Shoutout to Swid16kawail IllyriaFred Fernan G Omega97 TheVoidHunter250 for the favorites/follows
Also really big shout out to the guest who left me that latest review, I'm not going to lie I was kinda getting down on not having that many reviews I mean 53 is a lot and all but this one fanfic I love call "The Frozen and Pierced Heart" another frozen fanfic that had 449 reviews at its year mark made me a little self conscious but your review really meant a lot. Really appreciated it and to the various readers who've actually PM me about it showing interest. Thanks guys, its cause of yall I continue to make an effort to push out chapters that are good and make you want more. Still working on an endgame to be honest but I've got a general idea on how to get there and am looking forward to my favorite section of the fanfic. Anyway enjoy the new chapter and please drop reviews.
Hector was walking toward one of the palace's meeting rooms where he would be reporting to one of the council members. After he had been named the Queen's personal guard, the council immediately scurried him away so that they could inform him of their intentions. While they truly wished for the Queen's wellbeing to always be secured, they weren't entirely convinced she was what was best for Arendelle.
Despite her many achievements at such a young age, she was still hard for foreigners to approach. After the debacle that was her coronation, many of their allies had been secretly consorting with the council for an explanation of her abilities. To be honest, none of them had any idea that their Queen had the power over ice and snow.
It threw into question what she was capable of if she could indeed use magic. While she apologized profusely and even elevated the council's position to rival her own, she still had the power to plunge the kingdom in another winter.
It definitely made Arendelle a less appealing target for invasion if the monarch could create a winter during the summer. Some allies sought solace in the idea that if they were attacked then the omnipotent Snow Queen would come to their rescue and freeze their enemies where they stood. Conversely, others worried that she might expand beyond her domain and conquer kingdoms then make them submit to her cold rule.
Which was why her kidnapping was a very serious matter.
The fact someone, a bandit no less, could abduct their oh-so-powerful Queen weakened their position that she could defend Arendelle from any threat. If it wasn't for that stranger rescuing her then who knows what would happen if their enemies learned that the Snow Queen was defeated and used the chance to invade. Even if their allies came to their aid, it would be a chain reaction of more kingdoms joining in the fray.
The council then decided that measures needed to be taken. First, to protect the Queen and keep her powers ready to defend Arendelle was the first priority. Second, to keep an eye on her and make her more compliant to the council's wishes. The first could've been accomplished by a well trained guard that they could manipulate, the second would be someone of noble blood marrying her and siding with the council on whatever they decided.
As they poured over all the available guards who could fill the first position as well as a noble or royal to fit in the second, they were overcome with joy when they found a man who could do both.
They confessed that his service record was very impressive, being trained by the Bowman Expeditionary forces at a young age while being formally educated made him stand out. There was also the fact that the Bowman name was very well known throughout multiple kingdoms and had strong ties to Arendelle for many years.
The elder Bowman was a businessman and just oversaw relations with his force as well as being close friends to the late king. The council knew that he would instantly side with the Queen in honor of his friend and would likely turn down their plans. His son, on the other hand, had more flexible ties. The young man was quite ambitious and always strove to get ahead in life. They sent messengers to offer advice from time to time and ensured that he advanced in the guard to build rapport with him.
Hector knew he was being targeted for something when he joined the guard and kept getting those messages. They asked that he continue to improve and that he had a higher calling waiting for him. At first he didn't believe, he only advanced to get his inheritance then one day lead the Bowman Expeditionary forces. He loved his home, even if his dream would lead him away from it, he would still be protecting it.
That was the promise he made to his friends as he watched them freeze to death.
During the coronation, he and his friends were out the village on a trip and were returning when they got caught in a snowstorm. They couldn't see anything and were forced to take shelter. He remembered their food running low as they returned and one of his friends trying to hunt for food. The hunt did not go well and forced his friend to return to their shelter bleeding and dying. Hector tried to keep the others alive, he gave them as much as he could while letting himself have the minimum, Stonewell's winter training truly came in handy for him but for his friends who had no resistance to the cold, they had no chance.
They were too far gone when he returned with food, he made them as comfortable as possible as they left the mortal plane.
When he learned that the Queen was the one who caused it and that she would be ruling Arendelle, he couldn't bring himself to stay in her service. He was about to tender his resignation but a messenger from Earl Edward asked that he come to the council member's home to speak with him. When the young man arrived and sat down with the Earl, he was informed that they had been keeping an eye on him.
Hector asked why and the Earl responded that Arendelle needed men of his caliber to protect the kingdom. The young man explained his intentions of joining the Expeditionary force because he couldn't bring himself to serve the Queen for the part she played in the death of his friends. The council member said he understood but provided another option.
