That was only the first step.
Then there was—
Tap... Tap... Tap...
"The second major step," Aefia whispered to herself.
She stopped by the shop that she had been told about.
She walked toward the place Rosetta had told her about several days ago, her hands tucked inside the sleeves of her cloak.
The streets were quieter than usual.
Perhaps it was because evening was approaching.
Or perhaps she was simply paying more attention now.
She stopped beside the shop Rosetta had mentioned.
A small place.
Nothing particularly suspicious about it.
Aefia glanced through the glass window before sighing. She removed the hood of her cloak. Her dark hair moved slightly with the breeze. For a moment, she simply stood there.
Then she looked down at the silver ring on her finger. The engagement ring. Her thumb brushed over it absentmindedly.
"Alright! We are already into this... so now... 'one problem at a time' is all I can say to myself."
She pushed the door open. The bell above it rang.
Chime.
The shopkeeper looked up. Aefia didn't say anything. She simply walked toward the back.
There was a narrow passage hidden behind several shelves.
Rosetta had told her about it inside the note.
Aefia moved one of the boxes aside. Nothing.
She moved another. Still nothing.
Then—
Click.
A small section of the wall shifted.
Aefia raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
She pushed it open. A staircase descended into darkness.
She stared down. "This woman really knows how to make meetings unnecessarily complicated."
She descended. The passage wasn't particularly long.
At the end was another door.
Aefia knocked twice.
Then once.
The door opened. Rosetta stood there.
She looked different from their previous meeting. Not happier.
Just more determined.
"You came."
"You gave me an address."
"I wasn't certain you would."
"I said I needed time."
"And?"
Aefia stepped inside. "I used it."
Rosetta closed the door behind her. "Did you find anything?"
"Enough."
Rosetta's eyes sharpened. "About Kazimir?"
"About everything," Aefia walked toward the table in the middle of the room. There were maps spread across it. Several names had been written down.
Mides.
Smod.
The capital.
Several trade routes.
And, circled repeatedly—
Kazimir.
Aefia stared at the maps. "You have been busy."
"I told you I would be."
"I didn't expect this much."
Rosetta folded her arms. "I had nothing else to do."
Aefia glanced at her. "That's depressing."
"I know."
Aefia sighed. Then she pulled out another sheet of paper. "I contacted Cedric."
Rosetta immediately straightened. "You did?"
"Yes. Unlike you, your brother and I frequently keep in touch about each other's well-being."
Rose stayed quiet. "That is not the answer I expected."
"Fine," Aefia rolled her eyes. "Stop taking a joke seriously... Anyways... He agreed to meet us."
Her expression changed. "Where?"
"Near the Mides border."
Rosetta stared at her. "How are we getting there?"
Aefia raised one finger. "Like this."
Snap.
The room disappeared.
***
The forest was the first thing Rosetta noticed. She stumbled slightly when her feet touched the ground again.
Aefia caught her shoulder. "Careful."
Rosetta looked around.
Trees surrounded them in every direction. Dense ones. The canopy above blocked most of the sunlight.
"You teleported us."
"Yes."
"Without warning."
"You would have complained if I warned you."
"I would have preferred knowing."
Aefia shrugged. "Then next time I will give you three seconds."
Rosetta stared at her. "You are impossible."
"I have been told."
They continued forward. Aefia walked ahead, following a path that wasn't really a path.
She seemed to know where she was going. So Rosetta followed.
After several minutes, they heard footsteps. Aefia stopped.
Rosetta almost walked into her. "What?"
"Someone's coming."
A figure emerged from between the trees.
Navy blue hair. Blue eyes. A familiar face.
He stopped when he saw them. His expression immediately brightened. "Aefia?"
She smiled. "Hey, Cedric."
The crown prince of Mides Kingdom stood there in simple travelling clothes, accompanied by two guards.
He looked at Rosetta. His eyes widened. "Rosetta?"
Rosetta froze. For a moment, neither sibling moved.
Then Cedric stepped forward. "You are still alive."
Rosetta scoffed. "So are you."
Aefia stepped backward. She had no intention of interfering with whatever happened next.
Cedric crossed the remaining distance regardless, and embraced his sister. Rosetta's arms slowly came around him after a moment of shock.
Neither spoke.
Aefia looked away.
She wasn't particularly interested in watching family reunions.
After a moment, Cedric pulled back.
"You look different."
"So do you."
"I have been busy."
