Morning crept through the embassy like a wary guest, dim and slow. The air was tight with an unspoken tension—an atmosphere shaped not by swords or shouts but by the psychological weight of the Union hearing. Even the guards walked differently: quieter, more alert, more aware that some danger now lurked within their own walls.
Lysandra didn't take breakfast in the public hall as usual. Instead she convened a private meeting in the smaller council chamber—the one reserved for wartime planning and confidential discussions. A sign in itself.
Daren, Aira, Zelda, Serene, and Rhedon were already gathered when Lysandra entered.
She didn't sit.
"We begin immediately," she said.
Everyone straightened.
"Yesterday's hearing bought us time," she continued, "but not peace. Mavren wanted chaos. He did not get it. That only means he will attempt something else."
Aira, still dust-stained from travel, folded her arms. "Asterfell won't wait long. Four battalions positioned near our eastern line… they're preparing for a move."
"Agreed," Rhedon said. "And if they advance, the towns of Cindermoor and Elwick are the first to fall."
Serene opened her ledger. "Merchant caravans have already rerouted from those towns. That alone puts pressure on our local lords."
Zelda, ever composed, added: "Rumors from Asterfell claim Valenfirth fabricated the assassination plot. Their narrative is spreading quickly. Smaller kingdoms will hesitate to aid us."
Lysandra's gaze swept across the room.
"Then we counter. Severely and swiftly."
She turned to Aira.
"Report on the clerk rotation logs."
Aira stepped forward, placing a thin stack of documents on the table. "Three anomalies. Most clerks followed standard rotation during the week of the attack. But one clerk—Tolliver Renn—was reassigned twice without corresponding authorization."
Rhedon scoffed. "Renn? He's timid. Always nervous around superiors. You think he's the traitor?"
Aira shook her head. "No. The documents bearing his signature weren't written by him. The handwriting is close, but the strokes are too clean."
Zelda leaned in. "So someone forged Renn's orders and used his schedule as a cover."
"Exactly," Aira said. "He's a pawn. Not the culprit."
Daren tapped the table thoughtfully. "Whoever forged those signatures had access to internal documents. And knowledge of embassy seal practices."
Serene exhaled sharply. "That narrows it to senior palace staff. Or someone who infiltrated with forged credentials."
The implication hung heavily.
Lysandra didn't flinch.
"Continue the investigation quietly. No accusations. Not yet."
Aira and Daren nodded.
Zelda raised her hand slightly. "Your Majesty, I've drafted preliminary messages to northern courts. If we secure even two northern allies, Mavren's political leverage weakens."
Lysandra gestured for her to proceed.
Zelda opened her satchel and distributed sealed drafts.
"The North depends on our winter grain lines. Queen Aveline of Norvadra will not risk starving her people. King Eryn of Highwinter relies on our metal shipments for his armory. Both will see value in supporting us—if we present them with a united, stable front."
Rhedon gave a low grunt of approval. "Diplomacy buys us time. But we still prepare for the worst."
Aira nodded. "My company is ready to redeploy if needed. The soldiers are exhausted, yes—but they'll march if ordered."
Lysandra lifted a hand. "We will not push worn-out soldiers into the jaws of Asterfell's armies. Rest them for two days. After that, readiness drills."
Aira bowed her head.
Daren stepped forward next. "Your Majesty… we must consider that Asterfell may not strike openly first. They may try another covert attack."
Lysandra's jaw tightened. "Then we increase internal security. Restrict access to archives. Double-verify all courier signals. And every message between commanders will now use rotating cipher keys."
Serene scribbled rapidly. "I'll implement it."
Zelda asked, "What of the embassy district? If rumors continue spreading, unrest could spill into the streets."
"Leave that to me," Lysandra said. "A public statement will be issued. Calm, firm, and precise."
Daren's brow lifted. "Addressing the hearing?"
"And the troop mobilization," she replied. "If Asterfell wants to paint us as aggressors, then we will answer with transparency."
Zelda nodded approvingly. "That will help preserve neutrality among undecided kingdoms."
The meeting was progressing smoothly—until a soft knock interrupted them.
A young courier stepped inside, bowing nervously.
"Your Majesty… this arrived through the northern relay station. Marked urgent."
He handed Lysandra a sealed parchment stamped in dark blue wax—the mark of Norvadra.
Zelda's eyes sharpened. "That was fast."
