Devourer

Chapter 67: Your Princess is in my Castle

Legiana paused as she waited outside the door, doing one final mental sweep of her soldiers. The men had just entered and the captain was doing a little speech at the moment. Her King had given her a mission and the objective was clear, bring the Averlin Princess to Averlon unharmed. Mahaila was securing the Princess’s family, her king in all his wisdom had realised that the Prince of Tralis may slaughter her family in retribution.

Well Mahaila was securing her family besides her father, the spies indicate that their relationship has soured. The reason for the souring of the relationship is quite illogical in Legiana’s personal opinion. It wasn’t her opinion alone however, Azatharine for one described the situation as typical for “feeble minded humans”. In truth Legiana agreed with this sentiment but she was created to be a bridge between humans and beasts, so thus she cannot allow this sentiment to sway her perspective. Or at least make this sentiment known…

From what has been gathered, the king had been the one that suggested a political marriage to preserve the realm. Princess Maria had agreed out of a sense of duty to the nation. However, when the true nature of the arrangement started to come to light the king’s pride started to twist him. He soon scorned his daughter as he viewed her as a disgrace. This of course made no logical sense since this whole thing was the king’s idea in the first place. Not to mention that the state of Averlin was also partly due to his incompetence. So it was his incompetence that led to this state of affairs, his idea that put the Princess in this position. Which meant that the guilt was his but the punishment was levied upon Princess Maria. The king of course had found some other excuse for Averlin’s decline rather than accept the fact that spending money on expensive festivals instead of the military was a bad idea. Especially considering Averlin was on the border with an expansionist and very aggressive Tralis… Well… that and the fact that they were on the wrong side of the Elysian Gate…

Empress Cecilia was less than pleased about this as one could imagine. A very logical progression of events judging by past character indications from their interactions. Thus the Empress and her King wanted him dead, well the Empress wanted him dead because of anger and wrath. Her King just felt a grateful Maria would be a more controllable ruler on the throne of Averlin as compared to the emotional and incompetent king. So he wanted the king out of the picture and since Maria is next in line for the throne this would wrap up nicely.

However, Maria’s recent escapades have led to her King diminishing his opinion on Maria. He felt and Legiana agreed that her sleeping with the knight was a stupid decision born of a lack of self control.

Disappointing… but not unexpected, given the average abilities of humans Legiana has observed so far. There were exceptions but the average performance capabilities of humans were pretty poor.

Looks like the speech was wrapping up, Legiana sent out an ether wave to scan the inside of the room. 

I want the captain alive…

Legiana heard her king say into the hive mind and she sent back an affirmation. Legiana tensed her muscles and charged into the room. The force of her entry shattered the door like it was made of plywood. She saw everyone in the room turn to her in shock. From her sweep she knows the captain will be closest to her and her king wants him alive.

Legiana grabbed a nearby chair in a swift motion and brought it down hard on the captain. The chair broke apart and the captain fell to the ground unconscious. It was a rather sturdy chair so it actually fractured his shoulder blade by the looks of it. Legiana intentionally avoided having the full impact land on his head to avoid snapping his neck.

Legiana shifted her attention to the other soldiers who were just starting to recover from the shock. She was faster than them, much faster so to them if it must have looked like a blur had just burst through the door and knocked their commander out.

Without hesitating Legiana brandished her tentacles and extended her claws. She charged at the closest man and with a single slash from her claws she opened his throat. At the same time she used her four tentacles and sent one each to a man intending to impale them. The two at the back next to the knight were able to just barely get out of the way thanks to the increased distance but the two closer to her ended up impaled in the chest. 

The last man she didn’t attack leapt towards her from the right sword raised. Legiana watched the blade fall and it bounced harmlessly off her armour. His eyes widened in shock as his blow glanced off. Fool, this body sculpted by her King could not be harmed by something as simple as steel. Her King had given her both an endo and exoskeleton, making her body extremely resilient to damage and force.

Legiana shot her right upper arm out and rammed it straight into the man’s chest. Then she closed her hand around his heart and ripped it out. At the same time she raised up the two she had impaled with her tentacles and with a casual flick of her tentacles they were tossed off to bleed out on the carpet. They could potentially recover from that wound with a powerful potion but Legiana knows they wouldn’t have one. Afterall why would you need potions to brutalise a single girl?

