So Be It

Chapter 6

“You mustn't be telling the truth,” Julian said as one of his maids carefully arranged the flowers in her hair, “did you not be mistaken? It must have been young Aleek who did it and some unsuspecting person mistook him for Nielant.”

The eyes of the servant who told her of what had happened to the priestess shuddered at the sound of the draconic's name. It was common that not everyone had respect for young Nielant, after all... he lived below his mistress' feet, but still, he was a draconic and yet he looked cruel.

“It wasn't a servant, miss. It was the priest who will become the next pope who told him,” she muttered in a broken voice, “he said the prince's energy had changed and that now he's even become self-centered enough to threaten him while the priest helped him recover its magic”.

Julian's eyes turned to the servant. That couldn't be right. She had made it clear to Nielant how much she hated him to threaten others or even look like a draconic and the prince will obediently begin to hide his ancestral traits. How the hell would he do something like that?

"So he took out the eyes of the priestess?" She questioned a second time. His eyes fixed on her face reflection this time.

"Yes" the maid muttered.

Had Nielant changed? She questioned herself, but as if she thought the color of the sky could be changed, she laughed then. He was a man after all and men end their wounded pride. He will return - she thought. He'll go to the dance and fight Maalik for a dance, then he'll say sweet things to her and everything will be back to normal.

On second thought, it was far more useful that Nielant had done such a thing. He was so obedient that it was hard not to come off as mean to dismiss him, and Maalik, who had so much fun teasing the prince, seemed less and less interested in spending time with Julian.

“Spread the rumor around the capital” she said with a smile “Nielant did a great job as a true draconic, I think we need to expose him”

"But ma'am" the maid cringed "what if he gets angry?"

The maid who finished Julian's hairdo chuckled at her concern.

“Don't be silly, Lucy. Lord Nielant is completely in love with Lady Julian. He would never go against one of her wishes and accept any of her words, after all, how could he not? Just look at the beauty of our lady"

Julian smiled and then turned to the servant.

“Do it and I'll give you a good reward, Jane”

Fear showing in her eyes, Jane nodded.

“Yes, my lady…” and with tropo steps, she walked away. The freckles on her face became more and more noticeable as her skin turned red. Jane knew that if Julian and Lucy were wrong, her head would be the first to roll across the floor at Lord Nielant's feet, but Lady Julian was still her mistress. She should still obey her. So even with her legs wanting to stop, the maid went down the halls, preparing to meet her death.

...

Everyone was gathered in a large room with pale walls and a crystal ceiling. This was the outer palace in the center of the garden and what Niel now called the crystal castle. Sunlight fell on the round table in the center of the room and the marquises, earls and their future heirs were looking at him with some care.

He could feel from the way they carried themselves to the way they took a deep breath trying to calm down, that everything had gone according to his plan.

The crystal castle was a gift from his father to his mother and since the death of the late Duchess, it had never been opened. Rumor had it that Nielant had given that castle to Lady Julian as a token of his love, even if she had refused it – and according to Nielant's memoirs, that wasn't entirely a lie. If not for her father's intervention, Lady Julian would have succeeded, but unlike the rumors, she asked for it as proof of her love.

Now, just as a rumor spread about him, the castle doors opened for the gathering that preceded the great hunt.

“It's great to see you that day, gentlemen,” Niel said gently, “I hope you enjoy your tea and taste our sweets. After all, there is no cook in Neveah who can surpass ours” and his words fell on those men like a veritable anvil, as did the surge of power he had infused into his voice.

“Now, we start the meeting”.