Ava wished she could say that after the night in the gardens with Viv, it hadn't happened again. She especially wished she could say that given Viv's obvious lack of remorse about intercepting her letter. But her wish was just that. The truth was that it had happened again. And quite a few times after that as well. It was never planned and as all the gods as her witness, she tried to resist it.

She always failed. Most of the time, it wasn't even Viv making the proposition. It was her. Not only was she doing something she knew she shouldn't have been, but she was also the one seeking it out. Yet, it felt good and it felt risky and she kept chasing that high. It broke up the suns that melded together with much of the same miseries night after night.

At the end of the cycle, as promised by her father, they resumed their meetings. More discussion of upcoming reforms was commonplace in these meetings; with her and her father making meaningful progress while Killian derailed them with less-than-ideal proposals. No matter what Killian said though, Ava maintained her composure. She had bitten her tongue so many times it was a wonder it hadn't fallen off.

While it earned her favor with her father, it meant there was pent-up irritability within her. Emotions that she began to take out during her time with Viv. The decorum she had to display in meetings was gone in the bedroom. Ava never went into an interaction with the intention of sleeping with Viv, but it kept happening anyway. Most of the time, initiation was unspoken. If Ava was in a mood or stressed after a busy meeting with her father she practically would corner Viv when they were alone. Not that Viv minded much, she seemed to appreciate the forwardness.

Even then, the blame couldn't be solely placed on Ava. Viv never stopped teasing, insinuating, or goading her. She even made the first move every once in a while. In the cycle since she had failed in her attempt to deliver the letter, she had gotten into a habit she couldn't seem to break. And she had told no one. Her many encounters with Viv were her darkest secret and she couldn't imagine what the others would say.

That morning had been a busy one, Ava had been in the city at the loungehouse with the ladies. She would hesitate to call them her friends, none of them knew her in that way, but Ava had grown fond of the loud and often tactless women. It reminded her of the lower decks in some ways. Still, having to don a fake persona was exhausting and all Ava wanted to do when she got to the carriage taking her back to the estate was to destress. Viv was more than happy to oblige her request for help.

Ava sat up on the bench of the carriage as she was catching her breath, "This carriage needs to be faster. I'm going to be late."

"In a rush to get out already? You are just using me like a cheap whore," Viv sighed.

"You love the feeling," Ava laughed as she slipped her undergarments back on and adjusted her dress, "if you didn't, you wouldn't keep agreeing to this."

"Am I better than Theo?"

"You ask me that almost every time. My answer won't change," Ava laughed as she finished pulling her shoes on and making sure everything was ready to hop out of the carriage and go straight to her father's office.

"I still think you're lying," Viv shrugged and sat up, "do you know what you are going to be telling your father at the meeting?"

"Without Killian there, I can make my argument for women's liberties more easily. That is my angle this aftermorning," Ava said as she fixed her hair on the few reflective surfaces she found in the confined space.

"Are you getting close to him agreeing?"

"I would say he isn't far from agreeing, I don't think he's ever been totally opposed to the idea of women's rights. Where he is getting hung up is the backlash for the reforms," Ava explained, "I am trying to convince him that the support he will gain from women he helps will outweigh the loss of support from men."

"That is not how that works. It's not an even exchange," Viv yawned a bit and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall of the carriage, "women wouldn't have the social or political capital to make as great an impact as men. So the loss of support of one man of influence is equal to a whole town of women."

"That is incredibly insulting," Ava scoffed.

"Is it? I am just stating a fact, not an opinion. I don't think that women are worth less, in the current system that is just the reality. So you need a new angle."

Ava was quiet for a few moments, running through her list of strategies she was always adding to and editing.

"Dove Island..." Ava said, "I mean, Efriti and Aeliz to some degree too. But Dove Island is my selling point."

"You've lost me. You've been saying incomplete thoughts out loud as of late," Viv opened an eye and looked over at her, "your father won't appreciate that."

Ava shook her head, "People coming into money in Dove Island and maybe coming into power during the reclassification are pushing for this already. The south is teeming with people already involving women in leadership positions. We have no alliances with those houses but we need them."

"Why would you need them? Complete the thought when you present it to him. Don't give him space to rebuttal until you are finished," she coached Ava.

"If you study the history of our alliances in the past three classifications there is a pattern. Eloxians, nobles from The Twins, and nobles originating from Elox or The Twins that have command of houses in any of the other continents. Dove Island is going to be of interest in the upcoming classifications– technologies, sciences, and advancement are all coming from The South. Where there are many people and many houses that do not originate from Elox or The Twins and we have few connections with them. They are calling for progressive reforms, and they have fully backed the poverty policies. A lot of the people leading society and business down there are not just men."

"Still doesn't outweigh the loss of Eloxian nobles' support and Eloxians spread across Baethos," Viv countered, "when he asks about that?"

Ava shrugged, "I don't have to be the only one to come up with solutions. He is the head of the house and will understand how to navigate the nobles that we will piss off."

Viv shrugged, "I encourage you not to say that but I know you won't listen."

"He and Ivon know how to handle the nobles we might lose," Ava insisted, "I haven't a clue what their conversations about women are like behind closed doors so I cannot speak to how to qualm whatever fears they may have. The most I can do is to guarantee that I can deliver him the loungehouse women. Make sure that the noblemen hear about the need for reform because it is being demanded by their wives and sisters."

She felt the carriage slowing down, preparing to come to a stop and Ava got herself ready to leave as fast as she could to avoid being later than she would be.

"Good luck," Viv sat up, "let me know how it goes."

She reached over as the vehicle came to a stop and opened the door for Ava, who slipped out and ran up the stairs of the main entrance of the estate and rushed down the halls to go meet with her father.

