The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 9: The Empire of Schiereiland

Meeting Room of the Main Palace, Noord, Nordhalbinsel

That morning Anna and Xavier were preparing to lead a meeting to unite Schiereiland and Nordhalbinsel into one unit, the Imperial Schiereiland. Actually, they have been talking about this since Xavier decided to give Nordhalbinsel to Schiereiland. But Anna rejected him and expressed her opinion that she would prefer if they combined the two kingdoms and they both led him together as a unity in an equal and balanced.

"You guys. I will help you and support you. I might be your advisor. But you deserve to lead." Xavier.

"Why do you think that?" Ask Anna.

"You're the firstborn."

Anna laughed snidely hearing that. "You too."

"Uhm, not really." Said. "You see that guy over there, though he doesn't look alike, he's actually my brother. So I'm not the firstborn." Xavier said as he turned his head towards Leon who was still sitting on the sofa with Irene to have a quiet tea before the meeting started.

"You may have forgotten that, before you became your brother, he was my father's adopted son. He's also my brother. So I'm not the firstborn either."

Leon who felt that he was being talked about, turned his head towards them. "So you guys haven't specified it yet? I thought there was a big meeting with the royals today because you've set."

"It has. I agree that Imperial is led by Tsarina Anastasia." Xavier.

"Why suddenly use that title?" Ask Irene. "Why not become the Empress just like the Orient empire?"

"That was his title when this whole land was his domain." Answer Xavier.

"A thousand years ago. And that was before Westeria and Orient decided to separate from Imperial." Obviously Anna. "After that I got the title of Great Queen. Grand Queen Zhenra."

"Yes. So you have experience being an Imperial leader, Tsarina." Xavier.

"You've also experienced leadership, Tsar."

"No. I was a king for a long time, and that was because I led the dragons. The one with the title of Tsar was your father his father Great Queen Zhenra I mean—Tsar Schierei, the founder of Imperial. But in many history books in the present, they write it as Emperor or King. It seems like the translators forgot, we used to use the ancient Halbinsel language so that there were only the Tsar and Tsarina." Xavier.

The explanation was so accurate and detailed that Anna had trouble finding the right arguments to debate it.

"Leon, you were educated as heir to the throne before me and Alexis were born." Said Anna. Leon nodded in response. "What do you call the Tsarina couple?" Ask Anna.

"Tzar." Answer Leon directly.

Anna looked at Xavier. "You hear, my partner?"

"Grand Duke's..." Call Xavier, not to be outdone in the debate, "Based on the book of laws of leadership you read, after I handed Nordhalbinsel over to Schiereiland, who would be the leader of the two kingdoms if the two kingdoms were combined into one Imperial?"

Leon seemed to think for a while, remembering everything he had learned since childhood. "It's complicated. Because you gave it up after you got married. Though by marriage itself, you're the same as uniting two kingdoms."

"I gave it up before we officiated the wedding in Nordhalbinsel. Marriage in the Orient cannot be considered official in any country other than in the Orient." Xavier.

"He's right." Irene spoke up because she was once a Queen who understood the intricacies of leadership. "Then the Imperial will be led by the Tsarina. And Xavier can't be Tsar. Even he could be considered a commoner without any title."

Leon nodded in agreement. "Like the Queens in Westeria, his spouse did not necessarily receive the title of King. Rather stick to his title before marriage."

"You've been planning this since the beginning, huh?" Anna asked, suspicious.

Xavier shrugged, "It looks like it's your destiny to re-lead Imperial like a thousand years ago. Or we'll just try to hear the nobles' response. Starting from the nobleman with the highest standing." Xavier then turned his head towards Leon, "Grand Duke Winterthur?"

"I agree Imperial is headed by Tsarina Anastasia." Answer Leon directly.

"Why?" Ask Anna.

"The people of Schiereiland hated the people of the north. Especially their King." Leon said as he glanced towards Xavier. "While the people of Nordhalbinsel do not hate you, Your Majesty. They just don't know you very well yet so can't trust you completely."

"The wise answer." Xavier. "Although I'm a little offended. Didn't it? The people of Schiereiland hate me? Why?"

"Because they think you're the same as your father. A cruel, cold, sadistic and heartless killer. North Monster. In short, to the people of Schiereiland you are the villain in a story. There are a lot of bad rumors about you there. You're gonna need a lot of effort to take the heart of the Southerners." Leon said to Xavier.

Xavier agreed. "Have you heard him say? I'm a famous northern monster." He said to Anna.

"Are you conspiring?" Anna asked suspiciously.

"No." Leon and Xavier answered. Irene smiled seeing her two sons appear compact. "We'll see how the meeting with the nobles proceeds." Added Xavier.

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All the nobles of Schiereiland and Nordhalbinsel came to the meeting. Xavier and Anna explain their plan to strengthen their country by uniting the two kingdoms into one Imperial. The unification of these two kingdoms would greatly benefit both sides. Schiereiland has abundant natural resources, fertile soil, many human resources who are experts in their respective fields, and have a good trading relationship with Orient which was established since the reign of King Alexis. While Nordhalbinsel has a strong military and has many genius magicians as well as diplomatic relations maintained for many years with Westeria.

After hearing some responses from all the nobles present, and after going through quite a rowdy debate, the, as a result they agreed that the two kingdoms would unite as Imperial Schiereiland and Anna would lead as Tsarina because Xavier had already signed a declaration that he had handed over his throne to the legitimate leader of Schiereiland before the inauguration of their marriage. Meanwhile, Xavier would remain King, but the supreme power remained in the hands of Tsarina Anastasia.

Anna's coronation as Tsarina Imperial Schiereiland will be done soon after she gives birth because she fears the procession could make her exhausted even though the day of birth is just around the corner. With that, they would inevitably have to delay the signing of a peace treaty with Orient until Anna's coronation.

