212 Riding Under The Stars

To remain as discreet as possible, Sylvy was dressed like a commoner, far different from the royal outfits that she wore as King. The only thing that gave her identity away would be the pendant she wore around her neck, which was hidden beneath her clothing.

Beyond the confines of the castle, no one really knew who and how the King looked like. This allowed them to blend in easily and leave the walls of Papillion with ease. Sylvy wore a cloak to cover her face, just in case someone might recognise her. A proper lady who was unmarried should not be seen in public, especially so late in the night. 

Seeing the way Ramas scouted their surroundings for safety, Sylvy wondered what he did before he came to Papillion. As she looked around their surroundings, she also wondered where Lycster was. 

"I did errands," Ramas replied Sylvy's question on what he did before he came to Papillion. He hoped that she would not ask him any follow-up questions. 

"What sort of errands?" she asked. 

"Well, it depends, some are simpler. Like retrieving objects. Others are much more complicated," he explained, keeping in mind of the things he cannot say. 

Ramas led Sylvy into a forest clearing where a man, dressed all in black, handed them two horses that were saddled and waiting. After handing over the reins of the horses to Ramas, the man disappeared into the night. 

"Is that safe?" Sylvy questioned. 

"Safer than you might think," Ramas replied playfully, "Don't worry, that was a friend of mine."

As soon as they both got saddled onto the horses, they made haste towards their destination. Although it took them some time to get to their destination, Sylvy enjoyed the horse ride. Ever since she had ascended the throne, she had not stepped foot beyond the castle. 

Despite the darkness of the night, the scenery was still beautiful and mysterious. Ramas was impressed that Sylvy knew how to ride a horse. Most of the noblewomen, if not all of them, rode in carriages. 

"My father taught me when I was younger," Sylvy explained. 

"He must have you well. You're a natural," he praised. 

Ahead of the path, they soon spotted some lights in the distance. Unknown to them, an owl had followed them all the way from the castle. As they got nearer to the light source, they soon realised they had arrived at the Mothylek's campsite. 

At the entrance, Vyrena and Hallvard stood waiting eagerly to greet them. At first glance, Sylvy almost could not recognise Vyrena as she was back in her regular clothes. Vy bowed deeply with respect to Sylvy. 

"Your Majesty, welcome to the campsite of the Mothyleks."

Sylvy had expected side glances, whispers and stares. But she had none of that. Hallvard placed his hand on his chest and bowed, "King of Papillion, we welcome you to our campsite. Please follow us to meet with Leader Atlas."

"I hope your trip here was smooth," Vy asked Sylvy. 

"It was, thank you. Although I am a little worried," Sylvy replied. 

"Worried?"

"Yes, about your brother, Lycster? We have not seen him yet," she explained. 

Vy chuckled as she looked up in the sky, "That means he has done well. Good work Lycster!"

Sylvy was surprised. Where was Lycster? She looked up into the sky, just as Vy had done but all she could see was an owl flying overhead. When Vy held out her arm, the owl swooped down and perched on her forearm. 

"Glad I was able to help," the owl spoke as it pruned its feathers. 

Sylvy's eyes widened in shock, "Did… did that owl just talked?"

Vy laughed as she lifted her hand, prompting Lycster to fly off as he took to his human form again. Dusting off his clothes, Sylvy's face was still contorted in shock, stunned by what she had just witnessed. 

"Sorry for scaring you, your Majesty. I didn't mean to scare you," Lycster apologised. 

"That's quite alright. It's just… I never knew that was even possible," she replied. 

As they all arrived at the main tent, Hallvard lifted the tent entrance to allow them in. there was no one in there, apart from Leader Atlas. 

"King of Papillion, I present to you the Leader of the Republic of Mothylek, Leader Atlas," Hallvard announced. 

As soon as Anja walked over to greet them, both leaders stopped in their tracks as they took a good look at one another. Anja removed the mask she had worn, while Sylvy removed her hood. 

"You're the King?" Anja asked in disbelief. 

"You're Leader Atlast?" Sylvy asked. 

Both of them could not believe it. Was this really happening? Was it all just a dream? Sylvy was the first to burst out in laughter, everyone else followed suit. She had not had this many new experiences and surprises all happening in a single night before. 

This was a first. 

As both parties got acquainted with one another, they were served herbal tea, made from native tea leaves that were found only in the Mothylek's homeland. 

"Homeland? From what I had read and seen so far, I was under the impression that the Mothyleks were a nomadic society," Sylvy asked. 

Anja shook her head, "A common misconception. The lifestyle of our people might seem that way, especially with our pilgrimage to Mount Mattenhorn. But that is absolutely not the case." 

Syvly was pleasantly surprised by all the new knowledge she was learning about the Mothyleks, much more than she ever could have read from books. As it seemed, both sides still had much to learn from one another. 

However, with time being of the essence, Vy brought both leaders back to the crucial topic at hand. As the negotiator, she explained what each side had hoped to achieve. She also stated the importance of the agreement and what it would mean for the Mothyleks. 

Some of the elders of the Mothyleks were also present during the negotiations, to ensure that the interests of their people were met. As well as to provide counsel if required. 

Sylvy listened attentively, stopping only to ask questions for clarification. When Vyrena finished, there was silence across the room. Sylvy was the first to speak. 

"First of all, I would like to apologise on behalf of my bro... I mean Grand Advisor Eskyl. I had heard of what he had done and would like to clarify that I had no part to play in it," Sylvy explained. 

"No part to play in it?" Hallvard questioned, "But you're the King? Did you not dictate how foreign ambassadors were to be treated?"

Ramas came forward, hoping to defend Sylvy on her behalf, but she stopped him. 

She wanted to speak for herself.