Chapter 77: The Downfall of The Ro’an Empire
As midnight fell, the knights, along with the healer and his assistant, gathered on the main deck and huddled around a large cauldron, taking a moment to enjoy some freshly boiled corn. Everyone was present except for Eric.
As they munched on the sweet kernels, they chatted idly about various topics, careful to avoid bringing up the day’s event. The commotion had left them all vigilant, and they feared Kyren’s wrath would soar again if they were caught discussing it.
None of them wanted to risk incurring the commander’s anger, especially given the gravity of the offence committed. It was known that disrespecting the king, Kyren’s brother, was a severe misdeed.
Eric came over from the cabin later on. As he appeared and joined the group, a sudden silence filled the air before they continued the conversation. The knight didn’t say a word at first. As if knowing what he wanted, Rafe held out a corn cob, and he started eating it.
The second-in-command knight paused for a moment before speaking up. "I know what you’re all thinking about. It’s all a misunderstanding, and I’ve cleared it up," he said.
Damon leaned forward, curious. "Excuse me, Sir Navin, but what was all the fuss about? Sir Parker and I were over at the stables and couldn’t make out much except for the commander’s hollering. Nobody seems to want to talk about it. Could you give us some insight?" he asked.
Luke nodded in agreement, eager to hear Eric’s explanation.
"Well, it turns out that the shipmaster and the crew mistook Lady Raychard for the Ro’an Emperor’s descendant. They saw her green eyes and addressed her as ’Her Imperial Highness’. And as you know it, the commander was not pleased about such a mistake," the knight revealed.
Luke’s expression turned solemn. "Good grief! Were the crew reprimanded for their actions?"
The second-in-command knight let out a small sigh of relief.
"No. The commander agreed not to punish them this time as long as they didn’t repeat it. They’re lucky we’re out here in the middle of the sea. Punishing them would only disadvantage us throughout this voyage," he said.