She’d communed with Ivy’s Sting before, and Morgan had even let her touch Lightbreaker. The former’s touch was warm, like sinking one’s feet into sun-tanned earth. Lightbreaker’s presence was cold, so cold and ancient sometimes it felt like it wanted to burn her. Silver Star’s presence could only be described as like shimmering starlight. Hattie for some reason felt like the old staff could have shone brighter than it used to, but that might be because of the damage done to it.
Prepare yourself, this will be a bit uncomfortable.
Biting her lip Hattie swallowed. “Do it.”
Images started to flash in the forefront of her mind. There was her battle with the dragon Telkandra. She blinked and saw Helias talking to her. Shaking her head, she opened her eyes again to feel cold rain on her back. The musty scent of faeces and rat droppings filled the air as she tried to burrow deeper underneath the too small crate. Shivering, she wiped her eyes.
Suddenly, the cold vanished. Instead she was sweating from the sheer waves of heat that assaulted her skin.
“Hattie, run.”
Her eyes flew open. “Mom?”
Everything was on fire. Smoke filled her nose forcing her to the warm floorobards. They were made of oak if she remembered. Her mother—
Hattie froze. Helga Longarch’s breaths were shallow. Despite the raging inferno around them, all she could hear were her mother’s breaths.
“Mom! You need to get up!” She grabbed her mom, trying to drag her. She spluttered Word of Power, trying to douse the flames.
But the expected wave of water didn’t materialise. When Hattie looked down, she found her arms were far shorter and they had no scars.
“No! Mom! Mom!” Hattie staggered, coughing, tears blinding her vision. This was a memory. She knew that and yet it was like she was really in that fire all over again.
“Hattie, run!” With her free arm, Helga pushed Hattie away. The now eleven-year old tumbled over onto her back.
A sonorous voice rang through the crackle of the flames. Hattie! Hattie you need to wake up. Something’s wrong.
Hattie scrambled to her feet. “What? Silver Star? What do you mean—this isn’t you? Weren’t you going to see my memories?”
No, it’s not. There’s a spell at play and it’s not your magic. I’ve already seen what I needed to see. I think my special ability is amplifying this spell. I’m not sure what it is but I can’t stop it from working.
Spell? Hattie swallowed and forced herself to look at her mother. Her mom was mumbling something that she could hear despite the creaking of splintering wood. Hattie blinked. They sounded like Words of Power.
“Mom? What are you doing? Why are you casting a spell?” Hattie frowned. This…this did happen in the past. She remembered her mom’s lips moving. They had been moving before when she pushed her away and then part of the roof had collapsed. Haiti had had to leave, driven outside by the flames and smoke.
But if her mother could use magic, why didn’t she save herself?
Helga looked up at Hattie, her eyes wide. “Wait. Hattie…you see me?”
The half-troll nodded and took a breath. Somehow the smoke filling the room didn’t choke her.
Keep doing what you’re doing Hattie. The spell is…is calming down. Take control.
Helga didn’t seem to hear Silver Star’s voice. Raising her hand, Hattie thought of the staff, sensing its shining presence. A shower of silver motes of light gathered in her right hand, forming the staff.
She propped herself up with Silver Star and onto longer legs. Fifteen years old again, Hattie touched her face and winced as she felt her scars.
Her mother, oddly alright for being pinned underneath a beam, stared at her. “Hattie? How is this happening?”
Raising Silver Star, Hattie pointed at the debris lifting it off with a mighty shove and pulled mother onto a sitting position. With another wave she summoned a spray of water that extinguished the fire with a puff of steam. Only then did the half-troll sit down in front of the now freed form of her mother, examining her with narrowed eyes.
“Who or what are you? My mother’s dead.”
Helga crossed her arms, touching one finger to her lip. “It’s not easy to explain.”
It was a pose Hattie recalled from her childhood. To see…whatever it was adopt it was uncanny. Glancing at her staff, Hattie hissed. “Silver Star, any suggestions on what this is?”
Helga blinked, her grey-blue eyes widening. “Silver Star? The Named Staff Silver Star? That explains things. Its special ability is to amplify spells through assisting in visualisation.”
Very accurate…Hmm. I don’t think you need to be worried. She’s not harmful. Think of this as a pleasant surprise.
Hattie narrowed her eyes at the staff. “A pleasant surprise? My mom’s dead and this thing has the gall to take her form!”
Helga swallowed and rubbed her palms together, just like how Hattie remembered she would. “I’m sorry, my sweetling. I take this form because I am your mother, and I’m not.”
Hattie’s mouth opened and closed. A broken “What?” spluttered from her lips as her mind whirled, not sure what to think, or believe.
The human woman brushed back a lock of her blonde hair. “I was a mage, Hattie. I never told you this but I was a low-ranking mage who deserted the Red Order during the Erisdale-Lapanterian war and escaped to Alavaria. I forsook magic entirely and just wanted to live a normal life. I’m a blessing. A last, desperate attempt to try to protect you when I was going to die.”