"So have I."
Cedric smiled faintly. Then he looked toward Aefia.
"You brought her back."
"I brought her to you."
His expression became serious. "You said you wanted to meet father, right? I will go."
"I will deal with him alone, don't worry."
"Fine then," Cedric nodded. "And what about Kazimir?"
Aefia's expression immediately changed. "We will discuss him later."
Cedric sighed. "Alright."
Aefia turned toward Rosetta. "You stay here."
Rosetta raised an eyebrow. "You are really going alone?"
"Yes."
"To see the King, without a guard?"
"Yes. Because I have a sword and didn't grow up acting like a princess. So I don't need an escort and act shy and all."
"Are you sure? That is basic courtesy and manner."
Aefia looked at her. "I survived worse then just assassinations, Rosetta. Even at the Imperial palace I moved around without a guard."
Rosetta sighed. "I suppose that's true."
Aefia glanced toward Cedric. "Keep her safe. And try not to bicker."
Cedric nodded. "Of... course."
Aefia turned away.
"Then I will see you both later." And with that, she walked toward the palace.
***
The Mides palace was exactly as Aefia remembered.
Grand.
Bright.
Excessive.
She had never understood why royal families needed so many enormous rooms. One throne room alone could probably fit three ordinary houses.
Aefia was escorted through several corridors before finally reaching the royal chamber.
The doors opened.
The King of Mides immediately looked up. His expression brightened.
"Aefia!"
She almost sighed.
Almost.
Instead, she maintained the same neutral expression.
"It's Princess Sofia, Your Majesty."
The King rose. "You have grown!"
Aefia stared at him. "...It's been nearly two years, so yes."
"Indeed! And you have changed your hair."
She blinked. "Whaaat..."
Then he pointed. "And that ring!"
Aefia looked down.
He grinned. "Engaged, are you?"
Aefia's eyelid twitched. This man is insufferable.
"Yes."
"To whom?"
"Someone."
The King laughed. "Someone? Surely you can tell me who the lucky guy is."
Aefia smiled politely. "Perhaps another time."
He laughed again. "You haven't changed."
"Unfortunately."
The King gestured toward the chair.
"Sit."
Aefia did.
He sat across from her.
For several moments, there was silence.
Then the King leaned back.
"So. Why have you come?"
Aefia placed her hands on the table.
"I have returned to the Imperial family."
The King's expression changed slightly. "I see."
"And I have decided to come here personally as a solo delegation."
"No representatives?"
"No."
"No guards?"
"I don't need them."
The King studied her.
"You have become rather confident."
"I have become practical."
Aefia paused. "Which brings me to why I am here."
The King nodded. "Kazimir and his massacre in the Empire."
The smile disappeared from his face.
Aefia continued.
"Your son has been operating inside the Smod Empire, recklessly."
"I know."
"He has caused some major problems."
"I am aware."
"People have died."
The King remained silent.
"His activities have begun interfering with Imperial stability."
The King leaned back. "Kazimir has always been... difficult."
Aefia stared at him. "That isn't my problem, Your Majesty."
The King raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"
"I don't care whether you have a good relationship with your son," her voice remained calm. "I only care about the Empire."
The King frowned. "He is still my son."
"And I am still responsible for the Empire."
Aefia leaned forward. "You are his father. I am the representative of the Empire. We both have responsibilities."
"And what exactly do you want me to do?"
"Take responsibility for him."
The King scoffed. "You make it sound simple."
"It is."
"No, it isn't."
"It is if you choose to make it so."
The King narrowed his eyes. "Kazimir isn't under my command."
"Then whose?"
He didn't answer.
Aefia continued. "If Mides refuses to acknowledge his actions, the Empire has every reason to consider him an external threat."
The King folded his arms. "Are you threatening war?"
"I am stating a possibility."
"A possibility you could actually enforce?"
Aefia's expression didn't change. "Would you like to find out?"
Silence.
The King stared at her.
Then he smiled.
"You have become bold."
"I have always been bold. I just prefer not to reveal it in front of others in the first meeting."
"And if we went to war?"
"Then we would."
The King laughed quietly. "You realize neither of us could use magic in the first round."
"I know."
"And you would face me."
"I know."
"And you think you would win?"
Aefia stared at him. Her eye brows raising as she folded her arms and crossed her arms."I don't think anything."
The King blinked.
"I simply know that neither of us wants to find out."
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then he waved his hand dismissively.
