BXBX NOVEL Chapter 72 To The Elven Territory
The day of the Renewal of Treaty.
"Have we packed everything?" Queen Tehila asked her lady in waiting with an anxious voice.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness, Second Queen." The lady in waiting respectfully responded.
"That's good to hear." Queen Tehila replied with a smile.
The maids behind her were carefully styling her long silver hair with a royal chignon bun. The hairdo was decorated with an elegant ensemble of the freshest leaves and flowers harvested straight from the royal garden.
She wore a pure white empire waist long gown, beautifully embroidered with silver and golden leaves onto the hem and the bustline. Her outfit was further enhanced by a royal cape hugging her slim and defined shoulders.
She chose to have simple jewelry, a pair of platinum dangling earrings with a tiny emerald gem at the ends complimenting her olive green eyes, along with a pearl and white crystal festoon necklace.
Right now, there was only one word to describe the Second Queen's beauty - Regal!
Queen Tehila then heard an announcement from the butler outside the room. "Your Royal Highness, His Highness Third Prince is here to escort you."
"Let him in." Queen Tehila responded as she prepared for their departure.
Leon's cold and princely figure appeared at the door.
Today, he wore a white colored knight uniform, lined with a thin navy blue embroidery. The only color that decorates his whole appearance aside from his uniform was his red blood hair and crystal blue eyes.
"My son, you look extremely handsome today!!" Queen Tehila looked at Leon adoringly.
Carrying her space pouch that was specifically made to go well with her outfit, she took Leon's arm and allowed him to escort her out of the Wisteria place.
Since they were going to the Elven Village, they had to have no maids and escorts by their side. The elven people would arrange for their aides when they arrived in the territory.
"You are as beautiful as always, my dear Mother." Leon didn't hold back what he thought about his Queen Mother's appearance. He gave his mother a doting look.
The mother and son lovingly walked towards the Sun Tower. It was the tower that housed all the teleportation arrays connected to the critical destinations for the Empire.
Unlike the network of arrays, Leon used to go to and fro Silvertown, the arrays in the Sun Tower were only mobilized for the official affairs of the Emperor, such as the renewal of the treaty with the Silver Dew Elves.
When they arrived in the hall, they saw the major members of the Imperial family, all dressed abiding to the official dress code for the send off ceremony.
Empress Carolina and First Prince Kazimir.
First Queen Lucia and Second Prince Antoine.
Along with the top knights and escorts assigned to each of them.
"Greetings, Your Majesty Empress, Your Highness First Queen, First Prince and Second Prince." The mother and son expressed their greetings according to Imperial etiquette.
Since Emperor Valentin was not yet around, Empress Carolina was the one with the highest rank, thus, she was the one who acknowledged their greetings.
Then she elegantly walked towards Queen Tehila with a pleased look. She gently grabbed her hands and said with a delighted tone.
"I see you have prepared quite well. With this I trust that you can represent the Imperial family well."
Yet a masked look of contempt could be traced with her amethyst eyes, along with the First Prince.
While a look of sympathy could be seen in the eyes of the silent yet graceful First Queen Lucia. The Second Prince Antoine didn't bother to cast a look of enmity against the mother and son.
"You can be assured, we'll do our best to accompany His Majesty." Queen Tehila replied with a respectful but detached manner.
Leon wore the same cold demeanor, which didn't look unusual for the people around.
"Then, I feel at ease." Empress Carolina pressed Queen Tehila's hands a bit tighter, squinting her eyes like a crescent moon.
"His Majesty Emperor, arrives!" A clear and dignified voice rang through the hall.
Everyone welcomed Emperor Valentin and greeted according to Imperial etiquette.
"Hail! His Majesty, Emperor Valentin."
"At ease!" Emperor Valentine said with an extremely authoritative and controlled manner.
He wore his Emperor Suit with a white gold theme, perfectly designed to be a partner of Queen Tehila's outfit.
The three really do look like a 'holy' family.
Seeing the subtle act of affection from Queen Tehila and Emperor Valentin, the Empress tried to hide her jealousy with her elegant fan, while maintaining a calm look in her eyes.
Queen Lucia on the other hand, kept quiet and neutral, as if everything around her was just a scene she was spectating.
Stepping into the array platform, Emperor Valentin casted a thoughtful glance towards the other members of the Imperial Family who will be leaving behind.
"Empress, First Queen, I trust that you will leave well even in my short absence in the palace." He addressed the two women with a formal and respectful manner.
