CHAPTER 15: STRENGTH

Arcane was reading a book she had materialized while left alone in the room when she heard the crashing slam of wood hitting stone at high speeds and stomping footsteps behind it. Hurriedly stowing the book and taking out a few stones to scatter across the floor, she dropped down to start messing with them when the door to the bedroom was flung open by an irate Annabelle and an equally furious Jasmina.

“The nerve of that man!” Annabelle started as she flung herself onto the bed, nearly kicking Arcane in the process.

Jasmina grunted in agreement and dropped into the chair, the wood creaking dangerously. Both had rapidly flicking tails and payed back ears, indicating (from Arcane’s understanding of cat body language) the greatest possible level of anger.

“Not fun, then?” Arcane asked, gathering up the stones she had been laying with and moving out of the way.

“No.” Annabelle snarled. “It most certainly was not.”

“Your highness, do you think we can find another way to the Kingdom?” Jasmina pleaded, her eyes wide. “Jeffers is obviously not going to help us.”

Annabelle sighed. “Not by choice, to be sure. But we don’t have any other options either.”

“I'm sure another port ruler would be more amenable…” Jasmina started.

“It's not from himself that Jeffers is getting this courage.” Annabelle snapped. “He has a backer.”

“A backer, your highness?” Jasmina asked, confused.

Annabelle nodded. “I didn't want to suspect him, but now I'm sure. Someone is bribing the port masters to keep us away from the Rose Kingdom, though I can't imagine why!”

Jasmina was taken aback, then nodded in understanding. “I see, your highness. But who would dare?”

“That's the problem!” Annabelle howled. “I don't know!

Jasmina fell silent as Arcane considered interfering. After a short time she decided it would be worth it. “What about the Black Prince you mentioned earlier?”

Annabelle started while Jasmina almost fell out of her chair. “The Black Prince!?!?” She screamed, catching herself on the edge of the chair, her fur standing up.

“I really wish you didn't listen to that.” Annabelle sighed. “Yes, that is the most likely option right now.”

“But your highness!” Jasmina wailed.

“I know. Blazing hells I know, but I can't think of anything else. East or West nobody else has the means, the will, and the motivation.” Annabelle explained. “Perhaps the rumors of his honor are overestimated.”

Jasmina’s paws were trembling. “But your highness, if this is the Black Prince’s work, then…”

“Invasion.” Annabelle said shortly. “If he couldn't get what he wanted one way he will another, and if I am caught up here I am no match for him.”

“Who is this black Prince?” Arcane asked, tilting her head.

Annabelle and Jasmina turned to stare at her. Then they looked at each other and sighed.

“Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know.” Annabelle said. “Not even he can cross the great desert.” She smiled and then looked into the distance. “The black Prince is the greatest cultivator of either the eastern or western continents, a genius who reached the eighth tier two years ago when he was only twenty years old. He's also the heir apparent to a powerful western nation that is renowned for being cruel and merciless to its enemies and peasants alike. Slavery is one of their practices, although kidnapping is supposedly against his code of honor. But I guess he doesn't follow that all that closely either.”

“Her highness is the Black Prince’s only real rival, as she reached the seventh tier when she was not much older than he was.” Jasmina explained. “And he has proposed marriage several times in order to create a combined kingdom with land in both east and west. Many think he intends to conquer the world starting from that.”

“Ah.” Arcane made a sound of comprehension, returning to her corner.

Annabelle and Jasmina fell silent for a while. Finally, Jasmina broke it. “What are we going to do, your highness?”

“I do not know, countess.” Annabelle replied. “I do not know.”

The next day the two women went out with Arcane trailing behind. Trevias met them at the castle gate, and they went out into the port town’s upper district, looking for something or another.

“What have you learned?” Jasmina asked Trevias while Annabelle bought several meat skewers. The young soldier held his silence until the princess returned then answered in a low whisper.

“Little has been said.” Trevias apologized. “But there is confusion as to your presence here still. The men believed you would be gone by now, or, perhaps, that you would not come back.”

