Avyaan stared at the seals for a good moment before he swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry. He looked up at the officer before opening the letter.

  The Elven one first.

  To His Radiance, Dynast Avyaan of the Samara Empire,

  The effects of the silence has reached Nyxos. We were told to write to you for mutual interest and stability. We don’t know what that means.

  But our advisers said you’d understand.

  We hope for peace to return to both our empires. We hope the same for Gods as well.

  We hope you are well.

  By Her Purity, Augusta Selena.

  Avyaan’s expression softens as he reads. He felt as if a boulder was taken away from his shoulders when he saw that the letter was not about war.

  But he hates that feeling.

  He looks up at the minister of foreign affairs. Well.. her child.

  “Um.. do you have information on Augusta Selena..?”

  The acting minister freezes but rushes towards the scroll room. They are older than Avyaan but he can’t help but feel sorry for them.

  They come with a few scrolls in hand, tea coloured manuscripts covered in green fabric. They nervously cleared their throat and placed the scrolls in front of Avyaan.

  “Your Radiance, Selena Haloeth is the new Augusta of the Nyxos Empire after the.. Silence.

  A pause

  “She is the fourth heir of the late Augustus Zephyrus.”

  Avyaan frowns.

  Well.. he had a guess it was a child behind the letter but he didn’t want it to be true.

  “How old is she?”

  “..twelve, Your Radiance.”

  The acting minister replies, carefully.

  Avyaan nodded wordlessly and looked back at the letter, pausing before folding it neatly.

  Then came the Hybrid’s letter.

  He opens the envelope with great gentleness and pulls out the letter.

  To Dynest Avyaan

  Our people are scared. I am told that I’m in charge.

  I don’t want to be enmies with Samara. My advisers said we never were.

  I hope that remains the same.

  Please write back

  By Mansa Goren.

  Avyaan almost winced at the please write back. The writing was messy with typos.

  “And… Mansa Goren, is he the new Mansa of the Alkebulan?”

  “Yes, your Radiance.”

  Avyaan slowly nods, he bites the inside of his lip before he reaches out to one of the scrolls.

  “Which scroll is about him?”

  “This one, Your Radiance!”

  “Seriously? How many times more will they say, ‘Your radiance’.” Avyaan thinks to him as he takes the scroll

  Avyaan skims through the parchment.

  There he sees his age.

  Nine.

  He realized how he was luckier than some.

  Then he closes the scroll and neatly folds the letter.

  As if that would do anything.

  And then it goes back in the envelope.

  Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

  “Is there anything else?”

  The acting central minister of Kush comes forward.

  “Your Radiance.. The floods have seriously damaged many cities. And not just in Kush.. but other provinces as well.”

  “I..”

  Avyaan looks around, no one was meeting his eyes. Why would they? They were just children or poor servants in place of their lords.

  “What are the damages? Casualties?”

  The acting minister hesitates before he opens his own scroll

  “The farms are affected the worst, Your Radiance. Then lower districts. And casualties.. We don’t have a specific number but several hundreds at minimum.”

  Silence after the boy said that.

  Avyaan freezes. His hands stilled on the silk he was playing with.

  Hundreds?

  At minimum?

  Avyaan looks behind him. At Nirav who looks just as stiff as him.

  He then looks back at the minister.

  “What should we do?”

  Silence for another few moments.

  Avyaan fidgets with his clothes again.

  Then,

  “Open the treasure vault.”

  A high-pitched voice cuts in.

  A girl wearing an orange coat, steps forward.

  Orange. Natural resources.

  “Your Radiance, I don’t mean to be disrespectful but the vaults are of no use if they remain closed.”

  Suddenly an older minister, the minister of rations bristled and came forward.

  “You girl! How dare you address His Radiance with such audacity?!"

  “I was merely stating the obvious, Madam.”

  “You—!”

  “Ah— Madam, she meant no harm.”

  The acting minister of Kush, Kaurav stepped in.

  “Oh, quiet you boy! Did your mother not teach you any manners?”

  Kaurav bristled

  “Don’t bring my mother in this!”

  The minister huffed

  “Then hold your tongue before she has to do it for you!”

  Kaurav’s chair scrapes back

  “This is gett—!” Someone, tried to calm the room down

  “This is why children shouldn’t be allowed on the board!”

  A man spoke, maybe 19 years old. A gleam in his eyes.

  He was enjoying this.

  And the girl that started all this was quietly reading her scroll as if nothing happened.

  The minister noticed her and gritted her teeth

  “You insolent—”

  Kaurav stopped her, glaring at her

  “This won’t feed K—”

  Many voices started to overlap and Avyaan stared at the chaos in front of him with wide eyes. This reminded him of someone..

