The day had dragged long by the time Lucius retired to the White Halls villa. There had been much commotion at the docks and while many of his comrades could enjoy swiftly retiring to their respective barracks or inns, the duties of a nobleman demanded his time. He was young and perhaps could have been forgiven for postponing certain things, but I did not allow him to escape the temple of light.

The bishop was returned to the gaze of her church, which had a more literal meaning than most people would have suspected. While many of the faithful sang praises and wept for her safe return, consternation kept Jean’s face firm. Partly, this was my fault. While her goal had been a noble one, her ulterior motive was not permitted. Hopes of plundering Anubi’s library had to be crushed.

Jean returned with nothing to show for her danger but a few hundred savages yet to be brought to the light and, indeed, less knowledge than before. She had brought Hector’s malicious tome south and returned without it. The one thing she thought to advocate, that perhaps would make her trip worthwhile in the eyes of her superiors, was the potential she now possessed of an alliance to Lucius, and in a greater sense to Vassermark itself. Not on the grounds of political friendship–a term more closely translated as suzerainty and tribute–but of faith locked into the kingdom’s army.

The angel she spoke to was far to the north, communing through the gaze of his own icon within the temple. Such ancient magic had been so laden with centuries of misunderstandings that even I could not disentangle the spell short of destroying the statue, which I could not do without rousing a mob against myself. Not even the priests understood that the image of the angel had no significance of worship except that it made the connection to his will. And it was through this remote mind that he studied all that stood within the walls of the temple and he examined Lucius.

He saw into the boy enough to know that he had the mark of Vita muddled into his flesh from the year prior. He saw also the strength of his blessing from the gods. He saw all the markings that I had cultivated in the lad from such a young age; the potential within him.

Of course, he also saw me standing within the temple with hands clasped behind my back as I stared through the walls to gaze back into his eyes.

Jean spoke a phrase I had asked her to. “A great war is coming to this world. If we do not have friends, then we will be swept aside and destroyed.”

She was merely my messenger and did not truly understand the meaning of her words. Perhaps she would have kept her mouth sealed instead, if she had thought it would lead to a schism between clergy and crusader. Regardless, the gears had begun to move when Lucius at last left the temple.

He was reunited with Aisha in a library of the White Halls villa that she had transformed into a practice room for her work with a lyre. It would be embellishing to say that she was in the midst of a melodic crescendo when Lucius stepped through the doorway, her simple practice was just as beautiful to the boy’s ears.

When they locked eyes, the music stopped. She looked him then thrust aside her instrument. “Who’d have thought you’d come back from a desert pale.”

“Not much sun,” he said as the two of them met and embraced.

“You kept me waiting.”

“For far too long. I have an army now. My own, loyal enough. I’ll have to bring them victories, spoils, but it’s a proper start.”

“And the bishop?”

“Saved. I think we’ll be going north, next. This time, I can bring you with me.”

She pulled away enough to look at him but not so far that she didn’t grip his tunic. “You’re wading into that rebellion?”

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“Bringing Jean back to the mainland isn’t enough. I need to take her back to Jeamaeux. This time, at least, it will be a gentleman’s war I think.”

Her lips curled down. “How could there be honor in a war like this? Your price caused it.”

Lucius turned her around like a dancer and walked her to the window overlooking the sea. “By being a peacemaker. When I leave, people will fall to their knees and cry that I have left because this is going to be a war that helps people. Then, we will return to the capital to be rewarded. With any luck, the three of us will winter in comfort.”

The redheaded songstress laughed as Lucius wrapped his arms around her. “Is that how you’re trying to take me on a march? By promising me a warm bed in the distant future?”

“What else should I promise you? If I want to protect you, I’ll have to be close to you.”

“Protect me from who?”

“The enemy.”

“You seem to be running to meet your enemies.”

“Some of them,” he agreed. “Others are by my side, I think. I will have to protect you from those as well.”

“Can you?”

“I’ll have to find a way to. But, for now, you’re too valuable to be in danger.”

“And in a few moons?”

“In a few moons I will have found a way to protect you. Aisha, my journey to the south did more than give me an army, than give me an ally. It reminded me why I began this journey. This is a dangerous world. Lives are lost or thrown away carelessly and the gods, the demons, none of them care about the weak. I must become strong. By wit. By connections. By steel. And, I think, by magic.”

“You’re already the strongest there is, aren’t you?”

He laughed and pulled her onto a couch. The two of them sprawled together, bodies pressed tight. “I love you, Aisha. But, I’ll need your help.”

Laying atop him, she brushed her hair back and grinned. “My help? I thought you would ask me for my forgiveness.”

“For what?”

“You make too many promises.”

“I only promise what I can do.”

She sighed. “Spoken like a Vassish. You have your eyes on too many women.”

He grinned and teased out her hair, twisting it between his fingers. “Spoken not like a Giordanan. Isn’t it a conqueror’s right to have a harem?”

“But do you want it to be a happy one or not?”

“Please, I will have enough fighting on the battlefield.”

She sighed and rested her head against this chest. “This help you need, it had better not be in picking out wives.”

“I don’t think that will be an issue. Circumstances are bringing them to me.”

She picked her head up and pouted. “Like who?”

“Kajsa.”

“I thought you would say Felicia.”

Lucius grimaced. “That is an artifact of the original Lucius. I do have certain obligations to her, however.”

“Do you think Lord Raymi has told her?”

“I think he will, eventually. He’s in danger and will use me if he can. Time will tell. But, Aisha, you speak languages I don’t. At least, you can translate older texts, can’t you?”

“Some, not all.”

“That’s more than I can. There’s a woman, somewhere in eastern Giordana. Possibly Tavina. I will have to seek her out and strike a deal with her to teach you what Amurabi never taught me.”

She pulled back, rising up and straddling his chest. “There is no one in Tavina who can do what that man can.”

He grinned. “There wasn’t while you were there. She arrived just before your brother’s revolt. She can be bargained with, and if she can’t then I can kill her. I certainly trust her more than the demon that nearly killed Jean.”

“The what?”

“I’ll tell you everything in the morning, I promise.”

“No,” Aisha commanded. “You’ll tell me tonight. I won’t let you sleep until you do.” The two of them laughed. When the noise died away, she said, “You’re scared of him, aren’t you?”

“You should have seen what he did in Leyport, Aisha. No human could stand up to that. Even the cannons he made. They are going to destroy warfare as we know it. Even if I had an army of ten thousand at my back, I doubt I could even make him bleed a single drop.”

Aisha sighed. “I should have stayed a merchant’s daughter… it’s far, far too late to go back though.”

Lucius sat up. “Aisha, I need your help to kill Amurabi.”