Night befell at Fortis Crystallum as I finished up the last of my dinner at my headquarters. King Rasmus was kind enough to let me stay at one of the royal rooms and provided another room for my rider. It wasn't what I had in mind for my trip to The Allicere, but it was the safest option at the moment.
My rider wasn't so keen at first. I understood where he was coming from. King Rasmus declared a war with Potentia Flamber, his home kingdom. He was going to be loyal to the Flambers through and through. Alas, I convinced him that it was the safest option until those gangsters were taken. It would be dangerous to travel with a raeda with such crooks on the loose.
I sat at the edge of the bed, feeling the soft linens between my fingers. It was extravagant to experience the luxuries the royals of this land lived in. If only I could get this type of comfort to everyone at The Allicere. Maybe we wouldn't have such a high mortality rate.
It was unfair to see how many kingdoms had so much to offer, so many riches, and yet they still wanted more. It was a disease. I couldn't blame them. They thought what they always had wasn't enough. Maybe there was another kingdom in a far away land that was much worse than The Allicere, and here I was complaining.
One thing was for sure, however, I was going to bring The Allicere out from poverty, even if there were kingdoms out there that were far worse. I was going to make my kingdom be recognized in all the lands.
Potentia Flamber was my initial ticket to freedom, but King Rasmus was convinced that wasn't going to happen. Regardless of whether or not Queen Antonella wanted to marry me, I had King Rasmus to fall back on. All I needed to do was play the cards right and I'll benefit from both sides.
King Rasmus was obviously after the Inlustris. He was an ambitious man, I'll give him that, but he was going to deal with the most powerful object in Caeleste, and perhaps even the Universe. If all went according to plan, then I would be granted unlimited power if I helped him out. I would get The Allicere out from poverty as I had hoped.
If King Rasmus was unable to do his part, then I could have Queen Antonella convinced that I was in love with her and become king.
I was worried. King Rasmus wanted to seize the Inlustris. He would have unlimited power and most likely destroy Queen Antonella. Potentia Flamber would cease to exist.
It wasn't that I cared so much about Potentia Flamber, or even Queen Antonella, it was that I pitied her and the kingdom. She had no idea what was coming her way. She became so depressed after Theodora passed, she would go into complete madness with the entire war.
That was why women were not capable of being in charge. They were too emotional. Queen Antonella couldn't handle the responsibilities of being in charge of a kingdom without falling into madness. She already had so much on her shoulders. She shouldn't have to go through all of that.
The poor thing was probably a mess back at the palace. I couldn't imagine what Philip was going through trying to have everything in order.
If it weren't for Philip or the general, Potentia Flamber would have fallen to King Rasmus a long time ago. Queen Antonella was most likely watching from her window at all the terrors she didn't know how to control. She needed more time to become queen, and she so desperately needed a king.
They had a great defense system, at least, but with her rule, King Rasmus would surely get the Inlustris. All the power will switch to him and the entire land will change. I'll have security under his wing, and I will help The Allicere rise up.
It was a well-thought plan.
"Prince Mahli!" A servant knocked on the door.
I made my way to the door, frowning at the urgency. I swung open the door to reveal a scrawny servant looking up at me with wild eyes.
"The king summons you."
"Oh, of course."
He led me down the corridor, making sure no one intercepted us to our destination. His tense shoulders and quick steps made me believe something bad had happened.
"Hey, is everything alright?" I asked him. He jumped up and looked at me. He looked like an animal caught by hunters. "You appear jittery."
"I'm fine, my Prince, everything is fine." He managed a smile, which looked more like a grimace, and continued to trudge forward.
He opened a heavy door for me and bowed. I nodded at him and walked inside. The room was illuminated, which bounced off the gold in every detail. The walls, the floor, the rims of every piece of furniture, and even King Rasmus' attire.
"Your Majesty, you summoned me?" I asked.
King Rasmus and Prince Linus turned to me with a smile. It was a bit creepy how similar their smiles were. Sinister and slightly maniacal. Even their eyes glistened with the same disturbing malice.
"Why yes, Prince Mahli," King Rasmus replied. "I need you here to prove your loyalty."
I frowned. I thought they knew I was decently loyal to them after what I had done back in Potentia Flamber for them.
"I don't understand. How do I prove my loyalty even more?"
Prince Linus stepped aside and I saw my rider tied up to a chair. His graying hair was matted to his forehead and blood dripped from his nose down his chin. He was gagged with a handkerchief, so he wasn't able to communicate at all.
"Kill him," King Rasmus ordered.
"What?" I recoiled. "What did he do?"
King Rasmus shrugged. He presented me with a dagger. It was light on my hands, embellished in green gems and gold emblems.
"Prince Mahli, prove to me that you are willing to go far to fight for me."