Looking at the two princes with contentment, he left his reminders to them,
"Kazimir, Antoine, I look forward to the results of your campaign against the Spectre. I am really proud and satisfied with your performance in the past few weeks."
A look of delight and pride could be seen in Kazimir and Antoine's eyes. They were like children who beamed with happiness from the words of praise from their father.
They replied in a determined manner, "Rest assured Father Emperor, we will bring you a fruitful result when you come back."
Their hearts gave a sigh of relief as they saw that their father had already looked at them as he would do normally.
'It seemed that Father Emperor's disappointment to us had long subsided!' They rejoiced in their hearts.
"Uhn! Do well!" Emperor Valentin replied with a soft tone. He looked at them with a hopeful look.
In truth, he very well wished that his sons would look after each other as a normal family would.
Even though these two were born out of the coercion of the aristocrats for him to take Carolina and Lucia as consorts, he never looked at one of them with more favor than the other.
The affection he had with Leon, was the same affection he had on Kazimir and Antoine. He knew, above all, that his sons shouldn't be an object of resentment from his weak days as an Emperor.
His very own blood run through their veins. He couldn't let himself neglect even one of them.
However, the two unfortunately followed the whims and wishes of their maternal families. They kept on disappointing him.
He hoped that they would genuinely love the Empire not for its benefits for the Duchy nor the March, but for the Seirende blood running through their veins.
That was why, he would not hold back reprimanding them when they were wrong.
Leon was not an exception either. In fact, everyone could testify that the Emperor was cold towards him publicly, especially when he was young.
However, only himself, Queen Tehila and Leon knew why. It was to protect Leon up until he can protect himself.
Upon completing his reminders and words of farewell, the three stepped towards the array.
Holding the elven letter, containing their names in it, the array recognizes them and immediately activates.
This was how stringent the requirements of the elves were in letting humans enter their territory.
It was also a testament on how much they wanted to limit human interactions as much as possible.
Only the person who possessed the name written in the invitation could be admitted, no more no less. Even if they could not come because of legitimate reasons, they would allow a proxy.
Green light emitted from the magical array and lightened up the entire spacious hall.
With just a matter of seconds, the Emperor, the Second Queen and the Third Prince could no longer be seen.
After the send-off, Kazimir curiously looked towards his mother and whispered,
"Mother, I thought you would do something against that bard?"
"Keep calm. I already did. Didn't you see how I approached her earlier?" Empress Carolina.
A look of victory could be seen in her eyes as she smiled viciously.
"As soon as she touches someone other than Valentin and the trash prince, the spell will trigger." She tried to hide her excitement behind the embellished fan she was holding.
"Too bad, I couldn't be there to witness whatever spectacle she would create." Her eyes were red in agitation as she painted in her mind of the chaos Queen Tehila would create in the elven village.
Kazimir, listening to his mother's assuring words also couldn't help but sport a look of viciousness.
--
In a lowkey cottage somewhere in the Silver Dew Forest.
"Baobao, is everyone ready?" Eli's nervous voice could be heard the her room.
"Master, they are already lined up in the living room. All ready and tidy!" Baobao answered obediently.
He was particularly cool today, his black and white fur had been diligently brushed by Olivier and Meredith. It shined lushiously especially whenever the morning light hits.
Grandpa Andi even gave him a red bow tie to look more 'tame' in order not to startle the Emperor and the Second Queen.
"Do I look alright?" Eli nervously smoothed out her cream colored long gown.
It was specially tailored from Grandpa Andi's exclusive Forgeworn textile to fit her pregnant body.
"Don't you trust my beautification skills and my sense of style? You look very beautiful! I'm sure the third prince couldn't wait to bring you to the altar for marriage once he saw you!"
Azayn said reassuringly and playfully.
She was affixing a flower crown made from the elven garden into Eli's lush black hair.
Eli right now looked like a forest goddess with her appearance. Her now 8th month baby bump didn't dampen her mystical and powerful aura, instead, it intensified.
However, she still looked anxious as she will be meeting Leon's parents.
Would they show contempt towards her background and appearance?
Would they resent her for not stopping Leon in pursuing her to be his wife?
"Eli chan~ do not think of other things and just smile. It's good for Little Han~"
Wisey, who was sporting a bow of the same style as Baobao, comforted Eli. Her heart shaped face tilted adorably as she sincerely looked at Eli with her round black eyes.
"Uhn.. I'll do my best." Seeing everyone's support, Eli took a deep breath and nodded towards them.
Carefully standing up, she said with courage, "Let's go, they'll be here in no time."