“And humankind came to know these ancient, nameless gods lurking in the Abyss, corrupting the hearts and minds of men with their silent whispers, their unspoken promises, their voiceless temptations. The virtuous souls who saw through their lies deemed them unworthy of being called gods, and to differentiate them from the true deities, they decided on a more befitting name – primordial demons.

-scriptures of Pelirise”

* * *

Rina

When she woke up that morning, a single tear was rolling on her cheek. She raised a tired hand to rub her eyes and hide them from the faint sunlight coming through the gap in the curtains, until she got used to it. Then she laid still, in her bed, for some time, until a servant came knocking at her door.

“Good morning, young mistress,” said Aiga with her usual cheerfulness. “Have you slept well?”

Rina kept staring at the ceiling. “I dreamt of a man in red, with hair as bright as the sun...” she simply muttered.

“What's that?” the maid asked absently as she brought a trail with fruits and tea on the table.

“...Nothing.” Rina glanced at Aiga, saw her standing still by the door, and gave her a nod as a way of dismissal. She yawned and stretched, and shivered under her light nightgown. Slipped a housecoat on, neared the table, and stared into the tea. Right. Before taking her seat, she went to search for a small wooden box at the back of the cupboard, and took out a couple of small phials containing powders and plant extracts.

Strychnine now, and then nightshade in the evening. She poured a bit of the former in her tea, and hid back the box and the poisons. The one made from night berries would make her sleepy and so she had developed the habit of taking it before going to bed, whereas strychnine seeds had the strange consequence, as she realised, of making her more active and attentive to small details. Rina had first noticed it when she poisoned herself in the council room, and during the following weeks, came to understand that the plants were the cause.

Since then, it came naturally to her that it would be stupid not to make the most of the side effects. Being vigorous in the morning and finding sleep easily at the end of her stressful days were a convenient boon adding to her poison tolerance. I wonder if Astrael noticed it, too.

She took a bite from a fruit and glanced at the door. “Aiga,” she called out, and a moment later, the maid entered.

“You called, young mistress?”

Rina nodded. “What is today's agenda?”

Aiga thought for a split second. “You have mass in the afternoon, as usual. Before that, you'll be introduced to your new fencing master.”

“That would be sir Leon, I believe?”

“...No,” she said after another short pause. “A gentleman going by the name of Bert, if I'm not mistaken.” Hearing that, Rina couldn't help but snort, earning a puzzled look from the servant. Is it because Leon is still unwell, or because Phiramel has started to doubt him? Then she gazed blankly at the ground, her head tilted. No, isn't Bert with the Feanir family, first and foremost? I could take advantage of that. Aiga interrupted her thoughts by clearing her throat. “Young mistress?”

“Mh, carry on.”

“Err...” The maid thought yet again for a moment. “Other than that, I believe the morning is yours. You have letters, however. If you wish for me to read them out loud.”

Rina motioned for her to do so, and kept sipping her tea. She glanced at the seal on the first letter Aiga was about to open, and stopped her. “Anything from the Callirian houses, we'll see later.” Dealing with the nobles was work, and work should wait until she was fully awake. Most of these letters were simply flattery and praises and whatnot, but if they happened to contain even the slightest hint of distrust toward Phiramel, she had to know. It could be a metaphor, it could be subtly implied, or, hell, it could even be written as poetry or whatever. She'd need her undivided attention.

“In that case,” Aiga said as she went through the letters. “...Ah, a message from your family, I believe.”

Rina flashed a faint smile, and stretched her arm. “I read this one myself.” The maid gave her the letter without a word.

“Next is a letter from Akilne,” Aiga stated with a confused frown. “It is addressed to you personally.”

Vierans... Rina studied the sealed scroll in the maid's hands. Is this a trick? Perhaps they coated the letter in poison. She forced herself to avoid meeting her maid's eyes. ...What if it really is the case?

But she figured guilt wouldn't help anyone at this point. “Who sent it?” she eventually asked, still staring at the piece of paper.

“A certain... Demnir? Curious name.” Huh. Rina froze for a moment, and did not realise the strange expression she was probably making until she saw Aiga's. “Young mistress?” she asked in an uneasy voice.

“Yes, yes. Give me this one, too.”

“But...” Aiga grimaced. “Vierans, young mistress... It must be a provocation or a letter of insult. I should perhaps inform his excellency Phiramel...”

