tigress;chapter three

angus

The capital was roaring with activity. The start of spring always brought out something different in the people. It meant the end of winter and the harsh seasonal depression it brought along with it. The farmers on the outskirts in the third district supplied those living within the capital with food, but rations had to be implemented this winter due to the declining conditions. It was difficult to grow crops as they would easily spoil or become rotten. It got so bad that even the royals had to ration their portions.

Angus was growing agitated with the information from the council members. If it was up to him, he wouldn't entertain them at all and would have them exiled, but alas traditions and previous laws prevent him from doing so as well as his thinning respect for the group. His patience was wearing thin hearing about their passive-aggressive 'suggestions'. They always managed to overstep their authority and position in this empire by putting in their two cents. The council consisted of 10 men, the majority of which were older and overweight. They were no stranger to gluttony and flaunting their status. It was growing annoying to Angus and he found it to be insulting in a way.

At first, the council was a substantial help when Angus was first crowned and inherited the throne. His father, Orson Dante, had passed from heart failure and his mother Muriel Dante wasn't eligible for the throne since she is a woman. The next of kin was Angus, who was merely a teenager at the time. Despite all the training and education he was required to take, he was still unprepared for what it means to rule a kingdom. Nothing was as he perceived and to make matters worse the country was in an uproar with rebels after his father passed. Some saw it as a perfect opportunity to denounce the royal family and cause chaos. Angus wasn't a month over 19 years old when he realized that something had to change within the country to reestablish principle and order. And the best way to do that? Fear.

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"Lord Dante you cannot invade those territories, they were a part-"

" I do not care what treaty they were a part of, it is time things change." The young king inquires with a scowl plastered on his face. The oldest council member was finding it difficult to reprimand the king and protect the territories along the outskirts of the third and fourth districts. They were supposed to be protected by ancient law as those areas included civilizations that were secluded from the rest. While they pose no immediate or serious threat, Angus wanted to make his newly acquired status clear.

A sigh left the councilman as he leaned back further into the exquisite chair of the meeting chamber.

"What you are doing is risky Angus..." He paused momentarily before continuing,

"It could backfire immensely and turn the people against you."

Angus squinted his eyes at the elder, in an attempt to warn him to tread lightly. Though there was nothing he could do to harm them the threat remains.

"The people are already against me."

The elder opened his mouth momentarily before shutting it. There was little he could say to refute the statement. Angus was not his father and he refused to be treated as such. He has spent the entirety of his life preparing to rule the Dante empire within the Scieca country.

Angus impatiently taps his fingers on the extravagant sandalwood table. He contemplated just getting up and leaving to tend to other matters, but he would not hear the end of it from his mother, who was due to show shortly. Every chance she got she would express her disappointment and sorrow for the way things had gotten, and today was no different. Though she had no authority outside the palace walls, she was still his mother and wanted to be respected and treated as such.

"Angus." Muriel's voice arose from the quiet void. Her tone was stern and serious confirming Angus' prediction. She was a beautiful older woman who was aging gracefully. She had soft features that accompanied her pale skin and shoulder-length brown hair. She had soft brown eyes that were beginning to show signs of crow's feet. Today she appeared tired and stressed as her skin lacked the lusciousness and dewy look to it that typically accompanied it. The death of her husband and the barbarous actions of her son. There was little she could do to change the situation but she hoped she could talk some sense into him from a mother's perspective. Muriel was a major empath and felt dreadful for what her people had gone through and what they were about to go through.

"There is nothing you can say to change my mind, mother." He kept his gaze averted from her and it troubled her that her only son couldn't even look at her the same or show a hint of remorse.

She opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal but she knew it was useless. Instead, she walked toward him and held his head against her chest like she did when he was younger. Except for this time he wasn't a little boy that needed the guidance and reassurance of his mother. Angus didn't fight back against her actions and let himself relax against her hold. His mother began raking her hands through his hair, it was more to soothe her than him. After a while, she pulled his head back from her chest but kept the hold on his head. She looked deep into his eyes that were just as emotionless before. She softly rubbed her thumbs against his cheeks before asking,

"Why?" He knew exactly what she was talking about, the ambushes.

"I have to do it." He claimed plainly.

"You have to or you want to?" She asked while continuing to peer at his face, particularly into his eyes. His lack of response and the absence of emotion in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

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As usual, the meeting with the council had proven useless to both parties. Angus was now back in his office chamber. He was leaning back against his desk chair with his feet resting comfortably on the table. Angus was absentmindedly staring at the decorative ceiling whilst smoking a thick cigar. It had become a habit in recent years, smoking offered temporary relief to the seriousness of situations Angus was commonly in.

