Chapter Three: Part Two

One day prior…

Potsfurt

Brendan's brow rose as he looked up from his paper. Dawa was sitting across from him in a sitting room of the house he had been provided in Potsfurt. "…A ransom?" he asked. His tone was disbelieving.

"I know the Princess, Your Highness," Dawa said. Her face was cold and her hands were clasped in her lap. Her tone was also cold but calm. "She has a hero complex. She naturally wants to help. And…she loves her siblings. All of them. I was her assist. If she thinks I'm in danger, then she will act."

"No, she won't," Brendan said, lowering the paper. "Do you honestly believe Sigrun or Denzel would allow her to come here to "save" you? They would sacrifice you to keep her safe, Dawa."

Dawa's lips pressed together, but that was the only sign of her offense by his words. "Do you think that will stop her, Your Highness?"

Brendan's brow knitted. "How well do you truly know her, Sir?" Dawa pressed him, leaning forward. "I was there. I was by her side for a long time, and I know how little you know her."

"Don't talk to me like that," Brendan snapped.

"What's her favorite color?" Dawa shot back.

Brendan was taken aback. He stammered for a moment before he spoke. "Red. It's always been red."

"What about her favorite food?"

"She likes those hard candies—"

"Wrong, Your Highness," Dawa said.

"You will show the Prince respect, Lady Dawa!" Yasmine snapped.

"Princess Astraea's favorite food is zimtschnecke," Dawa said, her eyes on Brendan.

"O…Kay," Brendan said after a moment. "What does this have to do with—"

"What did you get for her eighteenth birthday?" Dawa pressed on. "What did she get you for your thirty-second birthday?"

Brendan clenched his jaw but said nothing. "You got her a romance novel for her birthday," Dawa reminded him. "And for your birthday she got you a new saddle—"

"You've made your point," Brendan snapped, standing up. "And you still show your favor for her by calling her "Princess"."

Dawa visibly clenched her jaw. There were many things she wanted to say in the moment but held back. After all, speaking her truth was what got Primrose arrested on trumped charges. "I know that she loves me," Dawa said finally. "She loves me the same as she loves Princess Sigrun and Princess Philomena. If she believes that I'm in danger, then there would be nothing that would hold her back from coming to my side. The same would be said of all her siblings—including you, Your Highness."

"And do you expect the people of Potsfurt to act like their lady—and a bastard child of His Majesty the King—is being held hostage?"

"Does it matter what they think? What matters is what she thinks."

Brendan contemplated this for a moment before he slowly nodded. "Fair enough. And do you have an inkling as to where she is?"

"No," Dawa said. "But my plan is that you should distribute that to all the cities, like a royal decree. Wherever she is, she will see it. And she will act."

Brendan looked at the notice again for a long moment. Then he finally looked up again. "You are confident that she will respond to this?"

"I am," Dawa said.

"Then we will go with this plan." He handed off the paper to Yasmine, who quickly headed for the door. "If you are right, then she will respond to this notice immediately."

"Right," Dawa said. She hesitated for a moment. "Your Highness?"

"Yes?"

"Am I allowed to see Prim now?"

For a brief moment, Dawa thought she saw a flicker of sympathy in his blue eyes. But his expression remained hardened. "As you've already been told Lady Dawa, she will be released once Astraea arrives in Potsfurt."

Dawa's nostrils flared but she kept her temper under control. "…Understood," she said after a moment.

"That will be all," Brendan said. "You may leave."

Dawa stood up stiffly and saluted the Prince before leaving the room. Two of her soldiers were waiting outside the room. "Here, Milady," one soldier said. "I will escort you home." He took her by the elbow and began to guide her. Normally she would never have allowed one of her soldiers to use a casual gesture with her, but she felt his fingers slip something into the underside of her elbow-high black glove. She revealed nothing on her face as she was escorted of the residence. She continued giving the outward appearance of calm as they walked along the cobblestones, receiving stares and sympathetic murmurs from the populace. Tensions were high in Potsfurt because of the impending war with the Alliance, and now with the unrest between Prince Brendan and Lady Dawa. No one relished it. The people simply wanted peace to be restored again.

Dawa was taken back to her home, and though the soldiers had to keep an eye on her they were at least polite enough to stand guard outside her mansion and not hound her inside her house. "Draw me a bath," Dawa told her maid, her tone weary. "I feel unclean."

"Yes, my Lady," the maid responded, hurrying upstairs. Alone in her foyer, Dawa leaned her back against her front door and let out a harsh sigh. Brendan had expected her to lead Astraea into a trap, and was holding Primrose hostage to ensure Dawa fulfilled this obligation.

And Dawa knew exactly how Astraea would react to the notice.

"Just don't let me down, Your Highness," Dawa murmured to herself.

