“We’ve managed to track down the merchants, Sire.” The messenger reported to Governor Wilcox. It was the same messenger who had brought the news of the princess’s escape method, though this time he was much less afraid. He had something more positive to report.

“What are you on about?” It had been a long time since he had given the order, the Governor didn't know what the messenger was referring to. He was still busy thinking of new ways to appease the king until his men foun… ‘Oh those merchants.’

“The ones who the princess used to escape, Sire. They have been located in the port city of Athar, in the Republic of Serhesh.” Once he knew what the messenger was talking about, Governor Wilcox looked at him like a predator. This was related to his future, both figuratively and literally.

“And what did they say?” If the merchants knew where she was, that would be ideal. But Wilcox knew by now that the world was never that nice, it would be likely that the merchants did not know where she was. But he could always hope.

“They said that she parted ways with them once they entered the first port in Serhesh, to go south. She had originally planned to leave them in Leigh, but apparently she changed her mind for reasons that are unclear.” The messenger got to the crux of the matter, once again they only had a general direction. But at least it would be easier to find someone with red hair in southern Ezaes than in Leigh, there were none there.

“Are there any more clues about where she went? Southern Ezaes covers a lot of land, and our maps of the area are not great. For all we know, there could be another continent down there.” The Governor had to calm himself down after thinking of that possibility. There would truly be no hope of finding the princess if she wasn’t even on the continent that they thought she was.

“From what we gathered there is no such known continent to the south of Ezaes, but the political situation is tense.” The messenger did not want to have to say this part, no matter how happy he was about having made progress in finding her.

“Try me.” The Governor once again wore a predatory expression, but this time it was not for a good reason. He did not like bad news. Not now. Not ever.

“The nation to the immediate south of Serhesh in the throes of civil war, and their eastern neighbour is not far from it.” The messenger’s words almost made him faint. Could it get any worse?

“Why, in the name of the gods, did she go there? He could understand, to some extent running away. But to a warzone? She had to be alive to enjoy her freedom.

“When she left them, the civil war had not yet started. Apparently the monarch was assassinated. It was big news among the continental powers. The princess had enough time to go either east or west, if barely.” The merchant tried to say something positive, if only to save himself. And it worked, the Governor’s gaze softened a little bit.

“And which way do your superiors think she went? And stop being a lily-liver. I want straight answers.” The messenger was about to answer the question when the Governor sharpened his tone, apparently his attempts to save himself had been noticed. He was one of the people who knew for definite that Governor Wilcox did not like it when he was manipulated. There was a reason why he rarely dealt with merchants personally.

“It is likely that she went east, Sire. If she remembers the teachings of her tutors, she will know that we have absolutely no maps of the south east of Ezaes. The less knowledge we have of the area, the less likely we are to find her. And she is renowned for her intelligence.” The messenger’s reasoning was strong, even if it was only what he was briefed on by his superiors. The ones who were actually doing the searching for the princess. But it left the Governor with a question.

“We have maps of the south west of Ezaes?” How could he, as the Governor of the colonies not know about this. One of his jobs was fending off the barbarians to the south to make sure they did not get any designs on what they called the ‘northern islands’. He had always wondered why the fools in Ezaes could not come up with any decent names, there was a reason why the accent from the islands was called Darhish, the crown had named the islands the Darham islands.

“It might not be on modern maps due to nobody having been there in a long time, but over 500 years ago there was once a mighty empire there that braved the Sea of Treachery to land on the eastern shores of Atan, though they stopped appearing soon after. Apparently that empire is resurgent in recent years, hellbent on reconquest.” The messenger’s recount brought back memories to the Governor of stories from his childhood. It was used as a method to scare children that if they did not behave the brutes from across the sea of treachery would come and take them away.

“Those were real people, not just a children’s story?” He could hardly believe it, who would be mad enough to even try to cross the Sea of Treachery, there was a reason why their colonists had gone around it when they tried to explore east. ‘How did they even manage with the ships from 500 years ago?’

“Yes, they are real. And if we go by the merchant’s word, they are not liked by anybody in Ezaes. Nor do they hold a great fondness of those who do not recognise the supremacy of their empire. It is unlikely that the princess would go there to get away from us.” That did make some sense, with her looks she was obviously foreign, there was no doubt that she would not be welcomed in such a place.

“Search both the south east and south west. I want every stone upturned, I don’t care if it is likely or unlikely so long as it is possible. Now go, tell your superiors to start acting as soon as possible.” The Governor sent the messenger away in a more courteous fashion than he had the last time. But that was not a high bar to get over, he had sent the messenger away with death threats last time. ‘Would it kill you not to sound like an ass when you give commands?’