That's All Folks (for Now)

Well, that's it for Rise of Azraea, Book II. The last of the epilogue went up at 7:00 am this morning. Both Books I & II are now available to read for free, in their entirety, on this blog.

I'm glad the timing worked out the way it did; I needed a break so that I can focus on getting my dissertation ready to defend on September 14th. Roughly concurrent with my defense prep, I have another research paper to finish on compersion and jealousy.

After that, I'm not sure. I have a long list of projects at this point:
- Audio record RoA1 and RoA2
- Provide feedback on Pigs of Kaidan, an unpublished novel.
- Heavily revise Wild Justice
- Consider some Wild Justice short stories
- Finish first draft of Nemesis
- Outline sequel to Wild Justice/Nemesis
- Convert RoA2 blog posts into a publishable document, edit it, and put it on Amazon.
- Assemble the hodgepodge of scenes I've written for RoA3 into something resembling an outline, and then actually write RoA3.

Epilogue (Part 3 of 3)

“I’d wondered how long it would be before you turned up,” Azraea glared at him.

“Really?” Vander said, “Because I’d begun to feel somewhat forgotten, as if you actually weren’t thinking about 'us' with every waking moment. With all of this hustle and bustle of killing dragons and seizing thrones, I thought you might have actually put us out of your thoughts for a bit.”

“There is no 'us',” Azraea said.

“There will always be an ‘us’, love,” Vander said, “You know that. ‘Til death do us part’ wasn’t enough for you. I wonder, is that why you’re so hot for your leggy elf-friend? Because you think she’ll outlive you?”

“Leave Kaira out of this,” Azraea gritted her teeth.

“How can I?” Vander said, “Now that you’ve brought her into our relationship.”

“You will stay away from her,” Azraea said, “You will stay away from all of us.” Azraea edged in front of Ochsner. The little dwarf had nothing for a weapon save the hairbrush she’d been playing with, and didn't even comprehend the danger she was in; Vander could kill her quickly and effortlessly if he got past. Azraea opened one of her hands and ignited a green fireball. Her fingers twitched around the burning globe, as tense now as when her fist had been clenched shut.

“Oh ho,” Vander laughed at the ball of fire, “Pulling out some classics, I see. Do you really think that would finally finish me?”

“I’ve never tried setting you on fire,” Azraea said, “but I’m sure curious to know what it will do.” She moved towards him with the flaming ball and Vander stepped backwards. “I take it you aren’t ready to find out,” Azraea smiled.

Vander grinned, revealing a mouth full of fangs that gleamed in the light of the fire, “Are you ready to find out what happens if it doesn’t kill me? Are you ready to watch our old friend die? Or perhaps that guard outside your door? Tell me, does he have a family? Children? Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve asked.”

“You don’t know me.”

“Oh, darling; I know you better than anyone. And we both know I’m the only one who really understands you.”

“You knew me years ago, Vander. You don’t know who I’ve become.”

“Well, I suppose that might be true. But that should add some new vigor to our games, shouldn’t it? Yes, I think I will truly enjoy getting to know the new you,” he smiled. It was intoned and expressed as sarcasm but what was truly disturbing for Azraea was that beneath the surface theater, she knew he was being sincere.

“Well, then let’s start with this,” she swung the fireball at him as Ochsner bolted for the door to unlock it. Vander dodged with supernatural speed and grabbed Azraea’s wrist. He twisted her around, bending her hand back against her back and forcing the fire out. He grabbed her by the throat with his free hand and turned her towards the mirror. She looked at her reflection, and only her reflection, because Vander cast none. She looked helpless, terrified, but as Vander ran his tongue along her neck, her fear turned to anger. She flicked her free hand to drop the razorblade into her palm and slashed backwards. Vander shrieked in pain and released her as he staggered backwards, black blood pouring from the wound between his legs. It was only temporary; Azraea knew blood loss would only make him hungry and he would heal quickly. Still, when she saw the look of surprise in his eyes and felt the smile creep across her own face, she knew she’d made a statement.

Ochsner’s bodyguard – Jericho – burst through the door, sword drawn as Azraea created another fireball. It was two against one – three if Ochsner could find a blunt object – and Vander was flat-footed and in pain.  

The monster smiled despite the circumstances, “Oh, lovely. Lovely. Our next tale promises so many surprises. I just can’t wait to see what will happen.” He laughed manically but deeply as he disaggregated into a cloud of bats and fluttered out the bedchamber’s window.

Jericho chased the bats to the window and shouted a litany of curses, taunts, and threats at the retreating intruder. Ochsner had been holding her breath from fright, and finally let it out as she took Azraea’s hand.  

Azraea squeezed her friend’s hand reassuringly. She was queen now. That brought a host of problems into her new life, and she hadn’t yet shed all of the problems of her old life.  But with her new responsibilities had come power. She had allies and resources even she was only beginning to get a handle on. Once she did, though, Vander would be among the first to know.

