The group set out just before the crack of dawn. The humid, pitch-dark streets held a strange, almost unnatural silence—broken only by Julian's drunken mumbling and the clatter of footsteps behind him.
Their ship waited at the edge of the dock: a worn-out naval vessel, clearly abandoned by its former crew. It was large enough to carry them all, but small enough to deny any hope of privacy. Still, it floated—and Julian's word, it seemed, had been good. This was his ship.
As the men loaded their gear, Wilhelm lingered at the bottom of the gangplank. His hands clenched at his sides. Visions flickered behind his eyes—August screaming, fire swallowing him, the stench of blood and smoke.
Kolya stepped beside him, resting a warm, steadying hand on his shoulder. "He's in a better place now, my friend."
Wilhelm shuddered. "At least he took that monster down with him."
On the far side of the deck, Julian was passing out flasks like they were medals of honor. Moses, Idris, and Christoff accepted with easy grins, joined by most of the soldiers. Only Lumiere, the prince, and the short, coughing soldier abstained.
Tao-Da lifted a flask gingerly, sniffed it, then coughed and nearly dropped it. He looked around, embarrassed, and quietly slid it back onto the crate.
Lumiere spent the early part of the voyage trying to keep Tao-Da from feeling left out.
"Why don't you drink with the others?" he asked gently.
Tao-Da sighed. "It poisons your brain. Father and some of his acquaintances used to drink the night away... that never ended well for the rest of us."
Wilhelm and Kolya joined them by the railing.
"Wilhelm? You're the last person I'd expect not to drink," Lumiere said.
"I just don't have the stomach for it right now," Wilhelm muttered.
Kolya leaned against the railing, eyes scanning the waves. "Regrettably, there's nothing aboard but cheap wine and mead."
Lumiere dropped his head in exaggerated defeat. "I'll go ask Julian if there's anything better below deck. Try not to peer-pressure the prince into debauchery while I'm gone."
He made his way to Julian's quarters. The stained-glass door was the only polished thing on the entire ship—an odd jewel amid the mildew and cobwebs of the lower deck.
Lumiere knocked once, then pushed the door open. Inside, Julian sat hunched at a desk, chugging wine straight from the bottle. He didn't notice him at first—until he did, and promptly spat half of it across the room.
"How can I help you, mate?" Julian grinned, wiping his mouth.
"Do you have anything to drink that isn't alcohol?" Lumiere asked flatly.
Julian exaggerated a frown. "Yeah, yeah. Sit down. I've got a key to the cellar... somewhere. Lost it a while back. It's in here though, I swear."
Lumiere sat on a cracked leather couch in the corner. While Julian rummaged, he took in the space: the mounted wine rack, the gleaming sabre framed behind the desk, and the cluttered surface where a small notebook, an empty bottle, and a framed photo sat.
"What's that on the desk?" Lumiere asked, letting the question hang.
Julian smirked, picking up the notebook. "I'm writing a book about my travels," he said proudly.
"How long have you been traveling?"
"Twenty years, give or take. Though most of that was navy time."
Lumiere stood, approaching the desk. His eyes fell on the photo. "And this?"
The image showed a younger Julian beside a pregnant woman with golden, wavy hair. Her skin looked pale—too pale. Sickly.
Julian froze. His eyes flicked from the photo to Lumiere, then back. Wordless, he snatched the frame and tucked it into his coat.
"Just an old memory," he said, suddenly brisk. "Anyway—here's your key. The cellar's down to the right."
He pushed Lumiere toward the door and shut it firmly behind him.
Lumiere hesitated, then turned and walked down into the cellar. He unlocked the door and stepped into the gloom. At first, all he saw were wine bottles stacked carelessly on dusty shelves. He nearly swore aloud—until he spotted them: a few gallons of freshwater, tucked away behind the rest.
A sudden, throaty cough behind him made him jump. The frail soldier stood in the doorway. Lumiere hadn't heard a thing.
"Umm… you okay, sir?" Lumiere asked, heart still thumping.
The soldier stood stiffly, almost nervously, behind their helmet. "Yes, uh… I was wondering if I could have some of that?"
Lumiere blinked, then relaxed. "Oh—yeah. I don't see why not. Come up to the deck and we'll have it with the others."
As he turned to leave, the soldier gently grabbed his shoulder.
"No, that's okay. I'd rather stay down here."
Lumiere looked back. "Uh… sure, if that's what you want."
He set down the bottles and began uncorking one. The soldier, after a moment of hesitation, reached up and removed their helmet for the first time since the journey began.
The lighting was dim, but even in the shadows, Lumiere could make out delicate features. A tied bun of silky black hair. Pale, sickly skin. And when she lit a candle, the flickering flame confirmed it—she was a woman. Missing one eye, covered with a worn leather eyepatch.
Lumiere stared for just a beat too long.
"How is a woman serving in the military?" he asked, handing her the bottle.
Her face turned bright red. She froze, realizing her mistake.
"Oh, well, um… I'm a special exception. Because the emperor says I'm such an amazing soldier," she said quickly.
Lumiere chuckled. "Right. Of course."
"What's your name?"
"Xia-Shibai," she muttered. Then quickly: "Just call me Xia."
Lumiere grinned. "Pleasure to meet you, Xia. I'm going back up to the others, but feel free to join us if you feel like it."
He turned and began slowly carrying the water bottles back upstairs. Xia watched him go, silent in the candlelight.
Lumiere walked up to the deck to a sight that made his heart sink.
Tao-da was on his knees, shoulders slumped, eyes hollow. Wilhelm, Kolya, and now Moses stood around him, quietly offering support.
Moses noticed Lumiere and stumbled toward him, slightly tipsy.
"Hey, listen man," he said quietly, "Tao-da's really stressed. Be careful with what you say, okay?"
Lumiere nodded, then approached and knelt beside the prince.
"Hey. I heard something happened. Is everything okay?"
Tao-da looked up, eyes red and glistening.
"I just received a letter from Qing."
He paused, jaw clenched.
"It says… one of my younger sisters went missing. Over a month ago."
Lumiere gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you have any idea what could've happened to her?"
Tao-da rose shakily to his feet, trembling with fury.
"I'll tell you exactly what happened! That old piece of shit of an emperor probably killed her in one of his tantrums."
His rage collapsed into grief. He dropped to his knees again, sobbing.
"She was always the weakest. I swear to God, I'll take his head if it's the last thing I do. Don't worry, Xia… your big brother will fix this."
Lumiere froze.
A cold drop of sweat ran down his forehead.
At the mention of her name.