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– Are you ready to sign our agreement? Or would you prefer to go to the best prison in Aden, Your Majesty? – he asked.

The rebellious monarch looked up from his study of the papers and grinned angrily.

– I sign this contract, sealed with a magical seal in the name of my monarch, – the general of the Piran army said, and signed the paper that was issued, which was immediately taken from him.

The Arenian, without uttering a word, waved his pen on the paper and stamped it with his ring. The clerk hurriedly picked up the document and put it in the box, which immediately announced with a blue light that there was no turning back, and those who violated the agreement would die. A guard entered the tent and announced the arrival of the guests.

– Duke Ratmir of Oden, Count Luchezar of Rhone, and Count Buslay of Rhone request an audience.

– Let them come in, – Robin ordered immediately.

The curtain lifted and revealed the young men, whose appearance attracted the eyes of all those present. The three of them placed their right hands on their chests and bowed to Robin the First, who returned their greeting with alacrity. Arthur and Edward, as well as their king, were looking at the guests carefully and appraisingly. In front of them was a platinum-blond man with gray-green eyes that now gleamed like steel, and a little further away were young men with long golden hair and blue eyes. The faces of all three had a downright girlish freshness, but this impression was deceptive. Carefully examining the figures of those who entered, Arthur realized that they all had remarkable physical strength, and this was especially true of the first young man, who was Ratmir of Oden.

«The same power comes from a breeding young bull that grew up in the wild», – the Bear thought for some reason.

Rathmir had not yet used the chair offered to him when he heard the King of Arenia's hoarse laughter and voice.

– A baby Piranha rose. And you've grown up, little wolf.

The outwardly imperturbable Odensky and the Counts of Rhone shuddered, but did not say a word. Their reaction was not lost on the defeated monarch.

– It's hard to call them women. Only vicious she-wolves can protect their pups like Black Lightning and Piranha Rose. Filthy witches with pretty faces. Robin felt a red haze over his eyes, and suddenly he heard Rathmir's deep, distant voice.

– It's your mouth and your guts that are rotten.

– How rude, why are you so, and I could have been your dad.

– I wonder how? Your candidacy was not considered even under torture, death threats and blackmail. Are you sure you could have done something? People like you can't do anything, and women look at you with either fear or pity.

– I'll kill you, little snake! – the Arenian autocrat lost his temper, demonstrating that the blow hit exactly on target.

Ratmir easily deflected the deadly lightning shot at him and, almost without swinging, hit the attacker in the jaw, from which he flew three meters into the corner of the tent. Watching this scene, Arthur and Edward exchanged amused glances almost as much as the Rhone brothers. The fallen king, who miraculously remained conscious, was not helped.

He grinned, wiping the blood from his split lips, and said in a low voice:

– Well, you'll answer for that very soon.

Bustling clerks quickly brought the necessary papers to the Duke of Auden and the Counts of Rhone, who slowly studied and signed them.

– Knights, I'll be glad to have you at my table, – Raven said. – And I hasten to thank you for your help in this fight, without which such a quick and easy victory would have been impossible for us.

Ratmir looked him in the eye, as if testing the sincerity of what he had just said, and when he was sure that there was no mockery in what he had said, he bowed.

– We accept Your invitation, Your Majesty, and we will be happy to share your dinner.

After that, the young men bowed once more and left the tent.

As soon as the courtiers dispersed, leaving the king in the company of Edward and Arthur, the latter gave a cry of delight:

– Did you see how the guy put the punch?! And magic?! Arenian – a powerful sorcerer, to playfully repel the attack of such! Yes, this is what kind of stock you need to have?!

Robin rubbed his forehead tiredly and slumped his shoulders, as if the strain of the last few months had weighed heavily on him.

– And the dragons, the dragons, the men! Have you seen the dragons?! – Arthur demanded.

– Oh, come on, – Edward said. – Only you saw them. Because your eyesight is special. Yes, and the last dragon died fifty years ago.

– Uh – huh, – Robin muttered under his breath.

– Oh, how boring you are, – the Bear finished regretfully. – Maybe you can have some fun at dinner.

– Closer to night, the teleport opens. The King of Arenia is being sent back, – the Falcon said.

– I'd like to take him to the cemetery, – Arthur added grimly.

– Unfortunately, that's not possible yet, – Raven said.

As he dressed for dinner, the king looked at himself in the mirror. His black trousers and white doublet fitted him perfectly, but there was something wrong with his face. He frowned, a heavy sense of foreboding tightening his chest. Something was going wrong, but what?

"In any case, it will soon be clear," – he thought.

Robin stepped away from the mirror and felt an unexpected female embrace on his back. He recognized his former mistress by the strong smell of sweet perfume.

– Greetings to the victorious king, – the black-haired Elenia cooed. – I've come a long way to see you.

– Who gave you permission to come? – Abruptly, the young man released her hands and turned around.

– Aren't you glad to see me? – The beauty pouted resentfully.

– No, especially since I didn't invite you here, my lady.

– Yes, and who did you expect? Is it really the conqueror of the hearts of a past era – the Countess Anna Rein?

Raven quickly approached the girl, grabbed her by the chin and pulled her so quickly that she screamed.

– Perhaps the king needs to report to you? I hasten to remind you that you would not even be my mistress if you did not make a love spell.

Hearing this, Elenia turned pale.

– That alone, madame, is enough to put you in a convent for ever.

He pushed her roughly onto the couch and leaned over her.

– Forget that name, madame. Forget me, too, or the way to your cell will be open to you. Now, go home immediately. Guards!

A few seconds later, the soldiers were in the tent.

– Take my lady away quickly and send her back to where she came from.

Tired, Robin didn't even bother to find out how Elenia had gotten to him. It was probably bribery and female guile, and he would punish those responsible later. He also suspected that this lady might be supported by an entire clan pursuing their own selfish goals.

A Falcon and a Bear were waiting for him in the tent that had been prepared for the feast. Edward walked slowly along the food table, checking it for poison and other unpleasant things. Raven looked around the room, but Ratmir Odensky and his friends weren't there yet, and he didn't like it. It was time to sit down at the table. Finally, the canopy opened, and the allies deigned to enter. The women who had been invited to dinner, and who were in the minority, held their breath as they looked at the young men. All three of them were simply dressed and did not attract attention with their outfits. An unbreakable strength and youthful energy radiated from them in waves, and it couldn't help but be felt. Raven was the first to approach them.