Chapter 77

Crown Princess Elora
Huticah

Yun Xiang was indeed his father's son. He had a temper one could not stand when he was irritable.

First and foremost, whenever he was awake, it was imperative that a bottle was placed in his mouth in the absence of his wet nurse. It was indeed his father's appetite he was harnessing at such a young age.

Elora started to worry he was over-feeding, though her mother quelled her by insisting he was at an age where he needed to grow and that needed a lot of milk.

In the realm of royalty, it was customary for servants to attend to the needs of royal children. However, Yun Xiang was a unique exception. He rarely required the assistance of servants, as he was often under the watchful care of his grandmother. In her absence, his mother and grandfather took on the responsibility.

Unfortunately, Oren proved to be the most indulgent of them all, and it was already evident to Elora that he might pose challenges in the future. He had a tendency to cater to Yun Xiang's tantrums, and in his eyes, his grandson could do no wrong.

Due to Yun Xiang's premature birth, his developmental milestones progressed at a slower pace compared to children of his chronological age. This was a common occurrence. However, what was uncommon to other children were the moments when his delicate heart struggled to function properly, leading to days of illness. He would become lethargic, spending most of his days asleep, and refusing to drink his milk.

Those were the days Elora missed his temper and fits. At least when he showed such an attitude, it indicated he was doing well. But thank the Heavens for her mother being around. Queen Elora always seemed to know what needed to be done when Yun Xiang's health needed it.

When a month passed, it could not be avoided for Elora to leave for war. Leaving Yun Xiang behind was one of the most difficult things she had to do. Obviously, Yun Xiang would be in good hands with his grandmother, but part of her feared he would not remember her whenever she managed to return.

You see, Yun Xiang was a sensitive child. After all, he was not an average child as he belonged to the royal bloodline of both Nevoria and Furia.

He could tell if it was a stranger holding him, his wetnurse, or his relatives. When someone whose essence he was not familiar with held him, he loved to scream and cry as a dog would do when a thief crept into the yard of its owner at night. Elora wondered if he would treat her the same as a stranger if she tarried and took longer than expected to return home.

"Furia has brought 3,000 comrades-in-arms as reinforcements. How can it be compared to Nevoria which has arrived with 40,000?" Elora heard one of the guards speak at the back of her tent.

"These 3,000 are not just any service men and women. It is nobles with high-ranking abilities. They all can fly and are equipped with magic. Each will be able to take down a thousand of Nevoria in just one swipe," the companion to the first speaker responded.

"The army of Nevoria exceeds 100,000, while Nevoria and Furia who have suffered major losses would be lucky to reach 15,000. We are committing suicide. I cannot bear it when I have a pregnant wife waiting for me at home."

"You are worried too much. The Lord Liege, Senior General Oren, and Crown Princess Elora are here."

"The Crown Princess is stepping into the battlefield for the first time. What benefit will she bring? She just gave birth and is probably weakened."

"You are overthinking. Her Highness is admirable. She cultivated even in the last three months of her pregnancy."

Elora remembered the fake belly she wore when Yun Xiang was born so people would not ask questions. When she started her cultivation, she was still weakened by labor.

"A woman fighting against the nation she almost became the empress for, who would be in their right mind to trust her?" The guard scorned. "Nevoria may not have magic like us, but their research in weapons and military strategies cannot be versed by anyone. They stand taller than us in their own right. They have always engaged in war. Their comrades are thus well-trained and experienced on the battlefield. While Furian and Huticah are fighting after so many years, like a rusty wheelbarrow being pushed after a long time of not working, it will struggle to move."

"Your Highness, these guards are ridiculous! They dare spread such nonsense at the height of a commencing battle. Send me outside so I punish them." General Eveline requested Elora from behind.

Elora shook her head. "We just arrived and they have been here for months. It is expected that they are a little discouraged, missing their family, and in need of venting. Let it be." She patted her leather vest. "I am done dressing and the uniform is fitting. The others are probably wondering what is taking us so long."

General Eveline led her to the north of the camp where the stationed tent for meetings had been set.

