Ava was in a nightgown that had not left her body in a few suns, sitting in the same position she was in that morning even though it was getting dark out once again. She hadn't changed or moved. Food had been brought to her, and her bath had been drawn in her chambers, but she had ignored it all. She was staring out the window when her isolation came to an end.

"You haven't left your apartments since the night of the trial," Viv said as she entered, "I even have Oceane coming to me worried."

"It's been two suns. You shouldn't start getting worried until it's been a cycle," Ava answered as she pulled a blanket over her shoulders.

"You go to The Center in twelve suns. Your father wants me to make sure you are prepared."

Ava pulled her attention from the window and pivoted, facing Viv and the rest of her room.

"Prepared for what?"

"Everything, apparently," she held up a stack of papers, "was thinking we could spend the night in the library going over this."

"What's wrong with the room?"

Viv looked around and she looked to be stifling a small laugh, "Princess, you haven't been out in quite some time. Maybe it will do you some good."

"No, thank you," Ava turned back around but Viv pulled her away from the window and made her place her feet on the floor.

"You have no choice in the matter," Viv said as she grabbed a dressing robe from the couch and wrapped it around her.

Ava was pushed out and she trudged down the hallways of the estate. It was far emptier than it had been since she had arrived. Court was over and it was two cycles before preparations began for the next season. The library, like the hallways, lacked anyone that would disturb them. Viv put Ava into a chair and dragged over a small table before she took her own seat.

"Can you name the ten Councilmen?" Viv asked.

"Vaith. Ammyrett. Scout. Oglebur. El-Umandi," Ava hesitated for a second, "Lorest-"

"Lorest isn't on the Council. They are a South Efritian house and as such are barred from having a seat," Viv clicked her tongue, "A noble girl and Councilmen's daughter, and you can't name all ten houses that sit on the Council?"

"You name them then."

"Vaith. Ammyrett. Scout. Oglebur. El-Umandi. Barthes. Sevar. Bric'tea. Qualite. Krim," Viv put the papers down and sat back in her chair, "can you name where each of them come from?"

"Can you just tell me? I don't want to play your game."

"I'm not playing a game. I am actually being agreeable. I just want to establish a baseline. We have twelve suns and the journey to get you ready, beyond even what your father has commanded you to learn. Can you name each of the houses and their locations?"

"The houses of Vaith and Scout reside in Elox. Ammyrett and El-Umandi in Efriti," Ava wracked her brain for the remaining names but she had lost them, "Qualite from The Twins."

"Why do you say that?"

"They have quarries and Qualite sounds like that," Ava shrugged.

"We have so much to go through," Viv sighed a bit.

"I know things. I am not unintelligent. I just need refreshers, it has slipped my mind a bit."

Viv stood up, scanning the books on a shelf near them, picking one out, "Basics of our current history. I will give you a few hours to refresh and I will be back with questions."

"I could have stayed in my room for this," Ava opened the book to the first page, looking down and settling back in her chair.

"I will have some dinner sent up for you," Viv called back as she left the library.

—-

"Are you drunk, princess?" Viv asked as she took a seat next to Ava.

"Yes," she laughed a bit, "apparently, I am good at studying when drunk."

"I will be the judge of that," Viv grabbed the book she was holding and checked out what it was, "what have you learned?"

"A lot. Names, locations, histories, family trees," Ava wiggled her brows, "are you impressed?"

"I will be if you manage to get it all right."

"Vaith. Northern Elox. Estate in Aubermasse, Vaiths were one of ten nobles that sat on the first Council. Appointed by The Ten Generals that united Baethos once they relinquished control. Nobles since then, the Vaith have never fallen. Current lord, Umbar Vaith. Current heir, Killian Vaith. They have sat on the council for a combined total of twenty-eight of the forty-three classifications and are one of the two families that have sat on that many Council in our modern history," Ava recited, "often considered one of the most powerful families in the world, the Vaith family holds strong connections in all of Elox, the Twins, and the elite living in Aeliz."

"Congratulations. You can tell me your house's history," Viv clapped a bit, "if the Vaiths are considered one of the most powerful families in the world, who else would be in the running for that title?"

"Ammyretts in Nefriti-"

"North Efriti. You are going to be speaking with nobles, who will not condone the usage of Nefriti or Safriti as terms. You cannot acknowledge the informal splitting of the continent without insulting half the Council," Viv scolded.

Ava rolled her eyes and continued, "The Ammyretts rival us in their access to money and natural resources. They capitalize on their forests, lakes, rivers, and access to the ocean to trade and boost their economy. Unspoken but well-known is their affiliation with traders and roamers so they make even more than reported. They hold influence in North Efriti and the lesser names and nonelites in Aeliz. Current lord, Jorgen Ammyrett. Current heir, James Ammyrett. They are not considered allies to my father and often oppose us on the Council. They are a newer house, sitting on seven councils and appointed to noble status twenty-one classifications ago. Better numbers than most other recent houses."

"You would consider them a recent house?"

"You wouldn't?"

"What makes a family name recent?" Viv clarified.

"Half of the age of Baethos."

"Half of forty-three is twenty-one and a half. It is debatable whether they would be considered a recent house or a legacy house. You would insult people by referring to them as a recent house.

