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The spy stood staring at them with shock at first, then shifted to a placid expression as he said; “I’m not doin’ anything wrong, just what I was ordered to do.”

“And what exactly were you ordered to do, Raymond?” Tidas inquired as Zazzy glared at the man from behind him.

“Send progress reports,” he quickly replied.

Murdoc scoffed; “Is that really all ye be writin’ about? Come on: ye wouldna be sneakin’ out here if that were the truth of it all..”

The soldier kept his neutral demeanor; “That is all. I wasn’t meant to be known about. Prince Marco wanted reports that weren’t fluffed or padded, so he ordered me to send secondary reports with honest accounts of events.”

Tidas smiled at him as he spoke, though it was menacing in nature; “If you only send simple accounts of what’s happening, then why send a message now? Nothing that wasn’t specifically ordered by my father transpired today, so what message could you have to send?”

Raymond shifted where he stood as he replied; “Just that things were goin’ how he and the king had planned, and that I would be bearing witness to the ceremony.”

Tidas stepped towards him; “Then you won’t mind if I read what you wrote? Since you aren’t foolish enough ta to lie to me, right?”

.....

As his face turned a slight shade of pink, Raymond’s calm exterior broke; “I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t allow that. Prince Marco gave me strict instructions. I will most likely get in trouble because you found me out. I do not wish to make my punishment any more severe than it will already be.”

Murdoc squeezed in next to Tidas in the narrow walkway; “I’d be more worried about the trouble in front of ya, versus the trouble waitin’ fer ye a thousand miles away.”

Raymond glared at the Highlander King; “Why would I be in trouble? I’m just followin’ orders.. I think the King and Crowned Prince would find it interesting that you think reporting to anyone but Prince Tidas is considered a punishable act.”

Murdoc was surprised by how he had worded himself. The implication that he only recognized Tidas as an authority figure could lead to an array of issues for the Third Prince if Murdoc said the wrong thing right now.

‘Dammit, this is where Amara usually steps in! I canna handle silver-tonged bastards like this.. I’d rather just run ’em through and be done wit it..’

As the thought crossed his mind, Tidas took another step forward with a smirk. He was raised in the palace, and knew how to deal with talkers like Raymond. The situation being as unique as it was only helped him, too..

“Well,” Tidas stated as he gestured to his falcon; “Why don’t you just grab that message, bring it in the bunker, and have the Generals clear you..”

Raymond’s cocky grin immediately disappeared; “W-What? Why? I told you, Prince Marco ordered me-”

“How could I possibly know that you’re telling me the truth without looking at the contents? If you are telling the truth, then you won’t get in trouble with Marco because I won’t technically see what you wrote..”

The smirk on the prince’s face was pissing Raymond off. He didn’t care for overly-righteous men that didn’t sample life’s offerings; regardless of where the delicacies came from. The prince had closed down many of his favorite places to go for self-indulgence, and refused any woman that presented herself to him.

Raymond seethed with jealousy for Tidas, and had agreed to spy for the Crowned Prince mostly due to it. He was also getting several women to spend his time with in exchange for his work, but that reward was lost now..

‘Thanks to that overgrown fucking lizard..’

As he glared at Zazzy, Raymond replied; “I would still get in trouble, sir.. And you would learn the contents through them.”

“Why? Because they’re loyal?” Murdoc commented, irritating him greatly.

“I am loyal to my King!” Raymond said with a raised voice.

“And who is that?” Tidas asked.

Raymond smirked; “The one who bares the Crown..”

Tidas eyed him critically for a moment, then said; “Well, until we’re back in Alcon, I’m the authority here. I will agree to let the others read it, but it Will be read one way or another..”

Raymond swallowed hard as he tried to figure a way out of his situation.. ‘If the Commander reads the contents, I’m screwed.. If the others read the contents, I’m labeled a traitor to the RMC, and I’m screwed.. Either way: a MacArthur is going to kill me..’

Marco had a reputation for liking to cause pain, but the rumors never specified if it was only women he liked to see that way. The thought of ‘the Dark Prince’ killing him seemed horrific..

Pulling out his sword, Raymond sighed deeply; “Do me a favor and don’t tell my wife about this, okay? She’s a good woman that deserved better..”

Tidas clenched his jaw; “Then step up and be a good man for her.. You don’t have to tell my brother-”

“You’re right, I won’t.. He doesn’t ask, he just knows..”

Straightening his posture with his sword in his hands, Raymond continued; “I was summoned to him right before we left, and told to report the activity of you and the Princess. I refused, but then I didn’t.. It wasn’t right.. He’s my future King, I have no right to refuse.. Loyalty should be to the Crown, not comrades. Soldiers are only meant to serve, not question orders..”

