A doctor opened the door into Desmond’s office as he, Alfred, and William sat with dark eyes. The doctor gave a small bow toward Alfred, taking a breath. "Your Majesty," he spoke softly causing Alfred to look up with his eyes. Flinching ever so slightly from the gaze, he composed himself.

"The arrowhead has been removed and the wound sealed." Alfred didn’t dare to feel happy with the news seeing the nervous fiddling from the doctor. "There is a problem." The doctor said with a grim voice. "It’s a wound to the lungs, Your Majesty. Even if we were able to remove the arrow, the risk of infection only gets worse."

"Stop." Alfred raised his finger as he scoffed. "Will he live?"

The doctor bit his cheek hating he was the one who had to give the news. "Not likely. We medicate him to keep the infection that will form at bay, but he will be asleep the whole time. Even then, eventually, blood will get into his lungs aswell." Willaim rubbed his forehead as he looked down at the floor and Desmond shrunk himself seeing Alfred’s falling mood.

Alfred bounced his foot as he nodded, a stiff smile on his face, his lip twitching. Getting up he walked around and picked up a small glass from Desmond’s cabinet. Pouring a drink his hands shook as alcohol spilt all over the desk. "FUCK!" His scream echoed as the glass bottle flew across the room, shattering.

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" The words flew out his mouth like a machine gun as he threw the glass at the wall next. The doctor quickly bowed leaving the room as William and Desmond watched not daring to interrupt Alfred. His breathing was erratic as he leaned over Desmonds’s desk his knees buckling. "fuck..." Falling he he grabbed his face as small tears formed. "He can’t die yet. Not now."

William got up and grabbed Alfred’s shoulder giving it a soft squeeze. Alfred tapped it, but his rage quickly took over again as he pushed William to the wall, clutching his suit. "Where is Esmond?" William looked down at the hands clutching him.

"He began his search twenty minutes after the incident," William spoke calmly looking at the young Emporer’s bloodshot eyes. Clenching his teeth Alfred’s head fell into William’s chest as his breathing got heavier again.

"I didn’t say he could die yet William," Alfred said desperately as he pulled away, and collapsed into a chair. "I want Esmond to bring the man alive." His voice was lathered in hate saying the words as he looked to the ground.

"Esmond has his orders."

"William." Alfred didn’t listen to the words as he looked at the old general. "Send word to Brookhaven." Alfred breathed deeply as he thought carefully about his next words. Nodding to himself he clenched his fists. "Spread the word. The church tried to assassinate me."

"Your Majesty. No Alfred." William walked over and grabbed the man by the shoulders. He looked in the eyes before looking at Desmond. "Leave us. Now." Desmond didn’t hesitate and gave a nod, knowing everything was beyond him now. The door closed leaving the two alone as William took a seat.

"Alfred. This is dangerous."

"I don’t care William." Alfred slammed his fist on Desmond’s desk as he looked at his friend. "That snake, Blackwood." His teeth clenched just remembering his face. "He did this, I’m sure. I don’t care what you say, I know."

"Alfred. Please." William desperately tried to make him see reason and wait for Esmond’s return, but it only angered Alfred further who thrashed everything off the desk as he stood up.

"What do you not understand William," Alfred said coldly as he looked at the man. "I want the world to know what they did. I want every king, every empower to hear about this. I want them to know, so when I deal with this pest in my home, no one will dare to stop me."

William felt himself age by twenty years hearing the order as he could only nod. "Whatever you order Your Majesty." He forced the words out of his mouth getting a nod.

"Leave me." Alfred waved his hand as he leaned back into his chair. Getting up, he placed his hand on Alfred’s shoulder.

"Whoever did this. They’ll pay. But right now we need to have a clear mind."

"Just leave me, William. Please." The old general nodded. Opening the door he gave one last look at Alfred.

Outside Desmond leaned against the wall and looked at William. "You have free reign. Do what has to be done. And what you heard. Tell no one." William said with a frosty voice before walking off as Desmond bowed, his eyes equally as cold.

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Blackwood sat nervously his leg bouncing as the cane off Byles echoed down the long hall of the temple. Flanking his side were two Inquisition guards. Blackwood tried to stand up, but Byles quickly lifted his cane and smacked it across his face with a strong force that made no sense for his old body.

Blood puddled on the floor as Blackwood fell, the two guards pointing their swords at him. "Tell me, Blackwood. No bullshit. What have you done?" Byles said coldly looking down at the young bishop.

