"Have a seat," Griffin said again. He also joined the duo in the parlor and he could clearly see the fear and confusion on their faces. Maybe they had already smelt their deaths. Were it him in their position, he would have enjoyed the moment while it lasted. And to confuse them even further, he ordered some wine for them. Maybe they could not feel death coming in their drunken state.

Shortly after, a maid came in with a jug of wine and three cups. She poured the wine for the three and placed the remnants of the wine on the table before she curtsied and left.

"Drink to your fill, men," Griffin said and toasted his cup in the air. The two knights did the same before they gulped the contents simultaneously. Griffin watched this in silence, an evil smile on his face. He took a sip of his wine before he placed it on the table.

"You know I really love my men. Especially the ones from my elite group," he said and poured some more wine into the empty cups of the two knights.

"I just wonder how a human prince was able to defeat you, the two of you," he added as he pointed to them simultaneously. They were holding the cups in their hands as they took sips in turns.

"I want you to tell me what happened that day," Griffin said and placed his cup on the table. He shifted on his seat and folded his arms, letting his gaze dart between the two knights.

"That Valorian prince, he is not just a normal human. I could feel the power emanating from him even before we launched an attack on him," one of the knights, the blond one, said. Griffin just looked at him surprised for the briefest of moments before he switched into his Majesty self. He was glad that the duo were enjoying the wine.

"I second that, Morris," the other knight chimed in. Griffin could see that the wine had already started affecting him. His eyes and now his speech answered it all.

"That prince is not just a normal Valorian. His movements were a blur and so were his skills; top-notch. Even if we were two of us, we couldn’t hold a candle against him."

"He had immense powers, Your Majesty. I can only compare his power to yours. But he is a little stronger than you, I guess." The smile on Griffin’s face faded immediately. Seems this guy was so drunk to underestimate him. How could he hurt his ego when he was seated just next to him? The knights also realized the sudden change of expression on the king’s face and knew what they had dreaded most was about to happen.

Griffin stood up, his regal aura leaking in the hall. The expression on his face was readable and the knights could only imagine the worst. However, a smile settled on his face shortly afterward making the two knights more confused when,

"Take these two in the dungeon. I’ll enjoy myself torturing them before I send them to hell," his eyes blazed in anger as he turned to face the two knights again. That mere look was enough to make them shake in fear. But that could not help. Two knights walked towards where they sat before they took them out of Griffin’s sight, and headed to the dungeon.

Griffin slouched on his seat for the nth time. He had thought that killing the two knights would enlighten his mood but it grew more sour instead. He poured some more wine into his cup and drank the contents in one go. Damn! He threw the cup on the floor breaking it into pieces. Why was this happening to him? He was the Crescian king, Griffin, the most composed king on the continent. But what was this unsettling feeling in his stomach? Why did he feel like he was doomed to die anytime soon? Or maybe he was just overthinking. Who would kill him anyways? He was King Griffin, the strongest being in Crescia, and probably the whole continent.

"He had immense powers, Your Majesty. I can only compare his power to yours. But he is a little stronger than you, I guess." The words resonated in his mind and anger filled his being. How could that knight compare him to that damned prince? He would definitely skin him alive, later. But still, he could not take those words for granted. He had sparred with his elite group of knights for a long time and they certainly knew how strong he was.

But how was that even possible? Alexander was not even Crescian, to begin with. And where the hell was Gareth? His face grew a few shades darker. The last time he had met Gareth, he had incited him to bring with him Alexander’s head. Had he made it? He could only fear for him now. What those knights had said could not be taken lightly. But he still had his doubts. He had to investigate the matter, deeper!

The creaking sound of the double doors sounded in the hall. Griffin was not ready to meet any other person for now. All he wanted was to have some time alone. Maybe that would calm his mind, and coupled with some wine, he knew it would be alright.

"Whoever you are, I don’t have time to talk to you," he said. The seat he sat on was facing the other side so he had to crane his neck to see who would walk in the throne hall.

"Uncle... It’s me." Griffin’s hair stood alert before he instinctively stood up with a surprised look on his face. His eyes searched for and shifted toward the person, his heart beating erratically in his chest.

"Gareth? Is that you? What happened?" He asked simultaneously. His gaze shifted to Gareth’s hands and a frown settled on his face. Apart from his scarlet-painted sword, there was nothing else in his hands.

"Tell me you got rid of that prince? Where is his head?"