“What—I don’t understand. Why didn’t you save yourself? What is even this blessing? Is there such a thing?”
“Hattie, I couldn’t feel my legs. You were eleven, there was no way you could drag me out safely, not with the mob outside. I learned combat magic, but I was horribly out of practice. This was the best I could do.” Helga wiped her eyes. She reached out but pinned her arms back to herself before Hattie could take her hand. “Even after that…I failed you. I didn’t do enough. I left you alone to face the world and the war. If not for Frances, you would have died in spite of my blessing. If not for her, you’d still be in darkness.”
Hattie stared, watching her mother dab at her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve, just how she used to do it. “You…mom? It’s really you.”
Helga nodded. “I’m sorry—”
Hattie slammed into her mother, burrowing her face into her shoulder. She breathed deep, the memories of her hugs returning to her. “I’m the one who should be sorry! I…I was so stupid!”
Helga squeezed her daughter, burying her nose into her hair. “No you weren’t. You were a child. I couldn’t even speak to you.”
“This is enough, mom. Oh I missed you so much.” Hattie stiffened, forcing herself to meet her mother’s gaze. “I…Frances—”
Gentle fingers brushed by her forehead “Oh sweetling, you don’t have to be sorry about her. She loves you. You love her. And she is there for you when I can’t be.”
“You’re not jealous?” Hattie stammered, already feeling her shoulders relax.
Helga pulled back so she could cup her daughter’s face in her hands. “Oh sweetling, I want to thank Frances. She took care of you, gave you the love and support you needed when I could only give you a blessing.”
Hattie squeezed her mom’s arms. At the same time, she found herself pursing her lips. “Um, what is a blessing? You keep mentioning it, but I’ve never heard of it.”
Her mother exhaled slowly. “Ah. Well I know you’ve heard of curses from Frances and Prince Timur. A blessing is a spell meant to grant the recipient certain boons. Just before I passed, I managed to put one on you to try to protect you and strengthen you.” Helga brushed a lock of Hattie’s hair from her ear. “Did you ever wonder why you never got sick whilst living on the streets? Or how you managed to survive the long journeys between cities on so little food?”
Hattie shuddered. Those were dark, painful days. She didn’t want to remember them and the little she could stomach to recall her acting less like a living being and more like an animal. She frowned. It was a wonder that she hadn’t died, or gotten sick when she’d seen quite a few other street kids succumb.
“That was the blessing? I thought I just got lucky. But then…wait, is that why I didn’t die to the dragon?”
Helga let out a sad, mournful giggle. “Kind of? Frances helped a lot, but I think I managed to prevent further burns to the rest of your body. I’m sorry that I couldn’t have done more, sweetling.”
Hattie shook her head. “I know this sounds weird coming from me, but you did everything you could, mom.” She pulled her mother close into an embrace again, and her mother hugged her back.
It was a moment of sheer bliss, before Helga pushed Hattie apart from her with firm hands. “You need to wake up. Frances and Morgan were calmed by Silver Star but they’re getting worried.”
Hattie held onto her mom’s wrists. “Wait, mom, can we meet again? I mean, I don’t think we can always meet, but maybe someday?”
Helga sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. I only know as much as you do and as I did when I was alive. This…is very unusual and I wouldn’t risk it, less the blessing itself is destabilized. It can’t be re-cast.”
“It can’t? Wait, why aren’t there more blessing cast? If it’s so powerful, then why are they so rare?”
“Because you can only cast such a blessing when you’re at death’s door, Hattie, and on the people who you truly love or care for. There’s no other emotion that can help transfer such powerful magic to another person.” Helga stepped forward and kissed Hattie’s forehead. “I love you, Hattie, despite everything you’ve done and because of everything you’ve done. Don’t forget that.”
“I won’t. I promise.” Blinking back tears, Hattie tried to hang onto her mother’s ash-stained blouse. There was something pulling her back, almost like she was falling sideways.
“I love you. Now go. Live.” Her mother clutched her arms and pushed.
Hattie’s eyes flew open and she sat up. “Mom! Mom!”
Frances was kneeling beside her. Wiping her tears, she dabbed at her forehead with a towel. “Hattie? What happened, are you alright?”
“I…I’m fine.” Hattie rubbed her temples. “I…I saw my mom. My birth mom. She said that she left some of her magic in me, as a blessing. Did…did that really just happen?” She examined her hands and froze. Dark-blue magic shimmered faintly across her skin as Words of Power crawled across her palms and up her arms.
“May I?” Frances asked, drawing Ivy’s Sting. At her student’s nod, Frances touched the half-troll’s palm with her wand and cast a small heat spell. The magic glowed and swirled around the wand’s tip until she withdrew it. “That is definitely a blessing. The first time I’ve ever seen one. I’m more familiar with curses.”