“So they do know something?” Jasmina demanded in a harsh whisper.

Trevias shook his head. “I cannot say, my lady.”

“He’s right, Jasmina. We can’t throw around accusations wildly.” Annabelle reminded Jasmina as she handed out the skewers. Arcane shook her head to decline the one she was offered, taking out a piece of fruit to nibble through instead.

The three elfbeast’s ears flicked in pleasure as they devoured the meat off the sticks, their fangs flashing wickedly as they licked their paws for the dripping juices. All three seemed to greatly enjoy the blackened meat despite its obvious lack of quality, even for breakfast.

“Thank you, princess.” Trevias expressed his gratitude as he finished. “It’s been some time since I was able to eat so freely outside the barracks.”

“It’s no trouble.” Annabelle replied casually. “If there’s one thing I do not lack it’s money. There was plenty to be recovered from the kidnappers.”

Arcane overheard and breathed an internal sigh of relief. It seems the fortune she had extorted from the captain was not the total assets of the pirate ship and thus would not be needed by the escapees. She looked around at the morning town and noted a severe lack of activity in the morning light, returning to contemplating why that was so.

“So, Jeffers.” Jasmina said suddenly.

“Jeffers indeed.” Annabelle replied. “What are your thoughts, Trevias?”

The male elfbeast thought about it for a bit then shook his head. “I’m not sure. On one hand, this sort of strict dedication to following the rules and doing things by the book is exactly like him. On the other, deliberately offending you, princess, or being without messengers or caravans is not.”

“As I surmised.” Annabelle sighed.

“Your highness, what about…?” Jasmina started to say, but she was cut off.

“There’s no need to bring Trevias into that.” Annabelle declared. “Telling him our wild fantasies will not help with this situation.”

“Wild fantasies, is it?” Trevias muttered suspiciously. “You think someone else is involved?”

“We’ve considered it, but there’s no evidence.” Annabelle said quickly.

“Yes, it’s nothing, Trevias.” Jasmina said.

Trevias looked long and hard at the pair before nodding slowly. “Alright then. Wild fantasies it is.”

Arcane was listening with half her attention, having decided that cats were not out in the morning because they were lazy creatures that were active late into the night, and thus elfbeasts with cat ears had the same habits. Possibly a bit racist (or speciesist) but she was happy with her conclusion. She was not quite as happy with how slowly things seemed to be moving on the political front.

Politics could not be said to be among her greatest skills, but she knew well enough that information gathering was best done face to face. Annabelle had a worst case scenario which could easily be used to blackmail Lord Jeffers already; the accusation that he was working with a supposed enemy of the state (or continent in this case) would easily be enough to cause a reaction. Annabelle also had overwhelming power at this time with her seventh tier cultivation, while Jeffers had no such military force, so even if he directly attacked her it would be futile. Offending Jeffers was unimportant to Arcane’s mind, so the simple extraction of information by force and violence was also a viable option. Yet the Rose Princess made no move to do either. How disappointing.

Trevias led the trio back into the castle after a trip through town during which Jasmina pointed out the shops she had visited and Annabelle marveled at the sights. Arcane, for her part, was uninterested in the small minded nobility of this backwards planet. It took quite a bit to impress her, or even gain her attention.

Finally, the three girls were back in the room and Trevias had disappeared to go do guard things. There was a leaf with symbols on it in the entryway, which Jasmina picked up and perused.

“Lord Jeffers would like to invite us to a private lunch, it seems.” She said while passing it to Annabelle.

“Perhaps he will finally give us an opening.” Annabelle commented. “The three of us, though…”

The two elfbeasts turned to Arcane and then looked at the leaf again.

“Think he means her?” Jasmina asked.

“I don’t see any other options.” Annabelle replied.

Arcane looked between them and then took the proffered leaf. She didn’t recognize the symbols on it at first, as the pirates she had stolen the knowledge of had not known how to read and the cultivators had known a different type of writing used with stone. But she knew the language, the theoretical content, and every potential phrasing such a request could have. She cracked the language like it was a code and read it to herself.

