Apologies for the delay! Here's the chapter ♥
Chapter 67:
Closer to the Edge
One week had passed since the incident at the Yursinean court's banquet had happened, though no one had forgotten. Eyes watched the daughter of the most powerful Vartien dukes with interest, waiting for her to receive a punishment as severe as her error. Still, they waited in growing disappointment as the young woman kept her position as a candidate. And though she had fled during the party, each day that passed without punishment made her raise her head higher and higher, until she was laughing and partaking in activities again, like the incident had never happened.
As many of the candidates mingled in the common area, speaking to each other while snacking on little cakes and fruit. Olicia kept herself removed from the group as she sat in her room, scribbling a letter. As she rounded the tip of the letter "a," her feathered pen froze in her hand as she heard peals of laughter echo throughout the large room and into her small room, the sounds seeping in through the cracked door. Olicia looked towards the door curiously. As the laughter grew, she put down her pen and stood up, surprised by the sound that had become foreign since the incident a week ago. She stepped towards the door, sticking her head out. In the large common room, a group of the candidates were laughing and speaking animatedly. Olicia watched curiously, then stepped out of her room. At the same time, Sagara stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her. As the two stood outside their doors, they glanced at each other. The silence was broken by a smile from Sagara, which caused Olicia to smile in response.
"I wonder what is happening." Sagara wondered as she stepped towards Olicia.
"I'm not sure." Olicia said with a glance at the whispering group, "It must be something good to get everyone so excited though."
"I think we're about to find out." Sagara mumbled as she stared at the buzzing group. From the left side, where the crowd was thinner, Philomena's small head was moving its way out of the group. Finally, Philomena managed to maneuver enough to emerge from the group and make her way towards the two eager women.
After a deep breath, Philomena exclaimed, "There's a new event coming up. The final one." Philomena looked between Sagara and Olicia, who were surprised by Philomena's news.
"The final event?" Sagara asked, confusion written all over her face, "But isn't the fiancee selection supposed to run for a few more months?"
"I don't know, but everything's changed. I guess it was Prince Clarence's idea to change the candidate process."
"But why?" Olicia wondered aloud.
"I'm not sure," Philomena said, stepping closer to the two young women and signalling them to come closer. As they leaned forward, Philomena whispered, "But it might be why Charlotte's not here. She didn't tell anyone, but she requested a 'discreet' audience with Prince Clarence."
"'Discreet?'" Sagara asked as she raised a brow.
"Not like that!" Philomena said loudly, which received a stern hush from Sagara and a sigh from Olicia. All three turned around to see if anyone had noticed Philomena's outburst, but everyone was too busy discussing the upcoming event. Philomena smiled apologetically and continued, "I think she wanted to ask him about the sudden change, but she didn't want anyone to know. Unfortunately for her, I accidentally overheard her speaking to that knight that always follows her around. You two are the only ones I've told, so please don't tell anyone else."
"I understand." Sagara said with a small nod of her head, "But I am surprised how close she seems to Prince Clarence. Not just anyone could request a private audience with the crown prince."
Philomena tapped her chin as she remarked, "Don't forget there were rumors going around that Charlotte had visited Prince Clarence before anyone else could meet him. That must be against the agreed neutrality."
Sagara scoffed to Philomena's and Olicia's surprise, and she shook her head to their shock, "You both don't actually think in a game like this that other countries would abide by a flimsy rule like that, do you? When such power is at stake, something such a convoluted rule about neutrality wouldn't stand a chance."
"Fair enough." Olicia said with a nod, "But I'm more curious about how everyone heard about the new event?"
"That would be from me!" Philomena exclaimed with a brilliant smile, "I heard a guard talking about it in the hallway. He said that one of the captains will be stopping by this morning to announce the event."
"And that's why Charlotte left so early." Olicia said, thinking aloud.
"Uh huh. She left as soon as she heard. Everyone else was so busy talking to each other, they didn't even notice when she left!"
Olicia and Sagara stared at Philomena for a moment, neither blinking. Philomena stared between the two, then cried out in bewilderment, "What?'
"Just how many conversations have you eavesdropped on?" Olicia asked slowly, watching Philomena.
"What Olicia means," Sagara said, stepping towards Philomena, "Is how many of our conversations have you eavesdropped on? Hers, mine, and Charlotte's."
