The Wicked House of Caroline

Iris held her breath as her heart clenched. Her eyes squinted as she lowered her gaze. How did Chamberlain Wilton know that Lady Rebecca had returned?

She swallowed hard. Why didn’t she know that Lady Rebecca returned? Did her paladins omit that? Surely if her return had reached Chamberlain Wilton, then she must’ve been mentioned in the intercepted messages.

Her leg twitched, as if wanting to take a step forward to summon back her paladins and demand to know if it was true, but her body remained in place, pasted against the wall, and listening to Luther’s reaction.

“How?” Luther’s voice was breathy and filled with disbelief. “She...she has an exile marking.” His voice fluctuated and Iris leaned closer to try to see his reaction. She caught a glimpse of his reflection in a decorative mirror and her stomach dropped.

She didn’t know how to describe what she felt, except that for a moment, she felt empty. Luther’s face reflected his disbelief, but she knew him. She knew him for two lifetimes and could see that flicker of hope in his eyes that he himself didn’t want to accept.

“I don’t know, Your Majesty, but she was sighted on horseback along with the Red Iron Cavalry,” Chamberlain Wilton replied in a measured voice, as if trying to give as harmless a reply as possible.

Luther let out a rush of breath and almost stumbled back. His arm moved so he could grasp the large meeting table at his side to steady himself.

“She’s with my brothers....” he said in a breathy voice. His eyes crinkled up and he shook his head. He looked back at Chamberlain Wilton. “But it can’t be her. Are your sources, certain? Anyone can dye their hair!” Luther exclaimed and stepped forward. “I was there when she gave herself the exile marking, Chamberlain. She looked me in the eyes as she pressed the needles into her flesh!” Luther turned around and almost threw his arms in the air. “It was an act of defiance, but she was still marked for exile! It is impossible that she has returned. Your eyes are mistaken!”

Chamberlain Wilton’s shoulders sank and he seemed to give Luther a sympathetic look. “Your Majesty, she is not the only Caroline to return to Kadmus. She was with her brother, Lord Amadeo, leading the Red Iron Cavalry with the twin princes. There are also rumors that the Duke of Caroline and his wife are with King Laurence’s army.”

Hearing his elder brother’s name, Luther’s head snapped up. He looked back at Chamberlain Wilton and narrowed his eyes. “That man is not my brother,” he said in a disgusted voice. “My brother is dead! I entombed him myself! I was there!”

Chamberlain Wilton took a deep breath and straightened his back. “It seems that you were there for many things, Your Majesty, but if I remember correctly, when the body of his late Majesty was brought it, Lady Rebecca denied that the body was that of King Laurence.”

Luther’s eyes widened and his brows rose. He was quiet for a moment, as if thinking back to the day. The corpse was ‘identified’ because of a ring she’d stolen from King Laurence’s room to be used. The Third Consort had instructed her to do so, as Luther would never take the throne if he believed his brother would live.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, between you and Lady Rebecca....” Chamberlain Wilton’s eyes drifted back to Luther’s, appearing as if he knew something he didn’t. “Who would have known King Laurence better?”

Iris silently cursed Chamberlain Wilton’s loose mouth.

Even Luther himself had said that Lady Rebecca was more a sibling to King Laurence than he was.

“If that man who is claiming to be my brother really is my brother, why is he returning now? No, I have a better question!” Luther said in a flustered voice. “Why did he leave in the first place?”

Chamberlain Wilton said nothing and seemed to be mulling over the question. Luther stared at him, drilling his eyes into his head as if demanding to know an answer.

“Lady Eleanor took him to recover.” After some time, a soft and almost hopeful voice spoke up. The Chamberlain looked at Luther with a sad, disappointed expression. “The Lady was frantic that night, believing that if the king stayed, he would die.” He lowered his hand to his torso as his eyes seemed to glaze over. “I would know best how she reacted.”

Iris sneered. She didn’t forget that the night the king disappeared, Chamberlain Wilton was injured in the scuffle. He almost bled out and was lost that night.

“I’m not questioning you, Chamberlain.” Luther’s voice weakened. “It’s just that I find it impossible that it would be my brother who is coming. If he were taken somewhere to recover, why would he not send me word?” His voice choked for a moment. “Why did my brother not send me reassurance that he was alive?”

“Perhaps he was not in the position to, Your Majesty.” Chamberlain Wilton appeared hesitant. “But...what do we do now if that is in fact him? If he and Lady Rebecca have returned?”

Luther shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t believe that is my brother. My brother wouldn’t start a war of succession.”

Chamberlain Wilton cocked his head a bit in question. “Your Majesty, how can you be sure?”

“I know my brother!” Luther shouted as his face darkened. “My brother wouldn’t tear our kingdom apart for political gain! He practically swore it to our mother!”

“Then, will you return the throne to him?” Chamberlain Wilton looked at a loss, as if unable to follow Luther’s responses.

Luther glowered. “Of course not! I’m now the king. The kingdom can’t handle another political upheaval! My brother would know this!”

“Then, if that is not King Laurence, what about Lady Rebecca?” Chamberlain Wilton asked. “Though she, and her family, received exile markings, the fact that all four adults who received it have returned is telling. What if they found a way to reverse the markings?”

