Sustaining The King's Life 109 His Majesty And The High Knights

He was playing yet another piece of music, dark hair glistening against the moonlight—playing a song as a tribute to the lady bathing in white roses. The woman whose fire was her red strands spreading across the sheets, and snow was her skin, and flowers are her lips. She was asleep, but cold and unmoving still. Like a hollow doll, beautiful yet vacant. He played the music over and over again, sounding sadder and crestfallen at every pa.s.sing second.

"She is now in Magierstadt, Milord." Says a woman in a dark robe standing on the dark corner. Her hair was a wavy black, spreading across the back of her knees. She wore a scarlet dress, bathed in the blood of her prey. "I believe it is Lotheringwood with her."

"I know for certain," answered the man playing the piano, every intricate press on the piano keys giving the rhythm a melancholic feel. "But she will no longer be with Lotheringwood as per the academy's rules."

"What shall we do?" Asks the woman, her red eyes gleaming against the gloom like a calm wolf residing amidst the darkness of the night.

The man's fingers lifted away from the piano keys.

"We wait."

**

The emblem of a Firehawk had domineered the entirety of the castle's throne room—it was one of the most noticeable schemes in the kingdom's interior, more specifically, in the palace's throne room where the king's power is displayed. The markings were said to be designed by the first king himself, as per the claims of the historians on numerous historical books, although some had argued that it was undeniably created by the people of the empire themselves. The insignia was furnished by sheer gold and rubies, along with hand-painted materials and metals that formed the image of a Firehawk. The throne itself had matched this certain emblem with intricate designs dating from a thousand years of rule.

Sitting on the throne was the ninth king, Alexander Octavius Ein Feuerkrieger IX; his complexion looked normal, despite the people thinking about otherwise—since the king was inflicted with the curse—the disease Nightmare.

With their knees on the floor, the high knights bowed upon arrival to pay tribute to their king. The Knighthood was almost complete, with four of the knights present to the king's summons. They all had their own distinct look, but all had the same uniform and emblem of the Firehawk embedded in their chest.

"Where is Abe?" Asked the king. "Captain Roth,"

The captain of the Knighthood—Roth Adelard, ambled forward. He placed his hand to his chest as he clenched his fist to signal a gesture of respect. "I believe we had sent him a summon. He should be here in any second, Your Majesty."

"He's late?" Elliot whispered to Elvis.

"He should be here any minute now," Elvis answered. "We all know the Vice-captain. He sneaks like a snake."

The knights glanced at Elvis with apprehension laced all over their faces, clearly knowing WHAT was happening. Elvis blinked, realizing what he had said. Lorenz stifled a laughter upon observing this.

The king closed his eyes. "Very well. We will start without him."

"Your Majesty?" Elliot exclaimed, confusion spreading all over his face.

For years Elliot had served the Knighthood, he found it rare for the king to start a discussion with the knights being incomplete. And Abe, despite his circ.u.mstances, was still a High Knight after all; he was their vice-captain. A discussion without a higher figure made Elliot Wainwright in a state of puzzlement and presumptions.

"Why are we starting without Abe?" Elliot exclaimed, "he's . . . he's coming here at any second."

The king glances at Elliot with a piercing contempt. "Are you telling me what I should and shouldn't do, Wainwright?"

"Your Majesty—I—no . . ."

"Elliot." Elvis articulated upon finality. "Stop."

Elliot shortly stopped talking, bowing his head, with his fingers reaching to his heart and fingers clenching to a fist as a gesture for respect. "Glory upon the Feuersturm Empire."

"I summoned you all here on behalf of the actions of the High Knight's Vice-captain," said the king. "He had infiltrated the archives as per the report of the governors of the capital. Do you all know what this means?"

"This means the whole knighthood is responsible for his actions," Roth stated, driving the whole enchilada to silence.

The king did not respond.

"Vice-captain infiltrated the Archives?" Said Elliot stubbornly, breaking off the silence. "that is ridiculous. I—I think the governors want to put a dent to your name, Your Highness. They are using the Vice-captain!"

"I beg to differ."

���Lorenz?!"

"Although I find it odd," says Lorenz. "I think he actually did it."

"What do you mean?" Elliot exclaimed. "You think he STOLE the doc.u.ments?"

"I don't think Lord Feuerfalke will be a baseless fool that would create an unsubstantiated accusation," Lorenz says. "Although I cannot deny his hunger for power~"

Elvis nodded, "I agree with Lorenz. Abe must have done it for a reason. He had the ability to break into the Archives without fail. No normal person could do that."

"You're saying that Vice-captain did a crime?!" Elliot said. "He saved me even when he wasn't a knight yet, and I've known him better than you do, Lorenz Schmidt!"

"Hooh, calm down, I only stated the possibilities and what I believe," Lorenz retorted. "It's not my fault you find it offending, Unreasonable-Twin-Of-Elvis,"

"Settle down. Do not involve your personal matters here." The king stated. "For whatever Abe's reason would be, he's still considered a criminal at this rate. Isn't that the case, Captain Roth?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Answered Roth. "There is a memorial stone that had a footage of Abe breaking into the Hidden Archives in the middle of the night when he was supposed to safeguard Faustina. There is also a witness being checked for a photographic memory by the clairvoyants."

"I can't believe it," Elliot said, "a memorial stone? Photographic memory? I don't think they'll find something there! I don't think Vice-captain did it!"

"It was broadcasted to the public just this day. It was raised to me by the knights." Says Roth. "And now Abe is a wanted criminal in the capital, a clear suspect of a thief of important records. It is Axkell Feuerfalke who made such sentiments, so the rumors had spread tenfold."

"They're going a bit much." Elvis thinned his lips. "For a governor, he sure likes to talk."

"Kegh," Lorenz chortled. "Of course . . . yes,"

The king smiles. "What more did the dog bark, Roth?"

Lorenz covered his mouth to stifle yet another laughter. Even Elvis found himself smiling.

"Now a member of the Knighthood is a fugitive on the run, Lord Axkell had found an opportunity to tarnish the King's name because of the choice he made for bestowing an a.s.sa.s.sin the t.i.tle of the Knighthood." Continued Roth.

"And now continuously gaining support from the ma.s.ses at every pa.s.sing minute he gives derogatory statements. It had not reached the court, but word spreads like h.e.l.lfire, and would sweep the countrymen as critics on a matter of days." Roth articulated.

"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" The knighthood exclaimed in chorus as they held their fist to their chest.

The king curved his lips.

"It is not my decision," the king retorted. "Isn't that right, Vice-captain?"

Standing in the open doors of the throne room was a man with paper-white hair and gleaming red eyes, blood scattered all over his clothes. The high knights stood up, with Roth unleas.h.i.+ng his sword, the others following as they become vigilant as they beheld the grim sight of the Vice-captain impending to attack.

A cherry-colored liquid dripped to the grounds from a silver dagger as Abe remained still, his red eyes darting to all of them like that of a venomous viper ready to strike. He began to saunter forward, his red eyes contracting like that of a wild beast beholding his prey. Abe ran towards them with a snarl as he slashed his dagger near to Lorenz, who had dodged it with a smile etched on his face.

"Haah, looks like somebody had gone savage," says Lorenz, turning to Elliot who was clearly in shock. "Isn't that right, Mr. Defender?"

"Knights!" Roth commanded.

"Protect the king at all cost—" says Roth as he pointed his sword as he and the knights positioned in a defensive stance, "—from the Vice-captain!"