209 Unless...

"The Republic of Mothylek would like a passage through the Kingdom of Papillion," Lycster said as per Vy's guidance. 

"I'm going to stop you right there," Eskyl said before Lycster could continue. 

"The Kingdom of Papillion will not agree to these terms. Out of the question. Especially not after how disrespectful they were to me," the Grand Advisor continued. 

"To you?" Lycster asked. 

How full of himself could this man be?

Catching him off guard, Eskyl quickly corrected himself, "To the crown, I mean."

-Question him further.- Vy egged Lycster on. 

"I would like to know what happened during the first negotiations. Could you please enlighten me?"

Eskyl sighed, "Very well, I will begin from the start."

According to him, Leader Atlas and his men turned up at the castle in inappropriate clothing, carrying weapons. He had brought warriors with him, not diplomats. Apparently all of them had been rude and vulgar. 

Upon realising that they were meeting with the Grand Advisor and not the King, Leader Atlas and his men got upset. They held up their weapons and shouted rude remarks. They made threats and insisted on seeking an audience with the King. 

Due to the commotion that occurred in the Throne Room, an attempt of good faith was made during the dinner. But things only spiralled further as the Mothyleks were outraged at the food that had been served. 

Negotiations could not continue beyond that, resulting in the Mothyleks leaving. During the commotion in the Dining Hall, several antiques had been shattered. Some of which had been passed down for generations. 

Vy compared this version of events to what she had gathered from the Mothyleks. Most of the issues that arose came from two sources. Misunderstanding, and Eskyl's behaviour. 

Without waiting for his sister's advice, Lycster already knew what to ask next, " If that's the case, would you be willing to bury the hatchet to renew negotiations?"

-You're doing great.- Vy praised. 

Lycster beamed with pride. 

Eskyl shook his head as he crossed his arms, "Out of the questions,"

Vy scanned the expressions of those in the room. As much as they tried to hide their disappointment, it was obvious that some of them did not agree with the way Eskyl handled the situation. 

"Unless…" Eskyl said, keeping things in suspense. 

"Unless?"

"Unless they apologise and admit that it was their fault."

"Wow, how petty can he be," Vy muttered under her breath as she rolled her eyes. 

Lycster couldn't agree more. Even he, a child, was not as petty or childish as this grown man! To make matters worse, this was the Grand Advisor to a Kingdom they were talking about. However, all they could do for now was to play along. 

-What should we do then?- Lycster asked his sister anxiously. 

With that, the meeting ended. Eskyl offered to let Lycster and Vy stay in the castle for the night, which they politely declined. This was the case especially since they still needed to bring Sylvy to the Mothyleks. 

"Very well, I await your good news, Negotiator," Eskyl said when they parted ways. 

When the siblings were finally alone, Lycster crumbled onto the ground as he heaved a sigh of relief. But before he could say anything, Lycster was lifted off the ground in a swoop. It was his sister! To her, he was as light as a feather. 

Vy spun her brother around in her arms while praising him, "You did really well, brother. Good work."

Vy's actions attracted the attention of many onlookers. That only led to nothing but stares and gossiping whispers, most of which were negative and unpleasant. But Vy chose to ignore all of their voices, choosing to focus on her brother's gleeful expression instead. 

-Vy.- Aether's voice rang in Vy's mind as she put Lycster back down. 

-Yes?-

-I have done as you asked, but...- Aether replied. 

-But what?-

-Leader Atlas, Anja, is hesitant. She wants to speak with you in person before making a final decision.- 

Vy bit her lip. Lycster could not hear what Aether had said to her. But based on her expressions, he formed his own assumptions on what it might be. He gently tugged on his sister's skirt. 

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked. 

Vy smiled as she looked down at him and ruffled his hair. He always knew the right things to say, the right time to ask. 

"Will you be alright bringing Sylvy and Ramas on your own? To the meeting spot?"

Lycster was surprised by his sister's request. It was such an important task after all. 

"Are… are you sure? Are you sure you want me to do it?" Lycster asked as he pointed at himself. 

Vy nodded, "You've done so well so far, so I don't see why not. But, only if you're alright with it. I have to go and see Leader Atlas make sure things are alright on that end. So it would be your task to inform Sylvy once things are confirmed, and protect them on their way to the meeting point."

Seeing how much faith his sister had in him, it was difficult for Lycster to say no! This was going to be a challenge. But if he was able to speak in front of the Grand Advisor, this should be a walk in the park!

Lycster wanted nothing more than to become stronger so that he could one day protect his sister. So, he agreed. 

With that, the Blackfire siblings went their separate ways. With a couple more hours to spare before his real mission began, Lycster took the time to explore the city on his own. Vy, on the other hand, had no time to waste. 

She swiftly entered an abandoned alley and took to her sky form, a normal-sized raven. She flew up into the air and headed for the campsite. Once out of sight from the Kingdom of Papillion, she increased her size so that she could get to her destination quicker. 

Once at the campsite, she headed straight for the central tent where she knew Leader Atlas was. When she landed, she took to her human form once more. The guards at the entrance of the tent were not startled by Vy's sudden appearance. 

Even before she entered, Vy could hear the commotion from within the tent. It seemed like multiple people were present in a heated debate as there were multiple voices.