Two weeks had passed in the Ashfen province. A destitute province, which the residents thought couldn’t possibly get worse. They were wrong. At least they didn’t have to worry about the rotten swamp smell. Their own stink of unwashed bodies and desperate sweat overpowered it now.
Clean water had to be rationed for drinking and cooking, no more bathing but today the rationed water was gone. The last barrel was empty and the people of Ashen city were furious. Boiled swamp water tasted like mud.
The sun was high in the sky, the heat unbearable as the gates to the castle opened and three figures walked in. The representative of the merchants, Pyx. The representative of the humans, a nobleman with a potbelly and a sweaty face, Goro. Lastly, the representative of the demi-human population. A dryad, her skin was green and her hair was made of vines. Akiria.
The three were to have an audience with the prince, to discuss the water crisis. Sela greeted them and led them to the main hall where the prince was waiting.
Sitting on the throne, the prince looked different, more mature, his eyes had a certain depth to them. The merchant harpy looked at the prince with a raised brow.
“Orias, why do you look different? Did you finally grow a pair of balls?”
Goro coughed and nudged the woman with his elbow.
“Have respect for the Prince, Pyx. He is our ruler after all.”
Pyx rolled her eyes.
Stepping forward Akiria kneeled before the throne, her head lowered.
“Prince Orias, the demi-humans of this city are suffering greatly from the lack of water. Vomit and feces are not being disposed of properly and the smell is unbearable.” Her voice was soft and calm.
From his stone throne, the prince hummed.
“I am aware of the situation. I am working on a solution as we speak. Did boiled swamp water not work out?”
The dryad lifted her head, her leaf-green eyes meeting his. “Yes, we tried that but the taste is too foul. Even if it is free of disease, the people can’t consume it without vomiting which leads to more dehydration.”
Putting a hand on his chin, the prince glanced at his sister, who was standing next to the throne, her posture rigid. The prince gestured for her to speak. But Bella raised an eyebrow. She had no idea what the prince wanted her to say.
Pyx stepped forward and cleared her throat. “Orias you said if I gave you the mana cores you would solve this problem. I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. Where is the solution? My workers are dying of thirst and they demand compensation.”
The prince sighed.
“The solution requires more mana cores and time. So Mister Goro, Lady Akiria, would you be willing to donate some mana cores to the effort? And Miss Pyx, your company will have to wait a little longer for their compensation.” His tone was firm.
Glancing at each other, Akiria and Goro looked uncertain. Pyx was already fuming, her wings twitching. This prince was going to pay for this.
Akiria spoke up first, her voice wavering, “Prince, we have very few mana cores and I’m not sure whether my kin would agree to give them up for your... mysterious solution. Can you tell us what you are planning to do?”
The prince stood up and smiled, walking down the steps of the throne, his boots thudding on the stone floor.
“We are planning an attack on the lake. But I cannot share the exact details. For the sake of the operation.”
The three representatives looked at him with wide eyes. For the first time in their lives, the prince was planning to actually fight.
Pyx laughed, her head thrown back.
“Are you planning conscription? Or do you expect the five rats to take on thirty trained soldiers?” She mocked, her wings flapping.
Goro nodded. “Most of the humans have no magic nor combat experience. ”
Swallowing her spit, Akiria spoke for the demi-humans. “I do not wish to sacrifice my brethren or any of the residents for this. There must be another peaceful way to solve the issue.”
The prince shook his head and crossed his arms, his red eyes looking at each of them. With a straight face, he spoke.
“Either you willingly hand over the mana cores or willingly die of dehydration. Choose one.”
Akiria and Goro were taken aback by the blunt words but they bowed their heads in understanding. Pyx however was not amused. Something was off about this—the prince was not insulting her.
“Very well Prince. I will try to convince my people to give you their cores. However do not place too much hope in us. Many are already weak and manaless,” Akiria said, standing up.
The prince nodded, watching Akiria and Goro leave the hall, the door closing behind them loudly.
Pyx was the only one left. Her amber eyes stared into his, boring into his soul. Flapping her wings once, she walked up to him and poked his chest.
She waited for Bella to step in but the princess didn’t move.
“What are you up to?”
Moving her hand away, the prince shrugged.
“Just following through with the plan. Nothing to worry about Lady Pyx,” he said, turning his back to her and walking up the steps.
The harpy scoffed.
“Don’t call me lady! It pisses me off.”
With a turn of her heel, she left the castle, her wings tight against her back.
In the throne room, two figures remained. The brother and sister. A quiet moment between the two before Isabella spoke.
“Why do you insist on calling them Lady and Mister. I told you he doesn’t speak that way.” She crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the red carpet below them.
Glancing at his right wrist, at the crystal which was currently half black, the prince’s form started to distort. His manly face turned into that of a woman’s. Her face was similar to that of Bella, except much more mature and taller. Her shoulders lost their width and her breasts returned.
“Unlike you I didn’t study every single detail of my son.”
The new voice belonged to Teresa.
Bella looked at her mother, her expression blank.
“Maybe you should have. He would do a good job of impersonating you,” she said, walking down the steps and out of the hall.
Left alone in the hall, Teresa sighed and rubbed her temples. Her head hurt from the transformation, but her son insisted. A chuckle left her lips as she thought of how ridiculous this whole situation was.
Getting off the throne, she followed her daughter.