The Monarchy The Burning Lands

Chapter Three

Edmond stands there eyeing one of the Reapers step forward and crosses blades with him as the queen looks on smiling at the sight. Edmond makes easy work of the reaper sending him to his back hard and the man crawls off away from the others. another crosses blades with Edmond but Edmond kicks him hard and yells out. 

"Is this all!" again Edmond dodges one of the reapers who clumsily tries to stab him and the boy stumbles to the side and Alvis shakes his head disgusted by his other brothers. Knox sighs but leans over whispering.

"should I signal for Lukas?"

"not yet..." the queen eyes Edmond kick two other reapers and she frowns at how easily the reapers are submitting their places. she stands demanding.

"Lukas!" one of the reapers in the back steps forward knicking Edmond hard in the knee damaging it as another reaper punches Edmond in the face. Archbald moves in his chair eyeing his brother get beaten and grips hold of his sword angerly feeing his blood boil but hears the keeper next to him.

"you can retire my lord to the castle if you wish?"

"no..." Archibald stares on gripping his hilt tightly as he watches the reapers beat this brother. He hunches forward concerned but Edmond jabs one of the man in the jaw knocking him to the floor. he stumbles and crawls away as the queen motions to Alvis.

"he still has some fight."

"yes..." Alvis mumbles under his mask and grips his hand on the Queen's shoulder comforting her. Archibald shifts and lessens the grip on his sword seeing his brother regain his footing. Edmond spits out some blood by Luka's feet and comments.

"hardly a fair fight Lukas..." Edmond tastes the blood in his mouth and Lukas turns his head amused by his half brother but does not reply as Edmond jams his sword into another Reaper's abdomen and eyes the red simmer as the reaper whispers.

"I yield the sheld has shattered..." the reaper crawls back towards his other defeated siblings and Lukas turns eyeing the number of men and back to the rest of the reapers as he demands.

"yield, your places..." Lukas turns motioning to the other two remaining men and they look to their brother as Lukas nods to them. the queen turns her head and whispers to Alvis.

"What is he doing?"

"The Reapers are one they have already been defeated..." Knox comments and Alvis motions to him.

"after Lukas."

"I'm aware of my place, brother.."

Knox steps forward standing behind a few men who bend to their knees showing Edmond they submit their places. Lukas at first goes to do the same but Knox comments.

"not you." Lukas turns back and Knox motions to him and Lukas flinches feeling his shield flicker as Edmond blades stops and he takes a breath eyeing the blade inches from his flesh. Lukas takes a deep breath in as Edmond smiles and whispers.

"is that all you got Galvin?" Angered Lukas goes to shove his blade forward but Edmond close lines him and drags him to the ground by his kneck punching the younger Galvin in the face once hard.

Edmond stares down and begins to beat Lukas as Knox stares on and Edmond motions up as he whispers.

"kind of like what you did to that shaw kid, huh?" Knox remains still as Lukas still conscious crawls to his older brother's side and whispers.  

"I submit..." He lunges forward coughing up blood and Knox steps to the side avoiding the blood as he whispers.

"disgusting.." he knocks Lukas with his foot who falls over and Knox glances up as he motions to Edmond.

"they were errand boys of the monarchy feared only in title but I, I am the 3rd-"

"4th..." Edmond releases his sword again from its sheath and motions to Knox.

"5th if you count girls..." Edmond's eyes fixate in the queen and Knox laughs and whispers to Edmond so only he can hear.

"We both know she will be married off-"

"yes, and which one of you will it be?"

"not me..." Knox comments and Edmond's eyes fixate on him as he nods and motions to him.

"that is right. you picked an O'Sullivan bride didn't you?" Knox thinks over Edmond's words and feels his hand shake as Edmond comments.

"you are aware of what that means for you Knox, aren't you?"

"I..." Knox thinks for a second and Edmond smiles to himself as he comments.

"The Galvin's rule is indeed absolute but the individual clans have our own rules. ones that were agreed to be upheld by the monarch as a whole..."

Knox slowly takes out his sword and stares down Edmond as Edmond whispers.

"you will have no choice but to submit the Reapers are law keepers to go against the very laws you govern would make a mockery of your monarchy, of your Queen...." 

The queen leans forward and stares down the two men speaking as she asks.

"Why aren't they fighting?"

"That idiot..." Alvis mumbles under his breath

Knox steps closer to Edmond.

"my queen's rule is absolute-"

"so don't make a mockery of it Knox..." Edmond motions down and whispers.

"you have to stay your blade if you strike against your wife's king you will be hung..."

the veins in Knox's neck bulge as he slowly gets to one knee, placing his blade into the dirt as he yells out towards his queen.

"by the honor of the law of clans and as a law keeper of the monarchy, I cannot fight with my wife's king. therefore I am forced to submit my place..."

Knox stays kneeled and the queen stares on as she whispers.

"what law of clans?"

 Avlis places his hand over his mask embarrassed by his stupid younger brother as the queen looks back to him and he whispers.

"There is no such law..."

"that idiot...." The queen whispers but smiles widely and tries to play off as her brother did not just make a complete fool of himself.

"Indeed the law of clans has been around for centuries and as a Reaper who could expect you an upholder of such laws to go against it!"

the keeper sitting next to Archibald knowingly smiles as he leans over.

"Edmond played him a fool."

"more ways to win a battle then just using a sword as father use to say..." Archibald smiles to himself and leans forward looking on as the keeper motions to the exit.

"The wedding will commence in a few hours all royalty is expected to attend"

"who is the groom?"

"the keepers suspect a Galvin half bastard. most likely, someone, she can keep docile and stupid..."

Archibald's eyes shift to the man standing to the right of the Queen and shake his head disagreeing.

"no, I doubt that. she wants a smart one, calculated but cold enough to do terrible things for her..."