007: - One Child for Another

"The maidens have already been gathered at the castle, about a dozen of them, I put their preparation in the hands of Madam Willa."

King Rolfe nodded approvingly. "Willa is dependable."

"She is, Your Majesty." Graham agreed, "I personally took a look at the girls," He went on with his response, "And I found an odd one."

The King frowned, "What does that mean, Graham?"

"I fear I might have found a spy." The courtier said in a trembling voice.

King Rolfe went quiet, thinking it over. It might have been a bit far-fetched to call a simple commoner maiden a spy but the situation called for such severe judgment.

"It is possible. It is strange that the castle is on the search for young maidens with certain features so close to the Princess' engagement." The King said heavily.

Graham nodded with vigor, "I fear the entire endeavor might already be privy to Mistfall."

Rolfe's expression turned grave, even without evidence to back it up, there were still moves the neighboring country could make that completely ruin the alliance.

"Should I cancel the plans, Your Majesty?" Graham prodded when the King went silent for a spell.

"No," He sighed, a hand against his table. "That would be showing that we do have something to hide. "Continue the training and leave the matter of the Princess' replacement to me."

"As Your Majesty wishes," Graham bowed and slipped into the anteroom he spent most of his time in.

King Rolfe had two heavy hands on his head, with every day that passed after his daughter's death, he had been backed further and further into a wall.

Now that it had gotten to this point, there was only one thing left to do. It had been ten days since Princess Eleanor breathed her last, and although it was the easiest way, he didn't want to wait till the very last day to speak of this with Silvan.

The least he could do was give his son some time to prepare himself to fulfill their promise with the Vampires.

Rolfe rose to his feet, he could easily have Graham summon Silvan but this was something he needed to do himself. He didn't want to hide behind his crown to do this, it wasn't an order to Silvan, it was a plea.

At the temple, he was hastily allowed in. The rule preventing non-believers from going in not applied to him.

"Lead me to Prince Silvan," He asked of two young disciples.

They went whiter than their robes but they still had the presence of mind to courtesy, awe in their sparkling eyes.

Rolfe didn't feel worthy of their admiration right then, after all, he was about to ask his child to give up everything for the sake of the country.

The disciples knocked gingerly at a nondescript door, standing back with nervous smiles.

There was the sound of movement behind the door, then it opened to reveal Silvan in his priestly robes.

"Father," Silvan acknowledged, a wry expression on his face.

The disciples were dismissed and Rolfe invited himself into his son's modest living chambers. This was the first time he had been in here, Silvan preferred these quarters to his wing in the castle, yet the room was bare.

Save for a pristine bed and a dedicated altar, there was very little sign of the room being lived in. Calling the quarters modest was being generous.

"You know why I'm here," Rolfe began carefully, he had seen the change of expression on Silvan's face, his son had been expecting him.

Silvan stood with his back to the mosaic on the wall, his jaw was hard, his expression set. "It has been a long time coming," He replied, his tone resigned.

Rolfe was pleasantly surprised, he hadn't been expecting that this conversation would go so well. "Well, not too long," He demurred, "I did try to find an alternative but the only solution is to have you replace Eleanor…"

Silvan froze at the last of his father's words, getting a sinking feeling that there had been a misunderstanding ever since his father walked into his quarters. "You. want. me, to go in Eleanor's place?" He spoke slowly, the words felt like heavy rocks in his mouth.

Rolfe broke out in a cold sweat, also realizing that there had been a misunderstanding. "It's the only way. It is only a matter of time before Mistfall capitalizes on our weakness."

Silvan didn't speak, there was a cacophony of sounds in his head, he couldn't hear his father's words anymore, despite the fact that his father kept speaking.

"…as her replacement, you need not consummate the marriage, you will merely be a part of the Vampire court."

Silvan gritted his teeth as he was forced back to reality, this wasn't what he had been bracing for these past few days. Right then, Silvan would willingly give up his priesthood and take up his duties as a Prince to avoid going to Vallyn and living out the rest of his life in the Vampire court.

A cold shiver went down his back. This was inescapable.

"As Your Majesty wishes," He muttered woodenly when his father's self-righteous speech came to a halt.

King Rolfe hesitated like he wanted to say something more but Silvan had stopped holding his gaze. The unfamiliar figure of his son stood in front of him, his shoulders hunched, eyes dark. He had the sudden urge to reach out, and perhaps ruffle his son's hair like he used to when he was but a child, but it felt insulting to do that after the request he had made of Silvan, so he turned around and walked out of the room.

Rolfe hurried out of the temple like there were coals under his feet, coming across Alexander at the entrance to the temple.

Alexander had a look in his eyes that Rolfe couldn't place. He wasn't fit for a conversation right then but Alexander seemed to have a lot on his mind.

"I saw you head into the temple alone, Father," The Crown Prince started, "Have you decided to convert?"

Rolfe would humor Alexander at any other time but he was in a sour mood at the moment. "I went to speak to Silvan."

Alexander parted his lips to say something - he wasn't pleased with the idea of the King leaving him out of important conversations.

"Come with me," Rolfe spoke again, walking past Alexander with purpose.