The tall pines had the thick white morning fog as nicely hanging skirts from their trunks. Hunting within the fog was out of mind, yet hunting itself was a great reason to stay away from the castle crowd for once. Proceeding among the trees with the bowl in my hand, I realised that all the animals of Belgrad Forest were long gone or too tiny to be noticed. That part of the forest was reserved for royal hunts, which meant that for centuries, Kings of Tigrisia had walked within the same trees for the same purpose - which was most likely not hunting as the thin pines and hard dark soil made it impossible for deer and goats to live in the territory. Looking at the grassland areas of the forest, which were in use by villagers, I thought hunting had always been a practice to find silence and alone time for Tigrisian rulers. It was not hard to imagine Father walking in the forest, contemplating upcoming battles and diplomatic relations. Imagining him looking at the same trees and stepping on the same rocks made it harder to remember his face. Suddenly, his face blurred, and when I tried to keep the image in my mind, it became Bayezid walking in the Belgrad Forest all from the start. He was touching the rough texture of the trunks, scratching his spiky beard, and watching the ravens in the grey sky, inspired by their flight, planning a battle strategy. I felt guilty not to help myself see his face while thinking about my father. Where was the legacy of Dragarevic? I could see it in the castle's golden engravings of dragons and warriors. I could touch the cold steel of the swords that once belonged to him. I could hear epics about him, yet I could not feel it. That legacy did not raise me, and neither did Danishmenthan. I was raised by a man of his own, who lived in limbo: not a Turk, not a Balkan, somewhere in between. Whereas, with him, I did not feel aloft. We created our legacy of power and success—a legacy of trust. I was contended to Brancovic's promises, for then. I saw that Goran truly wanted the best of his dynasty. It was Brancovic's betterment to stay as Dragarevic's ally. We shared common expectations, which could be claimed only in the sense of unity. I assured a lifetime of partnership, at most minor for the Siren Stone, by marrying Helena. Even though Temur Lenk alluded that he held the support of the majority of the Balkans, I was sure that Bayezid would win the war - because he had strength, savviness, courage, and he had me. 

As I walked along, a rustle from the bushes made me alert. I saw two sharp, white, upright ears beneath the shrubs. I felt an explosion of excitement. Could it be? I immediately tracked the animal rushing madly towards the depths of the forest. No one could recall the last time a wolf was seen in the forest of Belgrad - probably never. As the animal's four legs overhead as it was flying, I found myself running. Thinking about it now, I had no idea what would happen if it stopped and faced me back. As the trees closed up, I knew it was trapped. All I wanted was to see it. It was a terrible urge to find something that belonged to my heritage. Something that could erase the loneliness of being in Tigrisia that I had never known existed before I saw it. Denying was no use. Seeing a wolf made me feel closer to the family.

I was an outcast, a native who appertained to a foreign land - a dragon in the feast of wolves. A dragon that deep down wants to see Asena welcoming me, knowing that no wolf was out there to take me - except for one. The sword I grabbed, Silver Dragon, was the only remaining of a life long been passed. Despite that, every time I used it, it was for the sake of Danishmenthan. Finally, I could catch up with the animal. The little one tried to climb the trees and fell back. Then, it winced its solid white fur and got full of itself. It was not a wolf. It turned out to be a fox. The animal was shaking and hissing with squinted eyes and showing off teeth. I placed the sword in the sheath and took a few steps back to let the fox disappear. The startled animal first hesitated but then ran across me into the darkness. Disappointed, I realised the fog was diminished. 

I walked back to the castle with more than ten badgers I caught along the way. I gave the badgers to the armourer and got the high garden. I saw a crowd of ladies around the pavilion. Mother was sitting inside with Helena by her side. They were accepting the gifts of fellow countries' royal women. Helena wore a navy blue dress with butterfly nets on the low neck. She was pranked out like a doll with bright dark red lips and hair tied back in a vast bun more like a mace. I knew it was Mother who covered her with this heavy look. She was a child under that makeup, hair, and grinning dress. Who were they deceiving? This was not going to be a wedding. It was going to be a ceremony to kill a child to have a bride. I felt my conscience aching, looking at how she pretended the acts of my mother - making the same hand gestures when receiving a present, tilting her head slightly down, not showing her emotions, hiding beneath the visage of a dignified woman. 

