greatbritishsimchallenge

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

do you think spellcasters and werewolves would make an alliance against vampires once you have of those in your story? i feel like as we get more occults more political and fun things will be

I can finally answer this ask and say that things will definitely get... interesting... in the Georgian era.

One of the challenges for the era is this:

5a Abolitionist Have a sim with the 'generous' trait reach the top of the politician (charity organiser) career and then top of the law (private attorney) career. [No For Rent: good trait; No City Living: military or business; No Discover University: writer or critic]. Complete the postcard collection.

Obviously, this is a reference to slavery and the abolition movements of the 1800s, but there was no way I was ever going to recreate anything even resembling slavery in my game.

Instead, what is being explored in my universe is the now eras-long feud between spellcasters and humans, plus the fact that all the other occults have stayed hidden away all this time... Will they all want to be free and open? Or are there benefits to keeping to the shadows?

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Anyone know why MXMAO in Reshade is suddenly turning things see through?

I have not changed any settings. This has suddenly started happening since the patch (it broke my save. I had to repair, delete the Sims 4 folder and start a new save from scratch...

With MXMAO:

Without MXMAO:

I've been googling like a woman possessed and can't find anything that even comes close to describing the issue.

My depth buffer reversed is at 0.

Here are the other settings (again, these worked absolutely fine before the patch):

This is the reshade Gia by @kindlespice

Thank you!

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

BTS details

1. I know there are a lot of unanswered questions for this era, specifically around Morgan and her intentions: did she love Darrell? Did she really scheme to ensure the death of her crew? Morgan had an incredibly traumatic life and part of her way of dealing with it was to compartmentalise: no one knew everything, but they all knew something. She always wanted to give the appearance that she was in complete control, even if she was a subject to the luck and misfortune of life as everyone else. Who knows, perhaps if Henry, Frankie, Darrel, L Faba, Flori and Hannah could have all sat down together and compared notes, they would have been able to piece together who the 'real' Morgan was. If I have left you with some unanswered questions, feel free to send an ask and I'll see if I can answer!

2. This story is heavily influenced by teenage angst. Maggie was obsessed with being the 'perfect' Lady and finding her husband as a teen (the wedding was the first day of her young adulthood). Frankie ran away as a teen. Hannah threatened to run away as a teen. While I won't properly acknowledge the teen age until the 20th century, I still like to use the naivety, idealism and high emotions of that age to influence the story.

3. The Stuart Era for the challenge technically ended when Zale and Frankie fell in love, but I didn't want to wrap up the story there. The deaths past that point are all due to the challenge rules I use to decide who survives into the next era: roll a dice for the sim; if you roll an odd, they die. In previous eras I've exempted Flori, Tate and the entire challenge household, but decided things would be more interesting for the story if I left everyone except Frankie subject to the fate of the dice (so, really, this is all my own damn fault). No-one survived the pirate crew, but I delayed the deaths of L Faba and Morgan to help explain the deaths of Zale and Nalani. As for Hannah & Marina... who can say?

4. Mermaids and pirates are very underwhelming to play when you can't actually sail in a ship and mermaids are just a rubbish occult. I considered using lots of mods and CC to create a better visual illusion of mermaid life, but decided to stay closer to the visuals of my gameplay experience of mermaids - some people up to their chest in water where you can barely tell they're a mermaid. Frankie basically spent the era at her house, whether it was Peggy's, Catherine's, a ship or the cove. The girl never went anywhere.

5. Character traits heavily influence the way I write characters. Are these traits what you expected?

Frankie: genius, childish, child of the ocean

Morgan: self-assured, mean, noncommittal

Zale: socially awkward, genius, child of the islands

Maggie: self-absorbed, loyal, ambitious

Peggy: genius, outgoing, music lover

Catherine: snob, proper, hates children

Hannah: high maintenance, self-assured

Hope you enjoyed this era!

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

An Unexpected Epilogue

I've begun the gameplay for the Georgian era. I originally intended to continue with Frankie from the start and share her journey. However, the gameplay has turned so dark that I'm just going to share a summary here.

TW: death. Lots and lots of death.

After killing her sister, Morgan, Frankie left Sulani and headed for Tartosa - the last place she was happy. On the journey, she realised she was pregnant; while devastated that Zale wasn't by her side, she held on to the thought that at least she could raise their child. She enrolled in university and began studying medicine. She knew being a single mother and a university student would be challenging, but it was also the only path in life that felt right.

Life had more surprise in store as she gave birth to twin boys; she named them Hugh and Benedict. Life raising twins alone and studying full time was intense. It wasn't helped by the fact that she could only afford to rent a tiny one room flat that battled mould and bugs and rats. She considered returning to Newcrest and seeking refuge in Maggie's wealth, but that life felt too far removed from who she was now; she was determined to be self-sufficient. When Hugh died as an infant, Frankie took her grief and threw it into her studies, determined to get Benedict away from the slum they were living in. She almost succeeded - her studies were close to finishing and Benedict was about to become a child when he fell ill and died.

Frankie couldn't bear the pain. She dropped out of medical school and left the slum that killed her children, wandering aimlessly around the streets of Tartosa. She was convinced that the Watcher was punishing her for all the people she had killed by ensuring that everyone she loved died. She swore to never love a soul again.

It didn't take long for Frankie to become consumed by the dark underbelly of Tartosa. Frankie used her gift for playing cards to earn just enough to spend her days high or drunk and barely aware of what she was doing. When she fell pregnant, she had a vague memory of a man's kiss and touch, but nothing else.

Frankie began the swim to England. She planned to give birth and then give the child to Maggie to raise. Maggie was horrified to see the broken shell her sister had become, but secretly welcomed her in and kept her safe during her pregnancy. Still, Frankie's heart and body had already borne so much suffering and couldn't take the pain of childbirth; Frankie and the baby died. Maggie was by her sister's side.

I hope you can see why I chose not to drag that story out over many increasingly depressing weeks. Her story as a whole is, I think, the saddest I have had yet.

Some BTS details of how we've ended up here are under the cut, in case of interest.

Goodbye, Frankie. I'll miss you.

BTS: How did Frankie's life end this way?

The damn dice. I have always played the hardcore rules of the challenge, which require a dice roll for the mother at birth and a roll at birth and ageing to infant, toddler and child. If you roll a 1, they die. For Benedict, I so badly didn't want him to die that I even rolled a second time - it rolled 1 again. I took that as my sign that I had to stay true to the challenge and my gameplay experience.

