Suikoden VII

Chapter Three: Part Three

Note: Sorry for the delay. I wasn't satisfied with how I initially wrote this chapter, so I rewrote it.

As a reminder, I have a deviantart page and I upload characters images for Suikoden VI and VII every Monday. Feel free to check it out.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the Viktor poll! Here are the results:

Poll #2: Would you like to see Viktor have a romance subplot?

- Yes (9)

- No

I have a few candidates for who will be Viktor's OTP in this story, but once I decide on his partner I will integrate it into the story.

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Chapter Three: Part Three

One day later...

Potsfurt

Brendan heard the commotion in the streets before the soldier hurried into the sitting room. "Y-Your Highness! Lady Norma has arrived!"

Damn. Brendan frowned deeply but set his cup of coffee down. "Send her in," he said.

Yasmine gave him a sideways glance from where she stood next to the couch, but she said nothing. The door opened and Lady Norma swept into the room, followed by Ernst, Ragna, and several people Brendan recognized as elite members of the Magic Guild. "Good morning, Lady Norma," Brendan said, rising from the couch.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Norma replied with a disturbingly sweet smile. "I'm here for Primrose."

Brendan raised his brow. He knew to expect this, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. "Primrose is in custody—"

"Please, Your Highness," Norma said, holding out her hand. "I would like to read the list of her charges."

"Primrose is being held on charges of sedition," Brendan responded. "That is all you need to know, Lady Norma."

Norma held onto her smile, but her eyes narrowed very slightly. "You know I cannot accept that, Your Highness."

"The charge was filed by me, Lady Norma. That is all that matters."

"I have known Primrose since she joined the Magic Guild twenty-one years ago," Norma said, her tone turning sharper. "She is one of the best, and I personally vouch for her. She has never done anything that would disgrace the Magic Guild. The charges against her are not only an affront to the Guild, but they are an affront to me because I sent her here to assist Lady Dawa. For you to accuse her of sedition implies that I also have nefarious intentions. Is that what you're implying, Prince Brendan? After my decades of dedication and service to His Majesty the King?"

Brendan knew that detaining Primrose had been risky. He had done so to force Dawa into compliance, but he also knew that it would gain the ire of the Magic Guild. Facing it head on now though was a lot harder than he expected. "I meant no offense to you, Lady Norma," he said calmly. "But as you know, the accusation of a Reiser Royal has weight. The only person I need to justify myself to is His Majesty. Primrose has been charged—"

"Flissa," Norma called over her shoulder. Brendan bristled at being interrupted.

"Yes, Lady Norma." A young woman in her early twenties stepped forward. She had short and very curly dirty blonde hair with a green headband and green eyes. She wore a green dress and green fur-lined cloak. Her eyes averted respectfully in the presence of the Prince.

"You have worked with Primrose on several occasions, Flissa," Norma said to her. "Had Primrose ever acted inappropriately or treasonously?"

"No, Milady," Flissa said. "Primrose is one of best rune-users I have ever met, and her integrity knows no bounds."