Eventually as the tea party came into a close King Eric arrived at the crystal garden three men behind him. The Viscount Vibar, Duke Benilda and Marquess Silva arrived.
Seeing King Eric's dark expression The Queen understood that the culprit behind the kidnapping had not been found. That means one from the three noble factions had done it. Someone close.
After all, The Tulalian Kingdom stayed afloat in the Skies, pristine large walls covered with runes surrounding it. Runes that strictly forbidden anyone uninvited.
That's why it was strange as the description Essia had given about the Culprits was that they had red fiery wings. Most likely a phoenix or dragon. No such beings reside at Tulalian as Beastfolk or magic beings are very sensitive to mana that circulates to the Kingdom.
Eric disturbed Annie's thoughts as he sat down, "Do you mind if I had tea with you, dear?"
"It had always been my pleasure" Annie ushered Eric with a smile and The king gladly got himself an empty cup.
Madame Talia filled Eric's cup as they watched the sun already beginning to set. The children playing were now huddled together under one of the crystal trees shade. A blanket made out of flowers covers them while they sleep.
The three noble men stood there in anticipation of the king's orders. They stood there for what seemed like hours, the King and Queen blatantly ignoring them.
Still none of them three said anything. Viscount Vibar eventually failed to secure his territory. If Essia had not escaped the culprits would have passed from his viscountcy and slipped away.
Same goes to Duke Benilda, and Marquess Silva.
The Queen was about to open her mouth when a voice pulled their attention.
"Dad?" Tala called out to the Viscount, still half asleep.
"We shall talk about this next time" King Eric excused the noble men and other than the Viscount the two of them had said their goodbyes and left.
"Excuse me, Your majesty" Viscount Vibar said before heading towards Tala who ran into his arms.
"Are we going home?" Tala asked.
Simon ruffled Tala's head with a smile, "We are"
"Are you done with your work at Sitan, dad?" Tala asked
Simon replied, "Not yet"
At the start of winter of the Year of the seventh moon, Mayumi turned eight and received her own power.
Just like her father, Mayumi became a fire mage.
The three children immediately went and dragged along to test out her powers the same day she had it. Madame Talia watched closely behind them.
"I-i don't think this will end well. I still can't control it" Mayumi muttered but Cedric only pointed at Tala, who was munching on some rock candies beside Madame Talia.
"Still won't it hurt" Mayumi protested, her face filled with worry.
Essia closed the book she was reading, she and Tala were dragged by Cedric while they were having their usual reading sessions. Totally not where Essia would be the only one who read and Tala would play a piano while munching on some candies.
"How about you shoot your magic towards an open sky instead. Magic Phenomena doesn't last that much anyway. It just explodes in the air and fizzles out without reaching the ground" Essia explained while pointing at the sky.
"Yeah, yeah why did you have to explain it so long." Cedric said to Essia before turning to Mayumi, "Just shoot upwards it be alright"
"Did you see that, Tala?" Essia said to Tala who was shaking her empty bag of candies, "He treats me like a jerk and then when he talks to Mayumi he go 'oh Mayumi i'm by your side' 'oh Mayumi let me open this door for you' Aghh"
Cedric who heard Essia's words only rolled his eyes, "Oh you're so dramatic. You just can't comprehend that unlike a witch like you Princess Mayumi here acts like a princess"
"What did you just say!?" Essia turned to Madame Talia, "Madame Talia, Cedric called me a Witch"
"Madame Talia, Cedric called me a witch~" Cedric mimicked Essia.
"Stop copying me!"
"Stop copying me~!"
"You!!" Essia ran towards Cedric and a chase ensued between the siblings leaving Mayumi and Tala together again.
"So I just shoot towards the skies?" Mayumi asked Tala. Tala nodded, trying to ignore the fact that Mayumi's stutter seemed to always disappear only when Mayumi was talking to Tala.
Mayumi then proceeded to put both of her hands on the sky. Her silver eyes started to shine brightly as warmth covered her whole body before it converged towards her hands and came out as a small white orb towards the air.
Essia and Cedric stopped their chase and glanced at the skies watching the small white orb continue to move towards the skies and then it popped with a small explosion. Then the particles of explosion explode again and again. It exploded three times before completely fizzling out.
Cedric and Essia tackled Mayumi with delight, "That's so cool"
"Do it again" "Yeah its awesome"
"R-Really?" Mayumi said, her face red.
