Chapter 66-Tying up loose ends (4)

(NATALIE'S P.O.V)

While traveling back to the Northern border, my father decided to stop at one of the local bars in the town of Benon, a town in the northern region.

“Is this one of the places you get your information from?”I asked my father.

He nodded as he was opening the door to the truck.

“One of my former acquaintances is the owner of this bar. She's a retired mercenary ”, he said.

I looked in the back seat and saw that Peyton and Cena had fallen asleep. I got out of the truck and followed behind my father.

“This is one of the bars mercenaries, assassins and bounty hunters come to for Intel or to check in with her”, father said, as he was opening the door.

We entered the bar, and everyone inside turned their heads in our direction.

“Wow, it's Chief Henrico”, I heard someone say.

We walked over to the bar and sat on the bar stool.

“Chief Henrico, it's been a while. Have you found any news on your daughter yet?”an older woman asked, she had short lavender hair and dark blue eyes.

“Gloria”, my father said and pointed in my direction,”This is my daughter, the one I was searching for” he said.

“Oh my gosh, how did you find her?We searched everywhere.”, she said, looking relieved.

“I was locked up in the palace dungeon by Prince Marshall”, I said.

I watched as her eyes widened, “that son of a bitch”, she said, while balling her fist up.

“I need you to do something for me”, father said looking directly at her.

She nodded, “What is it Chief?”, she asked.

“I heard Count Livens has been hiring orphans as maids but they're really sex slaves for the noblemen that are acquainted with him. I need a list of those noblemen”, he said.

“You got it Chief, I'll send the guys out to find them.”, she said.

We were about to get up and get ready to leave. Then I saw a young gentleman walking up to the bar.

“Hey Gloria”, he said, he had short sandy colored hair that was in a little ponytail.

“Jase”, she said and called my father's name, getting his attention.

We walked back over to the bar.

“Chief, this is Jase, he's one of my best informants from the intel squad.

“Wow, it's an honor to meet one of the greatest mercenaries ever”, he said, looking at my father with admiration.

Father greeted him which made his eyes lit up even more.

“Jase, have you gotten any useful information?”Gloria asked.

Jase regained his composure and turned facing Gloria.

“Yes, there's a rumor going around that a nobleman paid a couple of assassins to go after the Winter Dukedoms successor before her debutante and succession ceremony, " he said.

“What!” Father and I shouted, causing Gloria and Jase to look at us.

“Do you know who the nobleman is?”, I asked.

He shook his head, “Not yet, but I'll find out”, he said.

“Keep me posted on anything else you hear” father said.

Gloria and Jase nodded and we turned around without looking back and started to walk out of the bar. We got back into the truck and I looked over at my father.

“Let's head back to the Northern border and get your sister and Serbia. We'll head back to the Winter Dukedom after we get them”, father said.

“Whoever it is, I'll kill him”, I said, while balling my fist.

“We need to know who all was in attendance for that conference. Let's get a list from Duke Vernon”, father said.

I nodded.

We pulled off and made our way to the Northern border which was two hours away. I need to hurry back and let Moises know, I thought to myself.

(ROSEMARY P.O.V)

After walking back to the castle, Sage and I went to the room to shower and change out of our sweaty clothes. When I got out of the shower, I walked into the dressing room that was inside of the room, and saw Sage standing in front of the mirror. She looked to be deep in thought.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

“What's making you think so hard?”I asked, walking over to where she was standing.

She looked over at me.

“Did the seamstress seem strange to you?”, she asked.

I thought I was the only one who noticed her as she constantly glanced at us.

“I did notice her glancing at us but I figured she was just doing her job.”, I said.

Sage shrugged, “Maybe I'm just overthinking it” she said.

A few minutes later, we left the room and headed downstairs to the dining room. When we entered, we saw Duke Winter and Duchess Mary. We took a seat and the butlers started to place our food on the table.

“Your debutante lessons will start after the conference, when Hannah and Malaysia arrive.” Duke Winter said.

“Do you know what Queen Malaysia wants to talk about?”, I asked curiously.

He looked over at Sage and I instantly knew it was about the whole destined partner situation. I wondered how Sage will react, when she finds out her destined partner is the Crown Prince of Kalpana.

“I'm sure, Hannah will tell you once you get there”, Duke Winter said.

I nodded and a few minutes later one of the butlers walked over to Duke Winter.

“My lord, you have a guest waiting in the office on the first floor”, he said.

Duke Winter nodded, he got up and walked out of the dining room.

I looked at Sage who looked to be deep in thought again.

“Duchess Mary, I have a question”, Sage said looking in Duchess Mary direction.

She smiled, “What is it dear?”, she asked

“Can my father be my escort for the debutante?”Sage asked.

Duchess Mary nodded, “You can do whatever you want my dear. I'm sure it'll cause a commotion, once everyone sees your father.”, she said

Sage nodded and continued to eat her food.

(DUKE WINTER’S P.O.V)

After I left the dining room, I walked towards the office on the first floor. When I walked inside, I saw Duke Pordigase sitting on one of the couches. He looked over in my direction and I walked over to the desk.

