This time, Lucille Sybil Kinnock wasn’t late for the council meeting. Despite it being an emergency meeting, she had been forewarned by her sons’ letters of what happened. Today was the 52nd Day of Water, not a normal council day, but High Adjudicator Sharine had been adamant.

The grand chandeliers above the middle of the council chamber were freshly lit, the crystals shedding a warm yellow light that reflected off mirrored surfaces. Erasmus Dinia, her Shieldbrother, stood respectfully behind her.

High Adjudicator, Erwin Sharine, was already there, of course. The old man was clearly distraught though Lucille wasn’t sure why. The blonde elder paced behind his seat, shooting impatient glances at the chamber’s entrance. Still, there were a few more minutes until the appointed time.

The doors opened and Lucille was shocked to see the Agminis Legate, Iola Brygos, as she marched in. The Legate was nearly twice Lucille’s age, but she was a Dominus. She looked young--in her late twenties at most. Brygos’ shock of red hair had been tamed into a ponytail braid that fell to her shoulders. She came in with an aide-de-camp, a man who actually looked older than the Legate but was probably less than half her age.

“What is this about, Sharine?” the Legate asked as soon as she entered.

High Adjudicator Sharine grunted and gestured to her place on the council. “I’d rather not repeat my address.”

“Hmph, I’ve little time for this,” Brygos grunted, “unless you’d rather talk to my aide instead.”

Sharine grunted. “Fine, let’s begin.”

Lucille’s eyebrows rose. The Esras weren’t here yet. The attendants from the Church of the Everlasting Order were present, but they rarely participated. Vagaris’ representatives hadn’t arrived either.

As soon as Brygos sat down, Sharine stalked in the middle of the chamber.

“Those Swarm fodder, rotlings up north have taken my granddaughter captive. I’m going to lead my men there and get her back.”

His tone was resolute, calm. His eyes were another matter. They smouldered.

Brygos raised a questioning eyebrow. “You’d abandon your post?”

“If I must. If none of you move. My ba-er my granddaughter wasn’t the only one captured.” He gave Lucille a sidelong glance.

Ah, yes, of course he’d know about her, too. Kale’s letter had mentioned the unusual Iron Skin raid. They fielded more younglings than ever before and attacked in a decidedly different way. Worse, Lucille knew that the Mishala scion had been among those captured.

Wait, this could be an opportunity.

“The House’s troops aren’t needed down south,” Sharine continued. “Your legion has everything under control there.”

“Ivala is readying itself for war,” Brygos declared flatly.

“There are no signs.”

“There are.”

“Nevertheless, I will not abandon Gwendith.”

“A campaign to the north, huh.” Brygos rubbed her chin.

“They’ve destroyed the mining camps,” Lucille helpfully supplied.

Before either of them could answer, the doors to the council chambers opened and Mori Esras hurried inside. His gaze stopped at the Legate. Lucille could see him break out in a cold sweat.

“I apologize for my tardiness,” he said, nodding.

“No, matter.” Brygos grunted. “As I was saying, it’s in the middle of the Season of Water. Any campaign to the north now is doomed to fail.”

“Then I’ll send an elite team, followed by my warriors when the Season changes,” Adjudicator Sharine insisted. “I must recover her before it’s too late.”

“What’s this?” Mori Esras asked.

“The barbarians captured Adjudicator Sharine’s granddaughter,” Lucille answered, “along with other cadets.”

Mori’s eyes narrowed. “Who?”

“I don’t have a list,” Lucille replied, “not a formal one, anyway. My son sent word. I’m sure some of your family members have done the same. Oh, maybe not.” Lucille sneered. “Few of your kin join Agaza after all.”

Mori scowled but did not comment. He couldn’t refute it anyway.

“Those scum have overstepped,” Sharine nearly yelled. “We’ve tolerated them for so long, allowed to remain where they are because their land isn’t worth taking. We’ve even let them test their children against ours.” Spittle ran down the old man’s chin. “But what gave them the right?”

