Alex leaned against the wall in the back of the lift, Eleya just in front of him with her security detail posted on either side between them. She had her very own elevator that ran down to most of the meeting areas, formal dining rooms, one of the smaller hangars. Not surprising, given that she was the Empress. Nice to have, though.
It was cold in the lift, too, and that felt fantastic on the muscle groups in his feet, numbing the pain in them a little. Everything else still hurt, but having his heels on the ground again like some sort of normal Human was getting everything... Less bad. Alex still expected to get a charley horse in each leg tonight.
He waved a hand at the indistinct forms of the guards he was standing behind. “So, can these guys understand what I’m saying?”
“Of course. Their armors have the latest version of the translator... Thank you for that.” Eleya’s reply did not sound nearly as annoyed as Alex had expected, her happy family mode still in effect for the time being. “Though they do not communicate out loud. It would defeat the purpose of the cloak.”
“Well yeah.” The elevator arrived with a soft chime, the doors opening directly into the antechamber outside of her bedroom. Alex followed her out, the guards a step behind. It was clear why he hadn’t seen the elevator when he had last visited. The doors had a veneer of the dark grey stone that covered the walls, when closed they fit in perfectly with no obvious means to access it.
“Indeed.” One of her guard opened the door to her bedroom and she sauntered in, Alex trailing along behind her. She waved at the small seating area as she headed over to the short cabinet that held her spirits. “Would you care for a drink?”
He was surprised that she even asked, but didn’t think that he was up to imbibe any more tonight. “No, no thank you. Had plenty of wine with dinner.” More familiar with how Tsla’o did their homes than last time he was here, her room fell into patterns that matched up with Carbon’s cabin. It was less round, and less self contained - the kitchen was replaced with a wet bar, for instance. There was a low stone hearth beside it, dark and hopefully entirely decorative. The table towards the center of the room was likewise not meant for meals, too low compared to the chairs around it. Perfect for sitting around with your noble friends and drinking, though.
Alex picked the chair closest to the door that let him keep an eye on Eleya. He set those awful boots next to it, tossed his cloak over the back, and eased himself down into the seat. While the frame seemed stout, intricately carved legs as thick as his arms, it looked old. The wood creaked slightly as he settled in, the thin padding remarkably functional.
“Mmh.” She set about making some kind of mixed drink, again almost sounding happy. “I am to understand you do not metabolize alcohol as quickly as we do. Interesting, the little differences.”
“Yup. Found that out the hard way.” He said it before thinking about how he knew that. That night on the Kshlav’o might not be something Carbon would want shared with her aunt even if they were on good terms. There were other things he was willing to disclose, surface level stuff. While the actual throwing up on him might not be a big deal, everything surrounding it absolutely would be.
It did pique Eleya’s interest though, her head turned just enough to see him over her shoulder as she shook a mixer. “Oh? How so?”
“Shared a bottle of wine with her the other night.” That was true. Good job, spy Alex. “She sobered up much faster than I did.”
“Ah, yes. She also never drinks as much as she appears to.” Eleya said it like it was a trait she particularly approved of, smiling as she set out two glasses - they looked to be about the size of a rocks glass, though taller. The older Tsla’o continued with the setup for whatever she was making, fishing shards of dried rind out of a crystal jar with little golden tongs and dropping them into the glassware before pouring the shaken drink over it.
“I think that’s true...” He took the glass she handed him, confused as to why she was doing so. “I don’t think I should-”
She shot him a look that stopped him in his tracks, initially cold but softening with a smile as she spoke. “You do not turn down a drink from the Empress, young Prince. ”
“All right. Thank you, then. Cheers.” He held the glass up before trying the chartreuse colored concoction, a sharp blast of alcohol and some kind of fruity flavor that he couldn’t place.
“Captain.” She gestured to the door. “Please, give us our space.”
Alex couldn’t hear his reply, but the way Eleya’s face darkened indicated it was not to her liking.
