The Priestess' Affair [Books 1 &2]

𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

A/n> For those who missed it-- this book will be updated only on Fridays from now on but the chapter length will be increased "soon". I want to clarify that the next couple of chapters will still be shorter than promised because I had written them before this current schedule. I'm not making any changes in those already written right now because I'm focusing more on progressing the story and also I have finals 💀

So please hold on for a couple of weeks more because the chapter-length doubles after that, I promise :D

-HIM-

My eyes tailed the horizon lined with ships. The port was crowded, and it had taken me a while to get here this morning. 

It better be worth it.

I've been away from my kingdom for weeks, and I ought to return before my brother could make any significant advancement against me. The more days I spent away from the court, out here in the Somirean lands, the more I regretted taking this matter into my hands, but there wasn't another option. This had to be done. I was lost in my thoughts until Mad offered me a roll of weed.

A side of my lips curled up when I recognized the brand. 

"Isn't that from one of my cultivators?" I asked, taking it from him.

"O' course. 'twould be a shame on me part if I offer ye some other leaves 'n pretend that they be better than yers. Yers are the best,"

"Pleased to hear that," I chuckled, placing it between my lips and taking a long drag from it. The ships that had been sitting on the horizon vanished in clouds shortly as I exhaled. Mad stepped beside me, leaning at the window with a cigar poking out of his stormy ocean beard while he studied the crowd cramming the Somirean port.

"Did ye get anythin' from 'im?" He inquired.

"Vagueness," I said. Mad sighed, clouds of smoke coming out from his beard. "Wha' did he tell ye?"

"He said he saw a ship that night, hounding my merchants... it had no light on board, no flag, no figureheads," I quoted.

"Blisterin' barnacles... that's odd,"

"Is it Elrad Swab?" I wondered out loud, "He was known for looting merchants in this fashion... but that was a long time ago. He should be dead," 

"He's dead," Mad confirmed.

"Then who could it be?"

"It's been a long since I've seen somethin' like this..." He trailed off, staring at the horizon. Meanwhile, a new crowd fluxed onto the port as another ship arrived at the harbour. "Like 'em," Mad pointed. I combed the crowd until my eyes caught a few Somirean merchants.

"Somirean merchants?" I asked in bewilderment.

"The new ones," He cleared, "Thar trade has been oddly bloomin' even though the mainland be gettin' poorer 'n poorer. 'n the Naval fleet, they 'ave acquired new ships within last year. If this keeps on goin' then they'd be pushin' me out o' the Somirean waters soon,"

"Wasn't there a severe drought in the mainland last year?" I recalled.

"Thar was. Loads o' people died cuz the puppet Emperor refused t' release water from the dams. I pity his subjects, but I 'ave me owns reasons t' loathe 'im,"

"I'm aware of that. It's never easy when an old ally turns against you,"

"The Queen who ruled afore had more sense than all the rulers o' this dynasty combined. She tipped us on the Valerian merchants; in return, we left her merchants alone. This way, she secured the sea route fer her merchants 'n eliminated her competitors from markets," Mad sighed deeply, "She died tragically. Wha''s more tragic be that her son took on the throne even though thar was a more capable daughter. She died tragically too, afore her brother was throned... fishy if ye ask me,"