The Earl expressed that he had no intentions of killing the Queen but could see her holding her position to be a danger in the future. So he proposed that with her sharing her power with the council and once again halving her power with her spouse, they could control her to ensure she could not rule over them as she pleased. Hector asked how he factored into his plan and was surprised as well as slightly revolted that they wanted him to seduce the Queen into making him her King.
He instantly wanted to refuse, even if she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, all he could see when he looked at her magic was his friends freezing. The Earl explained how such a task may be hard to swallow and accept but it would ultimately be for the good of Arendelle. It also played into the young man's future dream of protecting the kingdom while leading the Bowman Expeditionary forces.
He didn't have to like her or fall in love with her, all it would take for them to get leverage over her was him sleeping with her once. Hector was well known for always having a girl on his arm, and for a woman who's been locked away for so long, they thought she would make an easy target. The young man wanted to refuse yet could see the benefits if things panned out in a favorable way.
The council would be truly leading Arendelle, the Snow Queen would be adequately controlled, and he would be in a position to truly defend his kingdom.
So he accepted the proposition and served faithfully.
The council needed time to convince the Queen to accept that she needed a bodyguard and with the young man's continued achievements, he was to be the first they recommended. After her kidnapping, the Queen had begun to act quite differently. As the council quitely investigated they eventually found out about the new addition to the guard.
A complete and total stranger would be overseeing training for the guards. When the council found out it was the same man who rescued the Queen, they tried investigating into him further to learn more about him and how he knew the Queen but came up with nothing. It was at that point that Hector decided to investigate on his own and by using his connections. He came up with essentially nothing on the man, no one knew where he had come from. It wasn't until King Alrick spoke to the Queen during the Gathering did the young man get some insight.
The King all but confirmed that he knew Edward for a long time and knew that he was banished with execution orders on his head should he return. That immediately sent up a red flag to Hector and he had kept a closer on him ever since. Initially, the noble always kept an eye on Edward since Stonewell introduced him as the rookie guard's instructor. There was something odd about him and he had some kind of strange relationship with the Queen that was obvious if someone looked hard enough.
That one day when his father visited while he was training, he knew that Edward and Anna could hear them talking. He let that comment slip out to see how the instructor would react. When the man got off his bench and looked ready to murder the noble, he got a clearer picture of what was between them. He still continued his mission to try and seduce the Queen but it was quite obvious that she had known his intentions and saw through them.
He honestly didn't care if he had no chance of ever bedding the woman. He was more concerned with Edward who seemed to be very close to the Queen. The council asked if he had learned anymore about the instructor but he always said no, there was very little they could find on him unless they went to Blackdust.
So Hector stayed close to the Queen and continued to ensure her safety, as he spent time with her, his hidden disdain slowly began to thaw and he could see that she was trying her best. While he still considered her a threat, it wasn't too hard to act cordial with her whenever they spoke.
When Prince Albert was assassinated, he wasn't too surprised to see Edward approach him and ask for help ensuring the Queen's safety. He agreed and assigned guards to watch her whenever he wasn't present. It seemed that the instructor really cared for the Queen's safety, perhaps in a way that was almost romantic. It was what he thought in the early days but was all but confirmed when Edward confronted him the night of the ball and the next morning he saw the Queen almost float around the castle.
He's been with enough women to know when one had a magical time with a man in bed. The blonde was obvious, he was surprised no one else even noticed.
The council would've had a field day with that information but Hector kept his mouth shut. It wasn't because he actually cared about Edward or even the amount of leverage that could be used over the blonde who was blatantly protecting him.
It was because Grace asked him not to say anything.
Not many people knew this but him and Grace had been friends when he was a small boy. Of all the people he had known, she was the one person that knew everything about him. She knew how many women he slept with, his dreams, and even his secret mission from the council. He was sure that she told Eren who likely told the Queen but he couldn't bring himself to care.
She was his closest friend when they were kids but as they grew up, they went their separate ways. Whenever he'd catch her eye, she'd give him that cold stare she gave everyone else and he didn't mind it. Hell, he was probably the reason she had the stare in the first place.
When he found out that she was going to the Southern Isles to appraise the situation on her Majesty's behest, he instantly went to see her. She of course wasn't worried at all and said that she would complete the task she was assigned with efficiency. That was her usual response to anyone who would ask but he wasn't taking that from her.
It took some prodding but she finally lost her patience and rounded on him about his mission from the council. Turns out she was holding in how disappointed she was that he even entertained the idea of what the council wished him to do. He tried telling her that it was a moot point and that she could be heading into a war for all they knew. Grace could tell that Hector was beginning to hold it against the Queen that she be sent there and told him that it was her choice if she wanted to go or not.
