A Royal Obligation
Chapter 262: It keep getting Better

Chapter 262: It keep getting Better

As the soldiers swept through the palace, their boots echoing in the once-grand halls, Kaelix stood in the heart of the throne room, his sword still drawn, though his gaze was distant. Thaddeus, the fallen king, was being dragged away in heavy chains, his furious curses and protests bouncing off the walls like the cries of a dying animal.

Kaelix barely spared him a glance. His mind had already moved beyond the moment, calculating their next steps with the precision of a strategist who couldn’t afford to fail.

The metallic scrape of a blade being cleaned pulled his attention. Theron approached, methodically wiping the blood off his sword before sheathing it. He stopped beside Kaelix, his expression unreadable. "Satisfying," he said, voice calm, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of grim satisfaction.

"Rathorne?" Kaelix asked, his tone as sharp and clipped as ever.

"Dead," Theron confirmed. "He put up a fight, but his loyalty to Thaddeus was his undoing."

Kaelix gave a curt nod. "Good. Without Rathorne, their military is leaderless. Mbuzuoria’s forces will collapse before they even think about regrouping."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Lucian and Julian strode in, their armor stained with blood and their expressions unapologetically smug. Julian was practically glowing, his grin wide as he twirled his sword before sheathing it with a flourish.

"Well, that was fun," Julian said, his voice brimming with energy. "Think they’ll send in reinforcements? I’m just starting to feel alive."

Lucian shot his brother a weary look, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You’ve had enough for one day, Julian. Try not to scare the survivors too much."

Julian shrugged, his grin unwavering. "What can I say? I’m irresistible on the battlefield."

Before Kaelix could respond, Ella and Theo entered the room, followed closely by Lysander and Draven. The group looked as battered as they felt, armor dented, faces streaked with blood and grime, but their eyes shone with the hard resolve of those who had fought and won.

Ella’s gaze swept the throne room, taking in the signs of their victory before settling on Kaelix. "Is it done?" she asked, her voice steady, though it carried an edge of exhaustion.

Kaelix met her gaze and nodded. "Thaddeus is captured. Rathorne is dead. The palace is ours."

Ella exhaled slowly, her shoulders sagging slightly as some of the tension left her. "Good," she said softly, her tone filled with relief.

Kaelix turned his focus to the group, his tone shifting to something more deliberate. "We’re not finished. The people of Mbuzuoria aren’t our enemies, we’ll need their support to stabilize this region. See to it that no harm comes to the civilians. Their trust will be key to rebuilding."

As if on cue, a soldier from Zephyros approached, bowing deeply. "Prince Kaelix," he said, "the palace is secure. All resistance has been neutralized, and the dungeons are ready for the prisoners."

"Good," Kaelix replied, his tone as cold as steel. "Take Thaddeus to the dungeons. Station guards at every entrance, I don’t want so much as a rat slipping through without any of our approval." he said pointing at himself and the Valeidio royals.

The soldier bowed again and hurried off to carry out the orders. Kaelix’s gaze lingered on the path Thaddeus had been dragged down before he turned back to his companions. "Let’s check the palace," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "The sooner this is over, the sooner I can be with Eirik."

Julian let out a low whistle, his grin taking on a mischievous edge. "Aw, brother-in-law, that’s almost sweet," he teased.

Lucian snorted, muttering under his breath, "You’re not the only one with someone waiting, Kaelix."

Kaelix ignored him, though his jaw tightened for a moment. Without another word, he strode out of the throne room, the others following close behind.

As they walked through the ruined halls, Julian glanced at the shattered palace gates behind them and laughed. "You know," he said, his voice light, "for all his bluster, Thaddeus’s defenses crumbled faster than a tortoise racing a hare."

The group chuckled, even Kaelix allowing a faint smile to flicker across his lips before his expression hardened again.

When they reached the grand hall where their soldiers had gathered, Kaelix stepped forward, his voice cutting through the low murmur of the troops. "Rest now," he commanded. "Tend to the wounded. Gather the dead, and honor their sacrifice. This victory is just the beginning, we’ll need our strength for whatever may comes next."

The soldiers responded with a cheer, their loyalty unwavering despite the weariness etched into their faces.

