Victorus Ponpti was slumped in his desk armchair, his head thrown back as he stared up at the ceiling. A part of him wished that such a brilliant idea would coalesce in his mind that it would be like it came crashing through the ceiling to smack him in the head, but most of him just wanted to rest. He was tired, both mentally and physically.

The last few hours were a lot of frantic dashing around, though nobles never dashed, so it should be referred to as purposeful striding. Very rapid, purposeful striding. Anyway, the short of it was that after his cousin appeared and dropped the metaphorical boulder of two of the three remaining senatorial legions moving north on his head, he had no choice but to leave party preparations in the hands of his wife and rush to the senate.

He found his reception frosty, as people looked at him with either smug condescension or trepidation before they went about their business. After the second time he attempted to speak to someone, who immediately turned away and strode off, it was clear that no one wanted to talk to him. It took him having to physically corner a minor noble for Victorus to finally get a story of what had happened.

Apparently, during a session that was supposed to do nothing more than reenact the contracts for the various cleaning services within the capital, a messenger stormed in, quickly followed by the weasel-faced Galeppo Arch and his caucus of supporters. The messenger relayed that Augusta Fridgia had assaulted and broken the walls of Arch City, leaving it sacked and burning in his wake before he moved on to his next target.

Due to this, City Lord Roberto Arch had sent an official request to the senate to immediately send support to bring the rogue legion and its leader to heel. As it just so happened, the number of individuals Senator Arch had with him allowed for an emergency vote to be called. The unsurprising result was that within an hour, two Senatorial Legions were marching out of the city to confront Lord Fridgia.

Victorus would bet his life that Roberto was not the innocent victim of the recent events unfolding around Arch City that he was being portrayed as. He would also bet that whatever the exact circumstances were, it didn't matter to Victorus anymore, at least not for the immediate future.

Whether Galeppo Arch was working with Senator Gekapont directly or not, the Letairry supporter could use the sacking of Arch City and the senate's response to gather support for his cause. Or at least make Victorus look bad due to his association with the Fridgians, which amounted to the same. It might even work out better for the traitor if he wasn't actively supporting what was occurring in the north.

Well, not The North, north. Arch was north of Olimpia, but it was far from being within the northern provinces. Be that as it may, with the name of Fridgia and the 14th Legion floating around, people will undoubtedly turn their thoughts to the Kin. And it will happen with a negative context.

Given how everything was being orchestrated, it wouldn't take long for someone to point out how Victorus was the one who had brought Lord Fridgia north after the debacle that left him without his territory. From there, it was a whisper into the right ear suggesting that Victorus was supporting his actions of pillaging the countryside. At that point, the truth would become a secondary issue. The future was so clearly laid out to him, but what could he do to prevent it?

A slight knock sounded at the doors of his office, and Victorus snapped up, quickly running his hands over his clothes and hair. After straightening his back, lifting his head, and lightly folding his hands on top of his desk, he called, "Enter."

At the order, the doors swung open, and Aurora walked in, appearing the epitome of a noble woman with her head held high and a confident gait. Behind her, the servants poked their heads around the door frame, nervous energy pouring off them. Word of the 14th Legion's actions had clearly spread, and they were evidently worried about where that placed the Ponpti household.

Waving a dismissive hand, Victorus called, "Bring me and my wife some tea and snacks. It has been a long day, and I find myself peckish after missing a meal." With a bob of a curtsy in acknowledgment of his words, the young women darted off, the door clicking shut behind them.

"Giving them something to do?" Aurora asked, waving her hand as one of the chairs facing his desk lifted and floated closer to her.

"Busy hands make thoughts scarce. Besides, if we act like everything is normal, people will assume it is. As bad as a situation becomes, letting people fall into despair will only make it worse."

"Hmm, that sounds like some wise advice. Probably came from someone intelligent."

"Yes, your grandfather was quite the individual, or so I have heard."

Aurora reached forward and smacked his arm for the comment, though a fond smile had spread over her face. "Oh? Only my grandfather, whom you never met, is wise? Though I can't help but wonder, if you never met him, how did you learn one of his favorite sayings?"

"Well," Victorus said, raising the hand he had captured and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "Perhaps I heard the saying from some enchanting lips that sought to win my attention in my youth. But I really can't remember who it might have been right now."

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"Oh, I'm sure that you will remember who said it, given enough incentive." At the click of the doorknob, the husband and wife plopped back into their seats from where they were both leaning over the desk toward each other. However, they still kept their hands interlocked as the servants entered and performed their duties, placing a tray down and pouring both of them a cup before leaving.

"Well, if you wanted them to think everything is business as usual, I would guess that is accomplished now," Aurora said, freeing her hand as she put honey into her cup and began to stir it. "Though that might have been a little much."

"Really? You are blaming me? Don't think that I didn't notice how the front of your dress was creeping downward."

"And that is your fault. Women are meant to tempt and push our men, even after we submit to their will. How else will we keep them around and interested? Since you are not an oblivious idiot, I must sharpen your willpower to resist trollops."

