See

Her Majesty's Royal Guard! Open up!

Is there any word?

She's completely evaded our dogs, Ayuras and Scentiers.

Either she's managed to flee the city, or she's very well hidden.

Who else knows?

Only the Royal Guard, but they're sworn to secrecy.

Which means the nobles will know soon, if they don't already.

And when the nobles know, their staffs will know.

Word will spread.

If Trovere finds out about this, there will be no avoiding a war.

We need to get her out of the city before news reaches the court.

She's been promised Sibeth today.

How did it even come to this?

A peace treaty between two nations

hanging on revenge against one awful woman?

Tamacti, these God Thunder weapons that Baba speaks of,

what are your thoughts?

I don't know what to think about it.

Baba Voss is a great warrior, but he's been through a lot.

Maybe he's confused.

It doesn't matter. Someone attacked him.

I will insist she go home to seek assurances

that this attack, that these weapons, were not from Trivantes.

Maghra, Trovere is no fool. She'll know it's a stall.

We need a stall to find my damn sister!

Unless you can convince her to accept something else in her stead.

No, they seem pretty determined to have her.

So, what then?

The ambassador is still pretty enraged about Baba's attack.

I'll give her time to settle, then I'll approach her.

What will you say?

I don't know.

But I think we all agree it better be something brilliant.

You're going to leave all our fates in the hands of an idiot.

Lord Harlan is many things, but he's no idiot.

If it wasn't for his influence with Trovere,

we would have been at war months ago.

Must be one hell of a cock.

Well, I wouldn't know.

I should have been there.

Not even you could have saved Paris.

I would not have allowed her to care for that demon woman.

It was the baby she was caring for, not Sibeth.

I know you're upset about Paris.

We've all had time to mourn her.

It's not just Paris.

What do you mean?

They killed Bow Lion.

Bow Lion?

The God Thunder.

She never even got a chance to die fighting.

No fight, just death.

She was with you?

Yes.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

Mama?

I assume you're here to let him out.

Leave us to talk for a moment.

- I will leave with my father. - Haniwa, not now.

Your sister killed Paris, and you kept her in her bedroom.

Him, you keep in a dungeon!

If I let him out, he will go after the ambassador again.

No, he won't.

- Yes, I will. - Papa!

Haniwa, leave us, please.

It's okay, my love.

Where is No?

No?

The dog.

The dog?

He's more comfortable than you are, and most likely better fed.

Good.

And Sibeth?

There's no sign of her yet.

I do not understand why you kept her alive.

Was it so easy for you to kill your brother?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, you're right.

It was a mistake. I should have killed her.

Do not make another one with the Trivantians.

I have spent a long time negotiating peace with them.

And I cannot just throw it away

because of a conclusion you have made without firm evidence.

They will be coming here with these weapons,

and they will flatten your kingdom!

I do not doubt that you were attacked by these weapons.

- Yet you've caged me like an animal. - You forced me to!

You think I want you down here?

I've spent seasons wondering where you were,

dreaming of your return.

And now I am forced to lock you up?

I'm just trying to hold things together long enough to capture Sibeth,

or any chance of peace will be lost.

But I cannot hold it together if you are so determined to tear it apart.

I need you to trust me, just for a little while.

Can you do that?

Yes.

Good. Because there is something else I need you to do.

What?

Talk to Kofun.

Kofun?

He needs his father, more than ever.

Do you have a key?

No.

Then move, please.

I'm sorry I broke your dungeon.

Just another thing to fix.

Paya was once a great and holy kingdom,

where the very mention of sight was a sin.

But now, our holy kingdom is corrupted

by the very monarchy that built it.

They have put themselves before their people.

And in so doing, they have surrendered their birthright.

I served Wolffe Kane, a great king who is surely spinning in his grave.

His daughters have betrayed him, and they have betrayed us.

And because he is not here to right the wrongs of his daughters,

we will do it for him.

The time has come for us to rise up as a people, as true believers,

and rid Pennsa of these witches.

Thanks.

We must wipe out the bastard children

of Maghra and Sibeth Kane!

Chet-chet.

- Fucking witch! - I got him!

Hold him still.

Kofun!

That's enough of that!

Kofun!

Dad?

Kofun. Are you hurt?

No. I-It's just a cut. I'm fine.

- Let me feel. - No, I said I'm fine!

Why are you here?

I heard this is where I could find you.

No, I mean, why are you back here at all?

We should speak.

Your mother has told me all that has happened.

Then we don't need to speak.

Kofun! Listen to me. Please.

Baba Voss! You got a dog.

Go away.

Kofun? Kofun?

Yeah, Ma, I'm here. I'm fine.

You should have told me he was back.

- How many were there? - We picked up four of them.

I said I'm fine.

If that blade had gone any deeper, he would be dead.

This? After Haniwa was grabbed, then nearly burned in the street?

The Witchfinders have grown too bold.

If it was Witchfinders that had attacked him,

the boy would be dead.

- Beg to differ. - This is still their doing.

Their insurgency is giving other people the nerve to act against my children.

- I want every last one of them arrested. - To what end?

I am going to hang them for treason.

Give us space.

Now!

Go. Go!

You're angry. I understand that. Your family was threatened.

But you can't go rounding up and executing citizens

without due process.

Don't think like a parent, think like a queen,

the queen that you are.

Sometimes a queen must do terrible things for the good of her kingdom.

You sound like your sister.

Well, maybe she was right! No one dared defy her the way they do me.

I spent 20 years as the unquestioning tip of Sibeth's blade.

I'll not do it again.

If you so command me, I relinquish my post.

Then I will not so command you.

Captain Gosset!

My queen.

Take your men and bring me every last one of them.

I will not fear for my own children's lives

in my own kingdom.

Yes, my queen.

What is the point in waiting for Ambassador Trovere's return?

Her delay clearly demonstrates

that Pennsa has no intention in honoring the terms of our truce.

Trovere is a seasoned diplomat.

If they are resisting, she will negotiate her way to our terms.

Our terms are more beneficial to the Payans than us.

They have become too confident in the aftermath of Greenhill Gap.

Trivantes is by far the superior military power.

All we need to do is give them a taste of defeat,

and the terms will change significantly.

General Voss held the same opinion,

which is what led to Greenhill Gap in the first place.

Edo underestimated the Payan forces, but that does not mean he was wrong.

We've defeated the Ganite hordes, we're at full strength,

and we should be negotiating from that position.

What does The Bank think?

Far be it from me to weigh in on military solutions.

But for now, there's simply too much we don't know.

Trovere either will return with the queen or she won't.

Either way, we'll know what to do then.

And by then, they will be ready for us.

Which shouldn't matter if, as you say, we are at full strength.

I say we wait.