Julien Massarreli, Massarreli Estate; Kingdom of Eins, 610

The King's former adviser was furious. He couldn't do anything about the way things were running, contrary to what he was led to believe before all this fiasco. For one, it seems that the fool is alive and well. That wouldn't be such a drag, if he actually did relinquish. But no, the fool and his father had other plans.

However that wasn't exactly the problem.

Before he could contemplate further though, he heard a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in." Julien beckoned.

The door opened to reveal his trusted aide, Baldwin. He wore a simple gray cotton butler's clothes, almost matching his gray hair and moustache. He had a square, wrinkled face and a wide nose, chapped, lopsided lips and prominent cheeks. He had squinty, down-turned eyes. The aide closed his eyes as he bowed a bit before addressing Julien.

"Master, our guest from Madea has arrived." Baldwin simultaneously opened his eyes at the word Madea, making sure to pause and underscore the importance of their guest, and the news she will bring.

Julien smiled at the thought.

"Escort her to one of our private conference rooms, I'll be preparing myself a bit." Baldwin bowed in response before quickly turning to leave and shutting the door gently. Julien stood up from his chair, supporting himself with his wooden desk. He was slightly trembling while looked around his office.

A bookshelf with books of history, politics and magic, anda table that had a single large glow-orb that illuminated his surroundings. A white silk curtain blocked the dwindling sunlight from the afternoon sun, helping the glow-orb reveal his office's lavish white walls, and the myriad of paintings that he prided as his collection.

"I guess only the paintings need to be moved to the chambers." He chuckled, recalling his imminent victory. He walked to a drawer just parallel to the bookshelf, and beside a large oval mirror, then reached out for his pockets, grabbing a small golden key.

The lowest compartment had a gray lock, which he then unlocked using the key. Opening it revealed a red crown, with small protusions of its body sticking out on its side, and a red ruby embedded on its center.

Beneath the crown was a red cotton robe, that bore the crest of the King: A simple, yet elegant looking lightning bolt striking a red ruby. It wasn't bad, he thought, but he also played around with the idea of replacing it for a bit, before shrugging it off.

He did however, think that he should wear the robe as he presented himself to Madea.

He took both the crown and the robe, and donned both before walking in front of his mirror.

A 6'5'' middle-aged man with short, straight red hair that he fashioned slicked down and arrogant-looking hooded crimson eyes stared at him. Julien clasped his hands as he admired his visage. He had a rectangular face and tight jaws, curving his small lips. He also wore a golden chestplate, the red King's robe hugging him and the armor.

He certainly looked the part, and he was ready to make sure everyone understood the he was made for it.

"It's time for my era, Deukalion. Watch as I conquer the continent."

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While he was walking through a wide staircase and looking at a painting of him placed on the walls at the staircase's landing, he couldn't help but suddenly feel apprehensive.

It was Madea. They were the ones who were behind all this. Back before the outbreak of the civil war, Madea struck a deal with Julien. They were going to help him in his cause to topple Deukalion, in return he had to stay put regardless of the aftermath of his former liege's death.

This meant that he had to stay in his estate, only allowing him some leeway in that he could send his men to do some menial tasks.

Before that though, he planned to do the oath during the last battle when he killed Deukalion, but the old man was insightful enough to have that battle far from the capital, intercepting Julien and his men two cities away; invading the Massarreli troops who were preparing to siege the capital.

Julien was lucky that Madea had tabs on the King's plan, and Julien was able to set up countermeasures with their help.

Unfortunately for Julien, even though the King died, he was also cautious. He left the crown and the robe behind. The robe had nothing to do with being a King other than the crest and its prestige, but the crown was important to the curse's oath.

After Julien defeated Deukalion's forces, Madea stepped in.

It was then that Madea revealed that their leader, that woman, had the power of curses through simple agreement. At that very moment of revelation, a small tattoo that looked like the fasces appeared on the back of his right hand.

The woman told him not to panic and explained her ability.

When a party agrees to that woman's terms, they can be magically bound by a curse in that both parties must do all they could for their part of the agreement, or else they die. That didn't mean they had to successfully do their share, it's just that they can't take any action that would otherwise mean undermining that agreement.

The worst thing about the curse is that its user does not need to state that she'll bind them in a curse for it to activate. A tattoo will reveal itself on the bound-party when she does talk about the existence of the curse and the terms behind it.

Conveniently, she stated she can control whether or not an agreement was to be cursed.

To Julien, this meant that the only thing that was ensured for him was that Madea would help them kill the King and the First Prince, the agreement in which he was sure that the woman must try to grant because it was bound.

Though, he was relatively safe, as the only thing Madea wanted was that he be kept inside the estate, and to not take major actions for almost a month: twenty-nine days to be exact ending at the dawn of midnight on the final day.

A few days after that final battle, the woman visited him. What she said was the reason he first felt the same feeling of dread he had now.

