The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage

Interlude WM [96.5] Princess’s Gambit Final

The convoy moved steadily along the well-worn road, the rhythmic clatter of hooves and creaking of wheels filling the crisp morning air. At the heart of the formation rode the royal carriage, a fortress of gilded steel and reinforced wood, its black and gold banners bearing the sigil of the Qar Dynasty. Within, First Princess Sigrun reclined against the plush interior, her gaze drifting lazily out the window.

Beyond the glass stretched the vast and rolling expanse of the Salstar Domain. From her vantage point atop the hill, she could see for miles and there were sprawling pastures dotted with hardy livestock, their thick coats bracing against the creeping chill. Villages, modest yet orderly, sprawled across the land like scattered seeds, giving way to the imposing sight of Vetrfjall, the domain’s capital.

First Princess’s Royal Knights cut an imposing figure as they escorted her carriage. Clad in dark armor, their capes trailing behind them, they moved in perfect formation. Each knight was a master of their craft, handpicked for their unwavering loyalty and formidable skill. The battle at the Border Fortress only further hardened their resolve. Most of the knights had not been present at the border fort but those that had and survived became stronger for it. 

Vetrfjall loomed ever closer, while not as impressive as Lavi it was still a fortress of stone and steel, its towering walls standing defiant against the encroaching frost. Smoke curled from chimneys, mingling with the muted grey sky as winter announced its arrival in a fragile veil of first frost.

Sigrun sighed, rolling her shoulders as boredom gnawed at her. She turned her attention to Thorfinn, seated across from her, his expression one of infuriating calm. He sipped his tea with deliberate ease, his eyes fixed on the book in his hands, utterly unbothered by her scrutiny. She wanted to bring him because he was one of the only people she could really let her hair down around. Yet here he was not even a flicker of acknowledgment. The bastard. She narrowed her eyes, tempted, so very tempted, to prod him with her sorcery, just to force a reaction. Perhaps a little mental push, a whisper of discomfort.She restrained herself from her childish prank. Barely.

Normally, she would take trips on Dagny but she had to respect the Salstar Domain which supported her brother for succession to the throne. Bringing a familiar as powerful as Dagny could be seen as a provocation. While there had been rumors of the succession war turning bloody in actuality the royal family wanted to avoid open conflict. Especially at the resurgence of the Holy War for Diredain. The near siege for rights to Fort City of Lavi was the closest the Succession War came to open combat.

Her gaze shifted, settling on Beatrix, seated to her right. The silver-haired elf was the picture of poise, her every motion smooth, deliberate, placating and practiced. She had served Sigrun’s late mother before her birth, then transferred to her service the moment she came of age. On the outside she was everything Sigrun wanted as a handmaid. Dutifully loyal and easy to get along with, at least she played the part well.

Sigrun had known the truth since the day she met Beatrix that she was a spy for the elven kingdom of Postlumia. Perhaps she was unaware that her cover had been blown, or perhaps she was simply too arrogant, too certain of her own skill in resisting the Qar Dynasty’s famed domination sorcery. 

Either way, it didn’t matter. Beatrix was a necessary evil. Every kingdom had its infiltrators, and by letting her remain, they ensured their enemies believed they had already slipped past the palace gates. If the royal family seemed too impenetrable, they would only try harder to find a way in but, with Beatrix and others like her, they could control the flow of information.

The tragic irony was that while Beatrix believed herself a cunning operative, she was nothing more than a pawn moving at Sigrun’s command. She would never forget the night her late mother had told her the story. The queen had the quiet satisfaction in her voice as she recounted how Beatrix’s heart had been replaced with a crystal sorcery matrix. Beatrix was practically a golem at this point, but she thought she was acting autonomously. That was the brilliance of it and the terrifying truth of domination sorcery. She would forget anything Sigrun wished erased. She would reveal any secret Sigrun demanded, believing she had done so of her own accord even believing that she was somehow fooling Sigrun.

“We should be arriving soon, Your Majesty,” Beatrix said, inclining her head with practiced grace. “Would you like some tea as well?”

“No.” Sigrun turned away with a huff, her fingers tapping impatiently against the windowsill. “I hope the Salstar Estate isn’t too far. As soon as we leave here, we’re heading straight back to Lavi. I don’t like leaving a territory that important without my supervision. Especially this early into solidifying power.”

“Well, you were insistent,” Thorfinn murmured, lowering his book at last. “And thank you for the tea. It was lovely.”

He handed the empty cup to Beatrix, who smiled as it disappeared into her inventory with a flicker of magic.

“Oh, so now you’re ready to talk?” Sigrun snapped, fixing him with an exasperated glare. “I’ve been sitting here bored for hours.”

“You could have started a conversation at any time.” Thorfinn’s tone was flat.

“As my best friend, I thought you would have noticed I was bored.” She threw up a hand, as if this should have been obvious.

Thorfinn raised a brow. “And how was I supposed to do that? Read your mind?”

Sigrun snapped her fingers as if struck by sudden inspiration. “You’re a Starlight mage! Why not use divination or mental projection? That sounds like a great idea to me.”

“No. And that’s not how it works,” Thorfinn said, already exhausted by the conversation. “Mind reading would be Taming Magic if anything. Do you have any idea what your siblings, what your father, would do if they found out I’d created a magic strong enough to influence the royal family’s minds? Even if it was just to detect that ‘Oh, Sigrun’s bored, maybe someone should entertain her.’”

Sigrun grumbled and crossed her arms, “you’re the one who brought it up in the first place.”

“What are we even doing out here anyway?” Thorfinn said.

