Lilian D'viritazi was bored.

That word, though applicable, hardly seemed to describe the feeling that permeated her very being. Unfortunately, it was all that came to mind in the moment. The numbing and hollow ache that had suffused her body, all encompassing and endlessly irritating, defied such paltry attempts at definition. It twisted and twirled like a restless viper, sinking it's fangs into her throat and not letting her settle. No matter how hard she stared at the looming pile of parchment that blocked her vision, Lily could not find the will within herself to tackle the task at hand. Her attempts to dredge up a modicum of motivation failing at every turn. Inevitably her eyes began to wonder. They looked for something, anything, that would distract her from the dizzyingly disgusting sight of yet more paperwork.

She'd been at it for three hours now. Three whole hours dedicated to absolutely nothing. Each sheet could've been signed by a proxy, every word read by someone who enjoyed such tasks, like Freida or her annoyingly informed husband. Why did it have to be her? Why did Lilian have to give up days with her sisters, with Rainie, for some low-level bureaucratic nonsense?

The answer to that was a simple one: Lilian D'viritazi was the heir to her clan's throne.

As such, it was expected of her. Lilian was to put her own needs aside for the sake of her family. She understood that. Lily had come to terms with the fact that she would have to make sacrifices in the name of her Clan, but that didn't mean she wouldn't complain about it to anyone who would listen. It was the small pleasures that gave life meaning, though finding someone willing to offer an ear was becoming harder and harder as the years went by.

Deep in thought, Lilian stared at the high ceiling, elaborately painted with some past event that no one but the artist who'd created it recalled. It was pretty, true, but she soon lost interest in the endless swirls of dramatic colour, faded and robbed as the painting was of its once tremendous beauty. She looked to the ornately curved windows that offered stunning views of Nian with indifference. She stared into the dark and unused stone fireplace, the rows of leather bound books on boring topics that lined the walls, yet nothing served to stir her interest. Lily's calling was battle, her heart pleaded to train in the harsh sun of her homeland, but she knew that was not to be. Finally, her gaze settled on the desk itself. The heir to the D'viritazi admired the fine craftsmanship, the dark oak nearly black, and wondered where her father had purchased it from? It seemed highly unlikely to have been here when the space was gifted by the High Lord, considering that it had been almost three hundred years since the Tower was built. Or maybe it had? If that was the case then it really was a well-made desk. Perhaps Lily should enquire about getting one for herself? She never used the one she had at home anyway, true, but it would at least add some sense of gravitas to her rooms. Perhaps if her father saw it he would be impressed, maybe enough that he would pick someone else to do the frustratingly monotonous task that she found herself performing. Lilian chuckled at that, the sarcastic musing layered with spite. If simply buying a desk could cause her father to leave her alone, it would have to be down right magical. That thought sent her down another spiral, day-dreams of desks that could fly through the sky and Mastan's beaming, bearded face as he cheered the mythical object on.

“Lily,” Her name, muttered morosely, was a warning and caused Lily to freeze in place like a deer that had spotted the hunter on its tail. “Focus.”

Lilian exhaled explosively as she was dragged, kicking and screaming, back into the harsh reality of the day. She nodded in the direction of the speaker with no small amount of annoyance on her face. Then, with highly exaggerated movements, she made a show of picking up her quill and dipping it slowly into the inkwell, making sure to cause as much noise as possible in the process. The reward for her efforts was a suffering sigh from her companion, though he failed to look up from where he was sitting, his own quill scratching against parchment. Lilian frowned with narrowed eyes, hoping for a more dramatic reaction. For a moment she contemplated kicking him under the desk, but considering the sheer size of the bloody thing it would be all but impossible. Instead, after much internal debate, she decided to at least attempt to get some work down.

Lily looked to the leaning tower of papers with utter hatred in her eyes. Three hours gone, yet the thing remained mostly untouched. Containing a sigh of her own, Lily stood and pulled one from the top, glaring at the page as though to transfer the knowledge of what it contained directly into her mind without the need to read it.

Five minutes turned to ten, then to fifteen, and yet the page remained stubbornly secretive as to its contents. She could read it, but that would be admitting defeat, and Lilian D'viritazi was nothing if not stubborn. Deciding that the matter was hopeless and allowing her mind to wander once more, Lily turned her attention to the man sitting across from her, so studiously attentive to his pointless work. She picked up a crumb from the plate next to her, the remains of her lunch, and threw it at his head.

The piece of bread struck against his cheek satisfyingly, but he remained utterly unmoved by Lily's cry for attention. The only sign he'd been hit at all was in his tightening brow, his brown eyes going stormy and jaw clenching in aggravation. So Lilian threw another piece. Then another and another still. The man's scratching quill moved all the quicker as he pressed hard against the paper. It was almost as though he was trying to relieve his frustration on the page itself. Still, Lily knew it was only a matter of time. Her Smith was hardly the stoic type.

It only took six more crumbs, but Lilian finally got what she wanted as Hector slammed his hands against the desk and jumped to his feet, glaring at his Knight and snarling into the air. “Gods, Lilian! What!? What in the Spirit's name is wrong now!?”

“Bored.”

“I know you are! Everyone everywhere knows it! Now can you please just sit there quietly and do the Spirit-damned-”

“Bored!” Lilian mewled as she sank deeply into the comfortable velvet-backed chair.

Hector bit back a retort, closing his eyes and taking in a deep hitching breath. “Gods preserve me from idiots and layabouts.”

“Let's go do something!” Lilian said as she sank ever further, casting away her quill from her hand in disgust.

“We are doing something. Your father asked us to take care of the permits, so here we are.”

“No, let's do something fun,” Lilian stressed with a pout. “We can just send a messenger to Arno. I'm sure he has someone who can deal with all this.”

“I'm positive that he does. But, as I've already said a thousand times, your father has asked us to do it. Not Arno, not Freida, not Tilia, us.” Hector replied blankly, his head dropping into his hands as he took a seat once more. He exuded the air of a man defeated. “Please, by all that is holy, just help me with this. I'm not exactly enjoying myself either, you know. I arranged to meet up with Mary tonight and at this rate we're still going to be here when the sun comes up tomorrow.”

