The Queen and the Lion - Chapter 20
A few days later, Kaplan Bash Heiban, the second prince of Heiban, arrived in Florea with a tribute. His appearance, which wouldn’t have paled in comparison to the Floreans, his strong and wild physique characteristic of Heiban people, and his upright and composed demeanor, despite being the prince of a defeated nation, won the favor of the Floreans.
Aslan, too, could attend as a prisoner of war and a subject of negotiation, albeit in chains. It felt somewhat strange to be dressed in Heiban attire after so long in Florean clothing.
Kaplan entered the central hall. He was a bright and handsome man. Seeing his appearance that would shine even among the Floreans, it was clear that the rumor of Florean blood in Kaplan’s mother’s lineage was true. “A bastard,” Aslan sneered.
Although he had told Lysian he didn’t know Kaplan well, it wasn’t true. They weren’t just not close; their relationship was terribly bad.
Aslan wasn’t passionate enough about the future of Heiban to interfere in the succession struggle. But even so, he had his personal preferences, and he favored the first prince, the eldest son. The first prince, who looked exactly like the king of Heiban, possessed the typical characteristics of a Heiban and fought bravely in the war without sparing himself.
In contrast, Prince Kaplan was skilled at maneuvering and avoiding trouble with his good looks, which Aslan, who had risen to the rank of general solely through his martial prowess, found utterly distasteful.
Meanwhile, Kaplan was being considered as the next king of Heiban. The king’s affection for his mother had been passed down to her son. Since Kaplan was the spitting image of his beloved mother, he was the king’s favorite prince, and it was only natural that he was being considered for the succession.
As his influence grew with his position as a potential successor, Kaplan began to voice his opinions on political matters. As expected, Kaplan and Aslan always disagreed.
In Aslan’s eyes, Kaplan was a man who navigated the world with his good looks and a head full of fantasies, while to Kaplan, Aslan was a beast who relied solely on his own abilities.
They had disliked each other at first sight. Aslan had taunted Kaplan, calling him a bastard, and Kaplan had mocked Aslan’s low status and vulgar manners.
Initially, he had simply supported the first prince because he believed him to be more suitable to be king of Heiban. But later, he became even more determined to support the first prince, as he couldn’t bear the thought of Kaplan becoming king. At that time, he truly wanted the first prince to become king of Heiban.
But that was never the outcome he had hoped for.
“So, you’re proposing peace,” Lysian stated.
“Exactly. A bond formed through peace is deep and enduring. Heiban pledges its loyalty to Florea as a vassal state,” Kaplan replied with a sweet smile. It was a charming smile that could win over any woman. Lysian smiled back in response.
At the mention of peace, Aslan couldn’t bear to look at them and lowered his head. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead, and his fingertips trembled. It was a level of tension he hadn’t felt even when going into battle.
Kaplan and Lysian. Just thinking about them was horrifying. He disliked the idea so much that he thought it would be a hundred times better if Kaplan became king of Heiban than Lysian’s consort.
“We’ll discuss the details later.”
“Once peace is established, we’ll be like family. Heiban cherishes its family. Since many negotiations will depend on whether or not we make peace, could we perhaps postpone the negotiations?”
“Very well.”
Kaplan and Lysian’s eyes met, filled with a strange current. They were a beautiful sight, a perfect match. Compared to them, he and Lysian would be like Beauty and the Beast. Feeling a bit deflated, Aslan bit his lip.
Thus, the armistice between Florea and Heiban were postponed. Part of him wanted the negotiations to be over quickly and Kaplan to leave, but another part of him wanted to delay the negotiations because Kaplan and Lysian might get married. Aslan’s heart was a mess. Then, as if just thinking of it, Kaplan mentioned Aslan.
“Ah, but there is something I would like to request in advance. Please repatriate Lord Aslan Yilmaz, who was captured as a prisoner in Florea. He is a symbolic figure in our country.”
Kaplan glanced at Aslan as he spoke. It was as if he were saying, “You’re so confident in your abilities, but in the end, I’m the one looking out for you.”
“…”
Aslan wanted to get rid of Kaplan right then and there. He hated the way Kaplan was asking for his release.
But Kaplan’s request must have been the will of his homeland. Aslan’s heart was in turmoil. Ironically, he didn’t want to leave Lysian. He never imagined he would be in such a conflict when he was first brought to Florea.
Aslan’s loyalty to Heiban wasn’t as strong as others might think. He had the usual level of concern for his homeland and the usual level of loyalty. That was all.
On the contrary, his self-esteem far outweighed his loyalty. Despite his humble origins, Aslan was proud of his ability to rise to the rank of general. The reason he had stood so tall when he met Lysian was not because she was the leader of the enemy, but because he had upheld his pride as a man.
It was Lysian that he desired, even though he was reduced to nothing more than a concubine. Even if Heiban wanted him back, Aslan wanted to stay by Lysian’s side.
“But…”
He had no reason to stay here. Even the excuse of being a concubine would no longer hold if Kaplan became her consort. That’s why he disliked the union between Kaplan and Lysian even more.
Although he had called Kaplan a bastard, he himself had willingly offered his body to the queen to be chosen. Aslan realized his great pride was slowly crumbling. He couldn’t ignore it because he was the one tearing it down.