‘Your most esteemed highness, princess Annabelle of the Rose,

I would be most grateful for your presence at a small luncheon with myself and my closest aides during the midday hours. I will send for the three of you when the table is prepared.

I hope you will choose to attend.

Lord Jeffers of Tidewalker port.’

Arcane tilted her head, then rolled her eyes. She couldn’t understand the insult implied by the words post translation, but she guessed there must be some. Handing the leaf back after having successfully learned how to read, she nodded once.

“Is that a you will go or a that’s what it says?” Annabelle asked, smiling.

“I’ll go.” Arcane replied, nodding again.

“Wonderful. Then we must get dressed for such an occasion…” Annabelle clapped her paws together and strode towards the bedchamber with the still piled clothes from yesterday, but Arcane slipped away and remained in the entry hall.

“Clothes fine.” She declared, letting her cyan dress flare out and running her hands over her pouches.

Annabelle looked her up and down then turned to Jasmina. “What do you think?”

Jasmina repeated the gesture and nodded once. “It certainly is not cheap, making an entire garment from fabric, but the leather straps…”

“Sand dragon leather, though.” Annabelle commented. “I think it will do fine.”

“Yeah, so long as she doesn’t bring out her swords.” Jasmina noted, looking warningly at Arcane’s spatial pouch where she believed the glass swords to be. Arcane smiled and nodded, inwardly remarking that her swords were technically already on her back, just also not on her back at the same time. Or as a better way of putting it, they were not on her back at this particular time.

Dimensional manipulation abilities wrecked havoc on most language systems, after all. Especially when it came to words indicating duration and temporal status.

The other two retreated into their rooms to get dressed in very similar outfits to last time, though Annabelle wore a light brown and Jasmina chose a deep blue. Both chose to contrast, rather than match, their own fur this time.

They were just in time, too, as a knock on the door came and a young female elfbeast in plain leathery clothes bowed just outside. Gesturing for her to lead the way, Jasmina led the other two out of the room and down the stone corridors of the castle.

Several turns later the maid like girl led them out onto a balcony overlooking the forest behind the castle. Jeffers and several others were waiting there, talking about something or another over small stone tables. On seeing the girls, Jeffers and another man stood up and moved to another circular table some distance away from the others. The man Arcane recognized as the scribe who Jeffers had called over when they first met him. Apparently he was more than just a petty wallflower to the Lord of the castle.

“Lady Annabelle, Lady Jasmina. I am glad you could come.” Jeffers greeted, waving toward the seats. “Please, take a seat.”

“Lord Jeffers, we thank you for the invitation.” Annabelle inclined her head as she sat opposite him.

Jasmina nodded as she sat on the princess’s left, next to the scribe on Jeffer’s right, leaving Arcane between the princess and the lord. She didn’t hesitate before sitting down as well, her expressionless face and closed eyes giving her an air of mystery that her silence merely emphasized. Arcane was not pretending nonexistence today.

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Jeffers beckoned his maid close and she whispered something in his ear. Nodding, he waved her away and looked towards the table. “My apologies, but it seems the food is not quite ready yet. I am informed it will only be a few minutes.”

“Surely you cannot imagine more time in your presence to be a chore, Lord?” Annabelle chided.

“No, my lady, I do not.” Jeffers smiled. “Nor do I see any downside in spending time in yours.”

“Indeed.” Annabelle replied. “But it is curious that we have so many opportunities.”

“Oh? Why is that?” Jeffers feigned innocence

Annabelle tilted her head and sighed, her ears flicking in displeasure. “My, Lord Jeffers, have you forgotten?”

“I would not mind you enlightening me again.” Jeffers said with a smirk.

“Oh, you.” Annabelle said with an obviously fake blush. “I was speaking of my return to my father’s kingdom, of course. It has already been delayed so long.”

