Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 2.2: Declaration of Lies

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SALAZAR QUATES

Shortly after putting an end to the rebellion, King Diablo sent me and three thousand of his soldiers to retake Harkhall. He sent the rest of his forces to clean up the country of the remaining Decan loyalists.

"The first priority is to retake Harkhall," he ordered us lords. "The second is to find Lady Joy and bring her to court. Do what you must if she puts up a struggle. But don't harm my son's elf-girl ward. I don't want to start a war with the elves. Make sure you either escort her back to Lord Vargo or keep her well-guarded until a party of his comes and gets her."

This was bad.

King Diablo doesn't suspect me of being an informant, so my house and I are safe. But everything is crumbling for Decan.

If I hadn't stepped in, his father would've ended him. He's alive right now and it's terrible that I can't visit to tell him news, but Joy is in danger. I know that he'd want me to put her first.

Decan was too straight a man. He only worried about what was ahead of him and never paid attention to everything else around. In the event something like this were to happen, I hope he had a plan to keep Joy safe.

He has to have one.

I didn't mention it to him or King Diablo, but I noticed Ser Castell and Patch missing by his side.

He must've ordered them to stay back at Harkhall and protect Joy.

For Joy's sake, Decan, let my prediction be right.

We arrived at Harkhall in only three weeks. The guards that manned the walls gave up the castle the moment I went to negotiate.

"Where's Lady Joy?" I asked. "And Valentine?"

"Why do you think we gave up Harkhall so easily?" Edric the master-at-arms said. "We've got no one to protect."

"Are you telling me they fled?"

"Ser Castell and Lord Decan's squire arrived with a dozen knights. The squire and two knights took Lady Valentine and rode for Lesorias. Ser Castell and the others took Lady Joy and fled. Dr Vyman received a message from the Capital that Lord Decan was defeated and locked away. He told us to give up Harkhall if we wanted to live."

"He's right about that. Raise the portcullis and have the castle go into quarantine. No one enters, no one leaves."

Decan may be too straight, but he was smart where it counted.

It was getting late so I ordered my men to rest and start a search party for Joy first thing in the morning. The soldiers celebrated by drinking to our recapture of Harkhall. I went to bed, ordering them to keep quiet.

I snuck out that night and rode for the most likely place Joy ran off too. It was a hidden tower not many people knew about—certainly not soldiers who weren't familiar with this area.

The only way to the tower was through a chokepoint in between a canyon. However, if a skilled jynxist were to use an earth spell to cover up the path, no one would be the wiser.

The next day we did a grid search within a ten-league vicinity from Harkhall. After two days of searching, I left Lord Grell to take charge of Harkhall and rode back to the Capital to report that Lady Joy had gone into hiding.

"She'll be found at some point," King Diablo said, handing me a letter. "It's an intercepted message from Dr Vyman to Decan and dated on the day of the eclipse. Joy is bearing Decan's child and she can't stay in hiding forever. We just need to be patient."