Chapter Six: Aftermath

Analeigh could hear screams everywhere, people scrambling to avoid the flames that had burst in several parts of the room. The air was thick with smoke, making it hard for her to see or breathe. She took tiny steps away from the podium, making her sure whoever started the chaos wouldn't be able to find her easily.

It didn't even take a minute for Aulus to find her, raising a protective barrier in front of her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, huffing with exertion. No doubt, he had to fight through a crowd to get to where she was so fast.

"I'm okay. You should go defend the rest, I'll be fine on my own." She said as she grabbed her own sword from his other hand. He held on to it tighter for a second, before letting it go.

"Are you sure? There's no need to sacrifice yourself, I'm sure the guards have it covered."

"You're one of the most powerful mages we have on hand, it's best if you can find out who started this and defend the rest in case the culprit is a magic user."

"But-"

"Worst case scenario, I'll use the barrier spell you taught me."

"It's draining. I know you're gifted but there's no telling how good you'll be at a spell you've only successfully casted once."

"No better time to risk it all than in battle." She said lightly and stepped back. "Take care of Ophelia, I know she's probably looking for me too. Keep her away until it's over. I'll find you once the threat is gone."

"Understood." He relented and put the barrier down, letting her step out of it so she could go back to the podium.

She deftly dodged the flying swords around, relieved to see that the palace guards were winning and already subduing the criminals. She had to wave off their several attempts to follow her, so she wouldn't have to take any attacks head on. She noticed one of the rebels coming towards her direction and without blinking, swung her sword before he could even react. She kept moving like that until she got back to the podium.

Once she got there, she saw a clash of swords not too far from where she was. She didn't even have to see his face to know that it was her dear fiancé, fighting off what seemed to be like a rebel. He easily disarmed the other man and struck him on the head, making him crumple into a lifeless heap on the floor.

"I guess I should be thankful you went easy on me back then." She spoke up and judging by his lack of reaction, he already knew that she was there without even turning to see her.

"You're so humble, Princess. Let's not forget you also had to paralyse me to win."

"A win's a win. You need to be smart when fighting." She scanned the room as she said that, listening for sounds around her instead of her sight. For a supposed rebel attack, the result was surprisingly tame. She could see a little bit better now because most of the tiny fires had been put out. The guards had captured a significant number of the assailants and the ones that weren't captured where currently being beaten by the rest of the guards.

It was a little disappointing, it almost felt... staged. Almost as if whoever planned this never meant to actually attack them directly. She glanced at her partner and sighed.

"The threat is neutralised now. I'll go ask the guards what they've found out." She said and started walking, then paused when she heard him moving behind her.

"I'll go with you."

"Why?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, this is my wedding day too."

"Suit yourself." She hummed and turned away to continue on her original path. Aulus, as expected, was already there. Apparently he was interrogating one of the main suspects that had been roughed up by the guards but kept alive.

"Has he said anything?" She asked, staring down at the half dead man at her brother's feet.

"He refused to talk, no matter how much the guards tried to make him confess. He tried to take his own life but thankfully, I was there to stop him." Aulus said, still holding the man's hands down so he wouldn't grab anything to use as a weapon. Analeigh knelt down and stared steadily him, noting how he stared back unflinchingly. A seasoned henchman, she presumed.

"Aren't you going to say something? Before, you seemed very interested in seeing the rebels caught by the guards." She said to Leonidas, not looking away from the rebel in front of her.

"You look like you have the situation under control, I don't see the need to intervene." He replied lightly, sounding almost sincere. Almost. She saw the way the rebel's eye twitched when Leonidas spoke and how his fingers trembled. She smiled and dusted off her dress.

"Well if he's not willing to speak, you can throw him in one of the interrogation rooms. I'm sure Felix can handle him." She wasn't very close with her eldest brother but if she could trust anyone apart from Aulus and Ophelia with something like this, it would definitely be him. It was a matter of national security afterall and he was one of the highest ranking soldiers in the kingdom, he would definitely want to find out who caused this issue.

Aulus nodded and told the guards to drag the rebels away.

"You should meet the high priest. He said to tell you this once the dust settled. Both of you." He said, addressing Leonidas for the first time. Judging by his defensive stance, he didn't like her fiancé very much. She debated telling him about their fight in her father's sword room and decided against it. Even the goddess herself wouldn't be able to stop him from killing the other man.

****

"You can't get married today." The priest said, as soon as they stood in front of him, never one to mince words. Analeigh expected this, it was hardly an unprecedented incident afterall. It wasn't the first time a royal wedding would be disturbed, be it by rebels or family members scheming secretly.

"Does that mean the wedding is postponed indefinitely?" Leonidas spoke and Analeigh scoffed in derision. He really wasn't trying to hide the fact that he hated the thought of marrying her.

"Just until the high council has done a cleansing ritual. We should be able to decide on a new date that will, hopefully, be more blessed than this one." The aged man said quietly. Growing up, Analeigh loved the visits of the high council to the palace. The first high priest and first high priestess in particular always had such pleasant voices, sometimes it felt like she was serenaded by a type of magic she couldn't identify.

"Personally, I don't think we should carry on with the marriage until we've gotten confessions from the people we captured. Can the cleansing ritual wait till after then?" She asked, evidently surprising the man beside her with her words.

"Oh my sweet child, time waits for no man. The kingdom needs the joint rulers unless things can't go on smoothly, you know this."

"You're right, I should have thought about that." She apologised, bowing a little to show him respect even though the old man could barely reach her chin.

"You have the drive to correct injustice, just like your father. I admire it." He said lightly, tapping her shoulder so that she would stop bowing. "I have to return to the mountain to inform the rest of the council. I will send a message once we've decided."

"We're grateful." Leonidas put his hands forward to bow. Analeigh did the same. They stayed like that until they couldn't hear the footsteps of the high priest anymore.

"It's been a very long day, I'm sure you would like to rest." She smiled sweetly at him. He squinted in suspicion, wondering why she had such an expression on her face when her plans just got derailed.

"Yes, I'm sure you would like to rest too." He stopped her as she called one of the guards in to escort him. "There's no need for that. I'll see myself out."

"Well then, suit yourself."

"Goodnight, your Highness." He had just turned to leave when he felt a needle prick his neck.

The last thing he saw was Analeigh smiling triumphantly, holding said needle between her thumb and forefinger.

"Goodnight." She whispered as the room went dark around him.