"Your Highness, please sit," Eleanor said as soon as Elora entered. They had already met earlier. With nothing much to talk about, they conversed about children, the hardships of pregnancy, and being a new mother. Indeed their mood toward each other was better than when they first met, in Nevoria, when Eleanor visited with General Feng.

Queen Elora had already told Elora that in the future the two sisters only had each other to rely on. Thus, bygones had to be bygones and new beginnings were in order.

General Feng remained his typically reserved self, and Elora couldn't help but admire the genuine concern and care he showed toward her sister. Their bond had evolved into a deep friendship, and if love sprouted from such a foundation, Elora would find it entirely unsurprising.

Eleanor had clearly matured. In Furia, she was still characterized as a spoiled princess with immature notions. However, the Eleanor before her was a courageous woman who took charge and supported her husband, especially in the face of numerous losses among their generals. It was truly astounding how adversity, like a blazing furnace, had the power to refine and bring out the strength and resilience in anyone, turning them into something as precious as gold.

"We have decided to apply four defense formations and one attack formation." Eleanor updated her on what they had already discussed in her absence. "The Lord Liege will take the lead as he will be in charge of the attack formation. We have assigned 1,000 noble comrades to him."

Noble comrades were those who could utilize magic and carried wings.

"According to how much I have cultivated till now, releasing the hellfire will strike 15,000 of their comrades," Lord Liege stated. "However, from then on, with each release I will only be able to kill less than a quarter of my previous release, 4,000 at most. My hell fire is not yet matured, so it will only take us as far before I collapse."

General Feng replied, "Whatever Furia can assist with, it is more than enough. Therefore, Senior General Oren will take up Formation 11. He will go in with 5,000 comrades after the Lord Liege."

Their discussions went on for the rest of the afternoon and they were only able to take a break at sunset. Elora was going to be part of General Eveline's formation. As she was inexperienced, it was best to shadow one of Furia's best generals.

While she made her way back from the meeting, the atmosphere suddenly erupted with a thunderous boom that seemed to reverberate through her very bones.

A crimson plume of smoke swiftly unfurled across the once-clear sky, casting an eerie, foreboding hue over the landscape. The ground quivered beneath her, as if nature itself trembled in response to the unexpected detonation.

Her heart pounded in her chest like a panicked bird trapped in a cage as she desperately scanned her surroundings. Instinctively, she dropped to the ground, seeking whatever cover she could find, her every sense on high alert.

Surely, Nevoria couldn't have chosen this moment for an ambush, could they? Her thoughts raced as another deafening blast tore through the sky, this time emanating a vibrant shade of yellow. General Eveline materialized at her side, her brows furrowed in deep concern as she too cast her gaze skyward.

A third explosion rent the air, the crimson hue returning, and a sense of impending danger settled heavily in the pit of Elora's stomach.

"Victory to Nevoria!" someone's voice rang out through the tumultuous scene.

The ground beneath them seemed to pulse with the rhythmic thud, as though a multitude of a hundred thousand men were collectively stamping their authority into the earth. A horn sounded, a singular blur of noise that was quickly joined by a chorus of thousands more. Elora winced as her ears protested the cacophony.

"What's happening?" she exclaimed, her voice quivering.

"It's Nevoria, flaunting their might and rallying their spirits," General Eveline responded with a touch of disdain.

"Does that mean—"

"Yes. Their Grand General and reinforcements have arrived, otherwise, they would not show off as much."

Elora's body flushed with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. Yuwen Hong was here.

"Do not worry, Your Highness. This will normally take them five hours, and at the end, they will be quite tired."

"This means there will be no surprise attack."

General Eveline chuckled and replied with amusement, "Nevoria isn't known for ambushes. They're far too massive for such covert tactics. Controlling a hundred thousand men for a stealthy, unexpected strike would be a near-impossible feat."

"You're right," Elora conceded.

Another explosion of color burst into the sky, and this time, it was a resounding chorus of over a hundred thousand voices that echoed through the air, proclaiming, "Huticah is ours! Furia is ours! Our empire claims the world! Victory has been ordained by the Heavens!"

S.V