The King had fallen.

But the Kingdom had not.  It remained strong, away from the enemies’ prying hands.  It was possible for the enemies to seize the land since its main ruler was no longer present, but the Queen’s reign did not sway even for one bit.  Deep down the grieving heart, the strength never visible to anybody made the Queen refused to give up the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

Egralth remained strong.

The Queen knew she needed to stay on the throne not for long, for she had a son, one of the King’s heirs, waiting to claim the throne.  The Prince only needed to wait for a few months until he was ripened enough for the Coronation to take place.  The Queen was only strong for the King’s children, also her children; each of them was waiting to mature to rule the Kingdom with their wisdom and determination.

The Queen took no time to mourn for the death of her beloved husband because the Kingdom will suffer under the rule of a weak leader.

“I summon my children at once, to the Chamber of Durmaz,” said the Queen to Grand Vizier, who was the only and the eldest brother of the King, the King’s right hand, and her right hand at the moment.

The Chamber of Durmaz had been a loyal witness of many meetings of the royal family.  It had seen the naming of the new Grand Vizier so many times, the talk of Kings of many Kingdoms, the announcement of new Decrees and more important matters.  This was one of the many times it will witness a meeting between the ruler and the heirs.

+++++

After the Queen left the chamber, the six young princes and princesses did not move from their seats.  The words of the Queen had held them thinking and such thinking was critical for the future of their beloved Kingdom.

The eldest, a man waiting to be crowned, should he choose to accept the position, was looking rather grave in the face.  The sudden death of the King in the battlefield seemed to age him a lot.  He sat on the mahogany chair, thinking of the future he was supposed to pursue at the moment and the future he had long ago pictured in his mind.

The second was a young lady, whose face was always bright with smile, currently lined with worries.  She was too young to claim the throne, neither was she required to do so, for the Heir of the Throne would be lined first with men in the family.  Nevertheless, huge responsibility was laid in front of her.  She too, like the eldest, can choose between her own ambition and the people’s needs.

The third was a very young man, too early to be crowned but had ventured out journeys in the age so young, although none of them had matured him enough.  Forced to accept the challenge of his late father, he had stood to fight, trained to serve his own Kingdom.  He had always man the border and therefore refused to forgive himself for not able to save his father in the recent battle to help their ally Kingdom.

The fourth was a girl, just reached the late teenage years of hers, yet old enough to understand the situation so dire which the Kingdom was facing.  She was no wiser than her older siblings.  All she could do was waiting for another instruction to be told, another command to be followed, for she was not experienced enough to put forward any suggestion.

The fifth was at his early adolescent, heart was still burning wild and inner soul was still raging.  He might have heard the Queen’s words but would not be able to understand the burden buried in each words.  He would not understand the responsibility weighed each of their future action.  He sat there with empty eyes.

The youngest of them was a little girl slightly more matured than the fifth in her thinking, but otherwise was still unable to carry the words of their mother.  The situation was fully understood, but there’s nothing a little girl like her could do to aid the older ones.  She could only learn more before she was ripened enough to help.

“The King has fallen and those who had sworn allegiance to us betrayed but one.  I will rule for as long as the Kingdom needs to wait for the rightful King to claim the throne.  But, not for long.  The enemies draw nearer and our allies left us.  We are short of wealth except for one offer from our only ally.  I had shown others that the Kingdom is still under the reign of the royal blood.  But, otherwise further action is taken, the Kingdom will fall.”

That was the Queen’s words to them.  As the command sank, the siblings had not spoken a word at all.  They were drowned in their own thoughts, plotting further action to be taken, considering the possibilities and calculating the risks.  In the end, the youngest broke the pregnant silent.

“We shall go to the dining chamber, shall we not?  It is time for supper,” Sunyoung suggested.

Sunyoung, the youngest and yet was always the calmest among them.  She looked like the late King the most but she did not possess his wisdom.  Being the youngest of the siblings, she did take some things for granted but she still tried her best to learn the hardship of managing the Kingdom through the three older siblings.  Nonetheless, she still inherited the King’s leadership skill.

Yoseob, the third one, stood up and be the first to left the room, feeling disappointed with the whole situation.

The prince was known for being ill-tempered but less noticed for his very compassionate quality inherited from the Queen, perhaps because he was one of the best Knights the Kingdom could have.  He seldom could control his anger or disappointment though.  He was also the most creative in the royal family and he had thought that the Queen should have done better in handling the Kingdom.

Gyuri followed Yoseob with only her eyes and then directed her gaze to Seunghyun, still waiting for any signal from him.

Gyuri, the second of the siblings, the first princess, was known for her intelligence.  The total opposite of Yoseob, she was known for her complete control of her anger.  She seldom shouted but most of her anger was channelled through her words or texts, for she was very clever in delivering her thoughts with subtlety.

“Let us dine and then we shall go straight to bed.  We shall give our full thoughts about this as soon as the Sun rises,” commanded the eldest.

Seunghyun was not the smartest but he was the most logical and most rational among all.  He possessed his father’s wisdom and indeed, he was named the first to the throne, after his uncle, now the Grand Vizier declined the position.  He did not always put others’ needs before himself, but sometimes was willing to sacrifice should the situation proven worthy of it.

All of them rose from their chairs and followed Seunghyun’s lead.  While doing so, Sooyoung gave Jonghyun a glare that could kill, for he intended to disobey the eldest and went back to his bedroom.

