XLV
Treaty of Sanseong

Jaejin

Although my Mate promised me last night in bed to stay with his sister, I still had to drag him by his slightly arched ear to his sister's room. Once I reminded him of his promise to me and the Goddess Vuna, he finally went into her room. I kissed him goodbye and made my way to the meeting room. I wear a dark green short sleeve tunic, a black jacket over with green embroidery, black pants, and my black boots. I changed my earrings to my diamond studs because my father was disappointed when I got my ears pierced in the first place. I push the double doors open, it's just my father and I for now. My father wears a black long sleeve tunic, a dark green vest, black pants, and black boots. I can see the lines in his face and the dark bags under his eyes. His hair is mostly black but the gray is starting to show.

"Jaejin," My father mutters, "Where's your crown?" He asks me and I grab my crown from the upper shelf, knowing that I'd forget it. I place the black steel crown on my head with the rectangle shaped emerald in the middle. My father wears almost a matching crown, his is made of black steel as well, but his is a pattern of emerald and obsidian gems that go around the entire crown. The King's Crown, or known as my future Crown when it's my time to ascend the throne. I can hear the thunderous beat of footsteps with my sensitive ears, and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't on edge just a little bit of the events that were about to unfold in front of me.

"King Lucijan Kardos of Red Blaze, and Crown Prince Orion Kardos of Red Blaze." The doors open and my in-laws walk right through the door. Orion wears a maroon tunic with black pants, a black blazer to add to the outfit. He wears a silver crown with obsidian gemstones that wrap around the Crown, and black boots to pair. His father wears a white tunic with black pants, a maroon blazer to add red to his attire. He wears a silver crown but they are with fire rubies, a ruby that I've learned that was made with Kardos fire back when they took the throne for the first time. Fire Rubies are only allowed to be worn by the Royal borns, which is why Astraea gets a pass on wearing them, he wears black boots as well. Orion looks just like his father, same blue eyes, strong jawline, and nose. Orion has the famous Kallis blonde hair, but that shouldn't fool anybody; he's got the same fire in his veins that was blessed by Ovion himself.

"King Kardos, please sit. They are going to send in drinks and breakfast, we have all sorts of tea and maybe some coffee if you want some, but what can my staff give you?" My father asks and the small smile on his face makes me feel uneasy. My father has been so open to the Kardos family and them being here, but I can't trust it. I can't trust it because just a month ago he was giving me a verbal lashing for who my Mate was. Like I could help it, and if I could, I would've picked him. Instantly. Without hesitation, it would always be Pluto; Pluto Kwon and Prince Pluto Kardos III, because to me, he was always destined to be mine.

An hour passes by as we eat our breakfast, drink our tea, and make small talk. I'm not sure how we are making small talk but it's happening and I can't help but wonder if Pluto is okay. I tug on the mental string that connects us both, a hum and a caress of the string that comes back helps relax me. I roll my shoulders back and finish my black tea, asking the staff for lemon water next. The doors open and some of the Court members (elders) of Acid come through in dark green robes. It reminds me of the forestry behind the Castle that I was in yesterday, it brings a small smile to my face. It's who I predicted it would be, my father's counselor, Illsung Kim, and the worst of them all, Chanyeol Park, my father's law keeper. They sit on the same side as my father and I, luckily for them, they both sit on my father's side. Next through the doors are Lucijan's counselor and law keeper, Ambrus Vamos, and Karda Arany. Although Chinhae owns the most popular bar in Sanseong, he's also the son of Illsung Kim, and Pluto doesn't know it. Chinhae knows he'll be my counselor here soon, and I asked him if he wanted me to pick someone else but he wanted it. He wanted to change our course of life in Black Soul like I did, he would keep the pub, but wouldn't be there daily like he usually is. It was a surprise to find out he was Illsung's child, and I knew that Illsung had a child around Pluto and I's age when we were growing up but to be honest; I just didn't care. As a child, it was always Pluto and I. Always. Where I was, he was by my side, and vice versa. If I got in trouble, so did Pluto. So when we met Chinhae at college, and I found out who he was, he didn't deny it. He said he came to university to become more knowledgeable for his future position, that he didn't want Pluto to know because he didn't want anybody to treat him differently; University was Chinhae's shot at feeling like a student, not the future heir to becoming my Counselor. I was still surprised he hadn't told Pluto, but I was sure he would soon. That's also if Pluto hadn't figured it out, Pluto was all about the history and the politics, he was smart.

"Treaty of Sanseong," Illsung starts in Draconei, a language we all can understand, "I have this recording device that will be in the file that holds this Treaty. I have with me here, Kings Lucijan Kardos of Red Blaze, and Minjun Cha of Black Soul. Crown Princes Orion Kardos of Red Blaze and Jaejin Cha of Black Soul. Royal Counselors, Ambrus Vamos of Red Blaze and myself, Illsung Kim of Black Soul. Royal Law Keepers Karda Arany of Red Blaze and Chanyeol Park of Black Soul."

