A Perilous Rescue

The darkened alley outside **Matilda's** apothecary smelled of damp earth and lingering potions. The faint light from her windows flickered as I waited for her to speak. Her usual air of mystery clung to her like a shroud, but tonight, there was a glint of something more—something serious in her expression.

"You said you needed to know where Seraphina is being kept," she said, her voice low and cryptic, her fingers tracing the vials on the counter. "I can't give you a direct answer, but I can point you in the right direction."

I narrowed my gaze at her. "What do you mean by 'the right direction'? I don't have time for riddles, Matilda. Where is she?"

Matilda gave a slow, deliberate smile. "She's being held where the shadows dance with the flames, and the scent of roses still lingers despite the ruin. Follow that, and you'll find her."

I frowned. **Shadows and flames… roses in ruin?** It took a moment, but then it clicked. She was referring to the abandoned **Rosewood Estate**, a once-beautiful manor on the outskirts of the capital, now charred and overgrown after a fire had consumed it years ago.

Without another word, I turned and left the apothecary, my mind already racing. Seraphina was hidden in a place that once symbolized wealth and beauty—now a forgotten ruin. It was fitting in a twisted way.

---

The night air was cool as I made my way toward the Rosewood Estate, the moon casting an eerie glow over the dilapidated structure. The once-grand mansion stood in silence, its walls blackened by fire and half-swallowed by creeping vines. Despite the decay, the faint scent of roses lingered in the air, just as Matilda had said.

I approached cautiously, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Seraphina had been taken as part of Reinhardt's scheme, and now that I was close, I couldn't afford to make any mistakes. The villainess was dangerous but vital to my plans. I needed her alive—and back on my side.

As I entered the manor's remains, I spotted her immediately. **Seraphina**, bound and sitting on a crumbling stone bench in what used to be a grand garden, her hair loose and wild, her violet eyes gleaming with fury even in captivity. She was unharmed, but clearly enraged by the indignity of her situation.

I stepped forward, and her gaze snapped to me. "Cedric," she hissed, her voice cold but relieved. "Took you long enough."

I smirked, pulling out a small blade to cut her bindings. As I replied -

"Since the time i knew you were kidnapped to the time i arrive here it's been 20 minutes. You are right I took damn too long thinking how to make an entrance?"

"Didn't thought long enough?"

"No, thought it's taste to think about It and I just arrived."

As soon as her hands were free, Seraphina stood, brushing off the dirt from her dress, her eyes narrowing. "I assume you've dealt with Reinhardt?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. But I've made sure he'll never be a threat again."

Before Seraphina could respond, a voice cut through the silence, hard and accusing.

"So, you came after all, Cedric."

I turned, my hand immediately going to the hilt of my sword. Standing in the doorway of the ruined estate was **Reinhardt**. His tall, imposing figure was bathed in the silver moonlight, his face twisted with rage. In his hand, he held a dagger, its blade glinting in the dark.

"Where is my sister?" Reinhardt's voice was a low growl, his eyes locked on me with murderous intent. "Where is Sofia?"

I stood my ground, keeping Seraphina behind me. "I didn't kidnapped her like you kidnapped my Fiancé," I said coolly. "But did you kidnapped her Seraphina?"

"Not this time, I wouldn't bother kidnapping a stranger but rather kill her."

Reinhardt's face twisted in anger.

"You."

"Wait, Reinhardt she didn't meant it as jest. Let's Just end this misunderstanding peacefully."

"End this? After everything you've done? After you forced my sister to betray me?"

His words carried the weight of desperation, of a man whose carefully constructed world was crumbling around him. He was unhinged, driven to madness by his vendetta, and I knew this confrontation was inevitable.

"I didn't force anything," I said calmly. "Just like I didn't forced you to betray Alistair. Maybe he was innocent or maybe it's just in your head but in the end you betrayed him. You questioned him and his honour. As truth you brought up and admitted his crimies and you declare him a crimainal in the court. You brought this on yourself, Reinhardt."

Reinhardt sneered, stepping closer. "You manipulated everything. You twisted events to suit your needs, just like you did with Alistair."

I didn't flinch. "And you were the one who betrayed him not me. You brought his crimes to light and I only passed judgement based on them."

For a moment, Reinhardt's face faltered, as if he realized just how deeply I had played him. Then, his expression hardened. "I did it all for Alistair! He was the true heir, and you destroyed him."

I shrugged, my voice cold. "Okay, I am done, You want the truth. He was always going to lose. I just sped up the process."

Reinhardt's hand tightened around the dagger, and I knew this was it—his breaking point.

"I swear," he snarled, his voice shaking with fury, "I'll kill you for this. And when I do, I'll take back everything you stole."

I didn't move, my grip firm on my sword as I stared him down. "You won't even get close."

The tension in the air was thick, crackling with the inevitability of violence. And then, Reinhardt lunged.

He was fast, his blade flashing toward me in a deadly arc. But I was ready, my sword already drawn and meeting his strike with a clash of steel. The force of the blow reverberated through my arms, but I held steady, my focus sharp.

Reinhardt was skilled, driven by rage and a need for vengeance. But I had something he lacked—calm, calculated control. Each strike he made was wild, reckless, while I remained composed, my movements precise and deliberate.

The fight raged on, the clashing of blades echoing through the ruined manor. Seraphina watched from the shadows, her eyes gleaming with something close to admiration as I held my ground against Reinhardt.

Finally, I saw my opening. Reinhardt's anger had made him sloppy, his strikes becoming more erratic as he grew desperate. I sidestepped one of his wild swings and, in a fluid motion, brought my sword down on his hand, disarming him with a sharp cry of pain.

Reinhardt staggered back, clutching his injured hand, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"You've lost," I said coldly, stepping forward and pressing the tip of my blade to his throat. "It's over."

