⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

She was writing a letter to Adebiyi in her room to negotiate more soldiers when Lady Hill stormed in, her face red.

"You have been brainwashing the king!" Lady Hill accused.

Ethelind smiled calmly, throwing up a wall of coolness to hide her annoyance at the intrusion. She would have to talk to her guards later to make sure they didn't let people in without telling her first. "How?"

"He claims to not have time anymore, and it is your fault!" Lady Hill pointed a finger at her. "They still haven't found my Luella and hung the archer who kidnapped her!"

If she were not a powerful woman of fifty with vast lands and estates, Ethelind would have been laughing.

"Excuse me for asking, but can you please explain what you are accusing me of doing?"

Lady Hill stormed over and ripped the letter Ethelind was writing to shreds. Ethelind could not contain her surprise and felt her jaw clench slightly. Lady Hill reeked of entitlement.

"See? The all smug Ethelind can feel emotion," Lady Hill hissed.

She moved to leave, but Ethelind sprung up and stepped in front before she could.

"My advice for you is to withdraw your soldiers from the castle and leave," Ethelind said lowly.

"Too late," Lady Hill said. "Soon, I will oversee two castles. Then three. Then four. I already have Ardensford and soon Landon must give me more."

"Is greed any less of a downfall than arrogance?" Ethelind asked her.

She opened the door and slammed it in Lady Hill's face once she had left, nose upturned and her manner haughty. After shoving down her bitter anger, Ethelind moved over to her pile of unopened letters. She picked up the one on top and began to read.

Dear Lady Eternel,

I am writing to you in desperation. I need to borrow money

Ethelind tossed it into the fire unfinished before standing and pacing, unable to stay still. After a while, she couldn't stand keeping to herself anymore and made her way over to Landon's chambers, being permitted after knocking twice. Landon was leaning against the headboard of his bed, a lute on his lap and his fingers straying up and down the strings, playing scales. The sweet sound filled the quiet room, the gentle twang of strings soothing and hypnotising.

"My king." Ethelind curtseyed, watching the way his fingers glided across the strings.

"What is it?" Landon stopped playing and met her eyes. She shut the door before taking a seat by the hearth, turning it to face the bed.

"I advise you to build your navy." Ethelind was direct.

"Why?" Landon arched an eyebrow at her. He was calm, but Ethelind knew how easily his coldness could creep in.

"Your Grace, I believe we should try raiding the South," Ethelind recommended.

Landon smiled. He never moved once to present himself in a more formal manner except for setting the lute to his side. "Lady Hill whispers one thing into my ear. You whisper another. Then Jasper just says 'kill 'em all'. The games you all play between each other are most amusing."

"And what is Lady Hill telling you?"

"You want to know everything. You seem to believe you are my regent."

"I am but a humble adviser, my king."

"I don't believe you for a second." Landon finally stood and walked over to a bundle of blankets where Hunter slept. He knelt by the fox and scratched him behind the ears. "My father gave me this fox because he thought it would soften me if I could train it." He turned. "He didn't think I could, and I did. Have I changed because of this one animal? No."

Ethelind did not need to ask him what he meant. He sat himself on the end of his bed and watched her with piercing eyes.

"Humour me, then, with your advice," he said acidly.

Ethelind did. "Demoralise them and take their supplies. Attack from the sea. My spies have reported that they have a bad navy."

His smile was wicked. "I see why my father kept you around."

Ethelind smiled back. "How flattering, Your Majesty."

* * *

Landon had assembled a privy council in a matter of hours. Jasper Northborn, the psychopathic guard; Jax, never meeting her gaze since the night when she had used his drugged mind against him; Lady Hill, her eyes assessing everyone else; Lord Edison, a man with much wealth; Asher Swan, one of Kael's most skilled infantry commanders; Calhoun, the Eastern ambassador, swinging on his chair; and Lord Finley, a clever man who owned a large chunk of land. Landon was late to his own council, walking with long and silent strides to take his seat at the head of the table. Hunter sat by his chair, the fox curling up near his feet.

"All rise for the king," Lady Hill said, and they all obliged.

"Sit." Landon waved a hand and there was the sound of chairs scraping against the floor as they obeyed his command.

"Why is he still here?" Lady Hill did not hide her thoughts as she pointed at Lord Finley. "He worked for Lucian."

"With all due respect, my lady, I am just a humble old man." Finley dipped his head ever so slightly. "There is little I can do but offer advice. I would be rather surprised if you were afraid of my old, frail presence."

A snicker from Jasper. Ethelind did not spare a look for Finley: she had not forgotten their first conversation.

You know, you were meant to be beheaded. Lucian even had money ready to pay the executioner. The words had stuck, a reminder of what Lucian had forced her to go through. Two years of torture wasting away in a cell, then a planned execution. An execution that would have gone ahead if Kael had not come back.

"Silence." Landon's voice did not need to be loud to be heard. "We are not here to discuss who I choose to have in my company."

"And the girl?" Lady Hill prodded. "Audrey?"

Landon's face remained unreadable.

"You could marry her into the East. Secure a stronger alliance," Calhoun cut in.

"We are here to talk of war, not of the Everwood princess," Landon said coldly.

Ethelind smiled. She had dragged Audrey back to the dungeons from Folkridge and left her there. The girl was so unpredictable at times that it frustrated Ethelind. Luckily, she had hidden the truth, claiming that the drug had resulted from a contaminated supply of water and that Audrey was in the cells so they could monitor her in case it had been an attempt on her life. But she, Jax, and Landon knew the truth: Audrey had fled after poisoning nearly the entire court.

"What about it are we here to discuss?" Asher was not a diplomat, but he was a strategist and an able fighter.

"I want to start naval attacks." At the flick of Landon's fingers, a page hurried forwards and spread a map out on the table. "Here, here and here." He pointed at three different ports in the South. "They do a lot of trade with the Free Isles, and if we cut them off, they would go hungry. And to make a harder blow to their morale, we will send soldiers from our strongholds at Jaskadlin and Dalyidas to raid and plunder. Rebellions could rise; their spirits will die, and they will have no incentive to fight for a weak king."

"Won't the Free Isles see that as a hostile move?" Edison asked.

"We will only target Southern ships. As long as we do not directly attack the Free Isles, they will remain as neutral," Landon said.

"Where are we going to get the ships?" Edison asked. His eyes narrowed. Ethelind knew he distrusted Landon. He remained loyal to the king only for his daughter's sake.

Landon's sharp eyes slid over to Lady Hill. "Didn't you once boast to me of the battleships you have?"

Ethelind had to fight a smirk. Of course she had.

"Yes, my king." Lady Hill nodded. Excuse coming in three... two... one... "But isn't it better to fight raids from land?"

"We do not have a high enough lead in our infantry to ensure victory if the West offers aid to the South," Ethelind cut in. All eyes turned to her, including Jax's. "Yet we are far ahead in terms of naval advancement. We have more battleships, a larger navy, and better technological advances in the make of our ships thanks to the late Everwood king." Both Edison and Finley flinched at the mention of Lucian. "The South don't have that."

"Their sea defences are not weak, either." Asher stood and walked down the table, his finger brushing against the map until it came to stop on a port that Landon had pointed to. "We may be able to assert control of the seas, but I don't know how we would get close to the ports. Their walls are high and heavily manned, I hear."

"The guards there are also badly trained." Ethelind cut in again. "They aren't used to attacks from the sea. There haven't been any proper sea battles since the Battle of Deligon all those years back. We could easily take them off guard and topple their defences."

"We could easily kill them all." Jasper grinned.

Landon didn't speak. He was busy running his eyes up and down the map, as if he could dominate it all with the power of his gaze.

"How soon do you propose we make a move?" Asher wasn't fighting against the idea.

"It depends how soon we can get a navy together." Landon turned to Lady Hill and Calhoun. "We have a few sailors and ships already in place, but it won't be enough."

Calhoun was quick to respond, ever eager to please the king and receive compliments. "I will speak to Adebiyi. He will be happy to be of some assistance, I like to think."

"Thank you, Calhoun." He turned to look at Lady Hill. "And what were your words? I quote: 'my army, men, and castle are yours'. Where is this army you spoke of?"

Ethelind knew from Lady Hill's expression that he had quoted her word for word. Ethelind didn't contain her smirk. "My king, I will try but..."

"Are you loyal to me?" Landon's voice did not rise, and it was that which kept the council quiet.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will get the ships to you," Lady Hill relented.

"And the sailors."

"And the sailors," Lady Hill echoed.

"Edison?" Landon turned his steel gaze onto the lord.

"I will do likewise, even if we have few people trained in naval warfare."

"Jaxon." Jax met Landon's gaze at the sound of his name. "Can you sail?"

"I have never learnt how to engage in naval battles," Jax replied simply.

"I have." Asher put in. "Even if there haven't been any in a long time, I was trained."

"Good. I want you to lead this," Landon said bluntly.

"And I?" Jasper looked bored.

"You can continue getting information out of Southern prisoners." Landon glanced at Ethelind. "Do you have anything you would like to offer?"

"I am yours to command as you wish," Ethelind replied smoothly. "However, I would prefer to stay here, by your side, until any land battles arise."

"Then it's settled." Landon stood. "We meet here again next week, same time, and I will send word to the other lords in the meantime. I hope the sailors will be settled by then."

Both Calhoun and Lady Hill dipped their heads.

"My king, before you go." Edison's voice was pleading. "I would like to ask if I could take my daughter and go back home. My brother is currently in charge of our castle, but I feel it would be more stable if I were..."

"You can go." Landon shrugged nonchalantly. "But your daughter stays here."

Without Lavinia tying him to the king, Ethelind knew Edison would be free to gather his armies and attack. He would be free to pledge an allegiance to the South or join Damek Westerling if he pleased. Using his daughter against him was an easy way to keep him deferential.

"I would not want to leave her behind," Edison said, his voice unwavering.

"Your daughter stays," Landon repeated, more firmly.

"Very well." Edison had to comply.

"Does anyone else have anything they would like to add?" Landon drawled.

Silence greeted him. Ethelind looked over at Jax.

Look at me, she begged him in her mind, but he continued to act as if she was not there. It was almost physically painful having him ignore her in such a way, and she was surprised by how much it affected her.

"Then I bid you all a good evening." Landon turned and headed out.

Finley and Edison exchanged a look before leaving together, talking in low voices. Jax left too, Asher and Calhoun following suit, leaving Ethelind and Lady Hill.

"How big are your battleships?" Ethelind asked Lady Hill politely.

Lady Hill spat. "They aren't for you. I owe you nothing, and don't think that I will ever relax until you're dead. I see what advice you are giving him. Attack the coasts?" Lady Hill laughed. "You are playing with fate, Eternel. But, someday, those deft and agile feet of yours will trip. You will fall and be engulfed by the waiting clutches of death too young. I look forward to the day. I will be the first to laugh at your fall, mark my words, Lady Eternel. And many will. You have few friends here." She took and left too.

Ethelind was surprised by how angry she was at the words. They were so... petty. And yet she was frightened by them.

"You're frightened of nothing." Her father's hands were heavy on her shoulders. "Remember our family motto?"

"We Will Not Be Deterred," a nine-year-old Ethelind chirped back, giving him a dimpled smile.

"That's my girl." Reagan Eternel grinned back.

She took a deep breath and raised her head.

"I am Ethelind Eternel, and I will not be deterred," she said to the empty room.

Annnddd they've started planning for battle

Pfft as if Landon would remain neutral

They just sort of chilled for a bit while Landon sorted out his rule and Ulysses got back home and then they just went: right,, bAcK tO wAr

Love you all,

Shelly M x