Captain Vymes escorted Daniel to the governor’s office, saluting her and nodding to him before taking leave. The room was beautiful—fitting with the house—but spartan. The only decorations were those that had been built or carved into the walls themselves, and there was little furniture other than a desk and a few chairs.
Deirdre herself stood with her hands planted on the desk before her. A map was laid out on the desk’s surface, though as he entered, she folded it closed and tucked it into a different stack of papers.
“Duke,” she greeted him, “how are you holding up?”
“Not the best,” he answered, “though better than some. And yourself?”
“Just a few scrapes and bruises. It was probably good for me to be honest. I’ve spent too much time lately cramped in rooms like these.” She sighed. “Though it’s best to remember we’re the lucky ones, eh?”
Daniel nodded solemnly. He tried to think about how Telann would respond, what he would say to Deirdre.
“They aren’t the first,” was the line he finally settled on. “We’ve been fighting this war for some time.”
“And if you wanted the Regent’s attention on your struggles, you’ve got it,” she said. “The council at Tagon will be quaking in their boots when they hear those things came South off the steppe.”
Daniel remembered Arnica’s description up on the wall. This was just one of the abominations with its terrible creations. The others had their own distinct flavors of corruption. He was grateful they’d only had to face one, and it alone had almost overwhelmed them.
“There are others we faced when Rhud fell,” he said, approaching Deirdre’s desk. “I don’t know if they all followed us down or not, but I don’t think this is over.”
Deirdre snorted. “Of course not. Nobody is ever that fortunate. I don’t look forward to fighting that bastard again, but when the day comes that we can finally send its soul to Veil’s collection, I’ll be a happy woman.”
Daniel winced at the mention of Veil. He’d turned down her offer twice now. The first time had been amicable enough. He wasn’t sure yet what she thought about the second.
“So what now?” Daniel asked. “Is the empire going to send more armies to take back the North?”
“The Sixth is supposedly the largest mobile army they have. The regent has been antagonizing the free states to the South, so I expect the rest of her forces are wrapped up down there, making sure that in the negotiations we have the biggest stick.” She rolled her eyes as she said this, and her voice was almost dismissive. He got the impression that Deirdre was not particularly fond of this regent.
“Then what can they do?” Daniel asked. “The Sixth was good, but not good enough to win against those abominations.”
“Irregulars, probably,” Deirdre said. “Small forces not suitable for capturing occupied territory or holding ground, but perfect for cracking open tough targets. I expect we’ll see some powerful sorcerers, or maybe even a few of the imperial brood.” She quirked a smile as she said that.
Daniel cocked his head. Sorcerers made sense, though he certainly wasn’t happy to hear that even more people capable of recognizing his condition were on their way. The other thing though…
“What’s—” he began but stopped himself. He’d been about to ask what the imperial brood was, but that may have been suspicious. “What’s our next course of action?” he corrected himself.
Deirdre straightened and began to pace the room as she answered. “My position is fragile, and I’m stuck between a hammer and anvil. More imperial assets help shore up my city against attack by those abominations, but bad things tend to happen when the council sticks their nose too far into your business.”
There was an edge to how she said that, and it made Daniel wonder whether her aversion to the imperial council ran deeper than a general bad feeling about them. Arnica had mentioned something when they had first met Deirdre. The governor had been a companion of the old emperor, that’s how she’d been installed here. The old emperor had been ousted by the council that now ruled the Tagonian empire.
Before the battle, Arlan had threatened to record the city’s insubordination to the imperial will. Daniel wouldn’t put it past Arlan to make empty threats, but he likely wouldn’t have mentioned it if there weren’t real consequences to such recognition.
“Having the council’s nose in your business is better than the alternative,” Daniel said to the governor. “But if it helps, I could try to convince the imperials to come with me away from your city. To come help my people.”
“You want to retake your land?” Deirdre asked. “That’s your plan?”
Daniel supposed it was. He wasn’t keen on playing the puppet for Veil’s will, but she had a point about Daniel’s possible role as a counter to the abominations. Plus, they, more than anyone else, were responsible for him ending up here. Without their interference, Arnica’s ritual would have never snatched his soul.
Maybe they could put him back. Maybe not. If not, Daniel wasn’t above a little revenge. The prospect of more battles like the one today terrified him, but he steeled himself against the possibility, at least in theory. The numbness he'd been feeling helped. That probably wasn’t healthy.
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“It’s my duty,” Daniel said, figuring that was the sort of thing the Duke might claim. Was it though? Was it Daniel’s duty? Did he inherit Telann’s obligations? He didn’t think so. Despite what Taur may still believe, Daniel wasn’t Telann. That man was dead.
Perhaps he had an obligation of his own though. Daniel’s aberrant nature could oppose the corruption of the abominations in the North. If they were causing so much destruction among these people, didn’t he have to try to stop it? He was maybe the only person that could, if the goddess of death was to be believed.
There was nothing he wanted more than to run away and live a quiet life somewhere. It was the kind of life he’d planned for himself back on Earth. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He might have been able to pull it off if he’d really wanted to. Daniel doubted Taur would force him into conflict with the abominations, and he wasn’t sure if Arnica would care much either way what happened to him.
But running away like that felt wrong, out of bounds, not really an option. He wished he could pretend that steppe didn’t exist, but somehow he knew he would end up there eventually and confront the things lurking on that plain.
Deirdre had stopped her pacing and was considering him with her arms crossed.
“There’s something different about you,” she said eventually. “You’ve changed since I met you back in Rhud.”
Daniel’s mouth went dry. He tried to maintain a relaxed posture, but somehow he only felt more awkward and conspicuous by doing so.
