Prologue
Measured footsteps were heard in the darkness. Gareth, who was sitting on a bench in the garden and looking at the pond, turned his head towards the corridor.
Longboat walked along the long arcade [1] leading to the garden. He wore the immaculately ironed uniform of the knights of the imperial guard. There was something in his movements that resembled a snake swimming slowly in the depths of dark waters.
Sometimes Gareth wondered why?
Pale brown hair the color of faded flax, blue eyes with a silver tint, light skin like marble...
Why did this man, whose appearance resembled old parchment, woven only from dull shades, emit such an ominous aura?
Every time I met him, an unpleasant chill involuntarily ran down my spine.
- Your Highness, Crown Prince.
The man bowed respectfully, pressing his hand to his chest. Gareth waved it off irritably:
- Drop these useless formalities.
Although he was a member of the imperial guard, this man was soon to inherit the title of Duke of Siekan and become the ruler of the Eastern Lands. He's not someone you can be so cavalier with. But Gareth nodded at him as if he were some unimportant servant.
- How much longer do I have to look up at you? Sit down.
Despite the outright rudeness, Barkas's expression remained completely calm. No resentment, no servility - just complete indifference. He sank into a marble chair.
The Crown Prince carefully studied his flawless but completely lifeless features. Outwardly everything was as usual, but it was easy to understand that he was not in the best mood.
Did something really go wrong? Squinting his eyes, the prince asked a question that sounded like pressure:
— How did the interrogation go? Was it really impossible to find out who was behind this?
“I found out everything I could,” Barkas answered in an even voice, pulling back the collar of his tightly buttoned uniform. “But I don’t think that’s the answer you want to hear, Your Majesty.”
Gareth raised an eyebrow.
- Tell me more.
“The poison in the princess’s glass did not come from the empress’s chambers.”
- Then where from?
“The court pharmacist prescribed this medicine to a maid from the inner chambers. It's not even considered poison. In small doses it is completely harmless, but in large doses it causes vomiting and abdominal pain. Therefore, it is not considered dangerous and is not kept under strict control.
“And you mean to say that the maid suddenly lost her mind and slipped this into my sister’s glass?”
The prince's lips twitched into a grin, as if he had heard something ridiculous. However, tense veins appeared on his powerful neck - a sure sign of rage reaching its limit.
But Longboat’s gaze, directed at the prince’s flushed face, remained extremely dry.
“It wasn’t the maid who added the poison.”
- Then who? “Gareth raised his voice, losing patience. - Stop delaying! If neither the empress nor the maid are to blame, who dared touch my sister’s glass?!
“The second princess did it.”
The prince, who had previously been bursting with rage, froze when he heard this impassive answer.
- This girl?..
His face contorted with rage. Usually, when the prince spoke about the empress, his anger was like hot lava. But as soon as she mentioned her illegitimate daughter, whom she brought to the palace, he resembled a man who had something the most vile in the world shoved into his mouth. The grinding of teeth was heard from tightly clenched jaws.
- This crazy bitch is quite capable of this! When it comes to my sister, this creature's eyes widen with envy...
Even such rude, almost street abuse did not cause the slightest reaction from Barkas. Gareth peered intently into his face, still not giving up his attempts to blame the Empress.
- And yet... Don’t you think that this could not have happened without Senevier? This creature could well have persuaded her daughter.
“If that were so, they would have used real poison,” Barkas answered coldly. His pale eyes gleamed dimly in the darkness. “If the Empress was behind this, she would not have left evidence.”
Gareth had nothing to object to and fell silent. He didn't like being interrupted, but the disgust with which Barkas said the last thing gave him grim satisfaction.
This young man, completely indifferent to everything, perked up when it came to Thalia Roem Girt - a stain on the reputation of the imperial family. Each time he was again convinced that this man... was on their side.
“Of course... Senevier would never do such a stupid thing, jeopardizing her own position,” Gareth, somewhat calmed down, said this in a lively tone. “Talia... she created problems for herself.” I always knew she would make a mistake someday.
A grin appeared on his face, just like the days when he ran around the academy like a real tomboy.
“She probably lost her head because my sister got you.” How long has this rootless creature, who does not know her place, put on airs, pushing around the heir to the ducal house? Now she has discovered that the same knight whom she treated like a toy will soon become the husband of a “real” princess. No wonder she lost her temper.
The man was silent. Longboat Raedgo Siekan never said more than necessary. His silence was not unexpected.
But sometimes this silence seemed unbearable to Gareth. Now was one of those moments.
