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[Rough Draft] Chapter 83: A Gesture of Loyalty

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Carina focused on the dispersions of color which radiated through the dining room window across the polished oaken chairs and table. Rose Palace had fallen into an almost tranquil silence that grated against her growing patience and anxiety. Hours were slipping by, and yet she had no choice but to be patient.

Percy had warned her of the dangers of trying to enter the cathedral. The holy monument of the Saint’s Religion had always been treated with respect by the Covens of Lafeara. Any witch who passed its threshold could feel the aged yet still powerful enchants that restricted their magic, even in its inactive state.

To threaten the Pope on Holy Ground was a risk no pure-blood witch dared take.

“So, what is your plan then, Percy?” Carina murmured quietly as she traced the rainbow-dyed lace. “You say you lured the Pope here, but to what end? What could possibly be worth the risk?”

The lace beneath her finger glistened as frost spread across the fragile fabric, radiating with the prism colors of the translucent glass window that overlooked the front courtyard of the palace.

The Duchess withdrew her hand with a tired sigh, then moved quickly towards the closed dining room door, which she opened. Captain Silas, who waited just outside, bowed respectfully in greeting.

“Have we heard anything?” Carina asked with a glance to the Bastiallano knights posted by the front door in the foyer.

“It is only just past mid-day, your Grace,” Silas replied. “The Captain will likely be unable to respond to your request until the Crown Prince has safely returned to the palace.”

“Of course.” The Duchess crossed her arms restlessly and glanced up the familiar staircase. Eleanora had fallen into a restful slumber just moments ago. Lady Camellia and Lord Alastair were taking turns watching over the Crown Princess while also preparing for tomorrow’s coronation.

‘The gown and jewels are all prepared, but I’m not sure how well Eleanora has memorized the steps and lines she must recite as part of the ceremony.’

Carina rubbed her neck with a rueful smile. “When Sergeant Darnell returns, send him to the library. I’ll be waiting there for the Captain’s response.”

“Yes. Your Grace.”

The library was as she remembered it. The books were all neatly organized along their shelves. A shawl left draped over the sofa by the west-facing window. The Duchess glanced over the familiar layout and tried to shake the clawing nostalgic memories of Hana, sitting on the sofa admiring Carina’s dress designs or the bookshelf where Hana had stood up to Evelynn’s abusive temper towards the half-blood attendant.

The Duchess’s footsteps carried her towards the Crown Princess’s study, which she opened without much effort. She frowned at the disorganized desk with stacks of paper left haphazardly across its surface. Documents related to the Rose Dawn Orphanage peeped out of one pile, while other documents appeared to be letters written addressed from Eleanora’s mother, Lady Isabella Kensington.

‘Strange, those should be locked in the bottom drawer.’ Carina quickly circled the desk then sank into the empty chair. Her ice-blue eyes focused on the open bottom drawer with its scratched and broken lock. ‘It looks like either Lady Evelynn or Lady Meredith went through the Princess’s things—or gave someone access to them. But—what were they looking for?’

The Duchess furrowed her brows and set about organizing the documents before her. Only then was she able to make sense of what was missing.

Eleanora had received monthly written letters from her father, Lord Alastair, while he remained an Ambassador to Ventrayna. Nearly all of those letters were gone and likely a few of Lady Isabella’s letters as well.

‘I don’t know what sort of information they contained, but they must have held some value to whoever took them.’

An even more concerning matter lay in the documents missing from the Rose Dawn Orphanage folder, which Carina was intimately familiar with. The roster of both children and staff names had been removed along with the detailed map of the property and blueprint of modifications to the family manor.

‘What possible interest would anyone have in an orphanage for children run by the Royal Family?’

The Duchess returned the folder and letters to the broken drawer, pushed it closed, and leaned back in the chair to examine the room further.

‘Somehow, I don’t see either Meredith or Evelynn forcing a drawer open. Given the Crown Princess’s poor health of late, it would have been easier for them to slip the office key from Eleanora’s room.’ Carina leaned against the desk, tapping her finger against the polished red oak as she considered the information Alastair had told her about the dismissed ladies-in-waiting. ‘It’s possible that someone broke in after they left. However, that would mean the spy had the ability to avoid being detected by the Kensington knights Lord Alastair assigned to Rose Palace.’

