Tashna’s herald cleared his throat and clicked his heels together.

“Announcing the arrival of His Imperial Majesty, Div’Rah Aric Stine, ruler of all Estinia, protector of…”

“Out of my vay you damned fool!”

The mainland Estinian king shoved the courier aside as he barged through the throne room doors. Queen Natal, trailing behind her husband, was annoyed as well, but not to the same degree as her husband.

Tashna rose from her throne; her startled ravens took to the rafters as Aric began to wail.

“You silly little girl!”

Tashna bowed politely to her aging father. “It is good to see you too, Father. You must be tired fr-”

“Vhat vere you thinking!?” Aric shouted.

Tashna looked from her father to her mother with stony eyes. She brought her attention back to the king and addressed him. “I take it you speak of the capturing of Koda Dawnedge?”

“You must release him immediately!” warned Aric.

“No Father, I shall not.” Tashna stood her ground and paced back to her throne. “Did you bring the men I asked for?”

“No amount of men vill stave the fury of the storm you wrought upon this realm!”

Tashna stole a glance at her mother once more before turning back to her visibly shaken father. “Did you bring me the men I asked for?” she repeated

“I brought enough men to enforce Aric City, but there isn’t a need for a var. You can still stop this madness!” answered the Estinian king.

Tashna curled her lip in disbelief. “The great Aric Stine. Son of Larn the Conqueror. The most fearsome Div’Rah that Cypress has ever seen. Cut in half by an army of hares and an elven child! Do you hear yourself, Father? Release my prisoner? Bow to my enemies? I shall do no such thing!” Tashna’s tone was rife with resentment.

“My child, your father only vants vhat is best for you,” Natal cooed.

Aric raised his hand. “No Natal, she can not be babied now.” He moved closer to his daughter and tightly gripped her shoulder. “You know the truce I vas forced to agree to vhen I lost my var with the Cypress Alliance. You know I have no army to raise for you. Yet still you think it vise to go to var with them?”

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“New Estinia shall not kneel like our motherland has. Ve are strong, Father, and ve shall find victory where you see non-”

Tashna recoiled her face from a sharp slap across her cheek. Hot tears bubbled in her eyes. Never had her father punished her with violence. She sucked in her pain. “Y-you hit me?”

Aric took a hold of her other shoulder. “You forced my hand, Tashna. You are endangering all of our lives.”

Tashna shot a sharp look to her mother. “Mother, please.”

“Listen to him, Tashna,” she responded.

“Do you think Dallin vill let me live for aiding you? Can you even fathom the consequences for kidnapping the Long Vhisper king? He spared my life before, he shall not do it again.” Aric grimaced at the thought of a noose. “You must release the boy!”

Tashna pushed away from her father’s hold and marched to Natal. “Mother, vill you please!?”

Natal’s stern face shrunk to a gentle smile. She caressed her daughter’s cheek and then glided to Aric’s side. Her dark brown eyes faded to the color of a golden moon. “Dearest Aric, our daughter knows vhat she is doing.”

Aric’s anger flushed from his mind as his face locked into a hypnotic daze. “Tashna knows vhat she is doing.”

“Vhy don’t you retreat to the parlor?” the queen suggested.

“I think I shall head to the parlor,” Aric said very slowly.

“Enjoy a glass of brandy,” Natal told him.

“I vill enjoy a glass of brandy.” Aric turned and stumbled out of the room.

Natal let out a deep sigh before addressing her daughter. “My Tuner informed me that Cypress’s army shall reach your shores in three days.”

Tashna balked at the news. A mentalist’s visions were never known to be inaccurate. “Are they sure?”

“You know Tuners speak no falsehoods.”

Tashna bit her lip in penance. “Father did not bring his fleet vith him?” she asked the question, but she already knew the answer.

“Ve brought enough men to protect your city, no more than that,” explained Natal.

Tashna collapsed on her throne. The weight of her actions finally rested on her crown. “I still feel I can vin this. The people despise Koda as much as I do.”

Natal knelt in front of her only child and took her hand. “I vish for your empire to not fall, but I sense it shall.”

“Vhy do you have no confidence in my abilities? I am a Div’Rah! I am the daughter of Aric Stine. You raised me to succeed, yet you hope for me to fail?”

Natal rubbed Tashna’s hand and brought it to her chest. “I am Skyfallen, demons bear no soul. You are my heart, my little raven. I vill alvays support you” - she slipped a light chuckle - “no matter how foolish you are.”

Tasha leaned her forehead against her mother’s. “I vish you vouldn’t say such things about yourself. Demons can have souls. How else vould you show me your love?”

Natal let out a tearful laugh. “I vill always love you, my child. More than the Black Moon itself.”

Tashna kissed her mother’s forehead. “Cypress vill regret embarrassing our family. And Koda shall kneel to us. You vill see, Mother, I shall make you both proud.”

“I have been proud of you since the day you vere born, little raven.”

Tashna wiped a tear from her cheek and sniffled her nose. “Pray for me, Mother. Ask the Pit Lords for a svift victory. Give me the Vintertide so that I can rain it down upon my enemies. Show them I am a daughter of the Night.”

“I pray to the Moon you vill find victory, Tashna. I pray for all of us,” whispered Natal.