The day Azure and her team left, all contact with Old Sanctville, physical or magical, was cut off; it had been two weeks since then. This was the most visible sign since “The Unpleasantness” started nearly a year prior that something very unpleasant was indeed unfolding in the Eidru homeland. That, and the level of security measures enacted across the empire, had not been seen since the Ambersmire Confederation succeeded.

The curfews put in place at the start of the turmoil fluctuated as small groups of forces were swept away by soldiers and Eidruian enforcers dispatched; new squads were being sworn in all the time to keep peace on the home front. The streets of Shadowmirre, once lively and bustling, were barren and heavily patrolled after dark. Anyone caught without cause and written documentation would be brought into a guard station and jailed till morning; if they were lucky or rich enough, they were released when dawn broke.

During the day, life continued as usual; it was imperative that farms kept producing, artisans kept crafting, and the wheels of the empire kept turning. It was the duty of those at the head to keep steering the ship away from the easily obscured rocks of dissatisfaction. That all too quickly leads to the shipwreck of society that is Revolution.

Crossing the internal borders of the Eidruian Empire was always a somewhat sticky affair, but since the beginning of the upheaval, all of the borders had been sealed up, and the military was dispatched to keep them secure. Even the Nobility, who typically had free reign to cross as they pleased, were escorted to their holdings, where they were instructed to stay the course of the conflict. For some families, it had been generations since they had set foot in their holdings, as it was more of a formality than a residence for some of the less duty-bound families.

Of course, you had to have holdings to flee to them. Many more families, even wealthy ones in good standing, no longer held any land and had nowhere to run, shutting themselves into their City mansions, hoping the Callers and Guards would hold out against the rabble. These and the Temple of the Callers felt the strongest sling of the False Hero’s arrows in Shadowmirre. Their attacks concentrated in the Caller’s district.

Information, immigration, trade, and even identity were all under strict control in the Eidru Empire, so it isn’t impossible to believe the Empress could contain these attacks. Unfortunately, something had to give, and As the Empire would shortly be informed, The Copper Coast was what gave out. As was the current policy in the Eidru empire, walls were thrown up to minimize the damage and avoid the spread of rebellious discontent. This was preferable to the other way things were handled in the Eidru empire, with a swift and mighty blow. Though, it appeared to many that the fist was winding back.

Francine received a glut of letters from prospective suitors. Since coming of a certain age, she had started receiving a slow trickle of inquiries, and she suspected there were some letters from dubious parties she never had occasion to see, but this seemed an unwarranted level of attention. Gramma Arsenault brought in a whole armful and dumped them on the table in the sitting room, her little Eidruian terrier Megan circling her legs.

It was the last day of Qulnar, the seventh month, almost two weeks since Azure left, and the painter had already finished, so it was set to be another lazy day. Gramma Arsenault had taken to bringing her dog with her since the Artist finished two days before, and that had brightened everyone’s mood considerably.

Frannie was shocked at the quantity of post.

Just slouching down the stairs, Argento, arrayed in one of his many silver shirts that accentuated his shaggy silver hair, was also visibly impressed at the mountain of letters for Francine.

Argento teased Frannie, making kissy faces, picking up a handful of letters, and letting them rain through his fingers. Gramma Arsenault tossed her hands up laughing and dropped right onto the sofa beside Frannie, scooping up her hands.

Francine broke free of her grasp and tried to sweep the letters into a closer pile and get them taken away. This seemed only to amuse Gramma Arsenault further.

Frannie smiled wryly as she rationalized opening letters sent to her by strangers, to herself.

Gramma Arsenault kept prattling on while she went across the breezeway to the main house, her voice completely muffled for a time. However, Frannie was sure she was still talking, eventually coming back in range, returning with a stack of stationary and a pen. Setting that on the table next to the pile as Frannie and Argento sat in the process of opening letters.

Frannie shoved Argento in jest, but he jumped off the sofa as she pushed, causing her to slump over onto the cushions, laughing until her face was bright red. Meg licked her and wagged her soft, fringed tail. Frannie quickly gabbed a fallen letter up off the floor as she picked herself back up, wiped the puppy kisses off, and opened the ornate wax seal.

Argento put down a letter intricately folded into a circle that took him up until then just to unfold.

At that moment, a screaming commotion erupted in the garden, and Gerdie came wailing up the stairs into the room. Tears streaming down her face, bolting as fast as her tiny legs would carry her. She slammed the door behind her and nearly collapsed in a heap when she finally came to a stop.

When Frannie turned, Gramma Arsenault was already out the door charging off to look for Azure, Meg Charging after her before Gerdie had even finished her story; Argento waited for Francine at least, especially with talk of knives coming out. Before leaving Francine’s sitting room, they heard a noise in Lady Adrema’s room. Frannie wasn’t exactly sure where they should go to look for Azure, but Endive announced their arrival as if sensing her confusion. So they headed immediately down towards the entryway.

Francine and Argento decided to go through the main house in case Azure was already headed upstairs; they didn’t want to miss her and miss her, but they did not. The scene in the dining room was nothing like what they expected; Azure was dancing around the dining room, Cigar in her mouth, Mother giddily laughing in tow. While Cinnamon reclined on the dining room table, eating grapes off the end of her three-pronged knife. Megan sat on the floor near the edge of the table, hoping one would roll away, though none seemed to.

As they entered the room, Azure discarded her mother and swooped up Frannie and Argento, one in each arm, effortlessly leading them across the dining room, head thrown back, chugging smoke like a train. At the end of the room, she spun them both, lunging forward under their extended arms linked and held aloft like they were guns saluting her, ashed the cigar in a crystal dish on the end of the table next to Cinnamon’s head, let out a mirthy laugh, and took another long drag before sighing and making an announcement.

    “The Unpleasantness is over! Old Sanctville was hard won, but it was our privilege, and you are looking at Viscountess Arsenault, the official new Head of the Eidruian Enforcers!”

CH 12~ Dear Frannie

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

The day Azure and her team left, all contact with Old Sanctville, physical or magical, was cut off; it had been two weeks since then. This was the most visible sign since “The Unpleasantness” started nearly a year prior that something very unpleasant was indeed unfolding in the Eidru homeland. That, and the level of security measures enacted across the empire, had not been seen since the Ambersmire Confederation succeeded.



CH 12~ Dear Frannie

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

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CH 12~ Dear Frannie

Second Chances Can't be Ignored

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of .css-13w9qce-Text{display:inline-block;color:var(--text-accent);}K.B. Silver

About the Creator

K.B. Silver

Comments

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Keep reading

Just Below the Surface

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of K.B. Silver