"It was a gray and cloudy day, where neither sun nor storm held sway..." Edeline muttered, recalling the old poem as she looked out the window. The weather was every bit as moody as she felt, waiting for her brother to enter the room. She ought to be overjoyed to see him again after nearly three harvests come and gone, she knew, but the news she had to deliver...well, no one wanted to be the bearer of such news.

If anything, she would have preferred for her father to be here. But he was not, and it fell to her to handle such matters. Not that Edeline felt she could complain, as there were worse mantles to bear than that. Straightening her posture, she stared ahead as the room's door swung open.

The man standing there was barely recognizable as her brother, leaving Edeline blinking. He had grown out his beard, hiding his lower face behind the dark whiskers. His hair was also longer and slightly ragged, hanging down past his shoulders. Despite his dress attire, bearing the emblem of the royal knighthood, the impression he gave was weariness, with a dull expression that brightened as he looked her over.

Edeline supposed she also looked different from what he remembered. Practicality demanded she did not wear the ribboned dresses that used to be her favorites. A silk tunic and trousers, nowhere near as fanciful but far better suited for activity, were her usual attire on a typical day. Perhaps she could have taken the time to freshen up and put on something more formal, but she would have had to rush doing it. There had simply been no point.

“Edeline,” he said, removing his cloak.

“Myron Hallowscroft,” she replied instinctively, “Please take a seat.” She immediately cursed herself for responding with that, as if he was just another guest for her to entertain. What had she even been thinking?

“Sorry,” she said quickly, “I did not mean it like...”

“Good to see you too, Lady Edeline Hallowscroft,” Myron cut her off with a chuckle. At least he wasn't holding it against her. He turned and handed his cloak off to a servant behind him, then walked around to opposite where she was standing. He then lowered himself into their father's old favorite chair, reminding her of old times. Happier times, in fact.

“I presume father and mother were occupied?” Myron asked, glancing around the room as if he expected them to suddenly arrive.

This was the part that Edeline had dreaded. “I wish,” she muttered, still unsure of what to say.

“Excuse me?” Myron looked slightly confused.

She might as well be plain about it. “Mother is dead,” she said, looking away from him.

“What...how?” Her brother's face paled as he drew back, staring at her. Edeline knew all too well how he was feeling at the news. Although her mother had never been very affectionate to her, her presence had been unmistakable, and Edeline still missed it to this day.

“She fell ill a few months after you departed,” Edeline explained, “She grew weaker and weaker. Finally, just before last harvest, she...she took her final breath.” Edeline took a moment to wipe the tears in her eyes. Even now, it still hurt.

“Curse it all,” Myron said quietly, clenching one fist. After a moment, he looked up at her. “At least you and father were there for her.”

“We were,” Edeline said shakily, “In her last days, she told me that I was...I was the best daughter she could have hoped for.”

“I'm sorry. I wish I could have been there.” Rising to his feet, Myron walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you two argued at times, but...”

“What has happened, happened,” Edeline quoted her father, composing herself, “I have done my grieving.”

For a brief moment, the two siblings were silent together. “And father?” Myron finally asked, concern in his voice.

She shook her head. “He did not take it well. Since then, he has spent nearly all his time at the summer house, in solitude.”

“Wait then...is he not tending to his duties? Then who took on those?”

“It fell to me, of course.” Edeline gazed at him steadily. “Following her burial, he was in no fit state to handle affairs, and I originally expected his grief to pass quickly. But...” She left the rest unsaid.

“How many people know?” Myron took his seat again.

“Not many. The aldermen, the watch captains, and most of the servants are aware of the situation. I have taken to signing letters and documents in our father's name. I believe since most of the people would simply assume he was dictating the papers to an assistant, it would not raise many concerns, at least at first.”

“Let's hope His Majesty never learns of it.” Myron said, frowning.

“I am aware,” Edeline replied curtly, “But what choice did I have? Someone would have ended up in the position I am in now, making decisions on his behalf.”

“I can't argue.” Myron let out a low sigh.

“At least I shouldn't have to handle it much longer, now that you have returned home,” Edeline said, letting her gratitude for this show.

“I'm afraid that's...not going to work,” Myron said hesitantly.

