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“Good Morrow brother” Artemis heard Aeryn’s voice coming from his back and he quickly turned back.

“Good Morrow sister, it’s a beautiful day wouldn’t you agree?” he smiled widely at Aeryn who was carrying his son.

Artemis placed his glass of wine down and picked up Jeremiah from his sister.

“Look at him, he’s so happy” said Artemis with his eyes fixed at Jeremiah who was giggling and he sure did look happy.

“He is indeed, he missed his mother”

“And his uncle, definitely… right Jeremiah…” Artemis kissed his nephew and he seemed to be so happy having to hold his nephew without feeling like he was supposed to hate him. After all, he may be Leoric’s son but he was also his sister’s son, and he loved him more than anything.

Aeryn couldn’t help but feel so happy just seeing her brother playing with Jeremiah, and then Artemis promised to take Jeremiah so he can play with Jahery who was now shy away from his second name day. Jahery had grown tremendously over the past two years, and there was no asking whose son he was because he came out looking like Artemis in almost everything.

.....

Jahery Arteides, the Prince of Blackmount and the true heir to Sweet Waters throne was a copy and paste of his father. He had Artemis’s whole face ─ hence it was no doubt he would be very handsome when he grows up, just like his father. He took Artemi’s shining eyes and he had his mother’s lips, sometimes Artemis just can’t believe it’s been two years since he last welcomed his first son to the world.

Also that meant it’s been two years since dragons ruled Maldonia, and somehow things turned out to be different from what he and Aurora expected. Their first male dragon died, the blue one belonged to Visera and they had only three remaining adult dragons. The maroon – reddish one belonged to Jahery, and he now rides a purple she-dragon, the most beautiful of the five dragons. Although Artemis would have loved for a black, terrifying and huge male dragon but Artodo was no more.

The new male dragons were young, it would take a whole year for them to grow and getting ready to be claimed. But now while they were young, they were vulnerable and could easily be killed, that’s why Aurora made sure they never left the dragons’ cave.

“Were you waiting for her?” asked Aeryn. “I also saw the palanquin; too bad she never came in”

“Maybe, we… I mean she… she needs time”

“Do you remember when mother and father used to fight?” asked Aeryn then she went on to sit on a couch. “We would cry in my chamber and you would hold me as if you’ll never let go” and then she chuckled softly.

Artemis who was till holding his nephew, went on to sit on the couch too and he added, “Now we know the reason they were fighting all the time. Father was being unfaithful to our mother”

“He was, and she hated him for that. What’s he like, our half-brother?” asked Aeryn, she has never met Aprophil before. All she knew was he was an Arteides and not a bastard, but he never saw him, not even once. “It’s my knowledge you two met in Raven, right?”

“Yes we did, he helped King Amabel to his throne. He is… alright, I guess”

Aeryn smiled, “Just that? Alright?”

“Yes, just alright” replied Artemis and turned his attention to Jeremiah.

“They say he looks like father. He has his face, his eyes, his ─” Aeryn paused, she looked at her brother. “This bothers you, doesn’t it?” she asked him.

“Only if he could have told me, we spent all the time together and he was preparing me to be king. Then I had to find out he already had an heir”

“You are his heir brother, it’s you he wanted to pass on his throne to”

“Well, the people don’t seem to agree with him, do they? They call me a Usurper” Artemis said this with a hurtful look on his eyes. “I spent my whole life calling myself the true heir, the prince of Blackmount, only to be diminished into a Usurper”

Aeryn took a moment to listen to her brother, and then she asked, “Would you rather see him on the throne?”

“Aprophil?” Artemis chuckled softly. “He wouldn’t last a day as King of Maldonia. He is weak, he doesn’t have what it takes and I think even his closest allies know that too”

“Leoric once thought about backing him up, if a war were to happen” said Aeryn, then she lowered her eyes because she was ashamed. “I apologize brother; I should have warned you earlier”

“It’s alright my sweet sister. You are here now, that’s what matters. Besides, Leoric would have stabbed Aprophil on his back the day he sits on Sweet Waters throne, it’s no doubt he wants the throne for himself” said Artemis with a smile.

There was a quiet moment between Aeryn and Artemis, they were so happy to be reunited again after all that happened between them.

Aeryn took her brother’s arm, “My spies tell me Leoric has traveled to Iron Falcon, to meet with Lord Finnian. We both know what that means brother, and Aryan Squire has been living in Leoric’s castle for nearly a fortnight now”

This was a new information to Artemis, his eyes widened with amazement.

“Are you… sure?” he asked.

“My spies have never lied to me, and I doubt this would be their first time. If Aryan is there, and Leoric seeks Lord Finnian’s help. It means…”

Artemis interrupted his sister, “He wants to go to war with me” he finished the sentence.

“I would never advise you something which will lead to your downfall brother, but hear me out when I say this is the right time to take the Mines” said Aeryn with a serious look on her face. The same look she had years ago when she was trying to convince Artemis to take part in the Battle of Stonedance.

Artemis shook his head. “The Mines can’t be taken sister, the Killers belong to him and they answer only to him. My men cannot beat the Killers, I will only be sending them to their graves”

“I didn’t say anything about your men brother”

“No, no…” Artemis suddenly stood up, he was still holding Jeremiah. “I shan’t burn another city in my kingdom. My own people want to see my head on a pike, right as we speak, because of what I did in Old City. If I burn the Mines, not only will I beggar the realm because there won’t be any more gold, but I will start a civil war”

Aeryn got up and walked to him.

“You won’t be burning the whole city, just his army and as we speak he only commands forty thousand Killers”

“Who are all over the city sister, what do you suppose I do? Fly with my dragon and summon all of the Killers so I can burn them?”

This time Aeryn sighed, “You won’t be doing that, I will” she replied.

“What?”

“I will go back to the Mines and ─”

Artemis didn’t even let his sister finish what she wanted to say, his answer was straight “No” and he didn’t want her to keep talking anymore. He said it was dangerous, what if her spies lied to her because they were bought up by Leoric? It wouldn’t be the first time Leoric buys people because why not, he was the richest man in Maldonia.

In the midst of their argument, they suddenly stopped when they saw Vizoro ─ the green beast taking the skies of Blackmount and heading West. It was no secret Aurora made a turn so she can fly her dragon, and Artemis knew something was wrong.

He handed Jeremiah to Aerny and took off. Artemis summoned his Lord Commander, Sir Dante Lucan to prepare the royal wheelhouse and rush towards Aurora’s Hill. Dante did as he was instructed, when his eyes met Aeryn, he knew she was troubled and something wasn’t right. However, he didn’t want to barge nor to sound like he was trying to get between their family business.

The royal wheelhouse was driven so fast across the streets of Blackmount, the ride wasn’t that long but Artemis felt as if the wheelhouse was delaying him, he wished he could have fly his dragon from the main palace to Aurora’s Hill.