Lucille was sure that the jadeite mine had more to do with the man’s rancour than anything else. The Sharines had dozens of heirs, why be so concerned about this one? Hmmm. Perhaps the child inherited a potent version of the Sharine Heritage?

That was certainly possible. Well, Lucille hoped that she survived the barbarians’ blandishments. The Iron Skin rarely killed captive women but there were always exceptions. Besides, there were more barbarians than the Iron Skin Tribe.

Hmmm, if Yuriko Mishala was captured, then Lucille needed to rescue her before she succumbed.

“Are you heading north, High Adjudicator?” Lucille asked, cutting the man off from his tirade.

The old man stared at her. Well, technically, the man was her uncle. He was cousin to Lucille’s father, Solomon Kinnock. But they belonged to different Houses now. Besides, High Adjudicator Sharine was just a Knight. He got his position as Adjudicator for his expert knowledge of Imperial Law and, of course, had received a meritorious accolade from Aneurin Academy.

Why, his own son, Earl Glaisn Sharine had already achieved Knight-Captain last year. Well, constant tension at the southern border accelerated Anima strength growth, to a point anyway.

“I am not strong enough,” Sharine growled. “My son is just as desperate to find his daughter.”

“You’d leave the south short of a defender?”

Sharine shook his head, but he didn’t say anything.

Lucille nodded, “I will lead the expedition.”

“Eh?”

Everyone’s eyes riveted to her.

“What are you surprised about? My son is there, too.”

“It is folly,” Legate Brygos repeated, “to start an expedition in the midst of the coldest season of the year. You will only lead your men to their deaths.”

“An elite advanced team should do,” Lucille insisted. “Adjudicator Sharine, I expect your troops to muster in Fort Aegermonth by the turn of the Season.”

“Why?” Sharine asked suspiciously.

Lucille shrugged. “The Iron Skin must pay for their transgressions. Along with every other tribe that joined in their raid.”

Sharine stared at her for a few moments, then nodded.

“The proposal for the council is as follows: Knight-Commander Kinnock has volunteered to scout ahead, and recover the captives. Come the Season of Earth, and the Empire shall throw its might against the Tribes and drive them out of the north. Any to oppose?”

“A detailed plan of action must be made, and the council must approve before deployment,” Mori said.

“Agreed. It will be brought up in the next council meeting.”

“High Adjudicator, it is no longer your purview on the deployment of troops,” the Agminis aide-de-camp interrupted.

“Then who will lead?”

“Agminis is charged only with defending the borders,” Lucille snorted. “In the absence of the Vagaris, House Kinnock shall lead.”

“No!” Mori spluttered. “It must be a joint command.”

Lucille smirked. Of course, he wouldn’t let her assume sole command. He’d be a fool otherwise. The Jadeite mine was up north, after all.

“Too many hands at the wheel will bring the landcrafter to ruin,” she replied coldly. “Kinnock shall lead, and Esras shall follow. It is an external threat.”

“I move to postpone the matter of command until the next full council meeting.”

“No!” High Adjudicator Sharine growled, “We must settle this now. I will not have my grandchild endangered by your waffling!”

“More is at stake than one child, Adjudicator.” Mori hissed.

“Then stay here!”

“Peace!” Legate Brygos said. “This is why I hate coming here,” she muttered in a voice barely loud enough to be heard. “Let us move the question of leadership at the next council meeting two weeks from now. In the meantime, Madam Kinnock, I believe your rescue attempt should proceed.”

“Of course.”

It wasn’t that simple, of course. Though the Esras continued to protest, Sharine blocked any motion to delay deployment. Hmm, Lucille didn’t think the old man was that emotional.

At the end of day, every other motion was postponed, but she would lead a team to find and rescue the captives. She would need to travel to the border as quickly as she could though. A landcrafter would take too long.

