Capture my heart. Legend of the Four Kingdoms Book 2 ✔️

Chapter 11. Walking the right path.

Rafael walked into the adjacent room where his husband and Art were talking about the visit to the recordkeeper.

"How astonishing", Art exclaimed. "Who could you possibly counsel in such a situation?"

Alexi put his fingers to his lips in thought.

"The most direct way would be to ask the Witch that made the Prophecy at my birth." He nodded to Rafael who already collected pen and paper. "Send out word to her as soon as possible. We ride the day after tomorrow."

He stood up to point at a spot on the map. "Let's meet here in Inverness. Their whiskey is excellent."

Rafael smiled at his husband then turned to Art with a more serious face.

"I decided to go with a punishment suited for the both of them", he said almost apologetic.

Art knew where this was going. "She's my baby girl, but I always knew that the day would come were I would have to let her go. Kai already asked me permission to leave with Princess Selene and knowing how you like equality of rights I'm sure you came up with something fitting", he finished with a smile.

Rafael nodded. "That is correct. Kai needs to learn to be less prideful as does Cedric. The other way around, Cedric has to learn that servants are below him in status but not beneath him in human dignity, while Kai needs to see that Royals can treat their servants with kindness and respect. Yin -Yang. So I've bonded them together. Kai is now a servant in Cedric's household." He raised his hand before Art could protest, but he needn't have bothered. Art leaned back relaxed regarding him with a warm smile.

"You know what I'm going to say next, don't you?"

"Well I don't", Alexi nudged him smiling. "So, please continue."

"Baez and August have requested to be added to the party traveling back to Cho. That was before the incident, so I would like to make their appointment official. August will take over as bodyguard for Kai and Baez will be an aid to General Magnus. Both will keep an eye on Kai and Cedric. As he as much hurts a hair on her head..." he bit his lip. "Sorry, wrong phrasing." He cleared his throat. "Long story short. If he hurts her, the boys are authorized to give him the same hurt back. No act, however small, will go unpunished. Kai in turn will get lectured if she's not doing her job correctly."

Alexi and Art nodded, seeing the wisdom in these words.

"As for the duration of this punishment...My initial thought was to let it last until they reach the palace of Cho. Thereafter both parties would be able to decide how to proceed further. However taking into account the stubbornness of both characters I concluded that a longer period would be more efficient."

Art listened and pondered before speaking.

"I agree with your assessment that this will take some time. On the other hand I don't want to leave my daughter in a position she never chose for herself without a plausible exit."

"Ok", Alexi said. "Let the end date be their birthday", he smiled at Art. "You could even go to get them. It would be a glorious reunion."

"Agreed", Art concurred with a broad grin. "I'm sure that Wren will feel the same."

Wren stared at his daughter. From her short hair to the servants-uniform she was wearing. The brown-green would soon be replaced by the red-yellow of Cho. He felt he was dealt a heavy blow. In one fell swoop he lost three kids to the same man.

Wren wondered if the Royal realized how much his life was about to change. Because they packed a punch, his kids. One, Two, Three. Together they formed a formidable combination. He wasn't worried about their safety, he was just sorry to see them go.