36 School life continues? (2/2)
The remaining minions take their fallen comrade/eunuch? and leave. When they are out of sight Markorn addresses me again. ”I know, this isn't very gentle, but you refused to talk to me on every other occasion.”
”What do you want?” -Me
”I just want you to realize reality and team up with me, that's all. I will get the crown at the coronation and you will have no other choice than to marry me anyway. You will profit from this too. Don't you want the best candidate for the job too?”
”...”
He continues. ”As I see it, this weakling isn't fit for the job. This world needs a strong leadership and not a strange guy who hides himself behind books, or inside a strange facility. A King needs to show presence and strength if he wants to lead a country. He needs to be smart too.”
”Being able to set some traps like I just did is an important part of leadership.” -Markorn
”And why is it such a great trap to send some bullies after me?” -Me
”Because everyone of them is now a witness. You went crazy and attacked two Tirna nobles, after they refused your orders. It should be enough to cause quite the commotion don't you think?” He smiles at me.
”I still don't understand what you would gain from that?” -Me
”Of course you have a really good reputation at the moment. But everything that damages that reputation will make it easier for me to take over! The Stricc princess, going rampage on some Tirna nobels. If that wouldn't shake up the state of affairs, I don't know!” -Markorn
”It's good then. Without any witness, there won't be any commotion.”
Angrod walks around the corner, pulling a limp body behind him. Angrod! I run up to him and embrace him. Oh, he came for me after all!
”There are enough witnesses! I have at least four Tirna nobles and three people from Stricc, who.....”
Angrod throws the limp student at Markorn, who steps aside and the student lands on his back. While staring into the ceiling, the student breathes slowly and regular.
”You are awake? Get up and bring the others!” Markorn kicks the student, but gets no reaction.
”Don't bother. I had our friend Tanja investigate your connections inside the school. Then I begged her to tell me, when you would leave your …. I will call it hideout for the lack of a better term. When she reported you gone, I went there and had a little talk with your employees.”
”Everyone from Tirna got a nice little treatment from me, while I had the guys from Stricc watch. I doubt that they are willing to risk anything for you by now. Afterwards I came here and had a nice chat with your guards.”
”I hope you won't be so foolish, as to attack me here in public, because everything that happened until now was within my legal jurisdiction of punishing disobedience.”
Angrod smiles at Markorn and turns me around to leave. As we pass the group of minions from earlier, I see the Tirna nobles lying limp on the ground, staring into nothingness like the other student.
The guys from Stricc watch Angrod with pale faces and press themselves against the walls to gain the highest possible distance. They act like they are in the same room with some kind of monster.
”How did you find me?” -Me
”There is a tracking function inside your ring. I also hid a tracking device inside Markorn's clothes during training. We share the same changing room after all. When you two were in the same position, I came to check.” -Angrod
He is tracking me? He …... DOES that mean he cares for me in his own way!?
”And what did you do to those students?” -Me
”Nothing. Just a punishment according to disrespecting orders during a time of war. You threw that guy out of the window too, didn't you?” -Angrod
”I didn't kill him!” -Me
”Tanja finished it from the shadows. I explained the situation to her.” -Angrod
”She would never!” No. Tanja is a nice girl. She wouldn't.
”She would do everything for you, her friend. Markorn is right when he thinks that a commotion right now would disturb the balance. Tanja knows that too, probably better than both of us if you think about her family background.” -Angrod
We turn around another corner and Tanja steps out of a shadow and hugs me. ”Everything okay Celes?”
”I am not sure. I feel like I was used as a bait!” I answer honestly.
”Sorry. It wasn't intentional, I promise. But everything played out like this, when you went to look for me. And Angrod had to deal with those thugs.” Tanja fiddles with her fingers.
”What did he do to them?” I ask worried.
Tanja turns pale. ”It's better if you don't know.....” And looks away. I keep pestering her for the rest of the day, but she won't tell.
Nor did I hear any rumours from the other Stricc nobles.