Epilogue (Part 2 of 3)

Azraea had been debating whether to confess her more personal doubts, and now it seemed Ochsner had her cornered. Azraea sighed, “You know, you’re essentially going to be my hand and voice when and where I cannot be present.”

“Yeah, I got that part.”

 “Which means that, more often than not, you’ll be many miles away.” Azraea thought of that night in the tavern before they’d left on their grand adventure; despite her best intentions, she would end up separated from her best friend just as she’d feared.

“Which sucks,” Ochsner said, “But if it helps you do this, I can make it work. And you’ll still have Kaira to lean on when you need support.”

Azraea made a guilty face.

“Oh, there it is,” Ochsner said, “I knew there was something else eating at you. Spill!”

“Appointing her as captain of my Queensguard will garner support from both the orcs and the elves in the kingdom…”

“And ensure that the best, most resourceful fighter you know is always close by,” Ochsner said, “which is a valid concern for the queen. Yet, I sense that this very reasonable decision has somehow plunged you into something of a moral grey area.”

“Thrakaduhl was the best choice to govern the eastern end of the kingdom. It will win favor with the neo-monarchists and some of the orc clans, and like Kaira, I know he will do the job exceptionally well.”

“But,” Ochsner read between the lines, “by giving them those positions, you’ve effectively used your power as queen to separate them, and keep Kaira for yourself." Azraea gave her a look of clear surprise. Ochsner explained, "Given the look on your face when the two lovebirds walked off together after dinner, I had to wonder if there was something going on there.”

With the prospect of lengthy separation ahead, Kaira had asked for one more night free of duty, so that she and Thrakaduhl could spend it alone together. Azraea was ashamed to admit – even to herself – that the request had stung a bit. “You know I had a crush on Kaira…” Azraea said.

Ochsner laughed, “Um, yeah. I remember.”

“Well, it’s not so much a crush anymore as it is a… thing.”

“A thing?”

“I told her I loved her.”

“Well, I think she already knew that.”

“And she said she loved me too.”

“Um… what?” Ochsner’s face was a case study in utter bafflement, “When did that happen?”

“After we kissed.”

Ochsner stared at her in the mirror in shock, and then smiled, “Damn girl, you must be a hell of a kisser if you can turn a woman that straight into a lesbian.”

“It’s not like that…” Azraea said.

“I know,” Ochsner laughed, “It doesn’t work that way, but… holy crap – how did you not tell me about this?”

“I’m telling you now, aren’t I?” Azraea folded her arms, “But it’s not easy to talk about.”

“Does Thrakaduhl know?”

“No… I don’t think so,” Azraea said.

“Too bad,” Ochsner said, “That’d be pretty hot...”

“What?!” Azraea said, “No, that’d be…”

“So different from that threesome you almost had with Jon and Regina.”

“It would be different…” Azraea said.

“Because when it comes to Kaira you’re feeling a little bit jealous and possessive?”

Unrequited love was not an easy burden to carry but knowing that her feelings were even somewhat reciprocated was nearly unbearable, and it was getting worse. What once had been a fantasy was now a possible future, but a frustratingly unlikely one.

“Even if Kaira were suddenly overwhelmed with lust for the same sex,” Azraea said, “which seems extraordinarily implausible, it seems nearly as unlikely that the kingdom would be receptive to the idea of having two queens.”

Ochsner smiled.

“What?” Azraea asked, “What’s funny?”

“It’s not funny,” Ochsner said, “But you’re so invested in thinking about the kingdom’s future, it makes me happy to know you haven’t completely forgotten to think about your own. A queen’s people expect a great deal of her, but they also still expect her to have a life.”

“A very public, harshly scrutinized one.”

“Yeah, but that’s not necessarily bad. You’ve got a lot of important but difficult decisions to make. Every breath people waste talking about your hair, your dress, or who you’re taking to bed, is a breath they don’t spend complaining about economic and diplomatic decisions they don’t really understand.”

Azraea considered the beautiful tiara that had been sitting on the vanity for days. It was hers and hers alone to wear, “As queen I can have nearly anything I ask for, except the thing I now want most for myself.”

“Maybe,” Ochsner said, “Or maybe Kaira and Thrakaduhl would surprise you if you actually talked to them about it. Even if it doesn’t go well, it’s better than letting it fester.”

“And what if it doesn’t go well?” Azraea said.

“Well, you can always reclaim Jericho as your personal guard.”

“You don’t like him?”

“I didn’t say that,” Ochsner said, “He’s a decent, trustworthy man...”

“And?”

“And reasonably handsome for a man his age.”

Azraea laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s not my place to say,” Azraea said, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out for yourself.”

“Damn, he’s gay isn’t he?” Ochsner said, “I guess a woman shouldn’t be making advances on her bodyguards anyway.”

Azraea gave Ochsner a scathing look.

“Unless they have a pre-existing… relationship... thing… It’s different with you and Kaira. Or it hypothetically would be.”

“You know in old Arbarii the words for ‘bodyguard’ and ‘concubine’ were the same?”

“What?” Ochsner said, “I call bull.”

