As the carriage passed through the wrought iron gates, the family grounds unfolded before them like a scene from a fairy tale. A cobblestone path led from the gate to the mansion, flanked on either side by meticulously sculpted bushes shaped like mythical beasts from legends around the world—dragons, griffins, and manticores, each crafted with extraordinary detail. The mansion itself, adorned with stained glass windows, basked in the sunlight, its white marble exterior perfectly complementing the massive white fountain at the garden's heart. Fragrant scents from the colorful flowers drifted through the air, adding to the enchantment of the scene.

"Looks like we've hit the jackpot with these rich cousins... think we can clean them out?" Mike joked to Sophia.

"Definitely, at least we'll take what we can carry. But seriously, why couldn't we have been born into this kind of luxury... karma is bullshit," Sophia grumbled.

"Wouldn't the church have found us sooner? Or who's to say the Norail wouldn't have just dumped us like they did the old Valicar," Mike countered.

Their contemplations were cut short as the carriage came to a stop in front of the mansion. The door swung open, revealing a maid and a dozen other servants, all standing at attention before Valicar. At the forefront stood a man and a woman, accompanied by several children of varying ages. "Ladies first," Easton quipped.

"Welcome home, Valicar! It's a pleasure to finally meet you," the man at the front spoke as Valicar stepped out of the carriage. "I am Duke Elinor Norail, and this is my lovely wife Duchess Melisandre, along with our children Jon-Luc, Annie, and Timothy," he introduced, as Easton nudged Valicar forward.

"Thank you for the warm welcome, my lord," Sophia said, attempting a curtsy as best she could.

"Come now, there is no need to be so formal, my dear! For you have the blood of old man Dullen in your veins, you are a true Norail and never let anyone tell you otherwise." Elinor walked forward, scooping Valicar up in a bear hug before gently setting her back down to address his staff. "Bring our guests' luggage to their rooms." The servants quickly sprang into action, only to discover that there were far fewer bags than expected.

"I see you are short on luggage, well not to worry. Melisandre will help you with that in no time. We will summon the tailor from town," Elinor commanded, prompting his staff to act swiftly.

"Yeah, I have been forced to travel light the last few weeks," Sophia said vaguely.

"Well, you can tell us all about it at dinner, my dear. For now, you should rest. I and Von White have some important matters to discuss," Elinor said, glaring at Easton with an exasperated look. With that, Valicar was quickly introduced to the kids before being led to her room by the Duchess herself, the maids following behind carrying her meager possessions. The house was as opulent on the inside as it was on the outside. Tapestries of epic battles decorated the walls, along with beautiful works of art ranging from paintings to weapons of all sorts and sizes. Stands of knights in full armor lined the walls, while vases, columns, and sculptures only further showcased the family's wealth in a grand display.

"Most of this stuff looks too heavy to carry, Sis. I wonder where they keep the good shit if this is the crap they leave out," Mike mused.

"We can hear what they have to say before we decide to rip them off, Mike," Sophia chided her brother.

"Sure, that's the reason you want to stay. I'm sure it has nothing to do with whatever fancy dinner they're making," he retorted sarcastically.

As they approached a large wooden door with two men standing guard outside, the Duchess finally spoke, her tone dripping with disdain. "This will be your room for the foreseeable future. Please try not to dirty the sheets," she said, casting a critical glance at Valicar. It was unclear whether her disgust was directed at the child herself or the dirt from the road that still clung to her. "These men will keep you safe, so please let them do their jobs and don't touch anything." With that, she left, her sideways glare lingering on Valicar before she disappeared around the corner.

"Who put a stick up her ass?" Mike muttered to himself.

"Rich cunts are the same in every world, I guess," Sophia added dryly.

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Valicar entered the room, accompanied by the maid carrying her pack. The space was undeniably impressive, three times the size of the room on the Storm Breaker and twice as large as the home she had grown up in. Every corner was adorned with art reminiscent of the hallways, adding an air of elegance to the surroundings. The maid made her way to the far door, opening it to reveal another chamber—a spacious bathroom with a massive closet.

After depositing the luggage, the maid turned to Valicar. "Dinner is in a few hours, my lady. Shall I prepare you a bath?"

"Sure, then get out," Mike responded coldly.

"You don't have to be a dick to the staff, Mike," Sophia reprimanded her brother.

