Chapter 4 Ravenna

CHAPTER 4

♦ Prince Leopold's POV♦

The king was explaining something, from what I can remember I think he is discussing about Ravenna, and why there are Suddenly attacking us, but my mind isn't here, I can't hear anything, only screams, my hands were shaking and my vision was blurring, I placed my hands on my knees trying to control it's shaking but it doesn't seem to be working, my vision is turning to red, the only thing I can see is red.

Maybe I should have just told dad I wasn't feeling good and got some sleep as mom said, the screams in the back of my mind was only getting louder, and it was paining my ears, I just want to shout stop, but I can't, I then quietly raised one of my hands and covered my ear with it.

Maybe I should leave, I need to calm down, if not I might loose control of my brain, I shook my head, I placed my other hand on the table about to stand up when dad called "son? Are you okay" he asked his voice filled with worries, and that was when the voice disappeared and my vision started turning clear, I looked up and saw everyone looking at me with their eyes filled with worries.

I turned and looked at dad before I gave him a small smile and replied " am okay dad I just wanted to stretch my legs" I said with my voice almost shaking, it's quite obvious I was lying but he doesn't ask again he just nodded before I went back and sat down.

Just then the guards announced the arrival of King Alistair Wynthorn, the king of Isoldean, with his son Prince Dorian Wynthorn, everyone looked up as the door opened and king Alistair and his son walked in while their guards stayed behind, Queen amara his wife and princess Arabella his youngest daughter weren't with him so I guessed they went to see mom.

King Alistair smiled at my dad before my dad stood up and they shook hands, "how have you been my friend" king Alistair questioned, dad was quiet for a while before he responded "fine as always" "good evening your majesty" Prince Dorian greeted my dad, "evening dorian how was the journey" dad asked "it was quiet good" dorian responded, I then stood up and said "welcome uncle" king Alistair smiled at me "you are good as always aren't you Leopold" he questioned" "I am" I replied shortly, he nodded before dad offered him a seat and him and his son sat down.

While my dad, king Alistair and the rest of the three kings that about to come are friends, we their children don't get along, and I guess is because they are all Arrogant as hell, the friendship of our kingdom and rest of the kingdom have been going on since our ancestors and our parents are really doing a good job at maintaining it, but I think The friendship will come to an end when our parents aren't on the throne anymore, cause it's quite obvious we won't continue that legacy.

We don't even speak to each other, if we do it's because our parents left us with no choice.

Just then the soldier announced the arrival of King Edric Thalor the king of Cairndor with his son Prince Edmund Thalor, his wife Queen Eveline also wasn't with him, so I guessed she is also with mom, they both walked in and their guards also stayed behind, we exchanged our greetings before they also took their seat.

Dad still hasn't started the meeting probably waiting for the rest of the kings to arrive, but i could feel eyes glaring at me, I looked at the direction of were I suspect the person is, the place were the kings are seated, just as I was about to spot the person the soldier announced the arrival of another king.

It was king Caelan drakemont the king of Valoria, with his two sons, Prince Sebastian, the oldest and Prince Lucius the youngest, his wife Queen Eleanor also wasn't here, so she is probably also with mom, the king walked in and his guards stayed behind, we also exchanged our pleasantries before they sat down.

While Prince Sebastian and Prince Lucius are brothers, they are still enemies, rumours have it that they have tried taking each other's life's countless times just to get the throne, and that, that's the reason king Caelan is still yet to crown one of them as the crown prince, and also among the Arrogant fools they are the most arrogant, they walk with so much pride where ever they are as if it's their territory.

"king Thorne is still yet to arrive?" king Caelan questioned, "yes, but he must be on his way" dad replied, Actually king Thorne is the most friendly among them, (including my dad) and Rumours has it that his son isn't as arrogant as the rest, am not the type that gossips or anything but one way or the other, I always hear rumours about the kings and their kingdoms.

The soldier announced the arrival of King Thorne Aurelius the king of crownstead with his son the crown prince, prince Julian, his wife Queen thalia also wasn't here so I guessed she is also with mom, but his son's fiancee I think she is called lady Ella was right behind them holding prince Julian's hands as if her life depends on it.

We exchanged our pleasantries before they also took their seats and as usual king Thorne had his usual smile plastered on his face.

"all of my friends and their kingdoms are in intact" king Thorne said before he laughed a little "of course Thorne" king Alistair replied, I looked at dad and he was about to speak when king Thorne said "well that's good to hear, I don't know why Alaric called for this meeting but I did like to invite you all to my son's wedding on the fifteenth of next month" he concluded.

"you should have invited us to a banquet before you announced such a good news" dad said smiling, king Thorne laughed a little before he said "well I wanted to do that, but you guy's must be quite busy to attend a banquet" dad nodded in agreement "well Thorne's son is getting married first, I wonder which of our son's will get married next" king Caelan said, "maybe my Arabelle will" king Alistair replied.

"well talking about Arabelle does she still likes Leopold" dad asked, I think I already know where this talk is heading too, Princess Arabelle likes me, since we were kids actually, but I don't like her, not because she isn't beautiful, just that she is also like her brother and the rest, arrogant, ignorant and selfish, am not so perfect myself but if I am to get married I want to marry a woman like my mom, caring, supportive, loving and protective.

