Jazz stood from his seat and started pacing around the room. "As the Governor's son, I had a lot of leeway and potential. I already mentioned that I was a bit of a prodigy. I was also easily bored, which is why I started entertaining in the wrong circles. One of these circles was the Crimsonhawks. They're all nobles, but not as high ranking as I was. I was definitely not supposed to train with them. My rank forbade it. My father, however, loved me very much, so when he found out, I was merely chastised and asked to no longer entertain their presence.

"You can guess by now that I did not care. I took the love and leniency as weakness and continued to do what I wanted. The training, the wrong sort of people, sinking my hands in every design I considered faulty..."

Cage remembered that. "You did mention you tinkered with something you shouldn't have."

"True. There is something else you need to know about the Crimsonhawks. They're true assassins, which means they deal in poisons as well as weaponry. They have an ingenious device which stores this poison. It resides oftentimes on the hilt of their weapons and it could be activated during fights to imbed the blade with it. In this case, you die even if they merely scrape you.

"The trigger to this mechanism was however inefficient. I found it ridiculous. I stole the designs from Napoletta's libraries and found the flaw in it with ease. I thought I was a genius fixing something which men far below me couldn't see.

"I was wrong. It was not a design flaw. I wasn't smarter. I was just naive. Crimsonhawks were not meant to have the power to kill like that. The poison was meant to be used on themselves in case they were captured. With my ill-time tinkering, I gave them too much power and some of them decided to test it during training and killed each other. As I mentioned, they were the sons of nobility."

Cage sucked air through his teeth. All the information was troublesome and the ingenuity of Napoletta could not be ignored, but it paled in the face of the anguish radiating from Jazz.

"Didn't they know it was poison?'

"Of course they did," Jazz said, his tone bitter. "But just like me, they thought they were beyond silly mistakes. Around that time, while I was at my proudest, I also slipped under the sheets with Terrani's daughter. She thought I was going to marry her..."

"And it all came crashing down..." Cage massaged his forehead. "So the chances that Terrani will understand that I still need you and leave you here are minimal."

"Look, Napoletta doesn't have an army. All the Free Cities don't have enough resources to wage war on Iride--"

"Jazz, I'm not a moron," Cage said between his teeth. "I know they're not going to declare war on Iride. They're not morons either. But that doesn't mean they won't Crimsonhawk you or me."

Jazz fell silent for a moment. "Assassinate. You mean assassinate."

It didn't sound any better. "Do the Crimsonhawks still use your design?"

"I don't know what they did with it after I left. They'd be morons not to, though. And they're anything but."

Cage agreed with that which made having two of them inside his place even more worrying. "We need a reason to throw Terrani out."

"You can't throw Terrani out! That would be diplomatic suicide. We need Napoletta if we're going to war."

"I need you, too, and since I can't have both..."

Jazz hummed and increased the speed of his pacing. Cage let out a groan and shut his eyes. He wanted out of that gods-forsaken palace. He wanted to go back to Darkwood and to his own castle and just live there until Kat came for him. But the thought of his old prison posed another issue. He had been too aware ever since taking the throne that he had Joshua as leverage. The Kat he knew loved her father dearly. Of course, the Kat he knew might be gone forever, her mind corrupted by Lucille, but that wasn't certain.

Yet, he felt like a sleaze to use a man he knew and liked. On the other hand, he would be a complete imbecile as a ruler not to use this advantage. For days he'd wondered what to do about the issue. He'd wanted to head out for Darkmore himself, but he couldn't afford the six day trip to get there and return. With all the problems that kept arising, he could hardly spare an hour to himself. His hour was now filled with Jazz's issues.

Like a given, someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Cage asked. He'd usually have whoever it was come in, but he wouldn't risk it being Terrani while Jazz was there.

"It's Humphrey, your majesty. And Commander Malcom."

"Come on in," he said, "and join the madness," he added under his breath.

Humphrey pushed the double doors open, his frail form struggling with their weight. He'd been the master of the Grand Palace ever since Cage could remember, and he was one of the most competent people there. He'd been the one who'd taught Cage most of the etiquette and also snuck him cookies from the kitchen.

After he'd started his time in the navy, the old master was one of the few people Cage looked forward to seeing when he returned. While he made friends with the soldiers and sailors, Humphry always reminded him of his status and made sure he wouldn't forget his place.

