Francis was red faced and furious when Eric and Will walked in. The soldiers had the door to the vault open, curtousy of Jacques telling them how to open it, and the Captain was standing stoic and still in the face of Francis' rage.
His uncle was in day robe and slippers, utterly unprepared for the visit.
He was, Eric noted with some amusement and more resentment, wearing the golden circlet set with burning topaz stones, of a Prince of the Kingdom. He should have stopped wearing it once Jacques had his first child, but Francis had never stopped. Had even taken a matching one from the family vault for Erin to wear, though she'd only done it at pubic events were it would have sparked gossip if she hadn't matched her husband.
Eirian had never worn one, but Jacques had gifted her with so many tiaras and jewels as the only female child in their family that she definitely hadn't needed it.
Where were those jewels now? Had Francis kept those too?
"Eric! What the hell is going on?"
"Uncle. You lied about the bride price."
Francis sputtered, but he stuck to his word. "I did not. Who is saying this? It's slander!"
A soldier stepped aside to make way for Eric. "Watch you're step, sire."
Francis follwoed him as he made his way down the cramped staircase, never stopping in his tirad, until Eric reached the bottom, stepped into the vault and stared.
There was a hell of a lot more than forty pounds of gold i n the Soliel family vault. There were going to need another wagon to take it all to the treasury.
He turned to Francis as the soldiers started packing out crates. "You've been busy, uncle."
Francis lips were white, his eyes wide. Eric briefly wondered if he was smart enough to be afriad or if his anger was stronger.
"This is insulting." Francis hissed. "How dare you treat me like some common criminal."
"Perhaps you shouldn't act like one then." Eric turned back to the wall of jewelry. He could recognize a few pieces he knew were Eirian's, but he'd never paid enough attention to memorize them all. "Lying to the crown is a crime." He turned to the soldiers. "Take the jewelry too. It can be inventoried at the treasury."
"The warrant says nothing-"
"Father has ordered Eirian's jewels be returned to her. Since he gifted them to her and not the Soliel family. It's in the offical Record of Gifts. The rest will be returned once its determined they don't belong to her."
The warrant crumpled in Francis' hand. "This is cruel. Why am I being targeted like this?"
Eric turned back to his uncle. "You are being targeted because you broke the law. You are a member of the Soliel Family. More than anyone else, we are expected to uphold the laws of the Land of Sorrow. Of the kingdom we rule. Do you think the public will trust us if they find out one of us is circumventing the same laws we claim to uphold? That we hold others to? You already lied to the throne about Eirian's marriage and the King has still not decided if he will allow it to stand."
Francis paled further.
"Have you communicated with Eirian since she left?"
"I have written her! She has not complained about anything!"
"Did she not respond or did she not complain?" Francis fell silent. "I assume you are unaware then, of the events taking place at the Camelia."
"Whta events?" Worry crept into Francis' voice, but Eric wasn't foolish enough to believe he was worried about Eirian.
"If the King decides you need to know, you'll be informed."
"She's my daughter!"
"She ceased to be your daughter when you sold her into marriage." Eric snapped and felt the brush of Will's shoulder against his. A silent warning to get himself under control. "You have no one's actions to blame for this but your own. You've been too bold in your defiance, uncle."
"I am Lord Soliel, it is my right-"
"The Head of the Soliel Family is the King." Will doesn't often bother to insert himself in Eric's discussions so its shocking to hear him do it now.
Even more shocking for him to do it about something Eric knows he doesn't think he's handling correctly, but it is incredible satisifying to watch his uncle's face twist in distaste and outrage.
"You can appeal to the High Court." Eric puts in before Francis can say anything else and turns to the Imperial Army Captain waiting in the doorway. "Make sure you search the rest of the estate as well."
Then he leaves, ignoring Francis' demands he stay and explain himself. It's all nonsense anyway. If Francis really thought he it was illegal or that he had a chance of winning an appeal with the court, he could have had the guards block their entry.
He didn't because he knew that the consquences would have been twice as bad if he'd done so and lost the appeal. It was often that members of families as noble as the Soliel's were thrown out, but it had happened and regardless of what Eric thought of his uncle, Francis was smart enough to realize that his relationship with Jacques was starting to deteriorate to the point where he had little to no protection from him.
Suddenly, sticking around to watch the neighbors gawk at his uncle's humilitation left a sour feeling in his stomach. The Soliel's had remained in power for so long, respected so much, because their internal quarels and embarassments were remarkably few and far between compared to most noble families. Jacques and Francis had been the first true family conflict in many generations and it was starting to feel a bit like watching the beginning of a dynasty's fall. Like watching an apple starting to rot but not doing anything to stop it.
Instead of watching the soldiers fan out inside he headed back to the front garden, Will on his heels.
He found Brigitta Soliel waiting for him.
~ tbc