Chapter 60:
King
Trevus makes his way back towards the fragmented Versillian army, carrying my numb body in his arms.
The dead are strewn across the mud where the Versillian and Mephian frontlines once met. The three horsemen that charged me are crumpled in the dirt with their steeds. Tytius and much of the Hunt Unit still lie where he removed my necklace. More dead are scattered about, some were hit with stray arrows, while others were brave enough to aim their bows at me. Among the fallen are the Mephians that were too close to the Six at the moment of Nomier’s possession.
“A hundred,” I whisper.
Trevus raises an eyebrow.
“A hundred died because of me.”
“’Twas not your will to carry a piece of Nomier,” Trevus says. “As persons of great influence, our action, or inaction, carries consequence that we cannot foresee.”
If I’d known that leaving Zaybeth to follow Asarus led to this, I wouldn’t have gone. I never wanted to be a ‘person of influence’. If both action and inaction lead to death, how can I make any decision?
“Do not fret for consequences that once lay within fog. Torturing yourself for the sake of the dead shall not bring back their souls, it shall only distract from taking action on behalf of the living.”
I think back to the people with power who I used to despise – those who were deliberately cruel, those who stomped upon my back. I’m not like them.
I’ll be better, for the sake of those who passed.
We reach the Versillian army. I twist my head around for a view, still resting against Trevus’s arm for support.
The Ceramayan queen and her men have disappeared. The leaderless Versillian soldiers have gathered to a group five hundred large, but any semblance of structure is long since lost. What was once a loud battlefield is draped in silence.
“‘Tis the prince,” one soldier says to another, his voice low.
“He carries the Seventh,” another says. Every pair of eyes is on us.
“Men of Versillia,” Trevus projects his voice. “What are you doing? You marched here to protect Versillia from the Seventh Sorceress, and you found her.
“But look around,” Trevus says. “You are not in Versillia. You stand as invaders on foreign soil. Yet you are the men to whom the Seventh fled.
“Think for yourselves. Why would a Mephian sorceress offer herself to Versillia? Because she is not the Seventh Mephian sorceress. She is not Mephian but Versillian. But she shall not endure Versillia’s intolerance any longer.
“Behold Sorceress Jade, Daughter of Versillian Lord Asarus. Men of Versillia, you must choose. Choose an empowered Versillia that rivals Mephia’s sorcery. Choose to march with the First Versillian Sorceress in rank. Choose a Versillia that wields sorcery, not fears it.
“I, Trevus of Cerillis, Crown Prince of Versillia, have made my choice. Who shall stand at my side?”
Some soldiers look to each other and whisper. Others don’t take their gaze off me. They’re unsure.
A palace guard in a black oban approaches. I recognize his short brown hair and wide face – Ackalanius, the man who caught me sneaking into the throne hall and believed my story about being lost, the same one I put to sleep the day I broke into Tytius’s bedroom.
Ackalanius stands before us. “You are the sorceress who infiltrated the palace?”
“I am.” I try nod, but even lifting my head is exhausting.
“I recall a different face,” he says.
“I wore a magic disguise. I’m sorry I set you to sleep. I needed to see the king in private.” My voice sounds of someone woken up from a long slumber.
His expression lightens. “Few burglars would fold a curtain to cushion my head.”
He moves off to the side, taking a spot beside Trevus and I.
Three soldiers clad in black obans step forward. “Captain, this is the girl for which you abandoned our unit at Antiock?” one asks.
“Casus, Nazarus, Clovius,” Trevus greets them. They must be the same men I saw arrive with Trevus in Antiock on that first day. Giddius did mention that they were sneaking away.
“Your irritation makes sense,” I say. “Cuddling with sows in manure is more pleasant than a day in Antiock. I’m surprised you’re still on speaking terms.”
The men laugh. “I suppose he can be forgiven after he purchases the whole unit a round of ale.”
Trevus smiles. It couldn’t have been easy deserting his unit to go on that venture.
More and more men step forward to see me, and soon the entire army has gathered around us.
Three older noblemen in purple obans approach. I recognize them from my time in Lystra’s palace. They stood at the very front during court gatherings in the throne hall.
“The renowned Seventh,” the gray-haired nobleman says. “At last we lay our own eyes upon you.” He glances at the army of men surrounding us, all looking upon us with curiosity, their weapons left abandoned. “Though these are not the circumstances that I had foreseen for our meeting.”
I have to look up to meet their gaze from my cradle in Trevus’s arms. It’s both embarrassing to be held and unnerving being so vulnerable, but my body can’t support my own weight. Trevus will keep me safe.
“His Majesty King Tytius warned that your harmless appearance was but a ruse, that your bloodlust was not easily quenched,” the nobleman says. “He has paid dearly.”
“When King Tytius first tried to frighten the court with tales of my sorcery, you questioned them,” I say. “You were not fooled by his lies then, so why believe them now?”
The noblemen’s eyes widen. “You know of what was spoken in the throne hall?”
“Sorcery has a will of its own, and I needed julite to suppress it. I lived as a servant in the palace to get my own.” I point to the pendant around my neck. “When King Tytius confiscated this necklace, the will of the sorcery overpowered mine and took his life.”
The noblemen glance at each other. Were I truly malicious, their lives would have been easily taken when passing in the palace halls, yet they stand here, strong and healthy.
“Lord Jerralius, Lord Carasius, Lord Morthius, two paths lie ahead,” Trevus says. “On one, your regiments raise arms against us. Jade and I flee, leaving Versillia without legitimate inheritor to the throne, for which you shall no doubt squabble. Versillia is brought to civil war. At its weakest in a century, the Mephian Six seize the opportunity to conquer, leaving each of you to a grim fate.”
The lords’ expressions harden, but none say a word.
“On the other path, you support my rightful ascension to the throne. The court remains united. Versillia is elevated to its greatest strength, backed with the might of sorcery.”
The gray-haired nobleman raises his hand to his chin. “How shall we be assured that a sorceress shall act in Versillia’s interest?”
“I’ll do whatever Trevus wants,” I say.
The lords’ eyes linger on me for a moment, then return to Trevus. “How you managed to persuade a sorceress to act on your behalf is baffling, but you seem to have achieved it. We desire what is most prosperous for Versillia, Majesty.”
The other two lords nod in agreement. Trevus has done it. They signal their regiments and head off.
Trevus and I spend the next hour greeting every soldier curious to meet me, as speaking face-to-face eases tension about my sorcery and dispels Tytius’s propaganda. After what must be the hundredth man, Trevus carries me to a tent that he ordered to be pitched.
My numb body is laid on a raised camping bed. Trevus sits at my side. His eyes have that same contented look from when he freed me from Nomier’s command.
“I’m tired,” I say.
“Rest,” Trevus says. “I shall negotiate with the Six to forgive Versillia’s trespass.”
The tent curtain is pulled back, drawing my attention. Marcellus and Giddius are standing at the threshold.
“I suspect these are the only guards you shall accept?” Trevus asks.
Having personal guards reminds of my time as a prisoner, but Trevus needs to know I’m safe while my body is vulnerable, so I nod.
Trevus tucks the blankets around my shoulders. After one last long look, he leaves the tent.
Awesome outcome!!!!!
Well I’m glad that it’s working out for them
🤣🤣🤣
Besty would be enough on him own XD
Besty and loyal boy! upgraded from henchman!
I think they’ll be open to negotiation
You’ll probably forget majority of these people lol
Whatever this smexy asshole wants, except murder, fighting, wearing practical pants to ride a horse, remove this hunk of rock from my neck, put people to sleep, let him kill the prisoners etc etc XD
Which will never be used” he adds in a whisper, making sure to make the fine print really small
I think the six will be left in horror of what they’ve unintentionally done to their own people.
Ya know, you’re really lucky these guys aren’t more prejudiced, or else no proof or explanation would work so well lol
So just blame him about all the families that will need to be told of dead family members
Well, real lucky they aren’t hanging up to destroy you and Trevus, would be easy, you’re not the only vulnerable one at the moment lol
Yeah, I kinda just dumped you lot, sorry *Trevus version of jazz hands*
Twas me who snuck about, lied and attacked the king, is what that looks like XD
That’s asking a lot from a very heavy set in their ways people
10 years too late with that logic lol, she’s tortured herself enough with just one death on her hands lol
she’s reminded of the tower there, so it will leave a bad taste in her mouth
That’s damsel speak and I won’t be hearing it girly, nobody expects to be a powerful magical figure that can kill thousands with a snap.
As tragic as it is, it could have easily become thousands
Dude has a lot of work to do, but he’ll manage
Who knows who might feel the need to take out Jade after what just happened
The only ones she would trust to be loyal enough to her to not seek any harm
And the 6 need a bit of an explanation on what just happened and why it means Jade must be kept separate from them
He managed it though kindness and the ability to connect and empathize
Tis true… she just wants to stay with her man lmao
Would the 6 take the opportunity to attack? I suppose in a way they could justify it though wanting to create stability hmm
Now it’s time to be judged based on recent acts and historic knowledge and understanding of her behavior and treatment of others
The king wasn’t wrong to be fair… she technically does have an evil bloodlust hidden deep within her
Being too weak to even stand also makes you less of a threat where Trevus could prevent harm to others if needed
Now I’m curious what the circle were he was expecting to meet her. Of course he didn’t expect a battle with an ancient evil to be how it happens lmao
Wait what’s wrong with Antilock? Is it considered some kind of rundown city or something
Tis an oddly caring act, but one that has worked to her benefit
Powerful words
But you had no way of knowing any of this would happen since you weren’t told anything