The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage: Wandmaker Vol.2

Interlude WM [96.5] Princess's Gambit Final

The convoy moved steadily along the well-worn road, the rhythmic clatter of hooves and creaking of wheels filling the crisp morning air. At the heart of the formation rode the royal carriage, a fortress of gilded steel and reinforced wood, its black and gold banners bearing the sigil of the Qar Dynasty. Within, First Princess Sigrun reclined against the plush interior, her gaze drifting lazily out the window.

Beyond the glass stretched the vast and rolling expanse of the Salstar Domain. From her vantage point atop the hill, she could see for miles and there were sprawling pastures dotted with hardy livestock, their thick coats bracing against the creeping chill. Villages, modest yet orderly, sprawled across the land like scattered seeds, giving way to the imposing sight of Vetrfjall, the domain's capital.

First Princess's Royal Knights cut an imposing figure as they escorted her carriage. Clad in dark armor, their capes trailing behind them, they moved in perfect formation. Each knight was a master of their craft, handpicked for their unwavering loyalty and formidable skill. The battle at the Border Fortress only further hardened their resolve. Most of the knights had not been present at the border fort but those that had and survived became stronger for it.

Vetrfjall loomed ever closer, while not as impressive as Lavi it was still a fortress of stone and steel, its towering walls standing defiant against the encroaching frost. Smoke curled from chimneys, mingling with the muted grey sky as winter announced its arrival in a fragile veil of first frost.

Sigrun sighed, rolling her shoulders as boredom gnawed at her. She turned her attention to Thorfinn, seated across from her, his expression one of infuriating calm. He sipped his tea with deliberate ease, his eyes fixed on the book in his hands, utterly unbothered by her scrutiny. She wanted to bring him because he was one of the only people she could really let her hair down around. Yet here he was not even a flicker of acknowledgment. The bastard. She narrowed her eyes, tempted, so very tempted, to prod him with her sorcery, just to force a reaction. Perhaps a little mental push, a whisper of discomfort.She restrained herself from her childish prank. Barely.

Normally, she would take trips on Dagny but she had to respect the Salstar Domain which supported her brother for succession to the throne. Bringing a familiar as powerful as Dagny could be seen as a provocation. While there had been rumors of the succession war turning bloody in actuality the royal family wanted to avoid open conflict. Especially at the resurgence of the Holy War for Diredain. The near siege for rights to Fort City of Lavi was the closest the Succession War came to open combat.

Her gaze shifted, settling on Beatrix, seated to her right. The silver-haired elf was the picture of poise, her every motion smooth, deliberate, placating and practiced. She had served Sigrun's late mother before her birth, then transferred to her service the moment she came of age. On the outside she was everything Sigrun wanted as a handmaid. Dutifully loyal and easy to get along with, at least she played the part well.

Sigrun had known the truth since the day she met Beatrix that she was a spy for the elven kingdom of Postlumia. Perhaps she was unaware that her cover had been blown, or perhaps she was simply too arrogant, too certain of her own skill in resisting the Qar Dynasty's famed domination sorcery.

Either way, it didn't matter. Beatrix was a necessary evil. Every kingdom had its infiltrators, and by letting her remain, they ensured their enemies believed they had already slipped past the palace gates. If the royal family seemed too impenetrable, they would only try harder to find a way in but, with Beatrix and others like her, they could control the flow of information.

The tragic irony was that while Beatrix believed herself a cunning operative, she was nothing more than a pawn moving at Sigrun's command. She would never forget the night her late mother had told her the story. The queen had the quiet satisfaction in her voice as she recounted how Beatrix's heart had been replaced with a crystal sorcery matrix. Beatrix was practically a golem at this point, but she thought she was acting autonomously. That was the brilliance of it and the terrifying truth of domination sorcery. She would forget anything Sigrun wished erased. She would reveal any secret Sigrun demanded, believing she had done so of her own accord even believing that she was somehow fooling Sigrun.