Two Sides of the Coin
Chapter 6
Arrival of the Royals
Mckenzie's bed was lumpy and cold, but it was far better than a hard floor. To her, it was amazing how much a change of perspective could bring. The days she spent lying in the dungeon, starving, shivering, and thirsty had made her appreciate a simple blanket and cot to sleep on.
That change in perspective did not prevent the enormous crick in her neck that formed when she rolled over her lump of a pillow. She hissed, eyes shooting open and her hand flying to her neck as the muscles and tendons tightened. She flopped over, her blanket sliding off her body onto the barracks floor. A long groan left her lips.
It felt too early to be awake.
She swung her legs out of the bed. Her feet touched down on the cold floor, making her toes curl as it felt like she stepped on ice. She bit her lip, hissing at the sensation before sighing as she got used to it.
The crick in her neck remained when Mckenzie rose to her feet. She tried to roll her neck and stretch it out but moving only made the knot tighten more. So, she resigned herself to not turning her head and instead spun her body toward the foot of her bed.
A small pile of folded clothes sat on the dusty trunk at the foot of her bed. She arched an eyebrow and approached it. A blue, linen shirt sat folded atop a thick, fur-lined leather coat. Linen trousers were beside those, along with wool socks that looked unbelievably scratchy to her. A pair of heavy boots rested at the base of the trunk. She pursed her lips.
None of it was hers, and none of it looked comfortable. A part of her wondered if the clothing would even fit her. It all looked a bit large for her slender frame. She reached down and picked up the linen shirt, unfolding it and holding it up for her to see.
"Oh… it's hideous," she mumbled, observing the faded, worn material.
Her shoulders slumped and a heavy sigh left her lips. She shook her head then glanced at the coat. After tossing the shirt onto her cot, she picked up the coat.
"Sturdy," she tugged on the sleeves, "a bit too brown, but promising."
She slung the coat over her arm and looked at the trousers. As she did that, the door to the barracks door opened.
"Oh my god, how do people wear something that feels like the abrasive side of a sponge," Mckenzie breathed, rubbing the trousers' material between her fingers.
"Used to luxury?"
Mckenzie gasped as she shot upright, then winced as the crick made itself known again. She brought a hand to her neck as one eye squeezed shut. The other glared at the door, where Charlotte stood, arms folded over her chest.
"Um…"
"You are," Charlotte flicked her eyes to the side, acting unimpressed. "Anna and I helped Felicia and Flora try to save your outfit. Sadly, it was too soiled."
Mckenzie's mouth fell open. "My stuff is-"
"In a burn pit, yes. Diseases and all that. You can't be too careful when-"
"You burned my clothes!"
"Oh, Anna was just as upset, but she understood the reasoning Jakob gave. You were locked up in a dungeon for Dusk Dragon knows how long, you soiled yourself several times, and you had no chance to wash until just yesterday. Gods only know what was crawling through those clothes."
Mckenzie's jaw hung on its hinges. Charlotte shrugged, then looked at her nails.
"I will admit it was a shame though. I would've liked to examine the material more."
"Are… are you aiming to make me feel terrible?" Mckenzie scoffed, blinking in disbelief.
Charlotte frowned. "You almost got Shura killed."
Mckenzie leaned back, nodding as understanding dawned on her. "Yeah, and? What was I supposed to do?"
"Help him, of course."
"How?" Mckenzie rebutted. She threw her hands out. "How the hell was I supposed to help? Look at me! Does it look like I know how to fight?"
A knock sounded on the door, interrupting her tirade before she could get going. Anna frowned in the doorway. Her sharp, red eyes glared at Charlotte, who gulped beneath her gaze.
"Get going," Anna said, nodding to the hall behind her.
Charlotte huffed, but she said nothing. She strode past Anna, brushing against her shoulder as she marched out. Anna's gaze followed her down the hall as she left. When the sound of a heavy door opening then closing echoed through the barracks, Anna returned her attention to Mckenzie.
"So, why didn't you help Shura?"
"Oh for the love of-" Mckenzie raked her hands through her blonde locks. She fell to a seat on her bed.
"Did you freeze?"
Mckenzie raised her eyes. A lump formed in her throat, which she quickly swallowed. "Yes."
Anna tucked her chin, taking a couple more steps into the room with her hands staying in her pockets. Her boots clicked against the stone floor, sounding far louder in the silence than they should have. Mckenzie closed her eyes. Anna was making her stew in guilt. Somehow, that felt worse than having Charlotte berate her.
