UC:Fates Act4 Part3
“Like I told you before Lucas.” Brenhar laughs, “My only real advantage is both realizing and admitting that I am missing as much or more than I am catching.”
“I don’t see what that has to do with this over grown kitten she has...” Tagoni is saying then yelps in surprise when Yen on all fours nuzzles against his leg purring.
“It can’t be, she wouldn’t...” Lucas says with a tone halfway between a laugh and a groan then stops.
“Can’t be what dear?” Brenhar asks.
“Tagoni do me a favor will you?” Lucas asks.
“What kind?”
“Envision Yen curling up on the foot our bed and going to sleep will you.”
“Ok.” Tagoni replies closing his eyes.
“Is she doing what I think she is?” Lucas asks Brenhar and Nicole both when Yen rises, walks to the bed and lays down in a ball on the end of it and closes her eyes.
“This is his move, not hers.” Nicole says.
“Not sure myself.” Benhar replies.
“Someone want to give me a clue.” Tagoni asks.
“She, Yen, is for the time being yours.” Lucas not sure what he feels, “That isn’t really Yen, only enough of her to obey. You have a word for small machines you use to do single jobs.”
“Appliances.”
“Exactly.” Lucas tells him, “She is your appliance, for now at least. By the feel of her there is very little of her aware at all. She is for now the embodiment of your thoughts and desires about her body, those spells reduced her to an extension of you.”
“Test and reward in a group, as a group, yet personalized, she is a most efficient person, kind of scary really, truth be told.” Tagoni replies still staring at Yen. ———
“Hello King of Donalson.” The man says in greeting when the king joins him in his planning room.
“I heard something interesting today.” King Donalson says looking over the table sized map of the continent.
“Interesting how?” The man asks debating on markers to place on Hearth Hold Ericson.
“There is a rumor.”
“What did you say?” The man demanded looking momentarily lost.
“That there is a rumor.”
“Where did you hear that phrase King of Donalson?” The man asks this time, the first recognizable sign of uncertainty seen from him in generations.
“Sorry sir, It’s just a phrase, one of my men who trades with the caravans picked it up, used it, and it stuck.”
“What is this rumor?” He asked, much calmer all of a sudden as he looked at the horizon.
“That Tagoni is headed home after journeying to Michelson with the Heir Primus and has a different chamber maid now.”
“Impossible.” The man whispers not seeming to have heard the king.
“What is impossible?” King Donalson asks puzzled.
“Find the source of the phrase, begin preparations for taking Dest early.” He replied turning back to the table again.
“Why?”
“DO it.” The man yells, “Something is wrong, I can feel it, some piece is not what it seems. Is there any further word on rings of fate? The ones given to the Hearth Holders.”
“No sir. So far as we know there are still only the four. Theirs and their pet’s.”
“How many men can you have ready to push through Camden pass in a week?”
“Five thousand, but it won’t clear for a moon.”
“I can clear it no more than a fortnight at worst, maybe half that if I’m lucky, but don’t count on it.”
“You can?”
“Yes, easily, the real problem is keeping the Legents from noticing, that will take even more effort and accounts for most of the time. Now get ready, send word to your people in Dest’s court to be ready.”
“Why this early, the first campaigns aren’t set until after solstice?”
“History is littered with the dead who missed the first subtle clues, I’ve not missed mine here, so it might not be too late yet.”
“Too late?”
“It was the collars, I, we, should have moved with the collars instead of trying to gather more information about them.”
“Are you afraid of something?”
“No, there is no thing on this world I fear. I fear the Legents of course, but I’m sane. No, this is something old and something new, something bold and something blue.” The man replied, obviously repeating some kind of mantra for comfort, in time with the tapping of a finger on the table, “History never repeats itself, yet we do the same things and make the same mistakes over and over without learning.”
“Sir?”
“Motion, be in motion, activate the full first wave in Dest, keep the rest hidden.”
“It shall be done.” King Donalson says withdrawing.
“Thank god none of us could have children. The queen bitch of the abyss is dead, so long live the new queen bitch of the abyss.” The man whispers staring at the outline of HearthHold Ericson on the map as he arranges and rearranges the pieces around it, looking for a way to isolate it.
“I’m sorry to have to ask this sir.” The armsmen leading his detachment of personal guards says to Tagoni who is watching Yen play in the snow like a small child as he walks up.
“And that question would be Paul?” Tagini asks calling the man by his first name as he thinks back to the last fortnight of practicing bringing out simple but honest behaviors from Yen.
“I understand why you wanted to switch to Centerversity for your education. I can certainly understand the appeal of Nicole as your chamber maid. Yet this one confounds me.”
“Because of the way she was and now is?”
“Yes sir. As I said, I can understand Nicole. I admit much confusion as to why a Magist, especially one of her strength, would submit to be a chamber maid. I am also truth be told completely puzzled as to how she can be your chamber maid in the Techist side of the school.”
“Nicole is my chamber maid because that is her parole.” Tagoni replied then paused a moment before continuing, “Not the right word for it though, yet I lack a better one and it what she calls it.”
“Parole?”
“You know she was collared?”
“Yes, After some research I learned about the collars, and that the skill to make them was lost.”
“She, Nicole, and Yen here among others, are guilty of murder. They set out to kill the Hearth Son back when he was a commoner. A ten year, Brenhar of Michelson, along with five seven years surprised him at night in his quarters when he was with the maid of the Hearth Daughter when she was Third Heir Thomson. Their attack killed the maid. He survived and engaged them, he killed the first one and took on the rest, defeating them after a battle that shook the whole of the school.”
“I’ve heard some things, yet no one wants to talk about it much.”
“Let me put it this way.” Tagoni replies smiling as he watches the child like glee of Yen running through the snow, “As a group they are guilty of premeditated attempted murder and direct murder by collateral damage. You know what the collars are?”
“They are a way to enforce certain behaviors determined by their keepers.”
“Exactly. Now here you have to understand some odd politics of school, but at the time the student body didn’t know that Brenhar was Heir to Michelson. When Charles started to kill Brenhar and company in his rage, Lisa interrupted him. She risked her life to save them since she knew who Brenhar was. She risked his rage turning on her, yet she did it anyway.”
“Brave, especially since she is only a fifth year.”
“A fifth year as strong as a ten year, yet all the same he had just taken on a ten year and five seven years, so brave is an understatement.”
“Stupid comes to mind.”
“I thought suicidal more apt myself.” Tagoni laughed, “The maid that died was hers then she saved their Heir, so Michelson owes her big time. Especially since Thomson would have likely won the ensuing war because Michelson would have been coming apart while fighting.”
“So she has deep pockets with them, that must be how she affords all the time and effort to do whatever all it is she is doing.”
“There is more though and your real question is how can a Magist be my chamber maid in the Techist side of school?”
“Yes sir.”
“Because the Hearth Holders made her collar take her powers while there.” Tagoni told him.
“I didn’t think powers could be taken”
“Apparently they can, it’s hard, but they can. Nicole stays with me because if she fights what they do to her, she goes on trial for murder and more. That will lead to life debts for the premeditation, the death by accident and for all their lives being saved by Lisa. That’s a triple life debt for each along with an Heir level life debt from the Familydom at a time when it would have been to her own advantage to let it happen. Yet this also dismisses the life Charles saved when he brought the maid back from death then linked her life to his for weeks as the healers and doctors healed her enough to live on her own”
“In other words as long as she is marginally reasonable she has unlimited credit with Michelson at least and likely nearly as deep with Thomson.”
