Uriah's Entrance

"Well I be, I guess even as your beauty grows, so doesn't your brains. Such a shame you had to pick being a Knight over a proper Princess. I sure would have enjoyed you." I shivered in disgust. It's good to know his arrogant and cocky attitude hasn't changed. I could possibly use that against him if I can find the right things to say. The goal right now, was to get their attention on me. If I can get them to let their guards down, Marquise and Nicklos could easily disarm them. If I remember correctly. Uriah wasn't exactly skilled as a Knight and barely made it through the exit exam.

"You haven't changed a bit. How fortunate." I mumbled unstaking my sword from the ground and letting it dangle limply in my hand. Nicklos wrapped a protective hand around my waist, trying to gently tug me behind him, but I stopped him with a side glance. What ever it was they where after, we would face this together. Not only was he risking his life to be out here for my benefit, but he was also under my command as well. He was my responsibility, and I would uphold my part as the leader.

"Who are you working for Uriah?" Nicklos's voice was very low and dangerous. It sent waves of unease down my spine. I knew he was scary when he was angry, but this was a whole other level of rage I have yet to see. Uriah's tone defening laughter only made it worse. His laughter echoed for a long time after he managed to calm down, holding his chest and whipping away tears from his cold blue eyes.

"You aren't seriously thinking that I would give you that information are you? You can stab me a thousand times, but at the end of the day, I will be telling you nothing," He paused, the grin only getting wider as he directed his attention towards me. "But you, she is really interested in. I merely used you to get to him, but you have a purpose as well my lovely." He chuckled to himself, unsheathing his blade and twirling it about. It cut through the air like butter, making whirring noises as he absently flicked it about.

"What does she want with me?" I watched the blade, unease creeping up my spine like a thousand slow spiders. It inwardly made me shiver until he placed the blade down, stabbing it into the earth.

"Ah, a little story. Let me paint you a picture of humiliation and despair. It will surely spare my dear a lot of time in the future." He chuckled again. He really let himself go. I mean I knew he was a bastard back in the training program, but now he was just borderling lunatic.

"Isn't it funny, that the deaths in your castle are caused because of the tyranny your father created when he was a young King? I mean look at your poor Delphine. A poor child forced to marry a low class mail sorter. How unconventional. The villages he over took, the people he slew, and the promises he never kept. Of course, this problem stemmed long before he came into power though," He leaned against his sword now, seeming pleased with his scattered intro. "What if I told you that your father is an unfaithful man?"

I can't ever say that I hadn't thought about it. Illia and I don't look all that similiar. The blonde hair was a dead give away at least. That and our features weren't all that similiar either. So yes, the question had popped into my head from time to time, but I was never given a reason to doubt my dad. That was until recently. I didn't know the full extent of what my father was capable of back then. Any time I had asked about his endeavors, he would give me really vague stories and wouldn't answer questions I had about them. In his eyes, he didn't want me to see him as a monster, knowing well that what he did was wrong.

"I am going to take your silence as a yes, you did have a suspicious feeling. I bet your father didn't even tell you, that you had an older sister. The rightful heir to the Crown. Of course, she had no desire to be the Queen. She simply just wants to watch your world burn."

"What hog was is this? You speak of nonsense." Marquise stated angrily, drawing his sword. I placed a hand on his chest, silencing him. Although I was indeed suspicious of this new sister I supposedly had, I still wanted to hear the explanation. He might slip clues as where to find her if we do it right.

"You know false rumors are so easily spread by the royal families. What makes you think I will believe these claims?" He scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Before your mother came along, there was a maid that worked in the castle. She was rumored to be as beautiful as a goddess. Long brunette hair and a petite curvey figure had every man falling head over heals for her. She was a prized possession of the late King, having conquered her village. She became the servant of the eldest son, your father. He was entralled by her beauty, and often used her as his way of stressful release. Then, he stupid promised her status and power that she would never have. After all, a marriage between a maid and a royal was always forbidden." There was far away look in his eyes as he told his story. Almost like he was reliving the moment and not someone else.

"As the months passed after her capture, she became pregnant. Right around the time the announcement for your father's engagement to the late Queen came around. Seeing that as an opportunity, she decided to try and cement her place by the King's side. Being as she was promised such power, she thought it was over for the future Queen. But it actually turned against her. Your father said she was making false claims so that she could have the crown and banished the young maid. So not only was her family murdered, she was humiliated, and outcasted. Months later, a beatiful girl was born. Just like her mother, she was a goddess. But all was not happy with the family." She paused, glaring upon me like I was some sort of evil deity. Which I suppose in the eyes of the people my father had killed, I was the spawn of one.

"Days turned to months, months turned to years, and the little girl grew. But all was not well with her mother. Filled with grief that and watching from afar as her love for the King was taken away, she killed her mother killed her self on her fifth birthday. Having been living in the slums, the crooked people of the world took care of her. Groomed her from a poised and ready princess, to an angry and misunderstood villian. She once wished for a full and happy family, but now all she cares about is ripping away something so important to his Majesty." So this whole time I was the intended target. Go figure.

"So tell me, you are a nobleman to the Counsel. Why are you helping someone who wants to turn the Kingdom upside down. You do realize that will mean the end to your father's high status position right?" I was really hoping he wouldn't be someone foolish enough to end his father's career.

"That old geezer has no room in my heart after what he did to me. I lost to you, a female, and he basically banished me from my own home. So I was left to roam. I ran into her when I came into Stratheom. She had heard what happened to me and decided that we had a lot in common. She wanted to help me get back at you and your stupid followers. So we attacked the North Kingdom, hoping to kill Nicklos and his family. I was suppose to take over the throne, but I was unfortunately unprepared." He glared at Nicklos now, the hatred burning like a thousand suns. But I couldn't help but laugh at how pitiful he actually sounded.

"Do you really think you are going to be useful to her? I mean look at you. You barely finished the Knight exit exam, you failed to topple over a kingdom, and now you are pinned against three high evalued Knights. It sounds more or less like she wants to get rid of you. Let's say this is carried out successfully, what makes you think that she is going to keep you around?" I snickered, unable to contain my laughter as he gave me a dirty look. I inwardly pitied him, but he put this on himself.

"Do you think I would be stupid enough to come alone? You may be seen as the most respected Kingdom, but that is only based on fear. Deep down you are hated just the same. And with Hatred, comes allies." He held his arms out from his sides, and the trees rustled. Leaves crunched, twigs snapped, trees slightly shook, and men appeared from the tree line. I paled as black men wearing black masks emerged. Hoods covered their faces, obscuring their identities. But the black leather that sat tightly against their bodies, told me they belonged to only one person. Kaden. I gripped my sword tightly in my hand, becoming more and more nervous as they filled my vision.