They were in the Winter Gardens. A wide open area that was plains for most of the year but blooms with winter flowers in the cold season. White bellblossoms, blue skintililacs, and an random array of teal and cyan petals littered the ground amidst blankets of white. Tunnel entrances to underground cafes poked out of the landscape like holes springpigs dug. People went in and out at pace, with more circling the garden, enjoying the seasonal scenery.

She was shaking in her boots. Her white coat blended neatly into the snowy court.

“Are you cold?” Ishumi asked. “We could wait inside.”

“I don't think it's cold I'm feeling,” Shjacky replied with a smile. Her umbrella was opened over head, keeping the falling drizzle of snow from piling on their heads. “Though it definitely isn't helping.”

They waited on a bench that sat under a coniferous tree. Shjacky had her jaws clenched and could here her heart beating. For all her training, nothing ever prepared her for a situation such as that. How could it? Despite the brutality of her upbringing, she was restricted by her age to subjects her handler could teach her. There was only so much time for so many things. But she need to play it calmly. As cool as the weather around her. She clenched her fists for strength.

Ishumi began, “I don't think I've ever heard you talk about your mother.”

“I haven't. I think only Quinton and Four-Chan knows anything about her.”

“Why so secretive?”

She did not reply, and Ishumi did not dig further.

“But,” Shjacky began, catching her friend's attention. “You need to tell them about what we are doing today. I have a feeling it's going to be important.”

“What are we doing? You make it seem like a dangerous mission.”

Again, Shjacky kept quiet on the subject and they turned to their mutual friend of silence once again.

Shjacky found it strange with Ishumi. They were not very far apart in terms of what they consider their personalities. But unlike the latter, Shjacky's greatest wish was to break out of her shell. To speak with as many people as possible and not be thrown back into the small circle of her previous life. Yet, Ishumi seemed content with the tiny group of people she loved, never needing to expand that horizon. Alone together, they rarely spoke. Perhaps it was because they realized there was no need to. In a way, Shjacky felt comfortable revealing her underlining self to the quiet, dark haired girl.

“Over there,” Ishumi pointed out. “Isn't that just pompous?”

She turned to the direction. Coming into the park was a small procession. With golden trimmed red umbrellas above her head and guards at her side, the Janus of Wendereight strolled through the gardens. Torch bearers held flames around her, keeping the cold away.

The Janus was a striking older woman. Though her face was wrinkled, they were not sagging, instead stretching to a graceful age. Her hair was the colour of gold, braided and looped aside her bangs. Her eyes were cold silver that glazed into the distance. Like her procession, she was overdressed for the occasion. A gold-red robe adorned her body, stretching to the ground. Brown fur at the hem swept snow away from her feet.

As the two girls stared, the Janus gloated through the garden of her status, turning heads and eyes. Slowly, the world leader approached the bench in which they sat on, after which, the Janus stopped and looked down the path ahead their portside, not meeting the two girls' gaze.

“How presumptuous of you,” the woman spoke with icy blades of elegance. “To call me out here into the rabble.”

Shjacky almost spat as she replied, “Hello to you too, mother.”

Thankfully, Ishumi seemed to have grasped the situation almost immediately, choosing not to ask any further question. Shjacky gave herself a pat in the back for choosing the right person to follow her there.

“Am I still your mother?”

“Of course. As much as I wish you weren't.”

“Spiteful.” The Janus looked around. “Is this where we will be airing our laundry?”

“No. I've chosen a restaurant here.”

“Of course you did. I would assume it's in a public place with just enough people to keep me from trying anything underhanded?”

“Naturally.”

“And what if I don't agree to this?”

“Then I leave. You'll die old and alone and never knowing what happened to your daughter.”

The Janus growled, “Ungrateful girl...”

“Careful now, mother. Scowling is not a very leader-like thing to do.”

She could see the woman's jaws grinding. Shjacky decided to pull forward with the anger fresh and keep her mother off her toes. She stood up with Ishumi and headed towards one of the underground entrances. She did not turn to see if the procession followed.

When they arrived at the stairs that dug down into a door, Shjacky turned to her friend. At first, The Janus and her posse stopped, expecting to follow after. But when Shjacky refused to move, the larger group simply entered the restaurant without them.

Ishumi finally spoke, “What's going on?”

“I need you to stay out here,” Shjacky told her.

“You must be joking. This whole shenanigan have danger written all over it. I'm not leaving you alone.”

“I won't be alone. It's a public place. And you'll be right here. I promise I'll call if I need anything.” She winked casually to reassure Ishumi.