—--

The thing about proposing anything to her father was that she had to be on her toes, thinking of solutions to hypotheticals he threw at her and it was exhausting to have to be on top of the conversation the whole time. It turned her brain to pig food, nothing but mush, after a bit of time. Yet, she enjoyed it. It was one of the only parts of her sun where she wasn't constantly thinking about her situation and the pressures and restrictiveness that came with it.

She could spend hours talking with her father, she had come to learn, and he was quite easy to get along with. It was dangerous because, in some moments, she had found herself forgetting who he was. Of course, she knew a beast was underneath but his everysun temperament was quite nice, quite bearable. She was careful, though, not to let her guard down. Not to expect much from him. But it was still easy to talk to him. In fact, they had already been at the meeting for hours. Ava had spoken about what she had strategized with Viv and it was well met.

He agreed it was worth a try but if Ava's strategy of creating a need for reform within Eloxian nobles and other similar houses didn't work out then they would have to back away from women's rights until after reclassification. He didn't, however, say that if it didn't work out that they would forgo the attempt. Just that it would be delayed. It clued her to what her father was thinking.

This was a reform he wanted. Although he never said it, it meant something to him that the other progressive policies she had proposed hadn't. She wasn't quite sure why, as of yet, but she would keep an eye out. Even though he was more enthusiastic about this compared to other proposals, he was limited with the policies he agreed to champion. Land rights and the ability to take the title of head of the household were where they landed.

He made no move to approve of her suggestions for increased freedoms at the lower levels of society. Allowing work without guardian permission in The Twins, and allowing women to leave the house, take jobs, and be independent at the same age as boys and men were not things he considered. Those policies were not in Baethan law and were an issue settled by whoever lorded over that domain. Her father had no interest in creating laws to prevent nobles and greater houses from setting their own rules for women in their own lands.

Ava had argued her case until she had drained all the oxygen out of the room but it hadn't worked. She had made progress, nonetheless, even if it wasn't to the extent she had hoped for. Ava was about to wrap up the conversation, knowing that her father had sent for Ivon a half hour before when there was a knock on the office door. Her father granted the person entry, it was Ivon, and Ava got up to leave.

She stood up and nodded in the direction of her father then gave Ivon a slight bow. She was tucking her notebook under her arm and beginning her exit when her father stopped her.

"Sit, Avery," her father spoke and Ava turned around to look at him with slight confusion. She was never allowed to stay when Ivon was around and she wasn't sure she really wanted to.

"I have many duties to attend to this aftermorning and evening. I thought it might be best to get started with those," Ava tried to get out of staying but her father motioned to her chair for her to take another seat.

"You summoned me, my Lord," Ivon stood next to Ava's chair and Ava ended up taking a seat, "how can I be of service?"

"We had quite an illuminating conversation earlier this morning, Ivon, did we not?" her father looked over at him.

"Sir, with respect, it was not illuminating for me. I have always been suspect and have relayed my concern to you," Ivon said and Ava couldn't have been more lost.

"Would you care to repeat what you told me? I think Avery should hear some of the accusations levied against her so she can understand the context of our conversation," he requested and Ivon hesitated for a moment.

He recovered and cleared his throat, "I would not phrase it as an accusation, my Lord, I witnessed what I relayed to you earlier."

Ava looked between the two of them and her gut began to twist, sensing that whatever it was that she was being accused of was not light. She was going to speak up and try and make a preemptive defense for whatever she was said to have done but Ivon beat her to the punch.

"I witnessed Lady Avery and the hired hand Vivexa engaging in sexual intercourse in the gardens."

Ava's air left her chest and she closed her eyes, shaking her head and hoping that she could will herself into nonexistence. She couldn't find the words to explain or defend herself. She could lie but she was afraid she had already given herself away.

"Explain to her what you saw," her father said and Ava's eyes rose to meet his ungiving expression.

He had known that whole meeting and not shown it once.

"The hired spy was under her dress," Ivon said and cleared his throat. Ava looked over as a wave of nausea crashed against her; he avoided eye contact, "Eventually, Lady Avery returned the action."

"You stayed that whole time, you sick fuck?" Ava shook her head, "Do you just follow people around and hope to catch people having sex?"

"Lord Killian approached me with a concern of his. He claimed his sister had approached him bragging about being a renouncer. I decided to keep my eye on her, Lord Vaith, and that is what I encountered. I told you this in our briefing earlier but I am saying this so Lady Avery understands. And will also repeat, the act that was occurring and the people that it was occurring with were very clear. This is certainly not an accusation, sir, but a warning to you of what she truly is."

She turned away from Ivon and came to look at her father who had an unphased stare. He motioned towards her to give her the floor to speak but she could say nothing or do nothing except shake her head.

"She is saying nothing to deny what is being said. I think that is corroboration enough, sir. Allow me to administer swift punishment for both the hired hand and her. She should marry to avoid any further suspicions and have an announcement of a union before the end of the season so a wedding may be had," Ivon suggested and her father was not engaging with it at all, his stare was straight on Ava.

Without breaking their gaze, her father reached to the side and opened a drawer.

"Guards," he called out, "barricade the door until my signal."

Ava quickly stood up and began to back away toward the door even though there was no way out. She watched as from the drawer he pulled out a hand cannon. Not even on her worst sun on the ship had she been that close to death and it had all happened so quickly. She looked over at Ivon who looked almost pleased; her father was still unwilling to show any emotion.

"Avery, please come closer," her father asked.

She took a slight step forward but it was shaky and she really didn't want to so easily walk toward her death.

He lifted his hand and beckoned her closer, "Take this."

At his words, Ivon's head snapped to face him but her father was staring at her as he held the handcannon out. Ivon was the one that began to take some steps back, toward the wall but not making a break for the barricaded exit. Ava hesitated, her legs slightly shaking and chills running through her body. She took a few steps forward and reached out, taking the weapon into her hands. She had held one before but it hadn't been loaded.