“How?” Luther sounded as if he wanted to scoff. “We have been using exile markings for centuries and not a single exile has returned to Kadmus. There are records upon records of exiles dying at the borders, trying to return.”

Chamberlain Wilton thought for a moment once more. “But no Caroline has been exiled until the current Duke and his family.” He looked at Luther with his brows furrowed. “The Caroline Duchy is famous for producing strong biha users. What if the exile marking was negated by biha?”

Luther took a sharp breath at the thought. Iris also drew her head back and lowered her eyes. There were very few biha users she’d met in both her lifetimes. They were simply not prevalent in the Great Basin, or the mainland. Those who had biha were often rather weak users.

But the Caroline Duchy was an exception. She remembered Luther telling her that Lady Rebecca, unlike the rest of her family, could not use biha at all. Iris’ lips tightened into a line. They didn’t know much about biha, so was it really possible that the Carolines had figured out a way to overcome their exile markings?

Her stomach dropped once more. If they did, then what else could they do?

“It doesn’t matter if they’ve returned,” she heard Luther say. “In fact, maybe it’s a good thing.”

“Your Majesty?” Chamberlain Wilton looked as confused as Iris felt.

Luther paced in front of Chamberlain Wilton. “If it really is Beks who has returned, then I want to contact her.”

A bolt of lightning seemed to cut through Iris as she heard his words. She lifted her hand to her chest and leaned back against the wall.

“You want to...speak to Lady Rebecca?” Chamberlain Wilton sounded stunned to hear that.

“If she came, she came for a reason. And I may find out those reasons if I see her.”

You want to see her? Iris almost cried out the words, but clamped her mouth tight to keep from making a sound.

“Beks is much more levelheaded than my brothers. If I am to find out if my brother really wants to fight me for the throne, then Beks is my best bet.” The confidence in his voice made her shudder.

Chamberlain Wilton stood in place, his eyes wide and looking at Luther as if he’d lost his mind. “Your Majesty, Lady Rebecca was exiled under your approval. Are you not afraid that she will be angry?”

Luther shook his head. “She may be angry, but she won’t let her anger get in the way of her rationality.” She was well known for being level-headed, Iris could admit that. However, Luther’s next words were like ice water thrown in her face. “If I can just speak to her, she will understand that I am the most fitting of my brothers to rule. I trust Beks to put Kadmus first.”

Iris took in a sharp, but trembling breath.

He still trusted her. He could live without that woman and love another, but he still held her to a standard so high, that he could trust her even after they became enemies.

Iris stumbled back and shook her head. She couldn’t let Luther lower his guard.

She turned around and rushed back into the hall. Her attendant struggled to run after her as Iris raced back to the villa.

The thoughts of fleeing vanished. What she needed to do now was to find out how far the enemy was and what their army was like. Did they plan to storm the capital or did they want to try to force a negotiation?

Luther wasn’t like his father. He would be soft-hearted to his brothers.

And to Lady Rebecca. She couldn’t let them meet.

She grit her teeth and stormed into the royal villa she lived in with Luther. She made it two steps inside when she heard someone call her name.

“Your Eminence!” Only those related to the Temple called her that now. Everyone else referred to her as Your Majesty as Queen of Kadmus.

Iris turned around and saw Captain St. Moore approaching her. When he walked normally, no one could really notice his gait, but when he ran, there was a bit of a limp. However, one would only notice that if they looked past his face filled with scars and deformed from battle.

When he first returned weeks earlier, he had tried to cover his face so as not to disgust her. However, this man was her childhood friend. One who was utterly devoted to her and would go into battle again and again for her sake. Iris had told him that he could cover his face when he left, but in her presence, he would appear as he was.

He had been touched by this and almost wept. She thought he was only relieved to have made it back, but he was frustrated for another reason. Captain St. Moore had only barely managed to escape the Great Temple on the night of the fires. Hours earlier, he’d caught Lady Rebecca and cornered her.

He didn’t know how she escaped. She was trapped in one of the old book repositories with him. He’d barricaded the only way out, but she somehow got away. He’d been angry and tried to find her to no avail.

Thus, he returned to Iris to protect her, fearing that Lady Rebecca would come for her.

She didn’t think he’d be right about that.

Her face lit up upon the sight of him. He would know what was going on. “Is it true?”

He stopped in front of her and began to take a knee, but was quickly stopped. “I was told to rush here, Your Eminence. What is wrong?”

He didn’t sound winded at all, but the attendant who had gone to see him was still running up the hall, frazzled and red-faced as she panted to catch her breath.

Iris looked back at him . “The twin princes are coming with their army and will reach Kadmium soon. Likely within a week, and La-”

“Begin packing her things!” Captain St. Moore only heard that the army would arrive within a week, and his face drained of color. He whirled around and began barking orders. “Quickly! We will leave immediately!”

The two attendants nodded their heads and rushed off, leaving the two alone in one of the rooms of the villa. Iris gave him a pained look.

“It isn’t only them! Lady Rebecca has returned! She is with the twin princes and the Red Iron Cavalry.” With each word, her voice grew more and more anxious.