Gritting his teeth Blackwood stood up dusting his clothes, looking nervously at the blades pointed at him. "It went wrong. This wasn’t meant to happen."

"DID YOU TRY TO KILL THE BLESSED ONE!" Byles screamed his spit flying everywhere as he leaned into his cane.

"No. Of course not." Blackwood quickly defended himself. "It was meant to hit my guard. The church was meant to save the life of the Emporer." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Are you stupid? I thought that you were competent, unlike those others, but this is foolish. You shot an arrow in the direction of the Emporer." Byles stopped. "Don’t tell me you used a church operative for it."

"Of course not." Byles breathed a sigh of relief hearing that. "But, I did give the man a pardon." The air that came out of Byles’s mouth got stuck in his throat as he looked at the bishop.

"Dear God." Byles nearly collapsed, having to be held up by one of his guards. "You ruined us." He wanted to laugh at the situation but couldn’t as he looked at Blackwood’s ashamed face. "What were you thinking."

"Things weren’t meant to go this way."

"Oh, that makes things better." Byles nearly attacked the man in front of him but contained himself. "We lost." He said to himself in a bitter tone, grabbing his head. Byles tried to think as he walked to a couple of seats nearby.

"Byle..."

"Shut up. Let me think." Byles stopped as he grabbed his head. "Okay. Send word to the holy seat. Tell them we need to prepare a crusade."

"You’re kidding." Blackwood ran over to him and said in a scared voice. "Do you know what you just said?"

"I wish I was Blackwood. This whole ordeal will spiral. The Emporer will undoubtedly create another schism. We have to be on it, rally the support of the other nations, and mobilize the resources of the church."

"This isn’t something we can decide."

"That’s why you will go to the Holy Seat yourself and explain your crimes. You will tell everyone what has happened and your role in it. And you better pray for Sol to show his blessing to you one last time if you wish to survive." Byles spoke coldly as he looked at Blackwood. He scoffed a final time looking away. "To attack the Blessed One without the Church’s approval."

Blackwood deeply exhaled as he looked out the distant door. "What about you?"

"I’ll try and clean up your mess. But I doubt I can stop whats going to happen." The room fell silent after those words as an overwhelming feeling of dread overcame the two.

"It’ll be hard to leave the city right now."

"Find a way. We don’t have time." Blackwood nodded, patting his robes once more and leaving. Byles watched his back slowly leave and shook his head.

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Esmond opened the door to a small dungeon hidden in Far Mile, his footsteps echoing as he walked. Tied to a chair a bloodied figure looked at him with dazed eyes.

Esmond bony hand grabbed his chin forcing him to look up as the two figures flanking him stepped back. "The Iron Company," Esmond said in a toneless voice as he touched a tray of tools next to him. The metal clashing against one another caused the man to flinch as he breathed heavily.

"please please, please. no more. I’m sorry. no more." Esmond didn’t listen as he picked up a pair of blunt scissors. Smiling he reached down and placed them on the man’s genitals and gently closed them.

"PLEASE! I’M SORRY!" He screamed out, thrashing his body, trying to escape, getting a soft shushing from Esmond.

"Tell me. Why did you and your company cause a fuss all day." Esmond said quietly, his voice sounding like the devil himself to the man.

"I don’t know. Our leader just told us to." The words came out rapidly as Esmond squinted closing the scissors once more. "PLEASE! It’s all I know."

"Tell me what I want to know. Where is he, who did he meet with? Why have you and your company created such havoc on this day."

"I don’t know." The man desperately pleaded. "We just got told to kick up a fuss."

"Why?"

"I DON’T KNOW!" He screamed out getting a click of the tongue from Esmond.

"Then who would."

"The vice-captains, or the leader himself. I’m just a foot soldier. I follow orders."

"And where can I find them," Esmond said putting pressure on the scissors once more.

The man’s eyes spun as he looked at Esmond in terror. "The northern part of the city. We stayed there. I don’t know anything else. Please just stop."

Esmond opened the scissors and removed them getting a sigh of relief from the man. "It wasn’t hard now." Esmond gently tapped his cheek before plunging the scissors into the man’s throat. Taking his hand away he pulled a hankercheif out his pocket. "Clean this up. You send word to Desmond. Have the North razed and find these people."

The two bowed as Esmond left cleaning himself up.