Though she trusted her staff, she still looked around to make sure she was by herself. Then she reached into the underside of her glove and pulled out the thing the soldier had slipped her. It was a small piece of paper. She walked into the nearby great room, where the fireplace was blazing. She stood in front of the fireplace and read the slip of paper. She read the notice several times before tossing it into the flames. As she watched the paper catch fire, she couldn't hide the smirk from her lips.

'Your message went through. The Magic Guild is coming.'

Back at Brendan's temporary residence, Yasmine rejoined the Prince's side. "The notice will be sent to every city. By tomorrow morning it will be posted everywhere."

"Good," Brendan said. He headed towards his bedchamber and Yasmine followed him. Outside the door though he paused and looked at her. "What of the other matter?"

Yasmine's blue brow lifted at his question. He knew the question had stunned her, though she still remained outwardly stoic. After a moment she responded. "It was as you ordered, Your Highness."

"So be it." Brendan nodded and turned to the door. "So by this time tomorrow…they will surely be dead."

"As most labeled as traitors are, Your Highness."

Brendan frowned, but not at Yasmine. He said nothing more as he entered his room.

The following morning…

Blutkrieger

The envoy from Potsfurt arrived early. Elly Drake had heard that they had been transporting a "traitor" to the Crown. The news irritated her greatly, as besides Princess Astraea, Princess Sigrun, Prince Denzel, and their assists she had not been aware of anyone else having been accused of being a traitor. Continuously hearing all of this information after the fact made her feel inadequate in her position. What was the point of her being an agent in the Intelligence Bureau if intelligence was being withheld from her?!

She knew there would be no trial for the condemned; their death warrant was already signed by His Majesty before the envoy had arrived. Elly only knew that the condemned was being taken to their execution because of the screaming and pleading she heard echoing down the corridors.

They fast-tracked this person's sentence. What sort of treason did they commit to anger the Crown in such a manner?

Since the person had been accused of treason, Elly knew exactly where they would be taken for their execution. She hurried to the heavily guarded door of the Crypt; the screams of the condemned reverberating behind the heavy door. "Let me pass," she said authoritatively.

"Yes, Milady," the guard said. They could not deny an order of an agent from the Intelligence Bureau. The guard in question slowly pulled open the door. "Would you like an escort, Milady?"

"That won't be necessary."

Elly hurried down the dimly lit stairs, the sobbing shrieks vibrating in her ears. "—have been condemned to death," Albert Silverberg called ahead. Elly reflexively frowned in distaste at hearing his voice. "By the will of His Majesty King Franz—"

"I'M INNOCENT!" shrieked a reply. "I'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG!"

Elly entered the platform area of the Crypt. The one place that had minimal safety from Bhayankar. She saw a wall of soldiers blocking her view, so she walked along the length of the cold, dark brick wall to see the proceedings. At the end of the row of soldiers she moved to stand in line with them. In front of the soldiers with their back to them was Albert.

And directly in front of Albert was the condemned—a hysterically sobbing man in his forties held by his arms by two guards.

"You were condemned by His Majesty himself," Albert said in a cold tone. "His Majesty said that you were exposed for selling secrets to the Bianca Alliance. There is no way for you to deny an accusation made by our King."

"B-BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" the condemned shrieked, trying to pull himself free. "I-I-I SWEAR I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"Your sentence is as all traitors to the Crown face," Albert said. He pointed into the dark abyss behind the man. "You will feed the beast with your body."

"NO!" the condemned screamed. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

He continued to scream and beg for mercy as he was bodily dragged to the northwestern part of the platform. Elly knew that this was where they would lower the stairs to descend into Bhayankar's lair. As such the rail was shorter on this end and there was open air. The stairs were up, but she knew they wouldn't lower them for the condemned. The soldiers instead heaved on the condemned, and shoved him off the ledge.

The condemned screamed louder as he fell, followed by a loud "THUMP" as he landed. Albert, the soldiers, and Elly approached the rail and looked down. Elly say the man writhing on the ground in pain. Because of the height of the platform she knew the fall had injured him. Sure enough, when he rolled onto his back she saw that his right arm was broken.

The quick footsteps were her only warning. Elly looked up just in time to see Bhayankar pounce upon the condemned. The monstrous jaws closed down upon the body, and the man's shriek of pain was mercifully short. Instead the sound of bones being crushed filled the air. Elly averted her gaze away from the sight of someone being eaten, and her eyes fell upon Bhayankar's back. It had been awhile since she had seen the Sacrosuchus up close and personal like this, but this was the first time she truly scrutinized his massive body. And on his back…there appeared to be a brand. Or rather—a tattoo? It was strange. It was a black and white image that seemed to wrap around him and cover his back. She could only see one side of the mark, but the side she saw…it almost looked like the face of a wolf.

Did the Reiser Royal Family mark him? But…that thing almost looks like a rune.

"Miss Drake."

