Celyz and Cetyz impact each other in the middle of the harvesters with a sharp clink as the second's chain-mail impacts the first's chest-plate. Their tendrils reach out to embrace the other's trunk while they touch the top of their ovaloid heads together.
There are no words, yet I have a feeling that they're communicating. Fenyz hovers near the two, keeping watch for them and discreetly laying a couple of her tendrils against their backs.
But my attention is taken by my Lady. I make a little startled jump every time her heels hit the ground, off-balance as I hadn't thought that she would think of Jessica first and foremost, which makes me feel happy and, somehow, a little jealous.
“Where is Jessica?” She demands again.
“S, she's safe.” I stutter.
“Where is she?” She asks again, stopping a mere meter in front of me, dominating me with her full height.
“Y, your oath.” I remind her. “You, can't ask.” I don't want to lie more than I have to.
“...” Leomi's cheeks turn white.
“I swear, she is fine. Are you okay?” I ask but am met with silence.
Edusa is boiling from being ignored. No, that's unfair, her expression is one of concern while her eyes flicker to my Lady with apprehension. She throws a glance at the harvesters who aren't advancing on the human held hills anymore before deciding to kneel in front of the Countess.
“You're a Duchess now, Edusa there is no need.” Leomi declares, her abysmal gaze still locked onto me.
“Yes, my La... liege.” Edusa acknowledges without standing up.
“You, on the other hand, will kneel before me, Elizabeth Vil.” Lance utters coldly.
“Why?” I ask, feeling my anger rising.
“To prove your loyalty to me in the eyes of everyone here. For your own sake, to show that your actions for peace weren't done in the name of the Rykz.” She answers in monotone. “But truly, because you could never kneel if you lost enough respect for me that you would abandon Jessica.”
I open my mouth to protest, me and my symbiont feeling the same indignation, but a construct impacts the barrier of unstructured flow covering us, making the Princesses and humans perk up. Cetyz and Celyz split but one of the latter's tendrils remains twirled around the former's waist.
“Am not child.” Cetyz complains, as her ovaloid head briefly passes over me. “You not mother.” She is definitely embarrassed.
“You are injured.” Celyz replies, her resounding voice split between compassion and anger. “I need to feel you next to me.” She pauses. “What happened to you has happened to other Princesses in battle, you'll be okay.” She adds reassuringly.
“Open it the shield, I'll try to speak to the army. Call some to my side, shake them at the very least.” Lance speaks up with authority. I sense Edusa biting her lower lip, stopping herself from speaking up.
“We need to...” Celyz pauses, turning to me.
“Retreat.” I finish.
“This position is advantageous, they are not prepared to reinforce the hill and the Templars have lost the terrain they need to keep our army away.” Fenyz notes, not proposing to attack but coming very close to it. I wait for Celyz to disagree and call the retreat, yet she remains uncharacteristically quiet.
“Our deal, it stands. Correct?” I ask, disbelieving the fact that I have to.
“It... does.” Celyz agrees. She's emotional from finding her sister, I can't hold her hesitation against her, especially if she found out what Suxen did. “We retreat.”
“We can crush.” Cetyz affirms.
“We got you, it is enough... for today.” Celyz shakes her head. Sadly, she is right, the war still rages on the other side of the Empire.
“We'll talk but open the barrier up anyway. You heard me, Elizabeth needs to be more than your agent if she is to survive the bounty on her head.” Lance interrupts with a hard voice.
“Elzbeth, Hive.” Cetyz speaks up with anger. “Mad, she not yours.”
“Well now, that's up to her, is it not?” Leomi asks.
“Elizabeth, you do not need to.” Celyz tells me, turning to Lance while taking an aggressive posture.
“I...” I hesitate as my Lady's deathly cold eyes glare at me, those her mother so often trained on me. “Have to, or she won't trust me about Jessica.” I finish.
I push away the self-destructive desire I have to find out what would happen if I refused to kneel out of pride and anger, if she would attack me at risk of her own life. My symbiont bristles but I communicate to it that it's my burden, that it isn't bending the spine.