Reinhardt's chest heaved with ragged breaths, his face twisted in defeat. "Where… is Sofia?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I stared down at him, my expression unreadable. "You are stupid," I repeated, my voice hard. As Reinhardt face visibly became confused "Oh sorry i called you stupid, I thought you already knew that, or atleast realised that. But then again you didn't realise the men you are waiting for haven't arrived."

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT THEM!"

"Oh, I didn't hurt them."

"If you did."

"Oh wait you don't believe me let's ask them shall we?." As I asked it calmly Reinhardt became even more confided as I shouted.

"Come in Hurtful Soldiers!"

As soon Reinhardt's men came in who I paid up for standing outside.

"Are you hurt from standing outside. Do you need badages."

I said mockingly as a few soldiers replied.

"No, Lord Cedric the payment you paid are more than enough to heal it even if we got hurt."

"Good to know. As for you, you didn't know anything do you Reinhardt? Or maybe you did? You know that I didn't kidnapped Sofia, you know Seraphina didn't kidnapped Sofia, You know that you yourself kidnapped Sofia."

"How did you?"

"While i was busy confessing my crimes like you wanted me to by coming here confess my crimes in front of you and your so called men. Some of your not so loyal men were busy killing your loyal ones. You thought they were all loyal to you and the crown. But they were only loyal to money."

"If you knew then..."

"Then I still came here. You asked me if your sister is safe. Well if you don't write what I say she will be less and less safe as the time goes by."

"There's no way. I was watching you. You didn't had time to..."

"Locate her? Yes I didn't but Matilda did."

"She told you this location."

"Did she? She didn't needed to, I already knew about this place. Why do you think she told me in a riddle? First of all You are stupid because you didn't question that you captured Seraphina so easily. I want you to know that My Fiancé is stronger than me. Alright. I always knew where she were. You didn't picked this location. She did."

"How?"

"Just shit up and write the letter as this one"

I threw up a blank letter along with a written one."

"I will write it. But as I do you will answer my questions or I will kill myself before I write...."

"Go ahead. I will bring your sister along with you after some time. Free of cost."

Reinhardt face was filled with shock as he started to write the letter.

"Alright, Reinhardt would you be kind enough to take your own life by hanging or putting your sword in your chest however you like it right here and now, and make it quick. I don't have time for this."

"You give me proof you won't harm her first. Bring her here."

"Why?"

"How do I know you captured her."

"You want to take that risk with me? I will bring her head, How's that for a proof?"

"Cedric!"

'Alright, you know just like all of here are and were your men but you know I brought them up with money and the ones who didn't brought up with moneg, they brought them up with killing. So there you go."

"What's your point?"

"You still don't get it. You stupid. You know I was asking questions to buy time while you are genuinely asking them like seriously. Msucles no brain. Here's the deal, there are my men among the guards that you are or were protecting your sister. Ofcourse your guards being stupid like you won't expect to prtocet her From her own guards as well are already dead. And you know the more time I waste on it by telling you the more hurt your sister will get until she's dead. By the time I don't arrive like I don't like 5 minutes. You think I can make it? I mean like soecailly knew your sister location from Matilda so I can arrive and save her from my own Death trap but still save her and protect her from what you are doing right now wasting time."

Reinhardt with a look of Distrust but tense and he closed his eyes. As he looked at me.

"Tell me why should trust you that you will not harm her?"

"You didn't told your sister about me. You just told her to be there and wait while you return with justice for Her love. "

Reinhardt was looking at me with malice.

While I didn't care how he looked at me as long as he paid attention.

"Now If I kill you it would look suspicious, the the court council will reach an end even without king's permission or order to do so. They won't listen no matter who says to stop. Your sister would find it suspicious and then I have to kill her."

"Exactly that's...."

"but then again if you kill yourself then how you react recently with Your weird behavior and obsession of your actions would look suicidal with the letter you wrote, in ehivh you even made it clear your sister is inoccent and nothing to do with your death."

"And what that do?"

"and that would make your sister think you isolated her for your suicidal attempt. She could testify it in the court. Ofcourse I can't kill her once I decide not to since it would make your death suspicious as well."

I took my sword and pointed at Reinhardt.

"Now it's up to you to decide whether she will be my enemy or a valuable ally in the court."

"Just answer my one question."

"3 minutes left."

"Where am I hiding her?"

"Your own home."

Reinhardt took his sword and pointed at me immediately and as he did he thrust in his own chest. As The blood spurt all around hus body and from his mouth, he said his last words.

"Go and save Her while I see you in hell."

"No, You Won't."

I made sure he heard them as he died.

With that, I withdrew my sword, letting him fall to his knees. There was no satisfaction in his defeat—only the knowledge that another obstacle had been removed from my path.

Seraphina stepped forward then, her eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "It seems you've won, Cedric."

I glanced at her, my gaze cold but triumphant. "Of course I did. Even though I can't believe he believed me."

"You are not going to save his sister."

"I didn't even knew Where she was until a minute ago."

"Then how did you answered his question."

"Wild guess."

"I hope you don't do that with me."

"The wild guesses will never work on your question. I have to precisely of what to say with you."

"Obviously, now precisely answer why didn't you used Serpant's Whisper on him?"

"Where did you heard it?"

"You are not the only one with spies in disguise."

"Matilda. And I thought no more secrets between us."

"You didn't said this much will happen."

"I had to improvise."

"You still haven't improvised the answer of the question I asked you."

"I don't have to. I will tell you as it is and that's it's better to look he killed himself Also I didn't brought it for him."

"Then Who?"

"You know who."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I don't dare I don't have time for that. I do it."

Seraphina smiled as I said that. And The Next Day Sadly The King Died by a natural death. Apparaently A Heart Failure, but I don't have time nor care for that.