"Shut up and listen," Mike interjected, his tone urgent. "I think we are in danger here, and the last thing we need is a spy in the room. Why the guards outside the door, and what's with Easton going off to whisper secrets? Something is off."

"Let's just go along with it," Sophia suggested, trying to calm the situation. "Worst case, we can bust out pretty easily."

"Then what?" Mike challenged. "Outrun Easton? No, we have to find out what they are talking about somehow."

"I can try that long ear spell we used on that job one time," Sophia offered confidently. "It's not the best for listening through walls, but I might be able to pick them up."

"Do it, I'll go along with getting ready while you cast and listen in." Valicar prepared for dinner but whispered one word before entering the bath, "Gormivia."

In another part of the mansion, Elinor's voice rang out with frustration as she confronted Easton. "What the fuck were you thinking to bring her here?"

Easton's response was firm. "Bellic tracked her down and had her dead to rights. If I hadn't stepped in, they would have leveled half the city, and she would have died."

"And you brought her here! Do you have any idea what lengths we have gone to keep the church at bay until we are ready? Now we have no choice but to go cup in hand to the very man we hate the most, but what would a lapdog know about that," Elinor's voice seethed with frustration.

"You dare question my loyalty, After everything I have done for your house! The empire must fall but the church comes first, you know this!" Easton's voice rose with anger. "That girl is the last hope this house has at gathering the tools and allies we need to restore the kingdom, so what if it takes a few more years when we have waited centuries."

"Only now you cost us our greatest weapon, Blue Dawn reduced to a mere bargaining chip, to buy us a couple of years before the church wipes us out anyway," Elinor retorted sharply.

"The Emperor is a fool but he will keep his word. If we trade him Blue Dawn, he will grant her the same diplomatic immunity I and others have. If the church killed every magically talented diplomat that came to the continent, we would be at war with the entire world and alliances of old. Even the Northern Pillar would think twice about challenging such an enemy," Easton asserted confidently.

"And what weight does Diplomatic immunity have with no army backing it up? She is a Mage directly related to Valicar, for fuck sake, she is named after him! The exact reason we need her to be Queen is the reason they will hunt her down!" Elinor said exasperatedly.

"Then I will take her across the sea to Helm Hold. The magical academy will take her without a second thought, and then she will have the protection of the mages, which is far greater than any army," Easton proposed confidently.

"They haven't crossed the sea since the great war. They wouldn't for a mere child, no matter how magically gifted she may be," Elinor countered skeptically.

"Then what is your master plan, Elinor?" Easton pressed, his tone laced with urgency.

"We use the sword as bait and bring Ignial to the capital," Elinor declared resolutely.

"Damn you, Elinor. You would kill thousands for your goal! Do you even know the kind of destruction that dragon would cause when he fights the templars!" Easton's voice echoed with frustration and concern.

"Fine! Talk to the girl! Make sure she grows strong. We will have to make the deal with the Emperor but when we make our move... the capital will burn," Elinor declared, his resolve unwavering.

There was a knocking on the door that ripped Sophia from her focus. Looking around, she found that Mike had already gotten them dressed, with Valicar wearing pants and a plain shirt much like they had in Drisco. The door swung open to the same maid that had shown them to the room.

"My lady, dinner will soon be done. Do you need help getting dressed..." The maid was taken aback by the choice of clothing Mike had picked. "My lady, shall I find you something more appropriate for tonight?"

"No," Mike said sharply, earning a perplexed look from the maid.

"It isn't appropriate for a lady to wear such clothing," she pushed her point.

"Is it appropriate for me to tell you to fuck off?" Mike's response shocked the maid, who stammered in response.

"My apologies, my lady. I didn't mean to offend you, but..." Before she could finish, Mike slammed the door in her face, leaving the maid taken aback.

"So, what did you learn, Sis?" Mike asked once they were alone.

"A lot, Mike," Sophia replied, recounting what she had heard.

"THEY WON'T LAY A FINGER ON MY FUCKING SWORD!!!" Mike's voice reverberated with fury, echoing through the room.

"I agree, but we need a plan to get out of here," Sophia replied, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.

At that moment, the door swung open again, but this time, Easton Von White stood in formal attire. "It's time for dinner, my Lady, but first, quit making trouble for the maids and just change."

After some choice words and several minutes of intense exchange, Mike relented, and off to dinner they went, Valicar dressed like a chandelier once again.