1.2 CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE DUKE'S PLAN
Lucian stood up from the bed he had shared with his bride, Karme. The blanket that was covering him fell to his waist. As it did, a soft whimper sounded next to him. He looked down at his side and saw Karme's exposed body. Quickly and gently as he could, he covered her with the blanket once more.
He looked around the room. The fire in the fireplace was close to fizzling out. Something had awoken him. But it wasn't the dying fire. He reached for the robe prepared for him and stood up from the bed. He wrapped it around his body as he walked towards the window to check outside.
Just as he was about to pull the curtains back, a knock sounded at the door. He spun around, not granting any permission to the unknown guest, but the door opened. Lucian was quick on his feet. He was at the door in a blink of an eye, blocking anyone who was about to enter.
The mysterious person's eyes widened as his mouth opened in shock. Lucian never gave him any chance to scream as he clamped a hand over the man's mouth. As he looked more closely, the stranger was the knight who came to call him the day of the Regallion.
Dumbfounded, Lucian allowed him to go. The knight cleared his throat to hide that he was surprised at Lucian's quick movements. But he made the wrong move by straying his eyes over the room.
Lucian lifted him by the neck, choking him, and pushed him into the wall.
"Where are those damn eyes looking?" he growled. "In a room, I share with my wife?" his voice low, predatory.
The knight's eyes swelled as he tried to push Lucian away from him. But the stone of a man would not budge even a little bit. He groaned and coughed as the knight commander blocked his air passageway.
"The. . . Duke! The duke. . . sent me. . ." he muttered, gripping Lucian's hands.
Lucian glared at him. His midnight eyes were dark and cold like a storm. "And that is why you are still alive. If not, you would have died on the spot the moment you had opened that door without my permission,"
Lucian removed his fist from around the knight's neck. He dropped to the floor with a thud as he started a coughing fit, trying to supply his lungs with the air Lucian had denied him.
"When you lift that head of yours, your eyes better be closed," Lucian warned. "If not, you won't have eyes to worry about anymore,"
The knight, still on the floor, shivered at the threat in the commander's voice. He saw the man who had defeated monsters far more potent and enormous than him with only a sword.
The duke's knight nodded frantically, fearing that Lucian would do just as he had said. He stood up, his eyes shut close.
"The duke has called for you," the knight stated.
Lucian's brow furrowed. He knew the duke wanted something from him. But to be called on the night of his wedding? He could not think of anything that required so much haste. Lucian looked over his shoulder to see his wife asleep on the bed.
"Tell the duke I will be there," he answered.
"You have to come with me," The knight shook his head, his eyes still closed. "The duke specifically told me to bring you to him. Please, lord Urian, you have to understand. I have only been ordered,"
Lucian closed his eyes at the figure of his wife sleeping so innocently in the bed while the silk blanket they were using wrapped around her sensually. It was apparent with how the cloth hugged her that she was not wearing anything underneath it. He turned back towards the knight, groveling at him. He knew he could not blame him. For he was a mere underling of the duke. But if anything, there was little to no want inside him to leave the room.
Lucian sighed as he started picking up his tunic from the floor where he had thrown them. He made as little noise as possible as he put on his armor to not wake his sleeping wife. After getting ready, Lucian grabbed the knight by his collar and pulled him up.
The younger man yelped. Lucian instantly glared at him. A glare that could turn anyone to stone. So, even though the knight could not see it, he could feel it. He quickly put his hands over his mouth as Lucian pulled him out of the room.
The knight commander was in a bad mood. All he wanted was to be wrapped around the arms of his wife, to be buried in her. Seeing his father-in-law at such an unholy hour was the last thing he wanted to do on his honeymoon.
As the door closed behind them, Lucian let go of the knight he was holding. The younger man straightened up and opened his eyes. He looked around to see if anyone had witnessed him being dragged around. But as expected, no one else was awake.
He was led toward the duke's private library. The younger knight left as soon as Lucian was inside. He bowed his head in greetings to his new father-in-law. The duke was sitting on his desk that Lucian suspected was made of Gari(1) wood, a material as expensive and rare as Iloe. He had never had any good views of the duke, but Lucian quickly grasped that the man flaunts his wealth more than the King.
"I hate to interrupt your time with your wife," the duke started, his face far from remorseful. "But I have to send you away, Lucian,"
Lucian made sure his expressions would not change. He steeled himself at the news he had received. He knew the duke needed something from him. But to think it would be to be his replacement in a war the very next day of Lucian's wedding. He finally understood why the duke had rushed all the preparations.
The news of war does not spread at a moment's notice. One would see the enemy troops coming from days away with the power of the royal mage. Yet—the duke had failed to inform Lucian of it until the very last minute. Until he was his son-in-law and would not have the power to decline him.
"To fight what, your highness?" Lucian inquired, his mind whirling with the information. "If we are being attacked, I would have heard of it as well. But as I have not, I am guessing we are the ones doing the attacking?"
The duke nodded, pleased that Lucian had quickly caught on to what he was saying. He put his arms up on the table and rested his chin on the back of his palms.
"Have you heard of the 'Walker'?" the duke asked.
Lucian stared at him. He could see that the duke could barely hold in his gloating at getting one over the famous knight commander. But Lucian refused to succumb to the duke's lawlessness. As much as he hated him, Lucian treasured the wife he had gained from him.
"I have heard of them," Lucian answered. "Every single member of their clan has their own abilities. They are quite famous for being a thoroughbred of mages. Not only that, but their martial art techniques are on a different level than others,"
The duke agreed. And with a smirk he tried to hide beneath his palms, he announced; "As an envoy of this family, the Sagma knights, with you as their commander, shall march to a war against them,"