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“Why are you helping the boy?” This was what Lord Balrus asked after he and Aprophil spoke about everything concerning Amabel. “You are putting yourself in danger, not to mention the exposure you’ll have because of this war, whether you win it or not… they will know you” Lord Balrus expressed his concerns.

Then he didn’t give Aprophil even a minute to respond, he kept on talking, “I took you and your mother to safety with all your father’s wealth because I didn’t want to be fighting wars. The King will damn sure take my head if he were to come back to life now, he will say I have failed”

“My Lord you have failed nothing; this is all my choice” Aprophil told Lord Balrus.

“Your choice ─” Lord Balrus paused for a few seconds, then he turned to look at Prince Amabel standing straight giving out orders to the men. “He is never going to win this war, he is only a child” then he said while shaking his head.

Aprophil refused to accept “But the men fighting for him are not children my Lord. Aryan has taken a great blow and she is weak now, the winter is here and if we don’t attack now… then there would never be a greater time for the boy to take his rightful place on the throne”

“You are forgetting his uncle; do you really think Prince Ambrose will let his nephew sit on the Silver throne? If you truly think so, then you are more stupid than I thought”

There was an awkward silence between these two for a few seconds, Aprophil respected Lord Balrus as if he was his second father. All his life the only man who protected him and made sure he was safe was the Lord of the Spies. He might have done so because King Luca Arteides ordered him to do that, but he did it with love and compassion.

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Hence even when Lord Balrus spoke about his concerns, Aprophil listened to him carefully without raising his voice nor trying to be all knowing. “We’ll take the throne before he even makes it to the capital. He is marching on foot while we have all the ships, as soon as we take the throne, he won’t be as powerful as he thinks he is” replied Aprophil.

Then Lord Balrus noticed how he was unsure of his own plans, it was clear that he didn’t include the possibility of meeting out Prince Ambrose in the open. After they docked in the small villages in Prophis, that’s what they were planning to do, it shouldn’t be a long march to the City. While Prince Ambrose had to march from Maldonia to Prophis first, his men will be worn out by the time they arrived in Prophis.

Always Lord Balrus spoke of considering himself as a father to Aprophil, he didn’t have a son and he would never have one, not even after centuries pass and hence he took this moment to be a father to Aprophil.

“You are helping the boy because you see yourself in him. A true heir denied access to his throne, I can respect that” Lord Balrus told Aprophil while holding his neck, “But wars are rather expensive and draining, it’s not like boarding a ship to Andreia or Loni or to the Unknown Cities and calling yourself Master of the Sea. It’s rather complicated and the main purpose of wars is…”

Aprophil quipped in and he slowly said, “To fill graves. I remember father telling me that”

“Then you know many of you will die, just promise me when it’s all said and done, you will save yourself and go back to your mother. Because if you live that woman all alone in this world, you won’t be at peace in the next. Your father will punish you for dying sooner on a war which doesn’t concern you and leaving the woman he cherished all alone, King Luca loved your mother dearly and fondly” Lord Balrus finished saying this then he locked eyes with Katarina Tully who was looking at them from a far distance.

Lord Balrus had never met Katarina, and he was never properly introduced but he knew everything about her. He knew she came from Claydall and her brother was Lord Aubrel, the late Queen Haniwa was her niece and also she didn’t die that day Gandalf sacked the King’s City, at that point Lord Balrus didn’t know who helped her, but he knew she wasn’t dead. Apart from that, he also saw the fear look on her eyes, like any mother worried for the well-being of her son.

To conclude his conversation with Aprophil, Lord Balrus gave the ultimatum advise, “Have your ships sail back to your harbor the moment you land in Prophis, leave just five or ten for emergencies. If you lose, you’ll still have your ships and your power in Whitebridge, if you win… which is unlikely ─ I’ll come to see you” he said and then managed a smile at the end.

Aprophil moved himself closer to Lord Balrus and managed a tight hug, a very crucial and needed hug in times like those. Lord Balrus kissed his dark hairs and wished him luck, his one sentimental piece of advice was reminding Aprophil that dying on the battlefield wasn’t an option and he must flee when they are overpowered.

The fleet passed through Blackmount after three days of sailing from Whitebridge, however, they didn’t dock. Only Miranda halted for an hour in order to let Lord Balrus go and from there, the journey continued towards the North. Lord Balrus’s heart was heavy and he clearly didn’t want to let Aprophil go, then again he felt as if he had let down his King.

Later on, Lord Akirbus and Lord Angun joined Lord Balrus inside his manse for a small gathering. A note was sent to each of them early on to invite them to the manse, and that Lord Balrus had something important to say to them. In the past it would usually be the four of them, but now ever since Lord Dagon died during the terrible fever erupt, only three of tem remained.

Lord Akirbus was the first one to speak as soon as he arrived in Lord Balrus’s manse, he found Lord Angun there already. “What is this about? Is the King in danger?” he asked.

Lord Balrus remained silent with his glass of wine, and he was not usually silence so there must be something wrong ─ Lord Akirbus thought so and he slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. Lord Angun quipped in. “It’s about his son” he said.

Lord Akirbus was struck with wonderment, his eyes popped up “His son?” he asked.

“Not really his son, but he raised him in such a way. Aprophil Arteides, that’s what troubles him”

“Oh! The bastard” said Lord Akirbus releasing a deep breath.

Suddenly Lord Balrus spoke and he wasn’t so pleased, “He is not a bastard” he said angrily. “How many times must I say that he is not a bastard?” he went on to complain.

Then Lord Akirbus seemed to be startled by Lord Balrus’s reaction, “Would you rather he be known as the true first legitimate son of King Luca Arteides? And that he is the true heir to the Sweet Waters throne? The Dragon King wouldn’t be so pleased, and he might burn him to secure his claim” he challenged Lord Balrus to this, and when Lord Balrus grew silent. He uttered the words “That’s what I thought my Lord, so a bastard is what he will be referred to for his own safety.”

Lord Balrus remained silent and he didn’t challenge Lord Akirbus any longer on the topic of Aprophil being a bastard, which of course it was for his own safety.

“What happened to him? Is he dead?” Lord Akirbus kept on going.

This time Lord Angun was the one replying, “Not yet, but he will be soon”

‘Why is that?”

“He has taken himself to war with the Taelins, he sides with the young Prince”

Lord Akirbus wasn’t expecting this, hence he turned to look at Lord Balrus. “Couldn’t have stopped him?” he asked.

“I tried, but the boy wouldn’t listen. He is feisty just like his father” Lord Balrus drank his wine slowly. “He says the boy reminds him of his own claim to Sweet Waters throne, and that he wished he could have fought for it”