When she drew me closer, I finally noticed the writing that had been carved into its surface, starting several feet above the lush carpet of green grass and then towering high overhead. The letters at eye level were several inches tall, carved with great skill and clearly legible for any to read. As they climbed higher, the letters grew steadily in size, scaling perfectly with those beneath them so that even the highest above seemed to be precisely the same size as the letters carved below. Letters that spelled out the names of every single person who’d fallen in our campaign to unite the Realms.
My carriage had not stopped at some random location, and Venna carefully led me to a very particular spot along the massive memorial. Thousands of names were carved into the stone that overlooked the valley, but I found myself standing in front of the one name that was most important to me. My eyes were drawn to the letters that had been so carefully carved into the stone, and I ran my fingers along its surface. As I did, its cold stone painfully recalled my final memories of Tási’s cool skin beneath my fingertips. I leaned heavily against the smooth surface, tracing my fingers over every letter that had been carved in her memory, reading them in my mind as I did so:
Commander Tási - Beloved of Empress Dreya Sintári
It was all just too much. Venna stood a pace away, clearly not wanting to intrude on the moment, but when I extended my hand to her wordlessly, she took it up, and I pulled her into me. Still half leaning against the cold stone, I buried my face in her shoulder as the pain of Tási’s loss came back to me once more. I knew she wasn’t gone from me forever, not completely, but in that moment I found myself missing her more than ever. The stark reality of the letters carved into the cliff face served only to remind me of the fact that I’d never see Tási again.
I was not alone in experiencing my grief—the entire breadth of the memorial was crowded with the friends and loved ones of those we’d lost. My own sobbing cries against Venna’s shoulder were drowned out by the thousands of tears being shed beside me, reminding me that I was not the only one who had suffered.
“I think… I need to be alone tonight,” I told Venna as I pried myself away from the memorial and slowly walked back towards my carriage with her. If we kept to the schedule that we’d maintained while we traveled, it would have been Venna’s night with me, but I just couldn’t go through with it. Not after what I’d just felt.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Venna replied, gripping my hand even more tightly. “I can feel you, Dreya. I knew this would stir your grief, but it’s affected you far more than I’d anticipated.”
“I should have been clearer. I won’t be alone—Bane will be with me.”
Venna nodded back at me, not in acceptance, only acknowledging the futility of arguing the point with me any further, and I could see the doubt in her eyes quite plainly as I stepped up into the carriage.
“I’ll be fine, Venna,” I promised her. “I just need some time to sort this out, and having you there will only make it more difficult for me to do that.”
Venna was obviously skeptical, but I left her no choice as I had the driver head back to the Palace. I understood her concern—I’d allowed myself to fall into a deep despair after I’d let Tási go, but there was no danger of that recurring. I had learned my lesson and knew that my Tári could heal even the deepest of my wounds. I just hadn’t expected to be confronted with such a poignant reminder of my pain that day, and it had indeed stirred my grief, just as Venna had observed.
While I wanted nothing more than to retreat to the home I’d been away from for so long, I did make one stop along the way. I’d lost my hold over Ridge and the air elemental at some point during my shadow-fueled rampage in Laska, and they needed to be resummoned.
The air elemental came to me easily when we stopped near the dwarven settlement, and she seemed quite eager to resume her duties. The being’s almost pleasant demeanor was a welcome change from Ridge’s flat monotone and distinct lack of personality, and the obviously sarcastic bow she offered after the winds drew her form together actually managed to draw a thin smile to my lips.
I was close enough then to also summon Ridge if I wanted him to continue his work on the plateau high above, but there was an even more important project I had in mind for the Earth spirit; one that would require me to summon him in a different location. So, once the air elemental was back at work within the dwarven settlements, I headed straight for the Palace.
The long climb up the stairs to my residence seemed to last forever, but when I finally made it to the door of my chambers, I hesitated for several moments, unable to take the last few steps. Tási and I had shared those rooms from the very first day we’d moved into them together, and after the powerful emotions that had been awakened within me at the memorial, I wasn’t sure that I could endure what was waiting for me on the other side of that door.
Come, Sintári, I am here for you, Bane’s voice echoed in my head as I wavered.
His words were the final push I needed, but as soon as I opened the door, I walked straight to his room, never glancing at the bed Tási and I had shared or anything else that would serve to remind me of her absence. Then, once I was with him, I grabbed the stack of blankets and pillows that were kept there for us and huddled against Bane as I wrapped myself up in them.
This place reminds me of her, too, Sintári.
‘I will never forget her, Bane, but this is too much. I think we’re going to need to do some redecorating around here.’
Yes, I never liked those chairs.
Bane rarely joked with me, but he used his humor well when he did. His well-timed and perfectly delivered line brought a genuine smile to my face, and I snuggled against him as the light trailing in from outside began to wane.
‘What would you prefer in their place, Bane?’ I asked him as I made myself comfortable.
Nothing but more pillows, so that you only have me to rest upon when we are together, he replied
‘Then that’s what we’ll have.’
