The Dragon Prince's Bride-Chapter 260. Something missing.

"Greetings to the king and queen of Trago. I received your message regarding the acts of my treacherous son. I must make it very clear at this instant that the kingdom of The Niles had no hand in any of his actions.

Ashamed as I am that he is of my blood, I cannot deny he is still a prince of The Niles. It has been over a century since I cast him out from under my wings with the thought that he would learn how to be an honorable prince if he were away from my covering. It brings me great sadness that he has managed to acquire much dishonor rather than honor.

He has successfully garnered the wrath of the royal family of Trago, so whatever punishment is given will be his fate. Although I wish I could have taught him better, I have failed as a father and king.".

Anhil finished reading out the words written in the letter that had arrived from the land of The Niles.

Bashan had sent a message to the king of The Niles, King Morris, stating all the atrocities his son had committed and the punishment he would face for it. Two weeks after the message was sent a response was received.

"As expected, King Morris has washed his hands off the matter, making his own son the mastermind of the entire plot." King Gerald said.

"I thought he would at least send another prince to request a lenient punishment." Barak said, stroking his chin.

"Morris is a far worse beast than his son," It was Rakavi who spoke. "He would sacrifice anything to slither out of a problem." The disgust in her voice could not be hidden.

Barak doubted he had ever seen his mother look so annoyed just by speaking of someone.

"Yet I cannot help but think you are right. Although he could sacrifice anything for his own sake, I find it hard to believe he would want to lose a son who had mastered dark magic." She tsked, slowly pacing as she thought about the entire thing.

"It is the hardest form of magic to comprehend for elves because of their natural constitution of light magic. So why will he give up on a son who has mastered it? Except there is something we are missing." She bit her lower lip, disturbed by the thought of something they were not aware of.

"How are the movements of the army of The Niles?" King Bashan finally spoke up?

"Still no sign of a brewing war or attack." King Gerald said and shook his head.

"How about him? Has he said anything else?"

"Nay." Barak shook his head. "He hasn’t spoken of being in cahoots with his kingdom and all investigations lead back to him."

"How about his men? Has anyone spoken anything contrary?" Queen Rakavi inquired.

"Nay, all we could gather from his men for now was that Lyle’s schemes had begun even before I married Neriah."

"See that is why I refuse to believe that King Morris had no hand in this." Rakavi banged her hand on the table." If he were just fighting to get Neriah back, I would understand his actions were drawn from misguided passion. But no, he’s been scheming even before you met Neriah. So if she was not the reason for his actions, what was?"

"I might not be entirely correct but I think his main goal was to put Avelah against Trago, and I was just bait." Neriah finally spoke up.

"Indeed it would seem so, but the question remains why? Why would a prince simply want the downfall of two great nations without receiving orders from his King?" Rakavi pointed out and they all nodded.

"Well, I believe it is evident that King Morris is lying about having no hand in all this and Lyle simply is trying to save his father and kingdom." Queen Erra said.

"And take it from me, these Nile scums are the worst of the worst. He will never give away his father. Not even if his father denies him right in front of his own eyes. They were trained to be as loyal as dogs, I have dealt with them in my lifetime and I know them very well." Gerald explained.

The room was suddenly engulfed in silence. Everyone thinking the same thing. What next? 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Well then, I guess we have no further reason to delay it." Neriah broke the silence. "On the day we reveal Barak to the public... Lyle shall be beheaded."

***

"Your Highness!" The knights on guard duty greeted as Neriah stood before them in front of the dungeon.

"I wish to speak with the prisoner, Lyle of the Niles." She said with no tremble in her voice.

"Your Highness, that—"

"Do not worry, one of you can stand with me while I converse with him." She suggested. The knights stared at themselves for a while, then stared at her protruding stomach... They feared what would happen to them if anything were to happen to her.

"I shall not be long. It will only take a moment." She reassured them.

"Then, you shall have to excuse my presence, Your Highness. I will stand by you while you speak with the prisoner." One of the knights said and Neriah nodded with a smile.

Slowly, they walked into the dungeon. The knight being almost over-protective of every step Neriah took, monitored her like a hawk as another knight led them both to where the prisoner she sought was held bound.

And when they stood at the door of his cell, the knight lit the touch that was directly in front of it and the place was illuminated. Not ever so bright, but it was bright enough for Neriah to see the treacherous bastard.

The knight who led them to the cell walked away leaving Neriah with the other knight. When she moved to step closer to the cell, he stopped her with an arm blocking her path.

"You cannot get too close, Your Highness, he might seem powerless now, but they always have something up their sleeves." His brows wrinkled and his face contorted in disgust as he stared at the man in his cell.

With both hands bound separately, legs bound together, clothes torn and tattered, hair completely disheveled, and face bruised... Lyle looked far worse than he did when they captured him two weeks ago.

For a moment, the good times Neriah once believed they shared flashed through her eyes and she scoffed remembering how very foolish sha had been.

"How do you do?" She asked. "Pathetic, I believe." She let out a soft laugh. "Lift your head Lyle, lift your head and look at me." She commanded.

And almost like a spell was cast in him, slowly, his head lifted and his eyes moved from her legs up to her head and when he met her eyes, he was certain this time that he saw no love there.

Far from it.

But then something caught his eye. He had seen something.

His eyes fell from her face, down to her chest, and then lower... "You—" Lyle’s eyes dilated and shook. "How are you— What is that? How can—how can that be?"

It made no sense. It made no sense to him at all he had seen her.

"Ah, I must slowly be losing my mind." He let out a loud and long laugh, looking around him, telling himself, "This dungeon, it—it has finally made me mad. I must say the kingdom of Trago is quite the place. Whatever have you sprayed in this place to make me see things that are not even there? All to break me?" He laughed again, even louder this time.

"Oh, you poor unfortunate soul." Neriah clicked her tongue. She took a step forward but the knight blocked her again. Quietly, she stared at him, silently telling him it was fine.

After contemplating for a moment, he stepped aside and allowed her move closer to the cell.

"Take a closer look, let it burn into your head and your very soul that, I, Neriah Der Drache am with child. The child of my husband, Barak Der Drache and I shall be due in a months time. Look at me, after all your scheming, you could neither touch me, my child, nor my husband. Look at me!!"

And he stared at her, not wanting to believe... refusing what his eyes were seeing. But how long could he deny it for? He had lost... Far more than he ever knew.

He had not been able to leave a scratch on the Royal family of Trago. Not even a scratch.

"Nay—" He muttered, "Nay, it cannot be." those words repeatedly left his mouth as Neriah spoke.

"Come three days from now, your crimes shall be laid out in front of the entire world and then, you shall face judgment. I just have one question before then..."

She gritted her teeth, and her fingers curled into a fist as she tried to control her anger... anger and pain.

"Why?" She asked and the words he kept muttering to himself instantaneously ceased.

"Why have you done all this? For what reason have you destroyed your very life with your your own hands? Why?"