Three metallic knocks reverberated through the great hall. The high stone walls stood over one hundred feet tall and were faceted with columns and thin, glass windows on either side. With the presence of little else in the room, the echoes of the sound took a considerable amount of time to die out. Once the last of the noise faded away, the figure on the throne raised his head.

“Enter.”

The tall wooden doors creaked open, grinding against their hinges. The doormen ceased movement once the opening was wide enough for the knight of Daethos to enter–once the knight’s brother was pushed inside first.

Vance cringed as Ed kept them both at a steady pace straight to the throne at the far end of the room. He scanned the high windows and blood red banners that hung from the columns and led up to a gathering of banners just over the throne. Two were of the coat of arms of the country of Daethos, and the one in the center was of the Ignarathos family line. All three bore the image of a lion rampant. 

All three, also, blocked the light of the windows from reaching the throne.

When Ed and Vance came to a stop, the shadowed figure roused himself. Vance removed the hood of his cloak, but even this did not make the figure easier to see.

“Sir Edwards,” the voice came again, “Who is this you bring before me?”

Vance swallowed nervously. There was something about the voice that did not sound fully human.

“I have brought to you Vance Edwards–now known as The Phoenix.” Ed placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, still standing mostly behind him.

The Phoenix caught himself hesitating before he pressed his right hand across his chest and bowed at the waist. “It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty.”

“The Phoenix?” The shadowed figure shifted on the throne. "The Guardian of Magic? The Man Who Never Dies?"

“Vance has recently replaced the man who has died, Your Majesty.”

“And you found him without dying yourself... how did you manage this feat?”

“He is my brother, Your Highness”

“Ah yes,” the figure mused. “Edwards…”

“And beyond that,” Ed continued, “he has been granted the power of the greatest of all sorcerers in The Tallelands.” The knight continued, glancing at Vance to ensure he did not argue.

“We are in the process of locking away all sorcerers,” the voice growled. “Why, then, do you bring one directly to me?”

“I believe he can assist you.”

“Can he, now…”

Vance found it much harder to swallow as the figure began to rise. The man grew taller than he should have been. He did not sound the way he should have sounded. He did not move the way he should have moved.  The Phoenix could only hold his breath as the figure stepped into the light.

King Rei Laude of Daethos was as much a beast as he was a man. Fangs protruded from his lips as long hair blended into a thick beard on his chin. His posture was hunched and his barrelled chest was wide. His arms were covered in hair and horns were growing backward from the temples of his head. The transformation was far more advanced than Vance could have imagined.

“Fix this.” King Rei commanded, taking a heavy step forward with a clawed foot.

Vance sucked in the smallest of gasps and tried not to back away. He found it in him to nod under the increasingly harsher hazel eyes that bore into him.

Ed gave his brother a light shove.

“Let me see what I can do,” the sorcerer finally spoke.

His fingers gently touched the golden band of the pendant that hung from his neck. He shut his eyes to focus fully on the power that began to flow through him. He channeled the energy from the pendant and it seeped across the room into the king’s bestial form.

“Your Majesty,” Vance’s eyes opened, “I can reverse the curse’s progress, but…”

“But?” Both Ed and Rei repeated.

His lips were skewed. “But I cannot cure it. It is a very powerful curse. In fact, I’m not sure how much of a hold I’ll need to keep on the spell to keep it–”

“Then, do it!” The king belted without hesitation.

“But I may not be able to use other magic, or even leave the castle, if I have to keep a hold on the curse,” he muttered, his brows ever-so-slightly furrowed.

Ed’s expression had also begun to change, softening with realization as Vance’s words sunk in.

“I demand it to be done as you said!!” The king thrust out his clawed hand and grasped Vance by the cloak at his neck. His teeth were bared, and his human reasoning was pushed far below the dracleon’s rage. “If you refuse, you shall be locked away like all the others!!”

The Phoenix trembled, clutching at his cloak as he struggled to breathe. His feet twitched as they hovered inches from the ground. He managed to nod, and only then did the claws retract and drop him back to his feet. 

Rei slunk back, sneering as The Phoenix took in a breath.

Vance stood as straight as possible. He then held his hands around the blue and gold pendant. Light glimmered within it as Vance channeled the energy into the king. It spread throughout his body like a blue light rippling through every limb. 

Rei winced and groaned, though it was difficult to tell through his fanged teeth.

But then, the fangs began to shorten. His form began to straighten. Claws retracted, horns grew blunt, and fur bristled and disappeared. In a matter of moments, the Daethen king released a breath and turned his eyes down to look at his pale, worn hands.

He let out a half-laugh. “Yes... yes!” He laughed more, patting his now baggy robes from head to toe as he inspected his normal, human body. “Incredible!” He turned to Vance with a subtle hint of appreciation beneath his proud smile. “What has been said is, indeed, true: you are the greatest of all sorcerers, Phoenix.”

Vance pressed his lips together and bowed his head. At his chest, a blue glint continued to flicker within his pendant’s sapphire gem. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Sir Edwards, have a chair brought beside the throne for The Phoenix. I request that he remain in my presence whenever possible. Also, have a room prepared for him to lodge here.” The king turned and started back up the steps to his throne.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the knight nodded. He took a breath and then straightened his posture. “If I may, Your Majesty–since you are restored…”

“Yes?” King Rei turned at the edge of the light and shadow.

