Chapter 87 Palace Days II.

There are two elements to win a battle.

Luck, and skill.

The more skilled and smart you are,

the more your luck can improve upon.

Yet, if you are truly unlucky.

Your skill won’t matter.

Nuriss, the Maiden of War.

In fifteen minutes I’m already at the gates with a small retinue. The evening breeze lifts my hair. I got rid of my tiara, it’s too impractical for venturing outside.

The manor is almost as large as my palace. Featuring multiple wings and gardens. Servants strut about and there are even a few private guards in place. I’ll need to make a law about them… I eye the men with bronze weapons in their belts. Can’t let someone own a private military force to strike at my back…

“Announcing: Her Majesty, Queen Inara!” Tasiya declares as the manservant who opens the gates moves out of my way.

“Lead me to the head of the family,” I order the man who gulps but bows and nods professionally. He paces into the house, politely gesturing for us to follow.

I break into the dinner of quite a large family.

This place is glittering with gold and gemstones, from the decorations on the wooden chairs to the chandeliers above our heads. The floor is reflective marble and the tableware is delicate silver. The night’s gust enters through the wooden windows. That’s a lot of money… if I’m ever pressed for funds, I can always rob this guy in the name of the law… Kolag will be delighted...

The family consists of a dozen adults and a small army of children. I spot my former Lawmaker, Garion near the edge of the table, his eyes bulge out in reaction to my presence.

But Garion isn't the man I'm here for. At the head of the table sits a man in his late sixties. A chalk white mustache adorns his face, hiding a pair of sharp brown eyes, and traces of a potbelly appear under his clean laced shirt.

The head of the Gemhand family gets up to his feet in alarm. “Wh…” His sharp eyes glint and I can tell he gathers his wits rather fast. “Queen Inara? It’s an honor, Your Grace.” He bows deeply. The family stirs, they all get up and kneel down, and some of the women even make their children kneel.

“Everyone out. Mister Gemhand, I believe we have matters to discuss.”

“Of course Your Majesty. Of course.” He’s shoulders relax and his eyes follow his family members on their way out of the dinner hall. Happy I'm letting them go, huh? I can sure use that... "Did my foolish son offend you in any way?” he asks.

“No. You offended me by sending him. But I’ll forgive it. Sit. Let’s talk business.” I take a seat near the head of the table, and gesture to sit with my chin.

“I… y-yes Your Majesty. I… you are wise Your Majesty.” He wipes his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief.

“Empty flattery will not get you anywhere, nor will sending proxies. As we speak, my man is tracking Miss Zephyr. He will kill the leader or leaders of the gangs in this city within the hour. That's what proxies will gain to the gangs. But I believe a man of your position can benefit from such knowledge?” I raise an eyebrow.

He gapes, brown eyes bulge out.

I love it when I surprise them… they see a teenager… just like back home! I giggle and push his chin up. “You’ll swallow a fly, Lord Gemhand.” Now add some charm and he’s in my pocket. “I do not care what business you formerly had with the men and women who used to rule the gangs, they’re dead. That’s the end of that. I’m sure you will adjust.”

He swallows. “Y-your Majesty. What do you want in return for such information?”

“Your support. Keep your people in line. No undercutting the craftsmen of this city, buy at reasonable prices, not half prices. I know you have been exempt from taxes before, and now you have to pay 10% of your earnings, but that is no reason to drain all the gold in this city. You’re going to have some outside competition soon enough, it’d be better to establish yourself right now.”

He moves his hand slowly in his thick mustache. “Did my foolish son not present our gift?”

“Oh he did. I’m not interested in gold you see.” I wave my hand in dismissal. “I’m much more interested in stability and prosperity. A man like you who can prosper under someone like Luard… well, I’d value your support, and you’d have mine. Assuming you keep your friends in line?”

“I can do that.”

“Good. As for how you intend to abuse the new state of the slums… Let’s just say, I intend to build them some new housings, and there’ll be a lot of new job openings soon. It’s time for you to invest in new businesses. So what will it be? Following me and the changes I bring? Or ending like the thugs in the slums?”

He looks me in the eyes. “I… I will follow you, Your Majesty.”