Grace wanted to protect Arendelle and this was a necessary step in doing so. The two of them argued back and forth for what seemed like hours until the woman got her way and made him promise that he would look out for the Queen. He responded that it was his job to do so but she made him promise to really look out for the blonde. She was gone soon after leaving Hector to juggle his loyalties.
He was ultimately loyal to Arendelle which both the sides he was presented with were also. The council had been watching over the kingdom for years and had done much good in their time. However the Queen had done so much more in a very short time but still put the kingdom in an awkward position. His father would've likely be just as disappointed if he learned the true reason for his appointment as the Queen's personal guard.
The young man was inclined to side with the council because they were surely wiser and could keep the kingdom stable but with Grace thrown into the mix, Hector unwillingly found himself withholding information from the council for the Queen's benefit. He convinced himself that this would only continue until the woman returned then he would go back to being the council's watchdog as Edward put it.
He couldn't help but curse Grace, she knew who he really was deep down. He could sleep with all the women in the world with her in the room watching him but he couldn't lie to her. What they had in the past prevented him from doing so. He may have acted like a man who only desire from women was sex but the two of them both knew that he was using that a shield.
He arrived at the door and walked through it, not surprised to see Earl Edward sitting there waiting for him.
Only you Grace, only you.
Alrick was hiking through a dense forest on the outskirts of Corona. He had briefly met with King Frederic who was less than excited to see him in his kingdom, especially with an armed force outside the village. When the old Commander explained that they were hunting the remnants of an army that had committed a great many atrocities the King remained skeptical but allowed them passage through the kingdom as long as they allowed some scouts to accompany them. Alrick didn't mind the extra men, perhaps they could see that the soldiers from Blackdust really meant no harm and wished for peace.
As they moved through the forest, the Commander had his ears strained for any disturbances. Rakat's army was well trained however they were not very subtle. They preferred guns and cannons as well as towering weapons and armor compared to the Mystic Guard's more stealth approach. He had sent scouts to search the surrounding area and report if they found the target. So far they came back with nothing which forced Alrick to continue their trek well into the night.
Fortunately, with their dark colored uniforms and thick vegetation around, they would have the advantage. His soldiers were trained to disappear and use the cover of darkness to break sight line and attack from unexpected angles. While the King's Spearhead would attack the enemy head on, the Mystic Guard would sabotage as well as eliminate key targets. That was why they needed so few in number to be quite effective, they're enemies never saw them coming.
Which made it quite surprising when a flare launched high into the air and the forest erupted in a fury of footsteps and weapons being drawn.
Alrick instantly moved behind a tree as the sound of multiple guns and cannons went off and shredded nearby trees. Knowing better than to call for his men to see who was alive and give away his position, the King quickly climbed up the tree and hopped from branch to branch in time with the sound of gunshots to mask his movements.
When he found the source of the gunshots, he wasn't too surprised to see men in unfamiliar uniforms in a firing line formation. From what he could tell through the leaves in the tree, there were around fifty of them. His force only consisted of twenty men and the ten scouts he received from Corona. He had no idea how many of his men survived, he had faith that their training would serve them and when he made his move they would be ready.
Two smoke bombs were thrown into the formation of soldiers after their latest volley and confusion began to spread as they tried to move out of the smoke. As they tried to escape, two blades danced in between them and took out a few of them with every swing. They weren't even aware of their comrades dying on account of how loud their footsteps were and how panicked they were from being in a smokescreen. Half of them emerged from the smoke and pointed their weapons at the trees where the smoke bombs came from.
When they saw a shadow move from one branch to another, they all fired, which was a horrible mistake on their part. As soon as the volley ended, men in dark uniforms rushed out the brush with no fear in their hearts and their weapons ready. Half of the enemy tried to reload their weapons and fire them before they were attacked while the other charged with their bayonets and swords.
The sounds of weapons clanging against one another filled the night and when the smoke dissipated, King Alrick had his double bladed sword twirled in his hand, surrounded by the bodies of the enemies he killed inside the smoke. The remainder of the Mystic Guard quickly finished off their opponents before whistling in a distinct pattern. The King waited and could hear some more whistles coming from the forest where a few more of his soldiers walked out with two scouts from Corona.
"Status."
One Mystic Guard member wearing a pauldron on his right arm and chest plate with a spear in his hand approached the King before reporting.
"Twelve dead, four of ours and the rest were the reinforcements the King supplied us with. We have a few minor injuries, none that would hinder mobility."
"What team scouted in the direction the flare came from?"