"And I would insult others by implying they are a legacy house," Ava replied.

"Let's just avoid mention of it then. Who else rivals the Vaiths and Ammyretts in power?"

"Our ally. The El-Umandi family. Rivals us in power, influence, and in all the ways that Ammyretts do not. We rarely work against them, though. Their estate is in Aeliz but they own land and their roots are still in Dove Island. They are investors in the new technology emerging from the South of the Island. Before that, they made their money on agriculture and taxing tenants on their land. The Council entrusted them with leading Aeliz into civilization and was granted lordship over Aeliz' main islands. They moved from Dove Island about four classifications ago. They have been nobles since the beginning of Baethos, sat on the first Council, and have held a seat on the council for 17 classifications."

"Are they rich?"

"All nobles are rich," Ava pointed out but shrugged, "no, not as rich as other nobles on the Council. But money doesn't matter when they have all the power they can want. They hold influence in every single continent. They continued to sow their ties with South Efriti and The Twins even after they left Dove Island and began to grow close to North Efriti and Elox in their time since moving."

"Two, arguably three, legacy houses have been named. There is one more on the Council."

"Barthes," Ava smirked a bit, keeping up with Viv's questions and getting them right had her inspired a bit of pride in her, "like the Vaiths, the Barthes have been around since the uniting of Baethos. Our families sat together on the first Council. They have been a part of 26 of the 43 Councils formed. They hold little influence anywhere except The Twins. They are neither our allies nor our enemies. They keep to themselves, their gems, and their quarries and do not impede our influence in their Twin."

"Lord and heir?"

"Current lord, Allistair. Current heir, Clyde," Ava listed.

"Not bad, princess, you really did just need a few hours and a handful of books," Viv stood up, "we can pack it up for the night."

"Now? I have six more houses left to recite."

"And I don't really want to sit through six more. I believe you know it," Viv laughed and offered her a hand, "we'll pick it up in the morning."

Ava took Viv's hand and allowed herself to be pulled up, "I feel as if I am deserving of a special treat. Perhaps, some ravci or havcera if you have it on hand."

"No drugs for you until we get back from the Center," Viv said as she guided them out of the room, "and no more getting drunk either. This is your time to be free of anything that would fog up your mind."

"I have connections beyond just you, I can get drugs if I want. You might as well provide them to me so you can regulate what I take and how much," Ava tried her hand at some obvious manipulation.

"You don't have any connections that can provide you anything illicit because if you did, you would just go do it instead of threatening that you will," Viv laughed.

Ava huffed and then nudged Viv's shoulder with her own instead of providing a response. They were quiet on the short walk back to her room.

"But, if you are free of your annoying companions for the rest of the evening, perhaps I can entertain you in other ways," Viv suggested and Ava looked over with raised brows.

"Hm," she shrugged, "no thank you, I will pass."

Viv laughed and her mouth was slightly agape, "Why?"

"I don't want to," Ava shrugged, "I'm trying this thing where I have some self-respect and don't jump into bed with someone that admitted to using me for revenge on a shared ex-lover."

"You're still caught up on that?" Viv asked, "I said I was sorry."

"You didn't, actually," Ava stopped a dozen feet from the entrance of her room where Arnelo was standing guard outside. She turned to face Viv with a slightly challenging smile, "You said you had attempted to get to me to be able to apologize but you never actually got around to it."

"I suppose you're right," Viv acknowledged as she turned to Ava.

"Are you going to apologize?"

"Are you going to invite me in if I do?"

"No," Ava crossed her arms with a small smile.

"Then, I'll pass for now," Viv teased, a smirk of her own playing at the edge of her lips.

Ava closed her eyes and shook her head with a laugh, "Goodnight, Vivexa."

"Goodnight, Avery," Viv continued to mess with her.

Ava turned her back to Viv and walked the rest of the way to her room by herself. Arnelo had unlocked the door already and she opened it. Before she could step in, she heard Viv speak up again.

"Princess!" Viv shouted and Ava leaned back, peeking outside of her doorway to look at the spy, "I suppose I'm sorry. Is that good enough?"

Ava just laughed once again and didn't dignify her apology with a response. She walked into her room and promptly shut the door.

—------

Ava was laying across the floor in the library with Viv arguing with people at the entrance to the room. The two people were the only two that cared enough to rescue her. Mallory and Oceane were begging for her release but Viv was not giving in. They were three suns away from leaving for the Center. Her mother had been packing for her and had taken over her room for the past few suns.

So, she was confined to the prisons of the library, and Viv– as always– was her jailer. They had been studying and reviewing for hours on end every sun. At that point, Ava had learned everything her father had requested and more. They were in their review stage and Viv had a sinister process for making sure she knew the answers to things. It was a tally system and if she messed up one question, the tallies would reset for it. She needed five taillies on a question to consider it to be learned well enough.

She had not gotten five tallies on anything though, not because of lack of knowledge but because it seemed impossible to push through with brain mush.

"You denied me an escape," Ava turned onto her stomach and looked up to see Viv walking back toward her, "I can't do anymore."

"Quit whining. You will thank me when you are able to hold your own in a room full of politicians," Viv sat down in front of where Ava had thrown herself on the floor, "who are the Eloxian nobles on The Council?"

