Cassian had not intended to return to his study, but upon receiving word from one of his Ministers, he headed that way. Norah beat him to the room, and their greetings took place in the hall.

“Please come in, Lady Carter.” He opened the door and waited for her to enter. Assuming she did, he entered after her. Rather than sitting and inviting her to sit he closed the door for privacy and simply waited for her words, gaze expectant.

Norah almost cringed at the last name. She had been quick to dismiss it in Cambria, glad to be separated from her departed husband but found here in Nevermere she was reminded of him constantly. Not that it was anyone’s fault, it was her name until it was changed. She dipped into a quick greeting before she’d enter his office.

One look back to him, it seemed he wouldn’t be going to his chair before he’d expect her to speak, which she only paused for a few beats before she started. “I believe I know who is behind the brandings. Yet the woman of Cambria are very hesitant to say anything against those who are doing it. I had worried at first it was Nevermeran’s, but why protect the people that they want to drive out as badly as they want to?” She paused to let that part sink in, letting him know of the resistance she had come up against the whole time she had been on their soil.

“But I’d like to capture them in the act, to be sure it’s the women closest to the governess. They’ve hovered over me since I’ve gotten there. And we have a plan, but I’d have a request, if I may ask it of you.” She waited for him to either tell her to continue on or if he would turn her away now from it.

Cassian listened. He had thoughts. He’d had his suspicions about who was behind this, and he was pleased to hear that Norah was likely getting to the bottom of it.

It was discouraging but not unexpected to hear of the state of the Cambrians. They loved Nevermere when she was saving Cambria from Coheed, but they’d grown resentful over the years.

He dipped his head, inviting her to make her request.

The moment his head steadied again against his nod of approval, she didn’t waste time. “A collar.” Or a thousand. She’d like many more to squash that strength difference. But it was only one that she needed for now. So she wouldn’t be greedy. “As a just in case,” more like a guarantee. She wasn’t risking any one of those who she was responsible for. Perhaps Cassian would hear that in her voice or notice the hard line of her brow. Determination.

“I’ve made a potion to help us navigate the dark as if it was daylight. Took a few tries, but it works perfectly.” She dug into a small hidden pocket of her skirting and placed the small vial on his desk. “In case you were curious, Your Majesty.” Her voice purred with pride as she turned back to him. Even if he denied the collar, she’d made a plan b… and c.

Cassian was shocked at her request, and it was hard to shock the king. Of course, not an ounce of it showed on his face. His father had instructed him militantly four times such as these. Cassian would never show his hand.

“Tell me more.” He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no. Collars were limited. In fact, he personally only had two in his possession, and even one of those was about to be used. Lorendale was a different story, but their collars were different…

Rather than asking what she would use it for, he wanted to hear it.

There was no hesitation in her as he asked for more. Even if she was a touch surprised to be asked for it. But it was understandable. “I don’t think the women of Cambria would hesitate to go after us if they thought we stood in the way of whatever this rebellion of theirs is.” Anyone could have deducted that but she wanted him to know her opinion and the certainty of it. “Isolde has made it clear since the first time I encountered her, when she was just the priestess after the Eldouir trial, that she didn’t want us there. That she was insulted because I wouldn’t drink the tea and sit with her while I had other kingdoms to inform.” If Norah’s bruised and busted state hadn’t said there was a lot happening to isolde, than the woman was not very intelligent. But the problem was… Isolde was.

“The women there who have taken to Nevermere are now terrified, their children haven’t been touched yet but they fear for them. That they might meet a harsh fate with our presence now stronger there. They fear being rejected and pushed out by the… stronger and more pure Cambrians.” Her tone suggested this was someone else’s words and not Norah’s. But a quote almost. “The branded ones are said to have ‘dirty blood’ and the marks are crude.” She felt tempted to lean against the desk behind her but reminded herself that she was not the one in the room holding a position over the others.

