Apollyon Evergreen's Story

”The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”

---

The early morning rays shone brightly through the slotted windows etched into the castle walls, glinting mesmerizingly off of the slightly-pink tips of hair peeking out ever-so-slightly from the top of the covers that hid a mound on the single bed that sat within the room that one were to look upon. The mound stirred, followed by a small, muffled sound of annoyance, and for the briefest of moments the pink tips disappeared before reappearing again, followed by the rest of the light orange tufts attached to them. This also revealed a boyishly charming face and large, interesting eyes, mixed with hues of both green and orange, that were currently blinking blearily against the morning light that filtered so brightly into the young man’s eyes. Lifting a hand, he rubbed at his left eye and yawned slightly, adding to the boyish charm that was already held within his features, and then stretched in such a way that an onlooker would be reminded of that of a cat.

Scratching his lower back, he threw back the covers and moved his legs over the side of the bed, shivering slightly as the room temperature hit his bare skin, goosebumps and hairs rising at the sudden change from warmth to chill. As he rose, he stretched once more, lithely, letting out a soft groan as he did so, his bones cracking slightly in the process, before he sighed and relaxed, dropping his arms once more to his sides and scratching his back again. It didn’t take him long to dress, ensuring to don his ever-present broadsword in its sheath at his hip, and with a quick splash of men’s perfume and an equally swift brush of his teeth and hair, the young man retrieved his shoulder bag, slipped it over his head, and easily made his way from his room.

This routine was not an uncommon one for young Ryder Veldine; in fact, this was quite literally his daily routine. Unless his Queen requested otherwise, he was generally awake with the early sun’s rays, readied fairly quickly, saw to any business that required his attention, and was outside of her chamber doors ready to assist her as soon as she awoke as well. ‘Tis the requirement of the Queen’s Royal Advisor, he presumed. En route to the kitchens portion of the castle, he detoured slightly to make a stop by the royal accountant's offices and have a brief word with the older gentleman who handled the finances in there, simply to go over the papers that Ryder had submitted the day before. After ensuring that everything had been in order and nothing was out of place in his calculations, he accepted the finalized reports from the accountant, gave him a respectful bow, slipped the reports into his bag, and retreated from the man's office. Making one last deviation in his route, Ryder slipped into the royal library, his chin dipping ever-so-slightly in greetings to the librarian currently organizing a stack of books. They nodded absentmindedly in return, clearly more than accustomed to his presence in that room, not missing even a single beat in their movements as they did so. It was quick work for him to retrieve the book from his bag and return it to its proper place on the fifth shelf up, the third row down, only to snag a new book from the second shelf up in the same row. Scrawled neatly across the leather front of it were the words Quae astris praesentiuntur Astronomia, and with a satisfied smile, he slipped it into his bag and made his way easily from the library, his little side trips complete.

Stopping by the kitchens along the way to retrieve his breakfast, as well as the maid who was to deliver Queen’s afternoon tea, Ryder nodded hello to the cooks. He noted with piqued interest that there was a new face in the kitchen, and reminded himself to ask the Queen about the new staff member later. He nibbled on his bread and mutton as he walked, giving a slight tilt of the head in greeting to servants as he passed them in the large halls of the castle on his pathing to the Queen’s throne. The maid did not attempt to chat with him, as she was well accustomed to not only his own personally quiet nature but also the kingdom as a whole’s tendency to no speak to many of the men who were in service to the Queen - something that someone as astute as he had not failed to miss. Why this was so, however, he hadn’t a clue.

As Ryder walked, he reviewed the previous day's events in his head, in case his Queen was to inquire what he had accomplished, although he had already given her his reports before retiring for the evening before.

The day had been a simple one, as the tasks that his Queen had entrusted to him had been few and easily done, and his job generally entailed advising the Queen when she requested his input on situations as she seemed to value his opinion given his educational background. However, he did frequently offer to assist her with other tasks, in an effort to lighten the load on her shoulders, and would often be seen out and about performing duties on her behalf that she either did not have the time or the inclination herself to do.

Ryder had been sent to the local orphanage to gather documents on their current orphans, for what the Queen explained was an effort to find homes for the children in need. He then was sent to collect taxes from the shops in the northern shopping district of the city, followed by delivering the monthly royal donations to each church that was currently within city limits. Following that, he was to document all funds that were transferred between the shops, his hands, the castle, and the church, and submit these all to the royal account for filing, before reporting the final profit directly to the Queen herself.

Polishing off the last bite of bread and mutton, Ryder took a swig of water from his canteen on his hip opposite his sword, cleared his throat, and paused outside of the Queen’s throne room alongside the maid as well as the two ever-present guards who stood on each side of the large, ornately designed doors. Jerking his chin up a bit in greeting to them - it was clear that he was a man of few words, and this was a common way for him to say hello - he leaned slightly to the side to listen, noting that he could hear the slightly muffled voices of the Queen and who he immediately recognized as Sir Adrian Wells. It was obvious that they were still deep into discussion, so he straightened once more, hands clasped behind his back, and prepared to wait until she had finished and beckoned him inside.

It was around five minutes later that he heard the approaching footsteps of a man and the doors to the great hall were pushed open. Eyes briefly meeting Sir Wells’, he noted the man’s strained features, and although he was known for being more so the stoic type, perhaps equal in seriousness to Ryder at times, it was rare to see him under such duress. He would have to ask one of his Birds what had happened; they always knew. Brushing the thought aside and turning his focus back to the now-open doors, he smoothed back his hair in an attempt to somewhat tidy the mess that it always was and made his way inside, a small smile on his face - as large of a smile that really anyone could get out of him anymore, other than his books. He strode directly towards Ivelda, immediately dropping to one knee before her and taking her hand with his, his other arm behind his back, and gently placed his lips to her fingers.

”My beautiful Queen; as always, it is a glorious morning that I am truly blessed to be given the opportunity to awaken and arise, to immediately see your beautiful and youthful face,” he practically purred, his voice dripping like fresh honey on honeycomb. Finally turning his soft, unique gaze up to hers, that small, impish smile remained on his lips as he rose to his full height before her, only to bow forward at the hips, one arm cast out at his side and the other folded around his hips. ”I come with one of the servants, bearing your morning tea. Please, drink and be nourished, as the kingdom requires you to remain strong and healthy in order to lead and prosper.”

Straightening once more, Ryder stepped slightly to the side to allow the maid access to the Queen and the desk that she was to eat her breakfast at. As she approached, Ryder kept a watchful eye on her, his gaze wary and alert, yet his stature giving off the appearance of someone relaxed and unprepared. The girl, no older than possibly thirteen or fourteen years old, set the food down, clearly too fearful to even raise her gaze and look at the Queen, cast a dutiful yet quick curtsy in regards to the higher up, before quickly scurrying from the large chambers.

After watching her leaving and ensuring the doors shut behind her, Ryder returned his gaze to his Queen as she lifted her tea. He studied her as she sipped at it, admiring her ethereal beauty, before he averted his gaze. He stood at her side, as per his norm, awaiting any orders or anything she should wish of him.

”It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not." ~André Gide
Hex Code ~ #088A29

---

It was going to be a busy day, he could already tell. Ryder stood beside his Queen as she drank her tea when they were almost immediately interrupted by the entrance of Jaiyi Lang and Aetherius Ruelle. The sight of the duo was strange - they made an interesting pair, and Ryder couldn’t recall any of his Birds having mentioned the two as close. Perhaps they had simply bumped into one another on their way to meet the Queen?

Moving on from the thought, Ryder tuned in at the end of Aetherius’s report, just catching the jist of what he had come to tell their Queen. He would be stupid to not notice the disdainful look that the rough man gave him, and simply chalked it up to jealousy, as what else could it be? Of course the other man was jealous of his position - he had everything he could ever want or need, delicious food, and never had to leave for extended trips. Ryder, on the other hand, could find nothing to be jealous of when it came to Aetherius, He would be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed by the man’s skill in combat and navigation, though, so he simply ignored the look that he was given, glancing over at Jiayi as he moved on.

When Aetherius finished speaking and Ivelda disappeared into her private potion room, Ryder fixated a piercing gaze on the two other men but said nothing, ever the one for stoicism.