As for why Frankie fell pregnant after losing her twins, that is thanks to a Special Event. I rolled a 3, which was 'Society Scandal'. One of the options is to have a sim become pregnant outside of marriage. Given I needed a new heir urgently, I picked that one. Frankie quite literally went to a bar, got drunk and then slept with someone she had just met.

Oh, and here's what toddler Benedict looked like (Hugh was identical):

And if he had made it to adulthood, here is what we could have had:

What could have been...

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Frankie sailed Morgan to the island where she had buried the treasure, her hands moving on autopilot. The only words either of them had spoken since the mermaids left them was Morgan barking the order for Frankie to bring her there - she reasoned that it was the most likely place Hannah would have taken Marina after their exile.

The island was empty, but a large hole had been dug where the treasure was supposed to be. Discarded in the sand was a small ducky toy that Zale had carved for Marina. Frankie picked it up and turned it over in her hands.

"They aren't here," said Frankie listlessly, "But the treasure is gone."

"That's something, I suppose," snapped Morgan, pulling out a cigar and beginning to smoke. "At least they'll have the money to be safe. Now we've just got to get back to Glimmerbrook. Once I'm crowned, I'll send scouts-"

"Or..." interrupted Frankie, her voice flat and her gaze fixed on the wooden ducky, "you could just leave them alone."

Morgan flicked her cigar in Frankie's direction, "What the fuck's that supposed to mean?"

Frankie didn't flinch. She carefully placed the duck next to the empty chest, in the faint thought that the girls might return looking for it.

"You bring misery and harm to everyone around you. Why not spare Hannah and Marina if you can?"

"Fucking pot and kettle," Morgan spat. "Whose life is better off for you being in it?"

Frankie shrugged and shook her head, "No-one's. We should both stay away."

For a moment it seemed as if Morgan was contemplating Frankie's suggestion, but then she tightened her jaw and shook her head.

"I'm not leaving my heirs wandering around fuck knows where," she muttered.

"Why?" asked Frankie, her voice monotone. "Because you need to control them? Or because, without them, you might be forced to face the fact that you are alone - unloved, despised and a murderous bitch."

"I get that your fish friends are dead and you're sad about that, but talk to me like that again and -"

"What?" interrupted Frankie. The emptiness to her voice gave her a steely shield that Morgan's threats could not penetrate. "Destroy my life? You've already done that. Kill me? Go ahead. You'll be doing me a favour."

Silence stretched between them, thick as fog. Without sight to help her, Morgan was trying to read her sister's mood in the air between them - calculate how far she could push. Frankie could sense the aura of sadness around Morgan was growing, pulsing harder and faster.

Morgan sighed tiredly, "Let's go. We need to move."

She held out her arm for Frankie to guide her back to the canoe.

Frankie took the arm with one hand, but also slowly, carefully pulled the knife from her belt with the other. Morgan leaned in closer to her sister and whispered,

"I'm sorry, alright?"

Frankie was quiet, rubbing her thumb on the knife's handle.

"So am I," she replied, as she pulled her sister in closer and used Zale's knife to slice clean across her throat.

Morgan fell hard, gurgling. Blood bubbled from her throat as she clawed at the wound, mouthing something — a spell? A plea? Frankie neither knew nor cared. Her body spasmed once, twice, then stilled.

Frankie looked back at the little wooden ducky in the sand and whispered, the stone of her voice cracking for the first time, "You're safe now."

The Stuart Era has Ended

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Frankie sailed Morgan to the island where she had buried the treasure, her hands moving on autopilot. The only words either of them had spoken since the mermaids left them was Morgan barking the order for Frankie to bring her there - she reasoned that it was the most likely place Hannah would have taken Marina after their exile.

The island was empty, but a large hole had been dug where the treasure was supposed to be. Discarded in the sand was a small ducky toy that Zale had carved for Marina. Frankie picked it up and turned it over in her hands.

"They aren't here," said Frankie listlessly, "But the treasure is gone."

"That's something, I suppose," snapped Morgan, pulling out a cigar and beginning to smoke. "At least they'll have the money to be safe. Now we've just got to get back to Glimmerbrook. Once I'm crowned, I'll send scouts-"

"Or..." interrupted Frankie, her voice flat and her gaze fixed on the wooden ducky, "you could just leave them alone."

Morgan flicked her cigar in Frankie's direction, "What the fuck's that supposed to mean?"

Frankie didn't flinch. She carefully placed the duck next to the empty chest, in the faint thought that the girls might return looking for it.

"You bring misery and harm to everyone around you. Why not spare Hannah and Marina if you can?"

"Fucking pot and kettle," Morgan spat. "Whose life is better off for you being in it?"

Frankie shrugged and shook her head, "No-one's. We should both stay away."

For a moment it seemed as if Morgan was contemplating Frankie's suggestion, but then she tightened her jaw and shook her head.

"I'm not leaving my heirs wandering around fuck knows where," she muttered.

"Why?" asked Frankie, her voice monotone. "Because you need to control them? Or because, without them, you might be forced to face the fact that you are alone - unloved, despised and a murderous bitch."

"I get that your fish friends are dead and you're sad about that, but talk to me like that again and -"

"What?" interrupted Frankie. The emptiness to her voice gave her a steely shield that Morgan's threats could not penetrate. "Destroy my life? You've already done that. Kill me? Go ahead. You'll be doing me a favour."

Silence stretched between them, thick as fog. Without sight to help her, Morgan was trying to read her sister's mood in the air between them - calculate how far she could push. Frankie could sense the aura of sadness around Morgan was growing, pulsing harder and faster.

Morgan sighed tiredly, "Let's go. We need to move."

She held out her arm for Frankie to guide her back to the canoe.

Frankie took the arm with one hand, but also slowly, carefully pulled the knife from her belt with the other. Morgan leaned in closer to her sister and whispered,

"I'm sorry, alright?"

Frankie was quiet, rubbing her thumb on the knife's handle.

"So am I," she replied, as she pulled her sister in closer and used Zale's knife to slice clean across her throat.

Morgan fell hard, gurgling. Blood bubbled from her throat as she clawed at the wound, mouthing something — a spell? A plea? Frankie neither knew nor cared. Her body spasmed once, twice, then stilled.

Frankie looked back at the little wooden ducky in the sand and whispered, the stone of her voice cracking for the first time, "You're safe now."

