TKATP: A Coronation of Blood

Chapter II: Salvador

The duchess awaited him in the Rose Office of the Springwater Keep. She sat at her ornate desk and gestured for Salvador to sit beside Gérard when he entered. Salvador shot him a look but the Freelancer Knight simply gave him a slight shrug.

She's pissed, Salvador judged from the expression on her face. But it mattered little to him.

"Salvador Castellano," began the Duchess of Mercenaries. "It seems you failed in your mission?"

Salvador raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He turned to Gérard. "Did you not... bring her the head?"

Duchess Lilliana delle Florjes' nostrils flared, but the rest of her face remained a calm expression with a fiery rage in her eyes. "I saw the head. But if I do recall, I asked for you to bring Soccaro to justice. Alive."

Salvador shrugged and leaned back in the chair. "He put up a good fight. He was killed in the process."

The duchess studied him for a time, silent. When she spoke again, her voice was a little more pleasant. "So he did. Gérard told me―"

Damn it.

The duchess continued "―that you fought him. In a duel. A fierce one, at it."

Salvador nodded slowly. Him and his damn honor.

The duchess smiled. It was like poisonous nectar. Sweet and deadly. "And I'm sure the great Nightwolf would know how to simply... disarm his opponent. Or render him defenseless?"

Salvador took in a deep breath. It would do him no good to continue this farce. "It's one less corsair that walks this earth."

"Those were not the orders I gave you, young Nightwolf. Do not presume to defy me again."

Next time I'll just be a little more careful. "I assume there will be no payment?"

The duchess's expression remained unchanged. "No. There is no reward for disobedience."

Salvador nodded. Who shot Gérard a look, but the Freelancer Knight kept his gaze locked on the duchess.

The duchess nodded. "You are dismissed."

The pair stood up, but while Gérard bowed in respect to the duchess, Salvador simply left the room.

Gérard quickly caught up to him with his long strides. "I told you."

Salvador glared at him. "Couldn't resist the urge?"

Gérard just shrugged. "You're lucky I covered you."

"Covered me? You told her everything!" he accused.

Gérard snorted. "I didn't tell her how you forced the begging corsair off his knees and slaughtered him. The man was as good as unarmed. And your lucky I didn't, she was enraged enough when I told her you burned down the entire keep."

"Surely you jest? Gérard lying to his precious duchess?"

"I didn't lie. But I didn't tell the entire truth."

Salvador rolled his eyes. "Why did she want the keep anyway."

"The corsairs were under the service of the Count of Rhaetia and the keep was on the fringes of his land―"

"So she wanted the keep to encroach upon his land?" Salvador was doubtful. It was unlike the duchess to be petty.

Gérard sensed the doubt in his voice. "She wanted to seize the keep to present evidence that the Count of Rhaetia had hired the corsairs and use it as leverage against the Duke of Montpierre over the Strait of Levaneux," he explained.