I've come too far to be stupidly unmasked by a punch, and that's the least Leomi is likely to do. I'll bring this to a close, no matter the personal cost. She'll pay for this one as well, I'll carve the price in her skin.
“She is not worth that, my... friend.” Celyz declares with deep sadness.
“She is.” I affirm, starting to force my left knee to bend.
“Not now, in the open.” Lance orders me before turning to Celyz. “Open the shield.”
“You may have helped craft this plan, but I will not put my sister in danger because of your selfishness, Leomi Lance.” Fenyz intervenes, spearheaded tendrils waving in a threatening manner.
“Then they may leave.” Lance dismisses.
“Elizabeth?” Celyz questions, torn.
“Go, Cetyz needs your help far more than I do.” I tell her, shaking in anger from Lance's conditions.
She nods, waving her tendril towards me. My symbiont soon communicates her intense gratitude and affection, making me smile. Celyz turns and starts pulling her sister away.
“But, Little one.” Cetyz protests.
“I'm not that short!” I respond before inclining my head to the side, in a Rykz smile. “Don't worry.”
Fenyz closes the march behind them and the shield of unstructured flow follows them along with the harvesters who recede. Only a few squads remain. I absent-mindedly notice that I am at the very center of the formation.
“Now, prove to me, that she's alright.” Lance's commands.
The break in her voice underlines how worried she is, how much she is clinging to this, likely taking it as the only way she has at her disposal to verify Jessica's safety. It makes it a bit easier to bear but still not quite acceptable, not for free.
I'm surprised that Edusa remained kneeling the entire time but this is how she's been raised, it doesn't mean she's more devoted than I am, only that she bought into Nobility's system. Likely easier for her to do considering others kneel for her.
With the shield of flow gone, I can see that the Templars are slowly pushing their chain-mailed mounts to climb the hill that Cetyz pretty much destroyed with her quake constructs.
Constructs are still being flung at the barrier covering the Princesses but none towards us. II don't find it too odd. My Lady is that great after all. She places her hand on her swords' handle.
“What are you, waiting for, Elizabeth?” She asks, growing increasingly unstable. “Did you lie to me?”
“I did not harm Jessica, but perhaps I should have since she occupies your thoughts so much you've become blind to me!” I spout angrily, incensed. A few of the harvesters grind their four bladed arms against each other, producing a grim sound.
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“Do, not, threaten, her.” Lance growls. “And I am not blind to you, I'm protecting you at this very moment by asking this of you! Now, kneel, prove that you haven't betrayed me as I've not betrayed you!”
I take a deep breath, seeing the sense in her words. At least from her perspective. Elizabeth Vil needs the legitimacy of her organization and faction to be able to survive the storm that'll arise from the actions I took in Meiridin.
But I can tell that her reasoning is weaved around her emotions rather than the other way around. Her need to know of Jessica's safety, her desire to win, and perhaps, an eagerness to impose her will over mine.
“It'll cost.” I warn her, forcing my left knee to bend and lower towards the ground.
Leomi straightens her spine, rising to her full height. My knee hits the ground. I hear expressions of shock coming from the thousands of humans watching us from afar.
I feel many complicated emotions, rage and anger from her demand, a sense of pride at the fact that Elizabeth Vil can elevate Leomi Lance even higher, accomplishment from how difficult it was to do so, a pulse of lust at the action's slight sexual undertone.
An intense thrill goes through my spine as I feel the vulnerability of my position, as I notice her erect nipples and clenched jaw. I curb my neck, lowering my head. Her shoulders sag just slightly as she loses her tension in relief.
“Thank you and I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you.” Lance whispers so quietly that Edusa might not have heard. “You did the impossible, Elizabeth. I don't know how to tell you, but I will always remember it even if everyone else forgets.” She declares.
She walks up to me and places her index and major on the underside of my chin. She pulls my head back up and then keeps applying pressure, guiding me back to my feet with only this slight touch. I feel no disdain coming from her, on the contrary. I don't know exactly what it is I sense, maybe respect?