“Ah, that.” Jeffers nodded. “You may be assured I am doing everything I can to hasten the investigation, but we are hitting several snags I was hoping you could help me with.”

“You need only ask, Lord.” Annabelle replied, spreading her paws.

At that moment the maid came back and started pouring some drink into the glasses. Arcane took one look at it and covered her cup. Apparently these ‘elf’ beasts were closer to ‘vampire’ beasts.

“Not thirsty, young miss?” Jeffers asked, noticing her move. Annabelle and Jasmina looked at her as well.

“Blood is not my drink of choice.” Arcane replied, filling the cup from her waterskin without flinching at the disapproving glare of the scribe.

“I see.” Jeffers said in disappointment, curiously examining the clear liquid in her stone cup but not making any overt movements. “I apologize for not preparing something that suits your palate.”

Arcane remained silent, her closed eyes boring into Jeffers and making the older elfbeast shift in discomfort. He eventually turned back to Annabelle. “So, now we are refreshed, I was wondering if you could tell me about your escape from the pirates.”

“They met with an unfortunate accident in the desert.” Annabelle replied. “I’m not sure what more there is to tell.”

“You see that.” Jeffers slapped the table and pointed at her. “Is the very part I have a problem with. What sort of accident kills the pirates yet doesn’t harm any of their prisoners? I’m sure you can see my discomfort.”

“I don’t believe we said anything about all the prisoners surviving.” Jasmina noted at the side, the scribe staring at her.

“I’ve examined the ship, my lady.” The scribe stated as if it was obvious. “Even with the chains for oar slaves, there was only enough room on that ship for two or three hundred (sixty-four) prisoners. The number of slaves who returned was equal to the number of places for them.”

“Which is my first concern.” Jeffers added. “How can you say no pirates came back by pretending to be prisoners?”

“I am quite sure of it.” Annabelle declared.

“Yes, but how?” Jeffers pressed. “What sort of natural disaster was it?”

“Amusing, how simple the mind of a beast.” Arcane said suddenly. Everyone else at the table turned to her as she set an apple on the table and started spinning its stem. Focusing entirely on the fruit, she ignored their glares and continued. “It is rather trivial for them to attack those who hurt them, or flee. But those who are unable to do either, well, in their mind they might as well be a stone on the side of the road. Unworthy of note, or attention.”

Arcane picked up the apple and took a small bite, spinning it again to show the flaw. “But the mind of that rare intelligent beast, of a mortal, that is very different. It does not hunt only that which flees or fights, no. The mortal takes something else from the forest, searching for that delicacy which does not flee, which simply waits in hiding, subtle, patient. That, she eats, and allows the foolish beasts to chase each other round and around.”

Annabelle, Jeffers, Jasmina, and the scribe all stared at her as she continued to eat the apple, impassively returning to silent contemplation of nothing. Then they turned to each other, all looking confused.

“Eric?” Jeffers asked towards his scribe, asking perhaps for interpretation.

He shook his head, looking just as confused. “Sorry, my lord.”

“Your highness?” Jasmina similarly asked Annabelle, who looked back at Arcane and seemed to understand something. Slowly nodding, she turned back to Jeffers.

“I believe I understand some of it. The natural disaster that slaughtered the pirates was a group of sand dragons, Lord Jeffers. A large hunting pack attacked the camp and annihilated the pirates; I believe my friend was speaking of their hunting habits which led to the ‘selective’ nature of their slaughter.” She explained, waving her paws to illustrate.

Jeffers glanced at the scribe again, who had thought about it and was now nodding in understanding. “Yes, yes, that would make sense. Many of the others did mention a large group of sand lizards in the camp when they refused to lead us back there.”

“I see.” Jeffers said slowly. “Why did you not speak of this before?”

“I was uncertain.” Annabelle explained with a shrug. “I myself did not witness the events that led to our escape; for reasons I’m sure you understand I was kept somewhat preoccupied.”

Jeffers nodded, then turned to Jasmina. “Her highness was not speaking. Why should I speak for her?” Jasmina declared. Jeffers raised an eyebrow and turned back to his scribe.