The Stuart Era has Ended

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

As they continued the journey to Sulani, Frankie refused to speak to Morgan. She had so many more questions: were the births of Hannah and Marina accidents, or just part of Morgan’s master plan? Did she love them — or were they just pawns in her dynasty? Had she ever truly cared about Frankie?

Frankie knew she wouldn't trust any of the answers her sister gave and so said nothing. She briefly considered asking Morgan’s permission to read her emotions — to use her empathic mermaid senses to finally know the truth — but doubted Morgan would agree to it. Besides, it would mean revealing that Frankie was now a mermaid, information that Frankie had no intention of sharing.

She kept her physical distance from Morgan as well. The aura of sadness that enveloped her had become more palpable as Morgan had been left alone with her thoughts. Frankie couldn't bear the cold that came from being near her.

Since discovering the threat of danger back in Sulani, she felt intensely sick, often vomiting over the side of the ship. She was angry with herself for leaving them, but also knew that she would have been just as helpless if she had stayed. None of them were fighters - not her, not Hannah and certainly not the pacifist mermaids. They survived by hiding. She prayed to the Watcher constantly, not caring whether she really believed or not, that they would all be okay.

Frankie docked the ship onto the main island and then took Morgan in a canoe over the cove. As they arrived, the cove was silent. No sound of Marina giggling or the splashing water of Hannah swimming nearby, or the clinking of Zale's beakers as he prepared his remedies. Just blood splattered on the stone floor, drying in the sun like rust.

The sight of the blood tightened the knot in Frankie's stomach and she fought the urge to be sick. By one of the blood stains was a small knife that she recognised as the one Zale used to prepare herbs for remedies.

"Can you see them?" Morgan asked. Frankie wasn't sure who she was referring to, but it didn't matter.

"No," said Frankie, quietly taking the knife and tucking it into her apron. "I'll try calling for the mermaids."

As the group of mermaids approached, Frankie noticed two things: the group was smaller than usual, and Nalani was not there.

"You have a nerve to show your face here again," growled the merman.

"Where are my children?" asked Morgan, outdoing the man's anger and ferocity and making him take a step back.

"They are banished from these lands - as are the two of you! By order of the King of the Mermaids!"

Frankie recognised the man as one of Nalani's advisors and searched her mind for his name, "Please... Aegir, yes?"

"King Aegir," he corrected.

"Please, we'll leave. Just tell us where they are. Where is the Queen? Where is Zale?"

All of the mermaids collectively bowed their heads. The grief that emanated from them struck Frankie like a tidal wave, leaving her struggling for breath.

Morgan grew impatient at the silence, "Well? Speak!"

"They are dead," Aegir intoned, "Murdered by the spellcaster that came after you."

Frankie vomited into the sand as Morgan snarled, "And they won't be the only ones murdered by a spellcaster if you don't give us more detail. Where's the spellcaster that killed them?"

"Also deceased."

Frankie noticed her sister relax at that news, though the aura of sadness pulsated again.

"Well done - I'll see you are paid handsomely for that and the loss of all mermaid lives," said Morgan, like a monarch congratulating a foot soldier. "Tell me everything that happened here."

King Aegir surveyed Morgan with deep distaste, but could sense that she was not someone to disobey when the mermaids were already so weakened.

"The spellcaster arrived here some days ago, claiming to be sent by you to collect Hannah. Zale was suspicious and sent for our people. When the spellcaster realised her ruse had been rumbled, she became violent, striking down..." Aegir choked on tears for a moment and then continued, "Striking down our Queen. Her spells were strong, but there were enough of us to eventually overpower her."

"And... Zale?" asked Frankie, clutching her stomach.

Aegir softened a little to see how devastated Frankie was and knowing what he was to her, "He was badly injured. Many of us were. As our only medic, he sought to heal as many as he could... until he was too hurt to go on. By then, it was too late. There was nothing any of us could do."

Frankie felt as if every feeling had been drained from her body and replaced with a cold emptiness.

"What about my children?" asked Morgan.

"The deaths of so many of our people was a clear violation of your agreement with Queen Nalani and thus I decreed that we were no longer bound to protect them. They left the cove - I do not know for where."

"You fucking -" Morgan lit her hands with a spell ready to cast, but Frankie grabbed her arm.

"Morgan, no. We've done enough here," she turned to Aegir and communicated to him with her feelings. How could you cast out a young woman and a child? They did the mermaids no harm.

Aegir raised his chin, offended at his judgement being questioned.

The Queen was mistaken to trust you a second time when you had already shown yourself to be a weak leader and incapable of protecting those around you, felt Aegir. And she should never have permitted you to become a mermaid when you had done nothing to serve our people. I may not be able to strip you of being a mermaid, but you are not welcome amongst us.

The mermaids returned to the water. Frankie watched them go, feeling nothing but the urge to be sick once again.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

As they continued the journey to Sulani, Frankie refused to speak to Morgan. She had so many more questions: were the births of Hannah and Marina accidents, or just part of Morgan’s master plan? Did she love them — or were they just pawns in her dynasty? Had she ever truly cared about Frankie?

Frankie knew she wouldn't trust any of the answers her sister gave and so said nothing. She briefly considered asking Morgan’s permission to read her emotions — to use her empathic mermaid senses to finally know the truth — but doubted Morgan would agree to it. Besides, it would mean revealing that Frankie was now a mermaid, information that Frankie had no intention of sharing.

She kept her physical distance from Morgan as well. The aura of sadness that enveloped her had become more palpable as Morgan had been left alone with her thoughts. Frankie couldn't bear the cold that came from being near her.

Since discovering the threat of danger back in Sulani, she felt intensely sick, often vomiting over the side of the ship. She was angry with herself for leaving them, but also knew that she would have been just as helpless if she had stayed. None of them were fighters - not her, not Hannah and certainly not the pacifist mermaids. They survived by hiding. She prayed to the Watcher constantly, not caring whether she really believed or not, that they would all be okay.

Frankie docked the ship onto the main island and then took Morgan in a canoe over the cove. As they arrived, the cove was silent. No sound of Marina giggling or the splashing water of Hannah swimming nearby, or the clinking of Zale's beakers as he prepared his remedies. Just blood splattered on the stone floor, drying in the sun like rust.

The sight of the blood tightened the knot in Frankie's stomach and she fought the urge to be sick. By one of the blood stains was a small knife that she recognised as the one Zale used to prepare herbs for remedies.

"Can you see them?" Morgan asked. Frankie wasn't sure who she was referring to, but it didn't matter.

