Reborn From the Cosmos
Arc 8-52

Surprisingly, the royal knights don’t interfere with our hasty retreat in anyway. I know they want to. If they could, my lovely wife wouldn’t be leaving until she gives them what they want. I don’t know who this Butterfly is, but, so far, she’s shown herself to be reasonable. At the very least, she isn't dumb enough to underestimate us. Her caution makes me cautiously optimistic that we can navigate through this mess without causing another tragedy.

There is a surprise waiting for us as we retrieve our carriage. Miss Alyssa is patiently leaning against its side, arms crossed as she glares at the ground. She looks up as we draw close but her scowl doesn’t soften.

“What are you doing here?”

“You said we’d talk.”

“Yes, in the future.” Another day at least. After I’ve had some time to consider the situation and chat with the elves involved. For all I know, there’s some weird tradition attached to gift-giving that menas Orum is honorbound to help the prince. Or maybe the prince owes him his firstborn. Who knows?

“You’re not getting rid of me until we settle this,” the instructor practically growls.

I sigh. “You do understand that you’re not in a position to demand anything from me, right?” She stubbornly glares but doesn’t respond. “Alright. As long as no one is deluding themselves that her threats actually mean anything and the only leverage she has is that, despite no efforts on her end to be likeable, I’m somehow fond of her anyway.” I wave at the carriage. “After you.”

She grumbles as she climbs inside.

“Don’t be too hard on her,” Alana says softly as she passes me, climbing in after her. The snow bunny is right on her heels. The boys climb onto the driver’s seat. That leaves Talia, Kierra, and I to take the other bench, with me taking the best place between them. Grinning impishly, I borrow Kierra’s move and lean into Talia. She doesn’t hesitate to cradle me just the same, humming softly into my ear.

“Fucking ancestors…”

I raise a brow as I look at the redhead doing everything she can to ignore us. “You’re the one that followed us.”

“Wasn’t for the show.”

“So you admit we’re a sight to see.”

She turns to me just long enough for me to see how exasperated she is. “The plants–”

“Nope.” She frowns as I cut her off. “Don’t make that face. I can’t talk about it right now. I need to talk to the man who made the things. One of the many reasons I’d have hoped you wouldn’t take me up on my offer immediately.”

Her frown eases. “Orum.” She glances at Kierra. “Is he…”

“Kierra’s father? Yeah.”

“Huh. We knew, of course, but it was just a really obvious guess. What’s the chance of two elves appearing in Harvest after hundreds of years without having any connection?”

“Especially being the same color. Thank the saints that’s the only way she takes after him.”

A finger pokes my side and I turn to see Kierra watching me with amusement. “Father is a handsome man.”

“But your mother is gorgeous.”

She gasps. “Lou, you fiend. You admit to lusting after my own mother?”

“Please don’t joke about that.” Saints, what if she does her trick of dropping in unexpectedly and hearing it? Forget my embarrassment, I’d be terrified. It might give her ideas.

“The Atainna blood is strong,” Kierra says with a laugh, echoing my worries.

“Anyway,” Miss Alyssa interrupts. “Why do you need to talk to him? He gave the prince the plants and hasn’t shown his face since.”

“Trust me. When it comes to our neighbors, it’s best to make sure you know where you’re stepping. You don’t want to give them a reason to get involved again. At least, not on their own terms. But like I said, we shouldn’t talk about this now.” I adjust my position so it’s not so indulgent. “Tell me about this Butterfly. Have you met her?”

“You’re not just throwing snow in my face?”

“What?”

“She means trying to deceive her,” Yulia clarifies, flashing her fellow northwoman a smile. Miss Alyssa isn’t immune to the snow bunny’s charms and visibly relaxes.

“That.”

“I’m not. You can camp out in my living room if you don’t believe me. Saints, I’ll give you a room tomorrow. We’ll have the space.”

“...fine.”

“So? The bug?”

The redhead scratches her mane of wavy hair. “I haven’t talked to her much. She sought me out the day she arrived at the camp. Threw a royal writ in my face and said she was in charge of the camp moving forward.”

“And you took that?” Doesn’t sound like the fiery woman I know.

“Hah! You think I would? I said if the king wanted to take over the camp, he and his soldiers could make sure a bunch of angry people didn’t throw their shit in the streets, literally. Told her the Hall’s people would be gone in the morning.”

“Oh?”

Miss Alyssa shakes her head. “She called my bluff.”

That’s…crazy.

“I didn’t see an army ready to step in.”

“There isn’t one. She told me, to my face, that the crown wouldn’t send more people. That it didn’t have to because no one would be going anywhere. She was completely confident she knew what I would decide. And, just to add another layer of ice, she told me directly that even if she was wrong, the refugees didn’t factor into her plans. She didn’t care what happened to them.”

“That’s despicable,” Yulia murmurs, horrified. No one in the carriage is wearing a good expression, including me, but I have to put aside those feelings.

“What does she care about?” I ask. I need more. She wouldn’t be entrusted with this situation just because she’s cold.

“Ancestors, how would I know?”

“Do you know who she talked to aside from you? You said she’s in the city. Why?” Especially if she’s so interested in the plants.

She huffs. “Lane mentioned that she was looking for Robert Quintana.”

“...who?”

“You can’t be serious. After that whole mess with the qualifiers, you don’t remember the most talented caster in the kingdom?”

I snap my fingers as her words spark recognition. “Mr. Talented! Of course I remember him.”

“Sure…”

“And? Did he become a court snake when I wasn’t looking? That’d be a waste.” Not that he’s much use as a hero but at least that path has potential.

“Who know? As for what she’s doing in the city, if it’s not the Hall, I have no idea what she’s interested in.”

“There isn’t much of value in the city. The first…” The Authority, I suppose. But no. Geneva would alert me if someone was intruding on our treasure hunt. “The Hall. Dunwayne is famed for his neutrality but he and all his acolytes are still citizens of this kingdom. He might not do it lightly, but the king can compel them to act.”

“Compel them to do what? We’re already lending a helping hand.”

“Yes, but you could be lending a dozen more.” I raise a hand to preempt her glower. “I’m not accusing you or anything, just trying to get inside this woman’s head.”

“Then you should mention yourself,” Miss Alyssa points out. “You’re the one she should be the most interested in talking to.”

“Thought of that. We would have met on the road.” I tap my lips. “Second option…” I’d bet she’d want to talk to Little Water if she knew about the estrazi. Speaking of, I should get them off the streets with royal knights about. I’ve got the room now.

Oh.

Oh saints. There is another party that would be good to have on her side and who cares about a royal writ.

“The Guiness sisters.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. “No matter what she’s trying to accomplish, their wallets would go a long way to easing the journey.”

“You think a family like the Guiness are going to bow to the crown?” Alana asks, voice full of doubt.

“They’re not James, sweetie. The crown can’t do anything to the north. Sanctions? They have nothing to take away. Loss of reputation? The kingdom thinks they’re all madmen. Punitive force? Really?” I scoff.

“Problem is, those same threats would work extremely well against the Golden Family. Sanctions kill merchant houses. Reputation is everything to a business. As for a fight? I’m sure the Guiness could field an army no problem but I highly doubt they’d be as eager to throw away their lives.”

“She could get the sisters to cooperate,” Alana concludes.

“Hah! That’s what you’re worried about? Please. That’d be annoying but they’re hardly problems. I’m worried about what happens if they don’t cooperate. You want to see the aftermath of the king going to war with his own banker? They’d tear this kingdom in two.”