by Auryn Hadley
Geo flicked his fingers to the trio. "Would hate to call him Taunor and get dropped for it. Would hate to not recognize it if he is. That's all, man."
Razor caught each of their eyes, one by one. "The word will get whispered when he accepts it. Until then, don't make it hard on the guy."
That's when Blaec stepped forward, and they all fell silent.
"It's good to be home," he said nodding at them. "But first things first. Dom needs to name Sal as Kaisae and make it public. Rragri will send word back to Anglia, and an announcement will be made there, as well." He looked at each of them seriously. "Speak up if you're not ready for this, men. You're all about to become citizens of Anglia and family of a queen."
Silence fell across the small camp. Not even the shifting of armor broke the morning stillness. Blaec smiled.
"I proud of you all, you know that?" he said. "You've become something stories will be written about for generations. I never expected any of this when we started. I built the Blades on anger and hate, and we made our name known because of it." He turned to Sal. "But Ayati, things change. You could have taken the dun, and none of this would have happened. You could have said no. You could have insisted on that transfer. Instead, Kaisae, you changed the world."
Sal shook her head. "No, Blaec. You changed the world. You just used the best tools to do it." She gestured to the men before her. "You never let your pride stop you from using the man best for the job. I may have the right ears," she chuckled, "and be the only one in our unit that can't manage to piss while standing, but we all know who is in charge here, Kaisor."
They all nodded. "Sorry, LT," Arctic said. "She's got a point. Sal's made an impact, but she never would have if it wasn't for you." A whisper of a thought crossed their minds, and nine men and one grauori snapped to attention, pausing for a second, then saluting him in the Anglian style. "General," Arctic said, smiling proudly at Blaec.
"Enough gloatin'," Jase called out. "Sun's up. Time fer our Kaisae ta finally be recognized."
Hwa trotted to Sal and rested his paw on her leg. She looked down, and he grinned. Dark pigment began to stream across his fur like dye poured on his coat and, slowly, he faded from white to black. I would hate to be out of uniform, he told her.
"Fuck me," Shift said. "We even have a black gerus! Hwa, you're some shit, man. Nice."
The Black Blades formed up, Sal at the front, with Blaec and Jase beside her, and made their way to the King's pavilion. As they passed through the army tents, soldiers fell in behind them, all grinning. The area in the center of camp had been cleared to allow for the display, and the Verdant Shields stood quietly before the King's door like statues. Blaec called the Blades to a halt silently, and they stood in formation, waiting. Sal knew what the soldiers around her hoped for, but none had been told what the proceedings were about.
"King Dominik Jens, leader of the Anglian Humans," Ilija said into the morning air.
Dom pushed through the flap and paused. Surrounded by his guard, he moved to stand before Sal, Blaec, and Jase.
"Orassae Rragri, leader of the Anglian grauori," a voice said behind them.
Pale forms slipped between the humans, mingling with their fellow countrymen, as Rragri moved to Dominik's side. Her pack shifted around behind her to mimic the Shields.
Dom and Rragri shared a glance, then Rragri spoke through her Vargwar. "You are Citizens of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. Why are you here today?"
Sal raised her voice in answer. "Under the new law, as iliri, we may petition the co-rulers of Anglia for amnesty. We," and Sal gestured behind her, "are all iliri, and they are my pack. I request that we be given asylum with Anglia and that we are allowed to become true people of Anglia."
"Do you renounce all fealty and loyalty to the Conglomerate of Free Citizens?" Rragri asked.
"We do," Sal said, and behind her, each man said softly, "I do."
Dominik spoke up, his face serene, "And will you swear loyalty to Anglia in its place?"
As one, the Black Blades fell to a knee, every head bent except Sal's. She looked up at Dominik and Rragri, and said, "I swear to honor and protect the nation of Anglia and the three kingdoms. I vow that I shall give my life in service to her, and to her citizens, and that so long as there is breath in my body, I will work for the welfare of each. I will respect the positions of King, Kaisae, and Orassae, and the ruler who holds them, so long as that ruler holds fair to the people they claim as their own." Sal paused and took in a long breath. "I make this vow without obligation or reward, and free from any mental reservations."
"I do," the Blades said behind her.
