Magic and Gold

19: Loyalty

Perspective of Blade

"I've told you this before. She's not someone we can work with. We sent you to talk to her because you said you knew her. You said she was compassionate and kind and would make a better ruler!"

"I do, and she will. But she's angry, and rightfully so. It was too fresh. When I talked to her she was emotionally distressed, but the Princess I know is still in there. She's still kind and amazing and completely, irrevocably good."

"If I didn't know better, I would think you like the princess," Rampart said. He was our next chosen leader after Capo's death. He was a thin older man, probably in his thirties, but he was incredibly witty.

"She's hot, what can I say?" I lied. "But she isn't a terrible person."

"'Not a terrible person' isn't exactly what we're looking for. We sent you in to find our comparable values and all you did is enrage her, from what I hear. Then, she went and blew up all the entrances to our bases. Why should we care if she's trapped?"

As of now, our people were doing their best to excavate our formal tunnels. It was long, tiring work. So for now, we were all stuck in a creepy abandoned hotel. I looked around and cringed internally. The whole place was rotten and dusty. I sneezed all the time and could always smell the dust in the air. I hated every minute of it and could not wait to get back in the tunnels. I tried to pay attention to the conversation, but it was hard when I feared the rotten floorboards would fall out from under me at any given moment.

"Because. She's good and she cares about the people. She always did," I argued.

"How did you know her? You must truly be close, considering we've had this conversation every day for weeks," he grumbled.

"We were close. Answering that question would compromise my identity. Let's just say I've been a close friend of hers ever since she was a mini Queen Corliss."

He shook his head. "I knew the woman, and trust me, the Princess is still a spitting image."

"Remember how kind the queen was? Guin is like that. She deserves a chance. But Ralphus... he is exactly the same as the last King."

"Fine. We continue your plan when the time is right."

"When the time is right? How much vaguer could you possibly get?" I groaned.

"I've already given you more time than you deserve. Remember who makes the decisions here. Now leave my office."

Since that was the best I was going to get, I nodded and left. I did not care for Rampart. Scrap and I were both more skilled and more intelligent, but considering the fact that we were two seventeen year olds and she had not shown up in weeks, no one wanted us in charge. I wondered why she was gone. I hoped it was not because of my rejection, but I feared the worst. If she did not come back, the Magia would be losing a valuable member.

Even though the Magia always said it valued skill over age, there were limits. There had never been a leader under thirty years old. I was sure there had to be more qualified leaders, but I did not know many people outside of the Department of Weapons. One day, I would be the leader of this entire joint.

I did not feel like sticking around, so I headed back to my house. It was a terribly cold day and there were not many on the street. I had my gloves and my coat, so I was already better off than most.

On my way home, I stopped in a shop I went to regularly. I stepped in and a bell chimed above my head. It was actually hot in here, and so I stripped off my gloves and stuffed them in my pocket. "Hello? Galeron?"