“Is the army mobilization on the railway works and the massive recruitment of any willing citizen between fifteen and forty years old in the Imperial army a SIGN OF WAR?

The Imperatrix has foreseen an increase in belligerous Carradin raids, and commercial exchanges between the Empire and the Carradin clans are almost at a complete standstill. Nonetheless, the investment in our army would be to dissuade an attack, and not so that we could invade them ourselves. The Carradins have resumed their bloodthirsty attack on the western coasts, taking advantage, in ultimate cowardness, of the coming of the Angel in Gite. The monster now gone, our Sovereign has found justified the act of punishing the barbarians for their acts. Some say only complete annihilation will stop the Carradins for good, as the actions of the beyond the Western ocean men are fuelled by jealousy and envy. But the Imperatrix, in her grand clemency, has not yet ordered the total destruction of our enemies.”

Journal of Leïn, N°49 of the year 127 after the war of the Firantes.

“So, you’re stuck here?” Trinne summarized.

“More or less.”

“…you already accepted your fate. No, you even agree with her.”

Nay sighed in contentment. She had her eyes closed, enjoying the warm water covering her body to its full extent. Trinne was sitting behind the bathtub and was washing Nay’s hair.

“If I can avoid killing everyone, isn’t that for the best?”

The red-haired girl’s Rreico hesitated. “For how long?”

“I don’t know yet. A few years? The Imperatrix wants to use me, and if we start a war…She will use me rather sooner than later.”

Trinne gritted her teeth. “You’re letting yourself get used because you believe sacrificing yourself is the best solution for others, your sister and your mother.”

“And you.”

Trinne pulled on the young Legio’s hair a bit.

“Aouch.”

“If I decided to lock myself up for an undetermined amount of time in a silver tower, ‘for your own good’, without even telling you beforehand. How would you take it?”

Nay didn’t need the art of the Legios to hear the annoyance in her friend's voice.

“I…I would be sad. Hurt.”

Trinne pulled on her hair again, forcing Nay to meet her eyes.

“Exactly. Next time, when you make a decision with me in mind, I want to be involved in the decision-making.”

“Sorry.”

“No, not sorry.”

“…I will involve you in the decision-making.”

“Mph.” The young woman’s fingers became gentle again. “She let you go without talking about conditions?”

“She wanted me to think about it more beforehand.”

The red-haired girl had a mocking laugh. “She’s underestimating you.”

Nay sighed. “I don’t think so. She’s…much more aware of the situation than I initially believed.”

“Mhhh. Something you’re not telling me?”

The young Legio was not going to reveal the true origins of the Imperatrix to her friend. “Don’t go delving deeper, you’re better off not knowing.”

“Mhhh.” Trinne’s Rreico smelled of metal and oiled cogs.

“Trinne.”

“Let me take care of political games, Nay.”

“I have a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling, eh? When will you tell me what a Master Legio truly means?”

Nay raised her head. Trinne wasn’t asking for answers, she was telling her that she had plenty enough already to create theories and hypotheses about the power of the Legios, but that she wouldn’t without Nay’s approval.

“You’ve gotten softer, Trinne.”

“I…yes. I suppose. I want to help people get better, not just manipulate them to serve my interests. If not, how would I be any different from the man I murdered?”

Her face looked fragile, exposed. Nay’s friend rarely spoke about her doubts and desires.

“I’m with you.” Nay said.

“Ha! Obviously you won’t be if you get stuck at the top of a mountain for a decade. Don’t worry though, I have a solution in mind.”

“That’s exactly what worries me.”

Trinne smiled, and Nay felt even less comforted than before.

Someone knocked at the door. The young Legio recognized the Rreico of the young servant.

“Come in.” She said out loud.

“What do you mean come in? You’re naked.” Trinne grumbled.

“I’m used to it, and I would expect Konnie to be as well.”

