Walking back to Iuny on his own was sobering. Shahid's thoughts were plagued with doubts, fear and enough second guesses to give himself an ulcer. That weird creature had predicted his movements perfectly then offhandedly dismissed it as having read too many books.

Too many books... He must be wealthy beyond measure to be able to read and have become so well studied. Why did it bother him though? Was it because everything it said was right? That his plan was indeed full of holes and would get himself killed at best?

What about Altayih? He had tried to talk him out of this venture the morning he left Wete, that it would be better to stay and take a chance than run off immediately. For whatever reason his short term companion whom he had come to know somewhat during their enslavement was convinced something was brewing within that things head.

There was no time however, he dare not risk staying less his sister be sold again or something else befall her. It was not only his duty as the elder brother to free her and make certain she was safe but he also did it because he loved her.

Alriyah was his only sister and he would not allow anyone to harm her.

But how? He already failed twice and one of those times was before he even had a chance to try, what then should he do?

Shahid walked along the road slowly leaving Miwani behind without even realizing he had passed it. He was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice. His friend had tried to convince him that the mercenary might be willing to help them but not right now, at least try by asking him and come up with a plan.

No time, there was no time, he had to go now was what he had told him and left at the crack of dawn armed with a spear.

He was going to take on a town full of guards and break into Alriyah's owners home and free her with one crude spear. Was it ironic he had been given the spear offhandedly by the creature and told "good luck?"

Whatever its motivations were it had shown more kindness and care than most. Giving an escaped slave not only their freedom and encouraging them to run but arming them? Not only that but wishing them luck in breaking the law?

If anyone ever found out they would both be executed for this including spirits only knew how many Wete just for having been there. It came with a price however and one he had readily agreed to: on pain of death say nothing.

He would keep his word.

So why did his new plan bother him so much? Was it due to the fact not much had changed? Then again could such a plan be changed due to the nature of the task at hand?

Shahid closed his eyes tightly and continued to walk on even as night fell, there was plenty of forage left but he had no appetite. His stomach was a knot that threatened to heave up the water he had drank the more the situation bore down on him but he forced it down.

One more day and he would put his plan into motion for better or worse. Staring up at the night sky he vowed that if nothing else he would die trying to free her, it was the least he could do.

Labrad was buzzing with activity as a new caravan passed through the gates from the Northern kingdoms. These precious caravans were the only real source of income left to them with Fareed taxing them nearly to death, it also helped that this caravan was not going south and therefor would not argue over the fee's they were required to pay.

While the road throughout Fareed's domain were about as safe as putting one's head inside a crocodiles mouth the Labradian City-State enjoyed safe roads. Even their rare shipping was safe as it sailed to Quda and beyond, one more thing Fareed could not make claim to.

Not for lack of trying of course.

What a miserable situation it was. Nawra ran her finger along the balconies ledge before returning to her chambers with handmaidens in tow. Fareed had tried several times to off her family but only twice had fought a real battle with them.

The first war had seen Labrad loose Tuli to their West but the second they forcibly seized a swath of land across the Thriti river which was now lush farmland. She had no doubt the Sultan chafed at this turn of events, it was rich and fertile land that yielded good crops that were then shipped off for profit to the north.

Nawra suspected he would try and retake it at some point and her family was in full agreement but there was nothing they could do. To build a fortress on that side would isolate them and thus give Fareed an advantage over the garrison. Building closer to the river was impossible because of the seasonal flooding that brought the prized silt, as a result the engineers had stated the only safe place to build it was in a very bad location.

Rafts could still cross with supplies but would be cut off immediately and any attempt to remedy this would only string them out that much farther.

There would be no fortress.

Bandits remained an on-off problem but small patrols dealt with them easily till whoever sent them quit bothering.

A fortress... Yes, she needed to fortify her own stake in things more than she already had. Her thoughts drifted back to her brother and whatever he was plotting again as she entered her room then began pacing incessantly.

Nawra almost jumped out of her hide when one of her servants tried to get her attention, it was nothing however so she dismissed them from the room to stew in her own thoughts.

Who would come for them first? Fareed? Or would her brother arrange something? No, he was arranging something. What would the price be though...

Looking out her window at the river Nawra pondered just how far her brother was willing to go in order to take the throne from her. A throne she did not even sit on yet. She was loved by the masses but Jubril held the admiration of the military, a dangerous split but one that also put them both at a disadvantage.

There was no doubt the generals would not follow him in a civil war but Jubril was not such a fool as to try. It would tear the nation apart immediately but that meant he had to pin her with something. Something that would give him the excuse to come for HER without raising suspicion or tarnishing the mask he wore.

