A Royal Obligation
Chapter 170: Sadiki Will Pay

Chapter 170: Sadiki Will Pay

King Reagan’s council chamber was steeped in tension, the air heavy with a sense of dread. Zephyros’ most trusted advisors, generals, and nobles had gathered in an emergency session to discuss the disappearance of Prince Eirik, the consort to Kaelix. The king’s brow furrowed as he took his seat at the head of the grand table, his fingers tracing the creases in the armrest as he watched the room fill with concerned faces.

The council members exchanged uneasy glances, each one acutely aware of the implications of Eirik’s kidnapping. The union between Zephyros and Valeidio had been a fragile bridge toward peace, and now that bridge threatened to crumble beneath them. The room buzzed with whispered conversations until King Reagan raised a hand to silence the gathering.

"Let us begin," he said, his voice grave and commanding. His eyes swept across the room, landing on each of his advisors in turn. "The disappearance of Prince Eirik is not just a personal tragedy, it is a potential disaster for our kingdom. We cannot afford to act rashly, but neither can we sit idly by."

Kaelix stood near the door, his arms crossed over his chest, fury radiating from his tense posture. His jaw was clenched tight, and his gaze was fixed on the floor. It took all his strength to remain silent as the council debated what to do. But inside, his blood boiled.

"Your Majesty," one of the nobles began, bowing his head respectfully. "I believe we must proceed with caution. Rushing into action without proper intelligence could make the situation worse. If we deploy our armies too aggressively, we may provoke other factions or escalate tensions with Valeidio."

Another councilor, an older general with a weathered face, shook his head vehemently. "We should have already sent the troops! This is no time for caution. We are dealing with an abduction, a violation of our royal house, and a threat to our alliance with Valeidio. Every minute we waste is another minute the prince could be suffering, or worse!"

Kaelix’s fists tightened at his sides. Suffering. The word hit him like a punch to the gut. His imagination had been torturing him with images of Eirik, alone, frightened, maybe even hurt. He had barely slept since the abduction, his thoughts consumed by fear and anger. And now, sitting here while the council squabbled over strategy felt like salt in the wound.

"Father!" Kaelix’s voice cut through the room, sharp and filled with fury. "We don’t have time for these debates! Every second Eirik is out there, he’s in danger. I don’t care about politics or intelligence, send the armies. Let them search every inch of Zephyros, and beyond if necessary. I will not stand by and do nothing!"

The outburst drew uneasy glances from the council, some of whom shifted in their seats. King Reagan, however, remained calm, though there was a hint of weariness in his eyes. He understood his son’s desperation. How could he not? But the situation was far more delicate than Kaelix seemed willing to admit.

"Kaelix," the king said evenly, "I understand how you feel. But we must act with strategy, not emotion. If we overextend our forces or act too brashly, we may find ourselves in a worse position than we are now. Valeidio’s trust is already fragile. We cannot afford to appear weak or disorganized, especially with your mother still receiving treatment from their physicians."

Kaelix’s expression twisted, his hands balling into fists. He knew his father was right on some level, but it didn’t quell the storm of emotions swirling inside him. "How am I supposed to just sit here and wait while the man I love is out there, possibly..." He couldn’t finish the sentence, the words sticking in his throat.

An advisor chimed in, trying to calm the tension. "Perhaps we should focus on gathering more information. Send out spies, increase surveillance, and deploy a search team discreetly. We don’t need to send the entire army, but we can begin a controlled search to avoid making our enemies think we’re vulnerable."

"Controlled?" Kaelix spat, his eyes narrowing. "This isn’t a controlled situation. Eirik’s been kidnapped. My consort has been taken from right under our noses, and you want to play political games? I refuse to sit here and listen to this."

Drystan, standing near the king, shifted uncomfortably. He had been silent for most of the meeting, his mind still wrestling with the reality of what had happened. He, more than anyone, still had a hard time believing that Sadiki had acted alone in this treachery.

He cleared his throat, his voice quieter but firm. "I believe we should focus on tracking Sadiki. He’s the key to finding Eirik. I... I knew him well, and I don’t think he could have orchestrated something like this on his own. There’s more to this. We need to investigate his connections, his past, and see if anyone else might be involved."

The room fell silent as Drystan’s words sank in. Kaelix’s expression flickered with a mix of anger and frustration.

"He betrayed us," Kaelix muttered, his voice low but seething. "Whether he had help or not, Sadiki was the one who took Eirik. And I will make him pay for that."

King Reagan raised a hand to stop the conversation from spiraling further. "Drystan has a point," he said. "If Sadiki isn’t working alone, we need to understand who might be behind this. It could change how we approach the situation. But we must also prepare for every eventuality. Tighten security around the borders, send out more spies, and yes, Kaelix, we will send private search parties beyond the kingdom’s borders."

Kaelix’s eyes blazed with frustration, but he nodded. It wasn’t enough, it would never be enough until Eirik was safe, but it was a step in the right direction. He couldn’t shake the sense of helplessness that had been gnawing at him since that night Eirik was taken.

The council continued to debate the logistics of the search, but Kaelix’s mind was already elsewhere. He could feel the weight of every second that passed, every minute that brought them further away from finding Eirik. His chest ached with the thought of what might be happening to him.

All because of Sadiki, the man they had trusted.

King Reagan watched his son closely. He understood the torment Kaelix was feeling. Losing someone you loved, not knowing their fate, that was a pain few could bear. But as king, he had to think of the kingdom, of the delicate balance they maintained with Valeidio.

"Kaelix," the king said softly, pulling his son’s attention back. "We will find him. But we must be careful. This situation could easily spiral out of control, and we cannot afford to make enemies of Valeidio. They will be watching how we handle this, especially after everything they’ve done to help your mother. We owe them that much."

Kaelix nodded slowly, though his heart still raged. He couldn’t think of diplomacy or politics right now. All he cared about was Eirik, and every moment spent in that council chamber felt like a betrayal to him.

"I’ll tear apart the world to find him," Kaelix whispered under his breath, a vow that carried the weight of his love and fury. "Sadiki will pay."

Drystan, standing nearby, glanced at Kaelix with a mix of uneasiness and guilt. He would follow Kaelix into the search, but in his heart, he knew that the man he loved might had fallen too far to be saved.

King Reagan stood, his eyes sweeping over the room as he brought the meeting to a close. "We proceed with caution but act swiftly. I want reports by the hour. We cannot let this situation get out of hand."

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