Lysandra cracked the seal and read. Her expression hardened slightly, but she remained composed as she passed the message to Daren.
"What is it?" Serene asked.
Daren scanned the parchment. "Queen Aveline expresses concern over Asterfell's claims. She requests clarification… and asks whether Valenfirth intends to mobilize."
Zelda exhaled slowly. "She's nervous. Mavren has already contacted her."
Aira muttered, "He's spreading his story far faster than we can refute it."
Lysandra tapped the table. "Then we respond immediately. Draft a reply stating that Valenfirth remains committed to peace and that Asterfell's troop movements preceded any accusation from us."
Serene nodded. "I'll prepare it for seal."
Rhedon folded his arms. "And what about Highwinter? Have they sent anything?"
Zelda shook her head. "No. Which means King Eryn is waiting to see who falters first."
Lysandra concluded the meeting with crisp finality:
"Everyone proceed with your tasks. We do not show fear. We do not act rashly. We move with precision."
One by one, the council bowed and exited.
Only Daren remained.
Daren's Quiet Concern
When the chamber finally emptied, Daren stood beside her.
"You're carrying all of this with too much weight," he said quietly.
Lysandra didn't respond immediately. She stared at the light pouring through the narrow window.
"The council…" she said finally. "They were so eager to believe Mavren's narrative. They want balance, yes, but they also want stability. And they see a young empress as a gamble."
"You proved them wrong yesterday," Daren said. "They saw strength in you."
She looked up at him—eyes tired but steady.
"Strength," she repeated. "Every ruler must show it. But it is easier to show than sustain."
Daren moved closer, just slightly. Close enough for her to feel his presence, his certainty.
"You don't have to sustain it alone."
Lysandra didn't step away.
"That leak…" she murmured. "Someone close to us is feeding Mavren. Someone who walks these halls."
"And we'll find them," Daren said firmly. "No one hides forever."
Their eyes held for a moment longer than protocol allowed.
Then Lysandra straightened her shoulders.
"We have work," she said.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He walked her to the corridor outside her chambers before parting.
Aira and Zelda Take Action
Across the embassy, Aira and Zelda entered the logistics room—a cramped chamber filled with maps, supply ledgers, and reports from border towns.
Aira dropped into a seat, rubbing her face.
"Two days' rest," she grumbled. "My soldiers will fall asleep holding their swords."
Zelda smirked faintly. "Even exhausted, your company could dismantle an Asterfell battalion."
Aira snorted. "Don't flatter me."
"I meant it."
Aira blinked, then laughed under her breath.
But Zelda's expression turned serious.
"Aira… the traitor. Someone forged clerk orders. Someone accessed sealed correspondence. They could target your company next."
Aira's tone chilled. "Let them try. They'll regret it."
Zelda folded her arms. "Anger won't catch them. We need precision."
Aira leaned back. "You have a plan."
"Of course." Zelda spread several sheets of records across the table. "We start by comparing communication logs between the embassy and Valenfirth's capital. Whoever the leak is—they tampered with dispatches."
Aira nodded, impressed despite herself.
"We'll find them," Zelda continued. "But we must be quiet. If the traitor suspects scrutiny, they'll cover their tracks."
For a moment, the two worked in silence—one military, one diplomatic, but united by the same resolve.
Lysandra's Message to the Kingdoms
Late afternoon sunlight bathed Lysandra's office in pale gold as she reviewed Serene's draft.
The words were measured, clear, and firm—reassuring northern allies while subtly exposing Asterfell's aggression.
Lysandra signed it with a stroke of resolve.
"Send it," she said.
Serene bowed and hurried out.
Daren approached again, placing a small stack of reports on her desk. "Movement near the eastern border. Nothing conclusive, but scouts noted increased signaling across Asterfell's camp."
Lysandra felt a cold thread coil through her chest.
"Signaling?" she repeated.
"Yes. Patterned torches. Likely communication with rear battalions."
She rose from her desk.
"Daren… if Asterfell is coordinating behind the lines, they're preparing for something larger. Something coordinated."
His silence confirmed her fear.
She stepped around the desk, stopping inches from him.
"We need to prepare Valenfirth for what may come."
"And we will," he said. "Together."
Their shared determination filled the room with a quiet fire.
A storm was moving toward them—one shaped by armies, lies, and betrayal.
But Valenfirth would not fall easily.
Not while its empress still stood.