Chapter Thirty One
Villains' Bargain
ELEANOR
Eleanor shuffled down the long hallway of Denmark's castle towards the ballroom where her guest was waiting for her. Being someone who usually had the power to command others to do her will, she sorely hated being summoned. It made her feel like she was still a child, being told by her parents to behave like a proper princess, to be polite to the dignitaries, to respect her older sister who would eventually become queen.
But her older sister wasn't alive anymore, now was she? And neither were her parents. She had made sure of that. A tiny grin threatened to cross her face before she remembered the task at hand. Grunting softly in annoyance, she reached the end of the hallway and paused outside the door. Let's get this over and done with.
With a mere thought, her powers did the work for her and the doors swung inwards. She trudged into the spacious ballroom which was completely empty…except for one man.
He stood in a grey cloak, covered from head to toe. The hood over his head concealed a bald spot, she was guessing. In the short spans of time they had spent together on negotiations, she had never really gotten a very good glimpse of the man. He was always mostly shrouded in darkness with his eyes and features hooded, or just generally covered by that absurd cloak.
"Brother Salvadore." She said, taking her time to walk over to him. She was anxious to show that she didn't come scampering at his command.
Salvadore heard her, obviously, but neglected to turn around.
Everything within her wanted to scream for him to bow down and show her, the Empress, reverence. But he and the Crimson Order held all the winning cards, so to speak, so she was almost completely at his mercy.
"Sister Eleanor." He said lazily.
"You asked to see me?" Eleanor asked, careful to insert a little flippancy into her tone.
"Yes." Salvadore turned and grey clouds swirled in front of him. "His Eminence would like a word."
Before she could protest or ready herself, the clouds formed above them and the form of a man in a cloak could be vaguely seen. Swallowing hard, she steeled her features as she looked straight at the hooded Lord Magnus. She'd known this was coming sooner or later. As much as the alliance was valuable to her, Eleanor dreaded talking to the enigmatic High Priest for he truly made her feel very small.
She bowed as he regarded her coldly. "Your Eminence."
Lord Magnus studied her for a long moment before speaking. "I heard you ran into some resistance."
"And how would you know of that so quickly?" Her eyes flicked over to Salvadore.
"Come now. Surely you aren't that entitled to imagine that you're my only member of the Order within your vicinity?"
She gritted her teeth.
"Brother Salvadore." She guessed with gritted teeth.
"No," Magnus answered. "The Order has a great many hidden resources and informants watching your actions that you are not privy to."
Magnus had planted more informants from the Order in her Empire. My Empire. Eleanor strained her voice. "You mean you planted more demons in my midst?"
"These demons gave you your new abilities, if I recall."
Eleanor bit her lip. He was right. Without her powers, she would have been finished back in the Maine club. She hadn't expected the archer girl - the Princess of Denmark - to actually mount an attack in such a public place. If it weren't for her powers, she would either be very dead or in prison awaiting death for her war crimes at this very instant.
"I think you owe the Order your gratitude." Magnus said dangerously. "I would shudder to think where you would be without us."
"All praise and thanks be to the holy, righteous Crimson Order." Eleanor forced herself to simper. "What do you want from me, Your Eminence?"
"The resistance you met. The League of Sorcerers, weren't they?"
Eleanor stiffened for a brief second. "Yes."
"And you killed them?"
"Yes, Your Eminence." Eleanor lied without hesitation. No she hadn't. She had sent a couple of them far away from her while keeping the Snow Queen and a few others for herself. They were no longer a threat to the Empire anyway. She did want a chance to speak with the famed Snow Queen, and had made time in her schedule to stop by afterwards in the evening.
"Good."
Fortunately the old fool hadn't been studying her closely enough, otherwise he would have been able to deduce immediately from her eyes that she had been lying. Old priests like him seemed to be able to tell instinctively from one's looks if they were lying but thankfully he trusted her enough. Misplaced, though, as it were.
"Is that all you came to ask?" Eleanor said in a slightly annoyed voice, hoping to steer him away from the topic. "Was this really that important?"
"Yes." Magnus' voice was sharp like the point of a knife. "Anyone with magic is a threat to mankind, and the Order's role for centuries has been to eliminate their existence quietly and discreetly. Or have you forgotten?"
"No, Your Eminence." Eleanor clenched her teeth. As much as she wanted to scream, she didn't particularly want to get on his bad side.
"Good." His voice returned to a slow drawl. "With the most powerful members of the League of Sorcerers out of the way, it'll be easy to pick them apart. And what better way than to have them killed in a war to expand your Empire?"
"Of course." Eleanor muttered. "Using my campaign to further your needs." He'd gloated about his master plan more than once and it was getting old fast.
Magnus glanced at her sharply and she quickly relented.
"Okay, okay." She held up her hands in fake meekness. "I will."
"You'd do well to." Magnus said coldly. "I gave you everything, and I can just as easily strip it all away whenever I want."
"Yes, Your Eminence." Eleanor grimaced. "Are we done here?"