The ladies stood aside as they saw me. I approached them, and they reverenced. Mother was exhilarating. She had already put an aspirant look on Helena's face. She was glittering with massive eyes, waiting for the next word I would speak. Mother stood up and took my hand. "My son, these kind duchesses, princesses and ladies have come to greet you. Queen Barbara has come from Hungaria to congratulate you on the wedding." I took Queen Barbara's hand and kissed it more like touching my lips. "How did you find our country? I hope King Sigidmus is in high feather." She had the naturally dignified face of a queen - that I also saw on my mother. Queen Barbara smiled elegantly, "It has always been a joy to visit Tigirisia. Now, it feels even more welcoming since you are the king.

Regarding Sigidmus, he had always been a great friend of your father and counting the days of your coronation. Thus, we received your invitation and knew we must attend your wedding. I came before, as I wanted to be introduced to Lady Helena. I expect Sigidmus to get Tigrisia afternoon." I responded with a smile. "This is so polite of you, King Sigidmus, and I need to sort some subjects out." Following the queen, all the ladies got back into the castle. I sat on the pavilion next to Mother. She attempted to pour me a glass of tea. "I sent Castaver to receive the ships full of weapons from the Siren Stone. I was unaware that King Sigidmus was going to visit." Mother laid back with an arrogant smirk. "You do not need Sir Castaver. He is temporary, saving the spot of Vukasin," she said briefly. Anger spawned in my chest like a hard thud waiting to choke, whereas I was steady. "I assume Prince Vukasin is your brother, my love, " Helena said abruptly. She talked in a sense of imitated nobility. Her words were poured into her poor brain like opium. The tone of voice of the little girl mesmerised by the tales of knights was gone. "Correct, Helena. I believe you must be called from inside to arrange preparations," I implied. She stood up, reverence to Mother and then to me, and walked to the castle. I turned to Mother only to find her looking at me smart aleck. "You won't talk about the hand of the king in that attitude again, or my attitude towards you will change." She got a sip from her cup, trying to change the subject. "Did you send an invitation to your brother?" she asked, not looking at my face. I grabbed the cup she filled for me. "I sent an invitation to the Castle of Edre, where I thought he could be. It is hard to locate Vukasin, as he no longer returns to my letters." Mother resented it, but she didn't insist on it. I stood up. It was too much to bear; her continued implications about a brother who didn't want a place on the court even to support me. On the other hand, Vukasin's absence was the last thing I should be worried about. I walked back to the castle to discuss what to demand from King Sigidmus with the advisors in the court. 

There was the haste of the upcoming wedding in the corridors to the kitchen, halls opening up to quarters and rooms where who knows how many lies were spoken. I was passing through the library when I heard the words exhuming my dead soul. 

"I hold it true, whatever befall;
I feel it when I feel sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all."

I pushed the doors of the library. The juveniles from foreign countries to study were inciting poems from the very same book that Astrid once cried on. They were petrified as they saw me standing in front of the doors. I walked to the table where the poem's page was opened and saw the swollen circles on the paper. As I put my fingers on the circles, I collapsed. The time slipped away from my consciousness. My heart was pounding extremely fast, and I felt my lungs couldn't keep up with it. I was choking. Her feelings have been faithful to me since the beginning. One cannot pretend that precisely. Then why did she say those words? Why did she refute our love? Why did she refuse me? The paper's moisture made it itchy, and I tripped my fingers on it.