  Soren. His brother

  But he knew now wasn’t the time. He took a deep breath and leaned back against his throne. His gaze with endless patience, sweeping over the ministers one by one.

  The first one to realize was the lady who tried to calm things down. She sat back down with her head bowed.

  And the last was the minister when she realized that the whole council was silent. She looked like a tomato while arguing with Kaurav.

  When she looked back at Avyaan, he gave her a stiff smile.

  “She was only answering my question..”

  She sat down, her face somehow turning redder.

  Avyaan’s gaze turned towards the girl.

  She scared him.

  “Thank you for your suggestion, Lady..?”

  “Dhara, your Radiance."

  The girl, Dhara bowed gracefully.

  Avyaan forced a smile and the hall fell into awkward silence.

  He fiddled with his necklace, not knowing what to say.

  Then the bells rang.

  Once. Twice.

  Kaurav bows down to Avyaan and the others follow suit.

  “Shall we continue tomorrow, your Radiance?”

  Avyaan nodded, maybe a bit too quickly.

  He stood up and everyone else did as well before he started walking down the hall, people inclining their heads as he once again fixed his crown.

  Nirav follows closely behind as always, his hand on the hilt of the sword.

  As they tread closer and closer to the nursery, they could hear wailing cries.

  “Oh no..”

  Avyaan thought to himself as he hurried his pace, almost jogging as he fixed his crown.

  The peacocks weren’t dancing nor were the birds singing or perhaps Avyaan didn’t notice.

  Finally, he reached the nursery and froze.

  The normally neat and clean chamber was cluttered with toys, clothes, and food. Siham’s dolls were everywhere, the nursemaid was trying to calm the cries of Kairav, whose tiny face was scrunched up and cheeks red.

  And not to mention how loud Siham’s voice was. Avyaan almost wished he had that kind of lung power.

  Avyaan snapped out of it and entered. Immediately, Siham looked up and hurriedly got to her feet and ran to Avyaan.

  She collided with Avyaan, causing his crown to topple off. He balanced himself, one hand holding his crown upright and the other on Siham’s head.

  Siham’s tiny fists were curled up around Avyaan’s clothes, she was mostly dramatically gasping rather than crying now that her brother was within her sight.

  Avyaan looked up and saw the nursemaid bowing while holding Kairav. He nodded while hugging Siham.

  “What’s wrong, Siham?”

  “BWAAAAAAHHH!”

  That paired with Kairav’s now louder crying was enough to make even Nirav wince.

  “And what on Elysira is a ‘Bwah’?” But he can’t scream at her.. He knew what happened when mother did.

  Instead, he took her in his arms and wiped her reddened cheeks.

  “Calm down… nothing’s wrong, Siham.”

  She sniffs, but again isn’t screaming and Kairav isn’t wailing.

  Still crying but not wailing

  “There.. Now can you tell me what happened?”

  She points at the poor baby

  “Bwacewet..”

  “Bracelet? That pearl one?” Avyaan thinks to himself as he searches the room for it.

  “..Bracelet? Did Kairav take it?”

  She shakes with furrowed brows. And then glares at the nursemaid. Oh dear… what did this poor woman do now?

  “Bwoke it!”

  He sighs and looks at the nanny with mock disappointment as he shakes his head.

  “That’s unacceptable.” He pouts, his voice is louder so Kairav stops crying, and makes grabby hands at him that makes him want to squish his adorable cheeks.

  “It’s rather hard to imagine that Nirav was one.”

  “But isn’t Aunt Zara your favorite, Siham? And the bracelet can be fixed..”

  Siham pauses for a moment and ponders with great thought. Then she nods.

  “Great. Now, why don’t you go hug her?”

  He set her down even through her protests. He first went to the nanny, Zara and smiles at her as he takes Kairav from her arms who immediately leans against their chest.

  Avyaan cooed and looked at Nirav who looked as if he was watching paint dry.

  He huffs before placing a kiss on Kairav’s forehead.

  And yet Nirav has the audacity to raise a brow??

  He looks away. No need to give that wall any attention. Instead he now looks at Siham who is hugging Zara tightly. While the nursemaid pats her head.

  Kairav takes his attention again by tugging on Avyaan's black hair.

  Avyaan winces. Kairav’s eyes widen and he whimpers.

  “Oh it’s okay.. Just don’t do that, okay?”

  He smiles as he fixes his crown.

  Kairav lays his head down on Avyaan’s chest

  and he suddenly thinks of the letters.

  “Vayu.. how should I write them back..?”

  He didn’t realize he was praying.

  But that’s a good question isn’t it?