"No," said Frankie, quietly taking the knife and tucking it into her apron. "I'll try calling for the mermaids."

As the group of mermaids approached, Frankie noticed two things: the group was smaller than usual, and Nalani was not there.

"You have a nerve to show your face here again," growled the merman.

"Where are my children?" asked Morgan, outdoing the man's anger and ferocity and making him take a step back.

"They are banished from these lands - as are the two of you! By order of the King of the Mermaids!"

Frankie recognised the man as one of Nalani's advisors and searched her mind for his name, "Please... Aegir, yes?"

"King Aegir," he corrected.

"Please, we'll leave. Just tell us where they are. Where is the Queen? Where is Zale?"

All of the mermaids collectively bowed their heads. The grief that emanated from them struck Frankie like a tidal wave, leaving her struggling for breath.

Morgan grew impatient at the silence, "Well? Speak!"

"They are dead," Aegir intoned, "Murdered by the spellcaster that came after you."

Frankie vomited into the sand as Morgan snarled, "And they won't be the only ones murdered by a spellcaster if you don't give us more detail. Where's the spellcaster that killed them?"

"Also deceased."

Frankie noticed her sister relax at that news, though the aura of sadness pulsated again.

"Well done - I'll see you are paid handsomely for that and the loss of all mermaid lives," said Morgan, like a monarch congratulating a foot soldier. "Tell me everything that happened here."

King Aegir surveyed Morgan with deep distaste, but could sense that she was not someone to disobey when the mermaids were already so weakened.

"The spellcaster arrived here some days ago, claiming to be sent by you to collect Hannah. Zale was suspicious and sent for our people. When the spellcaster realised her ruse had been rumbled, she became violent, striking down..." Aegir choked on tears for a moment and then continued, "Striking down our Queen. Her spells were strong, but there were enough of us to eventually overpower her."

"And... Zale?" asked Frankie, clutching her stomach.

Aegir softened a little to see how devastated Frankie was and knowing what he was to her, "He was badly injured. Many of us were. As our only medic, he sought to heal as many as he could... until he was too hurt to go on. By then, it was too late. There was nothing any of us could do."

Frankie felt as if every feeling had been drained from her body and replaced with a cold emptiness.

"What about my children?" asked Morgan.

"The deaths of so many of our people was a clear violation of your agreement with Queen Nalani and thus I decreed that we were no longer bound to protect them. They left the cove - I do not know for where."

"You fucking -" Morgan lit her hands with a spell ready to cast, but Frankie grabbed her arm.

"Morgan, no. We've done enough here," she turned to Aegir and communicated to him with her feelings. How could you cast out a young woman and a child? They did the mermaids no harm.

Aegir raised his chin, offended at his judgement being questioned.

The Queen was mistaken to trust you a second time when you had already shown yourself to be a weak leader and incapable of protecting those around you, felt Aegir. And she should never have permitted you to become a mermaid when you had done nothing to serve our people. I may not be able to strip you of being a mermaid, but you are not welcome amongst us.

The mermaids returned to the water. Frankie watched them go, feeling nothing but the urge to be sick once again.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

"The next thing I remember is Henry and the cave," said Morgan bitterly.

Frankie thought over the story, "So... Flori wanted to die? It was her way of... transferring power?"

Morgan inhaled deeply on her cigar and said nothing.

"But..." Frankie rubbed her head, trying to process everything. "She didn't even mention Hannah... she said you raised a coup with L Faba?"

Morgan continued to smoke silently.

Frankie grew angry, "Morgan, did you lie to me? Did Flori even know Hannah existed?"

Morgan said nothing.

"You lied! Flori never even knew about Hannah, did she? You were after her power. You failed — and ran, waiting to try again."

Frankie began pacing back and forth, "All of this... Darrel... Minerva... Emilia... they thought they were fighting to protect Hannah... but you were just using them? You... you wanted them to die so they couldn't make any claim to the throne if Hannah became your heir?"

Morgan stubbed her old cigar under foot and lit another.

Frankie thought about Darrell swinging Hannah into the air. Of Gemma singing her lullabies. Of Emilia hugging her goodnight. Of Minerva, by her side at all times and in all ways - brushing sand from her knees, whispering stories at dusk, holding her hand as she practised walking along the ship's edge. Frankie stopped pacing, staring at the floorboards and feeling the pieces shift beneath her feet, like an earthquake shaking her whole world.

"Did you ever care about any of us?"

Morgan sighed and tapped ash onto the floor, "If Flori had known about Hannah, she would have tried to have her killed. She didn't know about her, but I also needed it to stay that way. It wasn't a lie."

While her sister continued to defend herself, the aura of sadness around her pulsated and exuded an icy cold that made Frankie shiver. Frankie wondered what it could mean - was Morgan feeling guilt? Regret? Loss? Grief? Or just unhappiness that her plans had gone awry?

Frankie shook her head, keeping her eyes fixed on the floorboards, unable to look at Morgan. "You used all of us."

"Not all," said Morgan bitterly, "L Faba was clearly three steps ahead - the fucking bitch. She must have scarpered when she saw Flori pin me down. Likely gone to take the realm for herself."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because that was the plan all along - well, the version she knew. Me and her - joint Queens ruling over the realm forever more."

"But you had other plans?"

"I'm immortal. She's not. Not exactly a challenging obstacle."

"And what about Hannah? Would she go after her? Does she know about Marina?"

"Why the fuck else do you think we needed to rush back to Sulani? Hannah - and Marina, though L Faba doesn't know it - are the two left alive with a claim to the throne. That, and I left the map to my treasure with you and Hannah. Do I assume you left that in Sulani too?"

"I did," said Frankie, frozen in fear.

Morgan spat on the floor, "fucking useless, the lot of you. You better fucking hope those mermaids aren't useless because L Faba has got days head start on us and they are the only thing left between my daughters and a ruthless killer."

"It's fine..." said Frankie, more to reassure herself than anything else, "She won't know where to find them. The mermaid cove is hidden."

Morgan inhaled deeply on her cigar. Frankie stopped pacing and stared at her sister.

"Morgan? Tell me L Faba doesn't know where the mermaid cove is."

"I needed someone to know where they were in case I died," said Morgan, stoney-faced.

Frankie had to grab the wall to stop herself from collapsing as the pain hit her in the chest and felt like her ribs were collapsing inward.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

"The next thing I remember is Henry and the cave," said Morgan bitterly.

Frankie thought over the story, "So... Flori wanted to die? It was her way of... transferring power?"

