Rigged from the Start

Chapter 77

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

Tharja was waiting for us with Kushi in the savannah, closer to the Raad Estate, and far enough away from Gra for the soldiers to be unable to mount an effective pursuit. Surprisingly, when we got there, we not only found those two with Bassil, we also found Aurora. As soon as the angelic Pegasus spotted Cordelia draped over my shoulders, it stamped a hoof, a sharp snort coming from it.

"Shh, there uh… horsey?" Kushi remarked.

"It's a pegasus," Tharja droned, her arms folded. When she spotted Cordelia her eyes narrowed. "Severa?"

I didn't say a word. My silence caused her eyes to close.

"I see," Tharja glanced at Bassil, who stayed behind her now. "Then we better get him back so it is all worth it."

I nodded while Virion slung his bow over his shoulder, finally confident we lost any pursuit. Henry brought up the rear, his body materializing out of the flock of crows that brought us out of Gra.

"Any trouble?" Virion asked.

"None that I couldn't handle," Tharja replied. "Grimleal mages seem to be lacking in quality since the war."

"I'll admit," Kushi began, "it seemed awfully easy getting outta there. Getting in there too. Don't ya think, Boss?"

I blinked. I had barely been paying attention to the conversation. My mind was too engrossed in figuring out how to rescue Severa. Vykrik captured her, and he would take her with all haste to Grima. Normally, I would think Grima was hiding out in Doluna, enjoying the luxuries of the King's Palace. But, for some reason, I had a gut feeling that wasn't the case now. My mind drifted back to the game, to the story I had all but abandoned due to how much had already changed thanks to my involvement.

In the game, the new Plegian King entertained Exalt Chrom and the Shepherds at Carrion Isle, in Plegia's North. My lips thinned. Now I had two potential places for Grima to take Severa, neither of them good.

"Boss?" Kushi said again, making me shake my head.

"God, I'm out of it," I muttered before clearing my throat. "Let's just get to Mustafa. We'll, um, we will figure out where to go from there."

Kushi gave me a sympathetic look before he nodded and waved for us to follow him. He led us down a craggy, narrow path, barely visible in the tall, savannah grasslands. As we descended along the cliffs by the coast the path became rockier, until it finally reached the small cave entrance Mustafa's men used to enter and exit the system they hid in.

Once inside, we raced to the main cavern, where we knew Mustafa was waiting for us. As we burst into the cavern, the other rebels inside stood, stunned to see us. Mustafa whirled around where he stood when he heard the commotion. That's when Bassil uttered a loud, happy cry.

"Bassil, my boy!" Mustafa bellowed, dropping to a knee and scooping his son up in a large embrace. Beside him, Naddiya also fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her son.

Warm laughter came from Mustafa as he pulled away and allowed Bassil's mother to dote on him. That's when he raised his smiling gaze to us. For a moment, his smile broadened, especially when he saw me. Then, his eyes began flicking through our group, and his smile wavered.

"Miss Severa?" He asked.

My throat tightened. Now that I didn't have to worry about running, or fighting, or Bassil, the full weight of Severa's capture hit me. I sniffed hard and sank to a seat on a nearby rock, burying my head in my hands. When I raised my gaze again, I found my sight a little blurry as I shook my head.

"Captured," I croaked. "That damn deadlord was waiting for us."

Mustafa's shoulders fell. "So, it was a trap."

"Meant for you, no doubt," I said, trying my best to swallow my fear and worry. I didn't do a good job. My voice shook when I spoke. Quickly, I wiped at my eyes with my sleeves and rose to my feet. "Can't cry about it right now when I can do something about it."

"And do something we will," Mustafa nodded, putting a large hand on my shoulder. "You saved Bassil when you didn't have to. I owe you a debt, Samwise. Let me repay you now."

What did I ever do to deserve a friend like Mustafa? I offered him a weak, grateful smile as he patted my shoulder with his hand.

"Come, we must figure out where they took her." He glanced back at Virion and the others, spotting Aurora and Cordelia. The Pegasus's feathers were ruffled as it stooped within the cave. This was not a natural place for her, but she refused to leave Cordelia's side. "How bad are her wounds?"

Virion shrugged. "I believe she was knocked out during combat, General. Nothing severe, but worth monitoring."

"I'll have one of my healers take care of her then. That is the least I can do." Mustafa exhaled. "Now, the rest of you come. We have to discuss our next move."

