For the rest of the day I was in the training room.
Isadora made an excuse about her grandmother and left, so I rested enough, I exhausted my last Helene's potion on the cat-girl, and when I woke up again, she was gone.
In the training room I was only rehashing what I already knew. It was boring but I had no choice. And I tried to go at it with as much efforts as I could. I tried to ask for insights from Ophelia, but there was not much she could offer without me relearning and going the path of the spear. I'm not willing to do that, so I continued with what I had.
My muscles burned but I didn't care. I tried the same combination again, but faster and sharper this time. I lunged forward, feinting left before pivoting sharply to deliver sweeping arc from the right, but somehow my ankle rolled with a sickening pop.
The sword clattered from my hand, skittering across the floor. I crumpled to the ground with a sharp gasp. I extended the injured leg straight out, the ankle already swelling.
Ophelia came to me and knelt down, her fingers gripping the foot. She gave me a look as if to say hold still, and then she wrenched.
The pain shot up my leg like fire and I bit back the loud groan that wanted to claw its way out. She didn't even look at my face—just set the ankle like she was fixing a broken chair.
She released me, handed me a vial. I drank, rested a moment, then stood again.
The other person with us was a cowgirl. The elder one who was lactating. She stood by the side, waiting and I waved for her to come. I saw her sigh softly, and reached for a cup, but I told her to leave it.
She came closer and I tugged down her dress to release one of her massive full breasts. I collected the teat with my mouth and began sucking, pressing hard into her, with one hand resting on her ass.
The milk was fulfilling, but it was no food. I still eat the food arranged for me, but it is very rare and random. Even with the fruits, I have already cut back on. I rely on milk from the cowgirl, and once in a while I pretend to stroll my castle but in reality I am simply finding kitchen maids eating. I would have them suck me off while I eat from their plates. That way it won't be too weird. Sometimes I just randomly join one of the families I brought in.
The last thing I want is to make it too obvious that I was ruled by fear, but I am indeed ruled by fear. It's not an existence I enjoy, but one I find very necessary.
I had my fill, then slapped her ass to go.
She left the training room and I continued training, until it was time.
I left the room and took Ophelia to the nearest unoccupied room.
The room was quiet, dust-free but preserved. Even the chandeliers were without crystals. Cushions and chairs were all covered in clean linen to protect the fabric, and the air smelled faintly of lavender oil from the last cleaning.
I walked to the bed and laid on it, pressing into the sheets just enough to leave the impression of someone having been there.
I walked away from the bed towards the center of the room.
"Come" I gestured for Ophelia.
She looked at me with suspicious eyes, but she came.
"Closer" I said.
She hesitated, but she came close enough for our body to touch.
I slid my arm around her and I think she flinched. I acted like I didn't notice. I needed her to get use to it.
Now in my arms, I began chanting :
"Πνεύματα χρόνου καὶ χώρου, δότε μοι τὴν χάριν τῆς πορείας καὶ τὰς εὐλογίας τοῦ χώρου...."
As I completed the first line, a large circle, as if carved with purple fire encircled us. With each verse, new lines and sigils drew themselves inside the ring beneath our feet, the enchantment circle slowly forming as I spoke. After about 5 minutes of chanting, when I uttered the last word of the spell the symbols were complete. They glowed together for about 3 seconds and sank into the ground like they were never there.
I released a confused Ophelia.
"Roughen up your top" I told her.
Her brows rose, then her eyes hardened with hate.
"Roughen them up, or I will go for the real thing" I added.
She was confused, but her fingers began working. She clutched at her tunic, rumpling it half-heartedly.
"Release 3 of the ropes" I said, pointing at her front lacing.
She hesitated again, but still went at it.
When she was done, to my satisfaction we left the room. There were only the knights at the doors, and a maid passing by, but It was more than enough.
We returned to my room. We didn't pack much, and when sounds of the starting evening market began to reach us, not even dark enough yet, I picked up Ophelia and flew out the window.
I traveled at full speed towards the clear direction of Crimea. About 4 hours in, when I found thick bushes, I rested about 30 minutes and we began flying again. This time not above the trees.
I swerve behind a dense grove and immediately I landed, I muttered the activation spell.
[Warp]
[Grimoire activated]
The final form of the circle appeared under our feet, glowing, and in the next second it disappeared, taking us with it.
┌─────── ♕ ───────┐
The shadow mages were 2 streets way from the king's hill, on a slanted roof with a view towards the king's windows.
They saw him burst out the open window like a wind mage, and flew up. They kept eyes on him. He was going faster than usual towards west, the direction of Crimea. They kept looking to be sure, and when they were satisfied, they brought out one of 3 ravens from its cage, attached a message to it and let it loose.
After that, they merged into the shadows and went after the king.
The raven's message reached two young wind mages waiting farther ahead, and they too attached a message to a raven that they let loose and found 3 mounted riders waiting.
Before now, each party had done their surveillance of the Drakorian king separately, without acknowledgement of any other, but Vyrnmont had proposed an alliance for the surveillance of the king. Something Montreal and the Shadows readily accepted.
The wind mages flew up to a higher altitude than the king normally travels, and when the king finally flew past, they followed.
They often dip lower for visual confirmation before ascending again. It was not an altitude they can maintain for long, especially while dispersing their flight sounds. So often when they approach forests, valleys or ravines, they gladly dip.
The mounted riders on their own side follow parallel routes along the ground, keeping a forest line. They flanked the king through forested and urban edges, using adjacent trails and ridgelines that keep them out of direct sight lines from above.
They would dismount briefly, observing the king from high grounds and adjust course.
None could tell why the Drakorian king deserved such aggressive surveillance in a time of peace, but they understood their orders were to keep sight of him until he is back in his castle.
Near the forest along Eiss River, about 3 hours away from the border town Örlih, the king dropped low, weaving between the trees.
That took the mounted riders out of the equation until they could find a trail to flank around, but the shadow mages had already reached the wind mages, though they were on a different trail. The wind mages came down, just above the trees, with eyes still on the king ahead, though they suffer the occasional blindspots.
This time they saw the king swerve under a dense grove. They expected him to emerge ahead. He didn't.
They looked at each other and slowed down.
It was not that big of a grove, he should be out by now.
One of the wind mages went low, and the other remained in place, watching the bush. She watched her companion fly close to the ground soundlessly approaching the position.
He stopped more than 200feet away, unwilling to go further. Hiding behind a giant ash, he was peering ahead. After a while, the two mages emerged beside him. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew they were arguing who should risk it.
She waited few more minutes then forged ahead, and flew around. She made sure to keep her distance, but close enough to be able to make out shapes or movements in the dark.
She saw nothing, and the surprise of it emboldened her to go closer. As she was reaching closer, now close enough to be well within sight of their target, and nothing happened to her, her companions abandoned their fears and came, except the other wind mage who suspected a trap.
She landed where the king should be, with no possible means of escape or hiding, but the king was no where to be found.
She was dumbfounded. She immediately sped up above the trees with incredible speed, scanning frantically in all directions, but the king had truly disappeared into thin air.