I narrow my eyes at him. A man who prospered under King Luard must be corrupt. I will use him. Because if I kill him, there’ll be chaos… I’ll have to remove him if he causes trouble... and his gold can be put to good use instead of décor… Let's give him an excuse to trip over my laws later... “You and your family are not allowed to leave the city during this year. Not by boat nor land. Are we clear?” Of course, now he'll try and have them leave to save them... he'll take a while, but once we catch him in the act it'll be over... One thing at a time, the slums first.

Now he lowers his gaze, shoulders deflating. “Y-yes, Your Majesty!”

“Good, this is only for a year, I promise. General Salik will come tomorrow to take their description. You’ll find that I’m a more forgiving master than Luard. But unlike Luard, I intend to make this city into a booming business. Play your cards right, and you’ll double your riches.” I leave the threat unsaid as I exit the mansion.

“Was it really necessary to threaten the lives of his family?” Kolag echoes when we leave the mansion.

“Yes.”

“I did not challenge your authority back then. But enlighten me. Why?” He blocks my way crossing his hands.

Treating me like Rushmia now? “What kind of man prospers under a King like Luard?”

“Evil. Corrupt. But his family is innocent!”

I shake my head. “Not necessarily evil. Cunning, deceitful, resourceful. Someone who’s overly cautious and knows when to play his hand. He’s competent. Corrupt? Undoubtedly, yes. But competent. Killing him right now, will create chaos, and it’ll result in more lives lost in the end. Keeping him in line, and having him keep his social class in line by making a single threat? I’ve gained a pawn. He won’t act too soon, and…” In case one of his servants is listening… “…If he makes any sudden moves, I’ll hear about it from you know who, and it’ll be too late for him…”

“So you would kill his grandchildren?!”

Oh Kolag… you silly bucket head of course I wouldn’t! I can’t say it here though, there are ears everywhere. “If he makes a choice that leads to it, it means he killed his children on his own. He clearly cares about his family, he won’t risk it.” I switch to Toml’a while maintaining the same arrogant tone. “Be angry at me Kolag. We have ears.”

He pauses, dumbfounded for a moment. Then stomps angrily. “Will you truly kill children?!” He asks in Sinteo.

I grin. “Is that so hard to believe? Like I just said, I’ll do it swiftly. Now let’s go. You haven’t told me why you haven’t executed that former lawmaker…”

“Because he wasn’t guilty, just a coward. I’ve put him to work. Someone needs to help the widows who lost their husbands in that battle, and they won’t accept any help from me… I can't understand how anyone can think worshiping the God of Justice is the wrong thing to do.” Kolag shakes his head with a sigh. “I won’t let you kill children, Inara. I mean it!”

“If Mister Gemhand is smart, it won’t have to come to that.”

Kolag switches to Toml’a. “We give them paying jobs, we give them stability, security, and freedom from an evil king, and they spit on us!” He shouts angrily, it’s something that’s been bothering him for days. “These people don’t want to work Inara, they want to complain! They want to pray and grovel to their twisted god, how they should be slaves to mages. They’re not looking to actually improve their lives!” His voice echoes with each shout.

I raise an eyebrow. “You’ve tried preaching to them again, didn’t you?”

“People are scared of me. They won’t let me help them. They won’t even let me talk to them!” I can hear the frustration in his voice, this has been going on for the last two weeks.

I can’t lose my temper… another fight with him won’t bring us anywhere! It’s bad enough that he thought I considered killing children… I’d never! Oh really? Wasn't I about to kill my own half brother a few years back? He's right to consider it... I was in a different place back then, I was all too consumed in survival, and I had just lost my own father to that damn bitch... I'm not in that place anymore. It's all about time.

“People need time," I tell Kolag. "Time to grieve, time to get over their fears, time to lower their guard. You haven’t been arbitrary, and other than one proven murderer, you haven’t executed anyone. They’re testing the winds, unsure of what’s going to happen to them. They’re unsure how I am as a queen. It’s why I use this time to pull the rag from under them and place it in the way I want. You need to give them time and keep trying to help, ok? They’ll come around.”

He grunts. “You’re far more patient than I.”

