Everess and her companions found themselves locked in a tense standoff, surrounded by the gleaming points of spears under the orders of an unlikely person, Princess Tamara. The connection between her and Tamara, forged through their shared acquaintance with Tamiron, hinted at a familiarity that fell short of the profound bond she shared with Tamiron himself.
Princess Tamara, her gaze unyielding, demanded an answer that hung heavy in the charged air. “Well? Answer my question. Will you still bring an end to my brother’s life? Like how that treasonous Menoich ordered you to do?”
Puzzled, she asked, “Wait — what do you mean, treasonous? What has he done?” Confusion etched her features, her furrowed eyebrows betraying a sense of being left in the dark. The looks exchanged between Tamara, her captain, and handmaiden suggested a cascade of pivotal events had transpired in their absence.
Tamara, still holding them at spear point, took a step closer. “How could you not know that we stand on the brink of civil war?” she inquired, her gaze penetrating. Wide-eyed, she gasped, taken aback by the weight of the revelation.
Amidst the tension, Ravaen exclaimed, “What? Now, of all times? How long were we gone, anyway?” The uncertainty of their situation hung heavy in the air as Tamara and her entourage exchanged meaningful glances.
With a decisive order, Tamara instructed, “Bind their hands. I’ll brief them and determine if they are friend or foe.” The captain swiftly complied, securing Glaivel and Aderon despite their feeble resistance.
Led towards the royal tent, Graveloth couldn’t help but comment ironically, “I can’t believe I’m going back to prison. I just got out a couple of months ago.”
As they approached, she observed her fellow magisters within the encampment. A mixture of surprise and curiosity flickered across their faces, creating an atmosphere of intrigue that hung in the air.
Upon reaching the tent, they were positioned before a makeshift throne, where Tamara sat, flanked by her captain and handmaiden. “Emerys, can you catch them up?” Tamara requested, turning to her handmaiden.
Emerys began to unfold the tale of recent events — the fall of Melgrace a month ago, the Arch Chancellor’s takeover of the Capital, Tamara’s campaign to reclaim it, the demise of Imperial King Madarick, the planned ousting of Menoich, and Tamara’s ascent to the position of Crown Princess of the Empire.
“Now that you’re all caught up,” Tamara declared, her gaze piercing, “I’ll repeat it again: Are you still intent on ending my brother’s life, especially at the behest of the snake?"
Stunned silence settled over the group. She hadn’t anticipated the rapid descent of events, and the realization that the year hadn’t even concluded added an extra layer of gravity to the situation.
“The Imperial King is dead?” Ravaen questioned, a hint of disbelief in his tone.
Sevidon voiced his concern. “This is not good. Have the other kingdoms been informed yet?” The uncertainty of the situation loomed large, leaving the group grappling with the weight of the unfolding political upheaval and its far-reaching consequences.
“No, not yet. We are currently making sure such information cannot leave Barceneim,” Tamara explained. “I need to be on the throne before that news ever comes out to mitigate any potential damage.”
“How can you hold back such crucial information? This is madness,” Kaira exclaimed, her disbelief evident. “My mother, the Mistrell, needs to know about this.
“Madness is still following the orders of a traitor,” Tamara retorted. “I will not allow his commands to be fulfilled, even if it means imprisoning all of you here. For now, I will make sure to address your Mistrell once the situation has been resolved."
“Look, your Highness, we can talk about this. You can trust us; we are committed to saving your brother,” Ravaen attempted to reason with Tamara, but it became clear that persuasion would be an uphill battle.
“I am sorry for your loss, Crown Princess,” she suddenly said, bowing respectfully even with her hands bound. Her head nearly touched the floor as she continued, “I know this may not be what you want to hear, but please understand that I empathize with what you are going through. Believe me when I say that I know exactly what you are feeling right now.”
Tamara only looked at her, her eyes full of defeat, her hands gripped her skirts. Tamara was trying to be strong.
“Enough with these royal niceties,” Tamara snapped, frustration evident in her tone. “I am sick and tired of everyone offering condolences. Right now, we need to focus on the issue at hand. Will you still pursue my brother’s execution? Answer me now."
