"Priscilla!" Lord Michael Swifting runs to our side. "What...? They finally let us out. Although some are being..." He steps back reviewing the dead body near us. He inhales sharply touching his neck then looks to me. "Your Highness..."
"Not my first murder, so I'm not as bothered."
"Murder..." Michael holds back from vomiting. His gagging suggests he hasn't dealt with this before. Then again Swiftings are assassins and scouts.
"You'll need to get used to seeing dead bodies. I know they won't sent you out on missions, but your house is a murder house."
"So is mine." Jessica sighs. She didn't have an issue with the body. I should worry over that. "Daniel was here before."
Michael eyes me worried. "Is my little brother...?"
"Not gagging over torture techniques or freezing in battle with another assassin?" I tilt my head with a evil smile. Michael shivers. "Daniel's doing well. You'll be marked with more kill counts though. Every time your name is written on the contract, every single time you sign off on it, you get marked partial murderer."
Michael steps away from the body gulping. "You make me want to give up my title."
I grab his hand. "No. Your innocence reminds me I have..." None. It sinks me. I said five and yet I was younger... "Please follow your family's path. We need you strong."
Michael looks at Priscilla. "Are you okay?"
She offers tears to the question. "I'm fine." That's the biggest lie I ever heard. There's no way she's fine. Her father is dead because of me. Her mother is in the dungeons. Her brother was seriously hurt by Raida before being captured. Her house is gone. And she needs to go to the dungeons, but there is no rush. Not yet.
"I see..." Michael sinks over her answer. "I... I'll visit you soon." He looks to me. "I will straighten my resolve soon. For now... I'll sit in Swifting. I'll await your word."
"Thank you." I offer him a smile while he heads out of the room. Everyone who came to the ball will be questioned.
For now though... I'm watching as the house is dismantled.
And shortly I'll need to deal with more goblins. Are those out there friends or foe?
Raida walks back in with a grin. "I'm hearing Agoin. It seems it's not a raid, but a celebratory march. No one noticed who was in lead before."
"Who?"
"Hydrangea is coming back."
I would've much preferred her here during this, but I'm glad she made a case with the goblins. "Can you meet her in the fields, Raida?"
"Of course." Raida salutes again and escapes.
Watching her... "If no one else, I think I'll put Raida down for the new house." I look at Priscilla. "She's readying for that privilege."
"We'll lose a quality knight, though." Jessica knows about Raida as well. "And she'll take many knights for her new guardhouse."
"It needs to happen." I scan the room again. "We need to go on a search for new knights." I offer a hand to Jessica. "Will you join me for that?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. What teen would say no if their crown prince and princess asked them to join the knighthood with them?"
Priscilla giggles. "You two are cute."
I look at her as Jessica stands beside me holding my hand. "Our contract was created when we were five. Can you believe that was their thoughts after Jessica made her first visit to my mother?" I roll my eyes. "I'm glad she's this strong. No one had any idea our strengths back then."
Priscilla takes my hand. "The country believed in you even back then. And I know Warton would say the same about their child. Five isn't too young to have an idea of your future. You are a crown prince to be proud of."
"Miss?" A guard is finally here to capture Priscilla.
She steps back holding her hands out to him. "I was a daughter of the house. I would like to testify against my family."
"She needs to go to the castle dungeons." I tell them. The guard nods before taking Priscilla away from us.
I turn to Jessica now that no one is close. "Why did you let her get so close?" Jessica seems shocked by my aggression. "If she was part of the treason, what then? You sacrifice yourself to prove it?"
"Thomas... I didn't think..."
"Did you know about Telligence?"
Jessica looks aside.
"Ryan I have confidence in the fact he isn't the enemy. He acted like he already pledged to me. And I know his sister treated him as an ally, but that doesn't mean she was our ally."
"Thomas..." Jessica's tears are shocking.
What do I do? She shouldn't have accepted Priscilla like that. It was dangerous. Priscilla is a real mage. She has more ability than us. And the lock spell makes everything more costly and difficult but doesn't deny it completely. Why else was it a spell that nearly took me down? And Priscilla's family and trainer were part of the treason.
"I... I didn't think..."
I pull her in for a hug. She sobs into my chest. "You can break in front of me. You know the dangers of that before the population." She nods in my chest. I scan the room. No one will think this is just a contract watching us right now. They wouldn't know she's breaking down and I'm just consoling. We look like we're close. "I'm going to place your name for my wing. The contract legally marries us. But there is threat for you to use the allowance."
"I know."
"It gives you a safety as well, so I won't deny it. Don't fear the consequences. We'll manage."
"Thank you, Thomas."
No one will see us as married until the wedding. I'll want it pushed off as long as possible. The wedding comes with special magics for us. There is a reason the crown is normally conceived on the wedding night. We need a very long engagement.