"Not… that many." Philomena answered, looking away from the glaring eyes as she laughed weakly, "I should get back to the group. We don't want anyone to notice us talking." Philomena said as she quickly walked back to the large group of excited women, immersing herself into the crowd until she was out of view.
"That little fly." Sagara mumbled under her breath as she sighed. Olicia smiled weakly as Sagara turned towards her, "Well, if she said even a word about anything any of us had said in private, we would know. I will definitely be keeping a closer eye on her though."
Olicia nodded with a weak smile, wondering back to Philomena's glares at her and Alywin during the banquet. Maybe those weren't glares of jealousy, but of untrustworthiness. Is it possible she knows about the deal Alywin made with me? But I haven't accepted anything yet, so even if it does come out, I have nothing to hide. Olicia frowned deeply as she considered all the possibilities. For now anyway.
"Here they come." Sagara said, snapping Olicia out of her thoughts. Olicia looked towards the double doors that were slowly opened by the door guards. As the doors finally stopped, in strolled a debonair, but coolly professional royal captain. He smiled, but it was quite easy to see he was annoyed with the task he was given. Still, he smiled and nodded his head as the single young women all gushed around him, momentarily forgetting their purpose for being in the Yursinean kingdom.
"It is a pleasure to meet all of you beautiful young ladies." The captain said with a dashing smile, his eyes crinkling as his grin widened, "But I do have some important news I must deliver immediately." As a hush quickly came around the room, and Olicia and Sagara quickly joined, the captain cleared his throat and unrolled the parchment in his hands, "On behalf of his royal highness, the rightful future king to the Yursear throne, Crown Prince Clarence Godfreed, I, Royal Captain of the second division of the Moon Squad, Captain Beau Laurent, do proclaim the next event decided by the crown prince, and the final event to end the fiancee selection for the next queen of the Yursear kingdom, to be a-"
...
"A hunt?" Charlotte asked, her hands gripping her monogrammed handkerchief.
"Yes. I can't think of a better event to end this silly selection." Clarence said, leaning back in his armchair as he crossed his legs.
"With all due respect, Prince Clarence." Charlotte began, sitting forward in her seat, her expression nervous, "It's not proper for noblewomen to participate in hunts. Not considering it is a very dangerous sport, it's not the reputation a future queen would want."
"What a dramatically sour view you have, Princess Charlotte." Clarence said with a smug smile, "Instead of ruining the future queen's image, I believe it will improve it! Imagine how everyone will react when one of the demure bridal candidates proudly displays the rewards of her hunt! It will strike fear in the hearts of our enemies and bring reassurance to our allies that I have picked the perfect woman to help me lead this country."
"Prince Clarence, while I understand your sentiments, you must understand this is not a good idea. If you insist on a hunt, let the noblemen hunt instead."
"You sound like Alywin, Charlotte." Clarence said as he stood up from his seat with a sigh, "Though you may not like the thought, it's a great way for you to secure the position you want so badly. I mean, you already got rid of some of the other candidates with threats and promises, and we can't forget about how you ruined Duchess Bernard's chances, though it doesn't seem like she realizes that yet."
"How dare you make such accusations!" Charlotte said, standing up from her chair abruptly, "I would never-"
"Charlotte, please don't play so dumb with me. I'm not an idiot." Clarence said with a smile, "Didn't you consider the fact that I would eventually find out what you were doing? Or did you not consider the fact that I may have planted people in the selection, just to catch things like this?"
"I don't know what you mean. And I will not listen to such baseless accusations." Charlotte said heatedly, collecting her things and walking towards the door, "But I will tell you this, Clarence." Charlotte closed her eyes and turned her back to Clarence, her hand resting on the hallway door, "You shouldn't be surprised that some people will do whatever they can to get your position. But you also need people you can trust to protect you. If you want me to, I will help you." Clarence listened with a smile as Charlotte finished her thought, then she grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Your Majesty."
"The pleasure was all mine, Princess Charlotte." Clarence said with a small bow. Charlotte nodded her head in response and slipped out the door, which clicked shut behind her.
As Charlotte hurried down the hall, her monogrammed handkerchief gripped tight in her gloved hands, her knight slipped behind her, following her rushed walk with ease. Charlotte did not stop to look behind her, but instead sighed in frustration as she continued her walk,
"There's something wrong with Prince Clarence." Charlotte whispered, her eyes remaining straight forward and focused, "He wasn't like this the last time we met alone. Something must have happened since the last time I was here." Finally, Charlotte turned her neck slightly to look back at her loyal knight, "Go find out what."
