15 Lucias Realization (2/2)
”I would, if I could stop you. But I can't. So longing for me would be your punishment Prince Timothy” she grinned
Timothy hugged her again. After a while, the two went on separate ways.
Timothy went out of the castle and saw that everything was ready. The troops were already lined up. As expected, most of them were old men in their fifties. Timothy went to the front of the line.
” Let's go” Timothy said to Erik. After a while, the sound of a horn can be heard. It was the signal to advance.
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Lucia went back to her room. After a few hours, Bisham reported to her that Escanor found some interesting rumors. She immediately went to find the merchant.
”You have news for me?” Lucia asked
” Yes your highness, two rumors in fact. I have asked multiple merchants about the rumors so I think they are true” the merchant confirmed.
” What are the rumors?”
” Several Wismarine merchants said that they had spotted their first prince inside Nirvana. They said that he was dressed in emissary attire and went to see the King two days ago.”
Lucia frowned. The Wismarine Prince. Wismar and Vanadis have long been at odds with each other. For the Wismarine Prince himself to come, Wismar must have wanted an alliance with Castonia.
” And the other rumor?”
”This is the most troubling one your highness.” The merchant frowned ”The Wismarines also confirmed that the Prince went to them to hire some assassins. Being a merchant is sometimes not a clean profession. Many merchants deal with shady people like assassins and saboteurs. But the merchants failed to find assassins that time.”
Lucia tried to put some sense into this. It was already bad that the Wismarine Prince was here, the involvement of the assassins made it worse. Lucia laid out the facts.
The Wismarine prince was here
The Wismarine prince tried to hire assassins
The first information. The Wismarine prince was here. Lucia knew a lot about Wismar. Her father had warned her many times to stay away from them. For the Wismarine prince himself to come as an emissary, they must have wanted an alliance.
An alliance. Lucia knew that the Wismarines won't agree to an alliance with Castonia if the latter continues its alliance with Vanadis. This brought Lucia to her second conclusion, Wismar wanted to prevent the alliance of Castonia and Vanadis. For this to happen, they must prevent the wedding.
Lucia looked into the second fact. The Wismarine prince tried to hire assassins but failed. No, even if he failed to hire professional assassins, he could just order a couple of his guards to act as one.
Prevent the wedding
Assassins
They could prevent the wedding by killing either Lucia or Timothy! If she was their target, then all she could do was to increase her guards. But if Timothy was their target…
No. Since the Wismarine prince had already talked with the King, then the King must have already seen the danger his son faces. Timothy won't be easily assassinated with the King's protection. Unless..the King agreed to this assassination.
Lucia's face paled. It made sense. Changing his mind after meeting with the Wismarine emissary and suddenly sending Timothy into the front lines, the King must have wanted Timothy to die! What Freya told her earlier further confirmed this. But the King can't afford to have an assassinated prince. So the only way to kill Timothy was to let the Tulosans kill him. The reinforcements! The reinforcements won't come for Timothy.
The King won't send a messenger? No, people will find out
The message was blank? No, the castle will know
The only way to do it silently and safely was to kill the messengers and report the incident as the Tulosans' doing. Everything made sense now.
Lucia must do something. He must protect Timothy. Her Kingdom would suffer if Timothy dies. Plus she had grown fond of him. She likes him and she will protect him at all cost.
One messenger was headed to Castle Thespelae, the other to Castle Munico. Lucia can't protect both the messengers so she must choose one. There was only one road that leads to Thespelae from Nirvana so the messenger heading there should be easier to find.
”Captain Bisham!” Lucia shouted
”What is it your highness?”
”Get half of the royal guards. Scour the path between Nirvana and Thespelae and find the messenger sent by the King. Protect him at all cost and ensure that the message reaches Thespelae.”
Lucia might be jumping to conclusions but she can never be too safe.