The Dragon King's Heart

Laina pondered over the situation and offered a solution, "I hear you, Nyx. How about this? I'll appoint Alum as the assistant leader."

This was bait. Laina wanted to see how Nyx would respond. Would she take the compromise, or stay true to what she was fighting for? 

"No," Nyx replied as she shook her head.

Alum could not believe this. The Crown Princess had offered a compromise but Nyx still did not accept it.

"Nyx, what are you doing?!" He whispered to her.

"I'm fighting for what's right!" She replied before turning back to face Laina.

"Your Highness, I'm not trying to be difficult. But I don't think Kol would make a suitable leader."

"Why not?" Laina could not help but ask.

"First of all, he's your personal bodyguard, and does he have a master seal contract with you? This means he will listen to you regardless of whether your decision is right or wrong.

We are the Queen's Order of Knights. Our duty is to protect whoever wears the crown and by extension, safeguarding the welfare of the people of Kinshearth. We simply can't have a leader who would blindly follow you. 

Furthermore, he's always following you around. He would not have enough time to be an effective leader over the rest of us while we carry out our duties."

Nyx bowed down, head against the floor as she appealed to Laina, "I hope that you will reconsider, your Highness."

Margaret was impressed by the argument she made. She was right, Kol would not have made an effective leader. Most of the duties would have rested on the assistant leader's shoulders. This could easily hinder their duties as knights. Margaret glanced over to Laina. 

She could see that Laina understood Nyx's points too. Laina did not require her council, she would make the right decision. Hearing Nyx's argument, Laina had made up her mind. But before saying anything else, she had one more question.

"If I insist on Kol being the leader, what would you do, Nyx?" 

She did not even take a spare second to think this through. She has already made up her mind from the moment she heard the announcement from the messenger. 

"I will continue to fight for what I believe is right. But if I can't change your mind, I will ask for you to relieve me of my duties as a knightess of the Queen's Order."

Laina smiled. She stood up from her seat as she asked Alum and Nyx to stand back up. As they did so, she walked up to them and pat Nyx on the back. 

"Thank you for your honesty, Nyx. After hearing what you've said, I see your point of view. I agree with you."

Nyx and Alum both lit up. 

"You do?" Nyx asked in shock.

Laina smiled as she nodded, "You're right. Kol is my personal bodyguard, he won't make an effective leader. But…"

"But what, your Highness?" Alum asked.

"I have another candidate in mind," Laina explained.

As soon as she said that, she could see the disappointment in their eyes. Nyx was also about to speak but Laina quickly stopped her. She wanted them to hear what she had to say first. 

"I think Alum would make a great assistant leader, he can keep all of you in line. I have faith in his abilities," Laina turned to Nyx and continued, "But I think you would make a much more effective leader, Nyx."

Their jaws dropped. None of them could believe their ears. Nyx could not help but smile at hearing the news. Never in a million years would she have thought this would be possible. In fact, she would not understand why Laina would have made this decision.

"Why, your Highness? Why me?" Nyx asked as she furrowed her eyebrows, "I… I went against your orders and even barged into your office."

Laina chuckled, what Nyx said was right. But that was a different side of the same coin.

"What I see, was a knightess who was willing to fight for what she believed in, no matter the consequences."

Nyx was beaming with joy, her smile was from ear to ear. 

"So, Nyx Leohart. I, Crown Princess Laina of Kinshearth, appoint you as the 1st Leader of the Queen's Order of Knights. Do you accept?"

Nyx got down on one knee, "I accept, your Highness!"

After Nyx and Alum left to tell the others the good news, Laina returned to her desk and continued her work. She turned to Kol and apologized for not informing him before changing her decision.

"You don't have to apologize, Mas… your Highness. I will follow whatever decision you make," Kol replied.

At that moment, Laina realized Kol was now speaking in complete sentences, unlike before.

"Your speech is improving, good work Kol," she praised him before turning to Margaret, "Naturally, an excellent teacher would produce an excellent student."

Margaret smiled, "You flatter me, Your Highness. Kol picked it up really quickly. Most of what he is learning is through self-study. I simply recommended a few books he should read up on."

"That's remarkable. We might just have a prodigy on our hands. Your talents are wasted being in service to me, Kol. Maybe we should send you-"

Hearing that Laina suggested sending him away, Kol immediately got down on his knees. Laina, shocked by his actions, quickly ordered him to get up but he would not listen to her. The seal on his chest began to burn bright red as he continued to refuse her order.

"Kol, what has gotten into you?" Laina exclaimed as she got up from her seat.

She walked over to him and pulled his arm, trying to get him to stand up. No matter what she tried to do to withdraw her order, it did not work. 

"Don't send me away, your Highness. Let me remain by your side and protect you forever. My talents are not wasted when I'm by your side," Kol pleaded as he looked up at Laina.

"Kol, I won't send you away! It was merely a suggestion. Stand up, please stand up," Laina quickly replied.

She could see the seal burning on his skin, as blood trickled down his chest, staining his shirt red. Finally, Kol listened and stood back up. Only then, did the seal return to normal.

"Are you alright? Did it hurt?" Laina asked, concerned about the blood.

Kol shook his head, "I'm alright, your Highness."

Laina heaved a sigh of relief.