The Duchess’s finger stilled above the reflective wooden surface. She tilted her head towards the soft tread of footsteps heading in her direction and quickly rose to her feet as a familiar knight captain appeared through the open office door.

Beaumont’s violet eyes held her in their steady gaze as the Captain strode confidently towards the waiting Duchess.

“Captain,” Carina murmured as she took in his change of uniform. The usual purple and gold tunic that Beaumont wore over his armor had been replaced with white and purple colors. The armor itself looked new and lacked the faint scratch marks of training, battle, and constant use. Her ice-blue eyes shifted towards the familiar great bastard sword the knight captain always carried strapped to his back. “I—wasn’t sure you’d be able to get away.”

“Your message said it was urgent, your Grace,” Beaumont replied in a solemn tone as he bowed towards her. “Perhaps you could fill me in on the details.”

“Yes—of course.” The Duchess’s gaze turned to where Sergeant Darnell appeared in the library behind the knight Captain. The sergeant appeared out of breath as he hastily bowed towards her. “Thank you, Sergeant Darnell, you may report back to Captain Silas.”

The sergeant bobbed his head in gratitude, shot Beaumont a bewildered glare, and turned tiredly towards the library exit.

“I wanted your advice on a matter which concerns the Crown Princess’s health and wellbeing,” Carina explained as she gestured to the open chairs in front of Eleanora’s desk. When Beaumont declined with a shake of his head, the Duchess paused behind the empty chair beside him and decided to remain standing as well. “I believe her Highness has been afflicted by some sort of curse.”

The Knight Captain crossed his arms behind his back and shifted silently.

‘He doesn’t appear at all surprised by this news,’ Carina mused suspiciously. ‘Then again, it was Beaumont who first warned me about Maura.’

“Do you recall our previous discussion on specters?” she asked carefully.

“I do, your Grace.”

“The specter which followed me into the palace remained here after I left,” Carina explained hesitantly. “In my absence, it would appear this specter fixated on the Crown Princess and—tormented her.”

Beaumont nodded slowly while his gaze shifted towards the ceiling in the direction of Eleanora’s rooms above. “It would appear the ghost you speak of holds a great deal of resentment towards the princess and others who lived in this house.”

‘Others?’ Carina raised a brow, then quickly shook her head and refocused. “I—subdued the specter. She can not do any more harm—at least for now.” The Duchess touched her bracelet hesitantly, then removed it from her wrist and offered it to the Knight Captain.

Beaumont studied the piece of jewelry with a look of surprise. His violet eyes narrowed as they moved between the bracelet and the Duchess. Then he slowly stepped forward and lifted the diamond bracelet from her open palm. “You subdued a ghost—with this?”

“Yes,” Carina replied with a faint frown. “Is that so surprising?”

“The Realm of the dead belongs to the Goddess of Earth,” Beaumont replied with strange gentleness. “Only witches of the Earth Coven’s have been able to subdue restless spirits and remnants before.” The Knight Captain slid his fingers across each diamond and quickly focused his attention on the jewel that contained Maura’s trapped spirit. “Your Grace appears to have gained both knowledge and power since we last spoke.”

Carina pressed her lips together, unsure how to respond. “Will it hold Mau—the ghost?”

Beaumont turned the bracelet over and then offered it back to her. “It will—as long as the one who trapped her remains in the realm of the living.”

‘What an ominous choice of words,’ Carina mused uneasily as she returned the bracelet to her wrist. “I am relieved to hear it. However, the spirit mentioned something about tying Eleanora to the palace—trapping her here.”

Beaumont’s gaze turned once more in the direction of Eleanora’s room before falling steadily to the ground below the palace. “There is a hidden tunnel below Rose Palace.”

The Duchess blinked in surprise. “How—did you know?”

“May we go there?”

