WHAT'S THIS? AN UPDATE! ON THIS STORY? Yes! You read correctly! I cannot tell you how sorry I am for the long hiatus. I got distracted by other things. But I re-read The Immortals just the other day and it all came flooding back. So, I hope some of you are still around and willing to put up with me. We're nearing the final chapters anyways! :)

I love you all, deeply. I hope you enjoy!

Varice couldn't sleep. She supposed no one in the entire Carthaki palace could sleep that night. Between threats of war and omens that could no longer be pushed aside, the peace talks had become everything but peaceful. Carthak would go to war with Tortall, she was sure of it at this point. The talks hadn't failed but neither had they succeeded, and Varice knew that for the Emperor, that was all he needed.

What would happen then, she didn't know. She'd never lived through a war. Carthak's conquests of the other southern nations were so quickly won that no one would consider it a serious battle. Whatever did happen, she knew she would have no part in, of course. Not that she wanted any part in it.

She could flee, she thought as the night turned into early morning. She could go to Tortall. It was a ridiculous idea, though. She wouldn't be any safer there, nor would it keep her any closer to Arram. He would still be at war, and she would still be powerless. He could be captured or killed in battle and she'd have no more news of it in Tortall than she would in Carthak.

With her thoughts now switching between staying or leaving Cathak and getting positively nowhere, she finally passed out from stress and exhaustion.

She awoke late the next morning, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had a very strong feeling today was going to be no better than the day before, or the day before that. This whole peace-talk, really, had been one gigantic disaster. Varice remembered fretting about such the day the Tortallan delegation had arrived. She had shoved that aside, though, able to simply focus on Arram.

Focusing on that only made things worse now.

Sighing, she got up and dressed and debated finding Arram and, oh, she didn't know, apologizing for breaking down the previous night. It felt silly, but she needed to talk to him while she still could. She doubted they would ever see each other again, whether or not the war actually happened. Perhaps she would talk to Daine as well, something she had never bothered doing. Even if Tortall left on bad terms with Carthak, Varice did not want to leave on bad terms with these people.

Having come to that conclusion, she composed herself and set off in a brisk walk towards the delegates' wing of the palace.

And realized something was dead wrong.

Firstly, slaves were everywhere, carrying away cases Varice recognized as items belonging to the delegates. She had sent the slaves away from the Northerner's area at the Lioness's request just the other day. Secondly, slaves were all she saw. She knew no talks had been scheduled so someone had to have been there. Arram, Alanna, one of the Dukes or Lords or whomever else had been a part of this.

"What's going on?" She demanded of a nearby slave, her voice cracking slightly with nerves. This wasn't good. Whether the talks were going well or not going at all they weren't supposed to- to leave. Not so suddenly.

She wasn't answered. She turned to another slave and her frustration turned to surprise when she realized many of these slaves were mutes. The mutes were normally Emperor Ozorne's personal slaves and never left his quarters, unless he had sent them to do… whatever it was they were doing. If that was the case, this was serious.

She was shaking hard now and when a hand came down on her shoulder she admittedly shrieked.

"Relax." It was the prince. His eyes were ahead, watching as slaves methodically cleared out any signs that the Tortallan's had ever been there.

"What's going on?" She asked again, quietly now. "I don't understand... Your Highness," she added belatedly.

Still, not looking at her, the young man replied in a wooden voice, "Daine has run away. My uncle believes she is urging a slave rebellion against him. The talks are over and we're going to war."

His voice and face were entirely devoid of expression as he delivered the most horrifying speech Varice had ever heard.War. She'd been fretting over it all night but it still hurt like a physical blow to hear Kaddar confirm it. They were going to war with Tortall.

But not because of Daine.

It was surprising, really. How instantly Varice knew that Kaddar's words were a lie. Of course, he was only repeating what was the official story. But Daine would not have run away. She was a foolish child, head-strong, stubborn with no sense of diplomacy and her hatred of cages of any sort was well known. But she was loyal to Tortall, Varice had been able to see that. And if not to the country that was her home, she had shown loyalty to Arram, to the Lioness. These were people she loved and would not betray.