Azraea just smirked quietly as she studied the tiara again. She picked up the elegant piece that had been sitting on the vanity for days. It had been found in the dragon’s horde and, given its delicate craftsmanship, it was nearly a miracle that it had survived in one piece. It was inlaid with precious gems and diamonds, but was in its own way understated.

“You know this is probably worth more than everything my parents’ have ever owned, but it was such a small thing tossing among the gold and jewels…" Azraea settled the tiara onto her head, "Catherine felt that it wasn’t a crown fit for a queen, but Jericho said that, having survived for generations under the dragon’s reign, it has its own powerful symbolism.”

“I take it that resonated with you?” Ochsner asked as she adjusted Azraea’s hair around the tiara.

“So far, it’s the only thing out of the hoard that I’ve kept for myself. Though… so far, I haven’t been bold enough to wear it in public.” She looked at herself in the mirror. Not only did it cover up the scar on her scalp, she couldn’t help but feel it looked and felt right. Even she couldn’t quite understand why she’d foregone it thus far. Perhaps some part of her still remembered the dead king’s words, and was having trouble committing to her role.

“I always knew you had potential,” a man’s voice came from behind Ochsner, all the more startling because they had seen no one in the mirror but each other. Ochsner fell off her stool clumsily, startled by the voice, and Azraea jumped to her feet and turned to find a familiar face.

“Vander,” she said, her fists tightening at the sound of his name on her lips,

“Vander?!” Ochsner cried, scrambling to her feet, “You said he was dead!” Ochsner looked at Azraea's former lover, looming between them and the window, "I thought you were dead!"

“Hello Ochsner,” Vander smiled - it looked like the same smile Ochsner remembered from years ago, but it was now somehow devoid of human warmth, “Don’t worry. Azraea didn’t lie. I’ve been pretty dead.”

Epilogue (Part 1 of 3)

Sorry there was nothing posted yesterday - got back from a trip to MO late on Sunday night, and headed to bed soon after unloading the car. 

This week's posts fall in a nebulous area for our narrative. I originally assumed it would be an epilogue to Book II, but owing to the length of the 'epilogue' and what I feel was a decent closing line at the end of Chapter 13, I may end up publishing this week's posts as the introduction to Book III. For now, I leave it to the readers to decide for themselves whether this is the end of Book II, or a teaser for Book III.

***

A hundred years from now, historians will write about me, and I know one thing they will all agree upon – She’s dead.

-        The memoirs of Queen Azraea I. Her writing is often criticized by scholars for not dwelling sufficiently on the technical details of her rule, but I recommend them to anyone who appreciates a sharp wit and an equal balance of self-righteousness and humility. 

The royal bedchambers had been largely untouched by the dragon, as Syliva had been too large to reach them. They’d been overrun with dust, vermin, and spiders due to neglect, but Azraea had arranged for them to be cleaned out soon after she took the throne. Unfortunately, the fancy, plush old mattress that had been in the room had long ago decayed, and Azraea had been sleeping on a cot next to the window since she moved in.

Ochsner eyed the simple bed disapprovingly, “Why would you move into the royal bedchambers without a royal bed to sleep in?”

“Because it was expected of me,” Azraea answered honestly, “And because – simple though the room may be right now – it’s easily guarded. There’s a sixty foot drop outside that window and a heavy lock on that door.”

Azraea was well aware of her vulnerability while sleeping. She wondered if all rulers felt the anxiety she did when she closed her eyes at night or just new rulers who slept alone. Perhaps I should ask Jericho? She thought, or should we both continue pretending I don’t know his real name?

She sat down in front of the old vanity in the room. It was probably her favorite piece to survive the ravages of time. It was ornately carved and brushed with gold. It was a piece of royal opulence but the edges, nobs, and handles were worn from use, suggesting that whoever had received it had appreciated it for more than its decadence.

She took a long look at herself in the mirror and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Ochsner asked as she walked over behind her, “I liked your dress. The color was a good complement for your skin tone. And you look… kind. And humble.”

 “But I’m not certain if that’s how people need to see me right now,” Azraea said.

“The people need to see you’re different from the dragon. And don’t worry so much; the people are happy.”

“Because they’re still bathing in the afterglow of Syliva’s death,” Azraea said, “Once that’s ebbed from their spirit many will be much less optimistic about the future.”

“Relax!” Ochsner said, “We had a big party, Kaira’s mother didn’t kill anyone and – more impressive, I think, no one killed her – it was a good night. And did you see that fancy toy Vinny was carrying? Do you know what it does? It uses a piece of flint to ignite…”

Azraea interrupted her solemnly, “It will take only months, perhaps less, for the people to forget the crushing weight of the dragon’s economic oppression and realize that our kingdom is not a flawless paradise without her,” Azraea said. “Lord," she sighed, "the system as a whole is just a mess.”

“We’ll fix the damage Syliva did.”

