XLI

To Sanseong

A month later, we got a response from Sanseong, the Court of Acid. Jaejin was the one to let us know at a family dinner, that the whole family got the green light to go. My mother's face was scrunched up, from across the table I could see that steel wall go over her blue eyes. My father's jaw was tense, and my brother held a smirk on his face. I wasn't sure of everybody's emotions but my brother's smirk was one that made me uncomfortable. I could trust Orion as far as I could throw him. The next morning, Jaejin and I were packing up our suitcases that would fit in the compartments of our saddles. A few dragon riders will come with just supplies to get us through the trip to Sanseong. Some of the lower ranking dragon riders but nonetheless it will be a large group to follow us to the Kingdom of Black Soul.

"You might as well pack the things you can't live without for a couple of months. We will most likely be staying there, Pluto." Jaejin muses and I nod slowly because he's right. I didn't really think about it all that much but JJ is right, after the documents get signed, it's gonna be time for Jaejin and I to step into our roles for the Kingdom. I knew we would have to but not so soon. I always knew Jaejin would have no problems taking ahold of his birthright.

"Right.." I mumble and look around my room, but I realize I have nothing material here that I can't live without. It would be my new found family that I can't live without. Orion's attitude, Nova's smartass, my father's wisdom, and my mother that was our glue. Not that Jaejin would ever keep me from my family, and I wouldn't let Jae do that to me either.

"Pluto baby," Jaejin grabs my shoulders, making me look into those almond eyes, "I'm not going to keep you from your family and anytime you want them to come to Sanseong or anytime you want to come to Lángók; you just need to ask. I will never keep you from them, and I will never keep them from you." He comforts me, cupping my cheek in his hand and it brings a smile to my face.

"I love you Jae." I smile at him and he only gives me a half smile.

"I know. I love you, Pluto." He reminds me and every time it takes my breath away. How is it that he could be so effortlessly perfect for me? Even when Jaejin and I met as kids, I always knew there was some reason that fate brought us together. Even though as a child, I knew it would be a lifelong friendship or keeping peace in our Kingdom. I remember when I told Jaejin that I didn't want to be a general, I remember crying and building the scenario up in my head. Jaejin said he knew that a long time ago, and that we were friends, that nothing was going to change between us because of our occupations. I guess everything changed because of the same occupation that I was born into like JJ. A knock comes to our room and I open it to my siblings walking into the room. Nova walks in with a poster tube that holds blueprints, and Orion walks in with a A Black Soul book.

"Blueprints and going over some important key figures in your mate's Kingdom." Orion tells us and I nod.

"We have to create escape routes just in case," Nova tells us, Jaejin looks like he wants to say something but Nova doesn't let him, "I know this is your family, Jaejin, but this is the family that took mine. I am also High General, I must be prepared to escort if not my King, at least the Crown Prince if things go south. It's not personal, I do this with every Kingdom. If anything, I hope this plan doesn't have to be a plan at all." She reassured my mate and he nodded. He understands but it's hard. I can only imagine how hard this is for my sister. Being a princess but also being the High General. On my coffee table, they pull out the blueprint first.

"This is the Throne Room, this is where we will meet my father when we get there. He will most likely give your guys rooms over here," Jaejin points to the West wing of the Castle, "That's where the guest rooms are. The Royal family and the Court family, pretty much the important families, will reside in the upper floor of the west wing. If you are looking for the best way out of there, it will be the doors in the west wing, down the hall from your rooms that lead straight to the stables." Jaejin points at his room, and then back down to the west wing doors.

"Where will we most likely eat dinner?" Nova asks and Jaejin points to the dining room that it's in the north wing.

"Over here, and for the treaty signing, there's a room across the dining room that we will meet in. Guards of Red Blaze and Black Soul are the only ones allowed in, very trusted guards at that." He drags his finger across the blueprint to the outline of the treaty room.

"Okay. What of your father's Court? What should we expect?" Orion asks Jaejin, and Jaejin thinks carefully.

"A lot of them are old, we don't call them Court members-"

"Elders. They aren't elected positions and the King doesn't have much of a choice. They are family given positions, it's much like the Royal positions. Either they die, or they think their Heir is ready, they give up their position." I interrupted but I couldn't help myself.  The study of the government is given in my history certificate.

"They do have two females on the Court, a little more advanced when it comes to smart women unlike the Court of Flames." I make the dig at my father's Court and my sister smiles at me.

"Wait if Hyunshik Kwon was the High General and held the position in his Court, who did it go to?" Orion asked me and I sighed heavily. A topic I am not really happy to be talking about.

"The Court didn't like that I would be sitting on the Court, they said since technically that I wasn't of Soulian blood or that since I haven't presented with Acid coursing through my veins; I wasn't allowed to take my spot in Court. They said since the bad blood with Pyro magic, that it would be a slap to the past Kings. That since I was a Pyro, especially from Red Blaze would be a slap to the people of Sanseong. So it went to one of Hyunshik's Generals. It went to the Yun family. As far as I know, Seokju Yun holds the-" I tried to tell my brother but my mate interrupted me.

"Seokju died two months ago, Pluto. Same sickness that took Hyunjin. Kyungseok holds his father's title now. Kyungseok has always been a friend to me, and nice enough to Pluto. He's a good man, I'll have his support." He was right too. Kyungseok was nice enough, always would follow the crowd if they were talking shit, but never went out of his way to make fun of me. Was nice to my face, especially in front of Jaejin. Can't say that I hate him when he just fell victim to peer pressure, especially since he became heir to a Court position.

"It's the advisor and the law keeper you need to watch out for. Illsung Kim is the Royal Advisor to Minjun Cha, he was there waiting for Minjun after Astraea killed Hyunki. Illsung probably hates the Kardos family more than Minjun. His father was killed in the heat of battle as well. A Pyro. Burnt to a crisp. The law keeper to the King is Chanyeol Park, very strict and the one who suggested to the King to keep Astraea for so long. So if you think Illsung will be bad, he's a gnat compared to Chanyeol. Minjun trusts Chanyeol the most." I explain to my family and Jaejin doesn't butt in because he knows I'm right.

"So Minjun trusts this Chanyeol and takes his advice more than his own advisor?" Nova asks, confused, looking at us both.

"He does. Illsung actually tried to tell my father  that he only should've kept Astraea for the first five years. Keeping her around after that was just cruel, but Chanyeol served under Hyunki for a bit, before he served  under my father. He knew how much the temper my grandfather had gifted his son, and how much my father wanted to avenge him. It's how he's kept so much power over him, and how he holds power over Illsung even. When I come to power, the King can force the old Court to retire if he thinks they are biased. Those two will be forced by my hand when I take my throne, acid to the face or not." Jaejin tells us and reaches over to my hand, grabbing my free hand. The one arm with my twin dragon marks.

"I think that should be enough information for the trip, I'll go over this with the Warriors going with us. This is going to be a four day trip to Sanseong. We will be staying in multiple towns and families that usually help us stay out of sight. Then another day and a half to get to Sanseong, we will leave tomorrow morning, Prince Jaejin." Nova bows and then she's out of the door with my older brother. Jaejin and I take our  time to pack our bags, once again.

"Chanyeol is going to be a prick." I tell my mate and he hums in agreement.

"Chanyeol's days are numbered, maitalea. His rule and his power comes from hating the Kardos family; that will be no longer. The Kardos family is my family now; what's mine, is mine to protect."