“She did say she wanted to join V’rdyne’s Ladies. Perhaps I ought to inquire to the captain if she’d need more study.”
“She needs more study.” Anaiah said in a matter-of-fact tone as he gave the stars outside a sidelong glance, his dark almond shaped eyes distant.
“V’rdyne’s Ladies are expert trackers and their knowledge of terrain, particularly forestry, is uncontested. Most of the V’rdyne are dispatched on the same expeditions that see me to dig sites. Having a V’rdyne in the family would be handy…” at this Anaiah sighed. “Of course, I wouldn’t go on an expedition with her to save my life, but that’s probably a given.” His mother frowned.
“I wish the two of you could get along for more than five minutes.”
“We used to get along great, until she decided to break my clavicle to prove a point.” He muttered. “Sorry if I seem bitter but, a single summer of menial chores made her hate me forever and a summer of pain and reduced motion didn’t exactly endear her to me.” Lady DuPont gave an exhausted sigh.
“That happened ten years ago, and I wish the two of you could talk about it instead of sniping back and forth. Granted, I know it isn’t easily forgiven but, you don’t have to passively goad each other all the time, do you?” Anaiah’s eyes fell.
“It would be easier if I weren’t--” he stopped himself. “Never mind, it doesn’t really matter.” He folded his hands on the table and tried to find somewhere to focus his eyes. His mother placed her gloved hand over his and gave him an encouraging smile. His panic subsided a little more.
The event volume swelled as more houses entered. The music formed the backdrop to a hundred little conversations filling up the room. The emperor, seated outside on the balcony at the back of the hall, listened to the bustle through the guarded open doors. Horus DuPont joined her along with fellow general Alsander O’Corcrain. Alsander, broad and grizzled despite the clear effort exuded by someone to make him presentable, looked like a red bear with a braided beard. He sipped at his champagne, a goblet clutched in his giant calloused hand careful not to clink the metal beads braided into his long beard and mustache against the delicate crystal ware. Unlike the others present, he did not bother with formal attire and came instead in a journeyman’s tunic dyed brown and purple.
“Nice touch with the braids O’Corcrain, your wife refusing you sex again?” a shadow in the pale moonlight moved from the dark balcony corner. A whisper thin figure swished from its place, body covered head to toe in black, face bidden back behind a swath of matching fabric. He donned goggles with red tinted glass.
“Time and place you ghoulish fop.” Alsander grunted. Lord DuPont’s half lidded eyes narrowed.
“Hm, that’s not fair. I don’t get to play dress-up tonight like the rest of you fancy peacocks. Unlike the aging soon-to-be retirees I’m here to meet, my work is never done.” The shadowy figure chuckled.
“It’s poor tiding to see you here no matter the occasion.” DuPont said. “Why do we need this spineless spook, majesty?”
The emperor raised her hand and all three men fell silent.
“Your distaste for mages aside, Horus, Czcibor has every right to be here.” Lord DuPont snarled.
“A man with no identity isn’t a man I find to be worthy of trust, least of all in the current situation.” Czcibor chortled.
“I don’t have the luxury of a domestic life to identify with.” The dark mage stabbed. “Speaking of, I’m surprised to see your daughter in that little golden frock, Horus. Be careful she doesn’t elope behind your back tonight.” Lord DuPont’s nostrils flared and he placed his hand on his belt where his sword should be, a reflex from his days as a soldier. Czcibor guffawed. “Aren’t I lucky you couldn’t bring weapons to the party.” He prodded. The emperor exhaled a growl.
“Am I your sovereign or your nanny?” she asked the battling tempers. “I want you all to be quiet and listen to what Czcibor has to say.” She said. “Provided he’s come to do more than act a fool.” She said warned. Czcibor bowed.
“Do forgive me, majesty. It’s been some time since I’ve had the pleasure of company at all.” He said.
“Clearly.” Alsander intoned, setting his empty glass on the table.
