[Larkinge Royal Castle]
"She's leaving today?" Rade mumbled as she sluggishly turned to the next page of the document on her table.
"Yes, and as you instructed, we sent sir Faralad Bailefore to accompany her. The Empress' orders are absolute and King Darius will not have any complaints. Although he did think it was unecessary as Agammemnon is already a very heavily guarded territory," Percivale Reginal took his bow and stood formally right in front of her table, however he did look a little worried seeing as she might be... bored with work.
"I trust the Bailefore twins enough to uphold their duty, not only as Knights of the kingdom but as the guardians of the princess. I do feel bad about separating the both of them, but a knight's duty is a knight's responsibility," Rade sighs as she stamped the document.
The empress nervously looked around, the knight immediately sensing her concern.
"D-don't worry, your majesty, we are alone in the room. You can freely express your concerns," Percivale reassured.
"Then," Rade placed the stamp down and fidgeted with her fingers, "Percy... I'm not asking them for too much am I? I'm just worried about Ilya.."
"Ah," Percivale loosened up and his shoulders slumped a little, "Princess, I'm sure they understand your concerns. I can assure you that you're doing very well. Although we can't do much about the D'ettore situation, you do know you have to respect Princess Ildegard's decisions, right?"
"I don't know, Percy," Rade sighed, resting her chin on the table, "I feel like she's hiding something from me. But I can't force it out of her, and I can't make assumptions. I'm the Empress, ruling over all the lands within Larkinge's jurisdiction, yet in moments like these, I feel completely powerless."
Rade felt a hand gently placed over her head, and she let out a few hums as Percy patted her comfortingly, "You forget," Percy said softly, "you're barely twenty years old and already carrying the weight of all this responsibility. You're more than just powerful and if anything happens, Faralad is there. I'd trust him to lead my men without hesitation."
"Thanks, Percy.." Rade smiled then sat up straight.
Percivale returned the smile, "Then I will return to my station, good luck with all the paperwork, your majesty."
When Percivale left the room, another sigh escaped Rade's mouth. She refused to let this hinder her work, and she trusted Ildegard with all her heart. She trusted that she will be fine and take care of herself.
—————◇—————
[Auchendale, Royal Harbor]
Ildegard held the top of her floppy hat. The windy sea was strong enough to blow it away. She looked back at the servants who carried luggage after luggage, and it just hit her how she really won't see Grucaelum for a while.
Escoffier placed a hand on her shoulder. Ildegard turned her head to look up at Escoffier who gazed at the gigantic ship, getting loaded with Ildegard's belongings.
"Let's go shall we?" He lent a hand out which Ildegard accepted.
Her farewell felt hollow, completely covered in lies. She said she'd miss them, but she clearly won't. Her brother.. he didn't want to see her off, and went to Larkinge for his meeting.
She felt relieved to be out of her father's sights, and she also felt scared to face the Imperial family. As someone in alliance with the opposing kingdom, she hasn't set foot in their lands, and yet already sensed the hatred she'd receive.
"Princess, you don't get easily sea sick right?" Escoffier broke her out of her thoughts.
Ildegard shook her head, "Not that I'm aware of."
"Just in case, we will take at least six hours to reach the Port of Mytelona. Tell me when you feel uneasy, even if it's just a little bit."
The princess nodded once, "Yes, thank you for your concern."
When they boarded the ship, Ildegard felt conflicted. The melancholy she felt wasn't from leaving Grucaelum, but from not being able to see her friends for a while. Especially those from Larkinge. Was it alright for her to feel this way? She couldn't wait to leave her father's presence. She didn't feel like missing the people who raised her back in Grucaelum. Her maids, the butlers, even her own brother.
Ildegard felt the ship shake, so she held on to the nearest wall for support. She had to rush outside the deck to watch the ship sail towards the sea. She held on to the taffrail with one hand, leaning forward with her other hand on top of her floppy hat.
She took a deep breath in, relishing the smell of the sea, welcoming it as reminiscence to freedom. At this moment, at least, she could experience how it felt to be free. She wanted it to last.
The ship hit a wave and it bounced up a bit, causing her to reel forward.
"Princess," It was Escoffier, he had his grip around her waist, "Be careful."
Ildegard laughed a little, "Sorry, I was just a little excited."
Escoffier placed her down and sat on a nearby sun lounger, those that were lined up on one side of the main deck. Ildegard followed right beside him.
"Princess," Escoffier started, "Do you remember what King Darius had said yesterday?"
How could Ildegard forget? Leviticus Arion de Virelias. His name was such a handful, but Ildegard was to be wed to this man. She hasn't seen his face, but from what she's heard, he was very good looking. Aside from the good looks, he held immense authority as the next line in the throne. King Darius was after the power, not the happiness of his daughter.
Obviously, she was instructed to please this man so he doesn't get rid of her.
'Ugh, how am I supposed to please a man I don't even like?' Ildegard gently massages her temples, "Yes, and why are you even reminding me, Fier? It's unlike you to be so obedient with Father."
"What? No!" Escoffier crossed his arms, "I just wanted to say that you don't have to please that man. You don't have to force yourself on someone you don't love."