“It was his wife that bruised your pride, Captain. Who held your sword to my throat. If you think me incapable, you should remember when you last held my scabbard. It was not long ago.” The venom in her words came quick and low, the wavering form of the Captain taking a step back before she finished speaking.
Three of them departed silently, the ventilation system clearing the room of the ozone smell a few moments after the door closed.
“So, he’s pretty... insolent.” Alex went for the fanciest word he could think of that fit the situation.
“He is concerned about you, I can respect that even if I know better. That does not give him leave to speak so callously.” She sat in the chair next to him, taking a moment to savor her drink before setting it on the table between them. “Given their performance today, it may be time to consider bringing up new soldiers.”
“You do what you have to do.” He had no idea how any of that worked.
“That is correct, I do.” Eleya nodded in agreement. “So tell me what you have heard, young Prince.”
He shrugged. “A lot of it didn’t strike me as very interesting.”
Eleya looked his way with narrowed eyes and an annoyed click of her teeth. “I assure you, it is all interesting.”
“Okay.” If she wanted to hear it... “Most of what I could make out was surprise and relief. They didn’t know I could use chopsticks, behave in a civilized manner, or even eat Tsla’o cuisine. Not a lot of research going on there. The majority were glad that I was wearing pants. I swear I heard someone say they wanted a peek under the socks, which... I don’t know how to take that.”
“Consider it a compliment.” Her jaw worked slowly as she carefully rubbed her teeth together in contemplation. ”Someone is interested enough to speak it out loud, which means they suspect others are curious as well. Curiosity can be bent to your favor.”
Hang on. “You don’t mean I should be... uh, showing off, do you?” He felt like he was about to personally swear off wearing shorts for the rest of his life, which was a shame because they were his preferred lower body covering.
Eleya closed her eyes and exhaled a long-suffering sigh through her nose. “If you do that, then there will be no curiosity. Tease it out, never let them have exactly what they want.”
“Sure.” Today was not going to be the day he asked for advice on how to do that. “Anyway. My strange teeth and abundance of skin were also bothersome to a lot of people.”
“You do have a lot of skin.” She nodded in agreement.
Alex rolled his eyes. “Everyone has a lot of skin. We’re all covered in it. Let’s see. I am very large for a male and I’ve got feminine shoulders, which was a common point of confusion. I am including myself in that, because this is the first I’ve heard about it. My face is too short and too tall. I smell like a Tsla’o, which is unexpected because I don’t think I smell any different, but I have been using whatever shampoo is in the shower...”
“They are correct, you do. You have been sleeping with Carbon?” Eleya just dropped that question like it wasn’t hugely invasive. She was good at being invasive.
“Uh-” It locked his mind up for a good couple of seconds too, a blush he didn’t want to be experiencing in front of Eleya warming his face. “Like, uh... in the same bed?”
“Yes. You seemed comfortable in the sickbay bed so I assume Humans sleep in beds and not...” Eleya looked up at the chandelier, a very modern array of lights that didn’t really match the rest of the decor, and swirled her hand in the air. “I do not know, in a nest or something.”
“Generally we sleep in beds.” He wasn’t sure if he found her actually talking about sleeping arrangements more or less weird than the possible alternative, at this moment. Did sleeping with someone have both meanings in Tsla? He was reasonably sure it did. Another thing to forget to ask Carbon. “And yes, we have been sharing a bed.
“Hm, good.” She turned and regarded him, really looked him over for the first time since before dinner and then leaned in and inhaled deeply through her nose. “Neya as well?”
“Anyway.” He said it with just the right amount of force, which in this situation was a lot as he realized Eleya had been smelling him to determine who had been in bed with him. Showers were going to be frequent and scalding hot from here on out.
“Do not avoid my questions, young Prince.” She picked her drink up and sipped it, bright blue eyes, a shade lighter than Carbon’s, watching him over the glass.
