Emere just smiled.
The two sipped their tea without saying anything. Perhaps bothered by the silence, Emere glanced back at the closed door and whispered as if telling a secret, “Have you heard of the weapon called the Star of Mersia?”
“Of course. I should be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t. It’s difficult to believe such a weapon can exist, but I cannot deny what happened to Mersia…”
The ultimate weapon of the Empire, that could sweep away an entire country. No one knew what it looked like or how it worked. There were only rumors.
“I cannot help but believe it exists! I was in the Mersian Wastes ten years ago. It’s difficult to imagine the green steppes that once stretched across the country. All you can see now is red desert and some ruins.” He shivered.
“But why do you mention the Star of Mersia now?”
Emere smiled bitterly. “Because if Kamori or Arland wish to be truly free of the Empire, we cannot but think of it. Mentioning the weapon in this palace at all is forbidden because it can bring down the morale of the soldiers, but I thought Your Highness and I at least could have a conversation about it.”
“You’ve called me Your Highness again, but I do not call you Your Highness in return. Please, call me Loran.”
After her conversation with Gwaharad, Loran no longer called herself a princess in front of others. And an order from Gwaharad seemed to have gone down as all the soldiers called her “Mistress Loran” from the second day onward. Only Emere did her the courtesy of referring to her as Her Highness, a princess of Arland.
Emere shook his head.
“I have traveled much since I was a child. All the way to Hyberia in the north, and the very edges of Cassia in the east. I have met many great men and women. I believe I know them when I see them. There is something in Your Highness that seems destined for the title, in my eyes.”
Loran could not help but laugh. “You jest again!” she said. His words were not unpleasant to hear, but she felt an inexplicable, bone-deep anxiety whenever Emere mentioned destiny. They say that one can’t avoid destiny, but the more time she spent inside this place, the more it felt like destiny was avoiding her.
The door burst open. Emere jumped up like a little boy who had been caught doing something naughty. He shouted at the soldier who stumbled inside, “How dare you enter the princess’s chamber without permission! What’s the meaning of this!”
“Prince Emere, there is trouble! Mistress Loran must know as well,” said the soldier, panting.
“Well, speak!”
“The Twenty-Fifth has sent troops to Arland, vowing vengeance for Mistress Loran’s destruction of the outposts and the death of the legionaries.”
Loran got to her feet as well. “Does the king know?”
“He does. He ordered me to summon you both.”
Loran and Emere followed the soldier out of the room. She was still unused to the structure of the underground palace. She was so nervous she wanted to outpace the soldier, but there was no way of knowing where she was being taken, and she doubted she would be able to find the way on her own even if she was told. Emere said nothing as they walked, but his grim expression told her everything she needed to know about the seriousness of their situation.
After a few turns, they came to a room she had never seen before. The door was open. There was an ancient-looking round table made of stone in the middle of it, engraved with the ubiquitous lion emblem that the nation of Kamori still used today. The room was filled with soldiers. Gwaharad sat at the table, flanked by two advisors whose faces she recognized. There was also a soldier who was covered in scratches, a scout no doubt. There were two seats left at the table.
Gwaharad saw them enter the room and nodded his head.
“You’re here, Emere. And Mistress Loran. We were waiting for you to begin, as it concerns Arland.”
Loran bowed and took her seat. Emere took the remaining one.
“Now that Mistress Loran is here, make your report,” said Gwaharad to the scout.
“Your Majesty, as I have spoken before, the Twenty-Fifth Legion has entered Arland and sent a century to Kingsworth to declare that they will see to it that whoever destroyed the outpost and killed the Powered legionaries is held responsible.”
Everyone seated turned their gaze to Loran.
“A century, he says. A hundred legionaries are not a large force,” said Emere in a placating tone, glancing at Loran as well. “It would be a tough battle, but we could raise two hundred…” In truth, the Kamori forces alone would not be able to take on such a force even with twice the number. But if they included Loran and Wurmath, that was a completely different proposition.
Just as Loran was thinking they might have a chance, the scout added, “My lord, this is no ordinary century. They have the Powered chariots, Scorpios class.”
The room broke into murmurs.
“How many?” asked Gwaharad.
