Phoenix thundered down the steps with Maverick in her wake, both arriving at the door as Claire and Norman entered.

"I have to talk to you," Phoenix said before either of them could open their mouths to speak. "I saw Eric today and--and I need you to tell me about Bainon."

Claire's brows arched and Norman grimaced. Instead of brushing her off as they always did, Claire nodded and gestured toward the seating area of their main room.

"Now might be as good of a time as ever," Claire said with an uneasy glance at Norman. "I must admit, Eric's return - as Commander, no less - has cause me pause."

"How so?" Mav asked, sitting with Phoenix on the couch while Claire and Norman chose a hard backed chair on the opposite side.

"How much have I told you about my life?" Claire asked. Maverick jerked his thumb to Phoenix, knowing she'd remember everything.

The question seemed odd, but Phoenix answered. "You're the only sister of Tarvril and Bainon Tremaine. When Bainon murdered Tarvril, Dad snuck you out of the castle and the two of you fled to Treywick." Phoenix glanced at Maverick, who nodded.

"Norman told you all of that. How much have I told you?" Claire asked again.

Phoenix frowned. "Well, all of that. Dad only knows it because it's your story."

Claire fidgeted in her seat. "That's not exactly true."

"Yes it is!" Phoenix straightened and puffed her chest out. "I would have known if you were lying."

"It's not that I was lying. It's that...it's more complicated than that." She glanced at Norman, who stared down at his hands, his brows furrowed.

Phoenix could feel the distance between her parents, like the space between them thickened, presented a wall that couldn't be crossed. Her heart quickened as she tried to swallow her panic. What's happening?

"What's wrong?" Maverick asked, eyes darting between his parents.

"Your mother has confessed a few things this evening to our...meeting...that were beforehand unknown to me." Norman's jaw clenched as he shot a frown at his wife. "Until tonight, I believed everything I told you two to be the whole story."

Everyone turned to Claire, who let out a sigh as she brushed a few stray wisps of brown hair back up toward her bun. "Tarvril was a good man, and a good brother. I loved him very much, but...he didn't have the skill to be king.

"When our father died, Tarvril was seated on the throne. It's not that he lacked intellect or strength, but," Claire shifted in her seat, her face scrunching as she struggled for the right words, "he lacked compassion."

"Compassion," Phoenix repeated, gaze narrowing. "What do you mean?"

"You have to understand, he was always so strong - a skilled warrior. But we were in a time of peace, and Tarvril was young and antsy. He wanted to be doing something. It was all Bainon or I could do to keep him from starting a war with the other lands. He wanted to start with Opea and conquer out from there. When people were brought before him for treason or other misdeeds, he dealt with them in the most severe fashion.

"Most of the laws passed in that time were passed because Bainon saw them through. Bainon kept things moving behind the scenes while Tarvril talked of war. I don't know where Narissa came from, or how she got a hold of Bainon, but she poisoned him against Tarvril. She whispered lies on his left while I tried to keep him grounded on his right. But he only got worse. Feeling more and more resentful for all he had to do while Tarvril planned his battle strategies."

"And so Bainon killed Tarvril," Maverick said. "Does it matter why he did it?"

"It does. Bainon would have been a great king," Claire said." He already was a great king acting on Tarvril's behalf. But Narissa darkened his heart, and he was willing to kill his own brother to usurp the throne."

"It doesn't really make it any different," Phoenix said. "Bainon still killed Tarvril and he's still a bad king."

"No. Narissa is the wicked one. But there's more." Claire sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes. "I didn't have to escape. Bainon never threatened me or Norman. He wanted me to stay, but I couldn't - not after what happened. I chose to leave."

"And?" Norman said, his lips pursed. "Tell them the rest."

"It wasn't a bloody coup. Tarvril died, yes, but very few others stood in his defense. It really was a rather peaceful event."

Phoenix blinked, unable to believe her ears, even as her gift told her it was true. "And the Guardians? How did they die?"

Claire closed her eyes. She'd never spoken of the Guardians. Neither her nor Norman had given Phoenix much information. Everything she'd learned over the years had been from rumors about town and from books that hadn't been locked away.

"Tarvril killed the Guardians."

