Return
Chapter 1
The weeks following the death of King Rodrick Maller came a surprisingly time of peace. Things were quite, which made Emilia and Liana Blackfire very uncomfortable.
Liana became the unofficial ruler of Avia. She ruled Blackfire for years alongside King Bastion before she and her daughter were cast from their home by the now current Queen of Blackfire——Levi. Despite it all, Emilia and her mother have not forgotten their home and will reclaim it. Yet, as the weeks go on, Liana began to think to herself if trying to reclaim Blackfire was a good idea. Thanks to the intervention of the Black Knight, Avia’s army has been cut to less than half. Avia had no allies to call upon and all of Liana’s once allies have sided with Levi. Emilia, however, would not give up.
Vincent, on the other hand, kept to himself. He was no longer a prisoner forced to fight in a coliseum to win his freedom. Nor was he a wanted man anymore. He was free. Yet, he was incapable of sleeping in his own room or on a soft bed. He had become accustomed to sleeping on a hard stone floor, cold, and behind a locked dungeon cell. And that’s where he was. In his old cell where he spent ten years of his life in. He felt more at home sleeping there than he ever did walking the halls of Avia’s castle.
“Vincent, this has got to stop.” A familiar voice said.
He looked up and saw a silver-blonde hair woman looking at him with a lot of discontent and anger. “Emilia Blackfire.” He mumbled. “Come to check on your prisoner?”
She rolled her eyes. Emilia grabbed the cell door and easily opened it. The door was not locked. “Why do you insist on being down here?” she asked. “Why do you insist on acting like a prisoner? You're a free man, Vincent.”
Vincent let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know.” He replied. “I spent ten years in here, Emilia. This cell feel more at home to me then upstairs ever has. How strange is that?”
Emilia sat down beside him.
“What are you doing? Your gonna get that dress dirty.” He said.
“Forget about the dress.” She said. “In fact, I feel rather uncomfortable wearing it. You know me, Vincent. I was never the traditional girly-girl. I hated dresses, god, I hated balls, and I always got into fights.”
“Mostly with me.” He reminded her.
“Whatever! What I’m trying to say is that it's okay to be uncomfortable being here. It’s just…Vincent, you aren’t a prisoner. Sleep where you want, I could careless if it was in the kettle with the dogs. It’s just the way you’ve been acting since you got back that has me worried.”
Emilia isn’t the type of person to worry. She’s the type of person who springs into action at the sound of a gunshot. She led a rebellion to overthrow Rodrick’s rule——with Vincent’s help of course, but the odds were not in her favor. That’s the type of person Emilia is.
“I guess I’m so use to it.”
“Well stop it!” she snapped. “If I catch you acting like this again I will personally flay you alive.”
Vincent soon became increasingly aware that something sharp was poking him in his side. He looked down and saw Emilia pressing a dagger under his ribs. “Emilia…” he muttered. “You are wearing a strapless black and blue velvet dress with no sleeves. You haven’t moved since you sat down and you weren’t holding that in your hand before. Where did you get that from?”
Emilia smiled at him. She leaned in close and whispered in his ear. “Do you really wanna know or would you rather kiss me?”
“Both but I’ll choose the latter.”
Vincent leaned in and kiss Emilia. He could feel her body quiver as he placed his hand on her knee. After the sacking of Slavers Bay, Vincent and Emilia established their relationship during a night of passion. Emilia said as she held Vincent with a dagger to his back that day. “If you ever cheat on me then I will kill you.”
Emilia and Vincent looked into each other's eyes. For the first time in weeks, everything felt right with the world. However, Vincent became increasingly aware that they were not alone.
From across the room, someone cleared their throat. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Emilia sprang to her feet quickly realizing the person who was talking. “Mother!” she yelled, her face becoming increasingly red as time continued. “What…what are you doing here?”
“Well, I came here to speak with Vincent, but I can see his mouth is…otherwise preoccupied with something else. Please, don’t mind me, I’ll be back later.”
“Mother, we just…I mean, he and I were…”
“Kissing.” Lianna interrupted. “You two were kissing.”
Emilia turned to Vincent. She was a red as a tomato. She turned to him looking for him to say something. Vincent snickered as he rose to his feet. “Lianna. It’s true. We were kissing. I love Emilia. When I was at my darkness moments sitting in this cell, I always thought about her smiling face. I suppose it was that thought the prevented me from going insane in here.”
Emilia was, needless to say, stunned. Lianna, on the other hand, was smiling. “Leave it to us Blackfire women to find us, such romantic men. Ah, Emilia, hold on to this one. There aren’t two like him. Anyway, Vincent please meet me upstairs in the war room. I wish to speak with you.”
Once Lianna had left the dungeon, Emilia punched Vincent so hard in the stomach that it knocked the wind out of his lungs. “What was that for…?” he asked, trying to catch his breath.
“For being so romantic, you asshole. I’ll get you fro this, Vincent Valentine! I swear it!”
They have a very loving, complicated, abusive relationship. Still, if they’re happy, who are we to judge?
