The diversion to the northwest was a judicious one. While Duric's army did meet with fresh legions arriving from the occupied lands to the west, and the resulting heavy fighting did take its toll on his men, his reward was the liberation of the city of Gahlsan. Here, men still fiercely loyal to the Noble Lord that once ruled this Province greeted Duric enthusiastically and swelled his ranks, more than compensating for the casualties lost from Boddas' bombardment. His army was once more as strong as it was when it had first crossed the border.

Now, it seemed, it was only a matter of time before they would reach the Palace and bring this madness to a final end.

Twilight brightened towards dawn, the soft glow of deep azure skies chasing the darkness from around the bed that Sirinna and Amanda shared. It had begun with simple comfort after another nightmare. Comfort gave way to moans of mutual pleasure as they sought to drown their concerns and worries in shared lust. Now the two snuggled contentedly with one another, their sexes sated and their minds calm.

"How is your arm this morning, love?" Sirinna asked.

"Oh, it's much better!" Amanda replied brightly. "I can finally lift my arm above my head without it aching. It's still just a tiny bit weak, but Lanno said that will clear up in another few days."

Sirinna hugged Amanda. "I can't stop thinking about how much worse it could have been."

"Please, Sirinna, it's okay."

"I know ... it's just hard to let go of it." Sirinna sighed. "Love, I don't ever want to give up what you've taught me, but it makes it harder to leave things like this behind."

"It's something everyone has to learn. You will. I don't dwell on every bad thing that ever happened. I've managed to be happy."

Sirinna smiled weakly. "I just don't want to disappoint anyone, either you or Master Roquan."

Amanda grinned. "You won't, I promise."

They embraced each other again and held a lingering kiss. "Walk with me to the kitchens?" Sirinna asked hopefully.

Amanda smiled and nodded.

They got out of bed and helped each other wash before emerging into the cool and clear morning air. They walked hand-in-hand, and took the path that let them linger along the shore. Amanda liked listening to the surf and feeling the spray in the air. It had a soothing effect.

The sands were still cool against their bare feet, the sun only now poised to rise above the trees to the east. Amanda gazed over the wide and seemingly endless expanse of deep indigo. Her eyes followed the unbroken line where it met the sky.

Only this time, it was not unbroken.

"Sirinna, wait," Amanda said, coming to a stop.

Sirinna turned. "What is it, love?"

Amanda stared hard into the distance off to the southwest. She pointed. "Do you see that?"

Sirinna scanned the horizon. "I'm sorry, love, I don't ... oh, wait ... yes, I think I see it."

The two of them stared at the small, dark spot as it traced a path through the water, leaving tiny dots of sea foam in its wake. Amanda stepped forward and squinted, standing still until the object had approached close enough for her to see its sails.

"That's a ship!" Amanda cried.

"Oh, then perhaps it's a merchant clan."

"They wouldn't come around this side of the island, would they? The port is at the north end."

"I don't really know." She smiled gently. "You haven't taught me anything about this yet."

Amanda managed a tiny smile in return, but her tone remained serious. "Sirinna, I think we better tell Master Roquan about this just to be safe."

"You think there's something wrong?"

"That's just it, I don't know. I just never remember seeing a ship out there. And this one looks like it's headed towards us. Come on, let's go!"

Q'kollan leaned back in his chair as he shuffled through a few of the many frayed and yellowed parchments before him. "Remarkable, absolutely remarkable. It is hard to believe that it ultimately went nowhere."

"Only because they didn't know the formulae to apply to them, Mage Q'kollan," said Katla in the seat next to him.

"And do you, Mage Q'yoona?"

Katla smiled very slightly at the use of her official title. Peers called one another by the title Mage. The term Master was meant to be used by one of an inferior rank referring to a full Mage, or as a title of honor. The latter was the reason many still referred to Q'yros as Master. "Not quite yet. My friends and I have been looking them over rather intensely."

"As have I," said Uroddus from behind his desk. He appeared stiff, as if still uncomfortable with conducting business in his office. Providing chairs for his vistors' comfort helped somewhat, and made him feel less aloof. He saw now how all the accouterments of power could go to one's head. "But I cannot devote as much time to it as I wish."

"You have enough to do running this place, Guildmaster," said Q'kollan.

"That is unfortunately true. Which is why I called the two of you here this morning. I wish both of you to work together in bringing both sides into full collaboration."

Katla's eyes widened. "You want me to coordinate the Empiricists' side of it?"

"Yes, otherwise our fellow Empiricists look too much to me instead, and that again will appear as favoritism."

"But you're the most knowledgeable of all of us."

"And I will continue to contribute as I always have, but I cannot be directly in charge of one side or the other."

Q'kollan nodded. "I think that's wise, and I will have no trouble working with Mage Q'yoona."

Katla nodded her appreciation to Q'kollan.

