded to us. Without an official surrender, the chance of retaliation remains."
"They cannot rebuild an army of strength in haste," Kyren interjected confidently. "The last battle broke them utterly. Even their resources are too diminished to be in battle again so soon."
The king’s voice lowered, heavy with unease.
"And what of the plague? Could they not unleash it once more? This threat is greater than blades or armies, for it touches every kingdom. You said the previous outbreak at the border came from a dark magic catalyst stirred by them."
A murmur of shock rippled through the hall.
The heads and representatives of the Pillar Families exchanged wary looks. They had heard fragments during Anna’s trial, whispers of the strange affliction that had vanished twenty years ago, only to resurface.
Now the truth stood unveiled; Barges had once again turned to dark magic, wielding it as a weapon against the continent.
"This is no minor threat, Your Majesty!" Aaron burst out. "We cannot simply stand idle!"
"I swear upon my life, Barges will not spread this disease again. Not if they value survival! King Emir will not proceed," Athillia declared, her voice steady.
Matthew sneered, "Your king cares nothing for his people or others! You admitted it yourself! Why would he hold himself back when he got the upper hand?"
The Bargesian Princess met the Marquess’s glare without faltering.
"He may be ruthless," she said, resolute, "but he is not a fool. Releasing such a plague would be his own downfall and that of his supporters. Laradie would wipe out a major part of the continent’s population, and Barges is not exempt. A king cannot rule over corpses!"
"He has the Laradie cure," King Kyden countered grimly.
"No." Athillia turned to him, her tone sharp as steel. "Not anymore."
"How can you be so sure?" asked Gabriel.
"Because I took precautions before my escape. I didn’t only steal the invasion plan... I sabotaged their reserves and the storage where the cure was kept. To reproduce it would be nearly impossible. The key ingredients came from Ardel, and that kingdom is no longer allied with the South."
The king leaned forward, seeking clarity, "But how could you have done this? You left Barges some time ago. Even if you had set a trap, wouldn’t the overseer have noticed and taken steps to preserve what remained?"
Athillia shook her head firmly.
"No. I knew the guards’ routines too well. And as for the man in charge... he was not there by then."
"Are you certain?" asked the king again.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Tell him what you did, Athillia," Kyren urged, his voice calm yet resolute.
He felt compelled to let the rest know about the young princess’s effort.
Every gaze turned toward her; the air grew taut with anticipation.
Athillia drew in a steadying breath.
"I did something irreversible," she declared, "By now, the drug and its ingredients... all of it... should be destroyed."