War of the Heart

Sabrina

Warning: Upsetting Content

After a morning of vaccinating local children against fidioliposis, Sabrina had been looking forward to a short nap. Instead, she was dragged into a typical crisis meeting. A minister she didn't recognise stepped before the crowd, dressed in a yellowish brown uniform.

'For a while, we have been dreading the destruction spirit's next move. Unfortunately, it wasn't something we'd expected, nor something we could really prepare for.' He coughed a little, the veins standing out from his skin. 'The crops are failing.'

'This is ridiculous. We shouldn't attach everything to a pathetic fraud. It was the weather.'

The Minister of Agriculture—that must be who this was—glared at the councilman. 'Farmers know when a crop has simply died due to inopportune weather conditions or infertile soil. This is the work of magic, I assure you.'

'And when did you become an expert on magic?' scoffed the councilman.

'Actually, I checked out one of those sites and it was definitely magic,' said Pio.

Sutoku knitted his fingers together under his chin. 'It seems we're in for a rough year. We'll have to increase imports of food and set up soup kitchens. Civil servants in the military should accompany any traders. If our enemies are ruining our crops, they will most likely also be suffering from food shortages and hence are likely to try to steal our imports.'

'Where are you going to get the money from?' queried one of the councilwomen. 'I don't mean to insult Your Majesty, but all the events of the year thus far have meant increased expenditures.'

'I will review the finance plan for the year with those involved in a meeting solely intended for that purpose. It is important that we use this session to understand where we stand regarding the destruction spirit.'

'The leads towards Medea Navri's location aren't especially forthcoming. I'd like to request Your Majesty's permission to take her family in for questioning? Even if they cannot provide any information, it may act as appropriate bait.'

The idea scared Sabrina a little. She repeatedly forgot that Medea was now a criminal in the eyes of the state. However, there hadn't been a single definite sighting since her disappearance. Based on her evasion skills, Sabrina couldn't help but wonder whether Medea had been lying about the disappearance of her future vision all this time. If so, then she should be covered now.

'If necessary,' stated Sutoku with a stoic expression, 'though treat them appropriately. Just because their daughter is a witch, it doesn't mean they are all traitors to the crown. They may have never known about her.'

'Speaking of which, a new potential Voire has been discovered. Could all records be checked for a Claudia Zheva to ensure she's an appropriate candidate,' said Fleya, the Leere.

Sabrina's eyes darted towards Tiresias, hoping he'd refuse to replace Medea. Instead, he nodded along. A sudden sadness overcame her. Already, they were replacing her. Would the same happen with Kaya or Arcane if they didn't return soon?

A person couldn't just be replaced like that. At least, not for Sabrina. Other people seemed to move on, but Sabrina still couldn't let go. The ghost of Penny still lingered in her nightmares. While she'd shared a room with Merari, her mind had often tricked her into believing the Eseterrian was the dead girl. While Merari needed company to sleep, for Sabrina, it was the company that triggered the memories.

Breathing could only help her through for so long. She made up a lie about feeling faint, then escaped. Once she was in a quiet corner, the memories consumed her.