“It’s not about patience, it’s about understanding the minds of the people.”

“You should not trust that Elfling in your kitchen,” he starts again.

I raise an eyebrow. “We've been over this already. I told you I'm trusting him until he proves me otherwise."

“You don’t understand! He doesn’t…”

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“That’s final, Kolag. Don’t bring up the subject until you have a proof of his misconduct.”

He stomps angrily. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?!”

I cross my hands. “It’s called being fair, I thought you of all people should understand that. Anyway, I heard there was a letter from Jerro?”

“I believe Salik has it,” Kolag answers with a grunt and stomps down the streets.

I shake my head. These fights are becoming frequent, how long before he actually turns on me?

He won’t, he loves me…

Don’t be a fool, he has his code of honor. If I make him break it, he’ll turn on me.

*

A few minutes later, I find Salik in the gardens, talking to Tiom and Tasiya. My general wears a loose tainted tunic and that awful straw hat of his. He waves as I approach, and the three of them cease their conversation abruptly, Tiom and Tasiya bowing lightly in my direction.

“Tasiya, have you ordered dandelion seeds like Tiom asked?

She bows. “Yes Your Majesty, it may take a little time to acquire."

“That’s fine, as long as they're planted. Salik.” I turn to my general who's bending down to smell the roses. “Give me the missive from Jerro.”

Salik turns from the roses and fixes his straw hat. He hands me the letter with a sarcastic smirk on his face.

I waste no time opening the letter.

The king has discovered Sharalfyn’s involvement with you and attempted to execute her.

She’s alive but wounded.

We will think of another way, we have to hide for now.

Loyal sends his love and hatred.

Jerro

I sigh and massage the bridge of my nose as a headache begins to form. There goes another plan… I need that king dead! Not away plotting his revenge! Focus... getting mad won't get me anywhere... I wonder what he means by Loyal sends his love and hatred… Is this some kind of code? “Send Jerro a batch of my newly brewed potions, I’ll write a reply in a minute. What’s the situation with our army?” I’ll have to be prepared, just in case…

“We have seven hundred able-bodied men ready to serve. I’ve been trying to recruit more, but as far as volunteers go, this is all we’re going to get. There’s no word from your orcs yet. We’ve been talking about taking the trip to Tolste’s bay up north and hire a few mercenary companies, we’ll have to wait until things stabilize here though.”

“Ryon is hitting the slums bosses tonight. What about the corrupted guards?”

Salik shrugs with a smirk that reaches his brown eyes. “Fixed their shifts. They all patrol the richer quarters tonight. The ones I can trust are ready to put down the riots.”

“Good. Have them kill the rioters. We crack down hard on them tonight, then offer a dove's wing to the strongest gang that emerges from the chaos. I’ll be ready to hit wherever you want me placed.”

“It’s not going to be pretty. Many people will die,” he says solemnly.

“More people will die if we don’t break the current ruling gang. I don’t want anything of Luard’s old contacts left behind. Especially not if Sharla lost track of him.”

“Agreed.”

*~*~*

Interlude 87.1

Dana

Schnee the Zephyr is a mask like any other for Dana. A mask for her true occupation. Assassinations and subterfuge. Dana is the head of the Assassin’s Guild in Red Cedar City, a fact known to a select few. Most know her as Schnee the Zephyr.

Fortunately, there is no need for her true occupation today. Dana has never killed a sorcerer before, and she wasn’t sure of her odds of doing so now. That being said, sorcerers are like any other people, everyone needs to eat and sleep at some point.

Dana is headed for the safe house, a hut like any other in this slum. She passes by the old woman who lives in this hut and opens the hatch leading underground into the tunnels.

She has a feeling that someone has been following her from the palace. Dana hadn’t seen anyone this good before. There are no tells, this is an instinct honed by years at this job. Dana will have to report fast and leave the hut. They’ll seal the hatch here; there are other hatches to use across the slums.

She climbs down the wooden ladder and tugs the hems of her dress in annoyance. Dresses, she hates wearing these limiting clothes, she can’t wait to get back into her comfortable pants.