She had only seen it in action one time and it was not something she wanted to witness again. Her hand trembled as she took it but she held it firmly. It was heavy and she wished that what she assumed her father was about to ask of her wouldn't leave his mouth.

"Avery, every noble and every so-called decent, upstanding person in Baethos has secrets. Ivon here is also a renouncer– although he thinks I don't know that. Why would he think otherwise? He keeps it well hidden because he understands the consequences of letting that secret out," her father stood up from his chair and circled to the front of his desk, coming to saddle up next to her.

"My Lord-"

He held his hand up to stop Ivon.

"Your mother has a tendency to fuck married men, your sister Penelope takes after her. Your brother Killian is in love with a whore. Your uncle is unlaid and all the children he has raised are Jones'. There are people running around this very court with the last name Vaith that do not have a drop of our blood coursing through their veins but all of that is a secret. Transgressions they keep to themselves so the family is not put in jeopardy," he said and she hadn't turned to face him. Ivon's back was pressed up against the wall and he was shaking his head as her father spoke.

"You admitted this to your brother, who is not a credible source by any means and he has been circulating that rumor about you since you were children. But it led to my most trusted advisor finding out because once again you flaunted your indiscretions. In public, Avery? For all to see?" her father stepped forward and away from her, toward Ivon.

Her father put an arm around him and began to walk him away from the wall and toward the center of the room. He struggled a bit but ultimately followed her father's lead.

"Ivon, I am not upset with you over what you witnessed. I have appreciated your service to me over the last 12 lengths you have been at my side," he took a few steps back, "it is not your fault that your loyalty to me pushed you to follow up on Killian's request to you. But you should have also realized– from all the work you have done for me– that I put my family first and you bringing this to me put you in between me and my family."

"You can trust me, sir, I will never speak of this again. I did not mean to pit you and her against each other. I thought you would want to know-" he tried to speak again but his father motioned him to stop.

"I would love to believe that you would never mention this to anyone but I cannot take that risk, Ivon, I truly am sorry," her father frowned and it seemed almost genuine from her point of view, "Avery, please step closer to me."

"Lady Avery, I apologize," Ivon tried, "please, tell him that he can trust me. I know I have been harsh on you in the past but you know I don't deserve this."

Ava was frozen in place. She couldn't move even if she tried. Her father was looking back at her and Ivon was on the verge of tears.

"Avery, these are the consequences of your own actions. This is the price you pay for being so brazen about your licentiousness," her father laid out for her what she needed to do without even uttering the words, "get it done and end his suffering."

"I can't," Ava said.

"I can only assume you've killed people on your stint away from home. This is no different."

"This is in cold blood."

"And killing soldiers who are doing nothing but following orders is not?"

"It's different," Ava insisted.

"We have time to debate the morality of murder later, right now you have a task to do," he shot back and had enough of waiting. He walked to her and guided her closer to Ivon.

"Please, my Lord," Ivon had two tears falling down his face, "I have given my life in service of you."

"I am forever grateful and you will not be so easily replaced," her father replied as he placed Ava just a few feet from him and took a few steps back.

"Lady Vaith, please," Ivon looked at her and she closed her eyes, looking away as he began to get more vocal with his pleas for them to stop.

She raised her arm and was going to pull the trigger but her father was not letting it happen like that.

"Open your eyes and look at him while you do this, Avery, it is not supposed to be easy," he spoke and Ava could tell he was at least slightly upset.

Ava didn't let the moment go on any longer. She turned her head, opened her eyes, and pulled the trigger. She saw the atrocity of what the handcannon could do at close range. She had witnessed it when Viv had killed the man on their way to The Center but this was somehow even worse and she was in shock. Her father didn't let her sit with it for a second before he was resuming his lecture.

All she could do was stare at the dismembered skull in front of her. A body crumpled on the ground with half a head attached. She could feel blood and pieces of Ivon on her and it made her want to throw up, but nothing came up. She was frozen with the sight burning itself into her mind.

"Make no mistake, Avery, this was your doing," he said as he walked back to his desk.

Ava didn't turn around to face him, she couldn't look away.

"I hope you learn to practice discretion after this," he continued, "if not for the safety of this family, then for the safety of others."

He knew just how to hurt her. He had threatened others to keep her in line her whole life and this was no different. He knew she empathized with people. He knew she wanted no harm to come to anyone; that was why she was relentless in her pursuit of some kind of change. He could have punished her by sending Viv away, confining her to her room, and taking Oceane away. He had a myriad of other ways to make her understand there were consequences and he chose the best one to keep her in line.

Ivon was a bad person, almost as irredeemable as her father and Viv. His death would not be a tragedy to anyone. But something about killing someone like her made the wound cut deeper. He had to have known that, which was why he brought it up.

"You knew the whole time?" she pulled herself out of her shock long enough to glance over at him.

"I have known since you were a child, Avery," her father said and she wanted to face him to see his expression but she couldn't, "you were obsessed with that chambermaid of yours. Young love. I had just hoped you understood what the rest of the family did and learned to keep things hidden. But, you have always glossed over the unsaid. So, you had to learn the hard way."

"You don't care?" Ava found herself turning around, "you aren't going to hang me for all to see? You made your career on killing us."

"People like to have an enemy. Pirates, traders, and roamer provide a physical enemy. Something we can defend ourselves against. But even if people are safe from that, they always want an enemy that is an idea. Before the Great War, that was each other. People were divided over religion, over language, over food, over everything. To distract from that, to keep people's intrinsic need for conflict at bay, you must create an enemy," he explained and he was clean, as opposed to Ava, "those that reject Baethan law was the enemy that needed to be created and from that, renouncers were the ones people latched onto. Nobles respond to need and that is what I have always done."

"You created the need. You manipulated people into thinking that is what they wanted."

