Chronicle 21
“The Fall of Aetheris: Part 3”
Sarah Eriksson curled up on the couch, one arm wrapped
around Fido.
The old dog rested his head against her lap with the quiet
satisfaction of an animal that had found the warmest place in the house.
Sarah scratched behind his ears absentmindedly.
"There you go."
Fido sighed happily.
The television droned in the background.
It was the middle of the day.
Most of the channels were occupied with daytime talk shows
or reruns.
Sarah had settled on the Civic Network instead.
Wolf Kohlman's unmistakable voice filled the living room.
"...and we continue to monitor developments around the
world."
Sarah wasn't always interested in the news.
Sometimes it was depressing.
Most days it seemed like there was another war.
Another earthquake.
Another election.
Another tragedy.
Still...
...there was something strangely comforting about Wolf's
steady voice.
He never sounded panicked.
Just serious.
Professional.
"...Our next story takes us to the Khotan Valley."
A map appeared.
A tiny country highlighted in red.
"The Siege of Curgarden has now entered another
week."
Stock footage rolled.
Stone walls.
Dusty streets.
Market stalls from happier days.
Children running through narrow alleys.
The images were clearly older.
The city no longer looked like that.
"Information from within Curgarden remains extremely
limited."
"The Royal Court of Aetheria continues to state that
military operations are progressing."
"Independent verification remains impossible."
"Peace has confirmed that it continues to monitor the
situation, though the organization has not announced any formal
intervention."
The footage ended.
Wolf turned toward another camera.
"Joining us now from Vancouver is Stella Marovic, a
longtime advocate for the people of Curgarden."
The screen split.
A tired-looking woman appeared.
Dark circles framed her eyes.
She looked like someone who hadn't slept properly in weeks.
"Thank you for joining us."
"Thank you for having me."
Wolf nodded sympathetically.
"You still have family inside Curgarden."
"I do."
"Have you heard from them?"
Stella shook her head.
"No."
"Not since the siege began."
Her voice wavered.
"…and I'm not alone."
"Many of us in the Curgarden community have parents...
brothers... sisters... children..."
"...and we have no idea whether they're alive."
Sarah frowned.
Wolf leaned forward slightly.
"What do you believe is happening?"
Stella took a slow breath.
"I believe the world is looking away."
She continued, emotion beginning to overtake her composure.
"If Aetheria has nothing to hide, why can't anyone get
in?"
"Why can't anyone get out?"
"Families deserve answers."
She spoke confidently about international obligations and
what she believed Aetheria should already have disclosed under the Treaty of
Ctesiphon.
Then her fears spilled into darker territory.
She worried aloud about famine.
About executions.
About entire neighborhoods being destroyed.
Again and again, she returned to the same painful truth.
"We don't know."
"…and when you don't know..."
"...your mind imagines the worst."
Wolf let the silence linger.
"What would you like to see happen?"
Stella looked directly into the camera.
"I don't care whether it's Rome."
"Kanem-Bornu."
"CAN."
"Russia."
"Peace."
“Mombasa.”
“Britain.”
"Someone."
"Anyone."
"Please."
"Don't forget us."
The interview ended.
The program moved on to the next story.
Sarah stared at the television for another few moments.
She didn't know anything about Aetheria.
Or Curgarden.
Or the Treaty of Ctesiphon.
To her...
...it was simply another sad story from a faraway place.
Thousands upon thousands of kilometres away.
"That's awful."
Fido lifted his head as Sarah stood.
She smiled softly.
"Come on."
"I think it's lunchtime."
His tail immediately began wagging.
Sarah laughed.
"I thought that might get your attention."
Together...
...they disappeared into the kitchen.
The television continued quietly in the empty living room,
already moving on to the next story while, half a world away, the siege
continued.
The bell had rung.
The celebration was over.
The cameras caught one final shot of the Total Babes posing
together before production cut away to the backstage announce desk.
The moment the curtain closed behind them...
...everything changed.
Crew members applauded.
"You girls killed it!"
"What a finish!"
"Fantastic opener!"
Joanna heard every word.
She barely processed any of them.
Her breathing became shallower.
The smile she'd been wearing since the pinfall slowly
disappeared.
Someone congratulated Magnolia.
Leah was already talking excitedly with a producer.
Carly bounced over to hug Joanna.
"We did it!"
Joanna hugged her back.
"...Yeah."
Her voice barely came out.