It had been annoying in his teens, but now that he had ended up being king, Cage appreciated his lessons more than ever.

The old man stepped out of the way to make room for Malcom who closed the door behind the two of them.

"Let me have it," Cage said with a sigh, letting himself slide further down in his seat.

"Your Majesty mustn't slouch," Humphrey said. "Nobility must always be poised." He straightened his own frame as if to demonstrate.

It was hard for Cage not to burst out into hysterical laughter. "I'm sorry, Humphrey. I forget myself." He straightened in an exaggerated manner and puffed his chest out. "Is this better?"

The old man smiled and tears filled his eyes. "Still a rascal, I see."

"Some things never change."

"You can bet on that," Malcom interjected, though he didn't sound amused at all. "We have issues."

Cage stood, all traces of lightheartedness disappearing. "What happened?"

"One of our patrols was captured near the border."

"Endirians?"

"I surely hope so. It's not very clear yet, but word slid down that the border barons are not pleased with your rule. They're apparently reporting to General Harkiss."

Cage clenched his jaw, trying to keep his calm. The anger had come so suddenly, he'd almost let a burst of magic out. The last thing he wanted was to frighten two of the few people he could trust.

"You did predict that this Harkiss would be a pain in the ass," Jazz said.

Of course he would be. He'd been so close to marrying into the royal family, and now with Ferdinand dead and Fherras dead, he'd found himself with nothing. He was still the leader of the army though, and Cage couldn't outright fight him. He hadn't even gotten the chance to meet with him yet, which he now realized could have offended the proud general.

"Fuck," he muttered.

Humphrey jumped as he cursed, but didn't chastise him. Cage began pacing, and after a few laps stopped in front of the map. There were six towns along the mountain border with Endir aside from the Border Villages. If the border barons were revolting, the entire kingdom would be weakened and Kat could just waltz in with an army.

He needed to fix this and fast. He wished he still had Joey and William with him. Like a bolt of lightning, he realized he could have them.

Jazz had been right. He'd spent this entire time hating the crown and wishing he could escape it instead of taking it for what it was. An opportunity to right all the wrongs he'd always seen in his kingdom. Who cared if he deserved it or not? It was upon his head now, and he would be damned to the seventh circle of hell and back if he didn't do his best to earn it. At least that's what he told himself as he gave out the next orders.

"Malcom, I want you to send an official envoy to the border barons and ask them to come to Valona for a meeting. Humphrey, you can draft the official letter, and I'll sign it and put my sigil on it. Send Sargent Pierce with the envoy and enough men to make sure they're all safe. I want you to go to my castle in Darkwood and bring me Joey, William and Kat's father. Also Keleigh Lagston if she would be willing to come.

"Humphrey, I need a detailed list of all the servants left in the Grand Palace. Also, please see that Lord Terrani and his men don't leave their wing of the palace without the information getting to me. I also want an official invitation presented to General Harkiss for a meeting with me. Give him the chance to say no."

Both men nodded, and once Cage dismissed them, hurried out of the room. Once he was once again alone with Jazz, he turned to his friend.

"I need to speak with Jinx and Trix as well. I'm thinking about sending you and Jinx to Endir."

"I'm not sure Kat likes us much, so we'd be poor envoys."

"Not as envoys. As spies."

Jazz grinned. "Much better. And it would maybe convince Terrani that I'm not here." The smile slipped off his face. "What about Trix?"

"I'd like Trix here. He can help me figure out what the citizens really think of their new king."

"Wise," Jazz said with a nod. "I'll get them right away." And he exited the room.

Left alone, Cage took the crown off his head. This time, he didn't toss it as far away as possible, but held it and glanced at it. Rubies glittered from the delicate golden weave of the circlet. It had beautiful craftsmanship and had been in his family for generations. The object bore no fault that his legacy was twisted.

And speaking of twisted legacies, it was about time he paid a visit to his mother.

⚜⚜⚜

I must admit that I enjoy writing the politics side of this story. It's a bit of a change of pace, but you get to see how Cage fares with his kingdom. Unfortunately, there are very few people he can trust and that always leads to delicious conflict.

Also, in case you were wondering, I did schedule this update so I wouldn't forget again, lol.

I hope you're having fun with this story and thank you for all your support!