"No! I got my five tallies for your who-belongs-where questions."

"You told me El-Umandi was a noble from Dove Island. Reset."

"No!" Ava rolled onto her back with a huff, "I got tripped up. I know they are Aelizan!"

"Who else is from Aeliz?"

"Qualite. Originally from North Efriti, moved to the second largest island in Aeliz fifteen classifications ago," Ava recited.

"Spare me the details. Those will be covered as their own questions," Viv hummed.

"Tally me!" Ava demanded, not lowering her voice or hiding her distaste for her situation, "Tally me on all of those questions."

Viv simply laughed, "Eloxains."

"Vaiths. Scouts."

"Dove Island?"

"Oglebur. Bric'tea. Both from the North."

"Place the last four."

"Ammyrett and Sevar, North Efriti. Krim and Barthes, The Twins, different ones."

"Why?"

Ava rolled her eyes, "Any child with a history book could answer that."

"Good. So you'll be able to too," Viv challenged, "why are the Council members from the Twins usually from each twin rather than both from one? Efriti and Dove Island only have their council members come from one region."

"Because it is an unspoken rule in The Twins that noble houses elected to The Council should be from different twins to best represent their interests," Ava recalled with a slight sigh and kept speaking, "which has done the opposite of unite The Twins. They aren't bitter enemies this classification, both nobles from there are amicable enough but they do not work together. Which is important because it means when we are passing our policies, we cannot guarantee that they will follow each other in their votes."

"Which can be expected of which houses?"

"Dovish nobles. Bric'tea and Oglebur fall in line with each other most of the time. They are both from the North and will do whatever they can to make sure they don't advantage the South too much or too little. We get one, we get the other."

"And will you be able to?"

"Aye-"

"Cut that word out of your vocabulary. It slips out when you are in the heat of the moment sometimes," Viv snapped and then motioned for Ava to continue.

"Yes. They will agree to these reforms because they have already shown they are willing to implement them. Reforms are limited in their scope which will make the North happy but they are reforms nonetheless which will make the South happy. We will get both of them."

"How many do you need to pass a permanent policy?"

Ava rolled her eyes once again at the simple question. One she had known since probably before she could even talk. The magic number.

"Seven for permanent. Five for temporary. We cannot guarantee it but we can most likely count on the five votes that already agreed to a temporary policy to make up the part of the seven we need. Ammyretts and Krim will be the hardest to sell but Ammyrett will be likely to come around because Jona and Krim can be bought. Sevars, Barthes, and Qualite will likely not say yes under any circumstance. They have already vocally opposed these policies. Our focus should be on convincing all of them but Ammyrett and Krim are the opposers that we can sway."

Viv nodded and looked down at her paper with a slight smile.

"Tally me up!" Ava sat up and looked at Viv, "I should see your hand moving all across the page and checking off those questions."

"I'm tallying. Relax," Viv laughed and held out her leg, keeping Ava far away as she tried to come closer.

"Can I go now?"

"What is the most important thing about this trip to The Center?" Viv asked, looking up from her task.

Ava titled her hand, "Haven't heard that one before."

"Humor me. I want to know. This is my question, not your father's."

Ava tilted her head as she thought through the possible answers. She didn't see the point of it but it was a good moment to take a pause and introspect. She had often been so focused on other things– long-term goals, misery, surviving under her father's eye– that she forgot the simpler question. Simpler didn't mean easier to answer.

"The most important thing about this trip to The Center is obtaining my father's trust and confidence in handling political matters," Ava said, slowly and carefully. She was still thinking as she answered. She shrugged, "and to undermine Killian's ability and spoil my father's confidence in him more than it already has."

Viv nodded.

"Was that the right answer?"

"There were no right answers. Just wanted to see what you'd say," Viv looked back at the paper.

"But there was a reason. There was a response that you preferred to hear from me."

Viv looked at Ava as she began to stand up. She just shrugged instead of answering the assumption.

"Let me see my tallies," Ava held out her hand.

"Better to keep you on your toes," Viv stood up and tucked the papers into her coat, "Come on. I need to escort you into your room, princess. No roaming around on your own tonight."

"Are you going to try and come in again tonight?" Ava teased.

"No," Viv chuckled, "Arnie's off for the night and we don't want anyone else hearing what goes on behind closed doors."

"Nothing goes on behind closed doors. If I am remembering correctly, I have been rejecting you for a cycle."

"You are not remembering correctly. You stopped coming onto me a cycle ago. I made one suggestion the other night and you said you were not in the mood," Viv put her hand on Ava's lower back as she guided them out of the room.

"I said no. Outright rejection. I was in the mood. I just didn't need or want you. In fact, my hand kept me great company," Ava boasted.

"I am only letting you get away with your teasing because it is my form of apologizing for what I said that night I made you upset."

"What a heartfelt apology, every attempt you have made has been genuine and believable," Ava chuckled a bit then looked over and her smile fell a bit, "did you mean it? Is that the only reason for this? You are using me for your ego?"

"You would prefer I say I'm using you for your body?" Viv tried to joke.

"Absolutely. That is what I am doing with you. But it doesn't mean I am also not your friend."