Carly frowned.
"...Jo?"
Joanna managed one more smile.
"I'm okay."
Then she walked away.
Not fast.
Not yet.
She rounded the corner beyond Gorilla Position where the
cameras couldn't see.
The smile vanished completely.
Her pace quickened.
She passed equipment cases.
Lighting rigs.
Production assistants.
Someone called after her.
She didn't answer.
By the time she reached the dressing room...
...she was running.
She slipped inside.
Found the nearest empty corner.
Sat on the floor.
Wrapped her arms around her knees.
…and cried.
Not quietly.
Not dramatically.
Just honestly.
Weeks of fear...
...loneliness...
...worry...
...hope...
...all poured out at once.
Triple X had seen it happen before.
Not to Joanna.
To performers who had carried too much for too long.
He stopped in the hallway.
Watched the dressing-room door close.
Then turned around.
"Vince."
Vince was still grinning.
"Did you hear that crowd?"
"They're ready."
"I want more Babes tonight."
"They're hot."
"We can get Joanna for another backstage interview.
Maybe have all four of them at ringside for the title match-"
"No."
Vince stopped.
Triple X's expression had hardened.
"Send her home."
Vince stared at him.
"...What?"
"Send."
"Her."
"Home."
Vince laughed once.
"Absolutely not."
"She just made herself a star."
Triple X didn't move.
"…and she's done."
"She's emotional."
"She'll recover."
"No."
"She won't."
Vince folded his arms.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
Vince's smile disappeared.
"She's a professional."
"So am I."
Triple X stepped closer.
"I know exactly what happens when someone spends weeks
carrying something they can't fix."
"You get through the match."
"You hit every cue."
"You smile."
"You perform."
"…and the second you don't have to anymore..."
He snapped his fingers.
"...you collapse."
Vince looked unconvinced.
"She's fine."
"No."
Triple X said quietly.
"She isn't."
Vince's voice became sharper.
"Siu-Ho."
The use of his real name hung in the air.
"I am running this company."
Triple X didn't flinch.
"…and I'm telling the man running it..."
"...that if you keep Joanna here tonight, you're not
rewarding her."
"You're torturing her."
Silence.
"You know exactly what's weighing on her."
"You know where Zas is."
"You know she has no answers."
"…and after everything she just gave this
company..."
"...you're going to ask her for more?"
Vince looked away for a moment.
The excitement he'd carried since the match finally began to
fade.
Triple X continued.
"She did her job."
"Better than anyone expected."
"Now let her go home."
Another long silence.
Finally Vince exhaled.
"Cathy."
She looked up from a production sheet.
"Yes?"
"Go check on Joanna."
"Talk to her."
"Find out how she's doing."
Cathy nodded immediately.
"…and then?"
Vince looked toward the dressing-room hallway.
"I'll make the final decision."
Without another word, Cathy headed for the locker room.
Triple X watched her disappear around the corner.
He didn't say another word.
He'd already said everything that mattered.
Cathy found Joanna exactly where Triple X had said she
would.
Curled into the corner of the dressing room.
Her knees hugged tightly against her chest.
Her phone clutched in both hands.
The screen lit up.
A notification.
Joanna looked at it so quickly it was almost desperate.
Not him.
She swiped it away.
Another vibration.
Again.
Not him.
Gone.
She stared at the dark screen.
Almost willing it to ring.
"...Come on..."
Barely above a whisper.
"...Please."
The dressing-room door opened quietly.
Cathy stepped inside.
A moment later, Carly hurried in behind her.
She didn't ask permission.
She simply sat beside Joanna and wrapped an arm around her
shoulders.
Joanna leaned into her almost immediately.
Neither of them spoke.
The room gradually filled.
Not crowded.
Just...
...present.
Magnolia stood near the lockers.
Alicia leaned against the wall.
Jayla quietly closed the door behind her.
Several other women lingered respectfully around the room,
giving Joanna space while making sure she wasn't alone.
Another notification.
Joanna's head snapped down.
Again...
...not Zas.
She sighed shakily.
Dismissed it.
Courtney entered without a word.
Reika followed.
The reigning Empress stopped behind Cathy, folding her arms
quietly.
Nobody spoke.
Finally Joanna looked up.
Her eyes were red.
"I'm..."
She swallowed.
"...I'm sorry."
Nobody answered.
"I'm so sorry."
"I'm ruining everything."
