Chapter 9: Chapter Nine – The belle of the ball.

Agace felt like a prized pig. The king had organised a ball for her benefit. She was supposed to get to know the eligible bachelors of the nobility. What that meant in reality was that she was being paraded around the king’s ballroom using her beauty to solicit the highest bid for her hand.

The king had sent a messenger to inform her of the ball almost as an afterthought. As soon as Pons had died the king had seen Agace’s marriage and attached wealth as a way to increase his influence in his own kingdom.

Not one of her prospective suitors had even bothered to speak to her yet. They were all clustered around the king. Perceval Mercier the third was not an imposing man. He had barely survived a childhood illness that had left him small and weak. His father Perceval the second had been a king who kept a firm hand on his kingdom. A natural warrior and leader Perceval had defended his kingdom from Leatusian aggression for thirty years. In all that time the armies of Leatus had never taken any ground from Nevares.

Perceval the third however did not live up to his father’s legacy. In an attempt to get out from his father’s shadow Perceval had led an ill-fated invasion into Greater Leatus. The campaign had been brutally short, and Perceval had lost more than half his army.

He had also put Nevares in a precarious position if the merchant lords of Leatus decided to respond with an invasion of their own. It had been a year and so far, the border had been quiet but nobody in the kingdom thought that would last for long.

Using her remaining power Agace could access Perceval’s potential and he would never make a great king. In fact, the hypothetical best version of Perceval was a candlemaker. In another life he could have made for the best chandler in a medium sized city. Unlikely he would ever follow that path.

Agace also did not think much of the other possible husbands that surrounded the king like clucking hens. The only truly dangerous man here was Duke Roche. Agace saw a dangerous level of greedy and ambition in that man. He was one person that was exactly on the right path to realise his potential.

So far, he had yet to approach the king, but Agace had a feeling that it would not be long before he did. He was still wearing the official blacks for mourning. He did not however seem to be making a genuine effort to express grief. The man wore a massive gold chain around his neck. The chain was adorned with mana crystals of purple. It was an ostentatious display of wealth. Purple was the rarest of all mana and only the imperial mages of Tulan knew how to properly use the substance. Each crystal was probably worth as much as a small city.

Agace turned as she heard a man clearing his throat next to her. He was the ambassador from Leatus who had come unbidden when the king had sent out to the nobles informing them of this ball and potential marriage.  

“Good evening my dear,” said the man in a heavey Leatusian accent, “why aren’t you lovely. Such a pity that your king turned down our offer for you. With your beauty you would have made a fine courtesan in the Leatusian royal court. The merchant prince himself might even favour you.”

Agace did not reply. The man was not really speaking to her but rather about her.

Seeing the lack of response from her the man grunted, “fine you need not speak to me but consider pleading with Perceval to reconsider our offer. You would prefer the climate in Leatus and Duke Roche’s wives have a strange habit of dying in mysterious circumstances.”

With that the man strode out of the ballroom. Agace found it doubtful that Leatus would send someone just to bargain for her. The man was probably in Stormbreaker on some other business. The entire city felt as if great changes were happening under the surface.

Agace was beginning to feel frustrated. Usually when mortals were scheming for power it was the best time to play her games. The problem was that she had no idea what was going on and she had no way of finding out. Intrigue was so much less fun when you were a pawn and not a god.

As Agace looked around in a bored manner, she saw someone who looked quite interesting. There was a woman doing the rounds of all the nobles. She was flirting with all the men much to the displeasure of their wives. It was her potential though that had Agace intrigued. She had the potential to be a master spy. If not for this clue and the fact that Agace had nothing else to do but watch closely she would not have noticed that the woman pocketing a silver ring she slipped off a viscount’s finger.

Finally finding something interesting to do Agace made her way over to the woman. She waited until the woman was between targets and then slipped her arm through the woman’s. She clutched onto her as if they were good friends.

“You simply have to tell me who made that dress for you its delightful,” squealed Agace, as a ditzy heiress might.

Agace ignored the death stare of the woman and forcefully pulled her away from the crowd.

“Come with me. I do not know who you are, but I’ve been told that your skills are needed. Besides I think you have stolen enough for one evening,” Agace said with a smirk.

The woman paled but visibly schooled her face to prevent any other obvious reaction.

Agace drew the woman away from the ball, “now I am somewhat of the main attraction for this evening, but I think my job here is done. Besides something tells me everything might already be decided. Why don’t you and I make our way back to my palace and discuss what your new employer wants from you.”