It wasn’t long before their Queen had returned with a hovering tray of drinks, and he made a slight face at the swirling liquid as she passed one of the goblets to him. For Ryder, it was always a sad day when he had to drink his Queen’s potion - he knew it was what was best for him, but like a child and medicine, he simply could never get used to the taste.

Once he had tossed the liquid back, his features scrunching a bit, he returned the goblet to Ivelda’s tray. Almost instantly, his mind felt misty, and his eyes took on a blank, glossy sheen, his expression just as empty. After a few moments of this sleepy-fog, Ryder felt himself returning and he shook off the sensation that had become something he was rather used to, and ever the studious Advisor, he moved to his Queen’s side, making himself available to help in any way she see fit.

”Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things.”
~Cicero
Speech Code ~ #0B610B | Thought Code ~ #01A9DB

---

Ms. Evers began her stories, much to Althea’s delight, and as she stood near the back of the crowd she couldn’t help but marvel at the woman’s way with words. She easily drew in the crowd, and even those who hadn’t already joined the group had stopped as they walked past to observe. It was then she noticed an odd warmth against her chest. Reaching up, she touched the emerald pendant that rested between the dip of her breasts, her brows furrowing, but before she could do anything further, an odd force slammed into her, knocking the breath from her body and causing her to lose her balance. She fell back, landing directly on her tailbone with a wince, but did not have time to focus on the pain as she was assaulted with a barrage of images before her eyes.

~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~

”Come on, Artemisia! You have to keep up!”

Panting, the small girl struggled to climb the steep hill, her little legs only able to reach so far. ”I am trying, Aurora! Slow down!” she begged, attempting to use her hands as well to pull herself up in an effort to speed up the process. The blonde bob of hair that shone brightly in the sunlight ahead of her moved, and beautiful shimmering azure eyes focused on her.

“Hurry up, or we’ll miss it!” The other girl insisted, turning back and getting further away from little Artemisia. Tears gathered in her large green eyes, but before they could spill, she felt a gentle push from behind that helped boost her up a bit further and more quickly. Glancing back, she met a green and orange gaze that held a kind and loving tone to them. Orange hair that was only slightly lighter than her own glinted under the rays of the sun, and the smile that beamed up at her was calm and steadying.

“Don’t worry, Sia; I will always be here to help you,” the boy reassured her, his voice soft and holding a lilting tone to it. She felt happiness swell within her as she giggled and smiled back at him, using the back of her hand to wipe away her tears before they could fall.

”Thank you, Appy - I know I can always count on you!”

And then suddenly, more images blinded her from the festival. Hands lifted to rub at her eyes fervently as though in denial, but she quickly found herself drawn in once more.

Ever the follower, Artemisia peaked around the corner of a white pillar, ornately designed with leaves and flowers chiseled into it. Emerald eyes focused on the two boys who stood in the pretty inner courtyard, bickering over who would be the one to reach the Eternal Tree first. Her brother’s golden locks shimmered in the sunlight, as though honey under the golden rays, but she felt her eyes drawn to his compatriot unbidden. The complete polar opposite of his friend, the boy in question had a dark, full head of hair with bangs that fell lazily into his stormy eyes, and she felt her heart quicken a bit in her small chest.

Eager as always, Artemisia slipped from behind the pillar and uncertainly approached her brother and his partner, biting her lip and playing with her fingers.

”Um … C-Can I play, too?” she asked with a tiny voice, clearly nervous about the inquiry. This earned her a surprised look from both her brother and the other boy, who then exchanged a glance with one another before returning their attention back to her.

”I don’t know, Sia … You could get hurt, and mother and father would be very upset with me if I let anything happen to you,” her brother spoke slowly. Frustrated, Sia placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot, pouting adorably. ”But that isn’t fair, Appy! I wanna play too! We’re the same age; just because you’re bigger doesn’t mean I can’t keep up!”

Before her brother could respond, the other boy fixed an amused grin on her, causing Artemisia to pause and stare, frozen under his gaze.

”Just let her join us, Apollyon. She can tag along with me, I don’t mind,” he cut him off with a shrug, and after a moment, he held his hand out in her direction. ”Come on, let’s go.”

Artemisia took his hand slowly, a sweet smile spreading across her cherubic face as he began to lead her away.

~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~’.’~

A loud gasp and a hand clutched at her chest as Althea jerked back to reality, her vision finally clearing and no longer clouded. As she gathered her bearings, she found Dawn - Aurora? - and Liliya - Rhea? - on the ground beside her. Their features were eerily familiar and she immediately recalled their given, original names despite her rattled state-of-mind. Her thoughts flittered back to the other women who had been a part of their group when speaking to Miss Evers and she forced herself to remain calm despite the inner turbulence that she felt. It was clear that whatever had hit her chest had come into contact with her companions, and after a moment to gather herself, Althea shakily pushed herself to her feet, both hands held out, one to each girl.

”A-Are you both alright?” she asked, her voice trembling a bit with shock.

”Love and hate,
When stretched to their extremes,
Blind reason.”
~Janvier Chouteu-Chando
Speech Code ~ #088A29 | Thought Code ~ #DF7401

---

Heterochromic eyes fixated themselves intensely on one of the fellow men who stood nearby - Aetherius - He is quite the volatile fellow; best to avoid him as much as possible; or at least, that is what Ryder reminded himself. Undoubtedly he would have to encounter the ill-tempered man more than he would like to, but if it was in service to his elegant Queen, he would do anything to ensure her happiness.

The man in question spoke then, requesting his leave, and it was all Ryder could do to not scoff haughtily in Aetherius’ direction. What a slothful ingrate. Here our lovely monarch has gone out of her way to ensure our health and wellness, and he wants to tuck tail and run off to cause more mayhem as soon as possible. A nose turned upwards in the dark man’s direction, the golden man held a narrowed gaze clearly aimed at him.

Finally, the other two men were excused, and his sovereign leader had returned her attention to him, much to his delight - Why am I so elated to be under her thumb? - but the thought was quickly dashed from his mind as he fell under her near-hypnotic stare.

"I will be heading down to check on Haru and Alcinder, Ryder. Can you check on my sweet little birds? I want to see what they've been up to."

Ryder could do little else but bow deeply before Ivelda, ever the loyal servant.

”I am your humble servant, my liege,” he practically breathed, struck numb under her glorious attention. He was conscientious enough to remember his gentlemanly training and, before taking his leave, took the woman’s hand and gently pressed his soft lips to her equally soft skin. ”I will report back to you before you take your supper,” and with that, he was already crossing the large room.

It took little time for Ryder to leave the castle and reach the stables, his long legs coming in quite useful when it came to crossing large expanses of areas. It didn’t take long to retrieve his horse Penelope and before he knew it, he was walking the gentile steed to the castle gates. He faltered a bit in his step as he approached the large, ornate doors, confusion finding its way across his features. A debacle seemed to be occurring at the entrance to the castle grounds, and much to his chagrin he instantly recognized the small girl who stood on the opposite side of the gates. Her hair frazzled and her mouth twisted into a desperate grimace, she trembled under the shouts of the gate guards, who grilled her incessantly about her intentions and identity. Unable to stop himself, Ryder found his steps picking up in pace, Penelope trotting a bit in an effort to keep up with his new pace.

”Excuse me, but I do not believe that anyone gave you any orders to harass not only a child, but an orphaned child at that, as well as one who is under my direct care, and is a direct servant to our Queen Ivelda herself.” His words were bit out, his anger over the treatment of his charge evident. At the sound of his voice, the small girl seemed to perk up a bit, moving forward and bumping into the gates. Her hidden eyes almost seemed to search for the owner of the familiar voice, small fingers wrapping halfway around the bars. ”Uncle Ryder? she called, her voice shaking in a mixture of fear and tears. In response, Ryder dropped to a crouch and reached through the bars to ruffle the girl’s messy hair. ”Worry not, my dear Edith, for Uncle Ryder is here to help you now,” he reassured her, unable to contain the small smile that crossed his lips over the sight of the child.

The guards squirmed near him, clearly embarrassed by their actions and uncertain of how he would punish them. Ryder, in turn, slowly rose back to his full height, gaze dark and glaring in their direction. With a barking voice, he called for their supervising officer, who scrambled down from the watchtower that he had been residing in. Once standing before Ryder, practically shaking in his boots, the Advisor crossed his arms and flared his nostrils down at the man.

