Chapter 31 - To the Rescue!

As the Inquisitor left, his Blades followed behind him. William noticed that the Blades were all the same height as the Inquisitor except for his right-hand man, Morgan. Inquisition supporters in the Capital packed their items and traveled with the Inquisitor to Frosthold Castle.

William's dark thoughts urged him to use Bane and save Ingrid. The Zonian blood within him was boiling. But William clenched his fist and stood still as they left the Capital with Ingrid.

The air returned to silence. The public court was left in the hands of the knights as they began retrieving the bodies of the so-called 'assassins'. Furious at the Inquisition for what had been done to their families, the knights wondered how to clear their names. Amidst their blistering snow, they all looked at Rolfe, who openly defied the Inquisition the most. The young knight asked others to remember their oath.

When the Inquisition fails, becomes greedy with corruption, or another battle comes to the Kingdom, the knights have the power to help the people. The knights are always the Kingdom's defenders. It is their duty to safeguard the people's best interests. Until then, Rolfe asked them to be strong, for the people would test their patience.

The knights nodded to Rolfe's calm resolve, but William stood apart, his fury simmering beneath the surface.

"If I were in your position, I would stand up for myself! You are the defenders of the realm, but how can you defend it when you are vilified by the people you are meant to protect? The public will view you with disdain and disgust," William asked Rolfe.

Rolfe approached William. Their eyes met, and each felt the rage the other carried deep within. Rolfe placed his hand on Williams' shoulder and asked him to calm down.

"The Inquisition used the people's fear against us. Then we will show the people our grace and never bow down to that tyrant." Rolfe said as he asked William not to let his emotions dictate his actions.

William calmed down after Rolfe's advice and tried to see the good in his words. But deep within William, John, and Berg, they ache for vengeance.

Berg dusts off himself and leads his two squires to the Palace to ask the Princess for help. The Princess accepts them and invites them to her chambers.

Once alone, Berg asks the Princess for help, as they understand the Inquisition will raise an army and attack the tribesmen at Frosthold Castle.

John added that Ingrid was innocent and demanded the Princess ask the King to call off the attack.

The Princess believed them. When she saw the bodies of the Frosthold knight and the tribesmen among the assassins, the Princess asked her father to stop the trial until she could conduct a proper investigation of the bodies. The King denied this and demanded she not interfere, for the King had complete faith in the Inquisitor.

Before the trial, the Princess remembered her father's words: "Chatelaine, provide me with evidence. Show me undeniable proof of their corruption or mistake that we cannot overlook. Until then, you will not interfere in his matters!"

The King had ordered his men to watch the Princess' movements to ensure she would not do anything that might hinder the Inquisition from their work. With her hands tied, the room felt colder than it once was.

William, who remained silent and deep in thought, suddenly broke the room's tension by saying his conclusion to everything he had observed and happened since Abigail's arrest.

"The Inquisitor is a Pentalium member." With that claim, William asked them to recall the height of the Inquisitor. He noted that the Blades and the Pentalium assassins had the same height as the Inquisitor. William argues that the masks the Blades wear are not intended for anonymity. Instead, their purpose is to conceal their faces from the public because they are supporters of Pentalium and members of exiled families.

"If that is the case, then why should all of them be the same height?" John asked.

The Princess started to follow William's reasoning. "Decoys. When I was a girl, threats followed me wherever I went. Thus, my father got girls with the same build and height as me to prevent me from getting killed or kidnapped."

"But the Pentalium supporters arrested already?" Berg asked as he tried to understand them.

John recalled what his spies told him about the Inquisition's base. "Yes, but with the Inquisition's power, they are transferred to the prison, deep within the Abandoned Abyss."

Everyone agrees it makes sense if the Inquisitor is a Pentalium member. They reasoned that the Inquisitor killed Abigail to prevent her from telling the truth about their order since the Princess and the King had their people guarding her from the start.

It's all coming together, but without solid proof, the Princess cannot bring this matter to the King.

"If our hunch is right, anyone one of the Blades is an exile. All we need to do is unmask a Blade before the Inquisition supporters. And watch as the Inquisition loses its power and relevance!" Berg excitedly claimed, and John seconded that if they could do that before they arrived at Frosthold Castle, they would save Ingrid before she got hurt.

"And let me take care of the bodies of Ingrid's men and the Frosthold knight. You go chase them." The Princess said.

With renewed enthusiasm, the Princess thought of how to help the three without arousing suspicion. They exited her chambers, and the guards followed their every step. They arrived at the Palace's stable, where the horses of the King, the Princess, and the late Queen awaited them. These are considered the fastest horses in the Kingdom.

She gave a rousing speech to throw off the guards and explain how the three would ride these horses to assist the Inquisitor in their efforts to eradicate the barbarians. The guards realized what she was doing and advised she could not do that without the consent of their owners.

"The King cannot ride his horse due to the wound he got from the Civil War. Do you also want to dig my mother from the ground?" the Princess angrily asked the guards. Her anger effectively kept the guards quiet after her remark.

The three gave their thanks and rode out of the Capital. Before they chased after the Inquisition, they made their way back to Tarwood to prepare for their journey.

John rallied the tribesmen and informed them of what had just transpired. As expected, their voices were full of anger. They sharpened their swords and tended to their horses. By tomorrow, they would follow John to battle.

Berg went to what he does best: alchemy. He spent all night creating his mixture for their future battle. By the following day, Berg was carrying a bag filled with bits and baubles that only he could know what each contained.

William, aside from preparing his gear, also said goodbye to Julie.

Julie is teary-eyed, worrying about the danger William is about to go, but understands the gravity of the situation. Before he leaves, she kisses William on his cheek for good luck.