Those loyal to her were already spying on Jubril and his supporters day and night while his own did the same to her. Smack in the middle were their parents who gleefully fell for his charm whenever he bothered to show it. The two faced little prince who acted the part well enough to be dismissed but always putting out an air of authority and knowing just what to say and when to garner support.

She played the game just as well, however her own position meant she could not touch him let alone take any actions against him without tarnishing her own reputation. Jubril had backed her into a corner and would get the first shot. Worse still was that he would dictate the time and location which meant she had to always look over her shoulder and carefully consider his every word, action and proposal.

Nawra hated having a brother.

Not all was in vain however, her spies had kept her well informed and discovered that whatever he was planning would not happen in the immediate future. Nor was she the target of his focus for the time being but someone or something else.

Was it possible he was going to try and convince their parents to wage war on someone? Most of the rumbling had come from the military and they were eager about something but tight lipped and while loyal to their king and queen she was another matter.

Her parents knew nothing unfortunately and when they asked Jubril had shown up in time to waylay their concerns, he even convinced them it was just a plan of his to secure their borders. A surprise he had said, oh what a surprise it would be if she only knew what he was really planning.

"What should I do..."

Nawra stared at her ceiling and the elaborate designs that covered it with their varied colors and elegant patterns. Unless she did something Jubril would get two free shots at her. Already one of her own plans had gone into motion and had reinforced her place in the hierarchy.

Labrad had long needed to expand the city boundary and her proposed plan had gone over very well with everyone much to Jubril's chagrin. An extension would be made and while it would be costly the increase of industry would offset this within a few years. A plan for the future she had termed it and once she had finished explaining the layout her parents readily agreed.

Perhaps that is what her brother was up to then. While she expanded the city and brought wealth he would expand the borders somehow and make them more powerful. A perfect combination she had to admit, with greater wealth came the need to fend off would be invaders who coveted it. It also meant a greater military presence, something he was all to eager to key in on.

Yet, whatever he had planned meant that there were now those within the Labradian army who now sided more with him than the king and queen. This much had become somewhat apparent the past year but it was doubtful there would be a coup, they were still too loyal.

However, it only took a few in the right places at the right time to cause great damage, damage that would allow him to remove her with little effort.

The light in her eyes dimmed a little as something disturbing crossed her mind: perhaps Jubril was hiding more than one intention in his neatly bundled package. She had walked into a snare and it would be very hard to back out of it.

She needed to find out just who still supported her within the military before it was too late.

"It is a good plan is it not?"

Jubril kept a small, perfectly rehearsed and utterly fake smile on his face as the military officers nodded to his proposal. He could lead them in an endless circle and they would follow him anywhere.

His small cadre of loyalists would be more than enough to see everything brought to fruition and everyone else would either be too ignorant or without enough if any evidence to interfere. While Nawra was a master at garnering the support of the masses she was not so successful at dealing with the nobility nor the wealthy. And the military? Hah!

The military at large was made up of those unquestioningly loyal to their leaders but as always a few were eager to gain a little more. This was what he quietly promised them, a chance to gain that little bit extra but every time Nawra opened her mouth she opposed them. It was no fault of his that she was opposed to ideas that would not harm the nation and at the same time deny fellow nobles from acquiring glory, wealth or power.

Nawra's case was not helped by the fact that about every other time she said anything towards the military it resulted in glares and arguments anymore. Most dismissed her as too much an optimist and for seeing the world in too much a positive light while hungry crocodiles circled them. Negotiate with those who would eat you? Madness.

As always he was there to fan the flames a little now and again but it was his supporters who took care of that for him now. Eager as always to get ahead of the pack by proving themselves they were quite happy to prove Nawra wrong if it meant attaining their goals.

Nawra was left bereft of supporters in the military now, save a few.

No matter, they were outnumbered and silenced by the rest. He knew numbers mattered in politics and unlike his sister he held the upper hand when it came to numbers, those that leaned towards her had become precious few till they were a drop in the bucket anymore. A bucket he now controlled and wielded to such an extent the king and queen were beginning to take a back seat.

Still the facade was kept, they controlled the military and he never gave one order without getting their approval first. He was only prince after all and he followed the chain of command perfectly which bought great approval with the military and his parents.

Indeed any time his sister tried to say anything against his plans it was cut down almost immediately lately. With the newest proposal ready to be laid upon the table he would cut one of her legs out from under her quite permanently.

For one thing he had taken her own plan of expansion and gotten everyone including the engineers to alter it slightly to include a new barracks. Nawra was not informed of course, why should they bother her with such a minor change?

It also meant this new section could be more easily protected and patrolled so everyone agreed to it but that had been the fine edge of a thick wedge.