“No matter who initiated the mission, one thing is clear. Your brother poses a threat either way,” Glaivel exclaimed unexpectedly, drawing shocked looks from the group. “I don’t care about your current political disputes, but the Arch Chancellor made the right call: Tamiron needs to die, or we all fall with you,” he declared with unwavering conviction. The weight of his words hung in the air, leaving the group to grapple with the harsh reality of the choices before them.
“Ah, I haven’t really spoken to a Sulinhawi in a long time,” Tamara said with a seemingly friendly smile. However, she sensed an underlying danger in that smile, a simmering anger that she tried to convey to Glaivel through discreet signals, but he remained oblivious. “What’s your name?”
“I am the Sulin Prince, Glaivel Numenesse. And tying me up like this is a disrespect not only to me but to my father, the Sulin King,” Glaivel declared sternly as he stood up.
“I see. Then I’m afraid your father will have to wait a little bit longer to see you again,” Tamara responded. She stood up herself and sizing up Glaivel. “I already have a plan in motion to stop my brother’s onslaught. I believe I know the reason why he did this in the first place."
“You do?” Everyone turned their attention to Tamara at that moment. “I mean, how did you know?” she quickly clarified.
Tamara scoffed. “You, of all people, should know this, Princess Everess. You and my brother were close,” Tamara explained. “His concerns about the well-being of everyone, his political clashes with the nobility who control major ministries, his conflicts with Menoich himself,” she added, walking slowly towards her.
“The reason he has rebelled is that he wants to tear down the corrupted wheel. Am I right to say that about my brother, Everess?” Tamara asked.
“At first, that’s what I thought, too,” she admitted, preparing to share what she had seen. “But I know for a fact that your brother will not resort to violence, let alone side with the Xerxecians to achieve his goal of making the lives of his people better."
“Oh? So you know my brother better than I do?” Tamara questioned, irritation evident in her voice.
“With all due respect, Princess Tamara, but in this case, I do,” she asserted confidently. Tension filled the tent as others awaited Tamara’s response.
“Alright then, tell me; how confident are you about what you know regarding why my brother rebelled? And I want to make it clear right now that if you answer incorrectly, I will have all of you in prison,” Tamara threatened, staking her claim.
Realizing what she had just said and how she said it, she clicked her tongue for the mishap she has caused. She may have unintentionally mocked Tamara’s relationship with her brother, as if she mocking that she and Tamiron were closer than with her twin sister. The need to clarify her stance was evident. She immediately spoke, “First of all, I would like to apologize to the Crown Princess. What I said — I meant no disrespect."
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“I will only accept your apology once you tell me why my brother rebelled. Since you are so confident in what you know,” Tamara demanded sternly. The air hung heavy with anticipation as the exchange unfolded, each word further shaping if they will spend the night in prison, or in a warm bed.
“I saw it. With my own two eyes.” she rose slowly, bringing herself to Tamara’s eye level. “I cannot explain it right now, and I think now is not the time for it either, but I can access what the owls sees. So that means I saw what happened that day. I can tell you that your brother was as noble as ever—regal and strong.”
Tamara’s face reflected disbelief, mirrored by the puzzled expressions of the others. The idea that someone could tap into the visions of Orderian owls, reserved only for specific individuals, seemed implausible.
“If an owl saw it, we would’ve known about it. You, of all people, should know how the Orderian owls work,” Tamara countered, skepticism etched on her face.
“You are right. That is exactly how they work. Again, it’s hard to explain, your Highness, but I know what I saw,” she struggled to convey the inexplicable nature of her insight, yet Tamara remained unconvinced.
“Your brother is being manipulated—controlled, even. Right now, we are your only hope of waking him up. Believe me, Sevidon, Kaira, and Ravaen here will try to save him,” she pleaded.
Tamara, however, pressed further, questioning the loyalty of the others. “What about the rest of them? According to your friend, he will still try to kill my brother. What about the Eaglekind and the Kra’en, as it seems?”
