Chapter 727 - Mysterious Claims

(sorry I made edits, please refresh)

Newest Chapter for Highest Tier (September 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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Princess Sapphire continued to speak as she glanced down at the table to brush invisible dirt on the table with a restless hand. "After the rain, there was a sickly sweet smell so strong it permeated around forest. I located it only to find that the family portrait was gone to be replaced by a map in the ancient language of the Autumn Courts."

"It's dripping wet." The Queen of the Fall Courts wrinkled her nose as she tugged at the red strings, holding it end-to-end, and stretched them to reveal what was drawn on the canvas.

"—from the truth serum, Your Highness. A canvas can't change clothes like us." Apollyon said sharply, and his tone was filled with sarcasm, "If we left it on the sunlight to dry, we feared that it it will get stolen by one of the Autumn Faeries and sabotage us and our mission before we are given the chance to explain in front of you and your Council. We couldn't afford to fail now that something important is at stake.  It is one of our prized possessions along with the paintings."

"We are here to form an alliance to fulfill the Goddess' mission but we would never let our guard down around the Autumn Fair folk unless we make this alliance official one. With an oath." Apollyon enunciated. "I also demand that everyone here in the Council Room must swear their loyalty and their willingness to assist each other's Kingdom."

"We must also keep Hecate's mission a secret in order not to incite panic across the entire Realms." Luna added.

"Not only  that." Apollyon said as he rested his palms on the surface of the table. "Archdemons will not be able to figure out our plans unless there would be a traitor in this room. We can easily narrow that person down but to make matters easier, everyone must swear on our life to keep this private." Her husband's gaze focused on the hooded Members of the Council. "If one tells another that isn't here on this room right now, he will face death in that instant. Do you agree, Queen Morgan?"

The silence was her only response.

Jaws clenched, Queen Morgan's golden gaze fixated on the canvas.

Luna was almost certain that she saw her swallow hard.

Like what Princess Sapphire had told Queen Morgan, there were no faces in a family portrait that was evident on the cloth.

The rainwater had melted Princess Ourania's enchantment away as the map of the Tree of the Four Seasons was brought to life.

Luna could see the title, direction, legends and symbols and distances.

The basic components were clear and labelled properly in black and red ink, but how can they locate the Garden in the Fall Courts if they didn't understand the language? 

She was convinced that the Queen of the Fall Courts had interpreted something in the map that disturbed her mind. 

Her aura, a mix of red and yellow, had shifted into an intense red-orange—similar to the hues of volcanic magma and firework sparks around her.

Apollyon noticed her distress and saw that as a signal to continue, "You can see that in the map Princess Ourania created, Your Highness. She had drawn the entrance to the Fall Courts with the exact same position  where your portcullis was situated. Nothing had changed since then."

"I am certain that the rest of the structures in the Fall Courts  are still standing, untouched, as what was reflected on that map to preserve your heritage and protect your hidden treasures." Apollyon's chin jutted with confidence that might be perceived as arrogance if he wasn't careful. "Your scholars are adamant that you do this and those same people are here, infiltrating this meeting, as part of the Council."

The inaudible murmurs began to rise from a few of the hooded Council Members as if on cue.

The scholars had already spoken among themselves, and this made her husband flash her a mischievous smile before his attention went back to the Queen of the Fall Courts. "Isn't this the reason why you are the most secretive out of all the Faerie Courts?  It is cited the Fall Court's symbols that I am sure you are familiar with."  Queen Morgan's hand clenched at each side of the canvas as if she desired to tear it to shreds, but she contented herself with examining the map in a wordless stare. "Not much had changed since then."

Meanwhile, Apollyon's expression abruptly changed, and she could see the exact moment where gears whirred in his head as he returned to his seat and leaned forward, "Aren't you curious why a Princess from the Summer Courts knew about all these things when you of all Faeries knew  that the Autumn Fair Folk keep to themselves?" 

Apollyon moved closer to the Queen, and the motion disconcerted her enough that she cleared her throat and leaned her back on her gem-encrusted chair.

It was the first time she saw her twitch in discomfort when Luna arrived at her Kingdom.

Her eyes squinted at Queen Morgan's pinched expression and observed every nuance of it.

It was hard to miss, although half of her face was hidden.

Maybe, her husband was too close to the Queen, and he was invading her personal space!

Luna pressed her fist close to her knuckle in agitation.

Should Luna pull him back to prevent the Queen from feeling threatened and avoid trouble?

"Princess Ourania had visited  the Fall Courts and stayed in my Castle for a few weeks, asking for my blessing to marry one of the  ex-members of my Cadre." The Queen of Autumn admitted as she adjusted her fox mask awkwardly.

'Wait a second!' Luna's eyebrows knitted in confusion until Queen Morgan's statement finally sunk in.

Luna had gasped, her mouth dropping in surprise. 

What did she mean about her ex-Cadre?

Was Sir Tristan, Princess Ourania's fiance, a member of her Cadre similar to Sylvain and Kotari who sat across them with Ravin and Sloth, including this annoying blond Fae named Jora settled next to her?