Nik was gloomy as he entered Ophelion's rooms. He'd heard about her planned marriage and felt sick to his stomach. He wasn't sure what upset him most: possibly never seeing her again, or imagining her and some savage together and...

Ophelion was even more upset than him, of course. She was sitting silently on a couch stroking Meronion's cat, curled up next to her. No one else was with her, and the room was silent except for the breeze blowing in through the windows, ruffling the tapestries. The cheery sunlight flooding the room seemed inappropriate - he wanted the world to acknowledge their pain. Of course, it wouldn't. He went over to her and put his hand over hers.

She looked up at him with a leaden gaze that broke his heart. "Oh, hello Nik."

"Ophie, I heard about this plan of Meronion's. I don't know what to say."

"She always gets what she wants in the end. I'm just her toy to sell as she sees fit. It's fine to her if she never sees me again."

Nik was sad to hear the venom in her voice, but pleased to see how unhappy she was at the thought of leaving him. He sat down next to her.

"I could talk to her, maybe change her mind?"

"She doesn't listen to you."

That stung, but he couldn't deny it. Truth was, he'd already tried to give Meronion a piece of his mind about this abomination, and she'd simply walked away in the middle of his speech, telling him she wasn't in the mood. His opinion was not high on her list of concerns.

He made some vague comments in a lame attempt to comfort them both. Ophelion got up and started to pace around and get angry.

"She never listens to me! She doesn't care what I want. Sometimes I wonder if she even has a heart or if duty is all she cares about. I've told her lots of times I don't want to go but she just keeps talking about what's good for the empire. She doesn't care at all about what's good for me. She's going to tear me away from everybody I ever loved, everybody and everything I know, and sell me off like some cheap whore." Her tone kept rising as she became more and more upset.

"It will be so hard, being apart. For me too. I don't know what I'll do without you," he said.

"Yes, of course." She chuckled, but without humor. "You'll be stuck here, living your life. Meanwhile I'll be off in some mud hut with a filthy savage crawling all over me, expecting me to share his bed, regardless of whether I want to or not."

His dreams were going up in smoke. He'd always thought the two of them would end up be together, one way or another. They both wanted it, although they had to be subtle due to the empty social mores that ruled their lives. He'd thought the church would be the biggest obstacle, but he'd never imagined anything like this. He had no idea how to get out of this situation. What a fool he'd been. In the end, he would probably be married off to some patros ally or foreign dignitary too. They weren't children anymore; time for them to fulfill that duty as well.

He'd racked his brain from the moment he'd heard about the marriage trying to think of a way to save his love, but so far, he had no plans and no ideas. Other than Meronion, Cordelian was the only person able to call off the marriage, and Nik wasn't stupid. He'd understood immediately that this was Cordelian's plan, to hurt him. Cordelian must have realized Nik was becoming a danger to him, and hoped to break him by sending Ophelion away. He only wished Ophelion didn't have to suffer because of him.

A servant announced Pelagius and Helastus’s arrival. Nik smiled and he noticed even Ophelion cheered up. She trotted over to greet them (as did the cat). Pelagius came over and sat down next to him while their sisters sat on another couch across from their brothers.

"The cat likes you Hel," Pel said, smiling. Indeed the cat was rubbing up against her legs, and she reached down to pick it up and put it on her lap.

Ophie whispered something to Hel, who smiled and nodded, and they hugged.

"What are you girls doing?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it Nik." Ophie replied.

"I'm sorry to hear about your impending nuptials," Pelagius said.

"Pel, do you think there's anything you could do? You're the Decim, maybe you could talk to Meronion?" Ophie asked.

Nik tried not to let Ophie asking Pel for help bother him. Pel was the Decim, and such feelings were unworthy of him. He needed to be happy for the successes of his little brother, and honestly he was. It wasn’t Pel’s fault that Cordelian was blocking Nik from advancing. But he wished he could do more for those he loved.

Pel spread his hands helplessly. "I'm sorry Ophie, but what can I do? I already brought it up with Meronion. She just bit my head off."

"There has to be something you could do." Ophie looked like she wanted to cry, and Nik said empty nothings he hoped would comfort her.

Ophie's head snapped up when Pel said, "maybe later I could help you."

"What do you mean?" Nik asked.