Lilian waved a hand through the air dismissively, “Oh, she'll wait for you. The girl looks at you like you walk on water, Lord Hector.”

The man flushed to his roots, hands fidgeting as he ran them through his hair and a bright smile forming on his face. His eyes glazed over as he stared into space, no doubt thinking of the buxom baker who worked in the markets of Nian, “Don't call me a Lord, Lily. It's bad enough when Mary says it. Makes me feel silly, like a fraud. Now please get back to work. We can go and get a drink after this, if there's time. I could use the courage.”

Lily couldn't help but shake her head at that. Her Smith truly was too humble for his own good sometimes. She'd tried on more than one occasion to help him become comfortable with his now well-worn title, but she'd never quite managed to succeed. Hector and his family had been thrust into the Nobility as a result of being identified as a Smith, but he'd spent many of his formative years growing up on his family's farm outside of Nian. It was closer to the jungle than it was to the city, so Hector hadn't actually seen more than ten people in one place until he was almost fully grown. Lily was sure that first trip to the capital was one her Bonded never forgot, considering how it changed his life.

He'd been delivering some goods for his father, who'd grown too old to handle the long journeys to the capital. Almost as soon as he arrived, he was spotted by a Knight and Smith who'd been going for a jaunt around the city. They'd divined the true nature of his soul and, almost overnight, his life had transformed. Hector was raised into the Nobility, becoming a Lord and given an estate in the city. Men and women of the peerage suddenly started showing an interest, sending him letters and messengers to arrange a meeting with their offspring in the hopes that one of their children became his Knight. That wasn't even to mention the public interest. Everyone, be they commoner or Noble, loved a good story and what was better than the tale of a farm-boy who'd risen from a hovel to become a new Smith? That wasn't quite an accurate depiction, considering that Hector's family owned their own farm and a significant portion of the land surrounding it, not to mention those they employed with their significant earnings. Hector had once proudly told his Knight that his family fed half of the west coast and Lilian believed him after seeing the sheer scale of the Blackbridge farmstead. They weren't quite Noble, but to call them beggars was ridiculous. Still, storytellers loved to exaggerate. He became something of a local celebrity, almost unable to move from the attention he got when he left his new estate in Nian, which quickly became akin to a prison in his eyes. He felt isolated, alone. This was made all the worse by the fact that his parents and siblings couldn't travel to be with him, the work on the farm never-ending and his father's health meaning he couldn't be moved without putting his life on the line. Of course, Hector could have returned home, but he didn't want to cause his family any problems as a result of his new-found fame.

Lilian felt sadness well up within her as she frowned at her Smith. It must have been so crushing for him, especially so when his father died a few short weeks after it was discovered he had a Smith's soul. Hector hadn't even been able to go to the burial. His family hadn't held the absence against him, they all understood why he couldn't be there, but that didn't mean that Hector didn't blame himself. A part of him had believed for a long time that if he was there he might have been able to make a difference. There was nothing that could be done, of course, but grief rarely presents itself in a rational way.

Lily knew that better than most.

“You're staring at me,” Hector narrowed his eyes at his Knight, smile dropping as he suddenly flinched, looking around himself in a state of quiet panic, “What have you done? Are you up to something?”

Lily laughed, unable to help herself, “No, of course not.”

“Don't say 'of course not'.” Hector said, shaking his quill in her direction, “The last time you said that to me I ended up in a barrel of eels. I won't fall for that again, no sir.”

Wholesome, quiet and kind. Three words that summed up her Smith. Power and wealth had the tendency to change people, but that could never be said in the case of the straight talking Hector Blackbridge. He was exactly what Lily needed when she needed it and she liked to think she was the same for him. He was her conscience, often the voice of reason in her head, always speaking the truth even if she didn't want to hear it. She was his rock, his protector from a world that would take advantage of him for his sweet and trusting nature. Together they'd helped each other grow. Hector had shown Lily that there was more to the world than the one she perceived from her place in the Nest, and she had taught him that he didn't have to change who he was to embrace his newfound power as a Smith. Together they'd faced all their problems head on and come out the other side whole. Together she and Hector could do anything.

“I was thinking about the day we met. Do you remember?” Lily asked with a sly grin.

“I remember apologising a lot for almost getting run over by your carraige.” Hector replied with a small smile.

Lily recalled it like it was yesterday.

She had been travelling back from yet another meeting with a potential Smith when her carraige came to a screeching halt. What had followed was a battle between Hector and her driver to see who could apologise the most in the span of a few minutes, disrupting the already annoyed Noblewoman sitting in the passenger compartment. Lilian couldn't say what caused her to climb out and shout at the person who'd brought her journey to an abrupt interlude. It was hardly the first time it had happened and it wasn't the last. Nian is a busy city and just as turbulent as the White Sea. Perhaps it was her irritation with her father, or the Smith she'd just met, but it was one of those rare moments where she was thankful for being quick to anger. After Hector stopped saying sorry, the two had spoken for some time. Lily had seen the pain in his eyes, the hurt that shone there. Some unknowable force had demanded she stay.

Lilian wasn't one to believe in fate or the concept of destiny, but even she was hard-pressed to explain just what exactly had drawn her to Hector. He'd looked like any other commoner walking the streets of Nian, yet there was something different about him. On that day, all those years ago, Lily met the other half of her soul. The friendship that had blossomed then had been one of the few things that kept her sane during those years when the burden of being the eldest became too heavy to bear. When she'd asked Hector to be her Smith, he'd immediately said yes. There had been no hesitation, no hint of unease. When she'd later asked him how he was so sure they would make a good match, he'd just smiled and said he'd known since the moment they'd met. The short time Hector had known he was a Smith was marred by self-doubt and misery. He hadn't known his place in the world, nor even who he truly was. Separated from his family and living in a city that was so far removed from where he grew up, Hector felt like he'd walked into another land entirely. At home he was but one of the few, but now he found himself surrounded by thousands of strangers who didn't say hello as he passed or offered a cheery smile in greeting.