"What?" Phoenix stood, fists clenched at her sides. Norman winced and Maverick paled. "How is that even possible?"

"A Guardian's role is to protect Braskey. They are Guardians of the earth and land as Ancients guard from the sky." Claire didn't look at Phoenix as she spoke. "They saw Tarvril's treatment of his subjects, even through Bainon's attempts to soften them."

"They knew going to war would be the end of Braskey," Norman said, his words harsh as he stared at his hands. Phoenix could tell this was all still new information. "The day Bainon planned his coup, Tarvril ordered his guards to put the Guardians to death in their sleep."

Everything Phoenix had ever believed - everything she'd ever been taught - had been a lie. A lie she couldn't detect. "Tarvril had them killed?"

"They were forming a rebellion. They started the Militia, and they wouldn't allow Braskey to go to war. I do think some of them tried to stop Bainon, and perhaps that was how they met their end, but I couldn't be sure." Claire shook her head. 

"Why did you lie for so long?" Phoenix asked. "Everything you've trained us for - everything we've been taught. It's all wrong. Eric's right."

"No." Claire leaned forward, reaching for Phoenix, but she pulled away. "You have to understand. These are my brothers. Bainon killed Tarvril.  I loved Tarvril, faults and all, just as I love...loved Bainon. His murder was still murder, and Bainon and Narissa still must be stopped."

Maverick spoke before Phoenix could. "You've prepared me my entire life to take the throne from Bainon based off a lie." He stood. Now the two children towered over their seated parents. "You expect me to go through with it now?"

"Narissa has had nineteen years to poison Bainon against any reason," Claire said. "And things are getting worse. It may not appear so on the surface, but we just returned from a meeting where there's word that the Militia's leader has learned of a plan to execute any families found disloyal to the throne."

"I don't care." Maverick shook his head. "You can't force this on me."

"Maverick, you're the only heir--"

"No, he isn't." Phoenix cut across Norman's words. "Finny told me today that there might be another."

"If Bainon had a child, I think we might have heard of it," Norman said. 

"Not Bainon. Tarvril." Phoenix folded her arms. "His wife disappeared. It's possible she could have been pregnant and fled. Or do you know something about that, too?" She turned to Claire, who shook her head.

"I don't. Not for certain, but-"

"But what?" Phoenix asked.

"It is possible. She could have been pregnant. It's been so long, there's no way for me to remember." Claire shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Maverick is the only known heir, and we have to stop what's coming."

"Why? If we just decide to be loyal to the crown, we won't be in danger!" Phoenix cried. "It's not like it matters, does it? Tarvril killed people disloyal to him!"

"Yes, but Narissa--"

"Has done nothing!" Phoenix's shout echoed through the dark house. "Everything you've said has been a lie, and as far as I'm aware, nothing is all that bad if we really think about it."

"It could be." Norman kept his voice low. "We're lucky to live so far west. In the east, they are much stricter. There are curfews, hefty punishments, regular executions. Not to mention, the Militia believes that - if Bainon can rid Braskey of them, he'll go to war with Kyleria."

"What?" Phoenix and Maverick said together.

"But you just said Bainon was the one trying to talk Tarvril out of war with the other lands." Maverick frowned at them, returning to his seat. Phoenix remained standing.

"That was because we didn't have the soldiers for it. There's a sorcerer in Kyleria who is rumored to be thinking along the same lines, planning on invading and conquering his neighboring lands. Bainon wants to get there first."

"How do we have the soldiers for it now?" Maverick asked. "Is the Army bigger than before?"

"It's not the numbers, it's the power." Claire bit her lip. "It's Eric. He's what's made the difference. He's strong, intelligent, and has a military mind. He has what it takes to successfully command the whole Army."

"But he's just one person. Can one person really change anything?"

Norman lifted his chin and met her gaze. "Laina, Eric has changed everything." 

ACK! Things are getting dangerous up in here! Who is surprised to hear that maybe Tarvril wasn't all that great? Who still hopes Mav ends up on the throne? What about Eric? Do you think he'll be taking war to the other lands (our friends in Opea, Kyleria, and Dellsby)?

Speak now or...you know, later if you feel like it. But vote! Yay! Thank you for reading :) Leave all questions below and I'll answer what isn't too revealing for the future!