”If this is how we treat visitors, than frankly, I would rather replace and send you all straight to the gallows,” he practically growled, his voice deep and threatening. The supervisor attempted to explain, but Ryder held up a hand to silence him, not wanting to hear any of his excuses. ”See to it that these ‘men’,” the word dripped with sarcasm and malice, ”Are reassigned to a job more well-suited for treasonous delinquents - perhaps shoveling the latrines will teach them some manners.” The man nodded fervently and without a word took to reorganizing his men, making certain the gate was still guarded, and ordered it to be opened for their Ladies’ Right Hand.

Once on the same side with his sweet horse on his heels, Ryder dropped once more into a crouch and took Edith’s upper arms, concern etched across his face. ”Now, tell me why it is that you have come here? You know well that the Queen would be displeased if anyone were to discover who you are to her, and I do not want to have to choose between my loyalty to her and my lover for you and your brother,” he spoke the words gently but firmly, and the girl sniffled, rubbing at her cheeks as she did, a habit despite her inability to shed tears.

”Edith is happy she found Uncle Ryder! Edith was scared but Edith followed Uncle Ryder’s smell! And Edith found Uncle Ryder!” The girl rushed all of the words out quickly, her excitement clear in her voice despite her tears. It was then that Ryder noted her sweaty composure, her dirtied appearance even more filthy than usual, and his brows furrowed. Had she been hurrying to find him?

His hands moved up and gripped her upper arms, gently but firmly. ”Edith, where is Edmund? Why did you come here? You know how dangerous it could have been should the Queen or one of the others caught you,” he chastised, but it was evident in his voice that he was relieved for her to be okay. It seemed that she was unscathed, and for that he was grateful. He would come up with a plan to cover her identity should anyone question it, but that could be taken care of later.

At the question, the girl’s features instantly fell, and if she could cry, Ryder was certain that she would have. With shaky hands she touched her cheeks and began to shake her head, slowly at first and then gaining momentum as she rotated. Alongside her frantic movements came her stammering, broken speech, seemingly reverting her back into her old ways.

”No, no, no … ‘Ncle ‘yder, the 'mells … The 'ounds … ‘Un Edmund!” the girl sobbed out, but alas, no tears strayed from beneath the bandages covering her eyes. She threw her arms around the man before her, her small, frail body wracked with the cries that silently escaped her lips. ”Edith 'melled the bad 'en come ‘un the bad 'en tried to take Edith’s money, but Edmund wouldn’t let ‘em. So they took Edmund, ‘ut Edith got away ‘un now Edith can’t smell Edmund!” she wailed out. Baffled by this oddly explained stream of events, Ryder could do nothing but pat the girl’s back until her grief had somewhat subsided and she had quieted once more. Once she had straightened and was attempting to calm her breathing, Ryder again gripped her upper arms and looked up at her.

”I need you to start from the very beginning, Edith, and tell me what happened so that I can help you to find Edmund. Not only am I worried about him, but if even one of my little birds is compromised, then the whole operation - including every single one of you - could become endangered. Your safety is my utmost importance,” he stressed to her, tightening his grip slightly in an attempt to get the message across. After a moment the girl nodded and took a deep breath, steadying herself. Once she was somewhat calm and composed, she explained once again to him what had happened, beginning when she was with her older brother at the orphanage cleaning and ending with how Edmund had attempted to fight off a group of men that had come to accuse Edith of stealing a priceless necklace from their family. Of course, Edith insisted this wasn’t true; the youngest daughter of the leader of the family - a noble family but not one that was elite enough to warrant a second glance from him - didn’t like her and had taken a fancy to picking on her, Edith’s blindness and lack of social status and education making her more than an easy target. This, however, was taking bullying too far and could have put not only the children’s lives at risk, but his whole operation.

With all of this newfound information, Ryder straightened to his full height and laid his hand gently on the small girl’s messy hair. ”Do not worry, Edith; I will find Edmund and take care of this promptly.

Once he had readied the horse to carry two instead of one, and only after asking gently for her permission, Ryder assisted Edith in mounting the steed, which whinied and paced a bit, clearly unnerved by the predator that was just placed atop it. With a soft pet, he soothed the horse until she had once more settled, her anxiety replaced by the calmness of a mount with its master. Once she was steadied once more, he turned his attention to Edith, who held the mane of the horse with a grip so tight that her knuckles were white, an expression of fear across her face. For one who could not see the world, being able to feel and hear it was all that she had, and in placing her atop the horse, Ryder had completely removed half of her connection to what she used as a substitute for her sight, rendering her even more defenseless than she already was. He could immediately see through this fear and, placing a hand atop hers where it was curled in the thick hairs, he smiled up at her, despite the knowledge that she could not see the warmth in his gaze.

”Worry not, young maiden - for I, the brave and valiant Sir Ryder, shall accompany you on this morn’ to ride as we fetch your brother and save him from the evil and vile clutches of the rich and monstrous uncouth fools who dare to lay a hand upon such beauty that is the Madame Edith,” Ryder said this all in one long, lavish breath, laying it on thick, really hamming it up and clearly attempting to be over-the-top in such a way to cheer up the young girl who had already been through so much in such a short life. His words drew a giggle of amusement from Edith, her expression relaxing, and once she was as calm as the horse that she rode, he flung himself up behind her, ensuring that she was secure in the spot where she sat before him. With a muttered warning, he gave a gentle squeeze to his steed who responded in kind, taking off at a soft trot at first before developing into a full gallop.

”Where there is anger,
there is always pain underneath.”
~Eckhart Tolle
Speech Code ~ #088A29 | Thought Code ~ #DF7401

---

Furrowed brows and a crease lined the forehead that belonged to Ryder. He ran his fingers along the dust ridden ledges of the windows that lined the walls of the orphanage, an unpleasant scowl on his lips and his narrowed eyes staring in disapproval at the gray sneeze-inducing substance on his hand. It was clear that the man was unhappy, if his expression was any indicator, and the emotion was set upon the woman before him, with Edith standing closely behind his body, one hand clutching tightly into the back of his shirt - both a way to keep track of him, and a comfort as she hid from the headmistress of the orphanage.

”I suppose if I had not arrived for a surprise inspection, I would not have discovered the quarters in such … disarray,” he stated, the word spoken in a way that relayed his disgust. Finally, he moved his intense gaze up to the woman who, up until that point had held herself high and mighty, her overall aura that of a haughty persona, shrank instantly under the piercingly odd eyes that belonged to the right hand of the Queen herself. The woman’s shoulders slumped a bit and she seemed to almost shrink into herself, a guilty look crossing her face, and she dropped her head in shame, and unable to contain herself, began to tremble in fear over the physical repercussions that she faced.

Ryder, however, not one to strike a woman, simply sighed and shook his head in revulsion at the cowardly woman, wrinkling his nose at the sight of her.

”To think that you call yourself a woman and a mother - and matron and a mentor. You are nothing but a mockery to the art of motherhood and matronage, and you should be ashamed of yourself,” he chastised. The woman brought her trembling hands to her face, her tears evolving into full sobs. ”Enough of your false crocodile tears; I care naught for them and you will not pull me to your side with them either. The more that you shed, the further my irritation with you rises,” he warned, and after a few moments, they dissolved into sniffles but she kept her head lowered to the ground, too ashamed to meet his hardened, unforgiving gaze.

”Consider yourself lucky to have encountered me and not someone of my status with a less forgiving nature, elsewise you would not be so lucky as to escape with your life. The clear neglect of not only this facility but the children within - the very children that will one day help to build the foundation of our land’s future and livelihood - has cause dishonor not only to Rhindeval, but has shown your complete and utter disrespect to the Grace that is our Queen Ivelda. Should it have been Sir Vordada of The Sect, you would have been sentenced to death of a horrifying nature, or worse, sent to the dungeons to be dissected by our resident psychotic undertaker,” he practically spat, his disdain for the young man clear in his voice.