"That is no different than what you are doing now," he challenged and cleared his throat, looking past her and toward the door, "guards, open the doors and get the cleaning staff in here."

"He wouldn't have said anything," Ava found herself saying as she looked back at the body but she couldn't bear the sight anymore, so she quickly looked away.

Her father walked back over to her, standing next to her side but facing the body, "I couldn't take that risk. But don't be mistaken, I chose you over him this time but it won't happen again. The only reason the positions are not switched is because I think you have worked hard to help this family and you have played by your mother's rule for quite some time so you deserved some grace."

"If that is what you call grace, I would hate to see what you being angry looks like," she snapped.

"Yes, you would," he replied, "keep your proclivities in your chambers and keep your circle small. Preferably you won't stray far from what you already have."

"Are you suggesting who I should sleep with?"

"I am," he looked down at her as the guards walked in and began to dispose of the body, "you have shown no understanding of what has happened here."

"You forced me to shoot your closest advisor, and dare I say the closest person to you, to teach me a lesson," Ava met his gaze, "I perfectly understand what has happened here."

"What was the lesson?"

"Don't be a renouncer where people can see," she looked away. She was being insolent, it was a miracle she wasn't dead, but she couldn't stop it. She couldn't just accept the treatment with not even a bit of a fight. One side of her was pulling her to appeal to his rational side and fall in line and another was telling her to stomp on his foot and make a scene.

"That wasn't the point of this," he whispered as more people entered the room, "I am letting you walk and not stripping you of your freedoms because I trust you. In return for both the sacrifice I just made to keep your secret quiet and the risk I am taking on allowing you to keep living as you were, I expect you to keep up your end of this agreement and behave."

"I didn't enter into this agreement. You put gave me a weapon and volunteered me into it."

"You entered the agreement when you asked and agreed to work with me," he gave his rebuttal, "I assumed you understood what was asked of you in order for you to uphold your end of the partnership but I had assumed wrong. You needed reminding of your duties."

"What are you going to say happened?"

"He was treasonous. You sniffed him out and protected me when no one else could see he was selling Vaith secrets," he put plainly and finally took a step back, going toward his desk.

Ava kept her voice low, as he had continued to, as she walked after him, "All of his lengths of service repaid with lies?"

"You were never fond of him," he pointed out, "why does that bother you?"

"Because it can easily be me right after him," Ava argued, not understanding why he didn't see her outrage on the matter.

"All the more reason to internalize and reflect on the reasons for what happened here," he sat down as he looked past her toward the cleanup, "You knew the stakes you were dealing with when you approached me with an offer to work for me, Avery. I am sure you heard much about my actions when you were away and only a portion of it is slander."

She couldn't believe she had at any moment forgotten what he truly was. He was unfeeling or at least portrayed himself as such. It was all in the name of power but what for? The constant struggle, upkeep of appearance, a life under scrutiny, and uncertainty were not worth whatever power could bring. It was always clear but the evidence of far he would go to have control over a situation was in a puddle of red in front of her. His closest confidant and ally for over half a classification was ordered to be executed without hesitation.

There was blood splattered across her and that was the least of her worries; pieces of Ivon had stuck to her dress, her arms, and her neck. She was the executioner and this kill did not quite feel like the others. She had not allowed herself to sit in the shock of the moment for too long, not wanting to give her father the satisfaction of seeing her traumatized. The action, however, had called everything she was doing into question. She couldn't fold right then though. She hadn't made it this far to go back on everything. Not when she knew that she could help, she just needed to approach the revolution to do so.

"Am I dismissed?" Ava cut off the conversation, "I had duties I need to attend to this morning and aftermorning and I must inform them I am going to be canceling, for obvious reasons," Ava alluded to the murder she had just committed.

Before he was able to answer, a helper of her father entered his quarters and looked down at the bloody mess in the room then quickly averted his gaze and avoided looking out again, "My Lord, the Cooker family is arriving. Our watchmen reported them to be about an hour from the estate."

"Thank you, Heralt," he nodded, "Ivon is dead. Please release the statement we drafted over lunch. Here are the reports of witnesses that can attest to his renouncer tendencies; in case anyone questions the validity of our story, leak this to get people to stop talking."

Heralt left the room at the silent dismissal and his father cleared his throat and stood back up,

"Thank you, the mess is largely cleaned. This can be finished once I retire from my office shortly. Give my daughter and me the room."

The workers that had been cleaning up the mess packed up their supplies and left them alone.

"How long have you had those reports?" Ava asked.

"Avery, I will need you to go get ready to welcome the Cookers. Cancel the plans for your morning and aftermoning, as you were going to," her father requested as he began to clear off his desk.

"There is no possible way I can wash all of this off and get ready before they arrive at our gates," Ava argued.

"Your siblings, your mother, and I will greet them at the gate. I will take Lord Cooker to talk business and you will meet the Cooker boys in the gardens when you are ready."

"You aren't allowing me the rest of the sun off?" Ava clarified.

"You have a duty to get close to the heir to the Cooker household as someone who will be taking a lead on the politics of this house from now on,"

They both knew that was the reality but she was surprised he so readily admitted it. He noticed her raised eyebrows and continued.

"Killian is hopeless at this. You have much work to do and I need to drive you away from that rosy ideology you have and that light and dark way of thinking you always carry but you show potential. More than he does. Which means you need to step up, no matter what you just went through."

"You have other sons that can step up."

"It is too late for them."

"I will meet them in the gardens," Ava nodded.

"Good. I will tell your mother. She expects you to get to know Cameron Cooker, their second son."

"I know who he is," she nodded, "are only the boys here?"

"Yes, their daughters are with their husbands holding court in the South of Elox,"

"Every one of their children who has entered a union has done so with a noble," she pointed out, "Lord Cooker is not anything if not ambitious."

"And they might achieve yet another successful noble union with Cameron if the way your mother and Lady Cooker have been corresponding about it is any indication."