“Exactly, yet it gets worse.”
“How?”
“They, Charles and Lisa, gave Brenhar her child.”
“Heir Debt in addition to life debts?”
“Yes, and Brenhar is even now collared with her consort Lucas as her keeper.”
“So she has them by the balls then.”
“Ineloquent, but accurate. This also doesn’t count the bomb that Charles and Lucas saved Thomson and Michelson Mothers from after Lisa detected it.”
“So as long as they don’t resort to selling tickets to torturing the others in public they have a free hand to do with them as they like?”
“Yes. Nicole was an experiment, a pleasant one, but still the same. Yen is another, she is incredibly pleasant to have and hold, but she is still a thing to them. I am trying to draw her back out from where they put her. I am requested to punish her, yet I try to find her mind instead.”
“Now I understand.” Paul laughed, “You are trying to raise her like you would a child hence this slow trip home, one station at a time.”
“That is indeed my plan. The Hearth Daughter is a fine planner, yet I have my own needs as well. I want and in truth need more than to just have my bed kept warm. This also allows me to relive some of my own youth through her.”
“Then perhaps this might interest you. Three days ago we received word a murderer has fled through Camden pass from Donalson.”
“A murderer?”
“Yes sir. They are of course searching for him on the Donalson side, but would like us to help keep an eye out as well. He is unlikely to make it through the pass before the thaw though and may already be dead.”
“Excellent, we can join the hunt. It will give a nice distraction and an excuse for a trip up higher where Yen can play in the deep snow.”
“Are you sure sir?”
“Definitely.” Tagoni laughs thinking of Yen in waist high snow laughing and playing.
“And you are here why again?” The guard at the family gate to the main Palace in the capitol of Dest asks.
“I am Nicole, Prince Tagoni’s chamber maid.” Nicole replies slowly, wondering exactly how retarded the guard must be, “We traveled from Centerversity together to Michelson, now I am rejoining him, rather I am waiting here for him to arrive with his new toy.”
“New toy?”
“I already told you, Yen.”
“You carry papers for Michelson.”
“Yes, that is where I am from, you will also notice I carry papers for Dest, signed by Tagoni himself.”
“Calling the prince by his name now are you?”
“I am sorry, I am not used to explaining myself, I assumed my papers would make that clear.” Nicole replied wishing she dared reach out around her with her powers, but not daring since expressed magic disrupted Techist items and this is a Techist kingdom. The lessons with and from Lucas had been hard on her and she has no wish to find any hidden limits the Hearth Holders may have left her with.
“Hummgh.”
“You think I would forge Dest papers that I am his chamber maid?” Nicole asked incredulously.
“I’m not sure what to think.”
“Just contact the Michelson diplomatic station here and ask them about me. Don’t ask anything direct, just ask them who I am.”
“Your head.” The guard replies motioning her to have a seat.
“Fine.” She answers taking the seat. A full eighth bell passes before the guard returns.
“This way please.” The guard says gesturing for her to follow another guard.
“As long as you show me the way to Tagoni’s chambers, I’m happy.” Nicole says truthfully, though she is worried by the glancing view of the interior of the new guard’s shield that shows what she now knows are detectors for magic.
“Of course.” The new guard answers looking up from his shield before leading the way.
“Do you have the theory now?” Charles asks Lucas in his dorm room back at school.
“It took a while, but studying what happened to Nicole when her powers went away in response to the command showed me where to look.” He replied staring at the now powerless Sandy.
“It’s easy once you get the hang of it.” Charles laughed.
“Easy for you.” Sandy sniped, “You’re not the one defenseless right now.”
“Afraid we’ll take advantage?” Charles asked.
“No, it’s just unnerving. Kind of scary, but without the humor that goes with the word.”
“In case we haven’t mentioned it Charles.” Sinda says hesitantly, “We’re sorry.”
“It is forgiven.” Charles replies quite seriously.
“And thank you for saving me.” Sinda says kneeling in front of Charles.
“You don’t have to do this you know.”
“Our lady, Lisa, explained that you need to teach Lucas some things. I, we, know you did some things to our minds, yet you have also undone them, thank you.”
“All is ready.” King Donalson tells the man where they sit looking in the distance at the Donalson side of the pass. Dest sits on the far side of the pass.
“Good.”
“We have also received word that they bought our story about a fugitive. Tagoni himself joined the hunt though it is obviously really just a chance to watch the retarded chamber maid he has now play in the snow.”
“This Nicole has not arrived? She is not with him?”
“No sir, she is his quarters in the capitol. Somehow she made it through our trap, apparently she didn’t set off the magic detectors so she drew no attention.”
“Yet she is in?”
“Yes sir.”
“Not good, I had thought only the agents of the Kallows would have magic in the capitol.”
“She’s just one girl and she has no Magic.”
“Yes, yet she is somehow enough to come to the attention of the Hearth Daughter.”
“Hearth Daughter? We’re taking Dest.” King Donalson sneers, “Who cares about a place smaller than my own family holdings?”
“This is strategy, size doesn’t matter at this level. Size doesn’t matter until you join battle.”
“Something bothers you.”
“Something, nothing, we’re committed now. We couldn’t pull this off if Tagoni were in the capitol and could order her to interfere.”
“No moon tonight, we move at last bell.” King Donalson said with a feral grin.
Pop pop crack broke the silence of the night and Tagoni’s amorous mood. Under him, Yen grinned in delight as he filled her and celebrated his hands on her bare breasts as he thrust. Yet in those moments, even her rut filled mind responded to the change in Tagoni.
“Sergeant, report.” Tagoni yelled as he opened the door to his room at the lodge.
“Don’t know yet sir, might be them chasing the murderer but something’s odd, why are both sides firing at him?”
“Stations.” Tagoni ordered and turned to dress himself only to find Yen holding his clothes up for him, and her eyes were no longer completely blank.
Nicole had no clue what woke her, yet now she lay wide awake in Tagoni’s quarters. Listening closely she gathered what she could from sounds then opened her other senses as well. Nothing active, just opening herself to another set of ears. What should have been silence in a Techist city, especially in the middle of the night, was a normal, gentle, even pleasant hum as the very walls whispered to her.
“Incoming.” Someone hollered in the time honored and echoed tradition of announcing airborne or skyward attack and Tagoni looked up.
“Shields.” He ordered desperately trying to raise his knowing it was too small to cover all of him. Up until now no one had paid any attention to the naked Yen tagging along after Tagoni like a kitten.
“Scutum.” She said clearly as she raised her arms as though in supplication to heaven. Unseen above her in the darkness a shield forms stopping the arrows heading her way.
“Yen get down!” Tagoni yelled unable to bring himself to move from behind his shield because his duty to his Kingdom looms larger than any one individual does even as he heard arrows hissing into the ground fathoms away.
“E tan, e epi tan my prince” Yen says with a smile.
“Yen?” Tagoni asked astonished by the sudden change.
“Cover your eyes.” Yen shouts feeling alive for the first time in far longer than she wants to admit to any living soul, “This will hurt if you look at it.”
“Radio’s not working.” Someone shouts just as Yen throws her arms wide.
“Prima Nictus Lumos,” Yen shouts into the wind, “Igni.”
“Gahh.” Someone foolish enough to be looking up says as light flashes bright enough to warm the skin, illuminating the second wave of arrows.
“Scutum.” Yen shouts this time and casts her arms wide. Above her another distortion forms in the air, this time a dozen fathoms wide and half as many high. Stopping nearly the full flight arrows as though stuck in the ground, before they simply drop straight down many fathoms short of their target.
