Emily followed Lily towards their master's study, analyzing her next move very carefully. Lord Leandre was a sharp man; she could not simply lie to his face. If she really wanted to convince him she had to come up with a plausible explanation. The fact that she had cohabited with Lord Arthur so recently could arouse his suspicion, but she had been cautious enough to avoid commenting on anything about him or their sexual encounters. She did not even dare to touch on the subject with Jenna during their private reunions. Moreover, she knew Lord Leandre thought so poorly of women that he would hardly believe his husband could ever fall for one.

She bowed to him as soon as she walked in, while Lily announced her presence with brazen hypocrisy. Lord Leandre brushed aside his parchments and stood up. He handed Lily a silver coin before sending her away with a gesture; then he poured himself a glass of hard liquor. At least he appeared to be calm.

–I read your letter, Emily. I didn't know you had a soft spot for poetry.

–You never asked, master.

He took a sip and scratched his beard, staring at her with an inquiring expression.

–Who is the recipient?

–Her name is Sarah Ronny, one of my former sisters. She lives with her master in the west area. We write to each other very often.

Emily's alibi was easy to corroborate. And she knew Lord Leandre wouldn't be too interested in her correspondence with other maidens. Even so, she had to make clear she had been wrongly accused.

–I am very fond of Sarah; I've always been. But Lily is misinterpreting my words and deliberately trying to harm my reputation.

–You know? It has always blown my mind the way maidens fall so easily for one another. It's kind of sweet, to be honest. Still… You may be expecting. This is not the right time to engage in a carnal affair; you should know it.

–That is what I am trying to explain, Sir. I haven't seen this woman in months and I certainly haven't experienced physical love with her. Lily is smearing my character. And she had no right to peep around my room and read my personal writings.

Leandre gave a hint of a smile. He had handsome features, yet his semblance was always pervaded with something rough and imposing.

–Lily is a devout woman who worries about other people's bad deeds. Can you say the same about yourself?

–Well, you chose me to bear your future child, master. I assume that makes me a decent maiden.

Emily's stomach was turning out of nervousness. However, she managed to keep a straight face and a confident tone. Lord Leandre seemed satisfied with her response. He took another sip and returned to his high-backed chair.

–Right, I chose you, so you better meet my expectations. Do not neglect the sacred teachings and your holy mission. Most importantly, never forget your place.

–At your mercy, my lord.

–Well said. You are dismissed.

Emily sighed in relief as she left the room. Nonetheless, she did not have time to assimilate the situation. Lily was standing at the side of the marble staircase, probably waiting for her to come out. Emily wanted to confront her and berate her for her ill intentions, though there was not much she could do in her current position. Men were legally allowed to challenge each other and fight duels when their honor was compromised; maidens did not have that choice. She had to outsmart her enemy somehow.

–Your behavior is outrageous, Lily. I have shown you nothing but support and respect, as every fellow sister is supposed to do. How can you spy on me and lie to our master so shamelessly? What are you trying to achieve? This is not about religion or about coins. You are actively trying to frame me, but I will not stand for it. I will discuss the situation with the housekeeper, and I will make sure she forbids you to approach me or my belongings ever again.

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Lily looked down, slightly intimidated. Her face still conveyed pride and contempt.

–If you really were a virtuous maiden, people wouldn't suspect you. You better watch your step, dear sister. Everything in the dark comes to light. Praise the gods.

A few guards passed by and laughed at their dispute. Emily decided to leave then. The last thing she wanted was to put on a show for them.

*

A few days went by without further incidents. Emily reported Lily's infringement to Jade, who made sure to reprimand her in front of her other sisters and ban her from Emily's chambers. Lily was not ashamed or repentant. Evidently, her master's approval meant more to her than the dorm's codes of conduct. At least the majority of the maidens backed Emily up. They could tell Lily was jealous and that her accusations were misleading. In fact, that was the very first time Emily heard Jenna speak flagrantly about Lord Leandre, once they were all alone in the room.

–I know Lily acted on her own, but our master is clearly promoting and rewarding that kind of nasty behavior. He is the one pinning maidens against each other. How is he so concerned about his servants' carnal affairs when he rides a different dick every couple of days?

–Hush, sister. All that talking out your neck might have us both killed. And I have the feeling that is Lily's ultimate goal. She wants to get rid of me, no matter the cost.

*

Jenna wanted to cheer her friend up, so she invited her to the nearby town to stroll around and drink some tea. They would spend Jenna's free evening on the village's main street, roaming the colorful marketplace, the plain white houses, and the loud taverns. Many peasants enjoyed playing cards and drinking on the sidewalk. Some of them would spit on the ground and harass the maidens that passed by. However, Jenna always made sure to earn their respect by pointing out that they belonged to Leandre Beacon and Arthur Lasey, indisputable lords and masters of those fields. She had lunch with Emily and they visited the chapel before returning to the mansion. Every population had a temple of their own, a symbol of faith and gathering for the local community. Emily only intended to join Jenna in her daily prayers, but the celebrant on the dais quickly caught her attention. Judging by the solemnity of his speech and the vast crowd, something important was taking place.

–Thank you for coming, parishioners. You probably heard that Lord Leandre Beacon, an honorific member of our religious council and devoted servant of our homeland, spoke yesterday at the main temple. His message is a transcendental call for all the people and a tremendous blessing from the gods. For those who don't know, the pagan islands have been struggling with famine in the past months, to a large extent due to the mismanagement of their leaders and to their infamous customs that infuriate the gods…

Both Emily and Jenna stopped in their tracks and lifted their gaze to the altar, bewildered.

–Centuries of tension and confrontation between our realms have separated our people; and after the war most of us assumed we could simply part ways and ignore our neighbors' bad deeds hereinafter. Our grandfathers were wrong. Unfortunately, the pagans' actions have angered the gods so badly that it is only a matter of time before they have an effect on our lives as well. Do not forget that the gods' favor is inherent to our harvests, to our physical health, and our spiritual wellbeing. Their despicable ways threaten to deteriorate our land and its thousand splendors.

At that moment, many people in the multitude started whistling and yelling, calling to slaughter the pagans. The priest was forced to raise his voice then.

–Calm down, brave citizens. It is not too late; there is a solution. We cannot continue disregarding the pagans' abominations, nor can we eradicate them through a never-ending massacre. We must conquer them, once and for all. The gods rewarded Rosetta's hard work and blind conviction with prosperity, while our enemies were weakened and scattered. Hence, this is the perfect time to seize their lands, impose our sacred traditions, make them pay for their past crimes, and save our children from the wrath of our deities. Rosetta's glory will never perish; we will not allow it. We are destined to guide, control, and rule the entire archipelago. That is, indeed, our holy mission. The religious council and our military forces have already come to an agreement on this strategy. Only the king and his chamber are hesitant about the resolution. In this sense, Lord Leandre Beacon himself is requesting your undying support. Please, if you care about our homeland's beliefs and supremacy, head tomorrow to the royal palace or to the nearest public court to manifest your common will.

Emily stood still, speechless, as the men around her cheered, stirred up by the celebrant's energetic exhortations. Jenna was utterly shocked too.

–Hold on. Does this mean… that our people are going to war?

–This won't be just a war, sister. It will be an occupation. And it seems our merciful master is right behind it.