Her wings fluttering, Morgan held up her hands. “Wait, you saw your mom?”
Hattie nodded. “Yeah. Silver Star helped I think. I’m not sure how.”
Silver Star piped up so that everybody could hear. As I mentioned, it goes back to my special ability to amplify spells. All Named Wands have the ability to amplify spells, but I perform the task far better than other wands. I think I probably amplified the blessing and its effects.
“Ah. Um, thank you, Silver. I…” her voice trailing off, Hattie shuddered. Wiping her tears, the half-troll buried her face in her hands. “Sorry, I don’t know why I can’t stop crying.”
Frances slowly wrapped her arms around her student. “You just saw your mom, Hattie. I think that would make anybody cry. Just let it out.”
Sobbing quietly, Hattie let herself lean into Frances’s embrace and her teacher held her there for as long as she needed.
----------------------------------------
It took another day, but Frances and her students finally reached the walls surrounding the northern entrance to the Greenway. They were clearly dilapidated, with the topmost merlons and battlements crumbling and windswept. Blocks of loose stone from fallen machicolations were buried around the walls. On other sections of the wall, wooden hoarding built in an attempt to shore-up the aging defenses sat rotting and warped.
Yet even now, the walls remained impressive in their height. Built with closely fitted limestone blocks, they reached up to the top of the Greenway. Passing through the abandoned gate felt like walking through a tunnel.
“Why hasn’t anybody garrisoned this?” Morgan asked.
“We don’t have the available forces. As for Thorgoth, the structure itself isn’t very well defended from our side. There are numerous stairways and entrances from the Greenway to the wall.” Frances pursed her lips and pulled the horses her carriage was attached to to a halt. “Sorry Morgan, there is one more thing I need to talk to you about.”
The harpy-troll arched an eyebrow. The expression on Frances’s face seemed very tight and try as she might, her brow was inching together. “What’s it about?”
“It’s about your birth mother. I talked to her before we left. We agreed that this mission is so dangerous that if you wish, I can tell you who your birth mother really is. She’s also willing to talk to you through a mirror.”
Morgan’s mouth opened slightly, her eyes affixed on Frances. Her adoptive mother gazed back, worry crinkling the muscles around her eyes.
“That bad?”
Frances nodded. “We are heading into where your grandfather rules. There is no place as dangerous.”
The princess took a breath. “Can I think about it?”
Frances smiled. “Of course, we have a week of travel before we get to Minairen.”
Morgan nodded. After a moment’s thought, she coughed. “Um, thanks…mom. Sorry, this is going to take some time getting used to.”
Frances blinked, staring at her adoptive daughter before an even wider smile inched its way across her face. “You’re welcome, dear.”
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It was taxing being so close to Queen Janize and not being able to do anything about it. Elizabeth had to admit to herself that she had at some points, wondered about just wringing the woman’s neck. However, there was no way to do so.
If Elizabeth had one word to describe Queen Janize, it was that the woman was intriguing. As one of the maids directly attending Janize, she was mostly standing nearby, fetching pen and paper and drinks. The woman was rarely alone, usually accompanied by multiple servants, guards, and Leila. She also attended meetings directly with Earl Darius that Elizabeth coudn’t attend, and would often have private meetings with her Otherworlder shadow.
Ayax, however, using a nifty spell that Frances had invented to eavesdrop in magically unprotected rooms, could actually listen in on the queen.
It was in one of these conversations that Elizabeth and Ayax were quietly discussing in their rooms with Martin and Ginger attending through mirror.
“So you are now certain she’s working against Darius?” Elizabeth mused.
Ayax pursed her lips and nodded once. “I believe so. She definitely doesn’t tell Leila everything, but I am more inclined to think she’s preparing countermeasures against the Earl. Not that that changes anything. I think we need to kill them both.”
Elizabeth blinked. “But she’s pregnant, Ayax.”
Her lips twisted in a grimace, Ginger sighed. “I don’t like it either, Liz, but I get what Ayax is saying. If Queen Forowena’s cannot bear children, Janize’s child will become a threat to whoever succeeds King Jerome. It might be better to kill a traitor and rebel than kill her child.”
Martin coughed officiously, his eyes narrowed. “I personally don’t really see the difference, and I doubt most would. Both are very unenviable options.” The knight drummed his fingers on the table. “This is going to sound off topic, but what’s the mood in the castle?”
Ayax glanced at Elizabeth, who frowned in thought. “Downcast. They aren’t willing to surrender, but since the Erlenberg navy has cut off all sea resupply, they’re rationing food.More importantly, Ayax just told me that it doesn’t sound like the city is going to be relieved anytime soon.”
Martin blinked. “Really? I thought the traditionalists still had remaining troops?”
