Something Happening In Your Province?

"Hmm." Hayden rubs his chin and focusing on her head.

"Rather..you look.." He draws closer to her face and curled up his lip. "Beautiful as always."

A hint of redness form on her both of cheek and she diverted her eyes from staring him for too long. Her heartbeat drumming uncontrollably. 'Ah~he's flirting again.'

Chup! Hayden kisses her cheek lightly before he patting on her head. "Get a good rest. We'll have a long talk tonight."

After he said that, he went to the room where Zane and Farrell went earlier. Yuina also went inside the room where Kyra staying.

..

Tap tap tap.

Drrrrtt...

"I'm sorry I running late." General Kiki said with a bit huff. She wears her kimono and tied up her hair into a bun. Opening the sliding door with a bit rush.

"It's okay. We also just arrived." Yuina said with a polite tone. They are now at the dining hall across their bedroom. This area seems like no people or servant are coming here. Their dinner also has been served by the elite squad from the forest before.

"I was caught up with my family in the main hall." She said and took a seat at the end of the table.

"Please, dig in." She looks at all of them before they start their dinner.

Kiki dressing nicely tonight for Hayden to notice her. However, his eyes never set on her face or body for more than ten seconds. That makes Kiki a bit offended. But, she thought that since they will stay here for a few days, she might have time to make Hayden look at her.

After finishing dinner, Kiki's elite squad prepare them some rose-scented tea before they start their discussion.

"So, tell me about this kingdom tales. Is it true?" Kiki starts after sipping the tea.

"Erm...I know this is a bit hard to believe, but I've seen it with my own eyes. Hayden, Zane, and Farrell is the guardian of the Legendary dragon-"

"So, Hayden is the Thunder Beast guardian?" Kiki asks while looking at Hayden's direction.

Hayden nod. She then diverts her eyes to the man who she believes is named Zane.

"And you?"

"I'm the guardian of Skylark Dragon, my lady." Zane smile to her showing his white teeth.

"A dragon who can control two-element?" She asks with a bit excited in her tone this time. She always admires the story regarding those dragons which has the power to control natural element.

Zane nod. "Can you show it to me?" Kiki asks again.

Smiling, Zane moves his finger making the teapot move and pour another cup of tea for her. Kiki eyes twinkling with what she just saw.

"Wow..amazing." She said.

"So Kiki, we here to find the guardian of Rouge dragon. I believe that a person must be here somewhere." Yuina continues to talk after her word has been cut before.

"Um, I don't think there is a person like that in my province, Yuina. By the way, Rouge dragon can control ice, right?" Kiki said and Yuina slightly nods her head.

"My province did not consist of ice element, even though in the winter season. My province has been gifted with only seas, a port for other kingdom's trade and merchant and yeah, pirate too."

Kyra almost rolls her eyes when she heard that. "Well, excuse me, general. These dragons did not pick where their guardian lives. Whether it suits them or not. They find a good person to trust their abilities and power to them. And of course, it's for protecting this kingdom and their leader. And I can't see why Hayden should live in the sky since he can control the thunder, right?"

Hayden curled up his lips listening to Kyra's bravery speech. While Yuina slowly closes her eyes. 'Oh god. Why this girl hate Kiki that much?'

"Well.." Kiki lost her word. She tries to find a good word to says but she didn't find any.

"You can find that person in this town, but I advise to not go out without any protection. My province now is in chaos. Every outsider who wants to pass my province needs to identify themselves and solid proof for their identity too."

Hayden lifts his eyebrow. He notices it and meant to ask her anyway.

"Something happening in your province?"

Kiki looks at him and lowered her gaze. A bit embarrassed to let another leader of the province know about their current situation.

"Y..yeah."

"Tell us. Maybe we can help as a token of gratitude for you to sheltered us here?"

Kiki silent for a moment. Thinking whether or not to telling them. After some consideration, she finally let out a heavy sigh.

"Its happen long ago actually. But I manage to contain it, but now it's getting worse."

"After our late King, King Edward give a share of our port with the Heliodor Kingdom, our province infected with their unhealthy lifestyle. At the first few years, everything is in peace. No sick people, no damage at all. But then after five years, Heliodor hire our people from my province to work on their 'medicine' refinery. This thing has affected most of my people. They start to hallucinating, attempting to kill innocent people, they slowly lose their sanity."

"Medicine? What kind of medicine is that? And why is it affecting your people if they just working there?" Zane ask.

"They say it was medicine, but it's a deadly drug. A drug where one people consume it, it becomes addicted to it. Having a lot of stamina for five days straight and if they did not continue it after five days, their body will automatically shut down. By shut down I mean, they become a corpse. So once they consume it, they need to continue it."

"That..inhuman. Why are they making this drug? What is their motive?"

"About their motive, I still don't have any clue at all. But this matter, I already voice it out to the late King a few years ago. But there is no reply or action at all." Kiki said with a bit guilty of what Yuina feel right now.

"Maybe King Edward did not have any solution for this because the Heliodor Kingdom is ruled by a brutal queen. He agrees to give half of our land and port to them because they threaten to have a war and conquer our Ivory and your province too. So, instead of losing two provinces, he makes a deal to give them access and sharing our kingdom's port."

"Queen Lilin also not a stupid woman. She makes sure our late King did not trespass the deal. She requests to allow our people to work with their distributor to make a profit for both kingdoms. That is why she uses this opportunity to infecting our people. Little by little with this drug."

"But..why did father never fight back? I mean even if she threatens to have a war, why not let our soldier fight? We have a great warrior and general from each province to support our kingdom." Yuina said with a bit sad in her tone. Somehow, she feels like there's a big burden fall on her shoulder. This is the second times she heard something like this about her father.

"Princess, it's not because we are afraid of them. It because, once the war starts again between our kingdom and Heliodor, other kingdoms such as Garnet, Onyx or even Peridot will start to provoke and attack our kingdom. That time, we do not have enough hand to handle four other kingdoms. Our kingdom is at the center. If one of them can conquer our land, they'll be a great kingdom where they have the biggest portion from the other three kingdoms. That is why we need to keep protecting our kingdom to not fall into others hand. And that is also a reason why our kingdom never marries off their heir with another prince or princess from another kingdom too. Now you know the reason, right? Its to reserve our kingdom from invaded by others." Hayden explains the situation. He knew about this because, in each of the meeting between King Edward with the representative, he needs to be there and learn how to rule a kingdom.

"Even so..leaving them with this problem and turn blind eyes also a bit too much, don't you think?" Yuina sigh.

"Yes, I agree. That is why we're gonna fix it, right?" Hayden smile to her.

"But...I think this situation right now is a bit severe from a few years back with the pirate who getting our way.." Kiki said with a bit frowned on her face.

"Pirate?" Kyra ask.

"Yes. A group of pirate start to invade our port and attack a certain trader ship and sometimes, they even make a scene on the port. Exploding the ships, fighting on the street and sometimes, they even sink a ship on the sea before they get to the dock. Most of the world trader from other kingdom start to demand their security in this province."

"Are they robing them? Asking for money?" Kyra asks again.

"No. They're not. I think they just do it for fun." She said with an annoyed voice.

"You know who is the pirate?"

"Unfortunately, yes. He's my childhood friend. My right-hand man before he becomes a pirate."

"Is it Akashi?" Hayden took a guess. He knows about that man. He used to see him before at the castle. He always following General Kiki to the monthly meeting at the castle. But starting from two years ago, he not seeing him again and Kiki always is followed by her elite commander. Commander Kobe.

"Yes, he is."