12 - Protection
The bells did not stop.
Their thunder rolled across the capital of Forebros like waves crashing against stone walls. Even inside the Grand Ducal Castle, the deep echoes could be heard faintly through the tall windows of the drawing room.
It was impossible to ignore. Grand Duke Maximus slowly exhaled.
"Well," he said, leaning back in his chair, "this changes things."
Across from him, the Crown Prince of Clematis sat perfectly still, the folded scroll resting in his hand. His expression had returned to its usual composed neutrality, but the sharp focus in his amethyst eyes betrayed the storm of calculations behind them.
A Saintess appearing in Forebros. At the same time he had arrived. Coincidence rarely existed in politics.
Maximus suddenly clapped his hands once. "Guards!"
The doors opened instantly as two armored knights stepped into the room and bowed. "Yes, Your Excellency!"
Maximus rose from his seat, authority settling over him like a mantle. "If the Saintess has truly manifested in my capital, then her safety is my responsibility." He turned to the knights. "Gather a company and secure the Luminaris Chapel immediately."
The knights straightened. "Yes, Your Excellency!"
"No one enters without proper clearance. Establish a perimeter around the plaza."
His voice carried the steady command of a seasoned ruler.
"The Saintess must be protected at all costs.
" The knights bowed deeply before hurrying out.
None of them noticed the faint twitch at the corner of Eirwen's mouth.
Nor the thoughtful look crossing Alistair's eyes.
And certainly none of them noticed the quiet irony.
Because the Saintess their duke was sending soldiers to protect. .. was his missing daughter.
---
Across the city, chaos continued inside the Luminaris Chapel. Mariana had been moved to a cushioned chair near the altar. She did not remember agreeing to this.
But at some point between the crying mother, the basket of apples, and a man attempting to present her with three entire chickens, she had somehow been seated like a ceremonial statue.
Offerings continued piling up beside her.
Bread. Flowers. Fruit. Coins. A knitted scarf.
Someone had even left a wooden toy horse.
Mariana blinked at the growing mountain.
"... I'm being worshipped by the produce section."
High Priest Lumen stood nearby speaking with several priests, calmly managing the growing religious spectacle. Meanwhile, Mariana smiled sweetly at the crowd. Her expression radiated serene kindness. Grace. Holy gentleness.
Inside her mind, however, her thoughts were running at full speed. Door. Window. Side corridor. She slowly scanned the chapel interior. The main entrance was impossible. Hundreds of people crowded the plaza outside. The side passage behind the altar led to the priests' quarters.
Possible.
But Lumen stood between her and it. The stained-glass windows were high but not impossible if she climbed-no, bad idea. She would fall and break something and then everyone would say the Saintess ascended dramatically or something equally terrible.
Mariana kept smiling as another woman knelt before her. "Saintess, please bless my marriage."
Mariana gently touched the woman's head. "May you have... very good communication."
The woman burst into tears of gratitude. Mariana stared blankly ahead.
Why did that work?
She glanced again toward the back corridor.
Maybe if I pretend to faint... no, they'll summon ten priests. What about-
Her thoughts halted. The chapel doors opened. A squad of armored knights entered. The Vernon crest gleamed on their breastplates. Mariana's blood froze.
Oh no. No no no no!
They marched in disciplined formation toward High Priest Lumen. Their captain bowed. "Your Holiness."
Lumen inclined his head. "You come from the Grand Duke."
"Yes." The knight gestured toward the entrance where more soldiers were taking positions outside. "His Excellency has ordered us to secure the chapel and ensure the Saintess's safety."
Mariana's smile twitched. Her father had just accidentally trapped her. Fantastic.
The knights turned respectfully toward her and bowed deeply. "Saintess."
She waved weakly. "Hi."
The captain straightened. "No harm will come to you while you remain in Forebros."
Mariana thought very hard about the phrase remain in Forebros. Because at this rate, she might never leave the chapel.
---
Back in the Grand Ducal Castle, Zafiel had not moved from his seat. But his mind had moved very far ahead. "Leonhard."
The knight stepped closer immediately. "Yes, Your Imperial Highness."
Zafiel held the scroll loosely between two fingers. "Investigate."
Leonhard's gaze sharpened. "The Saintess?"
"Yes." The Crown Prince's voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge of curiosity beneath it. "Discreetly."
Leonhard nodded once. "As you command."
Maximus looked between them. "You suspect something?"
Zafiel stood slowly. "Not yet."
He walked toward the window overlooking the distant city. Far beyond the rooftops, faint bell echoes still rolled across Forebros.
A Saintess had appeared. An event that would shake the empire. But the Crown Prince's instincts rarely reacted without reason. And the timing felt... wrong. Too sudden. Too perfectly aligned with his arrival. Too perfectly aligned with the disappearance of someone else.
Zafiel's gaze darkened slightly. "Find out everything about her."
Leonhard bowed. "I will begin immediately." He turned and left the room.
Behind him, the Vernon family remained seated. Maximus was still discussing troop arrangements with his advisors. Darelene was quietly thoughtful. Eirwen watched the Crown Prince with curious interest.
Alistair, however, had begun to suspect something. Because somewhere in the back of his mind, a memory resurfaced. Golden hair. A missing sister. And bells ringing in the capital.
---
Back in the chapel, Mariana smiled at the kneeling citizens. Graceful. Serene. Radiant.
Her eyes slowly drifted toward the back corridor again. Her mind whispered one determined thought. I am escaping this place. Even if I have to crawl through the ceiling.
Unfortunately-
Outside the chapel, dozens of Vernon knights had already formed a protective perimeter around the building. And somewhere across the city, an imperial knight had just begun investigating the mysterious Saintess. Fate, it seemed, had no intention of letting Mariana leave quietly.