"We are here today to bridge the two Houses in unity. House of Kardos and House of Cha. King Kardos and King Cha will be signing in their own blood, as same as their Heirs, Prince Kardos and Prince Cha." Ambrus continues as Illsung grabs the coffee-colored treaty paper. He grabs what seems to be a needle and a small petri dish. He pricks Lucijan first and squeezes the wound enough into the dish for Lucijan to sign his name. He doesn't sign yet though because Illsung just places the dish next to Lucijan and seems to get us ready for the moment that we are going to sign it. More conversations need to take place before the actual signage of the Treaty. Illsung grabs a different needle for my father and does so with each of us. He pricks Orion, and then pricks me. Illsung places lids on all of the dishes while writing our names on top of them. He grabs them all and sets them by his side of the table for later.

"Negotiations, terms and open conversations may proceed now." Illsung announces and Ambrus' lips straighten into a straight line like he's not looking forward to the next line that comes out of his mouth.

"Any grudges or ill-feelings against anybody in this room will be spoken now or forever hold your peace." Ambrus says and I wasn't even expecting the snarl that leaves my father.

"I always liked you, Lucijan, growing up. Once we both started to go to the Meetings, you and I were good friends. Then you took in the King Killer, then you had the audacity to Mate her, to let her become Queen. To let her carry your seed in her belly, and to let her give birth to your children. Two Heirs should not have produced Heirs and another child together. You married the King Killer and became a part of this feud." My father snaps at him and Lucijan's lip lifts in the corner. I don't worry about Lucijan because Pluto has told me about Lucijan's burn out, but it's because of my promise that I gave to Pluto and his family that I watch my father from the corner of my eye. His body language might be on edge but my father isn't going to pounce, because I know when my father is going to attack. I've seen it up close and my father won't get the chance to attack.

"She may be a King Killer but guess what? At least she didn't decide to burn down a Kingdom for a tragedy that was out of her control. Your father burned down the Silver Air Kingdom and I was supposed to be okay with that? I was glad when she tore out the spine of your sadistic father! What kind of King is he when he burns down people? Innocent people trying to sleep? No King deserves to have a Kingdom of his own when he doesn't realize the impact the people have when it comes to the Kingdom. You could've called it good, but you sent people to kill our parents-"

"You killed my brother and his Mate, left a child with no parents!" My father yells at Lucijan and I know I have to let this happen, but it still leaves me on edge.

"You killed my parents who had no involvement that night! You killed my parents because you could. You killed her parents to finish it. Then you took her. You took my Mate, and kept her for 15 years. I have your son to thank for her, not you. You took my children's mother away from them." Lucijan snaps at him, and I take a deep breath before I speak.

"That's enough." I demand, and look over to my father who is on my right side.

"Prince Jaejin, you will speak-" Chanyeol starts and I laugh, I laugh like a maniac, and wipe away a fake tear from my eye. Orion looks at me and even he looks uneasy.

"Law Keeper Chanyeol, you will speak when spoken to. You will shut your mouth and let us speak. I am my father's Heir, and blessed by Vuna herself. You will know your place, Chanyeol," I snap at him and I can feel myself tapping into Seung's magic, yellow feline eyes staring him down, "Both families as I am concerned screwed up. Astraea Kallis-Kardos killed Hyunki Cha for burning down her Kingdom. Both families were murdered from each side, and Astraea was taken. After 15 years, I gave her back. I am now mated to Pluto Kardos, and our bond should be proof enough to the Treaty that nothing as blood soaked shall happen again while I rule Black Soul."

"Something we can agree on, Prince Jaejin. As long as I rule Red Blaze, no ill feelings or blood soaked hands will touch Black Soul. Pluto is my baby brother, and over the few months that I have come to know Prince Cha; I know that we will live in harmony as we both shall live. Our children and their children will follow." Orion agrees with me and that seems to shut our father's up. Chanyeol is still glaring at me but that will be fixed, because after this meeting, I am going to put him in his damn place where my father should've had him. The nerve of him trying to tell his future King to be quiet is beyond me, and I will remedy it later. My father even knows that it was out of his place, and will let me rip into Chanyeol.

"Time to sign, my King." Ambrus whispers to Lucijan in Embery and my father looks uncomfortable at the language that he doesn't understand, I don't blame him though.

"He's telling him to sign, Father." I tell my father, still in Draconei and my father hums in understanding. Lucijan Kardos grabs the quill, dipping it in his own blood, and signing the coffee-stained paper.

"A new Eclia, Minjun." Lucijan says to my father and my father nods. My father signs it next, dipping into his blood and signing the line on the other side of the paper.

"To a new Red Blaze and Black Soul, Lucijan." Minjun tells him and Orion is the one that signs next, looking up at me as he finishes.

"House of Flames is signed." He tells me with a smile on his face and when it comes to me, I look at the fresh blood that is written on the paper. I take a deep breath and dip my quill, signing my name. I look at everybody at this table and I know that here soon that I will be signing as King. I just didn't expect it to be so soon.

"House of Flames and Acid."