IGIWS FIRST DRAFT: Ch.385 Duval’s Struggle

The Sun began to rise over the capital city of the Fiafyr Kingdom. All seemed at peace. However, in the southern outskirts of the city, Tairal. Where the Prime Minister's Manor was located, things were not so peaceful.

Duval, the Prime Minister of Fiafyr and his wife, Isabella, were in their manor arguing about their future.

"What in the hells do you mean that the Ladies of the Court side with the Dark Elf!? I ordered you to help the Duchess turn them against her, Isabella! You promised me that—"

"I win the Court in Leandra's favor!? You asked for the impossible, Duval! She secretly stole jewelry from most of the Major Noble Ladies, gave us elven wine that turn out to be a gift from our kingdom's enemy in the north, and she poisoned the Queen over two decades ago! I tried, and my standing in the Court has dropped dramatically. I can't be seen talking to the Duchess anymore or they will think that I will conspire against the Royal Family! So, don't you DARE accuse me of not doing my best!"

Duval never had his wife snap at him like that and it made him uneasy. He glanced around the study were a few people were standing awkwardly in different corners of the large room. One was Count Sebastian Ingham, another was his butler, Dreth, and the last person sitting at a table was the Prime Minister's head aide, Clinton. They were there working all night with Marquess Duval Wrightwood, trying to find a way to stop the Vote of No Confidence from going through by the end of next week.

Duval is fighting to keep his position and his influence. If he loses the vote, then it was guaranteed that war would break out between the Holy Alliance of the Divine Three and the Kingdom of Fiafyr. And worst of all, Duval's fears about his Kingdom becoming an Empire will come into fruition.

For most of Tertius's history, empires were common among the High Elves, Angels, and Demons, but for the other races, it was very rare. And if one of these other races did achieve becoming a empire, they always seemed to run into a series of unfortunate events that somehow fracture them and destroy the empire from the inside.

The Legends speak of multiple Dwarven and Human Empires failing to stay united and were eventually destroyed by one of many things. Whether it be drought, disease, civil war, or a united front from the other races, all human empires seemed to crumble within 50 to 100 years. The old High Elven texts warn about this and Duval has read them a few times to remind him that Human Empires are doomed.

And now with the emergence of this Dark Elf, with the rare ability to heal, can give a fool hope. Because a powerful Dark Elf, could possibly be the key to conquering the continent and beyond.

This is why Duval worked so hard to bring peace to their neighbors to the south. This is why he sacrificed his time, his money, and even his reputation in order to secure a peace treaty with the Holy Alliance his kingdom. To stop the possibility of one of these two nations from rising to the top and becoming the next great Human Empire. And by becoming allies, they will be able to defend against the Kingdom of Marn's ambitions.

If the Fiafyr Kingdom didn't become the next human empire, then they would have lived in prosperity in the likes no other human nation had. They would have been able to live freely and without the threat of war or oppression.

And now, because of this foreign dark elven woman, who's stolen the heart of the Crown Prince, turned his former allies of the House of Lords to the King's side, and has gotten the support of the Ladies of the Court, the Prime Minister's plans are in jeopardy. And no one seems to care that Rya is going to bring ruin to everything that these morons hold dear.

Duval clenched his fists and regained his composure. He had to think. How can he get back the support of his allies and show them the error of their ways.

'M-Maybe once all the kingdoms on the continent decide to declare war on us will be the time for them to see reason. But can I negotiate a ceasefire after I get control of the House of Lords?... No! I will save us! Even if that conniving bastard doesn't come through!' the Marquess thought as his anger towards Alaric's failures continued to grow.

But Duval wasn't going to give up. He had one more plan in mind.

"Isabella! This is do or die for us! What good are you if you can't control the Ladies of the—oh no..."

Duval saw his wife's face twist into something dark. And he felt the hair on his arms stand on end.

"You dare imply that I'm not doing my best, husband? You know as well as I do that my efforts have been hindered by Leandra's own rotten behavior! And you have gall to tell me that I'm not useful to you?! After all these years of service, this is the thanks I get?! But I guess everything is my fault, right?! Like how you lost your closest supporters, or how you are losing the Prime Ministership, or how I'm getting blamed for all the stupid things you and Alaric have done! Well, curse you, Duval! Curse your plan, and curse your ambition! If you can't see the bigger picture, then I'm going to take my son and leave this damn Kingdom and be done with it!"