Now that her planning and decision making had ever so slightly been called into question it paved the way for his own proposals. After all, his beloved sister was better at domestic affairs than national security which was of course... His forte.

During a time of expansion outside forces would take note and wars have been waged for lesser matters. Fareed hungrily eyed the other side of the river which he had lost. To their East Quda had expanded over the past four decades so rapidly they now had skirmishes along the border now and then.

To the north were the various tribes and the city of Awala which was happy to sit and fester near their mineral rich mountains. That was no concern of his however, what was a concern remained making certain some of those minerals found their way into Labrad for smelting and forging.

West remained two problems that reared their head now and then: Fareed's forces at Tuli and Samatia which was lead by Sana. Ambitious like he was but too caught up in wars with her other neighbors to bother them. Well for now at least, or so he had convinced everyone else.

Jubril knew full well something was brewing across Zebrica even while everyone else remained woefully ignorant of it. He had read every last spy report his parents had received and while they brushed them off he had utterly digested them one after another.

A picture had presented itself to him and it screamed of opportunity, an opportunity to not only solidify his place as the correct choice for the next ruler, but also to expand the Labradian borders. He was killing three birds with one stone once this plan went into effect.

Other nations would be so caught up in their own internal affairs, wars of expansion or reclamation to care about Labrad giving him the opportunity of a lifetime. His sister was so caught up in worrying about his plans for her that she had failed to notice in time the simplicity of it.

His dear, overworked, stressed and overthinking sister.

Thankfully everyone was gone from the room when the crazed grin crept from the corners of his mouth before being hidden away by the normal, happy go lucky facade.

With her authority slowly being called into question he was now embarking on an expedition to secure their borders by repairing the old forts. New outposts would be put into place and areas that had been seen as possible weak spots would now be watched.

In the public eye this would go over very well when announced and the military was more than eager to get a little revenge on the outside forces that had crossed now and then. This new system would give them the edge they desired but had been denied till now. Denied by his sister because it might aggravate relations or even convince others it precipitated an attack.

She was half right bless her stressed little heart. However, with border clashes already present who could say what precipitated all out war? Was it his own plan or did he in fact prove himself correct in making these plans? No matter what happened it would put a strong wall at his back if he needed it while she would be seen as at fault for trying to stop it.

Lastly his plan put the military at his command for the entire venture including a few other... Possibilities, as he had put it. The look on Nawra's face had been priceless when he first told everyone gathered in the throne room. If for nothing else it had been worth it just for that one, precious moment.

Using the spy reports gathered not by his own request but their parents he had crafted a picture of fanciful possibilities all of which he remarked were just a dream and nothing more. Still he argued, should they present themselves it should be taken.

Retaking Tuli was one of them should Fareed move his forces elsewhere and by all indication something was stirring somewhere in that rotten hole in the ground. It would be for the good of their former subjects he had proclaimed, they were now suffering under Fareed's rule and not even Nawra dared contest that fact.

Meanwhile to their east skirmishers crossed from Quda or the various tribes to raid the shipping now and then which provided the perfect excuse to seize part of the river they did not normally control. This included an area of mountains not claimed by Awala thus granting them the chance to mine the area.

Security, justice, wealth and industry all wrapped up in one neat little package. Only if the opportunity presented itself of course, he was absolutely unwilling to make a move unless the odds are entirely in their favor. Or so he claimed, either way it had placated his parents and bought favor with the nobility.

What had been his parents counter?

Marry Nawra to Fareed. This little suggestion of theirs had been entirely unexpected and jaws had slackened when it was breathed aloud. When the military heard this they had been deeply troubled and even the local ministers had almost lost their minds at the thought of unifying the two nations.

Jubril knew his parents had other plans of course but it had been poorly worded and timed. So poor it had pushed more into his camp and caused a small degree of isolation between the rulers and the ruled. Perhaps they were getting a little too old, careless or had simply forgotten how terrified the people were of Fareed in their royal isolation.

They meant well however, at their age they only wanted to see peace and ensure the kingdom would survive and even expand, but now everyone had begun to think they were mad. That his own proposal would isolate Labrad from the world or even cause a war with Fareed garnered a good deal of faith in him rather than the rest of the royal family.

Was this five birds with one stone? One self inflicted fatality? In the back of his mind he knew his parents were not fools, they had their own plans and probably had some suspicions regarding him but he covered his tracks so well they had nothing to go on but a little nagging feeling if nothing else.

Which was probably why they put Nawra up for being next in line instead of him. It did not matter however, plans within plans had been laid down and carefully written into his mind where they would remain safe.

All he needed now was a catalyst to set everything into motion, a false step, one single slip of the tongue.