Chapter 2
Laxintria, mena, royal palace
William stood before the bedroom door. The servants were scurrying around , frightened by Gregory. On his way, one finally managed to squak out where his Majesty was residing at the moment.
'I should knock.' He sighed. He really didn't want to, but as a friend of Gregory and vassal of a king, he had to deal with His Majesty's internal ….demons. He raised his gloved hand and tapped the door thrice. Only silence answered him. Frustrated he raised his hand once more , but there was, finally a low growl of an answer from inside.
'' Come on in. ''
Rubbing his eye, he took a deep breath and pushed the door, gently closing it behind him.
Gregory was lying down on the bed. The curtains were drawn and the room was dark mostly with a sliver of light peeking from in between.
'' You are not worse off than the kids. '' said William , sitting on a chair by the small table ,facing the bed of the king.
Gregory raised his head to glare at him.
'' Take it as a murderer's guilt . '' He growled at his vassal.
'' You are not a murderer, if anything , their parents are. They raised those children and then sent them like a cattle to be slaughtered.''
'' And it was not them that ordered their heads be cut off. ''
'' You are right. You did. '' William said. '' and it was what your father would have done had he been alive. It was in fact what your grandfather would have done too. But it would have been much more painful, with torture in between, just to show the dickless kings , where their standing was . ''
'' I am not them. I promised myself that I wouldn't be Lexis the Strict. That I wouldn't be Garold The Cruel. ''
'' But you aren't. '' answered William. '' None of them were challenged as you were. Garold was cruel because he loved torturing the criminals and , Lexis was strict because he had a stick up his ass. ''
Gregory laughed , probably for the first time after the passing of his father and ascending the throne.
'' People of Laxintria would be horrified to learn, just what their kings were up to . '' He stood up from the bed.
'' Well, they do love to make the kings into saints. '' William nodded.
'' The Head of priests wants a meeting, by the way. '' he added as he picked up an apple on the table .
Gregory rolled his shoulders, as he also took a seat before him.
'' I know. After this, the kingdoms will probably send peace offerings, hostages , whom I will have to protect from them. '' The king growled. '' And they will use The High Priest as a mediator. I will have to find out if she is actually with them, with me, or neutral. ''
'' Yes. You will have to. '' William nodded. '' But I think The High Priest is neutral. She is probably very much aware of their schemes, but wants nothing to do with it, because then she will have to sacrifice her priests as weapons for every kingdom. Or choose one kingdom and risk it all.''
Gregory nodded, sipping at the sweet wine.
'' I will have to convince her , that I am the one she should trust. ''
'' Well,'' captain of guards grinned at him ,'' you will finally have to charm a lady.''
Gregory sneered at him with a look of disgust.
Cathedral city , Asum
'' Mother Tavad '', called a priest, running in the library head first, almost tripping over his robes. The head of Priests frowned , as she looked up from the scrolls she had been studying.
The priest bowed his head in respect, and panted ,slightly out of his breath.
'' There was an answer from the king of Laxintria, his highness, Gregory the Third. '' he said , slightly trembling. 'From excitement or fear?' Wondered Tavad as she tried to look as indifferent as possible.
'' He agreed to the audience and has invited you to the Capitol of Laxintria, Mena. ''
Tavad frowned. She had wanted to call him over to the cathedral city she had been governing , but he probably thought what she was thinking now.
None of them knew, whose side the other was on. 'Well', she thought, 'as the Head Mother of Priests, and the servant of the Sun, I should probably take a leap of faith.'
Smirking , she nodded to herself . And then addressed the trembling priest in front of her.
'' Alright, Petrucio, send him an answer that we will be there , in two weeks time.''
' I will have to meet with the others first to know what they want and how we can negotiate with His Majesty, King of Laxintria.' She smiled.' It seems he is not a fool like his father was. It would be a shame to see Laxintria crumble, since it is so favored by the Sun. '
She rubbed thoughtlessly at the symbol of the sun on her inner wrist, bright red .
'Hopefully ,he favors the Sun as well.' She thought to herself.
Another priest, dressed in the white and golden robes, , the dress robes of an air priest rushed in without knocking. Tavad glared. Did no one knock on the doors anymore? They were there for a reason for Sun's sake!
'' Y…Your E..eminence, '' mumbled the priest, '' The King of the kingdom of Vergi is here . '' he yelped in a rush, cowering under the weight of her scornful gaze.
Tavad was an imposing figure, tall , with grey long hair, muscled with the brutal training she had endured before becoming a priest . Marcus wanted for the earth to open and for the Deki to swallow him whole . He eyed Petrucio, her favorite for help, but Petrucio was also looking at Tavad.
