It was decided that Barhan and Deneve would go to the Ancient Ruins Excavation Site in Mediah with Bareeds in disguise. King Bareeds had agreed to give Valencia the right to investigate the ruins to help facilitate better foreign relations. However, Neruda Shen was interfering and stepping over the bounds of his power.

Upon their arrival at the Ruins, there was a standoff going on.
“Edan!” Deneve said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s good to see you well,” Edan smiled. “I was asked to investigate these ruins by King Sahazad, but these people are stopping me.” He gestured to the guards led by Neruda Shen.

“Neruda Shen,” Deneve spits out. “Why do you insist on renouncing the King’s order?”

“Fake Princess,” Neruda sneers, “You have bewitched our Prince and turned him against Mediah.”

King Bareeds dropped his disguise and stepped beside Deneve. “I believe I can speak for myself.”

Neruda gasps in shock as the Shroud Knights close in around the King protectively.

“You are charged with treason for the attempted murder of the King of Mediah. You are also charged with theft of the Royal Seal.” Bareeds declares.

“I’ve done nothing but try to help the royal family,” Neruda pleaded.
“You tried to finish what Illezra started,” Deneve stated evenly. “By creating chaos, you hoped to show everyone you saved Mediah, when in fact, you were behind it.”

“I did it for the good of Mediah,” Neruda retorted. “The Prince is too weak to be a King.”

“Nonsense,” Bareeds eyes flared with controlled anger as he stood firm. “You helped yourself. By letting barbarians into our capital city, the citizens have suffered. You turned a blind eye to them so long as you lined your pockets. You probably hoped to profit off the ruins as well. It stops here.”
Shen’s men looked confused as whispers went through their ranks.

“He said the Prince was dead.”

“There was no one in the royal family left.”

“He lied to us.”

After they saw Bareeds alive, they did not move to protect Neruda Shen. Instead, they moved away from him.

“You aren’t the only one with allies,” Sputtered Neruda as the knights closed in to arrest him.

“Indeed,” Lord Red said from behind Shen’s men. His gaze flitted over Deneve and the young King before coming to rest on Neruda Shen. “You lied, leading me to believe that if I helped you, there was power to be had. I’ve checked, and your precious ruins have nothing to offer me.” He raised his conjuring a fireball. “I should kill you myself,” Lord Red threatened. Neruda Shen paled in fear as Lord Red smirked. “But I leave you the tender mercies of these people.”

Lord Red smirked coldly as he walked away, leaving a shocked Neruda
Shen to be taken away by the Shroud Knights.

“Well, that was interesting,” Edan said, looking curiously after Lord Red.

Deneve was not surprised that Lord Red would ally with Neruda Shen. Nor did it surprise her that Shen entered into an association based on lies. What did surprise her was that Lord Red let Neruda Shen go. The Lord Red she knew would have fried him to ash with one of those fireballs he was so fond of.