“Can we… release the other sorcerers?”

The question fell into silence as the king stood still.

“Your Majesty...?”

“Kneel here, Sir Edwards.”

Ed’s body tensed as the knight pointed to the stairs he had just climbed. “Yes, sir–Your Majesty." Cautiously, he made his way to the king’s feet and bent down on one knee.

The metallic slide of a sword from its sheath echoed across the cold, stone room. Ed looked up, wincing from the glint of light that shimmered across the blade of the Sword of Ignarathos. The sword was then dropped until the flat of the blade tapped onto his right shoulder.

“Because of your loyalty and dedication to the throne of Daethos, I dub thee, Steven Edwards, as Duke of Northaven.”

The sword was removed and returned to its sheath. The King then waved him off. “Now, Duke Edwards, you may make the order to release the others if you wish.”

The Duke remained on his knees, his hazel eyes wide and his lips parted. “Thank you... Your Majesty.” He finally spoke.

“I am headed to my quarters, but I expect Phoenix’ accommodations to be met upon my return. You may go."

He watched King Rei pass his throne and slip behind a red tapestry to the door to his chambers. The door creaked open and clanked shut, leaving the brothers in silence.

At last, Ed rose from his feet and turned back to Vance.

“Duke Edwards?” Vance cocked his head now that king’s absence had lightened the room.

“That was not my intention with all this,” Ed was unable to stifle a grin. “But I’ll take it.”

“I’m sure you were just trying to find a way to free Mioko and the others,” Vance’s expression, on the other hand, had faded, “but I wasn’t expecting to be pulled in like this.”

“What do you mean? You’re getting a seat in the throne room of the king!”

“Unlike you, I could care less about that.” Vance offered dully, starting after Ed as he walked toward the doors at the other end of the room. “What I do care about is being trapped here.”

“You’re not trapped,” Ed half-laughed, still treating Vance’s words as if they were a joke.

“Ed, I wasn’t making that up: I’m not sure I can maintain this kind of hold if I go back home. And if I don’t hold back the curse… well, I’m not sure I’d like to find out."

“So, what’s the big deal about staying here?”

“Do you not remember anything The Phoenix is supposed to do?” Vance’s brows lowered. “I have to be out in the world to comfort people who are dying. How can I do that if I’m stuck here?”

“I thought you were the Guardian of Magic,” he offered snidely.

“I would be if I wasn’t using all of it to hold back a curse that we both know is not being caused by a sorcerer!” Vance shot back.

“Do you want an apology or something?” The newly-crowned duke glanced back at The Phoenix. “Am I supposed to control what the king does and what he thinks?” He grit his teeth and thrust out a hand. “Why can’t The Phoenix sacrifice a little bit of his centuries-long life to free a bunch of innocent people?? Isn’t that something you’re supposed to do??”

Vance had stopped walking at Ed’s outburst. He stood with a dull scowl, watching his brother stand, huff, and roll his eyes when he remained silent.

Vance’s brows knitted. “I just find it ironic.”

“How?”

The sorcerer's hands idly fingered the glowing pendant around his neck. "What was it you had said when I became The Phoenix? That I would be unhappy–shackled to a long, lonely life; chained to a magic that wasn’t intended to be mine? Separated from others in isolation, unable to fulfill my own dreams…”

Ed remained still, saying nothing.

“Because, in my short tenure as The Phoenix, I have experienced more life than I ever have before. I’ve had my duty, and it’s not always easy, but I’ve been able to do the things I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve helped so many people, visited so many places... I’ve even been able to compose music! And now,” he scowled, “who is it that is shackling me?”

Ed’s brows lowered.

“Who is it who has chained me to my magic?”

“I don’t need this from you.” Ed tore from Vance and started to the doors.

“Then, who do you need to hear it from?” The Phoenix called after him. “Ace Gallagher??”

The duke spun on his heels, cringing with fists clenched and arms raised. But he could only hiss a breath through his teeth and lunge at the door behind him.

He pulled it open with a loud grunt and slipped through before the doormen could react. The door slammed back in Vance’s face.

The Phoenix shut his eyes and turned back into the room. He had better get used to the view.

----

I can't remember how long ago I wrote this one either, probably around the 2020-2021 range too. It's kinda cool going back through these, honestly, and it helps remind me where I am going! Not much changed here - although the outcome of the sorcerers being captured/released is where the big change happened...

But this is more Ed conflict; he's so hard to read, even for me. I really think he's trying to do what's best, but he's doing it in a way that doesn't affect him in a negative way, and he doesn't seem to care who gets left in his wake. And with this coming after his fallout with Ace, hearing his name really ticks him off. But what's a story without some internal conflict?

James’ face was lacking in emotion as his dark brown eyes remained locked upon the Daethen knight. He had withstood the man’s heated banter in the past, and this visit, so far, was no different than any other. He simply kept his hands clasped together on the top of the desk near a small pile of bills still waiting to be paid.

“All I’m saying is you really need to reconsider who’s on the deed of this place! You’re the one who worked all these years to finance it and get it to where it is today–unlike your ‘business partner’. Hell–I think I’ve seen her here more than I’ve seen him,” he gestured to Elise, quietly balled in a chair in the corner and trying to make herself as invisible as possible.

James’ eyes strayed to the dusty-blond-haired woman. “Th–thank you for your comments on how we run this place,” he offered calmly when his focus returned to Ed.

