“But no matter how much I wish for it, that does not mean war does not want them.”

“What do you mean,” asked Lane.

“Picture this, you are a leader of a shard from the empire, struggling every day to keep command of the people in your land and protect it from the neighboring shards,” Said Erin, “Now, with the shattering, it is common that the current leaders among the shards are either nobles or descendant of them. So in a sense, they should not have much problem keeping control of the land they were already ruling in all but name before the shattering.”

“As if dad took control of our town in case of the kingdom falling?” asked Dahlia.

“Yes, that is a good example,” said Erin, “So tell me, do you think he would have a problem proving his right to keep the land under his rule?”

“Not really,” said Dahlia, “I don’t see why the people would refuse him after he has been taking care of the border for so many years. And there is not really anyone else able to keep watch after winter.”

“That’s right,” said Lane, “even if the people were unhappy there is no way they would reject the only one standing between them and the Unwilling.”

“What if there was?” asked Erin, “What if there was another claimant, equally strong, and equally rightful? Who do you think they would support?”

“Hmm, I can see how that would be troublesome.” Said Dhalia, “Still, it does not explain why the entire ruckus around the Queen and the Heir. No matter how you look at it, the Queen married into our Kingdom, and the Heir has no reason to look for power in the shards as he is the only one we have.”

“You are looking at it from the wrong perspective,” said Erin shaking her head, “My master and our Queen don’t want the shards. Just as you said, they have no reason to go searching for power in the shards. But if you were a ruler in a shard, trying to consolidate your power, wouldn’t the last members of the Empire’s highest line make for a good banner?”

“But if that’s such a good banner, why wait so long for it?” Asked Lane “The heir must be about our age if his reveal is this winter.”

“Because they needed to be sure,” said Erin, “Even a successful attempt on the Kingdom’s Heir would have huge consequences. And no matter how much he looks like the legends, without spirit linking he is still just another noble.”

“But,” said Lena peeking from Dahlia’s arms, “Won’t it all be useless if the prince does not want to help them?”

“Help?” Asked Erin “No, they don’t want help. They want to make sure he stays useless or gone.”

“They want to kill the Heir?” Asked Dahlia.

“That’s what I think.” Said Erin Shaking her head, “But that is only from my suspicions. As for what the Queen wrote in the letter, only your parents will know.”

Dahlia thought for a moment, but when she was about to ask a question, a knock on the door stopped the conversation.

“Come in,” She said letting Lena go.

“My Lady,” said Hans as he pushed open the doors, “Your Father instructed me to inform you, that he and the captain will be busy through the dinner. So if you want to, we can prepare a special course in one of the smaller guest rooms.”

“Thank you, Hans,” said Dahlia, “That would be perfect; mm prepare it at the west wing, the one by my room. Now if there is nothing else, we were about to show Lady Erin around the castle. I believe we will be there in about an hour.”

“As you will, My Lady,” Said Hans bowing before walking away.

After he left and closed the door, Dahlia glanced at the Lady before turning towards Lane.

“The Library should be quiet enough at this hour?” She asked pointing a door opposite to the one Hans used.

“Mm, I think so,” He said, “I mean, other than teacher no one else uses it, and she should be at her study by now.”

“Then do you fancy a walk through the castle, my lady?” Asked Dahlia at Erin.

“I’d be glad.” She said and the group stood up together; as they stood though, Lane took a plate and filled it with cookies.

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“What?” He asked when Erin raised an eyebrow at him, “I haven’t had lunch yet.” But Erin just shrugged and went out of the room.

The way to the library was faster than Lane’s previous stroll through the castle. What was the same was the silence in the hallways as they walked.

However short, the walk gave Lane a moment to stop thinking about conspiracies and focus on other things again. The lights on the torches lighting the corridors flickered when the cold air of the night pushed away from the warmth of the day. Watching the girls walking ahead of him, Lane could see the contrast between their hair colors and the vivid streaks of locks colored by the forming spirit links.

