The Child of The Tomb

Lesson 44 - Planning Rescue & Conquer

(3rd Person POV)
Unedited
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Princess Renner sets a teacup on the table for her two guests, her brother, and his companion.

"Thank you for coming, Marquis Raeven. I would like to ask your advice." Renner gets to the point as Marquis picks up the cup. "My advice, you say?"

Renner's head tilts to the side the smallest bit. "I believe no one in all the court is better versed in these matters than you are, Marquis Raeven."

Unlike Renner, Zanac--her brother--and Marquis have stern looking expressions on their faces. The two pass a glance at each other before Marquis looks back at Renner, Zanac taking a sip of the tea.

Her brother sticks his tongue out. "This is so bitter."

"Shall I have some fruit-infused water brought here?"

Zanaz sets the cup back down, his sly smirk returning. "Doesn't matter. The maids who serve in the palace are surprisingly fast when it comes to informing their own houses, after all."

"So, what is it that you would like to speak about?" Marquis asks, cup still in hand.

"Don't ask for too much. Even Marquis Raeven, and one of the Six Great Nobles, and member of the Noble Faction, has his position to consider." Zanac cuts in, adding three cubes of sugar into his cup, stirring it as he finishes speaking.

"I would like to ask you, as one who is secretly coordinating the Royal Faction if you would be able to mobilize the soldiers?" Renner says, innocence laced between her words.

Marquis and Zanac jump in surprise.

Renner continues. "Ordinarily, it might have been best to first speak to the three Great Nobles who are connected with the Royal Faction. However, one of them, Marquis Blumrush, is feeding information to the Empire, isn't he?" Renner's smile never leaves her.

Marquis leans forward, eyes wide. "I would ask you to wait just a moment!"

"You knew, right? You, who are secretly known as the opportunist bat, all the while guiding both the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction, acting to make sure that the kingdom does not collapse?"

Zanac looks at his sister in disbelief as Renner keeps bombarding them with all this information.

"That is why you restrict things such that little important information makes it to Marquis Blumrush, is it not?"

"How do you, up here like a bird in a cage, know all of that?!" Zanac questions.

"I hear a few things and can figure it out. I talk to the maids, too."

A drop of sweat slides down Marquis's cheek, falling down his chin. "What are you, a monster?"

Renner giggles softly with a closed eyed smile.

"Understood. Let us drop all the pretenses." Marquis looks over at Zanac. "Prince, you do not mind, do you?"

Zanac makes a curt sound of agreement.

Marquis turns his head back to Renner. "However, before we do, I would like to speak to the real Princess Renner."

A moment of silence goes by.

Renner's sweet and soft smile dissipates as it grows into a slimmer, longer, and much slyer smile.

"Ah, it's better than I thought!" Marquis's expression becomes crazed, eyes wide, smile stretched to its utmost limit. "Those eyes are the eyes I saw in you as a young child!"

Zanac leans away in distaste at Marquis's hightened interests.

"Have you been putting on an act?" Marquis asks.