Varice had never been fond of the girl, but the reasons for that were petty and childish. At the heart of it, Varice knew Daine Sarrasri would not do anything to ruin their potential peace.

Ozorne, however, would.

She noticed Kaddar's hands, fisted at his sides, were shaking and knew all at once that he had the same conclusion and was fighting the urge to shout it to the world.

"Your highness…" she began hesitantly, unsure of what Kaddar would do to protect this girl. He could be as foolish as Daine, if he got upset enough. Nearly losing his temper on the boat two nights prior had shown that.

He shook his head, "I should have known- Mmy uncle wanted this war, he needs it. Of course, he would- would do something like this." He was talking more to himself, whispering, but all the same Varice knew it was too loud. Slaves were everywhere, and while they looked occupied many could and would hear Ozorne's nephew and heir's words. And even mutes could report those words back. She'd never known him to be so careless; he'd clearly spent too much time with Daine.

When he opened his mouth to continue, Varice loudly hushed him. Letting her voice carry, she said, "Your Highness, I know you were sweet on that girl-child, but you must accept what has happened." There. She didn't know if Kaddar felt that way for Daine at all, but Ozorne was more likely to wave the words aside if he knew they were spoken out of a childish infatuation and not treason.

Kaddar blushed, and she briefly wondered if she had been closer to the truth than she had intended with that save. However, he seemed to understand that it was, indeed, a save and wisely shut his mouth.

"Do you have any idea where she is, Your Highness?" She added, as quietly as she could.

Kaddar's demeanor warmed fractionally at the knowledge that Varice understood what was really happening, and was concerned for the girl. He only shook his head with such little movement she barely caught it. "I don't think she's dead," he whispered tightly, barely moving his mouth. "She fascinates him too much. She's too rare, he wouldn't want to lose her." His voice trembled slightly, seeming to struggle to reassure himself that – wherever Daine was – she was alive.

He wants to look for her, she thought. Understandable – they had grown rather close over the few days together. Varice remembered noting at the later banquets that they behaved as though they had known each other for many years rather than a few days. Daine has that affect, Arram had once told her.

Suddenly, the sick feeling she'd had all that morning intensified. Arram.

"Are the delegates leaving today, Your Highness?"

Kaddar paused, and then decided this topic was entirely safe, "Yes. They have been seen to their ship, under imperial guard. They are to leave within the day."

If she had not been trembling before, she surely was now. So he had made into the ship, but that said nothing. This was the man who had faced down the emperor once when the girl had been missing for less than an hour. With this, with so many clear signs pointing to a kidnapping – she could not imagine him leaving her, not without tearing the palace to shreds in search of her. Had he not told her a dozen times over that Daine was important to him? Had she not seen it in his demeanor, in the way his eyes softened or smile brightened when he was with her – gods, when he even spoke about her?

Varice wasn't particularly powerful when it came to Gifts. She claimed no great magical power or influential position. But she knew people. She had known Arram, and though she hadn't wanted to, she had somehow come to know Numair. And if there was one thing, one single thing, Varice knew about Numair, it was that he loved Daine. And he would give his life to save her.

And she had a horrible feeling that that was exactly what he'd do.

There now, this is all a fine mess isn't it? Poor Varice is caught up in some real dangerous things here. With how I've made her character and her reading people, I knew she wouldn't believe the 'Daine's run-off' story. Kaddar's general knowledge and distrust of his unlce made it clear he'd not believe either. And since both Kaddar and Varice are the two Daine speaks to about Numair's death I thought it'd be nice for them to kind of... bond over this whole thing.

So anyways, next time we get said 'death'. Yeah, Varice is going to have a lovely time with that.

Thanks for putting up with me, my dears. Please review, as well - the more I know people are still reading the sooner I'll post again! 3