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Besides Aurora was too occupied with motherhood, her daughter was her number one priority at the time. She confided herself inside Aurora’s Castle most of her days and nights breastfeeding Princess Haisa and playing with Jahery while Artemis remained at the main palace, he only came back to the castle during the night to sleep beside his wife. Sometimes he didn’t, he complained that he was busy with his responsibilities and he needed more time with his small council and Lords alike.

That was a lie, Artemis wasn’t busy with his small council or his Lords. He was obsessed with Aprophil to the point all he could think about was him every single time. He never saw him, not even once but those who came across Aprophil said he looked exactly like his father, King Luca Arteides. The same built, the same face and even their mannerisms were the same.

“Except his skin tone Your Grace. While Luca was pale, his bastard is black. His mother’s genes are strong, Aprophil is as black as an ebony” said the spy who was called in to tell it all about Aprophil, he claimed to have known him when he was living in the Mines.

“And... did my father ever see him when he was living in the Mines?”

“Yes Your Grace, the King was a present father to his bastard son. He raised the boy ever since he was an infant, when your mother came to the picture, he minimized his time with his son but he never truly stopped seeing him”

This was enough for Artemis to know, he dismissed the spy and remained all alone inside his chambers.

Lord Balrus was aware of what went on in Lord Dundrey’s tavern. Even though Lord Angun swore never to tell anyone, he said it all to Lord Balrus who didn’t seem to be so shocked by the news. Lord Balrus admitted he knew about Aprophil being the true born son of King Luca Arteides ever since the boy was still on his mother’s breast.

.....

Lord Angun was stunned, he truly admitted that there is nothing that Lord Balrus wouldn’t know. “Tell me what will I have for breakfast tomorrow Lord Balrus” Lord Angun made a joke and laughed. He said this because Lord Balrus knew almost everything about everyone.

“This isn’t a joke my Lord” said Lord Balrus with a worried look on his face. “He calls in spies from all over the realm and asks about his father’s bastard, he is obsessed”

“Well, we can’t blame him can we? Aprophil is the true heir to the throne, its only a matter of time before the whole realm gets to know it. Then who will be favored by the good folks, the Dragon King or the Black King?”

“There is no black King or brown or yellow. The throne belongs to Artemis and that’s it, Aprophil knows that too”

“Does he?” Lord Angun asked curiously.

“Of course he does”

“What will he do if he wins Prophis for Prince Amabel? Do you think he will just go back to Free Hall and be a merchant all over again?”

“No he won’t” Lord Balrus sighed softly, “Amabel named him the Hand of the King if he takes the Silver throne” he said but seemingly he was disappointed in that.

Lord Angun was stunned, “The Hand of the King?” He asked. He wanted to know how did Lord Balrus came to know all of that but he knew better than to ask.

“Yes, a petty boy who doesn’t know what he’s doing named him Hand. The more Aprophil gets closer to power, the more he will yearn for his own. Let’s pray to the gods my Lord, that day never comes when I have to choose between a Dragon King and the Black King” finished Lord Balrus.

There was a strange look on Lord Balrus’s eyes, he was worried and he is never worried about anything. The Lord of Spies seems to always find a solution or a way out of trouble or impossible things, but how does he get to choose between the child he raised in secret, and the one he was bound to obey.

Just when Lord Balrus and Lord Angun were brainstorming, three rodents belonging to Lord Balrus walked inside his manse. They wore rugs and they looked like washerwomen or beggars, they were all girls and possibly their age was no more than sixteen years old.

The rodents brought news from Prophis, Lord Balrus asked straight away the moment they arrived.

“Who won the Battle of Kins?” Lord Balrus was eager to know.

“Amabel Taelin, my Lord. Queen Aryan helped him through, she let him have the capital while she took her leave to Sweetfish Retreat”

“Where is Sweetfish Retreat?” asked Lord Angun.

“That’s where she and Olivia had their honeymoon after they got married” replied Lord Balrus without looking at Lord Angun, he was focused on knowing more regarding what happened in Prophis. “Is Aprophil... alive? Did he make it?”

There was a stuttering voice inside Lord Balrus’s question, he was excited and scared at the same time. Aurora was right, Aprophil was a child he never had because the way he was so worried about him, was the same way a parent was ought to be.

The rodents didn’t even get time to reply before the doors of Lord Balrus’s manse were opened suddenly without knocking. Sir Dante Lucan led the way inside and everyone standing right there knew who the next person will be — and it was none other than King Artemis.

Lord Balrus, Lord Angun and the three rodents all curtised before Artemis, it was sudden and unexpected, not Artemis’s style to ambush and hence Lord Balrus knew something was wrong. It was early in the morning, the Battle of Kins took place last night.

“Your Grace, what a tremendous surprise” Lord Balrus said looking at Artemis who wasn’t in his usual charming mood today.

“Apologies for barging in my Lord. But I needed to ask...”

“No apologies necessary Your Grace, should I bring you a chair?” asked Lord Balrus and then he excused his rodents.

The three girls walked outside of the manse and so did Sir Dante Lucan, whatever the King wanted to talk to Lord Balrus and Lord Angun was a very discrete matter.

Artemis refused to sit on a chair, he said what he had to tell Lord Balrus was short and he didn’t need to have to sit so he can deliver it. Artemis asked the status on Prophis, “Who won the war?” and the question came out straight away. Lord Balrus and Angun exchanged glances for just a few seconds.

Then Lord Angun quipped in, “It’s the young prince, Your Grace. Aryan helped him through, she abandoned the kingdom without putting up a fight”

“So does this mean by my half brother is still alive?”

Now things escalated quickly and neither Lord Balrus nor Lord Angun knew what to say next. Artemis asked the question as if he was at war with Aprophil, he showed it openly and clearly that he hated him, and he would have preferred that he died in the Battle.

When Lord Balrus pretended not to know what Artemis was saying, he was told to stop pretending that he didn’t by Artemis. Lord Angun would never keep a secret to Lord Balrus of all people. “You knew this before everyone else, I know you better Lord Balrus” Artemis told him.

“I agree Your Grace, I didn’t tell you because I made a vow to my King, your father. He made me swore to never tell anyone about Aprophil’s true nature, it was for his own protection”

“Protection against me?”

“No, against himself”

“Does he know what he is?” asked Artemis while pacing back and forth. He was troubled no doubt about that, and he was also lacking sleep and he barely had time to relax.

“Yes he does, but he has come to terms with what he is Your Grace. His mother was a slave, no one will want a King whose mother was a slave. He doesn’t want the Sweet Waters throne...”

Suddenly Artemis interrupted Lord Balrus, “You don’t know that Balrus! You don’t know that” he said, his eyes wide open and pointing his finger at Lord Balrus. “He could be plotting now to take my throne, if he’s won Prophis, what do you think he wouldn’t do to take my throne too. He’s dangerous and we all have to admit it, if Maldonians learn of his true nature, they will turn against me” Artemis was so worried and Lord Angun could have sworn that he was trembling that day while he struggled to talk.