223: Royal pursuit begins

Royal pursuit begins

The Kolhisan carriage rumbled along the dusty road, its wheels gliding over the uneven terrain. Inside the carriage, Princess Sasha of Kolhis sat comfortably dressed in her black armor, her keen brown eyes gazing at the landscape that passed by.0

"Day 39, Alphonso," she sighed, leaning back against the plush cushioning. "Can you believe it's been so long since King Emanuel's murder? And we're still no closer to finding the murderer."

Alphonso, her loyal knight, glanced at her from the opposite seat with concern in his eyes. "Aye, milady, it's been a trying time. But fear not, we'll get to the bottom of this once we reach Emoria."

Sasha raised an eyebrow playfully. "Oh, I have no doubt about that. After all, they appointed me, the esteemed Princess of Kolhis, to lead the investigation…the neutral head of a neutral committee to investigate," she said, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "The only one left in the committee, it seems."

A chuckle escaped Alphonso's lips, "Indeed, milady. The Eastern and Western Kingdoms both appealed for your brilliance, and they shall not be disappointed."

Sasha's lips curved into a mischievous grin. "Brilliance, you say? Well, I can't blame them for recognizing it. But I must admit, I'm rather annoyed they didn't bother to send any representatives for the committee. Cowards, the lot of them."

"They fear the Kingdom of Emoria, milady," Alphonso explained, his tone serious. "Emoria can be a treacherous place, and they don't want anything to happen to the newly discovered descendants of the Eidarnocan last Emperor. By requesting aid from the Empire of Kolhis, they believe you will protect the von Conradies while you're there."

"Protecting them, huh?" Sasha mused, her fingers tapping thoughtfully against the carriage window. "Considering his reputation in the White Mountains and the fact that he didn't leave the murdered former estate. Looks to me like Egon can defend himself just fine, all by himself!"

"Yes, milady, but the descendants do need to look like they are well protected, even if they truly do not need others around them. Just like I am assigned to protect you," 

"Well, that's sweet and all, but I'm quite capable of handling myself, as you very well know, Alphonso."

"Of course, milady," Alphonso nodded, his loyalty evident in his eyes. "But forgive my concern. You're not like the women of Emoria, and our Emperor knows it."

"No, I'm not. That's excatly why I refuse to be a damsel in distress waiting for some knight in shining armor to save the day. I am my own knight."

"Indeed, milady, and a formidable one at that." Alphonso rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. "I was quite surprised that the Archduke welcomed your interference. The close-minded environment that Emoria is and all."

"Kaiser de Lanark." Her brown eyes sparkled as she recalled memories of a magnificent fighter with hair as bright as the sun and eyes as piercing as those of a lion. "My friend is upright, his moral compass is one that does not break. Surely, he would welcome an honest investigation at a sensitive time like this," 

"Right, he is quite a reputable person," Alphonso replied. "You know him from your time in the Academy of Latora, correct?"

She smiled fondly, her eyes sparkling with memories. "He was my first love, Alphonso. I enrolled in Latora when I heard he was attending. I trust Kaiser fully."

"So you are dismissing the possibility of a cover-up, milady?" Alphonso inquired, his tone curious.

She grimaced, her expression serious. "The Kaiser I know would have had the murderer's head on the spot. He wouldn't tolerate such heinous acts within his kingdom."

"But is he not on the line to the throne?" Alphonso pressed.

"Oh, you mean the whole lost will of the murdered Monarch? That sounds more like a fairy tale than reality to me. I mean, the Crown Prince does claim that he had read it himself, but without proof… Seems to me like he just does not want the responsibility or… He wants to seem this way," Sasha responded, her skepticism evident.

"It is quite unheard of. I, myself, have met with Claude de Lanark once and had a friendly duel with him. I am telling you, milady, I thought that he was one for politics, with his looks and all, but he is every bit as talented on a battlefield as one of our own warriors!" 

The Princess let out a hearty chuckle, "They look cute and all, but those Emorian men are the worst kind of fighters—the ones who deceive you with their exterior, a mere camouflage for how fierce they truly are."

"I wonder where they have gone to release all of that pent-up stress during the lockdown," Alphonso mused.

"Mhm, thirty-nine days of being locked away, man, I would have hit my head against the nearest wall," Sasha added with a wry grin.

"I hope it does not affect their cooperation with you," 

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Fantastic. I haven't thought about that!"

As the carriage approached the massive gate that separated the Western Kingdom from Emoria, Sasha straightened her posture, her mind focused on the task ahead. She was about to step into the heart of a kingdom that adhered to traditional values, where the role of women was confined within the walls of their homes. But she was determined to break those barriers, and she knew Kaiser would allow her to conduct a free investigation.

"Ready, milady?" 

"Always! Let's meet the royals of Emoria and the descendants of the last Emperor of Eidarnoc," she cracked her neck, "I still can't believe they were right beneath our noses."

"The Kolhisan Emperor is embarrassed about it. Isn't he?" 

She scoffed. "Grandpa and embarrassed in the same line, now that's unheard of."

"Is it Kaiser then? Was he the reason why you accepted the task? Or was it perhaps seeking justice for a royal like you?" 

"Nah. I am just following a whim. That bastard of a King met the end he deserved. I can only imagine the celebration they are having for him down in hell. May he rest in pieces,"

"Well, you do arrive with a bomb." 

She tapped her lips, "Do you mean that testimony of that criminal? Yeah. I'm not sure about that. It felt more like a cheap act of vengeance from someone who was screwed badly by someone else. Had Egon von Conradie wanted the throne…" She trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

"The Eastern and Western Kingdoms would have come to his benefit," Alphonso pointed out.

"Oh, right, they would have come too." She smirked, "But we would have sufficed for his cause, no?"

Alphonso nodded.

"Thank you for coming. It would have been a boring ride without you,"

Sasha smiled, her eyes gliding through the window once again. Her intuition told her that there was something in that Kingdom, something that would change her life forever.

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