Cathy knelt in front of her.
"No."
"I am."
Joanna shook her head.
"The show's still going."
"They're waiting for me."
"They've got plans..."
"...and now-"
Her voice cracked again.
"I'm making this about me."
Cathy gently took the phone from Joanna's hands and placed
it beside her.
"Jo."
"There is no shame in quitting."
Joanna immediately shook her head.
Before she could answer, Courtney spoke.
"I left a show once."
Joanna looked up.
Courtney smiled sadly.
"When my father died."
"I walked straight out of the building."
"There wasn't a debate."
"There wasn't guilt."
"There was simply somewhere else I needed to be."
She crouched beside Cathy.
"The show survived."
"They always do."
Joanna stared at the floor.
"I know..."
"...but this feels different."
A quiet voice broke the silence.
"It isn't."
Everyone turned.
Reika stepped forward.
She rarely volunteered speeches.
When she did...
...people listened.
She knelt so she and Joanna were eye level.
"You performed."
"You fought."
"You inspired."
"You have already done your duty."
She paused.
Then slipped naturally into Angon.
"Mō ii."
She touched Joanna lightly over the heart.
"Anata wa kyō... jūbun ganbatta."
She looked directly into Joanna's eyes.
"You don't have to keep proving yourself."
"Daijōbu."
"You are enough."
"Kyō wa... Sugar Cane mo Joanna mo... yoku yatta."
For a long moment...
Joanna simply cried.
Not because Reika had solved anything.
…but because someone who almost never spoke...
...had chosen to speak for her.
Cathy waited until Joanna's breathing steadied.
Then she stood.
"I've seen enough."
Everyone looked at her.
"Jo."
"I think you should go home."
"You've got wonderful friends around you."
"They've helped."
"They've reminded you you're loved."
"…but..."
She glanced toward the phone.
"...you're still waiting."
Joanna's eyes widened.
"No."
Cathy blinked.
"No?"
Joanna stood so quickly Carly almost lost her balance.
"No."
She wiped her face with both hands.
"I don't want to go home."
"Jo-"
"I want to stay."
Everyone stared.
"I want to wrestle."
"I want interviews."
"I want autograph sessions."
"I want whatever Vince wants me to do."
Her voice trembled.
"Because when I'm out there..."
She looked toward the arena.
"...I'm not Joanna."
"I'm Sugar Cane."
"…and for a little while..."
"...I forget."
Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
"I forget what's happening."
"I forget how scared I am."
"I forget that every time my phone buzzes..."
She looked toward it.
"...I think it's going to be him."
Nobody interrupted.
Joanna laughed weakly through the tears.
"What else would I do at home..."
"...that I'm not already doing now?"
Silence.
The question hung over the room.
No one had an answer.
Because they all knew...
...she was right.
Going home wouldn't bring Zas back.
It wouldn't make the phone ring.
It would simply leave Joanna alone with her thoughts.
For the first time since entering the room...
Cathy wasn't sure what the right decision was anymore.
She had come to take Joanna out of the building.
Now...
...Joanna was asking to stay because the building was the
only place she could escape herself.
The royal telephone sat in a quiet chamber adjoining the
palace library.
It wasn't ornate.
Just practical.
A secure line connected to the outside world.
King Havin stood beside it.
"I should warn you," he said as Zas approached.
"The event has already finished."
"I imagined as much."
Havin folded his hands behind his back.
"Your wife was used rather extensively."
Zas smiled faintly.
"That sounds like Vince."
"It does."
Havin sighed.
"Although I question some of his decisions."
"You watched the show?"
"The whole thing."
He looked almost irritated.
"The opening was excellent."
"The women worked well together."
"The finish was particularly creative."
He frowned.
"…but the main event..."
Zas waited.
"Logan Creed won the Imperial Crown again."
"He did."
"…and your wife distracted the referee."
Zas nodded politely.
"It felt..."
Havin searched for the right word.
"...inserted."
"As though someone backstage suddenly remembered Sugar
Cane hadn't appeared for fifteen minutes."
Zas chuckled.
"I cannot comment."
"…and besides..."
Havin continued.
"Logan wins all the time."
"One begins to wonder why anyone else bothers
challenging him."
Zas laughed quietly.
"I believe Azamat would enjoy this conversation more
than I."
The king looked surprised.
"You don't follow the stories?"
"I try."
"…but Azamat is the wrestling expert."
"I've only been learning."
