She had wanted to be a knight.
She remembered the fear she had felt as a young girl. She had been dared by her sister to pick a flower at the top of the cliff. She succeeded, but upon plucking it, she realized just how high the fall was. In her panic and fear, she had nearly toppled over the cliff.
But she had been saved. A manticore knight who happened to pass by realized the peril of the maiden and bodily dragged her away from the cliff. When he heard her story, he taught her a spell.
"Write the word 'courage' on your hand and lick it. That will give you the strength you need to accomplish great deeds."
The young girl nodded, her eyes shining. As she looked upon the knight on his great steed and with his proud smile, she knew right then, that she wanted to be like that man. She wanted to be a knight and fight evildoers and those who threatened her country.
Her parents demurred. They told her that it was not proper for a woman to become a knight. But when she told them that she would become a knight whether they approved or not, they finally relented. But her father had given her a warning. If she was to truly become a knight, he said, she must not be concerned with wealth or glory or pride, but rather with courage and duty. Above all, she must always do the right and honorable thing regardless of the immediate consequences.
Unfortunately, she ignored her father's words. The very first thing she did upon her arrival in Tristania was to pick a fight with a man who flirted with some other unrelated girls. She dressed like a man, gambled, drank, and insulted commoners and prestigious knights alike. She was challenged to many duels, but she was a magical prodigy, and so never, ever lost. She succeeded at many missions and won an increasing amount of fame and glory as her name became known across the land.
But he was with her from the beginning, living with her almost from the moment she had moved to the capital. He had been the complete opposite of her. While she picked fights, laughed, and caroused, he stayed in his quarters, drank wine, and read. He was confused by the habits of this good-looking young man who possessed a massive propensity for violence. She in turn, could not stand someone like him who seemed to shy away from the honor of the fight.
From there, the story wrote itself. They participated in several missions over the years, saving the country and the people from foul villains and sorcerers. They grew closer together. It took a long time, but he eventually discovered that his partner, fair and beautiful in face yet far superior to him in magic, was a woman. Without any hint of embarrassment on his part for fighting alongside a woman, he only asked her why she had chosen to conceal her gender.
Her response was to kiss him full on the lips. He kissed back.
They would marry three years later. She pledged herself to him, and he to her. They swore to be together "til death do us part," and raised a family. Three girls were born, two of them beautiful and charming, the third a failure and a dishonorable traitor. But even with that child, she remembered the joy of a mother as she had cradled her third newborn infant in her arms.
And now, 23 years and 73 days from the day when they had exchanged their vows, Karin Desiree de la Valliere returned to her estate to bury the man she had loved.
He had not died gloriously or honorably in battle, nor had the unfortunate tragedy of sickness laid him low. She had read the reports that both Jerome and Cattleya had sent her. He, a fellow knight who had wanted to help people like she had, had been stabbed in the heart by someone who he had saved.
He had returned to manage the estate while Karin dealt with the political mess in the capital. When he arrived, the maid, Siesta, had appeared in the hall with her clothes covered in blood. She stumbled and collapsed, and the Duke sent Jerome to find medical supplies while he tended to her and asked if she was fine. He rushed up to her, no doubt his face panicked with worry over her…
And she had betrayed him with a knife. No, Karin corrected herself, that was not completely correct. She didn't care what General Bonaparte had told her the day she left the city. He had to be responsible. She just could not fathom it otherwise. Her husband had saved Siesta from certain death, cared for her siblings, and promised an education and a future for all of them. And he had been repaid by betrayal and death? Even after all the battlefields and death she had seen, Karin could not comprehend it.
Sure, she had heard of what Cattleya and Jerome had said. They had confronted Siesta immediately after the murder, but Cattleya had not brought her wand along out of concern for the supposedly injured maid. Facing no threat from either of them, Siesta had taken the time to rant about her motives.
She revealed that she blamed every single member of the nobility for what had happened to her family during the war between Albion and Tristain. According to her, it was the nobles who through their constant quarreling and infighting had caused the war which had ended the lives of her parents and most of her siblings. Thus, she declared herself to be an instrument of justice and revenge that would inflict righteous fury on every last noble family in retaliation. Not just for her family, but for every single commoner family which had suffered as a result of the war. And as she fled, she declared that she would not rest until every last noble had perished and a new world, one run by commoners alone, would form in its place.