“Yen?” Tagoni stammers as she drops to her knees.
“Forgot how much that takes out of you.” She mumbles then shouts to Tagoni, “Shouldn’t be anymore of those monster waves of arrows now.
“I should hope not.” Someone says laughing, “I can barely see and I had my eyes covered.”
“We have reports of a dozen weapons that simply exploded.” A runner says coming up to Tagoni a half a gross of hearts later.
“My fault.” Yen says softly, “There was no time to warn anyone. Magic disrupts your guns and other technologies, and I just used a lot of it.”
“How many men do we have?” Tagoni demands from a sergeant.
“Supposed to have a gross.” He answers, “But with this man hunt we have maybe a third that in camp.”
“The rest are dead.” Yen tells them as she walks up to Tagoni, “Now that I am myself and listening there is much Magic along with many Techist devices in the woods tonight, this is a major push.”
“How many men?”
“Nothing definite, but many gross.”
“Someone said the radio is out?”
“Jammed.” The sergeant confirms.
“Do we have any mirrors?”
“No my Prince, we have nothing.”
“Prince Tagoni.” Yen says formally, “There are about three great gross of men out there a few leagues away. They have Magist support and many machines.”
“Donalson.” Someone simply states.
“The pass will not hold them.” Yen says astonished, “Someone is melting the snow. They are far away but I can feel them working. I have no idea how, the amount of power being used is ridiculous but the snow is going to be gone by dawn. Inside, now, let me show you what I sense before I collapse.”
“If this is even half accurate, were screwed.” The sergeant observes looking at the designations Yen has placed on the map of the area as she dresses while the sounds of gunfire grow outside indicating the fighting is getting closer.
“Ill worded but accurate, if we can’t get word out they will be in our capitol in a week at most, likely only a day or two.” Tagoni says agreeing.
“What kind of word?” Yen asks panting in exhaustion.
“We need to tell my uncle. We’ve known Donalson would attack for years, generations if were honest, no one thinks the alliance with us good for more than holding off your Familydom. But the timing?”
“What does your uncle need to know?”
“Why?”
“Because once Dest is overrun, Donalson will formally ally with the Kallows and go after Michelson since the combination will be larger than we will. If this valley falls then Dest falls and my Familydom follows.”
“And?”
“And I have to stop them.”
“You?”
“You know my Name Prince of Dest, yet you do not know who I am.” Yen said as her voice box tightened and her throat threatened to choke.
“Then who are you?”
“I am Yen Amiel Cyil’Yemel.”
“Cyil’Yemel? Blood of the Emel. The last BloodLord?” Someone asks.
“Yes sergeant, I am blood of the blood lords. I can hold them here for a while, hopefully long enough for your army to gather.”
“Gathering will take many days after I am able to communicate, maybe a fortnight.”
“And if you could communicate now?”
“Impossible.”
“And if?”
“If it were begun now and they were delayed a day here. They could be met at the lower valleys before the plains with a blocking force. Five hundred men could hold the about five thousand coming, long enough that is. But without that day there is no point, there is no time.”
“Can you trust me and far more importantly, can you trust Nicole?”
“Nicole?”
“Yes. By now she is waiting for you at the capitol.”
“So?”
“What does she need to say to who to get the message across.”
“How?”
“I’m no Hearth Daughter but I know the tune.”
“You can reach her from here?”
“Yes, it is her Seed magic that had me bound. When the gunfire broke out your arousal went away so I woke up.” Yen told him simply.
“Yet again the Hearth Daughter has a plan within a plan.”
“She did not plan on this or even for this, I was simply candy for your libido to keep you sated while they did what they needed with Nicole.”
“I have tried to treat you well.”
“I know.” Yen said blushing, “I remember it, all of it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I haven’t taken the time to play in the snow in years, it helped me regain some perspective I was in much need of.”
“Now what?”
“This will be hard on your guns so get them away from me and be patient for a bit. I’ve never done this before and it may take some time.”
“Take your time, we’re not going anywhere.” Tagoni laughed, “We’re at the head of the valley just below the pass, there is no better place to make a stand. If they can get word back to base of the mountains in time these people can be stopped. Thanks for blinding the archers by the way, we are making short work of them as they stumble around in the snow.”
“Nicole.” A familiar voice whispered in Nicole’s mind startling her.
“Yen?”
“I’m with Tagoni at Camden Pass, we’re under attack. We think it is Donalson.”
“As Charles would say, welcome to the club.” Nicole thought back, “There is something weird going on here. It should be silent but I hear and feel magic all over the palace and the guard who led me to Tagoni’s rooms had a shield with Magic Detectors on it.”
“What? Hold on.”
“Tagoni” Yen said out loud not opening her eyes, “How long has your palace guard had magic detectors?”
“Magic detectors? I found about the idea back at school and we went straight to Michelson from there, that idea is why I was going home, to bring it up to my uncle. If not for taking the time for you to play in the snow I would have been home already.”
“Well they have them.”
“Then they aren’t palace guard.”
“Nicole says they are, they were the ones running security on the family gate.” Yen says rising.
“Then this is a feint intended to draw our army off for a palace coup.”
“Yet,” The sergeant interjected, “If they can get a large force through here while we are fighting among ourselves they may overrun us anyway.”
“Now what?” Tagoni asks.
“We hold here.” The sergeant says calmly, “Every day we can delay them is more time to get the palace in order.”
“Only if the palace knows it’s under attack.” Tagoni says bitterly.
“Then I have a question Prince Tagoni.” Yen says after bending over for a moment.
“What?”
“Why don’t you go down the mountain then instead of hoping a messenger is enough.” Yen asks hugging him.
“Duty.”
“Duty?” Yen asks as she wipes something on the back of Tagoni’s neck while kissing him.
“What the?” Tagoni demands as Yen grimaces stepping back then waves her hand.
“What did you do?” The sergeant demands as his sword goes against Yen’s throat.
“Tagoni which comes first, empire or you?” Yen asks ignoring the blade while staring at the blank faced tagoni.
“Empire.” Tagoni answers softly.
“Is the empire better served by you holding the line here or by gathering the blocking force you spoke of below us?”
“By gathering the blocking force below us.” He answers, “This pass will fall, there is nothing here to even delay them, yet we have to try.”
“Then Prince Tagoni of Dest, you will go with the Sergeant here. He will take you down the mountain so you can gather your blocking force to ensure your uncle retains power.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I’m no ma’am.” Yen says with a smile as she pushes the astonished sergeant’s blade away.
“What did you do to him?”
“He is humbled and bound to you by seed magic. My cousin Nicole will be able to release him once you reach the next fort, it is her Magic after all.”
“Why?”
“Because it needed to be done. He faces no charge of cowardice now.” Yen tells him grunting as the grimace gets worse, “You need to take his guardsmen and go. Once you are nearing the bottom you will be able to speak to him and have Nicole answer.”
“I need to take him and go? What about you?”
“I’ll be here until relieved.” Yen says wiping blood away from her nose, “Defying the edicts of the Hearth Holders is hard, it has a price, but I believe in what I am doing so I can do it.”
“Yes, I see, the effort of defying them is hurting you.” He observes staring at the blood from her nose and a pinkish tear.
“No,” Yen laughs, “It is killing me. So if you are going to kill me instead of help me I suggest you wait until I am trying to reach the Hearth Holders so they can alert Michelson.”
“You seem different than I expected. I met you once when Tagoni’s father visited Michelson.”
