Theurgy: Forsaken Oaths (Book Two)

Chapter 40 A Duel With Death

     "I thank you for meeting with me, though I didn't expect you this early," said King Imidius as his aunts sat down across from him. To be more accurate, Queen Lizbeth and Queen Celia were just cousins twice removed on his mother's side, but their history has pushed these two to be much more to him. Makyra especially. She served tea to them all. The day was indeed quite young, the sun yet to have broken the barrier of the horizon and many yet prepared for the coming duel at noon. He had expected them to be a bit more anxious about this event, especially Celia, whose daughter would be facing off against a Paladin. And the risks and rewards were not negligible.

The state of this duel will determine all political interactions between the seven clans moving forward into this war. An accusation that an entire court had been corrupted is no small matter indeed. Imidius has not met his cousin yet, but he has seen her. She was not a little flower one would call those raised in noble houses; she most certainly had that rugged and blunt nature passed to her by her mother. But she also did not seem a warrior in his eyes. And yet, looking at the three women, Makyra was the only one who seemed perturbed by the situation. He does not know whether this was due to something outside of his understanding, which it might be, or they were indeed so confident in this girl's victory that failure was outside of their minds. He was not brave enough to call such courage foolish, but the thought does cross his mind from time to time.

"Thank you for meeting with me like this," Celia said. "I'm sure you can guess that you are not the first to be approached by Paladin Dulmont or another representative of the Nychtan courts?"

"Indeed I have," he said softly. "As well as the others too. And from what words have reached me, their terms have indeed been amiable amongst them, though exact details are lacking, I'm afraid. But the word also has it that if this duel does not go in your favor, and they find your accusation to be in bad faith, they may have some ground to dethrone you."

Celia scoffed as she took a sip of her tea. "They are reaching very far from where they stand. Dulmont may be a little popular, but he will find his sway in our courts to be quite lacking. And after he loses, well, I'm sure few will hold good tongues with him."

"With all due respect, Queen Celia," Imidius cleared his throat. "May I ask why exactly you allowed your daughter to go along with this challenge? I mean, no offense when I say this, but the very thought is quite hard to imagine going in your favor."

I agree, Makyra thought. Even with the plan explained to her in detail, she is wary of putting Makyra in such danger. But Celia seemed to take his concern in stride.

"We are not dealing with an ordinary foe," Lizbeth tells Imidius. "This duel is the first of many battles. They will feed off of whatever corruption lies within us, whatever weakness we hold between each other. We must know where they hide among us properly before we can move."

"The Wizard King?" King Imidius asked, alluding to Grandmaster Remmus, who has noticeably been seen wandering the perimeter of the Wild Halls for the past few days. "I'm sure there is more to this plan of yours you refuse to tell me, so forgive me if I'm just a tad skeptical, Aunt Celia."

"I'd be rather disappointed if you weren't," Celia smiled.

"Well, what of your daughter," he asked. "Princess Massua?"

Celia looked to Makyra. "She's still out there?"

Makyra nodded. "Yes. She's been in the courtyard meditating all this time. I've never seen her this . . . focused before."

"Well, my daughter is very good at making statements," Celia said.

"Of course, she has to," Lizbeth said. "This is the life in the courts. If you want to survive, you must be bold. And we shall see what this duel will tell us about Princess Massua Opal."