Captain St. Moore frowned. “I knew she was with them when the cavalry was on the move in Langshe, but how did she return to Kadmus? What about the exile marking?” He drew his head back and squinted, as if finding out that Lady Rebecca had returned was so unbelievable that he must’ve heard wrong. “I saw her exile marking,” he said, his frown deepening. “I was there when it was applied to her skin.”

Iris shook her head and raised her arms, grasping the sides of her head as if it would fly off at any moment.

“Luther wants me to flee the city while he tries to deal with his brothers, but if Lady Rebecca is here, then I won’t leave!” Iris said, her voice rising. “I can’t let him be led away by her!”

Captain St. Moore shook his head. “Your Eminence, it is because Lady Rebecca is coming that you need to leave at once.” Iris froze in her spot and whirled around to look at him.

“What?”

He took a deep breath. “It is even more dangerous for you to remain because that woman won’t hesitate to kill you,” he said in a low voice. He narrowed his eyes. “She knows you had a part in her family’s assassination. I’ve faced her thrice now; that woman won’t die.”

Iris’ face lost its healthy flush. She stepped back and shook her head. “No...no, I can’t leave. What if he goes back to her?”

“How can you think that?” Captain St. Moore’s brows shot up. “His Majesty picked you over Lady Rebecca!”

She clenched her jaw and stomped around, pulling at her hair. “But you didn’t hear him! You didn’t hear Luther say that he trusts Lady Rebecca!”

“Trust her?” Captain St. Moore almost balked at that. His jaw dropped, at a loss for words. “Has...has he gone mad?”

Iris grit her teeth and tried to make sense of it, as well. “I have to stay and talk Luther out of going to Lady Rebecca.”

“You can’t stay!” Captain St. Moore closed the gap between them and raised his hands, about to grab her shoulders, when he held back and clenched his jaw. “It’s too dangerous for you to stay.” He lowered his voice and tried to sound calm. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You are likely pregnant now. You can’t afford to stay here. You must think of your health and of the child!”

“Pregnant?” A voice came from the entrance and Iris turned her head sharply towards it. Luther’s eyes were wide as he stood at the threshold of the room, his mouth agape and his eyes wide. “Did I hear you right?”

“Your Majesty.” Captain St. Moore took a step back, away from Iris, and bowed towards Luther. Without a word, as if he hadn’t spoken at all earlier, he stepped further away and kept his head down.

Luther didn’t seem to notice him. He rushed into the room; his arms extended. “Darling, did I hear the Captain right?” he asked as his lips curled up and began to twitch, hinting towards a smile that was coming. “Is it true?”

Iris’s feet were planted to the ground, unable to move. She stood in place. She didn’t know if she was pregnant if she were being honest. She only had a slight clue, but even then, she wasn’t sure. “I...I am a bit late this month,” she said, her attention distracted as she tried to think of a way to say she wasn’t, but at the same time, hint that she was because Luther wanted a child and she didn’t want to disappoint him.

The reaction she wanted, whatever it was, from Luther never came. At least, it didn’t give her the feeling of relief.

His arms went around her and he lifted her up, just off her feet. “I’m sure you are!” he said in an elated voice. He hadn’t been this happy since he found out his twin brothers were coming to Kadmus. Despite the situation earlier, she could see the joy in his eyes and her stomach twisted. “I can’t believe this! But this is wonderful! We’re finally going to have a child, Iris! You and me!”

Guilt stabbed at her. She resisted the urge to glance towards Captain St. Moore, who was still standing to the side with his head bowed.

“Then...if I am pregnant,” she began, focusing her attention on Luther as he set her down. “Then isn’t that all the more reason for me to stay? Isn’t it too dangerous for a pregnant woman to travel?”

Luther shook his head, his hands moving to her hips for a moment before going up and grasping her hands. “No, Iris, you need to leave. Now more than ever,” he said with a pleading expression. “I don’t know if my brothers will listen to reason, or if something with happen in the city and everything falls into chaos.” His eyes crinkled up, still begging her in silence. “If something happens in the city, then you must flee for your own safety.”

She grit her teeth once more and shook her head. “I don’t want to leave you, Luther,” she said as she pulled her hands from his and cupped his face. “Don’t force me to. At least come with me.”

Luther’s expression softened. He turned his head and kissed one of her palms. “I am the king, Iris…I can’t leave. I can’t. I must stay until the end, exhaust all hope. I can’t just give up my throne.”

“But your brothers-”

“No matter what, I am certain my brothers will be lenient on me. At the very least, they won’t kill me,” he told her. “And I grew up with Beks. If she is there, than I know for a fact she won’t let me die. She may hate me and resent me, but she won’t let me be killed.”

Iris looked at him with uncertainty. “How can you be so sure?”

Luther seemed to force a reassuring smile that didn’t reach his face. “When it matters most, I know I can trust Beks with my life.”

Iris stood in place, outwardly unmoving as her heart broke just a bit. You still trust her....? Her will faltered and she lowered her eyes. Her shoulders began to tremble. Before she could cry, Luther continued on.