"There is something I would like to request," Uroddus said. "Something on which to focus first. We really must know the basis of the interaction of magic upon memory."

"Isn't that jumping ahead a bit?" Katla asked.

"I would tend to agree," said Q'kollan. "I don't profess to understand even half of what I am reading, but I would say there are some even more basic tenets to understand first."

"Yes, you can't build a complete formula when you don't know all the variables yet."

"I know," said Uroddus. "But I am bothered by something that I read in one of the scrolls. Mage Q'kollan, could you find number nine please?"

Q'kollan shuffled through the scrolls again and extracted the requested document. He handed it to the Guildmaster.

"Thank you. Here near the bottom it states something about an effect derived from the combination of similar memories across multiple people. It implies a transcendence of physical boundaries to accomplish a complete linkage."

"Yes, I saw that," said Katla. "Unfortunately, we don't understand what it means because the next few pages are among the missing ones. Complete linkage of what?"

"My reason for concern has to do with something mentioned earlier in these notes," said Uroddus. "Where it is theorized that one can harness memory to create certain magical effects involving action at a distance."

Q'kollan nodded. "I had seen that as well. I thought it meant that one could use these mind magick techniques to perform transport magic at a much greater range. Or perhaps through a sort of proxy."

"Action at a distance," Katla repeated. "You're not thinking Portal magic, are you?"

"There is no evidence that its effect on Portals was ever conceived at the time," said Q'kollan.

"I know, but I see the Guildmaster's point. Just because they didn't think of it back then doesn't mean that it cannot be applied to it at all."

Q'kollan looked doubtful. "That's a bit of a leap of logic."

"It could very well be," said Uroddus. "But anything that has to do with a potential new use of this new Portal technology is of a concern to me."

Katla sighed. "We'll do our best, but I think we're going to be stumbling around in the dark."

"If it does not appear it will work, we will abandon that line of thinking for now."

"It's worth a try, Mage Q'yoona," said Q'kollan, rising to his feet. He handed the scrolls to Katla. "If nothing else, we will learn from the process."

Roquan lifted the distance viewer to his eye and swept it towards the approaching vessel. He was silent for a few tense moments as those gathered around him waited anxiously. "It is most definitely not a merchant vessel."

"May I see, Master?" Amanda asked.

Roquan lowered the device, which to Amanda looked exactly like a spyglass. Amanda accepted it and trained it on the ship. Now she could see it in remarkable detail. She could see the three masts and their sails billowing in the morning breeze. She could see the plumes of spray and foam as it plowed through the waves.

"Is it at all recognizable to you, Amanda?" Roquan asked.

"Um, sort of. It looks a little like ships that were sailed by the British Empire a few centuries ago." She turned her head towards the Overlord. "That was a seafaring nation on my world. It was as large as Oceanus at one time."

Roquan took the device from her and raised it to his eye once more. "Yes, it is flying the banner of the Imperium."

Amanda exchanged an anxious look with Sirinna. "Master, are we in danger?"

Before Roquan could answer, there was the sound of running feet approaching the beach.

"My Lord!" Lanno called out as he rushed forward. "I heard that we had a ship approaching? And you just said it was Imperial navy?"

"That is what I am assuming. Why?"

"I had an older cousin that did a stint in the navy for awhile when I was a kid. He used to show me all the different types of ships when they were in port. May I look?"

Roquan handed him the distance viewer. Lanno stepped forward and stared through it. "Yes, that's a warship all right. Small one, though. Can't be much more than Firespark class. It's got decent guns, but only for ship-to-ship engagement. I doubt it has any heavy bombardment guns."

Amanda appeared a bit relieved. She shielded her eyes from the sun and scanned the horizon. "I don't see any more of them."

"One is more than enough," Roquan commented sourly.

"No, I mean if this is a small ship, what's it doing alone?"

Lanno lowered the viewer. "Amanda's right, my Lord. That's just a support vessel, to keep enemy ships from bothering the capital ships if they're busy with bigger fish, or to get in some quick shots before the big boys show up." He raised the viewer again and swept it slowly across the horizon. "I don't see any more. If there was a fleet headed this way, we'd see a whole line of them by now."

"Maybe he's just lost, Master?" Sirinna suggested tentatively.

Amanda squinted. "Wait, is that ship lowering its sails now?"

Lanno swept the viewer back. "Yes, they are. And ... I think they're lowering the anchors now. Wait ... I think I see something else, hold on."

The was a long pause.

"What is it, Lanno?" Roquan asked impatiently.

"Hold on, I need to make sure I'm seeing this right." He lowered the viewer and handed it to Amanda. "Here, take another look yourself, you have a really sharp eye. Look at the ship, then look back and a bit to the left."

Amanda nodded. She lifted it to her eye. It did not take long for her to stop it. "I see it! There's a little boat headed this way. I can see men on it rowing."

Roquan frowned. "Amanda, go to my quarters right now."

