The Cair Royals

Hogworth Presses His Advantage

"What do YOU want?" Michael Hogworth was shocked to see the young upstart journalist who had got him suspended at his door, the night before news of England going to war would be released. "Here to say that the Kings and Queens have ordered my eviction too?"

"Mr. Hogworth, I'm sorry about all that." Sanya spoke politely and quietly, not in the least bit wanting to be here either. "But I need your help."

"And why the bloody fuck should I help the kid who got me sacked? AFTER I let her have an interview which was too big for her!"

"Interviewing isn't my job, writing articles IS and you took THAT chance from me." She told him, refusing to blow up. "And please, this is a request."

He looked at her earnest face and her beseeching voice and was, for some reason, reminded of the starving dog he had rescued some months prior from some sadistic teenagers. "What is it?"

"The P.I. you hire to trail people."

"I have no idea what you're talking about-"

"I need his number." She ended, cutting off his lie. "I have to find someone."

"No."

"I'm friends with the Rulers of England, sir, I don't think you should say no." Sanya effectively left out the fact that one of those Rulers had specifically told her not to go looking for the person and made her promise so.

Technically, it wasn't she who was going to find her, so she was breaking no promises.

"Are you insinuating a threat?"

"I was never cunning enough to threaten people indirectly." She shrugged, pushing her glasses up her nose. "So could I have his number, please?"

"Who're you looking for?" The older man asked, letting the girl inside his house.

Bending down to scratch the ears of a large dog which had bounded up to her, Sanya said flatly, "I can't tell you that."

"Then I can't give you the number."

"Mr. Hogworth, PLEASE." She hardly ever did stuff like this, she usually just left the stubborn dicks and did it herself but this was a matter of national importance, and Edmund needed help. "You'll know soon." She tried.

"I want my job back." He told her, tearing off a piece of paper with the number scribbled onto it. "With pay for my months of absence."

"Fine." She grabbed the paper before he could demand something else, taking advantage of her situation. "Thank you, sir, bye."

And after bidding a much warmer farewell to the dog, Sanya left, the pocket with the numbered paper feeling heavy.

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"A prisoner? Who? They can't do that!"

"You never set any rules when you declared the war." Edmund pointed out to his brother, who sent him a quick glare but turned back to the advisor who told them- "Lord Mayor of York, Your Majesties."

"Lord Mayor of- why him?" The High King queried, becoming more and more baffled by the Telmarines and their ways.

"Because it's random, I'm guessing?" Susan spoke, looking to the advisor, who nodded.

"That's what's been presumed, Your Majesty."

"Well, is random the worst presumption we can think of?" Lucy spoke, looking between them, remembering her brother's words from only two days previous.

The elder Monarchs glanced to one another.

"Well- yes. It means we're as stuck in the dark as we were last ti- last time." Edmund spoke, eyes widening slightly as his phone buzzed in his pocket.