Jonghyun, the fifth of the siblings was well known for his rebellious streak.  He was known as the black sheep of the family because he was the most different of them all.  He inherited none of the King’s or the Queen’s quality.  He was not intelligent; in fact, he was the stupidest among them.  Nonetheless, the prince has the strongest memories, but his laziness lead to his failure in learning.  Still, Jonghyun had the ability to remember things at his first sight or hearing.

Jonghyun had to stop his initial plan to spend the night straight away in his personal chamber.  Instead, he followed the others to the dining chamber.  As much as a rebel he was, he would never want to make Sooyoung mad.

Unlike Yoseob, Sooyoung, the fourth in the family, was better tempered but she could never hold her anger like Gyuri.  Truth be told, Sooyoung was slightly cracked in the head.  She would be a beast at one moment and sickeningly sweet at another.  However, she bested the others in culinary.  She was not a perfect example of a princess either but she could be one if she put her focus on it.

As they reached the dining chamber, they dined silently because nobody dared talking.  Yoseob picked on his food without even raising his head.  Seunghyun and Gyuri engaged in a staring competition.  Sooyoung seemed to quite enjoy her food.  Jonghyun only managed to drank his hot milk without any distinct look in his eyes.  Sunyoung forced food down .  After that, all of them were quite glad to spend the rest of the night in their own personal chambers.

+++++

“Just two years.  Then, I’ll come back with fortune worth a hundred years for this Kingdom,” Gyuri said firmly, facing the floor but eyes were so determine.

Their mother did not object, but neither did she say that she agreed on that.  Seunghyun closed his eyes, trying to think wisely under the dilemma that he faced.  The three youngest siblings only stared at each other.  But, Yoseob was clearly angry.

“That is selfish,” he accused.

“But, it is for the greater good,” Gyuri raised her eyes to him, ready to counter any argument that went against her ideas.

“Two years that cost the Kingdom’s fortune?” Yoseob asked.

“And bring back a hundred years fortune,” she calmly replied, but eyes dangerously piercing Yoseob’s gaze.

“And what should we do in those two years?  What should our people do during those two years?”  Yoseob countered.

“Be patient,” Gyuri answered.

“That’s the best you could offer?” Yoseob raised his voice ever-so-slightly.  Gyuri breathed in.

“What else do you expect me to do?  This suggestion is to bring back definite wealth.  Our only ally offers their wealth, if we agree to send them all we have.  It is a profitable investment,” Gyuri tried again.

“What about Seunghyun?  He could go to Ibaidur and fulfil his dream as an alchemist, at the same time tie a relationship with Ibaidur and bring back fortune for Egralth all the same,” Yoseob argued.

“The fortune is not as big as this offer.  All of us in this room know it,” Gyuri stated.

“Then, send Seunghyun to Erimisth.  Why is it always you?  Why is it always you that get to go?” Yoseob asked.

Gyuri was silenced by her brother’s argument.  She knew that the conversation was no longer of the Kingdom’s importance.  It was very personal.  It was jealousy.  It was centred on the childish feud she thought was long forgotten.  She looked directly at Yoseob and saw it in his eyes, the jealousy.

“Why is it always me?” Gyuri repeated Yoseob’s question, tone laced with disappointment, “You know that I travelled through lands because father sent me.  You know that he was the one that sent me for port trading apprenticeship under a few masters in faraway lands.  He sent me, Yoseob and being the scholar I am, it is quite clear that I am the one in this chamber that could represent Egralth to receive this offer and make a deal with them,” Gyuri said, eyes started to water now.

The whole room had now looked at them, not knowing how to interfere the argument.  Yoseob shrugged and looked away from Gyuri, showing his dissatisfaction with Gyuri’s argument.  Gyuri looked at Seunghyun, asking for opinion any wiser than hers.  Seunghyun looked at her and gave a small smile before he delivered his thoughts.

“Gyuri is right.  Father had silently trained us for certain responsibilities we need to fulfil in the future.  Gyuri has the skill and intelligence in port trading.  She has the experiences from her travelling to few Kingdoms.  Those skills and knowledge are required for Egralth to seal this deal.  They offer us the wealth, so we need to offer them our skill and our resources.  The rest is depending on how Gyuri would seal the deal,” Seunghyun said wisely.

Yoseob shook his head.

“I don’t think so.  Gyuri gets to travel and learn a bunch while you stay here to lead the Kingdom?  I stay here to man the boundary?  Unfair, totally unfair,” Yoseob threw his hands in the air clearly exasperated.

“My dear brother Yoseob, your sister Gyuri could bring us a better future to the Kingdom.  Besides, it is not a gamble.  It is a future so sure to obtain with a little sacrifice.  Sooyoung will soon finished her apprenticeship with Lord Etruton and be able to govern the House of Aroseph.  She will manage the economy, you know she will do that just right,” Seunghyun said while looking at Sooyoung confidently.  Sooyoung hesitated for a while after being suddenly addressed like that but still nodded to Yoseob.

“What about the House of Feanor?  Who is going to govern it?  You know uncle is going to retire in one year and Gyuri has been named as the next Grand Vizier,” Yoseob stated.

Egralth was known for its monarchy system.  The ruler have to be from the royal bloodlines and will be advised by a House consists of four counsellors, including the Grand Vizier and the leader of other Houses.  This House of Feanor and is governed by the Grand Vizier.  Meanwhile, House of Aroseph was led by the Chief Treasurer.

“My son, I will be the Acting Chief of the House of Feanor,” the Queen finally interfered the conversation, “And I see no other argument in Gyuri’s decision,” her tone indicated such finality that made Sunyoung shuddered.

“Why does she always get what she wants?  And I have to stay here fighting for the Kingdom, avoid it from falling to the mad enem