Shjacky then turned away and entered the establishment, keeping her umbrella opened as she did. The inside was kept warm by a fireplace and the heat of Tearha's neath. A modest establishment, the brick wall décor, hanging lamps, and smoothly carved wooden furnitures were outshone by the overbearing royalty that wandered in.

The waiter stared blankly at the incoming guests before shaking his head and coming forward. “Lady Janus, we were not expecting you.” He was stopped short of shaking the woman's hand when her guards half drew their weapons in intimidation.

“Of course not,” The Janus said. “I would not in my wildest nightmares visit such a... drab establishment.”

“Y-yes. Of course. You must be here for the tourney. I hope our festivities are to your liking.”

Shjacky approached the man and gave him as warm a smile as she could to calm his nerves. “I'm Shjacky Loyard. I believe I have a reservation?”

“R-right. Of course. Miss Loyard. Right this way.” He guided her to a small corner table for two. “You've ordered your food earlier. Should we serve them now?”

“Yes, thank you.” Shjacky bowed lightly as she took the inside seat, placing her umbrella opened down in the corner, angled to let the melting snow drip off the canopy and hiding the handles in its shadow.

The Janus walked out of her procession and looked to her daughter. “What is this?”

Her torchbearers behind snuffed out their lights and her guards stood in the middle of the establishment, all confused. The patrons of the restaurant began whispering amongst themselves, enough so that what the mother and daughter spoke between them, if at hushed tones, would be drowned and unheard.

Shjacky poured herself a cup of water. “I wanted to show you where you stand with me. Lady La'Grey knows about this meeting, and has precautions against any attempts against a citizen of Aleynonlia.”

“A citizen?”

“That's right. I forgot to tell you. I got my citizenship when I came of age.” From her pocket, Shjacky took out a folded piece of paper that contained her former citizenship identifications and crushed it into her palm. The left of her neck lit up red as her hand glowed red with fire. Slight smoke rose from the creases of her skin. Hand filled with ash, she emptied the char into her mother's cup across the table. “I'm no longer one of your subjects.”

The Janus finally sat down opposite her daughter. “You think you've won? You think you can leave your old life behind just like that?”

“I think I can, and I did.” Shjacky leaned forward and whispered. “You sent me to kill the king. But Lady La'Grey showed me a better path; gave me a better choice than you ever did. I am no longer your tool.”

“Ungrateful child. After all I've done for you! Adopting you. Giving you a home!”

“And I am thankful for all of that, which is why I had petitioned to my master and the king to let your attempted espionage slip. Because it is true that without you, I would be dead on the streets.” The waiter brought over a plate of beef garnished beautifully with green and placed in down in front of Shjacky who gave him a grateful thanks. “But you never did see me as a daughter. You saw someone with powerful magic who you could train to do your bidding. But you did so too well. The problem with education is that the more informed you are, the easier it is to make your own decisions, even against all the propaganda and brainwashing.”

The Janus got to her feet, fists balled. “Margaret Hari, you will pay for this.”

“Margaret's dead. My name's Shjacky Loyard. Remember it. You may be a seer who can see the future, but at least mine is no longer yours.”

The woman turned away and stomped back into her guards at procession. Even while fuming, she walked with a royal poise. To the untrained eye, she would merely be seen as frustrated, and not on the verge of waging war against a single girl in a restaurant.

With cold wind blowing through the door as they left and were out of earshot, the restaurant erupted in conversations. Everyone looked to Shjacky, but no one was approaching her, safe for the waiter who brought about another dish to be served. When she was absolutely sure her mother her left, she let out a loud and audible sigh of relief. At the very least, she was not shaking any longer.

The man asked, “Madam. I'm sorry, but my manager would like to speak with you.”

She saw a well dressed suited man in the corner almost glaring at her. “It's no problem,” she replied. Reaching again into her pockets, she took out a sealed letter. “Please pass this to him with my regards.”

The waiter bowed and held out a braised chicken dish in his hand. “Would you still like this meal to be served?”

“Of course. I'm expecting a guest. And may I have another cup of water please?”

With a gentle clank of cutlery, the waiter bowed again and left her to her meal.

Turning around to her umbrella, Shjacky asked, “Did you hear all of that?”

From behind the umbrella, Ishumi stood up from her cramped position. Stretching and cracking her back, the shadow mage gave a satisfied moan at finally getting out of the jammed corner.

“That was... fascinating,” Ishumi answerd. Shjacky pointed to the seat opposite and Ishumi took it. “Did you bring me along because you wanted me to know your relationship with The Janus?”

The two girls casually began their meal. “No. I wanted to show you that that is how to beat our epitaphs.”