The night passed beside Leon’s bed, and by the time the sun reached the window, Marcus and Asher left him sleeping and went down as the household began to stir, and breakfast was already set.
The breakfast was quiet till Iris came inside yawning.
"Where are Roland and Leon?" she asked, before she had even sat down.
"They are asleep," Marcus said. "Leon is worn out from yesterday, and Roland has been training since dawn, so he is resting now."
Iris looked at him frowning. "But Roland trains me and has rarely missed breakfast."
"He did today."
"Then why isn’t Mother eating either?"
"She is tired too, Iris," Marcus replied, keeping his expression neutral.
"Mm." It was the sound of an eleven year old who had decided not to push yet.
Her eyes moved to Thomas’s hand. "And that? Was that training?"
"I tripped, Miss Iris," Thomas said while plating her breakfast.
"Hmmmm," Iris said again, and went back to her porridge.
Sofia hid her smile behind her cup and ate almost nothing.
When the plates were cleared, Marcus said he would see the Prince and Sofia off himself.
Asher and Sofia visited Vera and then lastly Iris. Then after the preparation was done they went towards the courtyard where Marcus was waiting for them.
"So, how will we travel?" Sofia said as she was curious.
"We will take the carriage till Amber trading hub and use teleportation there," Asher replied.
"No need for such hassle," Marcus replied as he gazed towards Asher.
As soon as he said that, he gathered his essence and took them from the courtyard in a single fold of space, and a second later they were standing near the teleportation hub in Amber city, a trading city that was directly overseen by the Empire.
Amber city was nearly a thousand kilometers far from Hayes’s territory.
Near them, a ring of tall pillars stood over the rooftops with an imperial banner on each one, and a long line of travelers waited underneath.
Sofia looked at the crowd. "It’s busy today."
"It’s always busy," Asher said. He straightened his cuffs and walked towards the hub with her hand on his arm.
Marcus followed half a step behind. At the foot of the hub’s stone steps, Asher stopped and turned around.
"Your answer, Viscount," Asher asked as hiw voice boomed around the surrounding.
"The same as last night." Marcus’s voice carried across the stones. "House Hayes serves the throne. So we would like to remain neutral."
More people began to notice their conversation, and slowly a crowd gathered around them.
"I did not ask for your gold or your sons. I came all this way to ask it to your face. I thought we were family."
"We are. That is why you got your answer at my table, and not a lie." Marcus did not raise his voice. "The border is not meant to struggle inside Prince. It is not lent out like that."
Near the steps a clerk lowered his quill. Two hub guards traded a glance. Sofia’s fingers tightened on her husband’s sleeve.
"Asher, please," she said quietly. "People are looking."
"Let them." A muscle jumped in his jaw. "Then I will not trouble you again, Viscount."
"As you wish, Highness."
Asher turned his back and climbed the steps without waiting for more. The crowd parted for him without being asked.
The hub administrators quickly cleared the room for them and locked the coordinates that Asher gave to them.
After a while, the teleportation ring flared to life as the space elementals and essence were fueled into them.
Asher went inside looking angry. Sofia followed a pace behind, and at the top she looked back once, her eyes bright, before the ring flared and took them both.
Behind a spice stall, a woman leaned toward her neighbor and began to whisper.
Marcus stood in the plaza until the light had faded from the pillars. He did not look at the crowd, and vanished from there.
Marcus was home after a few hours.
Roland was stable and still asleep, and Vera sat beside him holding his bandaged hand.
She looked up when Marcus appeared in the doorway, nodded once, and went back to watching their son. Marcus stood there until the silence started to feel heavy.
Then he closed the door softly and went to check on Leon.
Leon’s was also stable and will probably wake up tomorrow. Hanna sat by his bed with her hands folded, and Marcus waved her back down when she tried to stand.
The rest of the day went to small things.
Garret brought the patrol lists. Thomas reported that the Third Legion had laid six beast carcasses at the edge of the forest, and Marcus signed whatever needed signing.
By night he had said maybe twenty words to anyone.
Thomas knocked at the study door and came inside. He had recovered fully and the tray in his hand held a pot of tea and one cup. He set it on the desk before Marcus could say he did not want any.
"Did it carry?" Marcus asked.
"Faster than I would like, my lord." Thomas poured.
"It even travelled through here. The merchants were also telling a customer the prince threw his gloves in your face."
"Rumors travel fast," Marcus said as he was amused listening to the rumors from Thomas. "And people are believing the rumors?"
"Most of them do, my lord. Here, one of the guards asked why a prince would come to the edge of the empire if he thought so little of the man he was asking." Thomas folded his hands.
"It is the right question. Someone careful in the capital will ask about it too, but let them."
"As you say." Thomas inclined his head. "And the young master?"
"Asleep. Hanna is with him."
"I’ll look in at midnight." He picked up the tray.
"And do drink that, my lord. You have eaten nothing since breakfast, and you didn’t eat much then."
"Go to bed, Thomas."
"At once." He said as he bowed and left.
His footsteps went away down the corridor, even and unhurried.
Marcus waited until he couldn’t hear them.
Then he locked the door, walked the room once with his palm on each wall, and drew the curtains. He turned the light down until it gave only a thin yellow circle across the desk.
From the drawer he took a bundle wrapped in black silk.
Inside was the Veilglass, a disc of dark crystal as wide as a dinner plate, set in a stand.
It was a communication artifact that carried a face also, unlike normal communication orbs meant for only voice
Marcus hadn’t used this for several years. He set it upright and pressed his palm to the artifact, familiarizing it with his essence.
Its surface rippled like water, dark and then a faint light came up from far below.
A figure was seen on the screen. He was still, in front of a single lamp. His face was not visible. Behind the figure there was no wall at all, only an endless stretch of darkness.