“Knowing that they won’t kill me, I have to take the risk and stay. If Kadmium can be held, then you can come back when the panic has settled,” Luther told her with an intent gaze. “But if Kadmium can’t be held, then I will be captured.” His reassuring smile cracked. “But as long as I am alive, I will come find you. Right now, you are in a precarious situation and need to take care of yourself. You have to leave for your own safety, Iris. If something happened to you...to our child....” His eyes lowered to her flat belly and he let out a shaken breath. “I’d never forgive myself.” He raised his head to look at her and held her gaze. “I would rather suffer parting from you for a short part of my life than for the rest of it.” He reached up and stroked her cheek. “At least I know you’ll be safe.”

Iris’ heart swelled as she saw the intensity and hope in his eyes. He needed her to flee to be safe.

She lowered her head and nodded. “Then, I will go.”

Relief filled Luther’s face. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and gave her a slow, soft kiss on the lips before pulling back and resting his forehead against hers.

“You must leave tonight. I will give you gold plates that can be used anywhere. Do not treat yourself harshly.” He pulled away from her and gave her one more look of affection and concern before turning towards Captain St. Moore. He released her from his hands and took two steps towards the other man. He lifted his chin and raised his chest. “Captain St. Moore. I entrust my wife and child with you. You must protect them with your life.”

The paladin bowed his head lower. “I will always remain at the oracle’s side and will protect her, Your Majesty,” he replied.

Luther looked back at Iris and reached for her to wipe the tears from her eyes. “I will come for you as soon as I can.”

She closed her eyes and took in his vow. “Then, I will wait a lifetime.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

Beks stood on the bow of a merchant river ship anchored in the river that went through part of the city. They were still a good distance away, but from where she stood, leaning against the railing, she could see the lights of the brightly lit city in the distance.

From her vantage point, she could even see the gilded tower roofs of the Gilded Palace.

She kept her cold eyes on the royal structure, as if knowing that chaos was breaking out within. Beks could feel it in her bones now that news of her, Laurence, and her entire family returning to Kadmus had reached Luther’s ears.

In fact, she made sure it reached his ears.

What was a week away? She could get off the boat and ride to the city well before dawn. Luther had no idea how close they were and she planned to keep it that way until they were ready.

“We have stationed people all along the main and minor routes leading in and out of the city,” a woman’s confident voice told her from her right. “If any of the suspected courtiers or the Hessings flee, which is likely the case with those cowards, then my people will catch and collect them.”

Beks nodded, still keeping her eyes focused on the city in the distance and not at Lady Helen of Seneca.

“Once the Third Consort is captured, bring him directly to us,” she replied.

Lady Helen, in her riding slacks and fitted jacket, glanced over at her. “Are you sure the Third Consort is going to try to escape? It is unlikely that the Fourth Prince will want to leave and abandon the city.”

Beks let out a small, chilled hum. “The Third Consort knows that if the Fourth Prince is captured, unless he is fighting others or tries to kill them, he won’t be killed. Imprisoned for the remainder of his life at the most.”

After all, Luther was still Laurence’s brother. As long as Luther didn’t try to kill him directly, he would be spared. It was the Third Consort who had a heavy hand in the entire situation, from Laurence’s assassination to exploiting the government of Kadmus. It was the Third Consort who was most likely to die.

Even Laurence suspected that his father, the First and King Consort, had died under the influence of the Third Consort.

Lady Helen gave Beks a curious look. “How are you sure?”

Beks shrugs. “Intuition.”

Lady Helen sighed and nodded her head to acknowledge her answer. “Then, I hope to be there to watch when it happens.” She turned around to go back inside, and another person came out to join Beks.

Laz followed her gaze and looked towards the city in the distance. “How much longer do we wait?” he asked.

Beks held up and hand and two fingers. “One week. Let them think we arrive ‘on time’,” she told him. “This leeway will give the anxious courtiers and conspirators enough time to flee the capital to try to evade capture. It’ll clear away most of Luther’s backing.”

Laz hummed a bit and nodded. “Then, I will let Brother Laurence’s group know. The bulk of the army now has to hide in the surrounding countryside. The Fourth Prince and the Gilded Palace don’t know that we’re already here.” Laz chuckled and moved closer to her, so that their arms touched. “Some of us are closer than others, too.”

Beks raised a brow. “How are the infiltration teams going?”

“Lucian and Deo have brought their teams to be settled by your contacts inside the city, but on the edges of the city.”

Beks nodded. “They must be talking about the structures built against the city’s walls.”

“Once the order is given to close and seal the gates, average citizens won’t be able to leave or enter. The select few elites will barely have a chance, as the city will be on high alert.”

Before news of their arrival in Kadmus reached Luther, Lucian and Deo, and their numerous infiltration teams had already entered the city. They’d entered the gates that afternoon, in fact, and they were in small groups between three and five people spread between entering through twelve of the city’s gates.

Beks had instructed Mr. Kesse and Nexus to send representatives, or as Beks described them to the others as ‘people who I’ve helped with charities’, to meet with their infiltration groups in order to settle them until it was time for them to take over the gate houses and secure entry for the armies.

“The Gilded Palace is expecting to see an army approaching from the horizon, like a tide. We will need to replicate it somehow in order to demoralize the royal guards with our numbers,” Beks said.

“We’ll have enough to make such a show,” Laz told her. “The infiltration teams are sizable, but still just a small group compared with the rest of the army.”

“That’s all we need to take over the gate houses,” Beks replied. “It will decimate any hope Luither has when he realizes that everything is out of his hands.”