She takes the few correct turns in the maze-like trapped tunnels and knocks on the large iron door. This door is worth a small fortune, and even sorcerers will have a hard time bypassing this thing.

A small slot opens, and a pair of eyes scan her before the door swings on the oiled hinges.

“Ah Dana, it’s good to see you!” Two of the five fingers of Red Cedar city are already seated around the table, waiting for her report. Regihold Strongjaw, and Mori Terroraxe. With such good news, they’re all going to have a party tonight.

Maybe Olfgram will take Dana to his bed tonight after such good news, and if he doesn't, Dana will take Regihold to her bed, it’s been a while since she knifed someone in bed. Olfgram will surely forgive her with such good news. Should she wait for Olfgram and Arigald to show themselves?

“There won’t be a problem,” she declares, shrugging the thought away, she could just report again later. “The new queen agreed to the same terms we had with Luard.”

“Ha! See? I told you. No one turns down some good ol’ gold!” Regihold pats the back of Mori to his side, and the dark skinned man grunts in annoyance.

*Cling* *cling* *clang*

Dana stares at the small ball of metal rolling on the ground. Her heart drops and she turns toward the door she came from. *paff*

No!

She manages to see a shadowy figure right before the world turns dark.

How did he follow her?

How?

*

Dana wakes up with ringing in her ears, she must’ve hit her head pretty hard. Where is she, what’s going on?

“Nice jugs, wanna snake?” A short masked orc is crouching on a nearby table. “I’m a gentleman, I tip.” He doesn't sound like an orc, his light hearted tone is something she'd associate with a young human in his teens, not an orc. He's too slender and short to be an orc, she's unsure whether or not he's even an adult of whatever dark skinned race he belongs to.

“What?” Dana sits up and shakes her head, looking around the chaotic room. There’s blood everywhere. The two of her comrades are dead, throats slit efficiently. Even now, Dana can appreciate the clean work. Blood pools on the wooden floorboards, sipping through the cracks. Why was Dana spared?

“Wanna snake or not?” The masked man asks impatiently. Will he kill her too if she says no? Was this why he spared her?

“How?” she asks. Unable to hold back her puzzlement.

“How ya snake? Ha! ah don’ snake women who don’ know how ya snake, bye now!” The dark skinned man covers his head with his hood and leaves the cellar, disappearing into the dark tunnel.

Is she even still alive? Dana touches her cheek, pinches it, just to make sure she isn't dreaming. No. This is very real. Why did he leave her alive? Did he underestimate her? Is this a challenge? Is he looking down on her because she is a woman? Or he truly didn't think she's dangerous?

It’s probably time to move to another city, silently. Maybe to the far south. Dana has never seen assassins of this level before. This isn't something she can compete with.

*~*~*

Interlude 87.2

Olfgram Gemhand.

"That's everything she said, sir." Amaros, Olfgram's most loyal man finishes the report of everything the girl said after she left, including the things she said in Toml'a, which she obviously accounted for Olfgram's man to understand the language and know that she knows she's being followed and overheard. All while using it to fool her gullible Lawkeeper.

Testing her intelligence and ambitions he said?

"Haahahahahahahaha!"

Olfgram's adrenaline and stress turns into a maniacal laughter, unable to resist the irony anymore. His man stands ready to obey orders that'll never come. It's too late for his four fingers, they're done for. This is it for them.

"Ahhhh..."

She knew exactly who he is, she knew all along! She was the one testing him, not the other way around. And he failed her tests, he failed miserably.

He still has hard time believing that this little sixteen years old girl has such an acute sense of politics, but he can't deny what's right in front of his very eyes.

What a devil!

She must be a devout follower of Rakisha, nothing else will explain her grasp for politics.

He will not underestimate her again. He won't fail to recognize her next game. He may have lost this one, she abused her own misleading appearance to fool him this one time, but he will not make the same mistake again.

With someone like her on the throne, it'd be better if that fool Luard was back, he was easier to control. Contacting Luard is going to be tricky, and one mistake may lead to the death of his family. Should he play along? Become one of the talents in her collection? Olfgram is so used to gathering talent that he never thought he'd be the one spotted and gathered by another. He still has family in other cities, he could always take refuge should it come to it, but the thought of relying on his relatives brings a bitter taste to his mouth.