"Why do you insist on sustaining a positive relationship with me outside of work and my duties? You have established with me before that I am a bad person. You are friends with bad people?"

Ava shrugged, "There is something about you that intrigues me. I feel like you say nothing is good to you but I think there is."

"Theo seemed to think the same and look where that got her," Viv stopped walking and faced Ava.

"If I were in your position, I would take the trust and run with it," Ava laughed a bit, "it is almost like you are upset for me because you want to protect my feelings. Which means you enjoy me as more than a promise of upward mobility."

"What I said that night wasn't entirely false. It has crossed my mind. It was a bit of my initial motivation for even being suggestive toward that. But then I realized you were good and then it became about using you for your body. Is that better?" Viv confessed and looked over at Ava who narrowed her eyes, slightly upset. Viv laughed, "What? I was being honest. Earning your trust rather than taking it for granted."

Ava cracked a smile and shook her head then kept walking. Viv followed without a word. When they arrived at her apartments and at the door of her chambers, another guard that wasn't Arnelo was on duty and she turned to Viv before entering.

"I need your help figuring out what I'm going to be wearing to The Center now that my mother has finished packing, I can bring the things she left out that I wanted. Want to help me?"

"Sure, my Lady," Viv nodded and kept any sort of tone or flirting to a minimum.

They both knew what the invitation meant and it didn't take long after they stepped inside for the night to heat up.

"Do not make a sound," Viv whispered as she picked Ava up and began carrying her to the bed.

—------

"What are the words that rest on the Qualite crest, Killian?" her father interrogated.

"Tides control us," he replied.

"Tides cont-" their father scoffed and turned around in a frustrated huff and marched to the window, taking a second to stare at it.

Ava looked up from the paper she was working on– the agenda for The Center meetings– and watched as the interaction unfolded. She had become a silent observer in many heated arguments between the two heads of her family name.

"Hold old are you, Killian?"

"Nineteen, sir."

"You were born at the turn of the classification. For the entirety of your life, you have only known a configuration of The Council where the Qualite family is a part of it. You have had nineteen lengths to learn what is on their crests and you stand in front of me telling me that 'Tides control us' is their phrase?"

"They are on an island. I just assume-"

"Avery, do you happen to know the words that are on the crest of the Qualite family?"

"Derive strength from family," Ava recited, trying to keep the smugness out of her voice to avoid making Killian angrier than he already looked.

"She is younger than you. Has had far fewer opportunities for political education. Has had only one person reviewing with her for the trip to The Center and she can name the words of the Qualites correctly and without hesitation," he finally turned from the window and raised an eyebrow, "tell me, Killian, do you understand why your suggestion to corner the Qualite heir and get him on our side is not only ridiculous but counterintuitive and dangerous for us?"

"Because Qualites won't turn on family," Killian argued, "but neither would the Ammyretts and we are working with Jona."

"Avery, do you have as little of a grasp on why asking the Qualite heir to undermine and manipulate his father into a favorable vote on our agenda items proves to be a problem and why we can attempt it with the Ammyretts instead?"

"Approaching the Qualites with a suggestion like that undermines our credibility and integrity as a long-standing house. It shows our hands as meddlers– which we are but that is not what we want to display," Ava spoke and shrugged a bit, "It's a risk, but Killian's suggestion could work for our allies that are on the fence or for our enemies if we had anything to offer that could be of interest to them. But the Qualites are neither our allies nor need anything we can offer. On top of that, their house lives by their rule, and that rule is to protect and stand by family."

"You speak too much," Killian couldn't help himself and she could tell from his eyes that he was not in control of his words. His worst impulses always slipped out of him even if it meant more disappointment from their father.

"I suppose I did show off a bit. Apologies, my Lord," Ava teased a bit and looked back down at her agenda.

"Sir, I understand it may take me a bit longer to understand politics. As your third-born son, you were happy to send me off so mother could parade me around court. I specialized in socializing and ask that you give me a bit more time to learn," he took a step toward the front of the desk.

"There is no time. We leave for the Center tomorrow and you cannot even get the crests of Councilmembers right," he shook his head, "your brothers were more skilled with a sword and a ship than politics and they managed to hold their own at Council."

Even as he was berating his son, his tone was calm but still conveyed a deep disappointment.

"When Avery proposes things you don't approve of, you don't treat her this way. It is unfair! I am the heir to your seat and she is a renouncer who enjoyed the company of pirates,"

"In the cycles since your sister has been back, rebellious activity and reports of arrests of rebels in cells have gone down. People are pulling away from their ranks. She may have a few ideas that won't work but she has given me something to work with. I suggest you stop bringing her into this because she is leagues ahead of your buffoonery. I want you to meet with your tutors and go over crests and phrases."

Killian went to sit down but his father shook his head.

"Now."

Killian frowned and got up then left. Ava watched him go then looked back at her father.

"He gets quite upset when you compare us. It doesn't seem to be working," she pointed out.

"And if I don't compare and I am just rude to him, he still doesn't learn. And if I were nice to him and coddled him like your mother has done his whole life, he wouldn't learn," he took a seat with a slight sigh, "I didn't think a length ago that this would be my position."

"Begrudgingly listening to your radical ex-pirate daughter on matters of politics because all your other heirs are gone or incompetent?" Ava hummed.