Havin blinked.
"You married a professional wrestler."
"I did."
"…and you don't study the product?"
"I do."
Zas smiled.
"I simply had to begin at zero."
"The language."
"The traditions."
"The performers."
"It has taken time."
Havin considered that.
"I suppose that is reasonable."
He gestured toward the telephone.
"You have five minutes."
"No more."
"My thanks."
Zas dialed.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
A click.
"...Hello?"
Joanna sounded tired.
Professional.
Almost guarded.
"Who is this?"
There was a brief pause.
"It's me."
Silence.
Then-
"...Zas?"
Her voice cracked.
"...Zas?"
"Yes."
"Oh..."
He could hear her breathing unevenly.
She laughed once through tears.
"I almost didn't answer."
"I thought you were spam."
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize."
Another long breath.
Then Joanna laughed again.
"I've never been happier to be wrong."
"I'm safe."
"I know."
"I mean..."
"I didn't know."
"…but now I do."
"I'm sorry I worried you."
"You can apologize when you're home."
"I intend to."
He smiled.
"I don't anticipate further interruptions."
"I should be able to explain everything properly very
soon."
"I'll hold you to that."
"You may."
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Neither needed to.
Just hearing the other's voice was enough.
Finally Zas glanced toward Havin.
"Our time is limited."
"I know."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Before either of them could hang up-
Havin quietly cleared his throat.
"If..."
He sounded strangely hesitant.
"...it would not be an inconvenience..."
"...might I speak with Sugar Cane?"
Zas looked genuinely puzzled.
"You wish to?"
"I do."
Zas covered the receiver.
"He wants to speak with you."
Joanna laughed softly.
"...Really?"
"So it would seem."
"Go ahead."
Zas handed over the phone.
"She agrees."
Havin accepted it with almost ceremonial care.
His posture remained perfectly regal.
His voice...
...tried very hard to do the same.
"Miss Goldsmith."
"Your Majesty."
"I wished merely to say..."
He paused.
"...my kingdom enjoys your work."
Joanna smiled.
"Thank you."
"…and..."
He hesitated again.
"...if you happen to speak with Mr. Vince..."
"...would you kindly suggest that World Fighting
Entertainment consider visiting Aetheris?"
Joanna couldn't suppress a grin.
"I can't promise."
"I know."
"…but I'll certainly mention it."
"I would appreciate that."
He cleared his throat.
"…and..."
"...your team's finishing sequence was excellent."
Joanna laughed.
"I'll tell the girls."
"I suspect they'll be very pleased."
Havin nodded once, apparently satisfied.
"You have my thanks."
He returned the receiver to Zas.
Zas took it back.
"Jo?"
"I'm still here."
"I'll see you soon."
"I'll be waiting."
"Goodbye."
"Bye, Zas."
The line went dead.
For a few seconds, Zas simply held the receiver.
Then he gently returned it to its cradle.
Havin broke the silence.
"...She seems very kind."
"She is."
The king nodded.
"I can see why people cheer for Sugar Cane."
For just a moment...
...they weren't a king and a foreign diplomat.
They were simply two men who had spent a few minutes talking
about someone they both admired- albeit for very different reasons.
Then reality returned.
Havin straightened.
"Princess Elara is waiting."
"Your rooms have been prepared."
Zas inclined his head.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The two men left the telephone room together, the echoes of
the conversation lingering behind them.
The guest quarters were a world apart from the prison.
The beds were soft.
The rooms were warm.
Fresh water sat in polished pitchers.
A hot meal had long since disappeared from the table,
leaving only empty plates and satisfied stomachs.
For the first time since entering Aetheria...
...everyone could breathe.
Ravi bounced lightly on his mattress.
"I could sleep for a week."
Azamat had already claimed the largest chair in the room.
"I've decided."
"What?"
"If I ever become King, every chair is going to be this
comfortable."
Semin rolled his eyes.
"Good to know your priorities."
Rahim chuckled quietly.
The mood had finally begun to lift.
Then Ravi suddenly pointed beneath his bed.
"...Uh..."
A grey blur darted across the floor.
A rat.
It vanished through a narrow gap in the wall almost as
quickly as it had appeared.
Ravi pulled his feet onto the mattress.
"Did anyone else see that?"
"I did," Zas replied calmly.
He looked toward the opening.
"They should probably set new traps in this wing."
Azamat grinned.
"See?"