The servant was looking at them with a circumspect gaze. “Oh, Duchesse I apologize, I didn’t think you would still be here.” The lie echoed in her Rreico, the Jewel apprentice knew perfectly well of Trinne’s presence inside.

“And?” The red-haired young woman responded aggressively.

“I’m coming to inform you of your time schedule.” The young servant stayed at the entrance, keeping her distance from Trinne as she would have done with a wild animal.

Nay smiled at that thought.

“Go on.” She nodded.

“Your meal of the evening will be brought at the second dining hall, or in your chambers, as you desire. You will be expected tomorrow, at noon, to share a meal with the Imperatrix in the first dining hall, the one upstairs. I will be leading you there, and if you don’t want me to help you dress, I urge you to be ready for when I arrive.”

“Is that all?” Trinne was getting impatient.

“No, I was also asked to tell you that your mother and sister will be expected among us tonight. The precise hour of their arrival has not been established, though.”

Nay stood up in surprise, splashing water all over the soft carpet. With the reactions of an ex-Virnyl guard apprentice, Trinne hid her nakedness with a towel. “Seriously? What about decency rules?” She whispered.

Nay did not pay any attention to her.

“What!? How…my mother was hiding why…has she been found? Are they okay?”

Konnie’s expression stayed neutral. “I do not know miss, apparently, your mother gave herself up to the Cathedral with your sister on her own a few hours ago. One of my colleagues went there to invite your family amongst us, but the church is slow in its response.”

Nay was left speechless.

“If they were invited here tonight, it means they are okay. Remember, as long as you're here, they can’t hurt them.” Trinne comforted her.

“I…yes…you’re right.”

“Obviously.”

“That is all I needed to tell you. When do you want me to come to take your measurements?” Konnie asked.

“Tomorrow morning will be perfect, thank you Connie.” Nay answered before Trinne could.

The servant bowed, then left the room.

“What does it mean?” Nay asked the question out loud.

“No idea. But we’ll know fast enough. Are you resuming your bath?”

“No, I need to stretch, move.”

Trinne sighed. “Let me finish with your hair, then we’ll go explore the Imperatrix’s chambers.”

Nay thanked her friend with her eyes.

The Imperatrix’s chambers were intriguing. There were very few ornamentations or display of wealth in the corridors and the different rooms of the manor on the mountain. The wooden walls were without any wallpaper, the ground covered in a soft blue carpet, and even the few servants and nobles they crossed paths with were dressed simply. The only exception was the many displays of paintings and sculptures, but even then Trinne remarked that there were very few renowned artists exposed there. It was mainly a mix of painters and sculptors, of different styles, placed there according to an individual’s taste and not price. There were a few portraits of Jarl the Bohemian and the Imperatrix, and Nay even found a painting of Vanessa, the legendary Imperatrix’s jewel, but most of them were landscapes or animals. Almost all the sculptures were depicting the Empire’s fauna. A lesardo, a yae, a byrn, an oceanic cachalot and even a scorpine. This made the whole house feel…alive. Surrounded by nature. There were also many little trees and potted plants placed all around the corridors and chambers, but no flowers.

The only flowers the two women found was in their best discovery. At the centre of the building, they found an inside greenhouse, covered by a glass cupola far above their heads.

There was a little pond in the middle with carps, and all around, a small grass field with white and pink flowers Nay did not recognize.

“Those are Edden.” Trinne informed her, amazed.

The whole building was not that big, and they explored the whole ground floor in less than ten minutes. As the upstairs floor was forbidden to guests, their exploration ended there.

Nay drummed her foot on the ground.

She had eaten her evening meal in her friend’s room, almost identical to her own except the clothes of Trinne’s wardrobe had been sorted and were sitting on the bed. Now back in her room, Nay was waiting for news about her family.

Trinne had followed her there and was doing with Nay’s lent clothes what she had done with her own.

“Not bad. Not your colour though. And why so masculine? You’re more than six feet tall and suddenly you can’t wear dresses?”

Nay wasn’t listening to her.