Shaking her head, Ayax’s tail swayed back and forth. “From what I heard these are their last remaining troops. We’ve dealt too many defeats to them, destroyed too many of their castles, killed or captured too many of their mages. They’re waiting for us to make a mistake, but they don’t think we are going to make one. We can conceivably just hold our siege here until we starve them until starvation.”
“Of course, that’s not really an option. Too many things can go wrong with such a long siege,” said Elizabeth, recalling a lesson from Igraine. She wondered how was her mentor doing.
It was then that Elizabeth and Ayax noticed that Martin and Ginger were exchanging grim looks their lips pressed into thin lines.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“It’s no longer an option,” said Ginger. “A little over a week ago, Timur found out that Thorgoth is training six dragons, the children of Telkandra. He learned this from the eldest of Telkandra’s children who had fled her siblings. However, while trying to get this dragon and Goldilora away, Timur was captured by Thorgoth’s forces.”
Martin, noticing Ayax and Ginger’s widening eyes, piped up in a firm tone. “Frances is heading with Morgan and Hattie to rescue him and I think they have a chance of succeeding, but the fact remains that we now know why Thorgoth was so passive. He was amassing his forces to perform a final attack with dragon support. We cannot maintain a prolonged siege and so I have an idea.”
Ginger scratched her head, trying her best not to scowl. “I hate it, but I think it works. Liz, Ayax, can you meet with Janize in private and offer her terms of surrender?”
Elizabeth blinked. Ayax’s jaw dropped open. “I thought you wanted to kill her, Ginger?”
“I do, but I…” Ginger closed her eyes and rested her forehead against her clasped hands. “Look, as much as I want the bitch dead, you all spent a long time pulling me out of the shitty place I was in. I feel like if I ask you to do something so cold-blooded, even if it is the ‘practical’ and ‘logical’ decision, it would mean all of us would be going to that place. I don’t want that.”
“Are you sure about this? I agree with you, but I have…strong feelings about preserving life, especially unborn life,” said Elizabeth, her eyes focused on Martin.
The knight sat up straighter and gave a short nod. “I am sure that we need to at least offer Queen Janize terms. If she refuses then so be it, but if she agrees, then we must explore that option.”
“And how are you going to convince King Jerome and Queen Forowena this?” Ayax asked, arching an eyebrow.
Ginger allowed herself a smirk. “Leave that to us. You and Liz think of a way to offer the following terms without getting caught. We need to send a clear message.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms. “What are the terms you plan to offer?”
----------------------------------------
Her arm wrapped firmly around Janize’s waist, Leila guided the queen to her bedchambers. “Come on, let me carry you at least once.”
The queen hid her smile with her hand as she let herself be guided. With her servants dismissed, it was now alright to play coy with Leila. “Are you sure you’re strong enough for two, Otherworlder?”
Janize blinked when Leila leaned in, pulling her close. The Otherworlder gently stepped in. Her eyes wide, the queen found herself starting to lay back onto the younger woman’s arms.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” drawled Leila.
Her heart pounding, Janize held onto Leila, wearing her smirk like a shield. “I expect you to carry me to my bed, Leila,” she rasped.
“Well then…” Leila dipped one arm underneath Janize’s legs. The queen held her breath as she was lifted into the air. The younger woman’s grip was incredibly gentle and steady even as Leila fumbled with the door.
Janize opened the door with her gloved hand. “Allow me.”
“Thank you.” Leila kicked the door open and sashayed herself and Janize into her bedchambers. The queen watched the Otherworlder through half-lidded eyes, revelling in how Leila’s eyes were glued to her.
“Are you already undressing me with your eyes?” Leila giggled.
Janize arched an eyebrow. “Unless my eyes are magic, I don’t think—Ah, you mean it metaphorically. I was thinking you should take my dress off.”
“Oh? You would like to be at my mercy…” Leila’s voice trailed off . Janize felt ice seep into her heart when Leila’s grip tightened around her. Her dark brown eyes now stared at something on their bed.
Their bed? Oh dear. She was really growing rather fond of Leila wasn’t she?
Janize took a deep breath and reached up to touch Leila’s cheek. “What’s wrong?”
The Otherworlder carefully set the queen down. Once she did, Leila gripped the hilt of her long dagger. Janize had to turn around before she saw what had killed the mood.
“Hm, rather menacing isn’t it?” Janize muttered. She narrowed her eyes at the dagger planted point first into her mattress. “There appears to be a note attached to it. Can you be a dear and get that, Leila?”
“Yes, but give me a moment. Can you stand back?” Janize swept behind her protector, who drew her wand and muttered several spells. They made the dagger, bed, and even the sheets glow. After several different spells, the Otherworlder finally went forward, yanked the dagger from the bed and unrolled the letter.
Janize peaked over Leila’s shoulder, not hard to do considering she was what Leila had called her, a few “inches” taller.