Moving on from that, he straightened and approached the woman, glaring down at her and forcing himself to unclench his jaw. ”Consider yourself relieved of your duties from this moment forth, and should you seek out any profession that entails childcare of any sort within the boundaries of Rhindeval, you will find it quite difficult to be hired in such a field,” he warned, his eyes flashing in an even deeper foreboding that should she even dare to try, she would have more things to worry about than simply being rejected from the job. "Now, retrieve your things from your quarters and leave - you are no longer welcome within this orphanage, or any building that holds children.”

The woman bowed and scurried away, leaving Ryder to further his investigation with Edith and without that woman’s nosy interference, and then attempt to track down where Edmund possibly could have been taken. Before doing so, he did ensure to turn to the Assistant of the Headmistress and issued a few orders so that the orphanage would run smoothly for the next day or so, but was quickly back at work hunting down Edmund. It was easy enough for Edith to show him where the duo had originally been confronted and attacked due to her proficient sniffing abilities. From there he was able to track the scuffle that was home to quite a fair amount of blood, to several sets of footprints alongside a path that had clearly been Edmund struggling against his captors.

Once he found that they led to a fairly obvious set of carriage tracks, he whistled, and not fifteen seconds later his horse came trotting happily around the corner of the orphanage, a mouthful of hay and an annoyed looking stable boy peeking around after her. Casting a sheepish grin at the boy and calling out to repay him later, as well as a soft warning to Edith, he tossed the young girl upon Penelope as gently as he possibly could, swung himself up behind her, and took off following the carriage tracks at a breakneck pace, his arms tight around Edith as she was bounced haphazardly before him, apologies escaping his lips for the uncomfortable ride as they flew threw the city and out to the outskirts where the rich had their large and impressively massive properties. All the while, Edith assisted, her nose only doing so much however as Edmund’s scent had degraded quite a bit over the time that had progressed since his kidnapping had occurred.

When the tracks led to the grounds belonging to the Redstone family, Ryder drew Penelope to a sudden halt, causing her to whine in argument, and he patted her neck in apologies. There was no one at the front gates that stood wide open, which instantly cause his internal alarms to raise, but not wanting to worry Edith, he simply tightened his arms slightly and squeezed his legs, causing Penelope to go into a gentle trot up the path that led to the sprawling homestead. The Redstone family was not the richest of the elites, but they were also not at the bottom of the social ladder either, so the fact that there were no guards stationed at the gates paired with the quiet in the air made him more than uneasy. The courtyard was all but abandoned, the only inhabitants being perhaps a handful of servants going about their normal duties - doing laundry, fetching water, the like. This further raised red flags to Ryder, who slowed Penelope to a stop before the stables, dropped from her saddle, and assisted Edith in dismounting before tying Peneloping to a nearby hitchpost with plenty of hay and water beside it. After a pat on the kind steed’s snout, he allowed Edith to once more grip the back of his shirt so as to guide her behind him, and he approached the household, his expression dark and his stature prepared for the worst.

Before he could reach the front doors, he paused. Edith had tugged at his shirt and, without a word, she had pointed in one simple direction. From what little one could see of the girl’s expression behind her bandages, they could tell that she held a look of both fear, desperation, and crushed hope. Ryder could only imagine what type of scents she was taking in, and what she had heard with her oversensitive nose and ears, and ever-so-slowly, he turned his head in the direction that her trembling finger pointed.

There stood a gaggle of men, the oldest of whom held a scowl on his face, his annoyance clear on his face. ”That damn Vordada - He thinks himself on par with a God! What a mockery! Pah!” The old man exclaimed, and although Ryder held his own amount of disdain towards the man in question, for Sir Redstone to be speaking ill of someone that the Queen held within so high regards was to make a mockery of the Queen herself. ”To think that he can just waltz in with his occult and take the very monster that injured my son … The very monster that we were entitled a blood debt to! That cursed child drew blood from Redstone kin … It is only fair for that debt to repaid in kind!”

The group had yet to notice Ryder and Edith, which was an advantage to him, and this gave him a moment to survey them. It was clear from their discussion that Edmund had been there, and also William Vordada, and given that neither was present at the time, it was a fair assumption to make that Vordada had taken Edmund with him. There were a few that were clearly servants of Sir Redstone, and two young men that from their clothing he assumed were the young sons of the House of Redstone, one of whom seemed to be badly injured. From the distance it was hard to say for certain, but it almost looked to be Edmund’s doing, and a small smirk turned up Ryder’s lips. Looking past the men and into the barn, he spotted what Edith must have smelled, which was a square outline in the dirt, specks of blood on the ground, a few rods lying around that he assumed were pure silver if these men had any brain cells to claim, and various other weapons and restraints that clearly did not belong within a barn. Rage instantly welled up within his chest, but with a clenched jaw, he forced himself to hide his anger, instead throwing a carefree smile on his face as he strode over to the men.

”I could not agree more; that Vordada is absolutely unbearable,” he groaned, rolling his eyes and ignoring the odd looks that the men gave him, instead giving them a confident smile in response. ”Apologies, my good men, I could not help but overhear your complaints, for I am here because Vordada realized after leaving so shortly ago that he had been unjust in simply taking the young monster from your care, so he sent me to offer repayment and penance so that it is … of an equal trade, one could say,” he said with a small, unreadable smile on his lips. The men seemed to hesitate but the patron of the family instantly moved forward, seeming to eat up Ryder’s words, none the wiser to what Ryder was planning, and as soon as the man was within arm’s length, Ryder reached out and placed a hand gently on the man’s shoulder, that unreadable smile still on his face. ”Ah, however, I did forget to mention that the trade seemed to be unequal for us, as it seems that you have yet to learn your lesson, old man,” he paused and leaned in closer, his lips near the patron’s ear, his voice dropping to a whisper before he continued, [color=#088A29]”As the saying goes, ’You cannot teach an old dog new tricks’.” With that, it took nary a second for Ryder to unsheath the small dagger at his waist which he instantly dove into the old man’s spinal cord, drawing a scream of absolute agony from his lips. This caused the men in the group to go into action, drawing their weapons from their sheaths and moving forward as Ryder held the old man up, turning him in his arms so they could see the twisted face that was their Patron.

”Ah, I suppose I should tell you all - I lied. I am actually the right hand of the Queen, the glorious Goddess that is our beautiful and lovely Ivelda, and I am more than free and obligated to act out in her righteous duty however should I see fit,” he said softly and cooly, that unreadable smile never wavering from his lips, his piercing eyes frighteningly dark despite their bright colors. There was almost something missing in those eyes, as though his soul were no longer there. Lifting the now blood-stained dagger, he allowed the old man to crumple in a complete and utter heap to the ground, ignoring the sobs of pain he let out as Ryder approached the group of men who now stood with their weapons held in uncertainty.

He turned his dark eyes on the servants, narrowing them. ”I would highly recommend lowering your weapons should you wish to leave with your lives. This is not your battle to fight within, and I do not wish to injure or slay innocently involved people,” he warned, his face showing them that this would be their only warning. The two men exchanged a look before dropping their weapons and retreating within the barn, their hands raised in surrender and leaving him with the two sons of Redstone whose gazes flickered between their sobbing father and the approaching, unreadable man before them. He cocked his head slightly to the side and raised a brow at the injured one before shrugging his shoulder and waving the boy off, but when the young man did not budge, he narrowed his gaze once more and waved again, this time making it clear that there would not be a third wave. With a nudge of warning from his elder brother, the young man begrudgingly backed up to be with the two servants, his worry evident in his features.

Ryder, however, took his sweet time, and began to whistle a bit of a jaunty tune, eying his knife a bit ominously as he approached the spot in the barn that the outline of the square box was. Once he had, he crouched down beside it, tracing the spot a bit in the dirt with the blood encased knife. After a moment, he stopped whistling and looked up at the wall, seemingly brooding on something, but before any of the men present could speak or even react, he had moved in an instant, his actions almost a blur.

Kah-kang cong kang kung!

The sound echoed throughout the barn and was followed by the immediate shriek of the elder son of the Redstone family as he crumpled to the ground, hands gripping his now twisted and mangled leg. A bent silver rod lay beside his writhing body on the ground, and from what the men could assume, Ryder had flung the rod with such precision and force, it had impacted and crushed the young man’s leg on impact before following to rest beside him. The younger son rushed to his brother’s side while the servants hurried to the patron of the family who was quickly turning white in the blood rapidly pooling around him. Ryder simply rose to his feet, once again calm and placid, and dusted himself off, surveying the horror and bloodshed around him as he began to walk back to Edith, who stood where he left her. She did not know exactly what had happened but she had a fairly good idea given the sounds and smells, and she knew the Young Master Ryder to be a very scary man should one get on his bad side. She thanked the Gods that he liked her and her brother.