“It’s not just that,” Azraea said, “Caelia’s government has been unchanged for centuries. It’s been all but completely frozen in time for the past two hundred years. Other countries have established elected parliaments to limit their monarchs, but Caelia's House of Lords is only partially elected, and relies entirely on economic leverage to balance the throne - a balance Syliva upset when she combined her wealth with that of the crown. The closest thing I have to a democratic check on my authority is a general principle of ‘take things too far and the people will lynch me.’”

"How is having all of that power a bad thing?"
"Because having the competence to acquire that power doesn't guaranteed I have the wisdom to wield it." 
"You do," Ochsner reassured her.
"Even if that's true," Azraea said, "I can't expect the people of Caelia to have so much faith as my regent ad manum. The average Caelian will likely doubt all of my decisions and outright disagree with many of them, yet she has no effective way to make her fears known. She has no way to participate in her own governance, save violent insurrection."
“Wait, so… did you agree with Vaerla?”

“Of course I did; I may never admit it in public, but she was right,” Azraea said, “Joining the empire is a big decision, and I should probably have some group - other than the House of Lords - to help me make decisions of such magnitude."
"I imagine you and Vaerla have different opinions about who should be in that group," Ochsner pointed out.
Azraea nodded, "Nevertheless, something is needed; when the people finally reached their breaking point this summer the result was chaos and carnage.”

“And you don’t want to end up like Hylas?” Ochsner concluded.

“Not especially. And moreover, I just… I don’t want that to happen to whoever comes after me, or after them. And that means giving the people some sort of formally recognized and fair voice in their government. I’m in the position now to give them that, but I don't know how.”

 “You know you'll be creating something that will exist to make your life more difficult,” Ochsner said.

“Well, yes,” Azraea sighed, “but nevertheless, this might well be the single most important thing that I could ever do for our country.”

“We,” Ochsner said as she pulled a tall stool over behind Azraea’s chair and began playing with her former roommate’s hair, “It will be the most important thing we ever do for our country. Regent ad manum, remember?"
"Thank you," Azraea patted her friends hand on her shoulder.
"Though, I’ve been wondering… why didn’t you discuss your decision to join the Gnoman Empire with me?”

Azraea sighed and shifted uncomfortably, but Ochsner gently tugged her hair to keep her facing the mirror, “And don’t lie to me. Because I won’t be able to tell, and then you’ll end up wondering later why I didn’t second guess your evasive answer and figure out that we were playing the opposite-day game.”

Azraea's face flickered into a smile, as she nearly laughed, “It might sound strange, but in the event that things go very badly… it may be valuable to have people know that my regent ad manum was not involved in making certain decisions, so I went ahead and rushed those matters a bit.”

“I’ve got to think there’s more to it than that,” Ochsner said as she undid Azraea’s tight braids.

“Joining the empire was a difficult decision,” Azraea admitted, “Partly because I immediately knew what my decision was going to be, and I know that a decision that important should never be so easy to make. You, however, were the only person that I knew who would seriously make me doubt my decision if you did disagree. Ordinarily that would be the very reason to go to you, but like I said: I already knew my mind was made up.”

“You’re the queen; I know you won’t always follow my advice, but even when I disagree with what you’re going to do, I might be able to help you do it better.”

“It’s more like… Given I already knew what I was going to do, I didn’t want to be weighed down with any more uncertainty than I already had.”

“Well…” Ochsner said, “Just remember, I won’t be able to do my job very well if you don’t come to me to talk about these things. And for the record, yeah, we need the help the empire’s offering. Frankly, if you’d turned them down, Vicki had me tempted to defect myself.”

“Have the Gnomans been putting ideas in your head?”

“Oh man,” Ochsner scratched Azraea’s scalp, “You know that Gnoman stonework apparently involves creating a paste from ground rock? To hear Vinny talk about it, it’s a cure-all for all ails in the realm of civil engineering. Soon we’ll have thousands of people employed making rock paste and restoring the roads, buildings, bridges…” Ochsner went on to enthusiastically chatter about her plans for Defiance, for the new military academy, for finishing the Lochs at Kings Lake, and more, all while cycling Azraea's hair through a variety of loose styles, to see what would be most queenly. 
Ochsner’s optimism was infectious, but Azraea was still grounded in the here and now, “I still have reservations about exploiting the resources in a mysterious dwarven vault powered by trapped spirits.”

“It’s a delicate proposition…” Ochsner said, “And I imagine my people are going to have some opinions on the matter once they realize what’s going on, but leave the vault to me. Of all the things you have to worry about, that place is really more my responsibility than yours.”

“Honestly, are the dwarven cities going to be a problem?”

Ochsner laughed, “Aside from arguing over the rights to the history and science in that vault, I really doubt it. Laid back has practically become one of our core cultural values. Don’t come after us and we won’t come after you.”

“Huh,” Azraea said, “I always assumed you were weird.”

“Only in Kingstown; back home I’m a good, old fashioned, dwarven girl. Now, tell me, who are we worried about now? My people are chill, but there are people in the rest of the kingdom who can act like…”

“Angst-ridden adolescent sea gulls?”

“Are seagulls racist?”