With a nod, the knight that followed her like her own shadow vanished, and Charlotte continued her hurried pace to return to her allies. As she did this, Clarence was waiting by the door Charlotte left from, listening closely with his ear pressed against the door.
"She's gone. You can come out." Clarence said coolly, pressing away from the door and turning to the cloaked figure that emerged from the ceiling. The figure landed with a muffled thump and pulled back their hood to reveal their face. Standing near Clarence with a cross expression was Theo.
"Did you find what I asked?" Clarence asked as he moved back towards his seat, plopping into it with a heaving, exaggerated sigh, his arms hanging limply over the sides of his seat.
"No." Theo said, pulling his cape to the side to free his right arm, which revealed a folded up square of paper in between his fingers, "But I found something else." Clarence, eyeing the paper, immediately shot up in his seat and held out his hand. Theo, however, did not move a muscle, to Clarence's immediate annoyance.
"Well? Give it here!" Clarence snapped, holding out his open hand.
"Not yet. I need assurances first." Theo said, pulling the sheet away from Clarence.
"I already gave you assurances."
"No, you gave me promises. Promises are easily broken."
The prince retracted his hand and crossed his arms in front of his chest, glaring at Theo as he sighed and said, "What do you want?" The calm, lackadaisical manner in which Clarence presented himself in front of Charlotte had long disappeared. It was instead replaced by the impatient, testy demeanor the prince had begun to show more and more as the coronation day approached.
Theo shook his head, his dark eyes fixed on the prince as he said, "While I did not find the elf you asked for, I found something that might interest you more." He held the small slip of paper in his hand, "When I have proof of Alywin's safety, this will be yours."
Clarence's smile twitched in annoyance, "Fine. I'll do as you ask, so tell me what you have."
"Like I said, I couldn't find the elf you wanted me to find so badly, but I found something just as close."
"Which is?" Clarence asked testily, annoyed by Theo's apparent failure.
"His family." Theo said shortly, throwing the folded-up paper at Clarence, who caught it swifty in his hand, holding the square of paper in his warm palm. Clarence looked at Theo with a short look, then quickly tore open the piece of paper, reading it with sudden ferocity, until he reached the bottom of the page, where he slowed his reading, taking in every word with immense curiosity, "And this is the new plan?"
"If you want it to be, yes." Theo said, crossing his arms as he frowned at the excited expression on Clarence's face.
There was no hesitation in the prince's voice as he responded with a dark glint in his eye, "Yes. Do it. Immediately."
"Consider it done." Theo asked, pulling the stiff fabric of the hood back over his head, covering his dark hair from view, "And Alywin?"
"As soon as this is done," Clarence began, gesturing to the piece of paper in his hand, "I will honor my end of the deal."
"Good." Theo said, vanishing in an instant as a silence settled into the room, the sun shining brightly through the windows, as the shadows slunk into the corners of the large room. The stifle, suffocating air began to lessen as Theo's presence disappeared, leaving the prince to sit back in his chair, rubbing the surface of the paper between his two fingers as he read the contents of the letter again and again. A large smile grew on his lips, and he chuckled quietly to himself, thinking of that fateful day approaching so soon.
…
"Clarence was poisoned." Eva stated, staring at the group resting in the cart.
Sitting in the carriage, Silas froze for a moment, his head lifting as he was lost in his thoughts momentarily, thinking of the young, navy haired man that had thought of him that day so long ago. He was so full of energy then, of course he wouldn't die like that, Silas shook his head lightly, feeling his momentary shock lessen as he stated, "He is the future king of the Yursinean Kingdom, after all." There would be many others vying after his life now that he was going to ascend to the throne. "Was there any more information on who poisoned him?"
Eva leaned back slightly, "It was said that a small group of servants had conspired to poison him, but it is more likely that he was poisoned by a competitor for the throne."
Meredith removed the braid from his hair and began to finger through his long locks as he responded, "The Yursinean Kingdom is very unstable right now. If Clarence is able to take over the throne, there is no guarantee that he'll survive very long into his term. It doesn't help that Duke Godfreed is already making moves towards the palace." Meredith laid his hair on his shoulders as he stared at Eva and asked, "So what are you planning on doing about this, Eva? You met with the duke, after all."
