centuries-long struggle that no one can remember why it was started. Perhaps it was us, the orcs who started it, but now it was the human kind who did not want to conclude it and forced us to continue with it, disregarding our many proposals to make peace. It has taken a new, excessive and unnecessary bloodshed at the gates of this city to make you understand the meaninglessness of this useless war."
After a brief pause to reinforce the attention of the present, the orc king continued:
"A humiliating submission to the human kingdom would only stir up hatred and turn the open struggle into a conflict of guerrillas and resistance. And I, as king of the orcs, do not wish nor do I long to wipe off the face of the earth every vestige of human life, as many here present maintain. What I do long for is a solid and lasting peace to begin a coexistence with humans, such as elves and humans once shared together. What I do intend is to initiate an alliance between our kingdoms capable of making the sombers see that they either keep at bay in their kingdom or they will be crushed by an army united by trust and even by the friendship of men and orcs, of orcs and men. That is why I offer the hand of my beloved daughter to the brave prince of Delfia, as a symbol and example of a prosperous coalition of equals among our peoples. This union will be the seal of the alliance that we have to make without quarrels, without victorious ones, without defeated ones, without looking to the horrible past and looking to the hopeful future."
After these words and after meditating on them briefly, King Jorion stood up and said:
"King Gulrath, Queen Baldia, knights. If the words we have just heard came from another king, whether orc or human, I would not believe them, but coming from the king who has always amply demonstrated his honor, nobility and sincerity with facts by all acquaintances, I can only embrace a renewed hope and thank King Gulrath for the generosity and truth expressed in his words. And we gladly accept the alliance offered to us, and we are honored to welcome into our family the adorable Princess Lirieth, with the conviction that my son Syriel will also gladly accept her," approved the monarch, with more desire than conviction.
The concurrence exploded in a long and sonorous ovation of applause predominantly, although a silent one, but not negligible minority, above all of orcs and also of humans applauded more with reluctance and commitment than with enthusiasm. In any case, the war that seemed never-ending, between orcs and humans could finally be brought to an end.
King Jorion addressed his most trusted general.
"Hans, your majesties of Teberion and I will meet alone with the princes, let them know that we await them in this room."
The three kings now hoped to face a downcast and resigned prince and a princess who would face her fate with forced solemnity.
After a few minutes of waiting, they were very surprised to see Syriel and Lirieth coming in, holding hands with an air of complicity and with a glow in their eyes that reflected a strange, but sincere and loving happiness.
Lirieth hugged her parents.
"Syriel has given me a marvelous white mare of thoroughbred. It is beautiful!" she announced cheerful and excited.
And Syriel addressed his father.
"And Lirieth has given me this beautiful necklace. I beg you, father, to give me the ring," asked Syriel firmly.
"Are you sure?" asked his perplexed father.
"Completely. The kindness that I have seen in her heart makes her its creditor," said the prince.
King Jorion always carried the ring of his beloved wife and promised his son that when he found a sincere love like the one, he had with Clariel, he would give him the ring so that with it he would promise his future wife. When Jorion told Syriel the sacrifice he should make to facilitate the pact with the orcs, he did not think that the princess would receive the precious ring. However, he could not refuse to fulfill his promise after the conviction that denoted the words of his firstborn.
Jorion took out of his pocket a small box of luxurious appearance and gave it to his heir. Syriel took the box and went to the orc king:
"Your Majesty, I ask for your blessing to ask for the hand of your daughter Lirieth, whom I swear to love, to respect, to protect and to be faithful to her until death," declared the prince with both solemnity and enthusiasm.
"Prince Syriel, I am very pleased with your honorable request, and I bless you by agreeing to opt for the hand of my daughter Lirieth, if she so wishes," replied the pleased king, corresponding to the traditional terms initiated by the prince.
Uncovering the box, Syriel addressed the princess and, kneeling before her, he said while her the jewel:
"Princess Lirieth, this ring belonged to my beloved mother until the day of her sad death, it would be a great honor for you to accept it as a symbol and seal of our next union, in solemn marriage," he declared looking into the eyes of the princess which was surprised by the sincere and loving gaze of the young prince.
"Prince Syriel, I give you my hand and accept this jewel gladly. I hope to be worthy of it and to become your worthy wife," replied the princess with emotion, surprised, also surprised by the strange happiness that invaded her.
"You will be the worthiest of the princesses," concluded the prince joyfully.
"Well, if no one has a problem, we will celebrate the happy event at Gargaran, our palace of Teberion, at the next flower season," said King Gulrath.
"There's no problem for me," said Jorion.
"There are still three months before the flower season, I think it's so much time, but I will wait impatiently," said Lirieth as she enthusiastically admired the ring around the finger of her left hand.
"Lunch must be ready now, and perhaps we can improvise a dance to celebrate the engagement," proposed King Jorion seeing that everything was unfolding with greater joy than expected.
Kings and princes left the room in search of the palace's dining room.
The banquet went by without major setbacks, albeit with the logical misgivings between man and orcs, but without any significant altercation.
While Syriel and Lirieth began the improvised dance, after the sumptuous lunch, she addressed her fiancé:
"Syriel, you've been great," the princess addressed him informally, "I think we've convinced them; the detail of the ring has been very moving and it's really beautiful. If someday you want it back, tell me and I'll give it back to you," she proposed.
"Thank you, Lirieth, I told you I could do it without any problems. As for the ring, I'm grateful, but as long as we're together I'll have it too, so don't worry about it. It also has magical power," replied the prince corresponding to the name of his fiancée.
"Really? I detect nothing magical in it. What is that power?" asked the princess.
"It's linked to this one," said Syriel showing her a similar ring on his finger. "As long as we wear them, each of us will know where and how the other is when we are separated."
"How?" Lirieth asked.
"You have to concentrate on the ring, both of them will shine and heat up slightly and we will both perceive where the carrier of the other ring is and his state of mind," said the prince.
"It is curious, I do not perceive any magic…" replied Lirieth concentrated on them.
"My
