Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Shia can’t believe what she had just heard from Lord Fincher. Prince Langrion and Khailis were accused of burning down a town on purpose, staging a rebellion, and abetting cursed ones. Are all of those for real?

“W-what proof do you have about it? Are you sure that the king himself had ordered this?” she asked, exasperated.

“We are, my lady. We also have a letter for you, from the king.”

‘The king? What kind of business does that vile, old man possibly have with me?’ Shia thought.

Lord Fincher proceeded to produce a letter from his vest. Shia immediately tore it open. It read:

See me when you have the time. You can have a hand in this matter if you choose to.

There was no signature on it whatsoever. There wasn’t even an official seal in front of it when Shia looked back at the envelope that bore the letter.

“Lord Fincher, what kind of trick is this? Is this really from the king?”

Lord Fincher did not reply back to her question. He proceeded to look back at Prince Langrion and Lady Khailis, and then to the knights at his command. “Everyone, let’s go!”

“No, you can’t go!” Shia exclaimed. She hurled herself in front of Lord Fincher, his horse neighing wildly as he halted.

“And what could you do against us, my lady? This is an official order!”

Shia looked back at him, her eyes were ablaze. She knew that the first two charges were made up, but the final charge was real. She would probably have to show Lord Fincher the power of the cursed one that the prince and lady he was detaining have aided.

Before Shia could command the plants to come forth from beneath Lord Fincher’s feet, however, a voice called her.

“Shia, no!”

It was Langrey who shouted at her. Possibly perceiving the plan she was conceiving in her mind, he shook his head vehemently as he looked at her. “No, Shia. Please stay here. Stay here with the baroness! I will come right back for you. I will come right back, I promise!”

“Yes, don’t worry. Everything will be cleared up,” Khailis seconded Langrey’s words.

The guards had rounded Langrion and Khailis’ horses closely. She just stood there, looking at them, trying her best to collect her thoughts and to not lose her patience as Lord Fincher and his procession rode along with both the prince and her guard in tow.

How could this thing happen? Who on earth would know that the prince had been helping cursed ones?

There was only one way to find out. Shia clutched the king’s letter in her hands tightly. Seeing how he had the letter delivered to her while they drag away Langrion and Khailis meant that this was to show her all the stakes at play should she not bid his request.

Trembling with anger she could barely control, Shia went back into the house to prepare for her meeting with the king. She would surely need to prepare something up her sleeves if she was to face this kind of devil.

******************

‘What the hell is uncle trying to do?’ Langrion thought as he and Khailis were escorted back by Fincher’s men to the Judicial Court of Sensala where they would be temporarily detained. The false accusations against them were clearly part of the king’s ploy, and this also somehow concerned Shia, but why or for what?

As Langrion read the report about Leer earlier, he came to understood that his uncle was weaving a trap against him. The report told of an unidentified cursed assailant who could turn people into stone. He and his group were supposed to be responsible for the fire at Leer and the attack at the debutant ball. It also gave detailed descriptions of underground dealings with cursed ones and illegal exits of cursed ones at Sensala’s border, which was supposedly masterminded by the same assailant. The comprehensive physical description of the cursed leader fitted Langrion perfectly that he was almost surprised that his name wasn’t written on it yet.

All of these things looked as if they had the blessings of the king himself, concerning how swift the report had been crafted about Leer. He just did not see what his guard, Khailis, had to do with all of this and why the king would send Shia a letter. He did not need to even read the contents of the letter his uncle sent. He already knew based on Shia’s expressions that the letter was instructing her to do something detestable, and the way that they staged their arrest in front of her eyes meant that the king was using him and Khailis as bait, but for what?

Langrion felt a little relieved that before he had planned to leave, he sent out two letters to formidable persons asking them to take care of Shia in his stead. As the duchess had just recently passed away, Langrion knew how vulnerable Shia was, and how hard it might be for her if she was left like this, all alone in the palms of a ruthless king like his uncle.

He just hoped that despite their apparent animosity towards him, these two people he had entrusted his beloved with would have Shia’s best interest at heart. Even though his trust to these people might be too flimsy, he has no choice. If the worse comes and he and Khailis were sent to the Capitol, Shia must never be caught as a pawn amidst them, at all cost.

******************

As soon as Baroness Alessa came home, Shia informed her of what had transpired. She informed her as well of her planned meeting with the king at dinner time.

“Lady Shia, what you are about to do is dangerous! King Caldwell is not a man to be trusted!”

“I know, baroness... I did not trust him the first time I saw him, and I still don’t, but he clearly had all of these staged because of me. Can you tell me more about the king?”

“I don’t know what else I could tell you except that the king is Duchess Tristal’s old lover...”

“What? They used to be lovers?!”

“Yes,” the baroness nodded.

“I didn’t get to tell you this, but I saw grandma and the king at the ball. It looked like they were going somewhere at that time. That was also the last time I saw grandma alive.”

The baroness gasped. She then stood up from her seat and started to rummage through some papers at the counter. When she came back, she handled Shia some letters. One of them bore the seal from the temple’s oracle.

******************

A white and gold carriage bearing the emblem of the House of Andry came into a halt at the wooden, oak doors of the Rubiyah Manor. It arrived just in time for dinner, as Caldwell expected. He knew who it bore even before the carriage driver opened its door, and he was right.