"I wanted you to lock yourself away for a month before trying to do the oath is simply because the Royal Guard has found the Foolish Prince's whereabouts. If my sources are correct, they must have found out before we made contact. They definitely have some sort of plans against you should you ride towards the Capital.

The most important point is that the Prince never really relinquished his title, although that one month limit the King put in place? It was a time limit for the Prince apparently, and I surmise he stated that for your benefit. Had you not been treacherous, I'm sure you'd figure it out and wait for the Prince's return, but sadly, you had other plans.

I have to give the dead King some credit, he did well in keeping you in the dark about that.

But you don't have to be worried, it seems that if the Prince doesn't return within that one month, the curse's oath will abandon his succession. As for you, you can only leave your estate just a day earlier than his time limit, so you're in a tough bind.

Rest assured, I'll have the crown and even the robe delivered to you, and at most, by a month's time I'll have the Prince found and killed, his plans exposed or at the very least impede his return. For now, for your sake, do not take action. Remember the curse. Besides, you just have to sit still for a month."

After the woman said so, he was perplexed, but he thought nothing of it until he remembered what this organization was all about. They were all about tinkering the cogs of nations.

Established only five years just after the onset of Rorldon's invasion, Madea helped Eins in repelling them by playing around in Rorldon's capital, and finally, for some unknown reason, had the teleporation mage executed. With her ability of curses, it wasn't impossible.

Still, he didn't have a clue what Madea wanted out of him, or the civil war, but he was sure that there's no better alternative. Sure, he had to go along with the woman for a little bit, but the curse ends once the month wait is over.

The only thing he wasn't happy about was that he had to limit his actions. It was fishy. If Madea really wanted him to be crowned, they'd already have the Royal Guard's captain killed as soon as they returned to the capital.

What was more confusing was even though the woman hadn't initiated any other curse-bound agreements, they still delivered Deukalion's effects to his estate.

He shrugged off his thoughts, feeling that it was unnecessary. Once he gets crowned, he'll have the woman's head. It was just a matter of course.

He arrived at the conference room, the woman was seated at the farthest side of the table, staring at him.

"My my, you do look as if you're the King now. All that's left is doing the oath tomorrow." The woman greeted.

Julien scowled.

"I thought you were going to have the Prince killed? He must be on his way to the capital by now. I'm not sure why you're taking your time." Julien retored.

The woman grabbed her necklace, twiddling it around.

"Well, I thought of something really interesting." She said.

The woman grinned.

"Tomorrow, ambassadors and the lordship will arrive at the Capital, under the assumption that you'll be taking your oath by then. It's the perfect time to have you kill the last Eins. You musn't forget why he left in the first place." The woman revealed.

That's right. That kid was weak. Even if he does return, no one will actually trust his rule, and if Julien arrives and states that he wants the crown, that kid will have no other choice than to go against the Blood Mage.

To make things even better, he had the crown in his possession. If the kid wanted to do the oath, he'd have to take it.

It was a cunning plan that will help further his reign and totally discredit the Eins Royal Line. Especially considering that people didn't actually know that Julien is the Blood Mage. He wanted that satisfaction of culling Deukalion's last hope.

"I see where you're getting at. Still, that doesn't help much in the long run. You could have had him killed and there wouldn't be a need for this farce." Julien argued.

Julien wanted to test her.

The woman stood up carefully, then walked towards him, her gaze fixed on the crown. Julien was shaking slightly as she approached. She went past him, before stopping at the doorway.

"What are the agreements of our curse, Julien?" She asked.

Julien thought for a bit.

"That you'll make sure to help me succeed in killing Deukalion and the First Prince..."

The realization dawned on him.

"And?"

"That I'll make sure to not take any major action thereafter, and see to myself that I do not leave my estate, ending the agreement at midnight today." Julien recalled.

The woman chuckled.

"There you go. This is my last favor to you. He'll arrive tonight. I've already taken the liberty of giving you the advantage of having that crown in your possession. All you have to do is earn the Kingship tomorrow by killing him in front of the nobles, then do the oath." She said then turned around to face Julien.

"You could even wait out for tomorrow to end and just let the curse's oath remove his legitimacy. But that would be unsightly, and I think the Prince would be sure to reveal himself as a guest to your crowning." Julien creased his brows as the woman revealed his options.

"It's a good deal, in my opinion. The cards are in your hands. Though honestly, I just didn't want to stick my nose further than having the King and the First Prince killed. From tomorrow on, you're on your own. I congratulate you." She bowed before turning her back from Julien.

Julien gulped, that apprehension he felt now became something tangible, but still something he couldn't figure out. Was this woman testing him? Or is there something more?

"I hope we see each other again, Julien."

As the woman left, Julien steeled his heart. Tomorrow, he'll kill the brat and become King. Tonight, though, he's got to think of a plan to get rid of Madea and the woman.