She felt the Rreico approach from the corridor and opened the door before Konnie could knock.

Surprised, the chambermaid almost threw the fern she was carrying directly at Nay’s face.

“By Lebe!”

“Sorry Konnie, I didn’t want to scare you.”

“…It’s nothing miss.” Despite her words, the young Legio noticed that the servant was looking at the earth fallen on the carpet with angry eyes.

“Are there news about my mother and sister?”

“Yes.” The young servant placed the potted plant next to the door. “I came to inform you that your mother is currently speaking with the Imperatrix. She shouldn’t be long now. Your sister is not yet here, but I will come back to inform you when she will.”

“Oh, thank you, Konnie.”

“You’re welcome.” And the young chambermaid went away.

“M’a is talking with the Imperatrix. Lisana isn’t with her…”

“I see. Tell me, what do you prefer, a dress or a skirt? Ah, no, with your cast the dress won’t work…”

“Trinne, really?”

“Yes, really. We have dinner with the Imperatrix tomorrow at noon, and I think meeting the sovereign of the Empire with torn clothes is enough one time.”

Nay grunted.

“Don’t do those kinds of sounds around her either.”

“You should have seen her eat that almond cake…”

“…And try to avoid comments like these too.”

The young Legio laughed loudly.

“Honestly, you’re the last person that can criticize me about that.”

“I never insulted Redrick Darkstar to his face.”

“You weren’t ashamed to do exactly that with Jarl the Bohemian.”

The two women laughed together at their lack of wisdom.

“Are you feeling better?” Trinne asked.

Nay realized she wasn’t trembling anymore. “Yeah, thanks.”

“Mhhh, so, which skirt would you rather wear?”

“The short one, lets me move…”

“Yes, yes. Let me dream. You want the short one to be attractive.”

Nay turned her head towards the door.

“Ra’fa?” Trinne guessed.

“No, Konnie again. She’s only passing. She put a plant in front of the door and dirtied the carpet. Well, it was my fault, really.”

“Mhh, a plant. What kind?”

“Erm, a fern?”

Trinne nodded.

“Which means?” Nay asked.

The red-haired woman raised her shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe nothing. I just want to try to understand how things work around here.”

Nay’s eyebrow perked up, but she did not add anything. She got closer to the bed.

“Wait a second, that’s not a skirt, that’s a belt.”

“Nooo, it reaches your knees.”

“It reaches your knees.”

Trinne examined the skirt again. “Ah, oops.”

Trinne’s Rreico was far too amused for Nay to believe it had been an honest mistake.

The young Legio turned around to the door once more.

“Mom!”

She left the room in a hurry.

Ra’fa seemed tired but caught Nay in her arms.

“Oh Nay, I am so sorry. If I had known…who’s the brute that did that to your face?”

“Ja’s archbishop.”

“Was he the one we saw in the Cathedral? Biach’s descendant.”

“Mom, what happened with Liz? Why are you here?”

Ra’fa sighed deeply. “I…I need to sit down.”

“Come inside.”

Her mother paused when she noticed Nay’s friend.

“Trinne? By Lebe, you became astonishingly beautiful.”

“Miss Ra’fa, I’m pleased to see you again.”

“Don’t use that tone with me, every child I fed is a bit like my own. Who did that to your cheek?”

Nay felt slightly relieved. If her mother had noticed the slight scar on her friend’s face, it meant she wasn’t feeling too bad.

“What did that would be a better question. Come, sit down, I’ll bring you a glass of water. You seem exhausted.”

“I am.” Ra’fa sat down heavily on the chair Nay got for her.

“Escaping the guards was hard, and then when Lisana…we made a mistake, Nay.”

“A mistake?”

“Lisana is Touched…her ghost miracle happened when we were running away…Her worries about you, her tiredness…I had to tell her about Marke and then…”

“Biach. What happened?”

“She became…devoid of light. Like a shadow sucking up colours and shapes. She was still there but she didn't understand what was happening, she was terrified.”

