Tale of Four

Atop his throne, Elias sat, his index finger bouncing on its armrest as the council trickled in. Tristan followed alongside Mabel, finally followed by the two kings’ guards, Ser Mosley Steel,one of the chosen to replace the traitorous King’s Guard and Ser Carl Keep. Behind them, a few additional soldiers entered, those who mainly made up Elias’s personal guard.

The two King’s Guard took their places before the throne, holding the hilt of the swords, scanning the others with suspicious gazes, waiting for a sign of treason as Elias’s guards flanked the path towards the throne. "Now then." With the large double doors closing, Elias’s finger stopped, and he spoke. "It has come time. Mabel, I have contemplated what you said to me." There was a hopeful look in her eyes, one that made Elias have to look away from her. "You shall go west, and meet with Gerlad Stem. The marriage will take place."

"Brother." Mabel’s smile cracked as she looked at Elias with a stunned look, "Surely you jest, I told you I will not..."

"Unless forced, correct?" Elias interlocked his fingers and leaned foward. From behind him, smoke rose as a pair of wings formed. The hesitation vanished, replaced by something far more arrogant. "I do not wish to force you, so I will ask you one final time. Will you do your duty to the family and help our father, your king and my future claim to this throne? Will you do your job and carry the responsibilities expected of you?"

"Elias, I told you..." He raised a hand to stop her.

"Think carefully," Elias said with a cold tone. Tristan watched. He could see Elias clenching his fist, unsure if it was anger or regret. "This war expects much from us all, and I know this is not what you wish, but we are no longer children. Wishes are a luxury reserved for them alone."

Mabel stared at him and flashed her teeth in anger. Scoffing, she shook her head. "No. I told you, I will marry who I want. The thing you promised me my whole life. Did you forget that?" Elias closed his eyes and leaned his head back. His hand clenched and unclenched, finally going limp as it fell into his lap.

"Cut their knees." Whispering to himself, everyone raised an eyebrow at what he meant. "Ser Keep. By my orders, arrest the princess and take her to the Doyle lands. Enforce the marriage." The Kingsguard hesitated for a moment before bowing and approaching, his hand still resting on the sword. Elias opened his eyes and looked down, finally glancing at Mabel’s horrified face, his own gaze lacking the familial love he usually had.

"ELIAS!" Looking at Ser Keep approach, Mabel glared daggers as purple smoke rose from her body, "Do not lay a finger on me, Ser. You are sworn to protect our family; remember your oath."

"Forgive me, Princess." Ser Keep’s voice was flat as he tightened his grip on his sword. "The Prince’s orders." The smoke exploded out of Mabel’s body, forming into a purple wolf. Standing before her, it bared its fangs at the man, daring him to step closer.

"If you dare touch me, Ser, be prepared to kill me where I stand, or else-"

"PRINCESS!" Elias roared from the throne. Standing up, he stared down hatefully at Mabel, the fiery wings on his back exploding. "Do not fight."

"Elias." Mabel took a step back. "Please don’t."

"I am making a hard choice, as must you, Mabel." Elias’ eyes narrowed. "Ser Keep." His voice changed slightly, and Tristan realised what had happened. It was more imposing, more majestic, more prideful. Unnaturally deep, with the sound of a snapping flame after each word.

’He’s deepened the merge.’

Flames rose across his body, rising up his neck. "Should the Princess resist?" The deep voice that wasn’t Elais’s own rang out, "You have permission to harm her."

"My Prince?" It was Lord Deacon who spoke up, "This is too far. To order a Kingsguard to harm another royal will put their oath into question." The things that took over Elias looked to Lord Deacon.

"If I ordered them to take Brandon’s head, would you question it?" Lord Deacon was stumped. "Of course not, becuase treason must be dealt with a heavy hand." His gaze shifted back to Mabel. "Disobeying the Prince Regent is considered treason, no."

"Not all circumstances are the same," Lord Deacon protested.

"Which is why Mabel will only be harmed, not cut down." Tristan covered his mouth in horror. It was one thing for Elias to berate his sister about not marrying. Even if he wanted Mabel to do what she wanted, part of him understood her role was to marry and secure an alliance. But the thing- the summon which took control to do what Elias couldn’t- didn’t care. Part of it definitely saw the need to force Mabel, but Tristan could tell that it also partly did it out of offence at being so brazenly defied.

"Destria," Mabel whispered her summons name, and the wolf leapt foward toward Ser Keep. The man watched everything, his hand still on the sheathed sword. What everyone expected didn’t occur. Ser Keep sidestepped with minimal movement and drew his sword in one graceful movement. The sword cut up, cutting into the side of the beast, drawing purple blood.

