The crowd dispersed quickly, with people walking briskly to make up for the lost time and giving rushed apologies for eavesdropping.


    Once Lith was done, they moved to the corridor leading to the Throne Room and Ekler followed them.


    "I''m sorry, but there''s quite a few people in your group and no one is allowed to roam these corridors unsupervised." He said. "Please, consider me your escort, not your warden."


    The visit went on undisturbed until they reached the Throne Room. The Royals conducted most of their business inside their private quarters, using the Throne Room only for ceremonies and public events so that day it was empty.


    Yet four Royal Guards stood on the four corners of the raised dais where the thrones stood, watching in silence at the guests.


    "You can go anywhere you want but on the dais." Captain Ekler said. "Only the Royals can climb those steps and touch the thrones. Anyone else would be immediately arrested and detained for insubordination to the Crown."


    While Lith kept giving his family a tour of the ce and recounted to them the highlights of Meron''s achievements, he had two more spectators than he had anticipated.


    "Do we have to be honored or offended that he didn''t request an audience with us despiteing to the Royal Pce?" Queen Sylpha asked.


    "You should be honored." King Meron grunted. "Verhen has nothing to tell us. Requesting an audience while he ys tourist would be nothing more than a power y. A demonstration he can ask for our presence for futile reasons and we have to oblige."


    "Why just me?" Sylpha chuckled. "What about you?"


    "He''s tearing me apart!" Meron pointed at the hologram while Lith narrated one of the most embarrassing moments of his life as the Crown Prince. "Where did he learn this stuff? I''m quite sure I had it redacted from the official records.


    "And why are the Guardsughing? More importantly, why are you?" The King was beet reed as Lith described the dreaded stirrups ident that had preceded the battle for Belius.


    "Because it''s hrious." Sylpha replied. "Did it really happen?"


    "Yes, and you''d better remember that I''ve killed for much less, woman!" Meron snarled as Lith recounted another ident the King wished erased from history.


    Decades ago, at the crack of dawn, tired from an all-nighter of negotiations, the then-Crowned Prince and future King had entered the wrong tent and been caught taking a dump by a Duchess and her entire retinue.


    "Oh, dear." Sylphaughed harder. "I thought the first thing you had to learn in the great game of politics was to never let the opponent catch you with your pants down."


    "That''s not funny!" Meron mmed his fist on the table as the Royal Fortress armors rattled due to their owners'' desperate attempts to hold in theirughter. "I became Prince Smellon for months. Not to mention the wild rumors about my genitals those gossips spread!"


    "I know." Sylpha had to sit down so as not to roll on the floor. "He just got to that part."


    Meron went pale as he had to listen again about the conflicting ims he was either endowed like a horse or a mouse.


    "Jokes aside, do you think we should meet Lith?" The Queen asked while holding her belly and gasping for air. "I mean, he and Menadion are here. It would be a nice gesture from us."


    "Stop gasping for air, dammit!" The King didn''t know who, but someone had to die before sunset. "That said, I think we shouldn''t intrude. It''s just an unofficial visit and we''d just ruin the mood. Unless…"


    "Kami, Lith, I''d really like to visit the Gardens of Saefel." Elina said. "Is it a problem for you?"


    She had never visited the inner park of the Royal Pce and was curious about it. Yet she knew it held bad memories for both Lith and Kam. It was the ce where Quy had apparently been murdered in front of Lith''s eyes and Kam had been kidnapped.


    "It''s fine for me, Elina." Kam replied and Lith nodded.


    "Dammit, I jinxed it." Meron sighed. "You go. I''ll wait here."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it." Sylpha understood his desire to stay out of sight from a group of women who were probably still wondering about his privates. "By the way, in case you need it, remember our bathroom is that way."


    "Sylpha!" Meron roared, d there was no one to listen.


    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t help it." She giggled before Warping away.


    The Gardens of Saefel were not only a ce filled with the smell of finely cut grass, with flower beds, and trimmed bushes that adorned the cobblestone paths that went across the whole park as far as the eye could see.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    It was also a ce of beauty, where every single tree, every single topiary figure had been ced so as to not hinder the sight of the visitors. It allowed them to admire with a single gaze severalpositions at the same time, allowing the beautifulndscape of the Gardens to always be greater than the sum of its parts.


    Statues and topiaries of the First Queen were everywhere. She was either depicted with the First King or with their children.


    The women of the Verhen family aed and sighed at the testament to Valeron the First''s love for Tyris, wishing their men could make them subjects of such adoration.


    "This ce is so beautiful. How could anyone defile it with blood and murder?" Elina asked. "Are you sure you are alright, Kami?"


    "I have nothing to fear, Elina, but thank you." Under any other circumstance, the memory of her recent assault would have haunted the Gardens like a vengeful spirit.


    Yet while holding Lith''s hand, Kam felt safe and protected. Even in the unlikely event someone could overpower both the defenses of the Pce and her husband, the little life in her womb would protect her against any threat.


    "You are correct, Lady Magus." Captain Ekler said. "After what happened to you, the full set of elemental sealing arrays is nowplemented by an energy dome. Nothing cane in or out of the Gardens while there are people inside."


    He pointed at the small birds that tried to either enter or leave the area but were stopped by an invisible barrier.


    "I''d preferred not to know." Elina curled her lips. "This ce looks like a prison now."


    "I understand your feelings, but after two attempts against loyal subjects of the Kingdom took ce in the same spot, it was clear that the Gardens'' security issues couldn''t be overlooked any longer." Queen Sylpha walked through one of the side doors and joined the Verhens.


    "Your Majesty." Lith and the others gave her a deep bow while Ekler just rapped his fist against his breastte in respect not to lower his guard.


    "Please, stand up. I didn''t mean to intrude." Sylpha replied. "I just wanted to reassure you the Gardens are now as safe as the rest of the Pce and express my regret for the recent security breach."


    "It wasn''t your fault, Your Highness." Kam bowed again. "I was reckless and almost paid the price."


    "Nonsense." The Queen shook her head.