I closed the book and took it with me, leaving the library. Poor juveniles looked at me, trembling and contemplating what they did wrong. Walking along the hall, I felt regretful for the first time. I saw Helena walking with her maids and visitor ladies, chuckling and blushing. Astrid's reddish eyes and pale face standing in our room in Rumelia before dawn got into my sight—the weakness of her words, the despair in her shuddering lips. I had not understood. I did not want to. Then suddenly, the hatred and danger nested in her eyes during that night that she humiliated herself and me at the terrace met mine. Unfortunately, hatred had always held a stronger sense of reality. Two guardians came and saluted loudly to break my absence of mind. "Your Grace, King Sigidmus has arrived." 

I welcomed the king in the throne room. His wife, Queen Barbara, joined him as he walked his way to the stairs of the throne. He was a thick, giant man with a long, red curly beard. His eyes were dark, and eyebrows ferally welling out of his skin. I could see why he was called the red fox. "King Jaromir!" he opened his hands. "For a moment, I thought Dragar Dragarevic had revived from his grave much younger," he laughed loudly. "Incredible resemblance, don't you agree, Barbara?" Queen nodded endearingly. "Welcome, King Sigidmus. You were a memorable friend and ally to my father." He inhaled. "Your father was a man of honour, dignity and courage. It is a shame that we couldn't make it to your coronation. You may presume the Eastern relations of most Balkans are shaking." I stood up, waiting for the subject to be mentioned. "I am very aware of that matter. In fact, I believe we have much to talk about that occasion." He looked at me soberly. "I offer we oath to continue this conversation in the council room," I continued. He nodded understandingly, turned back to his wife and eyed her for a while. "Queen Barbara, I will see you at dinner," I interrupted them. Then, I showed Sigidmus the way. 

I realized I still carried the book as we approached the council hall. I gave it to one of the king's guards. "Deliver this to my room." Sigidmus looked at the book incredulously, then walked into the room. The guardians closed the door behind us. "Please," I pushed the chair forward as he sat. Then, I sat at the head of the table and folded my hands together. Sigidmus exhaled, "The Balkans are falling apart. There is no unity. We all carry the dragon's blood, yet all we do is shed it. Don't you agree, Jaromir?"

I looked at him, restrained. I was full of trivial conversation. "Have you come to a deal with Temur Lenk?" I asked, not escaping my eyes from his. He was surprised, caught unprepared. "I... Most of us have agreed upon beneficial terms for both sides. I believe you are like-minded," he said, more like asking. I grinned at his assumption, disagreed with my head. "No, I ain't. Tigrisia is not." He leaned back, fingers desperately trying to grip the engravings of the chair. "Why?" he murmured. "Because I keep the promise I once gave, unlike you and other traitor vessels of Danishmenthan." His forehead creased, and eyebrows frowled so that his eyes were hidden in his skull. "You are contradicting yourself, King Jaromir. You said we are friends," he said joltly. I placed my fist on the table. "I said you were a friend of my father, not mine." The way he looked at me changed all of a sudden. His eyes were asking what was on my mind. I leaned back, too. "Of course, this can change."  He gazed at me uneasily. "How is that?" 

"First, Hungaria will keep the promise once given to King Bayezid. Then, fight alongside all the allies of Danishmenthan against Temur. After the war, I will compose a new order in the Balkans. I will need your company." He looked at me like a little child describing a dream. He laughed. "Temur gave me a more alluring word. Seems like he will certainly victor the war against Bayezid." I stood up. "Temur not a chance can conquer over Danishmenthan." Sigidmus laughed louder. "You trust that Turkic King too much," he said like advising. "On the contrary, I trust myself, and I assure you it is not a feeling but a forecast." Sigidmus's face got stiff, and he pointed to me rigidly with his finger. "If I don't fight for Temur, he will destroy Hungaria." I approached him slowly. "If you fight for Temur, I will destroy Hungaria along with all the other Balkan countries that betrayed Bayezid." Sigidmus contemplated for a while. He played with the heavy diamond rings on his fingers. "You must understand that you are one of us, not a Turk." I hit the table so hard that the noise echoed in the room. "Don't talk to me like you know me because if you knew me, you would fear me." Sigidmus stood up, too. "King Sigidmus, your army is exhausted, old, rusty and thus weak. You do not have any successor. Catholic Orders have long surrounded Hungaria. They are already partaking in your country. Even Temur cannot save you, but I can. You must understand that a war cannot be lost if I am fighting in it. You said that I act on behalf of Turks; conversely, I am giving you a chance as we share the dragon's blood. Tigrisia has silver. Silver is power. If you refuse my offer, I will be armed with silver the next time we see each other. The silver that will take the lives of your people." It was clear that I impressed him. He paced back and forth. "I was wrong. You are not like your father," he said. "I am not."