"But ..."

"This is for your own safety until I know what this ship's intentions are, so do not argue with me." He turned to Sirinna. "Sirinna, I need you to get the slaves that live in quarters within sight of the beach and have them head towards the gardens for now."

"Yes, Master, at once!" Sirinna declared. She immediately trotted away. Amanda handed the viewer back to Lanno and left as well, though reluctantly.

Roquan took the viewer from Lanno. "Return to the Healer office and alert Vanlo. I will summon the guard."

"Explain to me, Fleet Captain, why I should not have you killed on the spot for your incompetence!" Z'haas demanded. "Why should I not brand you a traitor for firing on our own men? And considering how long it took you to contact me, why should I not assume you have begun working for the enemy?"

Boddas tried to appear calm and collected before the Farview image of his Emperor, but worry and fear shimmered in his eyes. "My Emperor, no one is as much angry and aggrieved over this travesty as I."

"I could dispute that, Captain. Your actions directly led to the complete rout of an entire Imperial legion. Duric should have been stopped here, and yet he continues onward!"

Boddas swallowed. "Be that as it may, my Emperor, I acted on good faith according to the intelligence I received."

"And what intelligence is this?"

"The coastal towns have been relaying information to me about Duric's movements. I was assured that this information was correct, that it was Duric upon the hill and not our forces. Had I known what was really happening, I would have halted operations immediately."

"And you expect me to believe that no one contacted you at all during the bombardment?"

Boddas thought the Emperor of all people would know that there was no formal communication between the legions and the navy. Where the navy was a permanent presence, and the Imperial legions intended -- according to the Charter -- to be temporary in nature, no Farview pearls were exchanged. There had been no expectation of coordinating land and sea. It had been fully expected that the navy would sit out the war.

"No one in your legion had any Farviewing pearls bound to me or to anyone that could contact me, my Emperor. Please, you must believe me. I am a loyal servant of the Empire. My record has been spotless. I am of the belief now that the town was compromised by Duric's forces and fed me false information. This is not my fault!"

Boddas hated himself for groveling before the Emperor, but he had no choice if he did not want to lose his rank or his life. The Emperor glowered, but finally let out a single, long breath. "Very well. What town was it that gave you this false information?"

"Port Planata, my Emperor."

"Destroy it."

Boddas paled. "My ... my Emperor?"

"They failed me, Captain. They failed the Empire. They have shown themselves to be traitors. Burn the town to the ground."

Before a shocked Boddas could respond, Z'haas terminated the Farview.

If they give free passage to Duric's armies, and willingly supply them, that makes them the enemy.

Boddas slowly collapsed into the chair. But it was not like that. Duric must have taken the town. He must have garrisoned it. He ...

Especially if the Emperor decrees it.

Boddas let out a tremulous sigh. He knew peasants had died in his previous bombardments. A few houses here and there, some unlucky travelers on the roads. It was a matter of scale.

Except that it wasn't. What was different was that the destruction had been hidden, no more than numbers on a ledger if that. Here he would see the town burn. He would see the residents running and screaming in their own hellfire.

A knock at the door startled him. "Cap'n? The men are waitin' yer orders!"

Boddas rose from his chair. He opened the door to the expectant face of his First Mate.

"Cap'n?"

A matter of scale.

"Weigh anchor," said Boddas. "And set sail for Port Planata. And ready one Mage Gun."

The First Mate cocked his head. "A Mage Gun? Only one?"

"Do you intend to question all my orders?"

The First Mate blanched. "No, Cap'n! We set sail at once! One Mage Gun! Aye!"

By this time, Roquan could clearly see the impressive uniform of the sole passenger of the vessel. Roquan watched as the four oarsmen edged the boat carefully into the shallow waters just short of the beach, then turned towards the array of six guards behind him.

"You will keep those weapons lowered at all times unless otherwise ordered, or clear hostile action is taken against me or this Manor," the Overlord said. "Under no circumstances will you engage in any aggressive action otherwise. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my Lord," said the head of the guards. The others nodded.

Roquan turned towards the shore. He tugged at his tunic to straighten a few wrinkles. It had been some time since he had worn his more formal attire, and he had had no time to have his slaves smooth the fabric for him.

The two oarsmen in the fore dropped their oars as the boat ran up to the water's edge. They jumped out just as it struck bottom. Those in the rear grabbed crossbows and jumped out, then took position on the beach. They stood at attention, holding their bows across their chests as the first oarsmen pulled the boat more solidly onto the beach. Roquan's guards tensed, but remained still.

The uniformed passenger rose and stepped onto dry land. "As you were."

The two in front fell to a more at-ease posture, dropping their crossbows to their sides and stepping apart. Their somewhat heavyset commander stepped forward and cast his steely gaze at Roquan. "Are you the Overlord of this Manor?"

"Yes, I am Roquan D'ronstaq," said Roquan smoothly and politely. "To whom am I speaking?"