Bane’s mere presence soothed away my feelings of grief that had briefly resurfaced, and he wrapped his massive tail around me, protectively encircling my body with his own as the low thrum of his deep purr echoed through the room. Before long, I felt my eyelids growing heavy and drifted off to sleep more easily than I had imagined possible only a few moments before.
Someone is here for you, Sintári, the deep tone of Bane’s words woke me the next morning.
I peeked out from beneath the covers that Bane had obviously piled on top of me during the night and saw Líann nervously waiting for me to work my way free from within the coils of Bane’s embrace. She’d never become truly comfortable around the dragon, and always seemed on edge in his presence—a fact that I found amusing to no end, as did Bane.
‘Bring her to me, Bane,’ I sent to him as I spread the blankets wide.
I could feel his mischievous glee as Bane reached out and grabbed Líann with one of his massive claws before depositing her next to me. The momentary look of sheer terror in her eyes quickly turned to one of irritation as she realized what had happened.
“That wasn’t funny,” Líann protested as she shifted uncomfortably beside Bane’s bulk.
“Actually, it was,” I contradicted her.
“He wanted to eat me!” She reminded me.
“That was when you were still a bitch. Well, more of a bitch.”
“We don’t have time for this,” she huffed indignantly. “I came to wake you for the council meeting.”
We’d delayed making any plans for our future until we were back home, and now that we were, my Ministers and advisors had apparently wasted no time in scheduling a meeting for just that purpose—without consulting me.
Typical.
“I would have hoped that you might have argued that I should have some say in the scheduling of this gathering,” I replied tersely, knowing that Líann would have been among those who’d arranged the timing for the meeting.
“Ye
s, well, my efforts on your behalf seem to go unappreciated,” Líann shot back as she cast a baleful look at Bane’s massive head looming above her.
“I think I’ve shown you a great deal of appreciation, Líann,” I ventured a hand across her thigh beneath the covers as I spoke.
When we were alone, Líann was a woman with virtually no limits or boundaries, but just that one subtle gesture while we were in Bane’s company completely unnerved her. I was certain that she would have fled if Bane’s massive arm hadn’t penned her in. Even so, Líann jerked away from me as she slipped out of my grasp.
I realized then that although I’d shared the secret of my Táriel with Bane, I hadn’t told her about the very similar bond I’d forged with Bane as well. It wasn’t quite an oversight, as that bond had only formed after Bane had consumed one of my own kills; a matter that he was somewhat self-conscious about, so we’d kept it only between the two of us.
But both of them would be sharing the rest of my life with me, accompanying me through the many centuries that lie ahead. The two of them would need to become completely comfortable with each other if we were to spend that much time in each other’s company, and I decided that I’d already delayed too long in making the situation clear for them.
“I have no secrets from Bane, Líann,” I began to explain to her. “He knows that you are my Táriel and that we will be spending the rest of our lives together. Now it’s time for me to be just as open with you. Bane will also be by my side forever; his life has been linked to my own, much like yours has. The three of us will have many centuries, perhaps even millennia together. We are one, Líann, even more so than with our Tári. As much as I will love them, they will come and go—the three of us shall be eternal.”
Líann sat in stunned silence for a moment. We’d discussed what it meant to be Táriel before, but never the fact that Bane would be sharing that existence with us. She also hadn’t known Bane as a tiny Rhastoren, never had him perch on her shoulder as Tási had. Líann had only known Bane as my fearsome dragon, the one who’d once requested leave to eat her when he’d thought she’d been a threat to me. Knowing Bane only as she did, it wasn’t hard for me to imagine just how conflicted the news made her feel.
Bane saw this as clearly as I did, and as her discomfort became more and more apparent, he responded by wrapping us both up in the powerful coils of his tail and encircling the two of us with the might of his massive body. With both of us secured within his protective embrace, he stared into Líann’s eyes and had me relay his words to her.
“Bane knows what it means to be Táriel, Líann,” I translated for him. “He knows the pain I would suffer if harm were to befall you. He wants me to tell you that your life is more precious to him than…”
‘Bane please don’t say that.’
Just relay my words, Sintári, we can discuss them later if you wish.
Líann looked on in confusion as Bane and I shared a brief exchange before I reluctantly resumed my translation.
“Bane wants you to know that he considers your life more precious than his own,” I choked on the words he’d insisted that I use. “And that he will protect you from all harm. You have no need to fear him—ever. Bane would also very much like it if you would be willing to spend some nights with us together so that he may come to learn the beating of your heart, just as he has learned mine.”
When I finished relaying his words, I pulled Bane’s head down and hugged him fiercely. He was my truest companion in many ways, and his willingness to embrace both my Tári and my Táriel was only one of the many reasons that I’d come to love him so much.
As I held onto his massive head, I felt another pair of arms join in on our embrace. Líann had risen beside me and wrapped her arms around Bane as well, putting herself perilously close to the razor-sharp fangs she’d dreaded only a moment before.