“More than you’d expect,” Azraea laughed, “But definitely more sexist. Last time I went out to the west coast I had one slap me on the ass right in front of my parents.”

“How does a bird slap someone on the ass?” Ochsner laughed.

“Well, I’m exaggerating a bit. I dropped some food, it made a dive for it, and long story short, it flew straight into my butt.”

Ochsner laughed harder, “Seriously?”

“I suppose there were mistakes made on both sides.”

“What about your parents? Have you talked to them?”

“As soon as I had a handle on things here, Jericho sent some of his men to protect them and bring them here. I imagine it will take his men some time just to convince them of what's happened, though.” Ultimately, Azraea wasn’t sure what to do with her parents. Would they be safer in Kingstown, under Kaira’s protection, or safer further away from her? A queen didn’t usually have to worry about her parents.

“Are you really worried someone might hurt them?”

“Honestly? Yes,” Azraea said. Azraea explained the state of the political divisions surround her. The Neo-Monarchists were critical of her, but even those who might prefer someone else on the throne at least seemed to generally like her, and appointing “the Dragonslayer” as Regent ad Manum would probably win her some more favor. “Being as you actually killed the dragon, a lot of them would rather see you on the throne, than me…” Azraea explained.

“Technically it was a swarm of giant bugs that did it,” Ochsner said, “I guess we could bring the scolopendrae here for a day and see how they like having them for a queen? Can’t you imagine it? The court sessions, the ribbon-cuttings, the scolopendrae could host a ball! That would be fantastic. So many fancy shoes!”

 Azraea accidentally allowed the mental image of a scolopendra with a powdered wig to pop into her head and had to stifle a surge of laughter.

Compared to the Neo-Monarchists, the traditional Monarchists were now fewer in number, but they carried a lot of money and influence – especially Hylas’s cousins. The Loche brothers concerned Azraea.

 “When I took control of Syliva’s assets, I decided to liquidate anything I didn't have a majority share in. I kept the investments in businesses I could control. For all the hundreds of businesses Syliva had had a minority share in, though, I decided to sell the investments back to the real owners of the businesses. I didn’t really feel like the throne needed a 40% share in Kingstown’s various bakeries…”

“Well, I’m sorry, but that right there sounds foolish,” Ochsner said, “you might never have had to worry about twisty bread again.” 

“The point is... I might have fucked up. I wanted to be methodical and fair, so I didn't just pull out of the little mom-and-pop businesses, I pulled out of every business Syliva didn't have majority control over. So, the Loche brothers now have full control of The Vulpine Post, and like it or not, it’s still the largest of the heralds.”

“Well, they’ll be critical to the point of slanderous, I’m sure, but you wouldn’t have gotten where you are if you couldn’t handle that. And if the Loche’s swing The Vulpine away from the Nationalist Party towards something more moderate, that’ll be an improvement.”

Talking about the safety of her family, her friends, and the people in general, the Nationalists were the ones that frightened Azraea. “Some nut-ball working with one of Syliva’s other heralds actually convinced the Nationalists that she was a demigod avatar embodying their values of power, supremacy, and violent control over lesser beings.”

“I imagine they’re rather butt-hurt over their demigod’s death then.”

“You have no idea. They’ve memorialized her by adopting their own banner,” Azraea frowned. The Nationalist Party’s flag was a stylized black dragon against a white moon in a blood red sky. The flag celebrated a creature that had murdered countless people. The sight of it gave her the creeps, and made her wonder just how much she should tolerate as the kingdom’s current autocrat.

“There are already reports coming in of hate crimes being perpetrated under that banner,” Azraea said, “And – at least according to Marcus – there are former business partners of Syliva who may be funding them in the hopes of putting someone with her philosophy back in power. And Verax is concerned that they’re also making connections with Meingen’s friends, and he’s worried they might get access to some dangerous resources – and ideas.”

“How does that even make sense?” Ochsner said, “Meingen’s anarchism is the exact opposite of the people that used to work with Syliva. I mean, when that fanatical ‘power-to-the-working class’ philosophy meets the zealous obedience to authority… they’ll probably just wipe each other out.”

“Maybe,” Azraea said, “But people can surprise you.” Sometimes in the worst ways possible, Azraea thought. Violence seemed inevitable to Azraea, but she was trying to keep an even hand, lest she alienate her supporters by over-reacting.

“Well,” Ochsner said, still fiddling with Azraea’s hair, “At least we don’t have to worry about our loans anymore.” Ochsner meant it light-heartedly, but it wasn’t funny. Given that many of the loans owed to the dragon had been owed by Caelia itself, forgiving all debts to her estate had been the sensible thing to do. Inflation had also trivialized many standardized loans, so they didn’t really seem worth collecting on. Nevertheless, as Azraea explained, she now had to work with many of the people that used run the businesses Syliva controlled, and many of them were unhappy to have the businesses they operated officially become property of the new administration. They were even unhappier when said administration forgave the debts owed to them.   

