Hey everyone, Sparky here.

Been a hot minute, eh? I swear I had the idea for this chapter and what I wanted it to be right in front of me for gods know how long and for the longest time I just couldn't get anything down. That, and life has chosen to punch me in the face recently. Won't go into everything, but lets just say my mental health has taken a nose dive since last chapter and I found out someone I consider a friend was... not a good person. That is all I wish to say on the subject.

Due to said mental health, I can't promise any return to more regularly uploading chapters. Ones own health takes priority and all that.

Anyways, with that all said, I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 7 – News of an Outsider

Later that day, Lord Symon Wolffort would reveal Lady Louise de la Valliere's existence to the world. Along with it, the news that there did indeed exist life beyond the continent was also revealed. While some took this as a welcoming and exciting revelation, others couldn't help but worry about how this might affect the future of Norzelia. That was even more true with the knowledge that this new arrival was of Rosellen heritage. No clearer could this be seen then in the Holy State of Hyzante. Word reached them quicker than it did Aesfrost of the new arrival and her blood, and fear quickly took root in the people's heart. In less than a day, rumors of a continent's worth of goddess-damned Rosellen started to spread. The people began to worry that Louise de la Valliere would steal the source away from them just like her ancestors. The Holy State's Saintly Seven were similarly nervous of Louise's arrival. Yet their fear came from far more than their society's hatred of her people.

Hierophant's palace, Holy State of Hyzante

In dim lighting, outside the seat of the holy one, stood six of the seven members of the Hyzante's Saintly Seven. The only one missing among them was Lyra Viscroft, who had been parted by Idore yet another day due to the women's currently poor mental state. It was not often that one of them was excused from such a gathering, but the goddess' will was absolute. If She believed Lyra's health was more important, none would obey.

Along with Idore stood five other men. Among them was the old and bald Minister Sorsley, the Minister of Salt. Of all there he was easily the most nervous about this recent development. It was he who was charged with the Source, the Rosellen slaves who worked it, and the legal trading of the salt they farm. The introduction of one Louise de la Valliere was, for those reasons, most uncomfortable to him.

Closest to him was his closest ally, the always cloaked Minister Tenebris. He was also deeply unsettled by the news of Louise's arrival in Norzelia. The reasons were different, however, as he was the Vice-Minister of Religion. It was his responsibility to spread the word of the Goddess of Salt throughout the land, and a good portion of said words condemned the roselle. He saw the threat that Louise posed to his position, and due to his… involvements with Sorsley it put just as much of a target on his back as it did his comrade.

Then there was the youngest of the Ministers, and the only one who saw Louise's announcement with no concern: Exharme Marcial. Hyzante's Minister of Arms, while he stood among the Saintly Seven he lacked trust in each and every one of them. That was especially true of Sorsley and Tenebris, who he had long known were responsible for things most unbecoming of his position. It was that same distrust that made him see Louise not as a threat, but as an opportunity. One he would have to find a way to capitalize on.

Last but not least was Minister Kamsel, responsible for Hyzante's domestic affairs. A burly man and distinguished warrior, he was the only one out of the Saintly Seven who wasn't plotting or freaking out at the news. Instead, he stayed calm and composed, for that was what his position required. Logical thought was what mattered most right now, and he could tell from a glance the only one who understood that was Idore.

"Once again, the Roselle prove themselves a threat to the equality that we covet," Sorsley said, using rage to hide the fear that worked through his mind.

"A threat Minister Sorsley? Surely you jest," Exharme said, thoroughly enjoy the old man's feeble attempts to hide his fear. "Excusing her heritage, are you truly that scared of some noble's daughters? The third daughter of said noble no less, out of her element and whose knowledge of politics no doubt inferior to that of her elder siblings."

"How can you not see the very threat that her being poses to the entirity of Hyzante?" Sorsley asked the young man, Exharme's words bruising his ego. "And don't you dare excuse her ancestry as something of unimportance! No doubt as soon as word reaches those in the source about her existence the filth will rebel," The more he talked, the more unhinged his temper became. It felt as if on the verge of a heart attack. "That is to say nothing of contact with an entire continents worth of the mongrels knocking on our doors as so as wor–"

"How is she to do that? If House Wolfort is to be correct she is here by an unfortunate magical mishap," Exharme reminded Sorsley, giving a shrug of his shoulders and the faintest sign of a smug grin. "You need not worry about "a continent's worth of mongrels," as you so lovingly put it, breaking down the Goddess' Shield. Besides, after the explosion that she caused, I doubt that those in the source would see her as any different from themselves."