“Ah, yes, my lord.” The scribe jumped and looked at one of his pieces of paper. “Um, what do you know about the reason you were kidnapped?”

“Piracy, I’d guess?” Annabelle shrugged again. “I am rather attractive.”

Jeffers laughed lightly at her joke and the scribe nodded and scribbled on the paper. “But, your highness, there must have been some sort of support for mere pirates to be able to kidnap a figure such as yourself…”

“I have many enemies.” Annabelle interrupted smoothly. “Who can say which of them came up with this fool stunt?”

The scribe nodded while Jasmina and Annabelle exchanged a glance. Arcane shook her head to herself; she would have used that opportunity to go on the offensive and start asking questions of Jeffers and his scribe. Yet she was not the one directing this operation nor was she directly involved in such, so she stayed quiet and ate her apple.

The elfbeasts had only understood a small portion of what she had said earlier. Annabelle was deliberately hunting for a moving target, searching for something that flinched in the forest rather than watching for the hidden serpent coiling in the grass. The elfbeasts were all like this, continuously searching for the sight of their enemy instead of following the trail. Arcane was listening to the questions and the reactions of the people around the table. Far too much importance was put on the presence of a collaborator, and Annabelle’s claim of many enemies had not assured any of them.

“That’s enough questions for now.” Jeffers declared as the food came out, carried by several maid like girls. “Let us eat.”

Plates filled with meat and lettuce were placed in front of all of them, the leafs supporting the still red and bleeding flesh and keeping it separate from the stone plates. Annabelle and Jasmina glared at them nonetheless, evidently not over the offering of fruit from last night. Jeffers and his scribe started eating easily, cutting the meat apart with stone knives and picking it up in their bare paws.

Arcane looked at the plate and pulled off a tiny piece to bite. Bitter spices and harshly charred flesh filled her mouth, causing her to grimace and wash it down with water. Waving the nearest maid over, she held out an apple and asked if there were any more of those instead. She received an odd look in return, but at a nod from Jeffers went off to presumably collect some.

“I have not met anyone who prefers slave food, young miss.” he observed, watching oddly as she pushed the plate away and continued to nibble on her fruit. “May I hear your name?”

“Arcane.” She said, just as simply as when she introduced herself to Annabelle and Jasmina.

“Just Arcane?” Jeffers asked, and she nodded. “Odd. Why are you still traveling with the princess when the other commoners have already started heading home.”

Annabelle watched Arcane for a few seconds before realizing no answer was forthcoming. “Arcane comes from the other side of the great desert.” She said to Jeffers. “We met her at the destroyed camp.”

“The other side of the desert?!” Jeffers repeated in surprise. “I was under the impression it was uncrossable. How did you evade the sand dragons, miss Arcane?”

“Easily.” Arcane answered while swallowing a bite of fruit. “They are merely beasts, after all.”

“Sand dragons hunt mercilessly anyone who enters their territory. It isn’t as simple as merely remaining still and letting them go back after a feeding.” The scribe Eric rejected. Arcane turned her eyeless stare on him, causing him to quail.

“Of course not. But they are still just beasts.” Arcane said simply, shaking her head.

“Like I said…” Eric started.

“Enough, Eric. The girl has some trick to dealing with the dragons, and she does not want to share. Am I right?” Jeffers asked. Arcane nodded, to which Jeffers clapped his paws and looked about in satisfaction. “There. I would guess it has something to do with her race as well, for I have never seen an elfbeast with such fingers.”

Arcane simply smiled softly and continued eating the apple. The maid returned with a woven grass basket containing several more, which she gratefully accepted and stored in her pouch, keeping three out and placing them on the table. The maid’s eyes widened at the use of the spatial pouch, and so did Jeffers.

“Where did you get that?” He asked.

“The desert.” Arcane answered, which was technically true but reasonably evasive.

“I see. You found it as well… Those are popular treasures from old ruins.” Jeffers explained.