"Ever killed someone before?"
"Excuse me!?"
Anna snorted. "I'll take that as a no." Mckenzie gawked at her as Anna continued. "Better get used to violence. This world is full of it, and it's not going to go away anytime soon just because you want it to."
"I-I-" Mckenzie's mouth flapped open and closed as she watched Anna spin on her heel and march out. A flash of anger shot through her. "What was I supposed to do!?"
Anna paused and glared over her shoulder. For a split second, Mckenzie regretted saying anything. There was an iciness to Anna's gaze that made her want to shut up. That told her if she dared say anything else, she would feel Anna's wrath for daring to waste the merchant's time.
"Survive, of course. We've all had to do it," Anna muttered.
The merchant did not give Mckenzie a chance to reply. She marched away, leaving her in the cold silence of the barracks bunkroom.
The shirt was baggy. The coat was too small, causing it to squeeze Mckenzie too tight whenever she attempted to button it all the way. The trousers caused her legs to itch, and the socks made her feet sweat more than a runner attempting a 5k in the summer heat of LA. Walking with the bulky boots felt like she was stepping through quicksand, making her thin legs throb with strain.
The misery just doesn't end, does it?
A puff of mist shot from Mckenzie's lips as she huffed. Her cheeks already stung from the cold as she sat outside. It was familiar conditions for her, but not ones she was used to anymore. Several years in Los Angeles had thinned her blood, leaving her unable to handle bitter conditions like she did when she was younger.
When I was younger, I would go to school in shorts in December. She thought with a derisive snort. She rubbed her hands together, generating just enough heat to bring feeling back to her rosy cheeks as she placed them against her skin. Now I would jump up and down with joy if I got a decent pair of gloves.
"Cold enough for you?"
Mckenzie shifted on the bench she sat on. Sam approached her, looking comfortable in the frigid weather, despite not even wearing a coat. Although, she could see he opted for a warm attire. The leather jerkin he wore was cinched over a long-sleeved, wool shirt. The black cloak over his shoulders provided extra protection from the vicious wind that whipped through the mountains around the Northern Fortress. His boots were heavy leather, protecting his toes. She didn't know how he managed to handle this place.
He took a seat beside her, a puff of mist leaving his lips as he leaned back in his seat.
"Anna told me what happened."
Mckenzie frowned. "Yeah?"
"Look, Mckenzie, I've already talked with the others. Shura's probably going to stop by at some point to give you a heart-to-heart, and that was his idea, not mine. Guy's surprisingly mature for a scoundrel." Sam let out a laugh. "Benny already likes you, by the way. Says your pretty."
Mckenzie rolled her eyes. "I've gotten that plenty of times in my life." Sam shrugged, making her blink. "You don't agree with him?"
"I agree," Sam replied, nonchalantly. "That's just not what I'm concerned about. Quite frankly, I couldn't give a shit about how you look. I just want to make sure you're doing okay. Going through what you've been through is not easy."
"And how would you know?" Mckenzie spat, anger flashing hot through her.
How would Sam know anything about what she had been through? She had been transported from Wisconsin to a fantasy land she never knew existed. The wreck on the I-41 bridge should have killed her. Instead, she was given a much worse fate, and it made her terrified, furious, and sad at the same time. All of those emotions swirled inside of her, brewing into a toxic concoction that manifested in a quivering lip and a red face.
A distant glaze came over Sam's eyes. He pursed his lips.
"The first kill is never easy. Taking a life, in general, isn't," he admitted. "It stays with you. Thankfully, you don't have that on your conscience yet."
"I just have Shura's near-death on it instead."
Sam nodded. "Yeah. One thing you'll learn is that no matter the choices we make, there are consequences that we do not anticipate. However, don't burden yourself with needless guilt. Shura's alive. You're alive. I'm alive. That's all that matters." He folded his hands in his lap then glanced at one of the Keep's balconies. "So, you made friends with Princess Corrin?"
"I accidentally injured her, if that's what you mean by friendship," Mckenzie mumbled.
"Well, from what I saw, you two were laughing about it later." Mckenzie froze. Was Sam observing her? Why? "That's good. I was worried you were going to isolate yourself once we got here."
A bitter wind whipped through the yard, making Sam shiver. He rubbed his hands together and glanced at Mckenzie.
"Cold enough for you?" She asked, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.
