"Why were you targeting him?"
The butler, with his head dangling to the side, grimaced at the noise. It echoed in his head like a million bells. It was agonizing, but compared to what he had just been put through it was nothing.
The small room he was locked in was in the deepest part of the castle. It's hallways unknown to even the servants. His new "home" was a small room no bigger than a square. There were no windows and no furniture. Just a bloodied ground and strands of iron chains hanging from the ceiling. The only entrance was a single iron door that was not only locked, but infused with magical incantations that required a Royal magician to unlock them.
His eyes were hazy as he let his body collapse. The chains halting his descent, rubbed together creating a screeching noise that sounded like a bird that was being eaten by a cat.
Blood flowed from his open wounds and onto the ground to the point where a small pond of blood was being formed underneath him. The stench of fresh blood mixed with decaying bodies in the corner was enough to make any sane person gag, but the six figures standing silently in the darkness did not care.
The butler let out a choked laugh. He had already accepted fate. A few drops of blood fell onto the floor, "Hahh," he took a pained breath, "Why do you think?" He tried to smirk, but his lips quivered and soon he was frowning once more.
The King frowned and walked over to the intruder. He gazed down at him for a moment before reaching for the hilt of the sword that was embedded into the intruder's leg. With a hard yank he ripped the sword out, but he didn't stop there. With a demented smile he plunged the sword back in and began to twist it. Enjoying the screams that came from the intruder's mouth.
The King leaned in, "Still not going to talk? It's a simple question. You infiltrated not knowing that the Frenzel family was making a visit. So your original target was not him, but you still went after him. Why?" He lifted the sword, "Why." He brought down the sword piercing the intruder's leg, "Did." He lifted it again and aimed to the spot next to his injury. "You." the crunch of a bone echoed throughout the room, "Target." Another squelch of blood fell to the floor like a waterfall, "Him?" the intruder twitched. His mouth was wide open and his eyes were almost rolled completely back. His leg that was ruthlessly being pierced by the sword lay detached on the ground in front of him.
The King clicked his teeth when the intruder still refused to respond. He held up his sword and brought it down to the other leg. The squelching of flesh being ripped open landed on deaf ears. The intruder, already far gone in pain, opened his mouth in a silent cry. When the sword hit the hard bone in his leg, the intruder panicked and relented.
"Wait! Stop! Cough…I'll tell you…I'll talk…." He took ragged breaths. His voice came out hysterically as he glanced at his one intact leg and then the detached one. Tears welled up in his eyes and he shook his head to the side, his eyes wide with fear, but th eKing saw a glint of something unknown flash in the others eyes.
The King pulled out the sword with narrowed eyes and waited for the intruder to speak, but instead the intruder began to laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" Sean who had been silent during the entire interrogation, scrunched up his nose in disgust. His eyes were hardened as he gazed at the crazed intruder. The King glanced back at him with only slight approval.
The intruder lifted his head up and his face once lost in a fit of fear and denial went eerily still. He gazed at the King and the Princes with a calm face, gathering the others' attention. His lips twitched into a mocking smirk, "You should have kept him…a secre-t, but…cough-now we know…and there's nothing-gasp…you can do…to stop…us…" The intruder's eyes were calm as he spoke and with a smile on his lips he twitched one last time and his eyes rolled to one side. His body lay limp as he took his last breath.
The King, narrowing his eyes, made his way over to the intruder and pried his mouth open. There on his tongue lay a small circle that was slowly dissolving into his mouth. With a scowl he ripped the tongue out and threw it on the ground. The twins were quick to act and with great precision dried off the tongue, stopping the circle from vanishing.
"Ran, Rael."
Ran and Rael both perked up. Their eyes were wide with hope, but their bodies were slightly curled into one another.
"Take the tongue to the Royal Magician. Tell him to find out what type of spell that is and have his magicians figure out a counter spell. I don't want my guests to be dying on me before I say so."
Ran and Rael nodded their heads like little chickens and ran out the room as fast they could.
Lucain waited for the door to slam behind the two before speaking up, "Father."
The King didn't respond. He took a cloth from his pocket and started to clean his sword. The cloth was immediately dyed a dark red.
Lucian hesitated for a moment. He watched as the deep red seeped into the once white cloth like a predator devouring its prey. He glanced at his fathers calm face and thought for a moment before laying his plan in action. "From what Irina has told us, the intruder used her and went after Aether." Lucain spoke slowly and carefully, watching his fathers every move. When his father didn't show any signs of wanting him to shut up he gained some confidence and continued.
"Yet he didn't know that Aether was going to be here. So his first target must have been Irina." Lucian was only stating the facts that were already known, but his father glanced at him, silently urging him to continue on with his thoughts.
"Why does that matter?" Sean spoke up, confused on why his brother was stating the obvious.
Lucian smirked at his brother's simple mindedness, "Because that means the intruder was sent after the Royal family. Aether was just an additional opportunity that happened to present itself."
Their father nodded along with Lucian's reasoning. "So, why did the intruder focus on Irina at first, but then change to Aether?"
Lucian thought long and hard about his fathers question. He had a couple of ideas, but none of them seemed to add up. Why would the intruder target the weakest member of their family? Usually it would be for ransom, but this family didn't care about Irina, so holding her hostage was a useless endeavor. So the intruder had to have had a different motive. What it was though, was a mystery to Lucian. The other issue was Aether. Why would the intruder switch targets on a whim? It didn't seem like a sane idea. If the intruder were to return with the wrong person, the person in control of the entire operation would surely be mad.
Lucian had to be careful with his next words. He couldn't openly say the answer, but perhaps he could hint at potentially knowing it. With that thought in mind he opened his mouth, but before he could even voice a syllable the silent brother spoke up.
