Chapter 326 – Lesha (2) Translator: Atlas / Editor: Regan Though Morga would have liked to carry the young prince in his arms, he set Lesha down on the floor, to strengthen the prince’s independence, and then took his hand to walk together. “Where’s mama?” Lesha asked, looking up at him. “The Queen is at a Cabinet Council meeting.” “What’s that?” “That’s a meeting where many very important matters of the kingdom are discussed.” “Want to see mama,” Lesha complained, his silver eyebrows frowning. “You’ll just have to wait a little longer.” “No, I want mama, I’m sad now. I’m going to cry.” His eyes gleamed ominously. “I want mama right now!” Pulling his hand from Morga’s, Lesha darted away at an impressive speed for a child, leaving Morga no choice but to run after him. “My prince, you’re going to fall!” Morga shouted after him. “Will not!” Lesha shouted without looking back. “I found mama!” Morga’s eyebrows went up at this proclamation, but a moment later as he raced around a corner, he startled back in surprise. “Lesha!” “Mama!” Sure enough, the Queen was there, catching the prince in a hug as he flung himself at her. Morga smiled and politely greeted his queen, and then nodded to Mura behind her. “Thank you, Morga,” Leah replied, generously informal, under the circumstances. “It seems your meeting ended early,” he replied. “I looked after His Highness while he was in the garden.” “It’s good of you, Lesha is so fond of you,” she said, looking down at the small boy as she praised his tutor. Looking into the golden eyes that looked so much like Ishakan’s, she patted his head. “How did you know Mama was here?” “I was hunting!” “He really is just like him...” Leah murmured, embracing the little boy in her arms. “Never,” Morga objected. “Ishakan was terrible when he was a boy.” Leah looked skeptical. “Really,” Morga said firmly. “I still remember it, I was in the middle of making a potion in the dark of night and he came creeping into my tent like an assassin...” The Queen burst out laughing, looking at the small hunter in her arms, but the laugh ended with a sigh. She was longing for Ishakan to come home, though she knew it wouldn’t be for a while yet. When would he come? Ishakan had been away for months, leading his army to liberate the rest of the Kurkan slaves. One by one, they had been attacking the other countries nearby that had supported it. The Kurkan army was strong, and the rest of the continent had grown soft in the long period of peace. None of them could stand against the might of the Kurkan warriors. The campaign would continue until every last Kurkan slave had been freed. And though it was not an easy task, it didn’t seem as if it would take that long. Many kingdoms had instantly surrendered, fearing the results of a Kurkan invasion. Not only had they released the slaves back into Kurkan, they had also made efforts to establish friendly relations. Ishakan’s condition for peace was that they would have to join in punishing any kingdom that resisted him. Only then would he grant them peace for the next five years. As Leah was thinking of Ishakan, Mura was quietly reporting what she had heard at that day’s meeting. “Emissaries are coming from the kingdom of Balkat.” “For a peace agreement?” “Yes. They promised to bring the former slaves directly here. We’ll need sorcerers here to perform their coming-of-age ceremony immediately.” “I will make the preparations.” Mentally, Morga tallied up the sorcerers available as he looked back at Queen Leah. With the worst of Estia’s problems resolved, she had become much brighter, and for a time, she had even smiled. It was natural that she would become somber again, with her husband away. “Perhaps we ought to have a victory celebration, when the King returns?” He said slowly. Of course, the campaign was not yet complete. Victory was not yet achieved. But knowing Ishakan, it was natural. Inevitable. Leah was the only one who could defeat him.