“But they are also very expensive. We will purchase it for a sixty-four of gold plated stones.” The scribe said, reaching out his paw towards her. Arcane stared at him then reached into the pouch and scattered dozens of gold covered stones on the table.

“Hahaha!” Jeffers laughed, slapping the frozen scribe on the back. “Evidently you underestimated her a bit too much old friend.”

“... I don’t understand. What lineage would give so much wealth to a child like her?” Eric grumbled, retracting his paw and pushing the gold covered stones back to her. Arcane swept them all back into the spatial pouch and continued nibbling on her apple while the Rose princess attempted to turn conversation back to herself.

“Lord Jeffers, I believe that should give a satisfactory account of the incident?” She asked.

Jeffers nodded and then turned to his scribe, who did the same. “Yes, that is all the questions we have. For now.”

“For now?!” Jasmina exploded, Annabelle barely holding her in her seat.

“Come, let us eat.” Jeffers said, picking up another piece of his meat and swallowing it quickly.

“Lord Jeffers, I really must insist on getting back to my father as quickly as possible.” Annabelle said, waving away the maid who came to refill her drink.

“And I must apologize that that is impossible.” Jeffers declared. “My investigation is still unfinished.”

“Lord Jeffers!” Annabelle shouted, standing up. “For the life of me I cannot see why you demand to continue this investigation while the entire continent may be in danger!”

Jeffers calmly stared up at her, his eyes boring a hole in her. “The entire continent, princess?” He asked in a low, dangerous voice. “You said nothing of this.”

“Everyone knows the west is becoming more aggressive. I must return to my father.” Annabelle evaded, her tail twitching angrily.

“If the west is the danger, why do you not wish to remain here, on the front lines?” Jeffers hissed. “Is it because you believe we mundanes should fall to their forces first before you cultivators strike back?”

Annabelle gasped in shock. “I implied no such thing!”

“No, but you are certainly thinking it.” Jeffers insisted, cutting another piece of meat. “Why does it matter if a few hundred mundanes are killed by western cultivators? So long as the great sects survive.”

“That is not how I think!” Annabelle snapped, slamming her fist onto the table and cracking it.

“But how many others do?” Jeffers snarled, rising to his feet on the other side. “How many others of our so called rulers couldn’t care less about us normal people, trying to live our lives without some supernatural monstrosity racing around destroying everything?”

“Not my father!” Annabelle shouted. “Nor anyone else in the Rose Kingdom! Now you return us there at once, so we may actually have a chance of defending against the west, or I will personally ensure that this port is on the front lines of the invasion.”

“And I’m sure you would!” Jeffers shouted. “You would have us all die simply to satisfy your petty pride?”

“No.” Annabelle declared, her tone becoming quieter and more dangerous. “Just you.”

The balcony fell silent. The surrounding people backed away from the angry Rose princess’s confrontation with their lord, and Jasmina and Eric moved behind a nearby table. Only Arcane remained unconcerned, eating her fruit right in the middle of the tense situation. She masked her presence so as not to interfere, judging this as something the Rose princess had to get over herself.

“... You threaten me?” Jeffers asked, disbelieving.

“If I must” Annabelle answered grimly, already shining with the light of cultivation.

Jeffers nodded slowly, then lowered his hands. “I see. Violence is always the answer with your kind, isn’t it?”

“You left me no choice.” Annabelle growled, balling her paws into a semblance of fists.

“Did I really?” Jeffers answered, shaking his head. “So be it then. On the morrow there will be a carriage prepared outside the castle. Take it and begone from my lands.”

Annabelle exhaled and stopped glowing, seeming to visibly deflate as she released her power. “I thank you, Lord Jeffers.”

“Do not expect any more words of courtesy from me, witch.” Jeffers snarled back. “Get out of my sight.”

Annabelle and Jasmina bowed and left, stalking away without waiting for any maid to come after them. Jeffers sighed and dismissed his staff, all of whom fled quickly as the Lord sat down heavily at the cracked table and traced the crack made in it. Soon he was left alone on the courtyard. Well, almost alone.