Ochsner looked Azraea in the eye through the mirror, “These are all normal problems for running a kingdom. At least if you’re running it well – you have to think in terms of long term benefit while everyone else reacts to the moment. In that regard, I think you're doing fine," Ochsner reassured her. 
"In that regard?" Azraea asked, "What am I not doing fine at?"
"You tell me. While I realize this is all important discussion for a Queen and her Regent ad Manum,” Ochsner said, “why don’t you tell me what’s bothering you that can’t be discussed in front of Kaira?”

“What?”

“As much as I’m glad we could spend this time catching up,” Ochsner rubbed her scalp with her fingertips again but made a face like a fortune teller at a crystal ball, “I sense deeper troubles that you’re holding back. Perhaps… something weighs more heavily on the heart, than the mind?”

Chapter 13 (Part IV): Seeds of Discord

Ochsner saw Kaira’s jaw clench, the steel-like muscles underneath tensing as her teeth ground against each other. Thrakaduhl fidgeted like someone who was trying to look at something without actually being seen looking at it.

It was strange enough that the woman looked so much like Kaira; she also sounded like her. It was unnerving to Ochsner; in some ways, the woman seemed less like Kaira’s mother and more like her evil twin. The fact that the two of them hadn’t made eye contact this entire time did nothing to mitigate that perception. Still, the elf woman wasn’t wrong; it was a significant decision, and Azraea hadn’t even discussed it with Ochsner, her regent ad manum and best friend.

“If Lady Vaerla Asterigennithika has something to say, she is invited to approach the throne, and address the Queen directly.”

Vaerla proudly left her place standing next to the man at the side of the room and marched towards the center of the room, to stand before the throne. Like Kaira, of course, she was very tall, but while Kaira often made a habit of slouching a bit to downplay it, Vaerla clearly took pride in her inhuman height. From what Kaira had told Ochsner of her posture lessons as a child, height was an unmistakable mark of elvishness and therefore, in her mother’s mind, it was an unmistakable signal of superiority. Vaerla strode confidently up the steps, and began to set foot on the top level without taking a knee, but Azraea cut her off.

“When I said that you could approach the throne, Lady Asterigennithika, I was not inviting you to sit in my lap.”

Vaerla stopped immediately and stepped back down the step, frowning for a moment, and then breaking into a broad smile, “First, let me formally extend my gratitude to you for your decision to appoint my daughter, Kairumina, as Captain of your Queensguard. I know that you won’t be disappointed, and I’m sure that given time to prove herself, you’ll see that she’s a competent leader. Perhaps, one day, she might even make a fine governor – surely, with a ruling queen on the throne, no one would object to a woman governing the eastern kingdom?”

Thrakaduhl looked uncomfortable, embarrassed. Kaira’s fists clenched as she bit her lip, and Azraea glared at the older woman with smoldering anger. Ochsner was not the most adept conversationalist, but she could see that Vaerla had managed to politely insult all three of them in a matter of seconds.   

“Captain Asterigennithika performed the duties I assigned to her faithfully and with great bravery,” Azraea said, “And has provided me wise counsel in many troubling moments. You have my thanks for raising such a wise, even-minded, and courageous daughter.”

“The Queen is too kind,” Vaerla bowed with false humility, “and please, allow me to also express my gratitude for giving me this moment to stand before you and make my voice heard.”

“You seem able to make your voice heard just fine from anywhere in the room.”

Vaerla’s face betrayed annoyance, but she ignored the jibe, “As we have only just pried our kingdom from the claws of the dragon, Syliva, it seems hasty to hand it over to another power so quickly. I feel that it would be best not to rush into anything of such importance too quickly. It’s something that bears extensive discussion as well as more involvement from… experienced statesmen.”

“Lady Asterigennithika,” Azraea addressed her, “I would like to once again thank you for the reinforcements you provided for the protection of the Kingstown refugees who were attacked in Mudville. Had Gentleman Haorzawa not called for your aide, I’m afraid many innocent lives would have been lost.”

Vaerla curtsied slightly, and smiled, very proud of her contribution, but then Azraea continued, “And I’m sure that your opinion on this matter will be shared by many Caelians. Certainly, history has made it very clear to my generation that it is not in our people’s nature to rush into anything important. After all, our parents, and grandparents, and great grandparents sat by for two hundred years while a dragon slowly ravaged our kingdom. Tell me Lady Asterigennithika, since I’m sure you must remember, how long did Caelia’s experienced statesmen discuss the matter when the dragon arrived before deciding to do nothing at all?”

Ochsner heard Jericho mutter something like, “Not long,” under his breath.

Vaerla glared at Azraea with a sour look, “You would have to ask Marcus,” she said, “I was in Quinox with Kairumina’s father when the dragon arrived.”

The elf man Vaerla had been standing with spoke up from the back of the room, “Then perhaps you could tell us, because I have always been curious, how long did it take you to reject my call for help two hundred years ago? Or were you still considering it when I asked again a couple of weeks ago?”

Vaerla didn’t fully turn to face the man, but glared over her shoulder as she balled her hands into tight fists, a mannerism that was, again, very familiar to Ochsner. “I decided to act when the time was right,” Vaerla said, “when there was a real possibility of defeating the dragon. I had no intention of carelessly tossing away my men’s lives.”