“And I was a typical little spoiled brat with powers. I probably acted like a bitch, sorry about that, but you know how sometimes something comes along and wakes you up.”
“But you didn’t realize you were asleep?” The sergeant asks.
“Exactly, I’m awake now.” Yen replies sadly, “This is my swan song sergeant, my awakening will kill me, but I can die awake and happy.”
“You seem young to be so fatalistic.”
“Like I said, if Dest falls, my Familydom falls, therefore Dest stands.”
“With stragglers we have four to five dozen men and half a bell before they are regrouped to come through the pass again, put it to good use.”
“I will, now get Tagoni out of here.”
“Yes ma’am.” The sergeant replied saluting then heading out. Yen then reached out to Nicole and then together they reached out for the Hearth Son through the traces of his seed magic in them.
“I am curious sir.” King Donalson says interrupting their mutual studies resulting from Yen’s surprise blinding of the archers and so many others.
“About what?”
“Why are we really moving now? The change of companion wasn’t it, what was?”
“It’s a result of strategic gestalt. In order to prepare the palace in Dest for takeover, I had to move certain other pieces into place ahead of time. One of the things those pieces have are Magic detectors, that is machines designed to detect the presence of Magic.”
“So?”
“So combined with a Magist chamber maid that made it through that trap and another that was obviously just a bed warmer it seemed an annoyance, a major one to be sure, but an annoyance.”
“Then?”
“Then it combined with the fact that the hall of debate in Michelson is closed for the foreseeable future and it became obvious.”
“What did?”
“Think King of Donalson, remember rumor and myth.”
“That the old hall used to be part of the Becker branch of the blood lords capitol?” King Donalson replied puzzled.
“Two magical indirect moves that indirectly involve the Hearth Holders indirectly and what do you get?”
“Are you saying the hall itself is a Magist thing?”
“No, I suppose I can’t fault you for missing it though. It is a Techist thing. A Machine built of Magist pieces. In reality it is partially locked to the Michelson Vale, that can power it, though it can be used directly if you know enough and are strong enough. I have been watching the power of that valley grow over time. Watching it overpower the hapless bloodline that has no clue why it is getting stronger and wilder every generation.”
“What?”
“The valley is designed for a Techist Mind in a Magist body. It provides power to the line, but without a mind capable of grasping machines, it overpowers the mind instead of powering it.”
“Then Brenhar is not a real threat?”
“None. She is wild at heart and the moment she tries to tap into that power it will eat her alive because she has no coherent center to control it or even regulate it from.”
“Heir Primus?” Land Mother Michelson says in greeting to the urgent mirror.
“I am sorry for mirroring so late but we have problems. Donalson is making it’s play for Dest.”
“What!”
“I just received word from Yen and Nicole. I tried to mirror them back and couldn’t reach them.”
“Then how did they reach you?”
“The same way the Hearth Holders reached you.”
“How big a push?”
“Five thousand through Camden pass, someone is melting the snow early, and the palace is halfway controlled by troops who have Magic detectors on the backs of their shields.”
“How in Chaos’s name are they melting that much snow that fast?”
“I have an idea, but I also have reason to suspect the mirrors are far less secure than even the Hearth Son suspects.”
“Thank you, we are in motion.” The Land Mother says stepping back and summoning aides from up until then peaceful sleeps.
“Sirs.” An aide says entering the room where King Donalson and the other man are watching maps of movement in the palace of Dest.
“Yes.” King Donalson says irritably.
“Michelson just went to high alert. Early word from our spies there is they were informed just over an eighth bell ago we were making a push in Camden Pass and had the Palace half locked down by troops with Magic detectors.”
“I thought you were being paranoid.” King Donalson replied staring at the man as the aide’s words hung in the air.
“You wonder how someone half a continent away has detailed knowledge of an attack that even the target a dozen hallways away from being hit has little idea is even happening?”
“Yes.”
“You can thank the Hearth Holders. I don’t know how but they are the only variables, no one short of the Legents themselves should be able to interfere.”
“Have they?”
“No, they always make sure everyone knows when they get involved, it is part of their precious rules.”
“So now what?”
“Now we push.”
“So we do what now?” Lt. Jegden asks.
“It’s simple really.” Yen replies, “I am going to what amounts to mark each one of you. Yes it is seed magic, yes it is of what the blood lords used to use. However what I will be doing is channeling sunlight into each of you giving you strength and stamina and whatever else I can.”
“Once the sun comes up?”
“Yes, once the sun comes up.”
“So why are we to ‘mark territory’ between now and sun up?”
“It’s complicated, but the basic idea is the larger area we can mark, the more power I can give you and the more I can shield you from anyone else’s Magic.”
“I like the sound of that, but female seed Magic?”
“I have to do that to help you, but it helps in another way as well?”
“What way?”
“Once the sun comes up I can link us all. What that means is what one sees, all see.”
“Eyes in the backs of our heads?”
“Essentially. As long one of you sees it, all of you see it. What one knows, all will know, I hope no one has been cheating with anyone else’s wife.”
“Helpful.” Someone laughed.
“I will also, to a certain degree, be able to cast shields around you. Not all the time and only one at a time, but if I can keep an eye on the sky I can block archers.”
“Won’t all this be hard on you?”
“Lt.” Yen says with a smile, “Tagoni is already to far away. I have already pushed too far. I won’t be leaving here. Not today, not any day I think.”
“Then why stay?”
“I owe a debt. I am collared and forced to obey, yet I am free because preservation of life comes before all else.”
“Collared?”
“Yes, I am bound by law. I owe life debt thrice, I can never be freed. I would rather make my stand here and have accounts settled than continue as I have been. I will die here a free woman instead of a collared child as I have been these past moons.”
“How long?” King Donalson asks.
“Half a bell and the ground will be hard enough to march on.” The man replies, the strain in his voice evident.
“That will give us just over half a bell to reach their camp, we strike with the rising sun.”
“Then we will show them.” The man grins.
“Surrender.” The lead soldier orders Nicole as they burst through Tagoni’s door.
“To whom?” Nicole demanded and then shuddered as his attempt to humble her slid off her mind, and hers in response slid off his.
“What the Chaos?” He exclaimed in shock.
“Surprise.” Nicole laughed as she realized that she no longer considered the Hearth Daughter paranoid, in fact life was proving her to be quite complacent in that regard.
“How?” He whispered in fear as the four of them moved to surround Nicole.
“This is awkward.” Nicole observed out loud as she went over her options. As she considered what to do she realized she was free right now. So long as she was staying alive, she had full reign.
“Who are you?” The soldier demanded and Nicole finally decided.
“I guess I’m Nikel, not Nicole right now,” She laughed child like as locks in her mind opened. Using that new found knowledge she viewed the men around her differently, as the HearthSon would. She decided all those nasty bright spots in them needed to go, and watched them fall when those lights went out with a certain amount of glee, “and I’ll be your executioner today.”
“The more I learn,” Nicole observed stepping over the fallen armored men, picking up a shield with glowing lines in response to her magic, “the more I discover just how lucky I am to be alive.”
“Guess it’s time to find this uncle my prince hasn’t introduced me to yet and introduce myself.” Nicole laughed to herself knowing she sounded a little crazy as she headed out.
“How bad?” King Dest asked once they were alone.
“Bad.” The head of his personal detachment answered gloomily, “We are trapped. Another bell at this rate and we’re done. Who ever these people are...”
“Donalson, call the rat by his name.” King Dest roared cutting his man off.
“I’m not as sure of that as you might think.”