Alex huffed and glanced away. “Yeah, Neya too.”
“Is it so.” She clicked her tongue with a hint of annoyance before her words shifted towards approval. “I expected she would choose quickly, but I find I have not received formal notification of her acceptance of you. It would have been a nice detail to have on everyone’s tongue at the dinner.”
He did not want his sleeping arrangements on that particularly horrible turn of phrase, ever. “Yeah, she only notified us last night. So anyway-”
She tutted him, waving a hand to stop him from continuing. “You make it clear, dearest nephew, that you do not understand how important her acceptance is. The Zeshen council is very heavily damaged, but they are an old, respected, organization. For hundreds of years they have been a subtle force in our government and society. All are lowborn, coming from commoners, yet find themselves functioning in every level of the government, in every powerful house of the court.”
“That’s-” He almost said that was cool. Which did not, in the moment before his words slipped out, feel right for this situation. “Very interesting.”
Eleya grimaced slightly, one corner of her mouth pulled down. “You do not understand what I am reaching for, do you?”
Alex had some ideas. It seemed like a recipe for keeping power in check, for instance. He would still play the part of the unsophisticated Human for the moment. “No.”
She set her drink down and massaged the bridge of her muzzle just below her eyes. “People recognize them as coming from the masses, so they often believe they more closely align with the commoners than with nobles. So this does not slip your grasp, they do. They are concerned about their families, and the families of their kind. Beyond that, they communicate with each other frequently, and often influence their Aeshen.”
“Acceptance by Neya would signal that I’m good for normal people, and put me in good standings with a network that can shift opinions in higher levels of government?” Neya had mentioned something about contacting Eleya’s Zeshen, to enlist their help to ensure that the Empress actually followed through on her promises to Carbon. That felt like a lot of power to wield.
“Correct. You would do well to remember this.” She leaned back into her chair, swirling a finger in his direction. “Now you may continue.”
The fact that she kept informing him of these details, how to approach people... Keying him in on the experience of being Tsla’o. It felt a little orchestrated. “You know... Literally nothing I heard couldn’t have been collected just as well, if not better, by a microphone. Maybe hidden in a flower arrangement, or even just left sitting somewhere inconspicuous. You could know all about what people think of me without me being involved.”
“A secret listening device? How tremendously uncouth.” Eleya smiled at him, a grin that was just a little too toothy, eyes alight with amusement. “I would never personally engage in such deceit.”
“Uh huh.” Alex thought the location of ‘personally’ in that sentence was fantastically important. “None of this was for you.”
“Is it so?” Her head tilted, eyebrow lifted at him. “Yet here you are giving me a report about it. Please, do continue.”
He was sure that this was some sort of lesson for him. What, exactly, he didn’t quite understand yet. Caring about what people said about him? That seemed too simple. Listening felt the same way. He listens all the time anyway. Usually. Maybe she really just wanted to see how good he was at following orders. “Right. Some of them didn’t believe that Humans had the temperament to become entwined, and several were surprised I had the restraint to produce such a careful mark on Carbon. A fair amount of pity for both myself and Carbon because I don’t have antennae and can’t link.”
That last one got a laugh out of her. “I see someone has not been keeping up with the news. We will come up with something to ensure that stops. Linking is too important a part of our culture for you to be unable to experience, particularly when you already do. Please tell me you saw who was saying that?”
“A couple of Senators really seemed bothered by it. A lot of names are blurring together, I met like ten in one go. I think one was Batena? Very, very old guy. Like solid silver fur.”
“That is Senator Batena.” Eleya favored him with a nod and a smile, the attaboy he originally expected when he arrived on the Sword finally showing up. “If you hear him - or any of them - worrying about that when you have your translator, approach it directly. Assure him you do, that Carbon has taught you extensively, and offer to link with him so he could see for himself. Do not press him on it. This is a gentle correction. You are not trying to prove him wrong, just bring him new information to ease his worry.”
