Not Giving Into Fate

49- Passing of Time

Weeks have passed and the autumn air had turned to a cold winter. A lot had changed since I've broken the cursed rings, a lot of good and a lot of bad.

Once we had returned and the healer did his work; Milo, Adrian and I had talked about the next steps to make Adrian great. The citizens have only ever thought of Adrian as the Banished Prince, he is currently seen as a poor political figure and many people will not want him to succeed the throne. Milo is trying to fix the citizen's perception of Adrian by making him a hero of sorts. 

First, if he helps the people with the trains, they will see this as a sign of a new age. They will be able to travel far distances, which is normally reserved for nobles. They will be able to receive foods, clothing and materials that would've taken months or that they would've never seen before. With Adrian's involvement in this new train era, the people will be looking for the future and excited with his plans for the country and they'll be supportive of his claim to the throne. 

Secondly, when the war begins Milo is going to send him off to fight. Most likely Adrian will push back or he will try to gain a spot as a commander who sits back and leads. That is what Prince Ivan had done. While it is good to be a man leading an army, no one will be particularly happy that he's hiding in a tent or watching from above. Milo has told me he's going to send Adrian to fight. He will be in the front, secretly covered in protective charms and runes. Milo will secretly pay for reporters to take pictures and describe what is happening on the warfront. Adrian's face will cover all the newspapers. The people will see him as the man who is saving their son, their friend, their neighbor. When Adrian returns triumphantly from the war, a hero who saved his fellow soldier and the savior who brought supplies... well the people are going to love him. 

I look to Adrian, a young man who has no idea what our plans are for him. I know he is eager to finally take control of his name and help the people of his country and turn his reputation around... but war is a cruel place and I hope it doesn't leave him damaged. I can't handle another mad Prince. 

I look at Milo, watching him explain to Adrian more of the inventor of the trains, Mr. Mora. He had already made a train and has the plans for the tracks but he needs more money. I don't really care to learn more about the logistics of the train, but Milo and Adrian have concluded they would hire some elementalists to get rid of the winter ground to make the track easier to set up. They would also be hiring some Charmers to work with the factory workers to make more products. I pretty much signed a check and left the two men to walk down to Charms Master Feant's office.

Afterwards, I gathered the dead rings and personally stored them into the room of curses. I enchanted a stronger barrier around the rings, making sure that if anyone were to break in they would face a long, painful death. Once that was done, I went home and waited for Ivan to find me.

A week had passed when he came to my house. In my study, Elric and I were going over the financial report for the upcoming year, going over how the increase of taxes was going to be affecting our constituents. That is when my door slammed open.

"Giselle," The door slammed shut behind him and Ivan looks utterly pissed. His face was haggard, he probably hadn't slept in days which wasn't surprising given the circumstances of our political sphere. However, he was angry for a different reason, he was angry at me and I knew why.

"Ivan," I greet calmly, grabbing Elric's sleeve so he stays rooted in his spot. "Welcome in I guess."

"What have you done with the rings?" He asks me, storming up to my desk and ignoring my brother who is only growing with barely- restrained anger. "I am now ringless, something that shouldn't be happening right now!" He slams his hand on the desk with anger.