Sebastian made his way through the marvelous halls of the most important part of the Royal Palace. His step but fast but steady, carrying a report of a possible complication to the task that His Grace entrusted him with. He was used to the palace servants quickly bowing their heads away whenever they had to move past him. He knew it wasn’t out of respect; he wasn’t from the royal family, nor had he won great battles for Aldunis, or even Avinea. It was fear. Fear and shame caused them to not look in his eyes, because of irrational beliefs that made them think he could see and know everything about everyone.

Of course, if they knew how spirit worked, and more accurately, light-aspected spirit, they would know that he couldn’t even use his power for more than one minute, a few times a day. He knew it wasn’t their fault. Peasants and lowborn were rarely taught how to use their elemental potential. If they had any.

Coming from a family with a long military history, Sebastian was disappointed when his talent proved to be light manipulation, almost useless when it came to combat. He hated it for most of his childhood, barely trying to improve it, focusing all his time and energy on practicing his swordsmanship and studying battle strategy instead. He wouldn’t allow himself to be a burden or worse - an embarrassment to his family. If not for his grandfather, he would abandon using his elemental aptitude altogether. Only when he grew older did he realize how much more powerful than a sword, information, or rather the ability to learn everybody’s secret can be.

He stood now in front of the massive oak doors of the throne room. The two guards currently on duty let him in after one glance at his attire. The echo of his footsteps in the almost empty chamber tried its hardest to make him feel intimidated, but he walked among the marble column enough times to not be affected by it, even if he was delivering bad news. Passing next to the throne, beautifully sculpted from silver and platinum, he headed to a smaller door at the end of the massive room and stepped into a little, although still extravagant for his tastes area.

The king and his advisor waited for him at the Council table, awaiting his report on the matter of the king’s bastard daughter. The king's eyes turned to him in acknowledgment of his presence, motioning him to wait. Clemen was old. Not so old that he couldn't function properly, but old. White and blue robes and a signet with the symbol of an eagle were the traditional marks of his station, which he almost always wore. Today, these robes were rather plain in comparison to the ones used in public appearances, but they were there nonetheless. His hair went white a decade ago, but the hair of the man next to him was still brown. Rudi was one of the advisors sitting on the king's council. Sebastian never took him for much but the king apparently didn't share his opinion as he was noticed to talk and value his opinion quite a lot recently.

Sebastian waited until King Clemen had finished his point with his companion. He wasn't allowed to speak until addressed first, at least officially, and that meant always as far as Sebastian was concerned. What's the point of duty if it isn't taken seriously?

"Ah, Sebastian! What's so urgent a matter that made you come visit me so late a night?" Clemen welcomed him, not rising from his seat as was customary for someone in a higher position, especially from the royal family.

"My King," he bowed his head slightly. "I'm afraid I'm bearing… unpleasant news."

“News? What news?” the king asked in confusion.

“The sellsword I acquired to help resolve the princess problem may have proven more problematic than… helpful,” sweat beads started to show on his face. He served his king for a long time, but he knew how touchy Clemen could be on the matter of his succession.

“Not ‘princess’!” King Clemen quickly reminded him. “Daughter of a common whore has no right to that title.”

Sebastian swiftly buried his thoughts of reminding his liege of the fact that only the blood of the father mattered when would be passed to his children. In the eyes of the law, she wasn’t a bastard, but many people, including those in court, seemed to have forgotten that. “Of course, my lord.”

“Captain Sebastian. Please elaborate on your report,” said Rudi in a calm and quiet voice.

“Certainly. The man I put to the task proved to be more curious than anticipated. Before I could peer into the carriage in which the pri— the girl rode, all the light sources were gone. I could then only see through the bits of moonlight, which is not ideal, and I spotted that the carriage was indeed burnt.”

“Then what seems to be the problem, Captain?” Clemen placed his arms on the table, now more attentive.

“Besides the men I assigned to escorting the carriage which lay dead or unconscious, there was another.” Sebastian looked at the king. “One of the entourage of the Madman.”

That raised the eyebrows of the men across the table. “Why would someone else be there?” wondered aloud Rudi. “Did the Madman want to ensure the safety of his purchase without us knowing?”

“He would be right in not letting us know, should he know our aim,” said Clemen, “but why does it matter? The girl is dead, is she not?”

“I could only glimpse a few seconds of the scene, but I saw her talking with the mercenary outside of the carriage.”

“You suspect that he let her free, instead of finishing what he was hired to do?” asked Rudi.

“He wasn’t ‘hired’, my lord,” clarified Sebastian, “but yes, I believe he set her free.”

Silence filled the Council’s room. Sebastian awaited the response of the king. Depending on his mood he might yet go unpunished, but Clemen was too always too impulsive when it came to anyone, even potentially, threatening his throne.

“Not only is another headache still breathing, but this… deranged man now will be back asking questions,” Clemen said, his brows furrowed. All the calmness he gathered before was now gone. “Or worse. He will come after me, knowing I tried to use him!”

Rudi, finally breaking from his thoughts, said, “Let us not jump to conclusions, my king. There may be yet a solution to the problem that the Captain created.”

Sebastian’s eyes slightly widened at the words coming from Rudi. He didn’t deny his own fault in this, but the whole plan was initially Rudi’s idea. To throw all the blame at him…

“And what is that?” asked Clemen through gritted teeth.

“Captain Sebastian's talents are that of a tracker, are they not?” asked Rudi rhetorically. “Then let him make his mistake right by finding and delivering the girl to the Madman himself.”

Sebastian slowly started to realize what game was Rudi playing. Getting rid of anyone who wasn’t on his side, while he alone would be left to whisper in the king’s ears. Absolving himself from the wrath of both the king and the Madman by putting all the responsibility on him. And he knew that Sebastian wouldn’t try directly opposing his lord. His pride and sense of duty wouldn’t allow it.

“Yes… yes, it is a fine solution…” the king turned to Rudi. “As always, I can count on your advice, Lord Angui.”

“Always, my king.”

“You heard Lord Councilor!” King Lemen turned his attention back to Sebastian. “You are to rectify your mistakes and deliver the girl to… wherever in the Blackwood this maniac has holed up! And now you can’t kill her. Bring her alive. The ‘accident’ excuse will no longer work, and I don’t want to deal with this man more than I must.”

“... Of course, my liege.” Sebastian bowed his head and exited the room. Whether he was played or not mattered not to him. His mistake was enough for him to accept his fate and wash this shame out of his name.