CHAPTER X.
After the men departed to capture the pirate ships Olivia excused herself to look for her mother, unlike herself, her mother had no idea what happened during the battle, and her husband just went to board the enemy, without knowing what an overwhelming Impression their Lord left on the pirates.
She could not even imagine what her mother would be thinking right now.
Lady Angelica stayed at the bridge talking to Lord Leon, it was cute seeing this side of her, not the daughter of the Duke she saw from afar in the academy but the newly wedded Baroness anxious to welcome her husband after a battle.
After witnessing that rather extreme change of attitude she had to reconsider her own stance regarding predestined love.
Was Lord Leon Lady Angelica true fated love and the Prince was simply in the way of true love?
If that is true, then what is her role in their story?
No. What was their role in her story?
Shaking her head she decided that looking at things from the perspective of a romance novel was wrong, she enrolled in the academy thinking she could study magic and maybe find love the same way the protagonist of her books inevitably did.
That was a terrible mistake on her part, that was what every girl in the academy was doing, the academy was not a place to learn, but a place to find a partner and, from a certain point of view, it is a contest, a contest she entered woefully unprepared.
She assumed she was the protagonist, that everyone else in the academy were playing roles in her story, that was why in the beginning she was so prideful.
It didn't take long for the academy to beat that idea out of her.
She definitely wasn't the protagonist of a romance novel.
But even secondary characters can find happiness, and she was bonded to a peerless warrior,
She could not avoid smiling a little, she was a hopeless romantic!
"Livia!" her mother called her once she entered the big room where their people were bunkering during the trip.
Her mother and many other women and children approached her, they were eager to know what happened, and she was all too happy to tell them how Lord Leon defeated the pirates alone!
0x0x0
Soon they arrived at their destination, according to Miss Angelica it was too big to belong to a Baron but too small to be the territory of a Viscount.
There was a harbor already built and they docked Partner and the two pirate ships… former pirate ships.
People were cheering and admiring their Lord's new ships and armors with renewed vigor.
She knew that people she brought with her were worried about their safety but after such a crushing victory such worries seemed to have evaporated.
The pirate attack was not a crisis, but an opportunity!
The newborn branch of House Bartfort now had three more ships and five Armors, Even Olivia herself could't stop from smiling looking at the loot that had, in the armors case, literally fallen on them.
They contemplated those trophies that once threatened to destroy them.
They contemplated those machines that were now another layer of defense,
They contemplated these symbols of their Lord's strength.
They contemplated and kept contemplating because no one was coming to give them any instructions or to guide them to their shelters.
"The fuck do we do now!?" Someone yelled once it was clear that no one was coming for them.
And everyone was looking at her waiting for orders and they were all staring at her, even the older children had impatiently looked at her… even her parents!
Why?!
She is only sixteen years old and this is her first time here as well!
"Mistress Olivia, mistress Olivia come with me please!" Just in time Miss Cordelia came in to save her from the uncomfortable situation, she urged the maid to walk faster just to escape that uncomfortable situation.
Soon they were walking inside the Partner possibly towards the Lords of the House.
"Something happened?" She asked, it didn't look like Lord Leon was injured during the battle, but that was always a concern.
"We made a miscalculation," Miss Cordelia said with remorse. "Today Lord Leon killed for the first time and he is taking it quite badly!"
"Huh?" Olivia didn't know how to react to that information, and Miss Cordelia wouldn't say anything else about it and just kept walking until they arrived at a cabin where all the nobles in the group were present.
Lord Leon was sitting on his bed with cheeks wet from fresh tears and his eyes lost in the wall in front of him and hugging Lady Angelica tightly while the noble born girl kept whispering soothing things to his ear with a serene face and returning his embrace with gusto.
Lord Nicks was leaning towards his younger brother with a half full glass of wine in his left hand, and another full one in his right hand.
It was strange to see Lord Leon looking so vulnerable when a few minutes ago her image of him was that of an invincible knight. Yet here he was needing comfort from the consequences of his own talent.
"You should drink some, it'll help you relax" said Lord Nicks offering the glass once again at the Younger Bartfort.
