Annika stood on the docks, her hood drawn as Clara faced off with the two Knights guarding the gangplank to the ship. She knew the moment she boarded the vessel, word would be sent to the King, and so, she waited.

Her churning stomach reminded her that she had eaten significantly less for her dinner in order to try and deter the nasty illness she was beginning to experience as a side effect of her pregnancy. Dawn was just beginning to crest the horizon, and her heart was racing, despite her calm outward demeanor.

Closing her eyes, Annika focused on taking several deep breaths, honing her thoughts and her senses while doing so. She knew nothing less than a perfect execution of the plan could happen if she wanted to help save Fin.

The redhead’s smile flashed in her mind’s eye, and Annika nearly vomited what little was in her stomach at the sudden flood of emotion that wrangled her body.

‘You better be safe, Fin. If you’re dead … I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do.’

The sound of a carriage and hooves reached Annika’s ears and immediately her skin prickled.

Turning swiftly, she noticed in the light of the torches that lined the docks the unmistakable royal carriage making its way directly to where she stood.

So, the Viscountess braced herself for what she hoped to be a conversation that would not result in her being arrested.

As soon as the polished sleek black carriage ground to a halt, it’s golden handles shining in the dim light, the door opened as a silent invitation. With her back ramrod straight, Annika strode back up the creaking wooden steps of the dock onto dry land, and climbed into the carriage.

Only when she seated herself and lowered her hood, was she stunned to see the Queen’s annoyed face.

“Ainsley! What are you- weren’t you hurt?!”

“Oh, please. I just popped a few stitches. I’m perfectly fine as long I have a cushion under my arse,” the Queen quipped with a small twitch in her cheeks. Annika guessed she was still in pain, but had made a special journey to see her.

“Are you having a pleasant night drive through the city?” The Viscountess asked innocently.

“I heard Mr. Howard informing Norman of your proposal to release Elizabeth Nonata into your custody. He’s already suspicious of you being up to something, and wants to question you about this. I just happen to know you better and figured you’d already be about to commit some kind of crime.” Ainsley completely ignored Annika’s earlier sass and got straight to the point.

“Like you would be any different in my place,” the Viscountess pointed out evenly.

“I’d be worried, yes.” Ainsley began while narrowing her gaze.

Annika folded her arms over her chest and smiled beautifully. “Does this mean I have your permission?”

“Walk me through this plan of yours,” Ainsley countered while raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Take the ship that Madame Mathilda used to traffic soldiers into Daxaria, and get close enough to the Chief of Troivackian Military’s ship so that Raymond can go on board and find out if Fin is unharmed. If he’s alive and well, negotiate staying on with him while I sneak aboard. In the middle of the night the three of us escape to where a lifeboat will be waiting to row us back to the ship.”

“Despite this being a violation of the contracts Norman signed with Mr. Helmer?” Ainsley asked patiently.

“What is he going to say? A Troivackian they’d presumed dead kidnapped him off of a boat in the middle of the night? It sounds like they violated their end of the deal, don’t you? After all… they were charged with his safety.”

Ainsley chuckled. “I’m sure there are more logistics to this plan… but the part I am most interested in, is how you anticipated talking your way out of charges of treason or interference of kingdom business with commandeering that ship that is currently under our investigation,” the Queen asked interestedly.

“To be perfectly honest, I will be surprised if Fin isn’t harmed,” Annika confessed aloud, her smile dimming significantly. “I am certain that they have already violated the agreement.”

Ainsley studied her best friend for a few more moments before finally letting out a long sigh.

“No. I am not letting you do this.” Knocking twice on the door of the carriage, the vehicle lurched into movement.

“Clara is still at the docks,” Annika pointed out with gritted teeth.

“She’ll take the horses you rode back- she’s a smart girl and will figure it out. Now, we need to calm you down because as much as I understand how you feel, this plan is loaded with obvious problems. For one, the warships are due to arrive any day now. You sailing out will do nothing but put you, a vessel we are still searching, and several other civilians I’m assuming you’ve hired for crew, in jeopardy. Annika, the likelihood that you run into a fleet is higher than you returning in one piece. Remember, while we had you be more active in the city in the past few weeks due to the discovery of the soldiers, you are never supposed to be in combat. Norman is handling this. You need to trust him.”

“How is he handling it?” Annika demanded, her gaze sharp.

