News that King Philonous had been poisoned spread across the city in no time. Despite narrowly escaping death, the incident was now seen as a failed assassination attempt rather than a murder. However, there was no cause for relief—Philonous had yet to fully regain consciousness, and the culprit was still at large. Those employed at the palace trembled with fear, afraid they might be blamed and executed, while the nobles in Philonous’ faction wore pale, anxious faces, fearing for their uncertain future. Karl, the city administrator, looked as if he might faint from the scandal.

As Henry tried to think of a way to navigate through the situation, trouble arrived. King Philonous’ guards rushed in, demanding that everyone in the palatial wing—including Henry—come with them for questioning.

“Don’t be rude! Do you really think he’s the criminal?!” Heather shouted, stepping in front of Henry. Her attendants joined her, raising their voices in opposition.

But the King Philonous’ guards were unmoved. With perpetrator escaped, guards took servants prisoner. But there was also the possibility that Henry, the Princess Sophia Knight Commander, and King Phillipe were the mastermind. The guards unable to arrest King Phillipe, needed to arrest Henry to restore their lost honor. Even though Henry was Grand City’s Knight Commander, they couldn’t just let him go.

“There’s no other way, is there? Fine, I’ll go,” Henry said, realizing that arguing would be pointless.

This decision led to rumors that Henry had been arrested as the assassin. The gossip in the capital quickly blew the situation out of proportion, with people speculating that the attempt on Philonous’s life was orchestrated by Sophia’s faction.

Henry imagined the horrified reaction Sophia would have when she heard the news. But he wouldn’t be there to see it; he was being loosely confined under the pretext of giving an oral statement.

Three days passed.

“I’m finally free!” Henry exclaimed, stretching as he stood outside the city jail. He had been released only a short while ago, but there was no clear indication that he’d been cleared of all suspicion. Being royalty, there was a chance he had been freed for political reasons. He needed to quickly gather all the information he had missed during his absence.

“Henry!” Heather called out, racing toward him. “I’m sorry I’m late…!”

“Don’t worry about it. Thanks for coming,” Henry said, grateful to see her. He hadn’t seen her in three days, having left her with the task of observing changes in the city while he was confined.

“Henry, you don’t look well. Did they mistreat you?” Heather asked, concern etched on her face.

“No, they didn’t. I was just worried about what was happening outside, and I didn’t get much sleep,” Henry replied. “But enough about me—what’s been going on?”

Heather’s expression turned serious as she began to fill him in on the latest events. “Things are not looking good. After you were imprisoned, Philonous was too frightened to remain in the city with his memory still hazy. The conference was put on hold, and he instructed his vassals to prepare for a swift departure back to his kingdom.”

Henry frowned. “So, he’s fled the city?”

“Yes. Given that everyone knows he was actually poisoned, not a single person dared to object to his retreat. His vassals are following his orders without question, and they’ve already begun preparations to leave the city. Worse yet, there was an attempt on King Phillipe’s life, he also fled with capital with his faction. Both King’s are poised to war with each other again. The conference is effectively over without any resolution,” Heather continued.

“Anything else?” Henry asked, his brow furrowed.

“Phillipe and Philonous have stationed soldiers across from each other. While they strategize, Grand City in under siege,” Heather explained.

Henry’s heart sank. “What are they saying? What’s their justification for this?”

“They’re claiming the other is to blame,” Heather said. “Each faction is accusing the other of assassination. Both princes are demanding immediate access to other palatial quarters to conduct a thorough investigation.”

Henry clenched his fists in frustration. “So, they’re using this as a pretext to seize control of Empire once and for all?”

Heather nodded. “Yes. Phillipe and Philonous see this as an opportunity to bring it under their direct control. They’re leveraging the assassination attempt to justify their actions. Henry, we’re in a difficult position. We’re caught in a political trap.”

Henry sighed, running a hand through his hair. “How is the princess? Did she leave the city?”

Heather shook her head. “No, she’s still here. She’s been busy trying to quell the rumors and de-escalate the situation. She’s been working closely with Karl.”

Back at his temporary manor, Henry slumped into a chair, deep in thought. “What do we do now?”

Heather continued, “The public believes you aligned with Sophia’s faction, and there are rumors that the assassination attempt was part of her plan. She’s been trying to put out those fires while dealing with the siege.”

Henry chuckled. “Sounds like her. She’s always been good at playing the political game. She make a good queen.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Heather nodded. “She’s been working tirelessly to maintain order in the city. Karl sends his apologies for your confinement. He says the King Philonous’ guards were unwilling to cooperate with him, and he wants to meet with you to apologize in person.”

Henry waved a hand dismissively. “Forget the apologies. That’s the least of our worries right now.”

Heather agreed. “So, what’s our plan?”

Henry thought for a moment before replying, “We need to get out of here. The conference’s a bust, and with both imperial princes outside the city, staying here is too dangerous. We’ll return to the order. I need to tell Sun and Moon I failed.”

Heather nodded. “Agreed. But the city is under siege, and the jump gates are sealed. We’ll need to find a way to slip past the armies if we want to escape.”

Henry sighed. “How’s the siege looking?”

Heather replied, “Phillipe and Philonous have split their forces between the north and south to keep each other in check. The east and west sides of the city are less fortified, so there might be a chance to slip through there. But can we really leave Sophia? That feels wrong to me.”

Henry considered their options. “I feel the same, after all there is no guarantee that we’d be able make it back anyway.”

