King Louis called out a decree acknowledging the sisters and Cael as his grandchildren. Princess Anisyble remained next in line for the throne, being the King’s daughter, but should one of Prince Magne’s children, the sisters, bear a son before the King’s death, he shall be the Crown Prince and Anisyble will be reduced to a Grand Duchess. In the end, King Louis ordered the scroll to be read at his funeral and the culprits immediately arrested. Our intrepid group never found out if the King read the document before they were ushered on their way to the school in a royal carriage.

At the border of Ahnek and Tumal the group met a small contingent of Ahnek soldiers to relieve their royal guards. “Ahnek welcomes the return of the Silver Duke and his companions. Per orders from His Highness, we are to escort your guests, Baroness du Uisce and the three Princesses of Tumal to the Imperial School. I have also been informed that the Princesses are the children of…..” The captain gulped very carefully, having not previously read this section of the orders, “The Windslayer and the Immortal.” Whispers and glances run down the lines of soldiers on both sides before one and all dismount and bow stiffly to the women. A murmured plea of ‘please spare us’ is heard to which Esther just tilts her head oddly.

“Those who have not offended us shall not receive the treatment our parents were well known for.” Noh had told the girls about the assassination, torture, and healing legends revolving around their parents. “After all, we don’t have a healer available.” Esther’s attempt at a grim face almost fell short, but that was not what caused another panic among the soldiers. A red bead on a chain was spotted around her neck looking like have a yin yang symbol. Glancing at her sisters, a blue bead of similar design and black hourglass were observed.

“Silver Duke, if I may ask, their necklaces….” Jote puts a finger to his lips. “Ah, I see, I was mistaken, there are no necklaces.” Indeed, as if they never existed, the image of the necklaces vanished in front of one and all, but Sarabeth no longer looks well. Jote suggests the girls return to their carriage as he enters the carriage already prepared for him and the three barons with him.

Esther, in their carriage, scolds Sarabeth. “You don’t know what kind of trouble you’ll make for us if you project another illusion of the amulets we carry. I know, they aren’t together in one symbol, but we’ve had to hide them because of the mark on our carriage. We had to hide it and eventually mounted the royal seal over it. I don’t know how long we can continuously ride in this carriage before it subverts the seal or even fully covers it. Jote told me some of the tales of the amulet when it was held by a single individual. We are the first trio to own it, but each time it appears, kingdoms fall or catastrophes loom. Almost every owner has been a legendary hero who has died young because humanity feared their power. It is no coincidence that we own the amulet even in pieces. Every owner has been someone who was thought to be a commoner but whose destiny or heritage was closer to royalty, generals, or grandmasters of some art. Now that we are in Ahnek, you must double your vigilance, Grandmother Ryanne was a Ahnek Princess before she became Queen of Tumal. We are all in danger of being engaged to a noble’s son by the time we arrive at the school. Personally, however, I believe we are more at risk with the guys we’ve been hanging out with. Dukes and Barons all, but they are young compared to others and all are blood relatives of the king not more than twice removed.”

--Sorry it's short, but this interlude marks the transition to our school arc.

Dreslief.