The abrupt sound of the door opening brought Angus out of his trance as he directed his gaze toward the intruder. He thought about punishing whoever it was, but only someone close to him would be bold enough to do something like this. Angus had an annoyed scowl on his face as he realized who it was.

"What is so important that you have to barge into my chamber?" He paused before continuing,

"I should break your knuckles and teach you to knock." He taunted before taking his cigar back to his lips for another drag.

"And what use would that have? Unfortunately for you, you need me." Derek chuckled as he helped himself to a seat on the opposite side of the desk.

Angus felt his eye twitch at the action and it made him more irritated that he was right. Derek was a first-class knight and rightfully so. He was surprisingly reliable and exceptional at his job, which also bothered Angus considering Derek's actions outside of work. Derek's actions were consistently childish that left him scrambling to prove himself and his title. He was a helpless romantic and a ladies' man that never failed to make an impression on all kinds of women. And rightfully so, Derek was an extremely attractive young man in his mid-twenties. He had a short buzz cut, dark brown eyes that almost appeared black, and umber-colored skin that contrasted nicely with his straight pearly white teeth. He was well above average height and had a vast build with tattoos covering his torso and back of his neck.

The lack of response from Angus let Derek know that he wasn't particularly in the mood for his shenanigans today, but then again he never is.

The two were quite close despite how much Angus wouldn't willingly reveal it. They grew up together and Derek was the annoying favorable friend that he couldn't get rid of. Always there when he needed him despite the issues he brings along. When Angus first took over the throne, Derek was his right-hand man, an enabler if you will.

"Antoine will be visiting later this week. He wants to discuss matters pertaining to..." Derek paused struggling to find the right word to describe the situation.

"...your proposal."

Angus was shocked that Antoine would be visiting his sovereign, they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in years. Both are busy with their reputable titles and duties. He had sent a letter to Antoine briefly detailing his plan to create a more stable monarchy within Scieca. It had been a few months since it was sent and he thought Antoine believed the idea was too foolish to respond. He stood corrected, this was better than he could have imagined. Angus could still go through with his plan without Antoine but having an ally, a potent one at that, would make things all the more effective. Angus leaned back in his chair with a relieved expression on his face that didn't go unnoticed by Derek.

"What day exactly will he be visiting?" He pondered before taking another drag of his cigar and intentionally blowing it in Derek's face. A disgusted look was plastered on Derek's face at the action.

"Early Friday morning before the break of dawn. You shouldn't smoke in front of other people, it's obnoxious." He criticized.

Angus squinted his eyes at the young knight before replying,

"You believe you are fit to tell me what is obnoxious or not?" The question meant to be a jab at his pride did not affect Derek as he smiled in return before getting up to leave. This allowed Angus to truly think about what Derek had previously said. Antoine wasn't only coming to discuss his proposal there was something else in the mix. Angus tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk as he pondered what his next move would be, he had little time to prepare for the arrival of his old friend.

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Shortly after Derek's departure, he alerted the castle and royal workers about the anticipated visit of an individual from another country. He made sure to omit details about who it was to keep everyone on their toes. They were under a strict time constraint and Angus wanted everything to be in pristine condition for Antoine's arrival. This was an important guest and he wanted to make his visit memorable since it had been too long since they last saw each other. There were many things on the table this time around.

It was around noon that same Thursday evening, and Angus was in the courtyard preparing to take his stallion for a ride before the evening came and snuck up on him. With everything he had planned there was little time for him to enjoy himself and the finer things in life. He had started adjusting the saddle of his chestnut horse when the sound of his name brought his attention elsewhere.

"Angus." A soft voice spoke from the entrance of the courtyards. He knew it was his mother and judging by her tone she was going to be inquiring him about something. Angus tried to ignore her presence as he continued preparing his stallion but the abrupt sound of heels clicking on the courtyard grounds brought his attention back to her.

"Yes, mother?" He questions as he turns to face her. A displeased look is on her face and he knows that she is about to scold his ear off.

"Why has the castle been in such haste these few days? I hear whispers of someone visiting?" Muriel insisted sharply. Even with her age and lack of status she still found a way to reprimand Angus. It didn't come off as motherly love but as an overbearing parent who found fault with everything their child did. Angus cared and loved for his mother dearly, but she often made it hard to properly do so.