Elly tensed when Albert moved beside her. "Sir Albert," she greeted him with forced politeness.

"I didn't think you were one to act as a witness to an execution," Albert asked to her. He seemed unbothered by the loud eating below them.

"I heard that someone was condemned as a traitor, Sir Albert," Elly said, giving him a sideways glance. "We in the Intelligence Bureau were not notified of such a thing."

"Is that so?" Albert asked in a bland tone.

"May I speak freely, Sir Albert?" Elly asked.

"Of course, Miss Drake."

"Does the Intelligence Bureau not exist to gather and process information for Zelant?"

"Yes, it does."

"Then why has information been recently withheld from the Intelligence Bureau? I only found out that His Majesty King Franz rooted out a traitor when said traitor arrived here."

"His Majesty said that man is a traitor," Albert said, gesturing to beyond the rail. "That is all that's needed to condemn that man. Or are you saying that His Majesty needed to get your permission to go after him?"

The blood rushed to Elly's head, and rage filled her body. She took a moment to compose herself however, and didn't allow Albert to see that he had upset her. "I would like to request a meeting with His Majesty."

"He is fully booked today," Albert responded. "Try again in three days."

Elly snapped her teeth. "I am also speaking on behalf of Prince Vahan, Sir Albert. As you know, he's been spending a lot of time with our Bureau as of late."

"And His Highness is making His Majesty proud not being an idly royal," Albert said with a smirk. "But you can tell the Prince that he can see His Majesty."

Elly's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank y—"

"In three days." Then Albert turned and walked away.

Elly sputtered in shock and rage at his audacity. She had never felt so insulted in her life!

But she knew there was nothing she could do about it. The other soldiers gave her awkward glances. Elly exchanged sharply, and stormed out of the Crypt.

Because of her anger, she forgot about the apparent rune that was attached to Bhayankar's back.

Honigmilch

"I'm back!" Richard cheerfully announced as he breezed into Dr. Tieling's clinic. "Wow, I had a busy morning!"

"So you heard as well, Lord Richard?" Sigrun asked. The clinic was empty the group had gathered in the main infirmary area. Viktor looked much better and his arm was properly bandaged and in a sling, but he looked down at forlornly. "Forty-six years," he muttered. "Forty-six years I've wielded a sword with this arm." He shook his head and chuckled softly. "I thought I'd die before I reached retirement, but…"

"I'm really sorry, Viktor," David said, sitting at his bedside.

"Oi," Viktor said sharply, thumping him on the arm with his left arm. "Did you bite my arm off?!"

"No!"

"Then why are you apologizing? I'm just moping right now, I'll get over it! I still have a functioning arm! I'll learn to wield a sword with my left hand! Believe me—I've survived worse than a damn crocodile biting my arm off! So if you apologize one more time, I'll give you something to be sorry about! Got it, kid?!"

David quickly nodded his head. "Y-Yes, Viktor."

"When you master the sword with your left hand, please let me know," Richard said earnestly. "I would love to duel you."

"Lord Richard, we'll have to get moving," Denzel pointed out. "By the time Viktor recovers, we'll be long gone from Honigmilch."

"Oh, I'm coming with you," Richard said.

"What?" Astraea asked, clasping her hands together.

"That's why my morning's been so busy," Richard said. "I resigned from mayorship of Honigmilch."

"EH?!" everyone exclaimed.

"Wait, who's running the damn city now?!" Dr. Tieling demanded.

Richard shrugged. "I guess they're going to hold another tournament for it."

"S-So there's no one in leadership right now?!" as if on cue, there was a loud crash of a window breaking outside. Everyone rushed to the windows to see ruffian laughing and throwing rocks at various houses.

"Damn, damn, DAMN!" Dr. Tieling raced to the front door and locked it. She spun around and pointed angrily at Richard. "This city is going to fall into anarchy because of you!"

"Oh, I don't think it will be too bad," Richard said blithely.

"Lord Richard, did you hear of this?" Sigrun approached with the notice Musashi has stolen. "Our brother sent this out! He's threatening Dawa to force Astraea to come out!"

Richard read the notice over. He 'tsked' and shook his head. "He's threatening Lady Dawa? That's not very nice of him to do."

"Dawa was my assist," Astraea said softly. "Brendan, he…he probably thought that this would be the only way I would come out."

"It's smart, though," Denzel said. "If Yasmine was threatened then Brendan would also act to help her. As I would act to help Musashi."

"If you tried to save me from capture, then I would never forgive you, Your Highness," Musashi said sharply.

"Nor would I forgive you if you tried to rescue me from capture, Your Highness," Ferdinand said to Sigrun.

"But this is nonetheless a threat made against Lady Dawa," Richard said.

"It's a trap," David said bluntly.