”Now, I would recommend caring for your wounded and never again making the mistake of angering those associated with the righteous Queen Ivelda. Have we made ourselves clear enough?” The wails and sobs of agony he received in response were answer enough and he smiled, allowed Edith to clasp his shirt once more, and cast a look in the direction of the front doors of the household that now stood open with the young daughter of the family standing within them with her mother, both of whom held horrified expressions upon their faces. ”Ah, and as for you two - I would highly recommend no longer lying through your teeth - lest you wish for me to come visit again and take a limb or two this time, instead of simply causing a bit of pain,” he warned, holding a sweet, unreadable smile once more. The young girl began to sob in horror, but he ignored her, approached Penelope, helped Edith up, and they were off towards the city once more, leaving the chaos of the Redstone estate behind.

---

Ryder wasted no time in reaching the castle, as he knew exactly where Vordada would head should he have discovered something like an untrained Lycanthrope within Rhindeval. He would wish to show off his new treasure to Ivelda like the worm that he was, not knowing that the Queen was already well aware of the treasures that were the Lycanthrope orphans Edith and Edmund. His only drive being the want to receive more authority and power over the people. As soon as they were within castle walls, he dismounted and threw Penelope’s reigns at the nearest stable boy, vowing to make it up to her later, and took off with Edith on his heels to the carriage that he saw within the entrance that held the colors and emblem of Vordada and his sect.

”Vordada!” he bellowed, his fury evident in his voice. It was rare for anyone to see any emotion from the man that was the right hand of the Queen, let alone anger, so for those that were present in the courtyard, this was frightening indeed. The servants scurried away to hide within the palace or watch from a safe distance, and the guards and knights did the same, the stable boys hiding within the stable’s to watch with curiosity. It was clear that the leader of the religious sect had done something to absolutely infuriate the man that was the most trusted advisor of the Queen, and he seemed to be practically seething with rage.

When he finally reached the carriage, Vordada himself was quite close to it, but before Ryder could approach him, Edith ran from his side and towards the carriage that belonged to the leader of the sect, obviously not knowing where she was heading other than the fact that it was towards her brother’s scent, but was stopped by two men in church garb before she could reach it. One of them reach down and plucked her up like she was nothing more than a ragdoll and simply peered at her before laughing and tossing her aside again, like she was nothing more than a toy. The girl landed with a sound of alarm, and this drew a near-inhuman sound from Ryder’s lips. It took mere seconds for him to close the distance between himself and the carriage, and once he had, he shot out both hands, one grabbing the hair of the man on the right and forcing him to the ground, and the other wrapping around the throat of the man on the left. This caught them both off-guard, allowing him to toss them to the ground before the carriage, which he gripped the door to and wrenched open, revealing an extremely frightened and extremely injured Edmund encaged within.

Ryder stood still for a moment, his eyes staring into Edmund’s as his rage slowly and gradually built, and after a few seconds had ticked by, he reached his boiling point. His fingers tightened around the doors to the carriage briefly before he pushed himself back, ignoring the men that had now scrambled over to Vordada’s side, and he turned slowly to face Vordada, withdrawing the sword at his hip as he did so, the absolute fury blazing within his gaze one that was completely unrecognizable in the young man that was otherwise known for a placid and gentle persona.

”Give me one reason right now why I should not cleave you in two, William Vordada, in the name of the Great and Honorable Ivelda herself, as you cage and injure a loyal servant of the Goddess within a carriage that you own,” he practically snarled out.

”Nothing is more noble,
Nothing is more venerable,
Than loyalty.”
~Cicero
Speech Code ~ #088A29 | Thought Code ~ #DF7401
Edith Speech Code ~ #8904B1 | Edmund Speech Code ~ #B40404

---

At the approach of the Royal Advisor and the draw of his sword, Vordada visibly blanched. Conversation halted, he half-turned and jumped a bit, startled, before tossing his hands into the air. Before he could say anything, however, Ryder moved closer so that the tip of his weapon was nearly touching the man’s throat. Vordada gulped in fear, a small tremble coming over his body, but at the Advisor’s words could feel himself growing enraged. Ryder watched all of these emotions flash across the Minister’s face and internally bemused over what the man would settle on in the end.

Instead of Vordada’s voice, however, another one slipped between the pair, permeating the air with its soothing vibrato.

"Vordada, an injured child bound away on the floor of a carriage? Have you truly lost any sense of morality? Sir Ryder is right, you'll need quite the explanation to make any of this not look as depraved as it does at first and further glance."

Momentarily distracted from his prey, Ryder cocked his head so as to give a sidelong glance at the approaching specimen. He knew every employee within the castle walls - he had had a part in hiring each one - so it was easy enough to recognize the newcomer as none other than Jiayi Lang. Despite his affiliation with the royal guard, Ryder felt himself weary as always of those he knew little about, and Jiayi was one of those people. His Little Birds had gathered information on a majority of the inhabitants of the royal palace, but a few remained on his list of unknown origins and backgrounds - with Jiayi’s name scrawled perfectly along the rest.

His sword steadily held at the minister’s throat, Ryder fixed an untrusting stare on Jiayi. What was the man’s aim in approaching them? His words bespoke that of an ally, but if Ryder knew anything it was that body language and looks could easily be deceiving. He flicked his eyes towards the minister for a moment before returning them to Jiayi.

”Sir Lang - I would say that it is a pleasure to be in your presence, but given the circumstances I hope that you can forgive my rudeness,” he said coolly and simply. With that, he turned back to Vordada, who had for the moment been quiet as though scheming his next move in order to stay alive. The sight of the man’s sniveling face irritated Ryder more than he could explain. Unfortunately for him, the man was a trusted official of the royal court, leaving his fate to be decided by either the appointed officials, or Ivelda herself. Ryder had his own fair share of power around the kingdom, but he certainly was not given ultimate freedom of both judge and jury. Instead, in a circumstance such as this, he would be forced to only take the minister into custody - given the culprit’s standing within the community.

This reasoning came due to the welcome distraction that Jiayi had provided. If it were not for him, Ryder certainly would have lost his temper and separated the minister’s head from his body already. Instead, although he wished to Ivelda that he could deal out punishment, he simply lowered his weapon to his side, scoffing a bit as he did.

”Tsk; you are no man, but instead of snake, slimy, sneaky, and most importantly, unable to trusted.” Those simple words were followed by a wave of Ryder’s hand, his nimble fingers flicking in the air as it moved. At the motion, four heavily armored and armed knights appeared from the castle wall, having been watching the interaction with piqued interest. ”You two - escort the minister to the dungeons. I am sure that our local inquisitor will have an enjoyable time with him.” At these orders, Vordada’s eyes widened in absolute terror, the prior rage wiped entirely from his face.

”No, please, no! I beg of you - do not send me to that demon! That vampire, the spawn of Satan himself! He was sent by the devil to haunt our nightmares! Legend says that even one look into the bloody eyes of the vampire will leave you with night terrors for the rest of your days!” The man wailed out these pleas, dropping to his knees before Ryder and clutching at his pant legs beggingly. ”Anywhere - anything but the Inquisitor! I beg of you, Sir Ryder, have mercy!”

The final words of the minister struck a chord within Ryder’s temper and he snapped, his hand flying out and quickly connecting with the disgusting vermin’s face. The sound of fist-meeting-flesh resonated with a sickening crunch, blood spurting from the man’s face as his nose was broken and several teeth knocked loose in one hit. He fell to the dirt sobbing, hands clutching at his shattered face and blood pouring into them from his nose. Ryder paid this no heed but dropped to a crouch before Vordada, hand moving out to roughly grip the front of his shirt. He brought the man’s face close to his, so close that he could smell the man’s putrid breath.

