CHAPTER 22: PLAYERS IN A CHESS

In a chamber with dim light within the great estate of the Vanýr house, Vaelen Vanýr, the only son of Voryn Vanýr, lay in decadence with many women lying with him, most of whom were naked. They would romance and make love to themselves and to Vaelen. They would laugh, drink, and dance. One was pouring wine into Vaelen’s mouth while another fed him grapes. At the corner of the room, a harpist strummed a soft tune, one that adds an odd kind of grace to the madness.

Vaelen’s eyes were dull, his lips were red from drink, and his mind was full of lust. He’d been known for throwing such parties and living such a lifestyle.

Then, without warning, the chamber doors were quickly opened and everywhere instantly became quiet.

Lord Voryn Vanýr himself had stormed into the room with a furious face. He didn’t waste time as he crossed the room and grabbed his son by the arm, dragging him out of bed and hurling him to the cold floor even though he was still naked.

"You filthy disgrace!" Voryn shouted. "I break my back building this family’s name from the ground up, and all you do is drag it right back into the mud! Can you not be as half as responsible as Lisa"

Vaelen groaned and tried to speak, reaching for his robe. "Father, please, stop comparing me to her. I’m not my sister."

Before the words could settle, Voryn slapped him across the face, hard.

The women scrambled, gathered their things, and slipped out individually. The harpist stopped playing and quietly disappeared.

"You’re not even half the person she is!" he bellowed. "The woman you’re meant to marry is missing, and everybody is pointing at this family, and the only son I have, who is meant to be backing me and supporting me, is here wasting, wasting his life, wasting my name, wasting everything I’ve built!"

Vaelen’s face was full of confusion and fear. "Wait... Nyella is missing?"

Voryn stared down at him, disgust written all over his face.

"I’m ashamed to call you my son," he said slowly, the words hit Vaelen. "I kept hoping, praying, that one day, you would grow out of this life. That you’d rise up, become a man worthy of the Vanýr name. But look at you. Just look at you."

Vaelen, who was now on his knees, crawled over and grabbed his father’s feet with tears running down his cheeks.

"I’m sorry, Father. Please. One more chance. Just one. I swear I’ll prove myself this time."

Voryn didn’t even blink. "That’s what you always say. Every time. ’Just one more chance.’ And every time, you fall back into the same hole. I’m so sick and tired of this attitude of yours. I’ll deal with it greatly, but not now, when this madness ends."

He kicked Vaelen off him with a grunt and walked out. Outside the chamber door, Lord Daryn Halstone, Voryn’s close ally and the Lord of Coinvault, was waiting. The moment he saw Voryn come out, he approached with urgency.

"My Lord... is it true? The princess is missing?" Daryn asked, while lowering his voice.

Voryn didn’t stop walking. "Yes," he said. "And they’re already pointing fingers at me. You know why? Because it was my idea to send her on the Crown’s Ledger first."

Daryn matched his pace, frowning. "You do realize that makes you look guilty?"

Voryn let out a bitter laugh. "Why do you think I haven’t slept a wink? I know how this looks. They want to blame me. Somebody wants me to fall, but I won’t."

They walked down the steps toward the courtyard. "Do you know the exact road in the north where she went missing?" Voryn asked Lord Daryn.

"No," Daryn replied, "but word has it she was last seen near Varnmoor."

"Then that’s where we go."

In the courtyard, General Kaelor, Voryn’s most trusted commander, was already waiting with a group of armored soldiers. Voryn had sent for him earlier. He looked over the small group and raised an eyebrow.

"This is all you could gather?" Voryn asked.

"It was too sudden, my Lord," Kaelor answered. "Most of the men are stationed out west."

Voryn sighed but nodded. "Fine. Take what you have and go. Head to Varnmoor. Search every forest, every village, every road, and shadow. Leave no stone unturned."

General Kaelor straightened his back and saluted. "And if we find her, my Lord?"

"Bring her straight to the palace," Voryn said firmly. "I will be there, waiting. But listen closely, you must find her before the royal guards do. If they get to her first, everything I’ve worked for could crumble. Failure is not an option."

Kaelor nodded. "Understood, my Lord." He turned and barked orders. The soldiers mounted their horses and rode off into the streets.

Voryn stood still for a moment, watching them disappear into the darkness. Then he turned to Lord Daryn.

"Whoever did this..." he said while reducing his voice. "They’re clever. Too clever. They wanted the blame to fall on me, and they’ve done it well. But one thing I know for certain is that I’ll find them. I’ll make sure I do."

Daryn looked at him with concern. "Do you have any idea who it might be?"

Voryn shook his head slowly. "No. And that’s what frightens me. This isn’t just politics or rivalry. This calculated attack."

He looked up at the sky, tightened his jaw, and clenched his fist.

"I have an enemy, Daryn," he whispered. "One that I do not know personally, nor how he moves. And that makes him the most dangerous of all. I have to find out who this person is and what he wants"

"Do you perhaps have a plan on that, I mean finding out who this master planner is?" Daryn questions.

Lord Vanýr turned and looked outside his estate, then answered calmly. "I don’t yet, but I will come up with one soon, one that will make him come out on his own cause if not, all of us will be players in someone’s chessboard."