"Davis and Reinhardt were sent in that direction and haven't returned yet, it's safe to assume the enemy came from that direction."
Alrick nodded before walking over to the Corona scouts who looked somewhat shaken up by the ambush they just walked into. He kneeled so he was eye level with them and made sure they were looking into his eyes.
"Listen, I get that this was more than you were expecting but mourning your friends will have to come later. Right now the guys who just attacked us are likely in northeast, we need to know if there are any notable geographical points of interest in that direction. What's the terrain and are there any structures that could house a sizable force?"
The scout on the left was an older man with a darker complexion and a bald head spoke first. "There's a valley in that direction that has a rebuilt dam. There's a multitude of mining tunnels on the inside as well, if someone were going to hide a large force, they could do so there."
"There any way we could get the high ground on them, a vantage point overlooking the entire valley?"
The other scout that had messy ginger hair spoke up. "There are ridges surrounding the valley that would allow us a good view but to get there we'll need to take a detour."
Alrick nodded before ordering his men to ready to move out. Once everyone was set to leave, the group ambled through the forest, careful of any additional ambushes before arriving out the forest and along a mountain path. From the mountain path, the Corona scouts said it wouldn't take that long for them to be able to see into the valley.
As they walked, the King kept a sharp eye on his surroundings yet was able to let his thoughts wander a small amount. Even though they weathered that ambush pretty well save for the Coroans that died, he wished that he had Rahim with him. The boy was a marvelous scout and usually stayed far ahead of whatever direction the main force was moving. If he encountered a threat, he'd either return to the force to advise them of the danger or neutralize it on his own. There have been many times as his men marched that Alrick would walk over the corpses of the soldier's victims.
All of them would die to one single wound since Rahim was partial to an eastern style known as iaijutsu or iaido. The style was primarily made for one to unsheathe and resheathe their weapon quickly, it wasn't a combat oriented style but nevertheless the soldier made it effective. Most enemies he would fight he'd let them make the first move and then countered that would generally end the battle right then right there. If the enemy was unsuspecting, they wouldn't even hear him draw his blade before they left the mortal plane.
The main reason he chose that fighting style was to keep his katana as sharp as possible over a long period of time. Generally katanas were weapons that were made for cutting flesh and bone but not other metals or clashing with other weapons. Doing so would chip the blade until it either became useless or snapped. The sheathe was made to protect the blade for as long as possible and conserve its cutting edge. Rahim had spent plenty of time sharpening off chips to maintain his weapon until it got to the point that he would just make another one.
Until he made that katana from the metal found on that alchemist.
Alrick had been in many battles and seen quite a few weapons, however that particular one was one of a kind. It completely rewrote the rules on what katanas were used for. The blade could now cut through other metals while maintaining its sharp edge, the damage it could do to a body was devastating. It inspired Rahim to adopt a more aggressive style of fighting that he rarely ever used. It was designed to completely overwhelm if not outright slaughter his opponent if they ever got caught in his ferocity.
The stance was him placing both hands on the hilt while bringing it behind his head as if he was preparing to swing at something. He then alternated with heavy two handed slashing strikes that were intended to cleave weapon and body from his target or single handed stabs that would usually end his target's life. Whenever he entered that stance, it was like a demon had possessed him, there was no pause in his movements, just an unyielding torrent of attacks that did not cease until whatever was in his way was dead at his feet. Each attack would be a step forward, never faltering, always with the intent of success.
It would've been considered reckless if his weapon didn't weigh close to nothing making it damn near impossible to dodge and that Rahim never lost sight of his target. The ones that could dodge the furious movements would attempt to exploit the slight opening that each of his heavy two handed swings made but unfortunately for them, the soldier was more than aware of those openings. Whenever someone would try to go for it, they would forget that Rahim was a master at iaido that stressed countering at a moment's notice. The flow from his aggressive hellbent style of attack back to iaijutsu was seamless and completely unexpected.
In Alrick's opinion though, that wasn't what made Rahim so dangerous. What truly made him a force to be reckoned with was his mindset. His single minded quest for the monster that killed his mother made him view any and all obstacles as an enemy that colluded with his mother's killer. He put all of his rage and pain into every strike against his enemies and chased them down with a religious fury.
It was unnerving to be his Commander and keep a leash on him. Looking back now, he could see that he had a Pride with him even back then. Rahim would keep to himself and move forward always, killing anything in his way. As his Commander, it was his job to keep him moving in the right direction but if he was being truthful, he failed at it. While their relationship had grown closer than what they were initially and the boy becoming friends with his son had an effect on him, Rahim at his core was still less than human.