Azraea stood up and stepped towards the woman to address her face to face, “And I can respect that,” she said, “A wise leader must pick her battles. She must fight when she can win, not simply when it benefits her personally. Right now our kingdom is drowning, and Verax’s people are reaching out to us with an open hand. Accepting their offer may be an unpopular decision, but I don’t intend to sacrifice the welfare of my people in order to preserve my popularity.”

“Are you saying you would go through with this, even if you knew that it was against the peoples’ wishes?” Vaerla asked.

“Whether they realize it yet or not, it’s the best thing for them in the long run.”

Vaerla spoke so quietly, Ochsner could barely hear her, “And what gives you the right to make those decisions for us?”

“The right?” Azraea asked quietly, “It is the duty of a Queen to provide the governance her people need, when they are unwilling to provide it for themselves.”

“But who gave you the right to declare yourself queen?” Vaerla asked in hushed but angry tones.

“No one. I walked in and I took the throne because – for one thing – I was here, Lady Asterigennithika. I did something. I took the initiative, and I’m taking it again now. If you want to challenge my decision to join the Gnoman Empire, then challenge my authority, but don’t bother trying to take the throne from me unless you’re prepared to take on all the responsibility that goes with it.”

They stood with their gazes locked for several long seconds before Vaerla finally backed down and stormed back to her place at the edge of the room, “I’ve said what needed to be said.”

“Your opinion has been heard,” Azraea said loudly. “Praetor Vexarius?”

Verax let out a breath. As he later told Ochsner, court intrigue always started sooner than you thought it would, but even so, the bad fruit in that throne room seemed to ripen especially fast. “Thank you, your majesty. As I was about to say, Legate Kaorus will prepare documents for delivery to your regent ad manum,” Verax nodded to Ochsner.

“Excellent,” Azraea said, “But let us save that for tomorrow. I have been cooped up in this castle for too long, and I’m afraid if I stay much longer I’ll grow scales. Captain Asterigennithika, Regent Dragonslayer, we need something that passes for a banquet hall as our current one is filled with gold coins that are still being counted. See what you can do as far as arranging a secure but accessible place for ourselves and the Gnoman dignitaries to break bread with the people in town tonight. I believe at least one night’s celebration is warranted.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Kaira bowed.

“And steward?” Azraea added.

Ochsner struggled to maintain a straight face, as she could guess what was coming next, “Yes, your majesty?”

“See to it that twisty bread is served.” 

Chapter 13 (Part III): A Difficult Occupation

Azraea turned to the two gnomans. While Vinny - actually Verax - was wearing his sharp, fitted uniform, his associate Vidi wore the same clothes he’d had when he fled Kingstown weeks prior. Despite his appearance, Vidi stood with the exact same air of discipline and confidence that Verax did. They waited respectfully at the bottom of the steps leading to her throne, which made them appear exceptionally small. Azraea found that on some level empowering but also somewhat disturbing. She sat down in her throne and gestured to Verax, “Verax Scorpio Vexarius, Legate of the 5^th Dexter Legion and Praetor of the 1^st Sinister Legion,” she used his now fully disclosed rank, “please, approach the throne again.”

 “Your majesty,” He bowed, a perfectly executed, disciplined, clearly well practiced motion, “I apologize for my legate’s appearance. He has come directly from an extended assignment in the east with no opportunity to dress for court. I ordered him to come as he was, because I felt that decorum was less important than punctuality.”

“In this instance I agree, Praetor,” Azraea looked past Verax momentarily, “I thank you for answering my summons, Legate Kaorus, as well as for the assistance you rendered to my kingdom under Praetor Vexarius’ command.”

“I was happy to do so, on both accounts, your majesty,” Vidi said, “And I am glad to see that you are well.”

“Thank you. And, I have already said this to Praetor Vexarius, but I would like to reiterate my gratitude for your empire’s quick response to our need during this time of political instability.”

“Well, we pride ourselves on efficiency, your majesty.”

“Indeed, it seems your people have a unique gift for arriving before anyone knows they need you.”

“Yes, well…” Vidi seemed to take that awkwardly, but Verax simply smirked.

Azraea smiled, “And need you we did. Our kingdom was on the verge of collapse even with the dragon’s use of terror to hold everything together. In our current state an army from a rival nation could easily sweep through and take whatever they wished; the country itself, even.”

“Yes, your majesty, I’m afraid I have to concur,” Verax nodded, “My people stand ready to prevent that though. The safety and security of our neighbors is of paramount concern to the Empress.”

“That is wonderful to hear. So far the Gnoman army has indeed brought stability. And a surprising amount of business. Certainly I’d like to repay her majesty’s kindness. Do either of you have any recommendations?”