“It will be too late for Luther to send the royal guards.”

“The epidemic going through the royal guards will make it so there will be too few royal guards to begin with. Only those who were on guard and missed eating the contaminated food will be present, and even then, they’ll be exhausted.”

Laz looked over at her as he leaned over the railing. “Beks, are you really all right with the punishment Brother Laurence has decided for Luther?” he asked. “Brother Laurence can’t bear to kill our youngest brother, even if that youngest brother is Luther.”

Beks lowered her head, taking her eyes off the city and looking down at the dark water below. “I’m just lucky that he will let me hit Luther a few times to vent my rage,” she said. “Admittedly, from what I’ve gathered from my contacts, Luther is just a puppet controlled by his father and too heavily influenced by the new oracle.” She narrowed her eyes. “He didn’t act out of malice, Laz. Just a naive idiot who is being manipulated by the people he trusts most. Even so, he doesn’t deserve to die if he was just a tool. I agree with Brother Laurence’s decision to punish Luther in a way that doesn’t involve killing him. Besides, there are some punishments worse than death.”

“Whoever said that has never faced death,” Luther said.

She cracked a small smile and chuckled. “Regardless, I don’t think he should die so easily. Even if Brother Laurence wanted to kill him, I would advocate against it. Luther is the most useless, foolish turnip of a prince who has been birthed. He doesn’t think for himself, is easily manipulated, and had an affair while we were engaged, but at his core, I do not believe that Luther is malicious on purpose. He’s just....”

“An idiot,” Laz concluded. Beks pursed her lips.

“But that doesn’t excuse what he did.”

“It just wasn’t all planned or executed by him,” Laz said with a nod. “I understand that. If only he had been stronger, more assertive, or thought more for himself, he wouldn’t have been manipulated by his father so easily.”

“Easy for them,” Beks almost sneered. “I tried to influence him to work and learn to govern, but he never committed. Someone else always ended up doing the bulk of the work for him.”

“That someone being you?” Laz asked with a raised brow.

She gave him sidelong glance. “Who else would it be? The Third Consort?” Laz scoffed and shook his head. Beks looked back out at the city. “Honestly, even if we capture and imprison Luther, he won’t think he did anything wrong.” Her hands gripped the railing in front of her and she frowned. “That is oddly more frustrating than him sleeping with another woman while engaged.”

Laz reached out and took her hand in his good one. “Beks, you are a victim of my brother’s poor choices. You are not a failure for Luther having made them.” She lowered her eyes. “Everyone knows how hard you tried. How much work you did, how much effort you made, only for you to be taken for granted and even pushed into exile with your family.” He took a deep breath and squeezed her hand, following her gaze out at the city. “I don’t understand Luther. I can’t even wrap my head around him marrying the oracle. Following his father’s instruction, I can understand. Luther was raised to be obedient to that self-centered man.

“But Luther had been blessed with the best fiancée anyone could ask for. A fiancée that I and Lucian could only wish we could have, and Luther had the arrogance to do what he did.”

“I do wonder what his plan was prior to taking the throne,” Beks said with slight scowl. “Only the monarch can have two spouses. One of convenience and one of choice. If he remained a prince, would he have told me about the oracle? I thought we had agreed that if there was someone else, then we would tell the other person. Not hide it. We were both aware of the conditions of our engagement.”

Laz looked at her. “If you fell in love with me and Lucian, would you have told him?” he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Beks pursed her lips. “That’s a complex question. On one hand, if there was another, I would tell him. On the other hand,...if that person was his brother....” She let out a heavy breath. She stared hard in the distance and shook her head. “The relationship is too close. I wouldn’t pursue the matter.”

Laz’s brows shot up, appearing surprised. “Even if you fell in love with us, you’d ignore it? For Luther?”

“I’d ignore it to avoid complications in the arrangement. Not Luther himself. Also, you and Lucian would not pursue your brother’s wife.” She gave him a knowing look and Laz released a resigned sigh.

“Your job was to support the crown and marry Luther to do so in the best capacity,” he said. A wry smile tugged at his lips. “You were untouchable.”

Beks narrowed her eyes. “I was doing my job. I was doing everything I could to keep the kingdom running, to consolidate royal power until Brother Laurence awoke. I needed Luther to support me in supporting him, and while I was pouring over documents, budgets, processes, he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Even when he took the throne, do you think he offered to pardon me because he loved me? No...he needed someone to do the work for him.” Beks narrowed her eyes with resentment. “He is not, and never will, be fit to be king.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

Her contact at the Gilded Palace told them that leading up to the sealing of the last of the gate houses to Kadmium, all of the twelve gates would be closed from sunset to sunrise. In the past, two were always open, though they were both heavily guarded at all times. Delaying sealing all of the gates would allow for various powerful people to either stockpile supplies for the siege while they were open or flee.

As for the normal civilians, they were given warnings that the gate was going to close. The cause wasn’t explicitly given, but Beks had rumors spread in preparation for their arrival. If the city’s general populace was left unaware that Laurence’s army was coming, and were taken by surprise by the sudden amount of soldiers filling the streets, it could cause panic.

