113: Allies on her side (part 2)

Allies on her side (part 2)

Rauul blinked away the disappointment, replacing it with his authentic smile again. "Forgive me, My Lady. What do I, a bastard child of some Duke in the desert, know about the Archduke and the Archduchess?"2

Something about a bastard child of a duke tugged at her mind and sparked a memory, a faint whisper of familiarity. But there was something else about Rauul that she couldn't quite grasp, an intangible connection that drew her towards him. It was as if they shared a secret, a hidden bond that made her instinctively want to drop her guard and trust him.

She smiled, "Their own daughter might not know much about them, My Lord," 

His smile grew wider, but it disappeared when Egon cleared his throat.

"Yes, well..." Rauul continued. "To understand the dynamics between Lanark and Latora, one must delve deep into the past. A time when history was not written on parchments, but in the memories of those who witnessed it."

"Stop burdening her with your convoluted words," Egon warned.

Rauul chuckled awkwardly before adopting a serious expression once more. "...My Lady, a catastrophic event was averted when Kaiser de Lanark married Grace, for the true heir now walks among us. And that heir will bring about profound change,"

"Change..." Adela tested the word, her emotions swirling with uncertainty.

"Change has already been set in motion, a transformation that will reshape the very map of our world, and once again, Latora will play a decisive role," Rauul continued.

A surge of fear shot through Adela's body. She couldn't help but whisper, "What did Latora decide the first time?"

"Latora's betrayal of the last Emperor and alliance with the Emorians paved the way for Emoria to become a kingdom," Egon revealed.

Before Adela could fully adjust to the information, Rauul's voice broke the silence once more.

"An alliance was formed between Lanark and Latora through your parents' marriage, but with the change in Latora's leadership, this alliance now faces an inevitable end," 

Adela felt as if they belonged to rival kingdoms rather than one united realm. Her faith in everything she had known was rapidly dwindling, leaving her grasping for any semblance of truth amidst the sea of deception.

"What can I do?" Adela asked herself with the tone and the misery of the helpless.

"Enter a new agreement with me," Rauul proceeded to kneel before her.

A chilling sensation ran through Adela's veins, "...My Lord?"

"I am a man of many facets, My Lady, and now, I kneel before you as a knight," 

He extended his hand towards Adela's white robe and grasped the edge between his thumb and forefinger. 

"My Lord, my attire is covered with the sand of the journey," she protested.

"It does not bother me," he reassured her.

"Just get it over with," Egon grumbled as he distanced himself a few steps.

"I, Rauul, son of House Corvus, do solemnly swear my fealty and allegiance to you, Lady Adelaide de Lanark. I vow to serve you faithfully and honorably, to defend you against all threats, and to uphold the laws and traditions of our land." With reverence, he kissed the end of her robe before lifting his gaze to meet hers.

Her gaze involuntarily shifted towards Egon's position, catching his distant figure before she could restrain herself.

"It's for the best," he muttered quietly, his words barely reaching her ears.

Her attention then descended to the kneeling knight at her feet. Egon and Rauul had orchestrated this encounter long before their arrival. In different circumstances, she might have turned away, sensing the trap that lurked within this moment. But now, with these two formidable men standing by her side offering her the alliance she desperately needed, she hesitated to dismiss the potential benefits of this relationship.

She had yet to grasp the full extent of what it entailed.

"Sir Rauul, I accept your oath of fealty. May our bond be unbreakable, our partnership strong, and our shared purpose guide us towards a prosperous and just Emoria," Adela declared steadily despite the ocean of doubts within her.

Rauul rose to his feet extending his hand towards her. Without hesitation, she placed her own hand in his. The contact triggered an immediate response contrasting starkly with the burning sensation caused by Egon's touch. A coolness spread up her arm from the point where Rauul's hand met hers.

As he noticed her reaction, a radiant smile graced his features, and he gently patted her hand without releasing it or bestowing a kiss upon it.

"Your first order for your knight will be to send him back whence he came. I shall bear the heartache it brings," he said, grinning.

"And the second order?" she asked cautiously, her thoughts already considering her third order concerning Larissa.

"Well, who knows? I shall be by your side whenever you require it," he responded, "Now, before I take my leave, allow me to bestow upon you a gift."

With a graceful motion, he reached into his pocket and presented a slender tube crafted from bamboo. Gently, he placed it in her open palm, closing her fingers around it. Stepping back slightly, he crossed his arms over his chest, a proud and admiring expression on his face as he observed the scene before him.

"A blowgun's silent nature renders it a stealthy weapon of choice. May it serve you well, My Lady," 

"... My Lord, in Lanark, knights do not typically seal their oaths with materialistic objects," Adela pointed out.

"This is a weapon I have meticulously carved with my own hands. I implore you not to break my heart and return it to me," he replied.

Her eyes darted briefly towards Egon, catching him mumbling something unintelligible once more before returning her gaze to Rauul.

"Is this the same blowgun you used on Arkin?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

He nodded, excitement glimmering in his eyes. "Indeed it is."

"Is it loaded, then?"

"The needles within the blowgun's barrel are poised for action. All you need to do is exhale forcefully, and the projectile shall be propelled forth with accuracy and speed. I assure you!"

"But, they are not paralyzing, are they?" she asked with careful skepticism.

"What purpose would they serve if they were not?"

That was strange.

"Arkin... He was never paralyzed..." 

"Lady Adelaide, the antidote was within arm's reach. Are you forgetting that a Healer stood nearby?"

She faltered, contemplating his words. "Shouldn't I be concentrating significantly on that? I... I cannot even fathom how this healing process occurs... I am unable to perceive the light," she confessed, her gaze fixated on her fingertips as she repeatedly flipped her hands.

"My Lady, as long as you wear this," he indicated with a nod of his chin towards the brooch Egon had affixed to her robe, "your healing abilities are nullified to the very last drop."

A crease formed on her forehead.

Why would Egon deliberately hinder her healing capability with the brooch? And hadn't her newly appointed knight just asserted that a Healer acted as an antidote for the poison that had befallen Arkin?

She stared intently at the enigmatic man before her, a storm of inquiries within her mind. 

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