As far back as he could remember, he'd never seen Rahim smile once.
Perhaps Ahimoth had but he certainly hadn't. He trusted the boy explicitly and was sad to hear he wouldn't be fighting alongside him anymore. Seeing him in Arendelle smiling and happy certainly threw him from a loop. While it was good that Rahim was finally smiling, it was bittersweet when he learned that it was Wrath in the body and not the boy he fought with.
He didn't know how true that was and hoped that Rahim was like Pride who remained the same even though he had a different name. He was there when Shahbaz was formally tested in front of the military chain of command as well as King Rakat himself. For some reason the King himself wanted to witness a child fight soldiers. The battle was short and ended with Shahbaz killing his opposition. The boy remained the same even after changing his name and becoming even more a danger than he was as a child. He hoped that Wrath was the same and just felt extremely guilty for what had happened during the civil war.
Him coming here and putting his skill in use for the sake of Blackdust and clearing his name would've been a good way to clear his conscience but it seemed that Arendelle was a better place for him. Alrick still wondered if he should inform him about what happened with his brother becoming Pride and possibly being in league with this Father person. He couldn't say it before because he didn't know how he would take it but he needed to be told.
"My King, we've arrived."
Alrick focused on his surroundings more and crept up to a ridge that oversaw the valley that had a dam that wasn't entirely filled with water yet. His men took up positions along the ridgeline as they kept low to avoid detection. Thanks to it being night time with their uniform being black they had better camouflage in the moonlight. When the King looked over the edge, he could see men mulling about moving crates. One of his soldiers handed him a spyglass that he used to confirm if they were indeed the remnants of Rakat's army. Their uniforms matched the soldiers that ambushed them from earlier and had the old Blackdust insignia on their shoulders.
From his position, Alrick could already see that there was no way that he could take on the force below them with the men he had on hand right now. Judging by the way they were moving crates from inside the tunnels it was safe to assume that there were more soldiers inside. He estimated that there were around three hundred of them mulling around in the open. He may have wanted to snuff out the force below him but he would need to return with more men. Fortunately he was able to confirm that they were here so Wrath's information checked out.
As he was about to leave, he couldn't help but look at the wooden dam as well as all the soldiers that were below it. If he brought it down then the tidal wave would wash the soldiers below if not drown them. He was sure that they would have guards posted on the support beam to prevent that from happening. There was also the fact that it was a dam in another kingdom, who know what kind of damage he would inflict if he brought it down. Turning to a Coroan scout, he pointed along the valley.
"Where does the valley lead to?"
"Along a pass until reaching a forest."
"Any people living there?"
"No, it seems the dam has had a history of breaking which made people abandon living in the forest below it. The King keeps rebuilding it to gather water more easily."
"So you're saying we can bring it down?"
The scout looked unsure for a moment. "That isn't our call to make, that lies with his Majesty…" Alrick nodded his head and actually looked considerate.
"Alright, in that case I would ask you to return to King Frederic with the request that we bring this dam down to flush out the dissidents. If he says no then we won't bring it down and will explore other options. Four of my men will accompany you to ensure you make it back. We're going to remain here and recon, on my honor as a soldier and King, I will not bring this dam down without your sovereign's permission."
The scouts looked at one another for a second, they were somewhat apprehensive with leaving the King on his own unsupervised. Their King had asked that they keep an eye on the foreign King while he was here because he wasn't fully trusted. While he may appear cordial on the outside they just met the man and just watched him dispatch a good amount of men on his own in low visibility.
There was also the fact that their soldiers were very efficient, they rushed the remaining survivors and killed them without pause. The two scouts were sure that if one of them wanted to they could probably kill the two of them. To prevent them from returning to Corona and carrying out their plan of tearing the dam down to kill their enemy wasn't that big of a stretch. The two of them wondered if it was smarter to head back on their own instead of having four soldiers from a rumored bloodthirsty kingdom accompany them.
Alrick could see the two of them debating something and honestly didn't have to think really hard about what they were thinking about. It was something that he told himself he'd get used to but wasn't happy about it. He needed to get rid of the remnants then focus on diplomatic ventures. He couldn't expect other kingdoms to trust him right away when they only knew of the rumors, he would have to show them that Blackdust wasn't that way anymore.
He turned the remainder of his men and barked out orders. "We are all returning to the capitol, we've confirmed our target's position and will ask the King for advice on how we shall proceed."
His men quickly prepared to move out when another flare shot into the air. Expecting that it was another enemy ambush, Alrick quickly turned around and prepared to fight when he noticed one of his men had a flare gun aimed in the air. The King whirled his head down into the valley to see the soldiers down there all looking in their direction. The Commander rounded back on the soldier who fired the flare and roared.