“Thank you, Bane,” Líann replied to him directly. “When the Empress feels that the time is right for me to stay here with her, I will be honored to share some of those nights with you as well.”
Although I knew that day would eventually come, I had no idea how long it might be before I let Líann live with me here in my chambers. Aside from the matter of appearances, there were two other Tári who might resent me doing so, and I had to consider their feelings in whatever decisions I made. While I had no doubt that it would indeed be Líann who came to live with me, I wasn’t sure just when I’d be willing to allow that to happen.
Although Líann protested, if only for a moment, I pulled her back down, and the three of us lay together for a while. Bane’s contented purr filled the room once more, much to Líann’s surprise and delight as she’d never heard its sound before. Unfortunately, my Ministers were waiting for me, so we were forced to break up our impromptu gathering, despite how comforting it had been. But before we left, I had one last thing that I needed to do.
I summoned Ridge right there in the middle of Bane’s room and set him to enlarging the chamber, including an even wider opening for him to enter it through. The outer balcony provided plenty of room for expansion, so the elemental was able to begin at once. I’d have to get new doors made to fit the dimensions of whatever Ridge eventually constructed, but it simply had to be done. I couldn’t even consider not having Bane close to me as often as possible.
With my task complete, Líann led me into the next room where Saibra and my guards were waiting for us. I’d already delayed too long, so I grabbed a biscuit from the breakfast tray that had been brought up for me before heading straight for the conference chamber a few stories below. I was, of course, the last to arrive, so Venna immediately called the meeting to order as I took my seat.
Talína made a brief presentation to begin, providing a quick synopsis of all that had transpired while we’d been away. There was nothing truly notable, but as I’d observed the previous day, the Imperial District had continued its steady growth during our absence. When she concluded her remarks, Talína stood and made ready to depart, but I had her remain instead.
“Talína, you essentially run my Empire, whether I’m here or not,” I made her pivotal role absolutely clear. “Please stay, and feel free to offer your opinion on any matters we discuss.”
Despite her obvious surprise, Talína sat back in her chair, and we began the discussion of our plans for the Dark Lands. The First Marshal started the conversation with a very stark assessment of the state of our military.
“Even after adding the troops we received from Ryland, we’re at well less than half-strength, Empress,” Evans tactfully reminded us of the losses we’d incurred. “It will take time for the replacements and the troops from our new allies to arrive, and even more time still to train and integrate them. Based on the reports I’ve seen, I wouldn’t expect to have your Army ready to be deployed for at least six months—at the earliest.”
That was actually better than I’d expected to hear. Considering the monumental task ahead of him, I’d anticipated that the First Marshal would request far longer than that, so his report was a pleasant surprise.
“Alright, so let’s plan on six months—we can always adjust the timetable a little further if needed,” I replied. “Then what? How do we proceed?”
It was one thing to simply say you’re going to invade the Dark Lands—actually taking on the dangers of that vast, untamed region was another matter entirely. When no brilliant strategies immediately came to mind, Evans unfurled a large map that covered almost the entire surface of our conference table. We pored over it, searching for any obvious avenues of attack, but with the high mountains on both its eastern and western borders, the Dark Lands presented few of those. Only the open plains north of Zonnia and the wide swath of land along its southern border adjacent to Olóra provided any easy access. But Zonnia was simply too remote and would stretch our supply lines too thin if we launched our attack from there, leaving the Olóran frontier as our only viable option.
“When we’re ready, we’ll need to march fast if the
Army is to arrive there before our enemy becomes aware of our intentions,” Evans considered our future offensive carefully. “If they have too much warning, we’ll be hard-pressed to fight our way past them.”
“No, I want our enemy to have plenty of notice about what we intend,” I countered. “In fact, I want their forces fully prepared for us when we arrive.”
“Forgive me Empress, but we cannot hope to defeat the vast numbers that the Dark Lands have at their disposal,” Evans replied. “Our only hope is to vanquish them in a series of smaller battles.”
“You’re right, and they know this as well, so we’re going to use that knowledge against them,” I responded, before filling my advisors in on the strategy that had occurred to me.
“You know about the attack on Venna by an agent of the Dark Lands, and why we had to increase our security precautions,” I began, before letting them know what Nentai had told me. “What you don’t know is that there’s a power directing the forces of the Dark Lands, and it’s been watching us. That power has been using its ability to gain the upper hand on us, and now I intend to turn that ability to our advantage.”
“A decoy,” Evans hit upon my strategy immediately.
“Yes, First Marshal, that is correct,” I smiled at him, eager to hear his thoughts on my plan.
“The obvious course of action for us is to invade from the south,” Evans mused as he looked over the map. “So, we’ll need to make it look like we’re doing just that.”
“I plan to send Ridge and another Earth elemental to build a fortress for us right here,” I picked up his train of thought and pointed out a region just within Olóra’s borders. “They will need to be accompanied by a force strong enough to make it appear that we are intent on holding that position.”
“Yes, I see,” Evans took up where I left off. “If we send regular supply caravans and conduct patrols, it should help to complete the deception.”
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