Vincent exited the dungeon. The war room was just passed the throne room. Vincent couldn’t help but stop before walking inside. It was in this room he killed two kings, it was in this room that his hair turned white, and it was in this room where he lost his sisters to slavery and first became the Black Knight. Thinking about that day each and every time makes his bandaged right arm ache.
He went to the war room to find Liana staring out the window. She had much on her mind. “Do you know that people are building a shrine to the Black Knight? They fear him. ‘The god that walks among us’ they say. After seeing all the devastation left in his wake I can see why. An army of 125,000 men fell to one man. 74,239 all dead. The others are injured, crippled, or have deserted. Quite a mess you made.”
Vincent was taken back. “A mess I made?” he asked.
Liana turned around and smirked. “Vincent, don’t play dumb or act as if I’m an idiot. Three times the Black Knight has shown himself over the last ten years. The first time was right here in this castle when he killed your father, mother, brother, and sister. The second was at Slavers Bay. And finally the third was once again in Avia. What do those three appearances have in common? You. You are the one recurring factor in all three appearances and I think it has something to do with that arm of yours.”
Vincent should have known better than to try and fool Liana. This is the same woman who single-handedly dismantled four coup attempts without Bastion or the Blackfire army ever knowing it. Emilia maybe smart, but compared to her mother she might as well be a goldfish swimming side by side with a shark.
“It quite a remarkable gift, I must say.”
“It’s not a gift,” Vincent replied coldly. “It's nothing more than a curse.”
Liana examined Vincent. There was much pain in his eyes.
“I see.” She mumbled. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Vincent. Given the things you have done as the Black Knight, I can see why. However, you may not see it
now, or tomorrow, or the next day, and these people may never know who their savior truly is or ever was, but outside these walls, there is a mother who is being reunited with her family. A husband coming home to a wife and child that have been worried to death about him. Despite all the things you have done, all the lives you have taken, you have brought so much good into this world and to Avia. I hope some day you can see that.”
During his time as the Black Knight, Vincent has sacked Slavers Bay, killed the Goblin King, and freed the people of Avia from King Rodrick Maller’s rule. Like the mad king before him, King Rodrick was selling his own people into slavery. The second a king turns on his people is the day he forfeits any claim to the throne.
“I doubt you called me all the way here to discuss my…condition. What did you want to talk about?”
“You're right,” Liana said. “I didn’t call you up here just for that. Over the last fortnight or so I’ve been going over the many records kept by the treasurer and Rodrick himself. I’m amazed that Avia has held out this long. Under no circumstances do I or will I ever support slavery, but I’m starting to see why Rodrick did it. To say that Avia’s wealth is diminishing would be an understatement. This kingdom is broke. The iron mines have been all but depleted as well as any other natural resource in the area.
Your father, in his madness I assume, borrowed a massive amount of money from Livia with a 28% monthly tax interest. At this point, Avia is no longer independent. In nearly eight months time, Livia will own Avia and it shall become part of its realm.”
Vincent sat down and stared at the war table for a moment. He smirked. “Good.” He mumbled. “Let them. Maybe they can change this kingdom.”
“Yes. Emilia told me how much hatred you have for Avia. Sadly, however, I cannot allow this. If you thought relations between Avia and Blackfire were hostile then you can’t imagine just how hostile it was with us and Livia. And with me and Emilia still wanted criminals, I doubt the royal family of Livia would have little trouble putting us in chains and on the chopping block.”
“Then what do you suggest?” he asked.
“Yes. That brings me to my next talking point. As I see we have two choices. One: You become the Black Knight once more and murder the royal family. I can tell by the look on your face that you are against it. Still, can’t blame a woman for trying. Would’ve made the rest of my life a whole lot easier. Anyway, Two is a merger.”
Vincent sat up straight in his chair.
“A merger?” he repeated. “A merger would mean a…marriage between two royal families and producing and heir to both kingdoms.”
Outside the door came a loud crash. Vincent got up to take a look. When he opened the door all he saw was a broken vase. “Must’ve been one of the servants.” He said.
Liana was not as convinced. “My daughter isn’t as light on her feet as she liked to think.” She whispered.
“Did you say something?”
“No. Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, the merger. A merger between two royal families is rather uncommon in this day and age given the years of war and cycle of hatred that keeps repeating itself, but, despite all that, somehow you and Emilia managed to break that cycle. I don’t know whether it was your interactions as children that broke the mold or perhaps it was quite recently, but…before you took notice of me down in the dungeon, I saw Emilia smile. I haven’t seen her smile or laugh in years. It happened just around the time news of your death reached Blackfire. It was the same way when you two were children.
You know Emilia, Vincent. She was a tomboy. Always fighting, playing in the dirt, playing pranks. It was no wonder none of the other children wanted to be around her. All but you. In truth, I wondered if you were a masochist with how much she use to beat you up. You just kept coming back.”
Vincent chuckled. “I wondered that myself sometimes.”
“Think about it, Vincent. It’s very rare for two people of two different royal families to choose who they want to be with. Some can only dream that they become so lucky.”