Ed frowned when James, once again, refused to take the bait. “Come on, Harley–Gallagher needs to go! What good is it to keep him on the deed if he’s never–”

“Excuse me!”

The patrolman turned his head, his hands still firmly planted on James’ desk. He offered a strained smile when he saw Ace standing across the lobby. “Well, if it isn’t the prodigal brother.”

Ace’s arms were crossed against his Kalgaran tunic. “Can I help you?”

“In fact, you can.” Ed at last pushed away from James’ desk, stepped past Elise, and met Ace in the lobby. Their forms were silhouetted against the midday sunlight shining in from the glass doors.

Ace’s brows furrowed as Ed, still visibly agitated, stood in front of him. “You know, if you have a problem with me, why not talk to me instead of pestering James?”

“I would, if you were ever around!” Ed exclaimed in exasperation, spreading his arms wide.

“Gee, I wish I was here right now,” Ace quipped without missing a beat.

Ed dropped his arms. “Would you stop being a smartass for once?”

“No,” he replied. “Now, if you weren’t here to insult me, what did you need to talk to me about?”

“This theater!” Ed’s expression was surprisingly calm for how much he was fuming. “You just have to get your little gloved fingers into everything! You schmooze your way up the Kalgaran ranks, you get your fairytale wedding and a cottage house, then you stick your nose into this place–”

“Wait,” Ace interrupted, smirking, “are you yelling at me because you’re jealous?”

Ed faltered for a moment before gnashing his teeth. “No–I want you to be held accountable for once! You want to be a part of everything but not actually do anything! Whereas, if I were here, I’d actually have gotten this place up and running by now.”

“Woah, what?”

“I actually live here, I would actually be here–”

“Okay, for one: last I checked, I still live here. Two: I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had to report to Kalgara–and maybe you forgot you were also in attendance at my so-called ’fairytale’ wedding.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Three: since when were you interested in the theater business?”

“When were you??”

Ace brought his hand to his chin, tapping his finger on his lips. “I think when I was five, James and I started to pretend that the bedroom was a stage–”

“You’re missing the point, Gallagher!” It was Ed’s turn to interrupt.

Ace’s hand dropped. “I wrote the dang play we’re about to premiere, so even though I wasn’t here as much as I wanted, I still made sure I was doing what I could! Is that enough for you?”

“That’s all fine and dandy until His Highness calls you back.” He sneered.

The Kalgaran ambassador shrugged. "I won’t lie, with my current position, that’s a possibility.”

Ed scowled. “So, you dash off valiantly, make James do all the work, and you get to keep your name on the theater despite never being here!”

“My name is on the theater because I am a co-owner with my brother–in case you forgot the theater is a family affair.”

“Oh, so you’ll stick to your family when it’s convenient, huh?”

“What?” Ace recoiled before slumping with realization. “Oh, jeez; are you still ticked off about Vance?”

Ed thrust a pointed finger into the tan-haired man’s chest. “Phoenix was your family! You should have been the next to take over, but heaven forbid that gets in the way of your own life goals–so you had to suck someone else into it!"

Ace batted Ed’s hand aside. “You do realize Vance accepted that role willingly and completely of his own accord, even after he knew what it entailed?”

“It’s the Gallagher line!!”

“And he still accepted it willingly! You were there–you know!” Ace rolled his eyes. "Dangit; you’re acting like Vance was given a death sentence!”

“He can never live a normal life again because of you!” Ed spat.”

“Hey, I should let you know who helped arrange the music for this play–”

“And you shouldn’t have let him do it!!” The tirade continued.

“Oh, I see!” It was Ace’s turn to throw up his hands. “All right, fine: say Vance didn’t do it. Say I fought him off and convinced him I needed to be the next Phoenix.” His eyes narrowed to slits, “How much do you want to bet we would still be standing here yelling at each other because I took away the one thing poor Vance ever wanted to do? Oh, how ever could I have been so insensitive to his wants and needs!” His phrases turned caustically sarcastic.

The scowl deepened on the patrolman’s weathered face. “You’re full of–”

“How much do you want to bet??” Ace stepped up to Ed.

“Get out of my face!!” Ed yelled viciously.

“You’re in my theater; why don’t you get out of mine!!”

Ed roared and shoved Ace in the chest with both hands. He then turned on his heels and stormed to the glass-paned door beside them. He shoved it open and practically kicked it closed, and the wooden frame clanged heavily against the door jamb. The knight’s dark form paced away until it was no longer visible through the window.

Ace remained where he had been pushed, his face scrunched in a grimace as he puffed heated breaths through his nose.

Elise swallowed, still cowering in the doorway of James’ office. James was still behind his desk, though he had stood up from his chair when the argument flared. Thankfully, the fire was snuffed before he felt the need to move further.

At last, Ace broke from his stance and stiffly walked across the lobby to his own office.

Elise looked back at James. The tall man was fingering a pair of glasses in his hand, and after a moment, he slipped them back on and returned to his chair.

The woman reached behind her neck and pulled her wavy hair over one shoulder and stepped out into the lobby. She delicately walked across the patterned carpet until she came to Ace’s office.

Ace was sitting on the top of his desk with his feet resting in the seat of his chair. He faced away, looking at his bookshelf of meager trinkets and stacks of old paper. A wooden clock on the top shelf gently ticked out seconds. A metal top twisted as he rolled it between his fingers.

