All around the university students looked out at the grand entrance seeing William with his escort. The massive military presence was a strange sight for them all, and each student climbed over one another to try and take a peek at what was happening.

"Father." Elizabeth ran out not caring about anything and dived in for a hug, the old man happily accepting it.

"How have you been?" William said happily, his aloof presence crumbling. Elizabeth pulled herself away and looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"What do you think?" Looking up at him she pointed down at herself showing her uniform. The strangeness of seeing his daughter in anything but a dress made him laugh, but he felt happy seeing how she was doing.

"Your mother would have a heart attack if she knew you dressed like this." Elizabeth chuckled at his response.

"Why are you here?" Eizabeth looked behind him at the grand escort and frowned. "It doesn’t seem like you came just to see me."

"The Headmaster got in touch. Apparently, a criminal has been hiding here. They’re handing themselves over willingly." Elizabeth froze at his words and looked behind her. She could see Halfdan walking out with two soldiers by his side.

"Oh. Him?"

"You know him Elizabeth." William took a step in front of his daughter and watched Halfdan walking towards him. The two’s eyes met and William could tell instantly how dangerous he was. It wasn’t because of a sixth sense as a warrior but because he reminded him of Esmond.

Eyes that lacked all desire. An emptiness that could only be satisfied by a few things. "Yeah," Elizabeth said quietly as she watched Halfdan. "He was famous in the swordsmanship division. Apparently, he nearly killed a student by accident when he first came."

"You don’t say." William took a couple of steps forward, stopping in front of the small man."I am Duke William Flanders. General of the Ammary Military."

’He’s quite strong.’ Halfdan looked at the old man and smiled politely before respectfully bowing. "I greet the Duke."

"They say you came with the barbarians who invaded our lands." William’s voice was sharp, his eyes going cold. Halfdan knew that everything he did now had to be perfect. He had remained behind to work his way up in the Empire. Whilst he planned to do it another way, he wouldn’t let an opportunity like this pass him.

"That is correct Your Grace." It was strange for William. The man claimed to have come with the barbarians, but everything he did showed he was civilized. If he didn’t know better he may have fallen for it.

"You do know that you can be executed just for that." The air around the two seemed to twist making those feel suffocated by them. Halfdan knew the man in front was the real deal, and even in his old age would be a hard opponent.

"I don’t plan on dying yet. It is why I wish to assist the Empire." Halfdan said with a soft smile. The two looked at one another for a couple of minutes before William nodded.

"I will escort you to the Palace. Maybe you can prove yourself." Halfdan nodded before being pushed by the two soldiers towards the carriage. William turned to Elizabeth, his fatherly aura returning. "I must go now. Make sure to write to your brother."

"Of course father." Elizabeth gave him a final hug watching him leave afterwards.

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"Your Majesty." Charles knocked on Alfred’s office letting himself in. His hands shook behind his back clutching the letter from Desmond as he watched Alfred and Isra silently work.

"Charles. What is it?" Charles looked at his smiling face and gulped, taking a step forward. He carefully handed the letter over with shaking hands and took a deep breath.

"Your Majesty. No Alfred. They’ve returned." Charles spoke softly as he looked at Alfred’s face drop.

"What?" Alfred’s body shook slightly as Isra got up and took the letter from her husband. Reading its contents she froze and stared at Charles with cold eyes. "Charles, what do you mean they’ve returned?"

"Charles get out." Isra didn’t give him a chance to reply, forcing him out of the room. Charles didn’t miss the chance given and quickly escaped, shutting the door behind him. "Alfred. Look at me." Isra grabbed the man’s cheeks forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You need to stay calm."

"Isra. Give me the letter." Alfred’s voice lacked the usual warmth he usually had snatching the letter away. His eyes shook reading its contents, his face going pale. Isra could see his breathing getting heavier with each word he read, his hand tightening around the paper.

"Alfred." Isra quietly called out his name in worry but was ignored as Alfred stood up rapidly pacing. His face split into a mad smile, chuckling.

"Isra." Turning to look at his wife, she took a step back in fear seeing the pure rage deep in his eyes. "I can finally do it." He walked over towards her, grabbing her shoulder.

"You’re hurting me," Isra said softly, looking at his hands that dug into her. Once again it seemed to not enter his mind as Alfred refused to let go looking at his wife.

"I can kill her. Everything can go back to normal. I can finally kill her, Isra."

"ALFRED!" Isra screamed his name, knocking him out of his trance. He looked down at her shoulders and quickly let go.

"I’m sorry." Alfred leaned and hugged her, gently kissing her forehead. "I’m sorry."

"Alfred. Please don’t meet her." Alfred took a step back looking at her. She could see the deep confusion in her eyes, unsure what she was saying.

"W-w-what." He stumbled over his words unable to understand. "What do you mean don’t meet her."

"Alfred."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN!" His scream echoed throughout the halls of the palace. "She violated me Isra. She made me powerless. Why would I not see her? Not kill her?"

"This is why." Isra snapped back, looking at Alfred with tear-filled eyes. "You become like this. I’m scared. What if it’s not enough? What then. I want my husband, not this."

Alfred looked at her blankly for a couple of seconds before laughing. "You can’t be serious." His laughter got louder falling onto his desk. "I won’t just kill Isra." Isra looked at Alfred’s cruel grin and covered her mouth in horror. "I’ll make her feel what I did." He took a step closer. "Powerless." He took another step. "Disgusted." He took another step. "Less than human." He stood over Isra looking down at her.

Isra looked into his eyes. His eyes shook in pure anger. "Alfred." Isra quietly said his name again. "Will it be enough?"

"No." His voice was devoid of emotion. "It will never be enough Isra. But at least I will be happier." Alfred took a deep breath. "Don’t stop me."

Isra gulped and weakly nodded. "Okay." Clenching her fists, her nails dug into her palm, "But let me come." Hearing the words Alfred smile beautifully looking at her.

"Thank you." Spinning around his smile fell. Isra followed closely behind looking at Alfred’s back. It felt like her heart was shattering. He was getting better. She hated it. Why did she have to return now? Their life had just started to return to normal. It was unfair. Looking at Alfred’s back, she couldn’t help but be worried. It felt as if after this she would never have her husband back.

Why couldn’t she have died? Everything would have been easier. Alfred may have lived with it in the back of his mind, never satisfied that he didn’t get a conclusion to everything that happened, but she would have been the one to help him through it. Until he was in a place where it no longer affected him so much. She was so close. Their life had slowly returned to normal.