Nevertheless, Karin still refused to hold Siesta solely culpable. General Bonaparte was a highly ambitious commoner and clearly had aspirations towards power. It made perfect sense to Karin that he could instill those ridiculous ideas into Siesta and persuade her to attack the family which had saved her life. For now, she could not go after him. But when the Vallieres would finally take the throne, she would mete out the appropriate punishment. If she decided to feel mercy, he would be merely reassigned to a place where he could do no harm. Otherwise, he and by extension his master and her daughter would be banished from Tristain forever.
The carriage finally came to a stop and Karin stepped out. Jerome had been waiting outside for his master, and he rushed to carry the bags as she strode into her home.
"Hello, Jerome." Karin calmly said. "Where is he resting now?"
"In the main hall, My Lady. Lady Cattleya and I have prepared a temporary casket for the Duke. A proper rosewood casket will arrive tomorrow."
"And Cattleya?"
"She is tending to Lady Eleanor. That…well, I believe I explained her situation as well."
Karin's lips tightened a little further at those words.
"Yes, you did, Jerome. I am glad that you told me."
She passed into the threshold and looked directly at her butler.
"I will head to see my husband and then I will talk with Cattleya. Jerome, take my things up to my chambers."
"Of course, My Lady." Jerome responded. "Still, should I prepare for any further guests to arrive and pay their respects?"
Karin shook her head.
"I am tired of dealing with the rest of the nobles, and the negotiations are not yet finished. Inviting them here would simply bring the squabble over the crown to my estate. They will not stop fighting with each other, even during a funeral. It would disgrace my husband to have his final farewell become the battleground of arguments and arrogant speeches.
No. I want a quiet, simple funeral. A ceremony where the family can say goodbye is all that I need."
"Yes, My Lady."
Jerome hoisted the bags up again once more and made his way up some nearby stairs. Karin watched him leave, and then without changing her expression, entered the main hall of the estate to see her husband.
…
About fifteen minutes later, Karin stood outside a door. She held her knuckles up to the door, but then drew them back for a moment. After taking a deep breath, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.
"It's open."
Karin pushed the door open. Cattleya sat beside a bed. She turned to look at her mother, but she made no effort to rise.
"It's good to see you, Mother." She said. "I'm glad you're safe. I couldn't help but worry about you after everything that had happened."
Karin opened her mouth, to tell her daughter that there was nothing to worry about. She was the Heavy Wind, the most powerful mage in Tristain. Theoretically, there was nothing which could kill her in battle.
But theoretically, Siesta would not have lasted five seconds in a battle against her husband as well. So rather than saying anything, Karin looked at the person lying on the bed.
"How is she, Cattleya? Has she recovered?"
Cattleya also looked over at her elder sister. A waft of hair over Eleanor's mouth moved from her breathing. Yet while that soft tuft of air indicated that she was alive, her hair moved slightly to reveal a black eye patch which covered what had once been her right eye. Karin also saw that Eleanor's arms bore the scars of numerous knife wounds.
Cattleya hesitated as she stared at her sister for a moment longer, but she finally gave her response.
"She'll live. The doctors said she should regain consciousness in a few days. According to them, there is a small chance that she may relapse and perish, but Eleanor is strong. She'll almost certainly survive.
But she lost a lot of blood, mother. It likely damaged her brain and some of her other organs. We have no idea what state of mind she'll be in when she finally wakes up, or if she will even remember anything that happened to her. On top of that, her muscles are wrecked from what happened to her. They told me that there's a very real possibility that Eleanor will never be able to walk again."
Cattleya finished her report without even turning around to look at her mother. Karin didn't know what to say. Eleanor, above all, had been her pride. Louise had been a failure. Cattleya, while a gentle, wonderful girl and a capable mage, was limited by her constant illnesses. But Eleanor had no such limitations. Sure, she continually had problems with fiancés and suitors due to her irritable temper, and Karin had continually lectured her about the importance of following the Rule of Steel and acting as a proper noble. But as a mage and a mother, Karin had always felt that Eleanor would have been the next successor to the Valliere name and honor.
