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Hakan
The rough stone wall pressed cold against my back, but I refused to shiver. I was caught, found near the hidden room in the depths of the palace—the one Gillai claimed as his, though I had genuinely never seen its interior until now.
The axe struck the ancient lock with a deafening CLANG as the King's men forced the door open. My heart pounded, not from fear, but from the awareness of how close I had come to failing. I had planned for everything—but timing was never fully in my control.
The King's eyes fell upon me as he stepped into the chamber, flanked by his intimidating guards. His dark gaze was like a storm I had weathered many times, and yet it never failed to unnerve me. Did he suspect? Did he see through the careful layers of my innocence?
I forced the most pained, sincere expression I could muster. "I got caught," I admitted plainly. "So I never got to see what was inside."
A question cut through the silence, directed at the two men stepping cautiously into the hidden chamber. "Do you think there will be evidence that he used this place?"
One of his advisors—the one I despised most—leaned close to the King. His voice was a sly whisper that barely carried, yet I heard every word. "Your Majesty, don't you think the Former Queen might be selling out her brother to cover her tracks?"
I almost laughed, a cold, silent mirth. They could never understand the bond between Gillai and me, nor the depths of the web I had spun.
As the guards ransacked the chamber, I watched the subtle shift in Gillai's expression behind the locked bars—a mixture of confusion and trust, the same trust he had always placed in me. And the rage burning in the King's eyes… perfect. The trap was set, though it was I who had woven it, not my enemies.
Creeeak. I pushed the heavy door further open, stepping into the light with a calm voice, hiding the storm of calculated malice inside. "Gillai won't betray me, even if I betray him."
My mind already mapped the next steps. And if he did… "And even if he tries to betray me, I made sure to create enough evidence to deny his claims." Every false trail I had planted would choke any accusation he could make. His loyalty was unshakable, but my careful orchestration ensured it wouldn't matter.
The King's face remained unreadable. I sensed his thoughts, heavy and sharp, as they flickered across the dimly lit chamber. "…I have no idea what she's planning," I heard him murmur—perhaps to one of his trusted men, perhaps to himself. "…but I can't just let it go if I find proof that Gillai used this room."
And then his full attention snapped to me, his red eyes blazing like fire in the shadowed corners. "If he really did use this room…" The silence that followed was ominous, stretching thickly between us. "…then I'll have to imprison him immediately."
Good. Exactly as I had calculated.
My brother, my sweet, loyal Gillai, would bear the brunt of this for me. I would mourn him, plead for his release, and use this crisis to secure the political leverage I craved.
Let them call me a traitor. Let them call me a sister who sold her kin. As long as I remained free, as long as I could turn this storm to my advantage, Gillai's sacrifice—willing or not—would not be wasted.
---
The dungeon's stale air was nothing compared to the political toxicity swirling through the palace. I watched my advisor's face carefully, noting every flicker of concern and hesitation. "He didn't say anything about the Former Queen, Your Majesty," he confirmed.
Gillai stood behind the iron bars, silent as ever. His stillness was unnerving—he was a perfect pawn in my hands, yet a dangerous wild card in hers.
"We have to wait for him to confess that she was involved," I said, my jaw tight.
My advisor's brow furrowed. "Could she really have nothing to do with this incident?"
I considered the web she had spun, the false innocence, the calculated willingness to throw her own brother to the wolves. "Who knows…" The thought lingered, but certainty gnawed at me. "I was just thinking the same thing." My anger flared, a familiar heat. "I'm certain that she had something to do with this."
Yet proof eluded me. "But there's no evidence that she used black magic in that room." Her caution was flawless, her foresight infuriating. I couldn't understand why Gillai refused to speak—his loyalty was either absolute or utterly foolish.
Later, walking into the palace's grand hall, the sunlight felt almost hostile, a sharp contrast to the dungeon's gloom. My mind shifted to the more immediate necessity: stabilizing the kingdom.
"Did the meeting go well, Your Majesty?" my advisor asked.
"Yes, it did." I spoke the decision with a clarity that left no room for doubt. "The date for laying Raikan's body to rest in Mezaluc has been brought forward."
