Chapter 127: Chapter 127

''Is it only me, or did she just say that Your Grace was the same as a farmer?'' One of Henry's advisors voiced the question that was running through everyone's head, Henry had a deep frown on his face while looking at the girl interacting with commoners as if she was one of them.

''This is outrageous, Your Grace, she openly offended you, and belittled your status...''

''I am sure she just...chose the wrong words...'' Nara, who didn't like what her friend said either, tried to defend her, she knew Dahlia better than anyone for they were close, it wasn't once nor twice when her friend chose the most blunt and direct words to express herself, many took offence in her way of talking but again, Nara did spend a lot of time with Dahlia to know her words only sounded offensive because they lacked the sugarcoat and flattery as well as hypocrisy, No matter how harsh her words were, they were honest, and honesty was never the easiest thing to deliver, same as truth was never the easiest thing to accept.

''Her words were not wrong, Nara, they were not as offensive as you found them to be either, they were just...Way too insurrectional for her own good.'' Henry said while walking back into the castle followed by his party, Eren, who was hidden in the shadows through the whole show, ripped his eyes off Sara as he saw her heading back inside and walked to his friend.

''Were you waiting for her to say you are some mighty sprig of the cherished dynasty?'' Eren gave Henry a pointed look while the last rolled his eyes, wondering how much more his friend was going to support the girl and then act as if it was all for dept and other rubbish.

''No, but her words held an edge of defiance, she didn't just belittle the royal family's status and importance, That I could have overlooked, but...''

''But the fact that I told the people they are as important as the royal family and that they were as authoritative as you didn't quite please you, Am I right, Your Grace?'' All heads turned to Dahlia who just joined the group inside the castle, Henry raised his brow at her while his lips were set in a thin line, the nerve on this girl, he thought to himself.

''Why don't we take this discussion into a more...private place?'' Rima suggested and everyone nodded at her.

Sara, Eren, Henry, Rima and Nara all gathered in Henry's study, there were indeed many things to be discussed but unfortunately for them, there was always a new problem to add into their plates and postpone the necessary decisions from being made.

''Speak...'' Eren almost crashed his friend's head on his desk when Henry spoke the word that way as if he was ordering a peasant, Sara on the other hand kept her face emotionless as usual, not giving her brother the satisfaction of affecting her.

''I believe I was as clear as daylight, Your Grace, I don't really know why my words offended you, I apologize if they did but I will not apologize for saying them, and I will say it again, My respect is earned, and you did, Not because you are the king nor because you are a Yoren but with your deeds, you made the decisions no one else dared to, the ones that saved us all, and you lived with the consequences, I will keep on respecting you and doing everything in my power to help you as long as you care about the people, I lied, about my imprisonment, not because I had to, but because it was very just of you to care about the people's rage and try to answer to their demands although you could have simply sent the soldiers out there to quell their movement, you could have been a tyrant but you didn't, and I respect that...'' Sara posed for few seconds to look at her brother in the eye, he had a deep look in his eyes, it was not one of anger, nor hate which encouraged her to go on.

''The Yoren dynasty have been cherished for so long because they were the warriors of the Gods, but the Gods reign is over, and I don't think that should be the case for the Yoren dynasty as well, not for the same reason at least, I want the people to love and respect their king, and just like mine, the people's respect is earned...''

"You made it sound like obedience was optional, with such thoughts in mind, the people may act against their king..." Nara told Dahlia with a pointed look, she wished her friend would just admit being wrong for once, but she knew it was near impossible to happen, if there was one thing Nara admired and disliked about Dahlia at the same time, it would be her stubbornness, the black haired girl would never back down on something she believed in.

"And it is their right, If their king was unfair and unworthy of the throne then the people should not just sit down and suffer, they should not accept everything shoved in their faces from anyone claiming authority, same as they didn't accept the invaders' ruling, a ruler's throne should be built with the people's trust and support, that is what makes a good king, and that is what keeps him from falling into the clutches of greed and cruelty toward his people."

"Who do you truly serve, Miss Dahlia? " Henry asked while lying back in his chair, he was looking at a black haired girl but his eyes saw a red headed one with the same eyes as his, the woman he loved more than anyone, the one he missed so much and the one who planted all the right values inside his head, the girl reminded him so much of his mother, and every word she said sounded like something the Queen mother would have said if she was there.