And now all of that had been ripped away.
Still, Karin took a moment to clear her mind. Those regrets were not appropriate right now. The important thing was…
"Do you know exactly what happened to her, Cattleya? We do basically know what happened to her, but what about the details?"
"I still really don't know what happened in the library." Cattleya answered. "I saw Eleanor head in that direction that afternoon on that day. I think she wanted to take a look at the books which Siesta had been working on. She entered, but then she saw what Siesta had done to the room."
Karin grimaced at those words.
"You told me Siesta destroyed the library."
"If I had to guess, I don't think she did it completely." Cattleya said. "She talked about destroying the nobles. Those books would be useful. I'm sure she took some when she fled."
"She talked like that on General Bonaparte's orders. Nothing more."
"Well, then Bonaparte ordered her to smuggle the books out, then." Cattleya said.
But it looks like while she translated a few books for us, she destroyed the rest of the library. The library had a fireplace for cold days. I guess she burned most of them and ripped apart the rest she did not intend to keep with her own hands. Eleanor discovered what Siesta had been doing when she entered the library-"
"And Siesta took her by surprise, then?"
"Only Eleanor can tell us exactly what happened, Mother." Cattleya stated. "But Siesta attacked her. Stabbed her with a knife at least a dozen times. You can see the marks on her arms, and there's more on the rest of her body. It's a miracle that she was still alive by the time I found her in the library. Somehow, Siesta didn't hit anywhere vital during her attack. I know it's horrible, but I know Brimir must have been protecting Eleanor the whole time."
Cattleya paused for a moment to wipe a tear which dripped down her cheek. But then Karin asked a question.
"I count eight stab wounds on Eleanor's arms, Cattleya. You dressed her initial wounds. Do you have an idea how many times she was attacked altogether?"
"What?" Cattleya hiccupped. "I don't know, it was too terrifying. I guess at least twenty, maybe thirty. Why are you asking?"
Karin didn't answer. But her mind began to ponder a possibility. Of course, Brimir had likely protected her daughter from Siesta's wrath. But Eleanor had been stabbed at least twenty times, numerous times in her chest, and yet Siesta had never hit a vital spot in her attack. Furthermore, Siesta had left Eleanor alone in the library for a long period of time while she attacked the Duke. Despite all of these factors, her daughter was still alive.
So while a part of her wanted to fall to her knees and thank Brimir for this miracle like Cattleya had done, another part couldn't help but wonder.
Is it possible that Siesta intentionally made sure not to kill Eleanor?
At that moment, someone knocked on the door again, but it was opened without waiting from a response. It was the doctor who had been attending to Eleanor.
"Oh, my apologies, Lady Valliere. I did not know you were in here."
"There's nothing with it." The Duchess said. "Is there something you need?"
"Well, I want to examine Eleanor once more. Just make sure everything is fine with her. Of course, you're more than welcome to stay here and watch me work."
Karin looked at the doctor and back to Cattleya.
"No," she finally said. "We will leave. Cattleya, there is something I need to discuss with you now anyways."
Cattleya nodded. The pair got up and left, the daughter dutifully trailing after the mother.
…
A few minutes later, they both sat in Karin's study. It was a sparse, empty room that only contained a desk, a pair of chairs and a shelf of books. No personal touch or objects of sentimental value were in here, aside from a pot of steaming hot tea that rested on a nearby mantle. As Karin took a moment to pour a cup for both of them, Cattleya leaned back in her chair. Her seat had no armrest, but out of nowhere, a squirrel jumped up and held up a white cat which perched itself under her arm.
"Mother, what is it? I know whatever it is that you want to talk to me about, you think it's absolutely critical. In fact, I don't think you've ever invited me in here before."
"It is important, Cattleya." Karin said. "It's about the future of this country. Your father's death changes everything."
"How?"