"Then this isn't a matter I want to concern myself with."
Aefia sighed. "Fine."
The King seemed surprised. "Fine?"
"Yes," she stood. "But you still have to take responsibility for the lives your son has taken."
His expression hardened.
"Kazimir is your brother's friend."
Aefia stopped.
"Perhaps you should reconsider."
She slowly turned around. "Perhaps."
The King relaxed slightly.
Then Aefia continued.
"Then I will give you another option."
He looked at her.
"I have Rosetta. Captured."
The King's eyes widened. "You—"
"She's alive. But won't be for long."
His expression became unreadable. "Bring her back. At the end of the day, she is my child."
Huh? A father at heart... well then. Aefia folded her arms. "Illegitimately, if necessary."
The King stared. "You would do that?"
"Yes."
"And Kazimir?"
"If he enters the Empire again, I will have him imprisoned."
The King frowned. "And Mides loses nothing?"
"Exactly." Aefia tilted her head. "You get your daughter back. I get the criminal removed from my territory. Mides loses no military resources. The Empire stops having to deal with your son's activities."
The King was silent.
Then finally—
"All right."
Aefia nodded.
"Good."
She turned toward the door. "Return Rosetta immediately."
The King suddenly spoke. "Aefia."
She stopped.
"You are the one who had Rosetta exiled."
Aefia looked over her shoulder.
"You were also the one who exposed Kazimir."
"Yes."
"So what is your motive now?"
"..." Aefia's expression became cold. "You want to know my motive?"
The King nodded. "You did all of that nearly two years ago. And now you are here wanting to unsolved something, aren't you?"
"I did."
"You nearly destroyed Rosetta's position."
"I did ruin her position."
"And you exposed Kazimir."
"Yes."
"So why are you suddenly helping them?"
Aefia stared at him. "Because when I did those things, I was protecting Prince Cedric. Who is a close friend of mine... He told me about his situation and asked for help, and I used my authority to return him."
The King's expression changed. "Not Kazimir."
Aefia's voice sharpened, clicking whr tongue. "I kept Cedric safe from Rosetta and Kazimir if you recall. You only banished one and the other stayed rogue around the palace. Do you want to know about a incident regarding the hunting competition?"
"What...?"
"He hit someone in the head with a brick, fooled another house and stole rations from houses. I know because I was his victim who was hit by a brick on the head."
She stepped toward the door.
"It actually had me questioning what kind of father you are. That your eldest son is just... Unhinged?" Her hand rested against the handle.
"No. Unhinged would be an understatement. It should be at least a clash between narcissist, manipulator and a brought up psycho..." She turned over her shoulder to glare at the King. "So much so that I had to think about Rosetta being a hundred folds better then him. And she is a better place-holder than your eldest son is. And as a charitable thought, I am allowing her to be brought back.
"And also," she turned her head away. "What kind of a father are you that your own son is abusing servants and killing them, and you aren't even stopping him... There is a reason he is now a common ripper in the Empire.
"And maybe if my thoughts align well... I would say he is no different from his father to begin with. Your history at war is rather... Interesting. Alongside the fact that you killed your own mother for the throne and and turned her into a statue to give as a fucking gift to the Empire.
"And so... I would say that your son happened to take after you very well," she offered a last smile at him. "He is a moldy spoilt, and rotten bastard that won't even land him a job as a slave."
The King remained silent.
"Now your first prince is moving around like a criminal in an empire," she opened the door. Her final words were quiet.
"Even when the Princess of that Empire told the Mides King to have both of them punished for manipulating their own sibling and driving him out of the palace for a decade and a half."
The door closed.
Click.
The King remained seated.
For once, he had nothing to say.
***
Outside, Aefia walked down the corridor. Her expression remained fixed.
But her thoughts were already elsewhere.
Rosetta.
Cedric.
Kazimir.
Mides.
The Empire.
Too many pieces.
Too many possibilities.
She stopped near a window.
Beyond the glass, the kingdom stretched beneath the afternoon sun.
Aefia exhaled. "One step at a time... Again."
She reached into her cloak. Her fingers brushed against the paper containing the address Rosetta had given her.
Then her engagement ring.
She smiled faintly. "At least Helio isn't here to make this more complicated."
A pause.
"...Actually, he probably would."
Aefia sighed. Then she continued down the corridor.
She had accomplished the second step.
Now came the third.
And somehow, she already knew—
That one was going to be much worse.