Snitch

The Scribe office is bustling with activity today, as usual. Under the shining chandeliers, Rajin women rush to complete their weekly quotas, resulting in a much lower volume of chatter. The Head Scribe is a disciplined woman and teaches this value to the woman under her, and while many have absorbed her lessons, many more have not.

However, Yoru does not reprimand these less ambitious women. No, the stress of cramming at the last second will do that for her.

Yoru walks between the rows of connected desks, adding to the stack of parchment held in her arms as she receives completed records. She looks around as she walks, the sound of scribbling quills reaching her ears, "Those that are still working should have a finished record on my desk before they leave," Yoru speaks just loud enough for everyone to hear, continuing to add to her stack of parchment all the while, "Those that have completed their Records may turn them in to me and leave. I will see you lucky few tomorrow."

A few women whisper curses as Yoru finishes speaking, causing the Head Scribe to smile faintly in amusement. She has known many women that procrastinate daily, choosing to gossip instead of work. However, Yoru has never been able to relate to them. For her, finishing her work has become an ingrained habit. And gossip is not something the Head Scribe has ever been interested in.

Her mother, Irilae, is to thank for that. While Kyro and Ingen were training to become soldiers with their father, Yoru was locked in her mother's study, studying the work of past scribes quietly under Irilae's watchful eye.

Irilae was a strict teacher, and all through her childhood, the woman hammered three values into Yoru's head; Do more than everyone else, keep your mouth shut, and always smile when in the company of strangers.

These three lessons have guided Yoru's entire adult life, and recently, the third has overtaken the first two. There have been many times in the past few weeks, even in this very office, that Yoru has struggled to hold her composure. However, the memory of her mother's piercing yellow eyes has always forced her to stand straight and smile.

Though when Yoru lies in bed at night, those bottled-up tears always find their way onto her pillow.

Yoru stands at the front of the office now, looking over the rushing Scribes and those that pack up and head to the door. Thinking that no one is looking, Yoru takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. A child version of Mavyl flashes in her mind, shining yellow eyes like Yoru's staring back at her, a giddy smile between his chubby cheeks explaining to her the difference between two very similar-looking rocks.

Yoru releases a shallow, shaky breath. Not now.

She opens her eyes, seeing a few Scribes stand from their desks quickly and rush over to her to turn their Records in. Yoru fakes a smile and waves goodbye to the women as they leave, eyes returning to those still working.

The Head Scribe furrows her brows as she notices something strange in the midst of the scribbling procrastinators. Valia sits in the back row, her desk clear, staring at Yoru with her hands laced before her. Valia smirks at the Head Scribe, and though she returns a polite smile, Yoru is confused by no small amount in her mind.

Valia was one of the first to hand her quota in, which has been a regular thing since the woman first stepped into the Archive. If Yoru were not here, then Valia would be the most accomplished Scribe in Yellen. However, the woman has always been spiteful. After seeing the woman every day for three years, Yoru has reprimanded Valia for her condescending attitude toward those less accomplished than herself.

And even more so, Yoru has come to learn that if there was ever an opportunity to take the position of Head Scribe, Valia would not hesitate, no matter what needs to be done. She is not fond of being second. To Yoru, that much is certain.

Yoru takes one last glance over the office, then turns and walks to her personal office. Valia's behavior is strange, but there is no reason for Yoru to tell her to leave, and most of all, there is work to be done.

Even if she were to step down as the Head Scribe, Yoru knows that Valia would have great difficulty keeping up with the responsibilities of the position. Valia works as hard as she does because there is a goal to reach, a new horizon to reach for. The only goal the Head Scribe has is to not keel over from overworking oneself.

If the work of a normal Scribe is a mountain, then that of the Head Scribe is an entire planet.

After a short trip down the hallway connecting the Scribe office and library, Yoru opens the door and leaves it open as she walks to her desk. She settles into the soft cushions of her chair with a sigh, setting down the stack of parchment she carries. Then, with her mind on autopilot, she begins her work, reading over each record with quill in hand.

Alyra has the day off, as she handed her weekly quota in the day before. Just the same as Yoru, Alyra was raised under the heavy hand of her mother. Alyra's mother was a scribe before she passed, and had been extremely accomplished during her time in this office.

After her mother's death, Alyra had avoided the Archive for years. It was only after years of coaxing and a recent lengthy conversation that Alyra was convinced to finally visit the place that holds the memories of her mother.

While hesitant at first, Alyra soon threw herself into studying and writing with an obsessive fervor. It was not long after that Yoru proposed the idea of becoming a Scribe, and after experiencing her love for research again, Alyra gratefully accepted.

When her father passed during a battle with the Utherians years ago, Alyra's mother became chronically sick, often unable to stand from her bed. As their mothers were close friends, Irilae volunteered to take care of Alyra when her mother could not. During these times, Yoru had spent a significant amount of her early years in the presence of Alyra. Even with the age difference, their similar passions naturally led to them becoming inseparable.