Weaknesses. What does he have on her? Her weakness for that gullible knight of Noxi? Not something he can abuse. The boy wears a magical armor of unknown metal, and according to the reports, he holds a demonic being from the abyss under that helmet. Is it something she inserted into him to tie him to her? Olfgram wouldn't put something like that past a follower of the Mother of all Demons.

Her general? The man is competent. Not someone he can catch off guard. But he visits the brothels, Dana's girls can eliminate him if they wanted to. Then again, nothing says the girl wouldn't trace this back to him and eliminate his family. She made a clear point about that.

This little girl holds him by the peas, if he's going to break free, he has to do it gently.

"Sir?" A maid enters the dining hall. "Lord Redbeard is here to see you?"

Redbeard survived the Queen's assassin?

Maybe her assassin isn't as good as she thought. Or maybe this is another test, is she leaving Olfgram a rope to hang himself?

"Send him in."

*~*~*

Interlude 87.3

Kolag

Kolag is not sure he can recognize Inara anymore. Threatening children?! Even as an empty threat, this should not be done! He leaves the palace, leaves the rich quarter of this city. He needs some air. He needs to think clearly. He needs to see the people of the city and not their ruler, even if their ruler happens to be the woman he loves.

“A copper for an old soldier?” An old wrinkly man on the side of the road attracts Kolag’s attention. The bald brown eyed man sits on a low chair. Kolag notices the empty pants of the man, the man is missing both of his legs.

Kolag approaches the war veteran. He’s here to help, yes, he’ll focus on helping people. “Here, five gold coins my good man. Do you have everything you need?” Kolag puts five large golden peas in the man’s wooden cup.

The wrinkled man spits through a pair of missing teeth. “You that paladin of Noxi people been talkin’ ‘bout?”

“I am not a paladin yet. Merely an acolyte in service to the Lord of Light.” Kolag replies, humbled.

The old veteran picks the five golden coins from his cup, looks at them for a moment, then throws them at Kolag. The coins cling against his adamantine breastplate. “Don’t need yo’ money. Tell Noxi to eat a snake and choke on his gold!”

“But…”

“See these legs?!” The old man cuts him off. “See me begging here? You got your god to thank for that! Lost my legs in one of your crusades I did. You’re not welcome here!”

“But I’m here to help!” Kolag insists.

Something thuds on his shoulder. Kolag tries to brush it off, and find his gauntlet is covered in rotten tomato juice.

Kolag takes a deep breath, fists clenched. Give them time Inara said, time to get used to him. He needs patience. Yes. Patience. He breathes out, unclenching his fists. Time. Yes.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.

Mana pools status:

Crown-knot: Affinity 10: formed: 1 gem replenished per five minutes.

Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 66

Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 6 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1

Air: Affinity 4: formed: 18 gems

Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems

Light: Affinity 3: formed: 14 gems

Water: Affinity 6: formed: 27 gems

Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 4 gems

Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems

Gravity: Affinity 9: formed: 40/41 gems

Cantrip known:

Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream.

Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite.

Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.

Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze.

Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray.

Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.

Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body.

Spells known:

Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb.

Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison.

Focus capability: 13 patterns

Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.

Wealth: 1496 Magic Gems. 1421 Golden Peas, 5 Silver Scales, 12 Copper Bits.

Items:

Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.

1 potion of lightning body.

1 potion of mana, medium grade.

4 potions of Lesser Healing.

An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.

Fresh rose petals, 45g

Fresh lavender petals, 20g

10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.

The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 11/100

Companions:

Kolag of house Befar

Salik

Zoe

Ryon

Languages:

Toml’a Fluent

Sinteo Fluent

Myrsha 7/10

Felul 1/10

Injuries and scars:

-

Kingdom’s treasury: 305 gems. 41,682 gold coins.

Kingdom’s citizen: 5,898 humans, 2,251 human children.

Kingdom's army: 700 footmen, 26 peacekeeper knights.

Notables at Court:

Tasiya Keyholder

Jolla SilverQuill

Talbot Bookkeeper

Marasi Chef extraordinaire (spymaster.)

Old Gardner Tiom