The favored daughter of Sun rose up from her chair, rolling up the scroll gently and binding it.
'' I will be in the receiving room in a second , you should make sure his highness is comfortable. '' she ordered , and frowned when the priest rushed out after nodding just as fast as he had rushed in.
Decorum. Yes. She would have to make them train harder in that.
She looked at Petrucio, and he nodded, also excusing himself, bowing and silently slipping out, leaving her to collect herself before she had to meet with Regad. The first son of Ariana and Leopold, and the murderer of his parents, and his little brother.
Regad had sent his little brother to his certain death in Laxantria. Tavad wondered if he also wanted to send his sister, Monique to the same fate.
' well,' she said to herself. ' if I have any say in this, there will not be any more blood shed than necessary.'
Her goal was to unite the kingdoms. Since none of them wanted peace, she had to force them into it , and the best bet was to make Laxintria the center of it all.
Dusting her crimson robes , she headed towards the receiving room.
' Time to face the bloody king.' She smirked.
As she passed the hall, nodding to the priests on her way , she thought, what the little boy she knew grew into that he was forced to become so cruel.
Facing the door, she looked at Petrucio , already at attention, as he opened the door for her.
There with his back to her, sat Regad.
'' Your Highness,'' she said , going in the room and around the wooden chair he sat on.
'' I see you are well , Mother Priestess Tavad .'' Tavad smiled at the beautiful face of Regad. Dark green eyes , fathomless and blank stared at her.
'' I heard the unfortunate news of your brother, Gon. '' she said sighing as she sat down, adjusting her crimson robes.
'' Yes, we are all in mourning.'' Regad nodded, not a flicker of discomfort or pain on his face or in his voice. He was at least wearing purple, the color of mourning in Vergi, Tavad acknowledged.
'' I see. '' The Mother Priestess canted her head. She didn't want to ask why Gon died the horrible death or why the current king seemed quite unconcerned about the war that was sure to come if he continued with his stupidity.
'' Laxintria's King, Gregory, surely , wants war.'' Regad broke the silence.'' But I do not, and so I plan on sending my sister, Princess Monique, to marry him. '' He smiled at her , and it was all she could do to not to growl . But she tightened her mouth in a semblance of a smile as well.
'' That… should be discussed first with the princess…no?'' she asked, a slight frown forming on her forehead.
'' She agrees.'' The king answered coldly, sipping at the tea , provided by Marcus.
'' And you have come to me because?'' Tavad asked, raising an eyebrow at him.'' I do not want to be involved in two kingdoms struggles, my priests and the cathedral city of Asun are mine to protect. ''
'' I heard that you will hold audience with Gregory…ah…his Majesty , king of Laxintria.'' He said softly ,
'' And I want you to convince him to accept our offer. ''
Tavad took few slow, deep breaths to relieve some tension that was building up in her chest.
'' Why do you think he will agree to me and not your delegators? '' she said crossing her leg over the other.
'' I hope that your benevolence and kindness, will guide him into the correct direction, and you will help him decide what is best for the peace to be maintained.'' Regad bowed his head slightly ,looking up at her from beneath his traitorous lashes, slight mock heard in his voice.
She smirked .
'' I see. So you do not wish for war, even after the events that occurred ?'' The Priestess of the Sun asked.
'' I am a king, and I have to think about my people. As a brother I am in mourning , as a king , I know, if Laxintria decides to attack my kingdom, we would be powerless against them.''
'do you now?' she scoffed to herself. But outwardly, she rubbed her index finger against her chin as if contemplating .
'' I will do as you wish.'' She said.
'' However, I would like to talk to Princess Monique first and I want her to accompany me on my trip to Mena. ''
Regad curled his lip.
'' Is it necessary for you to hear her opinion?'' he asked.
Tavad glared at the King for the first time. Fiercely.
'' It is indeed. Your. Highness. ''
Regad's nostrils flared in annoyance at the Tavad's show of defiance. ' you probably want to run me through, like you run your mother through , you little bastard.' Tavad seethed.
'' Alright. '' he growled out in the end. '' I will see to it that my sister come see you in a week's time.''
Tavad smiled at him in satisfaction.
'' Very good. I wish you health and long reign , your Majesty.'' Slightly bowing her head she exited the room without looking back.
'I hope you die soon, you pitiful monster.' Was her last thought as she headed back to library to relax.
All of this was giving her a headache and she needed to plan well, to protect Monique .