War Zone

Guarded Secrets (5)

Leon was out of his mind informing all officials, including the Emperor of what he had discovered in Brenia. After returning to the Capital, he endured meeting after meeting, forming strategies, and sending a warning to the Wolf knights who were slacking in their posts.

The agreed upon peace treaty thirty years ago made them lax. It might have been reasonable as the treaty is still in effect for ten years, but Pubrina seems eager to break it in advance, especially now that the Kesoe's balance in power between the emperor's faction and the noble's faction is tipped.

They must think it will be easy to invade the empire now that there's chaos in the ruling powers.

"Captain... Princess Everild Vanderbilt is here."

"Tell the brat I'm asleep." Leon Gofraidh's anger directed to the Princess has yet to dissipate. She's here to propose another scheme, using herself as bait again. What a wicked woman...

"Is that how you're supposed to address the princess of the empire you serve?" Her soft voice that was usually calm held a sharp edge to her tone.

Leon sighed, not bothering to fix his disheveled self that was lying down on the settee. A princess who doesn't care about her well being doesn't deserve propriety. "Let her in."

"Captain Leon Gofraidh...! You insolent-!" Her sharp words and footsteps halted as she gasped at Leon's exposed torso through his unbuttoned shirt. "Has your trip to Banaha stolen your last thread of decency?"

"I see staying in the Palace made the Princess tongue sharper than a knight's sword."

"Hah! Who purposely left Sir Dione to limit my movements in the Palace? You brute!"

Leon opened his eyes as he took a cushion and put it under his head to stare at the huffing Princess, whose anger was only rising at his lax responses.

Her platinum blonde curls were lose today. Probably, because it was already night. Next, he focused his eyes to her wide doe eyes and long lashes that framed the most vibrant brown eyes, then to her small button nose and lastly to her pink plump lips that shouted obscenities. The brat's going to be eighteen soon, and a lot of marriage proposals will surely enter the palace after her debut.

"Princess... I'm tired. You've worked me to the bone and all I hear from your mouth are insults." Leon sat up sluggishly.

"What..?" Princess Everild stopped, as she stared at the Captain in confusion. She must be wondering why he was acting like a child to be pampered.

"You came to get information, but you're not treating me very well."

She coughed, quickly fixing her condescending posture as she sat on the sofa across Leon like a proper lady. 

"That prim act doesn't suit you." He quickly uttered. 

"My actions are not for the Captain's tastes. I don't need your opinion." She shot back before sighing, realizing how she went along with his goading once again. "Anyway, as you already know. I'm here to get information." 

"Yes. The Princess only visits to command me at your convenience." 

Leon's straight face while uttering incomprehensible words made the Princess frown. "We signed a contract, Captain. You're also using me to turn away your marriage proposals." She uttered, drawing a rare smile from the Gofraidh heir. "So I'd like it if you straighten up, and tell me in detail... Did you really find my brother in Banaha?" 

Leon's smile vanished as he looked at the Princess before crossing his legs. "Yes." He recalled the Prince's apathetic face. "And the golden choker is gone. You told me it was a relic to lock the magicks of a disciple?"

Princess Everild's eyes widened. "So... Where is he now?" She asked. 

"Ma-i. Your brother is corrupted and is planning to steal the leaf of Biyya."  

"Does he not plan to come back..?" 

"I don't know. I did offer him a position as a knight in the Gofraidh Duchy for the meantime, but he doesn't seem interested. Also, your brother has an interesting companion. Sierra Alvi-or. Do you know her?" 

The Princess seemed genuinely intrigued as soon as he muttered the name. "I've never heard of a strange name before..." 

"Really? But she knew about the coming war, much like how you insisted Pubrina is arranging an assault near Brenia. I thought you must have hired her to pester me." Leon muttered, recalling how he got so angry at the thought that the Princess was able to get out of the Palace to hire a stranger to convince him yet again of her ridiculous theory, despite leaving a trusted knight to regulate her movements. 

The Princess' response matched with Sir Dion's report of her indoor activities. Leon sighed in relief. If she had stirred troubles while he was away, nobody would be able to protect the brat, as his father is currently in the north border for inspection.

"What did she say?" The Princess asked with a hint of interest and surprise. 

"That she heard rumors in Brenia of the Pubrina army causing mayhem in the borders." Leon replied honestly, not missing a single reaction on the Princess' face.

"And where is that lady now?" 

"With your brother. He tricked her into believing he accepted my offer to be a knight and told her he volunteered to be her guard. A witness protection escort for agreeing to be a witness in the slave trading incident." 

The princess fell silent in contemplation. She soon uttered, "My brother is strangely accompanying her, and she knows about the war...?" In the last lifetime, there had never been a person named Sierra Alvi-or that appeared near her brother as far as Everild could recall. This lady also knew about the war, but why is she in Ma-i..? And why did her brother use a lie to accompany her there? 

"Captain... I must meet the lady." 

Princess Everild Vanderbilt. A regressor in the Kesoe Empire her brother would soon destroy in the future. If Sierra Alvi-or is also a regressor, then she must meet her at all cost to know her intentions.