Roche walked into the infirmary with an arm's load of books. The room was full of large white medical cots and large steel tables covered in vials containing various liquids. The room was somewhat humid, and just entering made Roche's hair stick up. She made a beeline for the back of the room where a variety of plants were crowded. In front of the assortment of greenery, a man of Verita's age stood over one of the cots.

"Leinos?" Roche called tentatively, "Verita found some more books that might help."

The royal physician spun around, his wrinkled face creasing with a smile. "Thank you, my dear! Hopefully we'll get closer to isolating the poison soon."

Roche nodded, setting the books on the table next to the man. She peered at Finn. The man looked worse. His skin was as pale as snow. His eyes were closed, but Roche could see sluggish movement behind them. Leinos pressed his fingers against Finn's wrist. He shook his head sadly.

"He's only getting worse. None of the treatments I've applied have worked." he said sadly, running a hand through his salt and pepper hair. His eyes were teary as he looked at Finn. Roche bit her lip to stop tears from surfacing in her own eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. Leinos turned to her with a surprised smile and wiped his face.

"Ah, it's not your fault. I expect Verita's distraught too, isn't she? She and I practically raised princes and the princess after the queen died." he stared at Finn, his fingers twitching like he wanted to reach out to the boy. Roche closed her eyes. This was her fault.

"She's... not happy." Roche agreed solemnly, gazing at Finn. Leino's smile wobbled. He turned away, his voice catching.

"Excuse me, I should go check on my latest elixir. Could you return those books to Verita? Tell her that I'd like to see more about nightshades. I think Prince Finn is showing accelerated signs of that form of poison, but I need to narrow down which one."

"Nightshades," Roche repeated carefully, "Like hemlock, belladonna, and datura flowers?"

Leinos smiled slightly, his brown eyes warming. "You certainly know your plants. I should have known Verita would come to that conclusion before me. She always was smarter." Leinos' gaze turned wistful for a moment. Roche winced. She'd forgotten that they used to be married. She shoved aside her curiosity.

"If you find out what the flower is, will you know what to do?"

Leinos' smile flickered. "I hope so."

Roche chewed her lip. "But isn't this," she lowered her voice, "an inkblood enchantment."

Leinos' smile dropped away completely. He locked eyes with Roche with a serious purse of his lips.

"Inkblood ailments have been known to be notoriously difficult to break without the help of inkblood. Chances are, even if the flower was identified, I won't know how to help unless I have the enchantment placed upon it."

He held Roche's gaze for another few moments before he looked away.

"Leinos?" Tigris called from somewhere near the entrance. Leinos startled backwards, nearly crashing into the books Roche had just piled. She steadied him before he could fall, and he shot her a kind smile.

"Excuse me for a moment," he murmured, heading towards the door. Roche didn't want to interact with Tigris, so she stayed where she was. She finally forced herself to look Finn in the face. He looked so gaunt. Roche swallowed, tears rising in her throat.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Finn." Roche whispered thickly, crouching until she was eye level with him, "I should have been more vigilant."

Finn didn't respond. Roche released a shuddering breath. When she was a child, too young to know her letters, her mother would whisper stories where those in an endless sleep would wake to their loved ones making promises or apologies. She knew they were fairy tales. In real life nothing so simple would rouse the prince. But she wished it was that easy.

"It's not easy seeing him like this, is it?"

Roche looked up abruptly, her heart sinking as she saw Tigris hovering over her with crossed arms. Roche rose to her feet, curtsying slightly. Tigris' face was blank, her eyes red and stony. She gazed at her comatose brother with eyes as lifeless as his.

"I'm sorry," Roche repeated. Tigris' lips twisted with distaste of the words.

"It's not your fault. At least, I hope so." the Princess replied dryly. Roche winced.

"Does Prince Aodh still blame me?"

"He's ready to blame anyone." Tigris shot Roche a sidelong stare, "If my father hadn't insisted on finding whoever did this, he would have."

They stood side by side in silence, staring at the unconscious prince. They watched the laboured rise and fall of his chest.

"I hope you find whoever did this." Roche said, her voice strained, "Finn's a good prince."

Tigris raised a brow. "And I suppose you know what a 'good' royal is?"

"One that's not arrogant or calls people like me 'filthy Irulians'." she mumbled, immediately feeling guilty after saying it. This wasn't the right time or place for her emotions. Tigris winced.

"Aodh wasn't in his right mind."

"I know," Roche whispered. She could only imagine how torturous it would feel to lose someone like this. But understanding didn't make the sting of the words easier to bear. "That doesn't make him right."

"I suppose so." Tigris said softly. She didn't take her eyes off her brother. "For what it's worth, there are many people in this kingdom who don't think that way. Finn certainly didn't. Nor do I. And for all his grief, Aodh doesn't either."

