Chapter 247: Forms of Loyalty

"Alfred," Isra called out gently, walking up behind her husband. He was still crouched on the ground over Helga’s unrecognisable body. The room had long been emptied, and only the remaining ones remained.

"Isra." Looking back at her, Isra sucked in a breath of air in shock, seeing the emptiness in his face. "She won." His voice shook, saying it, and looking back at her corpse, Alfred clenched his teeth. Pulling the dagger out of her body, he held it in shaking hands, eventually dropping it. "Why? Why does nothing go my way?"

Crouching behind him, Isra wrapped her arms around him and leaned against his back. "Alfred. You didn’t fail."

"YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!" Alfred’s scream was full of despair. "I can never make things right. I lost Isra. For the first time, I have lost."

"Come on." Isra stood up and held her hand out for Alfred. Alfred looked at it, grabbed it, and pushed himself up. Clinging to his arm, the two walked through the side doors towards Edwards’s room. Opening the door, Daisy sprung up but quickly bowed. Silently telling her to leave, Isra pulled Alfred towards the sleeping Edward.

"Alfred. Look at him." Hesitantly looking down at his son, Alfred felt his eyes water up. "You haven’t lost. You have a son you love, me, and an Empire." Reaching out, she gently stroked Edwards’s hair to the side, and the boy reached out in his sleep to knock her hand away.

"She wants you to be like this, self-loathing and hateful. Be better than what she wants. Prove she doesn’t define you." Alfred looked at Edward, reached out, and gently stroked his son’s cheek, causing him to smile thinly. "I will be by your side. Forever. Please, don’t let it control you."

His body tensed at her words. Thoughts ran through his head, and his mouth opened and closed, trying to find something to say, but eventually, he gave up. "I want to sleep." Letting go of Isra, he stumbled out of the room alone. Looking down at Edward, she frowned before looking at the door, her eyes going icy cold.

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"Hello, invader." Opening his eyes, Halfdan saw Esmond standing before him. He tried to move but failed, the chains around his chest locking him in place.

"Are you here to kill me?" Halfdan asked in a relaxed manner. Despite that, he couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. He could see Esmond was someone he couldn’t trick or use. It felt like he was looking into a mirror when he saw him. A similar emptiness existed in the old man.

Esmond walked to the side and dragged a chair over. Sitting on it, he crossed his legs and just stared. Halfdan felt as if nothing was safe from him, his eyes seeing through everything about a person. "I’m not here to kill you, but give you a choice."

Halfdan squinted, looking at the old man. "Who are you? I doubt the Emporer has permitted you to do this. A traitor."

"Do not call me that." Goosebumps ran over Halfdan’s body, feeling the murderous intent that radiated off Esmond. Gulping, he nodded nervously.

"Forgive me." It was strange. Very few things scared him or made him nervous, yet Esmond existence alone made him feel nothing else.

"As long as you understand. I’m sure you have been here long enough to know who the Underwells are. I am Esmond, patriarch of the Underwell family." Halfdan’s eyes opened wide in shock, but it finally answered his question. He had heard the rumours and tales behind the man and his family.

He had thought them to be just that, exaggerations of the truth, but it was different coming face to face with the man. "What do you want?" The chance for survival once again resurfaced.

"Work for me. When William said a barbarian was hiding in the academy, I looked into you. It wasn’t hard to figure out. A man who suddenly appeared with great fighting skill but lacked the common knowledge of the continent. It seems you could be useful for me and, in turn, his Majesty."

Halfdan smirked and shook his head. "What is the second option?"

"I let his Majesty deal with you. Maybe you survive, but it is doubtful after today’s events, and I’m sure it won’t be a kind death either."

Halfdan looked at Esmond’s smile and chuckled bitterly. Live or become a servant. It was an easy choice. "His Majesty won’t like my survival. Are you sure about this? After all, he is your Master."

"He is ours," Esmond said sternly. Getting up, he unlocked the cell and stood before Halfdan. Reaching into his pocket, Esmond pulled a small vial of clear liquid out and poured it down Halfdan’s mouth. "It’s a small drug to make your body slow." Taking a second key out, he unlocked the chains around Halfdan’s body.

Halfdan stood up, his body feeling slightly sluggish. Halfdan saw Emsond leaving and quickly caught up. Reaching the top of the steps, he saw the halls of the place once more and took a deep breath. "Follow these two. I have another matter to deal with."

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Isra’s hand hovered over the doorknob. They slightly shook as the other held onto a dagger.’For Edward. You must.’She silently told herself before taking a deep breath and letting herself in.

She saw Frida sleeping on a chair beside the two babies in a crib. Walking before them, she looked down at their sleeping faces, her eyes wavering slightly. She felt stupid. She had told Alfred and herself so often that when it came to it, she could do anything if it meant protecting her son, but now she hesitated.

"Empress," A woman’s voice called out from behind Isra, shocking her. Spinning around, Violette sat shaking her head. "You can not kill the children. Esmond’s orders."

Isra squinted dangerously and walked before the sitting maid. "And who do you serve? Me or Esmond."

"I serve his Majesty. The one who saved me. Which means I serve Esmond, the one who protects him." Violette stood up and carefully patted down her clothes.

"Do you honestly believe letting these children live is protecting my husband? You know nothing."

"I know I’m protecting the future of the Empire by stopping you." Isra dangerously smiled at her words before pushing Violette into the wall, placing the blade on her throat.

"Is that a sick joke? My son is the Crown Prince. Is he not good enough for you because he is disabled, you bitch." Isra pushed the blade deeper into her throat, making a small cut. Feeling the drop of blood roll down her neck, Violette gulped.

"That’s not what I meant, Empress. The Crown Prince is the only one worthy of taking the throne, but his ability to have children is questioned."

Isra pushed the knife again, forcing Violette to lean back in fear. "My son is normal. He will have children. Who are you to even think otherwise?" Violette could see the rage in Isra’s eyes and nodded carefully.

"Empress," Esmond’s old voice cut through the air, causing both women to look at the door. The old man walked over to the children silently. Looking at them, his face didn’t change. "They must live for now. If you have another child, I am not opposed to killing them, but right now, that is not an option."

"Esmond." Isra finally let go of Violette and faced the man. "I am doing this for Alfred. For Edward. What happened to No Matter the Sacrifice." She spoke mockingly, causing the old man to frown.

"If His Majesty orders me to kill the children, I will do it. But until then, I will stop you." Esmond stared at Isra with cold eyes, making her chuckle.

"I’ll kill you, Esmond, if it means killing the two bastards." The two looked at one another with equally stern eyes. It was Esmond who broke first.

"My death won’t stop anything. My son will take my place." Esmond walked next to Isra. "But think for a minute. If you kill his children, will his Majesty ever love you as he did before?"

"You bastard. They are hardly his children. To even say that when you know how they came about." Looking at the children in disgust, Isra could see the shadows of Helga around them, her laugh echoing in her mind.

"They may have been forced onto him, but they are still his." Esmond took a deep breath and leaned in closer. If you do this, it may finally break him, Empress." Whispering in her ear, Esmond grabbed the knife in her hand, took it easily, and walked off. Taking a final look at the small children, Isra clenched her fist and left as well.

Violette could finally sigh in relief, her hands shaking. The children were safe for now, but she knew Isra wouldn’t stop. She silently cursed Emsond for the job she had been given. She had to protect the children from the one person she couldn’t harm in the Empire.