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
That was a very specific set of instructions. “And if I did press him on it?”
“There are times for that. Say someone has accused you of something you did not do or did not say. Requesting they link with you, with witnesses you also offer the knowledge to, would require the other party to accept and be shown. It would be viewed as suspicious otherwise. Evasive.” She paused to take a drink, cool blue eyes watching him the entire time. “But, public opinion would land on his side on this matter. He is a respected old Senator expressing his worry about your ability to have a full life as we experience it, and you would be harassing him for it. So. Offer once and accept his response either way.”
“Offer once, don’t insist.” He filed that away for later, unfortunately. There was a sneaking suspicion deep in his chest saying he would have to be doing that at some point.
“Very good. You would do well to befriend him. I suspect you will appreciate his sense of humor. As he says, he has been collecting jokes for a very long time.” She actually laughed a little bit at that, earnest amusement in her voice for a moment. “Now, while we were not gone long, there must have been more said.”
Right back down to business. “Yeah, one of the Senators described me using a few words I don’t have a translation for, but only close enough for me to hear one. Tschova, I believe. That’s what it sounded like.”
Her eyebrow arched and she took another sip. “Ah, that is interesting. Which Senator?”
Alex hadn’t actually been introduced, so he didn’t feel bad at all not knowing which one it was. Plus he just seemed like an asshole. “Younger guy, somebody said he was new. Dark blue fur, seated across from Sergeant Zenshen.”
“Letna Sovota. Yes, that would be him. Always looking for trouble.” She swirled her drink and contemplated one of the tapestries, jaw working slowly. “That is what got him elected. It is a noble idea when aimed in an agreeable direction.”
“So what’s it mean?”
“It is a skin disease, makes one's fur fall out. Also used as an epithet for Humans when they are discussed.”
“Great.” It was no shock that they had their own derogatory nicknames, just that it had taken him this long to hear one. “Nobody looked like they approved of it. General... Tayso in particular seemed to have harsh words for him.”
“Unsurprising, for both. He was posturing, seeing who would join in with him while your beloved was not around to hold a sword to his throat. Tayso is a trusted ally and would not stand for my decisions being ridiculed.”
Alex didn’t particularly care about the political angling, but he did have some questions of his own he’d like answered. “Yeah, speaking of your niece's remarkable display of violence this afternoon, what the hell is going on between you two? I’ve gotten her side of the story, but I don’t understand what’s up with this Dr. Jekyll- Split personality crap you’ve got going on.”
“My niece.” She gave a clipped, derisive laugh. “When she does something impetuous, she is my niece. Humorous. Batena will love that.”
“Fine, my wife’s outburst earlier. Feel better?”
“Not appreciably.” She drained her glass and sighed, sinking into the chair. She seemed old for once, as the air of pride she normally carried herself with was replaced with regret. “Suppose it will do me well. When she was a child, I doted on her as though she were my own. Eventually, I found that I had to move Carbon away from the court, away from its politics, as she was becoming a conduit to me without realizing it. She was so bright and so delicate. I did not want that taken from her by those parasites.”
“Is my translator broken? Because I’m pretty sure you absolutely destroyed her.” He could see the bright part, but delicate? That wasn’t the Carbon he knew. Certainly not the Carbon that would attack an invisible guy in power armor with just a chair. “It haunts her to this day.”
“I did not destroy her, I terrified her.” Eleya rolled her eyes over to him with an exasperated look that ran in the family. “She was emotionally delicate. Do not think I have damaged that. She is as sensitive as she ever was.”
“Well, yeah...” Okay. That did sound like Carbon. He had hurt her so easily on the Kshlav’o, with just an uneasy laugh.
