12-10-2023, 09:57 PM
Monday, 25th September 2023
“Are you sure that shots were fired?”
“Fairly sure the whole world is aware; or their intelligence services at least,” Ebba Olsen replied, not even looking up from her computer. “Numerous reports of heavy gunfire, in addition to new military encampments popping up across Thousand Branches’ southern border. Something is going on. The timing is deeply suspicious.”
“Not good, not good,” Helmi Byström shook her head. “This timing is far too coincidental, and the more we look the less likely it seems that Holgersen’s alleged death actually took place. Chances are he’s alive and on the run from the Branchians.”
“For now,” Olsen pointed out. Byström glared at her.
“I need to call in the Prime Minister on this now,” Byström sighed. “We might actually have to do something.”
This would indeed be a surprise, Olsen thought but did not say. It had been quite some years since the Zongongian intelligence service did anything other than watch and listen. Actually acting? No, that had not been their job for a while. But times change.
*
Prime Minister Ivan Kristensen of Zongongia signed his name at the bottom of his letter to the Branchian government, sealed the envelope, and handed it grimly to Byström. He did not need this; after the election people had been protesting constantly outside his office, and the last thing Zongongia needed was a foreign crisis alongside domestic unrest. The royals were already angering Eiria; this was too much.
Still, if Thousand Branches was hunting down a Zongongian citizen, and a journalist nonetheless, he had to act. It had been his policy to slowly inch out of Zongongia’s isolation and join the world stage as a more active player once again. As much as he may regret it some days, he had to walk the path he had paved for himself.
His letter, in a perfect display of polite-with-an-undertone-of-threat, asked the Branchian government to kindly explain what was going on; what had happened to Andreas Holgersen; why it looked like they were hunting down a Zongongian citizen; and just what exactly is going on up there in the north?
*
Andreas Holgersen was feeling much more nervous without Lily by his side. He was making very slow progress through the Branchian forest due to his caution, moving so quietly and checking his trail. Every snap of a twig under the paw of a woodland creature felt like a gunshot to the hypervigilant Holgersen.
He knew which way was south, but rocks, he didn’t know how he would cross the border, as heavily-fortified as it would now be. Thousand Branches was, he thought, like some kind of sinister land from a fairy tale. It lured you in with promises of sunshine and rainbows, and then trapped you when you least expected it with the horrifying truth staring you in the face: too late, always too late to get out.
Holgersen had to make it out. Not just for himself, but for everyone taken in by the allure of Thousand Branches. The rot at the heart of its government needed to be dragged into the light of day. But they would not have gotten away with hiding it for so long if they were not good at silencing those who wished the truth to get out. It would be very difficult for him to get out, if it was possible at all.
Still, he had to try. So, he continued to slowly, slowly creep south towards the border. Hoping.
“Are you sure that shots were fired?”
“Fairly sure the whole world is aware; or their intelligence services at least,” Ebba Olsen replied, not even looking up from her computer. “Numerous reports of heavy gunfire, in addition to new military encampments popping up across Thousand Branches’ southern border. Something is going on. The timing is deeply suspicious.”
“Not good, not good,” Helmi Byström shook her head. “This timing is far too coincidental, and the more we look the less likely it seems that Holgersen’s alleged death actually took place. Chances are he’s alive and on the run from the Branchians.”
“For now,” Olsen pointed out. Byström glared at her.
“I need to call in the Prime Minister on this now,” Byström sighed. “We might actually have to do something.”
This would indeed be a surprise, Olsen thought but did not say. It had been quite some years since the Zongongian intelligence service did anything other than watch and listen. Actually acting? No, that had not been their job for a while. But times change.
*
Prime Minister Ivan Kristensen of Zongongia signed his name at the bottom of his letter to the Branchian government, sealed the envelope, and handed it grimly to Byström. He did not need this; after the election people had been protesting constantly outside his office, and the last thing Zongongia needed was a foreign crisis alongside domestic unrest. The royals were already angering Eiria; this was too much.
Still, if Thousand Branches was hunting down a Zongongian citizen, and a journalist nonetheless, he had to act. It had been his policy to slowly inch out of Zongongia’s isolation and join the world stage as a more active player once again. As much as he may regret it some days, he had to walk the path he had paved for himself.
His letter, in a perfect display of polite-with-an-undertone-of-threat, asked the Branchian government to kindly explain what was going on; what had happened to Andreas Holgersen; why it looked like they were hunting down a Zongongian citizen; and just what exactly is going on up there in the north?
*
Andreas Holgersen was feeling much more nervous without Lily by his side. He was making very slow progress through the Branchian forest due to his caution, moving so quietly and checking his trail. Every snap of a twig under the paw of a woodland creature felt like a gunshot to the hypervigilant Holgersen.
He knew which way was south, but rocks, he didn’t know how he would cross the border, as heavily-fortified as it would now be. Thousand Branches was, he thought, like some kind of sinister land from a fairy tale. It lured you in with promises of sunshine and rainbows, and then trapped you when you least expected it with the horrifying truth staring you in the face: too late, always too late to get out.
Holgersen had to make it out. Not just for himself, but for everyone taken in by the allure of Thousand Branches. The rot at the heart of its government needed to be dragged into the light of day. But they would not have gotten away with hiding it for so long if they were not good at silencing those who wished the truth to get out. It would be very difficult for him to get out, if it was possible at all.
Still, he had to try. So, he continued to slowly, slowly creep south towards the border. Hoping.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax