The journey west was a relentless, grueling test of endurance. For two months, Arion and Aiden moved as ghosts, traversing the kingdom's rugged spine. They were a study in contrast: Arion, tall, gaunt, and silent, moving with the preternatural awareness of a predator; Aiden, small, determined, his steps guided by an almost military obedience, the only sound between them the quiet crunch of snow and stone beneath their boots.
They had finally reached the less-guarded plains bordering the Western Capital, now in view a fortress city bristling with the forces of both the Brother's War. They were close to the end of their trek, exhausted but intact, when the tragedy of Kyon's malice struck again, not as a sword blow, but as a chilling document of:
The Royal Decree.
Back at the Eastern Capital, the Duke of the East was still grappling with the political fallout of Arion's escape when a royal envoy arrived not from Kyon's faction, but bearing the official seal of the ailing King himself.
The message delivered was an absolute political bombshell, tearing through the fragile sanctuary of the Eastern House with the force of a siege weapon. It was an official Marriage Letter, a public declaration from the Crown.
The decree stated, in flawless legal terms, that by Royal Command, Prince Kyon now the declared successor and wielder of the Jade Heart was formally requesting the hand of Lord Arion of the Eastern Dominion in marriage. The letter framed it as a necessary political union to solidify the nation's leadership during the civil conflict and honor the services of the Eastern House. It was meticulously written to appear as a benign, stabilizing move.
The true, horrifying implication lay beneath the surface. Kyon's memory of their forced coupling, his political need to control the Dragon-Slayer, and his arrogant assumption of power were laid bare.
The Duke and Duchess Maeva stared at the parchment, aghast.
"He dares," the Duke whispered, his face parchment white with fury. "He dares to publicly demand the hand of the son he defiled, the son he forced into omega status!"
Maeva sank into a chair, the full, devastating reality washing over her. "It is a trap, a public branding. He wants to drag Arion out of the shadows, force him into the open, and display him as his subjugated mate. It confirms his alpha dominance over the most renowned warrior in the kingdom."
The tragedy was compounded by the timing. Kyon was making his move now, demanding Arion's presence at court, likely knowing that the Duke's pride would force him to respond, either by presenting Arion or risking open treason.
It'll be The Fatal Assumption.
The Duke immediately dispatched a coded message to Lyly at the university, instructing her to find out the specific motives behind the sudden decree. Lyly's contacts soon returned with the most damning piece of information:
Kyon was completely unaware of Aiden's existence. They had wrong thinking that he knew.
Lyly's contact, privy to Kyon's inner circle, reported the Serpent Prince's private thoughts on the matter: "Prince Kyon assumed Arion, the proud Dragon Slayer, would have disposed of the child immediately after the forced confinement. He views Arion's alpha pride as absolute and believes the warrior would never tolerate the existence of an heir born from such a dishonorable, chemically induced omega state. Kyon merely wants to bind Arion politically before the coronation, displaying him as the ultimate spoils of war."
The tragedy deepened. Kyon was demanding Arion for a humiliating political marriage, not realizing that the warrior would arrive with a four year old alpha son ,the true, undeniable heir in tow. Kyon had made a catastrophic assumption based on his cynical view of Arion's pride.
The Duke's immediate order to Lyly was terrifying: "We must accept the marriage request. This buys us time. We stall, citing Arion's long captivity and need for recovery. But the moment Arion appears, the political landscape will explode."
That is really an Inevitable Collision. (0_0)
Meanwhile, miles away, Arion and Aiden were finally resting, concealed near the Capital's outskirts. Arion was oblivious to the formal decree, his mind focused only on the final, dangerous approach.
"We are close, Aiden," Arion whispered that night, checking the cold, damp lock of his remaining dagger. "Tomorrow, we find a way in. You stay with me, and we do not break formation."
He felt a deep sense of calm. He had his son, his purpose, and his resolve. He was ready to face the Serpent King. He did not know that Kyon had already thrown the gauntlet, setting a stage for their reunion that was far more public, far more humiliating, and far more lethal than Arion had ever planned. The warrior was walking straight into a political ambush, armed with the one secret weapon Kyon never believed could exist.
" papa, where are we going to stay?" Aiden walk closer to him and cling onto his pant .
" in town, in a small unknown inn, a place I had stayed once, and we will take rest before going in the western capital and north one!" Arion explains softly.
" okay papa!" Aiden grins ( oh my Shayla)