"Lord Admiral Vortas V'quenna of the Imperial Navy," the man declared. He looked up at the guards arrayed behind Roquan, and then past them. "Tell me, Overlord, are these your only armed forces at the Manor here?"

"I have several more guards engaged in other duties, Lord Admiral. I have at most as many more as you see here and that is it."

"And they are simply men-at-arms and not soldiers?"

Roquan raised an eyebrow slightly. "That is correct. May I ask why ...?"

"Please, bear with me for a moment longer, Overlord, and I will explain. Do you have any other form of military standing here?'

Roquan frowned. "I am not sure I understand the question, Lord Admiral."

"Mage-fire guns. Arms and ammunition above what is needed to supply your guards. Siege towers. Catapults. Anything that could be used to wage war or supply those that wage war."

"Nothing of that sort at all, Lord Admiral," Roquan said firmly. He narrowed his eyes. "Is that why the Emperor sent you? To find an excuse to view the Manor as a military threat?"

Vortas smiled humorlessly. "The Emperor did not send me. But he did send the fleet that is approaching from the east and will arrive in less than a quarter moon. I am here to discover why."

"I could tell you, but you will not like the answer, and will brand me a traitor."

Vortas shook his head. "I am a seaman, Overlord, not a politician or an enforcer of the Emperor's will. Please, tell me your opinion."

"Very well. The Emperor is mad."

There was a pause as Vortas looked thoughtful. "He is certainly misinformed, if what you are telling me is true."

"I am an Overlord, Lord Admiral. I deal in one thing only, and that is slaves."

Vortas gave Roquan a sardonic smile. "Yes, indeed, you can imagine how much the crew has been clamoring to be granted liberty here."

"That would be most unusual and unprecedented."

"And we live in unusual and unprecedented times, do we not?" He waved a hand in dismissal. "No, I will not inflict my men upon you. I respect tradition and protocol. And the Charter, for that matter, which is why I am here."

Roquan sighed. "So the approaching fleet was given orders to attack this Manor."

"Yes."

"And are you here to stop it?"

"Make no mistake, Overlord. If I did believe that you were engaging in military operations, I would indeed see to it that you were shut down permanently," Vortas said firmly. "But there are ways to do such a thing without incurring needless loss of life."

"There are no military operations here, Lord Admiral. The Emperor is delusional if he thinks otherwise."

Vortas looked back towards his men for a moment. "Would you consent to taking me on a tour of the Manor? That would be sufficient evidence to take to the Fleet Captain in order to countermand his orders." He slowly smiled. "And I will admit that I have always been a bit curious as to how a Manor is run, so this is the perfect excuse to indulge myself."

Roquan found it an affront to be forced to prove that he ran nothing more than a simple Overlord Manor. Yet the reality was that this was bigger than he could hope to contain himself. He could offer no defense against direct military intervention. "Very well, Lord Admiral. So long as you are not troubled by displays of nudity."

Vortas smiled. "I could stand to see a bit of beauty, Overlord. It will be quite the refreshing change from seeing nothing but wooden decks, haggard men, and ocean water for moons on end."

Evella smiled gently at the slave seated upon the examination table. "That should clear things up. You need to be more careful in the gardens and better recognize the pattern of leaves so you can avoid that nasty rash again."

The slave smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Mistress. I have trouble telling it from the other one. And it has such pretty flowers!"

Evella was no longer so disturbed by the nudity. She was grateful for this chance to continue her Healer work in the mornings with Amanda still recovering from her injury. She would not have been able to take her "training" with Sirinna with Amanda around anyway.

"Perhaps I can talk to Vanlo and see if there is some way to desensitize you to that plant." Evella turned away from the slave to gather up the vials of salve she had used on the girl's rash.

"I hope so, Mistress. I seem to be the only one that has trouble with it. All my friends like putting the flowers in their hair."

Evella paused and shivered. Her thighs trembled.

The slave cocked her head. "Mistress?"

"What?" Evella said, distracted. "Oh. Um ... no, definitely don't put the flowers in your hair, that would cause an awful reaction ... o-on your scalp."

Evella had tried to turn to face the slave and nearly gasped in mid-sentence.

The slave nodded. "May I go, Mistress?"

"Yes, of course, I'm done," said Evella in a strained voice.

The slave smiled and leapt from the table. She trotted out of the treatment room.

Evella gripped the side of the table for a moment, hoping the sensation would pass, but it seemed only to grow worse. She forced herself to let go, panting lightly. She gathered the vials and other supplies she had used, then swallowed hard and started across the room.

Her pussy rose and strained, making her stumble. She staggered to the cabinets just as it let go. She bit her lip to stop her from moaning through her orgasm, only to have it escape as a whimper through her nose.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She forced herself to straighten up, even as her thighs still trembled and her sex still throbbed faintly. Vanlo appeared at the door. "Is there a problem, Evella?"