Heather added, “What should we do then?”

Henry shook his head. “Let’s head back to the palace and check-in with the Sophia.”

Henry and Heather moved quickly through the streets of Grand City, the tension in the air palpable. The city was on edge—rumors of the assassination attempts on both kings had spread like wildfire, and the looming siege cast a shadow over everything. People rushed through the streets, avoiding eye contact, while soldiers patrolled, their expressions grim. The atmosphere was one of uncertainty and fear, with the threat of violence hanging over them all.

As they made their way through the palace corridors, the tension seemed to increase. Palace guards saluted their commander, but Henry saw their eyes filled with nervous energy. They eventually reached the throne room, where a dejected Sophia sat slumped in her throne. She looked tired, the weight of the situation clearly taking its toll on her. But when she saw Henry and Heather enter, her expression brightened slightly.

“Henry, Heather, you’re here!” she greeted them with a small, tired smile. “I thought you would have left like everyone else.”

“Your highness,” they replied bowing.

“There’s no need for such formalities. There is a good chance I won’t live to see past morning. Both my brothers want me dead. They believe the conference was a rouse for me to claim the imperial throne,” she sighed depressively, leaning back in her chair. “I've been trying to de-escalate the situation, but my brothers... They're too blinded by their ambitions. Neither of them will listen.“

“Your people know the truth. They know you didn’t orchestrate the assassinations…” Heather said encouragingly.

“Sophia right now you have two choices. First, stay here, you risk being caught in the crossfire. Or come with us to the Twilight Order and regroup,” Henry advised.

Sophia stood up, pacing the room. “I can’t just leave. This is my home. I’ve fought too hard to let it fall into the hands of my brothers or their armies."

Heather stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Sophia, if you stay, they will use you as a pawn. They’ll either force you to choose a side or destroy you to get to each other. You can’t let that happen. We need to regroup and find another way."

Sophia stopped pacing and turned to face them, her expression conflicted. She looked out the window at the city below, her hands clenched at her sides. “Is there a third option?”

Henry took a deep breath. “You could always tell the truth. Tell about your prophecy and how a shadowy chaos faction seeks to undermine the empire. And you are working with the neutral order to restore the empire.”

Sophia was silent for a long moment, her gaze distant. Finally, she nodded, her shoulders sagging in defeat. “Fine, I’ll do that.”

“…” Henry and Heather looked at each other in disbelief.

Sophia looked back at him, determination in her eyes. "I’ll gather what I need. Meet me in the stables in an hour."

Henry and Heather exchanged a glance before nodding.“…ah yes well be ready," Henry said, still turning over how to say the chances of this working were slim to none.

An hour later, they stood in the palace stables, readying their horses. Sophia arrived shortly after, dressed in a simple riding cloak, her face set with resolve.

“We ride east,” Henry said, mounting his horse. “And pray we’re not too late to stop the madness that’s about to unfold.”

With that, they spurred their horses into a gallop, heading for the eastern gate surrounded by the city knight’s bearing her white flag.

As they galloped through the palace grounds, the echoes of hooves pounding the cobblestones reverberated in the air, mixing with the distant shouts of guards and the tension simmering in the city. The eastern gate loomed ahead—an imposing structure symbolizing both hope and danger. It was the weakest part of the city’s defense, the place where they had the best chance of slipping out unnoticed. But with war on the horizon, there was no guarantee it would be undefended.

Sophia's white flag fluttered in the wind, a symbol of neutrality and peace in a city now teetering on the edge of chaos. Henry glanced over at her, still uncertain about the risky plan they were about to embark on. Her decision to reveal the prophecy weighed heavily on his mind. It could be the move that saved the empire—or the one that doomed them all.

As they approached the gate, they slowed their pace. A small contingent of city knights stood guard, their armor gleaming under the pale moonlight. One of the knights, an older man with grizzled features, stepped forward.

“State your business!” he barked, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Henry dismounted, keeping his hands visible and gesturing toward Sophia. “We’re escorting Her Highness, Princess Sophia, out of the city under the protection of the Knight Commander. Move and let her pass!”

The soldier eyed them suspiciously, his gaze flickering to the white flag. “By whose orders?”

“By mine,” the princess said firmly lifting her cloak.

The old guard was stunned for a moment, then shook his head regretfully, “Your highness by King Phillipe and Philonous commands, no one is allowed to leave the city until the perpetrators are caught.”

Henry summoned his axe and ordered, “The princess carries the authority of neutrality in this conflict. She intends to speak to both of her brothers and reveal the truth of what’s been happening.”

For a moment, there was only silence. The tension was palpable, each second stretching into eternity. The guards exchanged glances, clearly conflicted. Then, with a slow nod, the grizzled knight waved them through. “Open the gate.”

The heavy iron doors creaked as they swung open, revealing the dark countryside beyond. Henry felt a brief wave of relief, but it was tempered by the knowledge that this was just the beginning.

As they passed through the gates and into the cool night, Henry rode up beside Sophia. “You’re sure about this?”

Sophia didn’t hesitate. “I don’t have a choice, Henry. If I don’t act now, my brothers will tear this city and the empire apart. I won’t let that happen.”

Henry nodded, but his stomach churned with unease. The stakes were higher than ever, and one wrong move could plunge them all into war. As they rode to the middle of the conflict, the full weight of what lay ahead settled over him.

The sound of hooves thundered across the plains as they pressed onward.