Chapter 58:
Irremissible
A nearby door to an empty room was abruptly opened and shut by the strange imposter. Alywin could only move with them, feeling the level of harm to himself lowering and lowering at each passing second. If they were there to harm him, they would not have sought him out at such an inconvenient place as the palace, especially with people all over. The stranger's clumsy actions were more than enough to assure Alywin that he was a larger threat to the stranger than the stranger was to him.
The room was not small, filled only with some materials placed to the sides of the wall for storage, leaving a large blue rug in the middle of the floor, where the stranger stood with Alywin wrapped in their desperate arms. As the sound of footsteps passed the room, Alywin angled himself away from the stranger, staring at the long strands of dark hair that had begun to peek out from the bottom of the hat with a suspicious glance. Reaching out his fingers, Alywin moved his hand towards the stranger's hat, the tips of his fingers only inches away before the stranger turned around, their face dark as they stepped back with an anxious expression.
"What are you doing?" The stranger asked, looking defensive as they stared at Alywin's impasse expression.
Alywin smirked testily in response, "There's no use hiding your identity now." His eyes darkened as he stared at the stranger's falling expression, "You're no stablehand. In fact, you're not even a man."
The stranger gasped in surprise, then shot a heated look to the door, as if checking if anyone had heard. They then turned back to Alywin with a forced laugh, "What are you talking about? Do I look like a man?"
"Oh, really?" Alywin said, smiling harder as he touched his chest with the tips of his fingers, "Even though you have breasts?"
The stranger's face turned immediately red, and then they began to shake with anger, "What are you talking about? You disgusting pervert!"
"You were the one that pressed your body against me." Alywin said sourly, taking offense to the name calling, "And you were the one that dragged me into this empty room. So if anything, you're the pervert."
The stranger's face got even redder, their cheeks looking like bright red tomatoes as the blush quickly spread down their exposed neck, "I-I only pulled you in here, because you were shouting! I was trying to make you quiet down!"
"Is that it?" Alywin asked, slowly inching towards the stranger, "Or did you just want to take advantage of me?" He inched even closer, and the stranger blushed and shook their head frantically.
"No, that wasn't my intention!" As Alywin took another step closer, the stranger took a step back, "Stay away from me! I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you force me to!"
"Is that so?" Alywin said, quickly closing the distance between them, "Only if you promise to be gentle." With the stranger backed into the wall, their mind whirling in confusion and embarrassment, Alywin saw his chance and made a grab for the stranger's hat. They managed to dodge Alywin's quick hand, but just barely. With an angry shout, the stranger lifted their booted foot and stomped down heavily on Alywin's foot. He yelped and took a step back, trying to nurse his sore foot while he kept an eye on his captor.
"That wasn't very gentle." Alywin bemoaned, but the stranger did not wait to listen, instead they raced towards the door. Unfortunately for them, Alywin was just a moment faster, and slammed his body against the door, blocking their exit. The stranger glared at Alywin, but he smiled mischievously in response, "Now, take off the cap, and you can leave."
The stranger actually laughed, "What makes you think I would do that?"
Alywin shrugged nonchalantly, pressing his back against the door, "Well, either you do that, or we just sit here and wait. And you know, eventually, people are going to start looking for me. They can be here with a shout, and then what would happen to you? Either you surrender now without a fight, or I call the guards to take you away." The smile on his face was not quite a smile, and a chill ran down the stranger's spine at the cruelness of his expression.
The stranger frowned, "I'm not here to fight anyone, or to cause any trouble, so let me out." They shook their head, adjusting the cap on their head as they moved closer to the door. "Or else."
As the stranger's hand reached towards the door knob, preparing their escape out the door, Alywin stepped forward and intercepted them, reaching out his hand like a blade, forcing the stranger to shift their body away, stepping back twice. Alywin's brows knotted in irritation as the person continued to move away from him with swift, light movements, moving in an evasive pattern as if they were set to defend themself rather than attack Alywin.
The pair moved around the room together, moving like two swans drifting on the surface of the water, trailing with ripples circling their bodies like waves. Alywin had the upper hand, however, and his fast, skilled movements were enough to trap the stranger in a flurry of movements. Within moments, there was an opening, and Alywin took it, tripping the stranger, knocking her to the ground and knocking off her cap. Hair fell down past her shoulders as she glared up at Alywin.