Evella took a short breath and turned her head towards him. She forced a smile. "Not at all, Vanlo," she said in a quavering voice. "Just treating an allergic rash."

"You sounded distressed, I wanted to make sure nothing else was wrong."

Evella shook her head. "No, nothing. Just a rash. I, um, told her I might talk to you about trying to prevent them in the future."

"Hmm, yes. I believe I know it is. Those from her homeworld tend to be more sensitive to allergens in Narlass. I have been meaning to investigate it but have not had the time. Perhaps I will set you and Lanno on this task."

Evella gave Vanlo a genuine smile, forgetting her trouble for the moment. "Thank you."

"In either case, I will be departing for my constitutional. Please watch the office until Lanno returns."

Evella nodded. She let out a sigh of relief after Vanlo was gone.

Her pussy had stopped throbbing, but she felt wet and sticky. She was not sure what had happened. She refused to believe that it had anything to do with the drug.

Roquan poured wine into a goblet and presented it to the Lord Admiral.

"Ah, thank you, Overlord, you are most gracious," said Vortas. He accepted the goblet and took a long drink. He smiled and settled into his chair in the Overlord's quarters. "It is rare we get anything better than the rum supplied to the fleets."

"Surely they have some to spare for the navy, Lord Admiral," said Roquan as he poured himself a goblet as well.

"Rum keeps longer and is cheaper. Unfortunately, it tastes cheaper as well, but you get used to it."

Roquan sat down. "I would be happy to send along a gourd of my wine with you if you would like."

"You are a generous man, Overlord. Thank you."

"That is, of course, contingent on your final assessment of my Manor. I hope I have convinced you of the total lack of military value of this place."

Vortas drained half his goblet at one go. He set the goblet aside. "Overlord, you have treated my eyes to such exquisite pleasure. Your slaves are most beautiful. Even your male slaves are handsome, strapping visions of sculpted human form. I am amazed and humbled."

Roquan bowed his head. "Thank you for your kind words."

"It may very well be that the Emperor has some legitimate gripe against you. Frankly, I do not know and I do not care. If he wishes to call you to task, he needs to find a better way to do it. I am not about to risk destroying all this beauty because of his grievance against one man."

"I appreciate your position, Lord Admiral," said Roquan. "Surely you can see that Z'haas has lost all semblance of sanity."

Vortas let out a windy sigh. "You may be right. Unfortunately, it is not for me to judge. I can only do my duty, and I have a duty to the Charter as well as to the Emperor." He paused, and looked at the Overlord in earnest. "And, between you and me, Overlord, I have a duty to my own conscience."

"Do you expect trouble convincing the fleet to stand down when they arrive?"

Vortas frowned as he picked up his goblet. "I suspect I will get some argument, yes. I fear that many of the Fleet Captains have direct lines to the Imperium. Younger generation, you see. Not as well-versed in the Charter as they are in Imperial rhetoric."

"It would be very difficult for me to effect any sort of evacuation, Lord Admiral, even as a precaution."

"Yes, I understand. I will do everything in my power to stop this. I am still the ranking officer." He paused. In a lower voice, he added, "And from what I have been hearing, Overlord, it seems I need to delay them for only a short time. I sense a change in regime is fast approaching."

Roquan leaned back in his chair, indulging himself in the wine before speaking again. "It is, and not day too soon. We have had enough of Z'haas' madness."

Vortas smiled. "That is the good thing about having a leader one despises. Anyone would be better compared to him."

"I know of the man that would seek the throne. He is far above Z'haas. He is not simply better than Z'haas, he is a true leader."

Vortas chuckled. "Well! High praise for this man. I hope he lives up to it, I really do. Oceanus will need it, as badly torn asunder as it is."

The deep blue twilight over Port Planata turned purple from a single slash of red that arced over the shore. A reflected crimson glow ran along the rooftops as the Mage-fire fell towards its target. For a brief moment, the courtyard in the middle of the mayoral mansion was lighted as if by dusky scarlet sunset light. The next moment, it became a blinding maelstrom.

The mansion blew outward as the Mage-fire eviscerated the building in a single clear sweep as it fell. A wave of thunder rolled and shook the houses around it. People ran screaming from the fiery carnage, though the flames shot upwards instead of chasing the denizens down the narrow streets.

From the railing of the ship, Boddas watched the flames lick at the sky, his First Mate training his distance viewer upon it. "Got 'er, Cap'n!" he declared triumphantly. "Right on the mark!"

Several men near the Mage Gun cheered and pumped their fists into the air. Boddas simply stared. This was the best he could muster. It was the mayor that had betrayed the Empire, not the people. Justice had been served. Yet it still left him with a foul taste in his mouth.

The First Mate tried to pass the viewer to him. He shook his head.

"Um ... orders, Cap'n?" said the First Mate awkwardly.