Actually all the kings want to form and alliance with eldoria through marriage that's why they always say "Alaric you should have had two daughters, so that my son could have married one, since the other one is gone" and the reason is probably because eldoria is Wilder and richer than all the other Kingdoms except for Ravenna, which is the largest, Ravenna on it's own is a continent actually, it big, rich and secretive nobody knows a lot about it, even the top gossipers in the world.

"she is" king Alistair replied shortly, "how about we get them engaged" king Thorne suggested, I glared at him from the side of my eyes but from the smile on his face it's quite obvious he doesn't mean harm, he was just suggesting like a friend would "that's not a bad idea" dad said before he turned and looked at me "are you okay with that Leopold" he questioned.

I was quiet for a while before I said 'I will think about it father" dad nodded before he turned back to the kings "Alistair ask Arabelle again if she is still interested in my son" dad said, I looked at him before I sighed, I just said I was going to think about it but he is already asking her if she is interested.

One thing is for sure, I won't marry that princess, "arabelle is already eighteen, and Leopold is twenty one and he is the crown prince of eldoria, he should be engaged by now, so why not spare the engagement and just get them married" king Caelan suggested, I looked up at him before I noticed his son Prince Lucius was smirking at me, obviously to annoy me, all of the princes already know I don't like her, so he must be happy seeing me helpless, " fool" I cursed under my breath, since we were kid the king's always brings their kid's around or sometime's we go and visit them, dad will always ask us to go and play, unknown to them whenever there are out of side we just go our separate ways and everyone will just mind his business except for Arabelle who won't leave me alone and keep on following me around.

Actually that's how dad and my uncle's noticed she likes me, she is always just clinging to me.

"I think they is still time for the engagement though" king Alistair responded, I have to find a way to get them off this topic, I looked up at uncle Thorne hoping for him to lock eyes with me but he just isn't looking at my direction, I was about to give up when his son whispered something to him, and he looked at me, I then gave him a look, begging him with my eyes to stop the from talking about the engagement that will never happen.

Well one thing I like about king Thorne is that he is always the understanding type and he understands eyes languages, he laughed a little before he shook his head at me and turned to face my dad "Alaric thought you called us here to discuss something important" he questioned, dad nodded in response before he said "well the Reason I invited all of you to eldoria a week ago is different from the reason I called you know" dad said "I wouldn't have invited you actually if you all have already left eldoria, but since you are already here, I decided to call and inform you all of what is happening in eldoria" he concluded.

By know the kings were looking at him curiously, dad sighed before he continued "The king of Ravenna has sent his soldier and they have took over a Ravenwood a region of Eldoria, he also sent them with a message saying, I should hand over eldoria to him if not we have to go to war" dad concluded, I looked at the kings but instead of seeing determination in their eyes, I saw fear.

Why are they all afraid, what's really this Ravenna kingdom all about, they were all quiet "you already know what happens when king Godric set his eyes on a kingdom right" king Caelan said in a serious tone, dad was quiet for a while before he replied "I do my friend, that's why I call you guy's here to ask for a solution".

"Ravenna is a dark kingdom, nobody is allowed in without the king orders and nobody is allowed out without the king orders, even if a bird gets in there without the king orders the bird shall be executed, The king, queen and crown prince of Ravenna are said to be more evil than the devil himself, the people there are living in misery, Ravenna is the larger compared to all our kingdoms brought together, and it has the army of more than ten million soldier's" king Alistair said, it was quite obvious he was trying to keep his voice intact.

King Thorne sighed heavily "even though eldoria is known for its army, it's nothing compared to eldoria's forces" he said "nobody has ever seen the king, queen or crown prince of eldoria even the people living there have never seen them, only high official's knows and sees their faces" king Alistair said.

"I know eldoria can't defeat Ravenna through war" dad said, I looked up at him with surprise, " eldoria military forces are great and powerful your majesty we can still stand a chance" general Arthur said, dad sighed heavily before he said "we can't defeat them through war" "what If they refuse to negotiate ?" duchess Eliza asked.

"well we have to find a way to negotiate with them" king Caelan said "we are all seated here to find a way to deal with this situation, is already known Ravenna has wiped out more than five kingdoms that have refused to surrender but mostly is kingdoms near to them, so I don't know why they are Suddenly eying Eldoria" king Thorne said.

"my friends I called you hear to ask for advice, I won't push you all into my mess" dad said, "what are you saying Alaric, all of us here are like family we support one another" king Alistair said earning a glare from his son, "You already know kingdom Ravenna won't spare any of us if we get in their way right" prince Sebastian asked, earning a glare from his dad.

Dad was about to speak when king Caelan said "don't mind him he was just a bit concerned, even if we need to go to war we will fully support you till the end of it all" he concluded, dad smiled before he said, "I am grateful my friends, well I think while we are discussing our advisors and general should also discuss and come up with a solution" all the kings nodded in agreement at dad words.

"Baron Marcus" dad called at his advisor which immediately stood up "general Arthur" dad called again, general Arthur also stood up before dad said "go and meet the advisors and the other generals to discuss and come up with a solution as soon as possible" "yes your majesty" they replied in unison before they walked out of the library.

The king's left their advisors and general's outside, I looked up at dad before I said "it's the situation that bad" I questioned, dad looked at me with concern in his eyes, he was about to speak when king Thorne laughed and said "nothing we friends can't handle" I nodded in response.

If everyone is this worried the situation most be too bad.