Lilian was going through something similar. She was the eldest daughter, Mastan D'viritazi's first-born. All expected great things from her even if at the time the future head of the clan was to be Tessaraina. Lily had worked her fingers to the bone back then, leaving little time for levity, all in search of her father's approval. Mastan wasn't a bad father, just an absent one. There was always something more important to do, always some new crisis to overcome. As a girl Lilian had believed that if she worked hard enough and did the best she could, her mama and papa would spend more time with her. A naive and laughable viewpoint, but one which she whole-heartedly believed in nonetheless. When her sisters were born, her loneliness became all the more pronounced. The worst of it was she had no one to truly talk to. All her 'friends' growing up were mostly from prominent Noble families or worked directly with her Clan. As for discussing it with her sisters, that wasn't even a question. She was the oldest, the protector, even to Cassie. Lilian couldn't be moping about how little affection mother or father gave her. So, she did the responsible thing and swallowed the sadness down, hiding it behind a veneer of mirth and merriment. For her sake and for theirs.

In their loneliness, Hector and Lilian had found each other. Finally, Lily could be herself with the first true friend she'd ever made. Hector could do the same. The Bond they'd Forged on the day they became Knight and Smith was only a formality as far as Lily was concerned. Their true connection had been created years earlier.

Mother and Father had been thrilled when Lilian had announced her intention to Bond with Hector. She'd been a little concerned about his social standing, considering he'd only just been made a Lord and she was a member of the most powerful political dynasty in Ragoran history, but those fears were dismissed by Mastan. He ascribed to the theory that the reason Smiths could appear anywhere was down to the individual and not the bloodlines they were born from. Simply put, for a Smith to manifest in a family that wasn't connected to another through ancestry, they must have a particularly powerful soul. Hector proved him right in that regard. While Lily hadn't received any Resonant Gifts from her Bonded, he was still incredibly capable, allowing them to maintain high standing while training at the Hall even amongst over pairs from the Five Families.

Mastan had tried to push for a marriage, especially in the beginning, in hopes of taking advantage of the fact that Hector was the first of a new line of Smiths. Lily had anticipated this, forewarned by her mother of her father's intent. She could even understand his reasoning. If Mastan's theory held any water then children born of Hector and Lilian's union would be stronger than the norm, even when taking into account the incredible power of the D'viritazi. She was quick to put any talk of marriage and kids to bed, however. Lily and Hector were companions in the truest sense of the word, almost the same person in many respects. From the moment they'd met, it had never been on the cards for either of them.

In the end, Mastan stopped his griping and was simply satisfied that Lilian wanted to become a Knight in the first place. They would never say it aloud, but Lily knew that they were afraid she would choose not to Bond with anyone, as Cassie had proclaimed. When she'd first told them her intention to never become a Knight, Mastan and Theadora had both chalked it up to the foolishness of youth. But as she got older, her views remained fixed and no amount of needling or cajoling would work to change her mind. Their father was devastated by this. Cassie had always been Mastan's protege, his greatest student, in a way that Lilian never was. Since the moment she'd picked up a sword, all had known that she was different, gifted. For her to reject power and prestige for a place in the Navy was an absurd thought to many, but Cassie had followed through. One thing that Lily had quickly learned about her sister growing up was that Cassandra D'viritazi rarely spoke unless there was a reason, and her word was beyond reproach.

While Lily was proud of her sister for standing up to Mastan and holding true to her values, she couldn't help but mourn for what Cassie could have been as a Knight. Stronger than her, certainly. Perhaps even stronger than Mastan himself. Alas, it was not to be and Cassie's decision left a bittersweet taste in Lilian's mouth. Cassandra followed her own path, pushing free from the yolk of tradition and the way of their clan, but Lily felt no small amount of heartache that she wouldn't get to see what Cassie could have become. She was the strongest of them after all, the best warrior to come out of their family in over a hundred years... well, the second best now, Lily supposed.

The image of a blurring shape and then darkness appeared in sight of her mind's eye. Tessa, her baby sister, her Rainie, waking Lily from an unwilling sleep soon to follow. She had lost, and so had Cassie. The two of them had once believed that they could only be beaten by each other or their father, but their long lost sister had left them both in the dust. She was a force of nature, a savage beast that had honed her claws and fangs to perfection. To witness it had filled Lily with a potent mix of pride and awe. Her baby sister had become stronger than any of them. Lilian had never been happier to lose a fight in her life. She'd given everything she had and still come up short. Not that her spirits were dampened by the defeat, not in the least. Lily had been beaten before and would be again. Rainie had given her a reason to push ever onwards. Lilian was the oldest, after all. She couldn't be losing to her younger siblings all the time, that was just embarrassing. It was bad enough when it was just Cassie, now Lily had Rainie to worry about.

What made Tessa's victory all the stranger was the man who'd taught her. Boldrin the Bold was clearly a warrior, but he seemed a drunk and layabout unwilling to do much of anything, reeking of some foul combination of wine and sweat. Yet while speaking with Rainie Lily had learned that he was the only opponent she had been unable to truly defeat. She claimed he held back, never giving her his all, much to her consternation It seemed unbelievable but, like Cassie, Tessa was the sort who didn't exaggerate or lie. Perhaps that explained why her father seemed to be so cautious around the man.

No one else had seen what Lilian had witnessed during the day of Tessa's arrival, of that she was sure. All eyes were on Tess, who had just collapsed to the floor. Orin followed, wrapping her up in his arms and stopping her head from clanging against the cold stone. There they had laid, frozen within their own little world. Father had tried to approach, taking a step forward, yet he had come to a dead stop when he met Boldrin's eyes. Something had passed between them then, for father's stare flitted over to Theadora, almost as though he was reassuring himself that his wife was present. There was only one reason he would do that as far as Lily knew.

Mastan knew he couldn't beat Boldrin without his Smith.

Lily shook her head of foolish thoughts, nearly laughing at the sheer improbability of it. Mastan didn't become cautious. He was the protector of Ragora, its most famous son and ferocious fighter, with or without Theadora. She must have been seeing things. That made far more sense than the idea of her father being afraid of the jolly giant with his annoyingly loud laugh.