That wouldn't be happening. Sabotage would commence the moment she met him in the gardens.

"Is that even advantageous to us as a house? Marrying down?"

"Most of your siblings married up," her father argued as he finished cleaning off his desk, "we can stand to have you marry a Cooker. They will likely ascend to a noble house in the coming classification so it will only be for a little while if status is what matters to you."

"It doesn't. What matters to me is building and forging strong alliances. We already have one with them, why would it be wise to waste a union on him," she argued her case and her father began walking her out.

"It would be advantageous because you can never be too sure your allies are solid. We have not married a Cooker to a Vaith in two generations, it seems to be time again. If not with you, then with your siblings."

He closed the door behind them.

"Expect to be in the gardens in an hour," he said and dismissed her as he went the opposite way,"

Outside, both Viv and Arnelo were waiting for her and both of them looked concerned.

"Viv, see to it that the rest of my sun is canceled. I have tea in the gardens with the Cooker boys," Ava looked to Arnelo as she began to walk, "I need a bath. Please go alert the attendants that I am going to need a lot of soap and to make sure the water is hot."

"I will escort you to the bathing room first," he said and she shook her head.

"It is less than a five-minute walk. I can make it there by myself. I can be without a chaperone for that long," she argued and pulled away before anyone could give her any slack.

—------

"You go into lunch with your father in a pretty peach dress and you come out with a red dress and brains on your face," Viv said as soon as she was through the threshold of the bathing room, "what was that? We heard a handcannon go off."

"You were there?" Ava asked.

"Arnie heard the command to barricade the doors and sent for me," she approached the pool Ava was in, "thought it might have been you at the end of it."

Ava shook her head, "Ivon."

"As in, his most trusted and loyal servant, Ivon. The guy who is in charge of most of his treachery?"

"That's the one," Ava said quietly.

She had rinsed the blood and body matter off of her in one pool and went into another to relax and soak after a complicated aftermorning.

"Why?"

"He took it upon himself to prove that I am a renouncer and caught us fucking in the garden. He was killed to keep the secret but also to teach me a lesson," Ava said and she knew Viv would react as she was. Pale face and in disbelief, "he didn't say anything about it other than I need to stop parading the fact that I fuck women."

"He had you kill Ivon," Viv repeated.

"Yes. And it was unpleasant and would rather not talk about it," Ava cleared her throat and turned from Viv.

"You aren't the only one involved in it," Viv argued, "this falls back on me too."

"I already told you, my father is not cross with you. And if you want to, you can just stop engaging with me when I come onto you. Easy fix. Disentangle yourself."

"I thought you learned to be compassionate about the issues of others on the Scorned Woman."

"It's a trait you trained out of me in our time together. I will make it to my meeting with the Cookers on time, leave me to bathe," she said with her back still turned on the other woman.

"You don't want to go over what you should do?"

"They are important allies. I won't fuck it up. Besides that, I need no advice," Ava dismissed her, "that will be all."

"Oi," Viv snapped her fingers but Ava didn't pay attention, "I know what you are feeling right now. If you need to talk about it, I won't give you a hard time."

Ava didn't answer and eventually, Viv walked out. She was at peace for a few minutes before someone else entered.

"You killed someone?" Oceane said.

Ava turned around and nodded, "Ivon."

"Damn. On your dad's orders?"

She nodded again.

"That's cold. Thought they were super close."

"They were," Ava waded to the edge where Oceane had sat down, "he found out that I was sleeping with Viv and my father ordered his execution so no one would know. Now, he knows I'm a nox but I am somehow still alive."

She hadn't actually told anyone, especially not Oceane, and she had thought maybe it would be best to come out with it. Oceane did not react, she just nodded.

"Sorry that happened to you," she acknowledged, "also kind of glad you told me about Viv. I was worried about our friendship there. Suns kept going by with no confession."

"You knew?"

Oceane smiled a bit, "Of course I did. I saw the same thing happen with Theo. She thought she was subtle then too."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Don't worry," Oceane shrugged, "figured you held deep, deep shame and didn't want to admit it. And then more time passed and then I began to have trust tissues. Then, more time passed and I came back to deep, deep shame."

"Well, your first and last assumptions were correct."

"An itch has to be scratched somehow," Oceane shrugged and Ava slightly laughed at the phrasing, the same she had told herself at some point, "are you doing alright?"

"Not really," Ava gave her a weak smile, "Theo and the others always warned that a lack of a reaction to killing would end eventually and I wish they weren't all right. This time it really was different."

"Wasn't he a bad guy? Wouldn't it be a positive thing for Baethans in the end?" Oceane tried to console.

"That is what I keep trying to tell myself but it doesn't seem to be helping..." Ava looked away and at the water trying to shake the image of Ivon's corpse.

"What's hard about it this time?" Oceane asked as she pulled off her clothes until she was in undergarments and then slipped into the warm water.

Ava faced her again with a frown, "His head was gone. Unrecognizable. The hand cannon just ripped through it..."

Oceane waded closer and then came to pull Ava into her arm. Ava relaxed into it and let her head rest on Oceane's shoulder, "I remember seeing that... On one of our missions with Theo when you were in Aeliz with Xyra, we got into a fight where the handcannons tore through the crew. I am sorry you had to see that and pull the trigger."

Ava felt a single tear leave her eye and she let herself be held in a friend's embrace for a few minutes. The only sound was the occasional lap of the water against the lip of the pool.

"I need to start getting ready to meet the Cooker boys," Ava pulled away, "we'll see if what they said about Brandon Cooker is true."

"If it is, it makes staying here worth it," Oceane pointed out.

"And if it isn't true? If he's got no connection to the rebellion and we can do nothing to help?"

"Then we stay and finish your reforms, make living at least more bearable until the revolution organizes and succeeds," Oceane said, recalling what they had been telling each other the whole time.

"Right," Ava nodded but inside, she didn't know if she was selfless enough for that. She wanted to whisk them away from the estate if that happened, "well, let's hope this wasn't a shot in the dark."

"Can I say something?" Oceane asked as Ava left the water and she followed.

Ava motioned her to continue.

"I don't mean to be questioning your choices, but Viv?" Oceane said and Ava closed her eyes with a sigh, not turning around to face her friend.

"I thought I had magically escaped this conversation," Ava said.

"You are being careful, right? You aren't involving yourself more than just physically?"

"Are you asking if I'm guarding my heart?" Ava teased and turned around, a slight smile on her lips.

"I am," Oceane returned the slight smile, no judgment or anger present in her expression, "I've seen what she does to people. Theo sees the most in people, that much is true, but Viv's betrayal was not seen until too late not because of pure naivety but because she sold Theo and us all a lie. You aren't the exception, she will chew you up and spit you out the same as she has done to Theo and most everyone that crosses her path."

"I have no illusions about her morality or her priorities. She is using me for my political and social position and I am using her; our relationship does not extend past that," she took Oceane's hand and squeezed it as she reassured her friend.

Oceane returned the squeeze, "I'll go get your clothes ready while you dry off. We have to make you look powerful, commanding enough to convince Brandon Cooker you are a good ally."

"Hopefully, my words can do that. But if not, I will rely on your fashion stylings to carry me to victory," Ava joked and let go of Oceane's hand, watching her leave her by herself.

—-

She was standing behind the large doors that opened into the gardens. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to meet the person who could potentially confirm sticking around had been worth it. She looked over to Arnelo and nodded, which prompted him to give the command to open the doors. The light filtered into the dark hallway and she could see the sun was shining brightly over the tea-goers.

She stepped out onto the stairs down to the grass as Arnelo stood at the top of the stairs and announced her presence.

"Please welcome Lady Avery Vaith," Arnelo projected his voice, and those that were near turned to watch her enter, bowing slightly in acknowledgment.

Ava nodded at whoever she made eye contact with as she made her way to The Cookers. She would recognize them anywhere, they bore a striking resemblance to Cooker. Brown hair pushed back, broad shoulders, and a slight upturn of their lips into a smile even when they weren't smiling.

"Lord Cooker," she curtsied in Brandon's direction and then in Cameron's, "Lord Cameron. It is a pleasure to be hosting you here."

"Please, the pleasure is all ours. Thank you for welcoming us so hospitably, as always," Brandon said.

"Of course, court is always much more lively with the Cooker family in attendance, we want you to feel the excitement of our house toward your arrival," she bowed her head.

"Cameron," Brandon nudged his brother, "do you care to say anything to Lady Avery?"

"You look nice in purple," he smiled, genuine and sweet. It wasn't what was expected of him from the slight look of disappointment Brandon gave him.

"Thank you, my Lord," Ava gave another curtsy, "how was the journey?"

"Fairly simple," Brandon answered, "I have been looking forward to this meeting, I must say."

"As have I, Lord Cooker, I have been patiently awaiting your arrival," Ava smiled, "I hope I am not being rude by directly addressing you and not your father but I was hoping we could have a conversation about the future of our houses. You are the heir and I have taken a more active role in my family's political interests and would love to get your thoughts on some new directions we might be taking."

Brandon raised an eyebrow, "Well, Lady Avery, I would be quite interested in having a conversation with you. I am assuming you don't mean right now."

Ava took a look around, "People are watching, no more than usual, but that is always enough to get rumors floating. I would say it is unwise to have a discussion right now."

"I agree. Let us not wait too long, however, I came on this journey just to seek an audience with you."

"You flatter me, my Lord, but you are married. I don't think your wife would appreciate your forthcomingness," she said with a smile, indicating she was joking.

He laughed a bit but it was a bit forced like he wasn't used to messing around with the politicians he had dealt with in the past, "I am quite interested to know about your time away. I am sure that was a traumatic experience, being holed up on a pirate brig."

She searched his expression and his slight leftover smile gave away that he meant more with his words.

"Yes. It was quite terrible but I have bounced back," she returned and tilted her head a bit, "and I am quite interested to know about what you have done to prepare to take your father's title upon his retirement."

"I am pleased to brief you on how I have helped my family."

"Among other things," Ava tested the waters and he raised an eyebrow understanding the unasked question.

"Yes, I am a very busy man. Many projects to tackle," he confirmed, "I was thinking perhaps it would be a good idea to suggest to your mother a dinner between you and my brother, Cameron. I can be a chaperone for my brother and you can find a trusted friend to serve as your chaperone. Perhaps, a chance to speak will arise then."

"May we speak freely in front of him?" Ava looked over to where Cameron had mentally checked out of the conversation and was staring at some flowering bushes nearby.

"We may," he nodded, "I trust you will find someone that brings those same assurances."

"My sister, Mallory," Ava nodded.

"Very well, I will not hesitate then. I will find your mother at once," Brandon said and turned to his brother, pulling his arm so he stood in front of Ava, "Lady Avery if you would be so kind as to engage my brother in conversation. He gets a bit nervous with court goers and could use a warm-up."

Ava held out her arm for Cameron who took it with a slight smile, "We shall go for a walk, Lord Cameron."

—---------

"I heard you needed help," Viv peeked into the room.

"I don't," Ava replied as she struggled to pull her corset to a close.

"There are a dozen chambermaids on standby to help you dress," Viv said as she slipped into the room, closing the door behind her.

"I don't need chambermaids," Ava grunted as she managed to get it as tight as she needed, "I need to be alone. Are you here for a reason?"

"Well, you've had a long sun," Viv said, "and I am sorry for not responding in the way that I should have. Those feelings and concerns about your father knowing are still there but I should have waited for a better time to say those things."

Ava dropped the hold on her strings and turned around, narrowing her eyes as she took Viv in. There wasn't a handcannon to her head. There wasn't a knife to her throat. She didn't appear sick or under duress. She had never heard a more genuine apology from Viv and it truly took her breath away.

"Usually apologies are met with forgiveness, not gawking," Viv smiled a bit and finally made her way forward.

"Well, when it's such a rarity coming from you it is hard to avoid gawking," Ava returned and went back to face herself in the mirror.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I killed someone at lunchtime and then launched back into politicking and socializing," Ava complained, trying to not give away her slight excitement about the coming meeting with Brandon.

It was one of the only times she had actually been looking forward to an event or engagement on her schedule.

"I can have some havcera waiting for you when your dinner is over," she offered as she stepped closer, coming behind Ava to adjust the strings of her corset, even without permission to help.

But Ava let it go.

"As long as you are gone by the time I am back, feel free to," Ava replied as she felt her corset being tied even tighter than she had managed to get it,, "but don't stick around. Leave me alone for the night. Go find someone in the city to enjoy your time with."

"You are jumping to conclusions, princess, I was planning on being gone," Viv snapped back but Ava wasn't so sure it was true.

"Help me get into my dress so I am not late for dinner," Ava finally caved.

They were silent until she was securely in her garment for the evening.

"What is this dinner about? Did you request it?" Viv asked once Ava had secured her wig over her head.

"Brandon arranged it so that I could have dinner and some time with his brother, who he is also convinced I will marry," Ava sighed, "I tried to sabotage earlier and get Cameron to be unapproving of me but nothing worked."

"Have you ever spent time with him?" Viv laughed a little.

"Not much, he never really went to court and neither did I, so we had little overlap."

"It's said his head is in the clouds. My honest opinion? If you are going to be forced to marry someone I would suggest it be him," she advised, "are you planning on speaking to Brandon about anything?"

"I was going to see if he would be willing to pass my upcoming reforms and if his father is willing to lend us an ear. He readily accepted the poverty policies, he might be inclined to hear us out on the rest of them too," Ava lied.

Viv nodded and Ava could tell she was holding something back. If she had to guess, Viv had heard rumors swirling about what Brandon was involved in. It was Viv, so Ava didn't put it past her.

"I don't think I need any additional counsel but I know you enjoy giving your unwelcomed opinion, so you have the floor," Ava teased as she walked to her vanity and slipped on her jewelry.

"I have nothing to say. I get a bit nervous when you speak politics and I am not in a room to listen to what you say but you have agency. I am sure you can conduct yourself properly," Viv acknowledged.

"Even when you are pleasant, it sounds like an insult," Ava slipped past Viv once she was done getting ready and heading down the hall by herself, with Arnelo trailing behind and not bothering her.

Eventually, she made it to the entrance of the hall she was dining in that night. Mallory was coming down the hall as well and met her at the door. Her cheeks were flushed and she seemed jittery.

"I really need to pee," Mallory said without prompting and Ava could tell she was shifting from foot to foot.

"Why didn't you go before dinner?" Ava laughed.

"I forgot, Avery, I was excited about dinner," Mallory huffed.

"Why? You are just a chaperone."

"Yeah, and you will talk about your boring politics with Brandon which leaves me to enjoy the night with Cameron."

"You are friends?"

Mallory nodded, "We were supposed to be promised to each other, don't you remember?"

Ava shook her head, she had no recollection of many of the previous ongoings with her family.

"Well, anyways, he has always been a joy and I am excited to see him but I must relieve myself," she said as she turned around and began to bolt down the hallway.

"You are already failing at your job as a chaperone," Ava called out as she ran away.

The doors opened for her and she looked away from Mallory. In the room, her guests for the evening were waiting for her. At the sound of the doors opening, they each stood up from their chairs. She walked over and gave a small curtsy before Cameron bowed and pulled out her seat.

She took it and tucked herself into the table.

"You look very nice, Lady Vaith," Cameron smiled, "I like that color dress."

Ava had to keep herself from laughing. It was the same compliment that she had received in the garden for the exact same color dress. not be any less flattering on her skin tone and nodded with a small laugh, "Thank you, Lord Cameron. You are too sweet."

"Your sister?" Brandon interrupted.

"Relieving herself. Apparently, she was so excited about dinner that she forgot to do so before."

Cameron hesitated before sitting down. He made a noise as if he was going to say something, but he didn't. Brandon looked over at him and raised an eyebrow, with their eyes they had a silent exchange and Brandon sighed before waving his hand.

"Go relieve yourself too. You are excused," Brandon laughed after he shook his head.

Ava also laughed, surprised at the similarities between their siblings, reaching forward and pouring herself a cup of wine. Before she could begin her own approach, Brandon took the conversation into his own hands quite quickly after Cameron left.

"I am here for court to shadow my father for his eventual retirement and to try and be the buffer between you and my brother so that a union between you two may be easier to arrange," he said and looked around to make sure no waiters or staff were lingering, "that is what I have discussed with my father and all our advisors."

"But you are not here for that," Ava stated.

"As I said yestersun, I am here for you," Brandon said and also poured himself a small glass of wine, "from our conversation earlier, I have a sense that it will not take long to convince you of being part of my cause and that you know of my cause."

"I will do us both a favor and avoid speaking the name of it, but aye, I do know what you are aiming to do," Ava kept it vague.

"And how have you heard about my involvement in a certain... business opportunity," he asked, bringing his cup to his lips for his first sip but his eyes stayed on her.

"By now you've been made aware of my capture, and I am sure you have deduced that it was a fabrication on behalf of my family," Ava said.

"The Scorned Woman is said to only take on prisoners that are men, even if you were a Vaith, locking someone away on a brig and torturing them doesn't match what I've heard goes on on that ship," Brandon confirmed.

"Well, your business partners paid my old Captain a visit and I heard about it."

"So investing in this business was something that was discussed with you at some point?"

"It was a discussion we had on many occasions."

"We? Who else?"

"Theo is open and honest with her crew," Ava said the bare truth and nothing more.

"What was said?"

"I cannot divulge. You must be the one to speak with her," Ava shut down any other questions on the matter.

"I came here in hopes that you would be able to provide a bit of insight into her. What can I do to get her to invest?"

Ava shook her head, "I am afraid I cannot help. It is a sworn oath that I do not divulge crew information, whether I was kicked from the crew or not."

"You were kicked off the crew? You weren't taken from them?" he tilted his head as he placed the drink down.

Ava didn't know why she hadn't filtered her words. She copied his action and freed her hands, placing them on the table and clearing her throat, "I had kept the fact that I was a Vaith hidden and secrets do not bode well on The Scorned Woman. Besides information I can provide about myself, I am afraid I cannot help with telling you about the crew."

"That is unfortunate but does not eliminate the potential for an alliance between us. You mentioned in the gardens that you have been involved in your family's affairs. That is quite a departure from your attitude toward your familial duties in the past."

"When I was away, I learned about the importance of investing. And what better way to invest than from a position of money and power?" Ava raised an eyebrow and he smiled.

"You are the one behind these reforms?"

Ava nodded.

"Some of my business partners are not fond of them. They believe it is Vaith doing this to tamper unhappiness," Brandon tapped his fingers on the table as he spoke to her.

"That might be his reason but that is not mine," she defended.

"Then what is your reason?"

"Immediate relief before more help can come to them," she explained, "can I trust you to help me sway your father into agreeing to our upcoming plans?"

"You will not need my help for that, my father will follow suit. Your father is his greatest and most powerful ally, he will fall in line," he looked around to once again confirm their solitude, "it is said your father has a finger on the scales of the classifiers and my father holds that rumor to be true."

"If he does, I have no knowledge of this," Ava admitted.

"My brother and your sister will be back soon. I would rather not speak about these matters around anyone but us. And I hope you don't take insult to this, Lady Avery, but I must also be cautious in what I tell you out of security for myself, my business, and my partners," he said.

"I understand. A relationship must still be nurtured between us," Ava nodded, "I know I cannot be of much help in telling you what was said behind closed doors but perhaps I can help in other ways. Have you gotten in contact with Theo at all?"

"Unfortunately, your old Captain has a bit of a hard head and has not answered our request for a business meeting. I have heard word that I must go in person to request an investment."

"Well, she has a lot of gold and business savvy, a lot of influence as well. She is worth the journey if you want your business venture to take off," Ava hummed.

"I was hoping that you would have some insight into how to approach her or get on her good side but I'm not sure you are willing or able to share that with me," he said, "with or without any aid from you, I am sailing to Niveal soon to and might be able to bring back some news about her."

"You are going to Niveal? When?"

"The plan is still in the works. I don't have a timeline."

"I am going too," Ava insisted.

Brandon laughed, "No. No question."

"I can help with Theo," Ava said.

"From what you've just told me, you can't. She gave you up and you won't tell me anything about her," Brandon leaned forward.

"No, but even though I'm a liar in her eyes I know for a fact she would still trust me more than a rich Eloxian man. I can only be an asset to you, I would bring no harm," Ava stated and looked back toward the door to make sure no one was near.

"Why would you want to go back when she's the one that sent you here?" he asked.

"I have unresolved business," Ava asserted, thinking of Oceane and her father. This could get her out of the estate, it could get her face to face with Theo for closure, and an opportunity to get Oceane back where she belonged and her father out of prison, "you need me more than you know. You have to take me."

"How? You are locked away here from what I've heard and seen. You have eyes on you, that much has been obvious from observing you."

"Figure it out. I promise I can be an asset. At the very least, you have delivered me to her once again. I can't imagine the crew doesn't feel cross that they couldn't interrogate me or give me my trial. I know Theo likes to give the crew what they want. If anything, I can be your bargaining chip," Ava tried and he shook his head.

She was going to continue down her path to convincing him but the doors opened and they both straightened up. The conversation wasn't over but they had no more time to discuss things, even though both of their siblings could be trusted.

The dinner became much less about her and Cameron and much more about Mallory and Cameron. They took over the night with talk of old adventures and new inside jokes they had managed in just the short time Cameron had been at the estate. Ava let the ease of the night relax her as she drank one too many cups of wine as she listening to Mallory debate with Cameron. Even after dinner had ended, they were in their own little world. Eventually, they left the room without even asking if it was alright to go.

Shortly after, Ava and Brandon made their way out of the dining room as well.

"There is a Cooker on the Scorned Woman," Brandon said as they walked and glanced down at her to catch her reaction, "she is said to have brown hair, fair skin, an Eloxian accent."

"Yes, I know her," Ava walked with him.

"You remember what my sister looked like, right? Before she left."

"Your sister died. She did not leave anywhere."

"That is what my father would have everyone believe. I was with her that sun she disappeared and she was nowhere near the forest my father claims she got lost in. We were in the city," he shook his head, "is she on the ship? Is that her?"

"Cooker is a dub. She was the cook on her old ship and the name Cook was taken so she started to go by Cooker," Ava lied, knowing Cooker would never want anyone knowing, "I am sorry."

He nodded and looked away from Ava. She couldn't tell if he believed her but she felt his slight anguish.

"Have a good night, Lady Avery," he began to walk away but Ava followed.

"I would be wise with who you ask to invest in your business. I know Vivexa seems like she would be a good ally and the temptation may be there to pull her into your business but she is not to be trusted," she warned.

He bowed slightly. "Thank you, my lady. The information is appreciated."

With that, the leader of the revolution was out of sight and Ava couldn't help but feel she had made some form of progress.