“Where are the clothes I got you?” She asks, putting me off-balance.
“I, I lost them.” I respond without meaning to, worse, I stutter.
“Hmph.” She snorts disapprovingly but with a touch of humor.
Leomi then pulls her hand back and walks up to Edusa, taking hold of her by the shoulders to guide her back to her feet. Leomi doesn't have to lean in as much as she did for me to do so but I suspect it's because Edusa wasn't kneeling all the way down.
“Send those harvesters back, my second will be coming to set up a negotiation tent since the battle is over for today.” Leomi orders, walking back to me. “I want to... invite King Cenwalh to talk without leaning on the Rykz at first. He won't accept, he is too busy defending his headquarters right now, but people will see.”
She extends her right hand out as she approaches, setting it on my... on my ass. I shiver from the possessive touch but feel like she's asserting herself too much, I didn't kneel for free.
“I am not yours to command, Leomi Lance.” I rebuke, turning around to throw her a defiant look, letting my anger push back up to the surface.
“Those harvesters will die if you don't.” She replies, taking my challenge with an eager smile as she reaches up to my waist with her hand.
I hesitate, wanting to feel her slender fingers on me, to settle down with her somewhere private but realize that my left arm is merely bandaged and, more importantly, that I need to take a thorough bath. How does she smells so good? Like steel and rhododendron.
“I'll be back for my price.” I warn her, running away.
“...And me for that backside.” She snaps back, looking away with hot cheeks, obviously embarrassed even though I have my back turned to her... or because it is? What would she want with my... I shudder. Ass?
Not sure what that means. I limp away, experiencing the full extent of my exhaustion and trying my best to ignore her excitement, calling for me. She's getting too attached to Elizabeth Vil. It's lust, not emotion. I don't believe that.
The harvesters maintain a wide formation around me as I make my way to the south, following the larger group which is climbing the hill. The tens of thousands of scouts that were charging have stopped and started retreating, they aren't even using their breathing cries anymore.
I focus on my relief at having finally put an end to the war to push away the temptation of going back and drag Leomi somewhere private. I need to stay away from her, it'll be beyond difficult but Elizabeth Vil can't block Jessica's path of return.
It helps a lot that, with her nearby, I no longer feel so desperately lonely. I can barely even recall why I found Aisha attractive. With 'her' nearby? Celyz or Leomi? I stop short in the middle of climbing atop the hill after the scouts, realizing that I'm fleeing Leomi but going straight for Celyz.
“Elizabeth Vil.” Roisia's call thankfully pulls me out of my thoughts before I can dwell on them.
“Roisia.” I reply, more surprised that she's leading people wearing the same white and blue uniforms that Leomi had than to find her here. One of them holds a flag with Izla Meria's crest.
There are about a hundred men and woman armed mostly with pole-arms, some of them identical to the one Leomi carried but with longer handles while others look like someone just attached a sword atop a wooden staff.
Many have been injured in some way, one has lost his left hand and replaced it with a cap that has a small dagger at the end while another had the left side of his face burnt, eye included. I tap my weapon on the ground, making the harvesters open up their formation a bit.
“You made quite a mess, Cenwalh is visibly scrambling to reorganize his army since his plan didn't work, and almost backfired since the Rykz got that close while also neutralizing the Templars by forcing them to hold the westernmost hill.” Roisia comments approvingly, gazing at the human held hills.
“How is your mother doing?” I ask, not wanting to dwell on a war I'm literally leaving behind.
“She is well but annoyed at you.” Roisia smiles. “She had to scramble quite a bit to recover all the messages you sent.”
“They're all the same.” I blink.
“She realized as much once she had two but felt it safer to destroy them all.” She shrugs. “The captain who ditched you fled the city, these two were among those who spent a night under his window, preventing him from sleeping.” Roisia points at a young man and woman who shift on their feet, doing their best to stay in proper ranks with the rest.
“Heh, thanks.” I wave at them. “How is the Izla?”
