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Ivran laughed bitterly, "Do you believe your husband can get him out of all this Annamarie? He dared to touch a high ranked Lord."

"To defend me Ivran," She hissed. "He did it to protect me from you." She added quietly.

"Protect you from me? You are one foolish woman, my Lady. Your dear husband does not trust you enough; he had to keep his watchdog near. Your dear Lord knows what he is dealing with. He is certain you wouldn't stay willingly once you find a better catch and when that day comes, you would be gone, just like the wind. I know out of an experience. Didn't you walk out on me? Didn't you choose Vulen over me because you thought I was a low ranked Knight and Lord, but your greatest regret started when you found out the truth? You realized how foolish you were. You left a wealthy Lord with high staus who you were madly in love with for the sake of what? An old filthy and grumpy Lord?"

Annamarie stared back at Ivran; she tried to choose her following words carefully. "I did the right thing. Vulen might be old, but he hundred times the man you are. You are nothing but a boy whos living in his father wealth and shadow! A Lord you are, a Knight too. But all that doesn't mean anything. Your heart is darker than the abbeys, and your soul is poisonous, I guess it runs in the family."

Ivran features hardened as he spoke his following words. "What he did is treason and shall die for it. Call your husband, my lady, but that won't do him any good."

A young servant called for Lord Vulen, but before he reached them, Lord Anakin stepped forward, pulling a cloth out. "Ivran, are you wounded?" He asked with concern evident in his eyes, searching his sons face.

Anakin turned around to face Annamarie, "It is always you. Where ever you go trouble follows." He hissed. Then he turned to face Elduin. "Sir Elduin, in the name of King Theodore, I place you under arrest for the crime of treason."

Anakin announcement froze everyone within the alcove. Treason was one of the most dangerous crimes within the kingdom.

Anakin burst out of the alcove; he was snarling in a fury almost knocking Annamarie off of her feet. Annamarie hated Anakin to the point of nearly killing the man. He was throwing Elduin under his boots for the sake of this fake kings name, King Theodore.

"What in gods name happened here?" Asked a familiar voice.

Thank the heavens above. Vulen. "My Lord." She whispered. "I request an immediate hearing in the matter of treason committed by Elduin against high Lord Ivran."

Her husband started to move toward her in concern; He saw Ivran watching him closely. Then he turned to face his wife once again, and when he did, he wished if he did not.

"Arrest this man, in the name of high Royal highness Theodore."

Anakin waved a couple of royal guards to capture Elduin. As The royal guards pulled away Elduin, Annamarie whispered. "I'm sorry, Elduin."

He paused for a while before Elduin spoke, "It has been an honor to serve you, my Lady. If this is my fate  for defending your honor, then I'm more than willing to walk this path."

Annamarie pressed her trembling hand to her mouth. All this was happening because of Ivran, he was a bitter man and used all King's Theodore twisted Laws as he pleased. Annamarie would lose a valuable ally, but she knew better that she was missing a brother.

"Hold yourself together, Annamarie. perhaps you would rather rest in you chambers till you cool down." Whispered Vulen.

Illyria watched as the master of torture ordered his guards to remove the lifeless body of the young mage. Seconds later a metal door at the far end was unlocked, and the same guards pulled another young mage.

Theodore was losing his patience and stalked toward him. "I believe your kind own me a vision, young mage. Tell me what Nania saw before she died!"

"I-I don't know, Sire. The vision was not passed to me."

"That is not good enough, try harder! you are a mage use your magic to unleash the vision, boy."

"That is not how the vision works, my Lord-"

Theodore was threatened, and he felt it, he could feel it. His kingdom was dying; the old magic was returning to Xascon. "There are different ways to make it work then." The time was ticking, and Theodore saw the distant look in the young mage eyes.

"Bring the golden fox," Theodore ordered one of his Royal Guards.

"Father Is it wise to set it free? We can't even control the creature." Illyria whispered.

"Times of the essence. That fox is all we got right now; he was the companion of the old soul, I believe that the fox shares his master's power in some ways." Theodore argued. "The creature has been restless lately."

Once the creature was there, silence covered the room. The fox was locked in a cage, but it was clear that he was communicating with the young mage somehow.

"What is the creature doing, my King?" Asked Illyria.

"He sees the vision," Theodore tried to hold the fox, but a blue bolt attacked the king forcing him to step away from the creature.

Suddenly, the young mage began trembling too violently, breathing hard. Theodore was forcing him to share the vision. "Tell me what you see!"

As the young mage continued to fight back the vision, Illyria whispered gently, "Don't fight it. Be smart and listen to our commands and your death will not have to be in vain."

The young mage was no match for Theodore power; he knew that.

"Distraction." The boy whispered. "I see death and the end."
"Who will cause it?" Theodore hissed.
"He got no name. He walks out of one the ancient forests. Broken curse and unchained. You shall never have him."

The young mage spirit started to escape his body, but Theodore wouldn't allow it. Not yet.
"You don't die now, boy," Theodore ordered flatly.  "You die when I allow you to."

The young mage felt his spirit returning to his body, but he knew this was black forbidden magic. "You are no god Theodore of Xuclistan."
And once again the young mage eyes were fixed on the golden fox as if he was waiting for his approval to share his following words.

