Rael gently scratched the chest of her owl, cooing to the bird gently before putting her on the tree stand, to let her settle after a long flight from the North of her country. As the bird ate, Rael read the note from her friend.

The black cat company is the only one I would trust, but loyalty isn't guaranteed even from them. I would recommend against proceeding with negotiations. You will need someone with blood loyalty for it to be worth your time, I think. And that is a steep cost, beyond gold, I don't know if it's within Aupana's ability to pay it.

I may have to chance going into the woods again tonight. It's been a long time since I've been afraid of the dark. Remember the story of the shadow bear that kept us awake when we were kids? They say we base most myths on some small ounce of truth, though if it is something else, I don't think there is much hope.

- Rini

Rael glanced at the map of Aupana spread out on her wall, finding the village of Sythe and tracking outwards into the woods with her fingers. She frowned gently as she took in the vast expanse of wilderness that encompassed that part of her country. Her betrothed and her best friend were somewhere in those trees, clawing through the darkness with no help from anyone else.

News was several hours behind on the wings of birds, so Rini would be out there now in the dark, even as Rael stood comfortably in her office.

"Where are you?" Her voice sounded odd as she spoke to herself while looked at the map, echoing through the small, comfortable room.

She wanted to write back and tell Rini to stop delaying, to find those responsible or to come home, that it was too dangerous. As much as she wanted to find Kannein with every passing day, his survival was getting less likely.

Rael wanted to be out there with Nerini, fighting those shadows and searching for the man she loved. The adventures of their youth came to mind as she stared at the map. In those precious few years when she was just an Heir apparent and Nerini had returned from her training with the Cleandrians to lead them all over in search of excitement and action, they had fought monsters and evil and believed themselves invincible.

Now they were scattered, alone and fighting the monsters from their childhood, no longer invincible.

The thought of the old story of the monster bears that chased children through the dark woods and snuck into castles to eat them in their sleep caused her to shiver. Rael moved closer to the fireplace as she tried to settle her nerves and tell herself that her friend was going to survive the night.

Her betrothed was not in the lair of monsters, but chained somewhere by humans who sought riches and instability.

Human evil, she could handle.

***

The next morning, Rael found Ocia in the woman's own offices and interrupted a meeting amongst some lower nobles assigned as part of the Aupanan war council. Recognizing their salutations to her rank as Regent, Rael inclined her head and allowed them to finish, listening to them make plans to increase the Rangers in response to Nerini's request to double the patrols within Aupanan territories.

As the room emptied, Rael turned to Kannein's Armoire in the corner, untouched and waiting for him to return. She opened the dark wood door and ran her hands over his formal court armour that he had sent back from Alliance with her. He would have had no need for it while home, so he had ridden in his more practical and unadorned armament for the battlefield.

Rael let out a breath and closed her eyes for a moment, catching the scent of him faintly wafting through the air. Once she had her emotions under control, she turned to find Ocia watching her.

"I received word from Nerini. She doesn't think an offer of employment is the best idea for any of the companies." Rael blurted, shaking her head and glancing back to the ornate wooden door that had the carving of the O'Vara family crest surrounded by a pack of wolves.

Ocia nodded at her words, keeping her tone even. "What do you think?"

Rael shook her head, glancing back to the other woman and watching her for a long moment. She hesitated in thought. "I think you might be right, that it is necessary, but I am yet undecided whether we can afford the price."

After speaking, Rael handed Ocia the message from Nerini.

Ocia read it, frowning at the words before looking up to her. "May I disagree with your assessment, Regency?"
Rael quirked a brow but nodded curtly. "Explain."

"I think she's told you who we should approach and that though she doesn't think he's loyal yet, we may win him over. This Black Cat, that's the one she's connected with and worked with. I think she's right. Plus, I've been looking into this company for as far as we can find and as far as people will inform about them. According to all reports, They've reduced their activities contrary to the crown interests in recent years. Our Guard has been in little conflict with them since the current leader took them over." Ocia offered with a thoughtful tone, glancing back down at the paper.

"The people who took Kannein paid them for something. She still doesn't know if they're continuing that relationship. I don't support the idea of working with an ally of our enemies." Rael said forcefully, shaking her head, feeling a swell of anger. "A part of me thinks I should tell Nerini to bring me that man's head."

Ocia winced and shook her head, putting the message down on the table was beside them. She stared at her hand and the paper for a long moment before continuing. "Regency, you don't understand their kind, I don't really understand their kind. But what I do know is that they don't fully sign onto our wars and national interests because it isn't profitable for them. War is only profitable for those at the top. They also are very self-motivated, they value their independence and freedom from society at large. But they have their own moral codes and ethics. And if they find our enemies to be as we presume them, it's these companies that will be on the front lines. From what I've heard of the leader of the Black Cat, he has changed that company into a family of sorts. If they become our family, they will be the first ones through the door to fight. We cannot judge every person by our own measuring sticks, we who have been given the luxury of birth. We who have never had to make the hard decision between survival and law."

Rael narrowed her eyes at the woman, shaking her head and pacing away. "I am their Regent, I should be able to have their loyalty as a natural fact."

Even as she said it, she knew the arrogance in her words as strong as the stupidity. Loyalty was not a guarantee from anyone, other than a handful of select friends. And the woman she was speaking with didn't allow her any room to harbour those delusions of superiority.

"You and I both know that that's not how people work. You have loyalty because you have proven yourself to be a leader with the best interests of the people at heart." Ocia said easily, giving her a firm but kind look "They are just more skeptical than most, and do not know you, not in the way that they need to know you."

"And how do we know we can trust them?" Rael let out a slow breath, glancing to the map, as if looking for where Nerini was.

Her friend was there with this fickle group of rogues and assassins, trying to find monsters in the darkness. Rael wanted her friend to have allies with her, Rael wanted to have allies that could give her information that people paid to keep quiet. But she did not know if those were realistic expectations, or worth the risk that inherently came with them. She had the power to follow through with what Ocia was alluding to.

Ocia frowned and let out a slow breath, staring at the map for a long while. "I think we should leave it with Lady Nerini for now, if they really are working against us, I think she will be the first to bring you what you want to ask for."

Rael reached out and brushed her fingers along the road between Sythe and Sytheville, shivering.

"I think we should give her the power to act, if and when she deems it appropriate. I may not agree with her methods or her behaviour all the time, but she has your trust. So trust her. She may need it without the delay of bureaucracy." Ocia offered into the silence stretching between the two of them.

Rael nodded and turned to glance at the woman. "Get the historian and scribes."

Ocia offered her a crisp bow, and Rael turned, striding from the room. The day was full of so many other mundane necessities, she could only hope for good news from her friend. But she couldn't wait around idly for it, she had a country to run.