"You will see when they arrive." He answers with a blank expression present on his face. Angus did not want to get into an argument with his mother today, he wanted to enjoy the rest of the evening.

"You cannot and will not treat me as one of these royal workers, I am your mother Angus!" She demanded as she pointed her finger at him accusatory. His patience was slowly wearing thin hearing his mother screech and yell about how she is supposed to be treated. This was a good time as no other, he thought, to put his mother in her place for once and for all. For too long she waltzed around the castle as if she had authority. So he snapped,

"You are forgetting your place here, mother. You are only here because I value you as a mother. But that value diminishes every day that you dwell in business that is not yours."

A scowl began to plaster her face at her son's response. Muriel liked to believe she raised a respectable young man with integrity and morals, she did not recognize the tyrant that currently stood before her.

"The people are miserable! They barely got through last winter and you know it. The culture is disappearing and everything has become so monetized, your father wo-" Muriel gasped as a sharpened sword was drawn less than a few centimeters from her neck. If she was to even swallow it would draw blood.

"Do not bring my father into this. Don't you dare speak of him again!" Angus roared. Muriel felt her hands get clammy as she gripped the silk fabric of her dress in distress. If he wanted to, he could slit her throat and leave her to choke on her blood in the courtyard, and that thought alone invoked fear in Muriel. She was no longer protected by familial relations.

Angus studied his mother's expression for several moments before retracting the sword back to the holster on his waist. It wasn't the mention of his people that aggravated him but rather the mentioning of his father. Maybe when he was younger she could've used that technique to manipulate him, but he was a grown man now that could see through her ploy. Angus swiftly brought his attention back to his horse and positioned himself properly before looking at his mother. Muriel didn't know whether it was fear or shock that kept her stationery. The disbelief of it all sent hundreds of different thoughts through her mind.

"Leave." That was the only thing he said before riding off into the evening. She didn't need to be told twice as she scurried off back into the palace. He was beyond livid and had to get away before he did something he would regret. He couldn't kill his mother, not yet.

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When Angus returned it was well after dusk. The workers had done an amazing job cleaning and glamourizing everything. The beige stone walls were scrubbed and the plaster floors were cleansed so properly one could see their reflection. Quartz and granite were scattered across several columns that were perfectly polished. There wasn't enough time to get the various paintings on the walls restored but they still contrasted nicely. It would be a few more hours before Antoine's arrival, the palace workers had been advised to rest shortly as they would be up earlier than usual to accommodate their guests. In addition, Angus had to advise strict rules surrounding their guests. There was to be no foolishness and everyone was to stick to their assigned duties. He was not above executing who he deemed to be disobedient or resilient. There was always someone that would try and make a statement and Angus admired their tenacity, but it would ultimately be their demise.

But alas that would all have to wait until after Angus talked with his favorite and beloved first-rank knight. Angus made his way towards his secluded ward of the palace, in which only his mother, himself, and Derek were allowed to reside here. It was on the highest story of the palace and only specific palace workers were allowed to work or even take a step up here. Upon becoming a first-rank knight, Derek made it evident how he wanted to live outside of the knight's quarters and within his ward, his reasoning was so that he could better protect and serve his precious and almighty king. Angus had made his way into the ward and was in front of Derek's room. The rambunctious sound of a woman's long drawn-out moan quickly irritated Angus as he suddenly opened the door.

Angus made no effort to hide the disgusted expression on his face at the scene before him. A young brunette woman with long hair that scaled across her back and small perky breasts was on top of Derek riding him maliciously on his king-size bed. Sweat was trickled on both of their bodies with a flimsy piece of sheet that covered the lower half of their bodies. The young woman gasped when she heard the door open and realized who it was. She quickly hopped off of Derek taking the sheet with her as she wrapped it around her body. Derek on the other hand did not attempt to cover himself or any of his glory, he instead rested his hands under his head to support himself and stared at Angus annoyed.

"Are you fornicating a castle worker at this time, Derek?" Angus grumbled, his grip on the door causing his knuckles to turn white.

"You should have knocked Angus," Derek says plainly.

"Earlier this week I recall you forgetting to knock, no?" He asserted.

The brunette saw the two bickering as a distraction for her to leave. Before she could even make it out the door, Angus tightly grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look him up in the eyes. Her neck twisted at an uncomfortable angle due to the pressure on her scalp.

"Come back to this ward and it will be the last thing you do." He said it with such malice that made her cower under his hazel eyes. He tightened his grip on her hair when he didn't hear a response.

"Y-yes my l-lord, I-I-I apologize." She whimpered hoping he would relieve her of the painful grip he had on her scalp.

