Harrogye, Ausicaa

The very moment Brenna disclosed the final remnants of her narrative to her green-eyed squadron leader, her pulse picked up even more speed. He remained quiet, too quiet, for far longer than expected. Her gaze bored into him as she tried to decipher his thoughts, but the detached expression on his handsome face was impossible to read.

When Squadron Leader Ariss broke his silence, his voice remained calm and pleasant, as though they had been engaging in a mundane conversation about the weather and not her ominous warning regarding the end of the world. Or her identity as the lost child of a Levish princess and Zan prince. Or even the fact that she was trying to recruit him to help her fight for not one but two thrones

"Was there anything else you wished to convey to me, Waevers?"

The lack of urgency in his demeanor left Brenna feeling terribly unsettled. Squadron Leader Ariss seemed to be humoring her, which meant he wasn't taking her seriously at all.

Brenna braced herself for a battle of wills. She intended to keep pushing and prodding until she convinced him otherwise. "I have said everything that I needed to say, Squadron Leader Ariss, but... did you have any questions? For me?"

Squadron Leader Ariss smiled. "Oh, I have many questions. I hardly know where to begin."

"Please let me know what troubles you most," she responded swiftly, "and I will do everything in my power to alleviate those concerns. I know the situation I have laid out before you must sound downright absurd, but I vow that every word I have spoken is the truth."

"At least, you are somewhat self-aware," he remarked as his eyes locked onto hers. "Although, you might be surprised by how much I would like to believe in these 'absurd' theories of yours. Especially the revelation about your lineage. If it is true, then it may forever shift the political landscape of the Zan and Imperial courts."

Brenna blushed and looked away. She didn't know quite how to respond under his penetrating stare.

Squadron Leader Ariss continued smoothly, "Go on, then, Waevers. Let us see if you have what it takes to rally me to your outlandish cause after this round of questioning."

A determined gleam resurfaced in Brenna's gray eyes. "Of course! Please ask me anything!"

"The fairytale that you keep referring to—the one that will supposedly bring about the destruction of the world—seems a bit... pessimistic. To be honest, I have never come across an obstacle that cannot be overcome through wit or will. Why not give the key to another keeper? Or hide it somewhere else where the so-called demons cannot find it? There must be a way to work around it."

Brenna frowned at the skepticism in his tone, but she explained patiently, "If there were any other viable options, then Sorcha would have certainly attempted them by now. This whole wretched affair cannot be resolved by simply moving the key of Aryss from one person, or place, to another. The demons are being held back entirely by Sorcha's powers, which were gifted to her by the gods for her purity of heart and immense sacrifice. Unfortunately, it is not easy to come across one as brave and selfless as her in the world we reside in, and, once she is gone, we will be left to face the chaos on our own."

He laughed. "You are certainly placing a lot of trust in a fortune teller who thinks extremely highly of herself."

Undeterred by his mocking tones, Brenna countered, "Squadron Leader Ariss! You may choose not to believe in myths or magic, but, as a soldier, surely, you must know a thing or two about the state of our Empire. Take a look around us! Our fate has been tumbling down a dismal trajectory for decades, and it is only being exacerbated by the current emperor. It pains me to say this, but, unlike the other Warwell emperors, Emperor Warwell III does not seem to possess the foresight to steer us away from the darkness. A great and terrible war looms on the horizon. Its imminence is even more apparent now with the unrest simmering across Sindor. The rest of the Southern Continent will likely follow Sindor's lead to rebel against the Empire while the emperor is weak, and the Zan Republic is unlikely to sit idle amidst the chaos. They will not hesitate to fuel these flames against Levose. Does all of this not worry you?"

She made certain to employ every piece of knowledge that Sorcha had imparted unto her in the past few months. The old witch had spent hours every day teaching her about the complexities of the world that existed beyond Lachsea.

Squadron Leader Ariss' eyebrows lifted slightly. "I had no idea you were so passionate about matters of national security. Your enthusiasm is commendable, I suppose."

Brenna scoffed. "It will not matter how passionate or enthusiastic I am if nothing is done. The fate of the key and of our nations are too deeply entwined for anyone to unravel at this point. The storm will come no matter what, but I—no, we have a choice to be proactive rather than reactive to the havoc it shall wreak. I beg of you to stand with me!"

"I find your words to be stirring, Waevers, and, certainly, I agree with you on all the broader points. I was born and raised in Sindor, so I am familiar with the discord and injustices that plague my homeland. And everyone knows that Zan has never been a friend of the Empire. Conflict, however, has always been the way of the world. War is nothing new to man. It is how our great Empire of Levose became an empire, so I do not understand why this witch of yours is making such a fuss over what has always been and what always will be."

