Chapter 207 The Alliance

This was a good development. No, she wasn't being sarcastic because of all that had happened: the meeting on Miracle Mountain that led to the slaughter of King Ameal and his people, the aftermath of which resulted in the destruction of her city, the ensuing battle between Knight Boris and Grand Duke Liam, and now the death of King Bor and his army of assassins - all of whom were murdered in the middle of the night by a pirate.

Okay, maybe she felt a little sarcastic, because even with all her efforts to unite against a common enemy, the fact that they ended up killing each other or getting into petty arguments was maddening.

And all this had happened regardless of the fact that she took a much more peaceful approach, only exerting her authority when needed. Yet, chaos seems to be the anthem of the week.

So, the moment her ears caught the haughty utterances of the man who brought about King Bor's untimely demise, a fierce and unrelenting urge took hold of her. It was an urge to unleash all her pent-up frustrations on the wretched pirate, who seemed to have invited his own demise by spouting such insolent words, only for her to arrive and find out that he was a prince of the Endossa Empire.

Was it an unexpected revelation? Yes, it was.

Was it one that she was pleased with? Yes, it was. As such, for her, this was really a wonderful development.

Queen Mavena's smile widened as she watched confusion slowly etch itself onto his face. She knew what he was thinking. As such, she added. "'Although I am curious to know if you are lying about King Kanit's death or how you were able to obtain such information, but since the two of us are against Captain Crimson Eye, don't you think that an alliance right now is more important than anything else?".

The pirate, Prince Wyatt released a deep breath and said. "I'm not interested" He looked at her butler, who was standing behind her, possibly staring daggers back at him, before he focused his gaze back at her, re-evaluating her from head to toe. "But with your strength and that of the other fallen leaders, taking down Captain Crimson Eye shouldn't be a problem, right?".

He's right, it shouldn't be a problem!

However, the issue at hand has now become a problem that cannot be ignored. A fast-rising problem that could consume them the moment Captain Crimson Eye decides to attack.

Queen Mavena fixed her gaze on the snow as she explained. "The Sleepy Behemoth is the only reason Captain Crimson Eye could corner us into this position". She paused, her eyes still fixed on the ground, before continuing. "However, solely focusing on either of them would pose a significant risk. We risk being attacked by the beast if we focus on Captain Crimson Eye, and vice versa. He is aided by his current standing and backer, which makes him a formidable opponent".

Prince Wyatt listened attentively before surprisingly breaking them down into a simple analogy. "So it's like being caught in the midst of a dragon and a swarm of locusts. You want to face the dragon, but you're afraid of the locusts attacking you from behind. If you chase them away, you're still afraid of the dragon attacking without warning". He raised his eyebrows inquisitively at Queen Mavena. "Is that what you meant?".

"Yes" Was all she could say.

"I see.." He nodded his head in understanding. "But, let's say that I accept your proposal, what kind of plan do you have in mind?".

​ She had him!

Although, she had predicted that it would take more than a little persuasion and an alliance to persuade him to join her cause, but she was still happy that it had happened.

His acceptance, nevertheless, stirred some amount of curiosity in her and made her ponder about the relationship between Captain Crimson Eye and the supposedly banished first prince. Were they friends turned foes, or was it something else entirely?

"We will first launch our assault on the Sleepy Behemoth - a Bramoth beast, before unleashing the rest of our overwhelming attacks on Captain Crimson and his fleet" She answered.

A thoughtful gaze overshadowed his eyes, and even before he could speak, she somehow sensed his question coming from a mile away, possibly because she was also royalty. So, she quickly added. "An alliance with me will not only benefit you, but it will also bring bountiful rewards" she confidently explained. "Once we have resolved this crisis and devised a plan to get rid of the icy region, I will grant you thousands of plots of land under your jurisdiction. You will have the protection of myself and other fallen royals, in the event that you choose to build your own kingdom. As for the awarded lands, you are free to do with them as you, please. Additionally, I offer you 100,000 gold bills, a sum generous enough for you to live a life of luxury on either land or sea".

Instantly, his brows elevated, a sudden display of emotion that caused her to stifle an internal chortle. She couldn't help but marvel at how effortlessly he showcased his emotions without a care in the world. Whether intentional or not, she knew that if this were a meeting against the opposition, he would have lost from the outset.

With a toothy grin, he mimicked her smile, his tone filled with playful reproach. "If you have said those words earlier, we would not have wasted our precious time here". He paused, his eyes narrowing as he added. "Besides, I have a bone to pick with the Sleepy Behemoth, and it's a hard offer to refuse when I have an accomplice who also seeks to deal with Captain Crimson Eye".

As the prince spoke, Queen Mavena blinked away from his earlier words, her attention fixated on the crucial matter at hand. "Are you with us or not, Prince Wyatt?" She inquired.

Without hesitation, a forceful warmth gripped her hand, shaking it up and down. "I'm in" Declared, Prince Wyatt.

"Perfect. Will you be following us up the mountain now?" Queen Mavena asked.

"Not yet" Replied Prince Wyatt.

Queen Mavena furrowed her brow. "Why?" She inquired. 'Was there something she had missed?' She wondered to herself.

"I need to position my ship and crew out of harm's way before I proceed with anything else" Prince Wyatt responded.

Once again, Queen Mavena scrutinized him from head to toe, taking note of every detail about this particular man. As a pirate, taking care of one's crew was one of the foremost decisions, and she knew this well. Thus, she was surprised to hear him utter such words, especially since the man in front of her was formerly a prince.

A banished prince who became a pirate? Hmmm! The bards and scholars will probably have thousands of stories to tell when they hear something like this.

"Very well" Queen Mavena said, nodding in understanding. "I'll send some of my guards to accompany you".

Prince Wyatt waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, I will be back before the end of the day" He said before turning and walking away. A strange mutated rat was perched on top of one of his crew members, following behind him.

She thought to herself "Banished Prince Wyatt' Her smile never left her face.

But her advisor Gideon was not so sure. "My queen" He said, his voice tinged with concern. "Was that the best choice? I mean, was it really wise for us to agree on something like that with a pirate?".

Queen Mavena snapped her head towards her butler, frustration etched deep into her features. He was becoming increasingly anxious about her decisions, as he alone knew how much this plight had hammered and beaten against her shoulders. But she wasted no time and carefully explained everything to him.

The butler's expression became dazed as his eyes twinkled with understanding. He nodded his head with conviction, impressed by the queen's strategic thinking.

"Well, if you put it like that" He said. "I can see why this is such a welcoming development." He sighed, realizing the magnitude of the situation. "Having him willingly on our side will be useful whether we're done with this mess or not".

"Let's go" Queen Mavena ordered. "And don't forget to arrange a mandatory meeting this evening with the fallen leaders".

"Alright, my queen" He said, bowing. "But what about Knight Boris? I don't believe his emotions have settled."

Queen Mavena snorted in response. "Our only goal right now is to take care of the two obstacles in front of us. Whether he's angry or sad is none of my concern. But if he's still angry, then we can channel that energy towards our enemies".

"EVERYONE, MOVE OUT AND SECURE THE CITY. MAKE SURE EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING IS SAFE!" Gideon screamed, giving orders to the soldiers around us on what to do next.

"HAAII!!" The soldiers responded,