To Queen-Claimant Janize of Erisdale,
We, Sir Martin of Conthwaite, Ginger of Conthwaite, Ayax “The Blackgale” Windwhistler, and Lady Elizabeth Hae-won Kim, would like you to know that we could have killed you and Leila as you slept, but circumstances compel us to offer you terms.
King Thorgoth of Alavaria has recruited purple dragons to his cause. You know what he intends to do with them. In the interest of ending this civil war that has taken so many lives, we request on behalf of King Jerome and Queen Forowena that you surrender under the following offer, conditional to their Majesties final approval:
1. Your life and that of your unborn child is guaranteed
2. Presuming that your child lives to their majority, they will be first in line to the throne of Erisdale, not to be superceded by any adoption or newborn children.
3. You are to be confined for life on Greyrock Island with a hundred retainers you may choose
4. Earl Darius and the other nobles who supported you are to submit to a trial by the high court for war crimes. All but his life is guaranteed, along with a steady income, but their lands and wealth will be confiscated from their persons, but not necessarily from their families and children
If you wish to discuss with us further, have a courier send a message out to the siege lines under a flag of truce.
Leila murmured the contents of the letter to herself. A snarl warped her lips. “What a load of bullshit. Are you done, Your Majesty? If so, let me burn it.”
A gloved hand held Leila’s wrist, whilst another set of hands plucked the letter from the Otherworlder’s grasp. Janize stepped away, pacing across ther room, and studying the letter intently.
Leila stared at the queen. “Janize, what are you doing?”
Janize tapped her hand with one finger but continued to study the letter. “Shh. Silencing spells on my room please.”
Leila spluttered, shook her head and started to cast several privacy spells to block out any eavesdroppers. She then sent a burst of magic toward the smoldering fireplace and levitated into the rising flames.
“Alright, now can you explain what’s got you so rattled.”
“I am perfectly calm my dear.”
“Bullshit. You’re rattled and you have no reason to be. They can’t possibly be telling the truth. I mean, dragons?” Leila rolled her eyes. “And why would they offer to save the life of your child?”
Janize did not look up from the letter. “It is precisely because the information is so unbelievable that I am somewhat concerned.”
Leila threw her hands up into the air. “And I thought you said you weren’t rattled.”
“I am afraid that I lied.” The queen hissed those words through gritted teeth. Taking a short breath, she turned to face the Otherworlder. “Leila dear, I quite enjoy your company, but I think you should take your leave.”
Blinking, the Otherworlder grimaced. “You don’t trust me.”
Janize fingers tightened around the letter. “I need to be alone. Truly alone.”
Her arms crossed, Leila gave the queen what could only be described as a flat stare. “I say that’s a horrible idea given that they can get into your bedchambers without anybody noticing.”
Janize opened her mouth to retort, but quickly closed it. Her lips a thin line, she closed her eyes.
“Leila. You make a good point and so you should stay here. That being said, you ought to know your place.”
Leila looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. Her breath almost spitting out between her clenched teeth. “I know my place, Your Majesty.”
“You have a very strange way of showing it.” Janize narrowed her eyes at the younger woman, studying her posture. She’d gotten to know Leila quite well. Her stiff, crossed-arm posture was a way of holding herself in check when she was frustrated about something.
After a long moment where Leila just gazed at the ceiling, she suddenly shivered and wiped her eyes.
Janize blinked. She tried to keep her expression serene, but the Otherworlder started to sniffle. Before her eyes, Leila’s stiff pose crumpled. She buried her tear-stricken face in her right hand, whilst she gripped her shirt with the other.
“Leila? What is going on? Are you alright?”
“No. I’m definitely not alright. I’m very, very fucked up, okay? I’m probably more of a freak than Frances.” The Otherworlder wiped her eyes with the back of her arm. “But I know my place. Oh, I know my place. I’m your disposable fuckbuddy. Your dumb hunk of muscle with boobs for you to squeeze. I know you are going to kill me once the war is over and after you’ve dealt with Darius. I also don’t care, so long as you do so after the Demon King is dead.”
Janize blinked, her mouth trying to form words, excuses, anything to try to deny what Leila was saying. “Excuse me? When have I—”
“Don’t lie to me. Please, don’t lie to me anymore.” Leila sniffled, and shook her head. “I mean, I don’t care if you do. Hurt me all you’d like. Use me as you wish. Just…promise me that you’ll get rid of me after Thorgoth dies. I don’t want to go back to Earth.”
“But if you die in Durannon after Thorgoth dies then correct me if I’m wrong, but the spell that returns you to ‘Earth’ won’t be active because you would have chosen to stay in Durannon. That means you’ll…” Janize’s voice trailed off. The letter slipping out of her grasp, she reached for Leila, but the Otherworlder stepped back. “Leila dear, you cannot be serious.”
