Page 52 of Gilded Crown

“Maybe Kings should sometimes help because they care,” said Jari. “He doesn’t have to go fight at his age, and he doesn’t care if trouble starts later. That’s why his army will go home. If King David fully invades Nova, I don’t think he’ll send them back. He’ll defend his borders and wait to see what happens. Zora has nothing against Wockston, so things might settle if Nova was absorbed, and King David is finally satisfied. If you defeat King David with what you have left, again, things will settle.”

“True. I don’t fully trust his word that he’d help me again if needed. The most important thing at the moment is that I have an army, and I can take on my brothers.”

“Are you going to try and keep his men and make them come with you?”

Aurelius glanced at him, and a smile ticked on his lips. “I wouldn’t dare.”

“Which means you’ll do it.” Jari rolled his eyes.

“I have no intention of making Este an enemy,” said Aurelius. “I can guarantee you that the men will obey me and do whatever I command, but if Este says anything, the men will certainly follow her before me.”

“She’ll be your main obstacle.”

“Jari, you say that like I plan to remove her. I’m not.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you plan to undermine her if needed. The men will be used to your commands.”

“But the Duchess will be closer in the long run, and they’re used to her orders right now. When they go, I’ll work with what I have left. I’m not going to make an enemy of Wockston and try to take them. I don’t care about increasing my lands, and not everything I do has some underhanded motive lurking behind it.”

Maybe he meant it. “He’s going to lose quite a lot of men to Morning Glory. That place is a death trap.”

“There are ways around everything. It’s not impossible with shield formations.”

Boiling oil or water from the cliffs above the pass leading to the gate would find any crack in a shield formation or armor. Jari tried not to think of that. “What happens if you die?”

“Then you’ll take over for me.”

Jari widened his eyes. “I’m not one to lead an army.”

“Who else would I put in my place? Este would help you, and you know my wishes too. Make sure my brothers are wiped from this realm and destroy the items. You’ll watch from the back, and if it seems the battle is lost entirely, get away with those items. Don’t ever let them fall into enemy hands.”

“Uh, I’m fighting alongside you. I’m not waiting around while everyone else does the dirty work.”

“Not for this. You’ll stay back and see how things go.”

“Bullshit. Absolutely no-”

“Yes,” snapped Aurelius. “Ensuring no one gets their hands on them is more important than my Kingdom. Even if I win, one day, I’ll be dead and gone. Future generations don’t need to worry about Mammon. Things are like this now because of a string of unfortunate events and greed. The string needs to be severed once and for all.”

“I’m supposed to protect you. You want me to fulfill my vow, and I want to do it-”

“Protect my future relatives and other common people. I asked you to help, and this is a part of it. Do you want the people of Nova to suffer? Imagine things in a few years with Zylem if he had the items. Or if King David-”

“What if we hid them somewhere?” asked Jari. “If we win, we’ll go back and get them.”

Aurelius faced away from the yard and leaned against the railing as he folded his arms. “They were hidden before. Clearly, that didn’t work out.”

Jari could see why Aurelius wanted him to stay out of the battle, but the idea of the Crown Prince going to fight while he watched and twiddled his thumbs…it grated on him to say the least. That was something Father would do if he thought his chances were slim. Aurelius deserved to have someone at his side who wasn’t being paid or ordered by his King.

He’d been through enough shit, and it was about time someone stayed alongside him to the end for once.

“We’ll hide them better, and you’ll have my sword at your side,” said Jari. “You want someone to have your back, and you’ve got me. I’m not much, but it’s better than a soldier who does this for a wage.”

Aurelius stared through the open doors. “We’ll see. There might be a spot.” He turned to Jari and lifted his hand for a second like he intended to touch but quickly thought better of it. “I said you’re a good man.”

With a blank face, he headed inside. Jari remained by the railing as he watched the Prince disappear. Had he been about to touch, or had Jari imagined that? It didn’t mean anything. He’d shifted, and that was it. Aurelius didn’t do touch and certainly not with Jari.

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