100 The Deal

EARLIER IN THE PALACE

General Rowan returned to the palace at once after the chaos have settled down in Brandenburg. He sent orders to Hesam and Aria owing to the official hunt for Haelan, Atrius, Jacomus and Ottis with an ulterior motive to save Umbriel from the hands of the ought to be criminals. As the darkness falls in the palace, the General headed straight to the palace chancery guided by the lights beaming from the wall sconces. The sound of his brass armor clanking owned the entire halls. All the palace knights making rounds in the corridors salute the great general of the Kingdom.

As he go along, he made contact with the high priestess in white dress and corset. She was walking slowly as the hem of her tunic dance with her feet. Despite the usual offish vibe that surrounds the priestess, the general just nodded at the priestess and went on.

Reaching the palace chancery, General Rowan opened the tall gunmetal door effortlessly as he stepped in immediately. As he set foot on the marbled floor, he could easily smell the scent of wildflowers and herbs. The hearth was lighted, with little flames dancing on the firewood. The tapestries on the walls sway in the whistles of the wind that seep through the slightly-opened arched windows. There were candles on the double bronze candlesticks in every corner that lit up the chancery.

As he go further inside, he passed by four hand-carved artisan throne chairs with four refrectory tables with gold linings each. They were all left unkempt where piles of papers and open books were scattered on top. All the bookshelves surrounding the chancery were almost half empty, like someone has been doing a lot of reading.

He stopped at the center of the room where there's a round tea table set for two with one bloody red candle lighted up.. The tea smells of barley with a hint of something stingy to the nose. When he was about to go further ahead, a woman appeared from behind the floral room divider in the corner of the room.

"Please wait, General", a priestess in a white muslin chemise said. Her hair is black as the night which is neatly placed on one side.

The General nodded at the priestess who has soft angelic features. As he look around, there was no one else apart from the priestess who remained standing by the floral partition. He gazed a bit more at the young priestess and even smiled. Then, he caught a glimpse of his own reflection on the full-length floor standing cheval mirror with a gold frame and embedded jewels. Putting on a proud smirk on his grey moustache, he stood proudly as he move in different angles admiring his physique on the mirror. As he was enjoying more of his self, the general noticed shadows moving against the room divider as if someone is receiving aid in putting on a piece of clothing.

"I have returned", General Rowan's voice echoed in the chancery. Again, the General was asked to wait to which he had no choice but to abide. Growing impatient, he stood by the tea table with his hands crossed as he tap his foot on the floor.

"Where's the celestial?", a voice of a woman said from behind the room divider.

"He escaped", the General answered briefly as he turn his head. "It is believed that he's the son of Silvius and Tris", he said.

"Like mother, like daughter. Even more marvelous!", the voice cracked in a sinister laugh. "I met her once before, I need her to restore my powers", she said.

"She?", the General creased his brows in wonder why Haelan was refered as a woman.

"And the traveler's stone?", the voice uttered as she gets assisted lacing up her corset.

"We are going back to the Holy Land later, and retrieve the traveler's stone. Priest Elijah should reveal himself at my call", the General explained as he draw closer from where the voice is coming from.

"And if he doesn't?", she asked.

"He will", the General assured.The keepsakes of the stone is not known to everyone. Upon locating the stone in the Holy Land with some magic, Rowan gave orders to Priest Elijah that the stone should be handed to a woman with an imperial emblem. However, things didn't go as planned.

"The thing is..", the General said in a lowly voice. "The Celestial also has the arm cuff that houses the Iaso stone. I heard that its powers have attached to the traveler", he revealed. "I already have all eyes on him", he added.

"We have a deal, General. I will make you the King, and you'll help me find everything I needed.", Queen Isavelle revealed herself from behind the room dividers. Wearing a refined purple silk corset gown with gold linings, she grazed the blood red diamond brooch on the tan overcoat that was placed over her shoulders by her maiden.

"I haven't forgotten that", the General said as he fervently gazed at the Queen's fair face. "But your end of the bargain is too much. First the traveler stone, the arm cuff, then the celestial. They are all too slippery.", he explained.

"If only you knew how to play the game.. you wouldn't be much of a loser right now", Queen Isavelle said as she walk towards the tea table and sat on a high-back rest wooden chair cushioned with maroon and dark green floral accents. "Is it too much of a burden for the great general to find the things that I need? Imagine, the position of the King for only three favors.", she said mockingly. The maiden poured the Queen tea at once. Then, she dropped lots of sugar crystals in the teacup.

"Watch your tongue, traveler", General Rowan drew his claymore at the nonchalant queen as she stir her tea. With his great desires to claim the throne for himself, he decided to harrow the body of a soul traveler in the deep snow of Caluso. He believed that to become an invincible warrior in all of Nethers, he needed a traveler by his side to shield him from all dangers, just like the previous royals. However, in exchange, he is to seek a celestial healer and come into the possession of the traveler's stone and the witch's arm cuff that houses the Iaso stone before he could become the King.

At the back of General Rowan's mind, the travelers are cooking something dangerous for collecting all of the rare powerful artifacts, including a celestial healer who only arises every generation. For that reason, fueled with his fear that one day the travelers would turn their backs on him, Rowan wanted Haelan dead. He thought, it would buy him some time to wait for the next generation of celestial until he could chain the travelers around their necks.

"I wouldn't do that, If I were you", Queen Isavelle said as she flick her hand. The General stood like a rock from where he stood. He couldn't move a hand, not even a finger. "You see, Celeste here is a witch. But not like one of yous. Yereah? Was that her name?", the queen said while Celeste placed her hand mid-air taking control of Rowan's body. "Celeste is far more greater. She could stiffen every part of your body using dark arts.. or make me look like the queen", she said as she signal Celeste to stop.

Gasping for air, General Rowan dropped on his knees as he take hold of his body once again. Then in the shadows, another man appeared as he point a glaive that appeared to be hooked on his severed right arm. The man pointed his deadly limb on the back of the general's head. "What's this?", caught off guard, General Rowan paused when he felt the tip of a blade behind him.

"Meet my new acquaintance", Queen Isavelle introduced a man in black leather tunic as she sip her tea. "This tea taste bland, add more sugars please", she asked as she bat her eyes.