"Get the fuck out." He harshly released her hair. She quickly nodded her head and swiftly made her way out of the room and out of the ward.

Angus brought his attention back to Derek who had gotten up and was putting on a pair of trousers.

"You did not have to scare the poor maiden." He sighed.

"She is far from a maiden if she lays with you. And she is not supposed to be in my ward, I have to make that abundantly clear."

Derek remains quiet as he puts on a bland white button-up shirt. He checked the clock on the wall, it was half past one in the morning. Antoine was set to arrive in a few hours and Derek assumed that is the reason for Angus' abrupt entrance.

"Everything has already been set in place. The workers are resting for about another hour before-"

"That is not what I came to talk about." Derek raised an eyebrow in confusion as Angus ushered him out of his room and towards his mother's residence. Angus didn't quite believe that his mother understood the message he relayed earlier. 

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Periwinkle carriages with shimmers of gold traveled down the center of the first district of Scieca. The appalling arrival of visitors that were clearly from another country, intrigued the people. For several years it was quite rare for there to be guests from surrounding territories. It was also strange seeing how the guards and royal knights treated these guests, it raised more questions than it answered about who and what their business in Scieca was.

Antoine was soaking up the admirable looks and praises from the capital civilians. They were slightly more welcoming and curious than those within the third and fourth districts. Most did not recognize him and under typical circumstances, it would take a hit to his pride, but there were more dire matters for Antoine to focus on. Antoine instinctively rubs his scruffy stubble as he pondered on the contents of the letter his old friend sent to him a few months prior. It was awful vague and left him with more questions about Angus' intentions. Antoine knew Angus well enough to conclude that the 'plan' he outlined in his letter was only the beginning of what he truly wished to accomplish.

The voice of a guard brought Antoine out of his trance as he redirected his attention toward the group sitting across from him in the carriage. A secluded group of his most trusted guards and knights.

"We are set to arrive shortly, Your Grace." The one closest to the left spoke. Antoine simply nodded his head in response, this trip would prove to be interesting.

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The castle workers had their heads lowered and were stationary as their guests entered through the main corridor. The promise of several threats to their livelihood and families left them silent and obedient. No one dared to look Antoine and the others in the eye as they continued to make their way toward the center of the corridor. Antoine took note of the monochrome color scheme that plagued the walls. It was strikingly different from the last time that he was a guest. Though at that time Angus' father, Orison was still king.

A group of royal guards stood in the center of the corridor, "We extend our deepest welcomes and gratitude for you visiting us, lord Hagan." The one in the middle spoke strongly.

Antoine gave a slight smile before responding, "It is an honor to once again walk the walls of the mighty Dante empire."

The royal guards simply nodded before gesturing to the others to collect their handheld baggage. A small young woman grabbed Antoine's handheld bag with shaky hands. She looked like she could drop it at any second despite it not being heavy at all.

"The remaining items in your carriage will be placed in your private quarters shortly." The guard spoke again,

"After you have settled in, Lord Dante requests your presence in the meeting quarters."

Antoine could hardly focus on what the guards were saying as he was focused on the timid actions of the workers. They appeared fearful and startled by what could happen to them if they acted incorrectly even slightly. A slight smirk was plastered on his face as he pondered what method Angus used to ensure obedience in his pawns. He had certainly changed from the delightful young boy he was before.

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An hour had passed and Antoine and his guests had properly settled in. Antoine wanted to rest since he had been traveling since the week prior, but the meeting with Angus proved to be of more importance. To make it more intriguing he requested that he come alone. Angus wanted none of his guards or outsiders present.

Upon arrival at the meeting chamber, no more guards or castle workers were lingering around. Instead, he saw Angus with his back turned towards the window as he slowly took sips of his aged wine. It appeared like he would not acknowledge Antoine's presence but he knew better than that. He was waiting, pondering, and stuck deep inside his thoughts. It wasn't until Antoine had reached the large center table that Angus turned around.

Angus stared at Antoine before taking a sip of his wine and setting it on the table.

"It is nice to see you again, Antoine." Angus smiled.

A large grin found its way to Antoine's face, "Likewise, you look different."

Angus began playing with the cuffs on his dress shirt sleeve as he took in Antoine's shocking new appearance. Antoine no longer had long shoulder-length blond hair and a puffy round childlike face. His hair was cut short with little remaining on the top that dangled on his forehead. His face was now highly defined with a nice warm beige tone to go along with it. His dazzling blue eyes contrasted nicely with the rest of the beauty on his face. Antoine was also now of a considerable height that rivaled Angus'.