Mustafa marched towards a dimly lit tunnel, leading us to a small cavern with a few ramshackle tables set up side-by-side, creating one long table for maps and planning. With a snap of his fingers, one of Mustafa's men rushed to a crate, opened it, and withdrew a large map from within. Mustafa and the soldiers spread the map out, pinning the corners down with rocks.

It was a map of Plegia's entire interior. Every village was marked, every landmark noted, and every oasis in Plegia's vast desert to the north was shown. The very center of the map had a detailed inscription of Doluna, including the three rings and the temple ring that made up the city walls.

"It took great effort to procure this map," Mustafa said as he finished pinning the last corner. "Please, do not stab any daggers into it. This thing is worth more than most tapestries."

Virion snorted as he stared at the map with admiration. "This map may as well be a tapestry. What a work of art."

I shook my head. While a well-done map, I wasn't interested in the artistic merits it had. I spread my hands over it and leaned against the table, studying Doluna intently. Then, my gaze drifted to the northwest corner of Plegia, where Carrion Isle rested.

That's when I realized that all of the major villages and cities in Plegia had other names by it. Gra had the Raad family name written in gold ink. Along the western coast, by a village named Abydos, the name Isis was written. Doluna had no name, instead opting for an old King's seal beside the drawing of the city. It wasn't Gangrel's seal, I knew that much. Most likely it was a predecessor from several decades ago.

Then, by Carrion Isle, I saw a name written in indigo: Daraen.

"Where in Doluna will they be holding Severa, General?" Virion asked as he conferred with Mustafa.

"Depends on how valuable they deem her. The deadlord didn't outright kill her, so that tells me the Grimleal may have an interest in her." Out of the corner of my eye, as I glared at Carrion Isle, and the name Daraen beside it, I saw Mustafa point at Doluna's temple ring. "She'll likely be in the Grimleal dungeons."

"Ah, and is that a good or bad thing?"

"Terrible," Tharja and Henry said together.

Virion grimaced. "Great, so, this won't be easy then."

The rest of their conversation became muffled as I stared at Carrion Isle. For some reason, my mind felt drawn to that island, even if it only existed on a map at this point. I couldn't help but recall the last time I spoke to Grima. He seemed damned determined to find Severa and Morgan. He was determined to reunite his family, by any means necessary. Knowing his sick mind, he would try to reunite them, then attempt to make them "comfortable". He would know that Doluna was not a place Severa wanted to be. So, perhaps their ancestral seat of power would be better?

"She won't be in Doluna," I breathed, quieting any conversation among the others. I tapped the name Daraen. "She'll be here: Carrion Isle."

Mustafa furrowed his brow. "How do you know that?"

"Call it a hunch," I replied. "I just… I got a feeling, alright. I can't help but feel that is where we must go."

"Why would the Plegian King place Severa at Carrion Isle though?" Virion wondered.

Tharja shrugged. "Dramatic irony? Her last name is Daraen."

Henry snickered. "Oh, I may like this new king. If he has done that, then he has my sense of humor. What a dastard!"

I grimaced. If only Henry knew how much of a dastard the new Plegian king really was. My hands balled up into fists on the table as I nodded. The bastard would absolutely play with the irony of taking Severa to his ancestral home, but not for the reasons the others were thinking. It would be for reasons even more twisted than even Henry could fathom. My blood boiled.

Footsteps drew near the cavern we were in. I glanced over my shoulder and was surprised to see Cordelia stumbling in, her footsteps wobbly as she looked at us. One of her hands reached up to her head. A small hiss slipped from her lips. She must have quite the wicked bump up there.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Severa's been captured. We plan on rescuing her," Tharja bluntly replied.

Cordelia's eyes widened as she stumbled to the table and leaned heavily against it. "Is that so, hm?" She winced again. Vykrik must've really rung her bell. "Well, what are we doing waiting here? Let's go get her! I'll have Aurora ready for flight in no time."

Virion raised a hand. "While I admire your enthusiasm, Cordelia, perhaps you should take an evening to recover? Perhaps we should all do that? We won't catch up to the deadlord anyway. All we can do is meet him at Carrion Isle."

I wanted to protest, but Virion was right. Vykrik would move faster than we ever could. He was a deadlord, and deadlords don't get tired. He could move throughout the night and day, at all hours, towards Carrion Isle. He wouldn't have to stop for food or water. And that's only if Grima didn't have some sort of recall spell, which I wouldn't put past the damned lizard.