“Prince Marshall is in a rush, the conference is about his coronation.” Duke Pordigase said.

I chuckled, “He's panicking, just like King Lincoln”, I said.

“I think he's trying to marry his daughter off to another kingdom. Since the peace treaty with the Kalpana Kingdom failed” he said.

“Which kingdom is he trying to form a peace treaty with now?”, I asked.

“The Avaloria kingdom, " he said.

Hmm, this could be problematic, I'll have to talk to Moises about this.

“What about Count Livens, have your spies learned anything we can use?”, I asked.

“I heard he commissioned the Henrico Clan to join the upcoming war”, Duke Pordigase said.

I started to laugh.

“What's so funny, the Henrico Clan are troublesome to deal with. Because their Chief is so intimidating.”, he said.

I got up out of my seat and gestured for him to follow me. We both walked out of the office and I headed back to the dining room with Duke Pordigase following behind. When we entered the dining room, Sage and Rosemary were still eating and talking to my wife. They looked at us as he entered the room.

“Sage and Rosemary, I would like to formally introduce you two, to Duke Pordigase.”, I said.

Sage and Rosemary greeted him.

“Hello princesses”, Duke Pordigase said as he bowed his head, “It's still surprising to know Prince Moises has such beautiful daughters”, he said, “That stupid King, how dare he send bounty hunters after such lovely young girls”, he said in a upset tone.

“You're going to be surprised when you find out who their other grandfather is”, I said, still chuckling.

Duke Pordigase looked confused, “What do you mean, what noble household are they from?”, he asked.

“Not a noble household, Their maternal grandfather is Masiro Henrico”, I said.

I watched as Duke Pordigase's eyes widened and then he looked over at Sage and Rosemary.

“Holy shit”, he said, still looking surprised.

After I introduced him, we started to walk back towards the office.

“Have you found any news on Macy Livens, or her son?”, I asked Duke Pordigase.

He nodded, “I heard Macy Livens' son was hiding in one of the rebel groups”, he said.

“I should let Moises and Nathan know when they get back from meeting with Morgan”, I said.

“Macy Livens on the other hand is still alive, we just have to find her. But everything else is set, it'll be delivered during the conference”, Duke Pordigase said.

I nodded,” Good everything is in order, now we should focus on the debutante and succession ceremony”, I said.

“What are you going to do about the Crown Prince of Kalpana proposing to your granddaughter”, Duke Pordigase asked.

“I'll be meeting with him tomorrow, so we can discuss the whole western border attack.”, I said.

“Well then, I'll see you at the conference”, Duke Pordigase said.

I walked out of the castle with him until he walked out of the gate. After he got into the car and left, I walked inside and saw my butler Jackson walking in my direction.

“Jackson”, I called out to him.

“Yes my lord, “ he said, walking closer to me.

“Let's get prepared for the conference, it's going to be very entertaining”, I said.

(PRINCE MOISES P.O.V)

I stood there stunned for a bit, Morgan wasn't lying when he said Christian had to be around my daughters age. He looked very young.

“You're Christian? What made you come to look for me?” I asked.

“You're my older brother right?”, he asked, while looking up at me.

“We share the same father, so yes that makes me your older brother” I said.

As I was looking at him and studying his body language. He didn't seem like he was trying to become the king.

“How old are you exactly?”, I asked.

“17, I'll be 18 this month ", he said.

Nathan and I looked at each other. So he was born three months after my daughters. I was 24 at that time.

I gestured for him to follow us back into the building. Once we were back inside, I turned around and faced his direction.

“So what made you come look for me?”, I asked again.

“We must stop Count Livens”, he said.

“Why, aren't you trying to become king?”Valian asked.

Christian shook his head, “I have no intentions on being that bastard's puppet”, he said.

Nathan, Valian and I looked at eachother.

“Then why is he trying to make you become the king?”, I asked.

“He's just trying to control me, and I only go along with it because he's threatening me with my mother's life,” he said.

“What?, Where is your mother?”, I asked.

Christian expression changed and he looked sad about something.

“I've never met my mother, I only know that she ran away from him. He kept me inside of his basement for a while until I was useful to him. He's been looking for her ever since she ran away. After he told me to join the rebels secretly, I figured that I had a chance to find her”, he said.

“I think she's disguising herself, if she ran away from him, he might have forced her to be with King Lincoln. Since she was originally suppose to be the Queen." Yeshiva said.

I walked up closer to Christian, “Follow me back to the Winter Dukedom”, I said.

He nodded.

We left out of the building and walked over to the stables and climbed onto the horses. I looked over at Christian who had gotten on the horse next to me.

“Do you know what else he's planning?”, I asked.

Christian nodded, “He doesn't tell me much but I do know, he is planning on killing Prince Marshall after the coronation.”, he said.

“I know that part”, I said.

He paused for a second before speaking again but he continued to look at me.

“He is planning to frame Prince Morgan for the murder”, he said.

My eyes widened, “that son of a bitch”, I said.