“Why?” The king demanded.
“The troops are mixed, Techist and Magist alike.”
“There are no blood lords anymore.”
“I know that, however they are using the same tactics. There is also that persistent rumor of Donalson having some kind of help.”
“The Legents would never interfere, not this clumsily at any rate.”
“No they wouldn’t.” The Armsman agreed, “Yet we know there used to be others like them.”
“Can we reach anyone?” Was asked in a desperate change of subject.
“No, Radios are jammed or Magic’d, Mirrors are not connecting.”
“How did they get so many past us?”
“Excuse me sire.” A boy yelled barging in, a court page by his livery, “You have a visitor.”
“Now we can put a face to this treachery.”
“NO sire, she is not the enemy, she has left a trail of bodies through them coming to us.”
“Then who is she?”
“She says she is Nikel, you would know her as Nicole, Prince Tagoni’s chamber maid.”
“A chamber maid has left a trail of bodies?” King Dest asks.
“Yes sire, she opened a spot in their lines to come in, we have troops pouring out through it to counter attack.”
“Opened how?” The Armsmen demanded.
“She laughed and yelled at them and they lay down dead. None of ours have been affected.”
“I take it I am not the only one to recognize that description?” King Dest asks very quietly.
“A few minutes of our time may well be worth taking.” Someone answers just as quietly.
“Thank you.” Nicole laughs walking in, “I like to think I’m worth talking to. You have an interesting way to entertain guests.”
“An unplanned party I assure you.” King Dest laughed nervously, “To whom do I have the honor of speaking young lady that leaves a trail of bodies.”
“Sorry about that, I don’t want to get involved in local politics but I was told to meet Tagoni here in the capitol so he could introduce me. I’m told you have some questions for your nephew’s chamber maid, how about we have tea and I try to answer your questions as best I can?”
“Page, tea.”
“At once Sire.” The boy answered running as much from obedience as fear of what just came in.
“Are you sure about this?” The sergeant asks Yen as they stare at the sun giving it’s first glimpse through the pass.
“Not really, but I have to try.”
“Forty two men to delay five thousand and you have us marking territory all over this place all night.”
“Sorry about that Sergeant.”
“Cleon,” He replies with a grin, “Just Cleon, never knew my father so I never took a family name.”
“Well Cleon, my cousin Nicole is now with your King. She can keep him safe from the palace attack along with maybe a few others. Can’t help with the attack itself, so all we have to do is hold here until the main army can rouse itself.”
“That’s all we have to do is it?” Cleon laughs.
“Oh damn.” Yen says as one of the scouts she marked with her seed magic allows her and the other marked men to see the formations marching through the pass. “I assumed they would do this in stages, but they’re just marching through.”
“We’re spit on a griddle then?” Cleon observed, no bitterness, just frustration.
“Is a day enough better than a morning?” Yen asks as a desperate plan forms.
“Every bell is an honor by itself.”
“Clear the middle of the valley.” Yen yelled as she jabbed her palms and began running down the length of the valley trailing blood and seed magic behind her.
“We have confirmed they have a single underage Magist with them, apparently Tagoni left her behind he fled so fast.” King Donalson laughed.
“How are the rear guard holding up?”
“The holding force Tagoni left is lining the valley, apparently just out of bow shot since none have been hit yet, the girl ran down the valley but finally collapsed just past the middle.”
“She what?” The man demanded as the sweet wine of victory became vinegar.
“She collapsed.”
“How many men do we have in the valley already?”
“A thousand or so, maybe twelve hundred. It slowed them getting back into formation.”
“How many Magist elite from the Kallows?”
“Maybe a hundred, likely less.”
“They will concentrate on the girl while the main force pulls back, now.”
“Why?”
“Now!” The man screams in panic, spilling his wine.
“At once.” An aide responds ignoring the King.
“How?” He whispers in despair knowing it is already to late.
“Now we begin.” Yen whispers to her three and half dozen minds and begins the largest casting she has ever done. Her seed Magic spread by the men marking territory as though to ward off animals is combined with her blood trailing her and the warmth of the rising sun. Bounded by forty two bonded minds she invokes the unthinkable, the magic of BloodSeed. The seed Magic on the ground becoming vapor combines with her blood evaporating from the ground making the strongest binding component ever envisioned, a secret lost for half a millennium, until now.
“Kneel to your queen.” Yen demands of the thousand plus men in the valley in a wave of humbling based on the same idea as the humble bomb that nearly destroyed Lucas’ home. The most heavily shielded of the elite of Kallows didn’t get the message though. Six volleys from the surrounding men of Dest brought them down, dying from arrows that courtesy of Yen, Magist shields refused to stop or turn. Then the army rose as one and turned back to the head of the valley.
“Take your sections, spend them wisely.” Yen sent from where she knelt warming in the sun. Holding all those men in thrall so they retained their faculties and could fight for their leader, the Blood Queen Yen Cyel’Yemel, was so difficult that she just prayed she lived to see the sun set.
“Our men sir.” King Donalson stammered, “They march on us, the Kallows elite with them are either dead or marching with them.”
“How? They are all dead, the Legents killed them all. Unless those rumors are true.”
“Killed who?”
“The blood lords, that is the true power of BloodSeed.”
“Sire!” A page yelled running up to King Donalson.
“What is it now?”
“Michelson marches on Yentin, Maran and Cestal as we speak.”
“Block them! Damn it, why now?”
“We have no one to send sire.”
“What!”
“Our troops from there and the surrounding areas are at Camden.”
“That will allow them to seal us at another pass.”
“The people at Cestal are up in arms against us as well.”
“Then reduce them.” The man ordered.
“Sire!” Another Paige yelled running up as well.
“Out with it.”
“The King of Dest is holding court in the midst of the fight. He is guarded by a woman, a girl really, she is apparently immune to humbling and all related attacks. Every Magist attacker has died save one man. That one she killed as well and then King Donalson said something. She grumbled back, then placed a hand on his chest and he heaved taking a deep breath and lived again. The rest are dead, truly dead.”
“Another of the Hearth Son’s pets.” The man grumbled, “They are becoming annoying.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to march on them?” House Mother Michelson asked watching the table top map track where the Familydom’s forces were attacking the pinch points into Donalson.
“Actually, it’s a horrible idea, yet what choice do we have.” Land Mother Michelson agrees, “For if Dest falls then every soldier from that former border comes our way.”
“True, does anyone have any idea why the Kallows are working so closely in a Techist argument?”
“Actually I have an idea about that given how Dest is being attacked.” Hearth Daughter Ericson says from the mirror.
“I thought you might.” Someone says quietly but no one takes credit for the remark.
“Have a couple of your tactical people rerun everything you know about Donalson and the Families Kallows as though they were Clandoms or Housedoms, not Familydom and Kingdom.”
“As though they were vassal states serving another hidden power?” Land Mother Michelson asks.
“I don’t like the way your mind works.” A general says grimacing.
“Though I agree with General Iverson.” Land Mother Michelson says angrily, “I like how well that logic works even less.”
“You know what that means?” General Iverson asks resignedly.
“Yes.” House Mother Michelson agrees unhappily, “Yet there is no choice. The logic holds together too well on it’s own to be dismissed, even if the source were not trust worthy.”
“How old are you?” Yen asks the little boy entering the valley from the highland woods a bell before sunset as the sounds of battle fade in the distance.
“Ten ma’am.” He answers the ghostly lady holding up a hand to mirror hers.
