Silent Alliances

In the dimly lit room, Christos leaned forward, his expression eager as he spoke.

"We can't afford to wait any longer, Casimir. The longer we delay, the stronger they become. We need to strike now, while they're distracted with their search for that peasant girl." he remarked. 

Casimir remained unmoved, his demeanor calm and composed.

"Patience, Christos," he replied, his voice steady.

"There's always a right time for everything. We must wait for the opportune moment to make our move."

Christos scoffed, frustration evident in his tone.

"And when exactly will that be? We've been waiting for too long already. The time to act is now."

But Casimir held firm, his expression unchanging.

"Rushing into battle without proper planning is a recipe for disaster," he cautioned.

"We must bide our time and strike when the odds are in our favor."

Christos then began to peer at Casimir with suspicion.

"Are you truly with me, or are you simply another traitor hoping to dethrone me?" He stated.

Christos's accusation hung heavy in the air. Casimir still unfazed by the suspicion directed at him and then he met Christos's gaze with unwavering composure.

"I am loyal to our cause," Casimir replied evenly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"But loyalty does not equate to blind obedience. I will not risk everything on a reckless endeavor. We must proceed with caution if we are to succeed."

Christos's eyes narrowed, his distrust palpable.

"Your caution borders on cowardice," he retorted, his voice laced with contempt.

"I will not tolerate treachery within our ranks. If you are not with me wholeheartedly, then you are against me."

Casimir remained unmoved, his expression stoic.

"I am neither your ally nor your enemy," he stated calmly.

"I am simply a pragmatist, seeking the most advantageous course of action for our cause. Whether you choose to heed my counsel or not is your decision."

Christos's suspicion intensified, his gaze narrowing as he regarded Casimir with a mix of scrutiny and calculation.

"And what makes you so certain of that, Casimir?" Christos demanded, his voice edged with skepticism.

Casimir remained composed, his expression unreadable as ever.

"It is evident, Christos," he replied coolly.

"Our objectives align in this regard. The princess is a threat to both of us and eliminating her would serve our mutual interests."

Christos's features softened slightly, a glimmer of acknowledgment flickering in his eyes.

"True," he conceded, though his wariness remained palpable.

"But how do I know you won't betray me once our common enemy is vanquished?"

"Once the princess is gone. You won't be seeing me again," he remarked, making Christos nod in understanding. 

"Once the deed is done, our paths diverge," Christos replied evenly, though his eyes remained fixed on Casimir, searching for any hint of deception.

Casimir offered a curt nod in response, his expression betraying nothing as he met Christos's gaze head-on.

"Indeed, our business will be concluded," he affirmed, his voice carrying a weight of finality. 

"So, when is the right moment to attack?" Christos asked again. 

"After I finish replenishing my tool" he replied with a grin.

"What tools?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued by Casimir's cryptic remark.

"You'll soon find out. I will lend it to you, and I guarantee that it will help you destroy Themis." he declared, his voice laced with a dark satisfaction.

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 "I miss you so much," Ayira whispered, as she embraced Adira, tears flowed freely from her eyes, mingling with Adira's own sorrow

 "We all do. But you're not alone, Adi. We're here for you, no matter what." her voice choked with emotion.

Adira's stoic facade began to crack as she returned Ayira's embrace, the weight of her grief momentarily lifted by her friend's words of comfort.

"Thank you, Ayira," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

Ayira held her tighter, her heart aching for her friend's pain.

"We'll get through this together," she vowed, her voice filled with determination.

"And we'll find Karasi, I promise. Father won't rest until she's safe."

Adira nodded, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes for the first time since her world had been shattered.

"Thank you, Ayira," she repeated. 

"Mind if?" she reaches for a comb on the dresser. Adira nods silently, her gaze drifting to the window.

Ayira then sat next to Adira and began brushing her hair. As she delicately ran the comb through Adira's hair, the rhythmic motion of each stroke seemed to soothe the ache in both their hearts.

Adira closed her eyes, allowing herself to be enveloped by the warmth of Ayira's presence, if only for a fleeting moment.

"What if... what if we never find Karasi?" she stated as her tears well up in her eyes again.

"What if... what if Karasi was taken by the nobles?" she continued prompting Ayira to pause in combing her hair and look at her concerned.

"Adi, don't think like that..." she replied. 

"But what if she was... what if they're hurting her..."

"We can't let ourselves dwell on the worst-case scenarios, Adi"

"I can't help it... I keep imagining the worst..." she sniffles, wiping her tears. 

 "But what if..."

