Laurin Haeusl, the Plains of Versez, the Capital; Kingdom of Eins, 610
The carriage sped up as the Knights saw the silhouette of the capitals walls. This time the plains were surrounded mostly by dirt and soil, though the croplands across the horizon glistened under the weakening glow of the sun.
Laurin peeked at the book that the Prince was reading. Titled, "The Kind Road", he knew it to be from an author who was a great supporter of King Deukalion. Remembering that he got that from the girl piqued his curiosity.
"By the way, Your Majesty. It seemed that you weren't lying when you said you had fun talking to the owner of that bookstore. What were you talking about anyway?" Laurin asked.
"Ah, just a few things about politics and idealogy. Oh, that reminds me. Please have her visit for an audience soon after my ascent." He revealed before giving an order.
Laurin coughed a bit, expecting the worst. During their journey, the Prince had been reminding Laurin about the first order his liege gave him, and the young Prince threw in some characteristics he described as "his taste", much to the Knight's chagrin.
Gleaning a bit of insight, Laurin felt that the girl they met at the bookstore was really beautiful, and he cringed at the thought that the Prince wanted her to visit.
"No... No. Laurin, as my loyal subordinate, please refrain yourself from thinking that I love women too much. It's true, they really are lovable, but I don't induldge myself with women forcefully, or simultaneously. I'm a good man, is what I'm saying." The Prince reasoned, shaking his hand in front of Laurin.
Laurin looked at him agape, but the Prince just nodded with a suspicious smile. Laurin then puffed a sigh of relief.
"She's got a good head on her shoulders. I want to make use of that. So yeah, make that a priority." The Prince said.
The carriage rocked as it stopped in front of the Versez's western walls. The walls reached almost 20 meters in height, a wide and thick fortification that has defended the large capital for years, its dark-bluish color a warning for anyone who dare lay siege.
A sturdy wooden gate occupied Laurin's vision, almost thrice his size, with two large watchtowers looming in between them. The towers were made of the same colored stone as the walls. As of then, the towers were empty, just as Laurin arranged it to be.
The Knights scurried around the vicinity, eyeing for anyone unwelcome. Soon, Arnold knocked on the carriage, so Laurin motioned for the Prince to follow him as he opened the door.
Stepping outside, Laurin immediately went to an area just below the right watchtower. He then pointed his right palm at the ground, his left hand grasping the wrist of the other.
The soil where Laurin stood then started to shake, prompting Laurin to jump out. As soon as he did, the soil crumbled and disintegrated, revealing a deep tunnel. This was the secret passage that only Royalty, with the help of the Hauesl's privy earth mages, could access.
Laurin perked up as he heard a whistle a few steps behind him, turning his head towards the sound. He saw the Prince slowly approaching, who then subsequently started clapping and nodding, his eyebrows raised and his lips curving downwards.
"That was awesome. You're making me jealous now." The Prince sighed.
Laurin stuttered. He didn't know how to respond.
"Relax. I'm kidding. Well, I really am jealous, though. But don't feel bad about it." Laurin relaxed his expression, only able to answer with a salute.
As The Prince approached the tunnel, he knelt and then jumped a few feet down, entering the tunnel. Laurin looked at Arnold and Reese, receiving a nod as response before following the Prince.
As soon as he landed, he raised his hands towards the hole made through his magic. The hole slowly closed up, the earth looking as if it crawled through the air and merged to sew up the opening.
It was hot inside the tunnels, and it would be dark if not for the lines of glow-orbs along the earthen walls. The tunnel was at least twice Laurin's size, and could fit at least three people side-by-side. From here on, it'll take at least 45 minutes to arrive beneath the castle at a walking pace.
"The Crown, where did you hide it?" The Prince suddenly asked.
"It's at the secret storage behind the painting of the Royal Family, just behind the Throne. I've got Knights patrolling outside the Throne Room, and made sure that it's off-limits beside these people and to only report to me. We'll retrieve it as soon as we arrive." Laurin answered as he recalled the plan.
The Prince stared at Laurin for a bit before heading down the tunnel. Laurin went to his side in a hurry.