He pointed to her paper without answering, "Have you figured out the agenda yet?"

"No," Ava rubbed her eyes, "I don't want to put the critical items last because they will be tired of giving in to our proposals. I can't put them first because it's too much, too quickly. It's just a matter of where in the middle they will go."

He nodded a bit but forwent giving his input.

"Speaking of ideas you might not be fond of," Ava set her agenda making items aside, "I want to add a discussion on policies regarding religion and language to the agenda."

"You have proposed this already and you know my answer."

"We can put it on the agenda in between critical policies. Get their vetos out of the their system so they don't waste it on something we need to pass," Ava strategized.

"I do not need to be seen as the man who also suggests we visit religion and language in our reform. That is a new level of radical. I may not believe in other restrictive policies I defend but religion is a farce and language divides rather than unites," he asserted, making his position clear. But Ava was clear on it before she proposed it, she did not expect it to pass.

"Put it on the agenda and say you don't agree with the policies but some on the council would maybe like to argue in favor of it and you want everyone to have ample opportunity to present their own reforms for consideration," Ava shrugged, knowing how El-Umandi and Sevar felt about the topics "and when word eventually leaks of what happened inside the meeting, you can appear as a rational and fair actor. Establish allies and trust in the case that when the Council has formed again in a length's time, we have no existing relationship with any of the new members."

"I will be arguing against it," he reaffirmed.

"I expect you to," Ava smiled as the plan she had made in her head that morning paid off. If it was on the agenda and it was outright rejected, it gave the revolution more of an argument that Baethos didn't actually care for them it was all for show. She wanted to start putting fail safes in place to undo the harm to the revolution that reforms could do to people not willing to risk the safety they feel from reforms to take up a fight against The Center.

Of course, she had spoken to no one about revolution except for Oceane and together they weren't entirely the best revolutionary strategists. They didn't have a Cooker, or a Theo, or a Brandon to guide them in their thinking. The plan might not have been important in the long run but it served as further affirmation that she was getting better at lying to her father, getting better at framing her goals as beneficial to him.

He stood up and held his hand out for her agenda and she complied, giving it to him.

"I will look over what you have and return my notes to you before the journey begins tomorrow. You can work on the agenda the rest of the way there," he took a cursory glance at the work she had done then put the paper away, "I am sure you are well aware of the importance of this agenda. I do not need to go through it with you the way I did with Killian, correct?"

Ava nodded. She did understand the importance of it. Every half a length when the Council got together, one member would be in charge of the agenda. This meant that once every five lengths a Council member would get to lead the discussion, suggestions for policies, and address their personal goals and ambitions. Which meant that each member only gets four chances a classification to put their full weight behind change for their house, their constituents, and their continent.

It was the Vaiths turn to run Council and Ava's father had chosen her to make the agenda.

As if having to organize their own personal ambitions into a neat list of items and policies wasn't hard enough, she had to field the requests of other council members. Waiting for five lengths for an opportunity to do something a member wanted was unreasonable, pressing issues from other members were added to the agenda if a letter was sent to the Vaith estate requesting an item to be added to their list.

She had been working on it for three full suns and hadn't made much progress aside from ruling out a thousand combinations. She would have to focus the whole carriage ride to The Center on getting it absolutely perfect. Her father left the room, leaving her alone inside. She took a moment to lean back in her chair and look at the high ceilings and let her mind drift into nothing for a bit.

A knock outside from Arnelo asking if she was okay brought her back to reality and she stood up, ready to get to bed. It would be an early morning and a long ride.

—---

"I want you to come with me," Ava said to Oceane as she tightened the laces on her dress.

"I would rather die than go to The Center, no offense, Red," Oceane replied, "I do want to go with you but I am kind of glad it's not allowed."

Ava turned around and pulled Oceane into what felt like the fourth hug that hour, "You spoiled me with your friendship. Now, I'm going to be all alone with a monster as my escort."

"It's not all bad, you are sleeping with her so at least there is some fun involved," Oceane noted as she adjusted a clip in Ava's hair. It had grown out enough to where her mother said she didn't need a wig if she wasn't going to officially see anyone on family business, "She has been somewhat nicer in the past few cycles. Is that your doing?"

"I think she just feels bad that she upset me a while ago."

"How'd she do that?"

"Said she was sleeping with me to be able to say she fucked one of Theo's lovers or something like that. Revenge and ego and all that," Ava frowned a bit.

Oceane inhaled through her teeth, "That hurts."

Ava laughed, "Aye, I'm aware. It was me that it was directed at."

"And you still kept sleeping with her?" Oceane raised an eyebrow, "no judgment. Just feel like there is a reason you don't ever talk about that part of your life and maybe it's not worth the way it makes you feel."

"I stopped things with her then let it happen again so that is almost worse," Ava laughed a bit, "but I don't care that she doesn't see me as anything except a physical "relationship" and she says shitty things and has complicated feelings toward Theo. She is a source of stress relief and normalcy and the outside that I get from no one except you and I don't foresee us having sex anytime soon."

Oceane laughed and grabbed Ava's face, bringing her forward and smashing their lips together. She pulled away and tilted her head, smacking her lips together before shaking her head, "Aye, doesn't seem like it's going to happen ever."

