The Crown's Fire - Chapter 161

Chapter 161: The Real Reason
At the Kingdom of Ebodia

After having lunch with his parents, Ezekiel called for a brief meeting in the throne hall to show his subjects that he was back and well.

“We’re glad to see you back, Your Majesty!” Everyone greeted him with a bow as he sat on his throne.

“Please rise. This meeting won’t take long. I have an important announcement to make.” Ezekiel began, waiting until he had everyone’s attention.

“Our kingdom will join a week-long Global Summit before autumn ends. It will be managed and hosted by the Sorel Guild at Haven Forest. Official invitations will be sent out starting tomorrow, and I want you to prepare everything necessary for our kingdom’s participation in this.”

Murmurs filled the throne hall, and Ezekiel could see the surprise on everyone’s faces. He raised a hand to call for silence.

“A Global Summit? Could you please enlighten us more about this, Your Majesty?” Minister Greg inquired.

“I understand that this announcement is unexpected,” Ezekiel said, his voice steady and authoritative. “But these are times of change, and we must be proactive in shaping our future. This Global Summit is our opportunity to foster unity and peace among the kingdoms.”

He paused, allowing his words to sink in. The room quieted, the murmurs dying down as his subjects processed the information.

“I aim to unify all kingdoms under one rule and one empire. However, I won’t force this upon any kingdom unless necessary. This initiative is not just about preventing war,” Ezekiel continued. “It’s about building a world where our children and their children can live without the fear of conflict. A world where we work together towards common goals, where our strengths are shared, and our weaknesses are supported by our allies.”

He then turned to Chancellor Javier and said, “Our Chancellor will lead and handle the arrangements from our kingdom’s end, deciding who will participate in this event. Before I fell unconscious, I had already given him instructions to prepare everything, so we’ve technically been preparing for almost a season now.”

Chancellor Javier stepped forward upon his signal, ready to take over the discussion. “As His Majesty mentioned, I will oversee the preparations. We’ve been laying the groundwork for this summit for some time, ensuring that it will be a success. I will be coordinating with each of you to ensure that our kingdom is well-represented and that we make the most of this historic opportunity.”

Ezekiel nodded in approval. “Thank you, Chancellor. I trust in your capability to lead this initiative. Let us all work together to ensure that this summit marks the beginning of a new era of peace and cooperation… You may continue the discussion with Chancellor Javier’s lead.”

With a final look at his gathered court, Ezekiel stepped down from the throne and let Chancellor Javier handle the rest.

*****

At the Kingdom of Zion

Cora had already received the king’s order to pull out, and she felt a pang of sadness. Not just because she failed to find Lady Tarah, but also because she had grown attached to the Zionians during her stay of more than a season.

“This is sad. I wasn’t able to find her before he woke up,” she mumbled with a sigh. She began instructing her men to prepare for their departure back to Ebodia.

She approached a servant and said, “Please inform Lady Asura that I would like to formally bid farewell to Her Majesty in person.”

The servant nodded in understanding and quickly left to relay her message. Unlike the Queen Regent, who seemed aloof and intentionally avoided her, everyone else in the palace had been warm and welcoming, always expressing their gratitude for Ebodia’s help and assistance.

Though Cora had managed to observe the Queen Regent from a distance, it wasn’t enough to confirm her hunch. She needed to see her face. She had exhausted her thoughts on why the Queen Regent might not acknowledge her if she were indeed Tarah.

A few moments later, the Queen Regent summoned Cora to her private meeting chamber.

“Your Majesty,” Cora greeted her politely.

“Please, come and sit with me,” the Queen Regent instructed, motioning to the balcony. Cora walked over and sat opposite her.

“I heard your convoy will be leaving today,” the Queen Regent began, pouring tea for them both.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Our king is finally awake, and he wants us to pull out our troops now. But we’ll leave some of our men if you still need further assistance,” Cora replied.

“There’s no need for that, Lady Cora. I’m truly grateful to King Ezekiel, to you, and to all the Ebodians who have aided us until now. I believe we can manage on our own from here. We will repay your kindness as soon as our kingdom is able to pay tribute,” the Queen Regent said softly.

“Lady Tarah…” Cora couldn’t help but voice out.

“Is that the name of the woman you’re looking for?” the Queen Regent asked.

“Yes,” Cora nodded.

“Why are you looking for her?” the Queen Regent inquired directly.

“It’s because our king dotes on her so much. It breaks our hearts seeing him lose himself because she’s not by his side,” Cora answered firmly, looking straight into the Queen Regent’s eyes, conveying the sincerity of her words.

She shouldn’t be revealing this, but no one was around except her and the Queen Regent. For some reason, she strongly believed that the Queen Regent was Lady Tarah. Her gut feeling told her the real reason why their king was looking for Lady Tarah. The king was not vocal about it, but those who were close to him and Lady Tarah, and who had witnessed their relationship blossom, didn’t need explicit instructions to piece together why King Ezekiel was earnestly searching for her.

Cora took a deep breath and continued, “Our king never openly spoke about it, but those of us who saw the bond between him and Lady Tarah understood. He killed Devon for her. Among all the kingdoms Devon captured, he specifically instructed us to prioritize Zion. This bias wasn’t just about politics or strategy. It was personal. Our king’s heart is tied to Lady Tarah’s, and he would do anything to find her and ensure her safety.”

The Queen Regent’s eyes softened, a flicker of recognition flashing through them. Cora leaned in slightly, her voice gentle but urgent, “If there’s any chance, any at all, that you are Lady Tarah, please reconsider. He has moved mountains and waged wars, all for her sake. I know this might be hard to accept, but if you are Lady Tarah, please know that our king’s dedication to you is unwavering. Your presence, your safety, means everything to him.”

The Queen Regent looked down, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her teacup. The silence between them grew heavy with unspoken emotions.

“I understand your concern and your loyalty to your king,” the Queen Regent finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “But the woman you seek might not want to be found. Sometimes, the past needs to stay buried for the sake of the future.”

Cora’s heart ached at the words, but she pressed on, “But the future could be so much brighter with you by his side. He’s not just searching for you; he’s searching for hope, for love, for a part of himself that he lost. If there’s any chance, any at all, that you are Lady Tarah, please reconsider. For his sake, and for yours.”