Deep within Erenveil space, Dante was flying towards the capital planet when he received several distress calls from several of his own merchant ships that had been overrun by warships coming from the avian quadrant.
"Your Royal Highness! Chiroptera 138 and Chiroptera 165 have been hijacked!" One of his commanding officers came online and reported.
Dante threw his report file onto the floor and growled.
"All the ships within the 100 range are not warships! They're protected merchant ships! What are they carrying?"
"Sir, the Chiroptera 138 is carrying a full load of perfumes and make-up, and the Chiroptera 165 is carrying artificial bridal floral arrangements and thousands of crates of vintage 20-year-old wines."
Dante squeezed his eyebrows. What the fuck??? Who the hell would waylay makeup, fake flowers, and wine?
"Your Royal Highness! Four hundred plus Avian warships are coming into Erenveil space."
"Dammit." He yelled. "Route all available warships back to Erenveil. NOW!!!"
"Yes Sir."
As he stood on the command deck, watching with horror, the hundreds of points of lights coming towards Erenveil, Slate's visual popped open.
"I just saw what happened. I'm already on my way but it will take me another three hours to get to Erenveil."
"I'm fifteen minutes away. Five visuals gathering pods loaded with explosives have slammed into various areas of the royal palace. I'm still trying to connect to Father."
"How's our wife?" Slate turned concerned eyes at Dante.
"She's with Lucas on his island. Temporarily, she's far from the main hot action. If we tell them to leave Erenveil, they will hit Avian warships as soon as they reach deep space."
Slate nodded. "I will inform them of the situation at the capital and advise them to remain on their island for now."
Dante nodded. "I will continue to try and contact our parents. I'll let you know what happens once things are clearer. Meanwhile, Avian warships are KOS."**
Slate's eyes grew dangerous. "Oh I plan to. I'm going to annihilate those birds if that's the last thing I do."
Dante's eyes glittered. "Target the annihilation, Brother. Only warships. Don't go after civilian merchant ships or cruise lines."
Slate nodded and waved a hand, disconnecting the call.
As he got closer, Dante got another distress call, this one from directly within the Royal Palace of Erenveil.
"Your Royal Highness!!! We're under attack! Six visuals hover pods have slammed into the palace with explosives! Several of our buildings are damaged. There are dead and injured people!"
Dante's eyes grew red as his fangs and talons grew. If he got his hands on those responsible, he would tear them apart with his own claws.
"Where is the Emperor?"
"Sir, the Emperor is directing people to various safe locations within the palace." The Commander of the Royal Guard reported.
"And my mothers?"
"Sir. We managed to locate your mother, the Empress Anastasia. We also secured Royal Consort Fatima and Princess Ariana, as well as Royal Consort Theodora and her daughter Princess Daisy."
"Where is Royal Consort Gwendolyn and the Princess Lyra?"
The Commander of the Royal Guard shook his head.
"We are still trying to locate them, Sir."
"Grrrrr!!!" He turned back to the visuals, fangs dripping. "Keep looking!!!"
"Yes—yes Your Royal Highness."
He had barely dropped off visuals when Leonardo's face appeared.
"I'm coming."
"How far are you from Erenveil?"
"Half a day away."
"Don't bother. This will all blow over by the time you get here. My warships are already in hot battles across the Erenveil deep space."
"Do you have enough warships?"
"There are over four hundred Avian ships in our space and I only have about two hundred warships scattered about, but we should be able to keep them at bay until Slate arrives. He's three hours away."
"Where is Byron?" Dante asked.
"He's in communication with the birds right now trying to broker some type of cease fire."
Dante nodded. "Keep me posted."
As Leo winked off, another visual came online. It was the dragon Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince Lkhagvasüren." Dante greeted.
He didn't have time for a social call at the moment, but he couldn't brush off the Crown Prince of the Dragons either.
"Please, call me Süren."
Dante nodded. "What can I do for you?"
Immediately from below the visual's lines of sight, the bright blue eyes of his sister popped up as she tip-toed trying to get into the visual image.
Süren quickly adjusted the image to widen and Dante could see his beautiful fifteen-year-old sister standing in front of the very tall, very large figure of the Crown Prince Lkhagvasüren.
"Lyra!"
"Brother! Süren was visiting me and Mother when our section of the palace got attacked. He and his men rescued us!"
"Mother Gwen—"
"Is safe." Süren assured. "She is in one of the rest chambers getting a minor injury looked at."
"Injury?" Dante's eyes flared with concern.
"There was fiery debris flying everywhere. Some of it hit Mother and the dragon that took her out of that area." Lyra said.
"Are they both okay?"
"Yes. The dragon's wings are a bit charred, but his feathers will grow back. Mother's leg got hit with one of the debris and she's got a slight burn but she's being healed currently."
Dante nodded. "Where are you heading to now?"
Süren shook his head. "At the moment, we're not far from Erenveil space. I can see Avian warships everywhere."
Dante's eyes grew concerned, but Süren waved away his worries with a hand.
"Temporarily, they're leaving me alone because we are flying under the Dragon flag, but I don't want to take a chance that they decide we're their enemy too."
"How many ships are with you?"
"Standard formation, half a dozen dragon warships."
"Get out of Erenveil space as quickly as you can. Tell your father you are coming home and take my sister and my mother to safety."
Süren nodded. "As you command."
Dante shook his head. "Prince Süren, this is not a command. This is a request for help."
Süren shook his head. "Prince Dante. This is my beloved fiancée and my soon-to-be mother-in-law. I would give my life to keep them safe."
"We haven't accepted your marriage request yet." Dante narrowed his eyes.
Lyra grinned and tapped on a sparkling piece of dragon opal on her neck.
Dante rolled his eyes. The little cheeky monkey had already accepted. Who was he to say anything.
"Go. Stay safe. We will join you as soon as we clear out this situation."
With a wave, they disappeared from sight, leaving Dante deep in thought.
It truly wasn't a bad place for Mother Gwen and Lyra to temporarily stay. It was actually safer than anywhere in and around Erenveil at the moment.
"Your Royal Highness, the Emperor is calling." One of his men announced.
Dante glanced over at the Commander of the warship.
"Put him on."
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