"If you want peace, prepare for war."
Our idyll with Sebastian was interrupted by a knock on the door from the maid. It was breakfast time, and Sebastian kissed me on the temple before heading to his room.
About an hour later, I descended to the dining room. We breakfasted in tense silence, and I dared not meet Sebastian's eyes. When he entered the dining room, he announced that the king had ordered an urgent return to de Forest, and after breakfast, he would leave Savoyard. His expression was tense and angry. After such news, I didn't know how to behave or what to say. I wondered if his words of love had been influenced by the moment and if he regretted them. Sebastian also engaged in polite conversation and avoided eye contact.
I noticed that some servants were bustling around the dining room without reason, casting furtive glances at me and the prince. Without interrupting my breakfast, I asked for a piece of paper and pen. I wrote down the names of everyone who had entered without orders that morning and showed undue curiosity. Upon leaving the dining room, I handed the list to the butler. It was a trick devised by Sam. Each resident of Savoyard had their own number, and this was how we exchanged information with Sam, without using names or titles.
After breakfast, I led the prince to the stables under the pretext of showing him the best horse to replace the one he had previously torn. After dismissing the stable hand, I described to him the virtues of our steeds, many of which had been sent to me from the Capital after the disrupted ball. One horse had been specially transported for me from the kingdom of the elves. It was its merits that I was recounting when Sebastian pulled me towards him and kissed me.
"Enough, beloved. Tell me what troubles you. Do you regret what happened?" Sebastian whispered in my ear, kissing my neck.
"No, of course not. It was unusual... and pleasant..." I said, feeling the images flashing in my mind.
"Unusual... I don't even know whether to take that as a compliment or dissatisfaction," he laughed. "But we'll discuss it later. Tell me what bothered you so much at breakfast. You were jotting down numbers all the time," he stepped back and looked at me.
"The numbers are our way, Sam's and mine, of passing information about the servants. But that's not important. Sebastian, are you leaving Savoyar again for a long time?" I didn't ask Sebastian if he regretted his admissions. His words, "beloved," made my heart beat faster. What other doubts could there be?
"No, I won't make that mistake again, my joy," Sebastian said, kissing my hand. "Don't worry. Besides, there are problems in the barracks, and I wanted to discuss them with the king myself," his gaze became serious.
"Peter and I got along well," I tried to justify.
"Oh yeah? Tell me, dear, how did you get along," he narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
"Don't play the jealous one, Sebastian, you know what I mean," I replied with the same look.
He smiled. "He's a good commander, albeit young. I found out yesterday that as soon as I went to the Drow, the count stopped funding the squads under some contrived pretext. I'm worried about Lindwood's growing influence over Father. Even after the incident in the capital, his position hasn't weakened, and these mages..."
I put my hand to my chest and stepped back from Sebastian. "You found him!" It wasn't a question.
He nodded. "I think so, we need to check. If it's confirmed, Lindwood's head will adorn the gates of de Forest the same day."
"And the king? Sebastian, what if Lindwood acted on your father's orders? I know you won't go against your father," I stepped back a bit further, realizing that the likelihood of the count acting on his own initiative was negligible. "They'll try again, wait for the right moment, and try to kill me again. Right?" It wasn't a question, more of a statement. Fear flooded over me again, as in the last minutes when I thought it was the end.
"A year has passed since last time, they'll wait until I remove the artifact," I was voicing the swirling thoughts. "Next time, they'll burn Savoyard, just to make sure," I smiled bitterly. "Although why go to such lengths? They'll probably think that two or three powerful mages are enough, especially since one almost succeeded with Father. Everyone saw my condition; spies must have already reported. To be safe, they just need to remove you from the game, marry you off, for example, and send you on a honeymoon..." I didn't finish the thought.
I didn't notice when the prince appeared next to me. "Never!!" He looked me in the eyes. "Do you hear me, Alex? Never, under any circumstances, should you remove this ring yourself!!! Even if I were to ask you under some influence. Whatever happens between us, YOU MUST NEVER TAKE OFF THE RING." He squeezed my shoulders almost painfully. "Promise me!"
"Okay. I promise," I didn't understand what had changed and why he was so angry with me, why I couldn't remove the ring voluntarily, and what influence Sebastian was talking about.