“Luscentia has started picking at the locks of Skaa’rev.” he said. “On the bright side, the king ate himself into an early grave.” The emperor’s stony face remained cold.
“Get on with it.” She demanded. Czcibor sighed.
“You do take the fun out of this for me, majesty.” He griped. Being that his entire face was hidden and his eyes covered, he remained unreadable. However, something in his demeanor changed and his relaxed humor went cold.
“Lord Elio Hylarion now seats the throne.” A collective rigidity took over the small gathering.
“The little warmonger finally grew up then, did he?” Alsander jibed. “We haven’t had more than a skirmish with them for years, not that they haven’t been trying to prod the wasps nest.” Said the old warrior.
“With Elio on the throne we’ve a much bigger problem. If he manages to throw open the locks of Skaa’rev the entire world will have more than war to worry about.” The emperor said. Horus snorted.
“So a few magic animals escape custody, slay them when they arise and be done with it.” O’Corcrain gave lord DuPont an astonished look.
“They aren’t just wild beasts, Horus. They were made to chew through the firmament of the world. Never has a monster of Skaa’rev been slain.” Czcibor piped up.
“Indeed. They need a host to contain them. Few were ever born with the capacity and that was long ago when the original locks were created.” Czcibor let out a breath and looked at the emperor. “There are no suitable hosts to contain these monsters a second time. We can no longer afford half measures if King Hylarion wants to set them loose.” Horus shook his head.
“What could that fool possibly want? It makes no sense to destroy the world if one seeks only to rule it.” He said.
“Elio isn’t interested in some world domination scheme.” Czcibor chided. “He’s a stick-up-the-arse purist who wants to burn the world down in the name of whatever slimy gods he serves. His people will follow him to the ends of reality for the same reason and no assassination will fix that problem.” The emperor raised her hand again and they all fell quiet.
“Czcibor, what do you recommend be done to stall them?” the black swathed mage shrugged.
“There is naught to be done, majesty. In truth, this will be my last report. I’m of the mind that we’re in the death throes of our world.” He said with a chilling bluntness, his head trained on his emperor. “There is no fighting the inevitable. We should’ve all done as he’d said all those years ago. We should’ve quit this place when we had the chance and built the world he’d so desired.” The emperor’s face fell and Horus exchanged a confused look with Alsander. Czcibor glanced at DuPont and O’Corcrain. “Differences though we have, it’s been a pleasure interrupting your lives whenever I had bad news. Go home, kiss your wives, hold your children, and give your goodbyes. These are the last years you’ll get the chance.” The slight mage turned to leave when Horus’ hand shot out and snagged him by the shoulder.
“What is this fatalist rubbish you’re spouting?” Czcibor shrugged him off.
“Listen or don’t, it’s up to you. Oh-” Czcibor rifled through his satchel before withdrawing a silver wristband. Set in the aged band was a freckled orange stone. “While I know you’re not a man who likes gifts, Horus, I found this for you.” He handed the band over.
“What’s some battered old trinket to me?” he griped, turning it over in his hands.
“More specifically, it’d be of better use to your son.” Horus’s head snapped up and he glared at Czcibor with enmity.
“You’ve no business thinking about him.” He warned.
“The fact is, Horus, we’re going to war over these locks. I know this, you know this, and the whole world will feel it. The best you can do is to prepare him for the inevitable. If you harrow him, he stands a chance of the success you imagine is possible. Just think about it, at least.” He said. With that Czcibor gave a deep bow to the emperor who nodded in return.
“It’s been a pleasure.” She said.
“Likewise.” With that his tall form unraveled into black smoke disappearing from the balcony trailing through the twisting wind.
“Should we say something to them, emperor?” asked O’Corcrain. She shook her head.
“We mustn’t panic them. Fatalistic or no, Czcibor is right. The situation is dire and we must be careful in how we proceed. Horus, I will summon our allies to assembly. Once we know what we’re doing we can go about more publicly. For now, let’s have one last night of merriment before the real work begins.” Horus bowed and left her side.
