When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 984 +25 BONUS Carissa was momentarily stunned. Sebastian's words seemed to carry an underlying message, one that was not immediately clear.

When Lisandra's gaze met hers, Carissa calmly looked at the grand princess, her expression unreadable, as though she didn't understand.

Sebastian was observant, and he was always able to read people deeply. His words must have been a reflection of his insight into the grand princess' thoughts. After leaving the medicine, Sebastian made to leave, and Lisandra stood to see him off.

She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Mr. Dalton. If you ever cto Westhaven, I will certainly show my gratitude properly." For sreason, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Carissa helped Sebastian while Ivy carried the medicine box, and the three of them left together.

Lisandra sat back down, watching as Javier opened the medicine bottle and checked the contents, though her focus seemed to wander.

A healer didn't just treat the body-they also healed the heart.

She had never spoken her thoughts aloud, but somehow Sebastian had seen through them. He didn't view her desire to achieve great things as a challenge to male authority. To him, it seemed almost natural, as though he believed in equality.

That was something she had always strived for.

She was touched, realizing that the path she wanted to take was not one every man would oppose. The acceptance she had longed for, something that had only just begun to take root in her mind, felt like a healing balm. It sank deeply into her heart, offering relief she hadn't known she needed.

Carissa escorted Sebastian back to Arcane Sanctum.

After a long silence in the carriage, Sebastian finally spoke, "Westhaven will be better if it changes.

Carissa understood what he meant, though she couldn't help but feel that Lisandra's path would be incredibly difficult. She silently wished her well in her heart. If Lisandra were to becqueen, at least the issues with Starhaven could be settled through peaceful negotiations.

It would be a blessing for both kingdoms.

Chapter 984 +25 BONUS The negotiations continued in the afternoon.

By the tRafael received the message, he was already on his way to the Diplomatic Affairs Department. Afterward, he would go to the palace to get Salvador's approval for their compensation plan for Westhaven, and then head straight to the negotiation venue.

On the Westhaven side, Leroy and Amos were both absent. It was Lisandra who, along with the remaining few, handled the negotiations.

The first and second terms were no longer up for discussion.

The Westhaven party still insisted on bringing up Dominic, but Starhaven had decided to return Icarus to them instead. With this exchange, both sides were satisfied with the arrangement.

Westhaven proposed providing 3,000,000 bushels of grain, with Lisandra insisting on that number. However, Rafael's counter-proposal was to provide only 800,000 bushels, not all at once but over two years. Considering the recent disaster in Westhaven, the first year would see 400,000 bushels delivered, with the remaining to be given in the autumn of the following year.

They remained at a standstill for a time, but eventually made a concession on both sides, agreeing to a total of 1,000,000 bushels. 600,000 bushels would be given in the first year, and the remaining 400,000 bushels would be delivered according to the original agreement, in the autumn of the following year. Both parties gave their consent.

Then cthe border line dispute. The agreement between Aurora and Liam was to be torn up, and the original border demarcation was to be disregarded. The area left unclear would be left undisturbed by both sides for the tbeing. In a year or two, a peaceful negotiation would determine the final borders.

As for Aurora, Westhaven insisted on taking her back to their kingdom, and there was no room for negotiation on this point. Starhaven didn't press further.

Regarding the two spies Winona had found, Rafael had them sign confessions detailing the extermination of the Sinclair family. Each side received a copy of the confession, and Westhaven acknowledged the matter.

With all these terms settled peacefully, Rafael stood, along with everyone who had participated in the negotiations, to apologize for the deaths of the civilians at Aurora's hands, as well as for the fallen young general.

Lisandra watched them rise and bow towards the Westhaven envoys. She turned her face away, a tear slipping down her cheek.

The Westhaven envoys had insisted on one thing-that it not be revealed how the late $25 BORUS Chapter 984 crown prince, Arthur, had been captured, tortured, and forced to take his own life. It was too cruel a truth for the people of Westhaven to ever know.

Instead, the story that would be told was that he had died suddenly from an illness. Once Lisandra returned home, she would "clear up" this matter.

The late crown prince of Westhaven would never be portrayed as having been captured by a woman, humiliated, and harmed. In Lisandra's mind, this was an unalterable fact.

Bringing Arthur up at the negotiating table was only worthwhile if it resulted in grain or the border line! agreement anything else was meaningless. Moreover, the only reason Starhaven had agreed to the 1,000,000 bushels was because of Arthur.

The newly drafted treaty resolved all the issues between the two kingdoms, apart from the border lines. The massacre of the villagers, the extermination of the Sinclair family, and even the treatment of the fallen young general would no longer be brought to the negotiating table. Once the treaty was signed, it was sent to the palace for Salvador's review. After reading it, the king had no objections and stamped it with his royal seal.