12 Snake (10)

The next day, it was very sunny in Calenon. There were no clouds, the sky was clear. Winds brushed against my face as I sat on my chair, below the cover of the garden's pergolas.

"So, you're telling me that the keeper of Aleanwel, Keeper Yendeir, wanted to meet me in person?" I said, quoting what my companion today had just said.

"Yes, Dear Eli. Keeper of the west most sanctuary had asked me to arrange a meeting with you" Nazhif said.

In my 9 years of living here, I had just realized that my father never bothered to show me who his vassals were. The keepers of the various sanctuary-cities that made up the basic governance unit in Calenon.

In the larger empire, and the other human realms to the west, these rulers were called counts and dukes. But, as per tradition dated back to before the great elven migration, we called them sanctuary keepers. These men and women managed the sanctuary cities and the surrounding lands via a system of viceroyalty. This means that they were appointed directly by the grand prince, my father.

"He said that he wanted to swear his loyalty to you" I raised my eyebrows when hearing what Nazhif had just said.

"A man that never met me wanted to say that I can trust him? Sounds very suspicious, Master Nazhif" I said, turning back to my papers which detailed the army organization dating back to the old Alaric Empire.

"On the contrary, Dear. Yendeir would probably be your greatest ally in the inevitable fight for succession. He was your father's second in command back during the heresy, if your father had never neglected the Calenon army, then Yendeir would've been the Realm's marshal." He said, taking his breath before continuing. "He also hated Alanraz, Runford's father. The two had a long rivalry during the heresy due to them fighting over the command of your father's second army"

I thought about it for a second. An enemy of my enemy. "Aleanwel? The second biggest city in Calenon?"

"The richest and most populous city in the imperial middlelands"

Aleanwel was the gateway from the empire to Calenon. Unlike the latter, the former had no laws regarding race class. A human and an elf were treated equally inside the city and the surrounding lands. They said that it was a candidate to be an imperial free city, a place that would be out of any imperial lords control, and answer directly to the emperor. However, my father used his power as an elector to shut the talk down. It was justified, no one wanted to lose such an economic center.

"He also never relinquished his personal army, something that deteriorated his relation with your father. His private army of some 3000 professional infantry and archers would be useful, should the need arise for a war" Yohan added.

His last word rang in my head.

"A war huh.."

It was inevitable. After my father's adoption of Runford, talks about a succession war had surfaced everywhere. From the council of the elders, to the taverns of the lower cities, to even the most remote village. A war between the biological daughter and the adopted son. A non-magic fighting against a mage.

"Fine, I accepted his invitation. Where and when will we meet?"

"I had to deliver your agreement first, then we can arrange the meeting"

I nodded. "If that is what he wished"

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Nazhif left after I accepted the invitation. He would send a message to Yendeir first and then relayed it back to me. A primitive communication method compared to modern standards, but that's just how it was in this world.

When he left, he turned back and looked at me with emphatic eyes. "Remember Eli, we always got your back, me and Qwerin"

I smiled at him, a robotic smile I had learned since before my reincarnation. Allies are allies, after the common cause, we would turn against each other.

I sighed, before a rustling sound was heard from behind me.

"Did you have fun eavesdropping on me, Sera?" The young lady in question jolted herself from one of bushes that surrounded the pergolas.

"I-i…'m sorry, your majest-ahh! I mean, you highness!" She stumbled her way to give me a bow, which is wrong since female servants should be curtsied instead of bowing to their masters.

I held my laughter at bay, smiling to let it sinked in.

She had now officially become the Castle gardener. Of course, My father never bothered to think about replacing it, so I had my mother legalize the documents for me this morning.

"Already, trying to be a spy huh? Did Yohan ask you to do this?"

"N-no…father didn't…I was supposed to help him with the flowers today…"

She was a bad liar, her face said it all.

"Alright, your father did send you to spy on me. Where is he by the way?"

"Bu-but, that's not what I said!" She raised her voice. In normal realm law, that would've meant death.

Suddenly, something fell and hit the roof of the pergolas, it rolled down from the top and landed right in front of both me and Sera.

She screamed as she saw what it was, a corpse.

A bird corpse to be exact. A crow. It had an arrow penetrating its body. His eyes glowed gold before starting to fade away as its consciousness was losing.

"One of Runford's crows. Luckily, it had just arrived so we don't need to worry about what you just saw, your highness"

Yohan emerged from the hedges that surrounded the pergolas. He was holding a bow, and a bag of arrows were hanging on his back. He had monitored me and his new daughter closely it seemed.

"Ah, Sera! My daughter! C'mon, we have to water the roses" He motioned to Sera to follow him.

Sera's face brightened as she saw a chance to escape from me. She bowed again, before leaving me quickly. Yohan glanced at me before picking his daughter and brought her somewhere inside the garden, away from my sight.

I chuckled. "Those two snakes"

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Nazhif came back to me someday later. He said that Yendeir was willing enough to come to Calenon. He would disguise his visit here as part of his sanctuary's envoy to the council of the elders.

So, I would also need to attend the meeting.

The council of Elders was the closest thing Calenon had to a parliament. It was composed of the oldest and probably wisest of the elves that inhabited the realm, and served as the advising body to the Grand Prince. Although, my father had ignored their voice for centuries at this point. So, as of right now, it was a place of gossip for the powerful old lords of Calenon.

