Karimere was last in line.

Azona had walked hand in hand with Rezu until she let him go to be mobbed by the other dryads. She turned to Karimere. “I think we should talk now.”

“About that.” Karimere gestured towards the crowd.

“Rezu is the new Seedfather.”

“I know you need him to make Worldtrees. But, why are you sharing?”

“As I assume you know dryads need a flesh male to reproduce. Treants only grow from the strongest males. We have had trouble finding good breeding stock.”

“You have captured, raped and eaten anyone who came within a hundred meters of a dryad forest for a thousand years. All but the dumbest mortals will heed that lesson.”

“We only have ten thousand and twenty-one mature treants left. We lost six today.”

“Ten thousand?!” This is catastrophic. There should be a million treants, bare minimum. One decent swarm and the treefolk will fall. That’s why dryads were chasing breaches.

“Yes. Dryads have been fighting whenever the Mecromancers were not watching, for centuries. We have been struggling for over a millennium, but it was the Summer of Blood that cost most of our forces.”

The Summer of Blood had occurred two centuries before. The weather had been bountiful, in the wildlands that bordered the county of Archinius, for decades. Then one spring expansion swarms, started popping up from colonies, one after the other. It seemed like it would never end. The treefolk had held a large part of the line while the mecromancers pushed back into the densest areas with their forces. Every mecromancer had fought, along with all of their titans. The Summer of Blood had lasted for eight months. The fleshy mortals had lost at least a hundred thousand. Barely ten percent of the Chosen survived.

Karimere said “But treants take decades to mature. Can you even hold on that long?”

“The residual world tree energy will make any treants grow to maturity quickly. Any bred today could be full grown in under two years, if they are tended well. The effect will lessen over time, so, more now is better. I am prioritizing the strongest dryads as breeders.”

“I will have Rezu breed with as many as possible.”

“I would like to ask for the Eleventh to breed as well. It will not help with treants in the short term, but diversity is still a factor, for any females they create.”

“I will talk with him. The Eleventh’s situation is, complicated, at the moment.”

“I have my mothers memories. I know how complicated you have made things.”

Karimere glanced around and realized all the Mecromancers had left. The mob of dryads was staring at her. She swallowed.

“You made Jade watch.” Azona said with enough cold to make Zhaan shiver.

Karimere cautiously weighed her options, only moving her eyes. She focused on morphing but felt nothing. The same was for sending a trace. This place still throbbed with Worldtree energy. She wasn’t going to do anything that Azona didn’t want her to do. Karimere finally went to speak… She didn’t get out a sound before a hand hit her face. Then her face hit the large hanger door. She slid down to the ground and chose not to move.

Azona loomed over her. “I could have hit you harder, but if I put you back in a healing tank that would take even more time from Jade.”

As much as Karimere liked to play with pain and humiliation, truly feeling helpless was something she dreaded. It had rarely happened since her implantation. She looked up at Azona with as little expression as possible. “What do you want me to do?”

“Spend time with her, or find her someone else for her to spend time with. If you are going to continue your games with the Eleventh, keep her out of them.”

Karimere nodded. “I will. I promise.”

“You are like a stepmother to me. I have very mixed feelings about you, from both of my mothers. I respect your strength and skill, but your face makes me angry beyond reason.” Azona held out a hand.

Karimere took the hand. She stood then bowed. The worlds flowed out of her. “I didn’t mean to neglect Jade. I am a cold hearted bitch. When things get crazy I focus on the mission. Gessil showed up and everyone was hurt. I have been beating myself up for not being there for that battle.” Karimere shook her head, “I don’t know why Jade chooses to be kind to me.”

“You’re not all bad.” Jade said from the hanger doorway.

“You waited.” Karimere stared, stunned.

Jade stepped closer and looked her in the eyes, “I told you, I want a massage. Who did you think I wanted one from?”

“I…” She couldn’t speak but she didn’t know why.

Jade nodded. “I understand. Come along, Rimmer. You have many punishments due to you.”

Karimere bowed, “Yes Mistress.”

Jade turned to leave.

“Mother?” Azona said, with a slight tremble in her voice.

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Jade stopped. “Yes?”

“I knew what you wanted to say and do, but she hurt you deeply. How can you forgive her so easily? I don’t understand.”

Jade took a moment, then shrugged. “I care about her. I want it to work between us.”

“And that’s it?”

“I hate Cinder, but I fought Gessil to keep her alive. We are a family, a fucked up family, I will admit, but… I…well… I don’t know how to say what I mean.”

“But, not wanting someone to die, is different than sharing yourself with them.”

Jade sighed and looked at Karimere with hurt in her eyes. “I think she made me watch, because she wanted me to see her as irrevocably broken, like she sees herself. It would give me an excuse to move on. But I don’t see her like that.”

Karimere turned to Azona, unable to face Jade anymore.

Azona said, “Klaus seems to think you could be being held prisoner or manipulated by her.”

“I don’t feel trapped at all. Rezu offered to introduce me to some felis and chosen. I have options. Rimmer, would you stop me if I were to move back to my old room?”

Karimere said. “No. You have complete freedom. You have been a great Mistress and you have become much more self-confident in that time. I think you are plenty capable of forging your own path now.”

“Would you object if I brought a Chosen, or felis, home for us to play with?”

“No.” Karimere smiled. “If you are taking requests, I would like a male. I like a little, variety.”

Jade was stern, “No males. I have enough kids right now.”

Karimere pouted.

“I think I understand.” Azona said. “All of the memories of you and Klaus and the Worldtree blend together. It is hard to sort through everything.”

Jade took a deep breath, “I’m sorry Azona. You are my daughter and I was going to leave without even saying goodbye. I’m mad a Karimere, but I, was going to neglect you.”