“There is a woman who is set to have a baby soon. A Nevermeran baby.” She might not be proud of the next fact, but she didn’t regret it. “The information has gotten out about her and now we wait. Alongside the other children who are emerging as witches…” Norah was baiting the offenders. But she wasn’t doing it recklessly. “Regular nightly patrols are out, and of them, our most trusted are going out and have a small vial of this,” she touched the one on his desk, “with them. They’d find the children or women one way or another, but I want to catch them in the act. I want to question them,”

She locked eyes back with Cassian, “but I’ve been told that words are no match for combat. And they will fight to the death. I believe the ones doing these brandings will do just that. Which is why, stripping them of their strength and enhancements, make those words much easier to listen to.” She took a deep breath. “I understand if the request is too late or one that cannot be fulfilled. I just want answers and it’s been difficult to pry them from terrified minds who don’t trust drinks or food given by us.” Her hint that a truth serum would be (and possibly has been) had to administer.

Cassian listened. Now she was saying it. The details only someone there on the ground could bring him. He was starting to understand more of the state of things in Cambria.

“Who would you collar in all this?” He asked for clarification. Perhaps she meant Isolde? But if all the warriors chose to retaliate, one collar would only serve to restrict one woman. It wouldn’t be enough.

“The one who fought me the most. The biggest threat.” She knew that this was tricky. Because she couldn’t go in with a direct target but rather would have to make a split second decision. “I don’t believe Isolde is actually doing the brandings, rather she is sending others to. They’d be in smaller groups according to the stories told to us.” She stared across at him.

“Isolde is careful, Your Majesty,” she let her fingers brush against the desk behind her, as if steadying herself yet she never swayed. “She doesn’t lift a finger herself, having everyone follow out her orders to have a more ‘pure blood’ for Cambria. She stands behind religion and the ‘All Mother’. Who really, from what I can tell, is a goddess she has the ability to talk to. I’ve never heard anyone else speak of the All Mother in the same way as her.” Was there an actually goddess on her side? She wasn’t so sure.

“We’d have to be swift, it’d be a lot. But it’d bring us solid proof. Something no one could lie about… and possibly give us a chance to administer a truth potion.” She felt like this could go either way. It could go well, gain them all the insight and answers. Or could go bad, horridly bad and lived could be lost on top of a potential full on war. Cambria seemed the unsteady one ready to flip at any chance. Were they willing to take that risk?

Cassian heard the weight in what Norah said and knew the implications. If this went as bad as it could, heads would be turning to Cassian, all lips asking the same question: “Was it worth it?” He was forced to ask himself the same question now. Would giving a collar to Norah and risking her failure be worth it? To get to the end of brands? The branding wasn’t killing anyone. It was shaming them and segregating them in a way that divided Cambria, but it sounded as if Cambria was divided already.

Cassian was silent for a long moment, clearly thinking. Contemplating. Weighing the future of Nevermere. Norah would not give an account for what happened here; Cassian would.

So Cassian slowly asked,

“Branding aside, what do you think the best course for bringing Cambria to heel would be?” She’d been living there for months now. Surely she had insight on that topic.

“They won’t be brought to a heel.” She said it with almost a certainty. “Not those who are loyalist.” She let out a long breath. “Between us, your majesty,” her eyes caught his, “I think they’d rather die than kneel to anyone. Especially a man.” She didn’t say it to insult him, but to make a point. They did not say exactly kind things about the King, or his many men who helped them regain their lands from other men.

“They don’t care that they didn’t give what the previous Chieftess had promised. They don’t want us there. I’m almost positive there are plenty of us walking around with a target on our backs there.” Norah included herself in that. But this was her time to be frank. “I hate to say it, but possibly, Cambria needs a hard lesson to be reminded why they needed us in the first place… or we will always be met with resistance and a silent mutiny will grow.”

Cassian didn’t hate to hear Norah say it. Her conclusion was one he had already been coming to. It was affirming to hear it from her. Cassian desired to be both a conquering king and a beloved one, but perhaps that was a fantasy. Perhaps his son could carry that legacy. If he was only to be one, it would be a conquering king who brought his territories to heel and maintained Nevermere’s power. That would be his legacy.

“I will consult with the Captain Commander on the things we have discussed. Changes will be coming to Cambria. I want you there overseeing them. The Nevermerean presence.” His eyes still held hers, and now he searched them for understanding. He trusted her loyalty and her competence. Cambria would ultimately be her conquest if she played this right.