Once again, he left me confused, promising to deal with both the count and the king if he was involved. I couldn't find out what he had planned or what had happened in the barracks; Sebastian promised to explain everything when he returned, and taking the king of the elves' horse, he hurried to de Forest."
_______________________
Sebastian.
Castle de Forest.
When I arrived at de Forest for lunch, the steward informed me that the king was meeting with Count Lindwood and awaited me in the dining hall. Upon entering the dining hall, I found no courtiers at the table, only the count and his daughter. This raised suspicions, as usually there were no fewer than 20 people gathered for lunch.
We exchanged greetings, and I took my seat.
"Bastian, I'm glad you've returned," Alicia smiled at me. "Thank you, Countess. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence in the palace?" I inquired with an unruffled smile, curious.
Alicia's expression darkened, and she blushed. "Well, Bastian, I'm your betrothed, and upon learning of your arrival, I hurried here. I missed you," she attempted to wriggle out of it, but her words sounded as if she didn't believe them herself.
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise and leaned back slightly to look her in the eyes. "Betrothed, that's unexpected. I must remind you, Countess, that you lost that scarcely acquired status almost a year ago. After the well-known events in the Capital of the Seas. You are not my betrothed, Countess Lindwood, and there can be no talk of any relationship between us, neither now nor in the future. Please accept this fact with dignity," Alicia paled. If she expected me to reprimand her for past events, she certainly didn't anticipate such decisiveness.
It seemed the count's glass cracked in his hand, and he coughed. "Sebastian, I don't think it wise to be so categorical in this matter. Everyone in the castle knows about your relationship. Besides, as your father..."
I cut off the count. "As my father, Count Lindwood? I suppose you are now going to speak of your daughter's honor, which I have besmirched, and demand an immediate engagement. I won't deprive you of that right, if you wish to remember the maiden honor of the countess with a few years' delay, and we can arrange a magical duel. If you have more compelling arguments than palace gossip."
I suppose the count didn't expect such a turn, and his clenched fists clearly confirmed this version. "Sebastian, your father has already approved the union with Alicia, and a date for the official betrothal has been set. In a week, you will go to the temple to the Ancient Priests," the count declared, still clenching his fists and burning with anger.
"Please, Bastian, I am ready to make amends to you. Give us a chance for the sake of everything between us. The news of the betrothal has already been spread by the kingdom's heralds," Alicia attempted to reach out to me.
I watched these manipulative attempts from the Lindwoods and laughed. "Do you seriously believe that acting behind my back will secure a beneficial union? Let me disappoint you; no cheap intrigues will change my decision. Bon appétit," I stood up and left the dining hall. I asked a servant to inform the king that I was in my chambers and would meet him in his office. I requested that lunch be brought there as well.
I had indeed underestimated Lindwood's desire to get closer to the throne. Alex's thoughts, which she voiced that morning about removing me from the game through marriage, seemed increasingly close to the truth. I understood that they would try to repeat the attack, and this time they would involve more mages. But judging by Lindwood's audacity, he was not intending to postpone it for the future, and the next attempt would happen soon. I couldn't allow that to happen.
If my father was involved in this, he simply left me no choice.
That day, my father refused me an audience, and I decided to attend to other matters. The death squad, as they were called, consisted of specially trained mages whose powers approached the maximum level. In the past, I myself had been considered one of such mages. Rumors circulated about this squad, that three mages with different elements, working in tandem, could destroy a small army in minutes. The existence of this squad in the Forest Kingdom was kept secret, although rumors about it often leaked, but no one could provide evidence.
When I saw Atticus, one of the commanders of the squad, through Alex's eyes, a furious rage engulfed me. I barely restrained myself from incinerating the King of Drow's castle to the ground. As I was being transferred to de Forest, his shields protecting the transfer platform saved him from the flames. At the moment when I was being transferred to de Forest, Alex said, "Goodbye," and darkness fell. My scream drowned out the roar of the fire element, which the shields barely contained. This powerful explosive manifestation of the element partially depleted my strength, but there was enough reserve to shield Alex and myself. Just a few seconds more, and I would have been stripped of my magic.
