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It was late at night when Junia snuck out to find Lucrezia, Cloud following at her heels. Lady Lucrezia, King Filip's sister, had a guest chamber on the lower floors, lit by two sconces on either side of the door, and Junia reached a hand to knock, rapping at the solid wood.

There was the sound of scuffling before a weary Lucrezia answered the door. She was in her early thirties and plain-looking, bronze-skinned, with dark ringlets and brown eyes rimmed red with sleep deprivation. She looked surprised to see Junia and opened the door to let her in, shutting it behind her.

"Why do you seek me at this hour, Your Highness?" Lucrezia asked, not unkindly.

She was short, but still walked with long strides as she stepped back to give Junia some space. When Junia looked at Lucrezia's face, she was put off by the calmness that showed. There was nothing to see but weariness and a sense of tranquillity. She had the feeling that Lucrezia was a woman who observed and learnt much, but kept her opinions to herself.

"Do you know where my twin is?" Junia asked, getting to the point. She was uncomfortable near the Westerner, but knew that they were a lot more honest than Southerners. Maybe direct questions would get her direct answers.

"Take a seat." Lucrezia nodded over to a settee.

Her room was small but comfortable with a flickering fireplace, the mantel held up by two statues. What surprised Junia the most were the religious relics placed around the room; a statue of the goddess Euandra, candles and incense, and a rug thrown in a corner to allow kneeling for long periods of time. Junia took a seat on the settee, folding over her legs, and Cloud jumped next to her, curling up by her side.

"What has Edward told you?" Lucrezia asked.

"Nothing." Junia frowned at the name.

"I see." Lucrezia nodded. "Very well. How much do you know? Or think you do, anyway."

"Enough to know that you have her," Junia replied firmly. Her heart pounded as she made accusations that she hardly believed herself.

Lucrezia remained relaxed, despite Junia's hostility, which only made Junia more frustrated.

"Alright. Let us start from the beginning," Lucrezia said, sitting down opposite Junia. Her voice was level. "We saved your sister. That's the truth—"

"You can't have!" Junia protested, interrupting. Her cheeks flushed red as she realised that there was some truth in what Ulysses had said.

Lucrezia held up a hand. "Patience, Your Highness. Please. Let me finish before you believe ill of us. One of our spies found her in the hands of slavers, and they helped her out because, as you probably are aware, slavery is illegal. She would have been sold in the Upperland States otherwise, and the spy had recognised her as Lachlan's daughter. Annalee said herself that she had not strayed far from the castle when slavers took her hostage. We didn't want the South to know since we were unsure of where your loyalties lay, so we hid her in plain sight as a maid. Edward seemed particularly intrigued with her, whereas Lynne wanted to send her back here. When we received the invitation, we decided to come and visit. If we decided if it was worth it, we were going to offer Annalee to you as a sign of peace but, if you turned against us, Filip considered using her as a hostage against you. She became insurance." Words seemed to come to Lucrezia naturally, and she never faltered once.

"And what are you planning to do at the moment with her?" Junia asked. Lucrezia assessed her coolly and Junia quickly added: "If you do anything, we have enough guards to kill all of you."

"Relax. We will not do anything to her." Lucrezia smiled slightly. "She's well looked after in the West now. She asks about you sometimes, you know."

"She... does?" Junia asked, feeling guilty for the small amount of thought she had given Annalee.

"All the time, my lady."

"Thank you. Please, bring her back to me," Junia said, her voice soft and on the verge of pleading. Junia couldn't help relaxing in Lucrezia's peaceful presence, letting her true feelings show. "If anything goes amiss here, don't let them hurt her."

"I will do my best," Lucrezia said simply.

"And the others? What do they think?"

"Filip seems to want an alliance with you. But Lynne disagrees and wants the South out of the picture. She blames you Everwoods and Shadowharts for the conflict that has plagued our lands for years," Lucrezia said. "Unfortunately for you, she has the ear of most representatives and basically rules the kingdom in the stead of my brother. You will have to convince her before you can get anywhere."

"And Edward?" Junia inquired.

"I never know what is going on in his head."

Had there been a flicker of annoyance in Lucrezia's expression? Junia could not tell. The woman, despite her smiles, was unreadable.

"Alright. Thank you, again," Junia said, standing. "Just one more thing, please."

"Yes, my lady?"

"Don't call me 'my lady'. Please. You have a similar status to me and it makes me uncomfortable."

"But you are a leader, and I'm not," Lucrezia said. "Very well, however. Good night."

"Good night," Junia nodded before leaving. It took all she had to keep her face a mask of calmness as she slipped around the maids still awake, going back to her chambers with Cloud at her heels.

Annalee was alive. Lucrezia thought she was a 'leader'.

If she could convince Queen Lynne to help them, then Ulysses would have enough soldiers to take over the North.

Then what? Junia guessed Audrey would take over the North and the rule of the East, if defeated, would pass onto someone else.

Checkmate.

Sometimes your side of the board can seem to be in your favour.

But Junia still hesitated. Her father had believed that he was safe and had been killed after a false truce.

She decided to put her trust in Ulysses. It was better than the alternative of losing hope. Hope was all she had left.

* * *

Ulysses waited patiently until she was done speaking. The next morning, she had rushed to find him and asked to speak to him privately.

"See, Lucrezia told me it all," Junia said. "And it all made sense."

"And if she lied about some things?" Ulysses raised an eyebrow.

"She didn't seem to," Junia replied. "But now what? We could force them to give Annalee back."

"No. We are going to make them an ally so they'll trust us enough to give back your twin," Ulysses decided.

"And if we can't?" Junia asked.