"Even palaces have problems."
That earned a few tired smiles.
Then the room grew quiet.
Semin folded his arms.
"So."
Zas looked at him.
"So."
"When were you planning to explain?"
The smiles disappeared.
Ravi nodded.
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
"You just..."
He searched for the words.
"...gave up."
Rahim frowned.
"It didn't feel like you."
Zas shook his head.
"No."
"I did not."
Azamat leaned forward.
"It kind of looked that way."
"I did not capitulate."
"I did not surrender."
"I did not resign."
"I did not concede."
He paused.
"…and I certainly did not admit defeat."
The room fell silent.
"What I did..."
"...was make a pragmatic decision."
Semin frowned.
"It looked pretty final."
"It was."
"Then how isn't that defeat?"
"Because defeat and failure are not the same
thing."
Zas rested his hands on the table.
"We were invited here as diplomatic envoys."
"Our purpose was simple."
"Present Curgarden's case."
"Appeal to the King."
"Seek peace."
He looked around the room.
"We did exactly that."
"The King listened."
"He understood."
"…and he declined."
Zas shrugged slightly.
"That is his decision."
"I disagree with it."
"I think it is unfortunate."
"…but he is free to make it."
Nobody interrupted.
Zas continued.
"There was no negotiation left."
"No leverage."
"No audience left to request."
"No second proposal."
"Only two choices."
"Leave."
"Or remain."
Semin answered immediately.
"So we remain."
"…and then?"
Semin hesitated.
"We..."
"...keep trying."
"How?"
No answer came.
"Do we storm the palace?"
"No."
"Incite the people?"
"No."
"Threaten the King?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Silence.
At last Rahim spoke quietly.
"...Eldred."
Zas lowered his eyes.
"I know."
"It aches me."
"It feels as though we have left him..."
"...and Curgarden..."
"...behind."
He took a slow breath.
"…but this..."
"...is diplomacy."
"Sometimes..."
"...you accomplish what you came to do."
"…and sometimes..."
"...you try with everything you have..."
"...and you fail."
The words hung heavily in the room.
"Eldred is not the first person I have been unable to
save."
His voice remained calm, but softer now.
"…and he will not be the last."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"Nor will he be yours."
Nobody met his gaze.
"You have all failed to save someone."
"You all will again."
"It is one of the cruel truths of this
profession."
Azamat stared at the floor.
Semin's jaw tightened.
Ravi rubbed the back of his neck.
No one argued.
"If you are angry with me..."
Zas said gently,
"...I understand."
"If you wish to challenge my decision..."
"...you may."
"…but not tonight."
"…and not inside this kingdom."
He looked toward the window overlooking Aetheris.
"Our hosts have shown us unexpected generosity."
"They have restored our freedom."
"They have treated us with dignity."
"They have given us food."
"They have given us rest."
"I will not repay that hospitality by creating another
incident."
He stood.
"So tonight..."
"...we recover."
"We sleep."
"We let our bodies remember what comfort feels
like."
He smiled faintly.
"…and tomorrow..."
"...we leave Aetheria."
No one answered immediately.
The room was filled only with the quiet sounds of the palace
settling for the night.
Finally, Azamat sighed.
"...I'm still mad."
"I know."
"…but..."
He looked up at Zas.
"...I trust you enough to wait until we're outside the
kingdom walls before I tell you exactly how mad."
That drew a tired laugh from Ravi.
Even Semin allowed himself the hint of a smile.
The disagreement wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
…but for one night...
...they would let themselves rest.
There was a gentle knock.
"May I come in?"
The room fell quiet.
Elara stood in the doorway carrying a small tray with a
fresh pot of tea.
She smiled.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Not at all," Zas replied.
She stepped inside.
"I only wished to make sure everyone is
comfortable."
Her eyes drifted toward the now-empty dining table.
"I also wanted to ask..."
"...was the meal acceptable?"
Azamat laughed.
"Acceptable?"
"Princess, if that's what palace food tastes like, I'm
invading your kitchen before I invade your kingdom."
Elara blinked.
Then laughed.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It absolutely was."
Rahim nodded.
"It was wonderful."
"The stew especially."
"I'm glad."
She looked genuinely relieved.
"I was worried."
"About what?" Ravi asked.
"I've never cooked for guests from Daral Lake."
"I wasn't sure whether our food would suit your
tastes."
"It more than suited them," Zas said warmly.