Morgan inhaled deeply on her cigar and said nothing.

"But..." Frankie rubbed her head, trying to process everything. "She didn't even mention Hannah... she said you raised a coup with L Faba?"

Morgan continued to smoke silently.

Frankie grew angry, "Morgan, did you lie to me? Did Flori even know Hannah existed?"

Morgan said nothing.

"You lied! Flori never even knew about Hannah, did she? You were after her power. You failed — and ran, waiting to try again."

Frankie began pacing back and forth, "All of this... Darrel... Minerva... Emilia... they thought they were fighting to protect Hannah... but you were just using them? You... you wanted them to die so they couldn't make any claim to the throne if Hannah became your heir?"

Morgan stubbed her old cigar under foot and lit another.

Frankie thought about Darrell swinging Hannah into the air. Of Gemma singing her lullabies. Of Emilia hugging her goodnight. Of Minerva, by her side at all times and in all ways - brushing sand from her knees, whispering stories at dusk, holding her hand as she practised walking along the ship's edge. Frankie stopped pacing, staring at the floorboards and feeling the pieces shift beneath her feet, like an earthquake shaking her whole world.

"Did you ever care about any of us?"

Morgan sighed and tapped ash onto the floor, "If Flori had known about Hannah, she would have tried to have her killed. She didn't know about her, but I also needed it to stay that way. It wasn't a lie."

While her sister continued to defend herself, the aura of sadness around her pulsated and exuded an icy cold that made Frankie shiver. Frankie wondered what it could mean - was Morgan feeling guilt? Regret? Loss? Grief? Or just unhappiness that her plans had gone awry?

Frankie shook her head, keeping her eyes fixed on the floorboards, unable to look at Morgan. "You used all of us."

"Not all," said Morgan bitterly, "L Faba was clearly three steps ahead - the fucking bitch. She must have scarpered when she saw Flori pin me down. Likely gone to take the realm for herself."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because that was the plan all along - well, the version she knew. Me and her - joint Queens ruling over the realm forever more."

"But you had other plans?"

"I'm immortal. She's not. Not exactly a challenging obstacle."

"And what about Hannah? Would she go after her? Does she know about Marina?"

"Why the fuck else do you think we needed to rush back to Sulani? Hannah - and Marina, though L Faba doesn't know it - are the two left alive with a claim to the throne. That, and I left the map to my treasure with you and Hannah. Do I assume you left that in Sulani too?"

"I did," said Frankie, frozen in fear.

Morgan spat on the floor, "fucking useless, the lot of you. You better fucking hope those mermaids aren't useless because L Faba has got days head start on us and they are the only thing left between my daughters and a ruthless killer."

"It's fine..." said Frankie, more to reassure herself than anything else, "She won't know where to find them. The mermaid cove is hidden."

Morgan inhaled deeply on her cigar. Frankie stopped pacing and stared at her sister.

"Morgan? Tell me L Faba doesn't know where the mermaid cove is."

"I needed someone to know where they were in case I died," said Morgan, stoney-faced.

Frankie had to grab the wall to stop herself from collapsing as the pain hit her in the chest and felt like her ribs were collapsing inward.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

"My darling Morgana, it has been too long - mummy's missed you."

"Fuck you," Morgan replied. The spellcasters stepped out from their hiding places amongst the trees and circled Flori and Tate, hands at the ready.

Flori cackled, "Oh come now, can't we have at least one sweet moment before I strike you and your friends dead?"

Morgan threw a spell to Flori, but she deflected it with ease.

"What a shame - death it is!"

The fighting was fast and intense, with spells flying in every direction and Morgan never certain who they had been cast by nor whom they were intended for.

With all her energy focused on her mother, only flashes of other moments caught her eye.

She did not know how long they had been going when the sound of people shouting and jostling in the distance became louder and closer.

Flori called to Morgan, "what's this, sweet pea? Have you sent for a little search party? I am afraid mummy shall have to come back another time to meet them!"

Morgan watched as Flori attempted to teleport away and failed.

Smirking, Morgan called out, "Something wrong, mummy? Have the witch hunters' anti-magic orbs got you feeling a little… stuck?"

Flori, realising what Morgan had done, began to laugh uproariously, "Copperdale! I knew I recognised the name! It has been some time since I was last here… Oh, brilliant work, darling girl - brilliant work."

Morgan fired off a spell, but nothing came. Her magic fizzled — the orbs were working on her too. Flori laughed,

"What fun - we shall have to fight like humans!"

Morgan raised her fists and charged at Flori. As they fought, Flori continued to laugh and talk to Morgan,

"My darling, darling girl - I have waited such a long time for this!"

"Find something to fight with - rocks, sticks - anything!" shouted Morgan to the others.

The angry roars of the Puritans grew louder and Morgan knew they didn't have long left before their choice needed to be made - flee and survive or keep Flori in their grasp and die alongside her.

"When one is immortal," Flori began, seemingly unbothered by the mob heading towards them, "You come to realise why death is necessary. Life without death becomes very tedious, darling, and your only hope of excitement is the day that someone tries to kill you."

As Morgan continued to swipe at her mother and Flori effortlessly dodged, she knew that her mother was letting the fight continue for her own amusement, ensuring that Morgan had to listen. Everything in life was a game to her - even her death.

"Well," Flori continued, "when you are also as powerful as I am, that becomes near impossible, too - only making things more tedious. Oh, I cannot tell you how bored I have been for fuck knows how long - time is nothing to me, and so nothing is anything to me. I came to realise that the only one who might ever be able to free me from this endless boredom would be an heir - a killer - of my own creation. Tate was never going to be capable, given they are adoringly spineless. So I needed a new heir - and that's when I got you, my little duckling."

The shock of Flori's words made Morgan hesitate, giving Flori an opening to kick her to the ground.

"All this time I've been raising you to desire what I have. I wanted you to usurp me - I could not think of a better way for an heir to earn their throne."

"Right," spat Morgan. "So, naturally, you tried to kill me. Darrel! L!"

"Oh sweetheart, calling for help? Come now, that won't do! Nor will you blaming me for trying to kill you - you raised a coup against me! What else was I to do? I told you, darling: you must earn the throne. Mummy may have been very proud of you, but I wasn't going to hand it over just because you wanted it. Oh, but to have L Faba betray me like that… I was most disappointed in you. It felt like cheating, darling! This plan of yours, on the other hand…. sending witch hunters after me? Much more delicious. I should have seen it coming, of course, but these piddily human towns all jumble in my mind. I shall consider it a lesson learned for next time."