“Lily, focus!”

A piece of paper smacked softly against the side of the Knight's head as she was pulled from her musings by a rather irate Hector, his bright brown eyes glaring at her fiercely. Lily picked up the paper and threw it back, the Smith moving aside and saving himself from being humiliated as Lilian's head fell into her hands.

“I can't, alright!? This is beyond boring, it's soul-crushing. I need some air, I need a drink!”

“Strange how you always need a drink when there is work to be done,” Hector replied dryly. “Come on, we're almost there.”

“Liar!” Lilian cried out dramatically, pointing an accusing finger at her Smith and another to the leaning pile of bullshit that sat beside her. “We're going to be here till the end of time! What are

these permits even for, anyway?”

Hector blinked, slightly confused, before turning his attention to the sheet of parchment in front of him. “This one is...it's... ah... it's about the ship that came into dock yesterday... I think? No, that doesn't sound right. I think this one has something to do with wheat. Do we buy wheat?”

“You see! Even you don't bloody know and you're supposed to be the smart one!”

“Fine, I don't know!” Hector spat out in disgust, throwing the document in front of him back onto the pile while his own head sank into his palms, mirroring his Knight. “I stopped reading two hours ago. They're all the bloody same. Fancy words used to say simple things. Gods, I hate this!”

“Thank you,” Lilian said, satisfied. “Now can we go and get a drink?”

Hector sighed painfully, his expression one of intense suffering but he shook his head severely nonetheless. “No, we can't. This is important, Lily. You'll be doing more of this when you become the head of the clan. Better to learn now than to make a mistake later.”

Mother and father had gone to no small amount of effort to impress the severity of Lilian's future responsibility on both her and her Smith. Hector had made it his personal mission to ensure Lily was ready when the time came and her ascension was assured. The Knight, for her part, couldn't care less about living up to the expectations of her parents, more so now after all that had happened with Rainie.

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Lily smiled bitterly at that. How things had changed since she was a child.

Part of her wanted to argue the case against Hector, but seeing the earnest expression on his face gave her pause. He knew what had happened with Rainie. He was her Smith, her companion. After dealing with the fallout of the meeting where her father revealed Tessa's fate, she'd immediately made for Hectors estate, only to find him already running up the mountain without a carraige. He had felt her pain and made to reach her side. If it had been any other day then Lily would have laughed at her breathless Smith as he tried with all his might to conquer the treacherous roads of Dealanaich, but instead she cried as soon as she caught sight of him. The strength she'd maintained in front of her sisters crumbled to ruin and she was left a weeping wreck, her screams echoing off of the peaks of the great mountain.

For that reason she knew better than most that Hector wasn't pushing Lily for the sake of her parents. The anger he felt for them most likely exceeded even Lilian's own. After all, he'd been the one to help her when the grief of losing her baby sister threatened to consume her very soul. In fact, since that day on the road to the mountain Hector had kept his distance from the Nest, only making the journey at the insistence of his Knight. As kind and compassionate as the man was, even he had his limits and Mastan had reached them. It was for her, to make her ready. Secrets may have been revealed, but in the end their discovery didn't stop the ever-encroaching march of time. Lily would be the next head, even Tessa's reappearance didn't change that. She was Bound to Orin, as he was to her. Their fate lay beyond Ragora.

Besides, Lily could never say no when he wore his hopelessly endearing expression of honest conviction.

“Fine, you don't need to keep going on about it,” Lily huffed, maintaining her annoyed facade simply for appearance's sake as she picked up her quill once more, fighting against the instinct to throw it into the fireplace. “We'll get it done.”

Hector beamed happily, “Thank you. At the very least, we can suffer through it together.

As one, the Knight and Smith set to work once again, this time with Lilian actually keeping her attention fixed to the pages in front of her. All of it was busywork, the kind that any member of their staff with the appropriate authority could sign off on, but Mastan had been insistent. Or his messenger had been at the very least. Mother and father didn't have much time to speak with Lily directly these days, far too busy with training Orin. Lily had yet to see the man in action beyond that brief scuffle with her father. She wondered how well he would hold up against a true Knight and Smith like she and Hector. Then again, he had beaten Alden in a fight. Lilian doubted the man was giving his all, but even still that's an impressive feat. There was a reason that Alden was valued so highly by their family.

Damn it! She'd let her mind drift again. Frowning, Lily bit her lip to bring her wondering thoughts to heel and read through the rest of the document before signing off on the transfer of seeds to a ship departing within the week. Tedious work, yes, but work that needed to be done. Despite her griping and moaning, even Lilian could see that. She could even understand the reasoning behind her and Hector having to do it. Being a leader was more than simply giving orders. To be truly successful, she needed to be aware of every aspect of the D'viritazi, even the seemingly small and inane tasks like the one she was doing now. The reason Hector aided her was simple enough to understand. While she was to be the head of the clan, that didn't mean that her Smith was free of any responsibility. It would be on him to handle the internal affairs of the Nest, as well as take on the rather daunting task of training any of Lily's children who happened to be Smiths. Not that the young woman had any intention of settling down anytime soon. She'd had suitors, of course, but none who interested her. Theadora had all but given up on trying to find someone who met Lilian's rather high standards and instead giving her eldest free reign to choose who she wished, when she wished. It wasn't like the whole clan was dependent on her having kids. As it stood now, Freida would inherit should anything happen to Lily. Having seven children had all but assured the D'viritazi's future.

