"Something's happened. We should go in and check on them. Maybe one of them got hurt." Helena spoke in a soft voice with her gentle expression.
"Exactly. We are one family. Why can't we be allowed in on this discussion?" Tyren fumed. "And what reason do you two have to be guarding the door like we're intruders. This is our home!"
The knights signed. It was becoming tiresome having to repeat themselves over and over again. But this lady before them was the Duchess and as such they couldn't just forcefully escort her away.
"My lady, we are following the Duke's orders. Both he and Young master Alex want to have a private and undisturbed conversation with Lady Felicia. We mean you no disrespect. We are only following instructions." The Knight on the left answered.
The Knight on the right nodded. "Yes, Duchess. If we were to let you or the Saintess in then we'd be guilty of insubordination."
Both men bowed their heads but otherwise maintained their firm stance.
Glaring at their stupid heads and wishing she could bring her shoe down upon them, Tyren refused to leave.
Helena too was very angry. Her happiness over Hildegarde's death and Felicia's devastation over it had vanished. Knowing the bitch was alone with both Alex and the Duke made her jealous. The three of them were now acting like a real family and pushing her and her mother out.
--------
Half an hour passed.
Feeling idiotic being made to stand and wait for so long, Tyren grabbed her daughter and furiously stomped away. She would find out what happened one way or another. And she would have those two knights punished one way or another.
Helena went to her room to polish her precious Holy Sword.
---------
Back inside the Duke's office, a great deal had unfolded. After helping him off the floor and back onto his chair, the floodgates had burst open.
Now the Duke has been reduced to a zombie like state from his shock. The information he had been hit with was overwhelming.
From the moment Felicia had shown him her holy powers.
To her claiming to be the true Saintess with her eyes glowing a solid white.
To Alex summoning the Holy Sword by pressing his wrist.
To seeing his children vanish and reappear all over his office with the glowing hoops.
To them telling him about how the Goddess spoke to them in their dreams.
Their entire fight with the Pope.
The barrage of spells he had hurled at them during their clash underground and the subsequent earthquake it had caused.
The journey to Lake Joan.
The vision they had seen of the late Saintess Joan of Arc.
The vision of the Pope inviting the Devil's essence into his soul for power.
The massive green snake.
The Aurors from Imperium and the border knights from Elysium who had nearly captured them.
The fact that both Young Marquis Liam and Crown Prince Constantine knew.
-----
Finally leaving the office, they guided the dazed Duke back to his bed chamber and asked the physician to bring him some sleeping medication. Though it was early noon, the Duke needed a solid nap to recover from all that he heard.
Wordlessly, he accepted the medication and fell into a deep slumber.
Shortly after, Tyren arrived and tried to inquire as to why the Duke was going to sleep in the middle of the day. Felicia told her it was none of her business. Furious, Tyren slapped her across the face.
Felicia chucked, raising a hand to her cheek. Then she turned her face. "Go ahead, Duchess. Slap me again."
Tyren took a step back in bafflement.
Helena's smirk fell.
"Well, go on." Felicia goaded. "I won't stop you."
Some maids slowed their steps to watch.
When nothing happened, she turned her face back forward. "The Duke needs some rest after the conversation Alex and I had with him. So leave him be and stop asking questions."
Tyren clenched her fists. "What did you two discuss with him? Why did you show up looking such a mess? Where did you go?"
Felicia folded her arms and leaned back against the Duke's bedroom door. "I already told you to stop asking stupid questions."
"You--"
"Sister," Helena intervened. "Why are you being so secretive? We are all family. We only ask out of concern."
Felicia gave her a side eye. She's gone right back to her gentle act. Only yesterday she was taunting me over Hildegarde's death. Shameless brat.
Rolling her eyes, she looked back at the Duchess. "I don't care for your stupid questions and I have no intention of answering them. Leave it at that."
With that, she walked away.
Tyren watched her go with dark eyes. She snapped at the loitering maids when she saw they were rudely eavesdropping. They hurried away.
Felicia headed to Alex's room. Her mind went back to the conversation they had with the Duke. Had they told him enough? Had they told him too much? Will he be able to handle what is to come?
Neither she or Alex had mentioned their past lives, future lives or their journey back through the mists.
Nor had they told him about how they were certain Tyren had a hand in their mother's death.
It would have been too much for him. Eventually he'd have to know. He would come to know because they planned to expose everything.
But for now, they would just tell him how much was needed. The rest would come with circumstance.
And she had no time to waste. Now that they'd struck the Pope a devastating blow and exposed themselves at the border, they would have to hasten their plans before they were thrown off balance once more.
Entering Alex's room, her mind went to Liam.
----------
Liam understood the urgency as much as Felicia did. After confiding in his family about everything that had transpired, he wiped his mother's tears away before getting on his horse and immediately headed to the palace with a large number of armed guards.
His father and sister had recovered from their shock better than his mother and were now rallied behind him in support towards the true Saintess and her brother-Guardian.
Liam advised his family to do nothing but stay indoors for the time being. He said that the Pope may be out of commission as a result of the injuries Alex and Felicia had inflicted upon him but he was still very much a threat and could send someone to attack them.
For now, Liam wished to minimize the risk by not getting them involved. He told them he would enlist the help of the two princes and they would aid Felicia and Alex into finding a solution to all of this.
Cordelia has insisted on coming with him as she also loved Alex and already saw Felicia as her sister-in-law. She wanted to fight alongside them. Liam had vehemently refused and their mother had pulled her daughter into her arms, telling her to get such crazy ideas out of her thoughts.
----------
Liam was in full armor. He was riding hard, his gaze fixed in front of him even as he thought about Felicia and the mark on her chest.
As the palace came into view, they were greeted by some royal knights who rode up to them.
The head knight had recognized the banner of the House of Del Findel. It was a most alarming sight. The approaching party looked ready for battle. As if they were planning on attacking the palace.
He ordered 12 of his men to confront them. They rode ahead, cautious, with their hands on the hilt of their swords.
The head knight spoke up.
"Greetings, Young Marquis Liam! What brings the noble house of Del Findel to the imperial palace?"
Two of the Del Findel knights parted to make way for Liam to guide his stallion forward. Lifting his visor, he exposed his sharp, brown eyes.
"I seek an audience with Prince Constantine and Prince Florentine. It is most urgent!"