"There won't be a next time," said Morgan, grabbing her mother by the throat and cutting her cackle into a hoarse gasp.

Morgan tightened her grip. For a moment, Flori's eyes widened in a mortal panic, but then their wideness shifted to manic craze as her hand darted forward, fingers like daggers. Morgan screamed as they burrowed into her eye socket. A sickly wet pop, a flash of blinding light - then darkness.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

"My darling Morgana, it has been too long - mummy's missed you."

"Fuck you," Morgan replied. The spellcasters stepped out from their hiding places amongst the trees and circled Flori and Tate, hands at the ready.

Flori cackled, "Oh come now, can't we have at least one sweet moment before I strike you and your friends dead?"

Morgan threw a spell to Flori, but she deflected it with ease.

"What a shame - death it is!"

The fighting was fast and intense, with spells flying in every direction and Morgan never certain who they had been cast by nor whom they were intended for.

With all her energy focused on her mother, only flashes of other moments caught her eye.

She did not know how long they had been going when the sound of people shouting and jostling in the distance became louder and closer.

Flori called to Morgan, "what's this, sweet pea? Have you sent for a little search party? I am afraid mummy shall have to come back another time to meet them!"

Morgan watched as Flori attempted to teleport away and failed.

Smirking, Morgan called out, "Something wrong, mummy? Have the witch hunters' anti-magic orbs got you feeling a little… stuck?"

Flori, realising what Morgan had done, began to laugh uproariously, "Copperdale! I knew I recognised the name! It has been some time since I was last here… Oh, brilliant work, darling girl - brilliant work."

Morgan fired off a spell, but nothing came. Her magic fizzled — the orbs were working on her too. Flori laughed,

"What fun - we shall have to fight like humans!"

Morgan raised her fists and charged at Flori. As they fought, Flori continued to laugh and talk to Morgan,

"My darling, darling girl - I have waited such a long time for this!"

"Find something to fight with - rocks, sticks - anything!" shouted Morgan to the others.

The angry roars of the Puritans grew louder and Morgan knew they didn't have long left before their choice needed to be made - flee and survive or keep Flori in their grasp and die alongside her.

"When one is immortal," Flori began, seemingly unbothered by the mob heading towards them, "You come to realise why death is necessary. Life without death becomes very tedious, darling, and your only hope of excitement is the day that someone tries to kill you."

As Morgan continued to swipe at her mother and Flori effortlessly dodged, she knew that her mother was letting the fight continue for her own amusement, ensuring that Morgan had to listen. Everything in life was a game to her - even her death.

"Well," Flori continued, "when you are also as powerful as I am, that becomes near impossible, too - only making things more tedious. Oh, I cannot tell you how bored I have been for fuck knows how long - time is nothing to me, and so nothing is anything to me. I came to realise that the only one who might ever be able to free me from this endless boredom would be an heir - a killer - of my own creation. Tate was never going to be capable, given they are adoringly spineless. So I needed a new heir - and that's when I got you, my little duckling."

The shock of Flori's words made Morgan hesitate, giving Flori an opening to kick her to the ground.

"All this time I've been raising you to desire what I have. I wanted you to usurp me - I could not think of a better way for an heir to earn their throne."

"Right," spat Morgan. "So, naturally, you tried to kill me. Darrel! L!"

"Oh sweetheart, calling for help? Come now, that won't do! Nor will you blaming me for trying to kill you - you raised a coup against me! What else was I to do? I told you, darling: you must earn the throne. Mummy may have been very proud of you, but I wasn't going to hand it over just because you wanted it. Oh, but to have L Faba betray me like that… I was most disappointed in you. It felt like cheating, darling! This plan of yours, on the other hand…. sending witch hunters after me? Much more delicious. I should have seen it coming, of course, but these piddily human towns all jumble in my mind. I shall consider it a lesson learned for next time."

"There won't be a next time," said Morgan, grabbing her mother by the throat and cutting her cackle into a hoarse gasp.

Morgan tightened her grip. For a moment, Flori's eyes widened in a mortal panic, but then their wideness shifted to manic craze as her hand darted forward, fingers like daggers. Morgan screamed as they burrowed into her eye socket. A sickly wet pop, a flash of blinding light - then darkness.

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

As Frankie expected, she found cigars in the captain's cabin.

Morgan inhaled deeply on the cigar and, as she exhaled, groaned in relief. Frankie watched her smoke silently. She wasn't sure what she had expected to feel when they had reunited - she knew there wouldn't be hugs or tears. Still, it felt as if Morgan had missed the cigar more than Frankie. Her relief at Frankie's arrival had been centred around the convenience of it all, not any sort of attachment. She hadn't even seemed especially bothered to hear about Hannah or Marina.

There was something else different about Morgan too; Frankie struggled to put into words what it was, except to say that it was like she could suddenly see her sister's emotions. She seemed to glow a deep, dark blue that, no matter how calm her outer demeanour appeared, exuded a wretched sadness so profound that Frankie could have wept on her sister's behalf. She wondered if this is what Zale and Nalani could sense from her when she first arrived in Sulani - the hidden despair of someone acting as if they're fine.

Morgan tipped some ash onto the cabin floor and then sighed, "As you so smugly pointed out, you've protected my kids and rescued me, so I owe you. Here's the deal - for as long as we're on this ship, I answer every question you've got."

"And you promise not to lie?" added Frankie.

Morgan pursed her lips in annoyance, "I promise to tell you the truth, even if I know it will eviscerate your little heart. Happy?"

"Ok."

"The second we step off this ship - that's the end of it. No asking me about my past. And certainly no fucking telling anyone what I tell you. Agreed?"

"Agreed," said Frankie, "Let's start with the recent past."

"Why do you sound like you're preparing to write a fucking biography?"

Frankie ignored the barb and asked, "Why did it take to so long for Flori to show up?"

"Watcher knows. I'd wager she didn't believe the rumours for a long time. She sent the odd assassin at first to scope things out. When they failed to return, she must have figured it was true."

"What was it like, facing her?"

Morgan shifted uncomfortably, "What do you mean?"

"Staring down the woman who had been a cruel mother and hunting your daughter and now was going to try and kill you? You didn't… have any feelings about that?"

"Flori wasn't a cruel mother," said Morgan sombrely, "she gave me everything I could ever want, taught me everything she knew and she only ever asked two things of me: don't fall in love and don't bear a child."