The pages in front of Lily began to blend into each other as she and her Smith fell into an easy rhythm, their breathing in sync as they finally began to make a dent in the intimidating recreation of Dealanaich that was stacked high upon her father's desk. Unfortunately, Lily quickly found that her recently invigorated enthusiasm was beginning to wane, despite her best efforts. She began to wonder what her sisters were doing, Tessa in particular. Two weeks wasn't nearly enough time to get to know her sister again and Lily was eager to return to the Nest quickly to resume that important work. She also enjoyed the company of the young Venosian Princess. Lilian's past experiences with foreign royalty was rather limited, but those she had met tended to be rather entitled, even those that were only distantly related to their respective monarchs and had no chance of ascension. Elora was a breath of fresh air in that regard. It was also rather nice to see that Tess had at least one friend beyond her Knight, even if it was her Sister Smith. Rainie clearly took comfort from the Princess' presence, usually letting her take the lead in conversations until she was comfortable enough to speak. Perhaps she would return in time to have dinner with them tonight, though given how busy they were the Knight thought it unlikely. Lily also wanted Tess to meet Hector at some point in the near future. While she and her Smith had been speaking to one another during the time of Tessa's disappearance, he hadn't yet visited the Nest. Maybe in a week or so they could-

The short sound of a hard rap against the door pulled both Lily and Hectors attention away from their 'important work'. Their reactions to such an intrusion were both lively, though in all other ways they couldn't be more different.

“Yes!” Lilian cheered as she sprang to her feet, bolting towards the door like an arrow fired from a longbow.

“No!” Hector sobbed, his head falling against the desk, softened by the sheer amount of parchment splayed out before him, “Please.... Please go away. I just got her focused.”

“Don't be so dramatic,” Lily snorted as she placed a hand on the knob, “It could be an emergency.”

“You hope that it's an emergency.” Hector muttered, his words muffled by the desk. “That's different.”

The Knight shrugged, unable to disagree with her Smith as she yanked the door open with all her might, sporting a beaming smile. She was both surprised and thrilled to find the face of Cassandra D'viritazi staring back with her patented look of severe neutrality, as though nothing in the world fazed her.

To Lily, at that very moment, it might have been the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen.

Springing forward, Lilian dragged Cassie into an unwilling hug, completely ignoring the fact that the gesture was in no way returned. “Cassandra! What are you doing here!? I love you, do you know that? I feel I don't say it enough!”

“I am aware.” Cassie replied blankly, voice muted by Lily's tunic. “I can't say that I expected this kind of welcome.”

A chuckle over Cassie's shoulder drew her attention to the other new arrival, the identity of whom was not a surprise to the Knight nor her Smith. Willow smiled brightly at the display of sisterly affection, her bright, chocolate eyes shining with the mirth of the moment. “Good afternoon, Lady Lilian.”

“Hello, Willow,” Lily replied as she tightened her grip on Cassie, preventing her smaller sibling from escaping the embrace, “No Nobles to impress today. Just call me Lily.”

“Let me go, Lily.”

“Nope. You haven't said it back. You need to say it back. How many times have we done this?”

Cassie sighed, “I'm not going to say it, Lilian.”

Lily shrugged, “Well I guess we're just stuck here then.”

The warrior within Cassandra wouldn't allow her to simply stand there. She tried to pull free as she had done a thousand times before but, as always, found herself unable to. Cassie might be one of the most skilled warriors in the history of their Clan or country, but that meant nothing when she was currently entrapped by her larger and much stronger older sister. After a few seconds of struggle, the raider quickly came to the conclusion that escape was impossible without extreme violence.

“I love you too.” Cassie muttered quietly.

“What!?” Lily yelled out as loud as possible, pulling more than a few eyes from those who were walking past her office door. It was late in the day, but the High Lord's tower never truly slept. There was still plenty of messengers, courtiers and merchants prowling through the halls of power. Many now turned to give Lily annoyed glances as they walked on by, averting their eyes in a panic as they quickly realised who she was.

“Don't push it. I will hurt you,” Cassie growled the empty threat, knowing that Lily would never believe her.

“Oh, hush. You couldn't hurt a fly.” Lily said as she separated from her sister, winking at a silently laughing Willow, whose hands covered her mouth in an attempt to stop the sound from escaping. Her pixie-like hair danced as Cassie threw an infuriated glare at her friend.

“Why must you be so irritating?” Cassie asked as Lily wrapped an arm around her younger sister's shoulders and led her into the large D'viritazi office.

“Because, little sister, you just saved me from a heaping pile of work.”

“Work that needs to be completed by tonight, Lily,” Hector called out, getting to his feet and offering Cassie a short bow, “Hello, Cassandra, Lady Willow.”

“Hector,” Cassie replied, offering a short nod in return as she surveyed the room. Her grey eyes, sharp and missing nothing, noting the disarray of the desk which the Smith stood by, “Ah, I see. My apologies, I didn't know you were busy. I'll keep this visit brief.”

“Please, don't,” Lily begged cheerfully, “Pull up a chair!”

“What brings you here, my Lady?” Hector asked formally as Cassie and Willow did as Lily requested, grabbing the two arm chairs by the fire and pulling them towards the centre of the room. “We don't often see you in the High Lord's tower. Lily told me you hated it here.”

“Oh, she does,” Willow said playfully, her own chair pressed tightly against Cassie's as she took a seat. Her tone drew a roll of the eyes from the skilled warrior. “But duty calls. Cassie and I have been in meetings all week with high ranking members of the Admiralty at Fort Sumter. Captain Kincay dismissed us an hour ago and we thought we'd stop by.”

“High ranking members of the Admiralty?” Lily grinned proudly at Cassie, who grumbled in response. “You're moving up in the world, Lieutenant D'viritazi.”

“It isn't what you're thinking,” Cassie's expression became troubled, her sharp eyes growing stormy.

“The Admirals are concerned about the lack of activity in Wellind.” Willow spoke in place of Lilian's silent sister, naturally filling in the blanks like it was second nature.

“The message you delivered to father?” Lily asked, concerned. She fixed Cassie with a worried look. “Do they suspect he knows?”

As the future head, Lily was privy to the occasional family secret and this was one of them, having been in attendance when Cassie gave Mastan the news about Kincay's concerns along with Alden. Father said he would look into it, and Lilian believed him given the dark grimace he'd sported after hearing Cassie's report, Alden mirroring his expression. Captain Kincay was an experienced officer without a blemish on his record. Alden and their father had worked with him a few times in the past and knew that he wasn't one to exaggerate or skew the truth. In fact, Lily half-believed that it was Mastan who'd gotten Cassie assigned to the Fortitude in the first place, because of the legendary reliability of the man who captained her.