”I do not recall you showing any mercy to the child that you assisted in torturing; you are fortunate I do not remove your head from your body right here,” it was a simple sentence, but the tone of his voice combined with the look of absolute fury, the lack of humanity in Ryder’s eyes, sent an unrecognizable weakness into Vordada’s knees. Before Ryder could react, the man had fainted from fright.

Ryder scoffed, tossing the disgusting man to the ground and brushing his hands off as though revolted from touching him. ”Get him up and drag him to the dungeons. As I said before, the Inquisitor can enjoy slicing him up in my stead.” The two men nodded and grabbed Vordada’s arms, dragging him across the dirt as they headed towards the dungeons. Ryder turned and snapped his fingers at the remaining two guards. ”As for you two, I want you to escort these little ‘followers’ of Lord Vordada to the dungeons as well. I will leave their fates up to the Queen to decide.”

”Understood, my lord,” the taller one slipped out, bowing forward as a sign of respect before the duo began rounding up the small group that had assisted Vordada.

Although he wished to approach Jiayi Lang and inquire about why he had assisted him, his first priority was the siblings. With that thought at the forefront of his mind, Ryder turned and swiftly approached the carriage. Edith had managed to find her way back to it and was attempting to figure out how to release Edmund, albeit unsuccessfully. At the sight Ryder almost smiled; she was so focused, despite her inability to even see what she was doing. She would grow to be a strong woman, he was certain of it, if raised correctly.

”Little Snow,” he called, the endearing nickname immediately drawing Edith’s attention to him. She was hyperventilating, clearly concerned for her brother’s wellbeing, which was understandable given that he was the only family that she had left.

His heart twinged at the thought of family and the reminder of his lack thereof, but he quickly shook it off. Now was not the time to wallow in self-pity, he reasoned. Instead, he dropped his hand on Edith’s shoulder and gently moved her back. After a moment of study, he removed a small tool from his pocket and set to work picking the lock that held Edmund in place.

Finally, after a few moments of intense silence, there was a soft click and the lock separated. Edmund, however, too weak and injured to do much other than stare, simply continued to sit back in the cage. It was doubtful that he would be sitting if it were large enough to lay in; the boy had obviously been through too much for his undeveloped body to handle.

Without hesitation, Ryder reached in and gingerly went about extracting the teen from his prison. His heart ached at the sight of the lad and the fact that he had failed to protect him. He would have to discuss better security measures at the orphanages so as to protect the Birds with Ivelda.

”Come, Edith; we must hurry to the physician and have Edmund treated.” The girl nodded, sobbing despite her lack of tears, and reached out a hand to grab Ryder’s shirt tail. She did not wish to speak; she was far too concerned for her brother’s health. Instead, she simply whimpered out, ”Please don’t die, Eddy - I can’t lose you too.”

At this point, unfortunately Edmund had lost consciousness within Ryder’s arms. He steadied his grip on the boy, not wishing to hurt him further yet he was so severely injured that he worried about even touching the child. As he passed Jiayi, he shot him an unreadable look, pausing mid-step.

”I thank you for your assistance, Sir Lang. I owe you a debt of gratitude and plan to repay it in full. Although I am certain that the Queen will take me by my word, I would be appreciative if you would not mind accompanying me to the throne room as a witness to what just transpired.” Instead of waiting for a response from the man - he would follow him if he agreed and he would not if he did not - Ryder took off at a brisk pace. It was urgent that they hurry to the royal physician; the man was aware of the existence of the Birds, so was able to be trusted with their care.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the medical ward and without hesitation Ryder swept through the doors, rushing to the nearest empty bed. The physician was startled but immediately made his way over to them at their entrance, assistant at his side with a cart of tools.

”You know what to do,” was all that Ryder said. The physician nodded and set to work. Ryder knew that Edith would refuse to leave her brother’s side until he was in the clear, so instead of forcing her to leave, he simply settled her into the chair with a nod at the physician’s assistant to keep an eye on and entertain her.

As he left the ward, he paused just outside the doors, an eyebrow quirked over at Jiayi in surprise. He hadn’t actually expected the knight to follow, but was pleasantly taken aback by his presence at the entry to the ward. With nothing more than a nod in his direction, Ryder started towards the throne room, intent on settling this matter quickly.

”Everyone is a moon,
and has a darkside which he never shows to anybody.”
~Unknown
Speech Code ~ #088A29 | Thought Code ~ #DF7401
Edith Speech Code ~ #8904B1 | Edmund Speech Code ~ #B40404

---

”You asked me to come along, didn't you? The man wasn’t wrong; Ryder had requested his accompaniment to speak to their Queen. She would undoubtedly believe Ryder no matter what, but it would look better to the rest of the royal court appointed officials if there were another valid witness. Still, he was unable to shield his surprise that Jiayi had actually followed along. He knew the man to have a surprisingly gentile persona despite his currently held position, but even though there were children involved, it was still unexpected for him to be so willing to set aside his current affairs to tend to such a thing. ”I wasn't aware you'd taken two children under your wing, Ryder? They're in good hands." At this point they had reached the doors to the throne room, the medical ward kept quite close for good reason, and Ryder came to a stop, hand on the door handle so as to block Jiayi from opening it. After a moment of thought he turned an intense gaze onto the other man, his expression filled with warning; because if Jiayi were to discover the truth about the Birds, who knew what Ivelda would do to either one of them?

”I saved them during the extermination of the White Hyacinth Clan. You should remember it; from what I recall, you helped lead the campaign.” His eyes narrowed a bit, and despite the frightening expression on his features, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of concern. He would rather avoid this surprisingly kind man facing punishment simply because he found out something that he should not have. ”I would highly recommend, however, that you do not look into this matter any further. You are paid to do your job - nothing more, and nothing less.” With those words in the open air between them, Ryder shoved the doors open and strode inside.

The first thing his eyes fell on was blindingly white hair. It was a shade so striking, so stark in contrast to many of its surroundings, that it was impossible to miss. On top of that, it was a color not often seen throughout Rhindeval, at least when it came to a person’s hair. The closest he had seen in person other than this hair in particular were the Lycan siblings, and their hair was more gray than anything else. Unfortunately, however, such beautiful hair could only belong to one individual, and it was that certain individual that many people would much rather avoid.

At that thought, Ryder turned his attention to his Queen, pushing out the presence of the Royal Inquisitor from his mind for the time being.

It took less than five minutes for Ryder to explain what had happened, from the orphanage’s conditions and his need to relieve the headmistress of her duties from there, to the Redstone estate and their kidnapping of Edmund. He continued on with the information, detailing his punishment dealt out to said family, and then onto how Vordada had taken Edmund for his own personal vendetta, finally concluding the story with the man’s transgressions against not only Edmund, but Edith, Ryder, and Sir Lang as well, and how he had ordered the man taken to the dungeons.

Once he was finished, he allowed Jiayi to speak and then awaited Ivelda’s command, and as she delivered her verdict, he felt a small bit of pleasure curl inside of him. He wanted nothing more than to torture Vordada himself, but he knew it was best left up to the professionals.

At that thought, he turned his head lazily towards the Inquisitor. ”It seems like you are useful for one thing or another, little vampire. Ensure that he suffers - immensely,” was all that Ryder delivered, a somewhat dark smile curling up his lips. He then glanced over at Jiayi and gave him a small half-bow. ”Many thanks for your assistance. I will purchase whatever you like as thanks. Money is no issue. Simply let me know what you wish for and I will make sure that it is done.” Seemingly content with these words, he turned a graceful bow in Ivelda’s direction.”My Queen,” was all he said. He dismissed himself at that, intent on returning to his studies of the stars.

”When physical pain is combined with mental pain,
You feel numb.”
~Unknown
Speech Code ~ #0101DF | Thought Code ~ #01A9DB

---

The stroke of Ivelda’s touch sent a shiver of delight down Alcinder’s spine, goosebumps peppering his skin. Gaze holding adoration for the woman, he pressed his own hand to the back of hers as though to capture it against his cheek, but released it willingly as she retreated from him. It left him feeling cold and empty, missing the touch of the woman he had been raised to adore. "You may serve me by drinking this. I always appreciate what my followers do to ensure the stability of Rhindeval and anything else I require. Please stand. Oh Haru, here's your drink too. Enjoy both of you and Haru, you can return to your studies after you're done.” Without hesitation, Alcinder rose and took the goblet, tossing the liquid back yet showing no reaction to the bitter taste as he gulped it down. It left him dazed, his eyesight foggy, and as he rubbed his face he shook his head to rid himself of the sensation, the red orb once more centering on his beloved liege. It was barely registered as the Royal Alchemist took his leave, as he was so enraptured with the beauty of his Queen. He was finally alone with her and could barely contain his excitement over the aspect.