While there was a chance that spreading the news of Laurence’s return could also cause panic, Beks followed her intuition and decided if there was panic, it would be less compared to not knowing. In addition, Laurence’s arrival was to be hailed as the return of the righteous king, who was coming to end the rule of greedy nobles and an incompetent leader.

If they supported Laurence’s return, then they wouldn’t panic.

If they didn’t support his return, it gave them an opportunity to leave.

And in the case of those who wanted to fight and ‘defend’ their city, Beks made sure the amount of soldiers and the Red Iron Cavalry were well known to intimidate any would be rebels into stopping before they could start.

Beks hoped that the day they marched into the city, the streets would be empty and they could arrive at and surround the royal grounds without being stopped.

Lady Helen’s people had started capturing escaping opportunists the same night she told Beks that her people were in place to do so, well before the gates closed for the first time. Several low ranked nobles heard about the encroaching army, packed up what they could carry, and tried to retreat to their countryside estates, where they wouldn’t be attacked or caught in the struggle for the throne.

The captured nobles were being held well outside the city, at one of the Dawn Company’s rural properties. Their carriages, horses, and any other belongings they tried to flee with were confiscated.

Laurence wanted to scare them. As much as he wanted all his courtiers to be loyal to him, there was no way to control the hearts of other people. However, he could continue to monitor him and make them afraid to act out against him when he returned to his throne.

Until their retaking of the capital was complete, any captured peoples fleeing Kadmus would be detained. And there were many.

Beks didn’t expect that so many people would rush to leave, but several nobles who had been vocal about removing her from a position of authority during the time that Laurence was unconscious had been captured along with some members of their families and servants.

A handful of prominent members of the Hessing Family were captured, including Frank Hessing, who according to Nexus, had a heavy hand in emptying the royal treasury and embezzling part of it.

When Beks and Laz left the merchant river boat, they stopped at one of the detainment facilities, which was a converted horseshoe shaped barn. Instead of stalls and storage spaces, there were reinforced cells for individuals and small families.

Laz had let out a low whistle and shook his head. “Well, at the very least they don’t have to wait for too long.”

“Won’t they be tried for their part?” Lady Helen had asked.

“I’ve already collected information for all of them, as they’ve been reported to me, and am compiling various fines and punishments in accordance with our legal guidelines and precedence,” Beks had replied. “Servants will be released, for the most part. Small children will all be released, as will anyone who had no direct part in supporting the Fourth Prince. As long as they pay their fines, haven’t done anything more than follow who they thought was king, and swear loyalty to His Majesty King Laurence, their titles and properties will not be stripped.”

Beks had said all this loud enough for the nearby detailed nobles to hear.

Lady Helen had nodded. Most of the captured really had nothing much to do with Luther’s reign. Except for a small handful that were very invested and acted to oust Beks, and take advantage of Luther’s reign, everyone else just followed along because Luther became their king.

He was seen as a better choice than an unconscious king or an unrelated twenty-something-year-old Councilor.

Laurence also didn’t want to be seen as a tyrant who punished a large group of subjects severely for minimal, if any, wrongdoing. A small fine would be enough.

“We have a few more days until we march to the city from all sides,” Laz had said. “Do we have enough cells?”

“If they close the gates as planned, yes,” Lady Helen replied. “However, even if we didn’t, we already have all the detainees we need. The nobles that supported the Fourth Prince, cronies of the Third Consort, and the most important of the Hessings.”

Beks had glanced over at her. “The most important?”

Lady Helen had given her a satisfied smirk. “The most important,” she had repeated. “Your guest of honor.” The two women had exchanged knowing smiles before leaving.

Beks had left the detainment center and taken a half day’s wagon ride on an oxcart transporting bales of hay from one farm to another to go to where the Red Iron Cavalry would ‘arrive’. It was a stretch of fields within view of the city walls, but the first wave of the Red Iron Cavalry was just setting up camp.

Laurence’s army would remain in hiding in their positions around the rural areas and forests surrounding the city for another day before melting out of their hiding places and spreading out in an open area as a show of power against Luther.

“Your Highnesses.” Efran greeted them with a salute he’d picked up from the Thirnir when they arrived. “You’ve arrived.”

Beks slid off the back of the ox cart and brushed off the stray pieces of straw and hay from her clothes. “Is the first group settled?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Efran said. “The second wave will be led by the Left Commander and the third wave will be led by the Right Commander, coming in tomorrow and the day after respectively.”

Beks nodded. “Was there any trouble going into hiding?”

“No, Your Highness. The resources available to us were enough. There have also been no reports of Royal Guards leaving the city since the infiltration teams entered,” Efran replied.

He led her and Laz to the largest tent. Laurence was there along with her parents.

“Brother Laurence, you came already?” she asked.

“The Marquis is taking care of my army along with Southern Legion Commander Laurent,” Laurence said. “We came to see how preparation is going on this end.”

“We’re just counting the days until we can march into the city,” her father told her, sounding almost bored.

“The path will be clear. You should’ve seen the amount of people detained,” Laz said as he pulled out a chair for Beks. “All those people have a guilty conscience.”

“They are minor characters in this play,” Laurence replied with a wave of his hand. “Luther hasn’t tried to flee.”

“If he flees, he’s giving up the throne to you,” Laz told him.