“Excuse me?” Edeline drew back. Myron was the heir, after all, so for him to refuse taking up the responsibilities was unheard of.

“I have my orders. I'm allowed to spend the remainder of the year here resting with my men. But come next spring, I must muster a larger force of recruits and return to the front line. His Majesty commanded it.”

“And I'm afraid that's not going to work,” Edeline said bitterly, throwing his own words back at him. She immediately regretted it, as it was hardly his fault.

Myron studied her for a second. “How bad is it?”

“Many of the farm manors had a bad harvest, and we had to tap into the grain reserves this past year,” she answered, “If we don't have enough men working the harvest this next year, there will be a food shortage, sure as the falcon flies.”

“So either our people starve, or we cut shipments to the south, and they starve instead,” Myron said, biting his lip.

“And I have to choose.” Edeline felt that all-too familiar hollow feeling return, the feeling she had been struggling with the past year. “With all respect to His Majesty, this war had better be won next year.”

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“I wish I could say that was going better than the harvests, but...” Myron shook his head, expression pained. “I had hoped it would not come up, but of the men I brought with me, one out of three lost their lives on the fields of battle.”

Edeline's hands flew up to her mouth. She knew battles came with blood shed, but to lose so many... “How?” she asked.

“Gigants.”

“Excuse me?” Bringing up old children's tales was not something Edeline had expected her brother to do.

“That's what they've taken to calling them, after the old stories and I can't argue. They're enormous...things the size of a house, made of stone and earth. Normal blades can barely scratch them. And they send a dozen or more at a time. If it weren't for the new weapons we were armed with, we'd have been wiped out completely. As it is, we barely can stop them.”

“New weapons?” From the description, it did sound like only a thaumaturge could hope to stand up to them. Not that the Hyarchian armies would deign to employ one for that, given the rise of the Spellking.

“Bombards,” Myron explained, “They're heavy and slow siege weapons, and they make extremely loud noises when they fire off a shot. But they're the only thing capable of bringing down a gigant. Even with them, though, they still can push us back.”

“So the king's forces have lost ground?” Combined with the costs here, it was evident to Edeline the war could not continue. To think that alone was dangerous, to say it out loud was worth a visit with the executioner, but that was the logic she was now faced with.

“Yes.” Looking at her brother, Edeline could see he was holding back his own thoughts. It was likely he had reached the same conclusion she had.

“At least Hallowscroft is far from the battlefield,” she said. It was a small comfort, but this region of Hyarch should remain untouched by war.

“Hallowscroft does seem to be doing well, bad harvests aside,” Myron noted with a slight smile, “You've done a good job keeping things in order. I doubt I could do better.”

“Thank you.” She wasn't sure she liked that the praise made her feel proud. Perhaps she was not used to gratitude for her work, but given she had planned on leaving the position as soon as possible, did she truly deserve it?

“That reminds me, though,” Myron continued, “I spoke briefly with one of the watch captains, and he mentioned something about lightning striking a tree in the garden here. What happened?”

“Oh...that.” Edeline did her best to keep a calm face, but inwardly, she was panicking. How had he found out about that? “It was some kind of bizarre storm, passed over in minutes. It really surprised me, too.”

“You sure it wasn't a thaumaturge? I'd hope none of the Spellking's agents were at work here, but...”

“The watch found no sign of one,” she answered, hoping he'd change the subject.

“Well, better to be on guard then. Still, you're probably right. Aether could just have been capricious.”

“I could certainly use less capricious luck right now,” Edeline grumbled.

“You, me, and everyone else,” her brother said agreeably. Despite his tone, for a brief moment she swore she could see a troubled look in his eyes, but it passed quickly. “Oh, that reminds me. I know my father had mentioned the possibility of me courting the younger daughter of Lord Kelshir. Did anything ever come of that?”

“Lord Kelshir...” she said slowly, searching her thoughts. It had never been mentioned to her, and she had not seen any papers or messages on the subject. “There's nothing I know of on the matter, unfortunately.”

“I see,” Myron said, “I suppose it would fall to me to pursue the matter, but I doubt it would go very far with the ongoing war. Well, so be it.” Edeline supposed he had a point. It would be hard to continue courting a woman when you were soon to be called back to the battlefield.