Ava wiped her mouth and shoved Oceane slightly, a laugh bubbling out of her chest, "I am being so careful in every aspect of my life and falling in line that I need a bit of risk. Even if it's true and I'm patching up her bruised ego after Theo, I am using her because she is a good bad choice."

Oceane shrugged with a small smile, "That is so very not healthy and I would advise against whatever fucked up dynamic is going on between you two but I know you won't listen. Just be careful."

"You say this all the time. I always have the same answer. I don't trust her so I am always careful," Ava reached forward and grabbed Oceane's face the same way it had been done to her. She pulled them back together but only touched their foreheads together, "take care of my sister, and make sure she takes care of you. Stay out of my brother and mother's sight. I cannot have something happen to you in their direction when I am not here to stop it."

"Go. If you are late, everyone will be upset. The carriage awaits," Oceane smiled and put her hands over Ava's, "Mallory and I will be in good hands."

Ava nodded and backed away with a slight sigh, "And so my sentence begins."

When she crossed the threshold of her room, Arnelo reached forward and closed the door and she was forced to begin her trek to her vehicle.

—----

The warmer months had come and gone and the cold had begun to settle. Looking around the wheelhouse she was in, she saw it wasn't really fit for the cold winds that had come in from the ocean. Even though The Center was further south than Aubermasse, it was somehow colder closer to The Center. She would attribute it to the stone and coldness of the city but the road was colder. Perhaps there was a god that had cursed the route.

She was distracted by looking out of the window, the agenda in need of finals touches was forgotten in her lap. She was trying to catch small glimpses of the ocean as they rode through the cliffs on the route. She missed it, there was a time when it was all that surrounded her and the night sky was lit by stars and the air was heavy and fresh.

"You think they decided to not stop at all because we were attacked last time?" Ava asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know who attacked us? No one ever told me."

"Bandits looking for a nice payout on a ransom," Viv looked up from her book, "Why is it important?"

"It's not," Ava looked back out the window and took a deep breath, expanding her chest and exhaling with a sigh as she slumped back.

"Is riding around in luxury exhausting for you, princess?"

"What is your goal for me for The Center?" Ava asked instead.

Viv sent a blank stare her way and two blinks with no answer. She didn't understand the question.

"You asked me first. You asked what my goal for my time at The Center was. What was important," Ava reminded her.

"That was suns ago."

"Yes, but you were fishing for something and I want to know."

Viv shut her book, "I was just asking you a question."

"You seemed pleased at my answer."

"I was pleased with your answer."

"Why?"

"You answered that you want to undermine your brother and continue to gain your father's trust. Means that reforms and do-goodery isn't the first thing on your mind anymore. It's asserting your place in the family past reforms. It's power-based goal. Refreshing to see you coming around," Viv said as she looked back down at her book; assuming the conversation has finished.

"You are projecting your aspirations onto me. I am not seeking out a higher role in my family, I am content where I am," she didn't drop the topic.

"He is going to make you his successor," Viv flipped back to the page she was on, "whether you want it or not, the title of heir will be passed to you and you need to be ready when it happens."

"And you're going to kill my brother to make it a reality?"

"Won't need to," Viv didn't look up as her eyes scanned the page to confirm it was where she left off. She met Ava's stare once she has located her last spot, "Killian is hopeless and your father has realized it. All I need are to sit in on a few meetings a cycle and that much is abundantly clear."

Ava didn't push the matter any further. She just shrugged and looked back out to the cliffside. She still thought Viv was being too ambitious with her predictions but it was more possible than she had thought it was cycles before. Legally, there was a way for her ascension to heir. With a permanent policy passed, that would clear the way even more.

While she was thinking of the benefits it could bring when the revolution finally decided to act, it terrified her. Her gut was in knots at the thought of having that much power and that much pressure on her. It wasn't like she could voice that concern to Viv. Her eyes had been on the success and security of power for so long, Ava doubted she could empathize.

Ava sighed to herself and out of the corner of her eyes she saw Viv glance over and then roll her eyes with a slight smile. Instead of bothering her companion some more, she went back to tackling the seemingly impossible task that the agenda was proving to be.

Except it had gotten boring and the excitement over the honor of making something so important had waned. All she felt toward the duty at that moment was resentment and desperation. She just wanted to finish it but it was proving unlikely. She was stuck in a stalemate with no right answer for the last slots on the agenda.

She needed a distraction. Ava organized her pages before putting them aside. She got up from her cushioned benches and crouched through the wheelhouse until she was sitting next to Viv. Ava slid in close to her and peeked over her shoulder to read the book.

From the few sentences she read, there was nothing to indicate the quality of the book or what it was about. It was shut and Ava was looking at a blank cover.

"When do you draw?"

"When I want to."

"I've only seen you do it once yet you have many sketchbooks."

Viv looked over at her, "I don't have much free or idle time on my hands lately."

"Hm," Ava reached over and grabbed the book, pulling it away and putting it aside, "are you trying to blame me?"

"I am," Viv frowned as her item was taken from her and she reached over to grab it back but Ava stopped her.

Her hand was on Viv's chest and she pushed her back gently and then climbed into her lap. Ava leaned in for a kiss but Viv turned her head away.

"Get off," Viv said.