"From the forgotten forest of Xascon, the old soul came.
Who break the stolen magic.
With a forgotten name and bloody history, he rises once again.
Owner to an old golden Thorne.
A true child of the moon.
With flames of the ancient kingdom to mourn."

With his words Illyria allowed her father to see some of the imagines through her eyes. Rebellion. Armies and blood. Theodore broke out of the vision. He turned to face the Master of torture. "Kill him. Don't allow his soul to rest ever."
It was not the usual killing; the King didn't want the young mage to rest even after his death.

A sudden hue escaped the fox's body as he spoke. "May the light guide your path in the afterlife youngster." Then the fox's eyes were fixed on Theodore. "Listen to me mortal; this is your final warning. The path you took will be your doom. I might be caged, but you are no match for the old magic."

When the fox was done, the last evidence of the young mage body was gone. Then the fox forced himself into magical deep slumber.

"Father, what just happened?" Illyria whispered. "Were you aware that this creature could do all that? He saved the boy and only allowed us to see what he wanted."

"This is more alarming than I thought," Theodore replied.

Master of torture spoke fearfully. "We have no more mages, my Lord. They are becoming hard to find as they are covering their tracks."

"Call in my highness Mage to find these young mages," Theodore ordered.

Illyria spoke suddenly, "Why not force the high Mage to control this vision for us, father?"

Theodore gazed back at his daughter. "That can never happen. Elion is a high Mage who can control dark magic. If he tries to control this vision, he will corrupt it."

A different knocked on the door grabbed the King's attention. The king's chamberlain reported a problem between nobles that required Theodore's personally.

Theodore ordered the chamberlain, "Take these nobles to my study now!"

Illyria didn't envy her father for being the king this kingdom was harder to handle. Then Theodore turned to face his daughter.

"A change of plans then."

Do I look presentable?" Annamarie forced. This would be her first private audience with King Theodore.

"Stunning as always, love." Her husband said. "You don't need to worry; I'm sure the king would be wondering why a beautiful lady like you would marry me."

"You are the kindest man I've ever met. That's why I fell for you." She said gently. "Isn't there anything I could say to save Elduin?"

"Do not be reckless," Vulen replied in a high voice. "What Elduin did is treason punished by death, nothing can save him."

Annamarie started to question her husband morals; he believed that Theodore was an honest King who cared for his people. But the truth was somewhat far from it. Annamarie saw the King as a villain who deserved death.

But for the sake of her friend, she would request this audience, praying that Theodore was in a generous mood this evening.

"Try to relax dear; you know that stress can harm you and you don't want to meet the king like this."

Annamarie listened to her husband for the sake of Elduin.

The King's Chamberlain opened the door for them. Annamarie and Vulen where led through a vast space, filled with golds and diamonds. At the far end of the table, there was a huge marble table on top of it was a set of books.

Annamarie stepped closer to take a better look; she became speechless. "Are those The old kingdom magical books?"

"I believe so. It was told that they were lost." He said quietly.

But Annamarie became so bale when she saw them. The ancient Black gemstone. "This is real? I've only heard about it in tales."

"His majesty awaits," the Chamberlain said.
Vulen followed the Chamberlain, but Annamarie's eyes caught something she believed she would never see in her life.

"The serpent King staff." Annamarie breathed.

Vulen turned around and saw the magical staff mounted up on the wall.

She and Vulen made their way into the King. Annamarie tried not to trip while she Curtis. While she was focused on the King, someone else made an entrance to the study.

Ivran hurried in followed by his father, bowing briefly. "Your majesty, you requested my audience?"

Theodore sat down. Then he looked up casting a sharp look at his subjects within the study. "Speak, Ivran."

Ivran went into in-depth details about happened earlier, yet he did not include the part where he tries to provoke Lady Annamarie.

When everything was said, Theodore faced lady Annamarie. "Is there anything you wish to add, my lady?"

Annamarie could hardly fight the tears behind her eyes. "No, my lord. I have nothing to say." Her words came out like acid in her mouth.

Theodore was far from done as he turned his attention to Vulen. "Speak, Lord of Exolia."

Annamarie took this as a good sign. She was hoping that this man would listen and forgive.

Vulen spoke formally. "Your majesty, we acknowledge Knight Elduin error, and we cannot forgive it. My lord, he's young and foolish, he was eager to protect his Lady. This was a huge mistake not intended."

"Your so-called knight punched me in the face!" Ivran hissed.

"Would you not love to have twenty thousand knights as Elduin who is devoted to you?" Vulen watched the King.

Annamarie saw the slight change in the King's mood. She would've kissed her husband right now if it was appropriate.

The King remained silently seated until she thought she thought she might die aging here.

"Let the prisoner stand."

Elduin was pulled up, gazing back at the king not breaking their eye contact.

"Very touching. Your devotion to you Lady is very touching. But I always find you guilty; your act is treason. And in consequence, I strip you of everything." He spoke his words with no worries. His subjects life meant nothing to him. Then he leaned forward, glaring at Elduin. "You shall not belong to any kingdom, no dear Queen, rank and you shall have no name. You shall be known as... Exo."
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