“Are you all right?”

Ace didn’t move. His eyes were glued to the top.

Her hands remained in her hair as she ran her fingers through smaller strands. “I’m sorry he yelled at you.”

Ace pushed the chair away with his feet and stood up. “And I’m sorry you had to witness that.” He turned to her, the smallest hint of disappointment in his eyes.

She shook her head. “It’s just... he’s wrong.”

Ace watched her turn idly toward the door, her fingers tight in her hair. 

“I think you’re doing a great job.”

His lips skewed into a half-smile and he returned the metal top to his desk. “I’m glad someone thinks so.”

“You’ve written an incredible work of art. I’m honored to be a part of it.” She turned back to him. “I want you to know that. Honestly,” her eyes again lost their focus, “between James, and you… all of this has been… it’s changed my life.”

Ace’s smile softened. “I’m glad you’re here, and I’m honored I get to see my play brought to life thanks to you and the others. I know I’m threatening to stretch myself thin–I get plenty of warnings from Athena,” he bit his lip, “but I really want to do this. I feel like my life has led me to this point, and I can’t bear to let it slip past.”

“Nor should you.” She smiled, rocking up onto her toes.

“I really want you to still help out King Dorian, too.”

Ace looked up and Elise turned to find James in the doorway.

“Being a knight and a dual citizen of Kalgara: th-that kind of honor is not bestowed upon many.” He pocketed his hands. “I know you’ll be here when you can.”

At last, Ace found a smirk. “Ah, when have I ever let an angry patrolman dictate my life?” He paused as he eyed his brother. “Just don’t let him dictate yours, either. You are more than capable of handling things here–especially since you were handling them long before I joined on.”

“I–m-m not worried about Ed.”

Elise again rocked on her toes. “You’re doing a great job too,” she eyed James.

His face flushed and adjusted his glasses with his other hand. “I don’t intend on allowing him to change anything around here. I’m j–just not sure what’s got him so fixated about this place.”

“It’s just me.” Ace huffed a sigh and started around his desk. “He’s mad at me and so he’s going to find a way to insert himself into as many places as he can to remind me he’s mad at me.” He clasped his hands together. “But we’re two weeks from opening night and we’re one of the most anticipated events in all of Daethos’ reign–Kalgara’s too. It’s gonna be great.”

His brother and lead actress smiled as his exuberance warmed them.

The door swung open in the lobby behind them.

The three turned, or leaned, to get a better view out of the office’s door.

Dawn was breathing hard, setting Maewyn back to the ground as gently as possible. “Ace,” she huffed, clearly in distress.

“What-s wrong,” Ace pushed past James and Elise and started toward her. “Why do you have Mae?”

“Because the patrolmen taking the census took Mioko,” she was still struggling to catch her breath as Maewyn ran up to Ace with her arms raised. “And Athena tried to stop them–so they took her too.”

Ace had just barely wrapped his arms around Maewyn’s back when he froze. “...Wh… what?”

“Something about Mioko being a sorcerer–I don’t know. I couldn’t leave her alone,” she gestured to the four-year-old.

“W-where did they go?” James stepped in when Ace remained in shock.

Dawn frowned painfully. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Where’d who go?” Elliot emerged from the auditorium in a dusty gray shirt. “That dude that was just in here yelling?”

“Patrolmen took my wife,” he paused when he tried to move, but Maewyn was still attached to his legs. With a knowing glance into Maewyn’s silver eyes, he added, “and her dad.”

“Then, what are we waiting for–let’s go,” Elliot began to remove his work gloves.

“Where?” Dawn asked.

Elliot set his hands on his hips. “If it’s something serious enough to remove people from their homes, the regent has to be involved.”

“Regent’s manor, then,” Ace nodded. He turned back to Maewyn. “Can you stay here while I go look for your daddy and Mrs. Athena?”

The young girl pouted, but refused to move.

Elise scooted over and crouched beside Maewyn. “Here, James and I can bring you back home,” she offered gently with her arms outstretched.

At last, the bewildered girl released Ace and tucked herself into Elise’s arms instead.

Now freed to move, Ace patted Elise’s shoulder and followed after Elliot, though he slowed as he passed Dawn. “Thank you,” he said simply before leaving through the door.

The wooden door closed with a rattle, and the four remaining watched through the windows as the two figures mounted their horses and rode away.

----

Another snippet I had posted before (2021 I think), but have since tweaked to better fit the "new" timeline. We got the Vance-Phoenix spoiler I had actually quietly spoiled when I first posted this, lol, but there's also Mioko being a single dad (I swear I'm not trying to remove all of the leading ladies, this thing is just morphing beyond where my first draft had gone).

So with Mioko and Maewyn living next door to Ace and Athena, they end up with a unique relationship. Between the Gallagher's lack of kids (more on that later), Maewyn's lack of a mom, and Ace being gone a lot, Athena ends up helping Mioko and Mae out quite a bit. Until this happens.

Ace walked stiffly through the long corridor, uncomfortably sandwiched between two Valiant guards. Another guard led the way, and a fourth brought up the rear. Despite visiting the Valiant palace as an ambassador, he felt much like a prisoner being escorted to his execution. The relative silence, save from their footsteps on the stone ground, did not help matters.