"Are you happy now?" She snapped, grabbing her cap that sat next to her, stuffing her hair back into her cap as she messily placed it on her head, stuffing stray hairs that had fallen into her face back into her cap. The light makeup she had worn had smudged from their struggle earlier, making the woman look pitiful.
"Ecstatic, Marchioness Olicia." Alywin said with a sly smile, staring down at the huffing, annoyed noblewoman. "Now, tell me why you are skulking around the palace dressed like a male beggar."
The now-exposed marchioness adjusted her blouse collar with a frown as she sighed lightly, her hands knotted together in front of her as she said in a low voice, "You should know what nobles are like, Marquis Cyneric. They are deceitful and secretive, which led me here today." She looked at Alywin with a fierce gaze as she added, "Something is happening at this palace, and the royal family is attempting to hide it from us. I am no fool, Marquis Cyneric. So, I came here today to find out what exactly has been happening in the palace."
Olicia was no fool, Alywin could believe that, but she was too foolish to try to find the information on her own in such a slap-dash manner. Any palace worker would find her appearance suspicious, particularly her poor mannerisms, but the fact that she was able to maneuver through the palace without being caught by the palace guards was enough to show her ability. Perhaps the Faelfierian marchioness could be of use.
"You're right. The nobles are deceitful, conniving scum, trying at every moment to gain even a morsel more of power. Their greed goes far beyond gluttony." Alywin turned away from Olicia and walked over to the door, cracking it open and glancing out. Olicia watched in bewilderment, then, as if snapped out of a spell, she rose to her feet and straightened and fixed her disguise. She pulled her hat down over her eyes with a huff.
"So, are you going to let me go now?" Olicia asked with a begrudging glare.
"Will I?" Alywin asked, closing the door behind him and tapping his chin, "So that's it? We agree the nobles are scum, and we move on?"
Olicia crossed her arms and glared at Alywin, "This is surprising talk for a marquis, a soon-to-be duke. Wouldn't this be considered treason?"
"Wouldn't that disguise be considered treason as well?" Alywin responded in the same tone, smiling as he said, "A woman, dressing like a man. And a bridal candidate, no less. I'm not sure how they handle these types of things in the Falfier kingdom, but these things are not looked upon kindly by the Yursear kingdom." Alywin stepped away from the door and towards Olicia. Though she wanted to step back, she held firm and locked eyes with Alywin. He smiled in response, "Though it may not seem like it, we have similar goals. And in a kingdom like this, allies are key to accomplishing such things."
"So, what are you suggesting?"
"Let's work together, at least for now." Alywin grinned mischievously, his eyes twinkling, "You want information, and so do I. We can help each other immensely."
Olicia glared heavily at Alywin, "And why would I agree to help you? I don't need information that badly."
"No, but you do need power. And information is power. I can get you the information you need, just like you can get the information I need."
Olicia's eyes widened in surprise, before she quickly returned her face to a neutral frown, "I'm not interested. My family prides itself on being honest and fair. We don't work in the shadows." Alywin shot her disguise a look, and Olicia's face reddened in anger, "I'm only doing this to not tarnish my family's respected name. Otherwise, I would be open in my search." Olicia pushed past Alywin and walked over to the door. She rested her hand on the doorknob, contemplating for a moment, before she turned back, "You know, it must be exhausting holding onto as many secrets as you do. Maybe you should try being honest one of these days." Olicia's hand then turned the knob, and she stepped out of the room. The door shut behind her with a gentle click, and Alywin was left pondering.
"How tricky." He mumbled to himself, "I guess my usual methods won't work on her." Alywin walked towards the door, replaying their encounter in his head, "But maybe a little honesty would?" As Alywin's mind buzzed with ideas, he left the room and hurried down the hall, just missing the figure that tucked into the shadows on his departure.
…
"Your Majesty." A male attendant said, bowing his head slightly as he stepped away from the door, "Her Majesty, the queen has requested an audience with you."
Senior advisor Willis nodded his head lightly, "Let her enter." The attendant nodded curtly, then stepped away from the door. As Willis adjusted the blanket that covered the king, the doors opened wide, and in entered the queen, followed by her group of attendants. One of the king's many attendants pulled up a chair for the queen, which she acknowledged with a slight nod.