Nay looked at her mother, stunned.

“A shadow?” It was a coincidence. An unfortunate coincidence.

It had to be.

She didn’t feel convinced.

“Yes. I panicked. I brought us back to the Cathedral I…I didn’t know what else to do.”

Nay couldn’t imagine the circumstances that would have pushed her mother to do that.

“And those bastards did nothing! Supposedly they didn’t want to risk losing another collar as long as they didn’t know what had broken it in the first place.

“It’s going to be all right mom. It’s going to be all right. They’ll bring her here and I’ll…”

“I know.” Ra’fa looked at her, tears in her eyes. “But at what cost? The Imperatrix told me she knew. I wanted you to be free…”

“That’s my choice. And I won’t be locked up forever. I don’t know when we’ll be able to see each other but…”

“I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you.” Trinne interrupted them for the first time, still busy organizing the clothes for the next day’s dinner.

“What does that mean?” Nay asked.

“I’ll improvise something.” Her friend gave her a mysterious smile.

Nay pinched her nose in worry.

“A few years ago, you were bullying my girl. Can I trust you, Trinne, daughter of Yarnt?”

“I am the Duchess now, technically.” But Trinne didn’t only respond sarcastically. She took a deep breath, stood up from her current task, and looked Ra’fa straight in the eyes. “I am not someone that is really trustworthy, I have to admit that myself, but your daughter, Nay, is my sole and only friend. The only person who believes in me and keeps up with my eccentricities. My past actions were echoes of my failing self-esteem, but that doesn’t excuse my behaviour. I can only promise one thing, now, that I am her ally, I will do everything to protect her and will never voluntarily hurt her.”

Ra’fa examined her for a few seconds. “Good. Really, you could have tried not to behave like a teenage boy in love, it would have greatly simplified her life.”

Nay blinked, surprised, but not as much as Trinne.

She had become red as a Tergee apple, no Grive apple. The Duke’s daughter seemed stunned, embarrassed and shameful.

The young Legio laughed out loud.

Ra’fa seemed pensive.

“I’ll get something to drink and to eat, if we need to wait for Liz, I’d like to be in a good state. Moreover, I’ve got a feeling you two have many things to tell me, and the night will be long.”

“No, let me go ask Konnie to…”

Ra’fa looked at Nay with an unflinching expression.

“You don’t want me to come with you at least?” Nay tried.

“I lived here for ten years, I’m not going to get lost. In the meantime, get all that mess cleaned up, I didn’t raise you like this.”

“I’m not the one…” Nay stopped. She saw that there wasn’t much point in defending herself. “We’ve already eaten.” She decided to say instead.

Ra’fa nodded. “Good. Food just for me, I’ll take some for Lisana as well when she’ll arrive.”

Once her mother was gone, Nay raised an inquiring eyebrow towards her friend.

“Were you acting like a timid kid in love?”

“Of course not…don’t give me that face! Help me tidy up the clothes.”

“Did you finally decide on what I was going to have to wear to please you?”

“To not get judged a criminal against the Imperial fashion.” Trinne corrected her. “And yes, for some time. I was making myself discreet to be polite.”

“She’s so nice.” Nay teased her.

“My vengeance will be fearsome.” Trinne found the whole story only half funny.

“I can’t wait.” The young Legio responded with no fear in her voice.

Ra’fa came back quickly, and the three women talked for a long time. Trinne didn’t discuss what had happened during the months where she had been hiding under the Plateau. Nay knew she had hidden in the underground secret tunnels, with the Soi women and other escapees, under the constant threat of the Angel always above their heads.

She understood very well what it felt to be hunted down by the monster for months, and she didn’t insist to know more. Ra’fa was too subtle not to see it was a touchy subject, and she as well didn’t push Trinne. So they talked about what had happened before the event that had turned their worlds around.