“Your Majesty, Your Highnesses, Your Graces,” Jonas’ voice came from outside the tent. “There is someone here to see you.”

Beks cocked her head. She certainly wasn’t expecting a guest, and looked towards the others in the tent to see if any of them were. Her parents remained reclined in their seats and Laurence raised a brow.

He glanced at Laz before looking back towards the entrance of the tent. “Send them in.”

Jonas’ hand reached him and moved a flap of the tent aside. Three men were escorted by him and Gerard on either side. The two in the back were in civilian clothing, but from their boots, their posture, and the swords at their hips, they were royal guards.

He seemed tense and nervous, while the man in front of them shifted awkwardly, lowering his head, and avoiding meeting their gazes.

Beks almost wanted to smile. It seemed that Luther wasn’t completely ignorant of the connections in the Gilded Palace.

Chamberlain Wilton stood in place, unarmed. If Luther wanted to send a messenger, he chose the right man. Chamberlain Wilton was seen by Laurence, and even Beks, as an unrelated uncle of sorts. He’d been serving at the late Queen’s side since she rebelled and took the throne. He’d watched the children of the late Queen and Beks grow up.

He had affection for them all, and they, in turn, had it for him.

Laurence would not immediately kill Chamberlain Wilton.

Jonas kept his eyes on the two guards with him as he spoke. “Chamberlain Wilton has requested an audience with His Majesty at the request of the Fourth Prince.”

He didn’t change their titles in the presence of the two guards. If anything, he almost seemed to stress them in the quiet of the tent.

Beks looked at the silent royal guards and then at Chamberlain Wilton’s subdued appearance. She kept her eyes on him as she lifted her arm and made a dismissive wave. “Send the Royal Guards out.”

Jonas and Gerard didn’t hesitate. They turned to face the Royal Guards.

“You can walk out with us or you can be dragged out with a sword to your neck,” Jonas said with a calm smile on his face. “It is your choice.”

Chamberlain Wilton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked over his shoulder, but didn’t meet the eyes of the guards. “Go,” he said in a low voice.

Hesitation was on their faces, but the royal guards nodded and lowered their heads. They turned around and began walking out of the tent with Jonas and Gerard at their heels, hands on the hilts of their swords.

The flap to the tent fell closed and Sybil reached forward and tapped a leviathan scale on the table.

“They’re gone, Chamberlain. You may speak freely,” Beks told him.

Chamberlain Wilton’s face lost its subdued appearance. Instead, his eyes reddened as he took a good look at Laurence before falling to his knees. “Welcome back, Your Majesty.” His shoulders trembled, this time as a real reaction to his overwhelmed relief seeing Laurence standing there. “I prayed you would be safe.”

Beks glanced around the room and noticed the surprise on the faces of Laz and her family. Chamberlain Wilton had remained in Kadmium serving Luther. Everyone knew this, as well as the story that he had tried to stop Lady Eleanor from taking Laurence away.

Laurence smiled with warmth and stepped forward. He put his hand under the man’s arm and pulled him to his feet.

“I am grateful to you, Chamberlain,” Laurence said, making sure the man was steady on his feet before putting his hands on his shoulders and meeting his gaze. “I and Eleanor owe you a great favor for helping us escape.”

“Escape?” Laz said aloud.

Laurence stepped back and gave the Chamberlain a small bow of his head in thanks. Before he could finish, the Chamberlain rushed to stop him.

“It is my honor! My duty is to serve the rightful King of Kadmus!” he cried out, tears rimming his eyes.

Beks remained in her seat and smiled. “Chamberlain Wilton put a knife in his torso himself in order to buy credibility and time to allow Lady Eleanor and Brother Laurence to escape,” she said. She looked at her parents. “He is also my contact at the palace.”

“Your Highness Prince Laz.” Chamberlain Wilton turned to Laz and held back a choked joyful cry before bowing.

“Chamberlain.” Laz gave him a kind nod in acknowledgement. He motioned to Beks. “And you know my wife.”

Chamberlain Wilton laughed with mirth as he looked at Beks and bowed. “Your Highness Princess Rebecca. I congratulate you all...and His Highness Prince Lucian.” He looked at Beks. “Your Highness, the arrangements for the Royal Guards is ready at your command.”

“Thank you, Chamberlain,” Beks said. “It’s good to see you again. I’m relieved you’re safe.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Chamberlain, did Luther send you here try to bargain?” Laurence asked.

Chamberlain Wilton turned around and reached into the inner pocket of his coat. He took out a small envelope and presented it to Laurence. The pale envelope was sealed with Luther’s seal as the king.

Laurence raised his brow as he took the envelope. He stared at the wax seal for a moment before sliding his finger beneath the fold and opening the letter. His eyes scanned the page, his lip curling up more and more with scorn as he read it. After appearing to read it thrice, he tossed the letter onto the table.

“Is Luther so deep in delusion that he believes that after what he’s done, Beks will be willing to save him?” he asked with a scowl.

Beks furrowed her brows and leaned forward, taking the letter from the table to read it over with Laz looking over her shoulder.