Theron stepped closer to Kaelix as the others began dispersing. "You’re good at this," he said simply, his voice low but steady.

Kaelix glanced at him, his expression unreadable. He said nothing, but the slight incline of his head spoke volumes.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the palace courtyard as Kaelix and the others stepped outside. The fresh air was a sharp contrast to the blood and sweat-stained halls they had just left behind. The group walked in silence at first, their steps heavy from both exhaustion and the weight of their victory.

As they approached the courtyard, they spotted a familiar figure. Lord Cedric stood tall and commanding, surrounded by the Warcrest Sentinels, their polished armor glinting in the sunlight. Before them knelt a small group of captured Mbuzuoria guards, including a man Kaelix recognized immediately, Caledon, Thaddeus’s right-hand man. The man’s head was bowed, his shoulders slumped under the weight of defeat and shame.

Ella’s eyes widened as she caught sight of her father. "Father!" she exclaimed, her voice suddenly light and girlish in a way that seemed almost absurd given the circumstances. Before anyone could stop her, she dashed across the courtyard, her bloodied armor clinking with every step.

Theo let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "She just butchered an entire platoon of soldiers, and now look at her," he said, grinning at the others. "It’s like she’s five again."

Julian smirked. "It’s endearing, really," he quipped. "Terrifying one moment, adorable the next. Quite the duality, little sister."

Lucian raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his lips twitching as though suppressing a smile. Even Kaelix’s lips twitched slightly before his usual stoicism returned.

Ella reached her father and threw her arms around him, her bloody hands smudging the clean fabric of his cloak. Lord Cedric, unbothered, chuckled as he embraced her. "Ella, my dear," he said, pulling back slightly to inspect her. His eyes swept over her from head to toe, taking in the dried blood streaked across her face and armor. "You look like you just crawled out of a battlefield."

Ella tilted her head, grinning mischievously. "I did," she said proudly.

Cedric sighed, though his expression remained fond. "Go and freshen up as soon as you can. You look absolutely dreadful."

Ella pouted playfully. "Later, Father. There’s still work to do."

By then, the rest of the group had reached them. Kaelix’s gaze immediately fixed on Caledon, who refused to meet his eyes, his head still bowed in submission. "You found them," Kaelix said, his tone sharp and condensing.

Cedric nodded. "Yes, it wasn’t that hard. They weren’t exactly subtle in their search." He gestured toward the captured guards and Caledon. "They put up a brief fight, but it was pathetic. They knew they were cornered."

Kaelix’s expression didn’t change, though his hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his sword. "Good," he said curtly. He turned to the Zephyros and Valeidio soldiers standing nearby. "Take them to the dungeons. Make sure the guards are doubled, especially for him." He nodded toward Caledon, who flinched but said nothing.

The soldiers obeyed immediately, hauling the prisoners to their feet and escorting them toward the dungeons. Caledon stumbled once but quickly regained his footing, his face a mask of humiliation.

As the prisoners disappeared into the depths of the palace, Kaelix’s sharp eyes scanned the courtyard. His gaze lingered on the Warcrest Sentinels, his brow furrowing slightly when he noticed some of them, who were supposed to be with Drystan, standing here instead.

He turned to Cedric, his voice low but firm. "Where is Drystan?"

"Oh, he’ll be here at any moment," Cedric replied calmly. "They left him behind after ensuring Carl’s situation was under control."

Kaelix nodded, his expression unreadable, but there was a faint tension in the line of his shoulders.

Before he could speak again, Cedric added casually, "Oh, and before I forget, they found Sadiki’s mother."

Theron, who had been standing nearby, exhaled sharply, the tension that had been weighing on him for days visibly easing. Kaelix, too, felt a flicker of relief pass through him.

"That’s good to know," Kaelix said quietly, his voice softer than usual.

"And Carl lost a hand," Cedric added, almost as an afterthought, as though it were merely another minor update.

Kaelix raised an eyebrow at that, his lips twitching as if he wasn’t sure whether to frown or smirk.

Julian, however, didn’t hesitate. He burst into laughter, doubling over as he clutched his sides. "This just keeps getting better!" he exclaimed, his voice ringing across the courtyard. "First his kingdom, now his hand! What’s next, his dignity?"