"That was just some preliminary investigation." Eva placed her hands in her lap, "Duke Godfreed, being Clarence's cousin, is one of the few men able to compete with Prince Clarence for the throne. It's very odd though, don't you think, that he is avoiding his homeland the way he is? Even if he didn't want the throne, showing support for Clarence could strengthen his position and power."
"So why is he avoiding the Yursear kingdom?" Silas asked, his brows furrowed.
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Eva said, rubbing her forehead as she sighed in frustration at the situation, "He is obviously trying to win favor with the commoners, but why the Khymal Empire? There's something very wrong with this whole affair. And I will find out what." Meredith and Silas nodded in agreement, but Silas still felt unsure about the situation. He was not particularly concerned about the conflicts arising for the Yursinean throne, his focus was mainly on finding his family.
"Now that we completed that mission, Eva, will I see my family?" Silas asked, staring forward with a burning gaze, refusing to get his hopes up before he heard the answer directly. Eva was not a woman to back out of her promises, but there was a chance she could still change her mind after the incident with Duke Godfreed. Tightening his grip on his dress, he looked up expectantly.
Hearing his question, Eva turned to Silas and said, "Arrangements have been made. We will stop at the meeting location with you before we travel through the border. They are waiting there, expecting you to come." Her gaze hardened as she added, "We can't have you taking off before the end of the mission."
Silas could only nod his head, feeling his happiness overtake him as he smiled, bowing lightly, "Thank you, Eva."
The twins were already grown, now eighteen years old. Part of Silas regretted not seeing them grow up and not being there to support his mother in raising them. After ten years, it made Silas wonder if they would still remember him like he did them. They would wonder, too, where Emmeline was. His chest felt dull and painful at the thought of explaining it, that she had died of illness four years ago. Would they forget her too like they had him?
No, Maeir would not allow that to happen, Silas closed his eyes, silencing his whirling thoughts as they came, relaxing his mind once more as he focused on the future reunion with his family. Meredith, resting next to Silas, looked at his nephew with a thoughtful glance when he then turned to Eva, who was staring out the back of the carriage, her eyes lost in thought as she returned her gaze forward, meeting Meredith's head on.
"Thank you." Meredith said, smiling slightly.
With her elbow resting on the window sill in the carriage, her fisted hand resting lightly under her chin, Eva turned her head slightly to face Meredith, "There's no need to thank me, Meredith. This was a transaction, not a favor." Eva looked away, but not before Meredith caught a small, sad smile flash on Eva's lips as she stared at Silas's reserved, but excited expression. Meredith nodded, but a small smile grew on his lips too as he felt a sense of peace he had not felt in a long time.
The simple wooden cart moved forward at a slow pace, but to the riders inside, it felt as if they were flying in the right direction of what seemed to be a never ending maze for Silas. It was as if the cover over his eyes had finally been lifted, and that he could begin his journey forward again towards what remained of his village, and what remained in his memories between him and Emmeline.
The positive view of what was to come kept their spirits up, taking them to the Khymalian border within a few short days, bringing them closer to the reunion that Silas had been anxiously awaiting for over ten years. Wearing their autumn jackets and armored pants to block out the fresh chill of the autumn weather, they approached the outskirts of a small town named Aditi, resting near the eastern front. This is the town where Silas's family had been hidden away, and this is where Silas would be able to reunite with his family.
As Silas closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp autumn air, he thought of his family. Though he had not seen them in ten years, it felt like it had only been days since he last saw them.
Finally, the wait was over.
…
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Spellcheck, stop correcting my made up names please. I promise they're correct.... Thank you all for your patience! I figured that we'd just post this morning than rush it out last night without editing it all the way. It's about eight pages of material so it was a bit of a chunky boy here. As you now can see, THIS is what Hunny and I have been waiting for! The hunt, the Malcolm appearance, the Theo lovestory bit, and even the Silence fanship meet up.... ah, my heart >y<
Also, my friends, please play South Park: Fractured But Whole. Love it, but my God I was not ready for the Craig x Tweek thing! Neko, I should have listened to you TT^TT Absolutely wild. Bonus, you collect yaoi??? I played this in front of my mom, and thankfully not at the flashy parts, but LOL I just about died inside at some parts. Play it alone.
Update for next week is iffy, as I'm going to be in meetings all next week and we're officially moving into our new house! I live at work right now, but now I'll be able to return home more often :D Looking forward to it ;u; Thank you for reading, and we will be asking for your patience in the future ;; ♥