Ayira, Interrupts gently

"Shh... don't think about the what-ifs right now. We have to stay strong, okay?"

She held Adira close, offering what little comfort she could as tears streamed down her face.

After a long talk. Adira fell asleep next to Ayira. When she noticed Adira was already asleep, she carefully got up and exited her room. She then goes to the Damayati office, where her father is also there.

"Have you found Adira's sister?" Ayira's voice trembled slightly as she posed the question, her eyes searching theirs for any glimmer of hope.

Damayati exchanged a glance with the king before shaking his head slowly.

"I'm afraid not, Your Royal Highness," he said solemnly.

"Our search efforts have been extensive, but thus far, we have found no trace of her."

Ayira's heart clenched with anguish at the confirmation of her fears. She had hoped against hope that her dear friend's sister would be found safe and sound.

Themis placed a comforting hand on his daughter's shoulder, his expression one of paternal concern.

"We are doing everything in our power to locate her," he assured her, his voice gentle but firm.

"We will not rest until Karasi is safely returned to her sister."

Ayira nodded, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She appreciated her father's reassurance, but the uncertainty gnawed at her. She couldn't bear to see Adira in such agony, her heart breaking with each passing moment of her best friend's sister's absence.

"Your Royal Highness, you have the training to attend. Zagan and Lucius rush here, wanting to know if we saw you." Damayanti remarked. 

"They are waiting for you on the field," Themis stated, smiling at her. Ayira just nodded in response and exited the room. 

As Ayira stepped out of the office, her heart weighed heavy with worry for Adira and her missing sister. 

She made her way to the training grounds, where Zagan and Lucius awaited her. Their usual banter and jests fell flat in Ayira's ears, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Adira and Karasi.

Zagan noticed the somber expression on Ayira's face and exchanged a concerned glance with Lucius.

"Hey, Ayira, everything alright?" Zagan asked, his usual cocky demeanor softening with genuine concern.

Ayira forced a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'm fine, just... worried about Adi and her sister," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness.

Lucius nodded in understanding, his expression reflecting sympathy.

Mike noticed Ayira's devastated expression and approached them. He then leans closer to the three and informs them that they have been assigned to find Adira's sister tonight. 

Ayira's eyes widened with hope as she absorbed the news. The prospect of finally taking action to find Adira's missing sister filled her with a renewed sense of determination.

"Really?" Ayira whispered back, her voice barely containing her excitement.

"We get to help find her?" she sought out.

Before Ayira could voice her intention to join the search, Avra approached them, her expression serious.

"You are prohibited from joining the search team, Your Royal Highness," she remarked. 

"What about me?" Lucius exclaimed, eager to assist Adira find her sister. 

"Sorry, but you aren't also permitted to join." 

"Why can't we join?" Ayira questioned, her disappointment evident in her voice.

Avra sighed, her gaze sympathetic.

"It's not that we don't want to help," she explained gently.

"But the king has made it clear that only certain individuals are to be involved in this particular search. It's a delicate matter, and we must follow his orders."

Avra's gaze shifted to Zagan, her expression a mix of seriousness and concern.

"Zagan," she began.

"you're permitted to join the search team tonight."

Zagan's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected news. He glanced at Ayira and Lucius, a hint of uncertainty flickering across his features.

"Why me?" he asked. 

"You don't want?"

"No... It's not like I don't want it. Argh! Never mind, fine. I'll join." he exclaimed. 

 Avra gestured for Mike and Zagan to follow her. Without another word, they fell into step behind Avra as they made their way out of the tower.

Ayira and Lucius stood gazing as the three vanished from sight. Ayira then looked at Lucius with a sense of plotting.

"What if we followed them?" she began.

Lucius raised an eyebrow at Ayira's suggestion, considering the implications.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Ayira nodded, her gaze unwavering.

"We need to find Adira's sister as soon as possible," she replied.

"If Mike and Zagan are on the case, then we need to be there too. Besides, we might be able to help."

"But that is... It's risky, Ayira. We might run into danger or anything." Lucius stated, worrying about their safety.

"Aren't you concerned about Adira's sister?" she implored.

 "Of course I'm concerned," he replied, his voice soft but firm.

"But rushing into this without a plan could put us all in danger. We don't even know where they're headed or what they're up against."

"That's why we're following them right now while they're just a few miles away from us" she insisted.

"Alright," he conceded, his tone conceding to Ayira's unwavering determination.

"Let's go find them. But let's do it carefully, okay?"

With an agreement nod, Ayira and Lucius headed off down the hallway and began trailing Avra's search team.