New puzzle-short chapter

One by one levi-ships were landing and Van tried his best to greed all the guests according to rules. Guests from Asturia arrived three days ago cause Millerna wanted to make sure everything was in the right order and she droved the maids crazy and not just with her strange ideas for the wedding arrangements.

Queen of Asturia was already five months pregnant and her cravings were so unusual the maid that was assigned to bring her what ever she asked for asked from Van that he entitle someone else who wasn't disgusted with the food mixes young queen asked.

Van laughed at the memory of the maid carrying the plate with the bowl of stew that smelled strange. Apparently Millerna asked that the cook put some honey in it.

"General Maynar, welcome to Fanelia." A wide smile was on Van's face when he saw the older man walking out of the levi-ship that just arrived from Cesario "I have received king's message and I am happy for him that he wasn't able to come."

General looked puzzled at first but then smiled when he understood what Van meant "Thank you're your majesty. And congratulation. You have achieved a miracle. I didn't think you would be able to rebuild Fanelia so fast; it's only been little over year after all."

"Neither have I. But the people worked especially fast in the past three months since the wedding was announced. They wanted to show our kingdom I all his glory to our guests."

"And they achieved. Do you think I could get someone to show me around?" the general asked politely.

"I would do it myself, but I don't think I would have the time. Perhaps the king of Asturia would like to do it. He knows Fanelia very well." Van said with a smile and general knew right away what the young king meant.

"Is the queen that moody?"

"I wouldn't know." Van smiled "I'm not spending as must time with her as Allen does."

"Than I will definitely ask him." General joked.

"Just don't forget to ask Millerna if she minds it." Van said back.

General chuckled "I better do if I want to keep my head on the shoulders."

From one of the large windows Merle observed as the last ship approached the landing space. She new Van was already there awaiting general Mason, first Zeibach official that acknowledged and welcomed the king of Fanelia as the rightful ruler over the lands of former Zeibach Empire. She knew, as did many that Van respected the older man for another, very important fact; general Mason was trained by the same master as Balgus.

Merle was about to walk away to the main hall where the wedding reception will be when a movement I the garden caught he eye. If it was anyone else she would simply ignore the person but down there, in the palace garden, was a cat-boy.

All thought of her assignment was gone, and she didn't even care that it would upset Millerna cause after all there was a cat-boy she simply had to meet.

Leat's eyes flickered as he heard footsteps coming closer to the place he sat. Lazily turning his head he was surprised to see a cat-girl coming his way. His father told him the king of Fanelia had a cat-girl for an adoptive-sister, but he expected her to be older or younger that he was. He did not expect a feline that just began getting curves in a short sand color dress.

"You must be Merle." She stopped when he spoke "I heard some things about you."

"I, on the other hand, haven't heard anything about you." Merle said back "I didn't even know he had a cat-person as a guest on the wedding. Where are you from?"

"I'm the apprentice of Lord Borzan from Basram. My name is Leat." He said and saw Merle's face changing to an I-just-drank-from-a-piscus grimace.

"Don't take this personal Leat, but Lord Borzan isn't the most favorite person around here."

"Why not?" Leat asked curiously. He wasn't told anything really; only that he needs to get some to public unknown details about the young king from this nothing suspected cat-girl.

"Because Basram wants that lads of old Zeibach that were entitled to Lord Van. Lord Borzan was their representative on the summit where it was discussed who gets the authority over the lands." Merle explained to Leat who took everything in like a sponge.

"How do you know all that?" it seemed Leat had a million questions, but merle didn't mind at all. It was a while since she met another cat-person. Nariya and Eriya were close to it, but ever since they got the honor of being in charge of Fanelia's security she barely saw them for longer than few minutes.

"I'm Lord Van's and Lord Folken's adoptive sister. Their father king Gaou saved me when I was just a kitten and I've been around since then." Merle had a wide smile on her face as she remembered the old king of Fanelia.

But Leat didn't shear her enthusiasm "I wasn't that lucky as you eve though I was raised in my real family." Merle was confused by his words but managed to remain quiet "You see my mother was a cat-woman. She died when I was nine. But my father was human and he hated me. He still does eve though he's pretending to be different. I know I was unwanted then, and sometimes I still feel like it's that way."

"I'm really sorry. But don't lose hope. I'm sure your father will see what a wonderful son he has eventually."

"Did you just called me wonderful?" Leat asked shocked and all Merle could do was blush like a tomato.

"Um… I should go… you see, the queen of Asturia is pregnant and her moods are changing really fast… and I should really go."

Leat watched as Merle ran in the same direction she came from before he turned his gaze towards the sky and grinned "This will be so much easier that I planed. She'll tell me everything without a slightest suspicion and in no time I will be back home with Laviel and my father will finally be proud of me. So proud when I give him all the information's."