Sam snorted. "Oh, plenty cold enough. I can't wait to go back south soon."
Mckenzie nodded. "I get that. I couldn't wait to leave home and head somewhere warm when I finished High School."
A heavy silence filled the air between her and Sam. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him go rigid as a board beside her. With a gasp, she tapped her forehead with her numb fingers.
"What am I saying? You all don't have high school, I'm guessing. If you did then that would be pretty surprising. But, I guess it shouldn't be surprising to you that I'm not from this place. I mean, look at me." Mckenzie held up a hand. "These nails were perfectly manicured before I wound up in that dungeon."
Sam bobbed his head. "They don't look too bad still, honestly."
"The nail polish has worn off, unfortunately. Doubt I can get some of that here."
"Probably not," Sam replied with a shake of his head.
"Exactly. So, I guess that makes it fairly obvious that I'm from… I don't even know what to call it. Would it be a different world? A different dimension? Time?" Mckenzie snorted, hardly believing the words she was saying. However, given all the evidence around her, she could not refute the truth. "I'm from a place called Wisconsin. Well, Los Angeles currently, but I was in Wisconsin when I got sent here."
Sam remained quiet. Mckenzie rolled her eyes and shook her head, her eyes flicking to the fortress' closed gate.
"You must think I'm talking nonsense."
"I've heard nonsense before, and that isn't it," Sam replied, making her whip her gaze back to him. Her brow furrowed as suspicion filled her. He was very relaxed again all of sudden. As if she said something that confirmed a theory he had and set his mind at ease.
Does he know already? How? A terrible thought hit her mind. Has he been spying on me!? He did mention he saw me with Princess Corrin and Lilith. That's it!
A frown creased her lips. Another strong wind whipped through the courtyard, tossing some of her blonde locks over her shoulders. "Would you stop spying on me?"
"I haven't been, but if I say yes, will that make you feel better?"
Mckenzie leaned back, her eyes narrowing. "Perhaps?"
"Then I will."
"Thank you."
"But only because my time is about to be very occupied."
Sam rose to his feet while Mckenzie gawked at him. The audacity! Why would that be a valid reason for not spying on her? And, did he just admit he was?
Creep! She thought before tilting her head. Wait, why wouldn't he have the time?
A dull roar reverberated through her ears, growing louder by the second. Several strong gusts of wind smacked the ground nearby, stirring up the snow into flurries throughout the courtyard. Shortly after, Jakob and Gunter hurried out of the Keep along with Lilith, Flora, Felicia, and Princess Corrin. The ladies lined up in front of the gate while Gunter and Jakob pulled the heavy doors open.
As soon as the doors opened, a pair of armored knights trotted in, both carrying standards of gold and black. Behind them rode a pair of men on black stallions and a young girl on a beige pony. All three shared the same blonde hair.
At the lead was the one who appeared to be the eldest. Black, plate armor covered his body. He had dashing good looks and striking, icy eyes, which caused Mckenzie's heart to briefly flutter in her chest as she looked at him. His blond hair was swept back out of his face, although a few locks did manage to sweep over his brow when a breeze hit him.
Behind him rode a smaller man with longer hair drooping in bangs over his brow. He shared the same, sharp eyes as the man at the lead, but he was far from dashing. He sat on his horse with a weary posture. Black robes swallowed his body, making him look more like a floating head atop a dark shadow than a person.
Finally, the little girl at the rear had her blond hair held back in long pigtails. One of the biggest smiles Mckenzie had ever seen split across her lips when she locked eyes with Corrin. Without any warning, she hopped down from her horse, the frills on her dress briefly getting caught on her saddle. When she freed herself, she sprinted to Corrin, quickly wrapping her arms around her.
"Corrin!"
"Elise!" Corrin laughed, wrapping up the smaller girl. "By the dusk dragon, you have grown so much!"
"So have you!" Elise giggled, disentangling from Corrin and folding her arms behind her back. "Did you know I've been training with a staff? I know how to heal broken bones now!"
"That's great! But, hopefully, you won't have to show me that anytime soon," Corrin replied with a giggle. She turned her attention to the two men. "Xander, Leo."
Xander smiled as he dismounted. "It warms my heart to see you, Corrin." He gave her a warm hug.
Leo, meanwhile, smiled, nodded at her, then glanced around the yard. When his gaze landed on Sam, his smile ran away.
"Oh… it's you."