“Do not worry. My people used and hurt you. It’s ok mother.”

“No, it’s not. How you were created is not your fault. I am still your mother. I didn’t even get to watch you grow up. Now you are married, and fighting giant bugs, and running a whole species. You’ve done more in a day that I have in my lifetime.”

“I was made to be the Worldmother. It is why I am here.”

Jade squashed Azona in a hug. “You are far more than that. Never forget, you are a person of your own. If you ever need me, come find me. ” Jade choked up, “I really don’t know what else to say, so try to remember the lessons Zaggy taught me. I think he did a good job of raising an unexpected child.”

Azona nodded. “Yes mother. I will.”

“You grew up so damned fast.” Jade kissed her cheek, let her go, spawned a leather bag, and held it out to Azona. “I can’t let you have a birthday without a present. Happy Birthday.”

A tear ran down Azona’s cheek as she clutched the bag to her chest. “Your favorite marbles, I will treasure them forever.”

Jade spawned a wrapped cloth and unfolded it. There were three yumyums. Jade took one, handed one to Karimere and offered the other to Azona. “It’s not a full party, but it’s the best I can do today.”

Azona took a bite and squirmed with joy. “It’s sooo good.”

Karimere ate hers quietly, letting them have their moment.

Jade looked over at the mob of dryads who were staring. “I ‘m sorry I don’t have enough for everyone.”

“I appreciate the thought. But they have given them the blessings of a Seedfather. That is more than they could ever want.” Azona said. “Soon, they must go and prepare for the change.”

“Change?” Jade said.

Azona hesitated.

Karimere spoke. “Dryads don’t give birth to treants. They become them. They have to plant themselves, until they mature into a full treant.”

“Oh.” Jade sighed.

“Don’t feel sad. Those are the stages of life for treefolk. Functionally it’s like a slow, permanent, polymorph. They are still the same person.”

Azona nodded. “That was a good description. Thank you, Rimmer.”

“Please don’t use that name. It belongs to Jade.” Karimere said.

“Yes, sorry. Jade has my most recent, and vivid, memories of you. I will try to break her habit.”

Karimere said, “I will have yumyums made for all the bred dryads, and delivered here within an hour, in Jade’s name. I will also make sure that those who breed Rezu will get one as well. It will celebrate the rebirth of the treefolk.”

The crowd of dryads muttered.

Jade spawned another pack of yumyums and gave them to Azona. “This is the last of my stash. Enjoy them.”

Azona took the package and hugged her. “Thank you mother. I have much work to do now, but I will find you, when I have the time.”

“We need to be going.” Karimere said, “The longer Azona remains here, the more likely another swarm or scorcher will come.”

“Yes.” Azona said. “The newly bred must leave. Demeter will remain to collect your gifts.” Azona bowed to Jade. “Goodbye mother.”

“Goodbye.” A tearful Jade said.

The whole area glowed with massive golden runes. Azona and the dryads sang a soft note as an arcane circle larger than the military base lifted into the air. With a flash the dryads, and every trace of the Worldtree, disappeared.

Jade threw her arms around Karimere, squeezed and cried. Karimere patted her back as Jade let everything out. A few minutes later Jade let her go and took a moment to clean herself up. “I’ve never asked. Do you have any children?”

They walked, “I have given birth to Klaus, three times. He has permission to use my body, if needs a host in an emergency. And he does well as a Lifeshaper. But any other pregnancies have been moved to surrogate mothers. I am not mother material. My work comes first.”

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“I am who I am.” Karimere shrugged.

“Two mission in and I have almost been killed, repeatedly, I have a Worldmother as a child, and I fought a swarm with a ramdart. Maybe being a mecromancer isn’t so bad.”

“You will be a legend among legends, Jade Shadowbane.” Karimere said.

Jade pointed as they entered the hanger. “Can you bring that ArcFury back with us?”

“I will send a team of Chosen here to collect everything. This is a valuable resource for us. Maybe Azona will let us access other such sites in treefolk territory.”

“Is it too much of a strain? You still hadn’t fully recovered before you came to rescue me, had you?”

Karimere sighed as they stepped onto the tele-pad. “I brought Kytheras and Lilithana on what should have been a purely diplomatic mission. Does that tell you anything?”

There was a bright green flash and they were back in the lab.

Jade pulled her close and kissed her softly.

Karimere held her tight. She was a cold-hearted nightmare but every time Jade touched her she felt like she was melting.

Jade let her go, “I am still pissed at you. But thank you for coming to my rescue.”

Karimere whispered. “I would have dissected every tree in that forest to reach you.”

“Karimere.” Jade said, speaking her real name, with intent.

“Do you want to talk about us?”

Jade nodded. “Yes.”

“I just learned the last world tree is dead and Rezu is married. I think my brain is fried for today.”

Jade smirked. “Are you just trying to avoid the topic?”

Karimere froze again, unable to find the words. Rattling off random bullshit was her specialty. But she kept drawing a blank when dealing with Jade.

“Tell me the truth, without all the games.”

“Both of us have been through a lot lately. Can we talk later?”

Jade crossed her arms. “Are you going to keep ignoring me until I go away or do you really plan to talk?”

“I need some time to think about what you said back there. And we both need time to deal with everything that has happened lately. I will spend the rest of today with you and you can sleep in my room every night until we can talk. Is that good enough?”

“Ok. Deal.” Jade nodded then she looked Karimere in the eyes. “There is something else we need to talk about.”

“What?” Karimere had a good guess as to the topic.

“Zagreus told you to ‘decide’ didn’t he?”

“I assume he did the same to you?”

“Yes.” Jade said.

“What are you going to say?”

Jade shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Karimere sighed, “Neither do I.”