Dominik and Rragri smiled and looked at each other. Harrgra called out, "Then I claim you as citizens of Anglia. Be welcome in your new home."
Behind them, the Anglian soldiers of both races erupted into cheers, but Dominik held up his hand. "Please," he begged them, and slowly they fell quiet. He turned back to the Blades.
"Salryc Luxx, Anglia is a nation of three species." Behind her, Sal heard the gasps of pleasant surprise as Dom spoke. "You are iliri." Sal nodded. "We have no ruler to represent you. Because of this, decisions for your people are shared between myself and Orassae Rragri. I would like to offer your ilus a place in our military, should they desire it."
"We would," the Blades said.
"I demand," Rragri said, "That Blaec Doll be promoted to General, as benefiting his position with his people, and henceforth accept the title of Kaisor."
"I agree," Dominik said. "Sir, will you accept this change?"
Blaec looked up, then bowed his head. "I do."
"And you," Rragri's translator said, "Salryc Luxx, shall renounce the rank of Lieutenant, and take instead that of Kaisae, as benefits your people. Will you accept this?"
"I do," Sal said.
Dom nodded and raised his voice. "Then as the only recognized Kaisae, we must, in good faith, offer you the Iliran throne of Anglia. Kaisae Salryc Luxx, would you consent to lead the iliri, to represent them both in fair times and foul, and to work ever for the good of your people above all else? Kaisae? Will you rule Anglia at our side."
Sal rose to her feet. Slowly, she placed her fist over her heart, looking first at Dominik, then at Rragri. When she let her hand fall to her side, she turned to the men behind her, looking over the bent heads of her Black Blades. "I will, and I do. I would be proud to be your Kaisae," she promised them.
Anglia erupted as hundreds of soldiers called out their enthusiasm. The noise of their cheers was loud enough to be heard in the Conglomerate encampment. Taking her place as a ruler of the country, Sal stepped forward, moving between Dominik and Rragri. The Orassae passed her a medallion with the Anglian triad set in a pale silver against a green so dark it appeared black. Sal took it, easily meeting Rragri's eyes, and they both smiled. On her other side, Dom held out a simple circlet made of deep green resin. It appeared black, except for the verdant reflections in the early light. Sal dropped her eyes to the ground, and the King set it carefully on her head, the point resting above her brow.
"Citizens of Anglia," Dominik called out. Harrgra's voice joined his. "We present to you, the Kaisae of Anglia, ruler of the iliri, and equal in all ways to the King and Orassae."
The soldiers fell silent and, one by one, each dropped to a knee. When the hush of movement ended, a small brown girl at the front said clearly, "Laetus, my Kaisae."
The words flowed across lips, and Sal watched men wipe at moist eyes. "Laetus, my Kaisae," they all said, claiming her as their own. Sal's ears dropped on the side of her head and her lips fell open, humbled by their love.
"Thank you," she told them all. "I am so glad to be home."
"Rraz!" a grauori snarled, and all heads turned to the voice. Roo growled again, "Rraz, Rhyx!"
"My amma!" Rhyx snarled back, running toward Sal on her hind legs, tottering, but moving fast. "Amma Sal. Amma Sal, I'm iliri too!"
Sal gasped when she saw the pup. Rhyx had taken shears to her coat,
cutting patches of hair down to the skin across her body but leaving her short mane. Tufts of hair stood in every direction, and she ran ahead of her dam toward Sal. Even on two legs, the pup was quick.
"Rhyx," she said, bending down to halt the pup. "What did you do to your fur?" She waved off her friend. "She's fine, Roo."
Roo groaned and flopped to the ground muttering "Geraen!" A few soldiers laughed, and Rragri nodded in sympathy.
"I am iliri, amma," Rhyx insisted. "I am a Black Blade, and that makes me iliri!"
"Ya," Rragri said with her own mouth. "Ya, Rhyx, oo are iliri."
"So I made me iliri!" She stood before Sal and pointed to the white skin showing through the bald patches.
"Rhyx, little one, you're iliri here," she tapped the pup's head. "That is what makes you iliri. Being grauori on the outside doesn't matter."
Rhyx's ears sagged, and she pulled her tail between her legs. "I no wanna be grauori on the outside, amma. I wanna be iliri all over."