"Why do you ask, Your Majesty?"
"Oh? Nothing. Was curious, that's all. Good work, by the way." The Prince dismissed, waving a hand.
Laurin felt a bad premonition.
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At the center of the tunnel where Laurin and The Prince was is a ladder ending abruptly at the earthen ceiling with no exits. Laurin was the first one to scale the ladder. When he reached the top, he placed one hand on the surface of the ceiling.
Without the brightness of the sun, one could notice that a faint green glow shone around his hand, and a few seconds after, a portion of the ceiling that blocked the ladder disintegrated, revealing they were underneath the castle.
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Laurin glanced down at the Prince before stepping out of the tunnel. He was at a wine cellar, with barrels of wine and alcohol sitting tightly together at the edges and corners of the room. Above the barrels were makeshift shelves that had bottles of fine wine, and in front of him a wooden door. Laurin signaled for the Prince that it was safe.
The Prince got himself out of the tunnel and eyed the room expectantly, admiration in his eyes. The young prince must have a love for drinking, Laurin thought, but he decided to move on to pressing matters.
"I'll check outside the door. There should be a guard outside. He'll notify me if the people are still in place." Laurin proposed.
Laurin stifled the sound of his steps as he closed in on the door.
He knocked twice, and in a few moments the door opened, revealing the guard.
"Captain!" The guard gave a salute.
Laurin turned his head and nodded towards the Prince.
"Your Highness!" As soon as the guard noticed the Prince, he immediately prostrated, the few moments before he did so revealed an expression of relief.
"Good work. Rise." The Prince remarked as the guard shook a bit from the praise before standing up.
Laurin placed a hand on the guard's shoulder as he stood up.
"What has been going on around Versez and the castle?" Laurin asked.
"Sir, there's been nothing noteworthy of the sort. The civilians are quiet in wait for the coronation tomorrow. Patrols are still undergoing around the capital and the castle, and the Throne Room and the 5th floor by your command is still kept off-limits apart from the appointed Knights. Please be at ease." The guard finished his report with a salute.
Laurin heaved before turning to the Prince.
"From here on, we'll be going to the top-most floor and to the Throne Room, Your Majesty." The guard winced when he heard how Laurin addressed their liege, eliciting a chuckle from the Prince.
"Laurin.. What if something happened at the Throne Room, and just because of your orders, the personnel upstairs are at a loss with what to do? What if they're already dead?" The Prince speculated as he stared at Laurin.
Laurin blinked rapidly, in thought and confusion. If something indeed happened, then to Laurin it was paramount that nobody else found out, lest the Royal Guard is panicked. During Laurin's expedition to meet with Madea days ago, the Royal Guard had no way of contacting him, and there was no one else that he could trust to make the decisions in case of emergency.
He reaffirmed that at the back of his mind.
"It's fine, Your Majesty. For one, I don't think that our guard here would be this relaxed if something did indeed happen. The enemy has to go through rounds of patrols before they could reach the Throne Room, and as soon as we arrived we'd be informed of a suspected break-in." Laurin then looked a bit towards the guard, and saw no reaction.
The Prince raised his chin a bit as he beamed, as if he was proud, while he listened to Laurin.
"Second, it's for the best. If something did indeed happen, it's better for people to be kept in the dark at least until we've returned. I don't want people taking this matter unto their own hands and complicating matters." Laurin concluded.
The Prince closed his eyes and hung his head down before looking at Laurin again.
"I see. Good work."
The Prince then stepped outside of the wine cellar, moving past the guard and Laurin. Laurin looked at the guard. In understanding, the guard closed the door and stood at attention beside the door, back to his duty.
As Laurin caught up to the Prince, he saw a hazy, unfocused glare. The Prince noticed him looking, and stopped walking before staring back at Laurin.
"What's the matter?" The Prince asked with a raised brow.
"N-nothing, Your Majesty." He stuttered.
The Prince shrugged as he continued on. Laurin felt that the premonition he felt was born from his instincts. Was there something wrong?
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As they turned the last corner of the staircase, the view drained Laurin of his color while he stared wide-eyed in shock. Some of the paintings, vases, glow-orbs and statues that were used to decorate the hallway leading to the throne were broken, scattered along the floor.
