A few hours later - Royal Domain - Central Palace:

  The sun was slowly declining over the royal palace, spreading a golden light through the high windows of a richly decorated living room. The walls, covered with white hangings with blue patterns, reflected a refined elegance. In the center of the room, a thick carpet drowned out the sounds of footsteps. Two large light velvet sofas faced each other, separated by a finely chiseled glass coffee table. On top, a steaming teapot, two delicate cups and a few varied dishes were waiting.

  Arianne, sitting straight on one of the sofas, let her long white hair fall back on her shoulders. Her eyes shone with a quiet softness. In her right hand, she held a still steaming cup of tea; in her left, a fork with a vinegary pickle.

  In front of her, Dayvon, dressed in an elegant dark royal outfit, observed the scene with a slight confusion. Watching his mother bite into a pickle and immediately chase it with tea, as if it were the most natural thing, left him baffled.

  "Mother... are you okay?" He asked, hesitantly.

  Arianne gave him a tender smile before biting into her pickle again. She savored the strange mix of the sharp vinegar and the gentle warmth of the tea, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  "I'm fine, Dayvon," she replied in a light tone.

  "When you have a wife, you may understand my actions. "

  Dayvon pursed his lips and looked away rather than respond. But his expression always betrayed his trouble.

  Arianne slowly set her cup on the coffee table, her smile fading. Her features resumed this gravity that she knew how to impose without raising her voice.

  "Tell me," she continued calmly.

  "What exactly do you know about the mission your father entrusted to you? "

  Dayvon straightened his head, regaining his seriousness.

  "At first, I thought it was just a simple investigation and extermination mission. After all, this case of disappearances only affects the underprivileged. But Father entrusted me with about ten Knights of the Ebony Rose and even told me that I could seek the help of the Order of the Phoenix, if necessary."

  He paused, then looked down slightly.

  "On the spot, carried away by excitement, I found it normal. But thinking about it... this deployment is abnormally heavy for a case of this kind. So I wonder if I didn't miss something important. "

  Hearing his words, Arianne felt a hint of pride. Her lips curved into a faint smile.

  "He thinks well," she thought.

  She took back her cup, swallowed a sip of tea and rested the porcelain. Then, his gaze was fixed on that of his son.

  "You're right to wonder, Dayvon," she said softly.

  "As you already suspect... this mission hides another objective. "

  "It's not just a matter of disappearances," she continued, placing her fingers crossed on her knees.

  "In reality, behind this mission, your father pursues two specific goals: first he wants to test your skills... then he wants to strengthen his control over the east. "

  Arianne paused slightly.

  "As I said, first your father wants to test and observe your skills. You surely know that despite the fact that you are the first prince of the kingdom, you are not the crown prince. Your grandmother strictly specified that the crown will never be succeeded based on birthright, therefore, your sister Layna and your brother Lucas have as much chance as you to succeed your father," she said in a calm tone.

  At these words, Dayvon froze for a moment, then lowered his head, his hair thus hiding his face.

  "This terrible rule where prince and princess are all entitled to the throne. If no accident like the one Father endured occurs, my brothers and I will be forced to..." he thought with a sad look.

  Seeing Dayvon with her head down, Arianne resumed in a calm tone:

  "This is where your father's second goal was born. To avoid a potential fratricidal war between you, your father thought it would be better for you to take care of dismantling Count Webster's dubious network. "

  "Knowing your weaknesses and qualities, your father convinced your uncle Logan to entrust you with this mission. He wants to offer you the opportunity to show the extent of your unique abilities within our family. "

  "As a result, we all agreed to give you an important role in the administration of the kingdom if and only if you succeed perfectly in this mission," Ariane added in a calm tone.

  Dayvon remained frozen for a moment after his mother's words. Slowly, he looked up at her.

  "All of them…?" he thought, surprise flickering across his mind.

  Arianne looked at him calmly, then she let a slight smile appear on her lips.

  "I couldn't say why... but it seems you've caught the eye of the Sixth Sword."

  At these words, Dayvon felt the weight on his shoulders increase. The fact that one of the Six Swords was directly interested in this case simply meant that it was not to be taken lightly.

  A tense silence settled, almost heavy, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.

  Meanwhile - In the corridors of the palace:

  As he had just finished his training, Lucas was running at full speed through the corridors of the royal palace, his steps resounding on the smooth marble.

  He was still in his training outfit, coated in dust, his hair whipping across his face.

  Behind him, two maids chased him as well as they could, their voices resounding through the long corridors.

  "Your Highness! "

  "Prince Lucas! Please stop! "

  "You have to take a bath! "

  But Lucas only smiled faintly and kept running, as if he hadn't heard a thing. He zigzagged between the maids, touched vases with his fingertips, and even slipped under the arms of some maids who carried trays loaded with laundry. All while laughing inwardly.

  "They really think they can catch me..." he thought, a mocking smile drawing on his lips.

  Servants, startled by Lucas's wild dash, hurried out of his way. Some lowered their heads in silence, others stifled a laugh as they watched the young prince dart by like a thief being pursued.

  Lucas redoubled his efforts, determined to achieve his goal. His breath was short, but the idea of meeting his Mother was worth it.

  And soon, the large door of Ariane's living room guarded by two uniformed guards, appeared at the end of the corridor.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Lucas accelerated the pace again, and abruptly entered the room without knocking on the door.

  "Mother!" He exclaimed as he entered the room.

