Chapter 121: A Game Of Chess
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"Is it mandatory for us to be there?" Ivan, who was rather skeptical about Abdiel’s decision, tore his gaze from the window of his carriage as he seemed mentally disturbed about something. Abdiel was currently going through some historical records and paperwork that concerned his brother’s last visit to Vesunard, but upon listening to the indecisiveness in Ivan’s question, he stopped in what he was doing so he could lift his indifferent stare to look at his nephew.
"Well... we do not have a choice now, do we?" Abdiel returned his attention to the paperwork, "not everyone in EmptyHollow knows you in person, you can blend in with the crowd with no one recognizing you. However, your name has labeled you with a bad reputation where as Eamon, who the people have seen and had a chance to interact with before his leave for Vesunard, has been quite famous till date. He will use that trick card to gain more favor during the court of public opinion, and you will fall balefully in front of him. Is that really what you want?"
"I understand what you’re trying to say to me." Ivan’s troubled gaze shifted to the window once again, looking out at the hills they passed by whilst venturing into the neighboring kingdom, but it was quite obvious he was staring at absolutely nothing, and then he said, "You know the circumstances in the Palace, and the woman I intend to get married to is in there, all by herself, and I have every right to be bothered. I would have made plans to bring her with me if you told me sooner we were going to Aunt’s place."
The worry in his voice had Abdiel blinking for a couple of stunned seconds, and he had studied Ivan quite well to know when the vampire Lord was genuinely concerned about the safety of someone else. Ivan simply leaned back against the headrest, and he was starting to feel anxious for no particular reason..... there was a reason actually, and that was leaving his little lamb to fend in a Palace filled with vampires! What was he thinking to not have taken her with him, regardless of where he thought they might be going?
"I honestly thought this was going to be a short trip." Ivan complained nevertheless, still irked that his uncle had only informed him about where they were going once they were out of the Palace, but at the same time, he understood why his uncle took that measured step.
"Listen Ivan, if you’re finding it difficult to make this journey, then we can always turn back this carriage if that is what you want, but then, you also have to forget about getting the throne." Abdiel suggested with an unsmiling demeanor, and his words definitely caught Ivan’s attention. "If we turn back now, there will be no time to settle this matter with your Aunt, Queen Lucinda, and you know very well what that means, don’t you? It’s either the throne, or you go back to that human girl."
Abdiel didn’t hesitate to lay out the consequences for Ivan who met his stare, but it was only for a brief moment. If there was another thing he despised after his brothers, it was getting to pick between two choices that challenged his inclination. With his lips pursed and eyebrows drawn, Ivan gave no response.
"I’ll take that silence as an answer." Abdiel ended the conversation there, with no further comments on the topic as he returned his focus to the history record in his hand.