“Okay.” Alana gulps down her drink before leaning against me, letting the handle of the cup slip from her fingers. Bell is there to catch it. I fend off her hand that tries to snatch the bone stylus out of my hand, careful not to knock over the inkwell on the bed. A lot of trouble when a smudgestick works just as well but the report I’m helping her write requires a bit of presentation. A child’s writing instrument is not good enough for the duke of Victory. “We should, hic, should tell him that we saw a dragon.”

“We didn’t though.”

“I know that.” She pokes my cheek in admonishment. “But Father doesn’t. If we tell him that there’s a dragon waiting up there, he may not do something stupid.”

“So…we’re lying?” I stare at the paragraph I’ve already written. I thought we were just going to say everything we know and let her family handle the chaos. “That sounds like a horrible idea.”

“No, no. It’s a great idea. It’s payback. Payback!” She shouts it with vehemence, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “We’re going to play a prank on them,” she whispers against my ear before hunching over in a giggling fit. “They played so many pranks on me. Finally time for payback, you know?”

She’s so much trouble when she drinks. She’s also cute. Why not? There’s no way I’m going to pass on false information to the duke but she seems to be having fun so we can pretend. “Alright, what should we write?”

“Mm. Mm. Write…” My future saint who has spent her entire life in the barren north doing nothing but swinging a sword is failed by her stunted imagination, features scrunching adorably as she tries to contrive an inconvenient lie.

“Ooo!” Rolly pops into existence above Kierra, who is lounging on her side. The lueorale tries to dive into her cup of Herbanacle but is flicked away like an annoying fly. She spins several times before flying up and settling atop my head. “Allow me. What kind of story are we telling?”

“Er…”

“How about a love story?” I suggest in the face of Alana’s eloquence. To which she promptly boos.

“No one in Victory is gonna care about a love story.”

“Everyone loves a good love story,” Rolly counters. “But it’s important to cater to your audience. We can add a few epic elements. Our protagonist, the mysterious Khan, a lover born to a family of fighters. There is no place for his poetic soul in the war-torn north. Ostracized from his friends and family, he ventures into the unforgiving cold on a journey of self-discovery where he—"

“Wait, wait, wait. Bell.”

“Me too.”

“Coo!”

The imp grabs our empty cups and scrambles over to the barrel by the bed. She fills them up and returns them to us. I gulp down half before grabbing a fresh piece of parchment from the pile Alana slapped down when we started. “Alright. I’m ready. So, we’re starting with Khan? What nonsense are we writing?”

“Oh, I don’t want to say anything bad about Khan.”

“Bad? Of course not. Khan is the hero of the story. Let’s see. Yes, on his journey of self-discovery, he was caught in a terrible storm that turned him around and left him lost without his supplies. He clung to life for three days—"

“Three days?! What do you take him for? Khan’s a James, he can last longer than three days without any supplies.”

I pause in writing. “How many days are we saying her survived?”

“Five? No, no, eight. Yeah, he could survive at least eight days. Write eight, Lou.”

“I’m writing.”

“Then, after walking for eight days, he collapses in the snow, knowing he won’t survive another night. But as he passes out, someone gently lifts him from the cold oblivion. He wakes up on a soft bed, with a beautiful woman waiting at his bedside.”

I pause. “Beautiful woman?”

Rolly trills. “This is a love story, Lou. Keep up.”

“But they’re lizards.”

“That’s some weird taste,” Alana mutters. She takes a long drink. “Then again, he’s never had a girlfriend. It’s not his fault though. Skinny guys aren’t very popular here, especially if they can’t swing a sword.”

“Lancecain must be just as bad off.” His arms are skinnier than twigs.

“Lance has the light affinity, is the inheriting disciple of a master caster, and has the reputation of a saint. And he’s good-looking.”

“…good points. Okay, so he meets some pretty lizard when he wakes up. The way this is going, he falls in love and then betrays his home for that love.”

“You’re forgetting the dragon,” Alana complains.

“The dragon is the lizard princess’ disapproving father, the ruler of the north.” Kierra joins in on the fun. “A dragon prince who started the Great War to win his father’s throne. When he failed to conquer the Dragon Isles, he hid in the wastes of this continent, creating the estrazi as servants to do his bidding while remaining hidden. He has spent centuries recovering and building his forces in preparation for the second Great War.”

“Didn’t know you had it in you,” I mutter, writing the nonsense.

“Oh!” Rolly seems excited by the change in the story. “Khan discovers this evil plot and goes against the slumbering dragon. It is an epic battle but he is severely injured. Only the interruption of the princess stalls her father’s wrath. But it’s on the condition that all his memories of the princess are erased, with only a vague sense of doom should he seek out the estrazi remaining in his mind.

“Mmhm. Good story for the memory loss. How are we explaining the ambush?” I mutter while scribbling out their nonsense.

“Obviously the princess kidnapping her mate beneath her father’s nose,” Kierra mutters while draining her cup. She rolls off the bed to fetch a refill. “She would keep him in her secret underground home, chained to her bed with links made of ice, while she slowly poisons her father to death.”