"I will go through this conversation," he articulated finally. We shook hands, and I saw him reuniting with his wife from the terrace. The weather got cold. I felt the fresh breeze on my cheeks. Ravens were mocking us from above. They knocked the golden decorations and flowers around the monastery where I would get married. I realized that the sun just started to rise.

On the other hand, it felt like days. I watched how orange dominated the pink and purple, yet the blue stayed the same, untouched. I woke up as Adonis appeared by my side, his hands on the fences. "Have Castaver returned?" I asked. He disagreed with his head. "Only a few days left for the ceremony. I almost forgot that there is a war pounding at the door," he said, watching the sunrise with me. I faced him, realising he was eager to speak, but kept silent. I returned to the view, "Spill the beans, Adonis." He was hesitant, then an amiable expression scattered on his eyes and lips. "Are you peaceful about what happened with Astrid?" I interrogated him with my eyes. "You are always giving anecdotes about the art of war. Now, I am giving you some advice: never start something new without finishing what happened in the past. The heart cannot withstand it." The air got lighter. "She deserved it. The punishment for betraying the king is death. I showed mercy. I have been the man of his word all my life, Adonis. I am trying so hard always to be faithful and trustworthy. A wise man told me there is no black and white. We are all in between, yet the ones gallant to devote to a principle, a feeling, a person... I consider them precious. We are more ghosts than humans without them." Adonis' face went off, his light, flawless skin creased, and his eyes widened with panic. "I need to tell you something," he started. We were distracted by the sudden cheering of a girl.

Helena appeared around the monastery. I saw the white rabbit she was running after, with her massive bun, heavy makeup, long fancy dress, and low neck above her flat breasts. It was ironic and sentimental. "The only reason I am doubtful is what if I misjudged Astrid. I might exiled a Wurdlich Lady for no reason. If she had to speak to me those words, I should be denounced. As her King, I couldn't see it. It would be a great injustice to Castaver." Adonis was frozen. He was looking at me, all shocked and disappointed. "Is that what you think? The only matter that concerns you?"

I looked at him, trying to disguise how my days spent longing for her and nights about dreams where she once again left me with a heart smashed to smithereens. "Yes, my duty is to revise my actions," I could say. I saw a luminous light shining as it left his eyes. His lips were opened part way. He blinked his eyes rapidly, his fingers grabbing the fence and getting stiffer. "What were you about to tell me?" I asked. He faced me back, biting his lips. "Nothing," he whispered. I sensed that he hid something from me. "Do you know anything about why she said those words to me? Did someone threaten her?"

Adonis' face got still and transparent like a glass. "No, I have no idea. I believe you must do what benefits your country and purpose. Even if Astrid had any reasons, you should not bear on it. You are the king of Tigrisia. Astrid would know that no threat can pierce your will. She said what she meant to say. Your marriage with Helena will certainly desire our victory against Temur. You might unite all the Balkans under the same flag, thanks to her. This is what you should sacrifice to become a good king." He was right. I could see that he reflected my thoughts towards me. I suspected he was too interested in what happened between me and Astrid. Nevertheless, I did not need any secondary opinions - at least not from Adonis. There were more significant troubles in the world, more prominent than broken hearts and exiled ladies.