I walked to the glass doors as I spoke, opening them and the Khelduin gates behind them before Bane launched himself into the morning sky in a rush. I watched him fly away, gazing in admiration as the light of the early dawn glittered off his bright green scales until his form slowly dwindled away in the distance.
“He’s still so beautiful,” Tási commented as she stood by my side.
“No,” I corrected her. “He’s magnificent.”
We closed the gate and glass doors behind us, and Tási poked her head into the next room to ask the guards there to have some breakfast sent up for us. There was actually a small kitchen on the floor below in their barracks, so a meal was brought for us almost as soon as we got dressed again.
The antechamber outside my bedroom served multiple purposes, one of which was as the location where Tási and I most often shared our breakfasts together. And when we left the comfort of our chambers that morning, the table there was already laden with an assortment of goodies for us to choose from. I knew that I had my meeting with Broda’s uncle scheduled for lunch, so I only made myself a small plate, while Tási piled hers high, mostly with the sweet, sticky honey rolls that she seemed to love so much.
“What?” She said as I stared at the stack of sugary treats that she had hoarded for herself.
“How do you keep eating like that and never gain any weight?”
“When was the last time you saw a fat halfling?” She replied with a smirk.
“Never,” I realized.
“And you won’t,” she taunted me. “It’s probably the only physical advantage we have over the other races.”
“How is that possible?”
“I have no clue,” she said as she stuffed one of the sticky rolls in her mouth. “Anf I doff care,” she finished with her mouth full.
Tási continued her relentless assault on the sweet honey rolls while I picked at my own breakfast over a cup of hot tea. After we left here, Tási would attend to her duties as Commander, while I was destined for a briefing with Broda and Venna, who would update me on the progress that had been made drafting the various accords that were necessary for my new Empire. An Empire that was still without a name, to my consternation. After that would be lunch with the Dwarven King, an afternoon of catching up on the various reports from around the Realm, followed by what promised to be a wonderful dinner with the bitch-queen. I was just so looking forward to all of it.
As we went our separate ways, Tási headed for her new offices in the Imperial barracks, while Ella actually led my guard detail for the morning when I went downstairs to meet with Venna and Broda.
“You haven’t done this for a while,” I commented as Ella took command of my guards.
“Tási’s been keeping me busy,” she smiled back at me. “But I returned the favor by dumping a load of paperwork on her desk this morning, so I should be free for a while.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at their friendly rivalry. Over time, the two had come to not only respect, but actually like each other. But their friendship also had an element of competition to it, and they often went out of their way to sabotage the other in any way they could. Tási, being Ella’s direct superior, usually had an edge in that competition, but Ella was clearly not without the means to retaliate.
As we made our way down to Venna’s offices, I would’ve liked to have been able to hold her hand or express my affection for her in some way, but that simply wasn’t possible. I had sworn to Tási not to make any of my affairs public, and that was an oath I was never going to break. Ella understood well enough the conditions of our relationship, so she didn’t try to force the issue either. I tended to her when she needed me, and even loved her in my own way, but I simply couldn’t offer her anything more than that.
Those same thoughts lingered in my mind as I sat down in Venna’s office for our conference. Broda had yet to arrive, and as we shared some tea, I considered my relationship with Venna as well.
In some ways, my link to her was stronger than the bond I shared with Tási. Our attraction to each other began even before I had met the halfling, and the bond that had formed between Venna and me went well beyond love. There was an element of need, a connection that went deeper than our physical selves, and it had joined our hearts in a way that I hadn’t thought possible. Had she not been married, I wasn’t sure that Venna and Tási’s roles might not have been reversed. But that was only an observation on my part, and I didn’t regret how things fell into place one bit.
“I’m meeting your former Queen later,” I said to her in an attempt to focus my thoughts more productively. “I need to convince her to send me some scribes. Ones capable of producing resurrection scrolls.”
“Ah yes, the warm and welcoming Queen Líann,” Venna replied sarcastically. “Good luck with that.”
“Is she really that bad?” I inquired, hoping for a different answer this time.
“No, she’s worse,” Venna grumbled. “Politically, she’s fair and practical, but personally, she’s extremely cold and difficult. Líann has no friends and has rejected every suitor out-of-hand. Some believe it’s due to her upbringing, but other think she’s just a miserable wretch.”
“She’s a royal,” I replied. “How bad could her childhood have been?”
“Líann’s father was quite old when she was born,” Venna explained. “Her mother was his third wife, and Líann was their first, and his only child. Despite the healer’s best efforts, Queen Nyda died in childbirth, so Líann never knew her mother.”
“She was raised by nursemaids and nannies, and with her father’s advanced age, groomed for the throne almost before she could walk. I don’t think love or even friendship was ever a consideration for those in charge of her upbringing.”
“So, while she knows politics well, Líann is not one for people. You will be dealing with a very cold and impersonal woman tonight, one who will not bend for you just for the sake of friendship. You will probably have to offer her something in return for what you seek. And if I had to guess, it will be our Khelduin that she seeks.”
