The Guardian gods-Chapter 211

Jonas frowned upon hearing that. "Are you suggesting that we do the same thing?" he asked. Elara nodded, and Jonas shook his head.

"Doing something like that is against what our kingdom stands for, especially when you consider my position in our kingdom. If word got out that someone from the royal family did that, what would our people think?" Jonas said, shaking his head.

Gesturing at the other kingdoms, Jonas continued, "They are all small kingdoms. Doing something like this has no repercussions for them. How can we, the second-largest kingdom on this continent, stoop to such a low level, especially in our rival kingdom?"

Elara said nothing as she kept looking at Jonas. Turning around and walking away, she said, "Then we should inform the others that we are leaving since we are never going to get an audience with the Sun King."

Jonas, watching Elara walk away, was flabbergasted. He had honestly expected Elara to argue with him, but seeing her walk away, he couldn’t bring himself to follow her immediately.

Closing his eyes to think for a moment, Jonas said loudly enough for her to hear, "So how do we go about the worship?"

Elara, with a small smile on her face, turned around. "Your Highness, I know it may seem unorthodox, but if this is what it takes to be heard, we must respect their customs. It’s the only way to gain the audience we’ve been waiting for."

Jonas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Very well, Elara. Lead the way."

They entered the temple, the air inside heavy with the scent of incense. Golden sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, casting vibrant patterns on the marble floor. Priests in flowing robes moved gracefully around the altar, where a large statue of Crepuscular stood, its arms outstretched as if welcoming worshippers.

Elara approached one of the priests, bowing respectfully. "Excuse me, we are from the Northern Kingdom. We wish to pay our respects to the sun god Crepuscular and make an offering."

They were led to a smaller shrine within the temple, where they were given candles and a small bowl of golden coins. The priest instructed them to light the candles and place the coins in a basin at the foot of the shrine.

As Jonas and Elara completed the ritual, they could feel the eyes of the other worshippers upon them, a mix of curiosity and approval in their gazes. Once finished, the priest spoke again.

"Your respect for our customs will not go unnoticed. I will inform the Sun King of your actions. Please, return to your quarters and await further instructions."

Jonas nodded, gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, we appreciate your assistance."

As they walked out of the temple, Jonas whispered to Elara, "That was it? I thought we would bow and sing praises to the sun god before getting some sign of approval from him."

Elara shook her head. "This isn’t an official temple of the Sun Kingdom. This temple is mostly reserved for outsiders like us. A whole conversion to the sun god isn’t needed, just a show of respect."

"If they forced a conversion, I am sure that would lead to conflict with other kingdoms and maybe among the gods themselves," Elara said, looking back at the church.

"I see," Jonas responded, bowing his head in thought.

Several hours later, as the sun began to set, a royal messenger arrived at their door. With a formal bow, he announced, "The Sun King will see you now."

Jonas exchanged a relieved glance with Elara. Their perseverance had paid off. They quickly made their way to the grand palace, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

The palace was even more opulent than the rest of the city, with gold and precious gems adorning every surface. They were led through a series of lavish corridors until they finally stood before the massive doors of the throne room.

As the doors swung open, Jonas took a deep breath and stepped inside, ready to face the Sun King and present their case.

Because of their limited understanding of the Sun Kingdom, Jonas and Elara decided it was best if only the two of them went to the palace.

Walking inside the throne room, they noticed that it was gold-plated, and the reflection of oneself could be seen clearly as one walked across the room. Jonas observed others, whom he guessed were the council members.

They all wore the same attire, looking like the priests they had met in the temple. On the throne sat King Edward, whom Jonas saw and did his best not to react to.

His father had always been the most handsome man he had ever seen, but King Edward wasn’t far behind with his long red hair that almost flickered like flames. His eyes burned with passion, and a small smile tugged at the side of his mouth.

"Finally decided to grace us with your presence, Crown Prince Jonas," Jonas heard Edward speak out before he could say anything.

Jonas knew he was being mocked, but he smiled in turn and responded, "We had a small setback, but hopefully it has all been fixed."

Edward caught Jonas’s play on words and nodded. "That’s good, but is the prince up to date on what has been happening on your side?" Jonas snuck a glance at Elara, who shook her head, prompting Jonas to look back at Edward.

"If I may be bold to ask, Your Highness, has anything happened on our side?" Jonas asked, bowing slightly.

"I don’t mind. Bastian, inform the prince of the latest news we have from their kingdom." Edward leaned into his throne and gestured for one of the council members to speak.

Bastian nodded and began speaking. The more he talked, the grimmer Jonas and Elara looked. At first, they were ecstatic hearing about Silas’s mishap with the harpies, but hearing of the possible attack on their kingdom caused their faces to turn pale.

It took some time before Jonas gathered himself. Looking at Edward, he said, "Your Highness already knows why I am here. I would like an answer, as it seems my people need every bit of help we can get at the moment."

Edward nodded before speaking up. "Regarding your invitation of alliance, I would like to inform you that I decline."

Jonas was stunned as he looked at Edward. "I would like to know why Your Highness declined the invitation. The demon is something we all should be working together to eliminate."

Elara stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Your highness, if I may. Our kingdoms have been on each other’s throats for too long. The demon’s power grows stronger each day, and it will soon be beyond any of us to stop it alone. We need each other now more than ever. Please reconsider, not for our sake, but for the survival of all our people." ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Edward leaned forward and pointed behind him at his throne, where a statue of Crepuscular stood with wings stretched out, cradling Edward at the center.

"Your people attacked the children of our god. What makes you think we would side with non-believers like you?" Edward calmly asked. He looked back at Jonas, who noticed the king’s eyes were now almost aflame.

Jonas, confused and trying to understand, took a deep breath before speaking again. "Your Highness, I was not aware of any such actions against the harpies. If this is true, I can assure you it was not sanctioned by my kingdom. There must be some misunderstanding or rogue elements at play."

Edward’s eyes, still fiery, scrutinized Jonas deeply, searching for any sign of deceit. "Misunderstanding or not, the actions of your people cannot be ignored. Our trust was shattered before this conversation began, and it will take more than words to mend it."

After he said that, one of the council members left his position and whispered something into Edward’s ear. The council member then returned to his position, and the palace fell into silence.

Edward looked at Jonas and Elara with distrustful eyes before speaking. "I am sorry for this, Crown Prince."

"Chains!" Edward roared. Before Jonas and Elara could react, the surrounding council members each produced a golden chain from their robes, binding Jonas and Elara.

One council member walked out, carrying a red book and chanting, walked towards the trapped prince and his envoy before shouting, "Cleanse!" From the priest’s hand came a wave of golden flame that shot at Jonas and Elara.

Jonas and Elara closed their eyes, expecting pain, but nothing happened, surprising them and the other council members around. Edward, who had already left his throne and was standing close to the priest, looked down at the scared Elara and the angry prince with relief clear in his expression.

"Is this how you treat your visitors?" Jonas roared in anger at Edward.

Edward waved his hand, and the council members backed away with their chains. He stretched out his hand to Jonas, who hesitated but took it as Edward pulled him up.

"I apologize. There was a good reason for our actions, and it wasn’t meant to hurt you," Edward said, patting Jonas’s shoulder.