Leila’s laugh was without mirth. It rang in the room softly, and yet it shook the queen’s hands like the howl of a wounded animal. “I am. You don’t need to pretend anymore, Your Majesty. I know you aren’t really lying to Earl Darius about getting rid of me. I’d have outlived my usefulness to you after he’s gone. Besides, you have the pick of the kingdom once you win the war. Why would you choose me?”
Janize briefly pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why would you be alright with being disposed of, Leila? You’re a fighter, and a tough young woman. I’ve never known you to give up like this. Why fight for me when you think I’ll get rid of you?” Despite her attempt to control her tone, the queen could hear her voice rise in pitch.
Leila’s shoulders fell, and she bit her lip. Swallowing, the Otherworlder croaked, “I love you. I love how you smile. I love how you lie to those around you and play them for fools. I love how you stand so tall despite the chaos around you. I love how you play your cards—your schemes—so close to your chest. I love your ruthlessness, your pitiless glower and just…everything about you.”
The queen, her jaw agape, stared at the Otherworlder and the desperate smile on her lips. Janize pinched herself with her long nails, drawing a red mark on her knuckle, and found that she was still awake. “Even when I hurt you? Even when you think I am going to have you killed?”
Leila coughed into her fist, and nodded. “Yeah. I mean, it hurt when I figured it out. But it’s what I deserve and what would happen to me anyway if I went back to Earth. At least you let me be me and made me happy. At least you pretended to be my friend and lover.”
“Pretended? You’re alright with—” Janize shook her head. “Leila, what happened on ‘Earth?’ I know your parents were horrible. I know they just buried you with schoolwork, activities, and never let you choose what you wanted to do. That does not explain why you want to die rather than go back!”
Leila shrugged helplessly, her eyes glancing off to the side. “I mean, it’s a pretty stupid explanation.”
“Enlighten me. I will decide whether it’s stupid or not.”
The Otherworlder bowed her head. “It’s nothing like say Frances’s reason. I mean, fuck, her parents wanted her dead or near dead. I could see the bruises.” Leila smiled again, without mirth, not even bothering to wipe her tear-filled eyes. “My parents just told me that I needed to be better, to try harder, and to let nothing stand in my way. They drilled it into me, until they started to just ignore me for my little brother. I tried even harder. I tried so hard I didn’t even care who I hurt. But then they stopped talking to me no matter how hard I tried. Eventually they started to be afraid of what I had become. I’m a monster, Your Majesty.” Leila looked up at Janize. Her gaze was dead. A broken, unnerving smile was glued across her tear-stained cheeks. “If…if you’d like to run screaming. You can do that. I’m used to it.”
Janize stared at the young woman. Frozen, one foot forward, the queen allowed her trembling hands to drop to her sides.
Suddenly, the woman picked up her skirts and marched up to the Otherworlder. Before Leila could step away, Janize threw her arms around the Otherworlder and pulled her into an embrace.
“Don’t run. Don’t run. Your queen demands you hear her out first!” Janize hissed, burying her face in Leila’s neck.
“Okay but why are you—” Leila blinked. Something warm, and wet was dripping on her neck. “Janize? I don’t—”
“You were not entirely wrong. I was planning on getting rid of you at first.” Janize loosened her embrace, her hands moving to cup Leila’s cheeks. Slowly, she pulled the Otherworlder to face her. They were so close, their noses were rubbing against each other. They were so close that Janize knew that Leila could see the tears that were filling her eyes. “It just appears that despite my best efforts, Leila, I have grown very very fond of you, in spite of your flaws.”
“You don’t mean—but that’s impossible—” Janize leaned forward, capturing her lover’s lips. She left Leila speechless, jaw agape, fresh tears in her eyes.
“It has already happened, my dear Leila. Is not a healthy relationship by any measure, but I do find myself enamoured with you and it has become my desire at this moment to spend my life with you.” Janize smiled, watching as the young woman in front of her splutter, blink and then just cry. Leila sobbed, leaning into her as she broke down. She cried so hard, for so long that Janize had to guide her love to the bed they shared, where the Otherworlder cried some more.
“Why?” Leila finally croaked, as her head lay on Janize’s lap, whilst the queen gently stroked her hair.
Janize pursed her lips. “I’m not entirely sure why to be honest. I suppose I can say that you make me feel…alive. You rouse my anger, my passion, and my ambition. You don’t bullshit me, which makes it quite easy to talk to you. You make me think, question, laugh…and feel. When I’m with you, I feel like I can be me.”
Leila blinked, her cheeks coloring. “Oh. I’m…I’m glad.” She gave the queen a small, shy smile. Janize mirrored it, relief filling her heart as she continued to stroke the young woman’s hair.
“So tell me now, Leila my dear. Do you know your place?” Janize asked, leaning down to poke her lover on the nose.
Leila beamed. “I do, Janize.”