"Everyone, leave us." The queen's voice was cold as she waved the back of her hand, motioning to the servants.
As the last of the attendants cleared the room, the queen slowly walked to the chair that had been prepared and sat down, adjusting the train of her dress as she sat so the fabric would not touch the ground. After she adjusted the bottom of her skirt, Queen Racliffe looked up and met the smiling gaze of Senior advisor Willis, who looked pleased to see the queen.
Her gaze moved to an unmoving Willis as she added, "When I said everyone, I meant you too, Sir Willis." Her words carried the chill of an icy lake.
Willis bowed his head respectfully, responding with a low voice, "Of course, Your Majesty." He turned to bow to the king, who had been sat up by his attendants, his back resting weakly against the heavy wooden headboard of the canopy bed. After he bowed, Willis slowly walked out of the room, straining his obnoxious ears to hear even a sliver of the conversation between the royals. However, no words were exchanged until the nosy advisor had ushered himself out of the room, and the only sound that filled the room was the sound of a rare sigh of the queen.
"Leofrick, how are you feeling?" Queen Racliffe's icy expression faded to express some warmth as she looked to her resting husband, whose face had thinned considerably over the past few months, taking all of the king's usual ruddiness with it.
The king's voice was hoarse as he responded, "Ecaterina, it is a struggle every day. Not having the worries of the kingdom on my shoulders has eased many of my suffering, though."
"And Clarence is studying diligently to take his destined seat as the king." The queen immediately replied with a sidelong glance, "But I think that the whole process is taking too long."
The king laughed weakly, his thin frame shaking, "What more can we do, Ecaterina? Our engagement was two years long, and even then, people argued with my father that it was too short of a period."
"But you were not eighteen, but twenty-eight, and your father was not horribly ill and unable to fill his duties as king."
"Ecaterina." The king warned, his tone low. The queen dismissively waved her hand as she continued,
"I mean it, Leofrick. The nobles around us can smell the weakness. They are like sharks to blood. We need to hurry Clarence's coronation and ensure his seat on the throne." The queen reached her hand out and gently squeezed the king's hand, which rested on the blanket, "Please, my dear, you know better than anyone else how the nobles are. I only want Clarence to receive what he has earned. Besides, the sooner Clarence is crowned, the sooner you and I can visit the sea, just like you have been saying we should."
The king paused for a long while and frowned, but eventually put his free hand on top of the queen's, "You may be right. Maybe we can cut out a few steps. We will need to at least run the hunt. It's the most important ceremony of the engagement period." The king thought for a moment, then asked, "Besides, are there any women from the candidates that Clarence likes? He seems… uninterested in the whole process."
"And if you remember, my love." The queen said, stroking the king's covered hand with her thumb, "You were not interested in any of the candidates at first. That is, until you saw me for the first time."
"Of course," The king said, his eyes sinking back into a happier time, "You had come a day late, and had made quite a performance of entering, having all of your handmaids carry your never-ending train that had the history of the Yursear kingdom on it."
"Of course, I had to make an entrance," The queen said, smiling fondly, "But you were so busy staring at my face, you did not even notice until the previous queen had whispered something to you." The queen's smile deepened as she recalled the far-distant memory, recalling Leofrick's mother's reaction upon seeing the princess of such a small country enter so lavishly.
The other nobles had viewed Maarit Country as a powerless country with no backing. However, when Queen Racliffe prepared to fight for right to marry the future heir to the Yursinean throne, the Maarit royal family spared no expenses and paid to design the most lavish dress train in the Yursinean style, depicting the rich history of the Yursinean Kingdom hand stitched by Ecaterina herself.
"There are three promising candidates." The queen began, returning her hands to her lap as she sat. "Princess Philomena Lambros from my home country, Second Princess Sovereign Sagara Naceri from the Kymal Empire, and Princess Charlotte Dupont of the Bethell Kingdom. All are beautiful girls of established backgrounds. They would be the best to support Clarence as he ascends to the throne."
"What about Duchess Cordelia, from the Vartien Kingdom? Her beauty is well known across the Vartien Kingdom, as well as her wit and her mastery over archery." The king offered after a short cough.
The queen frowned sourly, "As Clarence's mother, I can tell she would not be a good fit for him. That girl can be unrefined and rude. She does not have the couth that is required to be the queen of the Yursear kingdom."