"We rest tonight. Tomorrow, we head for Carrion Isle." I gave everyone in the room with me a hard stare. "We will not lose Severa."

Virion and the others nodded in agreement.

"I'll assemble my best men," Mustafa said. "Besides, it's about time we gave the King a bloody nose. This may be a good way of doing that."

I brought a hand to my chin, my anxiety nearly overwhelming me. Grima was up to something. I knew it. He didn't do anything for no good reason, ever. It would have been simple for him to lock Severa up in Doluna. Easier too; Doluna was much closer to Gra than Carrion Isle. So, if my hunch was right, why would he take the extra risk this time? Was this him playing with his food once again?

Regardless, despite Mustafa's optimism, I couldn't share in it. I knew Grima too well at this point. He would be waiting for us. He would be expecting us to sneak into his home. But… would he expect us to try the front door?

Alright, Grima. My gaze landed on Carrion Isle again. Let's see if you see this one coming.


Getting to Carrion Isle would be a challenge, to say the least. Gra was located on the southern coast of Plegia, closer to the Ylissean border than not. Carrion Isle was, quite literally, on the opposite end of the country. We would have to travel northwest, across the vast savannah and into the badlands then deserts of northern Plegia. A long, arduous journey rife with danger.

We already faced some danger on the way there. There were no major roadways that led to Carrion Isle from Gra. Any road north funneled directly to Doluna, the one oasis in a sea of sand, stone, and dust. The savannah had a few sparse villages, but we didn't want to pass through them. The fewer people knew about our mission to Carrion Isle, the better. So, we traveled overland, without roads. This presented its own set of challenges.

We could only go so far during the day. The savannah may not be Plegia's enormous northern wastes, but it was still hot and, more devastating, humid. We burned through water, guzzling it down to keep going. There were rivers and watering holes to replenish at, but we had to be careful. The wildlife was far more treacherous in these parts.

As I knelt to get more water from one of those watering holes, I paused, my waterskin hovering over the brownish, murky liquid as a sense of foreboding hit me. Out of an abundance of caution, I raised my gaze and locked eyes with a crocodile mere feet away from my hand. Its yellow, reptilian eye blinked once as it eyed me from the water, nearly immobile.

"Samwise?" Armored feet moved towards me. The only member of our party to wear armor like that was Cordelia. And she was blissfully approaching me without a care in the world. "Are you alright? Is the water-"

I raised a hand, silencing her. Then I pointed a finger at the water. Cordelia furrowed her brow.

"A log?"

"Do logs blink?" I replied.

Cordelia peered closer, then she sucked in a sharp breath as the crocodile sank beneath the surface. She took a nervous step back.

"I-I think I should stick by Aurora. She's thirsty."

"Probably a good idea," I nodded, filling my waterskin before scrambling back from the water. That's when the crocodile resurfaced even closer than before. He was eyeing me still. "What is it with lizards wanting to kill me?"

"Hm?" Cordelia asked as I found myself walking with her towards the rest of our group.

"Oh, first it was wyverns, then Grima, and now crocodiles." I shrugged while a strange expression crossed Cordelia's face. I couldn't quite tell if what I said worried her or amused her. "Guess reptiles don't like me."

Cordelia moved fast, stepping in front of me and giving me a stern look. "You've come face to face with Grima? How is that possible?"

I grimaced. "Well… it is a long, complicated story. One that, honestly, I'm not keen on reliving. Just know that whatever we face in Carrion Isle, it's not going to be easy."

Cordelia's brow furrowed. "You think we'll be running into Grima there? But, you're hunch is based on the King of Plegia-" Her words ground to a halt as her eyes widened. "Naga, you think Grima is King of Plegia now."

My lips thinned. Cordelia was damn perceptive, wasn't she? She gave me a harsh look now. One that made me shrink a little.

"How could you have said nothing about this!?"

"Because I'm not exactly sure how to handle it myself," I admitted, my voice a bit sheepish. My answer caused Cordelia to draw back. Giving me room to catch my breath a little bit. "I mean," I uttered a nervous laugh, "how would you handle it?"

"I wouldn't keep such knowledge from my comrades, for one. For two, does the Exalt know?"