I pause. “That’s dark.”

“It is the only way to protect mates your parents do not approve of.”

“Hold on. You’re pretty sure your father won’t approve of me. Are you going to kill him?”

“Of course not, Lou.” She resettles on the bed. “He is no dragon. We can beat him into submission as many times as necessary to change his mind. And if he proves too stubborn, I will give him to mother and let her convince him.”

“Get back to the story!” Alana says, draping herself over me.

-

An hour later, I slip out of the room, closing the door on Alana’s laughter. In my hands are two reports. I tried to leave the joke report behind but Alana noticed and stuffed it in my hands again. It contains all kinds of nonsense. Including that the estrazi can now breathe cold fire and fly. The report reads more like a storybook than anything else. No one would ever believe this. This is a prank only Alana’s drunken mind could think would work. Good thing she has me to stop her from doing something stupid. The real report is already going to make her family upset, seeing that there’s nothing in it.

“Ah, Lou.”

A moment after leaving the room, a familiar voice calls out to me. Yulia stands in the middle of the hall, wearing a sad smile. “I was just coming to check on your progress. That report…it’s going to play a major part in determining Khan’s future and…” Her eyes move to the rolled-up parchment in my hands. “I see you’ve already finished.”

“Did you want something?” I ask while walking past her. She falls in step beside me.

“…I was hoping you’d let me see that report.”

“It’s not meant for you. If you want to see it, get it from your father.”

A hand grabs my shirt. I feel her pull, trying to stop me. I drag her for two steps before I realize that’s what it means. Then I grab her wrist and throw it aside. She winces and rubs her hand. Must have grabbed her too hard. “It might not seem important to you but the words in that report can determine whether my brother lives or dies. It only makes sense that I’d be interested in the contents.”

“Your brother isn’t going to die. Your father has plans for him.”

“I mean beyond that.”

“You’re overthinking this.”

She makes to grab my arm but thinks better of it. “It will only take but a moment.”

“I’m leaving.”

She ignores my dismissal and follows me. Going so far as to jog to keep up with my faster pace. “I’m just trying to protect my family. That has to be something you can understand.”

“Oh. Tell me, what are you going to do to protect your brother if your father wants to execute him? Because I don’t think there’s anything you can do.”

“I can talk to him.”

“Talk to him? Is your father very talkative? Didn’t strike me as the type.”

“Will you just wait a moment?”

With a deep sigh, I stop. She yelps as I grab her arm and throw her against the wall, slamming my palm on the wall beside her. She hunches her shoulders as I loom over her. “Why don’t you just say what you want, Yulia? I don’t do subtle well.”

“I—"

“One chance. Then I leave.”

The hall is quiet for several moments as we stare at each other. I can feel her scrutinizing me. “I want…” she starts in a quiet voice filled with determination. “I just want what’s best for everyone. And!” She shouts as I take a step back. “And…for everyone’s sake, I want my husband to be the next duke.”

“I see. For everyone’s sake.”

She frowns. “Would you prefer the thoughtless Zachariah? Khan was a much better option until he decided to apparently betray us. And I know you don’t want Alana to take the position. From what I hear, she doesn’t want it herself. It only makes sense for us to take the reins and if we are going to be responsible for Victory’s future, then we should start leading now.”

Her words come out in a rush, as if she’s afraid I’ll interrupt her. “This is the start of something dangerous. If these…estrazi are truly the Lords of Winter, Victory’s mindless war has to change. Khan is important. Maybe the most important person in Victory right now. So, yes, I need the to know what’s in that report so I can make sure my father makes the right decision.”

“…good enough.”

“Eh?”

I chuckle at her dumbfounded expression as I hand over the report. “Read it quick. I want to get back to the room before Alana passes out.”

“Passes out?” she mutters distractedly.

“She really can’t handle her drink.”

I tap a foot impatiently as she reads. Thankfully, she is quick. It takes barely a minute for her to scan the whole document. “I see.” She hands it back. “Thank you, Lou. That was very helpful.”

“It’s not a big deal. I don’t think your father is going to keep it secret.” It’s impossible to keep something like this hidden for long.

“A little forewarning can make a big difference.”

“You can have whatever you need if you’re going to clean up this mess for us. It would be amazing if it was all taken care of before next winter.” Not that it will be. “And if you’re going to be duchess, please make a real effort to reconcile with your sister. She really dislikes you.” I can completely imagine her taking Victory just to keep it out of Yulia’s hands.

“Yes. And if I can give you some advice as well? My father asked for that report in the morning. Yet you are giving it to him now.” She smiles. “I understand taking covert action to help those you care about but Alana has never responded well to such.”

“You’re thinking about this too much. I’m just dropping this report off now because I don’t want Alana waking up early. She likes sleeping in when she drinks.” I’m not that complicated.

The bunny smiles. “Of course. Have a good night, Lou.”