Shit–that was not a resource that I wanted to share. It was one of the things that I was counting on to give us an edge, and although the mines continued to produce it, I had no idea when those veins would run out. And while the Khelduin armor would protect my soldiers’ lives, the scrolls I sought would bring them back should it fail. This was not going to be an easy choice for me to make.
Broda finally arrived as I was contemplating the potentially difficult decision ahead of me, and we began our review of the negotiations so far. A rough outline had actually been agreed to, so only the details were left to be ironed out. My Imperial Charter allowed the monarchs of each Realm to continue administering to their Kingdoms as they saw fit. The only difference was that they would have to incorporate the principles I had outlined into their laws. Specifically, the concept that no one could be treated as less, or more than another simply based on their heritage or any other characteristic. Beyond that, little would have to change.
In addition, each Realm would be required to supply five hundred soldiers to the new Imperial Army. The number correlated to the general number of troops each Realm kept for offensive purposes, so it wouldn’t make them vulnerable to attack. In return, the Empire (still annoyingly unnamed) pledged to use its Army to defend any Realm that came under attack.
Armed conflict between Realms was strictly forbidden—all disputes were to be negotiated, and if that failed, the issue was to be brought to me for resolution. Any military attack by one of my Realms against another was cause for immediate retaliation by the Imperial Army, and the monarch of the offending nation would be removed from office and exiled. Several other points were explained, all to my satisfaction, but when the discussion finally concluded, I only had one burning question.
“What the fuck are we going to call this thing?” I asked in frustration.
“That subject has received some attention during our discussions, Empress,” V
enna chuckled at my annoyance. “Several ideas have been put forth; however, none were deemed appropriate. But rest assured, we have resolved to decide the issue before we adjourn.”
“Has there ever been a Sintári Empire before?” I asked, hoping for some guidance from the past.
Broda and Venna looked at each other for a moment and then smiled broadly before Venna responded to my question.
“Not until now,” she replied. “Empress Dreya of the First Sintári Empire.”
“It has a certain ring to it, don’t you think?” Broda chimed in.
“Really?” I protested.
“Well, I mean we will have to put it up for a vote, but, since you suggested it, I’m sure the name will be approved,” Venna grinned back at me.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Ella said as she poked her head into the room. “But it’s time for you to meet with the dwarven King, Empress.”
I glared at the two of them as I got up to leave, but they only looked back at me innocently in return. I couldn’t actually stop them from putting forth the name I had accidentally suggested to them, and they knew it. Well, I consoled myself, at least my Empire would finally have a name, one I would hopefully get used to in time.
The suite we had arranged for Broda’s uncle was only a short walk away, so we arrived quickly, and I was escorted inside by one of his retainers. Ella joined the man outside the room where I was to meet with the King, and I sat down across from him at a table where lunch had been set out for us.
“The people you sent to us have been a great boon to my Realm, your Majesty,” I offered as I took my seat.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he replied. “From what I’m told, I’ll be sending you some more as well.”
“Are you referring to the soldiers your Realm will be providing for the Imperial Army?”
“Yes,” he responded. “It won’t spoil my defenses, but the loss will still cost me dearly.”
“Can you replace them with new recruits?”
“In time, perhaps,” he mused. “But none of the Realms are very populous, mine included. Five hundred soldiers is a large number to replace, not to mention the training that will be required to make them into a real fighting force. Once you have the tribute from all four of us, you’ll have the largest offensive force in Arrika at your disposal.”
“But the Realms mostly rely on defense, as I recall.”
“That’s the rub,” the King responded. “With the constant threat of the Dark Lands, beastkin, and even our neighbors, we’ve all been forced to focus on defending our Realms more than anything. Even with the two thousand under your command, you’ll still be hard-pressed to break through the fortifications of any Kingdom that defies you.”
“So, I’ll still need to rely on diplomacy for a while?”
“I’d say so, yes.”
That was disappointing—bending to the stiff protocols of diplomacy chaffed at me immensely. I thought I’d be free of them once I secured my alliances, but it seemed that I still hadn’t escaped their clutches just yet.
“Speaking of unpleasant things,” he continued. “I hear you’re having dinner with Líann tonight.”
Did no one have a good opinion of this woman?
“Yes, that’s true,” I sighed. “Please tell me that you have something nice to say about her.”
“Sadly, everything good about Líann is on the outside,” he told me. “I’ve had my dealings with her, and she’s treated me fairly, but the woman’s got no soul. Or rather, no heart I should say. She’s dead inside, lifeless and cold.”
“Yet you’re telling me she’s been decent in your negotiations?”
“Aye, the terms we’ve come to have always been equitable,” he confirmed. “But dealing with her is almost like talking to a corpse for the amount of warmth you’ll get.”
“But I need her,” I complained to him. “I need her scribes to be precise, unless you know some other way that I can get the resurrection magic I need.”
“What need do you have for that?” He inquired.