“We are supposed to receive a letter today by midday. A decision will be made afterwards.”

“So you expect me to do nothing while I twiddle my thumbs and wait?” the Viscountess countered stonily.

“I hear needlework is a fantastic pastime for women of the court,” Ainsley said with a dry smile.

Annika was not amused. “That’s my husband, Ainsley. If the King was going to die any moment would you-”

“I would do my godsdamn job. You need to protect this kingdom in your own way, not blindly charge into an attack that will end with unnecessary deaths.”

“Then I need more reassurance on how his majesty plans on protecting him, because right now that is my biggest problem with it all. You expect my trust? You must give me some of yours. Isn’t that what you told me when we first met?”

Ainsley’s lips pursed as she studied her friend for several long moments. As the carriage turned and began heading uphill, Annika guessed they were returning to the castle. The journey continued on with the two women caught in a stalemate of silence. Annika seemed to barely blink as the carriage trundled along, and the Queen continued to appear deep in thought.

By the time they pulled up in front of the castle, neither of them had spoken, yet just as Ainsley placed her hand on the carriage handle, she turned to her friend.

“Slip out in the stables and meet me in our chamber. I will have a gown prepared. Once you are dressed, I want you to meet me in the council room.”

Annika gave a single nod as the monarch then exited the vehicle, and greeted the servants that stood waiting for her.

Meanwhile, the Viscountess leaned her head back into the soft emerald green velvet of the seat, and allowed the smallest of smiles to climb up her face as the carriage once again resumed moving.

‘All according to plan…’

*

Annika held the dress that had been laid out on the Queen’s bed in front of herself, and let out a long suffering sigh before dropping her gaze to her bump. “You just had to be the children of an excellent cook, didn’t you?” She muttered before moving her gaze over to the Queen’s wardrobe.

“Sorry Ainsley,” She announced to the empty room before moving over to the ornate wooden furniture.

Rummaging about, she finally found one of the gowns that the Queen had to have made for her pregnancy. Turning back to the gown originally laid out, Annika pulled out one of her knives and cut a few stitches in the dress to create a small yet noticeable hole while once again apologizing mentally to her best friend.

No sooner had she dressed herself in the cream colored gown with its incredibly forgiving waist line, when a folded piece of parchment was slipped under the door.

‘Meeting delayed. Breakfast to be sent, stay in passage until you hear the maids leave. Someone will knock three times when it is time to meet. Wait a hundred counts afterwards before leaving.’

With a sigh, Annika wearily pinched the bridge of her nose, then tossed the parchment into the hearth filled with glowing embers that flared briefly as it consumed the missive.

Moving back towards the passageway, the Viscountess briefly wondered at what point would she no longer fit in the convenient secret passageway, and immediately found herself shying away from the frightful answer.

*

As the Viscountess strolled down the corridor having finished her breakfast, she found herself fighting off the urge to yawn. She had been up all night after all...

The guards straightened in her presence, but Annika could see the confusion in their eyes. No one was aware she had even arrived at the castle...

Once they had alerted the occupants of the room, she swept in with a graceful nod of thanks.

Upon entering, she was pleased to see the King, the Queen, Mr. Howard, Captain Antonio, mage Lee, and Lord Fuks in attendance.

“Viscountess Ashowan, thank you for joining us. Please take a seat,” the ruler greeted while also gesturing to a vacant chair at the table.

Annika gave a curtsy before wordlessly seating herself, and ignoring the questioning look Ainsley was giving her as she regarded the dress that was not the one she had laid out.

“My wife has… announced that the stress over Lord Ashowan’s well-being is wearing on you to a worrying degree, and that it is in our best interest to share with you what we learn in his letters.”

Annika let out a relieved breath and smiled gratefully. “That would be incredibly kind of you, Sire, thank you.”

Norman eyed her suspiciously, but proceeded to pick up a piece of parchment then hand it to her.

The Viscountess’ expression immediately warmed at the sight of Fin’s handwriting. It was slanted, and scrawled in its usual precise yet somehow… messy, manner.

After reading the letter’s contents; however, her face paled. “A day or two… they’re going to kill him in a day or two.”

The men glanced at each other worriedly.

“Why do you say that with such certainty, my Lady?” Captain Antonio asked while frowning.

