Meanwhile, in Philos

Akina stood before the dresser of Duchess Lilya, looking at an unusual metal curio. It seemed to made of some sort of bronze, but the object was neither squarish nor spherical, but somehow expressing the characteristics of both shapes. Her ears twitched, and her tail waved in a way that expressed stress as her mind failed to comprehend the strange trinket in her hands. It was making what was supposed to be an otherwise easy job frustrating.

“What did you do to me?” There was a whisper from across the room, that caused Akina’s feline ears to twitch.

Inside Duchess Lilya’s chambers was, of course, Duchess Lilya. The pregnant wife of Duke Gregan was inside a bathing trough after dismissing her maids for some peace and quiet, that will prove a deadly mistake. It was not too much longer after they left that Akina was able to paralyze the beauty inside her bath, the only thing keeping her from sinking into the water was her arms along the edges of the bath keeping her head above the water.

Akina placed the trinket back on the dresser, settling with the fact that she may never know what it is. She did so carefully, making sure to place it in the exact dust outline on the dresser that it came from. She could risk a potential investigator picking up the subtle differences in the room if one should come around.

“Men are easy,” Akina began to walk up to Lilya inside the bath. “Show a little skin, and they are more than willing to go to an isolated and private space with you before you make the final move. Women, however, women can be difficult. Especially ones that don’t show loyalty.”

“What are you talking about?” Asked Lilya. Whatever poison was affecting her would not let her speak above a whisper.

“Playing dumb? Typical.” Akina made a show of sniffing the air, “My king told you to bear a daughter, yet there is the telling smell of a boy growing within you. This will complicate things.”

“You bitch! You wouldn’t possibly… Bryce is a good man, he will legitimize my son, I know he will!” Lilya’s quiet voice still managed to express her anger somehow.

“Will he?” Akina squatted near the bath and picked up one of Lilya’s lifeless arms, before dropping it into the water, “Won’t I?”

Lilya’s head dipped further into the water, and her breath was visibly quickening through the ripples of the water. “Wait-wait-wait! Don’t do this, please don’t do this! I’ll abort the baby. I know a fellow down at the port. Tell Bryce I know a person! We can try again!”

Akina stood up, and took her time walking around to the other side of the bath. “You’ve gotten to know a lot of men since marrying Gregan. It’s a miracle something like this hadn’t happened sooner.”

The feline-esque woman took another squat near the arm that was still holding Lilya up. There was something of a sadistic smile on her face. The tears that welled up in Lilya’s eyes immediately spilled over, and she whispered, “Please, stop…”

“I could.” Akina mused, while tapping her chin thoughtfully, “But unlike you, I obey orders.”

Lilya’s crying turned to a silent sobbing.

“Shh-shhh,” Akina began to stroke Lilya’s one dry arm, “If it’s any consolation, I don’t like doing this. It’s needless. But for better or for worse, my king has needs, needs that can create consequences for him down the line. It’s my job to make sure that his needs affect him little, even if it means deadly consequences for others.”

Akina picked up the arm she was stroking. Lilya’s last words were an apology. As her head sank into the water, the tub overflowed and Akina jumped back from her squat and landed a ways back on all fours, her back slightly arched. It was not a cat afraid of getting wet, but assure that no wet footprints lead to anyone believing this was more than an unfortunate accident. The only person in Philos that would suspect this was Akina’s doing was Lady Vessa. The she-elf had seen Akina’s work too much for the beastfolk’s liking, but Lady Vessa would not snitch, she would know this was Bryce’s will. It will weaken the Phebisian house, and Mereen will be Duchess Regnant until the daughter she was pregnant with will become heir Apparent. That is, if Clara decided to let her new sister have the title.

“Nobility is complicated.” Akina muttered to herself.

She observed the water of the bath closely. Waiting. She knew better by this point to just walk away from a scene like this, she had done it too many times to just leave things to chance. It took several minutes, but eventually the bubbles stopped. It would likely be another half hour too before maids came back to check on the pregnant body that sank beneath the water. Akina was satisfied with her work and nodded.

She got back on her two feet, and turned her head to look one last time at the metal trinket on the dresser. She really wanted to know what that thing was supposed to be, and she even thought to take it despite the need to be discreet. It bothered Akina that Vessa might know what it is.

“It’s just an heirloom.” Akina said, and wandered over to a window next to the balcony of Lilya’s chambers.

She was perched upon the windowsill, thinking that Gregan ought to be dead by now too. Soon it would be announced to all of Phebis that their royal family had almost all perished or left as a result of this war. But with Mereen’s soon to be newborn daughter, there would be hope. Vessa would orchestrate that tale perfectly, and assure Bryce has a solid grip on Phebis for years to come. For now, it was time to return to Itheria. Finally.

Aim for the bushes.

That was the thought on Akina’s mind as she leapt from the windowsill. She was confident that the moonsless darkness of the evening would prevent any eyes from catching sight of her. She would be quick once landing. Going to her horse being kept at an Inn’s Stable, and riding west throughout the night. She would get to see Bryce again.

She just wished she could know what the trinket on that dresser was.