Nemorosis

The Bell Tolls for Me 70: Struggle Against the Torment of Reality

Archduke Felix was still reeling after the revelations that Princess Regent Isabella had delivered. He sat on the side of his bed in his tent, removed from reality.

The things she’d said to him ran through his head, not fully processed. The notion of time travel, or at the very least, foresight of some manner. The manner in which his daughter died in Isabella’s prior life. His utter inability to save his family—his daughter’s execution, and his failed rebellion.

But above ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 69: Bird of Passage

They departed the capital without ceremony. Isabella had no interest in fanfare there—her presence was well-known in the city, and further displays of grandeur would only invite derision from the downtrodden. The first days passed in motion: long hours in the carriage, escorted by a rotating assortment of holy paladins, her mobile staff trailing in covered wagons heavy with ledgers, coin, surveying tools, and supplies. Randolph took personal command of recruitment of local laborers along th...

The Bell Tolls for Me 68: Royal Progress

“Do you have any idea what she’s attempting to do?” Prince Amaury asked his council.

There was silence for a long while until someone managed to speak up, beginning, “I—”

“That was rhetorical,” the prince interrupted. “This Royal Progress is very consequential. Physical presence is important for a ruler. Being able to witness the scene personally provides them with firsthand knowledge of the situation, and further the ability to impose their authority without arg...

The Bell Tolls for Me 67: Behind Every Great Man

Isabella was alone with Archduke Felix, save the presence of Randolph and some highly trusted holy paladins. “From what I could tell, your c

Isabella was alone with Archduke Felix, save the presence of Randolph and some highly trusted holy paladins.

“From what I could tell, your cousin was fated to be yet another of the many mistresses that your father took during his reign,” Felix explained to her.

The archduke laid out papers containing correspondence between the Bar...

The Bell Tolls for Me 66: Noblesse Oblige

As of 7/12, I've edited chapters 62-65, mostly structurally and for continuity. If you want to recontextualize stuff, they're up.

***

Isabella, Arthur, and Valerio stood in private chambers in the royal palace, monitored by none, not even the holy paladins. That was necessary for a conversation this candid.

“I’m glad that we finally get the chance to speak again,” Arthur said to Isabella. After the vision that Isabella had, those simple words took on a different contex...

The Bell Tolls for Me 65: Dominant and Dignified

The hall was quiet as Albert entered, flanked not by his knights but by two of Isabella’s paladins. The throne room was packed with nobles, clergymen, and a handful of guild representatives. More simply, it contained all who knew the duke. The tension was silent but stifling. Scribes were present, recording this meeting in great detail.

Albert did not kneel. He stood just past the center of the chamber, facing Isabella as she waited with rigid posture before the throne. Valerio stood ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 64: Drink With the Devil

Isabella walked through the halls of Duke Albert’s estate, the architecture all around likely older than she was. It was all classical marble, its clean white given life by the opulent art and glimmering precious metals on display. All of it exuded so much luxury that it felt as though she had stepped into another world. Following just behind her was Veronica as her aide, Gaspar, Randolph, and a few other holy paladins of high repute. Despite the fact that they had gained the advantage, she...

The Bell Tolls for Me 63: Jaws of the Beast

“On this day, we commit the body of Camilla of Dovhain to the earth,” the archbishop said solemnly, presiding over the ceremony with all the dignity that his station demanded.

Isabella looked upon the casket that housed the long-degraded body of her mother with complicated emotions. After that vision, she felt as fragile as a sculpture of glass. She had tenacity enough to come here and put on a brave face, but she felt like crawling back on the bed she’d awoken in and staring at t...

The Bell Tolls for Me 62: Truth of Death

“Just how is anyone meant to contest such a fearsome ability? Even beginning to consider it is beyond me.” Isabella shook her head as she sat across from the monkey, Sosen, on a fallen tree.

The monkey-mage had appeared rather fearsome at first, but after spending some time with him, she found herself revealing much more than she intended. He was gentler than an eyeball-eating monkey sounded. She presumed that anything she said would never reach the ears of another, and so she was b...

The Bell Tolls for Me 61: Mounting Stresses

Isabella wished that there was even a single moment to relax, but even the time at the end of the day that she normally might have spent with Valerio had been occupied by the decidedly paramount objective of preserving her life.

“I’ve been going through the records left behind about your father, and most of them have a very peculiar yet singular description,” Arthur said, hefting several formidable tomes.

“I believe that I asked you to look into my disease, not my father,�...

