Erec had spent the first two days after Agace’s proclamation in denial. He had personally run through all of the nobility with Agace to try and change her mind. She had been unmoved. He had told her that he was not a noble and that she had said that she wanted to marry a noble. She had replied that seeing as he already had most of the criminals and Giroux’s Lancers under his personal pay roll that she was sure that he would have no problem funding the lifestyle to which she was accustomed. In desperation he had proclaimed that he did not love her, and would not she prefer to marry somebody who cared for her. She had laughed and ruffled his hair and said that perhaps love would grow with time, all the while with that twinkle in her eye from a joke that only she knew.

When he thought about denying her choice the marks on his chest had begun to burn. There was no way out of it. If she chose him, then he had to marry her. The other requirement to retain her property was also coming along nicely. Using his influence as The Imperial he had gathered all the Martel property that had been lifted from the mansion by light-fingered servants who had found themselves out of work upon Pon’s death.

Retaining that property after their marriage would be trickier as there was no chance that Perceval would allow a non-noble to inherit the Martel estate. Erec could marry Agace in any temple at any time but to accomplish his task he had to somehow convince the king to marry Agace to him a random unknown man.

He did not yet know how to do that, but he had some ideas. To that end Erec was sitting in one of the studies of the increasingly populous Martel palace. Agace kept on taking Giroux out on strolls in the city. She would return every time with some down on their luck craftsman or street urchin for Erec to employ. So far, he had under his management a one-eyed armour smith, a deaf chandler, a half-starved thirteen-year-old pickpocket and even an exiled Imperial mage. They were all surprisingly competent and with a little training, or healing on the mages part, he had had the ability to use mana burnt out of him, they would be close to the peak of their profession. The pickpocket boy was not a great pickpocket, but he was a quick learner of the sword and other martial arts. He was big for his age and Erec had made him his personal squire.

The lad was carefully but unnecessarily polishing Erec’s leather armour as Arabelle gave a report.

“I am still unsure why this information was required,” she began with a raised eyebrow, “but here is a complete list of king Perceval’s personal library. I have marked the books that he frequently reads.”

Erec took over the list with a chuckle, “it would do you well to remember Arabelle that kings in general are quite isolated people. Such people are often easier to manipulate once you understand what they think of as aspirational. Perceval in particular is a man who has not widely travelled or experienced much of the world due to his childhood infirmity.”

Erec gave the list a quick scan, “look here he reads almost exclusively thrillers and romances. Such tales are replete with dark strangers in the night and tragic revenges for dashed love affairs. Using this and some of the other information we have gathered, I will sway the king to follow my desired course. Besides this was a test for you. Uncovering this kind of personal but seemly trivial information can be most useful in your position.”

After making that remark Erec gathered a black cloak and his Imperial mask before hopping onto the window ledge. Just before he left, he caught a glimpse of Agace entering the room with judging by the flour on the women’s patchwork apron some sort of baker. Erec fled before his fiancé could drag another person into ‘their’ household. He heard Agace’s chime-like chuckle follow him out into the rainy Stormbreaker night.

Erec made his way to the castle working out the last few kinks in his plan as he went. It had become clear that under the dual conspiracies of duke Roche and Leatus the kingdom would not remain Perceval’s for long. No doubt if informed Perceval would not wed Agace to Roche but premature civil war would not make the king more likely to marry Agace to Erec. Besides left to play out as it was the kingdom would likely be better managed under Leatusian leadership then if it remained Nevares.

Erec would need to use a more personal reason in order to convince Perceval. Arabelle had also uncovered that the king almost every night took a prolonger walk in the castle gardens. He had a guard following him at a discrete distance but that posed no challenge to Erec. After donning his mask Erec silently slipped behind the guard and with an arm around the man’s neck choked him into unconsciousness.

The guard made some noise as he struggled to resist which alerted Perceval, “whose there?” exclaimed the king into the night.

Erec stepped forward and using a standard educated Nevaresian accent responded, “I did not mean to alarm you my king but as one wronged man to another I thought it best we talk. No doubt you have heard of me. I am the man that they call the Imperial.”

Perceval scoffed but, in his eyes, there was also a curiosity and anticipation. To his credit he did not allow that into his voice, “my spymaster has told me of you. You are that thug who has been killing criminals. What makes you think that I need to talk to you ruffian. Also, what do you mean by wronged.”

“Your spymaster has kept an eye on matters of state your majesty but not so close a watch on your majesty’s personal matters,” Erec said while walking around the king in a lazy circle, “your majesty, as I understand it, is personally and intimately acquainted with a lady Igerne Bonfils. She is a beautiful woman but lately come to court.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The king was visibly surprised. No doubt he had thought the affair he was having with the lady was sufficiently discreet. It was, in fact, well known to almost the entire city including the Queen.

Before the king could stammer out a denial, Erec continued, “do not bother your majesty a man in my position is well advised to know such things. It is well that I do interest myself in these matters as I have also discovered this intimate correspondence between that self-same lady and your ‘loyal’ friend the duke Roche.”