Roche snorted. "I know that, princess. But you and your brother are royals. You set the standard for the city, for this kingdom. You are the standard. The things you allow yourself to believe that in your moments of grief are the things your citizens hold onto."

Those words made Tigris turn from her brother. Roche felt something stir as she noticed the turmoil in the princess' tear-reddened eyes.

"And do my citizens say such things to you?" Tigris asked, her voice reedy. Roche closed her eyes. This wasn't the time to be harping about social injustices. Not when the princess' brother was dying in front of them. Roche waved off Tigris' concern.

"It doesn't matter, princess. You and your brother are grieving. You're only human, it's normal to say regrettable things. I misspoke, and for that I am sorry."

Tigris remained pensively silent. Her reticence was unnerving, chafing at Roche's skin. She cursed herself silently. I just had to open my mouth, didn't I? Roche thought bitterly. She was trying to compose a polite excuse to flee when shouting in the corridor drew their attention. Tigris was instantly on her feet, charging towards the commotion, Roche a step behind her.

The hallway was packed with guards. They flanked the king, standing at the mouth of the hallway. Roche dropped into a curtsy as required, but no one seemed to notice. The event occurring in the middle of the hall stole everyone's attention.

The guards were wrestling Kai to the ground. His face smashed into the cobbled floor, and he shouted in pain. Roche was too stunned to move. What the hell?

"Please! I didn't do anything!" Kai pleaded, his gentle voice strained. His eyes flicked up to Roche, "I didn't do anything!"

"You poisoned my son. You were the only one who had access to his drinks." the king said coldly, stalking closer as the guards yanked Kai to his knees. Half of Kai's face was beginning to puff up. He gaped as the king leaned over him, his rich dark skin going grey. The king came to a stop in front of him, hand on the pommel of his sword. He moved closer until he was nearly nose to nose with Kai, whose large brown eyes widened with terror. Kai stopped flailing, frozen. Roche couldn't breathe.

"What did you give my son? What enchantment did you use, inkblood?" the king spat. Kai's breathing quickened to a rasp.

"I didn't do anything! I didn't give him anything! I-I don't have inkblood!" Kai pleaded, his voice raw. His eyes darted to Roche, whose jaw hung open. His gaze slid over to Tigris, who was stiff beside Roche.

"Please!" he begged desperately, "Your Highness, I wouldn't hurt Prince Finn. I've served your son loyally for years."

"Then you leave me no choice," the King declared venomously, "If you will not lift the enchantment, I can only hope that burning you will purge him of your enchantment."

"Father," Tigris said, her voice carefully controlled, "Are you certain? Kai has served loyally for years."

"He is the only one who had access to Finn after the feast yesterday. Everything else was tested."

"No! I swear, I wouldn't!" Kai murmured, closing his eyes like this was a terrible nightmare, "I'm not an inkblood."

CRACK!

Kai's head whipped to the side with the king's slap. He cried out, and Tigris' eyes widened with a mix of emotions. Her mouth opened, but before she could get a word out, her father was speaking.

"Take the Shultan to the dungeons. He will burn at dawn!" the king snapped. The words were like the thud of an executioner's blade. Kai's desperate screams echoed down the hallway as they dragged him, leaving long bloody cuts across his face. He thrashed and twisted, his begging so powerful that it felt like he was clawing at Roche's ears.

Roche wanted to scream. It was the ambassador, I know it!

But what was the word of a commoner to a king?

The king nodded to the remaining guards. "Prepare the pyre." He stalked away without further word. Roche sagged against the doorframe. Leinos shook his head sadly and returned to the infirmary. Tigris and Roche were left there, standing as the bloody spot on the ground where Kai had been. It took Roche several tries before she could speak.

"Do you think it was him?"

"I don't know," Tigris murmured hollowly, her eyes caught on the blood smear, "But I know what happened the last time I doubted my father. I won't let it happen again."

And Roche watched as Kai's last hope walked away without so much as a backward glance.

-------

The dungeons were lit dimly, only a few torches providing light. Roche nodded to the guards, who let her through. There was a dank smell to the air, like sweat, piss and mold mixed into one. Roche pulled her cloak tighter as she rushed to the cell.

"Kai!" she whispered, her heart sinking. The boy's face was an assortment of bruises and blood. One of his beautiful brown eyes had swollen up so terribly that he couldn't open it. Roche gasped. "Oh, Kai. What did they do to you?"

"Roche," Kai winced as he tried to crawl towards the bars. His chains yanked back on his arms and legs. Roche could see a raw ring of skin around the areas where the manacles attached to his wrists. Kai swallowed, stuck a few feet from the doors. Roche sank to the ground, pressing as close to the bars as she could.