I pursed my lips. "She knows that Grima is alive and active in Plegia. I don't think it's too much of a logical stretch for her to conclude that he holds the strings of power."

Cordelia gawked at me now. "So, Exalt Emmeryn and Prince Chrom know and they said nothing!?" Her face fell a little. "Robin said nothing?"

I raised a hand. "That was on the Exalt's orders. Trust me, Chrom was ready to march into Plegia swords drawn. Emmeryn struck that idea down pretty quickly."

"Which explains why Chrom sent us without her approval," Cordelia muttered. She brought a hand to her chin as she thought for a moment. "Samwise, if Grima is at Carrion Isle, how do you hope to rescue Severa? For that matter, how do you know she is even alive?"

"She's alive," I immediately said.

Cordelia gave me a skeptical look. "You sound confident."

I had good reason to be considering she was Grima's daughter. But, I couldn't let Cordelia know that. Saying that would lead down a rabbit hole of questions that ended with me telling Cordelia that she marries the avatar of the fell dragon. That helps no one right now, least of all Severa. And, while I didn't entirely agree with Lucina's completely hands-off approach to dealing with the parents, I did understand her more aloof choices. There was a difference between interfering to stop Grima, and interfering to play Parent Trap with a bunch of twenty-somethings.

Regardless of all that, Severa was alive. She had to be alive.

"Samwise," Cordelia leaned a little closer to me, making a small pang of nervousness flash through me, "is there something else we should know? Perhaps, something I should know?"

I gave her a nervous smile. "Why, whatever do you mean?"

Her brow furrowed and she folded her arms. At that moment, I could see the resemblance Severa shared with her.

"Very well, Samwise. I won't force you to say anything. But, know that if your secrecy causes harm or, Naga forbid, death to come to any of us, you will be answering to me, to Robin, and to Prince Chrom. Am I understood?"

I grimaced and nodded.

"Good," Cordelia nodded. She turned away and I followed her to the others. I raised my brow in confusion when I saw Virion and Henry pulling our tents out from the backs of the donkeys we were traveling with.

When we reached the others, I spotted Mustafa sitting on a log, a book in hand as he quietly read. I glanced around, my confusion and concern building as I watched Henry help Tharja construct her tent.

"Here?" I asked.

Mustafa glanced up from his book. "As good as any spot, don't you agree?" He gestured with his book to the land around us. "High ground, a water supply for the morning-"

"Yes, water. A lovely magnet for beasts," I commented, sinking to a seat beside him

Mustafa snorted. "There are too many of us for them to bother. Predators prey on the weak and lonesome, Samwise. So long as none of us wander off, we will be fine."

"Even if a pack of hyenas decides to pay the watering hole a visit?"

"Yes," Mustafa said with a slight chuckle. "Even then." He didn't bother returning his attention to his book, instead choosing to scrutinize me as I fiddled with some grass by my sides. "You're nervous."

I scoffed. "I've got a good reason to be. Severa is… you know."

Mustafa inclined his chin. "Ah, you worry for her more than for any of us then, hm?"

My eyes widened. "That's not what I- well- fine, yeah. Sev and I are kind of a thing now."

"A thing?" Mustafa questioned, one heavy brow raised.

"You know," I bobbed my head back and forth. "A thing."

Mustafa's puzzled expression remained.

"Is that not a saying around here?" I wondered out loud. Is that not a saying in this world?

Mustafa shook his head. "Young people and their strange ways of saying they sleep together."

My hands clenched around the tall blades of grass around me as Mustafa's words caught me by complete surprise. Several sheepish laughs tumbled from my lips as he continued eyeing me. I shrugged.

"Yeah, um, that's a recent development."

"Are you prepared?"

I tilted my head. "Prepared for what?"

"For the cost of love, Samwise."

I blinked and shifted in my seat, turning to face Mustafa as my confusion grew. "What do you mean by that?"

A heavy breath left Mustafa's lips. He closed his book, the leather binding clopping together hard. After setting it to the side, he looked at the others in the camp. Virion and Cordelia were setting up their respective tents, while Henry focused on cooking dinner for the entire crew. Along with our small group of Shepherds, Mustafa brought ten of his best soldiers. The only two of his best he left behind were Morteza and Nader, who he trusted to keep watch over the others.

"Look at them," Mustafa said.