“Can you do me a favor please.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I’m no ma’am, I’m Yen. I need you carry a message to my keeper, Tagoni of Dest.”
“I know of Prince Tagoni.” The boy beams proudly, “You actually know him?”
“Yes, I know him.” Yen smiles as her hand passes through the boys confirming her thoughts, “He is my keeper. Would you please go tell him the guardians of Camden stand, we hold.”
“That tickles.” The boy laughs, “How did you do that?”
“Come back from time to time and I will try to tell you how.”
“Ok Lady Yen of Camden, but do you have any food? I’ve been stuck in the hills for days now with soldiers chasing me because my father killed a soldier who attacked my sister.”
“You will never be bothered by those soldiers again, you have my word.”
“Are they like you now?”
“No, they really are gone. I’m just waiting for someone, something, I no longer know truth be told.”
“How long will you be here?”
“Till I’m done.” Yen said smiling as she took in the sunshine and guided the boy to the supplies she and her men no longer needed.
“Thank you Lady Nicole.” The King of Dest says gratefully as the sun sets, his capitol is his again and he is alive to enjoy it.
“As I have said, I am no lady, it is not permitted.”
“Not permitted?”
“I have several sets of, let me call them, rules. I had to violate many of them today in order to live and keep you alive.”
“Yet preserve me you did young lady. I do not care why you have these rules, I will not see you punished for preserving life.”
“I had to kill to do it. You saw how they died and how I brought some of them back?”
“Yes.”
“That was the Magic of the BloodSeed, it is forbidden. My family is forbidden the knowledge of female seed magic.”
“It is rare to vanishing anyway, mere myth from earlier ages, or so I thought, how could your family have a rule against it?”
“Because that oath is the only reason her family is alive.” Legent Wilhelm says entering.
“Just what did you think you were doing Nikel?” Legent Amina demands.
“Did you think we would fail to notice?” Legent Kara demanded next.
“Are you so ignorant?” Legent Arie asked a little calmer.
“Are you so blind?” Legent Simon asked.
“Or are you just plain stupid?” Legent Mary asked as though Nicole were a truant child.
“Legents, in the name of Dest I greet you.” King Dest said gravely as he rose from his chair.
“Please Legents, this is mine alone.” Nicole said moving in front of King Dest and his people, “This was my doing and mine alone.”
“You do not deny the use of BloodSeed?”
“No I do not. I used it in defense of life not to gather power.” Nicole said flatly, “I say this not to excuse, but to explain. I accept what comes next, I ask only that you spare them.”
“Why would you think they needed sparing?” Legent Wilhelm asked.
“Because it was to preserve the King of Dest that I acted. They profited by my actions, yet they did not ask for those actions, I decided on my own.”
“You did not seek permission of the Hearth Holders or your keeper?”
“No Legents, I did not. I saw a need, I acted. Defying my orders from the Hearth Holders doing so and suffered much pain for it, but my belief carried me through it.”
“Nicole Cyl-Yemel.” Legent Wilhelm starts in formally, “For the use of BloodSeed.”
“That is Nicole Cyl-Yemel of Dest.” The King of Dest says stepping in front of Nicole.
“Of Dest?”
“Yes Legent, of Dest.” King Dest said taking a reassuring breath, “I happen to recognize bravery and service in my Kingdom, so unless you want to remove me yourselves you will hear me out.”
“Speak.” Legent Amina said flatly.
“Arf.” King Dest laughed then went on, “I am formally adopting now Lady Nicole into my family. Unlike many, I happen to know exactly who and what she is. This place, my palace, the systems that provide information and run it, have been in a better mood since someone of the Blood Lord’s bloodlines has been in residence.”
“So you do know?”
“Yes Legents, I do know. That is why I wanted to meet and speak with her.”
“She has Seed Magic and now wields the BloodSeed.”
“Yet I am told she is bound by law and has a keeper, my nephew Tagoni.”
“The collar has been removed.” Nicole told him speaking up nervously, “Else I could not have acted the way I did.”
“Yet you act as though collared.” King Dest told her, “So I see you as collared. Tagoni has been happier since you came into his life. Though he has no Magic at all, he has been fascinated by it since he was very young. Given a choice would you remain with him of your own free will?”
“Yes.” Nicole admitted very softly.
“Speak up girl, the Legents need to hear you.”
“Yes, I will stay with Tagoni.”
“Of your own free will?”
“Yes.” Nicole replied not even trying to keep her voice even.
“I thought so.” King Dest laughed, “Therefore I announce that I accept you as the consort of my nephew Tagoni, now second prince of Dest, third in line to the throne. His sex toy has attempted to stop an army at the likely cost of herself to give me time to gather my army and his chamber maid saved my life and helped me hold the castle. I name you Nicole Cyl-Yemel Dest, adopted daughter of mine, combined third Heir to the throne of Dest if you will accept Tagoni to have, to hold and to keep until death do you part.”
“I do.” Nicole heard herself whisper.
“Done!” King Dest stated in the same tone used in court, “Now do the Legents have any other business that requires my presence or can I get on with my...”
“Sire!” An aide yells running in interrupts him then stops cold staring at the Legents.
“Speak.” King Dest commands.
“We are in contact with the Camden outpost.”
“How long can they hold?”
“They are secure.”
“Secure?” Legent Wilhelm asks.
“Yes Legent. There is a boy on the radio, he says the pass is secure. He reports in with the proper phrases and authenticates with the unofficial stuff as well so someone told him how to read and use the code books. The pass is secure but the men can’t leave, he says they are like ghosts. Yen is the only one he can see in the light. His hands pass through her and make his skin tingle.”
“This is verified?” King Dest asks.
“As best we can before we get there.”
“And where is Tagoni?”
“On his way here now. Yen did something to him and made him retreat from the pass to gather a blocking force instead of remaining and fighting which he wanted to do. Since the blocking force is not needed he should arrive in a day, two at most.”
“Another of the Hearth Daughter’s backup plans no doubt.” Nicole laughed.
“What did you say?” Legent Wilhelm demanded turning on her.
“Umm,” Nicole mumbled nervously, unsure why he was angry this time, “I said it must have been another of the Hearth Daughter’s back up plans. She seems to have a lot of them.”
“That’s what I thought you said.” He replied while staring at Legents Amina and Arie who looked back at him expressionless, after they glanced nervously at each other.
“I do not understand why I am here.” Micah says to the assembled houses of Michelson and lots of other officials all gathered in the formal meeting hall.
“Easy Micah.” Charles tells him from where he stands beside him.
“Sien of Michelson, blood of Yemel, how stand you?” Land Mother Michelson demands in the time honored tradition of a full government trial.
“I stand,” Sien panted in panic at this, no one had warned her, “I stand bound by law.”
“Who binds you and by what law?” House Mother Micheslon demands veering off track.
“I am bound by the Hearth Holders Ericson. I am bound for intent to kill, murder by collateral damage and another life debt for the return to life of the one I helped kill.” Sien announced as her stomach shriveled.
“Are you not also kept?” Land Mother Michelson demanded, now confusing her.
“Yes. I am kept by Micah out of Dest by way of Thomson then Ericson in place of trial and formal sentencing.”
“Are you obedient?” House Mother Michelson demanded.
“Yes.” Sien told them unable to see where this was going, “I am obedient in all things. I am as my keeper deems me to be, I do not fight my fate.”
“Do you accept this fate in place of formal trial?” Land Mother Micheslson asked as they continued trading off speaking.
“Yes.”
“For how long do intend to accept this before you demand formal trial.”