Well even if they had the potion it would make no difference. All the potions in the city couldn’t save them…

“Gravis you flank it! Go for the joints!” one of the two remaining men said. A good strategy, armour is usually weaker at the joint but her king has accounted for that to an extent…

Legiana tossed the heart in her hand into her mouth as a quick snack just as the man who spoke charged her from the front.

“You think I don’t speak your language?” Legiana asked with disdain dripping from her tone and her comment caused the man to falter slightly. 

Just one line and his focus lapses?

Pathetic…

Legiana slashed at him with her claws, cutting through his sword, armour and deep into his chest. The other one called Gravis closed the distance in the meantime and delivered a slash to the back of her knee. The cut struck home but bounced right off.

Legiana reached out and grabbed the man by the neck before lifting him up. There was some time before Mahaila finished detaining the family members so there was no hurry…

“Big brave man aren’t you?” Legiana said as the Gravis man gagged, he swung at her weakly with his sword but it just bounced off.

“Do you know what my kind call things like you?” Legiana said as she bared her teeth.

“Food…” Legiana said as she opened her maw and bit down onto his face. She heard his scream turn to gurgle. She felt the front of his skull shatter as her jaw closed around his face before she tore the flesh off and dumped his twitching body onto the ground. Legiana looked down and saw him twitching and gasping on the ground. He’ll be dead soon, so that means she just has free those two…

Legiana calmly strolled over to Maria who was lying on the ground looking up at her in terror.

“Your cousin has sent me to collect you Princess.” Legiana said calmly.

Legiana watched as Maria’s eyes widened for a moment, then her gaze shifted as if she was lost in thought.

“Are you the Great Beast of Elysian Woods?” Maria asked cautiously as her eyes scanned the corpses around her. Her face turned a little green as she saw the mutilated corpses around her.

“You could say that, but we can discuss this at length when I deliver you to Averlon.” Legiana replied calmly.

“Cecilia sent you?” Maria asked again, her voice shaking.

“Yes, I thought referring to her as your cousin would be a clear enough indication. Who else could send something like me here?” Legiana replied dryly.

Meanwhile the knight was still shouting into his gag. Ah yes, she should probably untie him.

“You should probably untie that poor idiot.” Legiana heard Mahaila say from the door. She looked up to see Mahaila standing at the doorway with a squirming sack tossed over her shoulder.

“We were asked to bring that one back as well.” Legiana said as she pointed at the unconscious captain lying on the floor, completely ignoring the knight that was tied up behind her.

In Legiana’s mind there was no rush, it’s not like he was going anywhere. The fact that she and Mahaila had just saved him and his dearly beloved will be more than enough to dampen any unhappiness. 

“I see, the Commander?” Mahaila asked as she dumped the sack on the bed, eliciting a yelp from the sack.

Two more Adjutants followed her in and dumped two more sacks squirming sacks on the bed. 

“What are those? Who’s inside?” Maria asked shakily as she looked at the sacks. Meanwhile Mahaila was finally cutting the Knight loose. Honestly, Legiana would have preferred to stuff him into a sack too…

“Your fami…” Legiana began but the knight bolted off the chair and picked up a nearby sword. He then stood in front of Maria and pointed the sword at Legiana.

Legiana just took one step forward and ripped the sword out of his grip with one arm. Then she grabbed him by the neck with another and lifted him off the ground. 

“Cease your stupidity.” Legiana said calmly.

“Urrrkkk…” the knight gasped as he clawed at his neck.

“He can’t breathe.” Mahaila deadpanned.

“I am aware.” Legiana replied calmly as she felt Maria grab onto her arm.

“Release him! Please!” Maria shouted tearfully in panic.

“Very well.” Legiana replied as she dropped the knight onto the ground in a heap. Maria rushed towards him as she checked on him, she reached out and cupped his cheek as he gasped for air.

“Now then, as I was saying, those sacks are filled with your family. The Empress wanted them to be rescued as well.” Mahaila said as she gestured to the squirming sacks.

