Duke Maxamus and Sarya

"What do you think, Sarya?" Duke Maxamus asked as he erected a zone of silence around him and his aide.

"I'll give it 50/50." Sarya calmly said.

"Explain." He said.

"Could you defeat a demon general at fifteen and before attending the academy?" Sarya simply asked.

How powerful is he?" Duke Maxamus wondered before his eyes widened in surprise at what happened next.

"I also believe he now wields shadow magic." She added.

"Impossible!" Duke Maxamus as he quickly appeared in front of Sarya. "Tell me your mistaken."

Instead of saying anything, she only shook her head. Indicating she was not mistaken.

This isn't good. The duke thought.

If word got out, his son, who wielded dark magic, now suddenly wielded shadow magic. Things will become very complicated in the future.

"How did you find out?" He asked as he recomposed himself and sat back down.

"It was hard. He does an excellent job at concealing it." Sarya paused.

"But." He urged her on.

"Before Ms. Windsor left, I was able to look at her notes. In it, she theorized how your son was able to obtain shadow magic." Sarya said.

"Go on." He said.

"Remember when Tammi's Final Rest was discovered, and your son went missing?" Sarya paused and waited for the duke to nod before continuing. "She wrote in her notes how they discovered a cave, and he entered it alone for nearly two weeks before returning to them. She also noted that he claimed to have found a fruit, and when he ingested it, it caused a mutation within his body that allowed him to use shadow magic." She finished.

"So you're telling me my son has had shadow magic for five years?" Duke Maxamus asked as his expression worsened.

She only nodded her head.

"Who else knows?" He asked.

"His aide and I'm positive Mr. Lambert knows. He is just not saying anything." Sarya responded immediately.

"What about his fiancé?"

"It seems your son doesn't trust her." Was her only reply.

Duke Maxamus reclined in his seat as he thought about everything he had just learned.

Things aren't as simple anymore. He thought as he pulled a letter out of his desk.

"So, do you believe this letter?" He asked her.

Sarya took a moment to think before replying.

"Remember after your son had returned from the mountain and threatened us directly?" She asked.

Nodding his head. She continued.

"If your son at the age of ten could threaten you face to face. Why is he now going behind your back and trying to side with the Royal family to take you down?" She asked.

"So. Whoever sent this letter to us doesn't know what happened in that tent that night." He summarized.

"Exactly. Whoever sent this is trying to widen the gap between you and your son." Sarya paused as he held up a hand.

"It's Princess Olivia who sent the letter." He calmly said.

Now it was Sarya's turn to be surprised.

"How do you know that?" She asked.

"Remember when the three of us had a meeting." He paused, and seeing he nod, he continued. "It was only for a moment, and I barely caught it when she looked upon him. She had the same eyes as him." He finished.

"You don't mean." Sarya paused as she felt a chill run down her spine.

"Yes. Like father, like daughter." He paused to let that sink in. "Remember when we attended the academy, and he always lusted over you and Maria? What about what he did to Markos's wife? He had those same eyes—those of someone who looked at others as trophies or even pets." He finished.

"And now his daughter is eying your son." Sarya paused as she thought it over. "It makes sense. Now I understand why he doesn't trust his fiancé. Because Lady Elizabeth and Princess Olivia are friends, it also explains the interaction between my daughter and your son." She finished as a look of understanding crossed her face.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Those two are in love." Sarya paused as a soft smile crossed her lips. "Now, at first glance, it seems as though there back to a master and servant relationship." She said.

"But." He said.

"A mother knows best. If I didn't know better, I would consider them telepathic in their communication." She paused as she let out a soft chuckle. "Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if she said she was pregnant. Suddenly she became very serious. "But if anything were to happen to my daughter. The Princess will die."

"Don't worry." Duke Maxamus said. "My son will allow no harm to come to her." He paused for a moment before allowing a small smile to appear. "Like father, like son." He said.

A moment of silence prevailed over the room for a moment before it became very cold. As the two looked at each other.

"So, the question is." Sarya began.

"Do we pretend to be pawns and go along with this plan?" Duke Maxamus finished.

"Better to follow the plan we know about, lest a more sinister plan is enacted." Sarya said.

"If my son is as smart as I think he is, he would be able to figure out were in on it." Duke Maxamus said.

"You know what is going to happen?" Sarya asked after a moment.

"Either my son or the Princess will come out on top." He said.

"No matter what. The kingdom is going to be changed forever." She said.

"Yes." He paused for a moment. "More than likely, House Maxamus will declare war on the Kingdom."

"Are we to be the heroes or the villains in this war?" Sarya asked.

"Only time will tell." Was all he said.

The game had begun with Princess Oliva Verglas on one side. In contrast, Ciaran Maxamus resided on the other. Who would win? Who would fall? What about the protagonist, who was supposed to be the story's hero?

In this story, anyone can be a hero or a villain. Anyone can fall. Anyone can rise if one is willing to become strong enough to choose their destiny. Anything was possible.

Kekeke. Or everything was controlled by one being, and they were having fun.