Raymond’s face was calm, but his eyes screamed at Tidas. He was struggling to tell him something, but it was like his thoughts were re-written before he could get them out. As he lifted his sword to fight, Tidas exhaled with regret for what he had to do..

“He could always just stay here in the Highlands if he’s worried about gettin’ killed down South,” Murdoc suggested with a shrug.

Tidas looked over to Raymond for an answer, and was disappointed by his response. He shook his head in the negative; choosing death over exile. It was a ridiculous choice, or so Murdoc thought..

“Aye, but are ya sure that ye don’t want me ta take care of this? Tis much easier fer me ta kill a Southerner than you,” Murdoc offered.

Tidas shook his head as a dark expression overtook his features; “Na, this is something I should do as his Commander..”

Murdoc nodded in the positive, too shocked to speak. Anger rolled off of Tidas, and filled the air with a tenseness that made Murdoc’s throat stick. No words could calm him, and nothing Marco ever did or would ever do could make up for Tidas having to take Raymond’s life right now.

Based on his own words, Raymond had been a loyal soldier the past three years. The fact that he was talking strangely let Tidas know what the real cause of his betrayal was: Marco had manipulated him. His heart twisted in his chest as he readied himself.

As he pulled his long sword out of it’s sheath, Tidas cursed his brother in his mind as he said; “I’ll try to make it as quick as possible. And we’ll tell your family that you fell in battle..”

Raymond smiled at Tidas with genuine gratitude as he thanked him, which made his heart clench. He wanted him to accept Malcolm’s offer, but if he was being manipulated by Marco’s magic, he probably had the choice stripped from him.

Thinking on what Raymond had said, one line specifically infuriated Tidas, and let him know for sure that Marco was the one..

When he became the Commander of the RMC, one of the first things he had done was end something called the Blood Oath Tradition. Each indoctrinated individual had to do it when they arrived in the capital, and was a long-standing tradition dating back to when the capital had first been moved.

The soldiers had to pledge their loyalty to the king and crown by slicing their hand open, and dripping blood on their contracts. It was barbaric in Tidas’ mind, and pointless posturing that immediately made most soldiers hesitant to train. It was one thing to expect wounds on the battlefield..

“Children who are forced to grow up overnight shouldn’t have to shed blood for their kingdom before they’ve even been trained.”

It was what Tidas had said to his father, and Marco had responded with; “Soldiers are meant to serve, and the tradition lets them demonstrate their standing level of loyalty to the crown. Being a soldier now, it is not your place to question those issuing orders.”

As the argument had carried on, Marco had eventually said; “The bonds of soldiers should never be as strong as the bond a soldier holds to his kingdom.”

Having heard enough from his sons, Magnus had sided with Tidas on the matter. He’d always found the tradition quite barbaric as well, and had personally abolished the renewal vow soldiers were meant to do every five years..

‘That was one of many warnings for Father as to the kind of ruler Marco will be in the future.. It’s like he always ignores Marco’s follies, but why?! As the current King, shouldn’t he want what’s-?!’

The realization hit Tidas like a mountainside.. ‘He’s been manipulating Father! Of course! But for how long?! For what?’

Distracted by his thoughts, Tidas barely had time to parry a hit from Raymond. The only reason he’d had time to block it at all was because Zazzy had roared at him. Murdoc was just standing there watching..

Tidas looked at Raymond with a sad expression; “I’m sorry about this, Ray..”

Since he was a Tamer, Raymond was no match for Tidas when it came to combat. With lightning speed, the prince zipped passed him; cleaving his head from his shoulders in one smooth motion..

Murdoc stood unmoving as the Alconian soldier’s body hit the ground with a sickening thud. His head rolled over to the snow wall, and dyed it red as it bled out. The ground around the body quickly darkened as his blood gushed and spread out in every direction.

As the Highlander King stared at the Alconian Prince, a chill ran up his backside when they locked eyes. Tidas was so furious that even Zazzy shrunk back a little. Terrified, the falcon tried to fly off, but Tidas grabbed it and snatched the scroll from it’s leg before letting it go.

As he walked over to them, Murdoc fought his instinct to grab his sword from his hip and said; “Could ye dial the bloodlust back a bit? Yer scarin’ the dragon.. And me, a wee bit..”

Tidas stopped and took a couple of deep breaths. Realizing he still had his sword out, Tidas wiped it off in the snow, then put it back in it’s sheath. He still emanated death, but at least it was bearable now..