Epilogue

Gilbert watched anxiously as the deliberations continued. His eyes flitted between his queen and the eyes of the other lords' guards. They all appeared as on edge as he was. Having the plethora of important personages here, and so lightly guarded, everyone was uneasy. It was the first time they had all met together in person, the fate of Armia in the balance.

"That will conclude this assembly," Queen Tatiana Remonnet said. "We may discuss the particulars at a future meeting."

"Pathetic," one of the lords spat as he stood from the table. With a gesture to his guards, he said, "Whatever terms you think we'll agree to, you will be sorely mistaken, little whore."

As Gilbert reached for his sword, the queen raised a hand, stilling his blade. "I'm certain a lord as aged and wise as you will see the merit of these terms, Lord Kael. Unless your ADVANCED age leaves you unfit to judge, in which case I'd question your bid for rule."

Lord Kael clicked his tongue as he donned his silken cloak and left, guards in tow.

"Aha! That's what I like ta see!" said a dwarf, throwing his gold inlaid cloak around his shoulders. He tossed his braided eyebrows over each shoulder, lest they drag on the ground, and gestured to his guards. "Ye keep tellin' that ol' spotted lizard of a man to keep chewin' sand!"

Gilbert stifled a laugh. He could see the resemblance with the wide mouth and liver spots, but he wouldn't openly shame Her Majesty.

The gathering quickly dispersed, exiting through the pair of large, ornate doors at the front. Lord Stefan Talyra came over to Tatiana's side.

"Don't worry about Kael. He'll be convinced."

"I certainly hope so. He's the last opposer," she said.

"He will. He hates being on the losing side of a dispute. If anything, he'll spin it as his own victory," Stefan said with a shrug.

Tatiana smiled. "Well, it's still too early to assume we have everyone else's firm agreement."

"Bah. They all think the same way we do, even if they don't realize it. This really is the only solution." He thanked his attending guard as he took his cloak.

She sighed. "We will see. I bid you safe travels, Stefan."

With a nod and a smile, he, too, left the chambers, leaving Gilbert and the Queen alone.

"Ugh... I hate that dreg."

"Your Majesty!"

"I know, I know."

"You took my very words," Gil joked. "Or what, did you think I'd scold you for calling a dreg as such?"

She leaned over and looked back at her guard captain. "At least I didn't try to draw my blade against him."

"He would have deserved it for slandering you like that."

Tatiana laughed. "Loyal to a fault, as always."

She got up and headed to the small door in the back of the room. The guards stationed outside the meeting hall quickly fell into formation, forming a defensive square around her and the captain. The escort made their way down the hall and out into the open-air courtyard. The cool air of the early Budding season was crisp but pleasant, especially after the heavy atmosphere of the assembly. The sweet smell of blossoming flowers wafted through the arches of the open corridor leading to the Queen's private living quarters.

The Queen took a deep breath. "Mmm... I love this time of year." She took another sniff of the air. "Just such a calming smell."

"I agree, Your Majesty. I used to love returning from a campaign at this time of year. Smelled like home."

"Gil, this isn't the only place flowers bloom."

"No, but the everrose only grows here," he said.

"So everroses are your favorite, would you say?"

She cheerfully pranced into the garden. Gil and the two rear guards stopped and watched her as she plucked a pink everrose from the ground.

"Your Majesty..."

She came back and handed it to him. "For you, my dearest captain and confidant."

"... Your Majesty..."

"Hmm?"

"You know I cannot accept this."

"Why not?" she asked coyly.

"Your Majesty, I'm your shield." He reddened. "Besides," he said quietly, "I'm almost old enough to be your father. My daughter is but ten years your junior..."

The Queen laughed, a departure from the calm and composed woman that just stood before rival lords. "You are too much fun, Gil."

He stood there watching her as she practically skipped back to the two lead members of her guard, now well down the path. He looked down at the everrose, twirling it in his armored fingers. "She's too much..." he muttered to the rear guards giving him mocking smiles.

They started toward the rest of the escort.

BOOM!

The ground shook as an explosion rocked the courtyard, blowing the arched corridor to pieces, covering the area in dust and debris and smoke.

Gil lowered his arm from his face just in time to see the Queen launched back towards him, limply skipping across the grass.

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

He and the rear guard rushed to her side.

"Your Majesty!" Gil knelt beside her. He breathed a sigh of relief when she groaned and grimaced.

"Gil... What... What happened?" Her hand reached up and rubbed her ear. "Ah... My head is ringing..."

He looked to the other guards. "Bring a cleric!"

With a quick salute, they ran off, back towards the way they'd come.

"I... I can't hear anything. Gil..." She reached a shaky hand up toward him.

