Despite tradition and the elaborate quarters prepared specifically for the Emissary's arrival, Ziedas refused to stay within the castle during her visit. Instead, she remained at the Wild Rose, and that was where Fiama was sent to retrieve her the next morning to begin their first of many tours within Morakar.

The news of Ziedas' blatant disrespect did not settle well with the king and queer, and Fiama's mother had no qualms about adding another item to the list of necessary requirements Fiama needed to achieve during the Ithoyan's visit.

Convince the Emissary they want to remain allies. Find a husband at the ball. Produce an heir. Leave the castle. Convince Ziedas to reside where the queen demands for the remainder of the week...

If she didn't think her parents would track her down and have her beaten bloody until she submitted, she'd have jumped onto her horse and road as far away from Morakar and never looked back. But Fiama had seen, first-hand, what happened to guards who deserted their posts, and the public torture that came along with it, and appreciated her entrails exactly where they were.

Dressed not in her leather armor but a more refined fitted shirt, belted at the waist over leggings with boots, Fiama applied just enough rouge to her lips and kohl to her eyes to accentuate her favorite features. Not bothering to stop for breakfast and the expected onslaught from her parents, she set off towards the Wild Rose, mentally preparing herself for a day with the Emissary's daughter.

Ziedas, however, was already waiting for her.

She wore a cotton dress of cornflower blue that perfectly matched her eyes. Her blonde hair was braided behind her ears, allowing the silky length of it to run down her back. At her waist was a leather belt and on her hip, a dagger.

Clearly, she wasn't taking any chances, and Fiama couldn't blame her.

"Lady Ziedas," Fiama said smoothly by way of welcome. "I wasn't expecting to see you awake so early."

"There's too much to do to sleep," she said plainly. "And I'm not a Lady. Not yet."

"Would you prefer Emissary Ziedas then?"

"I'd prefer nothing, to be truthful, but Ziedas is fine."

Fiama tried not to roll her eyes as she dragged her attention towards the still-empty main street. "Where would you prefer to begin then, seeing as nothing isn't an option? We have the stables to the north or the orchards to the east or—"

"I want you to take me to the road that leads out of Morakar."

Fiama whipped her head back to look at her. "Why?"

"I need to prove to you that there are vigilantes on your roads."

"You don't need to prove this to me— it's my father who doesn't believe you."

"But if I can prove it to you, you can support my claim to your father."

"And what, exactly, are we going to prove to him?"

"That you have a vigilante on your roads who's doing better than your guards, and they deserve to be commended for their acts of bravery."

Fiama couldn't hold back the laugh and her mind reeled. "Did you not hear my father? He wants that vigilante dead."

"Then I'll give them clemency on behalf of Ithoya."

Fiama blinked. She was serious. She really wanted to find...

"What makes you think I want anything to do with anything that counters my father's orders?" Fiama asked quickly and began to walk away from the inn and away from the road that would lead her where she wanted to go.

"Because after what I saw in that throne room, appeasing your father seems to be the last thing you want to do."

She spun to face her. "You don't know anything about me."

"Then help me in this one task, and I'll let you be for the remainder of my stay, and tell your parents you did a grand job in your duties. And that Ithoya will maintain their alliance with Morakar."

Fiama wasn't certain she heard her right and took a careful step forward. "Are you blackmailing me into helping you?"

"I'm merely asking you to bring me to a certain spot along the road."

"And if I don't?"

"Then there's no alliance."

"That is blackmail!"

"I consider it more political persuasion."

Fiama was going to scream. She turned again and took a few more steps up the road.

Ziedas wanted to return to the spot where she was ambushed— for what? To see if the bodies remained? To find the blood on the ground to convince her it actually happened? Or worse— to see if the mysterious vigilante would show themselves again?

The irony was not lost, but Fiama did not want to chance it.

Anything could spark a moment of recognition. Anything latent or otherwise could trigger Ziedas' memory to remembering exactly who was with her the night before, and revealing who was behind the scarf was not something Fiama was ready for— then, later, or otherwise.

But if Ziedas meant what she said, and by simply bringing her to the site where she was attacked that night would be enough for her to solidify the relationship between Morakar and Ithoya, it would resolve one of the main stressors within her family. And if word got back to her father that she was the one who assisted in facilitating such an agreement, perhaps she could convince them to leave her alone where her own life came into question.

It was a chance, but it was too much of a chance for Fiama to not take it.

Bring her to the spot, let her look around, return to Morakar and everything would be settled.

"Fine," she said, spinning on her heel. "I'll retrieve the horses and return momentarily."

An actual smile spread across Ziedas' red lips.

Fiama made herself leave before she could kiss them.

Jeraf was nowhere to be seen when Fiama came for the horses, which was all the better for her. The less she needed to explain, the better, and his workers never questioned her when she requested the use of the palace horses.

Ziedas remained where Fiama had left her and once she returned with the horses as promised, the two set off down the main road that connected Morakar and Ithoya. Fiama knew what Ziedas was in search of and made herself hang back while the Emissary's daughter led the way. Any indication that Fiama knew where they were headed would tip her off and make her suspicious, so the less initiative the princess took, the better.