“To Lady Rebecca of Caroline. My dearest Beks, I am coming to you with utmost confidence in your loyalty to Kadmus to ask for time to discuss terms of peace. I trust you will listen to reason, and acknowledge that we cannot afford bloodshed in the capital....” Beks drew her head back as her voice trailed off, her eyes going over the additional sentences on how he wanted to avoid bloodshed in the capital by essentially having her talk Laurence and the twins into acknowledging Luther as king.

“It’s an admirable, if not overly positive, request,” Beks said in a dull voice as she handed the letter to her parents to read.

The Duke of Caroline scoffed. “He has the audacity to come to you requesting you to side with him after what he’s done?”

“Whatever you do to him will be too lenient,” Sybil said as she tossed the letter on the table with disgust.

Beks shook her head. “Tell him that I will not return to the Gilded Palace to speak of terms. The only terms we are giving him are that he must surrender the throne by the sunrise of the third day, or our army will march into Kadmium and take it from him.”

Chamberlain Wilton looked to Laurence and Laurence nodded, giving a sign of his approval. Chamberlain Wilton bowed. “I will return and tell the Fourth Prince.”

“Don’t be in a rush. Let him think you’re trying hard,” Laurence said. “Sit and eat, rest for a while. Appear as if you’re in serious negotiations.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He paused and cocked his head to the side. “If the Fourth Prince surrenders, how do you want the declaration?”

“There is a flagpole on the west tower of the Gilded Palace. It is the most prominent of the towers and can be seen from outside the city walls,” Beks said. “If he surrenders, he is to raise a white flag of some sort on that flagpole. There are plenty of white linens at the Gilded Palace to use.”

Chamberlain Wilton bowed his head. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Laurence escorted the man out, asking lightly about how the palace staff was holding up. Beks leaned back against her chair.

She gave Luther three days, technically two and a night, to make his decision. The corner of her lip curled up and Laz gave her a curious look.

“Is something funny?” he asked.

Beks kept her eyes forward, staring out at the empty space in front of her as her. “How well do you know Luther?”

Laz raised his brow. “Admittedly, not as well as you. Why?”

Beks took a deep breath. “He’s not going to surrender.”

For two days and three nights, they watched the flagpole on the west tower of the Gilded Palace from their encampment as their army grew around them.

Two days and three nights, they hoped to see a white flag to avoid any needless spilling of the blood of Kadmus citizens. Or rather, spilling the blood of all those royal guards.

The illuminated gilded domed roof of the west tower maintained the royal banner. It blew in the wind as an orange glow pierced the darkness in the horizon, making out the shape of the hills in the east.

Beks stood on the bed of the empty ox cart wagon with a worn blanket over her shoulders. Her left hand clutched the blanket close over her chest while the other squeezed the spyglass at her side.

The Red Iron Cavalry behind her sprang to life. Horses were saddled while their riders dressed in their light armor. Yelling was heard as the entire camp awoke with the knowledge that today was the day.

“Rid Callan,” Laurence said from where he stood beside Beks, his eyes fixed on the city within their grasp. “You may give the signal.”

On the ground next to the cart, Rid Callan nodded. He took a deep breath and Beks could feel a large amount of biha being collected around him. A moment later, she felt heat against her side as ten continuous flares of fire flew into the dark morning sky.

Almost on the other side of the city, ten flares responded to theirs.

And one by one, flares erupted from all around the city, along the outline of the walls.

Quietly, Beks counted the long flares that shot into the sky and maintained a small pillar of fire above the gatehouse. “One...two...,” she whispered under her breath. There were a dozen gate houses. “Ten...eleven....” She waited, her eyes drifting to the main gate house of the city.

A beam of white light flew into the sky and exploded in a shower of white, flickering lights raining down.

“Twelve,” Laurence said beside her. He let out a low breath. “Prepare to enter the city.”

He turned around and jumped off the back of the wagon, heading towards his tent. Beks stared at the city in the distance for a moment longer.

“Your Highness, the prison wagon is ready,” Lady Helen said from the ground. Beks nodded. She turned and jumped down. Without a word, she followed Lady Helen to the prison wagon.

Unlike the prison carriage she had been carried out of the city a year earlier, this one had metal bars, making the wagon appear to be built around the type of cage wild animals were transported in.

Inside was their guest of honor.

The middle-aged man was pale and gaunt, his arms hanging over his head and cuffed in metal hooked on to one of the bars. A strip of cloth went around his head, wrapping around his mouth to keep him from yelling. He was on his knees; the prison carriage wouldn’t allow for a man to stand.

He dangled in his stained and wrinkled finery. They allowed him to keep his jewels, his adornments, even his shoes. It wasn’t as if he’d be able to use them for much longer.

“To think, he tried to flee,” Lady Helen said, shaking her head. “And so soon.”

“He was always a coward,” Beks replied as her cold eyes settled on the man. He seemed to hear her voice and opened his eyes. He turned his head towards her and the exhaustion faded away in an instant. Anger filled his face as he tried to lunge at her, only to be held back by the chains.

Beks didn’t flinch. She watched him struggle, the haughtiness that used to fill his face marred by dirt and sweat.

Lady Helen shook her head. “There are others that His Majesty has marked for execution for betraying the crown.”

Beks kept her eyes on the man. “Yes, but this one is the most important,” she said. “But that’s how you’ve always seen yourself, hasn’t it?” she asked the man in the cage. “Third Consort Hessing.”