Absolute Sovereignty-Chapter 26: The Lotus Touch

Morning light, sharp and clear, poured into Kaelen's chambers, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air.

He stood at the window, a goblet of dark red wine cradled in his hand, the crimson liquid mirroring the rising sun painting the sky in mixes of blood orange and bruised purple.

He had spent the night as he had so often after such events, his mind a cluster of strategies and calculations, the weight of his kingdom's fate pressing down on him.

The council meeting the previous day had been a necessary evil, a performance for the sake of appearances. He had managed to quell their initial outrage, their accusations of recklessness, with a carefully crafted explanation of his actions.

But beneath the surface, he knew their fear lingered, their doubt a shadow that threatened to undermine his authority.

He needed action, not words, and with that, results.

He had twenty-nine days.

Twenty-nine days to transform Caldris from a "weak horse" into a formidable fighting force. He would not waste a single moment.

"You seem deep in thought, prince."

The words, soft and smooth as honey, drifted from behind him.

He glanced back, his gaze settling on Elara. She sat cross-legged on his bed, watching him with an unnervingly intense stare. The silk dress she wore clung loosely to her curves, barely obscuring the smooth, plump lines of her body, of what had been an indulgence he could barely recall.

The memories were fading, but not entirely.

The scent of her perfume lingered in the air, a subtle hint of the previous night's... activities.

The prince did more than rest last night.

"Yeah, well," he replied, turning back to the window, the rising sun a burning reminder of the time slipping away, of his fading memories, and of the war that loomed on the horizon.

"There's much to think about."

He heard her footsteps against the floor as she approached him, the soft rustle of silk accompanying her movements.

She came to stand beside him, her body brushing against his, the warmth of her skin a contrast to the coolness of the morning air. Her dress slipped from her shoulder, revealing the curve of her breast as she leaned against him.

"A tempting offer," Kaelen acknowledged, his voice low and husky, the lingering effects of the Voidwell's touch and Earthsense making his senses sharper, more acute. He could smell the subtle changes in her scent, her heart quickening, but it made no impact, his body unresponsive.

"But Caldris' existence hangs in the balance," he added, his voice hardening with resolve, as he pushed himself away, and reached for his tunic.

"And I've been... indulgent enough."

"Ah, yes," Elara purred, her voice laced with amusement. "Your bold declaration of war at the Conclave."

"I do wish you would consider what I spoke to you about, Elara," Kaelen said, his tone now serious, his earlier playfulness gone. He knew of her loyalty to the Lotus and knew that now was the time he would need their aid.

"A partnership... between Caldris and the White Lotus. Think about it, alright?" He kept his back to her, buttoning up his tunic, and adjusting his pants. It seemed like he was more worried for the coming war than any offer she could provide him.

"The Lotus serves no man, prince," Elara replied, her voice soft but firm.

"You must understand that. We have our own motives, our own... interests. We cannot be bought or swayed, or manipulated. There is no one, true leader, for such a faction as ourselves. For how we operate is as though we are more a force than a group, a wind more than a single gust, if you understand."

Kaelen nodded, accepting her words without argument.

He understood. He knew the Lotus operated in the shadows, their loyalty fluid and transactional. But he also knew their reach was vast, their information network invaluable. He would need their help, one way or another, and he knew the time will come when they would need his as well.

He met her gaze one final time, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

"Just... think about it," he repeated, his voice low. "That's all I ask."

He turned and left the room, the scent of Elara's perfume lingering in the air, and he walked through the castle, his footsteps echoing on the worn flagstones. Each and every hall he walked was a reminder of the kingdom that had been, and which he vowed to restore.

It was his duty to see Caldris reclaim its rightful place, not as a "weak horse" to be discarded, but as a force to be reckoned with.

He reached the training yard, the sounds of steel clashing against steel filling the air. Garron stood near the entrance, watching the assembled soldiers with a critical eye.

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"I've summoned the Silent Guard as you instructed, Kael," he said.

"All of them?" Kaelen asked, scanning the ranks of assembled guards.

Garron nodded. "Every last one. Or rather," he added with a wry smile, "every last one who's capable of holding a sword, at the very least."

Kaelen stepped into the training yard, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the assembled soldiers. They were a motley crew, their armor mismatched and worn, their weapons bearing no scars of battles.

They were a far cry from the legendary Silent Guard of old, the elite warriors who had once struck fear into the hearts of their enemies, a fear of shadows that were rumored to exist and protect the realm of Caldris.

He stopped before them, his gaze hardening.

He stood in silence for a moment, letting his presence settle, letting the weight of his gaze sink in.

Then, he spoke, his voice carrying across the yard, each word sharp and clear.

"Each one of you is no ordinary soldier," he said, his eyes sweeping across their faces.

"You are a Silent Guard. That name... that name is special. You are the elite. You are the protectors. You were meant to be a force that knew no bounds, a fighting force even the Imperials feared. You were meant to be guardians who protected the night, the shadows that protected Caldris since the very formation of the kingdoms."

He paused, his gaze hardening, a cold fire burning in his eyes.

"And today... here you all are... standing before me... as nothing but... weak and pathetic remnants of what this group once was." His voice dripped with contempt, his words like lashes across their backs. "You are... embarrassments to what that name represents. You are the disgrace of our fathers. All that you were supposed to have been, you are none of them."