"What!" Prince said falling back.
Before he could react, Weisheng had his blade raised to the tip of Prince's chin.
"You think I don't see the way you look at each other I know exactly what's going on here." Weisheng said.
"Big brother Please!" Ying cried
"Listen, normally I would challenge you to a duel or deal with you in some other matter, but time is short, I must return to the capital" Weisheng said.
"What is it your talking about" Prince said.
"I'm only going to say this once," Weisheng said. "I am no fool, I see the way you two look at each other, whatever romance is going on between you ends here! She is engaged! Do I make myself clear!" Weisheng groaned.
"When it comes to business he's such a laid back guy but when it comes to his sister he goes completely insane!" Prince thought. "I have to remember to be weary of that!"
"Absolutely," Prince said dropping his hands
"Good" Weisheng said. "Ying, Lei, we leave at once, there will be no more goodbyes."
Wei placed his hand on Yings back shoving her out of the room and within moments they were gone.
"We don't have much time to spare either," Duke said. "Gather your men and meet me outside."
"Very well" Prince answered
"Wait, we are going to war?" Marlin exclaimed. Prince had gathered his people and had just finished briefing them.
"Not exactly, we are going to stop a coup" Prince said.
"Why are we helping that bastard Clay!" Jimi growled. "I refuse to protect a man so vile! I say we assist Cassidy!"
"You are free to act of your own accord once we get there," Prince said. "I Machiavelli will be going as a knight to defend the castle" Prince said. "What you do with the Dark Prince is none of my concern."
"You don't mean…" Meri said, clasping her hands together.
"Meri..." Prince said. "About your brother..."
"I don't want to talk about it!" She yelled. "I will just have to conceal myself for now! I don't want to face him!"
"Brother? What is she talking about Prince?" Marlin asked
"Never mind that," Prince said. "Once we arrive, Machiavelli will do one thing and Prince will do another, I have a plan that if you all help me carry out, could make us legends of France."
"Are you all ready?" A short man cried striding into the room. He had a piece of parchment in his hand and handed it to Prince.
"Duke calls you, but before you leave, he wanted you to read this over, so you could know what you are getting into.
Taking a deep breath Prince unrolled the paper, as Marlin Jimi and Meri looked over his shoulder reading its details.
"From your King,
To all Major houses of France,
Spain has declared war upon our great nation. I am calling every Major house to send at least one of their firstborn to battle. If you are one of the Major Dukes I expect that you and your armies to meet me on the border of France and Spain to defend our nation. On your way there will be various military outpost with equipment and information on our enemy. I advise you to reach me as fast as possible.
On the other hand, a great battle is to take place in Toulouse, Clay, one of my archbishops is in need of support, if any of you have spare infantry or influence, please send it there. The armies of the Knives also known as the thieves guilds will be making a major raid on his castle with some treacherous lords who have betrayed Clay. We do not know when they will strike, but we know the time. We have decoded the name of their operation. The major Lords are calling it The Midnight Crusade. Please lend your support to Clay in this dire time, any rumors about his actions will be address after we have secured his castle.
Thank you,
Your King,
Godefroi the Great
All over France Dukes and Bishops read this message and were arranging their plans.
"Heeee?" A fat man said waving around a piece of parchment.
[James Richardson Duke of Bourbon]
"Did you read this?" He said to a colleague of his with a chicken wing dangling from his mouth. His fat stomach was covered in the grease from the pig roast he had just eaten. His colleague looked on in disgust as he went away at his dinner.
"Unfortunately so.." The man said. "I'm not sure if I'm to be a dead man? Or the worlds greatest spy"
[Silvio Son of King Francis of Spain]
"HAhah good one Silvio" James said taking another bite out of his chicken.
"For Christ sake James! Aren't you to be married to that Eastern woman soon? How are you going to fit into your wedding attire!"
"Are you kidding me?" James said. "I only ate 2 swine's and a chicken today! This diet is killing me!"
(Somewhere else in France)
"He, Clay, you went and screwed everything up." A man with a gold chains laughed "Don't you go telling people about the stuff I've got in your door"
[Bishop Frank of Langres]
(In Britanny)
"Well this is getting interesting" A man in a top hat laughed. "I just might lend Cassidy a hand against his uncle"
[Duke of Brittany Phillip III]
(In Normandy)
"Heh Hehahahah!" A large man with a long beared laughed. "Time to get back at Valentene for The conference! Men Lets attack him while his army as it the border! Well use this chance to get even!"
"YEhhhhhhhhhhhh!" His soldiers yelled
[Duke of Normandy Sebastian The Savage]
Meanwhile in the distant land of Guyenne.
"Well what do we do? If we don't get to the border Godefroi will be suspicious but if we don't take this chance to end Clay we will never get the chance again!" An old man with a staff bickered.
"This is true" An orange haired man lamented. "Canderous!" He yelled.
A huge 8 foot tall knight with a large hammer approached the throne kneeling before the two men.
"Yes my lord" He answered.
"Take a small group of men and aid Bishop Clay, However, if the odds turn in the favor of the enemy use every chance to assist Cassidy!" The man ordered.
"Yes sir" He said.
"One more thing." The orange haired man said. "There are two... formidable men who will be at the castle, and under no circumstances are you to engage them, you are to observe them as closely as possible is that understood?"
"Yes sir" The man boomed his deep voice shook the halways as he answered. "Who are they?"
"The first… Is an animal known as Byron the Manslayer…" The orange haired man said
"He... Byron, it's been a while since iI fought him, but per your orders I won't. Who is the other?"
"The second… Is one who is called the Dark Prince"
Canderous looked up at his lord and smiled. "It will be done" He answered.
Canderous got up and left the two men alone.
"How do you know the prince will appear?" The old man asked.
"It is a battle that will determine the future of France, and given going to the Border would be a deathtrap, I'm guessing he will be in Toulouse"
"How can you be so certain?" The old man asked
"Because" The orange haired man replied. "This is where all the major thieves guilds will be. This is where he will once and for all declare himself their leader, this is where All of France will learn of the Dark Prince."
[Duke Valentene de Rose of Guyenne, Duke Gilbert Gellardo of Burgundy]
(Back at Ivan's estate)
"Have you made peace with the message?" Duke asked Prince.
"Yes, I'm ready to go now, there's nothing holding me back."
"Excellent!" Duke exclaimed. "If you're any as good as your father you might return home as the hero of France!"
"Or…" Prince thought as he got into the carriage. "I might return as the villain"
"Mother..."Prince said quietly to himself. "Fate has delivered me to a new place once again."
"From out of the clutches of Wiesheng and Godefroi, into the hear of a Battle being called The Midnight Crusade. What else does fate have in store?"
(in castle in Vertus France)
"Madam Alicia!" A soldier said approaching the Baroness.
"What are your orders following the letter from the King?"
"I have just received a Raven." She said smiling. "You are to march to Toulouse and assist a man by the name of Machiavelli."