Janize grimaced as she caressed Leila’s cheek with her bare hand. She’d long ago pulled her gloves off. “Then listen carefully because you’re not going to like what you hear next. I think we ought to accept the Lightning Battalion’s offer, but we might not be able to do so safely.”
Leila frowned, but continued to lay on the queen’s lap. “Alright, but why? And why do you believe this isn’t one of their sneaky tricks?”
“Two reasons. One, we’ve lost this civil war. Two, I think they’re telling the truth, though, not the whole truth.”
Leila sat up, gently brushing Janize’s hand off her cheek, as she shuffled to sit next to the queen. Her scarred fingers intermingled with Janize’s slender, perfectly manicured ones. “But wait, that’s preposterous. I mean, dragons? And then there’s exile. Why would you be willing to go to this Greyrock Island?”
Janize chuckled, hiding her wide grin with one hand as Leila frowned. “Greyrock Island actually has a very nice palace. It’s the private getaway of the Erisdalian Royal Family. It was built by an overindulgent Erisdalian Queen to stow away her lovers and while isolated, the island is self-sufficient. We won’t be able to escape, but considering that they could have had me executed for disobeying my father’s will, it’s not a bad option.”
Mouth forming an ‘o,’ Leila took a breath. “Wait, so you believe them?”
“Yes, they have been quite upfront without being blatantly obvious. They’ve offered to let my child be heir. This means that the rumor I’ve been hearing from our remaining spies is probably true. Earl Forowena must be infertile. And even if this rumor is false, the fact that they are willing to even entertain the idea of allowing my child on the Erisdalian throne is significant. They badly want to negotiate, even when they have significant advantages. Something must have changed and what else could it be but them finding out Thorgoth has dragons? If they knew about the dragons from the start, or lied about it, they wouldn’t want to end the siege with such a significant concession after taking so many casualties and time to set it up. It could be a delaying tactic but we are the ones being besieged, not them.”
“But we haven’t lost the war yet. We—” Leila’s voice trailed off. Janize’s smile had quite suddenly faded. “You know something that neither Darius nor I knows, or that we’re unwilling to admit.”
Janize drew herself up, her free hand placed on top of her growing stomach. “Not quite. You see, as queen, I have the most complete picture of what our faction knows. It’s a picture I hold very close to my chest and while someone can deduce it, or mislead me, I believe what I have analzed of the strategic situation is correct.” The queen closed her eyes. “As you know, we were planning to muster an army in the east to try to relieve the siege. You also know that that attempt has been unsuccessful and we’ve been forced to wait this out. It’s a losing strategy already. The greater problem, though, is that it doesn’t really matter if we win or if we lose this siege. If we win, which is likely to be in a battle against well-trained and disciplined troops led by veteran commanders, we’ll lose a significant amount of our remaining offensive power. They will lose combat power as well, but given the record of the Lightning Battalion, there is a good chance we’ll have nothing left even if we do hurt them. At that point, King Jerome and Queen Forowena can march in with their forces and destroy us. Sure the war will be prolongued, but by how much?”
Leila frowned. “But if we win the siege, we’ll have bought time to recruit and train another army.”
Janize shook her head. “And I’m afraid that that’s no longer an option. Erisdale City itself was a significant supplier of our tax revenue which we used to fund our army. It’s been under siege for months at this point. The city’s commercial potential has been indelibly damaged and even if the damage from the siege is repaired and the city returns to normal, Erlenberg has shown that they have secured the northeastern sea from Thorgoth’s Alavaria enough so that their fleet can now raid and blockade us with impunity. Add the fact that our war chest is now well and truly exhausted, well, I’m scrambling to maintain the troops we have on the field.” The queen glanced at the Otherworlder with a wry smile. “And that’s not considering the fact that if Thorgoth does have dragons, after he deals with his rebellion and the Reformists, we’d be next, and as I’ve just told you, we are far weaker than the Reformists right now.”
Leila’s eyes widened. “Shit.”
The queen nodded, bowing her head. “It pains me to admit, but a great deal of fault for this war and its outcome rests on my shoulders. I…I gravely miscalculated years ago when I aligned myself firmly in Earl Darius’s camp. I thought it was the obvious choice. Alavaria was maniacally anti-human from what we heard from Archmage Star. We needed to present a strong anti-Alavari front after the war with Lapanteria and Darius was a popular and established noble with significant support and resources.”
“But he was an asshole.”
Janize sighed and rested her head on the younger woman’s shoulder. “Leila, I must admit that I can be quite the bitch as well. It galls me to admit it, but my prejudices against the Alavari clouded my judgement. It made me more willing to condone Earl Darius’s actions when all they did was unite the Reformers against us and turn away potential Alavari allies. Then when my father changed his mind about the succession and was assassinated by Alavaria, I let my bitterness to him, and my hatred of Alavaria take over.”
Leila frowned. “But what would we have gained by allying with those monsters?”