“Things are moving along, slower than at the start but peacefully.” Roisia tells me.
“What about the sword-sworn?” I ask. “She wasn't there.”
“Port-Odo, the commander is still quite... peeved about her lie.” Roisia makes a grimace. Another reason not to reveal I'm Elizabeth Vil, not that I needed more.
“You look like you ventured a bit too close to a butcher's grinding construct.” Edusa comments.
“I know, about to go take a bath, and probably a nap.” I reply.
“Don't know how you do it.” Roisia whispers. “I was shaking after the battle in Meria.”
“Hold onto that.” I respond bitterly.
I nod at the soldiers and keep making my way up the bare hill, finding that apart from Leomi's... forcefulness, both Cetyz and I made it relatively unharmed. I can count myself lucky that Edusa showed up but I had bought enough space for Cetyz to make it somewhere her Hive could save her...
Shit, does that mean I owe Duchy Duchess? Nah, no way, she did this for similar reasons than mine, to bring about peace, not to save me. Leomi didn't. What do I mean by that? They're both trying to bring about change, she already suggested it would be a lot easier if the war kept going.
It felt like a great thing at the time, but... No, Leomi said the fighting is over. For today. It's a manner of speaking, who knows what will happen tomorrow. Celyz said the same thing. It's a coincidence, neither would... Manipulate or hurt me? It's different. I'll see. I won't.
I reach the top of the hill, finding that the Princesses are nowhere in sight and that the harvesters are slowly descending into a Rykz camp built all around a large hill.
The compound is composed of large rectangular alleys with fences separating the drones' sleeping quarters, which are basically rows and rows of bed-frames with sheets of canvas in place of a mattress. There are no roofs but I doubt the drones mind.
As I make my way downhill, I notice that there are tunnel exits hidden behind the terrain's curbs all around me. If the human army seizes the high-ground, they'll have a clear firing arc down into the camp but I'm pretty sure the hill would collapse under them before they could shoot.
As I make my way down, I spot a large pool of water which was apparently dug into the rocky terrain near the coast. There are a couple of workers there working on making wicker baskets. I angle my course, too tempted for their presence to deter me.
On the way down, I make sure that there are no humans nearby or in the couple dozen tents set a small distance away from the Rykz' camp. Once there, I shed my clothes in seconds, but not the bandages around my left limb, and use a small underwater ramp to walk down into the pool.
The wound on my left thigh and back make themselves known, the fresh water still causing quite a sting. I assemble a healing construct with the entire portion of flow I've already regenerated. I make my way to one side of the pool and lie my back against the bare rock.
The pool is rather deep, the water comes up to my chin. Good thing I'm tall enough to appreciate it. It's odd that the Princesses wouldn't sit to bathe. I know. I plunge my head under the surface and start washing my hair first.
As I do, I sense one of the workers setting its basket down and picking up a strip of cloth in its three-fingered hands. It makes its way over so I tell my symbiont to send it away.
It doesn't respond. It usually does in some way, even when it doesn't understand. I frown and reformulate, telling it to tell the drone I don't need help. This time, it answers with a dissatisfied sensation, the same it expressed when I knelt in front of Leomi.
“Hey, that was different.” I frown. My symbiont bristles, somehow managing to make it pass like a scoff.
The worker walks around the pool to me and gently takes hold of my arm to start stripping the bandage off. I try to pull away but my symbiont stubbornly refuses. I groan but decide not to aggravate the Little one, it does deserve to be taken care of.
“Fine.” I sigh.
I feel rather exposed as the worker takes care of the symbiont, making me realize that I'm seeing the drones very, very, differently than I have previously. I even ran around naked in their presence, this is just a bath.
My symbiont allows me to reach out with my left hand and caress the drone's triangular carapaced head. It makes a soft breathing cry that makes me grin and soothes my turmoil.
I close my eyes and relax, telling the Little one to keep watch, especially for humans. It responds with confident affirmation. I set my right elbow over the border to prevent myself from sinking if I fall asleep, trusting that my symbiont will catch the other side if I do.
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