Chapter 33: Trouble in the Palace
Translated by XianPiete
Guy and Madeline managed to dance three times together before they moved off the dance floor and took residence on the side. Many of the guests came over to meet them as they were among the current celebrities of the Kingdom. Across the room First Mage Diggory was also similarly mobbed. Alicia and Claude managed to keep dancing looking stunning as they did, both incredible dancers and ultimately handsome specimens of the human race. Olivier and Princess Odila made a circuit around the room the way only the royalty could. One thing that was different from the Ball held on the first floor was that at a prescribed hour, once all of the guests were accounted for His Majesty and Her Majesty would make an appearance on the second floor for a dance and then greet a select few guests based on merit or political motivations.
As Madeline and Guy shook hands and greeted some of the nobility, a palace official came and brought Guy and Madeline to a special reception line to await the King and Queen. First Mage Diggory and the Royal Librarian as well as Alicia and Claude were also brought to the line. Guy saw his mother and father in line as well as Madeline's parents at the opposite end both of which gave him a smile and wave as he noticed them. The doorman for the Ball announced, "His Majesty King Aramis de la Marche and Her Majesty Queen Thérèse de la Marche."
Everyone on the second floor dropped to a knee, even those who were dancing. The band stopped playing the song they had just been playing and began to play the national anthem of Pays Des Abrutis. Once the song finished, everyone cleared off the dance floor and the King and Queen waited for the band to start another song. Then the two of them danced alone on the dance floor until the song ended. The King motioned for all the dancers to return and escorted the Queen to the reception line to greet the selected guests.
Suddenly at the end of the hall where the King and Queen had emerged through, five men in all black outfits charged out into the ballroom the royal guards and knights who attempted to get in their way were knocked over like bowling pins. Guy noticed almost immediately called out, "Bless!" he then charged in front of the King and Queen.
Madeline didn't take but a second after to do the same calling out "Bless!" Following right behind him.
Alicia also called out, "Bless!" Instead targeting Claude who joined Madeline and Guy in front of the royalty.
First Mage Diggory called out, "Ice Wall!" And dropped a long wall of ice just in front of the people in the reception line.
Olivier called out, "Slow!" "Slow!" "Slow!" "Slow!" "Slow!" and promptly passed out after each of the attackers was targeted.
Guy, Madeline and Claude quickly took out the five attackers, the slowed reflexes of the killers left them sitting ducks for the strengthened trio. A royal guardsman came running into the ballroom and called out, they came from Prince Andre's room. Guy, Madeline and Claude looked at each other and then Guy called out, "Lead the way! There might be more of them!"
Once the reached the room, Guy motioned for the royal guard to pull back and then Madeline, Claude and himself now armed with swords taken from the guard slipped into the room quietly. A bookcase along one of the walls was pulled out revealing a stairway, the three of them quietly descended a spiral stairway. At the bottom of the stairway was a pentagram with arcane symbols drawn in blood. A thin bald man with a robe and staff was pacing around looking anxious. Guy motioned for them to hold as he called out, "Freeze!"
The thin man was instantly encased in a block of ice. Guy said to Madeline, "That should be one who cast the spells." He looked at Claude and said, "Go with the royal guard to make sure the rest of the castle is secure. You have about twenty minutes left on the spell she cast. Come find us if there is more trouble than you can handle." Claude nodded and sped off. Guy said to Madeline, "Lets go see if we can talk to one of the men we knocked out in the ballroom."
Back in the ballroom they found all five of the attackers dead, First Mage Diggory wiggled his bushy eyebrows and said, "It was the damnedest thing, they killed themselves once they woke up and saw they were captured. One of them spoke though so it was clear who they were, soldiers from Wütendes Menschenreich."
Guy and Madeline nodded at each other and then left to help Claude with the search of the castle.
*****
The dark carriage lead by a team of black horses came to a stop outside a country inn. The carriage driver flashed his lantern toward the upstairs window of the inn and then waited. A short time later Norris the butler opened the door and the young miss stepped out. Norris held a lantern and walked his young miss out to the carriage, once they arrived at the door, he opened the cab and helped his young miss inside, closing the door and waiting outside.
"There were complications. Prince Andre slipped to his own death out of fear." She said expecting her employer's rage.
Instead he replied, "Hmm? Well, that's unexpected. Thankfully it just eliminates a future problem ahead of schedule. Little Olivier has taken himself out of the game as well. It seems that it is time to move to the second game. Go to Taillefer's territory, eliminate his son and my sister Esmée. Once you complete that task, it will be time for my grand entrance into the game."
"Yes your highness." She replied.
"I think I should make nice with little Olivier first, he will be a powerful ally in the future. If I make him an enemy, it will incite the wrath of the Council of Mages. They are an unforeseen player in the game." He smiled and then asked, "When you met that second mage, Guy de Montfort, what did you think?"
"He is unfathomable. His one true weakness is Lady d'Aumont. However, that woman is a monster herself." She answered easily.
"I see, then we will attempt to keep them as allies in the future." He thought out loud. "For now, just Eliminate my sister and brother-in-law. I will have need of you beyond that, so take no chances."
"Yes your highness." She bowed her head. "Norris."
Her faithful servant opened the door to the cab and helped her down. Closing the door behind. Once they moved out of the way, the carriage rapidly departed. Norris asked, "Young miss, shall I prepare the carriage?"
She nodded and said, "Yes, and bring something cakey, I feel a bit of a sweet tooth."
"Of course, young miss." Norris gave a gentlemanly bow and then opened the door to the inn for her.