"Hm?" Xander turned to follow Leo's gaze. "Sam? What are you doing here? I thought you were on assignment?"
"Had to end it early," Sam replied as he stood beside Mckenzie. "I can fill you in on the details at your leisure, your grace."
Leo opened his mouth to reply, only for the dull roar from early to suddenly reverberate through Mckenzie's ears. She jumped, clapping her hands over her ears. Strong wind currents buffeted her as a pair of leathery wings beat against the air. Her eyes widened, and her jaw fell open, as she watched Wyvern land in the courtyard opposite the blonde princes and the princess. Sitting astride the Wyvern's back was a tall woman with long locks of lavender hair. Heavy plate armor, black as midnight, covered her from neck to foot. A short, red cape fluttered in the air behind her. She flicked a lock of hair from her eyes and looked down at the other royals.
"I hope I didn't startle you," she said, giving the group a smarmy smile.
"Hardly, Camilla," Xander grunted.
Leo said nothing as he straightened out his robes, brushing flecks of snow from the fabric. Corrin grinned when Camilla hopped down, stepped past Leo, and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"It has been far too long, my sweet sister!"
Corrin gasped. She frantically tapped Camilla's armored back, but the taller girl did not seem to notice. Mckenzie raised an eyebrow and gulped as she watched Corrin's face start to turn blue.
"Air…" Corrin managed to croak.
"Oh!" Camilla let her go. The smaller princess sucked in a deep breath, doubling over. "You should have said something earlier, Corrin. I could've choked the life out of you."
"You almost did," Leo deadpanned.
"I'm… fine…" Corrin gasped. "Gonna be fine, yes." She winced as she stood up straight, hands bracing her lower back. She gave Camilla a pained smile. "It's good to see you too, Camilla."
"Alright!" Jakob clapped his hands. "I would say that is enough pleasantries outdoors. It's quite chilly, and I'd rather not be tending to anyone's ailments during this limited time together. Into the Keep already, please."
"The butler is correct," Xander nodded. "Corrin, lead the way."
Snow crunched beneath heavy footfalls as the royals and their retinue moved toward the fortress' keep. The only one who lingered was Leo. He paused beside Sam, grabbing the rogue by the arm and pulling him close, whispering in his ear. Sam simply nodded then glanced at Mckenzie.
A pit formed in her gut when he motioned for her to follow. After taking a timid step forward, she drew in a shaky breath and moved to Sam's side.
"What's going on?" She asked as they started walking to the keep.
"Leo doesn't want to waste time," Sam replied.
Mckenzie flicked her eyes ahead. Prince Leo strode with long, fluid strides, the sort of walk Mckenzie imagined from royalty. He didn't have the same regal air as his older brother, Xander, who looked every bit the dashing prince from fantasy stories and fables. She had to admit that her heart fluttered when she first saw him. But, she could tell that of the two, Leo might be the more dangerous. There was a sharpness to his gaze and swiftness to his behavior which demanded action from his subordinates and subjects. It was no wonder he was able to order around a man like Sam.
He is not the kind of man I want to upset.
The main hall was filled with the sounds of laughter and revelry. Most of the royals were celebrating. Enjoying each other's company as a united family for the first time in what must have been a long time, if Mckenzie were to guess. Corrin certainly reacted to them with pure excitement; the kind a naive child would have whenever a distant relative they adored visited. It was both adorable, and a little sad.
Why is she alone here?
Mckenzie did not have time to ponder her question though. She wasn't with the royals and retainers in the main hall, enjoying food, drink, and laughter. Instead, she was in a small parlor room. She sat rigid in a seat near the fireplace. Wood popped and hissed inside of it as flames licked at the damp bark. Much-needed heat flooded the room, prompting her to sink into the chair a little. The temptation to close her eyes was great, but she refused to let them.
Sam and Leo sat across the small sitting area. They faced each other, with Sam's back to the fire, and Leo's back to the rest of the room. Gray light filtered in through the windows, chased away by the orange glow of the fire. The pair stared at each other in tense silence, neither breaking their stare. Mckenzie gulped.
Something bad is about to happen.
Leo reached into his robes. Mckenzie held her breath.
He pulled out a wooden rectangle and unfolded it. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar checkerboard pattern of black and white squares painted on the board. Next, Leo withdrew a small, velvet sack and poured out black and white chess pieces. Slowly, he began setting them up, black for him, white for Sam.