"I want to see how mine would turn out as well" Cedric pointed his hands towards the sky like Mayumi did. Cold welled up on Cedric's chest pushing towards his fingertips it looks like little crystals floating towards the skies and then fusing together.
"This is my birthday present, Mayumi" Cedric said giving a cool smirk eventually he spread his arms and the Crystals begun to emit it exploded just like Mayumi's magic but unlike Mayumi's fire who fizzled out after three times it instead became crystals again and took a shape of a firefly circling towards Mayumi whose face was stuck in amusement.
Mayumi placed her finger at one of the fireflies and she felt her finger dampen at the touch. The fireflies made of water then turn to butterflies but before they can even flutter Cedric begins to cough loudly. And the butterflies fell to the floor and began to be absorbed by the ground.
"You used too much mana. You idiot" Essia's eyes glowed while she touched Cedric who was coughing still.
Tala gasped when Cedric lifted his head up, and he coughed into having blood in it.
Mayumi started to breathe heavily at the sight white fire whirling all over her body. "n..no i-i" Mayumi covered her face and tried to catch her breath. But she can't BREATH.
"Tala, use your magic" Madame Talia ushered Tala towards Cedric and Tala nodded.
Essia let go of her hold on Cedric and she turned towards Mayumi who was on the ground gasping for breath. "Hey" Essia shook Mayumi's shoulder, her time magic coated in her hands, "Calm down, Tala is a healing mage remember?"
"He..ln..g.. m..ge" At Essia's words Mayumi's breath grew even faster.
Essia glanced at Madame Talia for help but Madame was occupied with helping Prince Cedric. Essia knows Cedric was a top priority especially his the kingdom's heir but still.
Essia then remembered what she got in her pocket, she took it out revealing a small bag filled with rock candies. She showed five pieces towards Mayumi, "Look i got this much rock candies. If you start breathing properly again i give this to you"
"Fiv..e"
"Yes?"
"Y..u..give me five?"
Essia shook the bag and more rock candies came out, "How about this many"
"On.. t..th…fou..five…seven eight.. Nine ten. You give me ten?"
Essia grumbled shoving the candies on the bag before saying, "Fine you can have them all"
"Are you feeling alright now, Your Highness?" Madame Talia asked Cedric who gave a small nod in response while clutching his stomach.
"What happened to me, Madame Talia?" Cedric asked her and the Madame responded.
"You used too much mana. That would have been dangerous it is best not to use too much complicated spells"
Madame Talia patted Tala's shoulder, "You should thank Tala was here to help you or else your mana circuits would have been a hassle to recover"
"Mana What?" Tala asked her two front teeth, her face clearly confused.
After the matter settled down Tala was safely taken home by the viscount and Royal Siblings head back to sleep for the day.
Mayumi's face was red the whole day, embarrassed on the face she had shown to not just her friends but her fiance as well. When a letter from his father came she expected to be scolded but she was taken by surprise when something dropped from the envelope containing the letter.
Inside it was a necklace containing a blue colored teardrop. Mayumi was familiar with the necklace. It was similar to what her deceased mother had in her paintings: Mayumi read the letter with a smile on her face despite it containing only one sentence. 'Happy birthday, Mayumi'
Mayumi hugged the necklace tightly, almost jumping in joy.
…
"So you're saying someone from the royal faction had done it?" Annie questioned.
Talia briefed, "Your Majesty, noble allegiances are shifting. While some neutral nobles maintained their stance, others openly began to support Princess Essia. With her well known intellect and swordsmanship. I'm afraid the Royal faction had been anxious"
Eric pinched the bridge of his nose, "What were they thinking?"
"Wasn't this too easy?" Queen Annie remarked, "What if it's not the royal faction?"
"But the evidence we found-"
"Evidence can be faked. There was also not a reason for the Royal faction to act." Annie explained making Eric's face to distort her words.
"They found out?" Eric sternly said, "It makes sense with Essia's magic attribute..."
"From the very beginning the reason why I proudly took in Essia as our child instead of letting Duke Benilda was not because of my ties with Elessia. I also took in consideration the fact that Essia would not harm Cedric, as well as make sure the royal faction to act proactively"
Annie clenched her hands together, "Shook the Princess Faction. Search if they come in contact with any outsiders. I have purposely grouped those meek and cowardly nobles to the Princess side they won't have been able to come out with this stupidly brave decision"
Madame Talia kneeled before the queen with extreme fascination in her face, "I shall gladly do as you ordered, My Lady"