“You’re still here.” Jeffers noted as Arcane stopped hiding her presence, still nibbling on her apple. Arcane nodded and continued without moving. “Why?”

“I saw no reason to move.” Arcane said simply. “There was never any danger of violence here. Both your prides prevented it.”

“A lot more talkative now, aren’t you?” Jeffers noted. “Still, it takes quite some guts to sit next to an angry cultivator without flinching.”

“Cultivation is far from the only form of power in this universe.” Arcane observed. “And in many ways, it is among the weakest. Even the purely natural power of the sand lizards is enough to kill dozens of them. Their biggest flaw, of course, is that they do not realize this.”

Jeffers nodded. “Arrogance. Typical of them, not understanding how they need mundanes to run their nations or everything will collapse.” He said, complimenting himself.

Arcane shook her head. “You are acting the same way. Arrogantly refusing to accept their power is no better than arrogantly insisting it is the only power. You lack the talent necessary to take a single path and follow it to its peak; you must take power from whatever source you can find.”

“Wise words from a child.” Jeffers replied, staring at her instead of after Annabelle. “Who are you, really?”

“The last of my kind.” Arcane answered, placing the half eaten apple on the table and rising to her feet. “If that makes me the wisest as well, I cannot deny it.”

Jeffers looked at her for a long time and smiled. “I see. Best of luck to you then, miss Arcane. May you continue to spread your wisdom to others as well.”

Jeffers bowing behind her, Arcane walked back into the castle and started wandering aimlessly. She didn’t have any particular goal in mind, just to waste time and allow Annabelle and Jasmina to get over the results of the incident just now. She had her doubts that either of them liked the way in which they had obtained transport to the Rose Kingdom, based on her knowledge of ‘honor’ and the codes of conduct its practitioners praised.

Arcane herself disdained honor, considering it nothing more than a primitive system of ethics designed by those who didn’t understand the purpose of those systems. Still, she was not one to deliberately offend or kick others when they were down. Whether it was virtue or laziness that drove her to such a preference was uncertain.

Arcane didn’t see anyone as she wandered, examining the twisted corridors and considering how difficult this fortress would be to take. Prepared defenders could hide out for weeks in the twisting labyrinth, assuming supplies did not run out, and attackers unfamiliar with the layout would be picked off one by one. Jeffers was right to take pride in it, and also understandable in his resentment towards the powerful cultivators who rendered its might useless.

Speaking of Jeffers, Arcane hoped he would take her advice to heart and not continue the more irrational aspects of his resentment. While cultivators were not much use in defending this fortress they could easily be used to duel and thus delay or destroy enemy cultivators, especially those with enough power to break this fortress. The battle would then become like every other, based on who brought the more numerous and powerful cultivators, of course, but it would stop being a matter of simply bringing a single cultivator to destroy a beautiful fortress such as this.

Still, there were countless other ways to take it. The trap doors and corner slits were placed at the wrong angles to deal with metal armor, and a single squadron of chain mailed spearmen would likely be capable of taking it with ease. Corruption was rampant in the guards, making it easy to bribe the defenders, and there was little to no defense against poison gas or smoke bombs. Arcane imagined herself trying to defend the fortress against the myriad methods in her own arsenal.

While enjoying that exercise she came to the gardens at the center of the castle, a small open area exposed to the sun overhead with an extensive grove of trees and other plants. Few flowers, unfortunately, but there were plenty of fruits and vegetables. Especially large trees with sturdy wood and heavy underbrush, perhaps used as training for forest excursions or ambushing. Arcane, no stranger to such things, moved silently over the greenery as she brushed against the largest fruit bearing tree and contemplated retrieving some.

As she came up to the tree, she heard a sound from a hidden area behind them. Carefully peeking around the tree, she was shocked to find Annabelle hiding in the leaves, crying while kneeling on the ground.

Apparently the princess had taken her actions even worse than Arcane anticipated.