Lucas got up from the bed suddenly finding himself terse.
Just the previous day, the magician himself had visited and informed Lucas that he had to do everything possible to make sure the king returned to Provda.
"The signs are good. We can strike any moment. Now is a bad time for Malcolm to travel. Ensure he comes back."
And so Lucas had sent messengers after his brother requesting he return as a matter of urgency. State issues. He did not think it would work but surprisingly Malcolm IV had indeed returned. Lucas of course did not have any matter of state to present. He would probably just pay a couple of men to create a ruckus somewhere.
But with this new message, even that just may not be needed.
His personal servant who had brought the message stood at attention waiting for further instructions. Good man.
"Get me my armour and rouse the others. It's time."
The man nodded and disappea

Maxwell Sorrentino sat very still on the bed, the infant sleeping peacefully in his arms, and just stared. Helena was gone. Like a vision, her mannerisms began to play in his mind. Her smile, the bounce of her dark curls, the way she tapped at her head randomly when she was confused or distracted, he would never see any of that again. Sorrentino truly would have sat in that trance forever were it not for sudden loud shouts that began to erupt in the castle.
He snapped back to reality and jumped up. What could be happening? The midwives were still there staring at him, pain written in their eyes. 
Sorrentino suddenly realised how hard this was for them too. No one wanted to lose a patient. The commotion outside was getting louder now.
"Wait here," he said to the midwives, replaced the dagger he had dropped, drew his sword and stepped out of the bedchamber. 
The sight that greeted him was 

Nordveka began to tap at the ground with his curved stick. An ominous rhythm.
"So you're insinuating that there's a chance that I might fail?"
"A man cannot be too careful." Allan blurted out. 
"A man cannot be too careful indeed." The magician nodded as if deep in thought. Then he suddenly swished the staff. The men watched in horror as a number of things began to happen at once. First, the unfortunate fellow suddenly found himself forced to his knees. Then his sword flew out of its scabbard seemingly by itself and began to float in the air, the sharp end facing his owner. 
Shrieking loudly, the man found himself hurtling towards his own sword by forces he could not see. A deathly silence settled over the whole group as the shrieking noise suddenly cut off; the man was dead transfixed with his own sword.
"A man should indeed be very careful." Nordveka said casually. "What was he questio

Lucas got up from the bed suddenly finding himself terse.
Just the previous day, the magician himself had visited and informed Lucas that he had to do everything possible to make sure the king returned to Provda.
"The signs are good. We can strike any moment. Now is a bad time for Malcolm to travel. Ensure he comes back."
And so Lucas had sent messengers after his brother requesting he return as a matter of urgency. State issues. He did not think it would work but surprisingly Malcolm IV had indeed returned. Lucas of course did not have any matter of state to present. He would probably just pay a couple of men to create a ruckus somewhere.
But with this new message, even that just may not be needed.
His personal servant who had brought the message stood at attention waiting for further instructions. Good man.
"Get me my armour and rouse the others. It's time."
The man nodded and disappeared.
Good man. Lucas thought to himself again approvingly.
When Nordveka had first come to 

9 A New Prince