The Crown's Fire - Chapter 152

Chapter 152: The Portrait
At the Kingdom of Zion

Cora diligently oversaw the assistance efforts in the kingdom of Zion while continuing her search for Lady Tarah. “How come it seems so hard to find her?” Cora murmured weakly as she sat on a bench in the castle courtyard.

The sun was going down, and it would be dark soon. How many days had it been since she arrived in Zion? There had been progress in the kingdom’s rebuilding, but her search for Lady Tarah remained fruitless.

If possible, she would love to find Lady Tarah soon before their king woke up, but it seemed increasingly difficult. Posting sketches everywhere would have been much easier, but their king wanted the search for Tarah to be discreet. They didn’t want to attract too much attention, knowing many of Devon’s loyal followers had escaped and were still on the loose. If they didn’t tread carefully, they might end up putting Lady Tarah’s life in more danger.

“Milady, would you like some tea?”

Cora was interrupted from her thoughts by Mauro, a priest from the Holy Temple of Zion, who approached her.

“Oh, thank you. Please join me,” Cora said, gesturing for the older man to sit opposite her. He poured her some tea and handed it to her before pouring himself a cup.

“Did you find her?” Mauro asked curiously. Cora shook her head and sighed.

“I’m worried. I just hope she’s doing well,” she murmured genuinely.

“We lost so much while we were in captivity, but I do pray and hope you find your friend soon,” Mauro added.

“You’ll soon have your monarch to take over, and I’m sure your Queen Regent will do great,” Cora commented.

“Right. Our Queen Regent had to suffer so much during the captivity, and I’m glad that she’s well and will be back soon for her people. The last time I saw her, she was eighteen, and her brother was two years old. There was a grand festival for the New Year celebration before Devon’s surprise attack,” Mauro reminisced.

“I saw their portrait. She has the same eye color as the friend I’m looking for,” Cora pointed out.

Mauro looked intrigued. “Really? Could it be possible that Lady Tarah is somehow connected to our Queen Regent?”

Cora shrugged slightly. “It’s hard to say. But the resemblance is striking. Maybe it’s just a coincidence.”

“We’ll never know unless she grants you an audience without her veil covering her face. It’s a tradition in our kingdom that the royal princess should cover her face and let no other man see her until she gets married,” Mauro explained.

“But if she’s the one you seek, then I’m sure she’ll recognize you the moment she sees you, right?” the priest encouraged.

Cora nodded. “You’re right. There’s no way she can’t recognize me.” The priest had a point so she just had to wait for the Queen Regent’s arrival.

“By the way, how is the construction of the temple going?” Cora asked, curious since it had been a while since she checked on it. The temple was located at the peak of Mount Zion, and it was a steep climb that she was not eager to undertake at this rate.

“It’s progressing well, and we’re truly grateful to have the mages of Ebodia assisting us,” Mauro replied with a warm smile.

Cora mused silently, ‘Our King is a bit biased, sending so much assistance to Zion because the woman he loves is from this kingdom.’ But she kept her thoughts to herself. Lady Tarah was their king’s weakness, and they couldn’t afford their enemies to know that. Hence, she had to be discreet and silent about the real reason behind her search for the woman in the portrait she always carried.

Soon, Mauro bid her farewell, needing to return to the temple. Cora went inside the castle and encountered Asura, who was busy overseeing the renovations of the wing where the Queen Regent and her brother would stay.

“Can I have a word with you, Lady Asura?” Cora asked.

Asura smiled politely. “Of course, Commander.”

“Thank you. How about inside the castle?” Cora suggested, and Asura led the way down the hallways.

“Is there any news on when the Queen Regent will arrive?” Cora asked curiously.

Asura gulped but maintained her composure. According to Luiz, a letter had arrived from Mount Sorel informing them that Katelina had been struck by heavenly lightning while there, causing her to lose consciousness. Lord Magnus assured them she was fine and would regain consciousness soon, but they didn’t know exactly when.

“She caught a cold from the last report, so it would be unwise for her to travel back for some time. We’re still not finished with the preparations anyway,” Asura answered. As they walked up the grand stairs, Cora paused by the large portrait in the middle of the staircase where there were other stairs leading to the left and right wings of the palace.

“I’m surprised this portrait was not destroyed,” Cora commented, gazing at the family portrait of King Aticus, Queen Lina, their daughter Princess Katelina, and their newborn baby at that time, Leviticus.

“Yes, I managed to keep it safe. It’s the only portrait that remained intact after the siege. Being the traitor’s daughter has its advantages in Helion,” Asura remarked. Most Helion soldiers followed her commands since she was the daughter of the person in charge at Helion. The first thing she did was instruct them to put this portrait inside her bedchamber. She did it out of impulse and guilt.

“No offense, but I’m surprised that Zionians still accept you,” Cora commented.

“Why wouldn’t they, when I actively helped the union in the shadows? Who do you think was their spy inside Helion?” Asura stated wryly. “My bad relationship with my father is no secret. I’m my father’s pain in the ass who never listened to him. He became Devon’s dog, but not me,” she stated proudly.

“That’s good then. I heard you were close to Princess Katelina before. Does that mean you’ve seen her face behind the veil?” Cora asked directly.

“No,” Asura lied smoothly. “Only her maidservants saw her face, but unfortunately, they all died three years ago.”

“Princess Katelina in this portrait has the same eye color as the woman I’m looking for,” Cora reiterated.

“I noticed that too,” Asura commented nonchalantly. “If she’s the woman you’re searching for, then she will definitely recognize you once she returns.”

Cora nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. There’s no way she wouldn’t recognize me if she’s truly the one.”

‘If this woman isn’t a danger, then our Queen Regent Katelina will surely make herself known to her,’ Asura mused while looking at Cora.

Cora took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of hope and anxiety. Finding Lady Tarah was crucial, but she had to tread carefully. Asura’s words offered some comfort, but the uncertainty still lingered.

“Thank you for your time, Lady Asura. I appreciate your insights,” Cora said, turning away from the portrait.

“Anytime, Commander. If you need any further assistance, please let me know,” Asura replied with a polite smile.

Cora walked away, her mind racing with thoughts of Lady Tarah and the challenges that lay ahead. Despite the progress being made in Zion, there was still so much uncertainty. She was determined to find Lady Tarah, no matter how difficult it could be.