"You did quite a number on them!" Commander Roric laughed, but then gave the head in my arms an uneasy look as I reached out to hand him it.
"Put the head in a jar, and then take it to wherever my quarters will be," I instructed, and Roric waved for one of his men to take the head from me.
"PUT ME DOWN!" The head of Marcus started to scream, and the knight dropped him onto the dirty stone ground. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"
"I suggest you cut off an ear or nose if he keeps complaining," I said and used my foot to kick the head back into the knight's arms, making him fumble the head around to catch it before I returned my equipment to my inventory.
The moment I did, and my well-dressed form appeared, the atmosphere around me instantly changed. Everyone seemed to be shocked that I was hiding under the armor, or maybe it had been how I removed it. Regardless of what it was, I didn't have time for this and clapped my hands twice, snapping everyone out of their stares.
"Can you take me to the king now?" I asked politely, and Roric nodded, snapping back to attention.
"Certainly, Prince Gideon. Please, follow me," Roric said, his manners befitting of one serving his kingdom with pride. He turned on his heel and motioned for me to accompany him as he led me through the labyrinthine corridors of the Jagar stronghold.
We traversed the stone passages quickly, the urgent echo of our footsteps a stark reminder of the imminent peril outside the city walls. The tension within the walls was palpable; every face we passed bore a look of grave concern interspersed with flickers of hope upon recognizing me.
Upon reaching the king's war room, Commander Roric pushed open the heavy doors. Inside, the room buzzed with a quiet intensity. Maps covered tables and walls, each one swarming with markers and notes.
King Michael Jagar looked up from his consultations, his seasoned eyes meeting mine. Recognition flashed across his face, followed by a measure of relief.
"You must be Prince Gideon," the king greeted, extending his hand. The grip was firm, belying the anxiety I knew plagued his mind. "Your arrival is most timely. We have much to discuss."
"Yes, things are much worse than I could have imagined," I said as I followed him over to the large map of the city in the center of the table. It showed all the city's defenses and had markers for all the men lining the walls. "Have you found anything that works against them?"
"If you are asking if we have anything like that explosion that you caused, then no. We have even tried having the few mage classes try to attack them, but they have more mages than we do. Each spell our mages cast is countered before they can do any damage. Even if they could, I don't know what it might do," The king said in a defeated tone but then waved for me to follow him.
Together, the king and I left the room and guided me down the halls to a room that I assumed was his private study. Once we were inside, and sitting down alone, the king let out a long sigh. "There is now getting out of this, is there?" He asked and then reached for a bottle on the table between us.
I shook my head solemnly. "It's not looking good, Your Majesty. Whatever force is driving my father's army, it's unlike anything I've ever encountered. Their numbers seem endless, and conventional tactics aren't making a dent."
King Michael poured us both a drink, a strong, clear liquor that promised a brief respite from our worries. I accepted the glass, letting the fiery liquid warm me against the chill of encroaching doom.
"To be honest, I have tasked one of the surviving scouts to keep me apprised of your father's progress as well as anything unnatural occurring within his ranks. What you did today—engaging the enemy directly and returning with... that head—it's given us more information than anything else we've tried," the king admitted, gesturing vaguely towards where Marcus's head had been taken.
I took a sip from my glass and nodded. "I needed to see for myself. Plus, I believe that the head could be key in figuring out how to counter whatever magic or power is behind this. But that's something for after this discussion. Right now, we need to talk about reinforcements, countermeasures, and..." I paused, looking the king directly in the eye, "...about Princess Lilliana."
King Michael matched my gaze with an intensity born of desperation. "Lilliana is headstrong," he started, "and I don't think she understands just how grave our situation is right now. I am sorry, my Prince, but I do not think that she will be very welcoming. As I am sure you know, this was forced upon her, just as much as it was you, but she is… stubborn and fiercely independent. She won't see this as a rescue or an alliance but as an imposition, a theft of her agency."
I understood his trepidation and was reminded of Marcella's initial perception of our engagement. "I'll speak with her," I said, setting my glass down carefully. "But let me be very clear here. I am not here for games. As you said, this was pushed on us both, but I came here to save what I could. Considering the situation, that would be you and your close family. While I will look at how I can help the city, my main goal is getting you all out of the city and off this continent. Not only that but since my father has clearly gone mad, I also need to retrieve my own family."
Everything since seeing my father's red eyes and the woman who was not my mother beside him, I had a cold feeling inside. Where were my mother and siblings?
With a long sigh, the king poured both of us another drink, but then stood up with it and walked over to the window. "I don't want you to worry about me and the boys. I have talked to them all, and they are all ready to stand by my side until the end. I only want you to get my daughter to safety."
I snorted. Yeah, I am sure that the strong-headed girl was going to just leave her dear old father to die. I hadn't even met the princess yet, but I had already formed a pretty good image of her. Tomboy, with a fiery temper, not one to back down from a fight—she was a warrior through and through. Nothing in her character suggested that she would abandon her family or her people without a struggle.
"I understand your wish to stand with your sons," I said, respecting the king's decision though it weighed heavy on my heart. "As for Princess Lilliana, I will do everything in my power to ensure her safety, but convincing her to leave with me won't be easy."
King Michael turned from the window, his eyes weary but resolved. "She will listen to reason if it's presented right. She's headstrong, but she's also smart and deeply cares for this kingdom. Just... don't underestimate her."
There was a sense of finality in his words, a silent admission that he was preparing for the worst. It pained me to think of leaving anyone behind, but I couldn't force them to abandon their duty any more than I could ignore my own.
My thoughts returned to the mission at hand—to hold fast against the darkness, to save who I could, to somehow turn the tide against an unstoppable army. With a plan that was more of a hope, and armed with knowledge yet to be understood, I rose to take my leave from the king.
"I'll talk to Princess Lilliana," I affirmed. "But first, I need to study the head of Marcus. There are answers there somewhere, and I'm determined to find them."
King Michael nodded, a ghost of gratitude passing across his face. "Thank you, Prince Gideon. May the gods be with you in this."
"And also with you," I replied, taking my departure, the weight of countless lives pressing ever heavier on my journey ahead.