Magnus gave a brief nod and disappeared from the cloud without another word. Brother Salvadore withdrew the grey clouds of smoke back into his hands and the ballroom fell silent once again. With a quiet smile on his face, he turned his back on Eleanor and continued to glance out of the window.
Eleanor knew better than to ask him to leave, as he would depart of his own accord as and when he pleased. Somehow. Salvadore's own demon gave him some strange abilities, and Eleanor was smart enough to keep her distance. She shook her head and walked out of the ballroom, closing the doors behind her with the wave of her hand.
This alliance with the Order is getting old real fast.
HANS
Hans stood outside the door of the Empress' private study. The servants had told him that she had been holed up in there for a while now ever since she had left the Maine and returned to her headquarters in the castle.
He rapped on the door in a consistent succession of knocks and waited patiently. Who knew what kind of foul mood she could be in?
"Who's there?"
She was in there all right. "It's me, Hans."
"Come in."
He turned the door knob and walked into the room cautiously and closed the door behind him. She was slouched in a large sofa across the room by the window, with a glass in her hand.
"Your Imperial Majesty." He sketched a bow.
She gave a slight grunt of vexation. "No one's watching or listening in, Hans. You can drop the act."
Hans grinned. "As you command, then."
She sat up a little, making room on the sofa. "Aren't you going to give me something?"
"Of course, Eleanor." He landed a light kiss on her lips. "I could give you more than one."
She tugged at his collar of his fine shirt, pulling him onto the sofa together with her, and then leaned upward for a full kiss on the lips.
Hans leaned in, her breath hot against his face, and shifted till he was beneath her. He wrapped his arms behind her back and she lay against his lean-muscled frame.
"That's better." Eleanor whispered, her red hair falling across her face.
Hans smirked. He still hadn't believed that he had truly fallen for her. Maybe he had. He wasn't sure when it had happened. But then again, he still had his ultimate goal at the forefront of his mind. It was what Eleanor had promised him after all, hadn't she?
She would grant him the full resources of the Empire, and he would help her take over the continent, in exchange for the possession of a country or two. That was what he was after, but he couldn't help but wonder if his goals had somewhat evolved. Now, besides just the conquest of a country, he had made inroads into a new conquest - one for the heart.
Then again, one could say that he had been using her as a means to an end. To gain power. Dominion that he had never dreamt possible, made possible only by Eleanor's offer to him. The same could be said for Eleanor though. She had been using him to help her make sure that Anna, the Warriors and the League of Sorcerers weren't a problem for her.
And they had succeeded too. Now that the opposition was off the table, it would be easy to head on down to Arendelle and add it to a long list of names belonging to the Empire of Exon. But the real question was, had she really fallen for him too? Or was this also a part of her facade she was keeping up to continue using him?
"You want something from me, don't you?" Eleanor whispered hoarsely.
"You read my mind."
"Actually I don't have that power." Eleanor climbed off him and the sofa, straightening her dress and taking a sip from her glass.
"A figure of speech." Hans said. "I'm not sure if you have those in your language."
"We do." Eleanor said. "We have other sayings too. Some a lot more romantic and suggestive than plain old English."
"I think I'll stick with direct." Hans said, adjusting the crisp, solid collar of the maroon shirt he was wearing. "What are you planning to do with Elsa and the others?"
"I thought I would keep them around for a little while." Eleanor said casually. "They're an interesting species, they are. It's not like they can escape or anything. Their powers have been neutralized."
"So you don't have any plans for them?"
"No, not really." Eleanor sipped from her glass. "Why?"
"Well I have a plan." Hans took the glass from her and chugged the rest of its contents down. "For Elsa, at least."
"Bold." She raised a suggestive eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"
"You don't mind if I kill her, do you?" Hans said mildly.
Eleanor thought for a second. "No. Sooner or later I'll probably just send them off for execution anyway once I'm bored. But what do you have in mind for her?"
"Nothing too overt." Hans smiled.
"Torture?"
"That's one way to put it." Hans said. "But I know ways to make her suffer without even laying a hand on her."
"Mmmn, ever the gentleman." Eleanor said. "Well that gives me the assurance I need that you'll stay loyal to me, at least."
"Of course." Hans leaned in and kissed her again.
"I'm curious though," Eleanor slung a hand across the back of his neck. "Why do you hate her so much?"
"She's the reason my plans went south and landed me in prison. If it weren't for her and her wretched powers, I would've been King of Arendelle right now."
"True, but then you and I wouldn't have met," Eleanor whispered in his ear. "And you wouldn't have the reach and power to rule an entire country."
"I guess you're right." Hans set the glass down and placed his hands under her thighs, lifting her up and walking back to the sofa. The two of them collapsed onto it and fondled each other lovingly.
A knock came at the door of the study, and Eleanor bristled, hurriedly getting off Hans and the sofa.
"Who is it?" she called out sharply, hastily smoothing out the creases in her dress.
KANE
"It's Kane." Dressed in a clean set of uniform and polished boots, he stood outside the door of the study, his body drawn up smartly in spite of the injuries he had sustained during the fight earlier this afternoon.