The weight of the book hanging at his back remembered him of the old man’s warning about his reveal. Perhaps I could find something in the library. Lane thought. Do I even have the time to be thinking about the Heir?

 As he pondered, the group reached the Library and the room lit up revealing its size. The Library was big enough to hold a banquet with comfort and had a second level connecting to the plant with a set of stairs at the back of the room.

However, almost all of that space was filled with shelves topped with books to the point that even the walls were covered in them. Unlike the rest of the castle, the Library was a spacious room lighted with manna stones.

He still remembered the old Librarian scolding him for sneaking in with a candle when he was younger. Heck, he still remembered that old Librarian scolding the City Lord in his own castle when she caught him reading with a candle.

Somehow, the room had a particular smell that separated it from the rest of the castle and made Lane think about old stuff. He looked at the plate of cookies in his hands and licked his lips. She had better not know he brought cookies in her Library.

“Well,” said Dahlia walking towards a small circular table in the middle of the room, “I think we can talk in peace here.”

They sat around the table, Lady Erin sitting between Lane and Dahlia, and Lane put his plate of cookies in front of himself.

“So,” Dahlia said looking at Erin, “You said you are from there, from the Khorian Shards?”

“I am from the Sorenkhor Federation,” Answered Erin while she took a cookie, “But I grew up at the Kingdom’s capital serving my master,” *chomp chomp* “, I don’t really remember much from there.”

“Nothing?” Asked Lane taking a cookie, “Then what do you remember?”

“I remember we serve,” she shrugged, and took another cookie, “We serve the Queen,” *chomp chomp*, “And I cherv my waster,”

“Oi,” said Lane.

“Uh?” asked Erin grabbing another cookie.

“Yo,” said Lane grabbing a cookie.

“Uhat?”Asked Erin eating two cookies, “I haven’t had lunch yet. Humph.”

“Fine,” he said passing her the plate.

“We serve?” asked Dahlia, “As, the whole Sorenkhor serves the Queen?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” asked Lane, “Didn’t the whole point of the Empire’s Shattering was freedom? Why follow a Queen coming from the dynasty you just escaped from?”

“Not everyone in the Empire was a warmonger, nor a fanatic,” Said Erin picking another cookie, “In fact, most of the people just believed in the dynasty because their members got results in anything they did.”

“Results?” Asked Dahlia.

“They were good,” said Erin looking at the last three cookies in the plate, “not at everything, but at the things they liked. So they usually pushed forward the Empire in the field they picked. The thing is, forward for them meant going way beyond what people believed possible.”

“Is that how the Empire surpassed the neighboring powers.” Said Lane, “By relying on a single line of people?”

“As dumb as it sounds, yes,” said Erin nibbling at a cookie, “And they went on like that until…” But she stopped, putting the cookie back in the plate and looking at Lena.

“Until what?” Asked Lane.

“Until the conqueror came,” She said looking downwards, “That’s the one responsible for the expansion of the Empire. She alone caused a divide among the members of the dynasty, and is the one our Queen and my master are hiding from.”

Erin paused for a moment, and then looked up, straight at Lena’s eyes.

“We are not your enemies, Miss Lena,” She said biting her lip, “If anything, we are your closest allies.”

They stopped for a moment, each one lost in their thoughts, until Lena finally gave a small nod, causing Erin to smile and relax her shoulders.

Erin turned to Lane and pushed back the plate with the last two cookies intact and one nibbled.

“Here,” she said, “You can have those.”

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” He said grabbing one, “Hey! These are all ones with raisins!”

“Humph, do not waste my generosity!”

And Lane snorted making Lena giggle, smiling for the first time since their quarrel.

“You said the bloodline of the dynasty is good at what they like, right?” Asked Dahlia when she saw them relaxing, “Then what about the Queen, or the Heir? What are they good at?”

“The Queen I don’t know,” said Erin, “But my master, my master is good with Spirits.”