Atticus was lucky that he was dispersed by a wave from the rift, otherwise I would have cruelly tortured him, healed him, and then tortured him again, until I grew tired of it. Judging by what he did to my beloved, I wouldn't have tired of such an activity. I was sure he was associated with Lindwood, who conceived the creation of the squad and often went in search of the strongest mages. But my father... I couldn't understand his motives.
Alex posed no threat to the kingdom's security, and the signed alliance gave us advantages over the Kingdom of the Seas, as well as greater control. So why expose the guardian to an attack, especially on the territory of another kingdom, and use one of the newcomers of the Death Squad? Especially an earth mage, who would inevitably point to our involvement. Of course, when I arrived in the kingdom, all traces that could lead to Lindwood had already been cleaned up, and everything boiled down to Alicia's house arrest. I searched for possible connections and evidence, convinced that the count was the instigator, and the king himself was unaware. But his behavior troubled me. The count had too much influence on many matters. I thought that after the engagement was broken off, this would change, but unfortunately, without evidence, the king was unwilling to listen to his involvement.
I entered the barracks in the evening, before lights out. The mages were glad to see me and were surprised by the surge of power on the transfer platform. I joked about the impregnability of the treacherous Drow, steering the conversation to more general topics for warriors. Thus, I gradually learned that many of them had participated in restoring the shields I had destroyed. I learned that Atticus had been sent on a secret mission by Count Lindwood. After that, we ended the conversation with the mages. Now it was time to discuss the situation with the king.
Two days later, I was finally invited to the King's chamber.
"Your Majesty," I greeted my father. To my surprise, Count Lindwood was also in the room.
"Your Majesty, I have some urgent matters to discuss with you privately," I hinted to my father that the presence of the count was unnecessary.
"Sit down, Sebastian. I also wanted to discuss some matters. Lindwood is my advisor, and we will consider all matters in his presence," the king replied.
Although it alarmed me, I didn't argue. The count's presence shouldn't unsettle me.
"Your Majesty, as you already know, a few days ago, an attack on the duchess was carried out near the rift by one of our mages. As I managed to find out, this happened on the orders of Count Lindwood," I looked at the count, but he only smirked, this smile did not bode well.
"You're right, Sebastian, I'm aware of this. It was our decision. Anything else?" the king sat with an unruffled look, as if we were discussing the weather.
Taking the opportunity, I decided to clarify another situation.
"Your Majesty, the commander of the squads in Savoyard reported the cessation of funding. Can you explain the reason for this? Should we recall them?" I asked, tracking the count's reaction. He was quite calm and even pleased.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"No, we have other plans for them in the near future. The castle and its treasury are nearby, let them entertain themselves and find the necessary resources. The count has already informed the commander about this. We have decided to put them on self-sufficiency," the king said with an unruffled look.
I was surprised by this turn of events.
"Entertain themselves in the castle?" I clarified.
"Yes, you understood correctly, Sebastian. The Savoyard castle has resources, lacks proper security, and our battle mages will have no trouble gaining control over a dozen servants and putting the girl in her place. If they haven't done so already, it means they still have enough money and provisions," the king replied, looking at me as if wanting to know if I had any more questions.
Only now did I realize how much danger Alex had been in all this time. At any moment, two squads of battle mages could seize Savoyard. Only Peter's wise leadership and his own resources kept Savoyard from falling into chaos.
"I have heard you, Your Majesty," I needed to buy time, now was not the time to openly oppose the king. I needed allies who would be ready to support my claims to the throne.
"Sebastian, your marriage is a political alliance, and we couldn't find a better candidate than Alicia. As for the Duchess de Savoyar, I hope you've had your fill of her. That little whore is no longer needed. Lindwood assured me that the Death Squad will handle the rift, so when they come for her, don't interfere. I promised her to Lindwood for his pleasure." My heart pounded with rage.
"You will obey," the king looked at me, expecting protests or objections. But I had already made up my mind; I had a plan, and I needed to buy time.
"If that is Your Majesty's command," I said, trying to maintain composure and confidence in my voice. Though rage engulfed me, a storm raged inside demanding an outlet.