The road towards the ambush sight was different on the ground than it was in the trees. The sun shone beyond the dense greenery in stark contract to the light of the moon on the night in question. Ziedas, however, seemed to know exactly where they were headed and stopped at a spot on the road where the dirt was stirred and stained and the grass along the side was trampled and covered in dark dried blood.

There were, however, no bodies. A fact Fiama accepted but one Ziedas did not expect.

As they slowed the horses and the Emissary dismounted, Fiama remained behind to hold the reins while Ziedas frantically looked over the area.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" Fiama called from where she stood.

Ziedas' cursing was the only response.

Tying the horses up to a nearby tree, Fiama approached the fraught female. By the large dried spots on the grass and the dirt, she knew exactly where each body fell and lay waiting until Jeraf arrived to dispose of them. If she looked closely, she could see the marks from his horse's hooves and the indentations of the wagon wheels...

"Where are they?" Ziedas panted. "Where did they go?"

"Who?"

"There were four of them. Right here."

"Vigilantes?"

"Men. Attackers. They were—"

"Maybe they were able to walk away when everyone left," Fiama offered, though she for certain each and every one of them was dead.

Ziedas' eyes widened and looked to her at that. "You think— they survived?"

Fiama watched her for a moment. Did she truly think any of them remained breathing to reveal what she did to them? Instead of assuaging her fears, Fiama only shrugged. "I thought we were here to look for proof of the vigilante."

Ziedas spun around one more time, taking in the sights at her feet before facing Fiama. "I need to meet him."

Fiama blinked. "Who?"

"The vigilante. I need to talk to him. I need to know why—"

"Wait a minute," Fiama interjected, approaching slowly. "You said you only needed proof for my father that the vigilante existed. There's enough evidence here to show that whatever you said happened, happened. Why do you need to seek out someone my father is more than willing to lock away for life, or worse, just to prove your point?"

"I said he'd have clemency."

"It does no good in Morakar."

"Please," Ziedas said, starting to close the distance between them. "I need to find him. I need your help. Please."

Fiama tried not to inhale the sweet scent of cloves as Ziedas drew closer. "You said if I brought you here, it would be enough to secure the alliance between our kingdoms. You said nothing about seeking out someone I don't even know existed. For all I know, you could have set up this scene yourself to lure in someone like me or my kingdom to do whatever you want—"

"Are you calling me a murderer?"

"Are you?"

Ziedas paled. "I—"

Fiama smirked. "Something on your conscience?"

"No," she said quickly, her brows furrowing. "I just... never thanked him. For his help."

The princess tried to ignore the tightness in her stomach. "Are you telling me we came out here so that you could find the vigilante again... to thank him?"

The blush on Ziedas' cheeks begged to be kissed as she looked away. "I meant what I said. I will authorize the alliance between our kingdoms. But I still need your help. You know this kingdom better than I do, and I can't leave without finding him."

"What if he thinks you're trying to track him down with ill-intent?" she asked, thinking quickly.

She gave her a soft smile. "He may."

Panic began to settle. "So it would be my fault if something happened to you, should I lead you straight to him, and I can't have that on my conscience, especially if there's an alliance in the balance."

"Wouldn't you rather this than drag me around your city, pretending to show me the sites and making me think your kingdom is better than it actually is?"

Despite how correct she was, Fiama scowled.

Ziedas looked at her and something flashed behind those blue eyes. Desperation, perhaps? Fiama was a horrible judge of character, but she knew Ziedas meant what she said. She just wished she could give her what she wanted and not throw an entire kingdom's fate in the balance.

But she would do anything for the Emissary's daughter. She knew that the night she saved her, as much as she knew it the day she walked into the throne room, and even just that morning as she waited for her outside the Wild Rose.

But she couldn't tell her the truth. Not in this. Not this time, not yet. Too much was at stake, including Fiama's own well-being.

But that didn't mean she couldn't be who Ziedas needed her to be.

"Okay," she finally conceded. "What if I told you there was someone I know who might be able to help us track down this vigilante of yours?"

Ziedas' face immediately brightened. "There is?"

"There is," she confirmed, and Fiama silently hoped Jeraf didn't kill her for it.

"Can you bring me to him? Can he set up a meeting for us? Tonight?"

"Easy, Lady," Fiama teased

Ziedas straightened as if remembering who she was and in whose presence she remained. The light in her eyes toned a shade and she frowned. "Not Lady. Ziedas."

"Ziedas," Fiama corrected. "Yes, I can bring you to him, but I make no promises. He knows of this vigilante, but as you are aware, that knowledge remains dangerous to possess and I can't be certain he'll be willing to help us. But we can try."

"Then let's not waste another moment," Ziedas said, moving to the horses without a look back at either Fiama or the ambush site.

The princess smiled slightly as she watched her saunter away, and hoped her charms worked as good on Jeraf as they had on her.