"I will not allow them to take her," yelled Giuseppe, anger written across his aged features. A rage lit up his hazel eyes like nothing another had seen before, simultaneously hot enough to burn nearby villages and freeze hell. However, what angered him more was anyone's guess. Perhaps it was the idea of losing control of his niece, the young woman he seemed to hate so much. Or maybe it was now that she had somehow gained the attention of two royals, whereas his precious daughter had yet to achieve any goals he had set before regarding marriage prospects.
"You do not have a choice," simply responded King Matthias, his eyes flickering over to the man who had previously introduced himself as Finn Balor. Matthias suspected he was far more than the traveler he claimed to be; the way he acted, spoke, and conducted himself suggested he was no lowly lord working for an elderly king; he was a king and a powerful one. "King Athelstan has requested Lady Devitt, I will not break an alliance to settle your selfish desire for control, least of all of someone you have no say over," harshly added the king, making it clear he would do what was best for his kingdom rather than what a disgraced knight demanded.
"Then I will travel to Northumbria and request an audience with their king," replied Giuseppe, his voice dripping with venomous hatred. Even now, he could not fathom the idea of his niece being chosen over his daughter. He could not bring himself to accept one was desired by both a prince and a king. "I shall hear for myself why he desires such a pathetic child over my much-preferred daughter," he added, his voice harsh and demanding, making his unspoken intentions clear.
"If war is your desire, Lord Snow, you have no place here in Umbara," voiced Prince Lucian, a serious tone to his otherwise calm voice. For years, he had been prepared for his future role as king. He'd been taught politics by his father, to love his people and respect them by his mother, encouraged by both of them to be the best version of himself. He was now a protector of the realm, a swordsman who'd stand by the bravest men when the time called for it. There was only one task left for him to complete: marry. "You may have forgotten the values of our realm, and you may think your desires make you more deserving than other men. But I assure you, you are no more free from the laws of our land than any other man. You have been given leniency in the past and have taken advantage of the kindness of others. But I will not stand by and watch as you tear our country apart, bring war when none should exist. So if you want war, you will be facing it alone."
"Careful boy," worded Giuseppe, his anger more defined than before. However, his eyes of judgment were not focused on the prince at which his words were thrown. But the traveler he'd branded as an intruder, an enemy he had yet to declare conflict with. "I am not someone you wish to make an enemy out of, and you are too young and naive to know what is good for you," he added, his words serving as a warning and one that did not go unnoticed by Mattias.
The room fell deathly silent soon enough; Giuseppe's gasp of horror and fear was all that could be heard as he quickly stepped back away from the man who appeared nothing more than a lowly traveler. Where his eyes had once been an unnerving cold, icy blue, they were now a deep yellow ringed with an orange of fire. There was no mistake in what the sudden change was meant to be—a warning and a message in the only way Giuseppe could understand and listen to intimidation.
"And I am not an enemy you want," voiced Finn as his eyes returned to the usual icy blue. He had displayed his power, although he quickly learned it came at a cost when the stone torch of fire near the carved arched window lit itself ablaze. Finn was no fool; he knew it was a warning from someone in his realm, Damian, most likely at Jeff's request. "I came here intended to restore peace. I do not intend to harm Lady Devitt nor claim her as my own. Only to restore what was. I may be a monster, but she never will be. Whether you see it or not, Lord Snow, Viserra Devitt will be queen one way or another, whether a gentle, mundane queen ruling at the side of your prince or as the true queen of my realm. Either way, you lose," spoke Finn, his smirk turning more wicked as he shone a light on what Giuseppe dreaded most. His niece becoming a queen.
"The Dane Shadow Queen," whispered Prince Lucian, his realization finally dawning, one his father had likely already come to accept. "You, the demon king, your companions, your inner circle," added the prince with shaken words, fear alight in his eyes. A trembling breath left his lips shortly after. Everyone knew of demons, the creatures that had long since been banished, protectors of magic. In a way, it made sense their queen reborn was to come from Umbara, the only country not to seek persecution against magic folk; instead, it welcomed them with open arms.
"Alexa Bliss," said Finn, recalling the name of the enchantress in question. Another across the narrow sea had also spoken of their coming decades before she found peace in the underworld. Nikki Cross was her name. Now, she works alongside Jeff and Matt; more often than not, she tries to restore the humanity that the lower-level demons lost upon their transformation from mundane to demon.
"I would rather see my niece dead than watch her ascend to queenship," muttered Giuseppe, a threatening tone to his voice and body language. Before he could continue, however, he turned when someone yanked his leather-bound arm, recognizing his wife Edith before feeling her open hand whip across his aged face with so much force his head roughly snapped to the side.
Only when he truly turned to look at her did he see the fury burning in her eyes, the hatred she had long since held for him burning even brighter. Where fear would have previously been painted on her features, confidence and defiance appeared instead. It was clear to Giuseppe that his once obedient wife was no more. Instead, the motherly instinct to protect her child had kicked in again. She would defend her niece and son even if her own life were the cost of doing so.