“Your Highness, Graveloth is my name. As for your brother, Mr. Ferrier already spoke to me about the Prince. I’m still figuring out what to do, but I’m looking to square off the debt I owe Mr. Ferrier. You can count on me to save your brother,” Graveloth quickly explained.
“Good to hear. Then what about him?” Tamara asked, pointing to Aderon.
“I am the High Prince Aderon Azure, you shall address me properly—” Aderon began, but Tamara’s captain interrupted by hitting him in the back of the head, leaving everyone shocked.
“Kelov, treat our guests gently. They just got here,” Tamara said, attempting to restrain her captain and restore a semblance of order to the tense situation.
“I’m sorry, your Grace. I can’t allow him to speak to you like that,” Kelov explained as he held Aderon by the head.
“You will regret that later on, Trasidian,” Aderon threatened.
“I don’t know how the nobility of the High Eagles act in the north, but here in the Empire, we treat each other with the utmost respect, despite the current circumstances,” Tamara explained.
“Do you think my father will take it kindly that you are treating his son like this?” Aderon asked Tamara.
“No, he won’t,” Tamara quickly answered. “But if I understand the High Eagle King correctly, he wouldn’t appreciate your tone either. The moment I explain, I’m sure your father will come to understand.” She smiled, observing Aderon’s clear humiliation.
“I think he’s had enough,” she declared.
“Given his demeanor, I’d say he is one of the outliers,” Tamara quickly surmised.
“I assure you, Princess Tamara, we will handle those two. But right now, you have to believe me when I tell you we are here to help you,” she pleaded once more.
“A witch like you can’t hold me back from fulfilling the original intent of this mission,” Aderon scoffed.
“Will you just shut your mouth?” she retorted, her tone suddenly broadening and echoing. As she finished speaking, her eyes glowed violet, and Aderon crumpled to the ground as if under immense pressure.
“Everess, what are you doing?” Sevidon called out.
Aderon struggled, the others standing back to watch the inexplicable occurrence. When she finally snapped out of it, she stopped, and Aderon was free from the invisible force that was crushing him.
“What do you think you are doing?!” Aderon shouted, attempting to lunge at her but was stopped by Kelov and another guard.
“I don’t know,” she stuttered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. I don’t know what came over me.” She then looked at Tamara, who seemed convinced she could control them.
“Are you certain that you can save my brother?” Tamara asked.
In Tamara’s eyes, the feeling of defeat was evident. She saw a hallow shell. The glimmer was gone, her hair undone, and her heart filled with despair. Tamara was now an orphan, a symbol of regal excellence shattered.
She understood Tamara’s feelings at that moment. The only difference was that she was fighting to right the wrongs, while Tamara seemed lost in the despair caused by her father’s death. She was now an orphan, just like her.
A sudden thought struck her. What had she done to cope with the deaths of her parents? She hadn’t properly mourned, but perhaps she could have made time.
All she had done until now was cry, while Tamara fought on. Perhaps, she mused, it was her turn to fight for what was right. Tamiron would’ve done the same. In this moment, she saw that Tamiron and Tamara were truly twins, one and the same.
She held Tamara’s hand tightly and made a solemn promise, “I swear to you, I will bring your brother back. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure he comes back.”
Her gaze locked with Tamara’s emerald eyes as she uttered those words, witnessing a faint glimmer of hope flicker in them. It was enough, enough to ignite a fighting spirit within her for Tamara’s sake.
“Untie them,” Tamara ordered, wiping away her tears.
Quickly, the bindings were removed, with Aderon and Glaivel being the last ones untied. She walked toward them and looked at both with a determined expression.
“I know you have reservations about this. But you have to understand, this is bigger than us. Can I count on both of you to save Tamiron?” she asked Glaivel and Aderon.
Glaivel met her gaze with a piercing stare. “Do I really have a choice? The moment Tamiron is about to deliver a killing blow, and I have one of my own, make no mistake — I will end him. Do you hear?"