“For as long as I can. Were I to go to trial I would be found guilty. I would then be sentenced accordingly and spend the rest of my days as a humbled thing or simply put to death.”
“Why choose servitude instead of a clean end.”
“So that I may atone. Death defines my end as it does us all.” Sien answered as she felt a weight she hadn’t realized was still there lifted, “It is how we reach that death and how we stand when we do that defines us in the eyes of the future. I choose to use my remaining time to reach a new end.”
“Were you to be given the choice of a clean end now or life long servitude what would you choose.”
“That would depend on the servitude. If that service provides no chance to better myself then I choose to end now, if it provides a chance to cast light where I once cast shadow, I choose it instead.”
“Even if that chance to better yourself was also a chance to fail?”
“No chance to succeed is not also a chance to fail.”
“Now Hearth Son.” Land Mother Michelson commands.
“It is done.” He tells her a moment later.
“Now Sien you are going to follow a couple of very specific commands from your Land Mother.” Land Mother Michelson says flatly, “We have one or more traitors in this room and you are going to help me find them. The army is outside for security, not against attack, but against escape.”
“What?” Is the general murmur of anger from the seating.
“Sien is hereby ordered to use her legacy of BloodSeed to activate one of the proper roles of this building, which is to detect deception and force truth.”
“I’m leaving.” Several Mothers declare.
“Don’t.” Land Mother Michelson tells them, “Anyone who sets foot outside before the all clear is called will be killed on sight.”
“Why?” Someone yells.
“As I said, we have one or more traitors in this room. Sien is going to make the lights show deception, lies painful and we are going to remain here until all questions are answered.”
“Land Mother, I cannot do what you have asked. Even if I dared I do not know how.” Sien tells her.
“Don’t worry about that, I’m sure the Hearth Son can tell you everything you need to know.”
“Charles?”
“It’s easy Sien.” He says smiling and shows her. A bell passes, then another, as disagreement is separated from deception until finally it is down to one Clan Mother and the head of her personal guard. After that they learn that she has family in Donalson, keeping Donalson apprised keeps the family safe. Forgiveness is slow to come, but finally does.
“Are there any rumors anyone would care to pass along?” Wilhelm asks the others with him as they all watch the lights come into agreement and sync.
“We weren’t completely sure and didn’t want to...” Legent Amina starts in.
“Are you sure she’s alive?” he asks cutting her off, not angrily, but something else.
“Yes.” Legent Anna replies.
“So she lived yet again, why say nothing before now?”
“Because Lisa is her Daughter.”
“That’s impossible, we can’t have children.”
“Apparently that’s not as set in stone as we thought.”
“Any idea what they have planned next?”
“They are sending Sien and Micah to clean the court in Dest using Sien as a lie detector.”
“I’m not happy having two of the Yemels with Seed Magic and BloodSeed on the loose.”
“They will behave. The Hearth Son will see to that.”
“How are you feeling Sien?” Charles asks where they sit in his chambers in Michelson, being a head of state, especially an allied head of state, helps when finding a place to stay.
“Scared.” She admits.
“Why?”
“I am in violation of agreements with the Legents.”
“Now you have choices.”
“Now I am dead, I see no choices.”
“I can take your powers, I can take your mind, I can take your will or I can hire you.”
“Hire me?” Sien asked confused by the last, the rest made sense.
“Yes, I need a troubleshooter I can trust.”
“I don’t understand, the Legents will end me the moment I leave your side.”
“It will greatly interfere with your education but I need you.”
“Does it mean I live?”
“Yes.”
“I’m yours. I mean I am anyway, this collar binds me to you.”
“Yet what I need, what I want, is for you to help me.”
“Command me.”
“I don’t want that and for what I need it won’t work.”
“Then how?”
“Lisa is talking to Micah right now. What is needed is for you to pose as his kept captive, that giving you to him is your sentence. ”
“You mean for me to act like I am collared, but I am?”
“No.” Charles said with a smile while a burning spread around Sien’s neck as the collar brightened and peeled off.
“Gahh.” Sien screamed in pain until the crumbling remains sat in her hands.
“As of this moment there is only a trace of my seed magic left in you.” Charles told her as she stared at the remains of the collar, “It is tiny and well protected, removing it will not only depower you, but likely kill you as well.”
“The Legents will be happy with that.” Sien murmured unhappily.
“There is also the tiniest trace of Lisa’s seed Magic as well. Either can incapacitate or kill you.”
“Yet also enable you both to reach me.”
“Exactly.”
“What is my job then.”
“You are going to teach Micah how to use seed Magic.”
“Why?”
“So he can learn to use his seed Magic to bind and control you.”
“To the world I am to appear to be a domesticated what?”
“You will need to work that out between you. However you will not just act as but really be Micah’s property.”
“Why?”
“Because once you and Nicole are done helping King Dest clean his court of spies you and Micah will be journeying into Donalson in a Gypsy caravan. He will be a runaway, you will be his property. He will be able to prevent you from using your powers or taking them before you leave. You will spend most of your time as his what amounts to slave.”
“He is the spy, I’m the bodyguard?” Sien asks.
“More or less. Your real jobs will be to keep your eyes open and report in when you can.”
“To Nicole who is much closer which means I will need a trace of her Seed Magic as well.”
“Yes.”
“And I really will be his slave?”
“Yes.”
“He will control, self, will and volition which means I will spend most of my time serving and servicing.”
“I am sorry, I, we, had hoped to find another way. We have no idea what freaked out Donalson enough to move now and we have to find out.” Charles told her sadly though he looked forward to the next part.
“This is very disconcerting.” Sien said as she felt herself rise and begin undressing.
“Problem?” Charles asks.
“No, I just find myself undressing for you. I feel like a puppet but I can’t feel my strings.” Sien said uncomfortably.
“Try to resist.”
“I am, it isn’t doing any good.” Sien said as she knelt in front of Charles in just her panties and placed his hands on her bare breasts.
“I own you.” Charles said as he massaged her breasts and stroked her nipples.
“How?” Sien panted as her body responded but she felt no compulsion to speak.
“You are my property.” Charles said softly yet firmly, Sien’s nipples firmed as her mouth went dry.
“What?” Sien whispered as her body echoed need but wouldn’t say what it needed.
“What are you, what do you want to do?” Charles asked.
“I am.” Sien hears herself start in then stops herself.
“You are what?”
“I... I...” Sien pants as Charles suddenly pulls his hands back.
“You what?” He asks grinning.
“I want.” She responds reaching for his hands to put them back.
“What do you say?” He demands holding his hands away.
“I, am, your property, I wish to do as you desire.” Sien said once she began to understand.
“I am sorry about this.” Charles tells her, “I think I can trust you, but I have to keep the Legents happy.
“I know.” Sien admitted as her body began to desire him, “I know you will take something from me, somewhere in my mind I will be missing a piece.”
“Yes, and I promise to put it, give it, back, when I can.”
“While you may not understand this I, my family, have lived with this since the sync wars, we have always known that we could learn too much and be reduced. At least with you I will live.” Sien told him as she stood them so she could undress Charles as she allowed him to begin focussing her.
“Just relax and listen to my voice.” Charles says softly as he guides her backwards onto the bed with a caress.
“Relax.” She echoes softly as his hands glides from her cheeks to her shoulders. Downward his touch went leaving a tingle behind it as he stroked her nipples while massaging her breasts before dropping downward once more to grasp her hips as he murmured.