Duval's bravado wilted away. His shoulders slumped and he was at a loss for words.

"My Lady... Please don't be hasty," Duval begged.

"I am going south to my mother's estate with our son, and you will be damned if you try and stop me!" Isabella said, with finality.

"H-Honey, please—"

"Dreth, prepare the carriage," Isabella commanded.

The old butler didn't know what to do, but seeing his master looking defeated made him stiffen up and bow politely to Isabella. "As you wish, my Lady."

Isabella then turned to Clinton and Sebastian. "Gentlemen, you best think about why you wish to keep helping my miserable excuse of a husband. Is this really worth trying to save a failed peace treaty with a country that wants to replace our goddesses with their Three Gods? If they can't respect our ways and our beliefs, then what is the point?"

Clinton and Sebastian didn't respond. They had heard all this before and didn't really have an answer for her.

Isabella scoffed and walked out the door, slamming it shut.

Everyone just stood there quietly, not knowing what to say. Even the ever stoic Count Sebastian didn't know how to process what just happened.

"Sir, what are your orders?" Clinton asked, breaking the silence.

Duval was silent for a moment before he sighed and put his face in his hands.

"We need to talk to Octavius, and Caldorian. If we can get them back to my side then we can have them talk sense into Thaddeus and Eamon—why are you giving me that look, Clinton!?"

Duval's top aide was sweating as he looked through his papers. He found the ones that he was looking for.

"Baron Thaddeus and Baron Eamon profits have increased by 75% since they accepted the trade deal that Princess Rya—I mean, the dark elf has set up. I doubt they will turn their backs on the deal after seeing how much gold and silver has poured into their coffers," Clinton informed the Prime Minister.

"The trade deal has only been going for two months!? And she's already given them so much coin?! There must be something we are missing! They have to be doing something legal!" Duval exclaimed.

"I-I just got these reports in yesterday and I finally got around to looking them over, and they are on the level—"

"Then we focus on Octavius! He has to listen to reason!" Duval shouted as he started pacing around the room. "Maybe I can promise him that we will look into the Duke's finances after we deal with—"

*Knock! Knock!*

Duval's head snapped towards the door. Clinton felt uneasy, while Count Sebastian glanced at the door with a raised brow. Dreth was the one to open the door.

In walked in the young foreign Prince of the Holy Alliance, Zane Stoneworthh, with a ferociously angry look writing all over and his Paladin, Sir Darius, a big burly man wearing his holy armor, which seemed to emit a golden light.

Duval's eye was twitching as he knew that if Zane was interrupted him, then the outcome was not going to be good.

'W-What is it now!' the Prime Minister screamed in his head, as he was having trouble keeping up his regal facade in front of his guest, who's been staying in his estate for over two months.

Zane marched up to the Prime Minister and didn't bother hiding his anger.

"What is the meaning of this!?" The Holy Prince asked as he glared down at Duval.

Duval looked at Zane with a mixture of annoyance and genuine perplexity at the vague question. "I-I'm sorry, my Lord, b-but could you explain what you mean?"

Zane sneered and moved in closer until his nose was almost touching the Prime Minister's. "My disobeying, half-sister has been praying to these..." He checked himself before he said a word that would cause offense, "goddesses of yours! For weeks now, my priest has felt her faith in the TRUE Three, beginning to fade! And you REFUSE to let me discipline her!"

Duval's veins on his forehead were starting to show as his anger was rising. He couldn't hold back anymore. He tried to do everything in his power to get Zane into the good graces with the Royal Family but he's done nothing but squander every chance the Prime Minister's given him! And now he's barging in here like some spoiled brat!

'I've had enough!' the Marquess thought as his hands were shaking.

"Your Highness, I have been a good host and have bent over backward to make sure your stay has been as pleasant as possible! However, if you continue to demand that I let you discipline your sister—"

"Half-sister!—"

"SHUT UP! I SWEAR TO THE NEW THREE GODDESS IF YOU DO NOT SHOW ME RESPECT I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT OF THIS MANOR! NOW CALM DOWN AND LISTEN TO ME!" Duval bellowed.

