Harpstring Moon: Stealth

Dorothea clasped Bernadetta's hands. "Breathe, Bern. It'll be okay no matter what happens. We just need to be careful."

Bernadetta forced air to go into her lungs. "Right. Right. If he's bad, we just get rid of him like we do to the other bad guys. Just because he might be an impersonator doesn't mean that he's scarier than the rest. It just . . . means that he's craftier . . . smarter . . . than the rest. But that doesn't mean we'll . . ." she led out a terrified squeak, "We're gonna die!" She fled from everyone into her room.

Dorothea quickly followed her. "Bern! Bern! Wait up!" She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "Bern can run fast when she needs to." Dorothea knocked on her door. "It's me. You need to open up."

A sniffle sounded from the opposite side of the door. "Are you alone?"

Dorothea affirmed, "Yes. It's only me." The door cracked open, and upon confirming it was only the songstress, Bernadetta allowed her in. Dorothea closed the door behind her. "You have to believe me. Even if right now things seem scary, we will prevail. Even if it turns out that Ferdie is an imposter, we can catch him off guard and attack him."

Bernadetta grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. "I guess that's true."

Once it was time to ride out to Adrestia, Bernadetta's eyes were as wide as a melon. She tiptoed to Dorothea when it was safe. "Do you think one of us should keep an eye on Ferdinand when he goes about his business in the castle?"

Dorothea nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. It might be better for it to be you since you're a noblewoman. I may be dating the emperor, but for now I'm still just a commoner in the eyes of the government."

Bernadetta squeaked, "Me?! By myself?! What if he catches me?! I'll be all alone! Can you come with me? You have to come with me!"

"If it'll make you feel better, sure. I'll be right next to you."

When everyone was in the carriages, Sophie peaked out the window. "I wonder what that device looks like. Is it big with features that take up a whole room? Or is it small that can compute the hardest math problem in the world in the palm of your hand?"

Silas saw the glimmer of wonder in his daughter's eye. It was the purest thing he had ever seen. His heart fell into his stomach when he realized that one of the lights of his life was headed to Nohr soon.

Silas wouldn't be able to wake up at the same time as Sophie, both eyeing the other mischievously, as if they both knew they were kindred spirits. It would all end soon. With his daughter being thrust in the Deeprealms to protect her from the war, she grew in an instant. He missed her first steps, first words . . . He was going to miss more of her life. Silas really only had a few precious years to spend with his Sophie. Now she was all grown up.

All of these thoughts slammed into Silas' brain all at once. For now, he could savor time with his child. He slung an arm around her. "Hmm . . . I bet it's big."

Sophie nestled against her father's shoulder. "I can't wait to check it out."

As they made small talk, Silas made sure to soak up all the details of the conversations so he could cherish them forever. The seconds flew by and before he knew it, they were already at the Adrestian palace.

Silas let the thoughts subside as the group hustled in the palace. Dorothea and Bernadetta followed Ferdinand from a distance while he set off on his business. The bane of Dorothea's existence, Advisor Crebbin, waltzed in. "Lady Bernadetta? What brings you here? And . . . oh, you."

Bernadetta cowered under his stone-cold gaze. "H-Hi Advisor Crebbin. What brings you here?"

The advisor puffed out his chest, as if making it bigger than his ego. "I am helping run the country now that Emperor Ferdinand is doing the will of Sothis. As I thought you were."

Bernadetta stammered, "W-We are! We're just here for a little while now to see something. AAHHH! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" She fled from the chamber back to outside.

Advisor Crebbin coldly addressed Dorothea, "I don't know how you were chosen to as a hero to carry out the divine plan."

Dorothea gave him a sarcastic smile. "How lovely! Now if you don't mind, I'll go get Bern." She rushed after her friend. "Bern! We need to make sure that's the real Ferdie!"

Bernadetta hid behind a potted plant. "I don't want to see Advisor Crebbin! He scares me! He always looks at me like he wants to eat me!"

"I know, Bern. I wish I could smash a fireball into his face. But if that is a fake, that means the real Ferdie could still be the Twilighter's prisoner! Ferdie might need us!"

With a whimper, Bernadetta removed herself from the tree and they went back in the palace. Advisor Crebbin noticed their return and snarled, "I thought you were done polluting the air here?"

A plan formed in Dorothea's head. "As you wish. Bern, you stay here and keep Advisor Crebbin company while I do that errand for you. I'm sure he'd rather be with you." Before either one of them could protest, Dorothea slipped away onto the chase. She gingerly inched around the premises until she heard Ferdinand's voice.

"Melchior, how are the Hresvelgs? Were they successfully moved to the Aegir estate with a responsible caretaker?"

"Yes. They are now safe and happy."

"Fabulous. What of the order that will protect orphans? Have businesses and nobles agreed to providing aid?"

"All of the noble houses will comply. We are alerting all businesses of the new decree."

Dorothea breathed a sigh of relief. "This is a good sign. Ferdie still seems as caring."

As footsteps approached her, Dorothea scrambled away from the door and into an adjacent hallway. She peered from behind the wall and saw Melchior walk out and away from the room Ferdinand was in. Dorothea crept back to her original position, and what she heard next was completely unexpected.