Ochsner was not yet a political creature, but she was canny enough to understand the significance of the Gnoman army camped outside the city’s walls. Their country was occupied by a military force that had essentially marched right past whatever defenses still stood at Caelia’s borders. Effectively, they were negotiating Caelia’s surrender to the Gnoman Empire, but Azraea and Verax were discussing it as if she had casually asked for gift suggestions.

“Your majesty,” Verax started, “the Gnoman Empire has succeeded thus far through collaboration and strong leadership. Like any nation, we have friends and we have enemies, but we prefer to have brothers and sisters. The reason I asked that Legate Kaorus come to these proceedings today is so that he may serve as a notarized witness of the Gnoman Empire. As you are aware, I am happy to see our current alliance continue as is, but as an appointed representative of Empress Thessalonika, now witnessed by a notary of the Empire, I would like to formally extend an invitation to your majesty to join the Empire.”

“Ah,” Azraea nodded, “You would have me swear fealty to the Empress then?”

Ochsner saw Verax swallow somewhat anxiously, and Legate Kaorus looked at him nervously. There was a massive army outside the city, but in this room there were two armed swordsmen, an incredibly deadly elf, and a sorcerer. So far, Ochsner had only ever seen Verax and Azraea get along like destined-to-be best-friends-forever; if Ochsner herself hadn’t become so fond of Verax and his countrymen, she might have been jealous. The neutral tone and sudden bluntness of Azraea’s response seemed to have shaken the wagon, however.

Verax pressed on, “Yes your majesty. That is what I would advise. A clear hierarchy keeps the empire strong through turmoil and strife that would tear apart even the strongest of alliances,” he gave the formal line.

“I can imagine that’s true,” Azraea said, “However, in the context of such a great empire, I’m sure many Caelians will be wondering what will happen when the welfare of our one little kingdom and the welfare of Gnoma Magna do not concur. I imagine there will be Caelians wondering whether the Empire would sacrifice the Caelian people for the security or profit of the Empire's founding people.”

Verax didn’t respond immediately, making Ochsner wonder if there was some subtext to the conversation she was ignorant of.

Azraea responded to the pause by adding, “I actually brought these very same concerns to a member of my Queensguard just before the dragon’s death. Didn’t I, Guardsmen Stone?”

Behind Ochsner, Jericho nodded, “Yes your majesty, I recall that conversation well.”

“As you will recall, Guardsmen Stone, is a veteran of the Gnoman Auxiliary Legion, who has served not only under the Gnoman government but alongside citizens from the empire’s member states. Tell me, Guardsmen Stone, now that you have had more time working and fighting alongside Praetor Vexarius, has your opinion on the matter changed since our last conversation?”

“No your majesty,” Jericho said, “As you anticipated, there was some disagreement over how things should be done, but in the end, we all wanted the same thing, and we were able to resolve our differences amicably and respectfully, moving forward with our mission. In my experience, working with the Gnoman Empire and its people is generally the same.”

Ochsner saw Verax break decorum to turn and give Jericho an odd look of surprise and mild confusion.

“Do you have anything to add, Praetor Vexarius?” Azraea asked.

 “To be honest, your majesty…” Verax for once sounded like he was struggling to come up with words, “to be honest, the Empire – like any sovereign nation – will always put its own welfare ahead of its allies. However, it protects its member states as equal parts of itself. Individual states may sometimes have to make sacrifices for the greater whole of the empire, and certainly there are times when people disagree over the necessity and scale of those sacrifices, but it is not the belief of the empire that any state should be exploited for the benefit of another state. My request is that Caelia would be more than just an ally, it would become a part of the Empire itself, and while we are a diverse collection of peoples with our own, varied interests… we look after each other.” He then added, “And I can personally vouch for Empress Thessalonika, and honestly say that her wisdom and character are superior to my own.”

Azraea smiled, her demeanor seeming to warm once again, “Well, I do believe that you are an exceptional judge of character, Praetor Vexarius, and I have not yet become so intoxicated with power that I am unwilling to forfeit a measure of it to someone older and wiser. However, binding the fate of my successors to that of hers does concern me. I have come to appreciate your empire today, but I wonder what it will become tomorrow?”

“As do I,” Verax raised his chin slightly more, “As should any man or woman who loves their country. That’s why the legate and I are here. That’s why I’m asking you to join us. Our empire needs people of good character to keep it strong.”

Azraea sat, looking him in the eye silently for many seconds, and then finally said, “Praetor Vexarius, you are a wonderful liar, but now that I’ve met the real you, I think maybe that honesty does suit you better.”

Ochsner saw Verax calmly let out a withheld breath, “You won’t meet the ‘real’ me until you come visit my family in Tulusa.”

“Ah, then I suppose we will have to join the empire, for the wonderful travel opportunities it offers if nothing else,” Azraea laughed, “We must discuss details of course; currency, taxation, conscription, laws, certainly, but barring any irreconcilable differences, you may know that my answer is yes. And I look forward to meeting the empress personally.”

Verax felt the tension in his spine release as he began to relax, but an aggressive voice from the side of the room interjected itself, “This is a significant decision for her majesty to make unilaterally.”

Ochsner saw Kaira tense; it was her mother.