“You'll do no such thing,” Rina said, and despite the smile she displayed, her commanding voice must have betrayed her annoyance. She'll ask, Rina predicted, and so she spoke first. “He is a family friend, whom I haven't seen ever since I left my village, because he went to live in Akilne.”

“I see...”

Aiga didn't look that convinced, so Rina painted another layer of falsehood. “He is probably writing about how awful it is, as a Callirian, to live amongst Vierans and assassins. Perhaps some misfortune happened to him because of these filthy foreigners, in which case it is a private matter that concerns only his close ones, such as me.”

The maid promptly bowed in apology and handed out the letter, either because it was enough to persuade her, or because she dared not to oppose Rina any longer.

“Should I fetch quill and paper for your reply, young mistress?” she asked while Rina hurriedly broke the seal and went through the parchment. Then glanced at Aiga and nodded. Once the maid was gone, she read the letter once again with more care, and, she was sure, a more quizzical expression.

“Good day,

I have settled in Akilne for the time being, with the intent to open a business of mine. It is a childish wish I have been contemplating for some time, I reckon, but let me assure you that it will contribute to our commerce. I expect I'll be meeting all manner of travellers, forge many unseemly friendships, and gather tales from all around the world. I write to you with a favour to ask. For my trade to prosper adequately, I shall like for you to send me shipments of iron and coal once you have acquired the necessary ally.

Best of luck.”

She let the piece of paper fall on the table and rubbed her forehead. This was the first letter from her brother ever since he left Callir, and it wasn't exactly how she had imagined it would be, even though she knew it would have been wrong and strange for him to write anything else. But she figured he would write in a code of sorts, convey his messages through someone else's, or at least disguise whatever request he had in some way. She wasn't expecting a straightforward letter to her name.

Oh. Rina closed her eyes and sighed. And neither is Phiramel.

Even though she had heard about ways to open seals without leaving a trace, she had no idea whether the high-priest had her letters checked for hints about her brother's whereabouts, but if it was the case, this one would be hard to miss. Rina remembered her geography lessons, and the talk about natural resources. Iron and coal are mined throughout the entire city-state of Akilne... But one freshly arrived Callirian, with no Vieran friends or vast amounts of money, for instance, would have trouble to get his hands on these resources without relying on his compatriots.

If Phiramel has already read that, then he must certainly know by now, she thought. Iron and coal were also mined in the city-state of Callir, and had made the fortune of one house in particular – it did not take a genius to understand that the soon-to-be ally mentioned in the letter was none other than Laurentias Feanir, whose ancestors had turned earthly ores in wealth and silver.

At least he had bothered to take a different name. But no matter how she looked at this, it seemed like a massive gamble. Her brother was betting on one of two possibilities – that Phiramel was betting, in turn, on the assumption that Astrael himself would use subtle and ingenious methods of communication.

Perhaps the high-priest is looking through the window right now, watching for birds making suspicious circles in the sky, or whatever...

Or perhaps Astrael meant for him to read it. Perhaps he was baiting the high-priest somehow...

“No,” Rina muttered as she rose from her seat before getting dressed. “Wouldn't he have made it more obvious? And there isn't much to bait anyway.”

Phiramel wouldn't be able to do much. Callirian arms no longer reach very far in Vieran territory.

Once she was wearing her usual crimson robes, she left her room. Four knights were standing outside, and their healthy faces told Rina they just began their shift, the previous group probably already asleep by now. Since she still had an hour before her lesson with Bert, she thought about going to the library in the meantime. She could read her other letters here, and do some research while she was there. It could not hurt to learn more about Callirian history, and there was a lot she did not know, especially when it came to the nobility. She would have never guessed, for instance, that the Feanir house used to have strong ties with the last few kings here – until her brother told her, and until elder Therenus mentioned it in his final speech.

Astrael also suggested that the Feanir family could have been part of the royal house, in the distant past... she thought as she walked toward the stairs, before catching a glimpse of something interesting in the corner of her eye. Speak of the devil.

Leon Feanir, an angry frown ruining his handsome figure, had just exited Phiramel's chambers. She only had time to hear some raging bellowing coming from the inside, while a servant hurriedly closed the door. A faint smile crept up on her face, but she suppressed it immediately.