His light blue tabard, bearing Kalgara’s colors and coat of arms, stood out among the gray cloth and chain maille that surrounded him. It was far from the first time the Daethen had worn the country’s garb, but this, too, singled him out among the group as they passed others who lived and worked in the palace.

Soon, they came to a stop in a foyer decorated with white and purple banners on the walls and an intricately woven rug across the stone floor.

Two more guards stood on either side of a wide wooden door, and when one received his whispered orders, he turned to knock on the door.

“Enter.” A woman’s voice returned.

The guard entered, closing the door behind him.

Ace swallowed, rocking on his feet in an attempt to work out his nervousness. He had nothing to worry about; he was simply there to relay the Kalgaran king’s orders and return with the Duchess of Valiant’s response to the matter. But, it was his first mission as Dorian’s ambassador, and he was unable to shake his unease of the situation. After all, the guards had escorted him far from the throne room where royalty usually held such discussions.

The door opened and the guard returned to the foyer.

“Her Highness, Duchess Vashta, will see you now.”

Ace nodded with his lips pressed tightly together. He then straightened his posture and stepped away from the guards at his sides. He entered the room and jumped as the door closed heavily behind him.

“Ah, Sir Gallagher.”

Ace turned to find the fair-skinned ruler of Valiant standing beside one of four high-backed wooden chairs around a round pedestal table. She was dressed in a thick velvet robe tied at her waist, a silver circlet crowning her forehead, and a small, lace eyepatch covering her right eye. Her long blond hair curled around her shoulders and spilled down her chest.

The table was already set with two crystal glasses, a tall glass pitcher, and a small corked flask, all etched with a shimmering gold “V.”

“I will admit, I was expecting King Swift when they announced a visitor from Kalgara had arrived.” The duchess eyed him as she poured the dark red wine into a glass that was already half-full. “But you’ll do just fine.”

Ace glanced at the glass as she pushed it towards him before looking up beyond the table. Lavish purple hangings created a backdrop for a cream-colored chaise lounge, and an immense canopy bed was tucked behind the hangings against the far wall. A small army of candles flickered on the ground on either side of the couch, while tall stained glass windows cast the scene in a lavender light.

“I wasn’t aware I was gaining access to your personal chambers,” the knight finally admitted. “Have I caught you at a bad time?”

“Oh, no,” Vashta set down the pitcher and swirled the contents of the glass. “This is perfect. When my husband, the duke, is away, I prefer to host visitors in my chambers, rather than that cold, dark throne room. Please, have a drink.”

“No, thank you,” Ace raised his hand.

“Please,” Vashta stressed, “your journey has been long and you need refreshment. It would honor me if you shared this wine with me.” She held out the glass toward him.

Ace bit his lip. As an ambassador, he assumed it was best to be polite and accept her act of hospitality. “I’ll admit I’m not much of a wine drinker, but if it pleases Her Majesty…” He reached forward and accepted the glass. He took a sip and was unable to quench a soured expression as the liquid burned his throat. “Thank you,” he choked out as the duchess’ grin widened.

“Now, what was it you came here to discuss?” The duchess took her glass and turned from the table.

“Well, Your Highness, I was sent on behalf of King Swift to discuss the trade agreement between Kalgara and Valiant. You see–”

“How is the King?” Vashta glanced idly over her shoulder as she stepped up to the couch.

“Um, he’s fine. Busy, as you would expect; hence why I am here. So, basically…”

He trailed off as Vashta yawned loudly and stretched backward against the couch. The robe stretched tight against her body. Ace cleared his throat and looked away.

“As you are aware,” he tried again, “the Pontus Market was founded on both Kalgaran and Valiant land where our countries can come together to set up shops and trade with each other. Lately, our merchants–”

“Your merchants?” The duchess set down her empty glass. “You’re a Daethen.”

“I am a Kalgaran Knight and a dual citizen, Your Highness,” Ace shifted his arm to display the circlet that proved his rank. “Kalgara is my country as much as Northaven is.”

Vashta huffed. “In the history of Kalgara, has there ever been a Daethen dubbed as a Kalgaran Knight–or Ambassador?”

The ambassador’s brows lowered. “I don’t know, probably–but that’s not really the point–”

“Fine!” She turned her body to lean against the couch’s arm rest as the robe threatened to open at her chest. “Continue if you must.”

Ace didn’t have to be an ex-gambler to read into her dismissive attitude. “I can come back at another time if you’d prefer,” he eyed her.

“No, no, no,” Vashta waved her fingers at him. “Please, continue. And drink up–you mustn’t get faint.”

Ace’s mouth hung open for a moment before he looked down at his glass and took another swallow. The bitterness of the wine left a strangely sweet aftertaste, and, in an effort to get her eyes off of him, he finished off the glass before continuing to speak. He let out a breath and set his glass back on the round table.

She turned aside with a faint smile on her lips. “Now, what were you saying?”

“Kalgaran merchants have worked to keep prices reasonable in order to provide Valiant with necessary goods. However, Valiant merchants have–”

“Have a seat,” Vashta patted the couch with her hand.

“Oh, I’m all right here–”

“Sit.” Her words grew sharp.

Ace took a seat on the far edge of the couch begrudgingly. He frowned, awaiting Vashta’s attention as she idly pulled her robe above her knees. “To continue,” he glanced out the stained glass window, “Valiant merchants have not been following the basic rules of the Pontus Market and have either greatly lessened their stock, or are charging much higher prices.”

