Crown of Blood

11.1.|| Men of War

General Harkiss was a curious soul. It took him a mere two days to request an audience with the king. Even if part of Cage wanted to humiliate him as much as possible and summon him to the throne room, he was still aware that he needed that pompous old twerp, so he established a meeting in his council room.

Lucius Dirk, newly appointed Admiral of the Royal Navy, joined them, together with Rip, the captain of his Royal Guard. Cage would have given anything for Joey and William to be present, but springing sentient portraits on people who still feared magic was probably a bad idea.

General Harkiss didn't appear satisfied that he was not received all on his own, but since he'd called Cage to an actual dinner party, he should suck it up and shut his mouth.

The four of them stood around the table which displayed the map of Iride, and Cage was once again frustrated that he didn't have a map of Endir. So that would be the first order of business.

"General, do you by chance have a map of Endir?"

Harkiss squinted at him. "I believe there are some in the royal archives, you Majesty."

"You'd think, wouldn't you?" Cage mumbled. If there were any, he hadn't found them. "I need military maps."

"What's this all about?" Lucius asked.

"War, Admiral." Cage glanced at the map again, for the first time wishing the crown was on his head.

"War," Harkiss repeated bluntly.

"Yes, war. With Endir."

"We have been at peace with Endir for over thirty years," the General said, his tone filled with scorn, as if he believed Cage had tricked him to bring him there.

"For thirty years Endir stood without an heir, without magic. Things have changed."

"Has magic returned to Endir?" Lucius whispered.

And then some. Cage didn't even know how to begin. He decided to address the matters that brought Harkiss there in the first place because antagonizing that man was not a good idea.

"Before we get into that, I believe you had questions, General?"

Harkiss still glared. "You are full of surprises, your Majesty."

"I know there is much to take in, so you are here to have your questions answered. But I believe the first thing we must discuss is my legitimacy to the throne."

Lucius gasped. Rip shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Harkiss merely tensed.

"You mentioned you would have a coronation."

"Yes, I will. But on what grounds?"

"You killed the previous king and took over," Harkiss said between his teeth.

"That would make Edmund the rightful heir, would it not?" he retorted. The general only further narrowed his eyes, so Cage had to ask. "But you do not believe it does. Because you know. You've always known, haven't you?"

"Know what?" He didn't even feign confusion.

"That Fherras was never the rightful heir to the throne." Cage straightened, looking Harkiss straight in the eyes. "You're one of the few people who knew, one of the few he couldn't intimidate. So he bought you off by changing traditions. He promised you Ferdinand in exchange for your support."

The military experience in the room was obvious when none of them gasped, even if Cage could feel the tension and unease suddenly dancing in the air. The color drained from the general's face, but he kept his lips pursed.