The famous young mercenary known as Prometheus had given him a good workout in front of the crowd, but nothing pleased Kane more than beating him in a clean fight in front of the entire crowd of civilians.
"Come in."
He opened the door and stepped into the room. Upon shutting the door, he drew himself up and bowed with years of military decorum triumphing over the aches and protests made known by his body.
"Your Imperial Majesty. Consul."
"At ease, General." The Empress waved away his bow. "You are aware of the reason why I summoned you here?"
"Yes I am." He allowed himself to relax a fraction.
"Have a seat, General." The Empress gestured at a comfortable sofa. "You look tired. I saw the fight between you and the hired mercenary. Quite remarkable and entertaining. I hope you made him pay for his betrayal."
"Right now he's lying in his cell with a broken spine." Kane said. "Nothing more painful than that."
"Hmmn," The Empress glanced at the Consul. "Let's see if you can do better."
The Consul gave a lopsided grin.
"Excuse me?" Kane asked.
"Never mind." The Empress shook her head. "You have something you wanted to inform me?"
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." Kane said. "I've officially assigned command of the First Imperial Guard to Lieutenant Dolan after the untimely betrayal of the Captain."
"Mmmn, yes. I seem to have made a mistake in hiring him." The Empress frowned.
"And our latest prisoners?" The Consul General asked.
"They're languishing in the P.O.W camp with the magic-dampening cuffs still on." Kane replied. "And they're kept separate, of course. Can't be too careful with that lot."
"Good work, General. And how goes the preparation for the march?" The Empress inquired.
"Precisely on schedule. We're ready to break camp at your command."
The Empress looked pleased. "Tomorrow morning, then. Towards Arendelle."
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." Kane cleared his throat. "Also, there's that other thing I wanted to discuss."
"Of course."
"With all due respect," Kane glanced cautiously at the Consul General. He didn't like the feeling he got in the young man's presence. "It's a matter I rather discuss in private."
The Consul General matched his gaze for a while, a wolfish smirk forming on his face. Then, he bowed smartly before the Empress. "I have other matters to attend to. Please excuse me." He strode towards the exit.
Kane waited for the enigmatic man to leave the room and closed the door behind him. "So, I just wanted to ask…"
"About our deal."
"Yes." He shifted a little uncomfortably. "How long more?"
"I'll tell you when we're done." The Empress said. "Don't worry, I'm a woman of my word. I told you I have the means and resources to have your family resurrected, and that I would do so at the end of our bargain."
"But how much longer?" Kane asked. "I've already done everything you've asked for and more."
"True, you've exceeded my expectations with the speed of our conquest."
"Then don't you think that warrants a little more reassurance of when you would fulfil your end of the deal?"
"Come now, General." The Empress said. "Surely you know the value of a good promise."
"All I've had so far is your word, and that's it."
"And shouldn't that be enough?"
"Not anymore." Kane said in a low voice. "How do I know you haven't been playing me this entire time?"
"Do I need to remind you how you came back to life?" The Empress' voice suddenly turned unpleasant. "I gave you everything, and I can just as easily have it stripped away."
"Not everything. Not yet." Kane stood up, his eyes narrowing. "With all due respect, I need more than just your word on this. Otherwise, you can find another capable commander to lead the Imperial Horde."
"You're done when I say you're done." The Empress snapped. "And don't try to fool me. I know you need me more than I need you. Who else can bring your beloved family back from the grave?"
Kane narrowed his eyes even further.
"General Victor Kane," The Empress tutted, her sudden outburst having been converted into one of scorn. "I hope you're not beginning to think about backing out of our deal now. It won't be me who loses the most."
"Of course not, Your Imperial Majesty." Kane forced himself to bow. He was doing it all for his family, after all. He had come this far, and he couldn't stop now. Not when his family was within his grasp again. "Excuse me." He turned on his heel and marched out of the study. Now to see to the other little meeting on his schedule.
Author's Commentary:
Building the tension between Eleanor and the Crimson Order is kind of fun. Our villain has some enemies of her own that are scarier than her, which will come into play into a sequel (Book 4 which I am currently working on). But for now, our heroes have enough problems on their hands with the Empire.
Not to mention, that little surprise with Hans and Eleanor. I think they make for a rather interesting couple, it's always fun to write villainous relationships like this one. The evil they can accomplish together…I shudder to imagine. But then begs the question, are they both just making use of each other to achieve their own ends? Or have they really fallen for each other. What an interesting dynamic, I'll love to explore more of it :)
And poor Kane. We've seen him evolve since the very first book. He's a monster to everyone else, but in Eleanor's presence, he has no power of his own. He's desperate to get his family back, but is he beginning to have doubts about his commitment? We shall see.
It's always fun to see the story from the villain's perspective, as it adds a whole new dimension to the narrative as a composite whole. As I'm uploading this, I'm already halfway through the first draft of the sequel. Book 4 is going to take some time to complete, as I have to juggle school commitments and work, so I don't have a whole lot of time to write as I used to.