"Yes, and if they do have such thoughts know that I will personally see that they are swept away," Idore assured the self same Minister. Sorsley relaxed at the Minister of Religion's words, followed by a pleasant smile. "Besides, my worry of this foreigner comes not in the form of rebellion, but of coincidence."

"Coincidence, Minister Idore?" Kamsel asked. Idore gave the Minister of Domestic Affairs a knowing look, and he immediately caught on. "You aren't saying she is the cause of the aelfric incident from a few days ago, are you?"

"The timing of her arrival and the malfunction are too close to cast it aside," Idore replied. He stroked his beard as he continued his explanation. "We know nothing of her outside of the fact she is Rosellen and that her arrival was due to magic. Who is to say that the spell she cast couldn't have been so trigger for our new weapon?"

"If that was the case, she would be a danger to our stranglehold not due to her heritage, but due to the power she wields," Tenebris said, getting a nod from Idore that said he was correct.

Exharme thought about this development for a moment. No doubt with Louise in the hands of the Wolfforts she was aware of Hyzantes history. After all, they had negotiated the freedom of the roselle in their territory thirty years prior. She should consider herself lucky to have ended up in such a place and not inside the Holy State's borders. With all that in mind she would be understandably weary of those who ruled it.

Yet if he could break the boundary, show her he was different, then perhaps…

His thoughts were thrown off as he heard Idore's move. It wasn't much, he had only turned to face the Hierophant's throne, but when Idore room the entire room echoed. He was silent, listening to a whisper that none could hear but himself. The longer it went on the more tense the room seemed to become. After all, the Hierophant spoke to the Goddess of Salt directly, and none would distract them at this moment.

"The Goddess has spoken her thoughts. Here Her words," Idore said, turning back to the room. "Louise de la Valliere is an unknown factor in Her plan, and that makes her a threat. One that must be kept an eye on, and if needs be we shall remove her if that threat is too great."

-x-

Duchy of Aesfrost

Geela was pretty certain that this was the biggest smile she had ever seen on her student. It was almost like the years had turned back and Frederica was a child once more. Half the words that escaped the rosellen girl did not catch her ears, but she didn't care. It was nearly enough to make her forget about how Frederica's cousins treated her.

"There is so much I want to ask about. So much I have to know," Frederica said with overwhelming levels of excitement. "To think that there is a place where the Roselle are free. No, not just free, but nobility at that!"

"And she is currently in the company of who you are betrothed to," Geela replied, more than enjoying the childish glee that was on Roselle's face. "I'm sure that, on the day we make our way to Wolffort territory, we will have the chance to meet her."

That prospect only proved to further ignite the joy blossoming inside Frederica. She already had plans to visit the Rosellen village in Wolffort territory, and now she had something else to do. It seemed that what people said about Lord Symon was true, and no doubt that carried over to his son, her betrothed. It was comforting, knowing that where she was to likely spend the rest of her life would not see her in the same vein as the rest of Norzelia.

A whirlwind of questions went through her head, and she did her best to figure out which ones she truly wanted to ask Louise. Questions about culture, food, their magic, the history of the Roselle in their land. She knew that, by the time she actually got the chance to ask them, most of them would be forgotten. She would just have to make sure to write as many down as possible for that fateful meeting.

"As wonderful as it is seeing you like this, should we not be returning to our lesson?" Geela asked. Her words snapped Frederica back to reality in an instant.

"Yes, you are right," She answered with a nod. "Apologies Geela. I got distracted."

"You have nothing to apologize to me for. This is a most momentous occasion for the entirety of Norzelia," Geela replied with a head shake. Never once did that smile fall from her face. "The first contact with people outside of the continent, dispelling the old myth that nothing lay beyond the southern falls. I'm sure that, if she were still here, your mother would be just as excited as you are."

The mention of her mother brought Frederica to look down at the necklace around her neck. She grasped the blue rock on it and closed her eyes. Yes, her mother would have no doubt been sharing in her enthusiasm if they were here. Frederica imagined a timeline where such a thing had happened, and her joyful smile turned to a sad one.

