image [https://i.imgur.com/LSW2NgW.jpg]
Map of Freidland.
The Duke.
The past: 2 weeks after the ball.
“Bring the prisoners in.”
I sat on the judge's chair in the city hall I barely visited. Glowering down at the two chained Wolfburns. Shooting malice with her eyes, the witch was pulled by chains to the middle to kneel with my brother
“Joshua Greystone.” I laced my fingers, hiding my grin on my thumbs. “Gwen Wolfburn, welcome-”
“THIS A SHAM TRIAL! A SHAM I SAY!” A red-headed lord pushed through the pews, running to his younger sister. I shook my head telling the guard to let him.
“You are mistaken, Lord Harold. The trial has long passed. The verdict has been decided and the GUILTY will have their sentence heard.”
“But he crown-!”
“Is not on your side.”
Thanks to Zeb's word. They didn't want me to divorce and I needed something in return.
“I have been given the right to preside over their judgement. Sit your skinny arse down before I throw away the decorum I barely have.”
The cowering Wolfburn tched and looked at his dear sister regretfully.
“Gwen Wolfburn. For the crime of fraud and misuse of funds, land afforded by the death of my father will return back to the Greystone house. Bank holdings are to be emptied and given to the Greystones as restitution. Titles are to be revoked. Gwen Wolfburn, for Two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, your sentence: Execution by hanging. Joshua Greystone, for the crime of abetting: Execution by hanging.”
The audience exploded with chatter as the former queen of the duchy was reduced to a simpering mess. My brother faces his sentence as a proud Greystone should.
Almost foaming, the former dowager floundered in the city hall guard's arms "Please, not my boy! Anyone but my boy!!”
Let's see if you truly mean that.
My chair screeched as I stood. “Take them to their cells to await the deaths.”
I started walking to the judge's exit and paused, feeling Harold’s staring.
“Lord Harold. My office. Be there.”
Hours later.
Throwing my cloak over my chair, I fell onto its soft cushion, resting my boots on my wooden desk. “I apologise for my lateness,” I said to the impatient Wolfburn.
“It was no problem, Your Grace,” Harold said, sliding a book into a bookcase. “I had a lot of time to peruse your splendid book collection. May I ask what took you so long, Your Grace?”
“I had more pressing issues to deal with,” I said coldly, perturbing the Lord.
“You want her and your nephew back in your duchy?” I asked.
“Yes-”
“Then I will have something from you.” I reclined in my chair. “Farmland,” I said.
“What…?”
“Eighty thousand acres of farmland.”
“WHAT!”
“Are you Wolfburns deaf? Let me be clear, then. All along the border. Its towns. Its people. it's wheat. It will be mine.”
“The Head would never agree to such a request!”
“Oh! Oh no, no, no! Mistaken again.” I put my boots back on the floor, striding towards Lord Harold. “A Request? Don't make me fucking laugh. I am telling you what will happen if you surrender peacefully.” I held him by the shoulder. “Say no to my demands and all of Vioden becomes mine.”
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Blue eyes thought as he looked at my grasping hand. “You understand what this means, Your Grace? Would you want to bring war to your city…?”
I gripped his shoulder hard, and the elderly Wolfburn yelled in pain. “By taking your sweet time to come, you missed some illuminating information during the “sham” trial. My father wasn't the first victim of your family's meddling.”
My anger controlled my hand and it reached for the lord's neck.
“Please! Let…go!” Lord Harold said as I squeezed the breath out of his throat.
“Did the witch want to marry my father so much that an innocent woman had to die?!”
His face turned purple, and Harold's eyes bulged as he felt death close.
I discard him into the shelves, knocking books on his head.
“YOUR FAMILY STARTED THIS WAR!”
Flaring my nostrils and breathing hard with rage clouding my mind, mana swirls to the tip of my index finger. I pointed to the wide-eyed Wolfburn.
I exhaled, finally noticing the mana flowing around and my circles spinning with a pounding heart.
Calm down. I still need him. I STILL NEED HIM.
“You only live to relay what was said. Beatrice!” My mana dissipated.
My head maid rushed in at my call, her stoic face unchanged as she assessed the situation.
“Take him to his carriage,” I said, walking to my chair, and rubbing my face to calm myself.
Standing and brushing his clothes of dust and dirt, Lord Harold huffed. Pushing Beatrice away, the Lord turned back to me.
“You will regret this, boy,” he said, throwing away any pretence of formality. “Young and alone, you know nothing of true war.”
I sat on my chair, resting my elbows. “Yes, I know nothing of war in this world, but I am a quick learner,” I said, grinning. “And just so you know, I will kill you first. I like to work my way from the weak first.”
Not losing his unearned noble confidence, Wolfburn strode out of office. Under the noble's breath, I heard, “Childish.”
The office door closed and I asked Beatrice, “Is he right?”
Standing straight like an arrow, she looked at me, saying, “You were your mother's and father's child. It is not childish to want retribution, Your Grace. It is right.”
“Mm.” I flipped my pocket watch.
“Beatrice, send my umbra out.”
Bowing, she placed her hand on her chest. “Yes, Your Grace.”
Right or wrong, I will fight for the child in me who still misses them.
----------------------------------------
The Duke.
Present Day: 3 months after ball
Use… ring… Vanessa said with a weak connection.
I tapped my head in frustration. “Dummy.” A dolphin in the sky, I swam in the winds. I pulled my sword through the air currents, cleaning my blade of blood and monster flesh. Following the ring’s link, I flew above mountains, taking in the view as I glided.
Less than a year till the ceremony… Damn…
Less than a year until Vanessa gets her powers and finally vanquishes the mist from the world, but as the number of attacks across my land increased, I prayed to the gods that the ceremony could happen earlier. I was stretched thin, flying several miles daily to where I needed to go. From the west and east, I flew to check my mines and met with my fellow lords and ladies. From north to south, I killed cursed, upgrading my skills. When I reached Sixth Circle and gained flight, I couldn't have imagined how burdened I would feel. I no longer have an excuse to stay in my city. No excuse to stay with my wife.
Passing over bears catching fish in a stream, an eagle swerved close and I waved a hand, giving it a draft to glide on.
Flying with an eagle now. Jealous yet?
My guard was stretched as thin as me, sometimes arriving too late, resulting in thousands abandoning their farms and small villages to seek refuge in larger towns. The toll is already high and will get worse as the months go by. So I must fly to where I am needed because I am the only one who can. Or wants to.
I hoped the silence from our adversaries was because Vel had started caring a bit more. But who was I fooling but myself?
An hour later.
I floated down on a breeze on the steps of my castle. My servants waited with refreshments and a footman took my cloak before a surprise froze me in my place.
“Husband.” Hands crossed, Vanessa tapped her cute feet on the floor with impatience. “You’re late again.”
Qinggong brought me to her before she could blink. “If I knew you would miss me this much,“ I said, going close to her neck, smelling her sweet sweat from the day's work. “I would have left the beast for the Bradshaw’s to handle.” I kissed her neck and she shivered. I looked up and her freckles were red with shyness.
“Come on, I know you. You wouldn't want to miss a good battle!” Her voice pitched as I kissed her on the collarbone.
“Umm, the new…batch of swords and have sent-”
“Leave the business talk for tomorrow. Today, it's just us.” I said with my most cringy suave voice.
“EEEWWWW!!”
My lips popped off Vanessa's shoulder and we both turned to the loud bastard watching from the stairs, chomping on an apple.“You are in the bloody foyer, you nasties!”
“For the twentieth time, go to your room,” I shouted.
“OKAY! Okay, I just came out to ask for some-”
“FUCK OFF!!”