"My Prince, My Lord!" the guard interrupted.
Mikhail and his aide glanced up from the list of capitol merchants on the desk.
"A messenger approaches from the Emperor," the guard continued.
Ilya growled in frustration and shook his hand to dismiss the guard.
"That was fast," Ilya complained once the guard had gone out and closed the door. "I knew he wouldn't let a daughter of Eosin go, even so far as to his brother's house. There is time to avoid it still, my Prince. We've already made plans to go to the capitol, we could leave now and-"
"No. I don't believe he's sent for the Princess. The Emperor is patient. This will concern something else entirely. I am certain," Mikhail disagreed, folding the merchant papers and sliding them into the desk drawer. "If it concerns her, however, this may be an opportunity to test whether or not she can actually affect the Krovbonds."
Ilya frowned but nodded and took the seat beside the fireplace. The two men waited in tense silence for the Emperor's messenger to be announced. The footsteps of several heavy booted feet rang in the hall and Mikhail slowly stood and faced the door. The guard knocked twice before entering.
"My Prince, a messenger from the Emperor requires an audience with you immediately," he announced.
Mikhail nodded his approval and a stout, middle-aged man wearing read silks with the Emperor's golden sun seal embroidered on it entered the room and bowed to him. He carried the leather bound folio with the Emperor's embossed seal beneath his arm.
The Prince smirked at the man's show of deference.
"My Prince, Mikhail," the messenger began. "I bring news from his highness,the Emperor. The Duke of Yevin's men were reported to have robbed and burned the village of Chelblade in the Northen Highlands. Rumors are circulating that his forces have moved north and that--"
"Rumors?" Ilya interrupted. "I would bet my wage that is all they are. The Duke of Yevin has allies in Frem and Dolfeen in the south. We know he gets supplies from them. It would be a foolhardy move on his part to take his army north. They'd starve!"
"We have several statements from those who witnessed the attack that-"
"This isn't the first time a group of random bandits have attacked a village, and the survivors have sworn up and down the Duke of Yevin was behind it," Ilya interrupted again.
Prince Mikhail sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I see that you've come with the Emperor's command. Go on then," he ordered.
The messenger turned to glare at Ilya, but then did as he was told and broke the seal to open the Emperor's orders.
"Emperor Grigori the Third of Unaria to his brother Prince Mikhail, Duke of Bludston, High Commander of the army: Hear these my words and command," the messenger intoned. Mikhail clenched and unclenched his fist. His hands and fingers burned as though his blood was slowly turning to acid. Already, the fire was spreading up his arm.
"You will ride with a troop of your men to Chelbade in the North and find the perpetrators that caused the devastation there . You must determine if the Duke of Yevin has moved his army to the Highlands. We do not require prisoners. Once you have the information we desire, kill any person who has turned their blade against our Empire," the messenger read.
The fire raced through his veins, and for a moment, all thoughts were burned from his mind except the desire to ride at once to Chelblade and slaughter the men who had dared to attack the Empire. Mikhail took a few deep breaths to slow the beating of his heart.
"The Emperor's words are my only will," the Prince growled.
"Good," the messenger nodded and tucked the orders beneath his arm again. "You must ride at once. It has already been three days since we received word from Chelblade."
"You may assure the Emperor that I will ride out this very night. Go with my men. They will see to it that you are given food and a comfortable place to rest," Mikhail dismissed him.
The messenger shot another dark look at Ilya before bowing to the Prince and following the guard from the room. When the door closed behind him, Ilya leapt to his feet and began pacing.
"What do you think he means by it?" Ilya asked.
Mikhail gave no reply.
"Because I find it hard to swallow that the Emperor believes that the Duke of Yevin could have crossed the entire Empire of Unaria to attack Chelblade without anyone noticing that sort of movement," Ilya continued.
Mikhail rubbed his forehead, which throbbed painfully, and would continue to do so until he set out. He could make no reply that was contrary to the Emperor's order, and Ilya knew it well.
"He has other generals he could send for such a minor thing. It's at least a week's ride in good weather to reach the highlands and a few days more to Chelblade, and you're to take your own men, meaning that Bludston will lack any sort of defense. I shouldn't be surprised if the Princess is gone by the time we return. They will say she escaped, no doubt and--"
"Be still and let me think!" Mikhail snapped. Thinking was now almost an impossible task. His head continued to throb painfully, with every beat of his heart the thought that he must get to Chelblade repeated in his head, washing out every other image and notion. Every idea that began to form was swept away before he could concentrate on it.
Every thought... except for the Princess. This had happened before. For some reason, if he envisioned the Princess, even after being given an order, he could see her face clearly and hold onto it, even with that painful, throbbing order commanding his actions.
Mikhail closed his eyes. The Princess glared at him reproachfully from the ground.
"I am humiliated! I am appalled!" she accused, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
Where would she be safe? He could not at first make a coherent plan, but he could envision her in different places.
After several long minutes, he opened his eyes.
"You will stay when I ride out," he ordered Ilya. "In two nights time, take the Princess and a few servants, and ride north to Pirchburg. Leave the Vezdan girl in her place. Wait for me there."
Ilya scowled.
"How am I to convince the Princess to ride to Pirchburg with me?" Ilya scoffed.
"I don't care! Think of some reason... something... anything. I don't care if you tie her up and throw her across your saddle, only bring her there," Mikhail demanded.
"And the Vezdan girl knows what you expect of her?" Ilya asked.
"Yes, yes, I must get my things together now. Send me a hawk when you leave Bludston and one when you arrive in Pirchburg," Mikhail ordered.
"The Prince's words are my only will," Ilya snapped, a dark look on his face.
Mikhail strode from the room and ordered the guards to rouse the men before heading to the stables. He would send his valet to pack once he gave orders to the armory. He stopped at the top of the stairs and glanced down the darkened hallway that led to the Princess's rooms.
She would likely be suspicious of any motive Ilya gave, and rightly so. She would be angry, and it would further destroy his attempt to build a small amount of trust, but she would be safe in Pirchburg for the time being, and that was enough.
Mikhail led his horse down the drive, turning his back to Bludston Manor. The moon was high overhead, and behind him he could hear the jangle and clang of armor as his men followed. The rumor that the Duke of Yevin's men were waiting for them in the Highlands had already spread through the barracks, and he knew from the faces of his soldiers that they were tired. Many of them had only returned from war for the first time in years, and now they were on the road again.
The Duke of Yevin was no small threat either. He had benefited immensely from the Empire's war with Vezda. While the majority of the Empire's soldiers were on the warfront, the Duke of Yevin had grown his following and attacked without fear of retaliation. That would change now that the war was over. The Duke would become the Emperor's new focus.
Mikhail was perhaps the only soldier in the troop that rode toward Chelblade who was entirely certain that they would not encounter the Duke of Yevin or his men in the Highlands. He knew exactly where the Duke of Yevin's men were encamped, and it stood to reason, that if he knew it, the Emperor knew it as well. His brother was up to something.
Mikhail turned back to cast a final glance at Bludston Hall. Two nights was perhaps too long to leave the Princess undefended, but he trusted his knowledge of the Emperor's behavior. If his plan was to strike and take the girl, then he would surely wait until Mikhail was much farther than two days ride. No, she would be safe, he assured himself.