“Baron Gauva’s nephew has vowed to kill Fin. You should remember Captain, it apparently happened when you arrested him.”

Antonio’s posture stiffened. “How do you know this Viscountess? You were in your estate in Austice at the time.”

“Fin… Fin told me everything when he came to see me. Told me about the attack, about you becoming betrothed to his mother while he was incarcerated…”

The Captain cleared his throat loudly, making more than one person in attendance grin fondly at the memory.

“Lady Ashowan, we have not yet read today’s missive. Are you prepared to hear what it might say?” Norman’s quiet voice brought everyone back to the present, and all the men immediately sobered.

Annika gave a single firm nod, even though she was beginning to worry again that she might have to vomit.

The King studied her face, his eyebrows twitching for a moment as though he had noticed something strange on her face before finally turning his gaze to the scroll that Mr. Howard was handing him.

Unfurling the parchment, everyone held their breaths.

‘To the King of Daxaria, Norman Reyes;

I am well and intact, the starry sky this early morning was beautiful to behold, and the red sky of the morning promises an equally vivid sunset. I will be sad to miss it as I will be spending time with the King of Troivackia. I enjoyed a night of drinking and comraderie with the Troivackian soldiers aboard my ship last night- though they claim it'd be even more fun if their entire family could've properly initiated me to their circles. I imagine it'd be a rousing good time if they were all together, perhaps it was better that it was only half of them I was subjected to. I'm not sure I'd survive their toasting drinks otherwise.

I must go now, as I am about to meet his majesty Matthais the Sixth, and I am certain that meeting the leader of a foreign nation will be a memory to last a lifetime.

Send my mother my love, and remind my aide who is tending to my cat in my absence that it is perfectly acceptable that he should be allowed to sleep in the bed. He is a wonderful companion that I hope will remind him of me while I’m gone.

Stay safe, Your Majesty.

Sincerely,

Finlay Ashowan’

Norman frowned at the page, but both the Captain and Annika looked like they were going to be sick.

“The red sky… the red sky is a warning. He is saying he will not live to see the sunset once he meets the king,” Antonio announced quietly.

“He… is telling me his familiar will remind me of him when he’s gone,” Annika added on, her voice coming out as a croak.

Every eye swiveled to her.

“Why… both of you… explain,” Norman demanded with a frown.

“Your highness, it is a saying that the Zinferans often use who sail. ‘Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning.’ The latter half is that ‘red sky at night, sailor’s delight’. However, he mentioned not being able to see it this evening. Judging how Mr. Helmer most likely read these, I don’t think he cares about the blatant hint. As long as there is deniability.”

Norman nodded before letting out an agitated breath and turning to Annika.

“He… I… told him I did not want the feline in our bedchamber while we sleep. No one has been placed in charge of the familiar, and so I can only assume…” Despite the Viscountess trailing off, everyone nodded in understanding.

"Something else bothers me though... he referred to the Troivackian men he was drinking with by saying only half were present," Lord Fuks noted with a frown, worry beginning to glitter in his eyes.

"Gods... do you think... he is telling us that the whole of the Troivackian army isn't attacking one place? That means we have to divide the numbers and guess where they might attack!" mage Lee balked as he finished connecting the implications of their guess.

"Most likely Xava as it is easiest to get to after Austice and would allow them to unit to overcome our east and south forces," Norman interjected while shooting Mr. Howard a meaningful look that had the assistant reaching hastily for his inkpot to send word to the military post in the western city.

"How are we going to save him?" The calm, yet dangerous voice of Annika Ashowan interrupted the discussion, bringing everyone's minds back to the Viscount.

"Yes, Sire, Fin has retrieved some amount of information regarding everything we were uncertain of. It is clear that they mean to execute him," Captain Antion leaned forward, the his chest armor glinting in the firelight.

Ainsley turned to her husband, and rested her hand atop of his in the quiet that followed their vassals queries.

“I think it’s time we told them.”

The King gazed back at his wife, and the worrying news of the multiple oncoming attacks slowly ebbed from his thoughts as his focus on the task at hand returned. Nodding in agreement, he squeezed his the Queen's hand quickly before facing the council with his head held high, and the slightest upturning of his mouth softening his otherwise serious stare.

“Yes, I believe now is a perfect time to let you all know my... backup plan to protect Lord Ashowan, and to give as a fighting chance in this war."