Chapter 67- Tying up loose ends (5)

(JEMAS P.O.V)

After the chief left, the guards ended up putting out the small fire that Cena and I set inside of the villa. I stayed behind and continued my mission, disguising myself as one of Count Livens guardsmen.

I stood inside of the office, watching Count Livens continuously shout as he destroyed his office out of anger.

“Who the fuck is it?”, he shouted as he threw down one of the vases causing it to shatter on the floor.

A butler that was standing next to me, stepped up towards him.

“My lord, calm down”, he said.

Count liven turned as he faced the butler's direction.

“Someone is after me, and you want me to calm down!”, he shouted.

He grabbed another vase filled with flowers and threw it in the butler's direction. It crashed onto the wall, causing the butler to move out of the way.

“All of you get out!”, he shouted.

Everyone left out of the office except for Count Livens. After the guards made their way down stairs.

“I wonder who caused the last fire”, one of the guards said.

“Looks like someone is finally targeting the Count”, another guard said.

We continued down the stairs and another guard was passing us as he walked up the stairs.

“You may start now”, I said, to the guard who was a clan member in disguise.

He continued to walk upstairs and I finally made it down. I looked up at him before turning away and started to walk toward one of the rooms on the first floor.

“It's going to be a long night for you Count”, I mumbled to myself.

While I was on my way to the room, the maid who was another clan member in disguise handed me a key.

“Third room to the left”, she said.

I continued to walk down the hall until I made it to the room. I used the key and opened it, and immediately started to change out of the guards uniform. I changed into the clothes that were left for me in the room. I opened the window and climbed out of it. I hurried to the left side of the wing and climbed the side of the villa. Once I made it to the third floor, I peeked into the window to see if Count Livens was still in the office alone.

“How dare that bastard Mr.Henrico set fire to my estate. Who the fuck else hired him”, Count Livens shouted in frustration as he continued to destroy the office.

Without a second thought, I swung my body and used my feet to smash into the window, causing Count Livens to look over.

“Who the fuck are you?”, he shouted as he stepped back.

Since my face was covered, it made him even more terrified. He was about to start yelling but I hurried over and grabbed him by the neck and lifted up his body.

“My client says, " I know what you are planning. I suggest you stay in your place” I said, and slammed his body into the desk.

He groaned loudly and I walked back to the window. Without looking back, I jumped down from the third floor and he started to shout for the guards.

(NATALIE'S P.O.V)

When we made it back to the villa, I immediately went to look for Duke Vernon or Nashi. I walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, Duke Vernon opens the door. I saw Nashi and Sylvester were inside of the office as well. My father, Peyton and I walked inside of the room, while Cena went to tell Na'mah and Serbia we were leaving to go back to the Winter Dukedom.

“Lady Natalie”, Sylvester said.

I walked over to the desk where Duke Vernon was sitting.

“We need a list of the people who attended the conference”, I said.

“Why, what's going on?”, Duke Vernon asked, looking confused.

“We got information from one of my father acquaintances, we learned that one of the nobles who attend the conference paid assassins to go after Sage”, I said

Duke Vernon nodded, “I'll write down everyone's name. There were over twenty people there, the problem is narrowing down the person. Besides the King, Prince Marshall and Count Livens. There's another person to look out for, Duke Haverhill, the late Queen Lily's older brother.”, he said.

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He handed us the paper with all of the names written.

“We need to head back to the Winter Dukedom”, I said.

Nashi, Sylvester and Duke Vernon nodded their heads, “we'll see you at the debutante”, Nashi said.

I nodded my head and my father, Peyton and I left the office. While walking towards the stairs, I saw Na'mah, Serbia and Cena

“Are we leaving now?”, Serbia asked.

“Yes”, I said.

We walked down the stairs and made our way back to the front door.

“Lady Natalie”, I heard Sylvester's voice.

I looked back and saw Sylvester standing at the top of the stairs.

“My father thinks the conference is about the coronation. I'm not sure who paid for the assassins, but it could be someone from the aristocratic faction.”, he said.

I nodded my head and turned to the walk out of the door. We headed back to the truck and I noticed my father was looking at the time.

“Let's head back”, he said.

I nodded

I noticed he looked at the time again.

“Why do you keep checking the time?”, I asked.

He smirked, “Because it should be starting, it is going to be a long night for Count Livens. Being constantly attacked throughout the night,, he said, “I wondered how Count Livens will explain his injuries at the conference or maybe he won't show up”, he said, while looking amused.

(SAGE P.O.V)

When we were finished with dinner, Rosie and I left the dining room and walked toward the stairs. Since it was getting late, we decided to finish our sparring match tomorrow. While walking up the stairs, I noticed Rosie kept glancing at me.

“What is it?”, I asked, after catching her glancing at me for the fourth time.

“What made you want to have dad as you escort, what about Nashi?”, she asked.

I sighed, “Nashi will still be my escort but I want the first dance to be with father”, I said

“I like that, I want to dance with father too”, she said

I made it to the second floor and walked towards our room. I noticed one of the butlers was standing in front of the door. When he noticed us, he turned around and bowed his head.