Boddas let out his breath slowly. "Make for open sea," he said as he turned from the railing.

"Aye, Cap'n, but where should ..."

The First Mate trailed off. Captain Boddas did not appear to be listening. He descended the stairs to his cabin and quietly shut the door behind him.

The tent flap opened, and Dollas slipped inside. "You wished to see me, my Lord?"

Rithas looked up from the map that lay spread once more across his table. "Have you heard the latest about Duric's advance, Dollas?"

"Indeed I have, my Lord," said Dollas as he stepped forward. "It would seem he has had a streak of good fortune."

"Yet it has cost him about a day off his schedule." Rithas pointed. "He will reach his target a bit later than expected. That will give me time to arrive and set up a defense."

Dollas slowly smiled.

Rithas raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"This defense that you speak of. Would that be before or after letting the Emperor's forces fight it out against Duric? A judicious pause at the right place, perhaps?"

Rithas narrowed his eyes. "I am sure I do not know what you are talking about."

"Come now, my Lord, we have had this out before. The day rapidly approaches for the final battle and for your opportunity. We should cease playing games and collaborate. You could use my help."

"And you are an authority on military ventures now?"

"There is more than one way to provide help, my Lord."

There was a long pause. Rithas took a step back. The back of one foot fetched up against a large chest. He gestured towards the map. "Please, indulge yourself, and show me your military prowess."

Dollas smirked and stepped forward. He came around the Lord General's side of the table, having to turn his back to Rithas to look at the map. "As I see it, my Lord, there are several opportunities here depending on how visible you want to be."

Rithas bent his knees. Never taking his eyes from the adjunct, he reached into the shadows alongside the chest. When he stood again, a cocked crossbow was in his hands, the bolt already loaded and held in place with a piece of string.

"The hills have the advantage of allowing us to see the action and know when would be the right moment to swoop down and take advantage of the chaos. There should be maximum distraction so you can slip into the Palace and ... take care of the Emperor."

Rithas tugged at the string and pulled it free, tossing it to the side. He straightened the bolt in place.

"But the main thing, my Lord, is that ..." Dollas stopped, then turned around. "My Lord, do you not want to see what I am ..."

Dollas froze. There was a moment of absolute silence between the two men. A breath later, the crossbow fired and sunk the bolt into its mark.

Dollas staggered, bumping hard into the table as he fell to one knee. A trembling hand reached towards the spreading stain on his tunic. "You've ... y-you've made a grave mistake, my Lord ... a g-grave ..."

The life drained from his eyes. He fell back, upsetting a leg of the table and tipping it to the floor of the tent with a crash along with his dead body.

There was a rush of heavy footfalls outside. Two soldiers burst into the tent. "My Lord! Are you all right? We heard ..." He stopped and looked down, then gave Rithas a questioning look.

Rithas lowered the crossbow with a sigh. "I had to do it," he said solemnly. "He is a traitor. He wished to initiate a coup against the Emperor when our legion arrived. I cannot have men like that in my command, soldier."

The soldier nodded in earnest, as did is cohort. "Of course not, my Lord. You did the right thing."

Rithas gestured. "Drag the body away from camp and toss it down the ravine. Best it not attract predators while we rest overnight. He caused enough trouble in life, I do not need it in his death as well."

"Yes, my Lord, at once."

The two soldiers grabbed the body and carried it out of the tent with no more dignity than they would afford a sack of potatoes. Rithas tossed the crossbow aside and let out a long sigh, wiping his face with his hands.

He had ordered men into battle to kill others, and never once had killed anyone himself until that evening. It had been necessary. He could not have anyone knowing about his plans, even one that claimed to support it, for one that was opportunistic enough to insinuate himself into his plans was ambitious enough to commandeer those plans for himself.

Sirinna finally nodded in the growing darkness of her bed chamber. "I think I understand."

Amanda turned the knob on the base of the lamp next to the bed. A blue-white flame flickered and cast a pale glow across the furs. "It's okay if you don't get everything. I haven't even started to explain half of what you need to know to really get it."

"No, I really think I do. The Emperor thinks Master Roquan started all this trouble. That he started the war. So he sent these ships to ... to attack us ..."

Her voice noticeably faltered. Amanda draped her hand over Sirinna's.

Sirinna let out a nervous breath. "But the Lord Admiral doesn't want to. He said it's against ... against something, what was it?"

"The Charter. Remember? It's a parchment with a list of rules that the Emperor is supposed to follow, and one of them says ..."

Sirinna started nodding halfway through Amanda's words. " ... says that you don't attack our own people with the navy. Yes, I remember."

Amanda squeezed Sirinna's hand gently and smiled.

Sirinna sighed despondently. "The world is ever so much more complicated than I had imagined, Amanda. How do you keep it all straight? And how will I ever do that myself?"

"It's okay. Maybe this war will be over soon, and that will be less to worry about."

