The king's eyes

Romeo

I’m woken up by screams… It’s late in the morning.

Watching Iris and giving her energy, exhausted me.

The coven is completely distraught, everyone screaming, what else is going on?

…Iris?!

I rush out of bed and get dressed.

I arrive in the large room, a body is lying on a stretcher with a sheet over it...

My God... Iris... No...

“You killed her?! Why did you do that? You’re all crazy! ...Sick people!" I screamed, horrified.

"Lord Romeo, she killed him! She burned him!! When I told you she is a powerful witch! She’s dangerous, we have to put her to sleep before we can kill her in front of the king!!”

Gregoire said, mad with rage…

But who was killed? Who’s under the sheet?

“But, who did she kill?" I asked, puzzled.

"Celerus!! He wanted to make her talk, she charred him!! I don’t know this magic but this woman is a danger to all of us!

Everyone come with me!" He yelled to the crowd.

I uncover the top of the sheet to find that Celerus is indeed dead,

his face and neck are completely charred...

Can she do that? Did I give her a little too much energy? There is something that escapes me.

But I don’t have time to think about it, because they’re all going down to the cells to go after Iris.

I hear Gregoire say "Beware, she is powerful! It will take several, she must be put in a coma, prevent her from acting until she is executed when the time comes."

I interfere to try something, I have to protect her "Stop! leave her, you just have to leave her in the cell and don’t approach her!"

They don’t listen to me, they stand in front of Iris’ cell to begin hypersleep incantations...

They are too many, She will never wake up...

"STOP!!" I screamed, I cast a spell that knocks them back, then I try to hurry to form a protective spell around Iris, who tries to help me put it in place.

"HE’S A TRAITOR, STOP HIM!!" Gregoire ordered.

There are too many of them, they grab me to hold me down, and they continue the hypersleep incantations, Iris is too vulnerable to counter all these wizards...

I couldn’t protect her...

I’m pinned to the ground without being able to do anything... I helplessly watch their many spells... Which put Iris to sleep in a few seconds.

She is lying on the ground and loses consciousness.

They lift me off the ground.

Gregoire faces me and says "..you... Which is only a huge disappointment, you are going to rot in the cell in turn. And when the time comes, you’ll do what you were born to do. You will face Samael to prove your worth. I will make sure he wants you dead and that you have no choice but to kill him.

BRING HIM INTO THE DUNGEON!"

I’m dragged to the end of the corridor, they reserve me the worst place in this coven, worse than a cell. The dungeon. The almost total darkness, the mold that floods the walls, the rats, the insects...

I’m going to wait impatiently for the King to finally intervene...

A little earlier in the day

Samael

We got back to the castle quicker than expected, it was still morning. The convoy is ready, I know where we have to go now.

But it’s far.

I take a group with me, which will be faster. The best horses, the most accomplished warriors, and my children. I prefer to have them with me, anyway they will do as they please and come whatever I do.

After a few kilometers, I feel the wind blowing hard, it carries us… I suspect the fairies have something to do with it. This is their fight, too. Horses have no trouble covering several kilometers at a gallop without stopping.

At the end of the morning, I have a strange sensation in my chest, like a fire that runs through my chest and my arms. It’s not painful, but unpleasant...

Then, a feeling of massive anguish came over me…

I have to stop otherwise I will fall off my horse.

" Dad? What is happening? You’re okay? Dad!" asked Satine

"Yes, I am... I guess … I don’t know… Wait a minute… it should pass." I answered, puzzled.

I stand on my knees on the ground… I look at my hands but they are normal… I don’t understand.

This anguish twists my stomach... I close my eyes... I see, fire?

A feeling of power and flames...

I don’t know what’s happening to me. Maybe a link to my demon part? But I’m not experiencing anything that could cause this...

"Iris?" I thought out loud.

"What? Dad, you’re scaring me, tell me what’s going on!" Satine yelled, losing patience.

"I think she’s in danger. What I feel is not mine. I’m not sure... We have to go faster." I said, worried.

"My Lord, the horses are exhausted." Said the captain of the royal guard.

"We need to find others, we will exchange them with villagers temporarily. I think they will agree to help us." I proposed.

"It’s a good idea. We will take the same route on the way back to return each of the horses." He answered.

It’s totally crazy, but we have to move fast.

She is in danger, they are hurting her, maybe burning her.

We leave without further delay.

Whenever the horses show signs of fatigue, we will exchange them with peasants for others, we must note everything to return them to their owner in the opposite way.

We are not very far from Drazzel, two or three hours at most. We’re pretty exhausted from galloping since the start of the day, but we’re holding on.

Suddenly, I have another feeling... But this time, it’s the same as the other night.

When Iris was taken… We made a stronger bond than we imagined.

I feel an emptiness, something is extinguished in me… Did they put her to sleep?

Or killed?

No... I know she’s not dead. I don’t know how I know, but I’m sure.

Either way, they hurt her, and I’ll make them pay... They’ll all pay...

“We are close, come on!!"

I motivate my traveling companions to cover the last kilometers.

Finally, Drazzel.

I know we are in the right place. We are all very sore from the endless race of this day, but the relief of having arrived prevails.

I have to find the coven. It’s not going to be very complicated. It’s a small town, and I can feel the magical presence. I just need to concentrate a bit.

"Dad, it’s over there."

Satine shows me a direction, which is indeed the right one.

"Satine? Do you feel them? Can you feel the magic around you?" I asked her.

"Yes, it’s crazy… What you taught me about us opened a door for me. I now understand the fascination I have always had for magic. I don’t know yet what I am capable of feeling or doing, but I am open to everything I am or what I could become." She told me.

Joan intervenes: "I’m jealous! I feel nothing at all!"

"Joan, you’re still young, we don’t know if something will happen or when. And either way, that’s a good thing. Don’t be offended by that.

We are getting closer and closer." I said.

The path is no longer a beaten track, we are facing a small clearing.

There is an old house in ruins, abandoned. It’s a decoy.

They are there.

I feel it... I feel her...

I won’t waste another second.

"ROGNUS!

YOU CAME TO MY HOUSE TO STEAL ME, IT’S TIME TO PAY!!

GET OUT, AND COME FACE ME, YOU, AND ALL YOUR MANGY DOGS!!

COME ASSUME YOUR TWISTED MIND AND HATE FOR MY REIGN!!

IT IS ME YOU WANT, LET HER GO, AND TAKE ME!!"

I stretch out my arms in front of their home, which looks like a rat hole from here.

"Kids, step back, go to cover, immediately. There’s a fuss in there, there’s going to be blood, and it’s not meant to be ours."