The red carpet had rips and cuts along it, some areas as burnt as some of the previously white sections of the wall.
"Laurin." The Knight was winced when he was addressed.
He turned to see The Prince looking at him, a subtle frown in his expression.
"Your Majesty.. this.."
"I get it. Find out what happened."
"Sire!" Laurin sped to a run, the sound of his footsteps almost muffling the Prince's own.
He ran through some things in his head as he approached the door to the Throne Room in the middle of the hall.
From the looks of things, it seemed that a battle had taken place here. How come no one from downstairs even heard the sound? Granted, they're not allowed to access this floor for now, but if they heard something some people should have ignored orders to try and see what was going on.
What's even weirder was that the cellar guard, and the previous guards they passed on the way up to the fifth floor were relaxed, happy at the sight of their Prince. It didn't make sense. Though, he was mostly glad that his men stuck to his orders, but this was this one time that he thought they should've rebelled a bit.
It must be a magic based on sound. Or maybe a memory altering ability. Shit, just what the hell?
Laurin stopped in front of the tall and elegant door, then slammed it open with a kick. His strength was enhanced by his mana, just enough so that the door is violently pushed open. He frantically looked for any sign of trouble, scanning the vicinity.
The Throne Room had a tall ceiling, with walls and pillars made of marble. A large, silver chandelier dressed in lavish-looking glow-orbs hanged relaxed on the ceiling. Several of the pillars also had glow-orbs of various sizes, neatly arranged and embedded on these pillars' upper portion, illuminating the hall in a bright, white glow.
Running his line of sight along the carpet, he saw the Throne and a bunch of Knights in red armor huddled over. They stared at Laurin in surprise and a bit of caution.
On a raised pomp sat the Throne made of ivory, with long sections of it knotted together and criss-crossed all over the chair, allowing for a robust structure, finished with a soft-looking yellow back and seat. The carpet led directly under the pomp and throne.
Some of the men sighed and slumped their shoulders before all of them started to approach Laurin. Laurin was also relieved, but he was more confused than ever. There was a battle, yet these men were alive. By his count, these were all the men in charge of this floor, and they were all supposed to work shifts.
Laurin clasped at the sword on sheathed on his waist.
"Captain! We have something to report." One of the men shouted.
The men stopped a few steps away from Laurin, before saluting in cadence. One of them stepped forward.
He was Anson, the one Laurin had in charge of this group. He was a tall, masculine young man with a neat and short spiky blonde hair, and a long face. He had hollow cheeks and slightly dark bags under his blue, bulging eyes. His thick lips slightly opened as he slacked his jaws, and took a breath of air through his crooked nose.
"Just two days after you left, we were attacked by a small number of powerful men. Some of us tried to leave to ask for help, but there was a barrier surrounding the exits to the stairs. It must have prevented anything from stepping out. Even though we outnumbered them, we couldn't do much before we were all incapacitated." Anson lamented, making Laurin frown.
Anson hung his head and lowered his eyes to the floor. He clenched a fist before he continued.
"The weirdest thing was that the morning after, we were all alive. We thought of going around the Palace and asking the other Knights for suspicious activity, even notify some of them, but we didn't want to go against orders and we decided that it wasn't a good idea for this to come out till' you returned."
Laurin creased his brows as he thought about the report. It was very weird. How did the intruders even reach the fifth floor without alerting the nearby guards along the way?
At some point, the Prince arrived in front of the door. The men dropped their jaws and prostrated to the floor.
"Your Highness!" They shouted in unison, a hint of happiness underlining their tones.
"I'm back to save your asses from Laurin's punishment. Consider it a favor. Stand up." The Prince beckoned with a toothy grin.
It was only Anson that remained kneeling, noticeably shaking. Laurin could only look at the defeated demeanor of a dutiful Knight.
"My Prince... the Crown.." Anson' voice was shaky and ominous, prompting Laurin to hold his breath.
"It was stolen."
Laurin scrunched his face before quickly turning his head towards the Prince. Only to see a thin, victorious smile.