Sal knelt to look the child in the eyes. "There's nothing wrong with being grauori on the outside. Why would you not want to be strong, and beautiful, and proud?"
"Iliri are all that, amma, and you're prettier than Rragri!"
Sal heard chuckles and realized that every soldier in the camp was listening to her comfort her pup. "But iliri don't get strong claws, or soft fur, baby."
"I have a knife, too! Amma Roo said I can't bring it, but I have a knife like you. I don't need claws."
Sal ducked her head to hide her smile. "I would rather have claws, little one. Rhyx, where did you get a knife?"
The pup shrugged. "It was a present. Dava Audgan said I could have it."
"Ah, shit," Audgan muttered. "It's that green blade I found, Sal."
Sal nodded and turned Rhyx's face up to hers. "You know, if you're iliri on the outside, you have to wear clothes, and you can't walk on your hands. Your amma Roo and dava Hwa are iliri, even if they look grauori. Dava Zep looks human, but he's iliri. Don't you think of them as iliri?"
Rhyx stared at her for a long moment, thinking about that. "Ya," she admitted finally. "But I wanna look iliri, too."
Sal stood and pulled Rhyx into her arms, settling the pup on her hip. "Ok. Then you can look iliri, little one. We'll have to do something with the rest of your hair, though, and find you something to wear."
Rhyx's ear flipped forward, and her mouth opened in the biggest Grauoran grin Sal had ever seen. "Really amma?"
"Really, my little imp. I dyed my hair to try to be human, you know." Sal rubbed the pup's ears. "Doesn't matter what you look like on the outside to me. If you're iliri," she glanced out at the soldiers hanging on her every word, "or human, or grauori, it's just as good as being any other. You need to be comfortable with who you are."
Rhyx nodded. "I'm Anglian, so I can be anything I wanna, and I'm gonna be iliri."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Dom whispered softly.
Chapter 36
It was a whore who offered to help Roo fix the mess Rhyx had made of her fur. They finished shaving the pup, leaving only her mane to mimic the hair iliri had on their heads, and a group of veteran soldiers stitched together a short shirt and pants to hide Rhyx's new nudity. Keeya Tikva, the girl Sal had first met in the stables, cut down a spare belt, and they hung Rhyx's sheath on it and strapped it around her waist. As the pup struggled to walk only upright around the camp that morning, she fell often, but no soldier ever appeared to see it. None laughed when she proudly ran her short fingers through her hair like a human. In her wake, many men smiled, though.
Shaved and clothed, she did look nearly Iliran. Her fingers were shorter, her muzzle slightly longer, and her teeth much more deadly, but only her tail differed significantly from Sal's features. As the Black Blades swung into their saddles, Rhyx saluted them proudly - as an Anglian.
Zep crept behind her and wrapped his arms around her belly. "You're a pretty little ilus, you know that, imp?"
Rhyx nodded proudly, and Raast giggled. "Rhyx is prettiest iliri pup, but I am prettiest grauori," Raast said.
"Yes, Raast, you are now. Your competition gave up. You girls be good for amma Roo, ok?"
"Ya, dava," they said to him, and he kissed each head before climbing onto Cessa. Zep caught Jase's eye and grinned, moving his mare behind Sal. Blaec turned to him and nodded.
"You fit nicely there," he said, making Zep blush.
"I really do, man. Let's go make a scene."
"Helms on," Blaec called out, and the Blades pulled them over their heads. All except one. Sal held hers in her hands, turning it.
"Who did this?" she asked. Around the crown, one green and one silver line twined together as a symbol of her office.
"Seemed fitting," Risk said. "Life and Destiny. The colors of our country."
"Thank you," she told him, then pulled the helm over her pale hair and nodded at Blaec.
"Open us up," Blaec called, and Arctic obeyed, pulling each of them into one.
Sal smiled behind her helm as she squeezed Arden forward. The mare arched her neck into Sal's hands, matching the feel of her brothers' horses. Within a few paces, the men had their mounts rounded up and trotting in perfect step. Blaec's pride at their show oozed over each of them as they made their way across the open prairie toward the gates of another nation. One they no longer held any claim to.