"I serve the people, that is where my loyalty resides, so if you want to throw me back into the cell or punish me, go ahead and do it, but I will not change my mind, and I will never stop talking for them and looking after them."

"What about us? Me and Nara? " Henry asked with deep appreciation to the girl who reminded him of the kind of king he wanted to be.

"You are the people as well, there is no them, for me at least, there is a big one us."

"I am glad to hear that" Henry smiled softly at the girl, "I wish you keep your word; I would appreciate an honest voice to put me back on the right track if I ever slipped, one which is so blunt and sharp as you."

"I will..." Sara nodded in respect, "Now if you will excuse me, Your Grace, I need to go to the city before I make a trip west, I might be gone for a day or two. "

"Is there something wrong?" Nara was used to Dahlia's trips, but they were always very short and in every time there was a problem to be solved.

"No, Your Highness, with so many things happening lately, I feel, like I am diving into a river, Some quiet time will help me to, maybe be pulled out of the water... " Dahlia said before excusing herself and leaving the room which remained silent for several seconds with everyone trying to decipher the girl's last words, except for Eren who had a very pleased smile on his face, one that he didn't even bother to hide as he kept on staring at the door, he was so endlessly proud of Sara and how strong she became over the years, not only physically but also mentally, she was a true goddess, with the heart of the child he met long ago, not that he didn't like her before, for him Sara was always Sara, perfect in every skin she wore, but he was seeing her in a different light, a new light, she was purely and selflessly strong, A quality so rare to the point where he didn't know anyone else who possessed it, he knew many strong individuals as he was one himself, but the thing they all had in common was their selfishness, there was always a personal gain in every single battle, but Sara, she was the exception to that rule, even the last battle she fought, even if it was discreet and verbal as she used words as weapons, she fought it for everyone but herself, Eren felt his heart warm up even more for her, here he was, wanting to shelter her and protect her from everyone while she was in fact stronger than everyone, including him, maybe not in terms of physical strength, not yet at least, but she was stronger than herself, she was stronger than the darkness and the toxicity this world kept throwing at her, she was somehow able to pull herself above it, above them all, morph herself into a higher, superior one, and stand out like a true Goddess, Eren thought, The way a Goddess should be, one which he was more than willing to worship.

She was not the same anymore, Eren thought, He loved the old Sara just as much as he loved the new one, but her new self, was a freed fire bird finally breaking out of the cage it was kept in for its entire life, life and strength and defiance burst out of her like raging flames, and he knew if he tried to limit those flames, they would either burn him or suffocate the fire, his fire that he loved to death.

Let it burn then, Eren smiled eternally as he thought about it, if burning was the price he had to pay to protect her and keep her safe, and close, then let it burn.

"That was...Quite odd" Rima was the one who broke the silence "And impressive...", She added with an acknowledging nod, she was indeed beyond impressed, the girl had a decent amount of backbone on her, she was fierce and uncompromising, like a raging black flame, However, Rima was still wary of the girl, she still remembered the podium incident vividly enough to keep her guards up when around the black haired girl, she didn't tell Henry about the incident, and was actually happy she didn't, at least not before confirming something with the shadows' lord.

"She...just sounded..."

" Like Mother." Henry finished the words Nara couldn't finish before standing up and walking toward his sister who was in desperate need for a soothing hug , Both Henry and Nara never forgot about their mother, It was a weird state where they knew she was dead but still refused to admit it, holding on tightly to the hope of finding her, that without a body nothing was confirmed, and that maybe, in a one sweet morning she would walk through the castle's gates, very much alive.

"She wanted the people to believe in you, and wanted you to be the kind of king to be believed in..." Eren voiced out what was already going on inside Henry's head, he didn't miss Rima's curious gaze though but he decided to put it aside for the time being, instead he focused his attention on his friend.

"The Gods are gone and the people are in need for something or someone to believe in, the great battles are over, my friend, we fought against the Gods, and we almost won, we fought against the humans, and we won, we fought against the demons, and we won, But now we have a harder battle, a battle of different kind, that needs to be fought every single minute of the day, for the rest of our lives..." Eren said before excusing himself, he knew his friend needed a moment with his sister, his contributions to the human kingdoms were coming to their end and it was the time for the king and princess to take all the weight on their shoulders and do all it took to preserve the peace they worked so hard to obtain.

Walking few steps, Eren stopped before turning to face Rima who followed him out of the office, she had a complicated look in her eyes, he stared at her in silence for few seconds, waiting for her to talk, but she didn't.