As for the rumours themselves... Lily didn't know quite what to think. She knew that Autumn had arrived, which meant raiding season for the fierce warriors of Wellind, but was it really so odd that they wouldn't attack Ragora? Some said the Ragoran Navy was unmatched by any other on the Continent. Wellinders were formidable, but they were divided and self-serving. Their clans fought amongst themselves almost more than they did with those outside their borders, which made Kincay's claim of possible mobilisation all the more unlikely. Still, given the reactions of Alden and Mastan, it was clearly grave enough to give them pause.

“As far as we know, they still believe he is in the dark,” Cassie replied, “And Kincay retains the Fortitude and his rank. If they did know, he would have been stripped of both.”

“So what did the meetings entail?” Hector asked curiously, peering at the raiders. “Does the Admiralty have a plan of action?”

Willow shook her head helplessly. “ We have no idea. Cassie and I were only there because Kincay wanted witnesses in attendance when he made his concerns known. It's exhausting, really. It's been nearly two weeks now since he first told them of the lack of activity and they've yet to do anything about it. We've done nothing but repeat ourselves over and over again.”

“They can't act rashly based on a hunch, even if it comes from one of their most decorated captains. Mobilising the fleet is out of the question. It's too soon and there's too little intelligence on what's happening in Wellind.” Cassie spoke up, frowning in thought before shrugging, “If it was me then I'd send scouts to confirm, but it's dangerous to go beyond the border. Even contacting agents already in country would be difficult should they be planning something like Kincay believes they are.”

“Do you think he's right?” Lily asked, trusting her sister's word in the matter implicitly. She hadn't had the chance to ask Cassie when she first delivered the message, but now offered the perfect opportunity.

Cassie met her sister's sky-blue stare with her own gloomy glare, “I do. At the least, I don't believe he's wrong. He's good. He might even be the best Captain in the Fleet.”

“The Admiralty seem to agree,” Willow stated gently. “They may not have a plan to combat whatever is happening in Wellind, but the Navy is on high alert. They'll reinforce the patrols at the Border and make sure Nian is protected. I was speaking with a Warrant Officer who serves aboard the High Tide. Apparently they're getting three Knights and a full squad of raiders. I'd wager that all the ships scheduled set to sail will be getting the same.”

“That's a lot of movement. The High Lord must be aware of what's happening. There's no way to move so many Bonded pairs without his notice, they all fall under his purview.”

“True, but that was inevitable anyway,” Willow shrugged. “Admiral Becker is the High Lord's third cousin. He would have let slip at some point.”

“Any word on whether they contacted the city guard? Protection on the water is all well and good, but it would mean little if even one ship slipped through and attacked the city.” Lily asked after a moment's thought.

“I have no idea. If they did, then they're keeping it quiet. Most likely to try and stop Mastan from finding out.”

Lily couldn't help but sort in derision, “Even if he didn't know because of Kincay's message, I doubt he would miss the fact that more ships than usual are leaving Fort Sumter.”

“They could claim it was only a drill in the event of father asking any questions, and they believe I won't betray the order I was given to remain silent. Unfortunately for them, they gave me that command after I delivered the Captain's concerns. But you're right. Even if father didn't know, all this movement wouldn't go beneath his notice. He's cautious by nature,” Cassie muttered, her tone just as harsh as Lily's.

Willow nodded in agreement,“The Admiralty must think it's worth the risk. All know that they don't want to share the spotlight again. The High Lord is watching now and they desperately want the glory of repelling another invasion should Kincay's claims be true. After what happened to Clan Hoflin, the Navy was left looking weak. Mastan was painted as the hero who saved the fleet and repelled the invaders single-handedly. The Admirals need a win and Kincay might have just given them one.”

“You think that's why they won't go to father? Why Kincay asked you to take the message in the first place? I assumed it was because they didn't want to bother him with rumours, not some foolish attempt to remain relevant,” Lily scoffed, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“I'm not sure, but it makes sense, doesn't it? The Admirals looked like fools upon their return to Nian after doing nothing to stop Holflin. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to draw some kind of advantage from Kincay's report, even if it is eventually proven to be false.”

“It matters not in either case,” Hector pointed out, drawing all eyes to him. He squirmed a little under the combined stare of all present but otherwise held his own. “We can do nothing but speculate. It's best to leave this to the Admirals and your father. They'll sort this all out. Who knows? It might be nothing.”

Hector's attempt to lighten the mood fell short of the mark, but given the gravity of the conversation Lily doubted that even Tilia would be able to lift their spirits. It was a hard thing to draw blood from a stone. Thankfully, after a moment of introspective silence, Willow spoke up once again in a chipper tone.

“Lord Hector is right. Dwelling on it will achieve nothing. I for one am sick of talking about it. I've thought of little else for days,” Willow looked to Cassie, a large smile on her face that made the raider blush and look away. Lily forced down the grin that threatened to appear at the intimate interaction. “Besides, we didn't come here to talk to you about Wellind. Did we, Cass?”

“No... we did not,” Cassie began uncomfortably, swallowing with difficulty as she coughed into a closed hand. “There is something else.”

Lily's interest was immediately stirred, a smile blooming as Cassie was suddenly became beset by shyness, her face turning redder by the moment as she look anywhere else except into the eyes of her sister. Cassandra D'viritazi never became emotional, at least not in a way that anyone who didn't know her would be able to discern. She was quiet, cold and logical for the most part. To be as uneasy as she was spoke to the urgency of what she wanted to discuss.

“We haven't... well, it's... I mean...” Cassie cursed, exasperated, as she immediately looked to the woman sitting beside her. Willow put a hand on Cassie's forearm, calming her and causing the somewhat desperate look in the raider's eye to dissipate as she took a breath. When she spoke again it was with far more certainty, her eyes finding Lily's. “I wanted to talk about Rainie. I think we should do something.”

Lilian blinked, “Do something?”

Cassie nodded insistently, her mouth fixed in a serious line. “She needs to know she belongs here, that we're her family. I think we should do something.”

Lilian raised a brow, confused.

“She's been back for two weeks and the only thing we've done together is have a few lunches. I think we should take her to the Singing Trees.”

