anwhile, Oriana strolled through the garden alongside Queen Julien, who took the opportunity to discuss the responsibilities Oriana would assu starting that day.
"Today, I have invited the ladies from noble families. You shall join ," Julien announced.
"Yes, mother."
"These won are not to be underestimated. Unseen by others, they could either beco troubleso or our strongest allies. It’s within our power to shape which outco will prevail. Rember, politics isn’t solely the domain of n; we too must play our part. By influencing these won, we can manage various situations indirectly through their husbands, who will be handled by our n. We must be clever in our approach..." Julien continued to explain, concluding with, "I have watched you interact, Oriana, and I can tell you are versed in handling people, so I do not have to worry about you."
"Erin is sensible, Evie is innocent and the other two lack brains," Oriana answered, making Julien laugh at her honesty.
Julien’s light, sweet laughter drew the attention of nearby servants, as it was a rare sight for them to see.
"Your evaluations are quite accurate," the Queen remarked, "Erin will be invaluable as a steadfast confidante of yours. Evie, with her serenity and innocence, will provide a pleasant counterbalance. And as for the other two—they are crucial in their own way."
"Huh?" Oriana expressed her surprise at the last comnt. "Crucial?"
"Yes," the queen affird, "while they may be irritating at tis, they can be imnsely valuable when the need arises. They will serve as your personal informants, the sources of the happenings within other noble families and it’s due to their fondness for gossip. It’s important for us to stay inford about the internal dynamics of other noble houses. Moreover, their lack of brain you say, is your advantage."
"Easy to manipulate?" Oriana inquired.
Julien nodded, adding, "Indeed, these four, each with their distinct traits, will compensate for the absence of a broader circle of people around you, now that you are far removed from the life of a commoner. While handling the other two, you will get first hand experience on how to handle troubleso people without having to resort to extre ans and learn to get along with them. The outside world you lived in, is straightforward where either you live or die. But here, you have to stay in between, dealing the things in political correct way," the queen sighed, "Politics? the worst thing to get into, but there is no other choice for the likes of us. who holds power."
"I understand, mother," Oriana replied, gaining a deeper appreciation for the queen’s strategic foresight.
As planned by the queen, the noblewon soon began arriving at the Rose Palace. The grand hall, where Queen Julien often entertained guests over tea, was exquisitely prepared to welco them.
----
After discussing the important matters with his father, Arlan retuned to the Thistle Palace where Yorian was waiting for him in his study.
"I see Snowflake around," Yorian comnted with a knowing tone.
"Her body started to get weaker so I had to take Snowflakes help but it was not enough so I had to resort to my way," Arlan explained.
"The essence you provided should have sustained her longer, but the stone’s presence is accelerating her deterioration. It senses Oriana and affects her more rapidly. Even if we prevent the stone from getting closer to Oriana, it will continue to drain her as long as it remains in the mortal realm," Yorian elaborated. "It’s a thod to coerce her return to the demon realm. That Lord is cunning; he placed that stone here with ease."
"Can’t we send that rock back to the demon realm?" Arlan inquired.
"None of us can enter there; it’s sealed by Esray’s powers. Only Oriana has that ability."
"What would happen if the stone reached Oriana? Even if it did, that Lord couldn’t just erge from the demon realm to take her," Arlan reasoned.
"That rock is not simply a dium to detect her presence, but...."
"But?"
"The mont it reaches Oriana, it would act as a dium to take her away with it and none of us would be able stop it. We are not that powerful enough to battle against the other realm."
Arlan sighed and ran his hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair. "I can’t leave the capital yet with everything that’s happening. Can I just mark her here?"
"To mark her, her body needs to be stable. Given that the rock has sensed her, I doubt it is," Yorian responded.
"Would it harm her if I tried to mark her in this state?"
"It wouldn’t cause harm directly, but if it fails, you might lose Oriana altogether, and then you’ll have Esray to contend with," Yorian warned.
Arlan’s expression shifted to one of shock. "Are you serious?"
"Before I ca here, I spoke with Sierra. She has unique knowledge about the Demon Realm, and we must trust her," Yorian replied, his tone grave. "The bond forming is a powerful and divine phenonon, too intense for Oriana’s human body. Facing this force, her stronger self, Esray, might take over, pushing the weaker, human Oriana aside. Essentially, when you mark her, you need her to be physically strong and stable."
"Would taking her to Agartha help?" Arlan asked, his tone laden with worry, his mind racing.
Agartha is protected by a shield powered by the Black Dragon and the collective life energies of other powerful supernaturals. This barrier prevents any external forces from penetrating and conceals Agartha from the world’s view, shielding it from malicious energies. That shield is the reason why I can’t send magical letters to Agartha; the shield blocks all outside powers from infiltrating the kingdom—it’s exceptionally strong. This shield might help create a barrier between Oriana and that stone."
"Give a few days. My father needs here. Once the urgent matters are resolved, I’ll take her to Agartha myself. Alternatively, you could take her ahead, and I’ll join you later."
"There’s no need to rush," Yorian assured him.
"But what if it’s too late, or she’s in danger?"
"We have the situation under control for now," Yorian reassured him. "Fulfill your duties here as crown prince, and when you’re ready, you’ll need to explain everything to her and bring her along."
"It won’t take long," Arlan responded, then summoned Imbert.
"Your Highness?"
"What’s the status on Marquis Mortir?"
"They will arrive today. Their entourage is nearing the city," Imbert inford him.
"And Alex?"
"Lord Nathaniel has summoned him."
"Alright."
After Imbert departed, Yorian remarked, "This new person seems like they will be interesting."
"They won’t be, not when I eventually bring about their downfall," Arlan declared.
"So much animosity," Yorian mused. "I’ll be watching to see how this unfolds."
"I won’t stop you from enjoying the spectacle."
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