His surprise was immediate. "I thought that was scheduled to happen once the new Guardian Dragon had been born?"
"That was the initial plan, but the baby has been healthy…" I allowed myself a small pause, weighing the political advantage. "…and I decided it was better to take care of this before things get busier around here." The ceremony would show strength, establish order, and distract from the scandal surrounding the Former Queen and her brother.
He nodded, but his expression softened, tinged with concern. "I see. You're going to be apart from Lucina for a while. Will that be okay?"
A quiet pride warmed me at the thought of her growth. "Lucina has grown a lot." Resilient as she was, the timing worried me. "I doubt anything would happen just because I'm away for a few days."
He understood, but a faint blush dusted his cheeks as he nodded. "Oh, I—I see."
The foundation of stability—the Dragon, the lineage, the power—had to be reinforced. My absence would be noticed, but necessary. I could not allow personal attachments to slow the momentum of governance.
Later, I realized I needed to inform Lucina personally. "I'm going to see Lucina now." Two pieces of news weighed on me: Gillai's imprisonment and the political maneuvering around the ceremonial burial.
My advisor's concern deepened slightly. "I see. You're going to be apart from Lucina for a while. Will that be okay?"
I paused, thinking of her—of the girl who had grown under my care. "Lucina has grown a lot." She was resilient, yes, but this news could shatter her sense of safety. "I doubt anything would happen just because I'm going to be away for a few days."
Still, a shadow of worry tugged at me as I walked toward her chambers. "I wonder how shocked she'll be…" It wasn't only Gillai's imprisonment. "…once she finds out her former teacher was behind the black magic?" Betrayal from those closest to you cut the deepest.
"And then there's the fact that I have to leave during this time…" The weight of impending separation pressed on me. "I hope she doesn't take the news too badly."
I reached her door and rapped twice. "Lucina."
Almost immediately, a maid burst out, flustered. "OH, YOUR MAJESTY!" she cried, scrambling aside. "MY LADY, HIS MAJESTY IS HERE TO SEE YOU!"
Then Lucina appeared herself, silver hair glinting like moonlight, her smile bright enough to momentarily dispel the shadows of my worries. She practically sprang toward me. "HAKAN!"
I placed a gentle, steadying hand on her arm, noting the books and papers scattered on her desk. "What were you doing?"
"I was studying with Titi." She looked pleased with her progress, and for a fleeting moment, the kingdom's burdens—the Former Queen, Gillai, the black magic—faded. But the duty remained.
"I understand," I said, preparing to deliver the harsh truths that would shatter her comfortable world.
The dungeon's cold had settled into my bones, but Gillai's silence chilled me far more. My advisor confirmed my frustration. "He didn't say anything about the Former Queen, Your Majesty."
I leaned toward the iron bars, gaze hard. "We have to wait for him to confess that she was involved."
My advisor, cautious as ever, countered, "Could she really have nothing to do with this incident?"
I mused, though I already had my answer. "Who knows… I was just thinking the same thing." My certainty burned beneath the surface. "I'm certain that she had something to do with this."
The crucial frustration was the lack of evidence. "But there's no evidence that she used black magic in that room." Gillai's absolute silence only added to my unease. "I don't understand why he refused to say anything."
After leaving the dungeon, I met with my ministers to finalize the sacred burial. "Yes, it did," I told my advisor when he inquired about the meeting. "The date for laying Raikan's body to rest in Mezaluc has been brought forward."
He raised an eyebrow. "I thought that was scheduled to happen once the new Guardian Dragon had been born?"
"That was the initial plan, but the baby has been healthy…" I explained, gazing across the sunlit palace courtyard. Order was needed, and needed quickly. "…and I decided it was better to take care of this before things get busier around here."
He nodded slowly. "I see. You're going to be apart from Lucina for a while. Will that be okay?"
A brief, quiet smile touched my lips. "Lucina has grown a lot. I doubt anything would happen just because I'm going to be away for a few days."
"Oh, I—I see," he replied, looking slightly embarrassed.
