Reborn From the Cosmos

Miniarc-Villains-07

Samuel slept fitfully that night, his dreams plagued by vague memories of his childhood interspersed with scenes of his younger sister pulling apart rag dolls’ confusing and concerning. Dinner with Cecilia was delightful and illuminating, but it left him with a lingering dread for the future, one that seeped into his thoughts no matter his desire to ignore it.

He expected Cecilia to have insight, but not the rambling story she laid out for him with surprising detail. Intelligence was powerful and hoarded jealously. She insisted she didn’t have to work hard for the knowledge; everyone knew the events surrounding the destruction of the city. It almost felt like there was a force ensuring the details reached as many ears as possible.

There were many worrisome aspects to the tale: the power of the Tome family, the intentions of Lourianne, the prospect of retaliation from the beaten hunters. Yet, what worried Samuel were things Cecilia brushed over.

His first concern was the sudden the sickness that had rampaged through the city prior to attack. Cecilia hadn’t used the word plague because the healers didn’t consider it lethal for the average body, but it was what everyone feared. Disease was a sinister enemy. Like any opponent, it grew in the face of adversity. It had no empathy and couldn’t be reasoned with. Left alone, something with the ability to spread the way it had could decimate the kingdom, let alone a single city.

The reason behind the sickness was buried under the rubble and the prince was concerned that thoughts of war would mean it went unattended for too long.

His second concern was the perception of Victory being distorted. The north was a place of blood and nightmares. When mothers wanted to scare their children, they threatened to send them to the north, where the sun never shined and the men were as wild as the monsters. Victorians had a reputation for being crazy. Traditions of sacrifice and martial prowess made for a powerful army, one that made interfering with them complicated. The crown turned a blind eye to the whole territory and they were allowed their disinterest because Victory’s agenda never involved the rest of the kingdom.

In the wake of the destruction, the common opinion of the north was shifting. There were rumors that the attack was the first step in a plan of conquest. It was an undeniable that the conflict started within the walls of the fort and the fear that Harvest would soon be embroiled in a civil war was growing in strength.

Samuel didn’t believe such for a moment. His opinion wasn’t based solely off their history of disinterest in anything south of the mountains, though it was powerful evidence to counter the baseless paranoia. Victory simply couldn’t afford a war. They relied too heavily on trade with the kingdom, especially the foodstuffs of the Rosefield duchy. If they made an enemy of the crown, their own land, cold and barren as it was, would kill them.

Even if the duke lost his mind to the temptation of conquest, he would start with the villages closest to them. Quest was too far from the fort and too prominent a target. Such an action would be dumb and it was never a good idea to assume an opponent, even a potential opponent, was stupid.

Unfortunately, the masses cared little for logic. Years of the crown quietly supporting the idea of Victory being populated with bloodthirsty fanatics was coming back to haunt them. The people feared the knights of the north. The idea that the James family might be coming for them was terrifying. No one felt safe and he didn’t want to see what that would inspire.

But that was a problem for someone else. His vague guilt and promise to Cecilia aside, there was nothing he could do about the storm brewing over the ruined city. There was nothing for him to do besides focus on himself.

The next morning, Ewan was waiting in front of the dining room when he went down for breakfast, his golden armor swapped for the unassuming clothes of a servant. No one paid any attention to the man that could level the whole building as he shadowed Samuel to his table, even when they greeted the prince. Several voices tried to drag him into a conversation, but Samuel easily deflected their interest.

“I would have thought you’d be on your way back to the capital,” he said to the knight after he finished ordering.

Ewan frowned. “I’m not comfortable retreating while the situation is unstable. No one has been able to contact the Teppin family. Most minds are working under the assumption that the Tome clan is holding them hostage. A noble being held by a mass murderer. The situation is appalling.”

“…don’t tell me you plan on raiding the Teppin estate?”

The royal knight tried to keep his expression neutral but, as always, his expressive eyes gave him away. They practically shouted the exasperation he was holding back. “No, your highness. I’ve sent word to the capital. The men and I will remain while we await further orders. Since we’re here, there’s no need for you to remain unescorted.”

Samuel scoffed. “So, you plan to nip at my heels like a puppy? Doesn’t a royal knight have anything better to do?”

“It would be an embarrassment to all royal knights if a prince were to come to harm because we decided to be lax in our duty.”

“Surely you don’t think I’m in danger?”

“It would be a disgrace if I didn’t protect from all possible danger.”

Samuel sighed. “I don’t suppose I can change your mind.”

“I must remain steadfast when it comes to your safety and can only beg your forgiveness for imposing on you.”

Forgiveness? Samuel scoffed at the poor joke. A useless second prince had no right to question a royal knight. He might throw around his authority, but Samuel had no illusion about who his father would support should it come to it. “I won’t be stuck in my room.”

“I see no reason to insist on it.”

“Hmph. Then, one final question. What will you do if there’s another attack?”

Ewan’s jaw tensed but it eased in a blink. “My duty is to the royal family. Your safety is my priority.”

“I know what your duty it.” Samuel leaned over the table, brows furrowed. “Don’t avoid the question. If I’m perfectly safe and there’s no duty to chain you, if you come upon Lourianne Tome slaughtering innocents with no one around to order you otherwise, will you confront her?”

The knight didn’t answer.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But his eyes gave him away.