Count Lindwood smirked and said, "Sebastian, you are so young. I'm glad you understand - it's not wise to defy the king. You have no idea the power we wield and the resources at my disposal." He burst out, swollen with self-importance, eager to show who was in control of all decisions, confirming my suspicions.
I looked at him with disdain. "Count Lindwood, I obey the king's orders and would never go against his will," keeping a straight face before this greedy bastard became increasingly challenging.
The king remained silent, clearly perplexed, perhaps expecting resistance or protest, but I wasn't that foolish.
"May I leave, Your Majesty?" I asked firmly.
The king looked at me once more and nodded.
With those words, I turned and headed for the door. I knew time was against us, and I had to act fast.
In my quarters, I ordered paper and pen. My heart raced as I began writing letters to those who could support my claim to the throne or provide troops to defend Savoyar. I reached out to allies and potential supporters, outlining my plans and the need for unity against the king and Count Lindwood. The Death Squad posed a particular threat, and I brainstormed ideas on how to deal with this menace. Though I couldn't go to Savoyar personally, I sent the letter to Alex, using a convoluted scheme to let her know where and when she should meet me and reminding her of her promises made to me in Savoyar.
A few days before the planned engagement, I asked to meet with my father. But as usual, we weren't given the opportunity to talk alone. I noticed that I hadn't seen my father alone all week. It seemed he didn't leave the king's side for a moment. I greeted my father and the count, preparing to address my father when Count Lindwood interrupted me.
"Alicia is upset, Sebastian," the count spoke with tension.
"What are you talking about, Count Lindwood?" I asked, pretending not to understand his innuendos.
The count narrowed his eyes and continued in a demanding tone, "About how you treat her. You haven't been paying proper attention and warmth to your betrothed since your arrival. She's upset that you're not showing interest in her. I'm also concerned about your attitude towards your future wife. I hope you're not planning to break off the engagement?"
The count was tense, and I understood that he didn't approve of my relationship with Alicia. Alicia had been watching me almost everywhere except the barracks, where she couldn't "accidentally" meet me. So the barracks had become my constant place of residence while in de Forest.
In recent days, the countess had become unbearably annoying, expressing feigned regret and not understanding why I refused to renew our relationship. Several times she tried to enter my bedroom, but she was always stopped by the servants. Unfortunately for her, I spent my nights in the barracks with the soldiers. Every day, I interacted with the mages of the Death Squad and participated in their training, hoping it would help me in the future. My actions didn't arouse suspicion, as I had often done so before.
"I don't quite understand what you're talking about, Count. I treat Alicia according to social decorum. We're not yet engaged, and her expectations go beyond the politeness and attention I give her," I confidently said, looking at the count. He had clearly overestimated his daughter's capabilities if he hoped I would succumb to her feigned charm.
"Well, I hope things will change soon, Prince Sebastian. It's not good to upset a girl who's in love with you. Do you agree with me, Your Majesty?" the count addressed the king.
"Quite, Count. Sebastian, I greatly value the count and wouldn't want to upset him with inappropriate behavior towards his daughter," the king said.
He sat at the table almost indifferent, as if he didn't care about anything happening around him. The longer I watched him, the more apparent it became that he was regularly succumbing to mental influence. And I suspected that after the wedding, a similar fate awaited me.
"I hear you, Your Majesty. Actually, I wanted to talk about the engagement," I said, and the count visibly tensed even more.
"According to the traditions of the de Forest family, the prince must give his chosen one a family artifact received from his mother when the engagement is concluded. At the moment, this is impossible, the reasons I think are known to all of us. Yesterday, I wrote a letter to Savoyar, asking the duchess for a meeting..." I was speaking already knowing what would come next, from the very beginning the count inadvertently played along with me, just as I had anticipated.
"That's out of the question," the Count interrupted me.
Barely able to contain my smile, everything was going as planned.
"Why is that, Count? You yourself lamented about Alicia being upset by my coldness. Imagine how rumors that I didn't give her the family artifact during the engagement will affect her. And even worse when rumors start that it's in possession of another woman," I looked questioningly at the Count, he had trapped himself.
"It doesn't matter, she'll get over it. And we'll soon get the artifact anyway, not necessarily in working condition but still," the Count waved dismissively, again hinting at killing Alex.
