Harry Potter and the Berserker

Chapter 13

Disclaimer- Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling and Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura. I own nothing.

Following the victory at the Battle of Doldrey, Chuder was forced to withdraw a vast majority of their forces form Midland's territory. The deaths of General Boscogn and Lord Gennon proved devastating to Chuder's war effort as Boscogn was their top military general, and Gennon provided them with more funding than any other lord for the war effort. To further compensate for the loss, Chuder's monarchy devised a method for forced military drafting. But in an unexpected turn of events, the peasant population broke out in open revolt at the decree, and instead, their focus turned inward to combat the rebellion rather than Midland. With Chuder now focused on their internal problems, the Hundred Year War was at last at an end.

To all those who resided in Windham, it was a day to be remembered. As the Band of Hawk came riding back through the city streets citizens pooled around to shout praise to the soldiers. Men cheered and drank, women threw bouquets of flowers to the riders, and everyone had their windows open as all clamored to get a look at the young leader of the Hawks himself, Griffith. But the best view was from the castle, where Minister Foss and Queen Mary, as well as a few other nobles, watched the parade trot through the streets.

"Have you made the arrangements?" The queen asked him without looking in his direction. Her attention was on the parade below.

Foss gave an unnoticed bow of his bald head. "Consider it done, your majesty."

"Perhaps we should hold a feast when all is said and done?" She considered. "After his untimely passing."

How ironic, Foss smirked in agreement, that the White Hawk should meet his end after the war is over. He will be trapped inside the very walls he once defended. It was no secret that members of the traditional nobility despised Lord Griffith. A base-born peasant turned lord over a few victories, and if rumors were to be believed, captured the favor of Princess Charlotte.

Griffith was an inspiration to the peasant class, but one need only look at Chuder's current state to see how the low-born outnumbered the high-born. To allow someone like that so much power and influence was a gamble that Midland couldn't afford at the moment. The war with Chuder had nearly bankrupted the kingdom with its hiring of mercenary bands, and pay farmers to stockpile their crop should the capital fall under siege. Foss knew this, and more importantly, so did the queen.

Queen Mary despised Griffith more than anyone. From his birth status, to rise in rank, to her suspicion that he had been involved in Count Julius' death, she hated the young man to his core. It didn't help at all that her stepdaughter was quite taken with him. But the queen would not have to wait long for the demise of Griffith. Foss had pulled a few strings to acquire a poison from the Uterine Isles of the south. It was colorless, odorless, and most importantly, untraceable. A few drops of it in Griffith's goblet during the ball tonight and that would be the end of it.

"Minister Foss," a court courier approached him.

"Hm. What is it?" Foss asked. The courier handed him a letter with an unrecognizable seal. "Who is this from?"

"I was asked to give it to you from a lady of the court," the courier answered. "She didn't say what it was about." He bowed. "Excuse me."

Foss dismissed him and unfurled the parchment. His eyes scanned over the first paragraph and then widened in shock and horror at the contents of the rest of it. "...It can't..."

"Something the matter, Minister Foss?" The queen asked actually looking away from the parade.

Foss could feel sweat forming on his forehead but put on a fake smile. "Nothing is wrong." His hands curled around the now folded letter. "I just have an errand to run. If you'll please excuse me." Foss didn't exactly wait for his dismissal before exiting the chamber.