"It's not like I have that choice, Fier," Ildegard sighs and leans back the sun lounger, "If I had such a choice, I would have said no to the engagement. Ah— b-but it's not like I was forced! I mean, ugh.."
"So you were lying about that whole, 'I don't want to judge the crown prince by the rumors'?"
"Of course not, I still think we cannot judge him— not just him, anyone! Just based on rumors. It's just that it scares me okay?" Ildegard cursed her tongue, slipping so carelessly.
Escoffier raised his brow, "You're bei—"
"YOUR HIGHNESS!"
Escoffier quickly got to his feet, "What's the matter?"
"Please, you have to go inside, there has been sighting of a–"
Before he could finish, a loud rumbling sound followed. Then the ship tilted, with Escoffier grabbing Ildegard before she could be put in danger, "Inside the captain's quarters, princess! You'll be safe there!"
"What's going on, Fier?!" Ildegard is guided to the entrance of the ship. Followed after, a large explosion occured, probably from the canons of the ship. Everytime they fired, the ship would shake.
"Most likely a Kraken.. You have to stay here, Princess, okay?"
Before Ildegard could say anymore, Escoffier hurried out of the ship. She was left worrying, holding on to a post since she kept getting thrown around. She couldn't see what was happening outside, but it definitely was not good.
"Escoffier, move back!" Faralad yells out, holding his sword tightly in his hands.
A gigantic tentacle moving swiftly sounds dangerous. Now imagine eight attacking at every direction. Faralad rushed forward to slice off one that headed towards Escoffier's direction. Although, it still regenerated at an incredible speed.
Escoffier had conjured a magical shield in front of the knights on board, "I need you to buy me some time, sir Bailefore! Just five minutes!"
"Understood," Faralad rushed to the edge of the ship.
The Knight Grand Cross summoned a wall of ice whenever the tentacles would try to reach deck. Although futile, it prevented the tentacles from destroying the ship. If Faralad was not in a ship with multiple men and the Princess of Grucaelum on board, he would have gone all out with the fight.
"The Princess' safety comes first!" Faralad exclaimed, "Delay the Kraken until Sir Delafosse finishes with his spell!" They needed to deal with this swiftly, and with less violence.
Escoffier was the Princess' attendant, but before he was an attendant, he was a wizard in training. He pledged his life to Princess Ildegard after she saved him from being forsaken by his own clan.
"By umbral winds through astral flow, with eldritch bonds unseen, below," Escoffier mumbled as he held his hand out towards the roaring Kraken, his eyes closed and small water droplets accumulating in circles around him.
Faralad continued to fight off the tentacles that threatened to hit the ship while Father Pisca and his clergy were busy healing the injured knights.
"In veils of dusk, where silence weaves, Yield to mine hand, Bereave," Escoffier took a deep breath in, the small pauses in his spell was necessary, there were stages to the spell that he needed to patiently activate. Such a big scale monster would require time.
"Sir!" A knight yells out as he slides in front of Escoffier, holding back a tentacle.
The beast was smarter that they had anticipated, now its focus was on the attendant who was conjuring up a spell. It knew which one to take down first.
The Kraken effortlessly flings the knight to the side. Escoffier's eyes were closed, and as soon as he opened them, he found a tentacle heading straight towards his direction.
"SIR DELAFOSSE!"
—————◇—————
Ildegard impatiently bit the tip of her thumb, her heels tapping the wooden floor.
"Please be safe, Fier.. sir Bailefore. The knights, Please guide them, goddess," She muttered under her breath.
A loud roar erupts once more and Ildegard's pale face scrunch into a nervous wreck. She was not fighting, but her worry got her heart making pole vaults and thumping rapidly.
"SIR DELAFOSSE!"
That was a loud shout. Ildegard heard it very clearly. She starts hyperventilating, 'No.. no, Fier. He's.. in trouble!'
Ildegard let her adreline get the best of her. She slammed the door open and ran to the deck, where she found Father Pisca healing a bleeding Escoffier and a struggling Faralad, holding back the multiple attacks on his own, as most of the knights were injured.
"Your highness! You shouldn't be out here!" A knight runs to her direction, "Please head back inside!"
Ildegard's eyes were completely locked onto Escoffier on the ship's floor, blood seeping through his clothes while Father Pisca used healing magic on him. She placed a hand on her chest, "N-no this can't be happening.."
"Your highness!" The Knight grabs her by her hand.
"No.. NO!" Ildegard pulls her hand away from the knight, "Sir Bailefore! Use your magic!"
"P-princess?! What are you doing out here?! Knights, protect the princess!" Faralad swung his sword at a tentacle, slicing it off, but again, it kept regenerating. Faralad's magic was far too destructive to use while he was on the ship. If only he could go closer to the core. That was supposed to be the purpose of Escoffier's spell, but he got hurt.
"Your highness, you must go back inside!" The Knight then grabs her arm once more.
Faralad slid back after it threw a strike at him, if this keeps up, it might destroy the ship. There must be a way to distract this beast for him to attack its heart. However, his thoughts are broken when the kraken suddenly started roaring even more aggressively. Now he felt the magic surrounding the Kraken grow stronger.
And it seemed to be.. targetting the princess?!
Ildegard gasps as she sees a tentacle heading her way.
"Princess Ildegard!"
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