“I suppose that is why I have not received any such offers either,” she said. This was actually a small lie, as there had been one. However, it had been from some merchant whose name she had not recognized, so she had discarded the letter.

“I'm sure you are so very distraught to not have men knocking upon your door daily,” Myron teased.

“It would be a change of pace,” Edeline said, finding herself smiling. It had been so long since she and her brother had been able to casually converse. She had missed it dearly.

“Unfortunately, marriage will have to wait,” Myron said, “Speaking of waiting, I need to arrange room and board for my men. While some can return to their homes, others won't be able to make the journey overnight.”

“I can draft a promissory note if need be, assuming you require the use of a boarding house.” It probably would be a minor annoyance for the owner, but she could ensure at the least they were well paid for the trouble.

“Then I'd better go see if any have the rooms,” Myron said, rising to his feet.

“Leaving this soon?” She caught herself frowning. “We barely had time to talk.”

“It's well past midday, and I need to see this done before nightfall. We can talk tomorrow, once the men are settled.”

“Tomorrow?” Edeline shot her brother a confused look. “Did you not want to spend the night here?”

“Ah, that.” Myron looked down. “I had wanted to show the men some appreciation by sharing a round of drinks with them. Getting back here after that might be...difficult.”

“Please do not drink too heavily,” she replied, hoping he still remembered that one time a town watch member had drunkenly vomited right outside their front doors. That man was relieved of duty the next day, and Edeline couldn't recall ever seeing her father quite so angry.

“I promise, I'm no drunkard.” Myron snorted, feigning anger.

“I'll hold you to that.” Edeline stood up herself, taking a few steps towards Myron. “But if you wait a minute, I can get that note ready.”

“Yes, I suppose I'd better go,” he replied, “Can't have you being late for arms practice, can we?”

“I regret telling you about that,” she grumbled, “Besides, I haven't the time for that these days.” This was also a lie, but she was not about to tell him what she had been focusing on instead.

“You do know our father knew about it, right?”

Edeline stepped back in surprise. “He did?” She'd taken great care to do it out of sight, on her days off, and had thought the coin she passed to that one watchman was enough to get him to keep silent about the matter.

“He told me while mother didn't like it, he felt it was for the best. I'd wager he had Princess Splendora in mind.”

Edeline closed her eyes, knowing all too well how sore a point the death of the princess was. She wondered if her father had ever forgiven himself.

Either way, she had a note to prepare. Edeline walked over to the bell pull, calling for a servant with a sharp ring. Almost immediately, the doors swung open to reveal her maidservant Lendra. The older woman had to have been waiting near the door just in case anything was needed.

“You rang, my lady?” Lendra asked, voice formal.

“Bring me paper and a quill,” Edeline said. Lendra nodded her head, almost a slight bow, and turned and walked out.

“Good to see she's doing well,” Myron commented. It was an understandable sentiment – Lendra was the longest tenured servant they had, having worked as her maid ever since Edeline was a mere babe.

Lendra soon returned with the requested pen and paper, and Edeline immediately set to work writing out the note. Over the past few years, the busywork of drawing up official papers had become routine. Far too routine.

Finishing the promissory note, Edeline handed it to her brother. “This should cover the costs.”

“Thank you.” Myron rolled up the note, before tucking it inside his belt. Edeline resisted the urge to wince, as she was not entirely sure the ink had dried. There was nothing that could be done about it now anyway. If he ended up requiring a new note, he'd have to return to her.

“Do promise you will visit again tomorrow,” Edeline found herself suddenly saying. Her brother's eagerness to leave made her worried. Perhaps he was not entirely comfortable back home, after so long away. She would be able to discuss the matter with him later, once he had settled in.

“If the Spellking's armies couldn't keep me away, nothing else can,” Myron said with a smirk, “You can bet I will be back tomorrow.”

Edeline smiled back. Despite her reservations and worries, she had to admit it made her happy, having Myron around again. She saw him to the front door. “Aether guide you.”

“Likewise,” he answered, stepping outside. “Take care, sister.” She stepped back and closed the door gently. After standing there for a moment in thought, she turned to go back to other matters.