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"If any of them moves, kill them," Rhian ordered the scim on Hort's ear, leaving Hort, Willam, and Bogden trapped in the carriage with the sadistic eel. The second the door closed, Y/n could see the scim start slashing the boys for sport and Hort fending it off with kicks and punches as the driver moved the carriage down the road and out of sight.
Rhian was guiding her towards the church now, past the pen of royal transports from other kingdoms, including crystal carriages, magic carpets, flying broomsticks, levitating ships, and a giant, slobbery toad.
A cool wind blew through the darkening courtyard and Y/n hunched deeper into her white dress, putting a hand on her bag, where Lepus was. She could feel Rhian puff his chest, posturing for the crowd outside, but their attention suddenly seemed distracted, their eyes fixed overhead.
"What's happening?" Rhian murmured to Beeba, his pirate guard at the door, as he pulled Y/n into the church. Beeba hustled to find out.
Meanwhile, the leaders from other kingdoms rose from the pews as Rhian took time to greet each one.
"You say you've caught Tedros' advisor," spoke an imposing black-skinned elf with pointed ears, dressed in a ruby-and-diamond jeweled tunic. "No truth to the stories of a 'rebel army', then?"
"The only truth is that Agatha's whimpering in my dungeons as we speak," said Rhian.
"And you still think that she, Sophie, and Tedros were behind the Snake's attacks? That they were funding the thugs?" the elf asked. "It's a bold claim that you've made to the Kingdom Council. I can't say that all of us believe it."
"The attacks have ceased, haven't they?" said Rhian briskly. "I'd think those three being in prison had something to do with it."
The elf scratched his ear, mulling this over. Y/n noticed a silver ring on his hand, carved with unreadable symbols.
"While we're on the subject of the kingdom Council," Rhian probed, "have you given any further thought to my proposal?"
"No further thought is necessary. Lionsmane may be inspiring to the people of the Woods, but the School for Good and Evil is our history," said the elf, his accent firm and crisp. "Dismantled the school and the Storian has no protection. It has no purpose. Its tales of the graduates of the school are the bedrock of the Woods. Its tales teach our world the lessons we need to learn and move our Woods forward, one story at a time. Your pen can't replace that, no matter how much people are taken with your message."
Rhian smiled. "And yet, what if Lionsmane wrote a story in the sky for all to see about the mighty Elf King of Ladelflop and how nobly he rules his people? A people who I hear were quite resentful that you didn't do more to stop the Snake's attacks? Perhaps I'll have your vote then."
The Elf King stared at Rhian. Then he smiled big white teeth and thumped him on the back. "Politics on your Blessing day, eh? Shouldn't you be introducing me to your lovely bride?"
"I only save her for allies," Rhian teased, and the Elf King laughed.
Smiling blandly behind them, Y/n found herself distracted by the church's facade, newly painted, and its lavish stained glass, depicting Rhian's slaying of the Snake with his holy reverence. Story airways painted with gold Lions beveled along the walls, cooling for when summer will hit. A perilously old chaplain with a red nose and hairy ears waited at the altar, the same priest who was at Tedros' coronation, and behind him were two thrones, where the king and princess would sit while he gave the Blessing. To the left of the altar huddled the church choir in white uniforms and page-boy hats and to the right hung a cage of tweeting doves, which the priest would free into the Woods at the ceremony's end.
Lucky little doves, Y/n thought.
Suddenly Beeba rushed forward and accosted Rhian as he greeted the King of Foxwood—
"Lionsmane, sire! yer new message... i-i-it's movin'..."
Y/n's eyes widened .
"Impossible," Rhian snorted, releasing Y/n and prowling back through the church doors as Y/n hurried after him.
The moment she stepped outside, she saw the crowd's faces cocked towards the sky, watching Lionsmane's message about Agatha's capture. The letters seemed to be quivering against the black storm clouds.
"Definitely moving," Y/n admired.
"Things move in the wind," said Rhian, unconcerned.
YOU ARE READING
Wizard's Wish - (Kinda) Yandere SGE x reader
FanfictionY/n was a normal village girl living in Gaveldon with her two best friends, Sophie and Agatha. Who could imagine how life would change for her when she was kidnapped to a school for the good and evil.