The group looked at him shocked. He stood up. "Lady Dawa Thorin is a recognized bastard of King Franz. She is also a lady—the Lady of Potsfurt. King Franz would risk losing the support of an entire town if anything were to happen to her. Potsfurt is also an important port town during a time of war. He cannot afford to let anything happen to her."

"But the King killed three of his own children," Sigrun countered. "One of whom was also a noble. And he tried to kill one of his heirs—" she pointed to Astraea. "If Brendan is threatening Dawa, then he does so on the King's orders. And the King doesn't make idle threats."

David glanced at Astraea. "Do you think Lady Dawa actually wants you to go to Potsfurt, Your Highness?"

Astraea gaped at him. "If she were here right now, would she want you to help her? Or would she want you to save yourself? If we go to Potsfurt, then we will be ambushed. And there will be nothing that Lady Dawa can do to help you."

"So are you suggesting?" Denzel asked. "Are we supposed to just abandon Dawa? What if Brendan kills her?!"

David held out his hand to Richard. "May I?"

Richard handed over the notice. David gave the notice to Astraea. "Read this again, Princess Astraea. When you read this, do you believe that this is a call for help for Lady Dawa…or a warning to stay away?"

Astraea looked at the note; looked at the warning in bold. Her heart ached and she felt ill. She didn't want Dawa to be in danger. She knew that if her father could try to kill without hesitation, then he could the same to Dawa.

But Dawa was her assist. Her sister. The thought of turning her back on her sister didn't sit well with her.

This is a trap…but if something bad were to happen to Dawa, I…

She closed her eyes. Her options were clear; go to Potsfurt and try to save Dawa—risking her own life in the process. Or abandon Dawa to certain death and stay on the course to prepare to make her claim for Royal Combat.

"Astraea," Sigrun said softly. "We have thrown our support behind you. We will follow your lead. What will we do?"

Astraea opened her eyes and looked down at the notice again. Suddenly she crushed the notice between her fists. The group watched in silence as she pounded the notice into a small ball and let it drop to the floor. Finally she looked around the room. "Dawa would never forgive me if I risked myself to try and save her," she said quietly. "Especially if she was being used as bait. I do not wish to abandon her, but I can't risk all of you on this." She shook her head. Her next words were painful, but she forced herself to say. "I can't risk it. Not even for Dawa."

I'm sorry, Dawa. I'm so sorry…

Denzel moved over to her and gave her a hug. "It will be all right," he said quietly. "Brendan can be a cold bastard, but hurting Dawa would be beneath him."

Astraea hugged him back. "Thank you, Denzel."

"Question, Your Highness," Richard said, raising his hand like he was a student in a classroom.

"Ah…yes, Lord Richard?" Astraea asked.

"You are serious then about challenging the King to Royal Combat?"

"You're challenging the King to Royal Combat?!" Dr. Tieling exclaimed. She was stunned for a moment before she shook her head. "Then I can't stay, either. I'm coming with you as well, Your Highness."

"R-Really?" Astraea asked, her eyes wide.

"After your proclamation is made public, my clinic is going to be scrutinized," Dr. Tieling pointed out. "I'm not a Zelantan native—the King will probably shove ME into Bhayankar's mouth next when he hears I helped you! I'm better off staying by your side!"

Astraea stammered for a moment before she nodded and offered her hand to Dr. Tieling. "I'm happy to have you as an ally, Doctor."

Tieling briskly shook her hand and hurried towards the door. "I need to pack! Don't leave without me!" She ran upstairs.

"So I hate to be a killjoy, but if you're going to challenged the King of Zelant for his crown, then you need to do better than running from town to town," Viktor said. "You need a proper place to call your home while you prepare."

"That's a good point," Sigrun said. "We need a haven—a base of operations for stability."

"And to build allies," David said.

Denzel choked on a laugh. "You don't need to support to declare Royal Combat. Just to make a formal declaration."

"But this isn't just Royal Combat," David pointed out. "This is about gathering the 108 Stars of Destiny. That means collecting allies. That means getting the people behind you. But yes—you DO need a proper place to maintain, Your Highness. Do you know of anywhere we can go?"

"Honigmilch isn't safe," Richard said. "This is a city of mercenaries. If the price is high enough they'll turn you in."

"None of the other cities would be viable, either," Sigrun said, folding her arms over her chest. "A lot of the cities had children who died in the Massacre of Innocents."

"What about your Kobold village, Ferdinand?" Viktor asked.

" Hundehöhle?" Ferdinand asked. He shook his head. "Lord Lambert would never act in a way that would bring trouble to his people."

"The same would probably be for the Elves and Pixies," Musashi said.

"So we don't have really any options," Denzel said, rubbing a hand through his hair. He looked at Astraea. "Do you have any ideas?"

Astraea raked over her brain, trying to find a solution. Where could they go…?

But then she had an idea, and snapped her fingers in excitement. "We'll go southeast."