The decision to be made regarding the Empress's invitation was of great importance, and consequently, the Court Council was convened (this was also to ensure the noble members felt included in foreign policy matters). In particular, the Queen wanted to speak with Duke Helmholtz, as well as keep a close eye on the Council. Changes were happening gradually after the Sortons' betrayal: officials approved by the royal court were being elected in the various provinces, and the nobles were now required to draft a summary report on the economic management of their territories at the end of each quarter. The strictness of these controls sparked numerous protests from the nobles, but Grimilde was immovable on the matter. She would not make the same mistakes of the past. From the betrayal, she could only learn to be stronger and more resolute in national affairs.
"You're not actually thinking of accepting?"
"And what do you suggest we do? Clash with the Empire?"
"Baron, you are being so dramatic!"
"Forgive me for interrupting your discussion, but the Empire's power is far greater than ours combined with the other coastal countries. Refusing their invitation could provoke the Empress herself. The only way to ascertain her intentions will be to speak with her."
"Sir Helmholtz speaks the truth. From the beginning, this meeting was scheduled solely to inform you of the event. The princess and I will accept the invitation and attend the Oyindar games. In our absence, the most urgent matters will be subject to the Council's approval, respecting the majority vote. Sir Federik will be the main point of contact for legislative and administrative procedures. For anything else, turn to the court counselors. Now, if you will excuse me, I must attend to some pressing matters."
With her usual elegance and decisiveness, Grimilde shut down all discussion and rose from the chair at the head of the long table. The princess followed her without hesitation; when they reached the exit, she spoke to Federik in a hushed voice, asking him to summon Duke Helmholtz to join her and the Queen. This was done with the utmost discretion, and soon Federik, Astrael, the Duke, and the two royals found themselves discussing matters in the Queen's private office.
"Has your territory experienced any tensions of any kind with the Kingdom of Umgard recently? The official documents report nothing unusual." Federik adjusted his glasses and professionally addressed the Duke, who was sitting on the comfortable sofa, sipping tea.
The man was as impassive as ever. "Trade with the neighboring kingdom is proceeding smoothly. Our borders are well-defended and will continue to be so." The Duke took another sip from his cup, ignoring Counselor Federik's embarrassed gaze, who feared he had offended Helmholtz by asking inappropriate questions. After all, the Duke was a competent man and never loosened his grip on his troops and borders, avoiding any surprise attacks from foreign kingdoms. In those times, anything could be expected: with the Empire's influence, some countries believed they could expand their territories without severe repercussions.
"I suppose we will only clear our doubts in one way. The Oyindar games will begin in the coming weeks, and we will need our best athletes and warriors." They would have to hold selections, and with the Duke's help, they would find what they were looking for much faster.
The Duke, however, surprised everyone present with a comment directed at the Queen: "Then why don't you participate in the games as well?"
"Oh! What a fantastic idea..." Astrael smiled broadly, observing Duke Helmholtz with increased interest as the man rose from the sofa, having finished his tea. Snow White didn't know what to say, so she simply watched the exchange between the Queen and the Duke: Grimilde seemed struck by the man's words.
"From what I was able to witness some time ago, Your Majesty is a skilled fighter. You wield a sword excellently and do not frighten easily... you could demonstrate that to the Empress as well."
At that point, Snow White wanted to object, since fighting in the games could result in Grimilde getting injured, not to mention showing off any potential vulnerabilities in front of royals from other kingdoms. But the Queen's voice stopped her.
"I will consider it."
That was enough for the Duke, who lifted the corners of his mouth slightly, even though his eyes remained serious and impassive. "I suppose there is nothing else to discuss. I will personally take charge of selecting the most promising youths for the Oyindar games. We certainly won't make a poor showing."
The Queen nodded, concluding the conversation with the Duke, who left the room after bidding farewell to the rest of the group. When the door closed, Snow White began to speak: "Would you really put yourself in danger for this? To prove to the others, I don't know, your physical prowess? Your audacity?"
"It's best we get Federik out of the way... as they say, don't stick your nose between husband and wife! Even though we're clearly not talking about a husband and wife here." Astrael's words were nonsense to the counselor, who was dragged out of the room. "What are you talking about?"
"I didn't say I would do it. I only took it into consideration." Grimilde lowered her eyes to the Empress's letter, which stood out among the other papers occupying the desk.
The princess stepped to her side and sighed. "I feel so useless right now..."
"You are not." The Queen looked up from the papers and rested her loving blue eyes on the princess. "Without you, I wouldn't be able to tolerate any of this. Furthermore, I remind you that the Empress wants to see both of us."
Snow White nodded weakly and wrapped her arms around the Queen's waist, resting her head against her chest. She loved her floral scent, her warmth, the sound of her heart beating strong and steady... Grimilde moved her hair aside to expose the skin of her neck and brushed her lips across it, leaving kisses and soft bites that made Snow White sigh.
"How about we relax for a bit?" Grimilde whispered against the princess's ear, making her shiver.
"What do you have in mind?" Snow White asked in a low voice. Her body began to heat up and grow aroused as soon as her lover's demeanor shifted. She was more sensual, more eager, and she couldn't take her eyes off the princess.
