After struggling to walk through the halls due to his mana sickness, Orias reached the front courtyard. Charles and the rat army were getting ready, small knives in their paws, their eyes determined.
“Charles forget about the core, you have a new mission,” the prince said, his hand on the wall for support.
The rat squeaked in confusion. His brothers mimicked him.
The youngest, smallest brother of the rat family, William, stepped forward.
“Prince, what is the new mission?” William asked.
Orias looked at the little rat. He was a timid one, but had a good head on his shoulders. Squeak Squad material.
“You will be accompanying me to the lake. I need to speak with the snakes that have seized our lake,” he explained, his eyes scanning the courtyard. Sela and Bella were walking towards them, the salamander looked confused.
Isabella raised a brow. “What are you planning, Ori?”
Before Orias could answer, the sound of wings flapping was heard. Pyx landed in front of him, a small bag in her hand.
“Here,” she said, throwing the bag at him.
The prince caught it and opened it, seeing the red glint of mana cores. He smiled.
“Thank you, Pyx. You’re a saint.”
She scoffed and crossed her arms.
Grabbing one of the cores and placing it on his wrist, he walked to the steps and overlooked the crowd. Sela, Bella, Pyx, Charles, and the rest of the rat army were waiting for his orders. This was his small, weird, ragtag group of followers.
He pressed the core against his skin and his mana crystal glowed blue, the feeling of power returning to his body. The pain didn’t cease, but it was manageable.
The Swamp Prince took a deep breath.
“We’re going to speak to the snakes and negotiate the return of our lake.” His voice was strong, confident.
Bella raised her hand. He pointed at her.
“Yes my trusted sister, what is your question?” He asked.
“What if they just refuse and kill you?” She asked, her voice doubtful.
Good question. He didn’t have an answer for that.
“Next question.”
Pyx raised her hand. He nodded at her.
“Can I get the castle and all your assets if you die? I will take care of Bella of course,” she said, her eyes glinting.
“No, the castle will be given to Charles and the rats. They are my heirs,” he responded.
The rats jumped up and cheered. It was an objectively cute sound.
Sela looked at him, her expression blank.
“What is on your mind Chief? Speak freely,” he said.
She opened her mouth and closed it a few times before settling on her words.
“Are we going to fight them if the negotiations fail? We are greatly outnumbered. It would be suicide.”
He chuckled. Of course it would be suicide.
This was the part where he was supposed to give a rousing speech about overcoming odds and triumphing.
“No we run. We will run as fast as our legs can carry us if the negotiations turn violent,” he said honestly.
That wasn’t what the Chief expected but she nodded.
The preparations were made and they marched. Bella and him were in the back flipping through the notepad. The sunlight hit the pad through the trees.
His fingers traced the sketch of the grey swamp troll, a creature that was native to the Ashfen. His memory was a bit blurry, but the sketch was accurate.
The troll was a tall, lanky creature with grey skin and long arms.
Ugly thing. Wide mouth, too many teeth, eyes that looked like someone forgot to finish coloring them in.
If he could shapeshift into this thing, he could probably take on thirty men no problem. But poison magic was a wild card and he needed more information on Basil’s men.
Trudging through the mud, the group continued their march to the lake. The sun was high, and the heat was suffocating. He regretted not bringing a hat.
Bella noticed his struggling and held his hand, giving him a reassuring smile. Finally they could see the lake. The water was blue and clear, the surface calm. On the other side was the camp of the Snake Province, a dozen tents set up in a circle.
Taking a deep breath, Orias gestured for Bella to hand him the piece of paper. She ripped the page out and gave it to him. He folded it and put it in his pocket. With a nod, they made their way to the camp.
Sela and Orias were in front, the rats were behind them along with Bella.
“Hello! We come in peace and with no weapons. We would like to speak with the person in charge,” Orias shouted, his hands in the air.
He could tell the other side was already alerted to their presence. The wooden stakes that surrounded the camp looked sturdy. A man walked out of a tent, his yellow reptilian eyes staring at them.
Four men appeared behind him, their hands on their weapons. Their mana crystals were green. Full. Shit.
The prince smiled.
“I am Prince Orias con Divina. This is my home, and I would like to speak with you about the water you have taken from my people,” he said, his tone polite.
The man walked closer, his hand never leaving his hilt.
“I am Corvin, the 17th lieutenant of the Snake Province. I have taken this land in the name of Prince Basil. It belongs to us now.”
So no negotiation. Orias resisted the urge to sigh. Of course it was like this.
“Right... doesn’t the Snake Province have enough rivers and lakes?”
Corvin raised his chin. “Prince Basil wants this lake and he shall have it. There is nothing to discuss. Leave or we will use force to remove you and take the castle.”
The wind picked up, blowing Orias’s hair. This was the moment where he was supposed to back down or fight. He glanced at Bella, who was drawing a new sketch, her expression calm.
Looking back at Corvin, he smiled.
“Alright, then. May I ask a question before I go?” He asked, his voice pleasant.
The lieutenant’s long snake tongue came out of his mouth. Orias had to stop himself from laughing at the sight.
“You may ask your question,” Corvin said. His posture was rigid, but his eyes were watching every movement the prince made.
“Is your prince planning an all out war against the Ashfen?”
Naturally he didn’t expect an answer, but it was simply meant to buy time for his sister to finish the sketch.
“War?” Corvin scoffed. “War requires two armies. You have none.”
Fair point. Orias’s expression didn’t change.
He saw his sister put the notepad back in her bag and give him a subtle nod. The wind blew again.
Orias glanced at Sela. Could they kill five men before the others got to them? With his rats and troll form maybe.
Taking the paper from his pocket he unfolded it and looked at it, then back to Corvin.
A strong gust of wind blew and the paper flew from his hand, flying towards the lieutenant.
The paper hit the man’s chest, the sketch of the troll face up.
Shit.
Corvin looked down at the paper in confusion. His eyes narrowed as he studied the drawing.
“Were you planning an attack?” He asked, looking back at Orias.
Gulping, the prince raised his hands.
“No. Of course not. That is just a sketch I did. I have a hobby of drawing monsters from our province.”
Corvin looked at the drawing for another moment, then crumpled it in his fist and walked back to the camp without another word. Orias watched him go. The man hadn't called for his soldiers. That was either professionalism or contempt, and neither option was particularly comforting.
The Ashfen group left the lake, the sound of the wind and water behind them.
“That went as well as I expected,” Sela muttered.
Orias nodded absentmindedly. A bump on his shoulder made him look at Bella, who was staring at him.
“What are you thinking about, brother? You have that look on your face,” she whispered.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Nothing.”
A glaring weakness in his magic made itself incredibly clear in the last interaction: the paper flying out of his hand. The fix was obvious. And he hated that.