"What do you think you're doing?! You just gave away our position!"
The soldier shrugged before speaking. "Well you gave away the pride of our kingdom when you debase yourself and beg other kingdoms for things you can just take. With Rakat, no one challenged us and we were prosperous, until you couldn't make the hard decisions anymore. Because of you, our kingdom went through a civil war that left us on the edge of economic collapse and forced us to rely on a weak kingdom for help."
As the soldier spoke the other men prepared to strike him down but Alrick held up a hand stopping them. He wanted to hear this. The soldier watched them stand down and scoffed as he continued.
"Then you had the gall to pardon all the soldiers who opposed you in the civil war with the promise that they serve Blackdust. You turned the other cheek when men lost their loved ones because you knew the military was in shambles and it was all your fault. If you had only done what you were told and remained loyal, we would still be at the height of our power. We could've conquered any who would oppose us instead of bending backwards to join an alliance. We have a weapon that could annihilate anyone who would oppose us and you send him to clean up a mess you caused. Even without Pride, our army was trained to infiltrate and destabilize the power structure of a kingdom and make it easy pickings for their enemies. Rakat played the other lands against one another and made sure we prospered, what have you done King?"
The soldier took a step forward until he was face to face with the Commander. "Because from where I'm standing, the only traitor I see here is you. You've hurt Blackdust more than any enemy and have the audacity to say you love your home."
Alrick looked at the soldier thoughtfully for a moment. The man in front of him essentially committed suicide by launching that flare and getting so close to the Commander. Despite that, the King could tell the man was a patriot, he truly believed in Rakat's vision for Blackdust and couldn't stand the state his home was in now.
Alrick could relate with that, the man made some valid points and wasn't wrong, his kingdom was weak right now. They used to be feared far and wide making others wary of having them as enemies. Now, if some kingdom decided to invade, the King was sure they would lose. That was hard to admit to himself that he did play a part in making his home such a weak target but he knew it needed to be done.
Unlike Rakat, Alrick knew his men weren't just numbers. They had lives, loved ones, a future that he felt obligated to give them. A future constantly fighting and being sent on suicidal missions was not a life he wanted for the people of his home. So he took a stand and broke down the militaristic structure of his home and made a council to show that even he wasn't above reproach. He clamped down on his darker instincts, the very ones that were screaming at him to tear the soldier in front of him apart piece by piece with his bare hands.
But he wouldn't.
He expected that sooner or later someone would challenge his decisions in a manner similar to this. While it was disadvantageous that the soldier did it here when they had the element of surprise and a strategy to put down a large force, he wouldn't strike down the man who was brave enough to speak.
"You're right, Blackdust used to be strong but is now weak because of my actions. I'm saddened by that fact but I do not regret it at all, I would start that civil war all over again if it meant that my home wouldn't become an empire who just throws away men for land. You think I'm weak by asking others for assistance but I believe that is my greatest strength, to know when I must ask for help when a task is impossible for me. I will never ask my men to do anything that I myself would never do. I fought Rakat one on one and with all of his power he still lost to me. I asked my friends and my enemies for help because a soldier should not fight for just their King, they should fight for their home and the people they care for."
Alrick brought out his weapon and gave it a few twirls before walking in the direction of the valley. "I fight for my home, my son, my soon to be daughter, and the men that follow me. That is what makes me strong, my desire for them to have a future keeps me moving forward. No matter what lies in my way, I will face it with my head held high. I will not kill you, I cannot fault you for being loyal to your home, you will be taken to Corona and imprisoned. My men will escort you then send a request to my son asking for additional troops, when I return we will discuss the matter more in detail."
The soldier was instantly detained and watched the Commander continue his way down the path that led into the valley. From above they could see the large force beginning to run into the tunnels as well as making their way to their position. It wouldn't be too long until the enemy would be upon them and they were hopelessly outnumbered, yet the King continued his stroll toward them with his weapon resting against his shoulder.
The Mystic Guard member from earlier with the spear quickly ran up to the King and fell in step with him. "Your Majesty, I would advise that we use this time to escape. There are simply too many to fight right now."
"Exactly, I want you to take the Corona scouts and that soldier to the capitol and request reinforcements. I will remain here and buy you some time."
"My King, you cannot be serious. You cannot hope to hold off such a force on your own. Plus you are the King, you cannot afford to die here, allow me to stay and buy you time."
"Not happening, you have your orders."
The Mystic Guard member watched in shock as his King still kept walking alone to face the horde of enemies coming. He listened to that speech and was inspired by it, it showed him that he was right in standing by Alrick. Yet right now he was contradicting himself, he should know full well that he couldn't hold off that kind of enemy on his own and should ask for assistance in what would likely be a suicide mission.