For anyone that didn't previously know him, they could be swooned by the beauty of it all. But Angus knew better, he knew the sinister makeup of Antoine and how easily he could mask it. It's what made him a worthy candidate to help Angus in his chase for power. Antoine was the heir to the Aistarid empire. Both of his parents are alive but chose to retire and relinquish their title to their oldest son when he became of age. Antoine has been in control of all of Aistarid's affairs since he turned seventeen.

Just as Angus was about to continue reconciling with his childhood friend, his wonderful knight in shining armor, Derek abruptly entered through the closed door.

Angus let out a heavy sigh laced with annoyance, "You continue to be late Derek."

Derek simply ignored him and took a seat across from Antoine on the side with Angus. He was dressed in his official knight attire which consisted of the official colors of Scieca, maroon, gold, and gray. Antoine lifted a brow at Derek's action. A knight in his country would never live to see the day after they disrespected him.

"So I am not allowed to have any of my guests to this...meeting but your..." Antoine looked Derek up and down,

"... Colleague can join us?" Angus let out a heavy chuckle before responding.

"Surely you remember Derek, he is rather...important to this operation believe it or not." Angus sat his glass of wine down on the table before taking a seat. Antoine raised an eyebrow at Derek's movements. He did remember Derek but did not believe that he was of such a status to be involved. He certainly would have to prove himself for Antoine's approval.

Antoine absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the wooden table, "I see..."

"Well let's continue now that all parties are present, I honestly did not expect you to respond to my letter, or even visit Scieca."

"I'm quite offended, we're close friends are we not? Besides, I'm quite interested to know what your plan is and how it involves me."

Angus smiled in response, "I know that you are aware of the current state of my empire and my 'allies'. " He paused while carefully choosing his next words, "After my father's passing things have gone...left." He looked to Antoine to read his expression and study his body language carefully.

"Once again I offer my deepest condolences. I hope your mother is coping well, I hope I get to see her before my visit is over"

The mention of Muriel caused Angus to pause. Derek noticed this change in movement,

"She's... busy, but hopefully you can meet with her at a later time." Derek inquired. Antoine simply nodded his head, something about Derek's response was off-putting but he decided not to pursue it.

"I've come to a point where my allies are not of substantial value to me. They have little to nothing to offer their people and are better off under the rule of someone competent enough."

"And I am guessing you are the one that's competent enough?"

"You are a smart man Antoine, you know what I am capable of," Angus said plainly. He knew Antoine was dancing around what he wanted to say. He always had something borderline reprehensible to say off the tip of his tongue.

"I know that all your allies lay in the west and primarily consist of that sorry excuse of a country, Thatus, but I know that is not what you are talking about. It's Exairian isn't it?"

Angus remained quiet as Antoine read him like an open book.

Antoine smirked, "You're a greedy bastard Angus, going after the country with the most districts."

An ugly laugh erupted from Derek at Antoine's comment. Derek knew firsthand the kind of bastard Angus could be. A sharp threatening glare from Angus had Derek remaining quiet for the time being.

Antoine questioned, "But what I do not understand is, why the west?"

Angus sighed, "The east has its own set of problems that I do not wish to dabble in." Antoine knew he was talking about the potential war between the Dromid dynasty and the Xavalon empire. Tensions had been rising for quite some time now and it was a test of time to see when things would turn sour. The treaty drafted a few hundred years prior was not proving effective.

Derek cleared his throat before drawing the two other men's attention to another concern. "In addition to everything Lord Dante has described, we also acquire assistance with restoring the abandoned territories within the third and fourth district."

A puzzled look made its way to Antoine's face.

Angus let out a heavy exhale before explaining, "When I was first made king, I made some decisions to...relocate the villages and individuals within the outskirts of the country. At the time I believed they were more useful within the capital or in the farming district but I was mistaken."

"And how does this 'plan' of yours involve me?" Antoine responded harshly.

"I acquire your assistance with the financial and military aspects of it all. Though I do plan on cutting the budget of the gluttonous council to contribute."

Antoine raised a skeptical brow at his statement. "So you are simply using my nation's resources?" His question was meant with a silence that confirmed his suspicion.

"And how do I know that you will not use my resources against me?"

A wide smile made its way on Angus's face before he looked Antoine directly in the eyes and replied, "You don't."

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Sorry about the lack of updates. It's not writers block or anything but just straight and pure laziness. I'll try to do better.