Karla sat at her father's desk, gazing out the open window, lost in her own thoughts. She couldn’t believe the reports made over the past several days. Her father had always been wary of the Order of the Flame and had only worked with them out of necessity.

‘Zealot bastards!’ Karla cursed, turning back to the papers scattered across the desk. A claim had been filed against her, insinuating she was unfit to rule, and the Order had backed it. There was tension in the upper echelons after Bently publicly declared allegiance to the firstlings, and a power play was bound to occur, but it still left her flustered.

She had always been good friends with Bently, causing them to use the man against her. Karla felt they were foolish, but some of their useless mutterings had gained traction. Mobs had been gathering in the slums daily, protesting their unfair treatment and blaming Karla for their troubles.

Karla knew what was happening, as it was clearly an attack against her. Rumormongers had spread misinformation, attempting to put weight behind the claims being made. It frustrated her that someone would slander her name so blatantly.

She was already hated due to her harsh policies, but this… was something else, and it cut her a little deeper. They were portraying her as an evil witch who charmed her way to the top. Even claiming she had a hand in her father's death to try and seize power.

It was ridiculous.

But the people were battered and always looking for someone to blame.

It was too easy to see the rumors as true, and even easier to paint her as an evil sorceress. Conditions continued to improve, but there were still issues everywhere, and beasts still prowled, making the area unsafe for commoners to travel.

They were still at the whims of others.

The land was lush, and the new crops had grown rapidly, flooding food into the city, but it didn’t always make it to the bottom. Gangs, hoarders, and wealthy houses had done everything in their power to snatch up as much as possible, leaving many without.

They were always feeding off one another’s suffering.

It made her sick.

She had done what she could to ensure the proper distribution of goods and supplies, but it never felt enough. The local soup kitchens and shelters were continuously stocked per her orders, but it left the people with a sense of unease. As if one day it would all be gone again, dashing their hopes of a new age of abundance.

A knock at the door broke Karla’s thoughts as General Briant entered the room. The man looked as weary as she felt, leaving her a bit sullen. He was working tirelessly to clear their surroundings, giving them better access to food and water.

“Thank you for coming, General,” Karla greeted, offering him a seat.

“Of course,” he replied, taking a seat as he eyed her suspiciously. Karla never summoned anyone, so it made him a bit uncomfortable. She leaned forward, handing him the report as Briant eyed the document.

Raising a brow, he looked at her skeptically. “Are they idiots?”

"My thoughts as well," Karla chuckled. "But they have the right to file a motion if they so choose. You've been absent, but by now all of the Council members should have received the same notice."

"They know that they will never get anywhere with such false claims," he sputtered, still at a loss as to why they would even try.

Karla laughed at the man's comical look, enjoying his reaction. "I have something that does worry me, however," Karla remarked, handing the reports from the slums.

Briant looked over the report, shaking his head. "Always trouble in that rat hole!" he swore. "Who would ever believe such blatant lies?"

“Who do you think it was?” Karla asked, as the man had soldiers everywhere, so there was no way he didn’t have at least an idea.

“There are a great deal of black markets that deal in information, but we can try to take a look. I might be able to find something." He reasoned.

"Try to see what you can do. I would like to know who's behind this," Karla pressed.

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"Sure, I'm on it," he agreed.

"Do you think this is the work of the Order?” She asked. There were two sects within the Order: one consisting of the Divine Flame and the other the Chaos Flame. They believed in duality, giving life to two different factions.

“Your father gave them some autonomy for their help, but he barred them from any leadership roles," he explained, rubbing his chin in thought. "But they were never satisfied with the terms. They have remained quiet, and there has never been any suspicious activity noted, but I never trusted them,” he added.

“How many of those within our ranks are believers in the flame?”

“These are soldiers, Karla. They have a right to their beliefs,” he replied, a hint of irritation in his voice.

Karla backed down, as she didn’t want to anger the man or take on that kind of fight. Her implications had been clear, as they couldn’t let something fester within their ranks and become a larger issue. “Just stay on the lookout and notify me if you find anything. I want more guards in the slums, just in case this grows out of hand.”

“Sure, no problem.” Briant nodded, his eyes softening. “Karla, these are rumors and nothing more. Those that matter know the truth and would never believe such lies.”