That is until Alyra's mother finally passed, and she moved in with her uncle, Detor. The second in command

Yoru sighs, finishing her revisions on a Record and shuffling the papers. It has been two days since Alyra told her of Cage's disappearance. Alyra had been returning from a walk with Cage outside the city when she saw Kyro and Ingen exit the city. She told Yoru that there was a silent exchange between Cage and Kyro, then the former had waved goodbye to Alyra, bursting into a sprint toward the Collector Village.

Yoru visited the Collector Village the next day in the company of Perlo and a few of his guards. The boat beside Kyro and Ingen's hut was gone, which could only mean that they had gone to Kalar. But with Cage also being gone, does that mean he went along with them? If so, then why? What would bring Cage to risk his life to visit a planet with nothing but death waiting for him?

Yoru has tried to distract herself from these questions and has failed miserably. Though there is a silver lining, Kyro and Ingen have not been executed. However, the relief of that detail has been sucked away by their strange behavior. Once again, the men in her life are being reckless.

Please, Yoru pleads in her mind, please return safely. If you all die, then I will have no reason to keep living.

"A fine day, is it not?" A voice sounds from the door of Yoru's office, "I've waited on a day like this for a long, long time."

Yoru looks up from her work, brows furrowing as she sees Perlo standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face. He steps into the room, two of his guards following close behind.

"What are you doing in my office, Perlo?" Yoru locks eyes with the Guard Captain, "I can't imagine you're here for a Record."

Perlo chuckles, "No. I'm just as daft as every other man when it comes to words on a page," he walks forward and plops down in one of the chairs before the desk, that smirk still plastered to his face, "I'm sure you've enjoyed having power over me for such a long time. I will admit, I was sloppy then. I should have just killed you," he leans in, hissing the words, "But that all changes today. You've become the sloppy one now."

Yoru hesitates, her mind and heart beginning to race, "I'm not sure what you speak of, Perlo," she says, managing to keep her voice firm. Terrible images flash through her mind, before her son died, before becoming a Scribe. She sees memories of Perlo's terrifying face, and emotions wash over her as she remembers a night that would be better left forgotten. Fear, pain, disgust. Shame.

"Is that right? One of the smartest women in all of Yellen, famous for her incredible memory, has forgotten something that happened only days ago?" Perlo asks, feigning ignorance as he leans back in the chair.

Yoru looks away from Perlo, the resurfacing memories too painful to bear, "I've dealt with enough of your games, Perlo. Out with it," she responds.

"Your wish is my command, O great Scholar," Perlo bows mockingly in the chair, lowering his head. He raises it a moment later, his smirk wider than ever before, "You told someone about the Rage Stones. I believe it was a Tanzide, a Lion-class no less. It's a shame we didn't know earlier. He slipped through the gates without a hitch."

Yoru's heart thumps in her chest, and she looks back at Perlo with furrowed brows, those terrible memories overriden by the pit in her stomach.

"Ah, there it is," Perlo says, "That look in your eyes tells me all I need to know."

Yoru takes a deep breath, expression hardening, "You accuse me of this, but is there evidence that proves it?" she says.

Perlo chuckles, "All the evidence I need is behind me," he says.

Yoru wrinkles her forehead in confusion. She looks past Perlo and his guards, into the hall on the other side of the door. There, Valia stands with her arms crossed, that same triumphant Smirk on her face. Though the realization does not benefit her, Yoru now knows why the woman was acting strange earlier.

"A witness?" Yoru asks, looking back at Perlo. Yoru is not surprised by the woman's betrayal. Valia must have eavesdropped at her door that day Krash threatened to take her life. Whether it was the pleading look in the Tanzide's eyes, or the fact that she will be leaving Raj soon, Yoru relented and gave Krash the information on the Rage Stones. She does not regret her actions, only that she had not been more careful.

The people of Mammoria deserve a chance at survival.

Perlo nods, "One of your very own Scribes at that," he says, "From what I hear, she'll be taking over your position after, you know... you lose your head."

Yoru pauses, eyes tired, yet still firm. She looks at Perlo, then the guards, and finally at Valia. She stands from her chair, rounding the desk and walking toward the door.

"Accepted your fate, huh? Good," Perlo says as he stands and follows Yoru, his guards close behind him.

Yoru passes Valia, sparing a single glance as she turns down the hallway, "You have a lot of work to do, Head Scribe. You may want to get to it, or you'll be here all night," she says, never missing a beat in her step.

Valia watches as Yoru is escorted out of the Office, and looks into the office. The desk is covered in parchment, markings and revisions scribbled by the quill that lies to the side. Her smirk fades, along with her sense of victory over the former Head Scribe, "What now?" she asks no one but herself.

Yoru is led by Perlo to the back of the city. The sun set hours ago, resting and giving that violet moon its turn for the night. As Yoru is led closer under the overhand of Betor mountain, she looks back and sees little white flakes falling slowly from the colorful sky. Winter has arrived.

Yoru turns back and looks at the back of Perlo's head. She shivers, squeezing her eyes shut as she walks, "Cage, Kyro, Ingen. Please, hurry." She whispers, a plea heard only be herself