CHAPTER TWENTY

The field was tense. One could smell the tension miles away like a stench. The nurses surrounded a bleeding warrior.
Edgar cleaned his sword and sheathed it, he had taken it too far.
"You've gone too far- my lord" the prim butler said as he came to the spar grounds upon notice.
"He was unprepared. Not the men I need in battalion right now " Edgar replied calmly
"What bothers you " Nicholas asked
"Nothing " Edgar replied after a glare at the aged man
"It is something " He Prodded
"You know me too much Nick " Edgar breathed out as he handed the cotton back to his hand boy and strode away from the scene. Nicholas in tow.
"The child. Her father has upset her" Edgar said
Nicholas could not effectively hide his snort.
Why would that bother the Sol king of all pressing issues ?
"I see... And that bothers you" Nicholas asked
"More than I like. She is a child. It is only expected that she may bend to please Cedric " Edgar replied
"And Cedric's wished are? " Nicholas questioned
"They didn't speak quietly. She become angered when he said she should marry, into a rich home. He intends using her to reach his status or at least close" Edgar said after a long sigh
"It is only expected. Who wouldn't want a rich in-laws. Do not paint this black my lord " Nicholas cautioned
"Selene thinks otherwise. They nearly fought" Edgar responded
"It is his daughter. He can do as..."
"She is my ward Nicholas. I as much as own her now, lawfully" Edgar countered
"Be honest Edgar, what frightens you" Nicholas goaded
"Nothing frightens me you old fool. Not a sickly child " Edgar deadpanned
"Then you should let her be. Obey her father's wishes and marry. I see no good coming from her staying unwed, unclaimed. She will only face ridicule" Nicholas advised
"Wed whom?! Some slug with bags of stolen gold, and become a trophy for an old bearded pedophile?! Cedric said she couldn't Wed a Solian, he's banished from this empire, if he needs to take her bride price and swim in the sinful luxury then it needs to be some other land" Edgar said out loudly
"And why would you have it be a Solian, who would want to marry her foe, the very empire that colonised her kingdom? Do you think she's so foolish? " Nicholas asked
"I am no enemy to Selene "
Edgar stated
"You think " Nicholas said, if only he believed this, then he could save his neck, his heart.
"I know, I have lived long enough to know every fibre of any being, I know hatred and malice, love and lust, I am not an infant. I would know first if the child hated me" He said matter-of-factly
"You can not stop her from marrying, not after you told the entire Sol she was a ripe pumpkin, you, my Lord said before twelve thousand people that Lady Selene was free, a ward until she married, there were no conditions my lord. And I have known you to be a man of your words. Unless you have changed " Nicholas said with a frown
"I must not tell my subjects all, I can not. Can not leave Selene to the wrong hands" Edgar stated
"You should not keep her from marrying whomever she choices, despite her reasons" Nicholas said
"I should not Nicholas, but I can and I will. No suitor I see unfit will go to her, no snake or predator will exploit that child. I should be able to protect her" Edgar said
"Protect her from you as well my lord, she may need that too" Nicholas said as they stood on the mushroom littered rock where servants sharpened swords and axes.
" I know you to be no coward. You may deceive the world but not yourself. What do you want with the child?" Nicholas asked
"I want to keep her" Edgar stated flatly
"It takes more than wanting a woman to keep her my lord, I fear you are unprepared for this just yet, Kiro." Nicholas simply said
"Indeed. It is embarrassing to think you see a child as a distraction to me. Enough to weaken me against Kiro" Edgar stated with a glare
Nicholas bowed and turned to stare out of the vast land that led to the town, people was all he could see, a reminder he owned an empire. One that needed him now more than ever.
"I have had plans " Nicholas said
"Share them " Edgar urged softly
"We have waited so long, dare I say too long for flat evidence " Nicholas said
"That is all we need, prove they are traitors and the council will have no justice for them" Edgar said
"What if we struck my lord. We would have the element of surprise. They would never know we are coming. If we barge in on them, we can see more evidence to even unleash the legion and if they refuse we raid, they will be on our side " Nicholas explained
"What if they await us? " Edgar asked
"They can not, I doubt a seer would ever see this coming. They know we wait for the Elders to seal our battle letters, just maybe they know and are more careful. If we led a quiet troop in through the closer boundaries, we could trap more than a badge, maybe a living Walker warrior and condemn Kiro for life" Nicholas said
Edgar stared out his lands for a while in deep silence.