Lily smiled, her memory going back to a time long since past, when their family was still whole. They'd gone to visit the Singing Trees several times when Rainie was little. She was so small then, sitting atop Mastan's shoulders to better see over the heads of the crowd. Lilian saw the look on her baby sister's face as clearly as if it happened yesterday. The wonder and awe as the branches swooned, the warm air making melodies from nothing at all. “She used to love it there.”

“I know,” Cassie said seriously. “I think it would be good to go again. As a family.”

Lilian agreed with the sentiment behind her sister's plan whole-heartedly, and opened her mouth to voice her opinion, before coming to a grinding halt as the cold, bitter blade of reality came down upon her neck. Though she loudly bemoaned her fate to anyone who cared to listen, Lily was more than aware of the responsibilities she carried.

Lily sighed sadly, “I wish I could, Cassie, I truly do, but... time is a luxury that Hector and I just don't have. Mother and father have us running around the whole city in their stead while they train Orin, Elora and Rainie. Maybe in a few weeks, a month at the most, we could find some-”

“No.” Cassie shook her head, a stubborn frown upon her face, “It has to be now. Find the time, Lily. We need to do this. The others will all agree, but it won't mean anything if you're not there.”

Now it was Lilian's turn to frown. Cassie seemed different, her request hurried and fearful. Gone was the officer and swordswoman. In her place was Lily's little sister, pleading for her help. “Why, Cassie? Why now and not later.”

“Because we don't know how much time we have, Lily.” Cassie whispered quietly.

Lilian D'viritazi's heart broke. The look in Cassie's eyes was so filled with uncertainty, with pain, that she couldn't help but take an involuntary step forward to comfort her. “Tessa isn't going anywhere, Cassie. She's home now.”

Cassie opened her mouth to reply before hesitating. The genuine and heartfelt look on her face faded back to the norm, her eyes going dark as she returned her expression to one of benign neutrality. She looked first to Hector and then to Willow, almost as though she was just now remembering that they were still present. “Could you give us a moment, please?”

Hector nodded immediately, knowing all too well that Cassie was not the type to become emotional in front of others who weren't especially close to her. The Smith had always felt uncomfortable in such situations. Lilian was sure he was thankful to step away and allow the sisters a moment to talk. He got to his feet and smiled at Lily, who returned the gesture uneasily. She would tell him all later, Hector knew that as well as Cassie did, but that wasn't what troubled her. The Knight was becoming more concerned for her sister by the moment. She'd never seen Cassie like this before. She seemed open and vulnerable. Even when learning that Rainie was still alive, she hadn't shown half of the emotion that she was now.

Willow, on the other hand, seemed rather set on staying. She narrowed her eyes at Cassandra and fixed her jaw, refusing without saying a single word. Cassie returned the glare with one of her own, though it was softer than Lily expected. Something unknowable passed from one to the other, the silence that existed between them almost deafening. Finally, Willow nodded before getting to her feet and leaving without a backwards glance, followed by a sheepish Hector.

When the door closed behind the duo, quiet once more reigned as both sisters gathered their thoughts. Lily was the first to break, as she always was in situations like this one. Cassie could sit like this for days and say nothing at all. It was a power of sorts, one which couldn't be gained by a Knighthood.

“Are you ever going to do something about that?” Lilian asked delicately as she pointed with her chin towards the spot in which Willow was standing a moment before. All she received in answer was a tilted head and eyes filled with confusion. Lily chuckled and rolled her eyes, “Oh, Cassie. I love you but you can be a fool at times.”

“What are you talking about, Lily?” Cassie replied, her face completely blank of all understanding.

“Nothing at all, little sister. Now, you've gotten what you wanted, we're alone. What do you need to say?”

Cassie took a breath, swallowing loudly as Lilian's question seemed to cause her confidence to deflate. “You don't know that.”

“Know what, Cassie?”

“You don't know how much time we have left. You can't know it, because I don't know,” Cassandra licked her lips, hands tightening together in front of her as she leaned forward and glared at the floor as though it had personally offended her. “I thought we had time when she was small. I thought she would always be there, that there was always tomorrow. How many times did I refuse to spend time with her when she asked? How many times could I have taken her to the market, or to watch the ships, or taken a moment to simply sit with her? How many? I don't know the number, but I know it's more than it should be. I had more important things to do, or so I told myself. Truthfully, most of the time I didn't. I would push her onto you, or Freida, or Dawn, because I didn't want to be a babysitter.”

“Cassie, you can't-”

“But then she was gone!” Cassie hissed and her hands tightened around each other further, turning pale in the process, “She was gone and I couldn't do anything with her anymore. I wanted those moments back. I wanted to go back in time and hug her, tell her I loved her. All the things I think but never say because it's too difficult for me. When we thought Rainie was dead it broke me, Lily. I lost something I didn't even know I had.”

Lily knelt before her sister, trying to meet her eyes but failing as Cassie turned away. Instead, the Knight settled for enveloping both of Cassandra's hands with her own. “It broke me too, Cassie. It broke all of us.”

“I know it did,” Cassie replied flatly before continuing, “But the difference is that you stayed. You helped Freida, Dawn, Tristan and Tilia. You fought to keep us together. I didn't think I was strong enough, so I ran. I joined the Navy and spent as much time away from the Nest as possible. Every time I went back all I could think about was how she wasn't there anymore. I was supposed to be the strongest. That's what father said. He told me I had to protect my brother and sisters, to keep them safe, but I failed. I failed Rainie, but I also failed all of you. I was coward. I was afraid. I didn't like what I was feeling so I ran away and left you all behind. I should've been there.”

Cassie's voice cracked on the last word, tears beginning to pour down her cheeks. Lilian was quick to follow suit, unable to prevent it. She hadn't known any of this, hadn't known how much grief her sister was carrying. Cassie was the strongest person she knew, the stoic rock at the centre of their family. To see her like this, so filled with agonising guilt, was too much for the Knight to bear. She wrapped her arms around Cassie's shoulders and pulled her close. It was awkward considering that the raider was still seated, but it felt good nonetheless. Cassandra didn't return the favour, but Lily hadn't expected that she would. What was important was to let Cassie know that her big sister was there, always.