“Listen to my voice, only to my voice.” He whispered as his hands ranged up via her breasts to spread her arms straight out. Lingering touch left a trail of sensation on her body and in her mind as he spread her legs with his and kept whispering to her.
“I am yours, I belong to you.” Sien whispered back willingly as her world narrowed to Charles in her and over her. She could feel his pulse through his hands and hear it in his voice as it became her world to the exclusion of all else.
“Ready?” Lisa’s cheerful voice asks a time later as she stares down at him with mixed feelings.
“This is wrong.” He mumbles staring at the deeply sleep talking girl entwined in his arms utterly responsive to his every move and desire.
“I know.” Lisa admits, “But we have preparations to make. I have prepared Micah, now all we have to do is have her lace and bind herself to his seed Magic after we do one more thing.”
“I suppose this is the last chance to back out isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Lisa agreed, “However you can have her again later if you want, after I get done borrowing her that is, I have to have my fun you know.”
“What happened to our men?” King Donalson demanded of the man who stood staring at the tabletop map.
“What you saw King of Donalson, was madness.” He answered sounding lost.
“Madness?”
“Yes. You lost those men to the power of BloodSeed.”
“I thought the Blood Lords were extinct.”
“They are, are supposed to be that is. Obviously some survive. They are almost untrained though, complete novices, they should never have been able to survive that much power. I have much research to do.”
“Those were novices?” King Donalson gasped.
“Yes. I was watching when this Nicole identified herself as being of the house Yemel.”
“Wasn’t he the last BloodLord?”
“Yes. She identified herself as Nicole Cyel-Yemel. That makes her descendant of cyl and elle Emel both. They were under seven at the reducing. I knew of course of the lines Yemel in Michelson, but with over two thousand servants taking the name in the aftermath, tracking was impossible. Who would have believed the Legents would leave even one alive after what they did to the rest.”
“I think we can identify two of them now quite easily.”
“And that is what is bothering me, there were seven children under seven in the castle when the Legents came, they could have spared all of them if they spared even one.”
“Then they may have spared more.” King Donalson agreed gloomily, “Or all.”
“Yes. What confuses me most though is Tagoni’s new maid. She was retarded, I had it checked, checked very well and nothing showed, she barely had any intelligence beyond carnality and no trace of magic.”
“Then she went blood queen on our army and continues to hold Camden.”
“Exactly.” He agreed, “That is why I told you to ignore that pass. If she is a Blood Queen then that is her land now. No army may pass until she is gone, ours or theirs. For however long that takes, be it years or generations.”
“Then how is it I have reports of orphans going into the pass and back without harm?”
“She wants to be a mother, all mothers need children. The children that move freely will be the ones who are prepubescent, as they grow they could still be allowed but I wouldn’t plan on it.” He said quietly half lost in his thoughts.
“So we have two Blood Queens, both apparently tame, one even domesticated it looks like, who just happened to be in place to stop a two part attack designed so each is the distraction for the other.”
“This is the Hearth Daughter’s doing. These were just precautions, pawns put into place to watch. Just for information gathering.”
“Then I shudder to think what would happen if she were to have time to plan.”
“Or suspected I exist, and planned for it.” The man agreed gloomily.
“To my assembled court.” King Dest said projecting to the over full sports stadium, the only place big enough to hold this kind of a gathering, “Thank you for coming.”
“No, not that you have much choice.” He continued a moment later, “You will have noticed that you all have something in common. Each and every one of you was present in the castle during the attempted coup.”
“You will have noticed some changes in my throne room.” He went on, “My throne remains the same. My queen’s throne remains the same, equal with mine. My son’s throne remains the same, a fingers width below mine. There is now a fourth throne at the far end of my hall. It is a finger span below my son’s throne. For now it belongs to the Lady Nicole, she is my inquisitor. Her job is to inquire into the subject of traitors.”
“Quiet!” He shouted when the murmurs became loud, “Everyone here was in the castle for the coup attempt. Her job is to question you, all of you, beginning with my own son so you know I am not playing favorites. I do not care about anything not having to do with Donalson. If there are matters you wish kept between the inquisitor and yourself, ask for a private questioning, it will happen in my private throne room normally used for personal meetings. There are three options as of this moment. One, questioning here and now in public so everyone knows you have nothing to hide. Two, private questioning so affairs or smuggling or other such minor things can remain private. Or three, death. Once she is done that chair belongs to now Second Prince, Tagoni and I will have placed a second chair for his accepted consort, Lady Nicole.”
“SILENCE!” King Dest Commanded moments later as the crowd became loud and with Nicole’s help his voice echoed in the minds of every non Magist and most of those that were. The questioning begins with First Prince Gerrin of Dest at his own request to be humbled first as proof of both safety and surety. Then after that people are questioned in descending order. A bell passes before a Magist merchant from the Kallows refuses to be questioned. He dies attacking Nicole when she snaps her fingers at him and falls at the King’s feet, then rises when she calls him back, answers questions while having a panic attack and finally falls again to stay down this time. After that one fifth of the people remaining move quietly to the gate indicating they wished to be questioned privately.
“Have your strategists any thoughts?” Land Mother Michelson asks of Land Mother Thomson by mirror during the Mothers weekly meet they have taken to doing.
“The move into Dest felt premature, not by the years we had thought we had, but moons by the preparations.”
“We were stunned.” House Mother Michelson admitted.
“I can say for sure we no longer think the Hearth Daughter is completely paranoid.” House Mother Thomson said with a grimace.
“Looking at it from this side I can see it, but I, we, were completely blind to this approach.”
“So were we.”
“As expensive as your former third Heir’s games are resource wise I think we need to not only keep footing the bill, but up the game.” House Mother Michelson said calmly.
“We were thinking about asking your opinion of suggesting to Yasan and Kelsini that they not just ally themselves with the Hearth Holders.” House Mother Thomson said back.
“Our thought as well. I can sense an underlying pattern to events, something underneath it all, but I can’t find it.”
“We too, and none of our people can find it unless the Legents really did miss one of the old ones.”
“We have been considering sending people into the archive in Centerversity to research the others and see if we can determine who it is.”
“You want to join our teams?”
“Already on it?”
“Have been, no progress yet.”
“The next one is yours Lucas.” Brenhar tells him as they watch the sun rise from the patio.
“Take your time Bren, I’m sure you’ll be very happy to take a break after it arrives.”
“Yes, yes I will.” She admitted, “However I’m getting scared.”
“Of what?”
“We’ve known Donalson would attack us and Dest for years. We always assumed they would use the small towns in the passes we just took while they were distracted with Dest, to start on us first then turn on Dest. None of us saw what happened coming, yet I think the Hearth Daughter did.”
“She didn’t know, she just suspected.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. She told me so. That was part of the reason she wanted to make friends in Dest, she needed more information to determine if and when the move would happen. Her last estimate was summer solstice year after next if at all, then they just moved.”
“Nice to know she can be surprised.” Brenhar laughed.
“Nicole and Yen were supposed to be pawns, lookouts, a way to gather information.”
“Yet her pawns reached the edge of the board to become queens, even if it did kill one to do it.”
“Yen’s not dead, not really. No one knows what she is now, but she’s not dead.”
“I know.”
“Thank you daughter.” The woman whispered on the hill over looking the town of Centerversity
“I would have had to intervene directly soon and I hate doing anything direct, it goes against my nature.” She continued, “But thank you all the same for confirming my suspicions. Looks like I only have one left. It may have taken more than seven generations, but I can see the end game now.”
“Red queen to blue king on the black and white board.” She laughed into the lonely wind, “Check.”