"The risk is worthy" Edgar stated as he looked to the butler
"Surely my lord. You will lead the troop, let no warrior know of it till the day you wish to journey. No one can be trusted, even me" Nicholas said.
"I have always admired you Sir Nicholas. You are too honest " Edgar laughed fondly at the old butlers advises.
A little silence ensued, Nicholas looking at the Lord as the Lord stared out the sparring field. He was like a kin, a stubborn son he doesn't have.
"Or you should lead the troop behind so as not to raise alarm. From a distance until the battle begi..." Nicholas was disturbed by a young province warrior who tapped on his arm
He looked to the boy and bent from his height to hear his whisper. He stood with a strange expression and looked to the Lord
"I must go, my daughter has come again " Nicholas said
"She has put forth?" Edgar asked
"Not yet my lord " He replied
"Sol will always be her home, tell her this " Edgar said with a reassuring smile as Nicholas bowed and went away.
He loved his daughter. Rumours were she went off with a man and hid, now she was with child and Nicholas was taking care of her secretly. The girl ashamed of facing ridicule in her royal position.
One reason he respected Selene all the more, it took strength to face royal gossips.
Edgar left the field and went back to the palace, Selene had not been out since dawn.
He barely tapped before turning his key and opening the large door. The room was cold, the curtains were open.
The child laid on her bed, her face to the opposite wall, her olive skin exposed by a low back emerald green dress. Her hair pulled up carelessly to make a nest atop her head, her legs dangled by the bed side. She was not asleep.
"Have you had breakfast? " Edgar asked. A foolish question he decided after voicing it.
It was past noon, breakfast was long served both royally and for the slaves.
"I will not starve" Selene said
"You once tried that " Edgar accused childishly
"Go away" Selene said in a soft sigh
Edgar looked to the left, his eyes acknowledging the bed at the corner of the room, just beside the dresser.
Mia laid, her eyes closed peacefully.
He had instructed that the baby princess sleep alone, this way he was certain Selene would not be stupid to try escape any more. She cared for the girl, he had learnt as much.
"Who would want her? If I marry what will such man make of her? A slave? Some abandoned figurine?" Selene asked as she watched the Lord stare at the child
"You always have a place here, so does she" Edgar said
"For how long?" Selene asked
"As long as you'd have me" he replied
"You will marry, bear children, they will send us away, or neglect us. I will have go marry, I must have my home, a roof I am not a slave in. Not this cage, for her sake, I must, your wife would not want to se..."
"Enough! " Edgar barked at the sobbing girl
"You have no business worrying over my wife and what imaginary child. You are my ward and I your guardian and you are far from harm so long as I breathe. You and her" Edgar replied
"For how long? They'll mock me, I can not do this, not here, maybe far away. Not here " Selene said
"You are going nowhere" Edgar replied stiffly
"I will not run. I shall marry" Selene said as she turned for the first time to face the Lord. Her eye were red and swollen. Her face a pinkish color.
"What do you lack here child? " Edgar asked
"Happiness. I can not be happy, I see my people suffer, The Governess murders them at will, I heard the taxes as outrageous and women are enslaved as sex maids. No gold can keep me at Sol, I must leave. Father may be a devil but this...This is hades" Selene cried. Her shoulders shaking violently as she wept.
Edgar watched the child. His heart pounding painfully at the sore sight. Maybe she was ungrateful. Perhaps he was blind to her conflicted feelings, he could talk to Alexandra. If that would make the princess happy.
He walked to the bed side where she now laid at its edge.
Sitting by her leg, he pulled the girl up. He tucked her wet hair behind her ears and looked at her red face.
"I will try to please you Selene. Do not give in to your fathers intentions. It will only taint you, kill you flame, I want to see the fire I saw in you. The wildness you hold in, do not bow to any man for gold I beg you Selene. Few know your value" Edgar said
"I can not fight any more, father is right, I need a ma..."
Selene's voice was muffled by the king's crimson coat as he pulled her into his chest.
"Do not worry of morrow, it will be fine " Edgar whispered as he held her head, his hands treading her soft black hair.
"Stay Selene" he said as she sniffed into his shirt.
"I will have the maids make your lunch. What do you want to eat child? " Edgar asked
"I do not think I can eat" Selene replied lowly
"You will try" Edgar insisted with a finality that muted Selene's argument.
Edgar rose with a glance at her again and went for the door.