Outside of the palace, she waited until her personal landcraft arrived. As soon as she got in the back seat, she said to the chauffeur, “Take me to the Imperial Academies’ campus. To the instructors’ quarters.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he bowed, quickly driving off.

It took about half an hour to travel from the palace to the campus. It wasn’t so much the distance as the number of pedestrians and the fresh layer of snow on the roads in the Upper Ring. It had been snowing all day, a little precipitation that nevertheless piled up on the frozen stuff. The street sweepers hadn’t had the chance to clear all the roads yet.

Even as the landcrafter crunched down on the powder, a sweeper in light orange coat channelled her Animus to manipulate the ice, compacting it to the side and out of the centre of the road.

As soon as the landcrafter entered the Learner’s Pass, they took a northern sideroad halfway to the Academic Roundabout. They trundled along until they arrived at a gate. Lucille got off the landcrafter and directed her chauffeur to wait by the parking lot. She walked inside the little village alone.

The road split in two, and there were small villas along each road. The dwellings were a bit small by the standards of the Upper Ring, but since only unattached instructors lived in the village, it was passable.

There were only two Sorcerers in Rumiga City. One was the Dean of Sharom, Ianis Weir Esras. And the other was a visiting professor from Realmheart, Kiyo Alfein. Well, it was easier to ask for aid from Master Alfein as opposed to the Dean.

She followed the eastern road until it split north and south. She took the north one. The villa she was looking for had a bronze cat figure on its front door. She went up the walkway and knocked.

It took a minute before the door was yanked open.

“Charlene Antiga,” Lucille nodded in greeting. “Good evening. Is Master Alfein inside?”

“Lucille,” Charlene answered archly. “What brings you here?”

Lucille rolled her eyes, while Charlene snorted.

“I meant, why are you looking for her?”

“I seek a service. I need to reach the northern border as soon as possible.”

Charlene blinked. “You’re too late. Kiyo left for the border more than a week ago.” She folded her arms under her modest bosom. “Hmm, she should have been back by now, actually.”

“Oh.”

Lucille grunted in annoyance. It looked like she needed to use a landcrafter after all. A flying shuttle could work but she’d need a lot of jade cartridges to use it under these weather conditions. She didn’t even bother going to the Dean. Ianis didn’t have a transportation spell, and even if he did, she didn’t quite trust him.

“Why are you headed up north?”

“You haven’t heard of the barbarian raids?”

“Those are common occurrences. Anything unusual with this one?”

“Yes. They felled the swan pillars.”

“Eh?”

“Also, several cadets were captured, including your student, Gwendith Sharine.”

Charlene’s eyes widened. “Oh no…”

“Indeed. I’m putting together a small team to get them back.”

Charlene chewed on her lower lip. “Are you looking for volunteers?”

“Of course. You’re more than welcome.” Lucille concealed a smile. Antiga was a neutral. “Meet me at the Kinnock mansion tomorrow morning.”

“Alright.”

Lucille returned the way she came. Charlene would be a useful addition to the group. Her Facet involved bending and manipulating light, which was an excellent method to scout. Lucille provided all the muscle needed. Well, including Erasmus, that would make three of them. She’d pick up more team members in Fort Aegermonth.

Back home, she had her servants ready her gear. She’d check over them before she left, of course. Her chauffeur should be able to take them to the Fort. No sense in waiting for a troop transport. It should take her only four days to get there. Or maybe she should just run? Hmmm. It would save her three days. She’d need to rest when she got to the Fort though, but that meant she’d save two days.

Right. Time was of the essence. Better to get there as soon as possible. She quickly penned a note to Charlene and Erasmus. Charlene was a Knight-Captain, but Erasmus was still stuck at Knight. However, he had inlaid Strengthen Physique so he shouldn’t have any trouble keeping up.

Ah, so much to do, and so little time. She’d have to secure a better deal for her House too. The mining camp had been destroyed, but that only meant there was a need for a garrison. And the troops that’ll man it will be hers. One way or another.