"An hour now and still nothing about Barrenness! Seems it has never happened before"
Sapphire sighed in frustration
Eugene didn't look up from the parchment he was translating, but his brow furrowed slightly.
"That would make sense," he said after a beat. "If it has occurred before, it was either undocumented… or deliberately erased."
Sapphire huffed, slumping back against the table. "Why would anyone erase records of something this important?"
He finally glanced at her. "Panic. Reputation. Control. Take your pick."
She narrowed her eyes at the worn script. "So what? No notes, no theories, nothing to build on?"
"There are passing mentions of illness affecting fertility," Eugene said slowly, flipping through another scroll. "But it's vague symptoms, not outcomes. And nothing connects directly to our current outbreak."
Sapphire pushed away the scroll she'd been poring over. "An hour of translating faded Latin, and we're still going in circles."
Eugene tapped a finger against one of the margins. "Not entirely. Here, inconclusive reaction to local tinctures… patients unresponsive to elixirs derived from river root…' That's medicinal failure. Noted multiple times."
Her eyes lit up. "You think the water could be involved?"
"It's possible," he said calmly. "And it would match current suspicions."
Sapphire sat upright again, determination returning. "Then we test the water. If the root used in treatment grew near the contaminated springs…"
"We may have a connection," Eugene finished for her.
She glanced at him, a small grin playing on her lips. "You're not so bad, Eugene."
"I'll try not to let it go to my head," he said dryly, already reaching for another parchment.
Eugene shifted through the scattered parchments, his voice low but steady.
"There's still the Brook. The one that traces the eastern border."
Sapphire's brow arched slightly. "The Brook that separates the Hivites and the Hittites… that used to be the main source, didn't it?" She paused, thoughtful. "Before the dispute."
Eugene glanced at her, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. "Looks like someone's been doing their reading."
She flushed faintly but didn't respond. He had already turned back to the parchment stacks, continuing as if he hadn't noticed.
"Most people forget how much that Brook sustained. If someone's contaminated the rivers and ignored the Brook, they've either forgotten it exists…" he hesitated, "or they're saving it for something worse."
Sapphire leaned forward, brows furrowing. "You think this is deliberate?"
Eugene didn't look up. "Everything about this feels too precise to be coincidence."
Sapphire stood abruptly, the parchment in her lap forgotten.
"I think we should investigate the Brook. If it's still untouched, it could hold answers—or clues to whoever's behind this."
Eugene's head snapped up.
"No. It's too dangerous. That area's barely patrolled, and it borders disputed lands. We wait for Lord Typhon to return."
She clenched her fists. "We don't have time to wait, Eugene. My child's life depends on this."
He looked at her then, really looked past the quiet stubbornness she wore like armor, past the exhaustion. What he saw was unmistakable: raw, unshakable determination. A mother's love.
He exhaled slowly, defeated by her resolve. "Fine," he muttered. "But I'm not letting you go alone. Give me a moment to saddle the stallions."
She blinked, surprised, then a grin tugged at her lips. "Didn't think you were the ride-into-danger sort."
He scoffed, already moving for the door. "You'd be amazed what I've done to keep this household from falling apart."
As he vanished down the hallway, Sapphire whispered to herself, "Thank you."
The smile lingered as she gathered her cloak, her heart racing, not from fear, but from hope.
***
Duke Viremont's carriage rattled steadily along the cobblestone road leading to the royal palace. Inside, the heavy velvet curtains muffled the sounds of the bustling city outside, leaving only the tense silence between father and daughter.
"Remember, Rosella," the Duke's voice was low but firm, "when you speak with His Majesty, do not bring up the past, especially the marriage with Lady Sapphire. That chapter is closed, and it must stay that way. You must convince the King that this union with Albert is what's best for all of us."
Rosella nodded, though her heart fluttered with a mix of nerves and hope. "Yes, Father."
She stared out the window, her mind drifting to Albert. She wanted to believe he truly loved her, even if the court whispered otherwise. Maybe, just maybe, the King would understand and grant her this chance.
The palace gates loomed ahead, and with a deep breath, Rosella prepared herself to face whatever awaited inside.
The carriage door opened, and Duke Viremont stepped out, helping his daughter, Lady Rosella, down carefully. As they walked through the palace corridors, the whispers of servants followed them like a chill wind.
"Raise your head. Do not slouch," her father whispered lowly, his hands steadying her waist protectively. There was little he could do now but wait until she married Baron Albert.
A servant soon led them to the King's study. They seated themselves, trying to appear composed. Minutes later, The grand doors creaked open as King Kai stepped in, the loose folds of his sleep robe brushing the polished floors. His brows lifted in cold amusement at the sight before him.
"Well," he drawled, "to what do I owe this early spectacle? And I hear you want to gift Jethro to Albert as well. Why is that, Duke Viremont?"
A tense silence stretched.
The Duke hesitated, eyes flicking briefly to his daughter before bowing slightly. "It… it was for the best, Your Majesty. With your permission, the wedding shall hold in a month's time."
The King's gaze sharpened.
"So fast? What's the rush?" He tilted his head mockingly. "Surely she isn't with child?"
Rosella flinched, her face draining of color. The Duke swallowed, pride and shame warring in his chest.
"Nay, Majesty," he said stiffly. "She is not."
King Kai stepped closer, his expression colder now. "You think I don't see what this is? A rushed wedding to a man who is still—legally wed to my daughter. And now you offer him a land close to my borders? Tell me, Viremont, whose game are you playing?"
The Duke stood frozen. Rosella could barely meet the King's eyes.
"I trusted you once," the King continued, voice low, "but you come to me with whispers and bribes, thinking I'll ignore what your daughter has done, what you've done. Tell me why I shouldn't drag Albert before the court and have your bloodline stripped of title."
The room turned cold.
Duke Viremont bowed his head, and Rosella's knees threatened to buckle.
"If not for the sake of peace…" the Duke murmured, "…I would not ask."
Kai's lips twitched, something between a sneer and a smile.
"Peace?" he echoed. "Then let's test who really wants it."