The Bell Tolls for Me 60: An Old Friend

As Isabella walked through the gardens of the Royal Palace alongside Bernadetta, the memories of old naturally bubbled to the surface. They had walked every route through this place. There was no section that Isabella could go to avoid memories both of her childhood and her past life. Both her highest points and her lowest had come here, alongside Bernadetta.

“I was rather curious about why you were going to speak in the royal diet,” Isabella brought up. “And even more curious abo...

The Bell Tolls for Me 59: One Step Behind

Isabella sat across from Arthur, back in the relative safety of the Royal Palace.

“It’s become abundantly obvious to me that I can no longer afford to ignore the matter of the wasting illness, or indeed the wasting poison, that I suffered from in my last life.” Isabella placed one hand atop the other as she spoke calmly. “I need you to expend every effort that you can in pursuit of the cause and the cure for the disease that made me waste away.”

Arthur looked at her with...

The Bell Tolls for Me 58: The House of Balat

Isabella sat in an undecorated carriage, Randolph sitting just across her as he peeked out the window.

“So? What do you think?” Isabella asked.

“I think it’s an arresting display of architectural indulgence," he said, his eyes not parting from Archduke Felix’s estate.

“Now isn’t the time for that. Will I be in danger if I go in there?”

“I’ve orcish blood, not foresight. If orcs were soothsayers, they wouldn’t have been so readily conquered by your...

The Bell Tolls for Me 57: Princess Regent

The days following Isabella and Valerio’s successful suppression of Cesare’s mercenaries could be described as incredibly successful. Isabella was indisputably cemented as the rightful Regent of the kingdom, both by law and by political necessity. The nobles had watched her handling of the mercenaries closely, and she had conducted herself excellently. Her actions had been beyond reproach, both ceremonially and politically, and they would take note of that.

Other than the nobility, ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 56: Velvet Glove, Iron Hand

Cesare cut his way through the royal palace with as much skill as he’d ever mustered. The combatants that he was facing weren’t skilled. They were clearly just bodies meant to fill the armor of the holy paladins to accommodate this deceit. With his best men at his side, he broke out of the front gate and stormed for the city, where the battle already raged.

He could tell that the opponent had efficiently divided their forces. Part of it was Cesare’s own fault. He had commanded his...

The Bell Tolls for Me 55: When the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play

“Let us begin the first of many interregnum councils to decide who will take the throne after the departure of King Claude I,” Isabella said, her voice firm and clear. “As the king decreed before his departure, I will be presiding over this council as Princess Regent until a new king can be decided upon.”

Only two days had passed since King Claude abdicated. Nevertheless, these royal council chambers were packed with more people than they ever had been. There were people crowdin...

The Bell Tolls for Me 54: Confidence in Confidants

After a long and exhausting day tending to the affairs of the Royal Palace and preparing for the impositions of Cesare’s mercenary band, Isabella had one final meeting to attend to. She wasn’t quite certain what to expect of this one, considering that she hadn’t spoken to this man alone in quite a while. He had been on her side helping quietly once she declared the interregnum, but…

Arthur of Hamore stood before her, his hands crossed politely behind his back. In truth, she enjo...

The Bell Tolls for Me 53: The Cudgel

Isabella watched Cesare with a modicum of respect. She didn’t admire him, but she could most certainly respect his ability. If she didn’t respect him, she would lose. He had faced numerous roadblocks on his path, yet he had navigated them with grace and eventually rose up to this position. He was sitting here for a reason. Even if others were granted the same opportunities that he was, very few would rise up to meet the challenge. The fact that he had risen to the same heights in her last...

The Bell Tolls for Me 52: A Kingdom's Ransom

Long before Isabella could exert any influence as the new Regent, she received a disturbing missive from Archduke Felix himself. He walked up the stairs leading to the throne and spoke to her directly.

“I’ve just received word from some men of mine. A large band of mercenaries have entered the city,” he whispered quietly. Isabella looked at him in shock, but quickly tamed her expression. “Are these men working for you?”

Isabella didn’t confirm or deny just yet. “What...

The Bell Tolls for Me 51: Good Man, Bad King

“You ignored reports that Duke Richard was invading the lands of Count Fulcross, preferring to ‘wait for a more complete testimony,’ even despite Valerio’s advice that you should act immediately,” Isabella outlined clearly. “By the time that testimony came, it came from the lips of Count Fulcross himself, who had lost his territory.”

“But—” Claude tried to defend.