"It's okay they were just some air pirate scum. '' Lady Angelica repeated it like a mantra but it wasn't working and Lord Leon's only reaction seemed to be tightening his hold on his wife briefly.
She turned to look at Miss Cordelia to question her as to why she brought her here, this was such an intimate scene she felt like an intruder.
Her friend smiled guiltily and whispered to her ear so only she could hear "They are your family now too, we should try to help."
Olivia was astonished, she was Lord Leon's concubine in name only, but they have hardly spoken more than twice ever since all this mess started.
She could only shake her head slightly.
She was not part of this impromptu family, it looked like in the weeks they were away Lady Angelica had truly fallen for their Lord, and she felt happy for them but there is no way she could be of help right now, she doesn't know the first thing to say at this moment.
But Miss Cordelia insisted "Can you at least try, please?" The desire to help she had was so clear, and she herself wanted to help, this was perhaps a pivotal moment in her life, for good or ill, she was part of this family, she should help in any way she could.
Hesitantly she motioned Lord Nicks to give her the glass of wine he was offering to her Lord and after a second he gave her the glass, she took half of it to give herself the valor to say what she wanted.
"My Lord, do you know that you had no choice but to kill those pirates right?" she asked and tried to get the glass to his lips and he reluctantly drank from it as a new set of tears rolled from his eyes down to his chin.
"I was trying to capture them, hand them over to the palace, have them execute them.!" Lord Leon explained with a trembling voice.
She remembered the day she met him for the first time, and how that knight scolded him for not knowing his own strength or how to hold back and now she understood that it was true. He had gone too hard against weak opponents and had unwittingly killed them.
"They would have been summarily executed anyway, once they attacked us their lives were forfeit" Lady Angelica explained but if she was looking at her instead of Lord Leon, she wanted her to know that so she could help hammer the point.
"I still would…" Lord Leon was searching for arguments but was coming short so she used the lul in his speech to try a different approach.
"You understand that, right my Lord?" She asked and he only nodded in agreement so she continued "Then you probably just need some time to accept that you did the right thing…" she could have said what would have happened to their people had he not done this but it would only give him more things to think about when all he needed was time to process what he had done.
She used all the bravery the sip of wine had given her to embrace the side of her Lord that Lady Angelica was not occupying and push him gently until the three of them were lying on the bed, she made eye contact with the other blonde and she could see approval for her action in them.
"Let's rest for now My Lor… Leon" this time it was Lady Angelica speaking in a more intimate manner, claiming ownership of the man they were embracing, but at the same time holding her own hand to keep her calm.
Olivia smiled in return, they were together in this, Lady Angelica's words weren't a claim of exclusivity but a show of kindness for the man that protected them all.
"Cordelia, would you please inform the people of the situation? But find a way to make this not look bad please." Lord Nicks requested of his fiancee with a kind smile, he didn't want to leave his brother just yet, even if he was in good company.
"Pft, I'll make this look good!" Uncharacteristically Miss Cordelia snorted and went on her way to inform the people of the situation and give them instructions for the rest of the day.
0x0
Duncan stared at the young woman dressed up as a maid smiling at him as if she was crazy.
Because she must be!
She couldn't seriously expect him to say all that she just told him, right?
The woman, Cordelia, dragged him to a pair of stacked boxes and loudly clapped her hands and spoke loudly enough to be heard by everyone present "Everyone! Please listen!" And repeated it thrice to be sure she had everyone's attention and then motioned for them to pay attention to him!
Miss Cordelia, as his little girl referred to the maid, had presented herself as Cordelia Fou Easton, maid of Lady Angelica and future sister in law of Lord Leon and in the fifth most important person in the floating island behind his own daughter.
"He… Hello Everyone!" He yelled, unable to simply project his voice like the maid and worst, stuttering in front of his wife who was standing alongside Miss Cordelia with a teasing smile, his Dear Octavia wouldn't let him live after this. "Many of you already know my name, but I'm Duncan and I'm apparently the village Elder" because when the next oldest guy in the Village is some guy in his late twenties you look ancient when you are in your mid forties according to Miss Cordelia.
