Chapter 727 - Loriel's Arrival
The queen was rendered speechless. She imdiately rushed toward the banquet hall and look for Maxim. She needed to know if that was really him!
"M-Maxim?" Emlyn croaked out. Her steps halted as soon as she ca close to the forr king of Sumria.
The man looked almost just like how she rembered him and, save for the couple of years that were now visible in his face, he looked much younger than both Emlyn and Mars, her husband.
Huh? This was strange, Mars thought to himself.
He was now 46 years old, and Emlyn was 42. They were healthy and still looked good for their ages. However, this man before her… didn't look a day older than thirty? Perhaps even 28.
Did he encounter the fountain of youth or sothing??
"I go by another na now," Loriel crookedly grinned at his old friend. "You can call Loriel."
Mars didn't exactly look as amused or pleased as his wife but he nodded at the man as a gesture and instead glanced at his daughter.
"We and Loriel will have a private talk to catch up. We haven't seen each other for a really long ti." Mars smiled gently at his daughter. "You can continue on with the party."
For once, Princess Harlow nodded and threw one last look at Loriel and her mother as they were leaving the banquet hall.
***
"So not… Maxim," Emlyn pursed her lips. "Right?"
"Yes. You may call Loriel now." Loriel cleared his throat. "I like the na better."
"Then, what brings you here, Loriel?" Emlyn asked. Her eyes were wide and she pointed at his face. "Did you happen to learn magic or get a youth potion? It's like you've never aged at all."
People knew that magic tended to help slow down the aging process to a certain extent. That was how they encountered Renwyck before and other powerful spellcasters. A hint of power was revealed in their appearance.
"I've finally co here as I promised to you before," Loriel said. "I've been traveling here and there."
Emlyn was at a loss for words. "We have so much to catch up with. The last ti I saw you…"
"I have married my dear wife, Elise."
"So, I've heard."
"Now I'm traveling the world, wandering wherever I can while waiting until I can reunite with her again," Loriel said but then looked at their expression. "I do think that I ca at the wrong ti. Has sothing terrible happened? Your faces both look so tense."
Emlyn smiled sadly and then gestured for him to take a seat. "It's a long story. By the way, you've t my gorgeous daughter, Harlow, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have." Loriel nodded. "She takes a lot after you."
Emlyn raised a brow. "Oh, really? How?"
"Character-wise, I an."
"Ahhh… I can say yes to that." Emlyn laughed a little.
Mars crossed his arms and sighed. "My daughter received a letter from a mysterious man who calls himself the Ice Prince. The man sent gifts year after year here in Draec for Harlow, but today he sent a letter and said that he's betrothed to my daughter."
"The Ice Prince…?"
"Raphael," Emlyn explained. "We've t him, haven't we? Is this the sa Ice Prince, do you think? You were very suspicious of him before, but I trusted the man. I thought he would help us and I even gave him the most precious thing I had…"
"But it turned out to be your daughter." Loriel finished. "Is that right?"
"No, no… I didn't think he would trick like this," Emlyn's face contorted into pain and she clutched the letter with trembling hands. "Back then I only wanted to know about who cursed and I also learned how to revive the queen mother because of him. But now... I don't really know."
King Mars Strongmoor's eyes widened and he clenched his fist. "Unforgivable! So, he deceived you and he thinks that he can actually send a letter and try to take my daughter? I won't allow for this treachery."
"I… I was the fool, Mars." Emlyn said. She lowered her head and bit her lip. "I should have read in between the lines and assud the worst but…"
"He once healed before," Loriel smiled sadly. "Revived from the brink of death, this Raphael. However, he told that there was a debt to pay for it, Emlyn. I am afraid that the sa holds true for you."
"No!" Emlyn shouted and shook her head. Her eyes stung. "I can't give my daughter away to him. If I had known that it was going to be Harlow then I would have never talked or agreed with him at all."
"That snake pendant you gave to him, he deed it as not important enough," Loriel sighed and shook his head. "Perhaps we can talk with him? I don't know if I can lend my help and we will be able to…"
Emlyn looked at her old friend in the face. "Help us? Can you talk with him?"
"It's a bit difficult… since I was cast away from where Raphael and the gods all stay." Loriel cleared his throat.
"Wait. Did you just say gods?" Emlyn blinked.
"Yes. I think Raphael is the God of Healing and once healed King Alexander from Myreen," Loriel explained and thought about the situation with a grim expression. "However, perhaps we can co to another decision? Sothing not involving your daughter?"
"I'd challenge him upon our honor for deceiving us." King Mars' eyes narrowed slightly. "Why should we co begging for him to help us when it is obvious that he chose to lie and trick my wife? God or not, I refuse to bow down and beg. What will he even do? Freeze the kingdom to get my daughter?"
.
.
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From Missrealitybites:
If you read "The Cursed King", you will know why Maxim now went by the na 'Loriel', and why he is no longer the king of Sumria.
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