"But a marriage between them would strengthen our ties with the Vartien kingdom." The king immediately replied.
"Did Sir Willis encourage her selection? He is, after all, a citizen from the Vartien kingdom. It would only make sense that he would encourage one of his fellow citizens to be chosen."
"And are you not doing the same with Princess Philomena?" The king shot back, "She is from Maarit and a distant relative of yours."
The queen's brow raised as she looked at her husband, "Though she and I are related, my loyalty is with the Yursear kingdom and my son. I want whatever and whoever is best for him."
"Then you could say the same about Willis, couldn't you? Though he is from the Vartien kingdom, he is a long-time citizen of the Yursear kingdom. His loyalty is with this kingdom."
"I would prefer it if you did not compare us." The queen said, her eyebrow twitching.
"And I would prefer it if you did not question his loyalty." The king responded coldly, "He is the one leading us in the war with the elves. He is the one that found the village of the elf that tried to kill our son twice. He is the one that burned it to the ground ten years ago and made them all suffer for what they tried to do. He is loyal to us and our cause. I would not have trusted him all of these years if that were not so."
"Then he will want what's best for Clarence, like we do. And, though I can not say for sure yet, I believe I already know who is best at Clarence's side." The queen finally smiled, though it was a weak one, "You can call it a 'mother's intuition.' But I guess we cannot say until after the hunt. And, of course, it is Clarence's decision in the end that is most important." The queen rose from her seat, the long train of her ornamental gown cascading behind her, "You look tired, my dear. I think it's best you rest for a while."
The king nodded weakly and held out his hand. The queen grasped onto it lightly, and he brought her hand to his lips, taking a deep inhale, "You always smell like the sea. It was one of the things I've always liked best about you."
"Well, hopefully we will be in front of the ocean soon, my dear." The queen said, retracting her hand as he slowly let it go. As her train dragged behind her, the queen went to the door and called for her handmaids, who quickly entered with a deep curtsy, "The king is tired, so I am retiring to my room."
"Of course, Your Majesty." The handmaids replied, curtsying again. As if one body, the handmaids fluidly moved to the queen's train and gently grabbed the end, lifting it slightly.
"Goodnight, my love." The king said as more people began to pour into the room.
"Goodnight." The queen said, nodding once more before she exited. As she stepped out of the room, Willis, the king's head advisor, stood to the side, bowing deeply to her as she passed. The queen stopped momentarily and turned to Willis.
"The king is tired. I think it's best that he is able to immediately rest." She said aloofly. Willis nodded in understanding,
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will only ensure he needs nothing else tonight, and I will be on my way."
"Thank you for your diligence and loyalty, Sir Willis." The queen said, a harsh, sarcastic tone edging on her sweet voice.
"It is my honor, Your Majesty." Willis said with another deep bow. The queen glared at him momentarily before she smiled and continued her walk back to her residence. After she passed, Willis lifted his head from the bow he had been respectfully holding and looked sideways to the queen's receding figure, a small smirk playing at his lips. He then straightened his back and entered the king's chambers.
…
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Queen and king finally have names after 58 chapters! (＞ｍ＜) And Alywin and Olicia were having a moment (lol). Don't get your hopes up, as there is no chance of a relationship between them (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡ Clare and Silas will return next chapter. Please note the queen's name is pronounced Eh-cat-ah-ree-nah. King is Leo-frick. Irremissible means unpardonable or binding in this context.
I apologize also for my lateness getting back to messages, as I (and Hunny) have been feeling depressed for numerous reasons. That being said, Hunny and I might take next week off, depending how things go. If that happens, we'll make an announcement..... We love you all, but I think it's time to prioritize our health for a bit o(TヘTo) If that does happen, I'll try to work to get ahead of schedule!
In addition, I've been working hard to get some side projects out! Misted Winds (dark, BL, religious cultist novel) is now 36 pages! The Nights we Shared is 26 pages! While Misted Winds reads like a less philosophical YMtK, The Nights we Shared is more in my crass style of writing I miss, and it involves a devoted stalker in a city setting, featuring a mysterious yandere with many disguises. Both involve yanderes (fml I love them), but more info will come later ♥
Thank you again to Hunny for all her hard work, and for all of you reading! My edits to come later.