"I'm going to see Lucina now. I have to tell her about Gillai along with what was decided in that meeting." I needed to prepare her for the journey and the shock. "I wonder how shocked she'll be… once she finds out that her former teacher was behind the black magic?" The betrayal would wound her deeply. "And then there's the fact that I have to leave during this time…" I sighed inwardly. "I hope she doesn't take the news too badly."
I knocked on her door. "Lucina."
Her maid rushed out, flustered, before Lucina herself appeared. "HAKAN!" she exclaimed.
"What were you doing?" I asked gently.
"I was studying with Titi." She smiled, innocent of the grim reality I carried.
I took a breath, bracing myself. "I'm not sure if you've heard the news yet…" My gaze softened as I watched her expression shift. "…but Gillai was responsible for the black magic incident. He confessed to it himself."
"Oh…" she whispered, eyes wide with shock. "I see…"
I pulled her close, letting her lean against my chest, feeling the slight tremor in her frame. "Don't be too upset, Lucina," I urged, resting my cheek against her hair. "I know you should be focusing on resting right now, so I'm sorry for making you worry by telling you all these things."
She pulled back just enough to look at me, blue eyes wide but resolute. "I'm okay. What's wrong, Hakan? Is there something else you need to tell me?"
I took a sharp breath, grinding my teeth. "I'm glad you told me." I could not lie to her, even if the truth was painful. "I wish I could stay by your side and protect you, but I have to leave the palace for a bit."
Her gaze darkened with concern. "How long will you be gone?"
"About a week," I stated, striving to keep my voice steady despite the grumble in my chest. "The date for laying Raikan's body to rest has been brought forward. And that's only because my ministers were putting so much pressure on me…"
She laughed softly, covering her mouth, amused by my grumbling and the pressure from the royal council. It was a beautiful sound that eased the anxiety tightening around my heart.
"You don't have to worry about me. Have a safe trip," she said, her smile genuine now. "I'll be fine on my own for a week."
I placed a hand on the back of her head, stroking her silver hair. "Okay. But I'm going to stay by your side until I leave." I needed to treasure every moment before departing the palace.
Later, standing at the portico as the escort party assembled, a tug of unease lingered, though I tried to appear composed. "Since we don't know when the Hatchling Fortress may be attacked… I'm only going to take the bare minimum of escort." The less notice my absence drew, the better.
Lucina stood nearby, having insisted on seeing me off. She looked at me with open affection, her inner thoughts clear even through the distance. That's fine. As long as Lucina is happy.
I would be gone for a week, but my duty was paramount. I could only pray the Former Queen would not try to move her pieces while I was away.
I stood on the balcony overlooking the palace grounds, the sunlight warm against my skin, a stark contrast to the cold, dark fury brewing in my heart. I watched the carriage pull away, carrying Hakan and his minimized escort party, each wheel's turn a small victory in my carefully woven game.
A slow, satisfied smile crept across my face. "Hakan has finally left for Mezaluc." My fingers drummed lightly on the ornate railing—Tap. Tap. The rhythm was the prelude to chaos.
Everything had unfolded perfectly. Gillai, bless his foolish, loyal heart, was imprisoned. I had walked free, claiming never to have seen the black magic room, though I knew the King suspected me. Every accusation Gillai might have made had been silenced by the evidence I planted long ago. My freedom was unassailable, my power growing by the hour.
Now, with the King gone to attend to the burial of Raikan, the stage was mine. I chuckled, brittle and sharp, the sound echoing faintly across the empty corridors. "Poor Lucina…"
She remained oblivious, her entire focus on Hakan and his heartfelt farewell. The knowledge that her teacher was the traitor had wounded her already, but she had no idea the true danger walked freely within her palace walls.
Lucina, the supposed future anchor of the kingdom, stood down in the courtyard, her silver hair glinting in the sunlight, surrounded by guards who now unknowingly reported to me.
I had orchestrated the entire sequence with meticulous precision: planting the false black magic evidence that led to Gillai's imprisonment, ensuring Hakan was compelled to leave on a political errand, and now, with the King absent, the path to regaining control was laid bare.
The palace was quiet, deceptively so. The air hummed not with rest, but with anticipation—the storm I had long planned was about to be unleashed.