He didn't say anything after that. He only glanced at me, beckoning me to look, to observe. So, I did. I let my gaze linger on our small camp. My eyes scanned over the group of tents sitting in the grasslands. I watched Mustafa's men break out dishes for us to eat with. Henry stirred a pot of stew, made with meat from a gazelle Virion hunted earlier today. Tharja read her tome, but I did see her muttering to Henry and gesturing at the small collection of spices we did manage to bring with us. Apparently, Tharja knew how to cook.

"Okay," I nodded. "What am I looking at?"

"Life as a soldier. That's what you are looking at Samwise." Mustafa uttered a heavy sigh. "Tell me, do you see any loved ones with them?"

I looked again. Except for Henry and Tharja, no; I did not see any loved ones in the camp. Mustafa's men didn't bring their wives or children if they had any. Cordelia was not committed to anyone, and neither was Virion. Tharja and Henry were growing closer, but they still acted more like colleagues and birds-of-a-feather rather than intimate partners, or even friends.

"No," I answered.

"That is the life of a soldier, which you are one," Mustafa said, his voice quiet as he gazed at his men. "You're away from home. Away from those you love. All the while, as you fight, you're never worried about yourself. You're always worried for the people you are never around." A sardonic laugh left his lips. "It's almost enough stress to drive a man mad."

I pursed my lips. "How does it not?"

Mustafa gave me a long look before answering. "You learn to let go, Samwise. You learn that you cannot fret about every little thing regarding those you love. There are things in this world, choices they will make, that you will have no control over, and likely do not want any control of. You have to be willing to step back. To let them be away from you, and allow them to grow on their own if they must." He gave me a hard look. "You have to be willing to trust that they will find their way."

My jaw tightened. "Are you saying I don't do that with Severa?"

"No," Mustafa said with a shake of his head. "But, what I am saying is that the life you two lead is not one families are built upon. There are many paths a soldier may take in life, Samwise. However, if a soldier remains a soldier for all their days it can end in one of two ways: retirement, with scant memories of happy moments with those you care about, or death." Another heavy breath left his lips. "Neither are happy endings."

My hands folded in front of me as I tucked my knees closer to my chest. I watched the camp some more and heard Virion's laughter rise through the buzzing insects and whistling wind as Cordelia said something that amused him. There was a furious blush on Cordelia's cheeks too. That sight made me panic a little. Had this mission inadvertently started something unexpected?

Then, I noticed the paper in Virion's hands as he read it out loud to Cordelia, and her blush only intensified. He was reading one of her letters to Robin.

"Now that's just mean," I muttered with a shake of my head, although it was amusing to see Cordelia and Virion banter and badger each other from a distance.

"Sam," Mustafa said, drawing my attention back to him. "You can't avoid the reality I have told you. One day, perhaps soon, if you and Severa continue together, you will have to face the reality that a life always fighting, always surviving, will not allow you two to grow beyond what you already have. Either you or her will not always be in this position. One of you will go, the other will stay behind. Both of you must grow comfortable with allowing the other to leave, and to not grow utterly sick with worry because of it." He leaned closer to me, dark gaze burrowing into my green eyes. "You must trust each other in all things."

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Letting go is the truest expression of love then?"

Mustafa snorted. "If you wanted to create a painfully short summary of my wisdom born from decades of personal experience, then yes."

I nodded. "It makes sense. But, how does this relate to our mission?"

Mustafa shrugged. "It may, or it may not. I am simply forewarning you of what lies in the future, should we succeed. Well, perhaps forewarning isn't the right word. That would imply that all of that is bad, which it is not. In fact, it is quite good. What I can say is this: if we find Severa, and she is alright, and the choice comes down to staying by her side and escaping, or helping the others survive the mission, what choice do you make?"

That was a heavy question. If Severa was alive and alright, completely capable of fighting, then, of course, I would answer I would help the others. Severa was a far better fighter than I ever could be. She survived more horrors than I could name, defeated more foes than most women her age, and was an all-around badass with a blade.

So, why did I feel like I was lying to myself?

"That's a loaded question," I muttered.

Mustafa nodded. "And you are wise to admit as much. Because, that shows that you know the actual answer, even if you know it's not the one that would be popular with them." He gestured at the others. "I doubt saving one life while sacrificing a dozen would gain you very many favors in this world."