Brenna stood her ground. "You do not understand, Squadron Leader Ariss, this war will be unlike anything man has ever seen before—"

"I am sure it will be a bloody one! Maybe even the bloodiest one of all. That is the nature of war," Squadron Leader Ariss interjected. Then, he shifted the conversation by reprimanding her, "Next time, however, I would advise you to soften your tongue when you speak about the emperor. It is treason to rail against His Imperial Majesty in such an unabashed manner. I tell you this as your friend—and not as your superior—because I do not wish to see you put yourself in harm's way. The emperor's eyes and ears everywhere, and his men would not hesitate to turn you in."

Brenna's shoulder slumped. She sighed. "You still do not believe me, then?"

"How can you expect me to trust you," he drawled softly, "when you are still keeping secrets?"

She protested, "What do you mean? I have told you everything I know!"

Squadron Leader Ariss shot her a pointed look. "You have told me everything except the one thing I want to know..."

With a slight furrow in her brow, Brenna inquired, "What is it that you are so curious about?"

He grinned. "Be honest, Waevers. Do you piss standing up—or sitting down?"

Brenna's eyes rounded out like saucers as her cheeks burned bright red. She hadn't anticipated such directness from him. "What kind of question is that, Squadron Leader Ariss? How I use the toilet is none of your—"

Then, she caught herself, "I mean, of course, I urinate standing up. As all males do."

Squadron Leader Ariss took a step towards her. Brenna gulped. She suddenly had a sinking feeling that he suspected something—or maybe he already knew the truth about her sex. Her mind began to buzz. Had he seen her in the showers? Impossible! She was so careful... Did he realize it during their training exercises? Sometimes physical contact was unavoidable. Brenna began to panic slightly. Did this mean others suspected her as well?

Squadron Leader Ariss seemed to sense her distress. He assured her, "Relax, Waevers, I am not asking because I wish to turn you into the Lieutenant. I only want to know because you might be someone whom I wish to form a partnership with, after all."

Brenna's expression brightened. "Really? Do you mean it? Have I managed to convince you, then?"

He didn't answer right away and instead deflected her question with dogged tenacity, "Answer my question again. Are you a man? Or a woman?"

Brenna eyed him with trepidation. She felt more nervous about revealing this detail than anything else. At least, she could claim to be jesting and maybe talk her way out of trouble if Squadron Leader Ariss accused her of lying about the fairytale or her blood ties to the Levish and Zan monarchies, but there would be nothing she could do to shroud or deny the truth if he—or any of the other officers—insisted on putting her through an immediate medical examination to confirm her gender.

"Before I address this question, you must promise to take this secret to the grave. This sort of accusation can get people arrested, you know."

"I promise I have no intention of getting you arrested."

Brenna's heart began to pound. The words kept escaping her. "I..."

Amusement shone from Squadron Leader Ariss' green eyes. He had the audacity to wink at her. "If you are having trouble voicing it, then why don't you just... show me? Remove your uniform at once."

"I beg your pardon?" Brenna squeaked. Her fingers shot up to clutch at the collar of her uniform defensively. She glared daggers at him. "Squadron Leader Ariss, you, sir, are no gentleman!"

He chuckled. "Ah! I think I have found my answer, Miss Waevers. You can keep your clothes on, then. For now."

Brenna gasped in outrage. "Do not tease me so! It is most improper."

"Is it more improper than, say, a female barging her way into the navy disguised as a male?"

She grunted. "I suppose you raise a fair point."

Squadron Leader Ariss seemed to study her with renewed interest. "I am nothing if not fair. Tell me, what is your real name now that the truth is out."

She hesitated. "It is... Brenna Catannach."

His eyes widened as though a realization struck him. "Brenna, you say?"

"Yes."

Squadron Leader Ariss appeared slightly distracted as he murmured, "What a... beautiful name."

"Thank you," Brenna said politely.

"No wonder you did not always respond right away when others addressed you as 'Cadet Waevers.' To think, I should have been calling you 'Miss Catannach' this whole time."

She blushed lightly. "Indeed, it will be such a relief, once we leave Harrogye, to hear you address me as such."

"'Once we leave the Station?'" he repeated. "I did not realize that you and I had plans to go anywhere."

"Naturally, we must leave for Lachsea as soon as possible," she exclaimed. "The longer I stay in Harrogye, the more difficult it will become to conceal my identity as a girl. Besides, Sorcha is waiting for us. Now that I have successfully recruited you, she will be able tell us what must be done in the next step of our plan."

The corners of his mouth twitched. "You are certainly much more assertive as a female than a male. Although, I guess I would not object to taking a trip to Lachsea with you. I was planning to pay a visit to that little village, anyway, before you and Cadet Diennae arrived to the Station."

Brenna smiled. "So... you will come with me?"

"Yes," he answered coolly, "but... only if you promise to grant me one small favor."