“Yes,” Carina murmured hesitantly. “That is—I’ll need to clear the hall and foyer of servants first.”

“It is a secret passage?”

The Duchess tried not to laugh at Beaumont’s confused expression. “It is to most of the people residing in this palace—how did you know it was there?”

A faint smile touched the Knight Captain’s lips, and he offered her an impish shrug. “Perhaps his Majesty mentioned it to me.”

***

It was a simple enough matter to clear the palace of all nonessential servants. The Duchess used the excuse of searching for harmful substances before sending her knights to clear and escort the palace staff to the courtyard. Given Eleanora’s strange behavior and poor health of late, none of the servants seemed to question this, aside from Poppy and Chef Robby, who exchanged looks but complied with Carina’s demands.

‘Perhaps I’ll explain it to them later.’

“Are we good to enter now?” Beaumont queried patiently as he strolled around the staircase, searching for the mechanism to open the tunnel.

The Duchess turned to Captain Silas, who motioned for the knights in the foyer to turn around. Only then did Carina take Beaumont’s hand and pull him to the opposite side of the staircase, where she pressed on the rosebud, which unlocked the panel door.

“Ah,” Beaumont muttered as he eyed the tiny opening. “A servant’s passage.”

“Yes, although this door isn’t used frequently,” Carina explained as she stepped through first. She gestured with the small lit candle towards the broken door handle, now replaced by a knotted rope, as she waited for him inside. “Mind your step, Captain.”

Beaumont bowed his head and tilted his body awkwardly to squeeze through the small door that he closed behind him, pulling on the rope handle.

“This way,” Carina called as she headed down the hall. They continued forward in silence, small beams of light passing into the tunnel where side doors connected to the hallway on either side. The Duchess glanced back from time to time and did her best not to smile or laugh as the Captain followed with his head bowed awkwardly beneath the low ceiling. “Let me know if you need to—”

“There, just ahead,” Beaumont called out softly. His violet eyes glowed beneath the candle’s light as he gestured to the path in front of the rose mosaic tiled wall which hid the secret tunnel.

“The wall?”

“No.”

Carina moved aside to allow the Captain to squeeze past her and gestured to the floor between the two side doors. “What is it?”

Beaumont frowned as he glanced up at her, then held out his hand with a nod towards the candle she held. The Duchess passed it over to him and watched curiously as Beaumont tilted the candle until its flame touched the stone floor.

Wax dripped along the dirty pavement as the flame’s heat lit up a strange symbol that quickly spread as the Knight Captain waved the candle across the ground.

“What is that?” Carina whispered as the bizarre shapes connected to reveal a strange sort of enchantment.

“An old curse, used by the dead to punish the living,” Beaumont answered softly. “Your spirit had help—someone from the realm of the dead gave her this knowledge.”

The Duchess raised her brow and straightened as the symbol on the floor faded quickly from view. “Do you know how to remove it?”

The Knight Captain sighed as he corrected the candle and offered it back to her before rising to his feet. “This is not something I have permission to meddle with.”

“What do you mean?” Carina furrowed her brow as Beaumont stepped over the mark and moved to study the rose mosaic. “Whose permission do you need?”

Silence fell over them as the Knight Captain traced the rose tiles engraved into the false wall. “You’ve gained all of Viktor’s power—the God of Immortality made his choice.”

The Duchess narrowed her eyes before responding tensely. “Yes, he did.”

Beaumont nodded and sighed. “They will come after you now.”

“Who?”

“Remnants like those you encountered in Gilwren Forest.”

Carina clenched her fists silently and tried to ignore the shudder that slid down her spine. “Then they will be choosing their death.”

Beaumont turned towards her with a quiet assessing look and then nodded. “The Old Remnants you can manage—but what of the gods themselves?”

“Do you know how to lift this curse or not?” Carina countered as she refocused on the ground below her feet.

“Yes. It is possible,” Beaumont murmured as he moved to stand beside her. “But it would take a priest of Minerva to lift this without harming the intended victim.”

“A priest? Like the earth witches who helped you remove the Death Mark?”