Karla nodded bitterly, knowing the man spoke the truth. She didn’t understand why it was getting to her so badly, but it did. ‘Seizing power, my ass!’ Karla seethed. If only they knew the burden, then they wouldn’t be so quick to make assumptions.

“We need to find someone to bond with the crown. The people need a beacon to drive them and give them hope for tomorrow,” Karla reasoned, as Briant nodded in understanding.

“We are still trying. We’ve tested nearly every recommended candidate, but the crown is silent,” Briant explained. His face turned somber as he continued, “We may have to force a bond.”

“No!” Karla replied firmly. She would not allow them to burn away souls attempting to find someone capable of forcing a bond. “We will not feed our people to the crown.”

“I know Karla, but it may be the only way,” Briant pressed. “We are running out of options, and the crown’s power would change everything.”

“No... not yet, at least,” Karla said, shaking her head. “Keep trying. We are bound to find a suitable candidate if we look enough.”

Briant agreed, but she could see the doubt in his eyes. They continued to talk about mundane matters, mostly how well their surroundings were being maintained and the overall condition of the soldiers. Everything was still a logistics nightmare, for the most part, but things were moving forward at least.

Before leaving, he turned back to look at Karla sternly. “We will find out what’s going on, you have my word,” he assured her, sincerity burning in his eyes.

Karla nodded, smiling at the man's devotion. He had been with her father since before she was even born and had always been known for his chivalry. “Thank you, General.”

After he left, Karla sat back, sighing in frustration.

She had done all she could do and would have to wait it out. The Council would be convened to deal with the Order’s baseless allegations. As she rummaged through the documents, sorting and organizing them, a small cough caused her to look up to see Bently standing in the doorway.

Karla still couldn’t believe how mesmerizing the man had become.

He seemed to carry an air about him that made everyone uneasy. She didn’t know if it was indifference or reverence. The Council had wanted to use the man as a figurehead, even proposing that Bently seize the crown, but he flat-out refused any type of leadership role, even relinquishing his captain title.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” Karla greeted him, waving to the chairs. She could see that he was still tense and on edge. He had been distant for so long that Karla felt as if they were strangers.

“I’m well, thank you.” Bently replied softly, taking a seat.

“Have you heard anything?” Karla asked, noticing the dark look that came over him.

“I’ve not heard or felt anything,” he answered, shaking his head with a sigh.

Aaron and his siblings had been gone for months, and Bently had been gloomy ever since. He had explained his connection to Aaron, which alarmed her, but she still trusted him. She had also observed him leaving the compound in traveling gear the night the firstlings left.

And the bodies they found piled in the woods the morning after.

They were trackers who had attempted to follow the firstlings, but someone or something had stopped them. She was pretty sure who that someone was, but she kept it to herself. Plus, she specifically ordered them to be left alone, so she couldn’t care less.

Karla reached forward, handing Bently the same report she had shown General Briant. “Have you heard the news?” she asked bitterly.

Bently laughed, looking over the report. “Fools. No one will believe such lies.”

“That may be so, but their words are poisoning the people. They are desperate to blame, to find fault with those who allowed their world to be so bleak.”

“And that’s no fault of yours,” Bently refuted, as he knew what Karla had endured to lead them. “I will ask the men and see what I can find,” he proposed, anger simmering in his green eyes.

Karla smiled, glad that the man was such a loyal friend. “Thank you; I was hoping for your help.”

“Always,” Bently assured her. “I’ll also have a look in the slums myself. There is bound to be a trail somewhere.”

“I have a feeling that something… more sinister is happening here,” Karla explained.

Bently nodded, seeing her worried look. “We will get to the bottom of this,” he comforted.

Karla reached forward to hand him another report that she felt he would be interested in.

Bently looked over the document, turning grim immediately. "When?" he asked, through clenched teeth.

"A few nights have passed since the report was made. Foster is on his way with trackers to investigate," Karla answered quietly. A group of adventurers had come up missing, but their intended location was ominous, to say the least.

They had gone to the Labyrinth.

Bently stared at the report, a frown frozen on his face. "Will you keep me posted?" he asked, a spark burning in his eyes.

"Of course," Karla agreed.

They spoke briefly before Bently bid farewell, leaving her alone once again. She leaned back in her chair, trying her best to shake the tension from her body. Looking back at the open window, she was once again consumed by her troubled thoughts.

‘Everything is so broken’ Karla sighed.