Three days after the council meeting Kazuto was called back to the South. We only said brief goodbyes. It was awkward to say the least. At one point I thought he was going to reach out and hug me, but instead he grabbed my shoulder and left me with, “Be safe Kana, I promise i’ll get to the bottom of this.” Before he apprehensively took his hand away and left.

I wanted to say something, I wanted to tell him that I hope he would come back, or that I wished he would stay. But I simply nodded my head and allowed him to walk away. My council members urged me to remember the betrayal he had already presented me with. Whispers of the Southern kings motives flooded the North, many people encouraging the thought of war and getting revenge on the people who were slaughtering our dragons.

My father on the other hand was treating me like I was made of glass, and would break at any second.

Maybe I was naive, maybe I knew nothing about Kazuto, but I knew the kindness and the worry he had for me. I knew that those moments were real, and that he wouldn’t betray me like that, and take away the only thing I wanted to protect more than anything, away from me.

As I was walking to find my father I heard voices coming from the council room. I walked closer to them and put my ear by the red curtains which were swaying slightly from the wind. I recognized the first persons voice who spoke, it was Elliot one of the newer members of my fathers council.

“If our troops cross in from the Eastern side of the capital then we can get them by surprise”

“Do you know how many more days of travel that is! How many resources that would be for a plan that might not even carry through?”

I stepped in, “Get who by surprise?” I was beyond angry. They were conspiring about the war and the wars plans without any permission, without any idea whether the war was even happening or not. As I glanced around the room I noticed my father wasn’t even in it.

“Discussing war plans without you King here? Or your Queen?” I took another step forward. Gazing at the map which had intricate lines and marks in front of them, no doubt planning which strategy of war would be the best.

“Your highness we are only making preparations incase it is necessary.” He looked at me with contemptment in his eyes, I guess that was one thing Kazuto and I had in common. Our elder council members didn’t trust us.

“Is that why you went behind my father and I’s back? Or does he know about this?” I said more sternly, already knowing what the answer would be.

Before Elliot could open his mouth I ripped the map off the table, crunching it under my fist.

“If I ever see this happening without my knowledge or my father's again, I will make sure that you remember who your Queen is.” I gave Elliot one last glance over, knowing he was the one who had orchestrated this whole thing.

I debated on telling my father what had happened in the council room, but he had enough to worry about right now and I wouldn’t add their behavior to the list. I was going to be Queen, it was time I started acting like it.

If there was one thing Kazuto taught me during our time together, it was that being naive will get you nowhere.

At times like these I found myself impulsively walking towards the cave where Amree and I used to sit together. I always stopped myself as I reached the edge of the forest, realizing that no one would be waiting for me when I came up there.

Two days ago however I received a letter from Reo, wishing me the best and reminding me to smile once and awhile. His words didn’t bring me the same amount of joy that they did when he was in front of me.

I paused when there was no one in my sight any longer, taking out the piece of paper I examined what exactly their plans were.

The lines stretched from almost every different direction leading up to the capital. None of them had even been to the capital, rarely anybody in the North had been. What they failed to realize was that the capital had men stationed at every side of their walls. When I arrived the archers were one of the first things I had noticed, each stationed above a slot on the walls, watching for any enemy that may approach, ready to alert the rest of the army within seconds.

Before I could look at any more of their marks someone cleared their throats behind me. I quickly turned around folding the paper up in my hand.

“Riko? What are you doing here?”

“I heard about Amree.” He said slowly.

“Don’t.” I said abruptly, cutting him off from giving me any more sympathy. All I had received was sympathy these past few days. But I was tired of the sympathy, it was time for me to lead my people.

He stared at me, there was a look of sadness in his eyes. I wondered if he wished he was talking to the girl he once knew, one that would giggle and laugh at anything he said, willing to follow him to the ends of the earth if he had asked her too.

After a few moments he nodded slowly.

“Your father summoned me back here. He got word of my promotion to general and called me down to discuss the matter between the North and South.”

I boiled down my anger, ignoring the words that threatened to leave my mouth, hurt that my father had brought him back into our home. But I also understood, he was a genius when it came to strategy and he obviously had only gotten better, considering he was promoted to general.

“I’m sure you have heard about the negotiations going on between us then. News about the decision made will return shortly.”

“That is what i’m here to talk to you about Kana. And please just hear me out.” I wearily nodded my head, unsure of where this was going.

“I know you are against war, and I know you would like to do anything in your power to prevent it. But you and I both know that people will try and kill our dragons, whether it be the Prince or another ruler later on. That’s why we need to conquer the South.”

My eyes shot open wide, “What are you even-”

He cut me off with a softer tone. “You must be the Queen of both the North and the South, that is the only way to keep our dragons and our people safe.”

A war to conquer? That had never crossed my mind, we had been at peace for so long and our nations had kept away from each other, war afar thought in the back of everyone's minds.

“This was your idea or my fathers?” I kept my voice calm, knowing that he had to have thought about this deeply before bringing it up to me.

“I have brought the idea up to him yes. But he told me to discuss it with you, after all you would be the one ruling.”

“You want me to rule both the nations, do you even know how absurd you sound right now?”

“Do you want to protect your people?” His voice echoing through my mind.

I wanted to protect my people. But I couldn’t help but find myself wondering, at what cost?