Eva's Adventures As : Bride of The Dragon

Chapter 07 : The Banquet

Meanwhile, in the Castle, in the honour of the engagement, a small banquet had been kept where the guests seemed to be mingling except for Princess Eva who feels deeply saddened by her failure still which is observed by Yuriko at a distance.

"How goes the task?" asked a masculine voice from behind revealed to be Fyord, the uncle of Eva. "Well enough, I am going to need some more time." said Yuriko. "More time? I've gave three months already, you weren't weren't bothered to speak with her till now." said Fyord.

"We, at the Shadow Guild prefer our targets to be watched closely to understand their behaviours and movements closely before approaching them." said Yuriko. "Yes, I suppose you could have known that by talking to her as well." said Fyord.

"Do not tell me how to proceed with my job, I've been doing it for years, and listen to me when I say, I need more time, whatever you're planning, it has to wait." said Yuriko. "And how would you know I'm planning?" asked Fyord.

"I'm a spy, there things I can see without even looking, even your little mistouch." said Yuriko who stabs a pitchfork on Fyord's hand when he tried to touch her inappropriately. "Ow! you b***h!" said Fyord silently.

"Enjoy the party, dick." said Yuriko as she shifts her behaviour from a cunning spy to a innocent servant again as she approaches the Princess. Eva on the other hand, watches over her father till he hears of the village's depart which she is already aware of, thanks to Warlock. "Princess Eva." said Yuriko.

"Yuriko, where were you?" asked Princess Eva. "I was.. ordered to clean your uncle's room shortly after your depart." said Yuriko. "Let me make this clear Yuri, you are no longer the servant of Fyord anymore, you are my handmaiden and as handmaiden you are required to stay beside me at all times, got it?" asked Princess Eva.

"I... am sorry, Princess Eva, I will be beside your at all times from now on, I swear." said Yuriko. "Good, now stop addressing me and call me by my name, alright?" asked Princess Eva.

"Of course, your wish is my command, Pri.. Eva." said Yuriko as the Princess notices the king and the Queen discussing over something important with the guard general.

"Good, hang on a minute, I'll be back." said Princess Eva as she begins to approach the king to which Yuriko nods and grins with a cunning smile as she leaves.

Meanwhile, the king had become furious over actions done by the villagers.

"They've ridiculed by daughter, and sought to escape their punishment by leaving? pathetic, sends every battalion you have, I want each of their head on a spike!" yelled King Hendrik.

"The guards can be deployed at a instant sire, but we have no idea where they've went, they managed to cover their tracks well." said the guard general. "I can help you find them, if that is your wish." said Queen Kayna.

"Help find who?" asked Princess Eva.

"I suggest you keep your nose where it belongs dear, if you wish to keep it." said Queen Kayna. "If this is regarding the villagers, please understand they were willing to negotiate at first." said Princess Eva. "Your chance to help them was over, now they will suffer their fate." said King Hendrik.

"Please father, imagine what will do to our economy perhaps, those villagers are hard working people." said Princess Eva. "If we allow them the chance to stand, they will seek to rule us next!" said King Hendrik. "They do not seek power father, only shelter." said Princess Eva. "Eva! you do not have the authority to speak against the wisdom of the king." said Queen Kayna.

"I am not speaking against him, I'm trying to convince him." said Princess Eva. "Silence! I've had enough of your blabber about the villagers, it has gone far enough, you are to interfere in this matter no longer, if you do, I will make you remind what it would be wise to never speak out against the king, whether you are my daughter or not." said King Hendrik to which Princess Eva almost goes to reply, but sighs and silences herself.

"Now go enjoy the party, speak with your groom to be if you wish, but do not linger in this matter anymore." said Queen Kayna as the King signals to the guard general to which he nods and leaves the scene as does the Princess.

Worried and scared about the fate of the villagers, she is confused and scared, but realizes the solution to helping them might be lying within her mother's word itself. "Warlock, that's it." whispered Princess Eva as she asks around to check where her groom to be went.

"Excuse me, have any of you seen Vorkalth? asked Princess Eva towards the guests but no one seemed to respond to a direct answer on where he is.

"What seems to be the problem Eva?" asked Yuriko.

"It's Vorkalth, I need to find him." said Princess Eva. "He is over by the fountain I think, he was speaking with the Scarlet Order perhaps who were present there as well." said Yuriko.

