<\/p>\n
Rebecca looked up as I came near her shoulder, her expression unreadable. She turned her gaze back down toward the campfire, and for a moment I thought she wished to be alone; but before I could draw away, she reached over toward me. As I set my hand in hers, she took hold of it, saying, \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n
I sat on the ground beside the stump she was perched on, and answered in the most straightforward and honest way I could: \u201cBetter.\u201d With a fresh breath to bolster my resolve, I asked in turn, \u201cAnd yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n
She let out a heavy sigh, leaning somewhat onto my shoulder. \u201cI… heavens, I don’t know. I feel as though I should<\/em> be feeling more. The city attacked, my home put to the torch, who knows how many of my kin dead… but somehow, I just feel… empty.\u201d<\/p>\n I drew her into the crook of my arm, nuzzling at the back of her head. \u201cI wish I knew what to say,\u201d I admitted.<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t fret about it, Edmond. No words can make everything right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know that. I don’t mean to undo what’s been done… though if I could, I’d certainly do that, too.\u201d How to say it…? \u201cI only meant that I wish I could offer some… comfort. Reassurance. Make it, perhaps, a touch easier to bear.\u201d<\/p>\n She turned to give me a small, wan smile. \u201cYou’re a dear,\u201d she said, reaching over to pat my hand. \u201cTrust me, knowing that I have your support helps. You’ve given up a great deal for someone you hardly know, and it is<\/em> appreciated…\u201d<\/p>\n Jacob, somewhat around the fire, suddenly sat bolt upright. \u201cThere’s the signal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n I blinked. Signal? But then Nancy took a breath and uttered what sounded for all the world like the cry of a night bird, apparently issuing a corresponding signal. How they could tell that cry from any of the other birds making a constant racket among us \u2013 if indeed they were<\/em> all birds, which I honestly didn’t know \u2013 was beyond me, but moments later there was a rustle in the bushes, and Helen stepped into the firelight.<\/p>\n She looked worn; I went to dish out a bowl of stew, while Elizabeth came up to her and asked, \u201cAny news?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI managed to find a few people that I know to be reliable,\u201d Helen replied, sitting down with a heavy sigh. \u201cI’m not sure what these tidings actually mean, but the word is that all of the Asterian soldiers have been rounded up.\u201d She glanced over at Rebecca, then turned her gaze downward. \u201cBut not before everyone within three generations’ connection to Queen Meribeth was killed. Nordport is in turmoil \u2013 there are already three different candidates contesting for the royal succession, and there are fears that some of the contenders will stoop to any means to secure it for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I’m \u2013 I was… second cousin to her, once removed,\u201d Rebecca protested.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m not sure they’d care, right now,\u201d Elizabeth said darkly. \u201cThey’ve had an opportunity dangled before them \u2013 there are some who’ll not look kindly on it being plucked away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe’s right,\u201d Helen confirmed, reaching up to take the bowl I offered. \u201cThank you; it’s been a long trek. There’s something else I learned that bothers me, and makes me think there’s more to this. The Duke of Wafret was quick to round up the assassins \u2013 very quick. His soldiers didn’t account for all of them, but of the eighty killed or captured, he took three in four.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey snuck eighty soldiers into the city?\u201d I could hardly believe it. I knew they’d gone through great pains to be discreet, but eighty…<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf they’d brought in two hundred, it wouldn’t have been enough to hold Nordport,\u201d Elizabeth snapped. \u201cHelen’s quite right. The issue isn’t how many<\/em> they managed to get in, but how few<\/em> they tried to act with. We’d have noticed any ships standing off-shore that might have tried to land troops, and \u2013 did anybody try, Helen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNobody said,\u201d the riflewoman replied. \u201cI should think all coming ships were kept out of harbour until the Army restored order.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust so. There’s something strange about this. They’ve thrown us into some disarray, yes, but what could Asteria truly hope to gain<\/em> by sending only eighty soldiers here? It’s not as though they<\/em> can influence the royal succession, and we’ll be all the more watchful now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAsteria doesn’t stand to gain,\u201d Rebecca spoke up, a look of horror dawning on her face. \u201cThe dukes do.\u201d<\/p>\n Each man and woman fell silent and still.<\/p>\n \u201cGood heavens, that must<\/em> be it. The Army and Navy won’t be crippled by the Queen’s death \u2013 Asteria won’t be able to find us easier<\/em> pickings for being alerted.\u201d She slowly stood, wringing her hands. \u201cThis isn’t an Asterian plot at all \u2013 it’s a bid for the throne.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood heavens,\u201d Travis echoed. \u201cLeaving the city truly was<\/em> the only thing you could do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNor will I be able to go back,\u201d Rebecca went on, her voice growing to a growl, \u201cuntil the one behind this… treason<\/em>… is found and dealt with.\u201d<\/p>\n Nancy took a breath. \u201cSo… what next? Do we know anything about who might have been responsible?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing definite, of course. I don’t doubt the knowledge we need died with the assassins,\u201d Helen sighed. \u201cBut half the Dukes and Duchesses have left the city, making for their own estates. For their own protection, they say, but any one of them could have been responsible. Wafret was among them, they say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI never did like the man,\u201d Rebecca grumbled. \u201cI wouldn’t have thought he had the spine for this, but he’s always been outspoken against the Queen’s government. And if he knew to have his guards ready… that’s somewhat questionable right there. He knew something<\/em> was going to happen, but he didn’t stop what did.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo Wafret, then?\u201d Travis enquired.<\/p>\n \u201cNot for another day,\u201d Jacob cut in, directing a stern look my way. \u201cAt least.\u201d<\/p>\n Elizabeth followed that look, and the scowl that was so quickly growing familiar returned to her face. \u201cAs soon as we might, then, we’ll make for Duchy Wafret. Once there, hopefully we’ll be able to get some answers.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca recaptured my hand. \u201cOh, we’ll get answers,\u201d she breathed, her eyes smouldering. \u201cOne way or another, we’ll get answers.\u201d<\/p>\n With new information about what’s happened and what’s still going on, comes new purpose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-courtesans-war"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148\/revisions\/149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/furry-tales.net\/shurhaian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<< Previous<\/a> | Next >><\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"