Sal passed through the entrance into Conglomerate territory first, Blaec and Jase just behind and beside her. The sound of their horse's matched steps rang out on the cobbles, and soldiers in blue turned, pausing when they saw the unit in black. Sal kept her head straight forward, leading them proudly toward the Great Hall, watching men abandon their practice and move closer. Halfway there, a single soldier in an indigo uniform waited beside the main path. Sal glanced over, expecting to see Reko.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Raj Jozefo stood there, alone, at perfect attention. He met Sal's eyes through the dark helm, and she saw just the corner of his lip twitch upward before he snapped a formal salute. As the Black Blades trotted past, the man refused to move a single muscle, his discipline saying more than any words could.
I'm glad you let him live, kitten, Jase thought.
That's one more voice that will stand up for us now, Zep agreed.
Arctic let his amusement leak to them. Glad to know you've finally accepted it, Zep. Sounds good to hear you say us.
Fuck off, Zep thought, and Sal felt them all grinning.
They halted as one and, in unison, slipped from their horses' backs to land easily on their feet. None of them moved, standing like statues with their reins in their right hands. Around them, soldiers looked but seemed to have no idea how to react.
"Someone get the damned horses," General Sturmgren yelled. "Do you not recognize a diplomatic party when it prances into your camp? Move!" Conglomerate soldiers swarmed to them, each taking a horse, but the look on their face was confused. Sturmgren made his way to the front of their party. "I offer greetings from the Conglomerate. Be welcome." He grinned, then added, "Kaisae."
Sal nodded at him but said nothing.
"Notices were posted last night. We heard the ruckus from here this morning. Please," he gestured to the door of the Great Hall, "the meeting is already in progress."
Sal turned and walked to the door, her men falling in step without a word. Conglomerate soldiers murmured behind her.
"That's the Black Blades. Thought they were disbanded."
"They're iliri. I think they just defected."
"Fucking let Anglia have them, then."
"You stupid fucks," Raj said. "That's the best damned soldiers on the continent, and they aren't ours anymore. Instead, they're leading Anglia. Do you have any idea what that means?"
"No, jackass, but I bet you want to tell us."
"It means we're out-classed, out-manned, and basically fucked. Just hope you never have to stand across the line from her."
"Who?"
Raj ch
uckled. "Salryc Luxx. The iliri Kaisae."
The door closed behind them, cutting off the voices, and Sal made her way into the Alliance meeting with her head held high. The Blades moved down the ramp leading toward Anglia's table. Heads turned at the sound of their feet. Around them, the hum of conversation fell silent.
"The Black Blades were disbanded," Halin Berrik said, looking up. "You are out of uniform and disobeying orders. Guards, remove them from this meeting."
"No," Dominik called out, and the guards stopped. "They are welcome - unless you're saying that Anglia is not wanted in this alliance?"
Representative Toth answered, "Of course Anglia is welcome. We simply do not want a rogue unit of iliri soldiers disrupting a meeting of this importance."
Rragri chuckled, and Tseri Janoyc smiled.
Without a word, the Verdant Shields shifted, allowing the Black Blades to take up positions between them. White armor alternated with black in a semicircle around the Anglian table. Sal unbuckled her scabbards and passed her swords to Jase, then turned to the table. Just behind her chair, she paused, slipping the helm from her head to set it on the corner. Her pale locks tumbled across the dark curiass. Too casually, she lifted the circlet and ran her fingers through her hair before replacing it, drawing all eyes to the simple crown on her head. It was a near match to the one Dominik wore, only darker.
"King, Orassae," Sal said pulling out the seat. "I'm sorry I'm late."
She sat easily, then turned to look at the politicians on all sides of the room. The Justices of Myrosica dipped their head in greeting. The Representatives from the Conglomerate showed a range of expressions, from welcoming to openly hostile. Last, she looked at the table directly across from her. Tseri Janoyc met Sal's eyes and nodded, dropping her gaze to show respect. Sal paused, shocked to see Reko Wyra still in the indigo uniform of Azure, standing beside the Kaeen. Meeting her eyes, he flicked his ears forward, the corner of his mouth twisting up. It seemed her long lost brother had plans of his own.
"What are you doing, Lieutenant?" Berrik asked. Her voice conveyed her contempt.
