CHAPTER 130: TRUE ALLEGIANCES

A servant was on the run, heading to the palace. He seemed hysterical as he ran. Getting to the palace, the soldiers stationed at the entrance of the palace stopped him.

"Where are you going to this hastily? Don't you know you're at the palace?" one of the soldiers questioned.

"I really need an audience with the King. It is urgent," the man said, really anxious.

"State your business, and I'll communicate it to the King if it's important," the soldier requested.

"It's needful I do it myself," the servant insisted.

"It seems like that which you claim to want to tell the King is not that important after all," the second soldier said to him.

The servant sighed and brought out something from his pocket, and showed the soldiers. One of the soldiers collected and looked. His eyes widened in amazement, and showed the other. He was as also surprised at what they saw.

It was the seal of the King. The servant had it because he was secretly an informant of the King.

"Follow me," the soldier gestured, as he handed back the seal, leading him to the great hall, as the King and his Council were there.

They got there, and the soldier told his comrades standing guard at the entrance to the great hall that the servant had an urgent word for the King.

The servant lifted up the seal, and the soldiers nodded in acknowledgment and opened the doors for him.

The King and the lords turned in the direction of the door. They all looked with perplexity as he hasted towards them.

"How dare you barge in with no prior notice?" the King asked, angrily.

The servant fell on his knees to the ground.

"I am sorry, my lord, but I have something important to tell you."

"What is it?" the King enquired.

"The pe-"

As he began speaking, the doors of the great hall swung open, interrupting him, as the attention of everyone was drawn to the door.

A lieutenant hasted in also.

"Your Majesty," he bowed, greeting.

"What is it?" the King inquired.

"Waking up this morning, we discovered a significant number of soldiers were nowhere to be found," the lieutenant replied.

"What do you mean they were nowhere to be found?" the King asked.

"They were not found in the barracks, your Majesty. It's as though they just disappeared," the soldier responded.

They all furrowed their brow, perplexed at what they heard.

"It's a similar thing I came to report your Majesty," the servant said.

"Go ahead then," the King instructed, eager to know what it was he came to report.

"I woke up this morning and found that most of my neighbors were not home, your Majesty. I thought they just went somewhere, but I discovered later on that a significant number of people have left the First Kingdom," the servant revealed.

"What?!" The King stood up.

"How about the soldiers at the city gate? Did they not see the people leaving or what?" General Klaus asked the lieutenant.

"No General. They saw nothing. We have no trace where the soldiers, and now the citizens, went to," he replied.

"It's as though they just disappeared," the servant said.

"Organize a search party, and comb the city. Find them! Every one of them. If you don't find them within the city, search outside. Search everywhere for them!" the King barked.

The soldier bowed and hurried off to carry out the instruction.

"What the heck is going on? How can they all just disappear? Where will they have suddenly gone to?" the King reasoned.

All the lords sat dumbfounded. They all couldn't make of the situation.

"Your Majesty, a word, in private?" General Klaus asked.

The King got up and followed him away from the other lords as they spoke amongst themselves.

"Don't you think this has something to do with the Prince?" General Klaus asked.

"How? Were it only the people, yes I'd believe it is. But the soldiers? Come on, Klaus, it can't be possible. Will you soldiers desert the monarchy?" the King asked.

General Klaus didn't like the King's question.

"They were all indoctrinated and we inculcated in them loyalty to the throne. So if they, if they deserted, it means they are finally acknowledging the Prince as the King. He is the rightful heir to the throne after all," General Klaus subtly fired back.

"Don't you dare say that!" the King snarled, gritting his teeth. He turned and looked in the direction of the lords.

"If you had done what you needed to do years ago, the Prince wouldn't be a thorn in our flesh right now," General Klaus said.

"Are you blaming me? You know if that were done, the people would have smelled the foul play a mile away," the King defended.

"Well, we're going to have to deal with this situation. Things have become a bit complicated now," General Klaus sighed.

"We'll have to speed things up. But this is way ahead of our schedule," the King sighed frustratedly.

"This has simply helped to speed up our domination scheme. So, let's just go with the flow," General Klaus responded.

***

Two days later, Olexa, the elders of Moonville, Tully and Mona and the other warriors of Moonville, Jon, Lieutenant Silka and Commander Glenn, met to strategize. They needed to pull their mental resources to forge a path ahead for them, and the rest of the Kingdoms.

"So, with everything that's been said, it is more than clear that we lack the numbers and the weapons. The Lycan military is more equipped," Olexa stated.

"But The Rebellion also has its armory. We just need to be able to access it, but it is back at the First Kingdom," Prince Tristan said.

"So if we go to get them, we'll be stepping right into the lion's mouth. That's too risky," Tully reasoned.

"So, we are limited then," Olexa sighed.

"I wouldn't say that if I were you."

They all turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Roweena.

"Roweena, you're back. How was your second outing?"

"I think you should all come outside," Roweena requested. She looked at the Prince and winked.

Prince Tristan furrowed his brow, wondering what Roweena was up to.

As they left the community hall, they already met the community gathered together, looking at the entrance.

Olexa, Prince Tristan, along with the rest looked in the direction everyone was looking and saw a multitude of people standing outside the barrier.

They were shocked to see the multitude of people. They recognized the uniforms of the soldiers and could tell the other people were from the First kingdom.

"What's going on?" Prince Tristan asked Roweena.

"You now have your army," she replied.

Olexa looked at the Prince, smiling. He smiled back at her. She looked at Tully and Mona, and they nodded at her.

So she walked forward with Prince Tristan and lifted the barrier. The people saw Olexa and the Prince and the rest of the people within the barrier. They gasped in surprise. They never knew such a place existed.

They slowly walked forward to the Prince and they all went on their knees. Mr Thorne and his men were also with them. The other members of The Rebellion were also there, as the man who returned back when the Prince escaped, rallied the rest together, taking along all their armory.

"Your Majesty!" the soldiers chorused.

"We are yours to command. Our lives and swords are yours, your Majesty," a commander declared.

Prince Tristan stood in front of them gallantly. He took hold of Olexa's hand and they smiled at each other.