"So any news from our recent prisoners? Once you tell me all you know, you're also free to go and I can then attend to our 'little lamb'. I will have a servant notify you when I am done, and you can have servants clean the area up." Of course, straight to business as usual. She rarely made time for leisure with anyone, let alone Alcinder, so much to his disappointment he sighed and relented, ever the loyal servant. He did, however, move close to her once more, dropped to his knees before her, and rested his forehead against her knee - anything to be close to the woman that he adored.

”I was able to garner some information from the rebels that we captured, as there was a leader amongst them. We have pinpointed one of their hideouts; it is a small one, but can lead us to many larger ones given the files that are kept there. It is used as a knowledge trade base, so they keep many of their important belongings there.” He paused, as though mulling over the other things that he had discovered. ”Also, a few have mentioned something about princes and princesses - they do not go into detail, but simply state that their allegiance is to the true royals and they will not give in until the rightful heirs take the thrones. Typical rebel spew, of course,” he shrugged it off, not really caring about the prisoner’s rants. Those imprisoned tended to toss out whatever thought came to mind in hopes that it could possibly get them released, so whether or not it was true could be hard to tell. He only ever truly paid attention to a prisoner’s words when torturing them, for it was through pain that the truth is most often revealed. The mention of princes and princesses was something he didn’t understand himself, but it was not his job to understand but to simply relay the information to his Queen.

Before he could continue, the doors to the throne room were thrust open, revealing a rather angry appearing Ryder Veldine, otherwise known as the Dog of the Queen. An instant flair of jealousy engulfed Alcinder; this man was around his precious Ivelda far too often for his liking. The only one who should be near her so frequently was himself - and no one else. Ivelda was his.

To stop his expression from giving away his growing fury, Alcinder fixated a devilish smirk behind his mask. He may not be able to hurt the precious Royal Advisor, but he could definitely mess with him, and mess with him he shall. A small chuckle escaped him before he could stop it, earning a suspicious look from Ryder, to which Alcinder responded with an innocent wave in greeting.

Almost immediately the tall gentleman launched into a tale of what had so recently occurred; something about a pastor or a minister or a priest or whatever - Alcinder never really paid attention to religion - taking some child and the child being hurt, but the child was a servant of Ivelda. To be frank, Alcinder really couldn't care less about what Ryder had to drone on about, so he simply tuned the man out as he droned on, plotting ways to mess with him in the future.

”It seems like you are useful for one thing or another, little vampire. Ensure that he suffers - immensely.” Well, gee, what a fine compliment. I am absolutely flattered to receive such praise from the one and only Sir Ryder. Alcinder snorted internally at the thought; as if he would ever be pleased over any type of so-called ‘flattery’ from the likes of this man. ”Many thanks for your assistance. I will purchase whatever you like as thanks. Money is no issue. Simply let me know what you wish for and I will make sure that it is done.” This was not directed at Alcinder, but instead at the other inhabitant of the room, a man he didn’t recognize. His flawless skin seemed so smooth in the lights of the throne room, and Alcinder’s hand twitched with the urge to mar that unblemished surface. In an urge to control himself, he simply pressed his thumbnail into his palm, instantly drawing blood. The pain brought him back to a bit of sanity for the time being and he was able to refocus enough to answer Ryder Veldine.

”I appreciate such flattering words, Sir Veldine,” he drawled out, his deep voice dripping with sarcasm. ”Don’t worry; the churchgoer is in excellent care,” he finished, his smirk twinkling in his eyes. With an exuberant bow - he was clearly poking fun at those who actually partook in the manner of bowing - Alcinder dropped one last kiss on Lady Ivelda’s hand. ”I will attend to these duties to the utmost of my ability, my Queen.”

And with that, he took his own leave, gone from the throne room in a matter of moments - a dark grin twisting his hidden lips as he mulled over the various ideas he had in store for this 'Vordada'.

”You have power over your mind,
Not outside events.
Realizet this,
And you will find strength.”
~Marcus Aurelius
Speech Code ~ #088A29 | Thought Code ~ #DF7401
Edith Speech Code ~ #8904B1 | Edmund Speech Code ~ #B40404

---

The remainder of the day passed with little excitement, giving Ryder enough time to check in on the Lycan siblings as well as return to his studies. He had few responsibilities when it came to any upkeep around the castle itself - those tasks were well-suited for lower-class individuals, such as maids or housekeepers - so once he had finished attending to his duties of the day, he was pretty much free to do whatever he so pleased. Most days this idle time was filled with studying, as he found garnering knowledge far more use of his time than gambling, drinking, or participating in other vices of the like. So instead, he would much rather be confined to the library or his own quarters, where it was most quiet within the palace walls, giving him ample opportunity to intake any information he so wished. He had finished every book in the royal library over the years and had taken to venturing out into the city as well as the surrounding regions so as to hunt down as many books as possible. Knowledge, to Ryder at least, was the best weapon of choice in war, and he would be damned if he were to be caught lacking in that department.

Unfortunately, due to his bookwormish persona, his physical attributes had taken a bit of a toll. Not to the point where he was overweight - far from it, in fact, as he was well-toned and kept up with his diet and regimen, knowing how important it was for the body to be of sound health when it came to having an equally healthy mind. In actuality, what had truly suffered was his skills in particular departments pertaining to those of the physical nature, such as hand-to-hand combat. He was decent with a sword and a phenomenal bowman, but other than that, he had little training in actual combat. As he mulled through this, he had come to a decision to put a bit more effort and focus into his training when it pertained to physical fighting, otherwise who knew what could happen?

---

The morning that followed such a hectic day was surprisingly normal for Sir Ryder Veldine. As always, though, when he left his quarters - ensuring to flip every lock into place as he did - a thought nagged at the back of his mind that something … bad was going to happen. It was easy enough to shake the feeling away and shove it down to hide. There was no use focusing on something that could or could not be true, so why bother?

Instead, his attention was drawn to the mouthwatering smell of eggs and bacon. A luxury indeed, as many commoners were too poor to afford something such as bacon, he found himself blessed to be able to even smell the luxurious aroma that was sizzling, juicy, delicious-

”Welcome, Sir Ryder. Are you here for your breakfast? I was about to send Her Highness’ morning meal as well, if you would like to accompany Andromeda. I know you generally greet the Queen each morning.”

The chef, of course, was the one speaking, and Ryder quirked a brow at the man before flicking his gaze to the girl in question. It was the same young maid from the day before who had delivered the Queen’s mid-morning tea, and once again he could not help but note her young age. With this closer look he noted the horrendous scar that marred the girl’s hairline, expertly hidden behind her bangs. It was obvious she was self-conscious of the injury; it looked as though someone had attempted to scalp her. Unsurprising, given her abnormal coloration; it was undoubtedly some sort of rampant gang, looking to make a quick penny off of a pretty wig. A shame that such a young child is forced into a difficult position like this.

With a shrug and a nod, he wordlessly agreed, simply stretching out a hand as though demanding, not asking, for his breakfast. The chef flushed a bit and turned, motioning to someone behind him, and with a shout the boy turned, head bent to somewhat obscure his face as he held a basket of breakfast foods out to the intimidating man before them. Ryder studied the boy for a moment - it was the unfamiliar face from the morning before - and once again felt that small voice at the back of his mind telling him that something awful was going to happen.

This time, though, he did not shake it off, but instead simply took the basket and turned, notating the boy for later. With only a wave in goodbye to the chef, he sauntered out from the kitchens, Andromeda scrambling behind him to keep up with a serving cart.

It took little time to reach the Queen’s chambers, and from what he could hear through the doors, she was up and ready, just finishing her hair. Ever the dutiful advisor, Ryder leaned back against the wall across from the ornate doors to wait, the knights standing on either side of them used to his presence. Andromeda, however, trembled a bit as she stood, waiting antsily for Ivelda to beckon them in.

