The Lull Before - Part 7

Baptist complied, fueled by hunger and a means of escape. When he settled in the warm chair that Heiko had, moments ago, vacated, with a thick chunk of bread in his hand, Prince Heiko collapsed in the one to the right of the slave.

“What has been the mood of my brother?”

Rudolf arched his brow. “Well, my lord, he was in a foul mood when you rode out, but it seems his spirits were lifted at the anticipation of your return. Demented bastard.”

Heiko laughed. “Keep your sharp tongue in the presence of friendly ears, Rudolf. Who knows what the ‘demented bastard’ would do to you for displaying such sentiments.”

“I pray for a day where I may speak my unadulterated opinion to him,” Rudolf replied.

The reply set a warm smile on the prince’s lips, no matter how fleeting it was.

“And what of Ethel’s mood?” He continued, reaching over to take a strand of Baptist’s hair, one that must’ve escaped during his sleep.

“Quite the opposite, as you’d expect, my lord,” Rudolf replied. “Your return has spoiled her mood so greatly that the physician was called in.”

“Naturally,” Prince Heiko smirked, rolling the strand of hair between his middle finger and thumb. Baptist, quite used to his master’s inclination for his slave’s hair, remained relaxed, continuing to eat his bread. “And how is the heir?”

“Prince Gotthard the Second, as well as Princess Hanah, follow with their mother’s sentiment. But it is to be expected. Your brother treats them like pets rather than children.” Rudolf said.

“Which is, unbeknownst to them, to their benefit,” the prince volleyed. “How pitiful their existence - born from a snake to a witch. The future of Simo is in danger if her bitter and vengeful blood sits upon the throne.”

The captain regarded him carefully. Baptist, on the other hand, kept his eyes on the fruit plate at the center of the table. If the prince was planning on killing his niece and nephew, he would rather know about it in the final moments, so his conscience may be cleared with more ease. Perhaps it was wishful thinking.

“Ethel has always hated me. More so than the queen dowager.” Prince Heiko’s musing ended with a smile. “And what of her, Rudolf?”

The man hesitated. “The queen dowager has been feeding King Ingo ideas of… execution rather than exile.”

The brief moment before the prince’s response spoke so loudly in its silence that Baptist felt almost guilty for witnessing it - the shock pressing his brows, the dejection dulling his eyes. But weakness could never sustain in him, and so what followed was a single, wicked chuckle.

“Is that so?”

Rudolf didn’t dare to hesitate again. “She says you’re too depraved to be offered pity or familial mercy. She says you have a treacherous mind and wouldn’t hesitate to kill the king at any moment of weakness. She says, for the safety of King Ingo, he ought to have you beheaded.”

“Well, she’s not wrong, is she?” Heiko admitted, amused. “But she overestimates my brother. He could never kill me.”

Rudolf’s gaze towards the prince - a concoction of acumen and what seemed to be concern - did not go unnoticed by Baptist. It was a look he had seen from Rudolf many times before, and while it aggravated the slave that he was left in the dark, it uneased him far more.

“A war with Ilyos will soon commence,” the prince spoke finally. “My brother wants access to the Artem river, so he will use the declining of the treaty as a cause for war, assuming The Horned King is wise enough to sniff out his bullshit. The dukes wouldn’t dare oppose him.”

Rudolf shook his head, concurring.

“They have no reason to. The Artem river opens a greater trove for trade routes to the east. Isar, Raqan, maybe even Jeisha.”

“And with Burke added to Simo’s numbers, Ilyos will be overcome and, ultimately, conquered. At least the north,” Heiko figured, flicking his finger as it would be as easy as swatting a fly away. “I would love for Simo to conquer Ilyos. However, not on these terms. We liberate Burke and we gain Ilysian allies. This is the plan. Otherwise, I will never have the manpower to usurp my brother.”

Rudolf unflinchingly accepted the treason with keen ears. He was loyal, Baptist thought, and no better could serve as the captain of Prince Heiko’s guard. For now.