Ignatius-Valdis: Book 0# [Reignited]

Chapter 4

L’Eiron watched Gothalia for a moment, then said. “Yes. We knew it was decreed after what happened to your mother and father that you would be forced into the ranks as punishment for the actions of your parents, but you would be enlisted for the rest of your life.”

“Why would they teach me to fight and survive if it’s a punishment?”

“It’s because if you died on the frontlines or on duty, no one would question your passing, and the Grand Elders could record it as missing in action or you’ve been killed in action without the Royal Family investigating it.”

“Are you serious?”

“Honestly, we were surprised you hadn’t been killed sooner when we were forced into the ranks, and we believe it’s because of the King himself.”

“How is that fair? Why are we being punished for my parent’s actions? What did they do that was so bad to warrant such cruelty?”

“It’s not cruelty. You were given a chance at life, but not the freedom that comes with it. So, were we?”

“What did you guys do?” Gothalia queried, frightened.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past.” L’Eiron said. “When you head to the barracks tomorrow do everything, your trainers tell you to do, and stay out of the other recruit’s way as much as you can, because unlike them you’ll be shunned much worse than what you already are or have been. There’ll be tournaments at the end of every week. You must fight to the death in them. It’s the Grand Elders’ way of weaning out the weak. If you died in one of these tournaments—the Grand Elders will do as I said before. So, you’ll need to make allies if you are to survive until the end of training periods and beyond that. Basic training will go for two months while the specialised training will go for eight months and all of it will be intense. You’ll have only enough time to sleep and eat before you start training again.”

“How come no one knows about this?” Gothalia asked.

“Everyone knows. They just don’t talk about it. Talking about it is treason, and we all know what happens to the traitors.”

Gothalia swallowed. “Public execution.”

“It’s how the Grand Elders stay in power. They instil fear in the general populace and the Royal Family.”

“Why hasn’t there been a rebellion?”

Heavy silence permeated the air until L’Eiron declared, “There was.”

Gothalia’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean—”

“—Just promise me, you’ll stay alive.”

“But—”

Then a voice they recognised declared, “They’re going to try and kill her?”

“Anton? Maximus?” Gothalia inquired, her confusion evident. The sound of their entrance had eluded her, and surprise had too taken him.

“Why would they kill Gothalia?” Anton growled, storming over to L’Eiron. “Because of her parents? Gothalia’s done nothing to warrant such hatred but breathe.”

“Anton, calm down,” L’Eiron urged, glaring at both men.

“Why should he?” Maximus growled, equally angry. “The Grand Elders know she may die, and by your words may even encourage it.”

“They wouldn’t encourage it?” L’Eiron replied. “It’ll come back to them.”

“You don’t know that? They might even get someone to assassinate her, whether it’s at the Grand Elder’s hands or not.”