In the early morning hours, the trap was sprung. Just as expected, Gerwin entered the castle with about twenty armed guards.
The guards all went to search the sleeping quarters. In each room a small band of Bellumi guards were waiting on them. In short order each of them were apprehended without much of a struggle.
Gerwin stood outside the bell tower for several minutes waiting on the news from his agents. When none of them return with news, he made a run for it. But the trap had been sprung, and Ser Matthew caught him immediately. Matthew forced Gerwin to ring the bells as planned, then everyone waited for Marco and John Henry. More than three thousand Bellumi guards are stationed inside the Castle entrances.
However, as the morning drug on, it was obvious that they were not coming. Aero turned his attention to Marco’s assistant. After a brief interrogation process of Gerwin, they found out that he had rang the bells in a cadence that was a warning sign for Marco. Without them realizing it, they allowed Gerwin to “fall on the sword” for his mentor. Marco and John Henry are undoubtedly long gone from the Capital.
Still, Aero ordered the search of the cells and it was found that John Henry had been released, Aero sent out a search party hoping to get lucky. The guards turned the Capital upside-down, but they found no sign of him or Marco.
Asna calls for an emergency meeting of their closest advisors in the Throne Room.
“The castle must be put on lockdown now!” Yorba demands.
“Agreed, Master at Arms, make it so.” Aero backs her up.
The Master at Arms turns to two of his ranking soldiers and sends them out.
“My King, I suggest that all the guards be Bellumi until all others can be vetted.” The Master at Arms suggests.
“Yes, for now we need to know everyone in the castle is loyal to the crown. We must check every person that works within the castle. We cannot afford to wait; we must know before sundown.” Aero replies. “Master at Arms send all the local guards into the Bend and to the Royal Docks of Blue Water Lake. Hopefully, the loyal guards won’t be offended by the move.”
The Master at Arms leaves the throne room, he gets to work making immediate changes.
“My King, the archivist has arrived.” Rune announces.
In walks a portly, awkward middle-aged man. He looks like someone who doesn’t get out much, his work is his life. He is clearly out of place surrounded by several dozen Bellumi guards, and the inner circle of the new crown.
Still, he knows the proper procedures of the court, he approaches the throne and kneels before the King and Queen.
“Rise, Mr…”
“Adam, my Queen.” He replies as he makes his way to his feet.
“You are the archivist?” Aero asks. “How come I’ve never seen you around the Capital?”
“Yes Sire, my family has been the royal archivist for many generations, and I spend most of my time locked away in the archives.” Adam replies.
“And you are an expert on the history of the crown?”
“Yes, reading the archives is my life’s work.”
“Have you read anything about the Royal Blade, Adam?”
“I’ve read everything! They were my favorite stories from when I was a child. I always dreamed of the King carrying it again.”
“Adam, last night, the Queen was able to use the blade to defend herself. It was my understanding that the blade didn’t work for the Queen. Do you have any insight to this?”
“It’s true, the blade doesn’t work for the Queen, or at least it never has before.”
“But it did, I saw it.” Matthew says. “She even placed it at my throat. I felt the heat off the lightning that surrounded the blade.”
“You were going to kill Matt my love?” Aero asks Asna.
“Just motivating him, Adam, this happened. I defended myself with the magic of the blade from several enemies. It also worked differently for me, than it does for the King.”
“Yes, I have no doubt of your account, but the texts are clear. There is no evidence that the blade has ever worked for the Queen. The blade magic did allow for the princes as adolescents to train with the blade. Most writers believe this is how the blade chose the next King. But that is the extent of the text.” Adam adds. “But the blade has worked in many different ways, depending upon the King wielding it.”
“So you don’t have an answer?” Aero asks.
“I do my King, isn’t it obvious?”
“No, Adam, it isn’t.” Asna adds. “Please elaborate more.”
“My Queen you were able to use the blade because you are with child!” Adam exclaims.
“What?!?” Aero shouts.
“With a son!” Adam adds to the revelation.
The room is dumbfounded, no one is sure if they can believe the news or not.
“The Queen did excuse herself from dinner last night. That wasn’t the first time either.” Yorba says.
“She has been sick in the mornings a lot too.” Roasa says.
“I’m pregnant!” Asna exclaims.
She embraces Aero with a kiss. The room applauds the sudden good news.
The surprise alleviates a lot of the stress of the day. Everyone takes a moment to congratulate the King and Queen. The new crown will have a new heir soon.
After a few moments, they return to the tasks at hand. Bellumi are sent out throughout the Capital as the exclusive Capital guard. Petitions are made by the local guard but with the events of the previous evening, they are denied by the crown, reluctantly the local guard takes their new positions at all the entrances into Capital City.
By dark, the castle is on complete lockdown, the castle staff has been dismissed as well.
Aero, Matthew, and Ali meet at Maverick’s to discuss adding to the loyal knight ranks. Most local knights have already appealed to be reinstated. The three review hundreds of the appeals, they select only four names. By the end of the evening, Matthew is disgusted by the amount of paperwork involved with his position.
Asna takes Roasa, Gaia, Yorba, and Rain into the Queen’s Tower; the same tower that King William used as his pleasure tower for decades. They begin work on restoring the place to honor. A place that a Queen can train up the young ladies of the area to be women of the court. Unlike previous generations, this Queen intends to raise up strong, independent thinking women. Not just well-trained wives for the men. She also intends it to be a place to give birth to her first son. The women work well into the night with excitement.
Under the cover of night about ten miles south of Blue Water Castle, Marco and John Henry meet up with men loyal to Marco. The men brought a wagon to carry the men back to Orlea. There under the protection of the Covenant, they will be safe to plot their next move.
“My feet are killing me. I’ve never walked this far in my life.” John Henry complains.
“Life in the Castle has had its benefits, but don’t worry my friend we will have our revenge. Don’t forget the pain of your feet, we will return it a thousand-fold on our enemies!” Marco says with anger.
This is not how he thought this day would go. In his mind, he had intended to see his end game come to fruition with John Henry on the throne, and Aero’s head on a pike. It was to be his greatest accomplishment. The secret coup of the Owls taking over the world. Yet well after midnight after walking all day long in hidden places, he is exhausted in the back of a wagon fleeing the Capital with his would be king.
He allows himself to worry about what his father will say once they arrive in Orlea. Plus, he is sure Aero will send a battalion to recover him from his hometown. So he begins making contingency plans for every possible scenario in his mind, but his mind keeps drifting back to Aero.
Marco considers his greatest failure to be underestimating the new King. A failure that he vows will never happen again. Marco knows he will see Aero’s head roll. He even dreams of drinking wine out of Aero’s skull.
Marco’s mind has taken him to the darkest place possible, and he is out for blood… Royal blood!
Relics of the Old Age 