"Irina was an easy target to manipulate. He went after her because she could be sent back to us after being brainwashed. " Nox's eyes were lowered as he spoke, his eyes focusing on the blood that was slowly seeping towards him.
The King turned to him. His eyebrows raised. Interesting. It was rare for his third to speak, let alone join in on conversations. He smirked, "Correct."
Sean sneered and Lucian simmered in rage.
"Go on." The King gestured.
Nox finally looked up at the King. His eyes were devoid of any life as he spoke, "The intruder most likely changed his target to Aether because he found something…interesting about him." Nox's voice drew on as he spoke, as if he were bored of such conversations.
The King ignored the obvious disinterested tone and eyed his third son. It was unusual for Nox to talk, let alone participate in such events. The King paused for a moment. Could it be that he is interested in the youngest Frenzel? Or was there something else?
"What could be so interesting about him?" Sean mumbled under his breath, but in a room that was devoid of life it was easy to hear.
Nox glanced over at his brother as if he were looking at an idiot. "Because he is intelligent, but has no abilities." He stated the facts as if it were common knowledge.
"What?" Lucian and Sean yelled at the same time. Their heads snapped towards Nox. A look of disbelief on their faces.
"You're joking."
"That can't be right."
The two said at the same time. They looked at one another in understanding and then turned to address their father, but the King stayed silent.
Lucian paled. "So it's true? The youngest Frenzel doesn't have any abilities?" He whispered, not believing the words that he was saying. "If that's the case then I can see why the intruder would go after him. An easy target that is intelligent. It's a win no matter what."
"I knew that there was something off about him. I mean why wouldn't he demonstrate the shield theory if he was the one to solve it." Sean crossed his arms, a twisted look on his face. He couldn't help but shiver at the thought that someone so vulnerable was sitting right across from him.
"Why." The temperature in the dungeon seemed to drop. The princes flinched and lowered their heads. "Are you so calm?" The King's gaze was sharp and cold. The Princes didn't dare stare at their father when he was like this. They could only tremble in place and wait for his anger to subside.
"It seems you understand the gravity of the situation and yet you talk as if it means nothing." their father spat out. "Aether Frenzel is an asset to us. His intelligence is beyond anything that the world has ever come across. A gift like that should not be handed over to the neighboring Kingdoms so willingly." He turned to face them, the sword in his hand glistening in the darkness.
"And yet, he was almost coaxed to follow the enemy." The King let out a coarse laugh, "While all of you were playing, the enemy was making its move. Were you even trying to find him!"
The princes flinched once more, all falling to their knees at the oppressing aura that surrounded them.
"You two." he stopped in front of Lucian and Sean, "Was it so important to prove you were better than Leon Frenzel that you lost sight of the original goal?" Lucian and Sean both visibly trembled under their fathers presence. The King took a step towards Lucian. "Was it so important to prove that you were better than your brothers that you left the trail you were following and went after your brother instead?"
Lucian's head snapped up, "I apolo-"
"No!" Lucian's face smashed into the ground. A small trail of blood flowed from his forehead.
"I do not want to hear your useless excuses! Your judgment has been clouded by your greed for the throne. Perhaps a lesson is in need."
"Father! Please!"
Lucian pleaded, but the King was already walking away from him. Lucian's punishment had already been locked and secured and there was nothing he could do to avoid it.
The King stopped in front of Nox.
His third son had always been an enigma to him. He was quiet, but calm. His gaze, though devoid of life, was more calculating than any of his other sons and a part of him hoped he would be the one to take the lead when the succession started, but that wasn't the case.
Nox was the only one of his sons that wanted nothing to do with his throne. Instead of attending political gatherings and balls, he hid in his room until it was over. Instead of making friends when attending the Royal Academy, he kept to himself and watched from afar.
To say it was disappointing was an understatement, but he only had himself to blame. He should have kept a closer eye on Nox when he was younger. A lapse in judgment on his end. One that he had yet to fix, but maybe, just maybe, he might have a chance to correct his little error.
Nox had willingly spoken to him. Not just once, but a few times and every time he opened his mouth, the words he spoke made him more surprised.
Was his third son always this observant? Had he missed something? Or was this all part of her little plan. He clicked his tongue.
"What were you doing in the garden?" it was something he had been meaning to ask. While his other sons had been running around playing in the mansion, his third son had gone to the garden.
At first it seemed like a foolish move, but the more he thought about it the more he thought it was strange.
Erik Frenzel had specifically stated that his youngest was in the garden. The information was irrelevant and if he remembered correctly his sons were nowhere near him when this information was conveyed. So why did Nox go to the garden?
Nox calmly met his gaze, "The intruder could have only met Aether yesterday evening." He started. The other Princes, terrified, gave Nox a complicated gaze.
"But, he couldn't have met Aether while he was with his family because they would have noticed that something was amiss and you have to take into consideration that he wasn't originally after Aether, but Irina."
The King's gaze narrowed. The small bits of information were all beginning to connect.
"Irina likes to play in the garden by herself and Aether was sent to the garden with his brother Leon. During that time, the palace guards were still looking for the intruder. They might have even gone to ask Leon Frenzel for help, but in doing so they left a small opening for the intruder to make contact with Aether."
The King smiled. "How did you know Aether was in the garden?"
At this Nox stayed silent. The King expected his son to respond, but to his disappointment, Nox reverted back to his old self.
The King sneered, but did not lash out.
Nox most likely knew that he gave up too much information and decided that the best course of action was to remain silent. It was a smart move, but one done too late. An idea, a small silly idea was coming forth in the King's mind. It was laughable, really, but one he could not ignore. Without another word he turned on his heel and made his way to the door.
It seems he will have to be paying a little more attention to his third son.