Frankie looked at Morgan in shock, "Minerva said…"

"Minerva was a peasant spellcaster," Morgan pointed out. "they all thought Flori was evil incarnate - and they were right. But she treated her heirs well. To us, she was mummy."

"Wait… so…. Flori turned on you because she found out about Hannah?"

Morgan tapped more ash onto the floor, "Flori's model of monarchy isn't like the human realm. She went through some shit when she was mortal that made her believe blood ties and romantic love did more harm than good. She believed heirs should be chosen, not born. In her eyes, romantic relationships muddied waters and made leaders weak while a biological child meant there was someone else with a claim to your heir. We weren’t supposed to have attachments, much less children. So, when I had Hannah -"

"And fell in love with Darrel?" interrupted Frankie.

Morgan ignored Frankie's addition and continued, "I'd fucked everything up. Now there was going to be a claim to the throne beyond Flori's control. Hannah had to die. And so did I, as punishment."

"Did… did Darrel know how you felt about him?"

"What's with all the questions about Darrel?" asked Morgan angrily as the aura of sadness around her intensified. "I thought you wanted to know what happened with Flori?"

Frankie nodded resignedly, giving up any thought that her sister might spill her heart out to her, "Right. Tell me what happened with Flori."

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

As Frankie expected, she found cigars in the captain's cabin.

Morgan inhaled deeply on the cigar and, as she exhaled, groaned in relief. Frankie watched her smoke silently. She wasn't sure what she had expected to feel when they had reunited - she knew there wouldn't be hugs or tears. Still, it felt as if Morgan had missed the cigar more than Frankie. Her relief at Frankie's arrival had been centred around the convenience of it all, not any sort of attachment. She hadn't even seemed especially bothered to hear about Hannah or Marina.

There was something else different about Morgan too; Frankie struggled to put into words what it was, except to say that it was like she could suddenly see her sister's emotions. She seemed to glow a deep, dark blue that, no matter how calm her outer demeanour appeared, exuded a wretched sadness so profound that Frankie could have wept on her sister's behalf. She wondered if this is what Zale and Nalani could sense from her when she first arrived in Sulani - the hidden despair of someone acting as if they're fine.

Morgan tipped some ash onto the cabin floor and then sighed, "As you so smugly pointed out, you've protected my kids and rescued me, so I owe you. Here's the deal - for as long as we're on this ship, I answer every question you've got."

"And you promise not to lie?" added Frankie.

Morgan pursed her lips in annoyance, "I promise to tell you the truth, even if I know it will eviscerate your little heart. Happy?"

"Ok."

"The second we step off this ship - that's the end of it. No asking me about my past. And certainly no fucking telling anyone what I tell you. Agreed?"

"Agreed," said Frankie, "Let's start with the recent past."

"Why do you sound like you're preparing to write a fucking biography?"

Frankie ignored the barb and asked, "Why did it take to so long for Flori to show up?"

"Watcher knows. I'd wager she didn't believe the rumours for a long time. She sent the odd assassin at first to scope things out. When they failed to return, she must have figured it was true."

"What was it like, facing her?"

Morgan shifted uncomfortably, "What do you mean?"

"Staring down the woman who had been a cruel mother and hunting your daughter and now was going to try and kill you? You didn't… have any feelings about that?"

"Flori wasn't a cruel mother," said Morgan sombrely, "she gave me everything I could ever want, taught me everything she knew and she only ever asked two things of me: don't fall in love and don't bear a child."

Frankie looked at Morgan in shock, "Minerva said…"

"Minerva was a peasant spellcaster," Morgan pointed out. "they all thought Flori was evil incarnate - and they were right. But she treated her heirs well. To us, she was mummy."

"Wait… so…. Flori turned on you because she found out about Hannah?"

Morgan tapped more ash onto the floor, "Flori's model of monarchy isn't like the human realm. She went through some shit when she was mortal that made her believe blood ties and romantic love did more harm than good. She believed heirs should be chosen, not born. In her eyes, romantic relationships muddied waters and made leaders weak while a biological child meant there was someone else with a claim to your heir. We weren’t supposed to have attachments, much less children. So, when I had Hannah -"

"And fell in love with Darrel?" interrupted Frankie.

Morgan ignored Frankie's addition and continued, "I'd fucked everything up. Now there was going to be a claim to the throne beyond Flori's control. Hannah had to die. And so did I, as punishment."

"Did… did Darrel know how you felt about him?"

"What's with all the questions about Darrel?" asked Morgan angrily as the aura of sadness around her intensified. "I thought you wanted to know what happened with Flori?"

Frankie nodded resignedly, giving up any thought that her sister might spill her heart out to her, "Right. Tell me what happened with Flori."

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Sneaking under the cover of darkness, Henry led Morgan and Frankie to a small trading ship owned by the Puritans.

"You can never return here," Henry warned. "I will tell the others that Lady Frances stole the ship in the night. A warrant for your death will be released and, should you be caught, you will be hanged."

Frankie nodded, "Not a problem. I don't plan on being anywhere near Copperdale ever again."

"Watcher Save Your Soul," intoned Henry.

"Not fucking likely," interrupted Morgan. "Come on - let's go."

Morgan climbed aboard the ship without a word to Henry. Frankie was unsure what to say to him; they were ultimately strangers and she knew that Henry believed her doomed to an eternity in hell for what they had done. And yet, he was here helping them, and he was their brother.

"Henry…" she said. "I really do hope the Watcher saves your soul too. I know you won't agree with me, but… saving Morgan wasn't a sin."

Henry bowed his head and turned, slowly shuffling his way back home.

"C'mon!" hissed Morgan as Frankie climbed onto the ship. "I need you to steer this thing! And tell me where the bloody cabin door is."

"I still have more questions, you know," said Frankie as she took the wheel.

"And you should know, if I had eyes, I'd roll them," replied Morgan bitterly.

Ignoring Morgan's retort, Frankie continued, "tell me what happened in Copperdale. Why have you been gone for so long?"

"I'm sorry, did we not convince Flori to show up quick enough for you? Did we make you late for prior engagement?"

"Morgan," said Frankie firmly, "I've kept your children safe in Sulani. I've risked my neck to come to Copperdale and bring you to safety. Just fucking answer my questions."

Morgan sighed, "I know I'm being a prick. Being blinded and going weeks without a cigar does that to you."