Pel had an unsettling sneer on his face. "You know how these savages are. They die all the time from fighting, from the plague, falling off horses, you name it. Who's to say how long this Wanax will live?"

"Yes...this filthy Circie could have an accident," Ophie said.

Nik was horrified. What had happened to his sweet younger siblings? Even Helastus looked unperturbed by this conversation. Was this what life in the Trigon Palace had made of them? While Nik tried to find the words to stop this vileness, the ghastly conversation continued.

"I don't want some savage to touch me." Ophie said. "Hel, could you-"

Pel cut in. "It would be too suspicious if anything happened right away. Besides, it will be best if you give the man an heir or two."

"What?! But then what's the point?"

Nik finally jumped up and told them all to stop talking this way. All of them turned to look at him. "I can't believe you, Ophelion, Pelagius. Have you heard yourselves? What you are suggesting is disgusting and evil. This is not what I've been teaching you!"

Pelagius wouldn't meet his eyes, but Ophelion, shockingly, fought him, with the angriest look he'd ever seen on her face.

"It's easy for you to worry about morality when you're not the one being sold off. Your pretty little morals aren't going to save me."

"It's not easy for me to say, and you should know that better than anyone. That doesn't mean we throw our integrity away."

"I heard all about duty from Meronion, and now I hear about integrity from you. You can keep your fancy words. They're no help at all."

Nik felt like his heart was being ripped out. "Ophie, I know you're upset," he began, trying to be calm, but she cut him off.

"I don't care. You know what, while we're being honest with each other-"

Helastus broke in here, surprising them both. "Don't say anything else, Ophie. Don't create bad blood when you don't know when you'll have to leave, how you'll have to leave things here. Besides, I will help you."

Something about her words seemed to calm Ophie down, but Pelagius sat forward.

"Helastus," he said, apparently in warning.

Helastus only glanced at him, still focusing on Ophelion. "I'll give you something you can use, if you have to."

Ophelion smiled and hugged her sister, who returned the hug. Nik couldn't hear what they were saying to each other. Nik couldn't figure out what Helastus meant. Did she have an idea on how to avoid the marriage? She was the youngest of them, barely more than a child.

Pel stood up and put his hand on Nik's shoulder, leaning in close to his ear. "She means a concoction to prevent pregnancy," he said.

Nik felt like a fool. Of course that was Ophie's main worry. Being married to this Wanax was bad enough but carrying his child would be horrifying. Helastus had her garden; she had all kinds of herbs there.

"Come on, let's leave them to it Nik. This isn't a conversation for our ears. Besides, you both need some time to calm down, I think."

Nik agreed to Pel's suggestion, and, with him, stood to take his leave. Ophelion barely acknowledged them as they said goodbye.

"Hel," Pelagius said in a heavy tone, drawing the girl's attention. "We'll talk later." For some reason, he seemed to be unhappy with her.

She looked at him unblinking for a moment before finally nodding.

Pelagius turned back to him. "Let's go." Without looking back he marched off. Despite his cool exterior, he must be angry about the situation as well.

Nik took his leave more formally, although neither of the girls noticed. He should have been more patient with Ophie, given her situation. He decided he should get her a present to make up with her. Ophie would never murder someone, she was just upset and saying outrageous things to comfort herself. It seemed like all he did lately was blunder around saying the wrong thing.

After catching up with his youngest brother, he walked for a while with Pel, discussing what sort of present would be most suitable for Ophelion.

In her personal chambers, Meronion knelt and comforted her oldest daughter. The girl was crying at the news that her mother was going to leave her for some months to fight in the north. It did not please her any more than it did Dori, but the Lorgorin had become too bold. She needed to put them down once again. She hadn't yet told Dori that her favorite aunt Ophelion would be leaving for good soon too.

"Doricassian, I need you to be strong, can you do that for me?"

Her eldest sniffled and nodded.

"You're a good girl," she said, rubbing her little back.

Doricassian had only just turned four, but already showed a good backbone. She could be infuriatingly stubborn, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Meronion thought she would grow up into a strong woman who would make her proud. Her younger daughter, Heraclasus, was barely walking, but Meronion was eager to see what kind of woman she would become. Already she was less rough and tumble than Dori was. Meronion imagined Hera growing up to become a poet or artist. It wasn't a life she understood, but she could respect it. Cultural superiority was part of the Empire's strength.

"When will you come back mama?" Dori asked.