Vashta pulled her legs onto the couch and offered another yawn. Her golden hair fell on her arms as she drew them over her head.

“This is creating an unfair situation for Kalgara, which defeats the very reason the Pontus Market was founded after the Battle of Recovery. The purpose of my visit was to appeal to you on behalf of the–”

Her bare foot slipped under his thigh.

Ace yelped and shot to his feet. “Excuse me!”

“What?” She pursed her lips.

The knight shook his head. “I apologize, Your Highness, but I’m no longer comfortable with this meeting.”

Vashta grabbed him by the end of his tabard. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Away.” He grit his teeth.

She grabbed his belt and tugged him closer. “I have a better idea…”

“Nope!” Ace tore from her grasp.

A conniving grin twisted the corners of her lips as her form slunk across her couch.

Ace’s eyes narrowed coldly. “Why didn’t I see this coming? Let’s invite the Kalgaran ambassador into the duchess’ bedchamber and give him wine, all while the duke is conveniently missing…”

Vashta laughed from her throat and curled her arms around her chest, tugging open the edges of her robe. “You talk too much.”

“Because this can go two ways,” Ace held up his fingers, “I shun your advances and you start screaming that the ambassador has attempted to violate you, which incites hatred toward Kalgara all over again; or, I play along with your plan and you scream that the ambassador has actually violated you, which incites hatred toward Kalgara all over again.”

“No wonder good King Dorian chose you,” Vashta rose from the couch. “You’re a smart one.”

“Believe me, I know the tricks because I used to use them.” The knight sneered.

“Then, why did you fall for it so easily?” She took a step towards him, her good eye catching the light of the stained glass window.

“Because I thought maybe, as Duchess, you were above that.”

She winced. “Ooh, that hurts,” she muttered, drawing her hands across her chest. “Why don’t we just get this over with, then.”

“Sorry, ma’am; I’m not on the market for an adulterous relationship.” Ace stepped backward.

“Oh, shut up,” she cooed.

Ace’s eyes darted to the candles. "Oh, shoot," he blurted.

The duchess whipped around fearfully.

The man flew toward the door.

Vashta’s face initially twisted with outrage when she realized she had fallen for his trick, but the grin returned when Ace was found tugging on a locked door.

“Nice try,” Vashta sneered, “But I told them to keep the door firmly locked.”

“Oh, so you’ve got them involved too; all the more Valians to corroborate your story!” Ace slipped away from the door as Vashta squared herself up with him. “I’m surely in for it, now.” He muttered sarcastically.

“You certainly will be when that potion kicks in.” Vashta smiled.

Ace’s stomach turned. The sweetness had not been the wine. 

“I suppose I fell for that too,” his words were guarded, and he immediately began scanning the room for a different way out. His eyes fell upon the crystal flask on the table.

“Now, why don’t we move this to the bed,” she gently tugged the side of her robe to expose one of her thighs. “After all, my husband is away visiting the Daethen King, and surely you understand the power of desire…”

“But of course! I love throwing away my morals and letting my manly desires rule my life.” He mocked through his teeth and flexed his thin arms.

“How about this,” her lips curled impatiently as Ace continued to sidestep around her. “If you don't lie with me, I’ll start screaming right now.”

Ace brought a finger to his mouth. “Screaming now, or screaming later; I’m honestly not sure which I’d prefer.”

Outraged, Vashta roared and leapt at him.

Ace dodged her and ran to the table. The empty glasses clattered over as the table rocked in their wake, but he still managed to slip from her grasp. He skipped a few steps as he adjusted his boot, but he was quick to slide over the back of the lounge as she fell upon it. He pulled one of the purple hangings from the ceiling, tossed it backward, and laughed as it literally tied her up for a moment.

Now at the foot of the bed, he found a tall candlestick with a heavy base against the wall in the corner. He swung around the bedpost and grabbed it, turned to locate the closest window, and only then did he discover daylight shining through a cracked door just on the other side of the bed. Unfortunately, he was forced into the corner when a fuming duchess blocked his path at the end of the bed.

“What do you think you’re doing with that?” She spouted.

He looked at the stand in his hands. “I was thinking you could use some more light in here.”

She looked down her nose at him. "Cut the jokes, Gallagher. You’re only delaying your inevitable degradation." She took a sauntering step closer. “You said it yourself; either way, you’re going to lose. So, why fight it?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, setting the bottom of the stand on the ground. “I think I’ve got a pretty good chance of convincing everyone that this was all your doing.”

Vashta let out a laugh. “As if anyone here will take your word against mine!”

Ace bent down to reach into his boot. “They might believe me if I show them this.”

The duchess’ eyes widened as the knight produced her small crystal flask, still half-filled with the pink liquid of the potion. But, just as before, a dismissive grin tugged on her lips. “You could have brought that here. You were trying to drug me, after all, so you could seduce me…”

“I would bring in a royal flask with your monogram etched into it?” Ace turned the golden “V” toward her.

Her smile soured. “All right. You win. Hand it over and I’ll let you go free.”

“No can do, Your Highness. I give it back, you scream, I lose.”

She took another step. “Give it to me; you have my word.”

“I think it’s best for me to hang on to it for safe keeping,” a smirk painted his face as he slipped it back into his boot, “You know, in case you ever try to accuse me of something I didn’t do in the near future.”