“And even until now, that issue remains unresolved. Duke Richard is setting deep roots in territ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 50: Royal Intervention

Isabella was typically disinclined toward aggressive political attacks, especially towards someone that she didn’t view as a bad person. Nevertheless, despite her support, Claude had disappointed her at every turn. Perhaps it was excessive on her part to expect him to confer with Valerio and her alone, but the fact that he still retained the counsel of people like Pius and other troublesome nobles in the Kingdom presented tremendous problems.

There had been a few major beneficiaries o...

The Bell Tolls for Me 49: Resign Thy Kingdom

Isabella walked through the royal palace with her head held high, largely unconcerned about the people surrounding her. In months past, this would have been unthinkable. Now, she even had Randolph accompanying her. He’d been granted a special exception due to the exceptional circumstances of money in her pocket.

“Observe, Your Highness: the same tongues that once spat venom now lap at your boots,” Randolph mused, noting the various courtiers all smiling and bowing as she passed. �...

The Bell Tolls for Me 48: Personality of Politics

There were many sad realities of politics. Foremost among those sad realities was when the pragmatic came in the way of the personal. All too often agendas would clash against one another, sundering friendships or ending business relationships. Isabella was quite worried that today might be one of those days.

Archduke Felix raised his glass high in the air, the vessel shimmering with golden champagne. “I’d like to thank all of you for coming here today for my daughter’s engagement...

The Bell Tolls for Me 47: Epilogue

The Archwizard took certain steps down the dark spiral staircase as if he knew the route by heart. It looked as though he was walking into a dungeon. Only the faint glow of the magic lamp in his hand illuminated the path. At the bottom of this staircase, the pathway opened up, and a brief stone hallway led to a gargantuan vault door of thick metal.

The Archwizard walked forward, and his hands began to crackle with magic. He wiped his hand across the door as if cleaning the surface, and ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 46: In Good Hands

Valerio worried that he had overstepped by suggesting that he and Isabella have their portrait drawn. It meant taking steps to further officiate their engagement, and he worried that Isabella might have been averse to that idea. He was relieved when it seemed not to be the case, and yet what she said as explanation baffled him beyond comparison.

“I have memories of… a very long dream.” Isabella sat on her bed, just beside Valerio. “They tell me of another life. Another existence...

The Bell Tolls for Me 45: Truth Will Set You Free

“I’d like to give all the praise to this this successful event to Her Highness, Princess Isabella.” Archduke Felix raised his glass of wine up high in the air. “Without her fine eye for art and her expertise management, this auction house would not have had half as grand opening as it did today. I’d like to invite all of you to enjoy our food and drink.”

Isabella basked in the praise all around. Valerio and Abigail stood nearby and both smiled at her proudly. She couldn’t ...

The Bell Tolls for Me 44: Weeks Where Decades Happen

Duke Brett, the Stone Arbiter, straightened the papers that he held and looked at the accused solemnly. "Archbishop Pius. By the authority vested in me by His Majesty for this Royal Diet, and after careful deliberation, I deliver judgment."

Brett glanced at his papers, then continued. "You are found guilty of simony, of selling holy office as though salvation were a ledger to be balanced. Guilty of pluralism and absenteeism, treating bishoprics as annuities, not duties. Guilty of violat...

The Bell Tolls for Me 43: A Plague Upon the Realm

Isabella began her mornings as she often did. She soared the sky through the body of her familiar, viewing the capital city as she’d always wished to as a young girl. Every day, this was a heartening experience that calmed her heart and made her optimistic for the future ahead. It was a reminder that she could change the path that she walked on and hope for a brighter future in this life. But on this particular day…

Isabella perched on the sloped roof of a church, overlooking a prie...

The Bell Tolls for Me 42: Breaking the Cycle

“…given all of the information brought to light, and the testimony that indicates that Archbishop Pius may have substantial funds secreted away for an escape, I believe that the request to allow some holy paladins to accompany him to ensure that he does not attempt to flee or otherwise hinder judgment is more than warranted,” Duke Brett declared.

Gaspar felt like his feet, which had been flying above the ground for so long, had finally managed to land on something solid. He alread...

The Bell Tolls for Me 41: Like Father, Like Son

“Knight-Commander Gaspar. Approach for questioning,” Duke Brett said.

At that, Gaspar walked forth among the assembly of countless nobles from across the realm. The assembly chamber of the royal diet was a hall of sober dignity. Each noble’s seat was marked with their family’s crest, some carved into the wood centuries ago and weathered by generations of attendance. At the center sat Duke Brett, aged and stooped but unshakably composed, his voice carrying with the clarity of one...