She took a deep breath and nodded. Turning to Aderon, who refused to meet her eyes, she persisted, “Aderon? I need your word.”
Aderon stared at her with intensity, and after a tense moment, he walked away, withholding his response.
Tamara nodded to Emerys, signaling something. “Everyone leave the tent, except for Kelov and the rest of her group. Make sure no one comes in or out until we say so,” Emerys ordered the guards.
The others left promptly, leaving the tent as they awaited Tamara’s next instructions. She couldn’t help but wonder where Emerys was going, but at that moment, her focus was on Tamara and the crucial decisions that lay ahead.
She looked over the table, scattered with maps detailing battle plans and letters. Barceneim appeared to be entirely cordoned off. Sevidon approached, examining the plans alongside her.
“It’s impressive that you managed to blockade all of Barceneim,” Sevidon remarked as he studied the plans.
“My generals accomplished that, thanks to my brother’s guidance in the past,” Tamara stated proudly, acknowledging Tamiron’s contribution to her cause.
Sevidon delved further into the plans, inquiring, “How many imperial kingdoms sided with the Arch Chancellor?"
“Malatur’Aren is leading the charge, but currently, they are contained. Their troops have been apprehended. There’s a small contingent in the Arenian capital under siege. So, we have Malatur’Aren, Francineil, and Huertian,” Tamara responded, approaching them.
“Huertian? Really? Aren’t they the ones receiving Tamiron’s full force right now?” Ravaen remarked casually, admiring the tent’s decorations.
“Yes, they are, but they can’t contribute further resources to Menoich. Yet, they still have a strong force in the capital. Barceneim’s Imperial Army is now under Menoich’s trusted men, so we can add them to the list of dissidents too,” Tamara explained.
Sevidon contemplated for a moment and then expressed, “Before we leave, I would like to have a word with your generals.” Tamara agreed when Emerys returned, not from the front, but from behind the makeshift throne, with a group of men wearing iron masks with breathing holes.
“Who are these people?” Kaira inquired, but Tamara and Emerys remained silent. Tamara swiftly took her seat on the makeshift throne, with Emerys standing beside her.
“They were the ones who got me out of the capital,” Tamara disclosed.
“Menoich really dared to imprison you? Maybe I should call my army to support you, your Highness. I don’t really like backstabbing, you see,” Ravaen declared.
“There would be no need for that, Prince Ravaen. This is an internal imperial matter, so we will deal with this internally,” Tamara explained. “Right now, these men helped me get out of the capital and are temporarily serving as my eyes and ears.”
“Temporarily?” Glaivel expressed confusion.
“Yes, they are the Trasidar Assassin Core. They are my brother’s spy network,” Tamara declared, surprising everyone with the revelation of Tamiron’s covert assets.
“I will let the captain of the core address you now. He has something important to share about the change in your mission,” Tamara said as the captain stepped forward.
“As the Crown Princess has already said, we are Tamiron’s loyal shadows, spread far and wide across the continent, watching and gathering intel for the Prince to better safeguard the Empire,” the captain explained.
“You did a good job keeping things from falling apart,” Aderon remarked, mocking their supposed success in stopping the current situation.
“We did have lapses, as we did not foresee the extent of the Arch Chancellor’s power. But the prince is smart enough to have this stashed for safekeeping,” the captain admitted. Then he pulled out a cloth that contains something.
He then pulled the cloth to reveal — the Tamiron Stone.
Everyone was stunned, including her. She gazed at the pulsating stone, recalling a fragment of her vision.
“Is that what I think it is?” Sevidon asked, attempting to make sense of the situation.
“Yes, this is the Tamiron Stone,” the captain confirmed.
“Wait, if that’s here, what is Tamiron using right now?” Ravaen sought clarification.
“We were hoping that you can help us find out,” the captain said.
Stunned silence filled the tent. She grappled with confusion. If Tamiron foresaw everything, how did he manage to prepare and hide the stone? Did he use the red stone on purpose because he knew Menoich was planning something? The perplexing puzzle of Tamiron’s actions left her searching for answers.
End of Chapter XVIII