“I know what I did was appalling. But as I said, she had to be moved away from the court. I realized this when nobles began to send suitors. These sycophants tried to marry a child because she was close to me, because they thought they saw a weakness in me. I could not just say, leave this child alone. I had learned their ways, I knew them well. They would go to her directly, and it would only be a matter of time before they found a weakness, and they would have exploited it without hesitation so the marriage was ‘luck’ or ‘happenstance’ and not arranged.”
What the fuck. Eleya’s apparent ease in bringing in a Human almost made sense from that alone. “That’s... not at all what I was expecting.”
“The first one-” She managed to pack an impressive amount of disdain into a single quiet chuckle. “The first one the court sent for my approval was twenty.”
Eleya’s gaze slid over to him as she let that statement hang in the air. “As though they thought that I would arrange a marriage between a fully grown adult and a child like it was the second century. To his credit, he respected me. Made it abundantly clear he was not involved in the decision to send him to kneel on the carpet with such a perilous question - by himself. Not a single member of his House, not even a steward, traveled with him. He saw that they gambled with his life, thinking any ruin would be his alone. Smart fellow, avoided a lot of trouble by being honest.”
“What the fuck?” Alex found a well of indignation in that. What sort of power-hungry psycho sends their adult child to ask to marry a kid, and makes them do it alone? He kind of hoped they had died in the disaster, if not in some other, more horrible way.
Eleya considered the empty glass before reaching in and picking out the booze soaked bit of rind and popping it into her mouth. “Has Carbon told you about the assassination? I wish it were not so, but all of this is tied together.”
“No. I’ve heard that it happened, but that’s been about it.” And about the aftermath, but for the moment that was hearsay.
“After it had been done, after my sweet Navaren had been taken from me... I fell back onto my experience in the military. The weapons they used were from Imperial armories and a cult from the mountains should not have been able to get them. I wanted to know all the details before we made our moves because it very much appeared that they had an inside source.” She looked over at him, curious if he was following.
“Yeah. That’s a pretty reasonable course of action.” It seemed like it to him, anyway. Not just randomly lashing out at your niece or executing enough people to choke a river.
“It was. Intelligence takes time, and most of the court was kept unaware of the multiple ongoing investigations I was overseeing in case any of them were involved. These people, they... They do not understand what real life is like. That things are difficult. Just as they might eat dinner without a thought to the hours of work that went into preparing it or the seasons spent growing it.” She shook her head. “They did not see the nets I was drawing closed, so they did not exist. Just like the kitchen their food comes from is nothing more than an abstract concept. Many families in the court believed I had sequestered myself in the Citadel because I had grown weak with grief. Not because I had all but moved into the war room there to oversee these operations.”
This was the first Alex had heard about Eleya’s past, save for that little, possibly accurate snippet from Sergeant Zenshen, and it was a bit of a surprise. Background in the military had not been on his bingo card. “So they tried to work their way into your family with the intent of putting themselves closer to the throne. A married couple would be given preference. But at the time it probably would have been your brother, right?”
“Very good. One step from the throne is still very powerful, as you will find. In the end, I told Carbon the truth. A truth I would have had a difficult time telling to an adult. Her life is mine to use as I see fit.” She picked herself up out of the chair and walked back to the bar, pouring the rest of the shaker into her glass. Not making a single sound until she had returned to her seat. “And with those foul words, I made sure I would never have to. The court was alive with the news. How I lashed out at the poor dear in my grief. The melancholy that had overtaken her as we grew distant. I gladly took up the role of villain to keep her safe from them.”
Eleya shrugged and drank half of her refill in one go. “And now, after decades of keeping up the appearance, I find I cannot stop pushing her away when I feel familial. It is... right. It keeps her safe.”
“No, that’s bullshit. Have you even ever tried telling her about all this?” He had zero interaction with the court, aside from meeting a few individuals, and pretty much wanted to keep it that way if that’s what they were like. “She still doesn’t know why you did it. It came out of nowhere for her, and you’ve let her just simmer in that all these years? Just Show her. I demand it.”