"We're doomed." Ulysses didn't seem bothered.

"How are you so calm about this?" Junia demanded. Ever since finding out that Annalee was still alive, she was determined to see her again.

"Because I believe the gods will favour the side that is just." Ulysses gave her a dreamy smile. "And what are the Shadowharts, except for unscrupulous, conniving bastards?"

They were in the gardens, sitting side by side on a stone bench. Cloud was running around in front of them, Katana throwing a stick for her repeatedly, staying out of earshot to give them some privacy.

"I guess," Junia sighed. "Have you found a suitor yet?"

Ulysses blinked. "What?"

"You know." Junia turned pink. "Marriage. You're king now. You need... uh, heirs. Stability, you know?"

He looked down at his hands. "I don't know."

Junia paused.

"Do you... prefer men?" she asked tentatively.

He began to laugh. "Me? No. I can tell Filip does, though, unfortunately for Lynne." He stopped laughing. "I just haven't found someone."

"Maybe you should marry the daughter of a military lord to get better control of your armies."

"Don't worry. We'll get rid of Landon whether I marry or not," Ulysses said.

"Then what?"

"I don't know. Audrey can have the North, I suppose. Ethelind will be executed, along with Landon. I cannot say for the time being. Things change."

"That I can agree with." Junia stood. "I am going to find Edward."

"Why?"

"I want to have a small talk with him."

"Don't do anything stupid," Ulysses replied before walking inside.

Junia paused at that point, realising how regal he had become. He walked with an air of importance and was letting his ginger hair grow longer, almost touching his shoulders. He wore red silks symbolising wealth with leather boots, a sword hung at his waist. Ulysses the king. Ulysses her caring brother. She sometimes did not know which he was.

"So, what does Ulysses think?" Katana asked, walking over when he had gone.

"We should make an alliance with Filip, then get Annalee back," Junia responded.

"And if Filip doesn't want a part of it?" Katana pondered.

"I... don't know." She just wanted Annalee back. That was it.

"And you're not going to do anything about it?" Katana frowned.

Junia tensed up. "I can't... Well, I'm going to see Edward."

"Do you want me to come?"

Junia considered this. She wanted it, but she didn't want to seem like a coward. No. She had to do it alone.

"I'm alright. Can you keep an eye on Cloud?" Junia asked.

"Sure!" Katana grinned before throwing the stick again.

Junia smiled at her before heading to where she knew Edward was staying. She stopped behind the door, pausing to knock. There was no reply, and Junia curiously tried the handle to find it unlocked. She peered in, finding the room empty. He had a similar room to Lucrezia, except it was slightly smaller and a map covered the floor. She knelt, feeling the crumpled parchment. It was a map of the North with Ardensford Castle highlighted in red. She traced a finger down the Main Road, following it to a red line that symbolised the border to No Man's Land.

She found notes scribbled on the map—indecipherable numbers and letters.

30,000 | 8,980 approx. LE, deceased.

Junia frowned, trying to make sense of it.

"I see you have found my room," a voice behind her noted.

Junia wheeled around, jumping away from the map instantly.

"I—I..." Junia stuttered.

"Am looking at my map," Edward finished. His eyes assessed her curiously. "Do you find it interesting?"

"What do they mean? The numbers and the initials," Junia asked.

"First number is for infantry. Second is for the cavalry," Edward shrugged. "The initials are the ones who led them and held those numbers. LE is Lucian Everwood, for instance."

"Why do you need to know this?" Junia demanded, trying to act confident when she knew her face was fully red.

"You never know when you might need to know this information," Edward said. "Take the inevitable battles, for instance."

"It's not inevitable," Junia retorted.

"Yes, it is. Ulysses and Landon will never live alongside each other peacefully," Edward noted. "One of them has to go. And, even if they both died from natural causes, for instance, others remain. Like Ethelind for Landon, or you for Ulysses."

Looking at him, Junia realised he was a hard person to get mad at. With his soft smile, he seemed incapable of any wrongdoing. But Junia knew better than to judge a person by their appearance.

"Why do you want an alliance so much?" Junia pressed.

"I believe that the South and West would..."

"Cut the crap. Please, just tell me the truth for once. I am sick of you hiding things from me."

Edward sighed. "I want a war to stop this tension. This stalemate. It's pathetic, don't you think?"

"No, you don't." Junia ignored the question. "You have always had something bigger in mind."

"Now, that's a bit of a rude accusation," Edward said, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Junia turned to stride out, but he quickly caught her hand in his, his hand curling around her small wrist. Edward stepped closer and Junia was aware of her heart pumping. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't move.

"You know what I want?" he asked her softly. "I want to lead an army across land someday. I want to be victorious and I want to win. Surely there's nothing wrong with that?"

"You're... a boy," Junia managed.

"And I have been through a lot," Edward said. "Kael and Xavier not wanting me back and leaving me with Lucian was not the first betrayal I've ever encountered. And sometimes I just want to hit life back for being so unfair. Don't you?"

"I do too. But I do not want war."

"Oh, Junia," Edward said, exhaling through his nose and smiling sadly as he shook his head. "There has always been war."

"Just give back Annalee. Then you can have your war and soldiers. Ulysses would let you."

"I think we'll keep Annalee for now," Edward murmured. "But I will certainly talk to Queen Lynne about it."

He kissed her hand, making Junia squirm slightly, before letting go of her wrist and looking down at the map as if she were not there. It took Junia a few seconds to have the sense to bolt, running out of the room as fast as a short thirteen-year-old could.

I am going to have to publish badly edited chapters because I have so much homework and revision to do :((

Love you all,
Shelly x