"You better come back. I will wait here for you." Julie said before letting William go. William is pained to part from Julie but assures her he will be here soon.

Before leaving, William talked to one of his trusted men. He assigned him as mayor and left him with one critical instruction, "Do not trust the Inquisition!"

By dawn, the company departed and rode through the gates of the Tarwood as swiftly as their horses could carry them. The hunter tribe worried for their people, John's heart was anxious for Ingrid, Berg was furious at the Inquisition, and William readied himself to stop the senseless killing before it was too late.

They arrived at the guard post where Berg passed through earlier this week. The guards shivered when they saw such a large group of armed men before them and considered blowing the horn to alert the Kingdom's defense until they saw Berg in front.

"Princess' business?" the guard asked.

"Do you want me to show you the writ?" Berg said. Not wanting to question Berg this time, they opened the gate for them.

Before they passed, the guard asked if they would reinforce the Inquisition forces. Berg said no and replied they had people to save in Frosthold Castle. The guards thought of it as a special mission from the Princess and let them through.

The news surprised them, for they didn't expect the Inquisition forces to have passed this area yet. John deduced that after they left the Capital, they didn't stop marching and estimated that the Inquisition forces were ahead for a day. They have five more days before they reach the Frosthold Castle.

Berg led the company through the frozen wilderness and took every shortcut path he knew to catch up.

On their travel, William reminded the tribe not to attack the Inquisition agents unless the Inquisition attacked first. He explained that the Inquisitor used the Kingdom's fear against the tribe. William did not want to escalate the tension between the tribe and the Kingdom's citizens.

Unfortunately, the tribe did not care what William said, for they decided to attack all of their enemies. They respected William after he defeated the Chief and freed them from his rule, but the tribe would do anything to ensure their family was safe. Berg didn't argue. He, too, would burn anyone for the safety of his people.

On the fourth day of their travel, after braving the cold winter storm persisting on this land, they arrived ten kilometers from Frosthold Castle.

Upon riding atop a mountain, William's company can see the Inquisition forces camped atop a hill and underneath a snowy mountain. The Inquisition camp is just a kilometer away from Frosthold's gate.

The sun reached its peak, shooting its rays through the gap of the grey clouds above, creating beauty in this silvery, beautiful landscape. William took a deep breath and recalled his last visit to the castle. Berg and George taught the boys many things in warfare, engineering, and alchemy, which helped them discipline their minds. And this time, William promised to repay the Frosthold kindness they had shown them.

This time, he wouldn't just learn from Frosthold but fight for it.

With William's Sense, he saw a blind spot in the Inquisition camp for them to sneak in, find, and rescue Ingrid. Berg led their descent from the mountains, and they noticed tall snow had occupied the road. They pushed through, desperate to reach the castle.

Suddenly, a loud horn filled the air. It came from the Inquisition base, and soldiers could be heard marching towards Frosthold Castle.

After exiting the mountain, they entered a road leading to a clearing, which would be the battlefield between the Inquisition and the Frosthold Castle. The Inquisition's five hundred-strong army marched towards the castle, with Ingrid riding beside the Inquisitor.

The Frosthold gate opened, and George rode out with heavily armored Frosthold knights accompanying him.

The Inquisitor rode forward with a gagged Ingrid and Blades beside him.

"I come to offer peace," the Inquisitor said, bowing low. His army looms behind him like a drawn blade.

"Peace? Such a thing to say with an army behind you, Inquisitor." George didn't show any formality before him.

"Last week, the Inquisition identified this woman's tribe as having a devilish power to foretell the future. The same devilish magic that Zonians have with their eyes," the Inquisition said as he yanked Ingrid before him. The tribe people inside the castle saw Ingrid and shouted to give her back.

George tried to hide his surprise at seeing Ingrid beaten up, but the anger on his face clearly showed otherwise.

The Inquisitor kept his cold demeanor to intimidate George. Seeing George second-guessing the words he wanted to say was entertaining for the Inquisitor.

"I don't blame you, George. I believe they bewitched your people, like how Abigail and Margaret bewitched many people to follow them for Pentalium. I am not here to cause a war. I ask you to surrender the tribe to me, and I leave the castle immediately." The Inquisition said as he stroked Ingrid's golden locks.

"And if we don't?" George asked but somehow knew this was an answer he would not enjoy.

"Then Frosthold shall be branded as working with the enemy. Pentalium sympathizers. And harborers of barbarians." Inquisitor then turned around and followed with his words, "You have until dusk. Otherwise, this girl will be beheaded on our hill so all of you can see the spectacle. Then we shall kill all of you."

Chaos erupted within Frosthold. The tribe might go to war, with or without Frosthold's help, if Ingrid dies.

George returned to the castle walls and demanded everyone remain calm. He then asked the tribe's current leader, Ingrid's grandmother, to talk with him so they could arrange their defense and find a way to save Ingrid.

The tension within Frosthold Castle is increasing by the minute. The Inquisitor has stoked the flame, provoking the tribe within.

As he returned to his men, he painted the scenario differently than what had transpired.

"I asked them to surrender, but the Frosthold says we are untrustworthy. I even offered this girl back to them, and then they threatened to attack us. Do you believe this?" The Inquisitor spun lies, for the Inquisition agents would gladly buy his story.

Blinded by the Inquisition's victories, these citizens refuse to see its sins. So long as they feel safe, they follow without question.

For them, the Inquisition is a way to remove Pentalium's hold from the Kingdom. If it gets their hands bloodied, then they gladly follow the Inquisitor.

Ingrid hoped that the stones were right.

Ingrid hoped that William and John would be here to save her.

Ingrid hoped she'd see her grandmother one last time.