As nice as it was to think of such things, that was not her reality. Her mother was gone, executed by Hyzante due to her part in the Rosellen uprising years ago. The lady known as Orlaea was not here to see this wonderful turn of events. Frederica held in the tears that wished to escape as she opened her eyes. Geela could see just how much will it was taking for the girl to not weep. Her smile fell, being replaced by an expression of worry.

"I'll just… have to ask for her then, since she isn't here to do so," Frederica told her teacher, making the worry fall away and be replaced with that comforting smile yet again.

"Yes, she would like that."

-x-

Somewhere in the Wolffort Demesne

A feeling pulled them, as it had many times before. It predicted and prevented disaster, and other times showed them things they didn't understand. All the child knew was that they had to head somewhere and meet someone. They would hate him at first, but then again if people pop hate him they feared him. The boy named Quahaug was used to it. It was the reason those villagers tried to keep him from leaving.

Just like the man he knew was running up to him was right now.

"How many times must we tell you, it is far too dangerous to go off on your own!" The man said. "You have a precious gift that must be protected."

Quahaug was annoyed and thought for a moment to just ignore him. Instead he decided to stop in his tracks and face the cause of said annoyance. He knew that "protect" was code for "keep him hidden" in this case. Up until today he had gone along with it, but that ended now.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot stay," He told opposition the man, hiding his dislike of them under friendliness.

The man had heard those words before, and he knew exactly what they meant.

"Did you see something again?" He asked Quahaug. "You once foresaw a terrible landslide near the village. If it wasn't for you, we would have perished."

It was true, he had saved their lives that day. That vision was the very reason they were afraid of him, and why they tried desperately to keep him from leaving. They said it was so he could protect the village, but the village no longer needed protecting.

"What did you see this time?" The man continued his questioning.

Something in Quahaug told him that if he answered that question then more and more would follow. The man wouldn't leave, so he decided that he would. Turning his back to the man, he started walking away. As he did, he decided to show just a little of the annoyance in one last response.

"Something that I must do, now if you will excuse me," Quahaug said.

He was certain the man called out to him, but he chose to ignore it. He wasn't important, the village he was from wasn't important, and whatever they thought of him was equally as unimportant. What was important was this: somewhere in Glenbrook a disaster would strike, caused by someone his vision didn't name. He could not make them out well enough, so he followed the only other person he saw visible. A person he easily recognized as the heir to House Wolffort.

-x-

Abandoned Village, Wolffort Demesne

Trish wanted to hit something very very hard. The victim of said hit was a table that could not withstand such assault, a piece of it breaking. It at least managed to make Trish regret her decision, the bandit reeling back a bit. Her hand stung, only adding to the anger fueled within her. She knew that they should've taken whatever that Rosellen girl had, but she had listened to her father. After, they clearly weren't some haughty noble.

At least, that had been what she believed up until a few hours ago. News reached her quickly that the girl wasn't just a gods damned noble, but a foreign noble at that. To her, that meant that everything her father had said was now incorrect. The knowledge she had passed up what could have been one of the most prized marks ever handed to her made her want to scream out to the world.

So, she did.

"I swear to whatever gods are out, the next time I see that girl I will not make the same mistake!" She exclaimed, more than certain some other members of her father's company had heard her. "You hear me, Louise! You may have fooled my father and I once, but no one ever does us dirty like that and gets away with it. Nobody!"

In case it wasn't clear, the thing that probably was most difficult in writing this chapter is the fact that nearly every character in it is new in some form. Among these is the first sign of an option character in the main game that will be taking a far more major role in the story: Quahaug. Gonna be interesting to see how Louise reacts to his gift.

Also Exharme. Oh boy Exharme do I have some fun plans for you. Finishing Benedict's route was the perfect thing here, for it not only gave me some fun ideas of what I can do with the Saintly Seven, but how the main story might change due to Louise's introduction. Exharme will be a major part of that, as well as for later parts of Louise's character development in this story.

Before I head out, one quick thing: Triangle Strategy is now available on steam! For those who perhaps had interest in the game but didn't own a Switch beforehand, now is the perfect time to try what is easily one of my name favorite games of all time. It is more than worth the purchase.

With that said, thank you all for reading and I'll see you next time!