When the pieces were all set, Leo cleared his throat and moved his first pawn.
Sam hummed and rubbed his chin. His fingers scratched at the stubble along his jaw. A moment later, Leo rolled his eyes.
"You can continue to pretend like you're thinking, or you can move a piece so I can formulate my strategy already."
Sam snorted. "And how do you know my strategy isn't to annoy you to the point of abandoning whatever strategy you could think of?"
Mckenzie blinked. These two were playing a game? They walked away from the other royals and acted so miffed with each other just to play a game of chess?
What the hell am I witnessing?
Leo frowned at Sam. "So, you plan on irritating me for the umpteenth time?"
"I think the correct term would be umptwentieth time, at least," Sam replied, letting his fingers hover over his line of white pawns.
"That's not even a word."
"To you."
Mckenzie stared at the duo, flummoxed. The other retainers to the Nohrian royals bowed and curtsied to their lieges. They waited on their every whim. But, Sam seemed hellbent on antagonizing Leo.
What's with this guy?
Sam paused over one of his central pawns, then his hand darted to a knight. He moved the piece over his line of pawns then gestured at Leo. The prince arched a thin eyebrow.
"Your move, your majesty."
Leo's lips thinned. "Always unorthodox." He moved another pawn. "Yet, still predictable."
"Ouch. That one wounded me."
"You like to think I can't see what you're doing, but I can." Leo leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as his sharp eyes glared at Sam. "You're planning on moving past my line of pawns, attacking my more powerful pieces with your knight, and perhaps your bishops if needed. With those removed, and with my movements limited, you will then free your rooks to corner my king. From there, the queen moves in… checkmate."
Mckenzie found herself nodding along. She wasn't a chess player. Never bothered with the game. It always seemed tedious to her. So, everything Leo said made sense from the limited knowledge she possessed.
So, why was Sam smirking?
"Keep thinking that Princey," Sam moved a pawn forward.
"And now you're changing-"
"Talk, talk, talk," Sam interrupted. "You do realize all your monologuing is giving away your thought process, right? How do you know I'm not doing this in a bid to make you unveil your strategy without you even realizing it?" Sam wagged a finger at Leo as the prince's brow rose. "Perhaps I am doing this to toy with you? After all, you're so busy thinking about what I might be doing that you're not even paying attention to what you should be doing."
The Prince's eyes narrowed. "What sort of philosophical nonsense was that?"
"The kind that has kept me alive," Sam moved a pawn. "Your go."
Mckenzie felt just as confused. What was Sam going on about? What was he-
Her eyes widened as she looked at the board. Sam moved a third piece. Leo hadn't moved his second yet. Realization dawned on her face. Sam wasn't trying to get Leo to unveil his strategy, and he wasn't trying to confuse Leo either.
He was trying to cheat.
Leo's jaw worked back and forth. Right as he was about to reach for a pawn, Sam grimaced, making the Prince hesitate. Sam raised his brow when Leo's hand hovered over a knight. Finally, Leo reached for one of his bishops. Sam leaned back and massaged his legs.
"Mckenzie, have I introduced you to Leo yet?"
Leo kept his eyes focused on the board. "You won't distract me, Samwise Daraen-"
"Mckenzie, Leo. Leo, Mckenzie," Sam leaned toward Mckenzie. "Don't mind him. He's not the most social of the bunch."
"For good reason. Social endeavors tend to leave a bad taste in my mouth," Leo remarked.
"It's only because you don't get them."
"No, it is because I have you whispering in my left ear and Niles in my right, leaving me confused as to which degenerate I should listen to."
"Ah, but that means you are still heeding the words of a degenerate regardless of which," Sam chuckled as Leo gave him a weary look. "Am I wrong?"
Leo puffed out a long breath. "Unfortunately, no."
"Then you know what that makes you, right?"
Leo locked eyes with Sam. A frown creased his pale lips. "If you're going to insinuate that I am like you and Niles, then I will officially deem you mad and relieve you from my service."
"And risk losing all the intelligence I've gathered?" Sam clicked his tongue. "Sounds like a waste to me."
Leo leaned back and folded his arms. "Fine then. Start talking."
"Isn't that what we've been doing?" Sam asked as he moved another pawn forward, freeing another bishop.
Leo rolled his eyes and moved his second piece. Another pawn. "I meant about the assignment I gave you. What of the bandits?"
Sam shrugged and moved his bishop. "Most of them are dead."