“I failed everyone,” A sob escaped the warrior as she buried her head into Lily's shoulder. Like everything else Cassie did, the sound was contained and barely noticeable, but to Lilian it might as well have been a tortured scream.

“No, you didn't, Cassie,” Lily replied, strengthening her grip upon the warrior as she closed her eyes. “No more than I did. You don't think I ask myself the same questions? I wonder all the time if things could've been different, if I'd been more aware, if I'd just figured out what mother and father were up to. If, if, if. Freida feels the same. You were young, but we were grown. I blamed myself for what happened to Rainie. If I'm being honest, I still do.”

“So do I,” Cassie whispered after a moment's pause. “That's why we need to do this now. I won't waste anymore time. The Fortitude is leaving port the day after tomorrow, most likely to reinforce the Border. I asked the Captain for a leave of absence today. I'm staying in Nian for as long as I can, to make up for what we lost. I want to make it up to you, to all of you. It won't be quick, or easy... but it's a start.”

Lily nodded as she kissed the top of Cassie's head, rubbing her back gently in a way that she hadn't since the warrior was smaller than Rainie was before she disappeared.

“Fine,” Lilian laughed even as she sniffed away the last of her tears. She pulled away and cupped Cassie's face with her hands, brushing at her wet cheeks. “We'll go to the Singing Trees. As a family. The others shouldn't be hard to convince. Gods, Cassandra, no need to cry about it. I could do without the waterworks. Imagine what Tilia would say if she saw you now?”

Cassie laughed haltingly, the expressive sound not coming easily to her as the two sisters pressed their foreheads together, “I'm not the only one crying. Besides, Tilia will never believe you if you tell her.”

“No, I suppose she wouldn't at that,” Lily chuckled, “I'm glad you're staying in Nian, the others will be thrilled. I can't remember the last time you spent more than a day in the Nest. What about Willow?”

Cassie snorted, “I tried to convince her to leave, but she's staying.”

Lily smiled knowingly. “Of course she is. You're not going to be on the Fortitude, why would she go?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Lilian sighed in exasperation. The Knight had thought that their brief heart to heart may have loosened up some other feelings but that didn't seem to be the case. Poor Willow would just have to wait a little while longer, unfortunately. “Nothing at all, Cassie.”

Cassie grunted, unconvinced by the answer but choosing to leave the subject alone. The two sisters separated, both getting to their feet and staring at each other with small smiles on their faces. Lilian felt lighter as the heavy atmosphere in the room was alleviated, her soul shining a little brighter than it had before. Given the look on Cassie's face, it seemed she feeling something similar.

“So... are mother and father invited to this little outing you've got planned?” Lily asked bluntly as she leaned against her father's desk. Cassie didn't appreciate subtlety.

“If Rainie wants them there, then yes,” Cassie replied.

“She won't,” Lilian warned.

Cassie nodded, unmoved by the statement. “This isn't about them, it's about her. I want her to feel comfortable. You should bring Hector. He is family, after all.”

“Then you should bring Willow. She may as well be one of us considering how much time she's spent at the Nest.”

Cassie pondered that for a moment before agreeing, not that Lily doubted even for a moment that she wouldn't. “I will. Orin and Princess Elora will be there as well, I'm sure.”

“Rainie couldn't leave them behind if she wanted to,” Lily said before looking upwards in thought. “What do you think of him? Orin, I mean? I haven't had the chance to spend any real time with him and neither have the others.”

Cassie's eyes narrowed, an analytical look to her eye. “He cares for Rainie deeply and... there's something about him, something I can't quite identify. It might be the fact he is an Heir, but I think there's more to it. He's like Tess. I look at him and I'm unsure if I could best him in battle. Apart from that, I know nothing That's another reason we need to do this. He's a big part of Tessa's life, perhaps the biggest part. We should spend some time bonding with him, and the Princess as well. They are both a Knight and Smith of the D'viritazi now. If they're important to Rainie, then they're important to us.”

Lily couldn't help but grin at Cassie's enthusiasm. To anyone else it would seem as though she was speaking about some monotonous task that needed to be completed, but nothing escaped Lily's eye when it came to Cassie. Of their family, it was to her that she felt the closest. Compared to how she usually was, the raider seemed down-right animated.

“I'm getting excited now. This will be fun! A little dancing and a little wine to lift the spirits! I heard a few days ago that Tilvanis was performing through the autumn.”

Cassie smiled somewhat sheepishly, “Willow told me the same. She invited me to go with her and her family when we returned but I hadn't the inclination. She was the reason I came up with the idea in the first place. Though now I feel bad for refusing her.”

“Well, I'm sure you can make it up to her by offering a dance,” Lily smirked as the faintest hint of colour appeared on Cassie's cheeks.

“I don't dance, Lily, nor do I drink to excess as you do. I am, however, partial to good music.”

“Drinking to excess is the only way to drink, my dear, sweet, naïve baby sister!”

Cassie sighed, “If you say so.”

Drinking, dancing, laughter and merry-making. All were amongst Lily's favourite things. Of course, the chance of avoiding work was also a large positive. Maybe Cassie was right. This could be exactly what they all need. It was true that during the time that Tessa had returned, they'd not really had the chance to spend any real time together. Rainie was still very quiet and awkward around them, not quite comfortable. This could be what they needed to get her to open up. Orin being there would help enormously. Since he' begun training with Mastan, Lily had rarely seen the man. During the few encounters they'd had, it was clear that he brought out the best in her little sister. She immediately became relaxed in his company, almost tranquil. Him being there would give all of them the chance to truly connect with Tessa, helped along by the magical experience of witnessing the Singing Trees.

But this wasn't just about Rainie. They all needed the chance to heal. Cassie was clearly still carrying a tremendous amount of guilt for what happened. The others may never say it, but they were feeling the same. Spirit knows that Lily did.

Missing one night of paperwork was worth the risk if it meant overcoming what had haunted their family now for years. Maybe, just maybe, they could begin the process of becoming what they once were.