The king turned red and exclaimed, “you lie. Igerne would never seek out another man’s company. Besides the duke is one of my closest advisors.”

Erec pulled from an inside pocket a stack of letters and tossed them to the flustered king as he said, “seeing as your majesty is so familiar with both of them, I trust their hands are both easily recognisable to you.”

The king held the letters close to the torch that lit part of the garden path that they were both standing on. His face paled and then turned red with anger as he read.

“I will have them both put to death,” said the king, burning the letters in the flames of the torch.

“That is,” Erec coaxed, “of course your majesty’s prerogative. However, such drastic action might reflect badly upon you for those who do not know the inside story. I came here hoping to not only save your majesty from embarrassment but to humbly beg for your assistance.”

Erec bowed low with an overdramatic flourish of his black cloak and using his best performers cadence began to speak, “perhaps after you have heard my tale you will leave the punishing of the duke to my hands. I married young, not older than sixteen. My wife was the envy of the village, for she was beautiful. We lived a simple life, but we were happy. One day a young lord drove through the village in his cart. Everyone gathered to see the young lord including my wife. The lord was none other than a young duke Roche. He has always been a greedy man and when he saw my beautiful young wife, he had his men drag her into his carriage. He drove off with her towards the capital. When I found out what had happened, I gave chase on foot. I found my wife’s body ten miles from the city. Her cloths were torn. The duke had raped her, strangled her, and thrown her body onto the road like trash.”

The king was listening with rapt attention. Erec had chosen his tale carefully. It had required Erec to forge a few letters but that was no great task. He needed the king to feel that he was part of some great romantic revenge plot.

Erec made himself choke up as if he was fighting back tears, “I swor.. I swore right then, on the side of the road that if it took me all my life, I would have my revenge on the duke. It has taken me years to claw my way up in the world. I have travelled far and learnt a great many things but finally I have return to extract justice from Roche.”

Erec trembled and then spoke on as if he had to master himself, “I understand that your majesty has need of the duke and his lands and had planned to marry that Martel girl to him. The defence of the kingdom must of course come first but I would not have that Roche be given a fortune and a young wife.”

At the mention of this secret decision the king came back to his senses, “how do you know that?”

Erec smiled with his voice seeing as the mask covered his face and said, “as I said before your majesty a man in my position finds it useful to monitor all sorts of information.”

The king was contemplating now, he wanted revenge, but he ‘needed’ Roche and the Martel fortune to defend the border. Signing he said regretfully, “I cannot allow you to kill Roche now. I need his troops and fortress. The Martel estate is to be used for the safety of the realm.”

Erec sneered behind his mask. Only nobles would find themselves completely in the power of a stranger and think to forbid that man anything. Outwardly Erec pandered to the king, “of course my king. I would not presume to kill him when the realm is in such danger. What I want for the time being is to humiliate the man. You grant Roche the hand of Agace Martel just as you plan. I have arranged for some love-struck fool to crash the announcement and issue the right of challenge against the duke. This is a peasant boy and unskilled of course in the knightly arts. When your majesty allows the challenge, it will be taken as an opportunity to make sport and the well-known eldest son of duke Roche will no doubt take up arms to defend his father’s claim on his new bride.”

The king nodded slowly, “yes that would seem to be a favour from me to allow the Roche family a bit of sport but if this peasant challenges Antoine Roche he will surely lose. What will that accomplish?”

Erec replied animatedly, “aah that’s just it your majesty my associates and I will ensure that the peasant does win. It will be a humiliation for the Roches. As for the money this idiot boy is so taken with the woman that he has agreed to sign it over to the crown. With that money you can buy the duke’s family heirloom and the fort in Galadhor can still be built.”

The king was enthusiastic now, “yes, I see it. The humiliation will be spectacular, and the Roches can only blame themselves. However, I cannot be seen just to take the Martel fortune. It will make the other nobles insecure in their own holdings.”

Erec paused as if to think. “Well,” he started, “perhaps you could grant the Martel’s a larger fief in return for them paying over the money to the crown. There is precedent for doing so.”

The king mulled that over and said reluctantly, “for that amount of money I would have to grant a sizable and valuable fief.”

Erec quickly pointed out a loophole, “sizeable yes but valuable? Not necessarily. Wishborne is the current Martel holding. As I understand it that is little more than a cave. No farming can be done above the escarpment. Why not just grant the Martel’s everything north of the escarpment. The land is large but practically useless.”

“Wonderful exclaimed the king,” and then perhaps remembering his station, “I do not like to consort with criminals but with the kingdom in such a delicate position I am forced to it. We have an accord Imperial but do not expect me to be lenient when you are one day brought to trial.”

Erec made another bow, “of course not my king. Until my revenge is complete however I do not plan to be caught.”

Erec then melted into the night and made his way silently out of the castle grounds. Everything was set into motion now. He was gratified that using the estate to purchase land did not go against his directive. His chest would have burned if it had. He just hoped that Agace would not find too many unfortunate souls for him to adopt before the journey north.