As much as her father protested, lecturing her about her health and well being, Morena didn't rest very long. In fact as soon as she could move, she did so.

Even before that she still kept up her work from the bed. Of course her father stepped up once more and filled in while she was injured, but the man was still poisoned, he couldn't move just as much as her.

In fact he might have been worse off, because if he pushed himself too much the poison would become more aggressive, harming him further. So as much as he protested against her working, he knew that the house couldn't be without a lead for long.

She had only been in her chambers for a few nights before she forced herself back to her desk. Her body still hurt with every movement, her arm wrapped tightly in fresh bandages, and her wound being coated by layers of energy from within to increase its rate of healing.

The healers told her to stay in bed for a week at the very least, but that was impossible.

She needed to act before something else happened, waiting was the same as letting the Church dig its claws deeper into the city, and every delay gave them another chance to press harder against her family.

Today she intended to do something she wanted to do since being injured, but she couldn't because of her health.

She wanted to meet Ella for another meeting, this time to discuss matters that may be considered treason if leaked.

"Send for Ella."

She spoke privately with Adolf as she passed on the command and he bowed without arguing. He sent someone on horseback to deliver the invitation that very morning, and by noon it was replied to.

It didn't take long before the hall outside her study echoed with soft footsteps. When Ella Brenle entered, her expression was calm, composed as always, but Morena could see signs of bags under her eyes, and a darkness to her expression that came only with worry and stress.

It was clear that she was carrying worries of her own.

Morena gestured to the chair across from her desk.

"It's been some time, Ella, please sit. There are some things I would like to discuss."

Ella inclined her head and sat, her hands resting neatly in her lap. She glanced at the bandages that peeked from beneath Morena's sleeve and frowned slightly.

"I heard there was an incident. My people told me about a fire and the deaths of your guards. I am truly sorry for the loss. I hope they find a peaceful rest."

She said with a sincere tone and a shake of her head.

It was a regrettable incident, one that no one expected to suddenly happen.

"Thank you, your words are kind."

Morena replied with a nod.

"You're right, one of our storage warehouses was burned, one that stored food supplies we received from you. The men assigned to it were killed. Tortured first, then burned and buried outside the city. And not long after, I was attacked myself. A Rank 1 Warrior and two apprentices."

Ella knew about the first part, rumors about that had already spread; she also knew that the girl had been injured because of all the people who saw the blood the day of.

But no one knew the details of how she got injured, at least no one outside the walls of the house, which was why when she heard the cause of a Rank 1 Warrior and two apprentices, she couldn't help but open her mouth in shock.

Any normal person would be hard-pressed to even encounter a Rank 1 Warrior in their life, let alone survive one trying to kill them.

"You survived that?"

She couldn't help but ask, but Morena only tilted her head slightly, not offering more than that. She had no desire to retell the fight in detail, and it wasn't relevant.

It wasn't a story she found herself proud of. Sure, surviving a warrior of such a level would be a thing to be proud of for others, but to her, running away like a rat to survive, that was a shame she wished not to retell.

Ella nodded once and didn't press further since she didn't want to speak of it. Instead, she folded her hands and moved on.

"Then it seems my suspicions were right. We've faced troubles of our own. At first, I thought they were unrelated, simple misfortunes, nothing out of the ordinary. A caravan damaged by bandits, a shipment missing, two guards suddenly leaving on patrol. Small things, never enough to cause real concern."

She drew in a slow breath.

"But hearing this, I don't believe they were unrelated accidents anymore."

Morena leaned forward in her chair.

"You think the same as I do."

Ella met her gaze directly.

"The Church."

The room went silent for a moment; if anyone outside heard them, they could be executed for heresy against the church, that was how powerful they were.

But inside here, the two of them knew the church was anything but trustworthy.

Neither of them had proof. Neither had a confession or a seal to point at. But they both knew the church was related somehow; nothing else would make sense, the timing was too coincidental, the targets too clear.

"They're trying to hinder us, or send a message."

Morena said at last.

"They might be seeing just how much it would take for us to back down, or maybe they just want to get rid of the problem outright. I've already had one of their dogs sent after me, and I doubt it will be the last."

Ella looked down briefly, her eyes thoughtful, then back up.

"I've heard rumors before, I didn't think it was true, but there've been people that's been purged quietly in the past. The Church doesn't need to declare war to destroy a House, instead they would slowly bleed it, weaken it, isolate it, until it collapses. Leaving nothing behind that could link them to it."

"Exactly."

Morena drummed her fingers against the desk.

"And if we allow them to keep picking at us, one by one, we'll be torn apart before we can even resist."

Ella was silent, but her agreement was clear.

Morena reached for parchment and pulled it close, the quill scratching as she dipped it into ink.

"Alone, neither of us can stand against them. Even now, together we are still not enough. If they can send a Warrior after me in the open, then what will they send when they truly commit? We need others. We need to make sure that when the Church comes for us, we have as much people on our side that we could get."

Ella leaned forward now, she already had an idea of what the girl was referring to because she, too, had a similar thought of her own.

"You would form a larger alliance."

Morena nodded once.

"Yes. Of course, we can't publicly spread this information, but if we do it carefully, and under the table, we could at least gather enough of a foundation that if the Church makes a bigger move, we can answer."

The quill moved against the parchment as Morena wrote down neatly against the papers; she didn't write names yet, only a heading, the start of a letter that could be adjusted later.

"Which Houses can we trust?"

She asked.

Ella rested her chin against one hand, thinking.

"Trust is too strong a word. Which Houses will not run to the Church the second they hear about it? That is the better question. We need ones strong enough to matter, but not so bound to the priests that they would betray us."

Morena tapped the quill lightly.

"House Carrow?"

She said first.

Ella tilted her head but didn't argue.

"Carrow is proud. They value their independence, and the Church has courted them before, but they've always resisted binding themselves fully. We might be able to convince them if we could use what they want against them."

"What about House Estholm?"

At that, Ella frowned faintly.

"The twins?"

"Yes."

Morena remembered how they were at the meeting before, and how they acted.

"They're opportunistic, but opportunists can be useful if offered enough gain. They won't risk themselves without incentive, but if we show them the threat is real, they may side with us for survival's sake."

Ella considered, then gave a small nod.

"It's possible."

The two of them spent the next stretch of time in quiet discussion; they went over names, discarding some, debating others.

They ruled out the obvious loyalists, Houses so deeply tied to the Church that it would be suicide to even approach them, they also dismissed the weakest, Houses that would crumble under pressure before they could contribute anything.

By the end, a small list remained on the parchment, not a lot of names, but a few they could at least reach out to.

Morena lifted the quill again, her tone cold.

"We won't tell them everything at the start, just enough to ask for a private meeting. If they come, we can speak further. If they don't... then nothing is lost."

Ella reached into her cloak and withdrew her House's seal.

"And we make sure these letters bear both our names. They'll take it more seriously if Brenle and Ravenscroft stand together."

Morena passed her the first letter to stamp, then pressed her own seal against the parchment after.

Within seconds the wax hardened, locking their Houses together on the page that could lead to both their downfalls if played wrong.

One letter, then another, then another. When the last was done, Morena set the quill aside and leaned back in her chair, she could feel her wound aching slightly under the bandage but she didn't show it.

"Adolf will send riders tonight. Ella, send yours as well. The faster these reach their hands, the better."

Ella rose, adjusting her cloak and nodded as she took a stand, her eyes lingering on the girl for a moment.

"I will. Don't push yourself too much, you're injured, try to heal before you do anything too dangerous. We need you in top shape after all."

Morena's lips curved faintly, and nodded.

"As you wish."

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