“After every battle I’m forced to fight, I plan to raise as many of my soldiers as possible,” I explained to him. “And before you anger me by complaining about the cost, understand that I don’t care. The lives are worth more to me than simple coins.”
“Aye,” he replied slowly. “I’m learning that about you. But if that’s what you seek, then Líann’s the one you’ll need, sorry to say.”
I drown my disappointment in a deep sip of the orcish brew the King chose to have served with our meal. He had truly come to love the strong drink, and in addition to securing its formula, he had also procured several barrels of it to bring back to Dhel-Ar with him when he left—a powerful testimony of the King’s love of the draught.
After that, it was only small talk again, and when it came time to leave, I made a request of him that I hoped he would honor.
“Your Majesty,” I began. “You were the first to declare for me and will always have a special place in my heart. For that reason, I would like to request a special boon from you. Would you tell me your true name, so that I may call you by it when we are alone?”
“You are asking me to break an ancient tradition, Empress,” he replied.
“I’ve probably had you break many of those already.”
“Aye, that you have,” he grinned. “So, what’s one more, right?”
“Torgyd,” he finished. “Before I was King, my name was Torgyd.”
“Then I bid you farewell, Torgyd, my friend,” I smiled at him broadly.
“Good luck, Dreya Sintári,” he replied. “You’ll need it for your meeting with the Ice Queen.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly the high note I wanted our meeting to end on, I thought as I left the room, but at least the reports I had were consistent. Líann might be a fair negotiator, but she was a heartless bitch as a person. I resolved to keep matters between us strictly business and avoid anything remotely personal, so that neither one of us would aggravate the other. Líann might be queen bitch, but I was the Empress, and if she provoked me, I would teach her just how much I outranked her in that category.
With several hours to kill before my fateful dinner with Líann, I decided on a whim to see how Ridge was coming along with his work. Ella knew exactly where he was, so we found him quickly, and I looked over the progress he had made since the last time I’d visited him.
Ridge had completed his work on the wall that surrounded the Palace and defined the outline of the fortress around it, and was now putting up the barracks and other necessary structures inside those confines. At the pace he and his assistant were working, it would only be a matter of days before he was done and would then move on to carve out the tunnels that led to the top of the canyon. Those passageways would not only allow access to the lookout posts and siege weapons above the Garrison, but also branched off along the way, leading to multiple positions on the high cliff walls overlooking the canyon itself. From those high vantage points, our soldiers could rain death upon any force that managed to get past the Garrison walls before it even approached the Palace and its surrounding fortress. So, even if the Garrison was lost, there would be a veritable gauntlet of terror that an enemy would have to pass through just to reach the fortress walls. It would be a death trap.
After looking over his progress, I left the two elementals to their work. I would have to remember to check back in a few days though, since I wanted to try to summon an Air elemental as soon as Ridge finished building the last of our defenses.
Once I was outside the confines of the Palace, I didn’t want to return until I absolutely had to so, instead of doing that, I headed towards Travis’ inn, the Dragon’s Roost, and the town that had sprung up around it.
I had intended to stop in for an ale and speak with Travis and Annia for a while, but as we approached the village, the sign for Marli’s Emporium caught my eye and I headed there instead. I hadn’t spoken with Marli in quite some time, and I thought it would be n
ice to see her again.
“Welcome, what can I—” She halted her greeting when she saw me enter with Ella and my guards.
“You wouldn’t happen to have about a thousand resurrection scrolls on hand, would you?” I asked as I casually took a seat across the counter from her.
“No, Empress, I’m sorry I do not,” she replied almost stiffly.
“No one’s here, Marli,” I told her. “You can drop the formalities.”
“Then, may I ask why you would need so many of those scrolls?” She inquired.
“Because I want to be able to bring back anyone who falls in my service,” I explained to her. “Or at least attempt to.”
“You could buy yourself a new army with the amount of gold that would cost,” she observed.
“But would that new army also replace the lost mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers of the old army?” I responded pointedly.
“No, I suppose not,” she replied wistfully.
“That’s why I need the scrolls.”
“You definitely are a different sort of leader than we’re used to, Dreya Sintári,” she commented with a smile. “But I think that difference might just be what Arrika needs.”
“I hope so, Marli,” I replied before changing subjects. “So, how’s business been?”
“Not bad, actually,” she surprised me by saying. “I have a buyer at the outpost, and he keeps me well-supplied from the passing caravans. Although your Captain Faine purchases a great number of things, there’s still a lot her people don’t bring back, so business is good.”
“Just what sort of things is Faine overlooking?” I asked her.
“Now, if I tell you that, I might as well close up my shop, now wouldn’t I?” She replied almost cheekily.
There’s my old Marli, I thought.
“Alright, keep your secrets then,” I conceded. “But if you do notice a shortage that needs to be addressed, I expect that you’ll inform me.”
“Just as soon as I corner the market,” she smiled back at me.
“Sooner than that if it’s important, Marli,” I glared at her reproachfully.
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