"I'm not sure. It might be a while."

"I don't want you to go." Typical Dori.

"Your mother has to keep you and all the other little children safe. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like." It was like talking to Ophelion all over again.

Dori kept complaining, but Meronion just smiled and hugged both of her daughters. Hera squirmed, trying to reach some toy horse on the floor. She wondered how different they would be when she got back. She might miss Hera's first word.

An attendant entered and announced that her younger sisters had come to see her. She didn't want another fight to spoil one of her last days with her children, and thought about turning Ophelion away, but decided against it. Fortunately, Ophelion looked calmer than before. It seemed they weren't going to fight this time.

Helastus came in after her. Meronion found her youngest sister to be hard to read. Outwardly meek and mild, you would think she was a sweeter version of Ophelion. But while Ophelion was self-absorbed and rash, Helastus was more of a thinker. Meronion thought her quietness came from being lost in her own thoughts, not humility. What Helastus thought about was a mystery to Meronion.

Meronion stood, suppressing a grunt at doing so, and waited for Ophelion to say something. Her full sister wouldn't meet her gaze. Helastus moved over to the girls and knelt to talk to them. Both of her daughters liked Helastus. She was the closest in age to them of all the royal siblings, with only about a decade between her and Dori, less than there was between her and Meronion. Both of her daughters began chattering, although all Hera could manage was nonsense babbling. Helastus was good with them. She would make a good mother someday.

Helastus was clearly keeping them out of the way to let Ophelion talk to her, so Meronion waited. Finally, Ophelion found her nerve.

"Meronion, look, I'm sorry," Ophelion said. "I'm sorry we fought. I don't want to fall out with you."

"Me neither. Have you come to understand your duty?"

Ophelion chuckled. "Don’t push your luck. I'm still not happy. I'm not sorry I defended myself, and I don't want to go. I just don't want things to be bad between us. I mean, I don't know if we'll ever meet again once I leave. I could die down there, or you up north."

It would do, Meronion supposed. "We will meet again little sister. I'll go and visit you, I promise, and we'll find some reason for you to come back to the capital for a feast or two."

A truce established, the conversation began flowing again. Meronion suspected Ophelion had another reason for coming by, and after a few minutes of chatting, it was revealed.

"I've been thinking," Ophelion started, "you were right, back then, when you said I'm sheltered. You said it was time for me to grow up."

Meronion rubbed her hand through her short hair awkwardly.

Ophelion continued. "I thought I should go with you on this expedition."

Meronion wasn't expecting this. "Sister, this is war, not sight-seeing."

"I know!" Ophelion bristled. "I'm not saying I'm going to fight. I would get killed right away."

Meronion snorted in amused agreement. At least she knew that much.

"But I can still learn out there, can't I? Even if I'm not in the battle?"

Meronion thought it over. Seeing war up close would be no bad thing Ophelion, but why would she suddenly gain this urge she'd never had before? Meronion had expected she'd spend her time trying to get out of the marriage. Ah, that was it.

"If you're up north with me, how can your marriage arrangements proceed?" She asked. "You won't be back for some months."

"Oh, that hadn't occurred to me." Ophelion said, unconvincingly.

She was a terrible liar. She was trying to delay the marriage any way she could. If Ophelion was in the north, they couldn't finish the arrangements. They would need her to look over documents, fit clothes, make travel arrangements, and so on. She was trying to dodge her duty.

Meronion should have berated her, but a large part of her liked the idea. Just the two of them, no scheming politicians around, just good, honest spears, and fighting. It could be the last chance for them to be together.

"Well," she said at last, "I'm sure we can find some reason to give to the Wanax. Illness perhaps, or some pointless detail we suddenly quibble over for months. We're known to do that after all."

Ophelion looked at her in surprise. "You're going to let me?"

She smiled in resignation. "Can I stop you if you've got your heart set?"

Ophelion clapped her hands in delight and hugged her. Meronion awkwardly patted her on the back.

"You'll have to convince Cordelian. He's the one negotiating this deal," she said.

"I thought maybe you could talk to him for me." Ophelion tried her most charming smile. It might have worked on Nikolonium or Pelagius.

"Time for you to grow up, remember? Make your own pleas." Meronion smirked as her smile dropped for a childish pout.

Helastus spoke up. "Cordelian will complain, but secretly he'll like the extra time to argue over the deal."