 “Oh?” Sigrun smirked. “Are you actually interested? I thought you hated politics.”

Thorfinn gave a noncommittal shrug and lifted his book again. 

“I guess I’ll find out when we get there.” He said with a poorly hidden smile.

Before he could settle in, Sigrun snatched the book from his hands and, without hesitation, swung open the carriage door.

“Koll,” she called to one of the knights riding alongside them. “Hold this for me until we arrive at the estate.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” The knight barely hesitated before nodding. He took the book with a respectful bow, tucking it securely beneath his arm. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No, thank you Koll.” She said as she closed the door.

 “That was completely unnecessary.” Thorfinn sighed and crossed his arms.

Sigrun smirked. “Then maybe next time, you’ll pay attention when I’m bored.”

“You can be a brat sometimes, Siggy.” He gave her a flat look before giving in to her provocation. “So, since you’re so eager to talk. What exactly are we doing here? The Salstar Patriarch isn’t going to be happy to see us. You did send his wife to the frontlines.”

Sigrun leaned back, her expression sharpening. “We’re going to propose the return of the Sword of Salstar.”

Beatrix nearly stood up if not for the shock which caused her and Thorfinn to look at her. She bowed her head and sat back in her chair. Trying to look as small as possible.

Thorfinn raised a brow. “Why? So he can divorce her? Or worse, perform a Diagaunt and disgrace her in person?”

“No. He wouldn’t do that.” Sigrun shook her head. “Ingrid may have lost the Show of Power, but she’s still strong. Even I recognize her as one of the most valuable assets in the country. Anti-magic is too rare to discard so easily, and during her banishment, she’s already accomplished enough to earn the title of Warlord.”

“Oh? Then why give her back at all?” Thorfinn asked, skepticism lacing his tone. “As it stands, all her achievements belong to our faction because she now belongs to you now.”

“Because we have Tanisha,” Sigrun said, a knowing glint in her eye. “Enough people have seen her—witnessed the Greater Wendigo, even if they didn’t understand what she was. She saved Lavi, thwarted her mother’s plans, stopped the druids’ experiments, and led a crusade to drive them out of our borders.”

Thorfinn’s gaze flickered with realization. “You’re elevating her accomplishments… that’s why you let people see Signe and me bow to her. That's why you made a spectacle of us entering her tent.”

Sigrun’s lips curled into a vicious smile. “We will make the Fourteenth Princess the Patron Saintess of Lavi. While our faction in the West through Ingrid repelled an invasion that nearly toppled the Ragnarsson Domain, our Saintess pushed out an invasionary force in the East after securing Lavi. None of my siblings can claim to have such accomplishments and now Lavi is under my control. The Ragnarsson owe us for our assistance in saving their asses.”

Thorfinn exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. “Alright, I follow that part. But why return Ingrid?”

“As a backup plan should our little princess not return.” Sigrun’s tone was calculating. “All of Salstar’s children are prodigies. Helga was the strongest Starlight mage we’d ever seen. If she hadn’t died, she would have been a candidate for the throne from her power alone. Their second child, Tanisha, became a Greater Wendigo. Ragnar has already distinguished himself in combat as an electrokinetic mage. Their youngest, from what I’ve heard, she may have the same potential as Ulfar. In fact I think you will like her, rumors say she has a talent for divination magic.”

Thorfinn frowned. “I still don’t follow your plan, what are you getting at?”

“Ugh, you are dense sometimes,” Sigrun said. “I want them to have another child and give them to me in exchange for Ingrid’s return.”

Thorfinn blinked. “You want to adopt a Salstar child? You’re gambling Ingrid for the mere possibility that they’ll be as powerful as Tanisha?”

“I’d love to bring the Salstars under my banner, but Ulfar is prideful and too stuck in the ways of the past. But that’s precisely why I know he still sees value in Ingrid. Even if there’s no love between them, he knows her worth. He won’t throw her away. Aside from marrying into the royal family, there’s no woman he could have who matches her tenacity, strength, and combat acumen.”

“And returning her would send a message.” Thorfinn’s expression turned thoughtful. “That we don’t need the Sword of Salstar to accomplish our goals. Ingrid already all but guaranteed that the Ragnarsson’s will have to join our faction to repay their debt to us. We have the Saintess and the rumors of a new Princess.”

Sigrun’s smirk deepened. “Exactly.”

“It’s risky, Siggy.” Thorfinn said.

“No, it isn’t. It’s a guaranteed victory.” She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “The Forest Father moves with us. We’ve already gotten what we needed from Ingrid at the front. Once I have that child, I’ll personally lead the campaign to reclaim Diredain. I will be the one to secure the throne, no one else will have that glory.”

“Your Highness, you shouldn’t risk yourself in the war like that,” Beatrix said.

“Ah you reminded me, whenever you get the chance see how Postlumia plans to respond for me.” Sigrun flicked a dismissive hand. 

“I don’t know what you mean but I will see what I can do.” Beatrix inclined her head.

“Yeah-yeah,” Sigrun said with a huff. “Just forget everything else you heard and carry out my order.”

Beatrix stiffened. For a moment, she seemed to resist, but then her expression smoothed as if she had never spoken at all.

Thorfinn cringed. “That’s a terrifying thing you can do to her.”

Sigrun didn’t bother responding. Her gaze drifted to the window, watching as the Salstar lands stretched out before her. Snow blanketed the earth in slow, creeping layers, as if nature itself conspired to crown her ambitions. Everything she desired lay within reach, waiting to be seized.

The Forest Father had set this path before her, and she would walk it unchallenged.

This land, these people, this destiny, they would all be hers.