Zane took a step back but his displeasure was still clearly evident and he held up his hand to stop Sir Darius from unsheathing his sword.

Duval was seething, he was getting tired of Sir Darius's posturing. "My Lord, this is a very delicate situation that requires subtlety and tact. And you need to stop trying to discipline Princess Hilda every time Father Gil has a premonition that she might lose her faith! Because she isn't losing her faith, she's been gaining a newfound understanding about—"

"Your three fake goddesses!?" Zane interrupted.

"No that's not—"

"Or am I mistaken!? Because I hear your Goddess's worshipers calling Iyomelka, the Lame Goddess! And they still are able to breath... No, true deity would tolerate such disrespect! Which makes me realize how weak and pathetic this country's divine powers truly are!"

'That's it!' Duval thought, as his face turned red and his hands shook with rage.

"THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU WILL BOTHER ME WITH YOUR COMPLAINTS, MY LORD! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY OFFICE, AND STAY IN YOUR ROOM UNTIL I TELL YOU OTHERWISE!'

The room was silent as everyone waited to see what the foreign Prince would do. Instead of lashing out, Zane simply smirked at the Prime Minister.

"Your threats are as empty as your promises. You've already failed to stop this Dark Elf from corrupting your nobility, and now you're losing your position because you can't get your own House of Lords under control. And yet, you still dare to raise your voice at me!?"

'This ungrateful little shit! He thinks he can get away with anything! And he dares to question my authority?' Duval's mind was going wild as his anger reached new heights. He was about to tell him off when Zane dropped one piece of information that made his blood turn cold.

"The Prophet has raised an army. Prince Terenthiel has informed his Eminence about the Dark Elf... And the Gods say that the rot that has taken root needs to be purged," Zane stated.

Everyone froze. No one dared to move.

"What are you saying?" the Prime Minister asked with a quivering voice.

"I only say this as a courtesy. War is coming to those who oppose the true path," Zane stated matter of factly.

Duval couldn't believe his ears. 'T-They are declaring war?!'

The Prime Minister looked shell-shocked as the realization sank in. "W-What about the peace treaty? We still have—"

"Time? That is something that you are running in short supply of," Zane said, with a slight shrug.

Duval's body started trembling and he had to lean against his desk for support. "Y-You are not serious... Surely, the Prophet has—"

"The Divine Order will not allow any more heathen influences to infect our lands! The Divine Ones have spoken, and the will of the Gods will not be denied!" Zane exclaimed, proudly.

Duval was looking around trying to come up with something. "What if we get rid of the Dark Elf, will the Prophet still raise his armies?"

Zane snorted and shook his head. "That is for the Prophet and the Divine Ones to decide. All we can do is obey."

Duval looked like he was about to faint, and he felt dizzy. He wanted to say something, but his mouth didn't seem to be working.

'How did things come to this?' the Prime Minister thought, as the weight of the world came crashing down upon his shoulders.

Zane saw a defeated man struggling to understand his reality. The Holy Prince smirked, and with his mission accomplished, he and Sir Darius turned and left the Prime Minister's office.

"I don't know if marrying my half-sister will save the peace treaty due to her newfound heathenism. But it might not hurt to give it a try," Zane said as he and his Paladin walked out the door.

Clinton had a troubled look on his face. "W-What do we do now?"

Sebastian looked like a statue as his eyes were glazed over. It wasn't until Duval spoke up that his old friend returned to his senses.

"Sebastian, you go to Octavius and Caldorian. I want you to remind them about their loyalty and their oaths. Clinton! Inform my guards to look into the Holy Alliance. I need to know if what Prince Zane said is true."

"Yes, sir!" Clinton and Sebastian said at the same time.

"And one more thing, if war is truly upon us than we can use this to keep my position as Prime Minister," Duval stated, as his mind was working overtime.

"Sir?" Clinton questioned.

"I will use the threat of the Alliance as the reason for the House of Lords and Ladies to support my reforms and give me more authority. It's a long shot, but I'm not giving up just yet. This is the Dark Elf's fault. She's the one who needs to pay."

Duval was still in disbelief and shock but he knew he had to keep moving forward. He would not be the one to bring his kingdom to its knees.