The king's eyes

A little earlier in the evening

Romeo

A bunch of lunatics, that’s all they are.

They have all had a project for me for many years, without anyone ever asking me for anything.

I don’t really care. I just want to be left alone.

Looks like they are possessed. My father had to do something to them to make them all so dedicated, even post-mortem.

I barely knew him, my mother always described him as a respected leader but when I understood what kind of losers dedicated their lives to him...

They appointed me as his successor. So I’m supposed to take the lead on this idea. The superiority of sorcerers, the other magical beings to be wary of, and to be put aside for the good of the kingdom.

According to them, we are the best to call the shots, and we must have control over magic.

I grew up with this idea. I didn’t wonder until I wondered who decided who was the good and the bad wizards. Who of the wizards were the ones who were right or wrong? There are good and bad people in all species. There are completely twisted wizards, I have some samples here...

It just doesn’t make sense to categorize the hierarchy based on species.

Species do not determine character or aspirations, and those capable of judging what is right or wrong should not take into account the race or nature of the individual.

I began to understand a few years ago that this idea was based on ignorance, lack of intelligence, or a ruse to entice the mad or the lost in a quest for power. We don’t know the other magics, we don’t know what elves, nymphs, or fairies can do or not, so we go to the simplest and we get them off...

Using fear to influence the people is a well-known old ploy...

And totally dangerous.

How to agree with that? And worse, how to claim this completely twisted theory as the leader of this community of angry idiots??

Many times I feel like slapping a lot of them here, and telling them how stupid they are. I will never endorse their little revolution based on the lack of knowledge of the other...

But they are dangerous and have no limits. I live in the middle of this bunch of crazy people, they’d kill me on the spot.

I prefer to stay away as much as possible. They think I’m studying, training in witchcraft

When I try to talk to my mom about it, she gets mad. I have a kind of heritage that I must honor, a whole people behind me who are waiting for me to resume the movement.

I am totally trapped in this madness. I just want to run away from here, live alone and quietly.

My mother… She has always been alone and depressed. She does not live in the coven, she is settled in town, alone.

She never smiles, there is always something wrong… It even seems that she refuses happiness. She closes herself to others and only talks about problems.

Sometimes I try to talk to her about the real problem, to understand how she can get better, and to see if it is not related to the mourning of my father, which she may still not have done.

But she tells me that’s not it, that she’s fine, that there’s nothing.

She was already separated from my father before the battle. I lived with her until I was old enough to join the Drazzel coven.

The town of Drazzel is a day’s journey from the capital, Amben, where King Samael lives.

The coven placed themselves there so as not to be too far from Amben and the coveted castle, but far enough not to be in the sights of the king.

Grégoire went there to try to lift the bad spell. I don’t think he will put much goodwill into it... He is an active member of the coven, and a strong opponent of the current reign.

For now, the opponents are not openly asserting their position, they are waiting for the right moment. Until I’m ready, surely. I’m only 21.

I have a few more years to escape this charade before I am dragged to Samael to confront him. They want me to finish what my father started.

It shouldn’t be very difficult, he’s blind and weak. But if I have to take his place it will surely not be to brandish the supremacy of wizards.

The kingdom is upside down. Me or someone else, we must restore order and justice.

...I hear noise in the main room. Why are they bawling like that again?

A crowd is gathered in front of the entrance, I have to shout to be heard

“What’s this rant?!" I asked.

"Gregoire came back from the castle… In very good company!" Celerus said to me.

What the hell is he doing again?? I talk to him "Gregoire? But what are you doing here? And who is this woman??"

Gregoire smiles like a madman, he has in his arms a blonde woman, asleep, or stunned... Who knows what he did to her?

“I present to you… The king's whore!!" He yelled, like a fool.

"What?? But you are absolutely crazy! Why aren’t you at the castle??!" I asked, upset.

"Imagine that this witch managed to free Samael from a bad spell! He has regained his sight, and is doing wonderfully! They partied like crazy, the whole town was at the castle. The opportunity was too good. I knocked that traitor out and cast a hypersleep spell on her. But she will wake up soon, I have to put her in the cell." He answered.

"But why did you take her off?! It’s too late anyway! She has already succeeded, I do not understand the point?!" I insisted.

"We will interrogate her, Lord Romeo, to find out how she did it. And she got close to the king, I’m sure she seduced him and he enjoyed her pretty body a lot. He must surely be enraged by now. It will make him more vulnerable.

We will have to launch the assault on the castle sooner than expected! Before it gathers too many people!" He told me, too confident.

The others are jubilant, it has awakened their madness, their projects that make no sense...

“Yeah!! It is time!! They will all pay!!! For Shezaar!! For Shezaar!!"

I'm pissed off "You are seriously ill! Samael will hunt us down, and kill us all! He has regained his sight and surely the rage to win, we’re screwed!!"

They make me lose patience...

Gregoire intervenes "That he comes! We are numerous and trained! All these years have allowed us to improve! While he isolated himself to mope. The time has come, Lord Romeo, your time. And we are behind you."

They’re taking the blonde and I’m starting to worry... She’s special. She’s a special witch...

She’s pretty and angelic... He hit her and bewitched her... And he’s going to lock her up, that crazy guy...

Shit, we are there, the big trouble begins. And already a first innocent victim… What am I going to do?