He clutched it, squeezing it in his gauntlet.

"Ow... That hurts, Gil..." she said weakly, smiling just as weakly.

More guards came running into the courtyard.

"Take care of Her Majesty," he instructed, standing up.

"Gil..."

He looked down at her. He gestured her to wait here and turned to the explosion.

The dust had settled. Where the lead guards had been was a crater, no trace of the arched walkway remained. He looked around the scene but saw nothing. There was a rustling just past a corner that they'd passed.

Spinning around, he saw what looked like a gardener standing amongst the bushes just within view of the blast zone, but the face didn't look familiar. More unusual, they seemed calm.

Calm, yet disappointed.

"You!"

The man took off, heading down another open corridor.

"STOP!" Gil yelled as he gave chase.

He followed him as best he could, but the man was too agile for the aged guard in full plate armor. He stopped, leaning against a wall as he watched the man nimbly scale the outer wall and disappear into the city outside.

"Assassin..." he muttered between gasps.

He slowly made his way back to the courtyard. The Queen's personal guard had already barricaded the entrance from any other staff and begun their investigation. The cleric was already treating Tatiana.

She smiled feebly at him as he entered. He smiled back at her, bitter about what just happened and frustrated at his inability to protect her.

Two guards lay dead, killed instantly by the blast. His queen, seemingly okay though shaken. All of this, within the walls of their own stronghold, having just invited opposing lords in for the assembly.

The possibilities were endless. Could it have been a planned attack from one of the lords? Surely it would be an opportunity to eliminate a rival for the imperial throne.

No, it would be too obvious. Though, which lord orchestrated it would be impossible to determine. Could Lord Talyra have waited until now to betray them? It would be the best time to shield him from suspicion.

But few knew the path the Queen took to her private quarters. That would imply it must be someone with knowledge of the castle.

If that were to be the case, though, poison would be the easier choice.

Gilbert struggled with the possibilities when one of the guards came over. "Reporting," she said with a salute.

He nodded. "Did you find anything?"

"There were traces of magic. We can't determine the exact spell, however. Nor how long it had been there."

"A magic trap..." Gil's face contorted as he processed the new information. "Keep investigating."

Another salute.

Gilbert thought it over. A magical trap... In our inner courtyard... That man had to be a professional assassin. I doubt any of the assassin guilds would talk with one of our own... Another thought occurred to him. It couldn't be one of our own guards, right?

"Gil."

"Your Majesty! Thank Teva you're all right," he said, kneeling before her.

"Stand up, Gil. What happened?" She appeared to be back to usual. At least, in appearance. Her stance was still shaky and her hands trembled imperceptibly.

"I'll take it from here," he said, dismissing the other guardsmen. Once certain they could speak privately, he whispered what had transpired and his suspicions.

"Teva's mercy..." Tatiana bit her lip as worry lines deepened on her brow.

"What should we do, Your Majesty?"

She mulled it over for a moment. "You said it's a magic trap..."

He nodded. "Why?"

"... I need someone I can trust right now. Trust is paramount. But, they also need to be knowledgeable in magic."

Gilbert could see where she was going. "Should I send for her?"

Tatiana nodded quietly and looked up into his eyes. "Yes. Bring Taliarrah here at once. She is the only one I trust to help."

* * *

"It appears the plan failed, my lord," he said, kneeling before the glowing sphere. He could feel his body shaking, apprehensive about how his master would take the news. He'd killed for less. It was why he'd waited so long to notify him. He curled his thin, slender fingers into a fist, bracing himself for his lord's displeasure.

"So I have heard..." the voice boomed, echoing in the small room.

He swallowed hard. For all he knew, his underling could have already received the order to tear his throat from his neck. But, he'd heard no sound from the doorway. He must still be on guard, he thought to himself in an attempt to calm himself.

"M-my lord, I will hire a new assassin. It will not fail this time."

"Do not bother."

This was unexpected. He peered up from under his dark hood. "My... lord...?"

"The plan has changed."

Changed? To what? "But why?" he dared to ask.

"A more certain, more preferable path has revealed itself."

He wanted to know more, but it was dangerous to press his master on it. "Then-"

"You shall await further orders. That is all."

He bowed deeper, his knee practically crushing his chest. "Yes, my lord."

He'd avoided his lord's displeasure. And punishment. As he struggled to breathe with his knee in his chest, he wondered why the connection hadn't been severed yet.

"For this plan to succeed, you need do one thing now."

He looked up at the glowing orb. It shimmered as his master spoke once more.

"There is one that you must not harm at this time."

He was confused. This order was unlike any in the past. Normally, instructions to kill would be issued, but not an order to the contrary. "Who is this being?"