Chapter 15: Conspiracies
We sat in the Witch and the Willow, a public house that managed to straddle the line between noble and commoner. Fiona had suggested it. It didn’t demand membership or reference from another member. The walls had extensive mahogany paneling. The game designers had placed decorative ceramic tiles between the panels. Somebody had painted a wide array of subjects on the tiles. The pub was lit by lanterns, and the gloom was only somewhat banished as a result. The smell of oil smoke mingled with the smell of spilled beer. The crowd was not yet raucous, but well on their way, and volume was rising.
In Moonlight Hearts the player could go on dates with the suitors. Each suitor had a list of preferences, things which they liked or disliked. By giving liked gifts and choosing liked locations, the player could raise a suitor’s interest and respect. I knew Fiona’s likes and dislikes well. This pub wasn’t one of them, it was one of Vincent’s favored locations. I assume she knew of it from Vincent.
A half empty glass of red wine sat in front of me. Fiona and Amy hadn’t touched their wine yet.
“So now what?” Fiona asked, “We have to do something. This is treason.”
Amy drummed her fingers on the table, “We don’t know what the deliveries are yet. We don’t know what Hyperborea is doing. It might be something else.”
Fiona nodded, “This is true. Amy makes a good point. We do not know. We can only speculate. It might be smuggling. And it might be treason. It might be smuggling and treason.”
“Whatever it is,” I said, “I plan to find out. If we can expose this, then Lynn won’t marry that abusive monster. A monster who also happens to be a werewolf. I’d honestly prefer we just kill him.”
Amy raised her hand, “But that could spark a war. As a psychometrist, the government would draft me to the front lines. The military uses psychometrists as trackers and such. I don’t want that. I’m not cut from material suited for battle.”
I shivered at the thought of Amy forced to fight on the front lines. Of the three of us, she felt the most fragile to me. And my feelings for Amy made my brow furrow as I considered the consequences of war with Hyperborea. Fiona and Amy fighting on the front lines was a mental image I couldn’t stand. I felt my heart beating in my chest. I took several slow breaths to calm my heart and tamp down my worry. Then I realized that Fiona was speaking.
“We could use what we find as leverage,” Fiona said. “I doubt Hyperborea would want Ys to expose them like that to other nations.”
So, we find out what is happening. And then what do we do?” Amy asked.
“I would prefer that we expose them to the house of Lords.” Fiona said.
“Can you expose them in secret?” I said, “That way the council can use the evidence we find to put pressure on Hyperborea.”
“The subtleties of politics are wasted on me,” Fiona said. “But that does sound like the way politics work.”
“You’re a countess. Politics are your job.” I said.
Fiona nodded, “And I am infamous for my leaden touch in negotiations.”
“So, we’re giving the council of lords blackmail material?” Amy asked.
“If we can, yes.” I said. Then I stopped talking. Something was wrong. The room was spinning.
“Ladies? Is the room spinning for anyone else?”
“You are two and half glasses of wine in,” Fiona said.
“Oh, that’s nothing,” Amy grinned, “My lady can down a bottle herself, without any trouble. It shouldn’t be the wine.”
“Whatever it is, it’s getting worse.” I said.
“Are you going to become sick?” Fiona asked.
“I think I’m going to pass ou-”
And then darkness. I felt the darkness as well as saw it. A light bloomed before me. White roses bloomed in a circle, and within that circle of flowers, I saw a small stone house in a city. The architecture looked Yssian. Around the house several hundred soldiers massed, with flintlock rifles and sabers. My vision moved inside the house. Lynn stood in the house, surrounded by ten men in common garb, tunics and trousers. Although I noticed that they wore good Hessian boots. A strange body half covered in fur lay in the center of the floor. I noticed a pile of blood-spattered bones in the corner. The bones looked human.
The soldiers were about to come down on the house like a hurricane. What had caused this? Why wasn’t I protecting Lynn, where was I? And my vision pulled back in both space and time.
I saw myself standing before my father. Yellow roses coiled around the edge of my vision, their petals wilting before my eyes. I caught wisps of conversation.
"...everyone who gets caught pays the price..."
“You’re one of them, daughter. It gives me no pleasure to do this, but... ...You will not be welcome back in Castle Octavian until you come to your senses..."
“Then I suspect that somebody should escort me off the premises…”
“Is she breathing?”
“Yes. But the breathing is irregular.”
“Her aura is reaching out. But I can’t tell where it is reaching.”
I coughed, my chest felt tight, and I found myself scrambling for air.
“Something is wrong! She is panicking!”
I felt as though I were struggling underwater. I tried to kick to the surface.
“Hold her legs! Hold her legs!”
That was Amy! And the other voice, Fiona! I was having a vision. A real vision! I was hallucinating. Oh god, I could be hurting them flailing around like this. I needed to calm down. I focused on loosening my muscles. I willed myself to relax.
“She’s calming down.”
I felt my vision returning, the interior of the Witch and the Willow swam into focus. Amy and Fiona knelt above me. I was laying on the rough wooden floorboards.
“Are you alright? Lady Ren? Are you alright?” Amy touched my cheek, gentle as a summer breeze.
“I’m alright,” I said, “I’m sorry for the drama. I haven’t had a vision quite like that before.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow, “You had a vision? Your precognitive gift?”
I pulled myself up to a sitting position, “My gift. My inconvenience is more accurate.”
“Are you well?” Amy asked.
“What did you see?” Fiona asked.
“Show some concern for her health! Um, your excellency.” Amy stammered.
Fion grinned in response, “I have as much concern as you do, but you already asked after her health. I did not want to duplicate our efforts.”
“There’s that warm Fiona touch,” I said with a smile.
“Was that a joke? Fiona asked, matching my smile.
“A little bit.” I said, “I’m fine Amy. Thank you both for your concern.”
“Yes. But what did you see?” Fiona said.
“I saw a horde of soldiers surrounding Lynn and ten strangers. The soldiers were preparing to attack. And I asked why I hadn’t helped her? And then I heard my father casting me out of the house.”
“The vision was about Lynn?” Amy asked.
“That does not sound hopeful. Was there any hope in the vision?”
“When they cast me out, I took it like a badass. Does that count?”
“Perhaps.” Fiona said the word as though it had three syllables.
“Sorry, that’s all I’ve got for you.”
“Whose uniforms were the soldiers wearing.” Fiona asked.
“They were Yssian. They were Marine Infantry.”
“Why would Yssian military attack Lynn? Why especially would the navy do so? Leon would rage like a lion if that happened.” Fiona said.
“Then we’d better be ready for a lion,” I said, “Because visions are never wrong. Incomplete yes. But never wrong.”
I grasped the table and tried to stand up. But my legs gave out, and I stumbled. Fiona and Amy stepped in unison and caught me on either side. I looked around and realized the entire pub was watching.
“Happy to put on a show folks.” I muttered. Louder, I said, “Thank you ladies. Could you help me get home?”
“Of course, Lady Ren.”
“It would be my pleasure Ren.”
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