"Is there..."

"She is the hybrid, Isn't she?" Rima interrupted Eren and threw her question at him directly, the shadows’ lord tried to keep his neutral expression, but a subtle uncontrollable spark in his eyes gave Rima the confirmation she needed.

Eren knew something was up with Rima since the moment he caught her staring at him, but he didn't think she discovered Dahlia's true identity, considering the fact she was hiding her energy very well, he himself couldn't detect it at first and only recognized her from her unique smell, the one he was able to sort out among million other scents, he stared at Rima, his face neutral and straight, not wanting to show any emotions, for all he knew Rima never had an evidence about who the girl truly was, otherwise she wouldn't be asking for his confirmation, However, his eyes couldn't help but show caution, like a wolf who sensed danger roaming around his female, and it was his cautious eyes that gave Rima his final answer.

"That is what I thought..." Rima murmured almost to herself knowing the shadows’ lord was more than able to hear her, looking at him as turned to face her, his body was tensed and his eyes were threatening, Eren knew he couldn't deny the truth, not to Rima who was one of the sharpest minds he knew, what worried him was what she planned to do with her newly acquired input, Rima was his friend, a very close and dear one but he knew he wouldn't think twice before killing her if she planned to hurt his woman.

"No need to worry, I don't plan to hurt her..." Rima assured her friend, not taking offense of his actions as she knew how important the hybrid was to him, she would have probably acted the same way if Henry was endangered, it was a basic instinct to protect the loved ones and Rima knew for fact that Eren was deeply in love with the black-haired girl.

"How did you know?" Sensing no menace nor malice in her voice and body language, Eren's eyes softened a little, dropping the threatening glare but his body remained stiff, he was worried about how much Rima knew and how much she told, the ice queen was his friend and ally, and the closest thing he had to a sister, she was someone important in his life but Sara was his entire life, he could not allow her life or well-being to be threatened by anyone, not even his closest friends.

"Well, I had my doubts, She did after all give me a one scary threat, She told she would destroy me if I hurt Henry, and she accompanied her threat with, I did not know what was it exactly, at first I thought I was tired and intimidated and maybe swallowed a potion or anything that made me feel that way, but thinking about it, it was none of that, it was the girl's energy that nearly broke my ribs, it...felt as if she was draining the life out of me..." Rima said remembering that day on the podium, a smile making it way to her beautiful lips, "She is a feisty one, Isn't she? "

"Did you tell anyone?" Eren asked, feeling relieved when he saw her shaking her head and denying his fears.

"No, I wanted to investigate it myself, just in case she was a hidden threat, I didn't want her to be alarmed, I watched her and I was kind of perplexed, she was, way too protective over Nara, and then when you arrived, I noticed your interactions, I saw the way you look at her..." Rima's eyes smiled as another, much smaller smile formed on Eren's lips...

"You are a whole different person around her, you know, you forget who you are, when she is in the room, you are no longer the shadows’ lord, you are just Eren, a man in love, the way you stand is different, the way you talk is different, the way you move is different, You, move according to her, your eyes search for her, your ears pick up her voice, and you act, as if she is your entire world, and nothing else matters..."

"She is..." Eren said while smiling, a sad smile knowing he probably would never be forgiven for his past sins that he himself couldn't forgive.

"I know." Rima said, knowing how Eren felt as she was in love too, and just like Eren she was a different person since she met Henry, for love had uncovered some parts in her that she didn't even know existed, warm, vulnerable parts that needed him.

"You can't tell anyone, Rima...", Eren sighed, although he knew Rima wouldn't hurt Sara, he still had to confirm she kept her secret well hidden, even from Henry, it was Sara's choice and call to tell her siblings who she really was, and although she acted cold and indifferent, Eren, who knew Sara very well, understood how important a family was to her, how much she wished for one during all those years of solitude, she even chose the life of a servant just to stay close to her sister, and even though he didn't like that fact nor the way she was treated and questioned, he had to respect her choices, help her live through their consequences instead of making them for her

"I haven't, and I won't, now that I know she is not a threat to Henry nor Nara, I don't have anything against her, and Eren... I, really hope things work out for you."

Rima and Eren smiled at each other warmly before each went on his different way as each of them had a matter at hand to take care of, the conversation taking away all of their attention and concentration, making them perplexed about the tears of a certain redheaded.

WHY IS SHE CRYING? ANY THOUGHTS?