Ava pulled her head back and she felt physically taken aback. She scoffed a bit, not moving.

"Avery, I said get off. This can't happen outside of the estate."

Ava's hips her grabbed and in a swift maneuver, she was pushed off Viv and set back on the floor. She took a few steps back until she fell back onto a seat.

"No one can see us. Privacy is the point of wheelhouses and why we aren't transported in carts like everyone else. It's the one perk about all of this," Ava argued, not understanding the issue when last night Viv was more than happy to be in her bed.

"I run the game of whispers and eyes back at Aubermasse. At The Center with ten other houses and hundreds of spies, not so much. If so much as a suspicion of us being too close makes its rounds and then rumors begin, that is my head and your future," Viv replied, opening her book with scrunched brows and a rigid back.

"How can you just play along with their games and their rules and not be bothered?

"I am bothered but you know what? I like being alive more than I dislike being bothered. So I guess it works out," Viv's frustration was growing and Ava almost enjoyed it.

When Viv acted like this toward her, she couldn't help but antagonize her in ways she knew would bother the spy. Question, question, question. Putting her behavior and her choices in front of her and making her justify and explain. The more Viv pushed back against talking about herself and her intention, and the more worked up she got, the more Ava's desire to keep pushing was fueled.

Oceane was right, whatever dynamic they had was fucked up and she probably would be better off stepping away but she was conforming in every aspect of her life, it was still about rebellion with Viv. She couldn't help but add kindle to the fire even if it meant she was choked by the smoke.

So she made the flames bigger.

"I refuse to be ashamed as easily as you are," Ava retorted, continuing a conversation Viv had clearly tried to exit many times.

"I am not ashamed. I just value my life and my reputation. I could give less a fuck what they think of me or what they think of renouncers. I am not ashamed of it but I am scared. Because only a senseless person wouldn't be," Viv snapped and Ava watched as her jaw clenched and her face turned cold and angry.

"I am not senseless," Ava said and it was all she could manage to think of.

Viv shook her head and went back to looking at her book, "You should probably start being seen with your father a lot more. I am invisible when we are here. We adequately prepared you in time so you won't need to review before we get there. When we stop next, switch to ride in his wheelhouse."

"You're a cunt," Ava found herself saying and she didn't know she had it in her or why she had said it. It was her own fault for expecting more of Viv and her fault for pushing but her statement still stood.

Viv laughed a bit and shook her head but she paid Ava no more mind and Ava was forced to retreat back to agenda setting.

—-----

The agenda had been made, discussed, and approved shortly after Ava's switch to her father's wheelhouse and she had been doing nothing else productive for a few suns. They were almost at The Center, the trip being cut in half without needing to stop to camp. Ava had just woken up from a nap, resting against a wall of pillows she had created between her and the wall.

Her eyes opened a few minutes before but she hadn't moved yet. She was a bit groggy, with the suns blending together she hadn't been sleeping as much as taking small naps throughout the sun. Her father had been asleep when she had started her nap but now he was awake, looking out the window.

They were alone, Killian had left in the early morning to the other wheelhouse to review with Viv. Ava was kind of relieved he was gone. Not because he was unpleasant– he was but that was not why she felt lighter. It had been somewhat torture to sit and watch the endless tension flare in conversation after conversation between her brother and her father.

She has assumed that by the tenth time her father had humiliated Killina verbally, degraded him, questioned his intelligence, and told him he understood nothing that Killian would have given up but he didn't. He had proposed ideas, reintroduced ones he had proposed before, and gave his opinion but nothing was well-received by her father.

They were ideas that were stuck in the past. Fear-mongering, making examples out of whole villages, going after traders. Their father had explained time after time why it wasn't their approach at that moment and then she would be dragged into it, called names, and blamed for her father's choices. And even after being insulted, even after what he had tried to do, even after his tormenting of her she couldn't help but feel bad.

She had watched him for hours on end during their trip striving for their father's approval and failing. Each comment one step further from respect. There was a loud desperate call for attention and acceptance in his actions and their father only met him with collected words that burned. Cool when leaving his lips and scalding to whoever received them. She knew she had been lucky enough to pick up on some of her father's nuances. The only time she had felt the way Killian had, clawing at anything trying to keep herself from sobbing in his presence, was when she killed Ivon.

Now, she watched from the corner of the wheelhouse as her brother was knocked down time after time. That sun, however, there was a respite from the degradation of Killian's pride. He had been sent to be tutored and they had sent the time in silence. He seemed sad and she wasn't sure why. If he wasn't sleeping, he had been looking out the window.

"How long are we from The Complex?" Ava asked, finally sitting up and stretching her neck from side to side.

He broke his empty stare out of the window and turned to face her with a small smile, "We should be there by this time tomorrow."

"If I may ask, are you alright?" Ava tilted her head, "you do not seem to be present this sun."

He took a sharp breath in and looked back out the window, Ava had never seen him as vulnerable. He was usually a brick wall, unable to read and unmoving. At that moment, his emotions seemed fragile and Ava didn't understand what had changed in such a short amount of time.

"I find myself stuck in the past quite often these suns," he admitted without looking over and she watched as a frown overtook his face, "there was a time– believe it or not– when the suns were not so bleak and waking up in the morning was not so hard."