That's when it hit him.
This was a suicide mission, he said that he wouldn't throw men away as if they were numbers, they each had lives and meaning to him. He was giving them a chance to have a future and was going to sacrifice himself to ensure they do. It was noble but it pissed him off. They were the Mystic Guard for a reason, if the Mystic was going into battle, they would be there to guard him. He was also their King, he was needed for Blackdust and come hell or high water, the member wasn't going to let his sovereign die.
The Mystic Guard member turned around and barked his orders. "Men, we are returning to the capitol and requesting reinforcements. Our King is going to remain here and buy us time to escape, it is paramount that a request is sent to Prince Ahimoth that requests we need more men. That being said, I will not allow my King to fight alone, this will likely result in my death but such is the nature of the life we chose. I give you leave to make your own decisions to complete the mission."
With that the member rushed to catch up to Alrick who looked at him for a moment before looking forward once again. The two of them walked down the path until they reached a bottleneck area where only a few men could fit going up the path. This would be where they would make their stand, if they could hold this position then they wouldn't have to worry about being attacked from behind.
As the first wave of enemies rushed to attack them, Alrick heard hurried footsteps behind him and prepared to go back to back to fend off the attackers but was greeted with more of his men rushing to assist them. The Commander was about to reprimand them for not following his orders until he did a quick count and noticed that four of his men were missing, including the traitor and the Coronoan scouts.
It seemed that they had decided to split up their forces to ensure the mission gets completed and that the King had support. Alrick would've sent them away but he knew that he couldn't hold this path on his own and they were doing what they thought was right for their home. So he got them in position and waited for the enemy to meet them.
With no fear, the Mystic Guard clashed with their enemies with the love for their home in their hearts.
Elsa stared down the man in front of him with a guarded expression as she heard what he just said.
"So for your place here in my kingdom, you will tell me everything about this Father person and how to remove Wrath from Edward's body?"
"Yes, quite a beneficial deal on your part. You get to know about your main threat and get rid of another one that's right under your nose."
The first thing that the blonde thought was that she couldn't just take anything of what this man said at his word alone. They were still under the assumption that this man was indeed Father. However, she still had some lingering doubts, not just from what Edward said, but more so from what Wrath said.
...Talib never showed an ounce of emotion toward another human that was similar to what he showed that woman tonight. I highly doubt he'd entertain some woman as a cover for his plans. There are far more efficient ways of going about them.
From the stories that Edward told of his childhood, the man he described didn't seem like the one she was standing in front of right now. Again, he could be lying for all she knew, even so he was taking a big risk admitting to who he was and what he had done.
"It would be a very enticing deal indeed if I had confidence that your words are true. Look at it from my perspective, how could I trust a complete stranger who has already had a hand in imprisoning me?"
Talib seemed to agree with her as he took on a pondering expression. Elsa waited for him to come up with a response that would be adequate. After a while he shrugged his shoulders the best he could given his situation.
"To be completely honest you shouldn't, there is indeed no way you can for sure know if I am lying. Even if you brought Wrath here to verify my story, you risk me taking him over as you believe I would. The only thing I can say that could convey that I am not your enemy, is to ask why you think Father hasn't come here yet even with your abilities being revealed for so long? And if I was Father, then why haven't I made a move on you sooner, the fact I'm the one who fashioned those restraints means that I've known about your magic for at least a decade. If something like Wrath is afraid of me then imagine how much damage I could've done while you were locked away in your room, assuming of course that I am Father."
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right in his assessment. If he was living under the alias Garret Sobel then he would've had ample opportunities to harm her if she was a threat to him. She couldn't risk him being here when Edward returned due to the danger of the young man being taken over or him losing himself in a rage after seeing the man. That was also the reason she couldn't just hold him here until she came up with other options that she most likely wouldn't come up with.
For now, she was at a loss and couldn't think of an answer. She wanted to have the opportunity to learn about Father if the man in front of her wasn't indeed him. There was also the matter of learning how to separate Wrath from Edward. Elsa honestly didn't know how to feel about that, Edward would likely leap at the chance to have his body all to himself and not worry about the demon over his shoulder.
However Elsa remembered speaking with Wrath and couldn't see him as a monster. He was as much a victim as Edward was, the genuine fear and panic in his red eyes spoke volumes. She had no idea of what would become of him if the two of them separated. Grand Pabbie said that the two of them were two halves of the same whole yet couldn't be one without realizing that they were both one in the same. If they were to be separated then who knows if they could survive independently of one another.