Rina and her court stopped, the captain of the bloodsguard noticed them. “Sir Leon,” she greeted with a nod, and he nodded back. “Is everything fine?” she asked in a gentle tone, thought it was clear to anyone present here that nothing was fine.

“No...” Leon began sharply, but he paused and shook his head. “Forgive me, young mistress. I know it is not your fault, but this matter with your brother...”

Rina glanced sideways and acted the part of a girl that felt guilty for her sibling's sins and misdeeds. “A-apologies,” she stuttered.

“Do not blame yourself for it,” he corrected as she knew he would. “It pains me to say so, but perhaps he grew jealous of you. That would certainly explain it. Though whatever his reasons, I say it again, the blame isn't on you.”

“What... what did his excellency want, if I may ask?”

“Oh...” Leon pursed his lips. “As you know, I had your brother enter my household. His excellency sees Astrael's treachery as my responsibility, and I would not argue with that opinion. It is indeed my mistake for being blind to his act and his lies...”

“You could not have guessed,” Rina argued. “You and I were both tricked.”

“I know, and there was no reason to doubt him, when he came to me and asked for a horse. How could I have objected, when he spoke of a family matter?”

She nodded yet again. At the time, the only people who knew that Astrael wasn't in need of a horse because he had to return to the village were Rina, Phiramel, and Astrael himself. Rina played her role and made it seem as if she had been fooled like everyone else, and while Phiramel had sent pursuers as soon as possible, they had gotten no word from the riders until the next day.

Then again, only their corpses were found, and Astrael had stolen their gear, silver, and valid horses. That was a month ago, and the last they heard of him was that he had gotten on a ship sailing north. Nobody should be expecting him to hide in Akilne, when he could have passed through Ocia and fled to Dael or wherever else he wished...

“Still,” Leon kept on, “now my good will is being doubted. His excellency is starting to wonder whether my father and I were truly unaware of your brother's intentions.”

“Dear gods,” Rina muttered. “But... you would never...”

“I would never indeed, I swear it on my life, young mistress, but I'm afraid the high-priest suspects otherwise,” he said through his teeth, clenching his fists. Rina reached for his hands and held them gently.

“I believe you, sir Leon,” she said with a timid smile, and she would almost feel embarrassed by her own words. “I trust you, the captain of my guard, with my life. I know not why or what my brother was thinking, but I am sure you have nothing to do with this. Had you been plotting against me, you would have encountered no trouble in harming me.” And then she glanced at his leg, where he had received a blade that was destined to her. He wasn't using the wooden crutch anymore, but the careful eye would still notice his limp. “I did not, and shall not, ever, forget what you did.”

“As I've said many times, young mistress, it is simply my duty.”

“Then know this, Leon Feanir.” She glanced around, and made sure that the other knights were listening. “People may doubt you, and they may accuse you, but I won't. I shall honour duty and loyalty properly, and I shall vouch for the knights who are sworn to me.”

“...Young mistress,” Leon muttered. She wasn't sure whether his dazzled expression and his submissive behaviour were genuine or not, but she would certainly not give him the benefit of the doubt. He is probably just being careful around me, she surmised. And he will keep doing so as long as he doesn't know where I stand.

For him to trust her, she had to show him that she wasn't merely the puppet of Phiramel, but a possible contender. Yes, she realised. She would let him believe that he could groom her into becoming a more trustworthy leader than the current one.

“Today, I may be but a powerless girl. But do not forget that I have been chosen by Xito. One day, I will be able to repay your loyalty, and that day is close.”

Her consecration was only a few weeks away, now. Phiramel could try to delay it a bit longer, but it would only serve to unnerve his allies by showing them how hard he was trying to stay in control. In any case, this was enough for the moment. She glanced around once more, tried to see through the faces of the knights. Leon aside, they weren't willing to display their appreciation so easily. But the slight frowns of some betrayed that they were lost in thought, while the faint smiles of others hinted at their hopes. And other details. The blinking of their eyes, their breathing, the scent of their sweat.

The strychnine has kicked in, she understood. She could almost smell the steel they wore, hear their beating hearts, and more importantly, her own. Her muscles would soon start to twitch, and the urge to exercise would follow quickly. I suppose I'll read later.

“Now, excuse me, sir Leon,” Rina said, still smiling. She would let him, and the others, sleep on her suggestion for the time being. Insisting would be too obvious, perhaps even suspicious. “I have sword practise to attend.”