Chapter 21: A few uncertainties

The red mage watched the different screens with a focused gaze, looking at each and every one of the screens as if they contained a secret only he knew.

His dark eyes weren’t just black, there was a strange red light peeking from the depths of his darkness.

He was watching the screens as if watching a feeble child, a mischievous child. The dark eyes were watching something: strange movements between the servants, a connection to events that seemed utterly unrelated... things one cannot see even if they were to see it directly.

He knew, even right now, how there were some servants secretly meeting their lovers in the castle, how there were certain drug rings going on, and how there was some minor influence from the two parties on both of his sides.

He could tell at a glance which people were the palace servants and who was an agent of the Elision.

He could tell which worker was secretly a blessed priest in the guise of a servant.

The red eyes knew more than what the two parties would have liked, but he looked at something deeper.

Something more than that...

’The younger princesses are a menace.’

He knew about the dark tower and things that were happening in there.

He knew about the ambitions of the princess that had many of the mages working under her. But, he also knew of her innocence in this matter.

’She’s restless.’

If she had anything to do with the disappearance of the prince, she would not be pacing around in her room right now.

He knew her nature, he knew her mature behavior. She had already had a good share of her ’night partners’ for the night, and yet, there was no peace to her.

He could see her eyes, the royal eyes that he might have to serve one day... and he knew she did not have what it takes to sit on that silver throne.

She wasn’t the ruler kind. But she wanted to be.

And she chose a path unfitting for a ruler to achieve that purpose.

For that, she was wrong.

’The eldest is the same.’

She’s not in the castle right now. He already knew the political game she was playing right now.

’She’s a dangerous one.’

If the second youngest princess was a danger to society then this one was a danger to the entire world.

’She’d make one hell of a commander.’

The second most powerful position in the kingdom was her rightful place. And as someone duty bound to guard the throne and the crown, he would make sure she achieved that, and only that position.

’Then...’

He turned his eyes away from the open areas, and to the inner areas of the palace.

’This one...’

Sitting in the library of the palace, wearing her glasses and reading with the help of a single blue candle, was the second oldest princess of the kingdom.

’She has all of it.’

Her eyes were glued to what seemed like an old book written in a forgotten language.

But...

’If only she wanted it.’

The eyes had a sadness that no lake could measure up to in depth, sorrow that seemed as vast as the ocean...

She was broken from the inside.

And while it wasn’t a flaw but a strength, she was not the same person she was a few years ago.

’Damned are we to have lost her.’

He was sad. But, he looked away soon, glanced at the youngest of them, still remaining here, still too innocent for this world.

She was a child that he needed to protect.

...as well as the child that might just disappear next if he didn’t pay a closer attention to her.