"I did not want them dead."
"Well, they are," Sam replied as Leo moved a knight.
"Why?"
Sam flicked his eyes at Mckenzie. Leo followed his gaze. Mckenzie shrank beneath the Prince's scrutinizing stare. She couldn't help but feel judged.
"What is she in all of this?"
"A victim."
Leo scoffed. "Bandits leave plenty of those. What's so special about this one?"
Mckenzie couldn't help but feel shocked. The callousness in Leo's words let her dumbstruck. She was half tempted to lash out at him but held her tongue when she noticed Sam give her a sharp glare, urging her to remain quiet.
"They were going to sell her," Sam replied.
A dark expression flashed over Leo's face. "Sell?"
"It appears slavery is moving through Nohr again."
A bitter curse shot from Leo's lips. He shot to his feet, hands resting on his hips as he turned and faced the windows. Outside, flurries of snow fell from the sky, frosting the window panes. As soon as he spun away from the table, Sam reached over and removed one of Leo's pawns, quickly tucking it back into the velvet sack on the side of the gameboard.
As soon as his hand left the sack, Leo turned around, his eyes closed and his nostrils flaring as he drew in a deep breath.
"How long?" Leo asked.
Sam shrugged. "Not sure. The gang I took care of has been operating for some time though. Don't know if they started working with slavers from other kingdoms recently, or if that's been their main source of income since their inception. Their leader was… surprisingly guarded about those things."
"He didn't trust you."
"I didn't have time to worm my way into his trust before I had to act," Sam replied. "Besides, it doesn't matter now. Victor is dead." He moved a rook out of the corner of his side of the board. "Your go."
Leo ran a hand over his eyes then leaned over his chair and moved a piece. Mckenzie could see that the Prince's mind wasn't on the game anymore. It was on the bandits, on Sam's mission, and on her. His gaze drifted toward her again.
"You there, Mckenzie, how long were you a captive of those bandits?"
Mckenzie gulped. "Um… I, uh-"
"Four days," Sam replied. "Broke her out at the tail end of day four."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "It took you four days to break her out? You've lost your touch."
Sam paused and pointed a finger at Leo. "Not at all. I was just being extra careful. In case you couldn't tell, she's never exactly been in a fight before. Plus, I also had to get another ally I made out. You saw him in the courtyard: Shura."
"Ah, yes, the other unknown. I'm guessing you used Anna as an escape driver?"
"Bingo."
Mckenzie snorted. Bingo. That's not a term she thought she would hear in this world.
Her eyes shot wide. She looked at Sam, all thoughts in her head about her time in the bandit dungeon disappearing. Sam used a term from her world, dimension, whatever it was called. Leo didn't seem to recognize it. He looked a bit perplexed by Sam's language. But, Mckenzie, she knew that word well.
Is he… no, he can't be.
Leo hummed as he rubbed his chin. "Now, I have a new question plaguing my mind."
"That being?"
"How does slavery exist in Nohr?"
Leo paced to and fro. As he did, Sam snatched another piece from his side of the board and tossed it to Mckenzie. Mckenzie gasped, fumbled it, then shoved it into her pocket before flashing Sam an angry look. The rogue didn't notice.
Leo paused. "Any ideas?"
Sam shrugged. "I'm a foreigner. I'm not supposed to have ideas."
"You're my retainer, and you're in such a position because you are good at giving ideas."
Sam blinked. "Two compliments today? I'm beginning to think you missed me, your majesty."
Leo rolled his eyes. "Believe what you want. Just know that you are only slightly less insufferable than Niles-"
"And you're scared of Sev and Camilla."
"And I'm-" Leo's cheeks burned. He huffed and spun to face Sam. "Ideas. Now."
Sam chuckled. "Touched the truth there. Alright, well, you're old man supposedly eradicated slavery right?"
"At the request of the Queen, yes," Leo nodded.
"Well, if the eradication is that recent, then there is bound to be some pockets of the practice remaining." Sam's jaw worked back and forth. For the first time, his focus was no longer on the chess match, but on the actual content of the conversation. Mckenzie could see the gears spinning in his mind as he sat in silence for a moment, pondering. "The other possibility is there is an outside force at play trying to destabilize the region through strife?"
Leo gave Sam a grim nod as he took in his words. "That's what I fear." He folded his hands behind his back and drifted toward the window, looking out the frosted glass. His fingers clenched into fists. "Damn it all! The only power out there who could do such a thing is Hoshido."