"Ahh, yes. I forgot my Emerald Lady, my apologies."

"We all make mistakes," Aurora said, trying to remain serious, but a smile twitched at her lips and her eyes danced with amusement.

The two sat in silence for a few moments as they made their tea to their liking. Finally, Victorus asked, "How is she?"

"Should be better now. After working herself up into a fit, Vanessa fell asleep just after you left for the senate. Apparently, her husband and son went to join Justinian Fridgia a couple of weeks ago with most of their personal guard. They tried to hire more mercenaries or drum up support… but I don't need to tell you how that turned out. She happened to be in the senate today, and when she realized what the plan of the other senators was, and what would likely happen to her family, she became desperate."

"Can't say I'm all that surprised. Being helpless to stop what you perceive as the slowly unfolding death of your family? That would make most people a little desperate and irrational."

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Before Victorus could open his mouth and respond, a knock sounded at the door, and a moment later Homer slipped in. "My lord, Lady Fridgia is here to see you. She is quite persistent on the matter."

"Thank you, Homer. You can let her in to see us." Standing up as he spoke, the senator moved around his desk to stand with his wife as his butler slipped out and returned seconds later. Except this time, instead of only opening the door a crack that a cat would be pressed to slip through, he opened it wide enough for the noble lady to walk through without a concern of brushing against the frame.

"Vanessa," Aurora said, stepping forward to embrace the other woman. The usually stern woman accepted the show of emotion and even returned the embrace with a tight squeeze.

"Please," Victorus said, sweeping out his arm to the side, "take a seat, and have some tea before we start talking."

"Thank you, but no," Vanessa said, straightening her back and squaring her shoulders. "I have already wasted too much of our already very limited amount of time as it is. Not to mention that I have made a fool of myself, which will be the gossip of the city for weeks."

Lips twitching into a frown for a moment, Victorus stood straight and looked at Homer hovering in the back of the room as he coldly stated, "Those rumors will not be coming from any of my people. Or they will not remain as such." With a nod of understanding, the butler slipped out of the room without a sound, ensuring that his lord's will was carried out.

"There isn't any need for that," Vanessa said, her voice full of fond exasperation. "I had my coachman gallop the horses halfway across the city. It doesn't take an investigator to discover the reasons behind it or who was in the carriage."

"Still, there is no need to allow loose lips from spreading events any further than they already have."

"Thank you for that, but that is not why I came here." Releasing a sigh, Vanessa's eyes shone with crazed determination, "Tell me straight, is there anything you can do about the 14th Legion?"

"At this time, no. Even if I wanted to, the other senators would not allow me to leave the city without causing issues. And that would be if I only took myself and some personal guards. If I actually tried to leave the city with a cohort of legionaries? It… Well, it simply wouldn't be allowed to happen without violence. I am too closely linked to the north for anyone to risk the chance that I might attempt to de-escalate the situation. Too many people have their eyes on Basetown. However, what I can't figure out is why Augustas would take any actions that would lead to this. He is smarter than that. Even if the nobles were provoking him, outright attacking them would do nothing but play into their hands."

"I know why," Vanessa stated, startling Victorus. "I received a message from Justinian earlier this morning." Her face scrunched up, and it was like she had to spit out the next part, "Kin… scouts were seen approaching the town. He expects more will follow soon, and is preparing for a siege."

"Great Elementals, save us…" Aurora whispered in shock, taking a step back, while Senator Ponpti processed the information emotionlessly.

"I see why the news hasn't been allowed to spread," Victorious said. "It's bad for us, but worse for the Arches. If they slowed Augustas when he was attempting to stop an invasion, that will shatter any support for them."

"Do you think Ironhold can hold?" Venessa asked, a fragile hope in her voice.

"I… don't know. The Kin are far stronger than anyone here has realized. Though the ones here and assaulting Ironhold have differences, it would be the difference between reavers and knights."

"So no matter what, my family is marching into a battle they are ill-equipped to handle. And that is assuming the Ravens don't cut them down from behind."

"Yes, on both accounts. Though I doubt, regardless of the pressure from the senators, that the guard would immediately leap into conflict with the fourteenth."

"Assuming that the legions fight together, is it possible for them to hold?"

"Vanessa… I have no way to know that. If they can't, I shudder to think of the forces that would be required. However, with the city and its wall, there is a decent chance."

"But it still isn't guaranteed. And if we make peace with the Kin gathered around the Triad?"

"If we do that… we would have more legions to send for support. Assuming they can hold. However, Vanessa, by the time we come to any kind of peace agreement, the situation at Ironhold will most likely be decided one way or another."

"I know. But I am helping." Vanessa said, a single tear escaping her eyes, which was viciously wiped away by her hand. "I believe we have a ball to throw together." With that, the woman turned and marched out of the office.

"She needs this," Aurora said, placing her hand on his upper arm and looking up at Victorus.

"I know…" Senator Ponpti sighed. "But if the defense goes bad, her help will turn to poison with her sorrow."

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