If he wanted to provoke me, he miscalculated. I knew for sure that he wouldn't be able to harm her as long as I was alive, and for that, I had only one step left to take.
"Well, Your Majesty, if the Count is so careless about his daughter's feelings, then it's his business. However, I think you still wouldn't want to lose your heir," I said, addressing the king and injecting a hint of threat into my voice.
The king stood up, glaring at the Count. "What do you mean, Sebastian?"
The Count also rose, shouting simultaneously with the king in a shrill voice, "Do you dare to threaten the king?"
They exchanged glances. And I bowed to the king.
"Forgive me if my words seemed like a threat to you, Your Majesty," I said, straightening up and looking at the king. He nodded, signaling me to continue, and sat back in his chair.
"At the moment, the artifact is in possession of the duchess, and we are bound. In the case of regular mages, the connection is two-way, but due to the peculiarities of the Keeper's magic, only she can draw strength from my reserve. I assume she still hopes to maintain our 'friendly relations.' However, after my engagement, when she realizes that de Forest doesn't intend to abide by the terms of the alliance, and in the event of an attack, what will stop her from draining my reserve? In the best case, I'll lose my magic, and in a more likely scenario, it'll kill me," I said, addressing the king.
I looked at the king. My main card was on the table. Even the Count wouldn't dare to object to the return of the artifact under such terms. After all, if the heir's life is put at risk, the council will inevitably learn about it, and questions will arise. And regarding the rumors, I'll take care of them.
"What do you propose, Sebastian?" the king asked indifferently.
"I intend to meet with the duchess and ask her to return the artifact to me," I began, the Count wanted to object, but I preempted him, laying out my final card.
"To avoid risks, I will bring an escort - the first squad." - With the Death Squad accompanying me, the Count will surely back down. And then it all depends on Alex.
"A quite reasonable proposal," the king agreed with me. "There's no point in risking the heir's life. And the first squad will prevent any possible surprises," the king said, looking at me with a hint.
Of course, I wouldn't be able to stand up to the Death Squad alone.
The king continued, "Are you okay with this, Count?" He looked at Lindwood, who pursed his lips, clearly not trusting the situation, but nodded.
After bidding farewell to the king and the Count, I headed back to the barracks to inform the soldiers about the upcoming trip. If Alex received my letter, she should have arranged to meet me at the rift tomorrow, a day before the engagement.
Judging by Alex's response, she received my letter. I maintained contact with allies, sending them letters through reliable intermediaries in the Drow kingdom. I hoped that the rest of the letters were delivered to their recipients too.
We were already nearing the rift, and the first squad was trailing slightly behind but keeping up. The Count wanted them not to appear in front of the duchess, but I insisted that it would be a show of strength and a warning. I insisted that she wouldn't risk killing me when I demand her to remove the ring, as she would understand that she wouldn't get away with it alive after that.
Alex stood in the clearing, holding her head high. In the Keeper's uniform and with her swords drawn, she looked battle-ready and defiant. I felt a surge of warmth throughout my body. My girl, how I missed her. If everything goes well today, no forces will be able to harm her, and no intrigues will come between us.
Suppressing the urge to ride up to her and embrace her, I signaled the squad to stay in place, prepared my weapons, and slowly approached her.
"Good to see you, Duchess de Savoyar," I greeted Alex, trying to speak with firmness and coldness.
"Did you leave me any choice, Your Highness?" she asked, tilting her head.
"You're right, Alessandra. In my letter, I tried to explain to you that it's in your best interest. Do you know why we've come?" I asked, maintaining a harsh tone. Although inside, everything screamed at me to embrace my dear and never let her go.
Alex raised her right hand with the ring, not removing it. She looked at it with a smile and said, "I suppose it's because of this, Prince Sebastian. After all, you have your engagement tomorrow. How will you manage without the family artifact?"
Behind me, there was a murmur from the squad. They seemed to expect the duchess to be defenseless without the artifact. Perhaps they even received orders to kill her as soon as the ring came into my possession.
The Count had underestimated his opponents a little. It remained to test the last theory and hope that my conclusions were correct.
