Elder Born

5. Cultivation-2

Lord Kastler paused with his glass halfway to his mouth and looked up as the door to the sitting room opened. He took a sip and waved in Scholar Clements and Master Healer Kevin over to join him.

“Please, my friends, join me.” He gestured to his servants and smiled warmly at the men. It was a sad thing, the state of Vallantia, where the so-called leaders of the realm ignored a plague spreading and destroying lives. He’d known the royal family was removed from the concerns of the regular people, but he hadn’t known by how far. Even with a noble prince of the realm slaughtered by filth, his own father and his brother paid no mind. Of course they had never admitted that Prince Daniel had been killed by a Sundered, but word had spread about the brutality of his murder.

Of course, the fact that the royal line had allowed itself to be contaminated and had refused to deal with the youngest son spoke volumes. He’d waited patiently, but it had proven that even the second most powerful family, the Straffords, could not be relied on to do their duty in the king’s stead when necessary. It came down to him. His own family could be traced as far back as the Rathadon and Strafford lines. There were times when one of noble birth had to stand up and do their duty. Now was that time. He was only sorry his father and his father before him had not seen the clear duty that had fallen to them, as Vallantia had regressed to a state where the commoner suffered under the depravity of those born with the Taint.

Kastler straightened in his chair, filled with pride. At least he was going to bring greatness to his family line. It was time for the Rathadons to be disposed of and a new royal line to be put in its place.

The leader of the ancient Killiam Order sat down, with his second in command but a moment behind him. Clements smiled at the servant who handed him a drink, taking a moment to savour it before nodding.

“I admire your loyalty and willingness to stand up for the people, Lord Kastler.” The elderly scholar raised his glass in salute.

Kastler tried to adopt a modest expression, such as one a future king would adopt. Arrogance would be the unravelling of the Rathadon monarchy. That was not an example he chose to follow.

“It is my clear responsibility, Scholar. Someone has to stand up for the people of Vallantia when those in power blatantly ignore their duty.” Alfred held out his drink to the servant for it to be topped up. The man bowed his head, dropping some of the rapidly melting ice into his glass and then topping it up from the glass decanter with the smooth amber liquid. It was a new acquisition he’d tasted at the palace. He’d sent his people to find out what it was and obtain a shipment for him.

“It is so rare to see one amongst the peers of the realm put the people before themselves.” The healer, Kevin, leaned back and sipped his drink as he regarded him.

Alfred smiled, accepting the praise. It was his due, after all, and when he was king, these two would be rewarded, as would all the members of the Order for their sacrifice. His mind turned to symbols. He licked his lips and looked back at his guests.

“Lady Amelia couldn’t attend with you this evening?”

The lady was tainted goods and accused of heinous crimes, including killing the old king, yet she was still a symbol of an old family line. The Strafford family went back to the founding of Vallantia, much as his own did. He hadn’t broached the subject yet but he thought it would be well to take her as a consort. That was if their cause couldn’t take Princess Elizabeth alive; she would represent the old family line even better than Lady Amelia.

Kevin looked up at him, his mouth turning down.

“Lady Amelia is resting right now. The weight of all these events rests on her. I’m sure you understand, my lord.”

Alfred held up his hands, distressed that the lady would feel so badly. After all, it was not her fault her own brother and her Consort Elect had proven to be numbered among the most vile monsters in the world. That she had been forced into action to defend her own life and the Order against the perfidy of the king and court must be causing her unimaginable heartbreak.

“Of course, it must be terrible for her. If there is anything I can do…” Alfred trailed off, not wanting to be too transparent with his intent.

“Of course, my lord, I am certain it will comfort Lady Amelia that you are concerned for her welfare. I’m sure you understand she remains in my care for now.”

Kevin’s face showed compassion for his patient, which was something Kastler could perfectly understand in a healer, even if it did stand in the way of his own plans. After all, the girl didn’t have to be sound of mind to produce an heir for him. When it came to it, she could just be a figurehead and he could get an heir on one of his serving girls. It was a simple thing to claim the child when it was born and dispatch the mother.

“I completely understand, the current situation must be traumatic for her.”

“How did Princess Elizabeth take your proposal?” The old scholar’s tone was almost absent, glancing at him as he sipped his own drink.

Alfred felt himself stiffen. “She was most unreasonable. She rejected me out of hand, thus my return here early. I thought it better to give her anger time to cool.”

“Ah, that’s too bad.” The old scholar’s face crumpled in sympathy.

Alfred had to remember the old man had been a tutor to the royal children at one point before the king had chased him from the palace, for trying to warn everyone about the plague that the Tainted represented as they swept the realm. It had to be heart-breaking for the old man to see the depths of depravity the children had fallen to once he’d been forced to leave them to fend for themselves. Alfred nodded, vowing to himself that the old man would have a place of honour on his council when he was king.

Kevin smiled at him. “It’s probably for the best. You don’t want the princess to send you away permanently. You provide vital information for the Order with your position in the palace.”

Alfred returned the smile, relieved. “Well, she can’t entirely. That would take the monarch, since she refuses to take the crown in her brother’s place.” Alfred shrugged. “That reminds me…”

Clements looked at him. “Reminds you of what, dear boy?”

“My man in the King’s Guard? He has information for us.” Alfred bowed his head at the two men.

Both of them had praised him when they found out about Commander Janson being uniquely placed to give them information. They’d been most insistent that he let them set up another way for Eric to contact them, so now when his nephew wanted to contact him, the special bottle of liquor he kept in his permanent day rooms at the palace was turned around, so its label faced the window.

Except it wasn’t he that would go to meet Eric in town, it was one of the Order’s other men. Kevin would send someone into town and meet up with his nephew. It was a shame that he couldn’t go himself anymore. He’d found the clandestine meetings to be thrilling. It made him feel as if he was really contributing to their cause, like a real rebel. Kevin and Clements had stressed to him that he was too important to risk. That thought made him sigh. It was something he would have to get used to as the future king.

Kevin smiled, stood, and clapped him on the shoulder. “Well done, Lord Kastler. I’ll send someone to go meet with him.”

Alfred smiled with pleasure at the praise. He did like to be useful. He waved his permission as both men requested to be excused and raised his glass to be topped up once more.