Sirinna turned more fully towards Amanda and looked at her, eyes wide and pleading. "Should I be worried? Is something bad going to happen to the Manor? To us? To Master Roquan?"

Her voice quavered. Amanda drew herself close and snuggled with her lover. "I think it will be okay, Sirinna. I do. Please, it's ..."

But tears were already trickling out of Sirinna's eyes. She sobbed once and hugged Amanda tightly. "I'm sorry," she whimpered into Amanda's ear. "I can't help it ... I just ..."

"Shh, I know, but Master Roquan won't let anything happen to us."

"It's not j-just that ... it's just ... gods, there's so much to think about now, so much to worry about. I can't help but see all the ways that we can be separated."

Amanda closed her eyes tightly, her own eyes misty. She had no words for her lover. She was so excited that Sirinna was regaining her intelligence, that she could actually understand the world in which she lived, but now she wondered if it had been a bad idea after all. Perhaps Sirinna was better off not knowing of the world and could just be happy.

She let out a ragged sigh. She wondered now how she had the audacity to decide what was best for Sirinna when she could barely figure it out for herself.

Sirinna sniffled and broke off the hug. She wiped her eyes, looking flustered and embarrassed. "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry."

Amanda blinked away a few tears. "I'm the one that should apologize. I never stopped to think about what went along with knowledge and understanding."

Sirinna lay a hand softly against Amanda's cheek. "Don't apologize, love. I don't want to go back. Now that I understand ... now that I can understand you better ... I don't want to ever go back to the way I was."

Amanda smiled. "It will get better, Sirinna."

"You can teach me how to deal with this? How not to let all this get to me?"

Amanda nodded. "I'll certainly try."

"And ... a-and how to deal with these memories?" Sirinna added in a small voice.

"You've recalled more of them?"

Sirinna bit her lip and nodded. "I can ... I can see myself in them now. The way I was ... the way I looked after ... wh-when ... well, you understand." Sirinna wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "How can people do that, Amanda? How can ..."

Sirinna trailed off. Amanda looked at her curiously.

"Wait. Is that why the Emperor does these terrible things? Is he like the man that ... my f-father ... is that it? Is that why he has to be taken off the throne, to stop him from doing all these horrible things?"

Amanda remembered how she had almost lost Sirinna when the first of the Emperor's plans had failed.

She remembered how he had almost had Roquan assassinated.

She remembered the look on Duric's face when he understood that Janna had died by the Emperor's hand.

And now, this same man wanted to raze a Manor to the ground.

"Yes, Sirinna," said Amanda, her eyes dark. "That's exactly why he has to be removed."

Then Sirinna understood it as well. She made the connection between the terrible events and the man that called himself Emperor. And for the first time, Amanda witnessed true anger on Sirinna's face.

It was frightening to behold, but it made Sirinna all that much more human and real.

The way Norlan knew that the High Lord had entered the pub was the sudden, uneasy quiet that had settled on the patrons. Not that there were many to be had at such an early hour, where the sun had barely touched the dawn sky. He looked up from his ale, and out over the empty tables between him and the door. He lifted a hand and gestured.

High Lord Ardon frowned as he approached Norlan's table. A buxom young woman trotted up to the table and beamed at Ardon. "What's yer pleasure, m'Lord?"

"A place with fewer layers of grease, dirt, and human sweat between myself and the chairs," Ardon said with disdain.

The girl frowned and snorted. She whirled on her heel and stalked away with her nose in the air.

"Really, my Lord, you could be more gracious," said Norlan, his lips curling into a small smirk as he raised the tankard of ale.

"And you could pick a place to meet me other than with the local rabble." He wrinkled his nose as Norlan tipped the tankard back and took a large swig. "Good gods, man, you will kill yourself drinking that rotgut."

Norlan lowered the tankard. "We can hardly talk of such matters at court, not where I am no longer welcome there."

"That is by your choice. No one is forcing you to stay away. In fact, I understand that His Majesty would prefer to see you at court more often despite your lack of title."

"Lack of official title, my Lord," said Norlan, lounging in his seat. "If he had formally removed my title, I would have no right to be at court. He only keeps me around as a means of furthering my embarrassment in the eyes of the High Lords. And as for the 'rotgut' ..." He lifted the tankard with a grin. "I find it far less pretentious than anything at court. At least I know what I'm getting with this."

"Then you could have picked something other than this ungodly time."

Norlan gestured to the rest of the pub. "See how few people there are? Less chance of being overhead or spied upon."

Ardon raised an eyebrow. "Spied upon?"

"Yes. I caught Mandas more than once attempting to follow me."

Ardon frowned. "He cannot possibly know ...!"

"He doesn't. Which is why he spies so he can. Now, do you wish to hear my news or not?"

"I wish you would be less flippant about these things."