Mabel yelled in pain, grabbing her abdomen as Destria yelped. The wolf, however, didn’t stop, sensing the danger Mabel was in. Rushing back for Ser Keep, the Kinsgaurd lifted his sword, the wolf snapping down on the blade. The sound of metal cracking echoed, and Ser Keep quickly let go of his blade, poking his gauntleted finger in the wolf’s eyes. Mabel cried again as Destria yelped, clutching her face.

From above, he saw Elias, watching with a cold, proud gaze, a single finger twitching, betraying the aloof front he put up. Yet he didn’t order the Kingsguard to stop. Ser Keep finally moved quickly. Jumping backwards, he grabbed the small blade tied to his back and walked over to the collapsed Mabel, lifitng her up and placing the knife against her stomach.

"Forgive me, Princess, but unsummon the creature. I do not wish any further harm." Mabel continued to cry in pain and struggled to break free. Ser Keep was careful, moving the blade every second to make sure Mabel didn’t accidentally hurt herself and sighed, seeing she wouldn’t stop. "My orders are clear. Forgive me." Grabbing her head, Ser Keep stared at Destria, the wolf unsure of what to do, and placed a foot in front of Mabel’s leg. Pushing her foward, he slammed her into the ground, the crash echoing and silencing the room.

No one dared to move, and Tristan could only watch in horror as Mabel’s unconscious body was picked up. Looking at the rest of the group, he could see he wasn’t alone in his shock, even William’s smile faltering, so surprised by what had occurred.

"Dog." The thing that took control of Elias spoke again, "Unsummon yourself." Destria bared its fangs, letting out a low growl towards Elias, the blood from the wound making a small puddle on the floor. Elias took a step down and walked before it. Lifitng a hand, Destria growled even louder and snapped for his hand to take it off. Before it could fully bite, a massive white flame formed around the hand, burning the wolf’s mouth. Mabel’s body twitched as tears strolled down her cheeks from pain. Destria crumbled in agony, collapsing to the floor, and before it could stand to fight again, Elais rested a hand on its head, pushing it deeper into the ground.

"Shall I kill you to make you stop?" His voice was indifferent as he spoke. "How long will it be before you can return to this world. A month, a year." Pushing his hand deeper into the wolf smoke rose from it, ready to burn again, "Do you wish for her to feel the pain of that. Be the loyal animal you are and do as ordered. Shall you leave her alone whilst you reform your body in the immaterial?" Destria put up a final struggle. Elias didn’t care and pushed deeper, "Do. As. I. Say."

Destria winced as orange flames began to form. Mabel’s body twitched again, and quickly Destria vanished into purple smoke, returning to her body, the agony she was in

disappearing with it, as if it never occurred. Tristan gulped, realising there was more he never knew about summons and looked to Annabell on his shoulder, who stared ahead, a milk-like tear falling from her eye.

"Ser Keep. With haste, take the Princess. When she arrives, ensure the marriage happens. Once it has, let her take part in the war. It is her wish after all." Elias said and turned back to the throne as Ser Keep, begrudgingly, bowed and walked off, alongside Elias’s personal guard.

When the distant doors closed a second time, his gaze turned to Elder Maxwell. "The Magi have always claimed neutrality in the war. However, Lord Fox has told me of your little scheme, Elder." Retaking the seat, Elias’s voice slowly returned to normal. The contempt he always looked at people with was gone, replaced by a small regret. "It interests me." There was no arrogance in his tone as the flames died down. "But if I grant the Magi their wish of removing the Church influence, I expect soemthing in return."

"This is ludicrous." Lord Deacon spoke again and looked at Elias as if he had said soemthing completely absurd. His old voice shook along with his body, "My Prince, what is this you speak of? The church is the backbone of the realm and offers legitimacy to-"

"They have decided to give it to my uncle the moment it suited them. Legitimacy is a farce for them. They already declared my father as The Lord Creator’s Chosen, and yet House Elvissa rallies them behind my uncle and declares him king. The Church say nothing. They do nothing to condemn this, yet they all swore my father was the Lord Chosen." Elias’ eyes narrowed. "They do not speak for the Gods; that much is clear."

"If you try this, you risk alienating the entire relam against you. Please, Your Highness, the heresy is already a big enough issue; we cannot do this, especially in a time of war."

"Exactly, Lord Deacon. We are at war, and right now." Elias turned to Elder Maxwell, who had a small grin under his hood. "The church has sided with our enemy. The Magi, however, are more receptive to our cause and are willing to support us."

"Forget the church. What of the Sunflares and Alkaris? What of all the houses who hold the Lord Creator as their God? To declare a schism at such a time is insanity. We have had one heresy, and yes, part of the clergy were helping it, but this is a drastic action. We risk so much for the help of scholars." Lord Deacon shot a glare at Elder Maxwell, who smugly smiled.

"You misunderstand." Elias said, getting the old chancellor’s attention again, "This isn’t a schism." Elias smiled, "But a return to what should have always been."

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