Lady Shia Hyanessa Andry walked out of carriage in a simple, red gown. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and the long, chandelier-like earrings graced her head. She had a striking presence around her, just like Tristal did. The only difference was that she had dark, brown eyes instead of the light-hazelnut irises that adored her grandmother’s face.

Caldwell looked at her elegant beauty, and pinched himself when he caught himself turning breathless as he followed her with his eyes. He was already sixty years of age, but a lovely face like hers never seemed to stop his heart from beating too fast.

He had been too surprised when he saw her for the first time some weeks ago when he sneaked in as usual at the Littman Manor. He thought he was just dreaming when he saw Tristal’s face looming against him when he fell from his horse. He just knew, at that very moment, that he had to make her his at all cost.

He has to remember, however, that there was a mission he needed to accomplish for tonight. He should not, at any cost, be too enthralled by her charm unless he wants her to twirl him at the tips of her fingers just like Tristal did ages ago.

He waited for the servants to inform him that his guest had already arrived at the banquet hall before he readied himself. He did not want to appear too excited for her presence. Shia was the one who had a favour to ask of him, although Caldwell already knew too well how this transaction will play out.

As expected, the girl who resembled Tristal had already seated herself comfortably at the chair she was provided. It was a seat that was right across his very own seat – the seat that belonged to the high and mighty king of Gascone. If he played his cards well tonight, generations and generations of his own bloodline would own that seat and no one else.

“Pleasant evening, my lady,” Caldwell said. She rose from her seat, as traditionally expected, and bowed in reverence to him. He took her hands into his own and kissed it. Up close, he could see the disdain in her eyes as his lips graced her palm. He wondered how much longer this wild spirit of hers would last once she’s in his bed.

“I had been waiting for this chance to dine with you. I’m glad it has finally happened,” Caldwell said, trailing his eyes through her body, searching for the places that might give him pleasure. If she minded it, she did not say it out loud. She just sat there, as impassive as a rock. Oh, she was truly, truly so much like his Tristal!

“I came because of your letter. I understand that I could free Prince Langrion and Lady Khailis from their present predicaments if I follow your bidding,” she said out flatly. “Tell me, your grace, what are the conditions I need to meet for you to release them?”

He could see the flash of hatred for him heavily drawn in Shia’s lovely face. As expected, she was as straight-to-the-point as her grandmother had been. If this was how she wanted to play it, then he’ll let her do so.

“Good question. What do you think I need from you so that they could be released, eh?” He took a sip of his favourite red wine. Shia’s face looked even lovelier after drinking some spirits.

“Perhaps it is to keep your secrets away from prying ears.”

‘Secrets? Ah, so she knows some of my secrets?’ Caldwell thought. Well, two can play this game of hers.

“Pray, what are those secrets?”

Tristal’s granddaughter produced some parchments from the folds of her dress. She threw it in the middle of the table towards him.

“My grandmother knew about the oracle, and you caused her demise, did you not?”

He met her stare coldly and squarely. ‘So, she doesn’t just have a pretty face above her head, eh?’ he thought to himself. Intelligence is a good trait for a future queen, but too bad, it isn’t what he desires for his future bed slave. Caldwell knew that he should cut her horns away even before she could think of using them against him.

“And if I say I did, what proof do you have towards me? I am sure you have none. Otherwise, you wouldn’t come here to beg for your sweetheart and friend’s release. ”

“You, devil!” she shouted towards him as she stood up.

“Too bad, child, for I am not the Devil himself. We both know who he is though, and I have proof.”

Shia’s eyes glared at him in a mixture of loathe and fright. She clutched her hand into a fist before speaking. “You are lying! Prince Langrion and Lady Khailis could never do what you have accused them of!”

“Perhaps, they will never stage a rebellion against me or burn down a city, but we both know they had been helping a cursed one all along.”

Her eyes widened. “W-what do you mean?”

“Lady Shia, do you really want me to say who I am referring to right here? You know we have a lot of servants and knights prying around the halls.”

Caldwell could see her face and body began to tremble. He slightly smiled to himself. His victory tonight had surely been written in the stars!

“Cursed ones are frightening things, aren’t they? Only the one who holds the Imperial Seat could have power over them.”

“Then how do you suppose the one in that Imperial Seat could help them? What must I do for this wretched wielder of power so that I can clear their names?” Shia began to say, her visage still quivering with hate. Her eyes turned as cold as ice as she continued. “Does this king require a night with me in bed?”

“He does, and even more,” Caldwell said, laughing softly at her straightforwardness. He is beginning to get more and more excited at the thought of having her uncontrollably shrieking in his bed very soon. “This king proposes a marriage.”

“A marriage? With whom?”

“A marriage between the House of Andry and the Imperial House of Nanris...” Caldwell said, manically laughing now as he took his last sip of wine. If he did not need an official heir so badly, he would have already pleasured himself with her body that night, but he must patiently wait until after their marriage ceremony is over.

The girl just sat there, eyes looking back at Caldwell in utter shock.

“Tomorrow morning, an investigative tribunal for Prince Langrion and Lady Khailis will be held at the Judicial Court of Sensala. Once their trials commence, we shall move back to the Capitol and uphold the execution there if they are found guilty. That would take just about a week, all in all. You have until then to decide, my lady.”

Caldwell stood up from his seat, and took the now limp and frigid hands of the girl who shall soon be his queen. He kissed it, his lips lingering a little now as he had assured himself of his eventual triumph.

“I will wait for your answer soon,” he whispered towards her before he left, “until then, take care, my queen.”

Caldwell couldn’t be any happier.