"My Lord, with my reputation in tatters, I have little left to lose. And I remind you that my information comes at great personal expense to me. I am paying a lot of platinum for the merchants to send me information by Farview relay."

Ardon gestured impatiently. "Very well, get on with it."

Norlan took a few more swallows of ale before he replied. "The war in Oceanus is reaching a tipping point. This campaign is an all-or-nothing. Either one side will win or the other."

Ardon leaned forward. "And you believe that will be the point when ... " He glanced around for a moment. Several curious patrons suddenly found something else to interest them. " ... when it will happen?"

"Most likely, yes. So there is not a lot of time. You must start maneuvering for political position at court."

Ardon sighed. "I will try. The High Lords are in no mood to listen to anything having to do with that treaty."

"Do you have some close associates on the Council you can trust?"

Ardon nodded once. "A few."

"Drop them a hint. Let them know I have been secretly attempting to negotiate a new treaty."

Ardon frowned. "They will not believe that! The treaty is already set, it ..."

Norlan shook his head. "No, don't tell them I'm renegotiating the current treaty. Word it exactly as I have stated. Let them draw their own conclusions."

"You are taking a huge risk."

"I know. But it keeps the heat off of you. And if I'm to gain back the prestige I formerly held, I need your help."

"And if they ask why they were not told of such a thing before now?"

Norlan considered. He took another long drink of his ale and thumped the tankard to the table. He gave the High Lord an even look. "Claim ignorance. But remind them that I have a rival at court. Remind them how much of a total boor he is. Remind them that his ambition makes him attempt to thwart me whenever he can."

Ardon's eyes widened. He leaned back in his chair. "I misjudged you, Norlan. You do indeed know how to play the game, and play it most ruthlessly."

Norlan shook his head. "This is expediency. I did not want to put Mandas down, but there is little choice in the matter now. I simply want what was rightfully mine, and a chance to rebuild my fortune."

"I am willing to lend you platinum if ..."

Norlan held up a hand. "No, my Lord. I want no more debts. I am saving what I have left to continue to obtain information and ... for a personal purchase."

Ardon nodded slowly. "Very well." He stood, wrinkling his nose as his cloak attempted to stick to the chair. "But I will no longer meet with you in places such as this. I would much rather you chose someplace less dirty and smelly. Such as the edge of a cesspit."

Ardon swept out of the pub. The barmaid he had snubbed made a rude hand gesture to his departing back.

Norlan smirked and drained the rest of his ale. He paused by the bar and flipped a ten piece platinum to the barmaid. "To make up for my somewhat abrasive friend."

The barmaid smiled. "Yer too kind, m'Lord." She tucked the coin into her dress and tugged at it, causing her bosom to bounce lightly. She placed a hand on her hip and gave him a knowing look. "Come back later. Maybe I can ... do somethin' else for ya." She winked.

Norlan smiled. "Perhaps I will."

He headed out of the pub. As he came to the edge of the road, he heard a rustle behind some trees on the other side. Norlan shook his head sadly. He crossed the road and stood next to the trees. He turned his back towards them and leaned against the trunk of the nearest one, pretending to take in the scenery and enjoy the cool pre-dawn air.

"Stealth is truly not your forte, is it, Mandas?" Norlan finally said.

A figure rose from behind the trees and faced Norlan. "I resent the implication, former Ambassador Norlan," sneered Mandas.

"Ah, so you always hide behind trees across from randomly selected pubs?"

"I was not hiding. I happened to be there when I saw you emerge from that establishment and did not wish to encounter you." He turned his head to give the pub a lofty look. "Really, former Ambassador, you can do better than that. Even the peasants consider it low-brow."

Norlan smiled.

Mandas' frown deepened. "What are you up to, former Ambassador?"

"Up to? Whatever do you mean?"

"This little clandestine meeting with a High Lord. Your refusal to attend court. Are you plotting something, former Ambassador? Because if you are, I am quite sure that the High Minister would be most interested. Or even His Majesty."

Norlan's smile broadened. "Does it bother you?"

"That is not an answer!"

"I'm sorry, I was unaware you had actually asked a question," said Norlan. "All I hear is this same word 'former' being brandished by you like some sort of weapon, much like the large clubs once used by the barbarian tribes of the east long ago, and it about as sharp as well."

Mandas' face went red. "You ... you are an insolent wretch with no breeding, no refinement, and no taste. It is little wonder why you have left court. The embarrassment of your inadequacies is finally beginning to settle in now, isn't it?"

Norlan sighed. "It can be truly said, Mandas, that those with rapier wit such as yours are wielding a blunt instrument."

Mandas' teeth clenched. "I will tell you this, Norlan. I will find out what you are up to. You will cease to be a thorn in my side."

"I am only as much of a thorn as you make me out to be, Mandas," said Norlan in a tired voice. "And that is the truth."

Mandas was struck speechless. He backed away a few steps, glowered once more, and stalked off.

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