“That is not how it works. But that is why I chose you.” She managed a faint smile despite the terrible sadness in her eyes. “You truly, earnestly, care about her. There is no subterfuge in your actions. I have begun making progress with her because of that, and in time I will tell her what I have told you.”
“No. Not ‘in time.’ Soon.” He was relatively sure at this point Eleya was expecting to use him as a conduit for this information so she didn’t actually have to say it herself. He was sure that would vastly reduce any impact it had as Carbon would expect that sort of chicanery from her. “You bought yourself a little goodwill at the meeting, and then you spent a chunk of it immediately with all this spy shit at dinner. Carbon was happier than I have ever seen her this afternoon, and she was back to being annoyed at you when we parted ways. All you had to do was let her come along.”
“I could not have done that.” At least she was adamant about it, not the slightest hesitation in her reply.
“Fuck off with that noise. You’re the Empress, you make the rules, your word is law. You can say it’s alright to talk to more than one person at a time. Even about the super secret intelligence report from your nephew.” Little bit more scorn on that than Alex had planned for, but her actions were still causing harm to Carbon, so he felt that she had earned it.
“Every time I look at her I see that child I hurt, the sweet little girl trying to show me the bug she had caught that day, and I live it again. The poison spilling over my lips, the way her face twisted from joy to...” Her voice caught in her throat and she stopped before. “Just as bad as when I think of Navaren, the assassin standing over his broken body as the life just goes out of his eyes. But it was my hand that hurt her, and she still stands before me as a reminder of true weakness. Unable to save either of them as they deserve.”
That sounded like something Eleya would have taken to the grave unless she really wanted this relationship fixed. At least she was spilling it. Baby steps. “You need to talk to her. A real discussion about everything. No swords, none of this pushing her away because you feel like a family shit. She’s an adult. You actually followed through with your threat and married her for your own gain, so that’s done and off the table entirely.”
“I-” She stopped and ruminated on that, managing a quiet laugh. “I did. I had not considered it from that side, as you were supposed to be the payment.”
“That’s right. And while this is going much faster than I wanted, I want my relationship with Carbon to continue. I actually love her. That means you need to talk. Not eventually. It needs to be soon, because I don’t know how much more she’ll put up with before she just shuts you out.” Or actually kills her, but that was the sort of outcome he wanted to avoid here. It wouldn’t fix anything, and he can’t imagine Carbon would actually feel good about it afterwards.
That jolted Eleya back to life, a flicker of panic in her voice before she brought it under control. “She would not just... leave? Would she?”
“What would be holding her here?” No point in sugar coating it. “As far as I can tell, there’s only a couple of things she really cares about. In order of importance: trying to help the Tsla’o people, Neya, and me. I suspect her assistance would be welcome in more direct ways, and the last two will fit into a rather small ship without issue. That’s why I say you need to do this sooner, rather than later. You bought yourself some goodwill with me, and some time with your promises this afternoon, but it’s only going to go so far if you keep acting like this.”
“I see.” She was distant again, a foot tapping restlessly against the thick carpet as the gears turned behind her eyes. “Thank you for letting me know.”
“I just want her to be whole. If that means helping you fill this pit you dug, I’m fine with that. Just remember that you and me might be allies, but she’s my wife. I’ll help her however she wants, so don’t squander this window.” Alex hammered at that point again, dropping hints that even he wouldn’t miss. “Anything else you want to talk about or are we good for tonight?”
She set her drink down and leaned towards him again. “Are we allies?”
“Maybe.” He didn’t even think about the reply, because it honestly felt like a no. He was still the payment, any power he has in this situation was very much theoretical at the moment.
Eleya did have to think about it. Her reply came as another question, a hint more resolute this time. “Would another piece of truth turn that towards yes?”
“That depends entirely on what it is.” Alex was a little surprised she wasn’t mad at him for not blindly agreeing with her. Maybe she really did want somebody with no guile around.