"Duchess, perhaps you need a hint on how to remove the artifact? You just need to take it off your finger," I repeated, approaching. Alex began to step aside towards the rift.
I nodded to the squad to come closer and quietly said to the commander, "If she doesn't take off the ring, I'll cut off her hand. Better to lose the power of the artifact than for me to lose my magic."
The commander nodded and gave the order to the squad: "Stay in place and don't make any sudden moves. Act on command. The prince must not be harmed."
I followed Alex, who was already at the rift. "Duchess, give up what doesn't belong to you, and everything will be fine. Don't forget about my people in Savoyar. I wouldn't want anyone in the castle to get hurt," I said, slowly approaching.
I reached Alex, almost pressing her back against the rift.
"Save your people, Duchess," I nodded to her and whispered so that only she could hear: "Now!"
Alex quickly drew her dagger, made cuts on her palms, and pressed them to the portal. Behind me, there were sounds of combat spells flying towards us. I activated protective shields, shielding myself and Alex.
It seemed that the nerves of the squad had finally given out.
"Prince Sebastian, step away from the Keeper," the commander's voice sounded, "You won't stand a chance against the Death Squad anyway. Obey and the duchess won't be harmed. She's ordered to be delivered to de Forest," the commander held his hand, restraining the attack of the mages, but showing that if we didn't comply with the order, we would be attacked.
"Are you ready, my love?" I stood next to Alex, still holding the shields.
Alex nodded. "I hope you're not wrong, Sebastian," she looked at me, determination still in her eyes.
"Me too, but in any case, dying by your side isn't such a terrible fate," I smiled at her and whispered, "I love you."
Her gaze warmed. "I love you, Sebastian," she smiled back.
I looked at the commander again, it's time to finish this. "All who now swear allegiance to me will survive. Kneel before your future king," my voice sounded firm and confident.
None of the squad moved. Only the commander laughed. "Nice try, Prince Sebastian. I'll count to three, put down your sword and step away from the duchess."
I realized that they were all loyal to the duke, I hadn't managed to change anything. I approached Alex even closer, and we stood shoulder to shoulder, her bloodied palms still pressed against the rift.
"Concentrate," I whispered, pouring all my strength into the shield, fire flickering and buzzing within it.
At the same time, I felt a wave of power emanating from the portal, and I saw a wall of fire mixed with water and earth rushing towards us. We couldn't withstand such force. Alex stood next to me with closed eyes, breathing heavily. I infused the shield with boundless strength, protecting us from the power of the rift and awaiting the attack from the mages.
When the wave of magic collided with the elemental barrier, there was such a bright flash that I reflexively covered my eyes to avoid being blinded.
After that, the pressure on the shield from the rift weakened, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Opening my eyes, I had to blink for a minute to restore my vision. Beside me, I felt Alex sagging.
"Are you okay, my dear?" I picked her up and, supporting her, sat her down on the ground. She was breathing heavily, her eyes still closed. "Look at me, darling," I stroked her cheek, and Alex opened her eyes, blinking just as frequently. Her usually gray-green eyes had turned turquoise.
She looked at me as if she hadn't expected to see me alive. "We're alive, Sebastian."
I pulled her closer, resting her head on my chest and whispered, "For now."
Then I turned my head towards the enemies. The grass within several dozen meters of us was scorched. The mages lay there, and they looked as if their own element had gone out of control and destroyed their bodies from within.
"It's over, my joy. The Death Squad is no more," I kissed Alex on the temple, and she turned to look in the direction I was facing.
"But how? How did you know, Sebastian?" Alex raised her surprised eyes to me.
I just smiled. "I wasn't sure, just guessed. When Atticus attacked you, I saw how he was swept away by a wave from the rift. But it wasn't the rift's magic that destroyed him. It seemed to mirror and amplify his own element during the attack. He destroyed himself. And the fact that you specifically caused the wave from the portal was the only logical option, or rather, your blood," I kissed her wounded hand. "Did you take the elixir?"
Alex continued to look at me, still bewildered, but nodded.
"Good. Can you walk?" I asked, standing up. Alex nodded, and I helped her to her feet.
We won this battle, but it's just a part of the upcoming confrontation. There's no time, it's time to take the next step.