After a meeting that took a day and after they agreed on every item of law that would apply in the Imperial and divided the duties and powers of the territory to every noble present, suddenly the door opened wide. All eyes were on the person who had just entered the room, one of the wolf squad members entered the room with haste and a facial expression that could make everyone sure that something bad was going on.

"What's wrong?" ask Leon directly.

The wolf, who was very young, knelt before Anna and Xavier. "Sorry, you have news that there is chaos in the north."

Anna and Xavier exchanged looks. What else is this? Said Anna.

Pre-treatment surprise? Xavier's Comments.

I hope it's not something to do with Orient. Said Anna.

Seems not. The delegates are still in the palace. They wouldn't dare to fuck around.

"What kind of chaos exactly?" Anna asked after all the nobles present in the meeting had already left the room.

"Baginda Ratu—“

"Tsarinas." Leon.

Anna threw a sharp glare at Leon, "Not yet unveiled."

Leon rolled his eyeballs. "Just explain, Felix."

Felix, the young wolf, later explained, "Since a few weeks ago there have been many reports that many people have died on the northern border. The existing eyewitnesses seem less trustworthy because they are less sane. He stated that the murder was committed by the Snow Spirit."

"Spirit Snow?" Anna asked, making sure. He turned to Xavier, "Is that some kind of famous myth in the North?"

Xavier. "I heard it for the first time."

"In the Winterthur region the myth regarding the Snow Spirit had already begun to spread about three months ago. Reportedly some men were declared missing after recklessly going to the Northern Region. Many say they went there to meet a very beautiful woman. I thought it was just a silly myth because no one lived there. It must have been just a hallucination of hypothermia-induced effects from the extreme cold there." Comment Leon.

"Snow Spirit..." Xavier looked pensive, "How did he look?" Xavier asked Felix.

"She was very pretty. That's what I heard."

"I mean physical features. Her hair is blonde or dark in color. What color are his eyes. Skin color. Stature. The dress she was wearing. Eyewitnesses should have seen it, right?"

From your words it seems like you've already thought of someone as the Snow Spirit. Do you have any idea who this beautiful Snow Spirit is? Ask Anna.

I don't even want to think about it. I don't want my guess to be right. Xavier.

"They gave different testimonies about his physical characteristics. They only said one thing in common, that she had purple-colored eyes that looked sparkling." Felix.

"The witch." Said Leon directly. "And I don't think it's a witch. He's a black witch."

"Is he the one who caused the chaos in the Northern Region?" Ask Anna.

Felix nodded. "This morning one legion was found frozen in the border region. They all freeze to death. And the only survivor is one person. That person stated that the Snow Spirit had deliberately let him live."

"One legion!" Anna suffocated in horror. He then glanced towards Xavier who was still silently thinking. "It's a trap." Anna said directly, "The Snow Spirit wants us to know about him which is why he left witnesses. He wants us to go there. He wants something from us."

"All right, I'll be right there." Said Leon directly. He was already standing up, preparing to bring along the troops of the Winterthur Wolf as well as his army of witches to head towards the Northern Region.

"Leon!" Anna immediately held him. "You didn't hear what I said? It's trap!"

"Then let me get into that trap and kill him."

"You need my permission."

"Tsarina, this is my job. The North belongs to the Winterthur family, which means it's mine. If it wasn't me, who else would you have assigned to go there?"

Anna couldn't argue with him, so she just kept quiet.

"I'll go there too." Xavier stood up. His sword was already slung on his waist. Xavier turned to look at a bodyguard who had been there since. "Prepare my horse." His order.

"Where are you going?" Anna asked, clasping Xavier's hand tightly.

"Northern Territory."

"You don't have to come." Leon said to Xavier. "You need to stay here."

"No." Xavier Assertive. "I think I need to come. I don't know why I seem to know this Snow Spirit. And you have no power to ban me, Grand Duke."

"Whatever." Said Leon. "If you want to come, better hurry. We're going to teleport there with an army of witches." He left the room quickly followed by Felix behind.

"I forbid you." Anna said to Xavier after there were only the two of them in the room. The firmness in his tone showed his power as an Imperial leader. "I have the power to forbid you. And I forbid you to go to the Northern Territory."

"Anna—“

"I forbid you!" This time he screamed. But his eyes held back the crying. "You've always been like this to me. What's in the North? You know something, right? Did you see anything in your dream?"

Xavier shook his head, "I don't know for sure. I'll tell you right away if my guess is correct. So please, let me go."

"I'm coming with you. If you insist on leaving, I must come."

"You can come there later if our child is born. His birth day is soon. Be patient." Xavier.

But Anna was silent. He was upset and angry that his ban was completely disregarded. Even more upset to know that Xavier is right. It would be dangerous for their child if he went to the Northern Territory as well. Anna herself wasn't sure she would be able to help much if she left in her current condition. Lately he had stopped practicing the sword as it became increasingly difficult for him to move and run. Using the power of Earithear would also consume such a large amount of energy that he might faint if he forced himself. And it may also harm the baby in the womb. He would only be a burden there because he was unable to help anything.

"Anna, honey..." Xavier placed both palms on Anna's cheeks and wiped away her tears that were beginning to flow. Her voice softened. "I'm no longer affected by Morta. You knew that from Ludwig, too. I've recovered from Morta. And you also know, if anything happens I can definitely use my fire. So what are you worried about?"

Anna finally nodded, giving her permission. "Promise me you won't be long."

Xavier smiled, "I promise."

"And you'll come back safely. And you'll be here when I need you. Promise it."

Xavier kissed her forehead, "I promise, my love."

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