A Betrayal of Faith ✔

NINE: The Treaty Of Ishmar

A.N: As part of a reward for inksgiving over on Tapas, you guys get four chapters this week. I didn't want wattpad to be behind sooo

Nerin let out an exhausted groan. Isiah trailed silently behind him as he had for the last few hours. Talking to Princess Sharina had been a bad idea. He didn't know why he let Isiah talk him into it. At least she wasn't going to say anything. He wouldn't let Isiah get in trouble for something he had most likely misheard.

Harudan had made him angry and as he usually did when he was angry, he snuck into whatever it was his brother was doing. Listening to Harudan wasn't an unusual thing for him. He'd done it with his father too sometimes, but he'd grown sick of the things his father would say about Minisia and the Askari.

For the most part, Harudan never said anything of ill will about the Askari, not that he had heard anyway. But that didn't mean he didn't. He could have had a meeting that Nerin didn't know about, could have had many meetings. There would be so many things that Nerin didn't know. If the servant hadn't babbled that night, he wouldn't have even known that Harudan was talking to Jonin.

He never should have listened to Isiah. What did he know? He'd never left the Sanctum before now. How could Nerin have thought that he knew anything about the goings-on in the castle? He should have left it and ignored it as he had for the few days before Isiah came to him.

But that didn't stop the doubt in the back of his mind. It might not be about the treaty, but something was wrong in Ishmar. He had to find out what. Not that Harudan would tell him. He'd taken after their father in that regard.

"You're a child, Nerin. You don't need to worry about these things yet," they would tell him. But he was in his teen years now. He had to start formally learning soon. Sneaking around wasn't going to be enough for long.

Perhaps that would be what he would tell Harudan when he requested to sit in on the treaty. There wouldn't be another chance for him to learn how they worked if the country was lucky. If he sat in on the treaty, then he would be certain that nothing was going to happen to the Princess.

His brother waited outside the throne room and frowned when he caught sight of them walking down the hall. His guard stood at the door and Sir Jonin waited at his side, the same bored look in his eyes as ever.

Harudan moved away from the group of armoured guards to greet him. "Nerin what are you doing here?" he asked. The Princess would be there to sign the treaty soon. He had to make it quick.

"I would like to sit in on the treaty, brother," he said. Isiah made a noise behind him. Nerin hadn't told him of his plans to sit in. He hadn't said much to him since lunch. "I am a teenager now, it is time for me to learn how this works. Let me sit in. I promise to be quiet."

Harudan barely gave it a second of thought. "No, Nerin. You have classes to attend that will teach this," he said. "A treaty is a royal matter. I don't want you in there."

"But I am royal," Nerin argued. It wasn't fair. It made no sense.

"You are a prince and you are too young to understand what is going on," Harudan said.

"So teach me! It's not that hard!" he cried, anger flooding through him. Footsteps pounded against the floor behind him and he turned to see Princess Sharina walking down the hall, followed by her guards.

Harudan bowed politely and nudged Nerin to do the same. "Greetings, Princess, I hope you have had a good day," the King said.

"It has been eventful," the Princess replied and Nerin tried not to wince. "I would quite like to get it over with so I may rest. Is everything ready?"