"Thank you." said Princess Eva as she rushes through the crowd, trying to find her way to the Warlock. As she proceeds, one of the guest tramples onto her long dress on the surface which makes her lose balance and almost fall down, but is eventually saved by a mysterious person who instantly catches her.

"Oh my!" yelled Princess Eva as the mysterious person helps her get on her feet.

"You should be careful where you step, are you alright?" asked the mysterious person who looks to be a hardened warrior by his looks. "Yes, thanks to you I suppose, and you are?" asked Princess Eva.

"Annihilus Skogvar." said the hardened warrior.

"Annihilus Skogvar? as in, Annihilus the Unbroken?" asked Princess Eva. "The one and only, so you've heard of me?" asked Annihilus.

"Of course, exploits of your battles are legendary, never thought I might see you in person one day, aren't you a long way from home?" asked Princess Eva.

"I am, I was brought here in courtesy of Hagimk Mjarikson, the lord of Thamgulor." said Annihilus. "The defeator at Wallahian Castle, Is he here too?" asked Princess Eva. "Close by, never heard a princess knowing so much of Warriors and their exploits." said Annihilus.

"Well.. I wasn't raised like all the other Princess if you know what I mean." said Princess Eva. "I understand, Hendrik is a.. difficult man, I can imagine he would be a terrible father." said Annihilus.

"And a terrifying king." said Princess Eva to which both of them smile. "I.. should take my leave then, I'm looking for my groom to be, it was nice seeing you here." said Princess Eva.

"You as well.. never thought Icrazia could have such a kind hearted beautiful princess, and here you are, let's hope our paths cross again soon." said Annihilus.

"I pray that it does, farewell." said Princess Eva as she bids farewell to Annihilus and heads out to find the Warlock whom she finally spots and begins to approach him as he discusses with the Scarlet Order.

"Vorkalth? can I have a moment with you alone?" asked Princess Eva. "Yes of course, excuse me." said Vorkalth to the members of the Scarlet Order and goes on to speak with Princess Eva alone. "What's seems to be the problem?" asked Vorkalth.

"I need you to stop my father from attacking the villagers." said Princess Eva."This again? I've told you before, you gave your chance to.." said Vorkalth before getting interrupted by Princess Eva.

"Vorkalth please, as your future wife, I promise to be everything you need me to be, all I ask is this, please help me stop them." said Princess Eva.

"I.. wish I could help, Princess Eva, but I'm not in a place of power to stand against the king, and so are you." said Vorkalth.

"There are childrens, women who have no meddling in politics, why must they suffer for it?" asked Princess Eva.

"They may not have meddled in it, but they refused your offer to help them, and endangered themselves by standing against the king." said Vorkalth.

"But if they die, the economy of Icrazia will deteriorate, look at our lords and ladies, do you think they will plough lands and farm resources for us, please, we need them for our kingdom to stabilise, my parents might not see it, but I know you do, please Vorkalth, it is all I ask of you." said Princess Eva holding onto his hand to which he starts to think, then sighs with having no way to refuse his bride to be.

"Alright I'll help you, but not indirectly, come with me." said Vorkalth as he holds onto the Princess's hand and accompanies her back to the Scarlet Order.

"Gentlemen, you already might have known by bride to be by now I suppose." said Vorkalth towards the Scarlet Order.

"Indeed we have, might I say, your bride to be is like the enchanting river of Nile itself, she possess such a dazzling beauty." said a Scarlet Order member. "Thank you, I suppose you can.. help us then?" asked Princess Eva.

"With that exactly?" asked another member of the Scarlet Order. "I need you to offer your support to the king on the forces he plans to send." said Vorkalth. "Where?" asked another member of the Scarlet Order. "To find the villagers, the quicker the better." said Vorkalth to which the Scarlet Order member nods.

"I must go with them, I can convince the villagers to lay down themselves and serve Icrazia once again, I swear." said Princess Eva.

"No, Princess, I'm afraid it's not possible, this is our engagement party, if we were to go with them, our disappearence might cause unintended consequences." said Vorkalth.

"Not entirely, you can cast an illusion, making sure I stay here, but not entirely." said Princess Eva. "I doubt your mother will fall for something like that, besides, I'm not letting you go alone." said Vorkalth.

"One of us needs to stay, and it has to be you, I'm the only one the villagers would listen to, please Vorkalth, I beg you, and I won't be alone, your forces will be with me." said Princess Eva to which Vorkalth stands idle thinking.