“Not to show disrespect,” O’Corcrain started “But I think I’ll take Czcibor’s advice and get home. Since this business will get bloody, I’d like to spend some more time with my family, if it’s all the same.” The grizzled warrior took his sovereign’s hand, and gave it a light kiss. She smiled.
“Aye old soldier, that’d be best.” She said, fondness reflected in her eyes.
Below the ball continued, song after song punctuated with laughs and burbled conversations. The emperor took the moment to listen. Downstairs Khloe picked her way through the sweets at the table’s far end.
“Take too many and the boys will think you’re a glutton!” Anise teased, taking three chocolate truffles for her tea saucer.
“Nonsense, they’ll not even notice how much I eat.” She had a second glance at her plate. No food to be found just chocolate bonbons, sugared rose petals, and her sought after tea cake. “Maybe I’ll put a parsley sprig on it or something so they think I had food first.” She did suffer a smidgen of embarrassment at her childish selection.
“Oh let’s enjoy for a moment before we go dancing.” Anise led the way to a nook under the balcony nibbling at her meager bounty. From there they watched the dancers and Khloe picked at her snacks, arranging them on her plate.
“Where is your beau?” she asked Anise, who discarded her empty plate.
“He’ll be along any moment now, I’m sure.” Anise said, eyes drawn toward the steady courtier stream walking through the doors. “Father knows what he looks like; he’ll come and get me when it’s time.” Khloe’s eyes dropped.
“When you’re married and off on your new adventure, you’ll write me, won’t you?” Khloe said timidity in her voice. Anise took her hand.
“You’d best prepare your letter box. I’ll write you with every stray thought!” the smile returned to their faces and Anise continued to crowd watch.
“And you, what if you meet some dashing young rogue tonight and head off on some adventure of your own?” Khloe’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ll write you from the throne room after we’ve conquered the Luscents.”
“Tall order, think you can do it?” Khloe snorted.
“With one arm behind my back and the other one doing this--” Khloe moved to make an obscene gesture with her free hand when Anise grabbed it.
“Not at court!” Khloe sighed back at her.
“Yes mom.” She conceded. Anise went still. “What’s wrong?” Khloe said concerned.
“It’s my father…a-and I think that’s him!” Khloe’s head angled toward the stairs, eyes falling on an old merchant and the tall young man talking to him.
Khloe wrinkled her brow as she focused her eyes. The man dressed well though not in the usual attire reserved for men who came representing houses. His long double breasted coat while fashionable could stand to be more decorative in Khloe’s opinion. In contrast to the dress he’d purchased for Anise, his attire was downright austere. Plain brown trousers and a white button up shirt weren’t right for a party at the emperor’s expense.
“Are you certain?” Khloe hazarded. She scrutinized the man who would be her best friend’s husband. He wasn’t Khloe’s idea of handsome, tawny brown hair pulled back into a plain pony tail, husky rather than chiseled, and a bushy beard more befitting an old man. “It looks like he just came in from the sea.” Khloe said.
“Yeah, he does.” Anise said with a smile on her face. The smile disappeared and Anise jumped. “Oh I’m so overdressed. I’m full of jewels and lace and makeup…I-I know he sent me the dress as a gift but, what if he thinks I’m vain? Like I’ll expect expensive gowns on the regular?” she fussed and Khloe set aside her empty plate and took her friend’s hand. The two watched as her father waved her to approach.
“Don’t fret. He sent you the dress as a gift and he’ll be happy to see you in it. Really he just spoiled himself, what a jerk.” She joked. Anise’s anxiety lessened and she took a deep breath. “Go and meet him, spend the party getting to know him in person.” She encouraged.
“A-and what will you do?” Anise asked, distracted.
“Oh it’s a party, there’s no shortage of things to do. Now get on with it, church mouse!”
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