Little by little, as the sun of early morning rose to its full height, the sound of heavy steel boots was now coming to life by the Palace.
Following the sound of the approaching footsteps, Felix Robane stood resolutely in front of the entrance of the chamber and raised his head, surprised to see a visitor in the early hour.
"Greeting, Your Grace," the knight spoke with his head politely dipped. "Are you going to ride north? I shall have the troops rally with you."
"That won't be needed. I just came back," Ezekiel replied. "I went to scout the bolder before the first light of dawn."
"You have been working too hard recently. Thank you for your service, Your Grace."
Ezekiel placed his hand on his left chest and tipped his head in acknowledgment. "On that note, May I seek an audience with His Majesty? I have more issues to report as well."
"His Majesty is not seeing anyone at any time soon, unfortunately. You know... About the situation, Your Grace."
The white-haired man reasoned with the Knight, "But what is an Empire without a ruler? Shouldn't you be pursuing His Majesty to come back to the throne room?"
Felix Robane heaved his brows slightly, as he saw a soldier boy teaching a veteran how to go to war. However, it wasn't the Knight's intention to judge the young Duke who came to seek the teaching of Knighthood.
The young Duke added further, "The council and other Dukes are growing restless because of both Royalties' absence. And certainly, His Majesty's chosen counselors are not nitwits either."
Ezekiel dipped his head, his eyes leveled to the ground. "So, Please bestow the permission to speak to His Majesty."
"No matter how hard you plead, I cannot grant you the audience to His Majesty. And if I open this door for you, it would not only cost me my position, but your life as well. So, I suggest you leave now and I shall let His Majesty know of your request. If he approves, I shall send my knights to inform you."
After indirectly dismissing the young Duke, The Knight of Crimson Blood went back to the previous position, his head facing forward and his chest held up high, guarding the door.
"I am confident that His Majesty will permit me to speak to him once I go in."
Ezekiel was still persistent. He took the first few steps toward the door, passing the Knight only to have his shoulder gripped firmly by Felix.
"Your Grace. I am still a royal guard and you are one step away from defying the royal order."
Ezekiel shook off Felix's hand and marched on, before he could, the young Duke saw Felix lift his fingers. A red magic circle formed and he drew a sword out of thin air.
The Knight did not hesitate to strike down, a swift stroke toward the white-haired man's neck.
Ezekiel drew his sword to defend himself from the killing blow. Steel and steel clashed, bringing out a beautiful spark as the young Duke timely drew his sword to parry the Knight.
A trail of red ink coated the sword as Ezekiel's blade edge drank its own master's blood as the steel cut through the layer of clothes and into the Duke's shoulder.
"That is your second warning, Your Grace. Please go back." His words were a cold, unambiguous warning. This warning struck a chord of fear within Ezekiel, and the sense of safety the fallow mentor was replaced by a primal urge to flee.
"Not without getting what I want first."
Ezekiel could no longer withstand the Knight's powerful strength when Felix kept pressing the blade forward and neared Ezekiel's neck, without even struggling.