"Because it was your father who had the bloodline to succeed to the throne." Karin responded. "Not me. I could probably push for the throne as his widow if I wanted to, but that's manipulating the law. I would rather not do that unless I believe that I have no other choice.
Cattleya, with your father dead, the throne goes to you."
Cattleya's eyes widened with shock and surprise.
"M-me?!" She stammered. "Why me? I mean, Eleanor's alive! She should be the one to take the throne, not I!"
"There's no time. You said it yourself. We have no idea whether Eleanor will recover, when she will recover, or even what state she will be like if she wakes up. Tristain's already waited too long for a monarch to succeed Princess Henrietta."
"She will recover, Mother. I know it! If we can just wait a little longer and-"
"No you DON'T!"
Cattleya jumped in her seat as Karin slammed her fist on the desk. The pot of tea jumped slightly and a little spilled onto the floor. Karin looked at the mess with a momentary look of disgust and irritation before she turned back to her daughter.
"I am sorry. I should not have done that. But you don't know that, Cattleya. There is only one being who knows what Eleanor will be like when she recovers, and it is heresy for you to declare that you can speak directly to Brimir. Be careful of what you say."
Cattleya grimaced at those words.
"But that's not the only problem! Mother, I shouldn't have the throne! What about Eleanor? Who would take care of her if she's still in poor health?"
"I took care of Eleanor when she was a young girl." Karin responded. "I can do it again."
"But then what about my health? I'm not an idiot, Mother. You've tried the best doctors in Helgekinia, but they can't seem to do anything about my condition. I'm still coughing up blood. I know perfectly well that if I'm alive in 10 years from now, it'll be a miracle. How can a person like me deal with the stresses of the throne, and what will happen when I am gone?"
"You would probably have to marry another nobleman when you took the throne and produce an heir. That would ensure the long-term viability of the monarchy. As for your health, it's not about your capability, Cattleya. There are advisors and nobles who would be willing to help you rule. But we need the bloodline of the Valliere Royal Family to rule this country. I do not have it. You do. That is why you have to take it."
"But then why not-"
Cattleya abruptly stopped herself mid-sentence as her eyes lit up. She glanced at the wall and then gazed down at the floor, her mind clearly hard at work ponder about something. For some reason, Karin felt an odd sense of dread as she watched her daughter think.
"I possess the right to refuse to take the throne, correct?"
She asked that question slowly. Karin knew she was probing for something, but she had no idea what it was. For now, she responded truthfully.
"Yes," she conceded. "If you did that, I guess control would default back to me. But I would prefer for that to not happen. Cattleya, you should be the one to take the throne through your bloodline. Not I."
Cattleya sat back in her chair and pursed her lips at that statement. For a few minutes, neither mother nor daughter said anything as the latter continued to think. But after a while, Cattleya looked back at her mother.
"Alright then. I will take the throne."
Karin inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at that announcement.
"That's excellent." She said. "Don't worry, Cattleya. I can let you stay here a while longer and take care of Eleanor. When the funeral is over, I will go back to Tristania and arrange your ascendance to the throne and find a suitor for you and-"
"On one condition."
Karin stopped midsentence. She slowly, carefully looked at her daughter.
"What is it?"
"Bring Louise back. End her exile."
Silence reigned in the Duchess's study as Karin heard those words. Her mouth dropped just a centimeter open.
"What?"
"Mother, you heard me."
"W-w-wait a moment." Karin stammered. "Cattleya, you cannot be serious."
Cattleya's eyes turned steely as she stared at her mother.
"I am deadly serious and I will not negotiate on this. I will not take the throne unless you end Louise's exile."
"W-what are you talking about? You can't expect me to bring Louise back! She has not even made the slightest effort to atone for her sin! In fact, she continues to stay with her familiar who has schemed against me this entire time. And you want her back? We can't even trust her to remain loyal to the family anymore!"
"You didn't even tell Louise why you exiled her, Mother. In fact, I don't even know why myself. But I honestly don't care what the reason is. Louise could have strangled Princess Henrietta to death with her bare hands, and I would still forgive her."