  Arianne and Dayvon jumped slightly at this brutal entrance, and immediately turned their eyes to the large doors of the room.

  There stood Lucas, panting, his cheeks flushed from exertion. He leaned on his knees for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Behind him, two maids had collapsed against the doors, their faces dripping with sweat, struggling to catch their breath.

  The silence that followed was icy. Arianne, sitting straight on her sofa, slowly put down her cup of tea, then slowly raised her eyes. His gaze, cold as steel, was first fixed on the maids.

  "What's going on?" She asked, in a slow and authoritarian tone.

  At these words, the air seemed to densify. An invisible, heavy pressure fell on the room. The maids trembled immediately, and chills ran down their backs, as if every word of the queen slit their flesh. The guards by the doors held their breath, pinned in place by her aura.

  Lucas, having caught his breath, felt a change in atmosphere around him. He looked up slightly, his gaze going around the room.

  His gaze first fell on the two maids who had chased him. They had their heads down, and their faces looked pale. The fear that could be read in their eyes was so vivid that it was similar to that of an animal facing a predator. Their trembling hands tightened against their dresses, looking for a support that did not exist.

  Then, slowly, his gaze turned to his mother.

  His mother, who always had a smile on her lips in his presence, did not smile this time. His face exuded a serene authority, his purple eyes became two blades that pierced the maids without even a blink. No visible anger, only an absolute cold, a pressure so dense it seemed to swallow the room's sound and light.

  Seeing Dayvon quietly sipping his cup of tea in front of Ariane, in a flash of pure intuition, Lucas understood. This pressure, this fear that chilled the blood of others, was the energy that his mother gave off.

  Arianne perfectly controlling her energy, voluntarily spared Lucas and Dayvon from any pressure, but she voluntarily made the air unbreathable for all the others, who seemed to be caught in a trap.

  Seeing the maids suffer because of him, Lucas drew a quiet breath and bowed respectfully.

  "Forgive me, Mother," he said in a clear voice despite the tension.

  "Please don't punish the maids. The blame lies entirely with me. "

  "I voluntarily fled their surveillance, then I ran here because I wanted to talk to you and my brother. "

  A short silence followed, broken only by the trembling breath of the maids and the heavy beating of the hearts.

  Arianne put her fingers crossed on her knees and lowered her chin slightly, observing her son with icy attention. The pressure in the room did not weaken, and yet Lucas always supported the situation with a calm that had nothing childish.

  Dayvon, seated across from him, watched with restrained pride. This little brother, covered in sweat, managed to stand up to their mother, despite the tense atmosphere of the room.

  Ariane slowly looked away from the maids, then slammed her tongue against her palate.

  "Come out. All. "

  The young women did not need to be asked twice. They immediately bowed, their faces lowered, relieved to be able to escape the suffocating pressure. They disappeared in silence, the discreet slam of the door echoed, and suddenly, silence filled the room.

  There were only three people left: the queen, her son and Dayvon.

  Suddenly, Lucas stepped forward toward Arianne, his eyes burning with determination.

  "Mother... I know about Dayvon's trip. "

  Dayvon, startled by Lucas's words, choked and nearly swallowed the cookie whole.

  "Did he notice it?"

  "I did everything I could so that he wouldn't find out about my departure... little brother, how did you find out?" He thought with a guilty air.

  Arianne arched an eyebrow, her gaze surprised by her son's words.

  "Lucas... where did you hear about Dayvon's journey?" She asked in a calm tone, her eyes staring at Lucas.

  Lucas quickly turned his face aside, his lips tightening despite himself. His eyes fixed on the carpet as if seeking refuge, and he scratched his temple nervously, betraying his discomfort.

  "Uh... I just heard it somewhere," he muttered, his voice a little lower than usual.

  Arianne stared at him for a long time, without a word. His gaze, penetrating, fixed him like an invisible blade. Finally, she sighed softly, then leaned her elbow on the armrest of the sofa. Her hand came to support her chin, his fingers brushing her cheek in a pose that was both relaxed and full of majesty. His eyes, half closed but sparkling, landed again on Lucas.

  "You know, Lucas..." she said in a calm voice, almost soft, but tinged with a gravity that weighed down the air.

  "Don't think about accompanying your brother, he's not going to have fun... he has to take care of an important matter. "

  Listening to his mother's words, Lucas thought:

  "If mother behaves like this, she will never agree to let me go with Dayvon."

  "If I want to get out of the palace, then I only have one thing left to do..."

  Lucas inhaled slightly, then knelt abruptly in front of Arianne, his hands clasped against his knees, and his imploring eyes raised towards those of his mother.

  "Please mother... let me accompany Dayvon. It will be my first exit from the palace. You know that I am patiently waiting for my first outing since the end of the banquet. "

  The posture, nearly desperate, took both Arianne and Dayvon by surprise. Dayvon blinked, unsettled to see his younger brother begging like a beaten pup.

  Arianne remained motionless for a few moments, her lips half-open as if to reply. But when she saw Lucas' expression, similar to that of a shot puppy, she felt her heart flutter, her feelings of mother and queen clashing with each other.

  But in a few moments, Arianne regained her feelings in hand, and answered calmly:

  "Lucas... I don't wish to involve you in a matter that doesn't concern you. But if you really want to go out, I can grant you a walk in the capital. With a maid and two guards, of course. It will already be a good first experience of the outside world."

  Lucas remained motionless for a moment, his gaze fixed on her. Then, slowly, he shook his head.

  "No. "