As chancellor, Nazhif was responsible for starting today's session.

I followed him to the chamber, which was inside the castle. Sitting down at an elevated balcony, I saw several elders looking at me with curiosity, though some of them scoffed at the sight of a child going to a meeting of elders. It was normal to feel such a sense of seniority when our age are literally centuries apart.

"Esteemed gentlemen, welcome all to the opening of this week's session. Today, we had a very special guest. Her ladyship, Princess-Apparent, Elissa Sil Elizaron" Some of the elders glance a look at me, while I responded Nazhif's addressed with a nod. "We also had various envoys from the sanctuaries, who had come to voice their complaints regarding some decisions his Majesty had made"

There are people who stood up behind the sitting elders. They wore clothes which bear the coat of arms of the various sanctuaries they were from.

"But, before that, let us take a moment to pray to the Eternal moon, Seer of the future, Savior of mortals, such as us"

As the elders sang their prayers, someone walked inside my room and sat next to me.

"Took you long enough to find me" I quipped, half whispering to not attracted any attention.

"You're not praying to our goddess, your highness?" he asked, he toned his voice as if blaming me for being wrong about not praying.

"I know enough that it is useless, praying to a sleeping goddess"

He was taken aback. "I'm sorry?"

"It's nothing, Master Yendeir. Now, can we move on to more important matters?"

He chuckled. "You're very serious and mature for a child, your highness."

"Oh please master Yendeir, do not dwell in trivial matters. We had more important matters to discuss, yes? I don't suppose you only came here to greet me"

"Yes, I suppose so your highness. I do have important matter to discuss with you"

"Then, let's hear it"

"I offer you my utmost loyalty, me, my domain and it's men"

"Too good to be free, what's your price?"

Loyalty offered on an empty plate is often a trap, a trap I was caught back in my previous life. Such a thing comes with a trade off.

"A place in the castle, a spot in your upcoming council."

"You wanted to be my Marshal?"

"Yes, and I will be the one taking command of your army, if war does break out between you and your new brother"

I darted my eyes at him. "That, I can't give you. It'll be best if I'm the one leading the men"

He scoffed in disbelief. "You? A child? Leading an army of thousands? Don't dream so highly your majesty. War is a man's playground, you're too high for that"

"Are you questioning your future liege, Kepper Yendeir sil Aleanwel?! Do you think I'm just a puppet figurehead? Someone who sat prettily on the throne while you take all the glory? No, oh definitely no, this war is between me and that accursed Runford. I'm the one who will take charge and I'm the one who will personally take the fight!"

"Then, unfortunately your highness, I can not pledge my support to you"

His statement almost made laugh, I tried to hold it because the prayers were still going on.

"Then, would you prefer Runford on the throne? The son of your enemy? Would your prefer him to be your future liege. The shame and embarrassment of kneeling before him is not something a honourable soldier such as you could overcome, yes?" His face stoned in front of me, he never expected such things to come out of the mouth of a 9 year old. "And, even if I win, without your support, can you guarantee the safety of your domain? Remember that traitorous vassals, that didn't came to the service of their liege is punishable by death according to imperial law. Your loyalty to me, if a succession occurs is not something I should pay, but rather, it was something you should give willingly!"

I was tainting his honor. The shame of being threatened and beaten in a debate by a child is not something his ego could handle. His face was red, yet, he tried to swallow it up. Nevertheless, there are still venom in his voice.

"And what made you think that is the case? What right do you have to order everyone around you like you're some sort of a chosen one of the goddess herself?!"

I smirked, a wide smile curled up on my lips. "Maybe I am a chosen one"

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Suffice to say, he stormed out of the indoor balcony room. His face was red and he brought the weight of his body in each of his step.

It was clear that his faith in me wasn't genuine. It was something he wanted to take advantage of for his own personal gain. In short, he's a snake.

I was about to leave as soon as he left, but suddenly, I spotted a faint glow of gold.

It was a mouse, with golden eyes. A Runford's spy. I didn't think it had heard what I had just discuss with Yendeir, thankfully.

It was something of a convenience for him, to be able to enslave any animal and make them his thralls. He could spy on people, use the animals to fight for him and other activities he might be doing. What I feared most however, is the extent of his power, how many animals he could control? What was the price of enslaving the creatures? It is something even Yohan did not know.

Suddenly, the man in question arrived via the main chamber entry, startling the praying elders. Everyone looked at him, slim figure, sunken face, his heavy blue robe covered his body from feet to head. He reminded me of my father, his sleep-deprived face had similarities to Runford's face right now.

"His majesty requires everyone to be present in the court right now"

He didn't even bothered to address the elders respectfully, something they clearly didn't like and gave out a bad impression of him.

"I'm sorry, your highness, but right now is a session of elders as we discuss the matters of the realm. Please, let us finish our question time first before we begin to hear your whim" Nazhif said, his face shared similar annoyance to the other elders.

"There's no time! Father required you all to be present!"

"What does his Majesty wanted of us right now?" One of the elders asked, shouting.

It was clear that Runford wasn't very popular with the elders as well. They didn't want to listen to his orders. But, what he said afterwards made them all change their mind.

"An envoy from the Commonwealth has arrived at the court!"