Sheira's POV

I asked him, "How can you know about the dazzling huge orb appearing in the sky?"

The room fell silent for a moment as he walked towards the table, his gaze fixed on the old teapot. With deliberate movements, he lifted the teapot and poured the tea he made earlier into his cup, his expression serious. And then, he answered, "It was in a book my father had for a long time. According to the book, on top of the castle, a massive light orb known as the sun will rise."

Curiosity piqued, I probed further, "So, what else does the book say? You seem to have the timing right."

"Right before the sun rises, the flowers around it will begin to bloom," He replied.

I couldn't help but question, "But how can such an event occur at such a perfect time?"

With a calm demeanor, Eamon simply said, "We are lucky."

Yup, he was right. I couldn't help but ponder where we would be now if this extraordinary phenomenon hadn't occurred, or what fate would have befallen our kingdom.

Watching the fascinating sight of the huge light orb in the sky, I couldn't contain my awe. It was a strange yet beautiful phenomenon, one that I had never witnessed before. The sun?

Amidst my confusion, I made my way to the dining table and took a seat across from Eamon, who was quietly sipping his tea. Eamon's face was solemn at the moment, and he seemed to have few words to say, like having a master plan or something.

After the last sip, he placed his empty cup on the table gently, directing his gaze directly into my eyes, sharp eye contact with a serious face.

"Today we will walk inside the castle. Now we need to come up with a plan," he began.

"How can we enter the castle with guards stationed at the front door?" I asked.

"We'll find another way in," said Eamon.

He took a piece of paper and began drawing lines on it. I had no idea he was depicting the interior of the castle.

"How did you find out about all of this, Eamon? Soldiers can't enter without the King's permission, right?" I questioned.

"I've been there before," he claimed, suddenly stopped drawing and fell silent for a few seconds.

Is there a problem with him? Or is he pondering something right now?

I slowly moved my gaze to him just to see his eyebrows knitted together giving away his concern more than any words could while keeping his eyes wide open.

"What's wrong, Eamon?"

"Nothing," he said, "let's keep going."

Both of us are still talking about the mission plan for tonight. He went into great detail about how we could access the castle without being caught. He really thought this through.

Lines were drawn and added with shapes as he explained everything in great detail.

"This should be a breeze as long as we don't make any mistakes," he said, confidently.

The side entrance will be used to enter the castle. According to Eamon, a quite hidden door can be found on the side of the castle.

I'm not sure how he knows everything, but I'm not going to think about it right now. We only have one chance to complete this mission. We must complete this mission successfully, or the kingdom and its people will be doomed.

I never thought we'd be in a situation where we had to go up against our own kind. The Heians had already caused so much trouble, and now we had to navigate through this dangerous territory.

Eamon set his pencil down on the table as he stood up and said, "We'll make our move when the sun sets. The book says that in a few hours, the sky will get all foggy and the sun will disappear. That's when we'll strike, under the cover of darkness."

With determination in my voice, I replied, "Alright, Eamon. I believe in us. We got this."

As the sky transformed from orange to a million shades of pink, we knew it was time to get ready for the mission that awaited us in the dark.

***

"Now, get ready before we move," he ordered.

"Understood," I nodded.

"It's foggy outside again, but it's to our benefit. We spend more time fighting those filthy dogs in the fog outside the kingdom. In comparison to them, we are far more capable soldiers," he explained.

"Yes, but we don't know how skilled they are at fighting," I uttered, concerned.

"They are not to be underestimated. Keep in mind that you should not attack," he warned. "We can't murder a person, so just defend yourself."

Eamon's seriousness about the mission is palpable. Just as I was about to open the door and start the mission, he tapped my shoulder, catching me off guard. I glanced at him, a bit surprised.

"Stay safe," he said, his face showing a hint of concern. It's rare to see Eamon with anything other than a stoic expression. Is he genuinely worried about me?

"T-thank you. You too-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a smile spread across his face. Eamon, the usually reserved and distant man, actually smiled.

His smile was like a ray of sunshine, brightening even the darkest corners of the room.

"E-Eamon, you should smile more often," I blushed.

For a moment, it feels like we're caught in a beautiful, almost romantic moment.

"Let's focus on the mission."

And just like that, his smile disappeared, and he returned to the familiar Eamon we all know. The solemn, icy expression returns to his face. Guess I'll have to wait another decade to see that smile again, I suppose...

"Let's go," he commanded as he opened the door.

"Right behind you," I followed.

We quietly left the house and made our way through the misty streets that led to the castle. The surroundings were eerily silent as if the city had been abandoned, and there was no sign of anyone watching us.

After a few turns, Eamon halted, "We're here."

Unbeknownst to me, Eamon and I had reached the side door of the castle. Our first step seemed to be a success. The side door was concealed by overgrown bushes and scattered dry leaves.

Eamon took out a key from his coat pocket and carefully inserted it into the lock, making sure not to make any noise that would attract attention.

Suddenly, a soft click echoed through the air, indicating that the door was successfully unlocked. We entered the castle with the utmost stealth.

"Stay alert," he whispered.

Eamon moved slowly, leading the way through the castle. It was clear that he was familiar with the layout, which only fueled my curiosity about him. I was certain that he had some connection to this place.

As Eamon approached a room with two people inside, I followed closely behind. He stood still near the slightly ajar door, listening intently to their conversation.

Eamon hissed, "Listen."

Everything was going according to plan. I had gathered crucial information by eavesdropping.

Just as I was about to share what I had heard with Eamon, his expression suddenly shifted to one of surprise.

"Eamon?"

To be continued...