"I'll have the palace thermal baths prepared."
"Iza, be careful." Derek grabbed his sister's arm, preventing a surely fatal fall. The woman thanked him with a nod, and together they continued the arduous climb that would take them to the top of a ridge. From there, they would have a better view of their surroundings, and enemies wouldn't be able to catch them from behind.
"They're much better than I thought," Iza commented, looking for the next handhold to continue the path.
Derek muttered, "They are trained to fight demons, after all... they aren't simple soldiers."
The two siblings soon reached the top and breathed a sigh of relief. They could catch their breath before starting the trek back to Arran.
"We were foolish. We shouldn't have followed that bastard... he caught us by surprise."
"We didn't know he was tied to the Order! The way I see it, they won't know where we come from either."
"They can guess." Derek pulled out his water flask, unhooking it from his belt, and after taking a sip, passed it to his sister. Iza was just as thirsty as he was: after all, they hadn't had time to stop. Some members of the investigating group had chased them until just a few hours before they reached the ridge. It was the first break they were taking after days of danger: they would remain vigilant, but from that height, it was unlikely they would be detected.
"The Order... what a simple name for a group of fanatics ready to eradicate evil from the world."
"You'd call them fanatics? So what do you think of the tribe the Queen comes from? And her original family? Everyone fights for what they believe in. Look at us... we aren't all that different."
Derek looked at his sister in disbelief, then smiled. "You should have been a scholar, not a spy!"
"What nonsense." Iza turned away, pretending to be busy adjusting her weapons. Her cheeks were red, and she had no desire whatsoever to show vulnerability in front of her brother. She had never revealed that she loved studying and preferred to keep it to herself. She wasn't ashamed of her passion, but Derek wasn't very intellectual and wouldn't fully understand.
"We need to verify that the route back is safe." Iza pulled a pair of binoculars from the pouch on her chest and began scanning the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the roads above the treetops. In the Kingdom of Umgard, the vegetation was incredibly dense. There were plenty of woods and mountainous areas in Arran too, but Umgard seemed to sink into nature itself.
"Is Umgard really going to host the Oyindar games?"
"Yes, from what we've heard. Why?"
"I haven't seen any arenas or structures suitable for hosting such important games..."
"Knowing the Empire's influence, they probably provided the funds to build something colossal."
Iza nodded and lowered the binoculars, reporting that she hadn't spotted anything nearby. Derek walked over to her and put his hands on his hips. "What are the odds they're still looking for us this frantically?"
"Considering the urgency of their business... I'd say we can risk it."
Iza and Derek began their descent from the ridge, and within an hour, they were on the road that would lead them toward the border between Arran and Umgard. The Order had erased its tracks and seemed to have vanished. The only threat they might find in those woods were wild animals. They had seen wolves the night before, and their howls hadn't been very reassuring during their escape. The decision not to engage the members of the Order came from the Queen, who had expressly stated not to pick fights unless it was for their own survival. After all, she didn't want to risk offending the Empress and sparking a war. They needed information and had obtained it, so Derek and Iza decided not to risk further encounters with the Order and return to Arran. Fortunately, they managed to proceed smoothly, but it would take a few days before they reached the border. They couldn't have known that the Order itself had decided not to attack them, choosing to observe them from afar instead.
"They're turning back."
"Follow them from a distance. Keep an eye on them." Scarlet gave the order and watched three of her subordinates move quickly away from her, staying in the shadows, cloaked in silence. It was already dark: Scarlett looked up at the sky, then turned toward the direction that would lead her to the nearest city. There, she would find her group resting before returning to the capital. They had communicated with the Empress the night before through magical means—crystals capable of transmitting the voice of whoever possessed them. They were made of durable, glowing material and worked regardless of the distance between their owners. The Archmage and her group of experts had handled the creation of various enchanted tools useful to the army, but many materials had also been circulated to assist common citizens. Many disciples studying the magical arts did so with dedication: their ultimate goal was to help their people and make life easier for everyone.
Scarlet was very interested in magic; she had been since she was a little girl. In the village where she was born, there were many tales of spells, riddles brought by magical beings, but also curses capable of destroying entire populations. In recent years, a story had circulated throughout the Empire about the most sudden famine and the harshest winter, brought about by the broken heart of a witch. No one knew the truth regarding the events that took place at the imperial court during the time the witch had lost control. It was well known that the Archmage had not always been as stable and reasonable as she was today. Obviously, anyone who had met her would not deny that she presented herself as a very confident, even brazen woman.
Scarlett had not yet had the chance to meet her, but she wished to converse with her at least once in her life to uncover some secrets of magic.
"We've been summoned to court." A man grabbed Scarlett's shoulder. She spun around; she didn't particularly like physical contact. Over the years, she had learned that proximity was as precious as it was lethal.
"To court? Do we know why?"
"The Empress wishes to see the Order's best fighters, from what I've heard." The man smirked arrogantly, and his colleague shoved him away.
"Let's move, we cannot keep the Sun of the Empire waiting."