Agace had no idea if Erec would need the women whenever he chose to arrive, but she was bored and needed to start some kind of grand conspiracy. Besides it never hurt to have a competent spy around. She was sure that Erec would think of something to do with her.

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Stormbreaker was an unimpressive city. When it had originally been built by the Tulan empire, it had been nothing but a fortress to protect the mouth of the river. Since those days the city had grown but not in any kind of ordered manner. Much like Cardell the city lacked any walls. The only real fortifications in Navares lay on the eastern border of the country.

The security of the city was also lax, the army must have mostly been stationed in the eastern border as well. There were however a disproportionate number of mercenaries in the city. Many of the mercenaries were from Tulan and Leatus, there were only a scant few local mercs. Had this been Erec’s city, he would have taken it as a worrying sign. As it was, he had his own mission to accomplish and did not have time to worry with the fate of the Kingdom.

Erec had left the smugglers to their own devices. They had not known much about the criminal underbelly of the city apart from the extent of their own operation. It had not taken much to get them to speak. Erec had not even had to torture them. He had left them with a message to give to their boss. They could either join him or they could die. he then left them with a set of instructions, to be carried out immediately, if they failed to do so, he would have to find them again.

 

One other thing that the smugglers had known, was the location of the Martel palace. That was not hard to find. Pons Martel had built the place in the outskirts of the city. he had also made the controversial decision to make palace in the Leatusian style. Erec was sure he had done it just to annoy the king. On his way there, Erec took time to listen to the conversation on the street.

After some time, it became clear that his job was not going to be easy. The King had summoned every noble in the land. That explained Duke Pascal’s absence from the north. Who the king would choose to be the lady Martel’s husband and why was speculated upon by peasant wife and merchant alike. The marriage and its associated fortune could shift the balance of power in the kingdom.

Erec grimaced. At least Agace had many different nobles to choose from. If her husband gained control of her fortune that would also satisfy the condition that she needed to maintain all her legal property, as in Nevares all property in marriage was considered to be communally owned. 

Erec found it disturbingly easy to break into the Martel grounds. Many of the staff had clearly been fired or chosen to leave as apart from a skeleton guard duty and a few servants the palace was empty. Many of the rooms had their furniture covered with sheets and some was already packed away.

After a thorough search Erec found Agace’s room. As it happened Agace and her guest had just returned to the palace. Erec decided to observe for a while before he made his presence known. He was perched just outside the window so that he could peered through the shutter slats.

Agace was sipping tea as she chattered, “I do not know exactly what he looks like, but he should be here in the next few days. He has to get here before my wedding.”

Arabelle, the thief Agace had pulled from the party, fidgeted as she responded, “let me see if I understand you correctly. You dragged me here to this mansion, to await some mystery man whom you claim is my new employer? The only reason I came with you was because I was afraid that you would blow my cover.”

This was interesting Aagce was apparently expecting his arrival.

Agace pouted, “you seemed capable, and I am sure that Erec will need capable people to help him.”

Arabelle scoffed, “listen I already work for the blue bloods. I am not just going to start working for someone on your say so.”

Erec knew that name the blue bloods were a group of thieves that stole from the wealthy of the city. From what little information Erec had gathered they were an independent crew and worked outside of the protection of the thieves guild. They could indeed be useful but why on Teranis was Agace trying to recruit one of their members for him? How had the two even met?

Erec was about to step in get some answers to his questions when he got his first good look at Agace. She was breathtaking. She had curly black hair that fell below her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep blue and were filled with a hidden mirth that only she understood. Her lips were full and red. Erec also felt that he had seen her somewhere before. That was impossible though. He did not know anything about what this body did before he took over, but he doubted that he had mixed with nobility.

Erec came back to himself and tutted at his distraction. Having heard enough of the two’s conversation for now, Erec pushed the shutters inward and stepped down into the room.

Arabelle to her credit reacted immediately. She sprang from her chair and put some distance between Erec and herself. She also slipped a dagger into her hand that she had secreted up her sleeve.

“You will not be needing that but hold onto it if it makes you feel better,” said Erec as he took in the rest of the room. “Now, lady Agace,” Erec said, bowing as he spoke, “we have some business to discuss. My name is Erec from your conversation earlier I gather that you have been expecting me.”

Agace had remained in her chair and while he had been speaking, she had been giving Erec an appraising look. The body she had found for him was handsome. Erec carried himself with a deadly self-assurance. He screamed competence with his every movement. Even the appraising shift of his eyes was never without purpose. Most importantly unlike every other mortal he had no definite cap on his potential. Agace could have endless fun with him. She could not stop herself from smiling in anticipation.  

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