"You have our thanks."
Elara smiled.
"I'll let the kitchen know."
The conversation drifted naturally from there.
She asked whether the beds were comfortable.
Whether anyone needed additional blankets.
Whether the hot water was working properly.
Whether anyone had any dietary restrictions.
It was...
...ordinary.
Almost strangely ordinary.
For a few minutes...
...there was no war.
No diplomacy.
No looming departure.
Just a young princess making sure her father's guests were
comfortable.
Semin watched.
Quietly.
Carefully.
She couldn't have been much older than twenty.
Perhaps younger.
She carried herself with confidence.
…but not the confidence of a soldier.
She moved like someone who had spent her life among
servants, tutors, ministers, and diplomats.
Not battlefields.
Semin judged people instinctively.
Height.
Reach.
Balance.
Awareness.
Princess Elara...
...was perhaps half his weight.
Certainly much shorter.
She wore no visible weapon.
No armour.
…and while there were guards outside...
...none inside.
Interesting.
She also smiled too easily.
Listened too readily.
Trusted too readily.
She seemed...
...open.
The thought arrived almost uninvited.
She's the Princess.
Another followed immediately.
The King's daughter.
Semin's mind began assembling possibilities.
Hostage.
Leverage.
Negotiation.
One prisoner exchanged...
...for one princess.
Would Havin refuse then?
His pulse quickened for only a moment.
Then reason returned.
No.
Not here.
Not tonight.
Not with the palace alert.
Not with Zas watching.
Not with Elara herself having shown them nothing but
kindness.
It would fail.
…and if it failed...
...it would destroy any remaining chance of helping Eldred.
So Semin smiled politely as Elara continued chatting with
Ravi about the palace gardens.
Outwardly...
...nothing changed.
Inwardly...
...his mind kept working.
If not the princess...
...then something else.
There had to be another way to force Havin's hand.
Another weakness.
Another pressure point.
Another plan.
Across the room, Zas thanked Elara once more for her
kindness.
Semin watched in silence.
If Zas intended to leave Curgarden to its fate...
...Semin did not.
Someone still had to fight for Eldred.
Meaning…if diplomacy had failed...
...then another path would have to be found.
Sarah had barely finished cleaning the lunch dishes when her
phone buzzed.
Joanna Goldsmith.
She answered immediately.
"Well."
Sarah leaned back on the couch.
"I thought we were besties, Jo."
Joanna laughed.
"...We are."
"You've got a funny way of showing it."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"I've been..."
She hesitated.
"My mind's been somewhere else."
"With Zas."
"Yeah."
Sarah smiled.
"I figured."
Fido looked up hopefully from the floor.
Sarah looked down.
"No."
The dog's ears drooped.
"I know that face."
"No."
Fido slowly inched closer anyway.
"No."
Joanna laughed.
"He's still trying that?"
"He tries it every day."
Sarah pointed a finger at the dog.
"Don't think I don't see you."
Fido responded with the saddest eyes he could possibly
manage.
"...You're impossible."
Joanna could practically hear his tail thumping.
"I miss him."
"He misses you too."
There was a comfortable silence.
Then Sarah noticed something.
"You sound better."
Joanna took a deep breath.
"I am."
"I finally heard from Zas."
Sarah's shoulders relaxed.
"Oh, thank goodness."
"He's okay?"
"He's okay."
"He called me."
"I've never been happier to answer a phone."
Sarah smiled.
"I'm really glad."
She paused.
"You know..."
"I never actually asked."
"What exactly is he doing over there?"
Joanna frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You told me he was going on some kind of
mission."
"…but..."
"You never really explained."
Joanna settled into her chair.
"He's in Aetheria."
Sarah froze.
"...Aetheria?"
"Yeah."
"Working on a diplomatic mission."
"For Curgarden."
Sarah sat upright.
"Wait."
"The Curgarden?"
"The one on the news?"
Joanna blinked.
"What news?"
Sarah frowned.
"It was on the Civic Network yesterday."
"They said the siege is still going on."
"There was an interview with one of the activists who
left years ago."
"She sounded terrified."
Joanna's expression fell.
"I..."
"I didn't even know that."
Sarah stared at the phone.
"...Jo."
"How much do you actually know?"
Joanna laughed softly.
"Honestly?"
"I think you probably know more than I do."
"He only called for a few minutes."
"He mainly wanted me to know he was safe."