The duchess bared her teeth. “You sneaky, crafty, son of a–”

“Here you go!” Ace threw the candlestick at her, buying him enough time to leap onto the bed to reach the doorway on the other side. A wave of dizziness slowed his movement just enough for Vashta to grab him by the boot. They wrestled for a moment as she attempted to wrench the boot from his foot, but he kicked her hand with his other leg and rolled off the bed. He staggered back to his feet and shoved through the back door. 

He found himself on a small, round balcony overlooking an orchard. Lacking the time to survey any further, he bit his lip and climbed onto the ledge.

“Don’t you dare!!” Vashta hovered in the doorway behind him.

“Please send a letter to the Kalgaran palace detailing your plan for returning the market to our accepted regulations, and we’ll call this meeting good. Thank you!” He saluted her and jumped from the wall.

Ace sliced through tree branches until he hit the ground and rolled to withstand the force of the fall. The potion’s effects were beginning to weigh on his limbs as he got back to his feet, but with Vashta’s angry screams belting behind him, he knew he needed to get out of the area immediately.

He zipped through the orchard, scaled the stone wall that fenced it in, and shuffled down the hill back into town. With every step, his movements grew sluggish. It was becoming difficult to keep his eyes focused as his surroundings swirled dizzily.

He found himself in a dark, empty backroad of the city. He squinted through the fading daylight, but he couldn’t determine where to go. He staggered through the road, pressing against the buildings for balance. 

He leaned against the glass of a wide shop window and peered inside. Intricately carved wooden creatures looked back at him. Their sandy forms began to move, inching towards him.

Ace gasped and backed away as his heart pounded in his ears. He could scarcely turn his head to look at shops across the street before he saw the same figures in their window, silently crawling up to the glass. Their movements blurred as if they were trailing mist. The figures began to morph until they resembled Mioko holding Athena in his arms.

“No!” Ace shouted, mashing his eyes shut and shaking his head as fear and horror gripped his chest. When he opened his eyes, the window had returned to normal. He let out a slow breath–but before he could take another, the forms again began to swirl. More and more figures seemed to rise from every window, every doorway, every dark corner–all of them bearing Mioko and Athena’s resemblance. He could see the pain in Mioko’s eyes as he trudged toward him. He could see the way Athena’s body hung lifelessly in his arms. He shrieked and threw up his hands as he rushed away from them.

He ran blindly down the street until he reached a wide square, but the figures were still lumbering towards him from every angle. 

“Get away from me!!” He yelled, his knees weak and his body trembling. “This isn’t happening–it’s–it’s not happening!”

But the once silent forms began to rumble in his ears. They had surrounded him like a terrifying mist. Hissing, like the sparks of faulty electric wire, pierced through his brain and threw him into a panic.

He ran one way, stumbled, caught his balance, and tried to run in three other directions as the forms held out their hands toward him and stopped him in his tracks.

“Go away!!” He cried as tears streamed from his eyes, “Get away from me!!”

The rumble became deafening. The figures closed in.

He let out a horrified cry as he was grabbed forcibly by the shoulders.

“Sir! Snap out of it!!” The older man cried, his face bent in worry as the man writhed in his grasp and shouted various syllables. He lost his grip and panicked himself when Ace ran straight into his wife, screaming.

Grabbing his walking stick, he swung it and struck the knight square in the forehead.

Ace froze, silent and still. He dropped to his knees, his eyes then drooped closed, and he collapsed onto the cobblestone.

“What’s all this racket?” A Valiant knight rushed into the square, pushing through the small crowd that had formed as a second followed.

The elder man was still gripping his walking stick over his head. “This–this man was in delusion! He tried to attack me and my wife!”

The dark-haired knight hurried over and nearly gasped when he saw the color of Ace’s tunic. “It’s the Kalgaran Ambassador!!”

“How was I supposed to know?” The man spouted, “he sure doesn’t look Kalgaran!”

“Just–everyone, go back to your homes; we will take care of this!” The dark-haired knight waved his arms as the second knelt down beside the unconscious knight. Once the square had been cleared, he, too, crouched beside him. “The duchess was screaming about him breaking out of her room–but then she told us not to go after him. What on earth could have happened?”

“I’m not sure, but she made it very clear we were to leave him be,” the second knight mentioned, wincing when he turned Ace’s head to find an open gash across his forehead. "If word gets back to her about this, we were not the ones who struck him.”

The dark-haired knight shook his head, though he stopped when he caught a glimmer tucked into the side of his boot. Curious, he grasped the flask in his fingers and removed it. “Stealing from the duchess,” he gaped when the golden “V” was spotted. He pulled out the plug and sniffed the remaining liquid. His eyes bugged from his head. "Is this vendelirium??”

The second’s face paled. “Put it back–now.”

“But shouldn’t we–”

“Put it back.” He stressed, adding with a hiss, “This is why the duchess wanted us to leave him alone…” 

The dark-haired knight glanced at him. “I don’t understand: why wouldn’t she want us to remove this evidence against her?  Are you sure we can trust him not to speak about this?”

The bottle was plucked from his fingers and returned the flask into Ace’s boot.

“We have no other choice,” the other stood after the deed was done. “The duchess stressed that we must allow him to leave. If we take it, he may suspect we are covering it up for her. For now,” he sighed, “we need to get him to a doctor and explain he was struck in the head, but do not breathe a word of the potion. Our royal family's reputation must not be tarnished.” 