The queen looked up at Leila, arching one thin eyebrow, her grey eyes hammering the Otherworlder with the flattest stare. After a moment, Leila winced and turned away. Janize held her glare for another second before giggling. “Monsters they may be. They are certainly not human. Yet they are not beasts to be put down. No, the fact that the Lightning Battalion has worked as well as it has, the fact that I hear stories all the time of Athelda-Aoun whispered in my halls, those have shown me that perhaps my prejudice was greatly misplaced. They are clearly capable of all the traits we associate with humanity.”
Leila pursed her lips and the furrow on her brow deepened. “Oh. That’s actually a very good point.”
“Coming around to my point of view now, Leila?” Janize asked, smirking just a little. Leila’s only response was to close her eyes and pull back from the queen. Her lips were pressed thin, she coiled the fingers on both her hands together. Her smirk fading, Janize gently reached over to caress her woman’s cheek. “Leila my love? What is wrong?”
Her eyes opening, Leila flashed the queen a brief smile. “You…you could stand to call me that more often. I’m fine. Not really alright, but fine. I was just thinking if I thought about it the way you did, would Jessica and I still be friends?”
Janize cupped Leila’s face in her hands. “Maybe, but then you wouldn’t have me.” Before the younger woman could respond, the queen pressed her lips against Leila’s.
When they finally parted, Leila was smiling and Janize, well she was smirking with smug satisfaction.
“I love you so much,” whispered Leila. At Janize’s wink, Leila couldn’t help but giggle. “So what do we do now? Earl Darius would never surrender, as would several of his supporting nobles. He’s lost a daughter already and that was to Martin and Ginger’s forces.”
“I’m afraid I’m still considering that.” Poking Leila’s nose with a finger, Janize dropped her tone, allowing her words to drop out as sultrily as she could. “Do you perhaps have any ideas how we can confer with the Lightning Battalion? I am still wondering what our counter-offer should be, but we need to find a way to meet with them first.”
Leila, cheeks reddening, coughed officiously. “Um, it would be easier to pass something onto the spies who planted the dagger. I…I might have a few ideas.”
Janize walked her hand up Leila’s arm and across her collarbone. “Well I’d love to hear them, but you know what, let’s leave that for a later time. I think we’ve interrupted what we set out to do tonight long enough.”
There was a quiet cough. Janize stared at Leila, as the Otherworlder’s eyes widened. Both of their mouths had been still.
“In that case, let me interrupt you for the last time.” A tall, slender form rolled out from underneath the bed and stood up. Ayax, in light mail armor, crossed her arms, her staff in one hand, and a magic card in another. Idly she tucked the card into her pocket. “I don’t use these cards as often, but a nice quieting spell is very useful to have on hand. And before you ask, I heard everything.”
Leila, hand shooting to her dagger, sprang to her feet. She didn’t charge at the troll, but put herself between Ayax and Janize. “Blackgale.”
Smirking, Ayax dipped her head. “Leila.”
“Does Frances know about this?” Leila narrowed her eyes at the troll, hating just at how amused she looked.
“No, but you tend to be the last thing on her mind these days. Now if we are done here, magic mirror call tomorrow at noon? Just cast it on myself or one of my friends. We’ll be waiting.”
Janize, sitting very still and straight, cut in before Leila could answer. “An excellent idea, Lady Windwhistler. Will my brother be attending?”
Ayax waltzed to the window and opened the shutters. “In good time, Queen Janize. I would advise you to be diplomatic and we’ll treat you fairly. After all…” The troll faced the pair. Her smirk gone, her fierce black eyes glaring at the queen. “I could have killed all three of you right then and there.”
Janize nodded, not quite able to hide her scowl. Leila glanced at her, lips pursed with worry and in that moment, Ayax leapt through the window. Scrambling after her, Leila poked her head out to find the troll had vanished into another open window above them.
“Shit. Fuck I’m so sorry—Janize?” Leila’s eyes widened. Janize was breathing faster and faster, her hand covering her mouth. The Otherworlder raced over, embracing the queen. Slowly she ran a hand through her hair again and again, trying to calm the woman down. “You’re safe. You’re alright.”
Janize shut her eyes, rubbing her belly with both hands. “I’m fine. I just need a moment. Amura and Rathon. I…she could have killed me, killed us three.”
Leila groaned, kissing Janize’s forehead. “I’m sorry. I should have been more thorough.”
The queen waved her hand. “Think nothing of it. What's done is done and…it does seem that they do not have the stomach for cold blooded murder. At least we know how to talk to them.” Janize exhaled slowly. “I believe, I need some of your magical hands to relax me. The massage oils are in the bedside drawer.”
Leila blinked. “You’re still in the mood—”
Janize fixed her love with a gimlet glare, tempered only by a hungry grin. “I have had quite enough interruptions today, Leila. I am practically craving your touch dear.”
Leila giggled weakly and rolled off their bed. “Yes ma’am!”