***

Lord Hegwous popped his neck as he stretched out the kinks from his day’s sleep. Still covered in his floor length black cloak he blended into the shadows of the night. He looked out of his chamber’s window into the distance, peering past the walls of the city, up to the clouds, and at the swirling violet moon above. The vortex covering its surface was slowing, indicating a new moon was coming.

Gehsek’s armor somehow gleamed in the dim moonlight, contrasting sharply with his Lord’s apparel. The commander too still wasn’t sure if that cloak wasn’t just the Lord’s most beloved blanket since his bed was stripped. He dared not ask, instead silently waiting among the piles of messages and records inscribed on clay tablets scattered about. The rest of Hegwous’ chambers weren’t much neater. The Lord had taken the highest tower for his own, which Gehsek thought was a personal slight against him so he’d have to climb so many stairs every night to bring Hegwous his breakfast.

Gehsek placed his Lord’s breakfast on his cluttered work desk and grimaced at the only half drunk goblet he’d brought last time. Gehsek kept the reports of the silent Outside and silvery blue figure to himself rather than burden his Lord.

“Hegwous. You have to eat,” Gehsek said.

“Any news from the north?” The Lord asked as he rolled his shoulders.

“No, sir. It seems them destroying the last bridges across the crags in the Borderlands keeps them from advancing as it does for us. That’s the best I can deduce. We’re still struggling to rebuild the spy networks from Upavid’s death. Doivi has taken over much of their operations, unfortunately and she is less than cooperative and rebuilding the networks Upavid ran is basically out of the question. But our scouts are ranging as best they can and keeping an eye on Vatram and its passage into Uttara.” Rigid and with cape billowing in the wind, Gehsek’s posture put the Lord’s sleepy slouch to shame. “Regardless, I don’t feel we could advance through the jungle without a catastrophic loss to our forces.”

“Deiweb sent back most of their army in the Borderlands. Have we not dealt with their magics and spirits enough?” the Lord asked, sighing. His stretching made useless as stress tensed him up again. He held out his hand and Gehsek quickly gave his Lord the cup of diluted blood he had brought.

“Of course,” Gehsek spoke quickly, before Hegwous suggested using Deiweb again. “But even with the Light Ascetics’ help, I doubt we could make much progress. The Uttara’s forest barrier holds the rest of their spirit allies. They would probably be able to withstand another of Deiweb’s Scorchings. There’s only one route through, allowing them to be far more concentrated and mitigating any advantage in numbers as we’d have to struggle through the dense jungle. Getting an army across the gorges and canyons and then through the forest would be too easily seen and too easily cut off. I suggest we focus on consolidating what we already have. Frankly, Hegwous, I fear sending warriors off. We already send enough to scout the north and patrol our roads. We’ve already lost too many smaller cities and farm towns in the Scorching. The governors are still furious. Even being away from their cities and warriors, if any of them were to… It would have to be put down quickly. Uttara isn’t going to attack any time soon.”

“Have they begun infighting?”

“Again, my Lord. We’re trying without Upavid. I’ve heard rumors of discontent but the Macaque Clan still holds onto power.”

Hegwous scoffed, shaking his head before stroking his gem. “I wish the houses here would be like the north’s clans.”

“My Lord?”

“The rulers there can simply raise their forces and fight for supremacy. No scheming. No assassinations, taxation arguments. Simple.” He fidgeted. “The Gwomon won’t like this, having an army that size so close to our capital, even if it is bottled up when they arrive.”

“We’ll be fine, Hegwous. That’s why we have our plan. The northerners will tear each other apart soon enough.”

“We need their ports too, Gehsek. How else are we going to connect with the Gwomon? They’d be here by now if they didn’t have to go by land through the Rivers. And we must mitigate the threat.” Hegwous slouched further still not having taken a sip of his breakfast.

Gehsek placed his hand on the Lord’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine. We can’t do anything yet but neither can they.”

During their discussion both men failed to notice the wisp of smoke lingering in the window until it popped to life. Both leapt back in fright. Gehsek drew his sword as the darkness under the Lord’s cape gave the vaguest semblance of legs planted for a battle.

“Pfft ha!” Deiweb held his sides as he laughed.

Gehsek sheathed his sword with a weary sigh as Hegwous smoothed out his cloak like a frightened cat’s tail.

“My Lords,” Deiweb began, the corners of his mouth twitching with mirth as he addressed them. “I tracked the woman you mentioned. She’s clearly one of you. She’s fed twice. I believe you’ve been informed of this by your guards, no?”

Lord Hegwous closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but a stifled shriek broke from his lips as he collapsed to the ground, shivering, spilling his goblet.

“My Lord??” Gehsek knelt and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder again. “Surely she’s mad from living in the Outside for so long. Surely?”

“Of course,” The Lord said breathlessly. “No one would believe one bedraggled, homeless Kumari about anything.” Hegwous forced a pathetic smirk.

“And she seems to be lodging with a warrior.” Deiweb tapped his chin again, looking up coyly, then shrugged. “A dhanur living in the upper portion of the city with clay red hair.”

“Please, don’t toy with me.” The Lord shook as he clasped his chest and dragged his hand down his face.

At the mention of the dhanur, Gehsek narrowed his eyes dangerously and clenched his jaw, the scar on his cheek glinting slightly with his movement.

“No matter,” Hegwous continued. “No matter. We have Aarushi still. Dhanur’s been compensated and should know better than to open her mouth. No one would believe a single word she says with all the time she spends drinking anyways, fame or no fame… She’ll think the Outside has driven the girl mad, they’ll go their separate ways, and we can kill the Malihabar girl once she leaves the city.”

“I wish you luck with that, my Lord.” Deiweb hardly contained his mirth. “I’m certain neither of these women have the gift of free will. I’m sure the dhanur with her previous defeat and penchant for honor would never try to help a homeless noble girl who’s clearly fallen from grace and so resembles the lover you hold hostage. I’m positive the noble girl would never seek the assistance of her kind. Perhaps it is best to just leave them be without taking a single precaution.”

“Alright!” Lord Hegwous pressed his bony fingers into his temples, Gehsek nearly cradling him. Deiweb casually looked around, wondering who could be the recipient of the hateful glares from Gehsek. The Lord took in a deep, deep breath. “Alright. That’s fine. In case they come here, purge Malihabar from the records. Switch the guard shifts and place the new hires on public duty. They won’t have history with Dhanur. The loyal guards remain on internal duty.” He struggled to take in a breath and addressed Deiweb specifically, “Once their search is moot they’ll leave, and then kill them.”

“Now that sounds more fun.” Deiweb smirked and bowed once again, extending his hand. “To your health.”

Gehsek scowled at the puff of smoke soon sailing off into the distance. “My Lord, why don’t you stay in tonight? I’ll see to your orders. You still have plenty of time before the Gwomon arrive.”

“The new moon isn’t far away, Gehsek,” Hegwous said.