The Crown's Fire - Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Trivial
“Your Highness,” Tarah murmured, recognizing one of the supposed intruders.

“Huh?” Apollo scoffed, but Ezekiel and Atlas both removed their hoodies.

“You!” Ezekiel grunted at Apollo. “Who gave you permission to take her outside?!”

Tarah turned to Apollo and Cora. “Duke Apollo said he already spoke to you about it, so I assumed Lady Tarah could go out,” Cora explained, but seeing the prince’s grim expression made her turn to Apollo. “You lied?!” Cora exclaimed.

Apollo scratched his head and snorted, “Well, these two men were supposed to be very busy today. Knowing Ezekiel, he would simply lock Tarah inside the estate walls, and there’s no fun in that.”

Ezme rolled her eyes and sighed, “Oh, please, let’s just have lunch first, shall we? Even if

Apollo lied, there’s nothing we can do since we’re already outside. Besides, what harm will befall Tarah when I’m practically here?”

Tarah remained silent, reflecting on how their simple stroll within Ebodia’s royal estate had turned into an unexpected outing. Apollo had assured her of gaining permission from Ezekiel to accompany her outside, but now it seemed like that wasn’t the case.

“Please, take your seats, gentlemen,” Ezme broke the awkward silence.

Ezekiel glanced at her and spoke, “We need to leave after you’re done eating. I received a message, and my sister requested your presence at Valcrez. I have pending engagements, but Wizard Lurio will accompany you all the way.”

Apollo quickly ordered their meals. Once the servants had departed, he turned to Ezme and remarked, “Next time, I’ll take you to the black market serving fresh blood.”

“No, you won’t,” Atlas interjected, his expression dark and frowning, mirroring Ezekiel’s mood.

“Hmm, I understand why Ezekiel is here and in a bad mood, but what about you, Commander?” Apollo inquired. Then, he looked at Ezme and back at Atlas, adding, “It’s not like Ezme here needs tight security like Tarah does, right?”

Ezme playfully raised her arms, resting her elbows on the table, and propped her chin on her knuckles, a smile playing on her lips as she gazed at Atlas with amused eyes. “Care to answer, Apollo, Atlas? Why are you here? Do you somehow miss me already?” she teased.

Atlas simply stared at Ezme and said, “Come with me.” He then turned to Ezekiel and stated, “We’ll leave first, Your Highness.”

Ezekiel simply nodded, and Atlas turned to leave. Ezme clicked her tongue but quickly stood up, saying, “Hey, wait for me.”

Tarah watched as Ezme rushed after Atlas, while Ezekiel took the chair beside her. They ate lunch in silence, with no one daring to speak a word except for Apollo, who sighed once in a while.

When they were done, Ezekiel stood up and told her, “Come with me.” He turned to Cora and Apollo and remarked, “You two can stay longer and continue to have fun.”

With that, he took Tarah’s hand and led her outside the tavern. “Your High-”

“Call me Kiel outside, Tarah, and please drop the formalities already when we’re alone,” he commanded.

“We’re outside, and people might recognize you,” she reminded him. Unlike her, she was sure that all Ebodians knew what their future king looked like. She heard Ezekiel chant a spell with his palm over his face. “There, no one will recognize me. This spell will last at least two hours at most,” he simply said.

She could sense his coldness, so she asked, “Are you upset?”

“I am because you didn’t inform me that you’re going out. We have a bond, Tarah, and you could have easily told me,” he answered with a frown. “Also, why can’t I contact you through it?”

“I blocked it the last time I practiced the teleportation spell. I’m sorry I forgot to activate it back,” Tarah explained. She had perfected the teleportation spell but realized she needed to block some of the channel points in her inner energy, like the dragon bond, for the portal to be successful.

“So, did you have fun?” Ezekiel hummed. Tarah’s smile widened as she beamed, “Yes, it’s been a while since I strolled through the market. Duke Apollo was so generous, paying for whatever caught my attention.” Mentioning Apollo’s kindness, she hoped to divert Ezekiel’s attention from his earlier displeasure about Apollo sneaking her out of the palace without his knowledge.

Ezekiel didn’t comment. Tarah frowned when Ezekiel didn’t ask for his horse and instead, they walked towards the market stalls. “I thought we were going back,” she asked.

“Let’s stroll a bit more. It’s still early anyway, and the weather is nice. I’m sure you haven’t explored everything yet. Have you been to this part of the market?” he asked.

“Hmm, no, we haven’t,” Tarah replied, her gaze drifting over the unfamiliar stands and merchant’s establishments.

“That’s good then. Let’s see their products and merchandise in this part,” he commented as he led the way, his hand still holding hers firmly.

She couldn’t help but look at Ezekiel and inquire, “Aren’t you needed back? I think we should head back.”

“Wait, I have something I want to buy for you,” Ezekiel said, leading her into a jewelry establishment.

“This,” Tarah murmured, taken aback. “You’re not wearing the family heirloom ring I gave you, so I thought I should get you something that I bought myself. I will get you something more special after things are settled.”

“But you don’t need to,” Tarah murmured, her gratitude mingling with reluctance. Though she tried to hide it, Ezekiel’s gesture touched her deeply. She wasn’t one for material possessions, but anything from him held immense value in her heart.

“I want you to wear something that I provided and bought myself, Tarah. Choose whatever catches your eye. I’ll get you something from head to toe,” he said, his tone firm and sincere.

“But-”

“Don’t turn me down or I’ll be more upset,” he interrupted, leaning in closer. Tarah’s breath caught as he gazed intently into her eyes. “You grab whatever catches your eye with Apollo paying, so why not do the same with me?”

Tarah blinked, surprised by Ezekiel’s sudden seriousness. Was he truly jealous of Apollo, even over something so trivial?

“Alright, let’s do that then,” she immediately answered, seeing how Ezekiel’s face was turning sour while waiting for her response. “But don’t complain if I splurge your money,” she added with a wry smile.

Ezekiel’s face lit up, and with a wide grin, he declared, “Oh, trust me, darling… all I have is yours for the taking already.”