Sam quirked an eyebrow. For the first time, Mckenzie saw him look puzzled.
"Hoshido?" Sam shook his head. "Look, I get there's some animosity between the two kingdoms, but I don't think they're involved in this one."
"Maybe not directly," Leo replied. "Proxies exist, Samwise. As my retainer, you act as my proxy in situations where I cannot be present. Hoshido could be doing the same with Izumo or one of the various tribes and minor kingdoms that dot the continent. It's not far-fetched."
Sam grimaced. "Fair point."
Leo flicked his eyes over his shoulder at Mckenzie. "You there. Were there any Hoshidans in the group that captured you?"
Mckenzie blinked. Hoshidans? She didn't even know what he meant by that, other than what she already heard. Her confused expression made Leo furrow his brow.
"Samwise, where is Miss Mckenzie from?"
Sam shrugged. "Claims she's from a place called Wisconsin. Ever heard of it?"
Leo's eyes narrowed. Mckenzie shrank beneath his gaze. "I can't say I have. Curious…"
He's suspicious of me! I'm the victim here! Mckenzie swallowed hard as she gripped the armrests of her chair tight, trying not to shrivel beneath Leo's cold glare. To her, it seemed like his gaze could cut through stone; piercing and unrelenting. A look that demanded the truth and promised punishment for anything less.
Thankfully, Leo simply sighed and relented.
"Origins matter not. What matters is getting to the bottom of an apparent rise in slavery in the kingdom." Leo trudged back to the table and took a seat. He massaged his eyes and groaned. "I'll have to inform Xander and Camilla."
"I wish you luck with that," Sam snorted.
Leo scoffed but said nothing. His hand fell from his eyes and he gave the board a weary look. For a second, he didn't move. Then, the corner of his mouth twitched. His gaze rose from the board to Sam, who sat across from him, completely at ease.
In a flash, a whip of green wind seized Sam and tossed him over the back of his chair, slamming him into the fireplace mantle. Mckenzie yelped, fear forcing her to stand as she gawked at the emerald wind whip fading away. Her eyes flicked to Leo, who was standing now, breathing hard, his teeth bared.
"Have all the times I've lost to you been a lie!?"
Sam let out a weak laugh as he lay on the ground, dazed.
Leo cursed. "Dusk Dragon damn you, Samwise Daraen." He reached for the chessboard, scooped up the remaining pieces, and tucked them and the board back into his robes. "Is there nothing that you take seriously?"
"Games are supposed to be fun," Sam croaked.
Leo closed his eyes. "Only when they're fair."
He turned to leave, but paused, glancing at Mckenzie as she stood frozen in front of her seat. A curious gleam was in his cold gaze. He tilted his head, sniffed, then marched away, choosing not to address her any further. That was a relief to Mckenzie because she had no idea what had just happened. One moment, Leo was an intellectually sharp, ruthless thinker, and the next he had harnessed the air in the room to toss Sam like a ragdoll; the same man that cut through an entire crew of bandits with near ease.
Was that magic? Magic exists!? What!?
Sam groaned. One of his hands gripped his tipped-over chair, using it as leverage to help him sit up. He shook some cobwebs from his mind and gave Mckenzie an amused look.
"Yeah," he gestured at the door as it shut behind Leo, "Magic. Completely unfair."
Mckenzie blinked. Magic was indeed real. Just where did she wind up? What kind of world was this?
Sam winced again as he got up, one hand going to his left knee. "Okay, I might need to sit with one of those maids for some healing again. Unless Jakob or Gunter have a remedy for sudden joint pain." He rolled his shoulders and gave the fireplace mantle an annoyed look. "Leo really had to toss me like that?"
Mckenzie shifted where she stood. "Well, you were cheating."
Sam paused on his way to the door. He flashed her a small smirk. "When'd you catch on?"
Her lips thinned. "Turn three. Well, your extra turn three."
Sam's smirk widened to a grin. He pointed at her, wagging a finger. "Knew it. You're smarter than you look."
Her brow furrowed as he walked away. All thoughts of magic, shock, and Sam cheating at chess raced away from her mind as she fixated on his last comment.
"Did he just say I look stupid?"
And chapter! Yeah, this is gonna be a two-week update schedule with work and all that fun stuff. This is proving to be a fun one to write though. I'm excited to keep it going. Let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed it. Have a nice day!
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