The Prince stared at Longboat, demanding an answer.
“In any case, this girl will not escape punishment this time.” If desired, this can be interpreted as an attempt at poisoning...
“It’s unlikely that everything will go the way you want,” Barkas interrupted the crown prince for the second time.
Gareth furiously furrowed his eyebrows, but Longboat’s gaze, with which he looked at the future emperor, remained unperturbed.
- Firstly, we only have indirect evidence. If she decides to deny her involvement, it will be difficult to prove her guilt.
- But there is testimony from a maid who...
“Do you think the testimony of one maid is enough to judge Seneviere’s eldest daughter?”
While Gareth was silent, trying to find a decent answer, the man calmly continued:
“Secondly, even if the involvement of the second princess is proven, using a drug that causes stomach pain is unlikely to result in severe punishment.” If she claims that it was just an innocent prank, she will most likely just be temporarily isolated.
- An innocent prank? “Gareth, who had previously remained silent, suddenly exploded. He jumped up from his seat and grabbed the future Duke by the collar. “Do you know what the woman who will become your wife went through?” The one who never showed weakness fainted from nausea at the reception. You saw how Ayla suffered and you still call it a prank?!
Remembering that day, Gareth's face turned red. He clenched his teeth and hissed dully:
“Yes, I was so crazy at that moment that I didn’t notice it, but when Ayla fell, I clearly saw Talia, that bitch, laughing from afar!” This filthy creature, who will not calm down even if I tear off her limbs, dared... my sister!
- Your Highness.
Gareth winced and unclenched his fingers. The longboat did not raise his voice, but cold sweat ran down the prince's back. He took a step back, watching the man's reaction.
Longboat only carefully straightened his wrinkled collar.
“This woman is not worth the attention you give her, your highness,” he said in a monotone voice, as if he was talking about something that goes without saying. “All she can do is annoy those around her with her vile little antics.” Are you, the future ruler of the empire, going to waste your time on such trifles?
He spoke like an adult calming a capricious child.
In another situation, Gareth would have exploded from such impudence, but now he was silent, realizing that he himself had crossed the line.
The man stood up. Even the fact that he was going to leave without the permission of the future emperor seemed natural, like the flow of water.
“I sent her highness herbs to soothe the stomach.” In addition, in the future I will strictly control everything that comes to her table, including food and drinks.
“So you want me to just close my eyes to this?”
“If your highness decides to look into this matter and punish the second princess, I will not stop you.” But I won’t participate in this either.
Gareth blushed at his indifferent response. Longboat seemed to consider this matter simply a stupid prank of an unreasonable girl, not worth attention.
As he had said, if the heir to the throne and future Duke of the East were to make a big deal out of this minor incident, it would only harm their reputation.
However, Gareth felt strongly dissatisfied with his cold attitude. And not just because it concerned his sister. He stared at him suspiciously.
- Are you protecting her?
The longboat, already turning towards the exit, suddenly stopped and cast a cold glance over his shoulder. The wind from the lake gently touched his ash-golden hair, but his face remained impenetrable. Only at the corners of his lips did a smile, sharp as a blade, flicker - the first manifestation of emotion on his expressionless face, like a mask.
- Am I protecting her?
Longboat grinned slightly, as if he had heard a funny story. But sharp anger flashed in his blue eyes.
Gareth was speechless for a moment. He knew that Longboat hated Thalia. But I had no idea how much.
Wasn't he the same man who had all his emotions completely cut off by the priests? In more than ten years, Gareth had never seen him show any feelings.
What did this creature do to make this stone man bare his teeth?
Gareth stared at him curiously, trying to decipher his thoughts.
Ever since Longboat was a knight of Thalia Roem Girtha, there had been rumors of how the man had been subjected to all sorts of abuse by the princess. But Gareth never thought that he would react to this in any way.
This man is too arrogant to give in to some stupid girl's tantrums. He believed that Thalia was nothing more than a nuisance to him. But it seems I was wrong.
Longboat flashed his icy blue eyes, devoid of warmth, and hissed through his teeth:
“I just don’t want anything to do with her anymore.”
Then he turned around and, as if not wanting to continue the conversation, walked back along the same road he had come.
Gareth watched him quietly, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
“Thalia... I don’t know what she did to him, but it’s good for me.”
If his most important ally hates his enemy, then their alliance will only strengthen.
With a pleased expression on his face, Gareth stood up from his seat.
Note:
1. Arcade - an architectural element consisting of a series of arches supported by columns or walls.