That night, two young men sat playing chess inside a secluded mansion in the Inner City.
On the left was Anders, who had visited the Ballard estate earlier. Across from him sat Matthias, a broad-shouldered man dressed in richly adorned robes.
The game was intense, with fast moves followed by moments of deep thought. About ten minutes later, Anders finally conceded defeat.
“Anders, you’ve really improved since we last played. You almost had me there,” Matthias said, stroking his beard in mild surprise.
“You flatter me, Your Highness. My chess skills are nothing compared to yours. If you hadn’t gone easy on me, I wouldn’t have lasted half as long,” Anders replied with a modest smile.
“You’re as smooth with words as ever.” Matthias let out a hearty laugh with a look of smug satisfaction. Winning was in his nature-whether in war or on the chessboard, defeat was not an option.
“Well, we’ve eaten, and we’ve played. Let’s get to business.” With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men to clear away the chessboard.
He wiped his hands before continuing, ” Anders, the situation in Oakvale is growing more volatile by the day. The question of who will become crown prince remains unresolved, and it’s wearing me down. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep-it’s maddening.
“You’ve pledged your support to me, so I need you to go all in. We must secure my claim before it’s too late. Only then will I finally have some peace of mind.”
“Your Highness, we’re already giving it everything we’ve got. Of the eight great families, half are now on our side. We’ve also won over many key figures in the government. Simply put, Your Highness has the greatest influence among the princes,” Anders said, bowing his head slightly.
“This won’t cut it.” Matthias shook his head. “The old foxes in the government are nothing more than opportunistic turncoats. They sway with the wind and can’t be trusted.
“The so-called eight great families are just for show. They won’t influence the outcome. The only ones who hold the power to sway my father’s decisions and the entire government are the four ancient houses.”
He shot Anders a pointed look and added, 11 Your family has pledged support to me, but what about the others?”
To secure the title of crown prince, Matthias needed the support of at least two, if not three, of the four ancient houses. If he could rally all four, the title would be as good as his.
“I’ve already reached out to the Fallon and Ballard families,” Anders replied. “The Fallons have made their stance clear. They’re ready to seal a marriage alliance with my family, and the union will happen soon. As for the Ballards, they need a few more days to think it over.”
“And the Spanners?” Matthias asked.
The Fallon and Ballard families weren’t nearly as influential as the Spanner family. Hence, gaining the support of the Spanner family was paramount.
“It seems the Spanner family has become quite close to Prince Nathaniel. I’ve tried visiting several times, but they keep turning me away. It’s hard to win them over,” Anders said, shaking his head.
The Spanner family was influential and well-established. They didn’t need to rely on the Mosey family and were immune to threats and bribes.
“It looks like Nathaniel still has a few tricks up his sleeve to win over the Spanners,” Matthias said thoughtfully. After a pause, he asked, “Any news from Tristan’s side?”
“Prince Tristan’s been keeping to himself and rarely interacts with anyone. Among the eight great families, only one or two are aligned with him. The rest are just opportunistic smaller factions trying to play both sides. They won’t amount to much,” Anders reported.
“He lacks both brains and brawn, and his health is failing. How does someone like him think he’s fit to be the crown prince?” Matthias scoffed.
A sickly weakling like Tristan-who knew how much longer he would survive? The thought of him fighting for power was laughable.
“Prince Tristan might not pose much of a threat, but Prince Nathaniel has strong connections and considerable influence, especially from the Spanner family. He’s a tough opponent,” Anders analyzed.
“Now, your top priority is to win over the Ballard family. We cannot let them side with Nathaniel, or we’ll be at a disadvantage,” Matthias warned.
With the Moseys and Fallons already on his side, securing the Ballards’ support would significantly increase his chances of becoming the crown prince.
However, if the Ballards sided with Nathaniel, it would create a deadlock-two against two-with neither side gaining a clear advantage. In that case, a fierce power struggle would be inevitable.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ll make sure the Ballard family is on your side, no matter what it takes,” Anders promised.
“Good.” Matthias nodded in satisfaction. ” Once it’s done, all the credit will be yours, and I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Anders said respectfully.
“There’s one more thing I need you to keep an eye on.”
“Anything, Your Highness.” Anders lowered his head slightly.
“You’ve probably heard about what’s happening in West Lucozia. Rufus doesn’t have much time left, and the title will likely pass to Logan. I’ve already reached out to him-he’s shrewd but hasn’t made his position clear. Find his weaknesses and see if we can turn them to our advantage.” Matthias narrowed his eyes.
“Logan Rhys?” Anders’ eyes widened in surprise before he nodded firmly. “I understand. I’ll take care of it.”
“Go, and don’t disappoint me.” Matthias waved him off.
Anders nodded again before leaving. He knew convincing Logan would be much more challenging than getting the Ballards on their side.