After a few hours, the night well on its way, their conversation weakened. The three of them were exhausted, but Nay and Ra’fa didn’t want to sleep before hearing news of Lisana.

“I’m going to sleep, I’m spent.” Trinne announced.

“Very well, we’ll see each other…” Nay paused when she saw her friend remove her shoes and fall loudly on her bed.

The young Legio looked at her mother, uneasy about how she’d react.

“Erm…”

“Your friend has some nerves.” Ra’fa had said that loud enough for Trinne to hear, but if Nay interpreted the Rreico correctly, the red-haired girl was already asleep.

Her mother lowered her eyes, speaking softly. “She has the same expression you had…in the Canyon. If you care about her…stay with her. That’s the only thing you can do.”

Nay’s eyes widened. As per usual, Ra’fa was much more perceptive than she seemed at first glance.

“Even when she was bullying me…It’s weird but even then I couldn’t not like her. I had the feeling she was looking at me for who I really was.”

“If that was the case, she wouldn’t have bullied you.”

“Maybe.” But Nay had often told herself that she deserved what she was being subjected to. She wasn’t like them, after all. “But in the end, she accepted me. She could see who I was, she understood who I was better than I did, and still she accepted me. If she could, why couldn’t I as well?”

Ra’fa stayed silent for a moment.

“I see.” She finally said. “You didn’t choose the easiest path. The mother in me is terrified. But I know, fundamentally I know it is the right choice, whatever end it may bring.”

The lights in the room started to flicker.

Nay felt a Rreico arrive with Konnie’s. She barely recognized the energy, only having felt it once before.

The servant knocked; her rhythm of life filled with fear.

“M-Miss? Y-your sister is here.”

“Liz…” Ra’fa stood up but didn’t dare go towards the door. Her rhythm was filled with guilt.

Nay went to open the door.

“B-big sis…” The voice came from the tombs, childish with high pitches in its deep as a grave base. Nay could hear her sister in some of those highs.

She was faced with a vision of horror, one that, unfortunately, she was almost used to seeing.

A shadow was standing next to the trembling Konnie. The light of the corridor was blinking repeatedly, but it was easy to see that the shadow vaguely resembling the shape of her sister was sucking up the surrounding lights.

Behind the wicked Rreico, Nay finally felt her sister’s.

“Liz…” The young Legio came closer, and the shadow raised an arm, then pulled it back, as if afraid of hurting her.

“I-it’s me.” The childish voice was sobbing. “I’m sorry.”

“No. No. It isn’t your fault.” Nay sat on her knees. Moved her hands forwards to hug her sister. “It is mine.”

And at the moment she said that she put her hands on the spectre, who disappeared. The light came back, and in one final flash of electric bulbs, Lisana emerged from the inscrutable shadows.

Lisana looked at her arms, hiccupping, face filled with tears and exhaustion.

Konnie visibly jumped in surprise, her fear replaced by dread. Ra’fa arrived from behind Nay, having witnessed the whole scene, and started to cry.

“Oh Lisana you are healed! Thank you! Adienha is with us. I am so sorry…I didn’t know what to do…how will you ever forgive me…”

“M…mooooom…big siiiiiiiis.” Lisana fell into tears and jumped inside her family’s arms.

Nay felt Ra’fa hug her from behind while her sister did from the front. She hugged them back, but her expression was one of shock.

Something of her power had stuck itself to her sister. But how? When? Why?

She closed her eyes. She felt the rhythm of life of the little girl in her arms, reliefs, happiness and fear.

And above her sister’s, there was another, tiny Rreico, barely peeking over her skin, which had to be her own energy. Not the Rreico inhabiting Nay, but the one that had been artificially created by the death of millions.

“I…I’m going to leave.” Konnie quickly left. She had had enough of those guests nothing like the others.

The little family stayed together for a while. Reuniting.

Then a tired voice talked to them.

“You’re making such a ruckus. What did I miss?” Trinne asked.

“A…a miracle.” Ra’fa responded.