"You shouldn't have come." Kai whispered hoarsely, "If anyone else sees, they'll blame you too."

"It doesn't matter." Roche insisted. She stretched her hands through the bars, holding out a vial filled with a milky looking substance. "Here. Leinos said it would help with your swelling and keep away infection."

Kai stared at the vial. "You're very kind, Roche." he said quietly, "But I won't be needing that. I don't know if you've heard, but I'll be on a pyre tomorrow." He tried to shape the words into a tease, but his voice cracked. Roche's heart ached. She wished she could hug him.

"Kai," she breathed softly, all her grief and fire twined into the words, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Kai stared past her, to the tiny window in the wall. The sun was cresting the sky, it was almost noon. The window provided a small view of the beach. Already the knights were beginning to stack wood and paper for the pyre. Roche's heart broke as Kai's throat bobbed, his eyes watery.

"I didn't do it. I would never hurt Finn." Kai said, his voice small. Roche reached through the bars, barely managing to brush her fingers against his.

"I know." she murmured, her voice splintering. Kai seemed more steady than she thought he'd be. He dragged his gaze to the window again until his trembling slowed. He sucked in a long, slow breath, releasing it in a rush.

"What can I do for you?" Roche asked him when he didn't speak. Kai leaned back against the wall, coiling his chain around one finger until it turned purple.

"There's nothing that can be done." Kai murmured, closing his eyes, "Princess Tigris and Prince Aodh deserve to know the truth. Please, find it for them."

"That's your concern?" Roche could have laughed if her throat wasn't filled with tears. Kai smiled softly. He stretched, and their fingers brushed again.

"What is left at the end of a life but a legacy?" Kai whispered dazedly. His smile brightened slightly with fondness. "Finn read me this poem once. What am I but a collection of moments? What am I but a nebula of thoughts? What am I but a record of time? All that I am, I leave behind. I think I understand it now."

"Kai," Roche managed to say, "You won't die. I won't let that happen. You've done nothing wrong."

Kai's smile turned sad. He retracted his fingers.

"It's okay, Roche." he murmured, tilting his head back. The meagre sunlight barely skimmed his bloodied skin, but he sighed in relief, "I'll be okay."

His mirth drained suddenly as he opened his eyes, his eyes catching on the mounting pile of wood and paper on the beach.

"You'll just remember me." Kai muttered, "That's all you and I are. We're memories in this city. We're too different to be anything else."

The words were like a shockwave. Roche shook her head vehemently.

"You're wrong. You're more than that. You're so much more."

Kai's answering smile was wobbly. "You can be. Tigris and Aodh... they're still good royals. They'll change things, I'm sure. One day... this kingdom will be different. I just won't be around to see it."

His voice was flat and hopeless, but throaty with desire all at once. Roche stood, emotion pressing against her lungs. She couldn't breathe.

"I'm not going to let this happen," she repeated staunchly until Kai looked up, "Do you hear me, Kai? You deserve better. I'm getting you out of here."

"How?" Kai asked with a devastatingly patient grin, like he'd seen the truth and come to terms with it but Roche had not. Roche opened her mouth. The obvious answer was to use her inkblood. Blow the bars off his cell, yank his chains out the wall and spirit them both far away.

But the idea faded as quickly as it came. They'd be on the run. Eventually, the guards would catch up. And Roche wasn't sure if her inkblood was strong enough to even get Kai out of the castle.

She blew out a steadying breath. The only way to get Kai out of here would be to reveal the true inkblood behind this. It was a huge risk.

Suddenly, Circe's words echoed in her mind.

A choice.

That stupid bird. This was what it had been referring to. Flee or stay. Leave Finn and Kai to die by running and saving her hide, or risk everything by staying to help.

She shook her head. The bird had been right. Fear was a terrible motivator, but a tempting one. As much as she'd love to run away, seeing Kai and Finn made the answer obvious.

"Don't worry Kai," Roche repeated, backing out of the dungeons, "You'll be fine."

"I will be," Kai murmured, and Roche could hear the lie in his voice. She wouldn't let it be a lie.

She chose to stay.

A/N: I've read a lot of fantasy and dystopian books, and I find it strange how they tend to focus on one social problem in society. Maybe it's because that's what the characters are focusing on. But I think it's more immersive for readers to have multiple, real world problems included in the storyline.

For a bit of context, the Faultless Kingdom is a post-apocalyptic society. Something brought down most of modern civilisation, and the kingdom was built a long time after. It would make sense for some of our social issues to trickle through to this society including racism, which is why it's been included in this book. More social issues will become apparent as the story goes on as well.

Dw, things are going to get better for Roche. I just wanted to give a quick explanation for what she's experiencing.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Lmk what you think :D