“People change,” he replied.
“Yes. Yes, they do,” she said. “You were a boy then, and you’re a man now, but there’s something else.” She narrowed her eyes at him. Her expression wasn’t hostile, at least not yet. “Does it have something to do with what you did to the abomination earlier? You touched it, and it fell to pieces. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Daniel swallowed, and it felt like there were rocks stuck in his throat. His mind raced, trying to think of an explanation that would satisfy her.
Could he claim he’d learned magic? But then he might be examined more closely, like her mage Eijah had done to Arnica. Should he claim ignorance? Somehow, he doubted that would assuage her concerns. He tried to remember everything he could about the late Duke, searching for an answer that could satisfy her question.
“When we fled the steppe, we were pursued,” Daniel said, echoing Arnica’s words of explanation from his first morning in that cave. “I confronted the abomination, but I was injured. There was some kind of poison or curse. It’s affected me in strange ways. Magic behaves oddly around me now. I guess when those creatures tried to absorb me, they just couldn’t, and it destroyed them.”
He tried to quell his nervousness as he stared back at the governor, hoping she bought his explanation. It wasn’t a total lie. It certainly wasn’t the whole truth, but she would likely find that even harder to believe.
She sighed, turning back to her desk. Daniel relaxed.
“I forget the horrors you must have dealt with in your war against those things,” she said. “I’m sorry. I wish I could help you more, but I must prioritize my own city’s safety.”
“I understand,” Daniel said, walking to stand beside her.
“You’re one of the few who could,” she agreed, and Daniel felt a little ashamed. He hadn’t borne the mantle of leadership like she and the Duke did. He didn’t understand. “I’ll support your proposal to take the imperial forces North, for whatever my word is worth to them,” she said.
“How long before they get here?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Weeks maybe. But tomorrow we will have a banquet to discuss what we can. Arlan and a few of his officers will be there, as will relevant members of the city leadership. I expect you to join us as well.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” Daniel said politely.
“I don’t,” Deirdre said with a chuckle. “After decades of politics, they’ve still never grown on me.” She cast her eyes over the sheaves of papers strewn across the desk and slumped a little. “Someone has to do it though, and I sure don’t trust anyone else to do it right. But enough of my complaining. I’m glad to know where you stand, Telann. You should rest now, if you like.”
“Shouldn’t you?” Daniel asked.
She laughed. “Maybe, but I make do with less than most. Don’t worry about me, Duke.”
Daniel reluctantly took his leave, though he had to admit the prospect of sleep sounded very nice. He hadn’t done nearly as much actual fighting as many of the soldiers, but whatever he’d done to destroy those things had sapped his energy like nothing else he’d ever experienced. Not to mention, his injured hand throbbed. What he wouldn’t give for painkillers.
Sorcerous healing wouldn’t work on him, but the following day he would have to get a hold of some more mundane attention. Surely they had herbal remedies here, or something of the sort.
----------------------------------------
On the way up to the room that was still set aside for him, a little boy came shooting down the stairs, skidding to a stop by Daniel. It was Fiad, Deirdre’s grandson.
“I heard there was fighting!” the boy said excitedly.
“There was.”
“Did you fight?”
“Yes,” Daniel said, “I did.”
“I thought so,” the boy nodded knowingly. “Exiled heroic nobles always fight the monsters.”
“Is that so?” Daniel asked with some amusement.
“Yup!” the boy answered. “Like the old princes. Or even the emperor back when Grandma was little. I’m going to do it too someday! Except I don’t have a noble title.” Fiad looked glum for almost one whole second before his face brightened again.
“You’re a duke!” he exclaimed. “Could you give me a noble title? Then I could go into exile and have a ton of adventures before coming back as a hero!”
“I don’t think your grandmother would like it if I did that,” Daniel said.
Fiad pouted for a moment, but he didn’t seem capable of maintaining negativity for very long. “Well, okay,” he said. “But can you teach me to do your magic?”
“My magic?” Daniel asked. “Arnica is the one who does—”
“Not her,” Fiad said, “your magic. I’ve never felt anything like it! I didn’t even notice it at first! Eijah hasn’t taught me anything like that.”
He can sense what I am! Daniel realized. He crouched down, bringing his eyes even with the child.
“Listen to me,” he said, “can you keep a secret?”
Fiad nodded vigorously.
“Please don’t tell anybody about my ‘magic.’ Especially not your tutor, understand?”
Fiad nodded again. “But can you teach me?” he pleaded.
“I don’t think so,” Daniel replied. “It’s not really magic, its more like… a curse.”
The little boy gasped. “You’re a cursed, exiled, noble hero?” he asked. Somehow, hearing about Daniel’s affliction only seemed to feed his sense of wonder.
“I don’t know about being a hero…”
Fiad gave his best approximation of a bow. “I’ll keep your secret forever!” he swore. “But you have to take me with you someday when I’m a powerful warrior mage! I can be one of your knights! Please, please, please!”
Daniel couldn’t help but smile. The kid didn’t know what he was asking, but he didn’t want to be the one to disillusion the child. “Maybe,” he said, “when you’re older.”
“I’ll prove myself!” Fiad said, straightening. “Trust me!” He raised his hand in a smart salute before darting away, disappearing around one of the mansion’s many corners as abruptly as he’d arrived.
Daniel let the smile linger on his face. It was a good reminder, he thought, that as oppressively horrid as the battle outside had been, as terrible as the abominations were, there was still innocence and joy in the world. It was reason enough to fight, he decided. It was reason enough to not run away.