"I can see if there's any on the ship, if you want?" offered Frankie. "This may be a Puritan ship, but I doubt even a Puritan sailor can resist the temptation of tobacco."

Morgan groaned in appreciation, "find me a cigar and I'll give you answers - poetry, a bloody confession - whatever you want."

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Sneaking under the cover of darkness, Henry led Morgan and Frankie to a small trading ship owned by the Puritans.

"You can never return here," Henry warned. "I will tell the others that Lady Frances stole the ship in the night. A warrant for your death will be released and, should you be caught, you will be hanged."

Frankie nodded, "Not a problem. I don't plan on being anywhere near Copperdale ever again."

"Watcher Save Your Soul," intoned Henry.

"Not fucking likely," interrupted Morgan. "Come on - let's go."

Morgan climbed aboard the ship without a word to Henry. Frankie was unsure what to say to him; they were ultimately strangers and she knew that Henry believed her doomed to an eternity in hell for what they had done. And yet, he was here helping them, and he was their brother.

"Henry…" she said. "I really do hope the Watcher saves your soul too. I know you won't agree with me, but… saving Morgan wasn't a sin."

Henry bowed his head and turned, slowly shuffling his way back home.

"C'mon!" hissed Morgan as Frankie climbed onto the ship. "I need you to steer this thing! And tell me where the bloody cabin door is."

"I still have more questions, you know," said Frankie as she took the wheel.

"And you should know, if I had eyes, I'd roll them," replied Morgan bitterly.

Ignoring Morgan's retort, Frankie continued, "tell me what happened in Copperdale. Why have you been gone for so long?"

"I'm sorry, did we not convince Flori to show up quick enough for you? Did we make you late for prior engagement?"

"Morgan," said Frankie firmly, "I've kept your children safe in Sulani. I've risked my neck to come to Copperdale and bring you to safety. Just fucking answer my questions."

Morgan sighed, "I know I'm being a prick. Being blinded and going weeks without a cigar does that to you."

"I can see if there's any on the ship, if you want?" offered Frankie. "This may be a Puritan ship, but I doubt even a Puritan sailor can resist the temptation of tobacco."

Morgan groaned in appreciation, "find me a cigar and I'll give you answers - poetry, a bloody confession - whatever you want."

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[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Henry looked from Frankie to Morgan and back again, "You know one another? Lady Frances - you know who this is?"

"I do," said Frankie flatly, figuring that the time for lies was over.

"Frankie's one of my crew," grinned Morgan, gleeful at the pain it must be causing their brother as he groaned again in grief.

"Another soul lost," Henry cried. "Watcher deliver me from evil."

"I'll deliver you a swift kick in the bollocks if you don't stop. reciting. the. guide!" shouted Morgan furiously.

The way the two of them argued, Frankie felt like she was seeing their childhood selves bickering over who took whose toy. In their own ways, each of them felt pathetic to her.

"Morgan - listen to me," said Frankie, trying to refocus Morgan. "Hannah and Marina are well. They want you to return to Sulani."

"Good. Then let's go. Thanks for everything, bro," said Morgan sarcastically, holding out an arm for Frankie to guide her out of the cave.

"No. We are not going anywhere yet," replied Frankie firmly. "I want some answers first. Both of you are going answer my questions - no lying, no quoting the Watcher's Guide, and no refusing to answer. Break any of those rules and I tell the first Puritan I see that their mayor's hiding a spellcaster in a cave. Clear?"

"Fine," Morgan muttered and crossed her arms, angry but also impressed. Henry spluttered and nodded, horrified.

Frankie paced back and forth, trying to sort the endless questions in her mind into some sort of order.

"Henry - how and why did you save Morgan?"

"Why does it matter?" barked Morgan. "He did it. I'm here. Let's just move on and get the hell out of this cave!"

"Because his reason could have longer term repercussions," explained Frankie. "Puritans don't save spellcasters - if he's using you for some sort of bargaining chip or worse, we need to know. Henry?"

"I have no such plans. My decision comes only at a sacrifice to my soul," said Henry solemnly. He sighed and began to explain, "Given she has used the devil's powers to give the illusion of youth, I was able to recognise her immediately on the battlefield. She fell in battle with Flori -"

"I didn't fall for shit - I would have gotten back up. I just needed a minute," interrupted Morgan.

"Morgan - speak only when I ask you a question. Henry - continue."

"When the fight was over and the bodies were being carried away, I dealt with Morgan's. I could see she still breathed. I paid a ruffian to fetch her body from the pile of corpses before they were buried and bring her here. I have nursed her back to health, not that she is remotely grateful."

"If you knew shit about healing, I wouldn't be blind!" complained Morgan.

"Morgan!" shouted Frankie with the tone of a mother lecturing a child. Morgan crossed her arms and spat on the ground. Frankie turned back to Henry, "And why did you save her?"

"Long ago, she protected our family from a shame we could never have survived. I considered this to be my return of that gesture."

Frankie frowned, "What was the shame?"

Both Morgan and Henry looked uncomfortable. "Which one of us was that directed at?" asked Morgan, a hint of sarcasm to her voice. "Not that it matters. You don't want the answer either way. I understand you're on a little ego boost right now and enjoying being in charge for five minutes - but, trust me, that shit is better left in the past. It has no bearing on the present."

"Fine," accepted Frankie. She was too exhausted by the drama of the present to add in her family's history anyway. "What does have a bearing on the present is what happened in that fight. Flori is definitely dead?"

"I didn't see her burn, given I was in a cave and blind," replied Morgan sarcastically. "But, Henry says she was."

"She was," Henry nodded, "Our hunters captured her and brought her and Tate to justice."

Morgan spat on the floor again.

"Who else died? And who survived?" asked Frankie.

"They all died," said Morgan bitterly.

"But Henry said there were five bodies. If Tate and Flori were captured and you were brought here, that means four others died and one must have survived."

"What? Henry - you didn't tell me that!"

"I did not know any survived," spluttered Henry, aghast. "All the spellcasters I saw were killed or captured."

"That you saw? That's not saying much, is it? You're almost as blind as I am," grumbled Morgan. "Fuck… what did the other bodies look like?"

Henry groaned and rubbed his forehead, trying to remember, "Only one was male… the others… one was old, with grey hair… the other… looked similar. A mother and daughter? And then there was a young, blond one."

"So L Faba survived," said Frankie, a panic rising in her chest. Morgan appeared panicked for the first time, too.

"Frank - there is no way that's a fucking coincidence. We need to get back to Sulani."

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