The Knight Captain nodded. “I can send them a message, but it will likely take them until after sundown to get here—but convincing them to enter the palace is another matter.”

“Because Lafeara is still their enemy,” Carina mused aloud. Her ice-blue eyes turned to meet his violet gaze, and for a moment, they stared at one another while the candle flame barely stirred between them. “What if they came through the secret tunnel after nightfall?”

Beaumont blinked, then turned towards the hidden door. “Yes, that could work. The tunnel was set up to operate with ice magic but will also respond to earth magic.”

“For someone who is not a witch or half-witch, you do know an awful lot.”

The Knight Captain smiled faintly and turned back to face her. “You need to be careful from this point forward, Kirsi.” The Duchess squirmed uncomfortably beneath the sudden warmth and concern in his voice. “The path you have chosen defies the order of the gods, who will oppose you.”

“I know,” Carina replied quietly. “But what choice do I have?”

Beaumont’s brows furrowed as he continued to study her. “You’ve grown stronger—but you are still a Mortal. You cannot fight the gods alone, Kirsi.”

‘I know this already. I am trying to make allies, but it is difficult—when I know that they may all perish simply for siding with me.’

“Are you saying this to me as an enemy, ally, or just another bystander?” Carina retorted coldly.

Beaumont’s violet eyes tightened with an unreadable expression. He reached for the sword strap across his chest and ripped it loose, then knelt and offered his sheathed blade towards the Duchess. “If you want my loyalty, Krisi. Then claim it.”

Carina blinked down at him in stunned surprise. “You—” she shook her head then laughed nervously as she took a step back. “I wonder why I believe you when I know that you already have a Master.”

“I am not offering you the loyalty of a servant, Kirsi,” Beaumont replied, his words harsh and yet oddly reassuring. “Our kind do not make pacts lightly because they bind us together—even after death.”

“Our—kind?” Carina echoed in a whisper she barely heard.

“You are no longer a witch, Kirsi, but you are not yet an immortal either.” The Knight Captain lowered his violet eyes to stare at the sword he offered her. “I am in—a similar position. I can tell you no more than that.”

The Duchess nodded wordlessly as she stepped towards him. “I do not trust people easily. Once I have been treated falsely, I neither forgive nor forget.” Carina folded her arms across her chest and gazed down at the sword he offered her. “I think you know me better than most. And you still wish to offer me your sword?”

“I do,” Beaumont replied firmly.

“Why?” The harsh pain in her voice cut through the shadows around them as Carian glared down at the knight kneeling before her. “I don’t even know if I can win—” her voice cracked, and she sucked in a quick breath, “—I am not worth your loyalty.”

“Then no one is, Kirsi.”

Carina blinked past the burning weakness which spread behind her eyes and burned inside her chest. She looked down at his sword, then locked her ice-blue eyes with his. She couldn’t explain why she trusted him. Beaumont had been Maura’s executioner. According to Maura’s memories, Beaumont was the obedient knight who blindly served a tyrant king that had oppressed Hana and Maura in the past.

‘And yet he swore never to hurt me—in this life—and no longer trust Maura’s memories.’

“Kirsi Valda Isbrand, Queen of Lafeara, daughter of Viktor, God of Ice and Immortality. I offer you my blade, my heart, and my loyalty until time innumerable has erased our names and existence from beneath the sun and moon,” Beaumont declared in a solemn quiet voice. “I swear this to you on my true name, Aeron, son of Minerva, Goddess of Earth, War, and Prosperity.”

Carina sucked in her breath as a purple glow radiated from the sheathed sword extended towards her.

‘So—you are just like me?’

Beaumont’s steady violet eyes pulled her in a way she couldn’t explain. The Duchess looked down at her raised right hand and slowly reached out to touch the warm metal hilt of his blade.

“I—accept this oath.” Carina let out a shaky breath as the walls around them seemed to thrum with a thousand glistening stars that witnessed their pledge. “And offer you my true name in return.” She raised her left hand towards the glowing heart in her chest while her lips trembled between a laugh and sigh of relief. “I am—Carina.”