Chapter 2
Lianna left Vincent with much to ponder as he walked the halls. Avia and its people he could care less about. In truth, the only reason her returned was to help Emilia. He would be lying, however, if the now deceased King Rodrick had nothing to do with that decision as well. History was repeating itself. Avia traded one mad king for another, thanks to Vincent. Perhaps subconsciously he returned to correct his mistake. Killing his whole family was not a mistake. He lives with that curse each time he closes his eyes, but he knew they had to be stopped.
Vincent stopped at a door on the east wing. The door was made of wood and covered in layers of dust. It was his old room and appears to not have been opened in years. He firmly gripped the doorknob and pushed the door in. Dust kicked up in the air. He stepped inside. Nothing had changed. Everything was as it was that day ten years ago. His bed was in the corner——never made. On the floor was a wooden sword and shield. He would practice day and night in front of the mirror. Back then all aspired to be a great king. Now…now he wants nothing to do with it.
Something across the room caught his eye. There was something sparkling underneath the layers of dust on his dresser. He grabbed it, wiped away the dust and spiderwebs and looked at it. It was a bracelet. Tied together with silk thread and silver charms. The bracelet itself was worthless, but to Vincent, it met the entire world.
He remembers making this with his twin sisters. He remembers his sister Cirilla wanting to make jewelry. She always had an eye for fashion even at such a young age. His sister Evie loved to cook. She could make a fried egg so delicious you would swear your taste buds were floating on a cloud. The bracelet Vincent holds in his hand was something that they made to remember each other by. There were two charms on it. One with an E.V and the other with a C.V. There initials so that they would always remember each other.
“Just hold on.” He mumbled. “I’ll find you. I swear I will.”
Vincent stood there for awhile looking at the bracelet before eventually putting it into his pocket. When he turned around to leave, he saw Emilia standing at the doorway.
“Sorry.” She said. “I didn’t mean to bother you. I was just wondering where you went.”
“You big liar.” He said, walking closer towards her. “You just wanna know what me and your mother talked about.”
“Okay, that might be half the reason.”
Vincent crossed his arms and smiled at her smugly. “Okay! It’s the ENTIRE reason! Can you blame me? I’ve seen my mother make season generals who have survived eight different wars cry. Her words are like daggers! She never needed to raise a hand to me. All she need to do was talk to me for five minuted and I wanted to kill myself. That’s my mother’s power. Diplomacy, intimidation, manipulation, and the occasional making someone jump off the castle wall.”
“She…she really hasn’t done that last part, right?”
“Yes. I was twelve when I saw it. It was our cook. She doesn’t like her eggs runny. One sentence. That all it took for her to commit suicide.”
Vincent counts himself lucky to not have been scolded by here.
“So, what did you talk about?” she asked.
“Oh, nothing really. She figured out I was the Black Knight. Avia’s broke. My father borrowed a massive amount of coin from Livia. Oh, and she wants us to get married and have a child.”
The room fell silent. It took Emilia a moment to register what Vincent just said. She began to laugh loudly. “That was good!” she said. “I didn’t think you could make me laugh like this but I’m glad you did. Oh, I so needed this.”
She noticed that Vincent wasn’t laughing. “Why aren’t you laughing?”
“Probably because it wasn’t a joke.”
Emilia’s face turned bright red. She was incapable of forming a complete sentence. “She…I…no…that…no…she would…” Emilia screamed. “Why would she say that?! She has no business with my love life! Oh, this is just like her. What is she
thinking?”
“From the context of our conversation, I would have to say two things. The first one would be to eliminate all of Avia’s debt. A marriage between us would make Avia part of Blackfire’s realm. Seeing as how the weakest kingdom tends to get absorbed by the strongest. The second, I would have to say would be to honestly just marry you off Emilia. No offense, but you weren’t a typical girly girl when you were younger.”
A dagger came flying by Vincent face cutting his cheek. “Offense taken.” She said coldly. “My mother has no business interfering with my life. Who I decide to marry is my choice.”
Vincent smirked. “I couldn’t agree more. Admit it, though. That thought did cross your mind a few times.”
Emilia laughed. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Us married and me bearing your children. You're a sick man, Vincent!”
Vincent shrugged. As he walked passed her, he stopped and whispered in her ear, “Yeah. I would like that,” and he continued to walk off. For the second time today, Vincent has left Emilia speechless.
That night as the castle slept, Vincent received a message via raven. He was staring at the lake just bellow him when he realized a raven had landed on his shoulder. He untied the message from its leg. It read:
“Meet me at the forest edge on the south end of Avia.”
Signed, Emilia.
“What are you up to?” he mumbled.
He wasted no time leaving the capital and journeying to the forest edge. It was quite. Far too quiet. It was late, the moon was high, summer's end had just arrived, yet, why weren’t the crickets playing? Something was wrong. He stopped for a moment and cocked his head to the side. One, two, three…six. There were six unique pairs of eyes trained on him and at least two of them were archers. He could see the shine from their arrow heads being reflected from the moonlight. They weren’t attacking. Why? Vincent wondered. They were just keeping an eye on him. The question still remains, though, why are they watching him?
The Return of Constantine (The Blackest Knight Series, Book 2) Page 1