Veldor Chronicles Chapter 3: The Gift and The Trap

Restless murmurs drifted through King Aldor’s royal court. The hushed conversations were, to Princess Euphemia, more predictable than usual. Instead of gossip and vague alliances, the court’s new toy was Bradley and the political aftermath of the Goblin Rout—how it’d make Veldor look untouchable. Euphemia could almost forgive the gullibility if this were a tavern in a backwater village. After all, the Goblin Rout really did look like a feat of a storybook.

Last week, Bradley Michaels, Layona’s first summoned champion, led the Ace Blades to intercept a goblin horde of one hundred and fifty captained by a single hobgoblin. A party of four versus an army of one hundred and fifty-one. Impossible odds on paper, a suicide charge by most tacticians’ senses. And yet, despite all of that, Bradley routed them. Despite the odds, despite him being an untrained lout with a sword and armor, despite Bradley charging them headfirst—they won. It was a miracle. A sign of the goddess’s favor, others said.

It was also a complete lie.

Princess Euphemia remembered the farce of a war council that day. They had explained the situation to Bradley, Euphemia herself pointing out that the goblins were far more organized than normal under hobgoblin leadership. In hindsight, King Aldor gambled that day. He had expected this to be a moment for Bradley to shine, to display basic tactical sense, and was likely going to frame it as Bradley bravely leading the charge. No one expected Bradley to puff out his chest and say, “I’ll handle this, just me and my party. This is a test of faith.” And like that, he strutted out of the door, the Ace Blades looking like they were marching to their execution.

As soon as the war council ended shortly after, Euphemia sent a discreet message to Layona’s second summoned champion, all but begging them to quietly intervene. Obviously they had, otherwise the Ace Blades and Bradley would’ve died. Euphemia just wasn’t sure how. After debriefing the Ace Blades, she learned they managed to kill 30 goblins in the chaos of the fighting, and Bradley clumsily killed ten. That left Euphemia with a very interesting tactical puzzle regarding the second summoned and an ongoing exercise in patience whenever she heard someone imply that Layona’s second summoned was less than.

There’d be no room for skepticism in the king’s court today, however. Today was the day King Aldor was going to publicly reward Bradley for all to see. What Euphemia was truly curious about was why Layona’s second summoned, {{user}}, was asked to attend as well. It was no small secret that her father despised them.

The murmurs silenced when Bradly strutted into the throne room. He wore an elegant gold-colored tunic and matching trousers, with a red gold-trimmed cloak flowing behind him. It looked as gaudy as it did expensive, likely costing four gold if Euphemia’s sense for math was correct. Bradley smiled and waved, his face a practiced mask of charm towards the court. The Ace Blades followed after him, of course, their faces near-perfect masks of professionalism. Bradley and company stopped a respectful distance from the throne and waited.

Layona’s second summoned entered a few minutes later, taking their spot right next to Bradley. A series of subdued whispers arose at their arrival, but they vanished when King Aldor entered the throne room from the side entrance. King Aldor beamed at Bradley and the Ace Blades before his expression passed over Layona’s second summoned, sparing them a brief glance before clearing his throat and addressing the court.

“As you all know,” King Aldor began. “Scarcely a week ago, a grave threat marched across our kingdom’s soil. Goblins, over a hundred of them, tried to test the mettle of our kingdom’s foundation. Of our faith itself!” King Aldor gestured towards Bradley as he spoke those last two words. “It was Layona’s champion, the hero of prophecy, that renewed our faith and demonstrated the value of courage in the face of adversity. Sir Bradley Michaels, for your valiant service to the realm, I reward you with 300 gold crowns!”

King Aldor then turned his attention towards Layona’s second champion. “And for our second summoned, because this kingdom recognizes small services as well as large. For your services to the realm, I reward you with 1 gold crown.”

Euphemia’s expression was stoic on the outside, but a spike of cold disgust pierced her chest when she realized the game. ‘Theater,’ Euphemia thought. ‘Little more than bullying in the guise of acknowledgment!’

Then Aldor spoke again after a deliberate beat.

“I also present gifts for the both of you,” King Aldor continued. He clapped his hands twice, and two servants emerged from the left side entrance from the throne, leading two very different young women behind them.

Princess Euphemia’s eyes sharpened as she assessed them. The one being led to the left in front of Bradley was poised, likely instructed in court etiquette, and carried herself every bit like a lesser noble. She had blue curly hair, an hourglass figure, and wore a presentable yet modest dress. The woman’s eyes immediately locked onto Bradley’s as she gave him a small curtsey. Her posture was a textbook example of submissive body language.

The woman on the right in front of Layona’s second summoned? Awkward. Taller, with a wiry body that was clearly used to field labor, dressed in a simpler tunic and trousers. She had short red hair, tan skin, freckles, and a nervous smile on her face.

It struck Euphemia like an arrow when she realized the true play. A leash for Bradley in the guise of a beautiful woman. And a trap for {{user}}, in the guise of a helpless peasant-turned slave. Free the helpless peasant and look heartless, as well as insult the king’s “generosity,” or keep her and have their resources drained. King Aldor’s next words confirmed her theory.

“For Sir Bradley,” King Aldor boomed. “I present him with citizenship and all the legal rights that come with it, as well as his very own slave!” King Aldor gestured towards the blue-haired woman. “Sylvia Delritz, of the noble house of Delritz, has fallen onto hard times since war’s end with Umbrosia. She has decided to serve the realm and her house by servicing Layona’s first summoned!”

He then gestured to the other woman. “For {{user}}, I present them with full citizenship as well as the slave known as Adele Tillman, a hardworking young woman who will no doubt represent the working spirit of our farmers and peasants in every service imaginable. Three cheers for our heroes of the realm, please!”

The cheers of the court might as well have been muted as Euphemia’s mind raced. It was sick. Insidiously so. Using Layona’s own summoned to validate a practice that Veldor recently got out of a war over. Not to mention the logistics of it. As Euphemia looked around the throne room, she noticed Princess Caedia was already staring daggers at Sylvia with an eerie smile on her face.

Adele took a hesitant half-step towards Layona’s second champion, giving them an awkward bow before taking out a single gold coin and holding it out in her palm. “Y-your reward, Sir. A-as well as meself...”

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