The whole mountain range was covered in morning mist, limiting everyone’s sense of sight. The training grounds were still veiled in the mist when he loosened the arrow.

THWIP!

It struck clean, biting into the centre of the wooden target with a dull, satisfying sound. Moments later it fell apart breaking into little pieces.

"Again."

He didn’t turn to his tutors sound. A new addition to his training. He had asked for one from Lilith, and she had given him an SS-ranked Knight, one of her personal throne room guards.

His fingers reached for the next arrow, movements smooth from repetition rather than effort. This time he was only training his body without his elementals.

Draw.

Hold.

Breath...

"Your highness seemed particularly focused today."

The arrow slipped, not by much but enough. It landed just outside the centre ring, the plank disintegrating a few moments later.

He exhaled slowly, lowering his bow. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Unhurried heavy footsteps followed the voice until they came to a stop not far from him.

He didn’t need to look back. He released the tension on his shoulders readying himself.

’So they’ve begun.’

"General Thulem. "

"Your highness."

A heavy silence settled between them as they weighed each other, each deliberating about what the other might want.

Atheline knew he was not there casually which was obvious with what happened yesterday. It’s just that it took longer than anticipated.

"The council has begun to move," General Thulem said.

’There it is’

He reached for another arrow, giving himself time to think. He had expected the noble elder to be the first to approach him but never the general.

"Over the moon crystals."

"Over distribution and control," the general corrected.

’Yeah right’

It is never about the resource. It was about who held it and what that meant, especially after what had transpired in the throne room the day before.

He nocked the arrow and drew.

"Too early," he said.

The general’s gaze shifted slightly. " Meaning?"

"They’re moving before understanding the situation. "

It was a small risk saying that out loud but he wanted to see the reaction. He had basically told him all the council members were too impatient and greedy.

The general didn’t bristle or argue.

’Better than expected ’

"You understand it then?" The general asked.

It was clear he was probing him for anything.

Atheline released the arrow.

THWIP!

Dead centre.

"Better than they do," he said.

While they were all thinking that Lilith’s move centred around power blocks, influence, and negotiations, they didn’t realise that this wasn’t political but personal.

If she really did care so much about distribution she would have done it herself.

There were always going to be winners in this game or losers.

The general stepped closer.

"I need those moon crystals," he said directly.

Those direct words told him more than anything. Thulem was a soldier forced into politics but still unable to comprehend how to do it well.

Atheline knew he wasn’t supposed to evaluate him at face value but even at the meetings he was always the most direct when voicing something.

"For the army," the general added," for the outer defenses. What we are allocated isn’t enough especially with the news about the stones reaching the demonic continent."

Probably true but not the whole truth.

He turned slightly, studying him from the corner of his eye.

’You wouldn’t come to me unless you believe I matter in this. Which means, you’ve identified the real bottleneck. Not the council, not distribution but her.’

"So you came to me," he said.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation.

Most would circle it to try to soften its implications but as expected, General Thulem didn’t. This meant he really urgently needed them or he was just confident he would get it or both.

"I think her majesty listens to you," he continued.

There it was, carefully phrased. Atheline almost smiled.

Just from those words, it was clear he had studied their dynamics.

And had come up with the safest assumption but even that was still a dangerous one.

If you’re wrong, then you’re basically dead.

He rolled the arrow lightly between his fingers.

’Does she listen to me? Yes and no but not in the way they think.’

She didn’t listen because he had authority but because he held considerable weight in her world.

A dangerous kind that could tip either way.

"She doesn’t like being told what to do," he said lightly.

"Am not asking you to tell her, "the general replied, "I’m asking you to influence her."

That would have worked for any other woman but she was Lilith, she wasn’t normal.

He drew the bow string again, slower this time.

’What you are really asking is whether I can guide someone who doesn’t behave rationally’

He held the tension, pulling it further than necessary, and didn’t release.

"And what if I refuse?"

"I will find another way," he replied honestly.

The honest and immediate response told him everything. He was planning alternatives in case he failed in convincing him.

This wasn’t really a request but one of the paths he had preferred to take.

’You’re not asking me to solve the problem, but make it cleaner’

He released the arrow.

THWIP!

It split the previous arrow. Precision and control, that was what was currently lacking in his situation.

"She already knows," he said.

Thulem slightly stilled, a reaction that forced a small smile on Atheline’s lips. Good, his jab had landed where it needed to.

"The defense, " he continued, " the strain. The army position. The demons." He lowered his bow," she knows it all."

"Then why hasn’t she acted?"

’Because you’re still thinking like a general and that information leads to action and you also don’t understand her’

He looked at the target, but didn’t see it but he saw her. The way her attention narrowed when she looked at him or the way her decisions aren’t focused on logic but towards him most of the time.

"Because she hasn’t decided yet," he said.

"On what?"