Chapter 30: Meanwhile Elsewhere.
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Kingdom of Holfort.
Bartfort Barony.
Balcus's Office.
Omni POV (Balcus Based)
Late into the night, the Bartfort estate had long since fallen quiet.
The halls were empty, the servants having retired to their quarters, and even the ever-present sounds of activity that normally filled the manor had faded into silence.
Only a handful of lights still burned within the estate.
One of them belonging to Balcus.
Seated behind the large wooden desk in his office, the Baron worked through the last of the paperwork that had accumulated throughout the day. Reports from tenant farmers, supply requests, budget reviews, and correspondence from neighboring territories were spread across the polished wooden surface.
A candle flickered gently beside him, casting dancing shadows across the room, with a tired sigh, Balcus signed his name at the bottom of another document before setting it aside.
Only a few more remained. Knock. Knock.
The sound echoed through the otherwise silent room and without looking up from the paper before him, Balcus spoke. "Come in."
The office door opened moments later. "Sorry to disturb you, sir." Stepping inside was Alfred, the Bartfort family's Head Butler who despite his sixty-five years of age, the elderly man stood with impeccable posture. His uniform was immaculate as always, not a single crease out of place. Every strand of grey hair sat exactly where it belonged.
After entering, he offered a respectful bow.
Balcus finally looked up from his desk and shook his head with a faint smile. "You don't have to do all that, Alfred. We're the only ones here."
The butler straightened smoothly. "My Lord, it is a servant's duty to uphold decorum even away from the eyes of others."
Balcus let out a quiet chuckle.After all these years, some habits simply couldn't be broken.
"Okay, Alfred. So what brings you here at this time of night? You should be with Agatha right now."
For the briefest moment, something flickered across Alfred's composed expression, while the look vanished so quickly most people would have missed it. Balcus wasn't most people.
Reaching into his coat, Alfred withdrew a sealed letter. "I have a letter. It comes from a few of our friends on the other side."
Crossing the room, he carefully presented the envelope.
The moment Balcus saw it, the fatigue that had been weighing on him throughout the evening vanished.
His eyes narrowed slightly, the plain seal alone was enough to tell him who the sender was.
Taking the envelope, he studied it for a moment before looking back at Alfred. "How did he send us a letter? I was under the impression he left with Zola."
"Most likely, he must have sent it before they left."
Balcus gave a small grunt of acknowledgment before opening the letter.
Silence settled over the room once more.
The only sound was the occasional crackle of the candle flame as Balcus read through the contents.
As the seconds stretched into minutes, the expression on his face gradually darkened.
By the time he reached the end, his jaw had tightened noticeably and without a word, he folded the letter and held it over the nearby candle to which the parchment quickly caught fire.
Orange flames crawled across the page, consuming the message until nothing remained but blackened ash.
Alfred watched the process quietly. Only once the last remnants had crumbled away did he speak. "What did it say?"
Balcus stared at the dying embers for a moment before answering. "It's like we thought. Zola has a backer." The room seemed to grow a little colder as Balcus leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. "Alfred, what do you know about the Ladies of the Forest?"
The butler considered the question for a moment. "I don't know much. But what little I do know paints them as one of the more poisonous groups within the kingdom's nobility."
Balcus frowned.That wasn't reassuring, not in the slightest.
With a weary sigh, Balcus raised a hand and rubbed at his temple. "What would people like that want with my children?" His gaze drifted toward the stack of paperwork on his desk, though his thoughts were clearly elsewhere.
The Bartfort Barony wasn't wealthy, It wasn't strategically important, It wasn't even particularly influential. On paper, so why would they go after his children just to get Zola's children to inherit.
Alfred folded his hands neatly behind his back. "If I may, My Lord, organizations of that nature rarely act for something as petty as helping a member get her children inherit a title, something else must be driving them."
Balcus let out a humorless chuckle. "That's exactly what worries me."
Silence settled over the office.
The candlelight flickered. Outside, the wind brushed softly against the manor windows. "If they are willing to send in assassins it's good that Nicks, Jenna and Leon are in secure locations."
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Location: Royal Palace, Central Capital
Omni POV (Mylene Based)
The sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the royal office as a teacup exploded against the far wall, scattering fragments across the polished floor. "Goddammit! Why can things never be simple?!" Mylene's voice rang through the room.
For a moment, silence followed. Then Natasha who walking out of the shadows casually took sip from a cup she got from God knows where. "Come on, relax. If someone saw you like this, your Ice Queen persona would be ruined."
Mylene shot her a flat look. "What do you want, Natasha?" She sat back and leaned heavily into her chair. "I'm not in the mood for any of your games."
"No, you've got me curious." Natasha shrugged. "First, I want to hear what's got you so worked up. Then I'll tell you the bad news."
Mylene pinched the bridge of her nose. "You know I'm both your master and your Queen, right?"
"Yeah." Natasha took another sip. "So?"
Mylene stared at her for several seconds before finally giving up. There was simply no winning against Natasha.
With a tired sigh, she sank further into her chair. "I just ran into Marchioness Frampton."
That immediately got Natasha's attention. "Oh? And what did that slimy snake want?"
"Somehow, she found out about the second Mythical Grace."
The relaxed atmosphere instantly disappeared. Natasha's expression sharpened. "And if she knows, then—"
"The whole group knows."Mylene cut her off before she could finish.
The words hung heavily in the air.
Natasha set her cup down. "Did she say anything?"
"Yes,something about not wanting the Royal Family gaining access to more power."
Mylene's eyes narrowed. "The Ladies of the Forest have already sent their assassins."
The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Even if we were send in help, they never would have reached Bartfort in time." She looked away. "He must already be dead by now."
Natasha tilted her head. "Well... now I don't know whether my news is bad or good."
Mylene frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"I just received a transmission from one of our people in Bartfort." Natasha's lips curled into a faint smile.
"A few days ago, assassins attacked the Bartfort family."
"So it's as I feared, he must be dead."
"No, the Baron was able defeat them, the only fatalities were from the enemy's side"
Natasha continued. "As for the boy, his father didn't wait before shipping him off to the Howling Commandos." She paused. "So... is that good news or bad news?"
For the first time since the conversation had started, some of the tension left Mylene's shoulders. Compared to the possibilities she'd been imagining, this was almost a blessing. "Compared to what I was expecting, I'll take it as good news."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you wanted him under your direct supervision."
"I did, I do" Mylene didn't deny it. "I wanted him close to the palace. Close to me."
She let out a slow breath. "But compared to him ending up dead, having him grow under Steve is a far better outcome."
A small smile appeared on her face. "Besides..." The Queen's expression softened ever so slightly.
"While Steve and I don't always see eye to eye there's one thing I've never doubted..." Mylene's smile grew. "His love for this kingdom."
Natasha nodded. "He's its shield after all."
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I am writing my A Levels this year so I'm already stumped and if you add the time I use writing I think I'm entitled to POWER STONES sooooooo give them to me, I mean by 6 I'm going to school, 1300hrs I'm going to extra lessons and I only get to come back home at 1900hrs, and after that I still need to study on my own, so help me stay motivated.
P.S
Let it be known that the Story is undergoing a Rewrite, hence if you read the unedited chapters its on you, they are no longer part of the story.