"So you're up there 'cause you're old?" Someone near the front teased, he was a young good looking knight and to his side was a gorgeous woman a little bit older than him, seriously, she could compare to Lady Angelica with that dignified air and hair curls, but she was not nearly as imposing as the red eyed beauty, especially with how simple her dress was compared to the Baroness. The lad was part of the scheme as was the woman.
"Well, that and because my Daughter is our Lord's Mistress" He replied, it still bothered but not as much as when Livia first told him her situation, after today's… massacre, and how the young Lord reacted to it he felt much more comfortable accepting his girl's position within the island. "What's your name lad?" he asked. They wanted to make this more relaxed in preparation for the news he was about to deliver.
"Nice to meet you Honorable Elder, My name is James, Knight of the Kingdom Lower Ninth Rank, and this is my wife," the young knight presented signaled at the blonde beauty at his right and the woman did a perfect curtsy, it was perfect as far as he could tell at least "Merce Fou Bartfort" that started murmurs among the crowd, but the lad continued quickly "She is our Lord's half sisters" that revelation calmed the raising gossip, for now at least "My family has been at the service of House Bartfort for five generations, since before they were give the title of Baron" that last bit gained some Ohs! And Ahs! From the crowd not from Bartfort territory.
Duncan knew the full story behind her thanks to Miss Cordelia, the woman was the legitimate daughter of Balcus Fou Bartfort but his legal wife dalliances in the capital and failure to raise their legitimate children had gained the his contempt and that of Lord Leon and in punishment they put the woman under house arrest, her son lost his status as heir to Lord Nicks and finally this woman was married to a knight loyal to the House. It was agreed by even the woman that it would be the best to let people think she was an illegitimate, but acknowledged daughter rather than admit she was disinherited.
Young women immediately surrounded the noble lady full of questions and the girl and she shined with the attention.
"Nice to meet you both!" Duncan gained back the attention of the crowd and then proceeded to explain their situation, how taking a human life for the first time had affected the Baron, how today the young man will rest with his family, how today they'll party outside the Partner and tomorrow they'll start in earnest.
The news was well received except for some unwanted comments.
Yes, Livia is included in his family Mario! Har har! very funny Anastasia but no, there is no bun in the oven and yes I'm sure, fucking morons came here just to make these jokes I swear!
0x0x0
THE FALL OF THE SKYSHARKS PIRATES.
by Alan Fia Spencer.
It is common knowledge that the borders of our nation have been suffering from constant pirate raids the last decade and the nobles posted there seem incapable of subjugating these criminal elements even with the support King Roland has been giving.
I have been personally monitoring this situation for a long time through the reports the Palace receives monthly and I have so far been disappointed with the poor performance of our border nobility.
However in what many are calling beginner's luck Baron Leon Fou Bartfort managed to exterminate the SkySharks pirates!
These scum have been harassing the borders for over ten years, much of their crew perished in the battle with the recently promoted noble, rumors say the newest Baron of the kingdom was fortunate enough to encounter the crew when they were having mechanical problems and did not waste his chance to lay waste to them.
Good for you Lord Leon, it would have been foolish to waste such a chance the way the rest of the border nobles constantly do.
We, the journalist from Holfort Gazette congratulate you for seizing your chance.
Leon Fou Bartfort? Where has he heard that name before?
With little effort Jilk managed to recall who, exactly, the man was.
He was the man the Duke married Angelica off with.
Perhaps it's a good idea to keep an eye on the man.
The Duke has been acting rude towards His Highness Prince Julius and he has little doubt that Vince Rapha Redgrave is planning to become a nuisance to the crown.
Who knows, this may be a chance for him to protect Julius interest and maybe even impress Marie at the same time!
He already put Marie's family in their place and kindly told them to stop borrowing money with Marie's name… Or else!
A/N: Happy Sunday everybody.
Yep, Leon accidentally killed all of the Pirates that he faced directly and was deeply affected when he learned of this, and unlike canon, he doesn't have to grit his teeth and keep fighting.
I hope you liked and see you on Wednesday!