"You said that you could tell me how to remove Wrath from Edward's body, if and I stress if, I released you and we did what you proposed what would happen to the two of them?"
"Well Edward I suppose would retain control over the body while Wrath would still reside in his core and remain just as a source of power until it was given another body. It's just as likely that Wrath retains the body and Edward is expelled, it would all depend on who is dominant and was truly intuned with the body. There's also the chance that neither would survive the process and would completely break down if they didn't have the energy to keep themselves bound to the body."
Elsa scoffed, as she turned away to stop looking at the man in front of her. This was exactly what she was afraid of, all three scenarios included one of them losing or being trapped. She would not allow that, even if they remained as two halves, both of them deserved a chance at life. She had half a mind to freeze the man in front of her where he stood and just lock him away somewhere Edward wouldn't find him.
"That's unacceptable, the two of them have been through enough already."
"I see, then perhaps this might be more to your liking. Did you ever notice that Edward's skin is tan and he has red eyes? Originally he had paler skin, black hair, and blue eyes. The reason for that is because Father wanted a fail safe in all the Sins in case they rebelled against him. He had their body ingrained with black dust that he can control. It would allow him to manipulate their bodies against their will or immobilize those who are too strong. Even if Wrath managed to resist Father's control then he would still be susceptible to this fail safe. There is a way to remove it however, the process would be dangerous as it would essentially be me skinning him alive. I highly doubt he would agree to such a procedure."
"If that is true then why does his eyes change from red to blue whenever they switch with one another."
"Because the black dust in the eyes are more tuned with the Sin's soul versus the body. Ever heard the expression the eyes are the window to the soul. Well Father took that quite literally and had the eyes ingrained to be more tuned with the soul instead of the body so at the very least he could see what they saw if they could resist the body manipulation."
"So Father could see and control his puppets with this fail safe at any time?"
"No, Father himself can't. The one who originally created all the Sins could. One thing you should know about Father is that he doesn't have his body anymore, he is inhabiting other bodies since his body was frozen solid for a time. He had to use...other means...to preserve his life but his original body was lost so he uses others as mediums."
Elsa remembered the story that Grand Pabbie told them and could see that would make sense. If Father was indeed frozen by the Elemental, she now knew how he was still around if he never found love as Edward believed. She couldn't help but notice the way Talib said other means as if it disgusted and angered him to think about what Father did. She wanted to ask but she was aware that there were more than just her in the throne room who have heard the name Wrath and Edward being used interchangeably and would begin to wonder.
He gave her a lot to think about and for now she would have to think about it alone.
"Listen to me closely sir. I will release you and you will return to your home. When I summon you, you will respond and come to the castle. There will be a guard stationed outside your home and he will report back to me daily. You will not return to this castle without my express say so and if you wish to speak with me you will ask the guard. I will consider your offer and give you an answer at my discretion but make no mistake if you attempt to take advantage of me in any way…"
Elsa let an ice spike slowly come out the ground and grow until it was pressing against the man's neck so closely that if he nodded his head he would've impaled himself.
"...you will not enjoy the consequences that such actions will result in."
Talib kept his eyes on hers and could tell while she may not impale him as she threatened, she would act if he made a move she didn't like. Queen Elsa truly was a good person, it was a weakness to be sure but he himself knew there was a strength in it.
"I understand Your Majesty. If I may ask one thing however."
"What would that be?"
"Do not allow Wrath to come anywhere near my home."
That was already a given seeing that she didn't trust the man in front of her yet but she was curious as to why he would ask her of that.
"It almost sounds like you're afraid of him. What could Edward do to you if you hold the power to separate him from Wrath?"
"For me to do so, he would need to be docile and allow me access to his soul. There's also the fact that the family I now have is innocent, I will not allow Wrath to do what he had did to those men in Blackdust to my family. Make no mistake, if Wrath lays one finger on my wife or daughter then I will spend the rest of my life ensuring his is a living hell."
Elsa released him from his prison before holding a hand out for him to shake. Talib looked at it for a moment before extending his hand and shaking hers. As he did a flash of ice engulfed his hand until a bracelet was formed on his wrist.
"Just some insurance Talib."
"Please, call me Mr. Sobel."
Hey guys new chapter sorry for a long update. You know how weird it is to go on leave and still not have a moment yourself. I've been home and been out most of the day, like legit I haven't even had a chance to play on my pc and I've almost been here for a week. Makes me want to go back to base and no life my desktop and work on this fanfic. At the same time I thought of an AWESOME twist that will make me downright furious if I don't get reviews for it. Stay tuned for more updates hopefully I'll get a day to myself soon.