Her Graceful War Song

On the twelfth day of July, the Starhaven envoy delegation departed the capital in a grand procession, heading toward Orivenia.

Rafael rode alongside the group for five miles, only reining in his horse reluctantly when Dylan and Jacob both insisted it was time to stop. Carissa turned back to wave at him, her smile as bright as ever. There wasn't a hint of sadness on her face.

Rafael gazed after her, his eyes filled with longing.

But under his breath, he muttered, "She's heartless, truly heartless."

The sun had risen high, and the road was still and stifling with the lack of wind. Still, Rafael waited until the last of the procession had disappeared from view before reluctantly turning his horse around and heading back.

This journey to Orivenia was a significant one. Carissa had brought along three hundred men from the Mystic Army, as well as Travis, Violet, and the others.

Though the two kingdoms enjoyed a temporary peace after the last conflict, Leroy had made public what happened with their late crown prince. The news stirred much animosity toward Starhaven among Orivenia's people, which meant that a larger entourage was necessary for the safety of Kendrick and the rest of the envoys.

Carissa had little direct interaction with Kendrick. In fact, her dealings with him and his wife had been few and far between.

His princess consort, Adelaide, was Kylie's cousin. At a previous banquet, Adelaide had publicly insulted Carissa, claiming the painting she had presented as a gift was a forgery. Since then, their relationship had been strained. In recent years, Adelaide had become remarkably reclusive. She avoided most social gatherings, attending only the mandatory affairs.

The two women, as sisters-in-law, maintained a distant and cordial relationship- nothing more.

For his part, Kendrick seldom visited Hell Monarch Estate. It was this quiet lifestyle that had allowed him and his family to remain in the capital, never moving to their fief. Salvador had never once considered him a threat, not in the slightest.

Rumors often labeled Kendrick as mediocre, though Carissa hadn't bothered to verify whether there was any truth to them. But two days into the journey, Violet remarked that he seemed to have been dropped on his head as a child, which explained why he rarely made public appearances.

Carissa couldn't help but laugh at her friend's sharp words. "That's a bit harsh. He's just inexperienced, nothing more."

Violet couldn't help herself and was as sharp as ever, adding, "If he were only three years old, you could say he was inexperienced. But at nearly thirty, it's nothing short of foolishness."

The incident that had set Violet off occurred during a night when they stopped at a relay station. Kendrick had claimed there were not enough rooms available, suggesting they all go to the nearest town and stay at an inn instead.

Michael had explained that the relay station could easily accommodate the number of adults in their party, and everyone had tents with them for camping if needed.

However, Kendrick insisted. He

argued that being able to travel was a rare occurrence, so he didn't want to be so miserly. He offered to pay for the inn himself, and even proposed treating everyone to a lavish meal. After all, they were on the road, and such comforts were needed to wash away the fatigue of the journey.

The rest of the group hadn't really considered his suggestion, but Kendrick was persistent. He insisted on bringing his retinue to the inn and even instructed the relay station staff to distribute the pre-arranged food to nearby villagers, rather than let it go to waste.

Reluctantly, the group followed him to a nearby town, Longvale. It was a small town, with only three inns that were all fully booked. Not a single room was available.

With no place to stay, the idea of a lavish meal became even more impossible. The town hadn't prepared for such a large group of visitors, and food couldn't just appear out of thin air to serve dozens of tables.noveldrama

The envoy delegation couldn't be split up and left to fend for themselves either. If anything went wrong, the consequences would be unthinkable. In the end, they had no choice but to buy some dry rations and travel back to the relay station overnight, leaving everyone utterly exhausted and starving.

Violet considered herself someone who could endure hardship, but she had no patience for unnecessary suffering caused by sheer stupidity. That was why she said Kendrick must have been dropped on his head as a child.

The others were equally frustrated, secretly comparing him to Rafael and wondering how two royal princes could be so different.

Carissa could have stopped Kendrick's foolish decision, but she noticed that he had been trying to assert his authority over the past two days. Instead of interfering, she decided it was better to let him learn the consequences of his actions. By nipping his ambitions in the bud, life would be easier for everyone in the days to come.