Duty Chains

In an abandoned small shack, a man sat on a narrow bench, flanked by two of his men. Farouk looked at one of them and asked,

"Is everything in place?"

"Yes, General. She'll be here soon. We've succeeded in securing the perimeter. We also have someone watching her closely in case there's anything suspicious going on."

"There's not much need for that," Farouk said, waving a dismissive hand. "Although I don't completely trust her, I don't think she intends to betray us. Tell the men watching her to pull back for now. If any surprises spring up, we'll deal with them."

"Yes, General."

Farouk and his men had been in Jubai for three days. They had returned to continue their investigation into Sum. The last time they were in Jubai, they had left in a hurry after being warned about Jai's arrival and informed of the prince's location. Despite their hasty departure, General Farouk had left a few of his men in the city to pursue the investigation quietly.

Those men had worked discreetly, and by the time Farouk and his team returned, they had gathered critical information. They had traced the origin of the letter that had warned them—it seemed all the Sultens across Wize had received the same message. This clue made it easier to pinpoint the source of the message. During their investigation into the Sulten, Farouk's men had come across Lady Sida, who was also looking into Sum.

At first, Farouk's men had been wary of Sida. Her father's betrayal of the late King cast a long shadow, and her motives were suspect. However, Sida managed to convince them that she wasn't aligned with Jai and was pursuing this out of necessity. To prove her sincerity, she began working closely with Farouk's men, sharing valuable information about Jai.

She revealed details about the marriage alliance Jai was attempting to form and the candidates being considered for the King's new queen once the war ended. Additionally, they discovered that the information leak came from one of the Yaya family elders fighting alongside Jai against the rebels—an elder who was secretly a member of Sum.

Though their alliance has been short-lived so far, it has been productive. When Farouk returned, Sida requested an audience with him. Given her contributions and apparent loyalty, they agreed to meet. Now, they were waiting for her to arrive.

Farouk stroked his chin thoughtfully. He was confident news of Hadia's fall would reach them soon, and he hoped Kin had succeeded in securing allies in Dura. The prince's precarious situation was worsening. The chaos of war had worked to Kin's advantage, but now, with peace on the horizon, Jai's undivided attention would turn to him.

Farouk sighed. Kin needed allies—badly. But how many would be willing to back a prince with little to no power or influence, just a title to his name? Farouk didn't yet have a strategy to grow the prince's support base, but he hoped Lady Sida could become a key ally.

Farouk turned to one of his men. "How long before she arrives?"

"She should be here in the next thirty minutes, General."

Farouk growled softly. The anticipation was wearing on him.

Meanwhile, in the closest high house closest to the docks where Jo and Sida had agreed to meet that evening, a woman wearing a dark dress, a blue scarf, and sunglasses glanced around nervously. She looked like someone trying to stay incognito but failing miserably.

As she searched the area, a voice spoke from behind her.

"Why are you dressed like this?"

Sida yelped, spinning around. "Why did you sneak up on me like that? And how did you know it was me?"

Jo smirked. "I'd recognize you anytime, anywhere."

"Well, I'm trying to stay hidden," Sida muttered.

Jo raised an eyebrow, gesturing toward her back. "Your wings say otherwise."

Sida groaned. Despite shrinking her angelic wings, they still made her stand out. "Am I that easy to spot?"

"Yes," Jo replied with a grin. "But it doesn't matter. No one's following us. Mickey made sure of that."

"Alright," Sida said, sighing.

Moments later, Jo and Sida disappeared, leaving no trace of their presence.

The pair reappeared at the meeting point—a desolate area in Jubai filled with broken houses and crumbling buildings. Far from any high house or prying eyes, it was the perfect location for a clandestine meeting. With Mickey watching their backs, Sida and Jo were confident no one had followed them. Not that many could match their speed anyway.

As they approached the shack, Jo glanced around. "It seems the General trusts you completely if he doesn't bother ensuring you're not bringing an army."

"Or maybe he doesn't think I'm a threat," Sida replied with a smirk. "Besides, I did come with an army."

Jo blushed slightly. "Have you met him before?" Jo asked

"Yes, several times in the capital," Sida said. "Though we barely spoke. The old dog is strict and rarely speaks unless spoken to."

Jo chuckled. "I've never met him, but he's like a living legend. They say he's so strong that even the god Swords fear him. I don't know if that's an exaggeration, but anyone who can strike fear into someone like my father is someone I wouldn't want to cross."

"Then it's a good thing we're not here to be threats," Sida said.

Jo nodded as they reached the shack. Two guards stood at the entrance.

Jo smirked, unsure whether to feel insulted or uneasy. "Just two guards, huh?"

One of the guards noticed them and immediately placed a hand on his weapon.

"Lady Sida," he said. "You didn't tell us you were bringing a guest."

Jo and Sida raised their hands in a placating gesture.

"He's with me," Sida explained. "Someone I'm working closely with. He can be trusted."

The second guard frowned. "That wasn't the deal. You were supposed to come alone. We trust you—just you. We don't care if you trust anyone else. Follow the terms of our agreement, or this meeting is off."

"She's not going anywhere without me," Jo said firmly.

"Lady Sida," the first guard replied, "this meeting was arranged on your request. If you can't respect our conditions, there's no need for it to proceed."