"What? Cattleya, Louise is a Valliere. How could you forgive her for her crim-"
"Because she is my sister, Mother." Cattleya interrupted. "I love Louise more than life or all of my animals. I know she's falling into darkness. My sister has no business in politics or war, and yet she gets dragged into those matters over and over again. It worries me and I want to save her from it. Louise deserves a happy, peaceful life.
And no matter what she does, I will always forgive her. Always. Mother, I want you to do the same. Please forgive Louise for her transgressions and restore her status."
"But what about the family?" Karin stated, her voice quavering. "The Vallieres chose to exile Louise, not the other way around. Perhaps I could understand this if Louise had chosen to left, but for the family to concede that she can return? It would be a massive dishonor on the Vallieres, on our name! You want to destroy that which your father and I worked for years to create, Cattleya!"
"Possibly, yes I would."
"So how can you-"
"Because I want my sister back." Cattleya repeated. "Dishonor can be recovered. The Valliere family can regain its status. But Louise will not return unless this family does something.
That's all. I'm sorry, Mother, but I value her more than I value the Valliere name. So I will not negotiate. Bring Louise back, or I will refuse to take the throne."
Karin drew back in her chair, her face barely concealing her panic and virtual despair at what her daughter had proposed. But her daughter's eyes remained firm as they retained their message.
"Are you sure about this, Cattleya?" Karin finally murmured. "Are you really prepared to wreck the Valliere name for what you desire? Can you honestly tell me that with a straight face?"
"If that's what you want to call it." Cattleya said. "I will do anything for her, Mother."
Karin did not say anything. She lowered her face and stared at the ground without a response. For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was that of a clock ticking.
WHOOSH.
Suddenly, Karin's hand then swung abruptly towards the teapot as if she desired to swat it away, but her hand stopped centimeters away from the object. Cattleya drew her breath slightly back. If Karin had actually hit the teapot, it and its contents would have been flung directly into Cattleya's face. Karin slowly looked up towards her daughter, no longer bothering to hide her emotions.
"Well done, Cattleya." Karin hissed. "You got what you wanted. You dishonored the family and will make me look like a fool in front of the rest of the nobility, but I'll bring her back. Once you take the throne, I'll bring Louise back into the family. Don't worry. I will take care to treat her like a proper daughter as well.
Now get out of my sight. And aside from the funeral and arranging the details of your future throne, I don't want to see you at all."
Taking care to not break her expression, Cattleya nodded. The cat which had served as her armrest jumped onto her shoulder as she stood up. After a small bow towards her mother, she left the room.
Karin continued to sit in her chair and think. She knew she had plenty to do in order to secure her daughter's seat as there were a thousand little details to handle. But that was not what preoccupied her now.
She was tired of being humiliated over and over again. The nobles had insulted her when the negotiations had first begun. Mazarin had persuaded her to return, but then she learned of the news of her husband's death. She confronted General Bonaparte about it, only to learn that the letter that she had sent Mazarin explaining the situation had never arrived. That was the second time.
"And now my own daughter." She muttered to herself.
She had now been humiliated a third time by her own daughter, and this time the disgrace covered the Valliere name as well as herself. That was enough. She had had it with being made to look like a fool. As the head of the most powerful family in Tristain, she would not brook any further insults to herself or the family. She would arrange for Cattleya to take the throne. She would arrange for the proper laws to be carried out. And if Guldenhorf or Wardes or ANYONE tried anything ridiculous or to humiliate her or her family again, she would do what was necessary to instill some sense into them. There was nothing more that needed to be said.
…
Napoleon sat in the parlor, a book in his hand. It was a history of a famous Tristanian general who had lived more than 600 years ago. However, the tales of that man's exploits were barely worth reading. Even if he was on another world, Napoleon could guess when history was being marred by the desire to over emphasize the role which one had played in it, and this book had proven to be no exception.
But at this moment he had nothing better to do. For the first time since he had been summoned to this world, he had been bored. It had been almost a week and a half since Karin had attacked him. The negotiations had obviously been delayed while she returned to mourn her husband, but Napoleon had still been busy. Whether it was watching Louise continually get attacked by Matilda, having the time to explore Tristania and the High Quarter in detail, or even visiting the other nobles, he had been in a continual state of activity until now. But now he had to wait.