My mouth turned dry. "Are you saying that, if it comes down to it, I should be willing to sacrifice Severa to-"

"No! Don't be daft, boy!" Mustafa snapped. "Do you think I'd sacrifice Nadiyya or Bassil?" He harrumphed and shook his head. "No. What I am saying is you must trust that she is capable of taking care of herself. That she can fend for herself if needed. You do not need to be by her side all the time. You must grow comfortable with that not being the case if you continue to be a soldier."

A small laugh slipped from my lips as I shook my head. "Yeah well, I'll be honest Mustafa; I never wanted to do this, and I don't plan on doing it forever."

"And Severa?" I stopped tugging on the grass. "Can you see her leaving this life behind?"

I raised my gaze as I heard chatter coming from the campfire. Henry was ladling stew into bowls for everyone. Smiles abounded in the camp. Even Tharja had a small smirk on her lips as Henry said some quip to her, causing Bill to ruffle his feathers and caw several times.

This life was all Severa knew. The only time her life wasn't like this was when she was a little girl, and even then it wasn't a picturesque period for her. Could I imagine her doing anything else other than being a soldier, fighting battles whether they be for country or coin? It was a question Mustafa asked me and demanded I confront. But, I couldn't figure out the answer right away. It needed deep pondering and a long conversation with Severa regarding both of our futures. After all, someday, when Grima was defeated, the need for all of this would end. At least, for me, it would. Right?

"I'm not sure," I admitted.

Mustafa nodded. "Well, we better rescue her so that you can figure out the answer, hm?" He patted my back. "These are not questions that can be solved right away, or even in a few days after some chatter and a few glasses of wine. These are questions of life, Samwise. They take years to figure out. And years to undo the wrong answers you'll initially find." He finished with a chuckle.

I laughed quietly with him, but I found my mind very preoccupied with what he said. I cared deeply for Severa. I think that much was clear. I hoped she cared as much for me, and I think she made that clear too. But where does it go from here? Are we simply a fling? A pair of best friends roaming the world as soldiers? Or does it develop from there?

I ran a hand through my hair. These are way too complicated questions to have right now.

"Mustafa?"

"Yes?"

"Do you… I guess, do you trust Nadiyya like that? Or, rather, does she trust you that much? Or- I don't know. I'm a bit confused, honestly."

Mustafa chuckled. "You are young, Samwise. As I said, these are questions with answers that take a while to discover. But, yes, Nadiyya and I trust each other like that. There were some rougher years in the beginning when I was a mere footsoldier and we were still settling into our roles. But, since then, we have found our places. We are happy. I hope the same for you and Severa. Those places may not be the same as mine and Nadiyya's. They may be completely different. But I do hope you two reach that place where you aren't just relying on pure passion, but actual affection and trust in each other." He waved his hand and rose to his feet, plucking his book from the log he sat on. "Enough of my rambling though. Come, let's enjoy the company of comrades for a little while before we face the rest of our journey and Carrion Isle."

With a small smile, I followed him to the rest of the camp. Henry passed me a bowl of stew when I arrived. My mouth watered at the aroma as my stomach growled. I took a seat beside Virion, who smirked and nudged me with his elbow.

"Hopefully, when we rescue Severa, your first meal reunited is as delicious as this one." He then waggled his eyebrows. "Perhaps even more eventful?"

"Virion," I leaned close and clapped his shoulder with my hand, "you are not getting involved."

The shade of scarlet that shot over his face made me almost fall over laughing.

"Wh-why- I must say that, while I am a known lover of the ladies-"

"Womanizer," Cordelia commented between bites of stew.

"That is another word for it, yes," Virion cringed. "I know better than to come between a man and a woman like that."

"So that lady I found you with in Themis's palace was single?"

"I-well-" Virion sputtered. "She was a lonesome soul, that one."

"Virion!" Cordelia exclaimed, aghast.

"It was a dry spell!" Virion cried.

I threw my head back and laughed. Despite my worry about Severa, being with Mustafa and the others provided a level of surety and stability I needed. If I was on my own right now, I would be a complete wreck of anxiety and stress. Once again, leaning on friends saved my sanity.

But, my laughter still felt hollow. Severa was in mortal danger. We had to save her. And Grima… he would be waiting for us.

And chapter! After the pulse-pounding action of the last chapter, I figured we could use a bit of a breather. Besides, we've got some craziness coming up next, so catching our breath is a good idea. And, exploring Cordelia's character a little more was interesting. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!

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