“Of course,” the dark-haired knight narrowed his eyes toward the castle, “although, it seems the duchess has grown incredibly careless…”

The two knights scooped Ace up from under his shoulders and walked him down the road to the nearest doctor.

—

As soon as the knight came into view, the king urged his steed and hurried down the hill. He practically leapt from the saddle and ran up to Ace with a wearied expression.

“Ace–what in the world happened??”

“Hey, Dorian, how’s it going?” Ace smirked as he held his horse’s reins in his hand.

Dorian raised his visible eyebrow. “You know, it’s hard to stick to formalities when someone is a day late and shows up with a gash across his forehead.”

Ace glanced up, as if looking at his own head. “I suppose you have a point. It’s an awfully exciting story–and one you’ll never hear from a single Valiant.” He grinned toothily.

“Okay; explain.”

“Basically, Duke Oscar was out of town, and when that happens, Duchess Vashta’s meetings are relocated out of the cold, dark throne room and into her bedchamber…”

Dorian paled. “Oh, no…”

“She had a pretty elaborate plot in place. I mean, think of the scandal when the Kalgaran Ambassador was caught trying to take advantage of the Duchess of Valiant!”

The king was already wincing. “What did you do?”

“I found a loophole.” He bent down and removed the flask from his boot and handed it to the ex-potioneer.

Dorian didn’t even have to open the bottle. “She drugged you with vendelirium??”

“Yes, and it was not my finest hour when they found me roaming the streets in a panic. Honestly, that's… that’s something I hope I never have to experience ever again.” Ace cleared his throat, “But–as you can see–I took the undeniable evidence with me.”

The king turned the flask in his fingers. The golden V shimmered in the light. 

“My best guess is she told her cronies to leave me alone, or they got one look at the flask in my boot, knew what it meant, and then they couldn’t get me out of there fast enough. When I finally came back to my senses in the hospital this morning, my horse and this letter were waiting outside as a ‘go away’ present.”

Dorian looked up from the bottle as Ace produced a wax-sealed parchment from Lady’s saddle bag. He traded the flask for the letter, broke the seal, and opened the letter.

“‘His Majesty, King Dorian Swift,’” he read. “‘Thank you for sending Ambassador Gallagher on your behalf to discuss the matter of Pontus Market. I assure you that these citizens do not represent the spirit of Valiant as a whole, and that this behavior is uncalled for. From this day forward, Valiant merchants will adhere to the rules and regulations set by both Valiant and Kalgara to ensure the success of the market. This letter, written in my own hand, is signed by Vashta Barclay, Duchess of Valiant, under the rule of His Excellency, King Rei Laude of Daethos.’”

“Mission accomplished.” Ace pointed at Dorian.

“‘Post Scriptum,’” Dorian added. “‘The Duchess would appreciate that the matter of my missing flask remain unspoken in order to protect the reputation of both of our countries. Thank you for your understanding.’”

A smile finally found its way onto Dorian’s face. “You can be awfully crafty when you want to be, Sir Gallagher.”

“So I’ve been told.” He batted his eyes.

Dorian shook his head with a chuckle. “All right, so how did you bust your forehead?”

Ace’s lips twisted. "Remember when I said it wasn’t my finest hour when I was under the vendelirium? I apparently scared some old guy with a cane…”

Dorian clapped his hand against his bearded chin, but was unable to stifle a laugh. “And here, I was expecting some exciting addition to the ‘matter of the missing flask’.”

“Hey–it may not be glorious, but it still hurts!”

“I’m sorry,” the king managed to get out. 

Ace rolled his eyes as the two started up the hill. Ace’s appaloosa and Dorian’s gray buck followed loyally behind them.

“You know,” Dorian said after a moment, “you really risked a lot in order to protect Kalgara’s reputation–not to mention your own. We all would have taken a huge hit if Vashta’s schemes had come to pass.”

Ace shrugged, but glanced at his friend when Dorian patted him on the back. 

“Thankfully, Vashta didn’t know who she was dealing with. But thank you, Ace. Thank you for doing what you did.”

“Like I wouldn’t have?” Ace appeared amused. “Come on.”

The king grinned almost sheepishly. “I knew I made the right choice appointing you as ambassador.”

“I mean, honestly, as the King of Kalgara,” Ace fingered his chin, “you need all the help you can get.”

“Thanks, Ace, I’m glad your sense of humor remains unharmed.” Dorian replied dryly.

“Now if you don’t mind, Your Highness,” Ace huffed with a hand on his temple, “I’d like to go sleep off this headache before I head back to Fortanya.”

The king nodded as Matthew met them at the palace gate. “I believe that can be arranged, Ambassador.”

----

I originally wrote and shared this in 2020 but I tweaked it a few months ago to match where the story has progressed since I wrote it. Recent discoveries definitely makes the venedelirium sequence more poignant since it's showing Ace one of the worst moments he's had this entire series (vs just random terror--it's now targeted terror, heh)... and why I was hesitant to repost it since it's spoilery.

I may do a Some Story Talk (Some Spoiler Talk? lol) to go through some of these changes, especially since the Athena one hit me as I was driving listening to a song that popped up on my shuffle...

I also redrew the sketch I had made back when I wrote this too.