The door opened and his partner entered. Napoleon took a moment to eye her clothes. Louise continued to wear her former uniform, complete with the black cloak that was fastened with a pentagram seal. However, Matilda had seen fit to alter it slightly over the past days. She told Louise that to stow her wands in her pockets indicated her lack of preparation for a fight. It could take Louise several seconds for her to fish her wand out and point it at an enemy – and given her lack of physical protection, it was perfectly possible for her to be killed several times over in that timeframe.
Thus, she had sown a pair of straps for a wand to fit on the front of her master's shirt. The wand was held perpendicular to the ground, but the straps were strong enough to prevent her wand from falling into the ground. Louise could now easily access and draw her wand without rummaging through pockets and wasting several seconds that could have been used for casting spells. Napoleon couldn't help but note that as much as he had seen his partner fret about it, this proved to be a moment when her…girlish figure became an advantage. The design would have been impossible for most women he had seen in this land.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
Louise nodded.
"This is it, isn't it?" She quietly said. "I know the negotiations will restart today now that mother has returned, but I think this will be it. Things will come to a head."
"You think so?"
"Yes." Louise stated. "Call it woman's intuition. Or maybe the Void is telling me something. I don't know how I know."
Napoleon shrugged. In reality, he had felt the same thing. He had talked with Guldenhorf and the other nobles several times while Karin had been gone. They were growing impatient as well. While still a minority supported the idea, the Duke's proposal of an oligarchy was no longer quite as contentious as it had been when he had first introduced. This would likely be the day which determined who would take the throne, and who would have power.
"I'll take your word for it." He finally said to Louise. "Let's hope it ends well for both of us."
There was nothing more to say. Napoleon and Louise both checked themselves one more time and departed for the palace. As they walked out, Napoleon noted the clouds which covered the Tristanian sky.
…
Click.
The Duke of Wardes locked a door in his mansion and stowed the key in his wardrobes. He then drew in his breath and let out a long, deep whistle. After a moment, the white rat which had followed him scampered into the room and scurried up his shoulders. He took a moment to stroke its back and it shivered in delight.
"Alright, Lady. Let us watch the pawns play with their mundane matters."
…
"1, 2, 3!"
Robert de Gramont and another blonde-haired man groaned as they lifted their father and his wheelchair into the waiting carriage. Even as they strained, the old man remained stoic as his chair passed through the door and he was placed inside. The two men took a moment to catch their breath.
"Thank you, Vincent."
"Of course, brother. I have a good feeling about the conference. Father, I wish you the best."
Robert nodded towards the second eldest Gramont as he hopped into the carriage.
…
"Will you be going now, Father?"
As a servant fastened his cloak, the Duke of Guldenhorf looked behind him at his daughter. He knew that at times her haughtiness exceeded even what he viewed to be proper noble pride and decorum, but in front of her family, she understood hierarchy. And he was proud of that.
"Of course, Beatrice." He said. "I hope you enjoyed your vacation? I'm sorry I won't be able to see you return to the Academy."
"It's no matter. Father, I wish you the best of luck."
The Duke shook his head and tousled her head.
"Don't worry about me, Beatrice. But before you go, take care to make a donation to the church. It's always good to maintain Brimir's favor."
And with those words, he grabbed a jeweled cane that leaned on the wall and left his home.
…
"On the day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil has done, he will wish for there to be a great distance between him and his evil."
Karin closed the prayer book and set it on a mantelpiece. She looked at a wall of her home. A painting of her husband and her, fresh in their wedding clothes, hung there.
"This is it. No more tricks, no more nonsense. Time to finish this."
She paused, straightened her dress, and left the room for the palace.
…
It was time for the last day. The day to determine the next ruler of Tristain. In the yet to be filled main hall of the Tristanian Palace, the future of the country would be decided.
And as the nobles, one commoner, and his exiled partner began to walk into the hall one by one, the skies above the city began to rain.