It was a mere five minutes later that the doors opened and the hairdresser made her exit, allowing them entry. Ryder allowed Andromeda to go first, following easily after the girl. As she placed each plate on the beautiful table that the Queen would eat at, Ryder made his way to Ivelda’s side, dropping to his knee as he reached her. He gently drew her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her fingers.

”I hope that you slept well, my liege,” he spoke softly. Once again on his feet, he gestured to the table of covered food. ”Please, be nourished and well so that you may lead our land to fruition.”

With that, Andromeda had finished her display of the food and removed the covers of each dish, curtsying once she had finished. Seeming as though eager, she made her way from the room with her cart, almost sprinting away. Ryder returned his gaze to his Queen as she lifted her fork. He studied her as she began to gather a few bites of hard-boiled eggs mixed with several salad mixes as well as an odd, flowery white substance that seemed to almost stand out against the green and yellows of the rest of the dish. As she began to lift it to her mouth, before it could even touch her lips, Ryder’s hands both flew out, smacking both the fork and plate out of her hands and causing them to fly across the room, clattering loudly across the floor and sending eggs and greens everywhere, as well as glass from the plate as it shattered into a million pieces.

Before she could grow angry with him, he rounded towards the Lady In Waiting, who stood in shock, frozen in her spot. The doors to the chambers flew open as the two guards that previously stood outside rushed in, swords drawn and readied. When they took note of no immediate threat, they lowered their weapons slightly yet kept them readied, their eyes darting throughout the room to search for any and all possible threats.

”I want you to gather all of the kitchen staff, now!" he snapped at the girl, who was no other than eighteen. Spinning on his heel and approaching the guard on the right, he threw out his hand, finger extended. "You! Ring the bells to lock the castle's outer walls. I want this entire castle on complete lockdown immediately! There has been an attempted assassination on the Queen, and we will not allow the would-be assassin to escape! Then send two of the servants to fetch the royal healer and Sir Adrian!" Striding to the other guard, he thrust his hand at this one in turn as well. "As for you, I want you to send a servant to find Sir Jiayi with strict instructions to gather the royal guard, and one for Sir Haru, as well as one to fetch the royal artist to be brought immediately! When you fetch Sir Haru, inform the Devil that he will have another prisoner to interrogate soon. Send another Royal Knight to intercept Sir Valken's fleet and ensure that he is docked and awaiting further command from our Queen! Now!” With his eyes darting between both of them, he barked out one more instruction, giving no room for arguments or questions, "I want all of these people in the throne room in under fifteen minutes. Now go!" The men gave curt nods and both of them, along with the Lady in Waiting, took off at near-sprints out the chamber doors, and almost immediately a loud tolling could be heard, the bells echoing throughout the entire castle. In turn, more bells began to resound throughout the kingdom, as the servants hired to work at each belltower were instructed to repeat the bell toll in rhythm with whatever alarm was issued so as to alert the entirety of the kingdom. This specific pattern alerted the kingdom of an attempted assassination on the Queen, and would alert the guard working the castle security to go into full lockdown.

Turning back to face his Queen, he dropped to his knee before her, his head hung in shame. ”My Queen, I know you did not have enough time to ingest anything, but please assure me that you are well. Please, I beg of your forgiveness. I did notice an unfamiliar face within the kitchen this morning but was going to ask you of it once we had more ample opportunity for conversation. This was a clear oversight on my part, and it nearly cost you your life, for in your breakfast I saw one of the deadliest of herbs known to be in existence - water hemlock,” he practically choked out, his voice dripping with sorrow and guilt. Tears pricked his eyes and his shoulders slumped forward, his jaw clenching with regret. ”Please, punish me as you see fit, my Queen, so we can then punish the one who dares attempt to hurt you! I know their features - I know their face! I beg of you, please punish me, my Queen!”

”Pleasure is sweetest
when 'tis paid for by another's pain."
~Ovid
Speech Code ~ #0101DF | Thought Code ~ #01A9DB

*Warning: This post may contain bodily harm that could be triggering*

---

Once Alcinder had reached his dungeons - they were his - he had devised several delicious plans on how to torture this vermin Vordada. First thing to attend to, however, was ensuring that the sacrifice was properly prepared for her majesty.

Upon entry to the sacrificial chambers, he was unable to contain the giggle of glee at the sight of the traumatized girl. The empty, hollowed look in her eyes was exactly what he had been going for when he had gifted her to his underlings. She was almost akin to a doll, as she sat in the corner unmoving, slumped against the wall, gaze staring off at something they could not see or possibly nothing at all. Her lips did tremble a bit, as though she were uttering words that only she could hear, but otherwise she was still, and he reveled in the broken doll that lay crumpled before him.

Dropping to a crouch before her, he grabbed her limp wrist and pulled, rising and bringing her with him so that she dangled almost lifelessly before him. ”How unfortunate. I didn’t expect you to break so easily. Perhaps I should have my fun with the next one first, as it seems that my little pets can’t completely control their own urges.” He leaned forward and sniffed the girl’s neck and hair, a groan of enjoyment escaping his lips at the scent of a woman. Once he had his fill of her smell, though, he let her fall back to the floor in a heap. ”Entirely useless, you are, other than as a sacrificial lamb to keep my beautiful Queen happy.” He dusted his hands off together and motioned for one of the prior men to grab her and with that, she was dragged limply to the room that the actual sacrifice would occur in,

Now, onto Vordada …

---

Alcinder woke early, almost giddy with excitement to continue the torture of the previous night. Vordada’s screams of agony had delighted his dreams, filling him with a rejuvenated sense of satisfaction, and he stretched on his cot as he sat up. The old blanket was tossed aside as he rose to his feet, the cold airs of the dungeon instantly hitting his bare skin. As he crossed the room that he had claimed as his own and began to dress, he mulled over the endless possibilities that the day before him held. Perhaps he would get another lovely girl to play with.
Once clothed, he snatched up his bag of torture tools - he liked to think of himself as an anti-doctor - and easily made his way from his room and down the small hallway that separated it from the cell that Vordada was being held in.

”Rise and shine, Vordada the Vermin! I am here once again to keep you company, and boy oh boy do we have a full day ahead of us,” he announced gleefully as he unlocked the cell. Vordada groaned in response, unable to utter a word through his swollen mouth. Half of his teeth were gone, and his lips were cracked and caked with dried blood. One eye was entirely swollen shut and the other quite close to the same, but despite this the man was still able to open it just enough to peer at the white haired demon before him. As soon as he laid eyes on him, he let out a gruntled scream and attempted to crawl away, but Alcinder simply chuckled and dropped his bag to the ground, an ominous clanging sound resonating from it. This sent Vordada into a flurry as he tried to scramble away from Alcinder, but he simply grabbed the man’s ankles and yanked him back in one movement, smashing him into the bars of the cell as he did.

”Now, now, Vermin - didn’t we talk about this type of attitude yesterday?” he clucked at the man, in a crouch beside his head. Vordada groaned in response and attempted to rise, but instantly crumpled again. ”Oh, you want to stand? Here, don’t worry - I’ll help you!” With that, he grabbed Vordada by the hair and yanked hair, pulling the man to a stumbling, bent-over stance. Alcinder lowered his head to look Vordada in the face, his eyes wide and a blank expression on his face. ”Don’t worry, friend; I’ll take great care of you.”

After that, there were only screams.

---

”S-S-Sir Quillon!”

With a sound of annoyance, Alcinder flung Vordada to the ground. The man was barely more than a corpse at this point, blood pouring from nearly every possibly place, and the only sign of life was the raggedly drawn breaths that broke through the stillness of the cell. Intent on leaving him to rot, Alcinder approached the cell bars, glaring out at the man who stood on the other side. ”Can’t you see that I’m busy?” he snarled.

The knight trembled a bit under his blood thirsty gaze and barely managed to stammer, ”Th-There was an-an assasination attempt! O-On the Queen! Sir Veldine has sent me to inform you to prepare for an inquisition!”

At this, Alcinder was both intrigued and absolutely infuriated. Who dared attempt to hurt his Ivelda!

Without a moment of hesitation he was out of the cell, leaving the mess for his subordinates to take care of, and on his way to the throne room, intent on getting to the bottom of whatever had happened to his precious Queen.