“What? Why are they in sacks?” Maria asked in confusion and fear.

“Because we took them from their beds and we didn’t want them waking up the whole castle. So the sacks contain your mother, your sister and your brother.” Mahaila said.

“But where’s my father?” Maria asked.

“Oh I killed him.” Mahaila replied.

“WHAT? WHY?” Maria shrieked in horror.

“Listen to me little princess…” Mahaila said as she calmly walked over and stood in front of Maria and looked down at her. She shrank back slightly from Mahaila fear appearing in her gaze. 

Legiana knew that this wasn’t an odd reaction, she had noticed that veteran soldiers or adventurers did come across differently as compared to other humans. They seemed more threatening just from their demeanour, like they could cut you open and eat your liver if they wanted to. If that was true for normal veterans then how much more so for a warrior of legend?

“Your nation defected to a hostile foreign power.” Mahaila said.

“We were forced to, if we didn’t Tralis would have attacked!” Maria retorted.

“Yes they would have, but tell me, do you think anyone cares? Did anyone care about your suffering? Maybe some care, but will there be enough of them to make a difference?” Mahaila replied evenly and Maria faltered as she looked away, her head lowered as she sat on the floor next to her lover.

“Your cousin knows this, so she decided your father would take the fall. He is an incompetent ruler, the very fact we have to be here in the first place is proof of that. Tell me Princess, do you think your cousin became Empress because she tolerates incompetence?” Mahaila asked as she loomed over at Maria.

“Someone needs to answer for this defection. With the new empire formed, this demand will only grow. Because now it’s not a bunch of states calling themselves Elysian, now there is an Empire of Elysia. In the eyes of the larger empire all of you are traitors.” Mahaila said and Maria flinched at the word traitor.

“If your father lives then you will be the one to take the fall, afterall you are the one bedding the Prince of a hostile foreign nation. Politics is a finicky thing and it often has little bearing with reality. Your cousin wants you to sit on the throne of Averlin when all of this is over… at the very least.” Mahaila said.

“At… the very least?” Maria asked slightly confused at the final words.

“Someone needs to rule Tralis when the Royal Family is dead…” Mahaila said.

At those words Maria’s eyes widened and Legiana sensed that Maria wasn’t happy or excited. Instead she looked terrified at the prospect…

“Me rule Tralis?” Maria asked shakily.

“Well the Empress did say she wished to discuss it with you in greater detail. If you wish to decline I am sure you and the Empress can work something out.” Mahaila said.

“She’s worried about you.” Legiana said calmly.

“What?” Maria asked in slight surprise.

“I can read the vitals of other creatures. Whenever your name is brought up in conversation her body aches with worry and grief. It wasn’t the best decision to come rescue you now, it would have been wiser to wait. But your cousin wished to spare your lover's life, she wished to spare you pain. So here we are.” Legiana replied calmly and she saw Mahaila gave her an odd look.

Well yes this was a strange statement to come out of her mouth. Strangely sentimental for her, it didn’t sound like her words. In truth it wasn’t, her king was simply telling her what to say for this part. Also he had more to say…

“There is always a price for any action. Duty has a price too, you should know that too considering you paid it with your body and dignity.” Legiana said as she recited the script her king was feeding her.

Legiana watched as Maria lowered her head once again at her words, biting her lip as her body tensed.

“Rescuing you here was also a price your cousin was willing to pay. In order to buy your safety and the safety of those dear to you… your father was the price. You should know nothing in this world is free, the lord and ladies of Elysia demand blood for this betrayal. Would you have preferred we choose someone else? Like your mother or siblings?” Legiana said and Maria visibly flinched at those words.

“It seems fitting that the one responsible for this mess is the one who pays no? If you don’t agree we could always leave you here. So will you come with us?” Legiana asked and Maria nodded slightly.

“Excellent… Now then you should get dressed and we must be off to Averlon. To a new chapter of your life…” Legiana said and Maria nodded again as she shakily stood up before heading for her wardrobe.

In the hive mind Legiana heard her king let out a laugh before he spoke…

Ahhh, humans are so easy to sway…