All four of them finally arrived home shortly. Their mother and father were already there, so Gor went on to say hello to his mother, completely ignoring his father.
"How was work today, my dear?" Arietta Kindel asked as she held Gor to check if he was alright. It was clear the trauma of losing Kor was still fresh in her heart. Everyone could feel her glares shifting to Bale every few seconds, but the god sword remained indifferent, sipping his tea.
"I'm fine, Mom," Gor replied, trying to release himself from her grasp.
"I'll be the judge of that," Arietta said firmly, continuing her check until she was satisfied. Once she was, she released Gor, and he went to take his bath.
Gor returned a few minutes later and went straight to the dining hall, where everyone else was already waiting for dinner. He took his seat quietly and began eating. The atmosphere was strange—awkward, even—for both the family and the staff. The Kindel family was a peculiar one, and "peculiar" was being generous. It wouldn't be unfair to call them a bunch of crazies.
The father was a scheming devil, literally. The god sword wasn't just a master of the sword; he played political games and calculated every move to perfection, using tactics to maneuver through every situation.
The mother was a Primis investigator. The job itself required sharp minds, as they were assigned to track down the most brilliant—and dangerous—minds in Omi. Only five people in the entire Kingdom held such positions, and they policed the political and military figures in Omi to make sure that power was always checked. Arietta wasn't the strongest in combat, but she made up for it with her dangerous planning. If an enemy caught her off guard, chances were, it was because she wanted them to. She was always accompanied by her personal maid, a woman most knew to be a vicious killer.
The eldest son, Jo, was a captain in the army at just nineteen. He was part of the new generation of soldiers making waves in Omi. His strength was well-known among the elites, and some even believed he would be the one to replace his father once the god sword decided to retire. Although his accolades were small compared to his father's, there was more than enough time for the new flame to burn brighter.
Tuk and Tanith, also known as the Shadow Twins, were currently assigned to the Queen's personal guard. Their job didn't officially involve guarding the Queen, though. Instead, they were often the ones she called on for secret missions, tasks that required discretion and subtlety. No one knew exactly what kind of missions the Queen gave them, but they were always dangerous—and probably mischievous, given that the Queen, like her brother Bale, had an equally devious mind.
The youngest son was the rising star of the Kingdom. At just nine years old, he was the princess's personal guard, and probably one of the most hated royal guards ever. Despite his age, he had the most dangerous potential among his brothers. He caused waves of problems and became the subject of gossipers, always for the most unpleasant reasons.
The maids stared at the family as they ate together, something they hadn't seen in a long time.
As dinner went on, Jo finally spoke up.
"I want to present a formal proposal to the Yaya family in Wize," Jo announced, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the room. "I'm asking for their daughter's hand in marriage. Her name is Sida Yaya"
Everyone suddenly stopped eating and turned to Jo. Even the maids were surprised. They didn't expect something like this. They had anticipated drama, but everything happening so far had seemed... normal. At least, until they heard what came next.
Arietta frowned, her expression turning hard. "Are you crazy?" she asked, her voice sharp. "Sida Yaya has been chosen as a concubine for King Jai. She's to be wed to him soon, after we finalize the marriage between Princess Lena and King Jai. So, how do you intend to marry someone already promised to a King?"
Jo met his mother's gaze calmly. "Well, we were already together before her father decided to marry her off to King Jai."
Arietta's eyes narrowed. "I don't care if you were already together. This is beyond what we can control. It would be a disaster if we did anything in this case, both politically and otherwise," she said firmly.
"It's not really," Tanith suddenly spoke up, his voice light but laced with mischief. "I mean, we could kidnap Sida. You've always told us to get married and give you grandkids. Why pass up this opportunity just because a King is also interested in her? Jo found her first."
Tanith's words hung in the air, and he was immediately jabbed by Tuk.
"That's not funny at all, Tanith," Arietta snapped, her tone cold.
"And indeed, I did tell you all to find someone and settle down. But I didn't ask you to start challenging the potential brides of a homicidal maniac," Arietta said, before turning to Bale. "You seem quiet. Don't you have something to say?"
Bale raised his head slowly, locking eyes with Arietta. He then turned to Jo. "What's the plan?" he asked, his tone calculating. "How do you intend to marry someone already promised to a King?"
Jo met Bale's gaze unwaveringly. "We both know Jai isn't going to last on the throne," he replied. "I'm not here to ask for permission. I'm telling you so you can prepare."
"Prepare for what exactly?" Arietta asked, her voice rising. "Your funeral?"
"No one is going to die," Jo replied, his voice calm yet firm.
"Yes, that's what your father said last time," Arietta shot back bitterly. "And then he came back with my son's corpse."
The room went deathly silent. The pain of Kor's death still hung heavily in the air, and the mention of it sent a jolt through everyone. Gor, who had been silently listening, stood up suddenly.
"I'm leaving," Gor said coldly, turning to walk out.
"No one is leaving yet," Bale's voice cut through the tension. Gor turned to look at him.
"Who's going to stop me?" Gor asked, his tone icy. His aura, oppressive and heavy, rose slightly, making the servants instinctively take two steps back, an action that had been ingrained into their being since they were interviewed for a job in the Kindel household. The tension in the room grew thicker, but the other members of the Kindel family barely reacted, despite being the targets of Gor's oppressive aura.
Bale sighed, meeting his son's gaze with calm authority. "Sit, boy. There's no need to upset your mother further by walking out. No need for hostilities, at least for now," he said.
Gor reluctantly returned to his seat, not wanting to make things worse for his mother.
Once Gor was seated, Bale finally spoke again. "Like you said, there's already a plan in place to take care of Jai. But whether it succeeds or fails is another matter. I knew you'd want in, so I added you to the plan…"
Arietta tried to speak, but Bale silenced her with a sharp glare.
"Keep calm, Arietta. I'm not done," Bale said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"I know many things have happened in this family, but there's no use in making more problems for ourselves. Jo can have his bride. Tuk and Tanith can take her from Jubai. Gor, Jo, and I will take care of Jai."
Tanith grinned mischievously. "I've always wanted to kidnap a bride," he said, his tone light but serious.
Jo turned to his mother, whose glare was now searing. "We'll be fine, Mom," Gor spoke, his voice soft yet firm. "I know Bale doesn't really care if we live or die. He's made his priorities clear more than once. But I promise you, I'm not going to get killed there."
His brothers nodded in support, trying to reassure their mother.
She turned to Jo, her expression hardening once again. "If anything goes beyond your control, you take your brother and run. Do you hear me?"
"I promise to do just that," Jo replied.
"Good," Arietta said. "Now, as for you," she turned to Bale, her eyes burning with fury, "just pray to whatever damned god you worship that nothing happens to my boys. If anything happens to either of them again, I'll kill you myself."
Bale didn't reply, dismissing her threat as if it were nothing more than hot air.