"He said we'd talk properly once he gets home."
"So..."
"...I don't really know what happened over there."
Sarah nodded slowly.
"I guess that makes sense."
There was another pause.
Then Joanna smiled.
"There is one thing I do know."
"Oh?"
"King Havin is apparently a huge wrestling fan."
Sarah blinked.
"What?"
"A massive one."
"He watched the pay-per-view."
"He actually wanted to talk to me."
Sarah burst into laughter.
"No."
"Yes."
"No!"
"He fanboyed."
Sarah laughed even harder.
"You're telling me..."
"...this hardened king..."
"...who's running a siege..."
"...completely lost it because Sugar Cane was on the
phone?"
Joanna grinned.
"Pretty much."
"He even asked me to tell Vince to run a show in
Aetheris."
Sarah had to wipe a tear from her eye.
"That..."
"...is somehow the funniest thing I've heard all
week."
"I know."
They both laughed.
The image was almost impossible to reconcile.
A stern monarch discussing diplomacy one moment...
...then critiquing wrestling booking the next.
Eventually the laughter faded.
Sarah became serious again.
"I hope he comes home soon."
Joanna looked toward the dark window of her hotel room.
"So do I."
She smiled gently.
"…but..."
"...for the first time in days..."
"...I actually think he will."
Semin awoke before sunrise.
For the first time in days...
...his body had actually rested.
He lay in bed for another minute.
Then sighed.
Too much energy.
He quietly dressed, careful not to wake the others, and
slipped into the palace corridors.
The morning air was cool.
Servants were already moving through the halls carrying
baskets of bread, linens, and fresh flowers.
Several offered polite bows.
One elderly steward even smiled.
"Good morning, sir."
Semin nodded.
"Morning."
The palace itself was impressive.
Its courtyards were immaculately maintained.
Stone walkways wound between fountains and flowering shrubs.
Everything seemed deliberately designed to create peace.
Even the guards surprised him.
One recognized him from the previous evening and offered a
courteous nod.
Semin returned it.
Strange place.
Yesterday he had expected prison.
Now palace servants were asking whether he had slept well.
He wandered without any real destination.
Simply looking.
Learning.
Remembering.
Then-
A scream.
Semin stopped.
A woman's voice.
Not loud enough to echo across the palace.
Just loud enough to carry.
Another cry followed.
Then angry shouting.
His body moved before his mind had finished processing it.
He slipped behind a line of hedges and carefully approached
the sound.
Not running.
Never running.
Every step deliberate.
The voices grew clearer.
He reached the corner of a stone outbuilding.
Slowly...
...he looked around it.
Beyond the courtyard was a narrow service lane hidden from
the palace gardens.
Four soldiers surrounded a woman.
Her clothing was torn and dirty.
Her wrists still bore the marks of restraints.
She struggled to protect herself as the soldiers forced her
back to the ground.
One shouted something Semin couldn't quite make out.
Another barked an order.
The woman cried out again.
Semin's jaw tightened.
Curgarden. She is Curgarden.
He didn't know how.
He simply knew.
Whether from her accent...
...her appearance...
...or the sheer desperation in her voice.
One of the soldiers glanced nervously toward the open
courtyard.
"Quickly."
Another answered.
"No one's here."
They had chosen this place carefully.
Out of sight.
Away from the palace's main paths.
Semin remained perfectly still.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes took in every detail he could.
Faces.
Uniforms.
Insignia.
The location.
He wanted to step forward.
Every instinct screamed at him to intervene.
Instead...
...he forced himself to stay hidden.
Not yet.
If he revealed himself now-
There were four soldiers.
Perhaps more nearby.
The woman might still die.
He might die.
…and no one would ever know what had happened.
Semin closed his eyes for a heartbeat.
Then looked once more.
Long enough to be certain.
Long enough to know he wasn't imagining it.
That was enough.
He backed away exactly as carefully as he had approached.
No sudden movements.
No snapped branches.
No noise.
Only once the voices had faded behind him did he turn and
begin walking quickly back toward the guest quarters.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
One thought repeated itself over and over.
We can't leave.
Not now.
Not after this.
If they walked out of Aetheria without telling Zas...
Without exposing what he had just seen...
Then this mission truly would have failed.
He lengthened his stride.
For the first time since arriving in Aetheria...
Semin was no longer thinking about possible plans.
He had evidence.
…and Zas needed to hear it immediately.