“I brought you to our hearth for numerous reasons, most of which I have not spoken. So I will speak one to you, and you alone.” She turned to look at him directly with a weary gaze, “you are my backup plan.”
“Backup plan for what?” He was a little impressed that she could build up so much and then deliver less information than you’d get from a fortune cookie.
“The Empire is not as strong as it was. Forces from within pull at us with their own desires and we may not have the ability to stop all of them. It may someday fracture. I cannot tell you who would be in charge of those shards, but they will likely destabilize everything around them. If the Empire falls, I want you to take Carbon and request asylum with the Human Confederacy. She will not want this to happen. She will want to fix the problem, but there will be no fixing a problem like this. I believe you may be the only person who could convince her to consider her own safety.”
“All right.” Well, that was heavy. Although... “Is that why you were looking up my family?”
Eleya gave him a quizzical look, real confusion creasing her brow. “You remember that? Even though you were unconscious?”
“Yeah, same thing happened when Carbon did it after the shoot down.” Way less invasive when she had done it, too.
“Curious.” She sat back, a little startled by this revelation. “I thought Carbon had just embellished that you remembered what she had seen to make you seem more impressive.”
“Not remembering, specifically, but it does end up in my dreams.” Which did eventually let him remember it. “So, why the interest in them?”
“You crossed the right river. If we cannot hold, and she must be taken to safety, I had hoped they were unlike what she has left of her biological family. I am a terror to her, and my brother has been changed severely by the disaster. It was a relief to see people who are kind.”
“Her and mom really hit it off last night, so you’re good to go on that front.” Alex very studiously neglected to mention anything to do with his nephew, or the rest of his family, for the time being. “They were talking wedding rings, so if you’ve got a jeweler around here I might need their number.”
“Wedding rings? Interesting. There’s only one on board, so he is easy to find.” She rested her head against the back of the chair and looked a little lost. “So, how is your new truth treating you?”
“It’s a bit rough.” Being in on one more thing didn’t make him feel any more like they were really allies in this, particularly when it was another thing he was supposed to be doing for her. Alex would dole out a little of his own goodwill for the moment. She hadn’t felt duplicitous, once they started discussing personal matters seriously. “Didn’t know things were going so badly.”
Eleya killed half her drink in one shot. “I hope for the best, but find it wise to prepare for the worst outcomes as well.”
Alex got a laugh out of it, at least, even if it earned him a dirty look. “Sorry, sorry. That’s a very common Human idiom and I didn’t expect to hear it.”
“Is it? Strange, the little details.” She said, echoing her earlier comment about their differences, now about their similarities. “I believe that is all, young Prince. If you wish to depart, you may do so.
“I think I covered everything I heard, so I will be taking you up on that.” He stood, stretched, and had another sip of his drink before setting it aside. Alex actually thought about his actions for once and stopped, turning to face Eleya and bowing deeply to her. “Have a good night, Empress.”
“Good night, dearest Nephew.” She seemed to approve of his choice to be formal, a thin smile on the greying fur of her muzzle. “Wait. I do have one last question.”
Alex had already tossed his boots over his shoulder and was in the middle of swirling the heavy cloak back on. “Yeah, shoot.”
“The wounds you received on the Kshlav’o... They were significant, were they not? Grave?” Her ears had perked up as she inquired, an unusual amount of curiosity in her voice.
“Yeah, you might say that.” He wouldn’t soon forget how thoroughly burned and broken he had been after the Ehom attack. “Without getting into the details, about twenty five or thirty percent of me is only a few months old.”
“Is it so.” Revulsion rang clear in her voice, but Eleya had it back under control before she continued. “Despite the severity of your injuries, you were repaired with a mediboard. Completely?”
Alex wiggled his toes and nodded. “Fully armed and operational. Why?”
She shook her head, unwilling to give up any more secrets. “Have a good night, Alex. Thank you.”