This cheered Ophelion up, and Meronion had to admit Helastus was probably right. Cordelian loved nothing more than talking. He'd use the extra months to go back and forth dozens of times with the Wanax to eke out every single fractional concession he could.

Ophelion began to talk excitedly, and Dori joined in too, whining that if Ophelion was going, she wanted to go too. After she told Dori no, she had soothe a tantrum, which made Hera cry too. After a while Meronion gave up and told the servants to put them to bed for a nap.

"I'm leaving in two or three days. You'll have to start arranging your guard right away," she said to Ophelion.

"I'll have to pack. Should I take the dancing robes Toressia gave me?"

"Ophelion, I swear," Meronion shook her head in amusement, "if you bring dancing robes to a war, I'm going to throw them into a river."

They squabbled, but in good humor. Meronion turned to Helastus.

"You're going to be without your favorite sister in a couple of days."

"Theo already left for the south," Helastus said.

"Hel!" Ophelion gasped. "You're so cruel. I'm your favorite sister."

"Right, I forgot I told you that." Even Cordelian would envy her deadpan delivery. Ophelion playfully grabbed her in a bear hug.

"Helastus, look after my cat, will you?" Meronion asked.

Helastus nodded. "I'll keep Dori and Hera company as well."

"I appreciate it. They'll have their nurses, but family is better."

The three of them chatted for a while about nothing important. Ophelion once again told her she should name the cat, and she ended up asking Helastus to think of a name just to keep them quiet. It felt good to have a normal family moment. Those had been in short supply lately.

After the Kolonai meeting came to an end, Cordelian finished up his work as the members of the Kolonai filed out of the chamber. Cordelian handed off a document to his personal attendant, but barely looked at the man. He had no interest in replacing Agathio, and so contented himself with a rotating staff of faceless slaves. They were competent enough, but no allies of his. He still had various allies among the patros, of course, but in the royal family there was only one whom he would count himself as close to now. Euphastolon had gone, and even Theodorian had left, temporarily, to attend Euphastolon's wedding. Somebody important had to go to avoid slighting Zeusis, and the Mekos was a good choice. Meronion wanted him alone and friendless. He intended to keep his remaining allies secret, to make sure Meronion couldn't target them.

He looked over to see Meronion also tarrying, deep in some discussion with a general. Pelagius, standing next to her, met his look. Cordelian indicated he should go on ahead. Once Meronion was done, Cordelian called out to her.

"Milem." Cordelian regarded his sister coolly. "I know you are leaving at dawn tomorrow, and I wanted to make sure you are prepared."

"Everything is taken care of." She was clearly uninterested in talking to him. Meronion had long nursed a dim view of him, he knew, and their relationship had become even more strained since Vicca’s death.

"I must ask for the sake of the empire, although I apologize in advance: I assume any family squabbles will not interfere with your work in the north?" He enjoyed needling her.

Meronion bristled. "Of course not."

"A distraction can be lethal, even to the mightiest of warriors."

She snorted. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be sure to come back to your side."

"Excellent. I would hate to have to take news of a failure to the Doukar."

Meronion's remaining eye narrowed at him. "I don't fail."

He smiled. "Everyone fails. Eventually."

"I'll remember that when it's your turn to fail."

Meronion stalked off, not even saying goodbye. Cordelian watched her limp off. She wasn't doing a good job of concealed her old hip wound lately. A rare weakness. Sometimes she seemed made of bronze.

Originally, he had thought he could work with her, being higher in the line of succession than her and her being a dutiful fool. He'd unestimated how intractable she could be. If he didn't think of a way to contain her soon, she might find a way to truly hurt him. She was like a dog with a bone once you were on her bad side. She reminded him of Tarcassian's hero Alaros, the warrior who'd gone mad.

Her trip to the north would give him some breathing room, but left to her own devices he knew she would achieve yet another glorious victory and come back to a hero's welcome. This would only strengthen her position, making her more popular among the military, which was an increasing concern for him. Once Fornulus was out of the way, there would be those among the generals who'd agitate to see Meronion given the crowns instead of him. Cordelian could end up being another Mekarian, overthrown by his own soldiers.

So he'd put into motion plans to undermine her. This time, she would learn what failure felt like. His only regret was that he wouldn’t be able to see her face when she realized the fall that awaited her.