Chapter 6: 06: The Villainess and the Little Gentleman

Ecclesia is coming out of her curtsey—one of her Top 10 Curtsies of the Year, easy, perfect posture and form, even her etiquette teacher Lady Sanderson would be proud—when her eyes blur with a memory.

Sent to guard the Northern Provinces when he was a mere thirteen years old, the second prince Dominion’s heart is as cold as the icy tundra he reigns over. His strong presence and military prowess rivals that of the golden crown prince, and his arrival at the capital to attend the Academy stirs many a maiden’s heart. But he himself is still—unmoved, like the snowy peak of a lone mountain.

What will it take to thaw him?

“What, indeed,” Ecclesia mutters. She raises her eyes to the king, and to the princes on either side of him: Calix and Dominion, the first and second of the realm. Silver hair and dark, the sun and the moon of the kingdom, the first and second lead of the game.

Then she sees them as they truly are: Calix, his eyes glittering with challenge, sadistic and arrogant. Dominion, who is just a little boy in grown up clothes. How was he second oldest again? He looks five years old.

Her eyes snap back to the middle.

“I greet His Majesty the King,” she says smartly. “Thank you for granting us the great honor of an audience.”

“At ease, child, at ease,” the king says hastily. “No amount of formality will make up for how hard you bit me the last time we met, Lady Ecclesia.”

He’s the same age as her father, and looks it: long black hair and blue eyes, he’s the splitting image of the way Leonard had looked in the game. Ecclesia’s heart gives an unwilling swoop.

“Uh,” she says, and to her dismay, blushes.

“Very much so,” he says with amusement. “I hear you have fared well since your king-biting days. The Academy’s Knight department is already frothing at the mouth to have you.”

Now entirely flustered, Ecclesia risks sneaking a glance at Leonard out of the tail of her eye. He’s making faces at her that say, why are you red, and, with greater urgency, stop that!

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she manages.

“And now, for the matter at hand. Duke Spencer, will you stand with the rest of my advisors?”

“I’m not here in any official capacity, Your Majesty, merely as a father to a little scamp.”

The king examines her father’s smiling face. Some of the echoing tension in the room goes out when he nods, saying, “So be it. We are both fathers today, and friends.”

Rather than noticing it herself, Ecclesia notices Leonard noticing the rest of the advisors’ reaction to this. They all look carefully blank. Were they hoping for an official case against them? After the king had already established his closeness to her father?

Lame.

“And you, Leonard?”

Leonard’s shoulders twitch, but he plays it off: he’s composed as he says, “Lady Ecclesia and I stand as allies today.”

He pinches Ecclesia’s shoulder under the guise of righting her robe. He’s such a bastard. She’s going to vanquish him one day. Vanquish him so hard he cries--

“Now, there have been some grievous accusations that you tried to take the life of my firstborn, Calix,” the king says. “But likewise, my second son Dominion has spoken on your behalf and said that you both took action in the name of his protection.”

“We did,” says Leonard.

“Eh, kinda,” says Ecclesia. Then, “Ow,” as Leonard steps on her foot.

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The king’s eyes twinkle. Bracketed by his almost-grown sons, he looks vibrant and young, the sternness of his demeanor faded by how much he clearly wants to laugh.

“Now, let us go over the events as we recall them. Anyone may correct me if I’m wrong. From what I gather, Princes Calix and Dominion had a disagreement, after which a scuffle ensued. Prince Leonard intervened on Dominion’s behalf, which led to Calix being thrown in the river. Am I correct so far?”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty,” says Leonard. “It was actually the earth magic of—”

Game Tip: According to tradition, princes who manifest powers to control the element of earth will be sent to the North to guard the wall and train for the rest of their lives till they ascend to the throne. Prince Dominion was sent to the North at a young age after an incident that revealed his divine earth magic, and was not allowed to visit his mother the Queen as she lay on her deathbed.

Gift him a phoenix feather to remind him that warmth can exist even in the most frigid cold.

“HE WENT FLYING,” Ecclesia yells. “NO ONE SAW HOW.”

 The hall falls silent. Leonard turns on her, his mouth twisted in a frown, but he snaps it closed when she shakes her head.

“…huh,” says the king. “Almost positive Prince Leonard was saying something about earth magic. As you know, if any of the princes have manifested their Divinity they must be sent to the North immediately for training.”

Dominion’s face crumples like a flower. “Immediately? But Mother’s—”

The king heaves a sigh. “It’s the law, I’m afraid.”

“HAHAHA, NO EARTH POWERS HERE. YET.” Ecclesia says, sweating now. “MAYBE IN THE FUTURE? WHO KNOWS. THAT WOULD BE GRAND. BUT RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT? NO EARTH POWERS. WHEW.”

Everyone’s eyes snap to her. Ecclesia keeps her gaze straight, fixed on the king, who has raised a hand to his mouth and trying his best to hide a laugh behind it.

“How convincing—hahaha, hm. I’m sure your expert opinion can be trusted, Lady Ecclesia.”

“It cannot.”

Ah, finally—it’s Calix, speaking up at last. His virtuous act has fallen away, and he’s openly seething.

“I admit I do not recall exactly who or what pushed me, but I was pushed. It was deliberate.”

Ecclesia wonders why he doesn’t bring up how she had beat the stuffing out of him. Presumably because it’s embarrassing to be beaten by a girl—but just as likely, this was one of Calix’s plots to undermine either Dominion or Leonard.

“Now, how do you propose we settle this? If this were an official case, both parties would be punished accordingly. But, as Lord Spencer pointed out, this is a purely unofficial dispute between children, where we are mere intermediaries. Does anyone have any suggestions?”

Some of the advisors open their mouths: evidently they do, they do indeed have plans about what to do with the heir of the highest-ranking noble of the kingdom and the seventh prince. Calix himself does not move. He must trust the advisors very much.

But it’s all pointless. Ecclesia doesn’t bother moving even a single muscle.

Leonard’s voice rings with authority across the gilded hall:

“I propose a duel.”

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