"You claim to love Allegra, your precious daughter, yet failed to see you have ruined her. Your hatred for our son and my niece killed any chance there was at getting what you wanted. You wonder why Prince Lucian shudders at the thought of marrying Allegra and why no man asks for her hand in marriage. It's because they see her for who she is, for the monster you created," yelled Edith, her words loud and full of the rage she had long since pushed away, filled with the disappointment and accusations Giuseppe had ignored for years, filled with the blame he rightly deserved. "Even now, you fail to see that you are not the only one who will pay for your despicable actions. When you fall, and you will, Allegra will be left with nothing but the shame of what her father did, with the ugliness that you nurtured within her. So remember this, husband: whatever you do, your precious princess will bear the brunt of it. Will have to live with the legacy you leave behind."
With her words left out in the open, Edith left the council chamber once more, being escorted out by Aemond. The warrior could only congratulate her on her harsh but needed slap of reality. Despite that, however, Edith's sadness was on full display, with her request to the demon in the courtyard and Finn's earlier words. She, too, would lose everything. If everything went according to plan, her niece would become a queen regardless of what her husband did, and she believed her son would be saved from the despairing life Giuseppe had long since decided for him. She would have no daughter either; it had been many years since Allegra had severed any connection between them, loudly and publically disowning her as a mother.
"If I go down, so will Qimir," called Giuseppe, tossing his words after his estranged wife. However, she did not give him the desired response. Instead, she kept on walking, this time with a smile.
"No, he won't," simply voiced King Matthias. "I'm sending him with them as Viserra's escort," added the king, making his words a royal decree and protecting Edith. After all, he'd heard her request. The king across from him agreed, as did the other, more even-tempered demon. "If I may request it, please find a position in your court for Qimir. Viserra is more of a sister to him than Allegra could ever be. It would be cruel to part them now," he added, a sigh escaping his lips. With his decision to allow Viserra to leave, he effectively ended any hope his son had for her to be his beloved queen—something Lucian quickly understood. Although his resolve became stronger as his determination grew, Allegra would not be his queen no matter what Giuseppe threatened to do or the atrocious acts he committed.
"I may not like the idea of you taking Viserra from the people of Umbara, from me. But I'm no fool. She must leave with you if the peace we all desire is to happen. All I ask is for her to be allowed to return every once in a while. To see those who love her here," spoke Lucian, speaking as the king he one day hoped to be, wise and respected. Despite Lucian's confidence, the sadness ringing through his voice didn't go unnoticed by either king nor the tears shimmering in his eyes. He had to let go of someone he wished to keep with him always, but he knew he couldn't do it without being selfish or bringing a worse fate than a war with the Danes to his people.
"If Viserra leaves, my daughter will become queen and banish all of you evil beings from this land for good," triumphantly spoke Giuseppe, a smirk painting across his lips at the thought of winning. Although he hated the idea of his niece becoming a queen and his son finding any semblance of happiness, he knew if Viserra was gone, Lucian would be forced to find a new potential queen and wife. Allegra's chances of being that person grew in the eyes of the disgraced knight.
"Allegra will not be queen," harshly voiced Lucian, louder than his usual tone and far more anger. "I will make a pact with the Danes and abandon our god before I even consider your foul daughter as a contender for the title of Queen," he added with as much frustration as before.
Although Lucian wouldn't admit it, he had considered the possibility of another asking for Viserra's hand in marriage before he summed up the courage. Thrust, he had set himself on the journey to find someone just as beloved as her. Someone his people would accept in her place, as they had with his mother so long beforehand. He had found someone, Lady Esperanza Delavega, the kind-hearted and gentle-souled woman: Viserra's maternal cousin, the daughter Naeleys, Elena's sister.
"My Lord, Finn. You will find Viserra with my lady wife. I suggest going to her and Qimir to make arrangements for your journey home," began King Matthias, sending the other king away with a task set before him. If Viserra and Qimir were to leave, it had to be done correctly to prevent suspicion, theories, and other unwanted accusations. "As for you, Giuseppe Snow. I hereby strip you of your land and titles. You are no longer a knight of this kingdom nor lord of these hands. You will remain the legal guardian of your daughter. However, your marriage to Lady Edith will be dissolved. Any wealth, land, and property will be her to do with as she sees fit," declared the king, finally finding the courage to act, this time without concern about what would happen to Qimir, Viserra, or Edith.
"Father," spoke Lucian, surprised by his father's swift and damning decisions. He knew many would celebrate the sudden demotion of Giuseppe; most likely, it was overdue and well-deserved. Although even the crowned prince could not help but smile. If Giuseppe was no longer a lord, Allegra Snow was no longer a noble lady, not that she deserved such a title. Instead, she would be forced to join the ranks of the same people she often tormented and looked down upon, those of low birth working to achieve their goals and desires.
"I should have done this many years ago," viciously shouted Matthias, turning from a peaceful king to one who could bring terror to another if the time called for it. "The only reason I did not was because of your family, with Viserra and Qimir set to leave for a new life. There is no need to turn a blind eye to your actions and past cruelty. As for Allegra, I pray that she learns to be humble and grateful for what she has rather than use it as a weapon as she has done in the past. There is still time for her to find salvation, something that can not be said for you."
"Mark my words, Matthias, one way or another, my daughter will sit upon the throne, wear the crown upon her head. Rule as the rightful queen of Umbara. Even if I have to set the country ablaze and start a war to achieve it," replied Giuseppe, a threatening tone and aura to his body language. Yet, for the time being, that would have to wait. He had a new goal in mind now. If demons were to take the son he was sure was a bastard from him as well as his niece, then he would make a weapon, one that could not be defeated, and ensure demons would never set foot in Umbara again, maybe even the mundane realm.