“Young Duchess”, he said, and handed me an envelope that had a white Lily flower seal on it.

I looked at it and Rosie looked over my shoulder.

“Looks like a tea party invitation, who's Lady Nidia Haverhill.?”Rosie asked, as I opened the envelope.

I sighed, “Another Countess Melanie”, I said.

“Ah, another bitch”, Rosie said.

I heard the butler snicker,” if you want to decline the invitation, you can let the Duke know”, he said.

I nodded. The butler left and Rosie and I turned around and walked towards the stairs again. I wasn't sure whether or not Duke Winter was still on the first floor. When I got closer to the stairs I saw Lucy , the head maid, walking up the stairs.

“Lucy”, I said.

She looked up and smiled, “Young Duchess and Princess Rosemary”, she said.

When she made it up to the top of the stairs, I showed her the invitation.

“Do you know where Duke Winter is?”, I asked.

She nodded and gestured for us to follow her to the right wing of the castle. We were still on the second floor. I noticed Duke Winter and Butler Jackson were standing in front of a room.

He turned in our direction when he noticed us, I saw him smiling as we were walking closer to where he was standing.

“My dears”, he said, Do you need something?”, he asked

I showed him the invitation and he looked at for a second.

“You should go, get to know some of the young noblewomen.” He said.

Rosie and I looked at eachother.

“Don't worry, if anyone is rude to you. You have permission to be rude back after all you have a higher status then them",he said.

He looked over at Rosie, “How about you and I visit the western border tomorrow, you haven't seen the villages yet right?”, he asked

Rosie agreed.

Suddenly we saw two maids coming in our direction. When they got closer, one of the maids started to speak.

“Duke Winter, Prince Moises is back”, she said.

(PRINCE MOISES P.O.V)

After learning that bastard Count Livens was trying to frame Morgan for murder. We rushed back to the castle. We traveled on horseback for three hours until we made it in front of the castle gates.

“Your Highness”, one of the guards said while bowing.

He opened the gate and we walked towards the castle.

“Are you sure Duke Winter will welcome me?”, Christian asked.

“Yes, he might be delighted to have you here”, I said.

He walked inside of the castle.an was greeted by a couple of maids. I looked up and saw my grandfather and his butler walking down the stairs.

“Grandfather, this is Prince Christian”, I said, introducing him as soon as my grandfather made it down stairs.

Grandfather immediately gestured for us to follow him to the first floor office. After following behind him for a few minutes, we finally made it to the office. We entered grandfather turned and looked directly at Christian.

“If you're here, does that mean you don't approve of your uncle's actions?”, he asked with a serious expression.

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

Grandfather gestured for all of us to have a seat.

“Grandfather, Christian said Count Livens is planning to frame Morgan for Prince Marshall's murder.”, I said.

I noticed my grandfather's expression didn't change when I said that.

“Wait, don't tell you two knew this already?”, I asked.

Grandfather nodded, “of course, we have our own spies as well”, he said.

Seriously, what else are these two keeping from me? I thought to myself.

“Christian, what is your goal in all of this?”, grandfather asked.

Christian looked at him with a determined expression, “To find my mother and faced that bastard father of mine”, he said.

Grandfather smirked and at that moment, I knew he was waiting for this moment.

“Christian, how about disguising yourself as the Young Duchess guard, you'll get to see the king.”, he said, with a wicked grin on his face.

Without hesitation, Christian nodded his head.

Grandfather gestured to his butler and second later he left the office.

“I'll see whether or not we can trust you”, grandfather said.

He looked over at me, “You and I will be meeting the Crown Prince of Kalpana tomorrow”, he said.

I sighed and nodded, I have to see the bastard who'll eventually marry my daughter. This would be the perfect time to spar with him, I thought to myself.

A few seconds later the door opened, Sage and Rosemary walked into the office with butler Jackson following behind them.

I got up and walked over to them and kissed them both off the top of their heads. I turned around towards Christian.

“Christian, these two lovely young ladies are my daughters Sage and Rosemary”, I said pointing at them, as I introduced them.

Christian stood up and reached his hand out, “Nice to meet you two”, he said.

“Aren't you the guy that was on the document my mother and I were looking at?”, Rosemary said.

We all looked at her, “What document?”, we said at the same time.

“Count Livens had his picture along with alot of other rebel members. “ she said, looking at Christian with a unsure look.

Christian looked taken aback, I remembered him saying Count Livens didn't really tell him much, but was it the truth, I thought to myself.

“Do you remember what the document said?”, grandfather asked.

Rosemary became quiet for a moment and looked over at Valian.

“Uncle Valian, do you remember which list was the recruiting list?”, she asked.

Valian nodded, “Nathan and a couple other guys”, he said.

“There was another list,” Rosemary said, while tapping her finger on the side of her face as she was thinking.

She looked over at Christian again.

“Your picture was in the to be killed list”, she said.

Christian eyes widened and so did everyone else's.