"If that is how you feel about our lives, you hide it a lot better than I do," Ava teased; his frown softened but it was still there.

"Forgive me," he looked back over, "the burdens of a father should not fall on his daughter."

"Sometimes I wonder if you are human," Ava admitted, "you are so efficient and direct that I wonder if you feel the same way we all do. Hearing you are affected by the same things we all are releases a burden from my chest rather than adds to it. It lessens the pressure on me to be more than human."

She watched as his shoulder jumped with a small chuckle and a shake of his head.

"I am rarely sentimental but there are some hallmarks of the length that get me emotional, disconnected. I try not to dwell on them but it is hard."

"What is today?"

"Marta's commencement anniversary," his frown overtook his expression once again and if the wheelhouse had a bit more light, she would have sworn he looked ready to cry.

"You still love her?"

"She was taken me too soon. I will always love her. There wasn't another like her. She was kind, compassionate, and not willing to give in to tradition just because. She pushed me to be a better ruler and leader. She was an excellent mother too. She did a better job than I did raising them," he admitted but it was like he was talking to himself instead of Ava. As if his conversation was between him and her ghost and he was honoring her.

"How long after Marta died did you marry my mother?"

"Half a length," he said, almost in a whisper, "I had taken my father's title after his retirement but he was not ever far. I had him as my advisor whether I wanted to or not and he arranged it. Resentment between North and South Elox at the turn of the last classification was brewing. Their nobles' houses raked in fewer taxes than usual because their harvest was ruined by insects and fires for several consecutive lengths and he thought marriage to a Southern noble would ease tensions."

"Did it?"

"Enough, but not any more than any other method of reconciliation and aid we could have tried," he shook his head, "I dishonored her and what she meant to me. I listened to my father when I should not have."

They were silent before he laughed a bit, no joy behind it.

"But then again, if I had not remarried I would not have any heirs left."

"I am sorry you lost both of your sons," Ava said and while she was glad both of them were dead, she knew that it couldn't have been easy for her father. And while she knew she shouldn't have felt sorry for him, her heart tugged as she thought about how heartbreaking it must have been for him to find out he had lost both of his eldest sons.

"I am too."

"I didn't know them very well. Was Ulysses good at politics?"

"Better than Killian," he nodded with a slight smile, "they were similar in their ideas. Ulises was also keen on violence. It was effective, it shut down dissent, people understood it and he knew that. He understood the consequences yet preferred to take that route most times. He understood the importance of diplomacy and could engage in it during the times I dragged him back to The Center to be with me through meetings but it was not what he wanted. Still, he exhibited restraint."

"I saw what you call restraint," Ava crossed her arms a bit, remembering what Theo looked like as she was chained up and bloodied, "he was a monster."

"Not any more than the rest of us, he just didn't feel shame about it," he noted.

"And Grant?"

"Grant was more charming, more charismatic. He was only good at the political game accidentally. He rarely had an understanding of what he was doing or why, he just had a way with words. He was the best military commander we have seen in a generation, even better than your grandfather, and yet didn't always favor violence," he admired then looked up at Ava, "he used to frustrate me but I would take back all my lectures if I could. He doesn't hold a candle to how Killian makes me feel."

"You are very harsh on him,"

"He is a privileged, unknowing fool. Your mother spoiled him and made him think he is better than all around him. That is not a trait the others lacked but at least they had the talent to back up their arrogance," he scoffed a bit, visibly growing more upset the more he thought about it, "he is not competent enough to take on my seat."

Ava raised an eyebrow, "Wesley is only half a length younger than Killian. Will you begin to take him under your wing?"

Her father shook his head, "There is a reason I sent him and the twins to Aeliz for court. Wesley may be your age but he is no smarter or more engaged with reality than his brothers six lengths younger than him."

"That rules out all your male heirs," Ava pointed out.

"It does," he nodded.

"I suppose maybe we will just have to see if Killian fares any better once the pressure of the meetings is upon him," Ava encouraged, trying to pick up his somber mood.

"Only time will tell."

She watched as for the first time ever, she didn't see the immediate recovery of a blank face. She saw someone hurt, in pain, and faced with the reality of his future. A person sad about their stroll down their past memories of someone they once loved now lost to time. Then, something clicked. He was human. He was not unbeatable. He was not infallible. He had grown to trust her somewhat enough to speak to her about personal matters.

And in a time of hurt for him, she realized what Viv had been saying all along. The rise to power was possible. A world where nobles did not rule was possible. There was an opening in her family, a unique once-in-eight-hundred-length power imbalance she had the opportunity to fill. She was close to the top but she could get closer. She had manipulated and played with the strings until she had accidentally enveloped herself in a web of trust.

She had an opportunity, perhaps even bigger than she had ever realized. If she was heir, she could command and influence. She could shift tides in favor of revolution with sabotage to the highest government in the land. It felt sinister, to be so elated with a man deep in sorrow in front of her. But she remembered Theo's pain at losing her family, Cooker's abandonment, Navi's town, and Oceane's father. All of those people were affected by him, directly or indirectly.

She was going to be heir but only to get what she truly wanted. She was going to take things down from the very top. And she was going to find a way to get Theo to come around to help.