“No, thank you, Merrimiss,” Veria smiled. “They were delicious, but it will be lunch soon.”
“Well, take a tart to tide ye over, then.” She gestured to the window where they cooled and Veria remembered her meeting with Andon in the kitchen with a dizzying rush of heat filling her body suddenly, causing her to falter slightly, and she grabbed the baker's table for support.
“Take a few tarts, love,” Merrimiss added with another knowing look, crossing to the window and plucking four of the tiny pastries off the tray and tossing them into a cloth napkin. She crossed the kitchen to Veria, her plodding steps and heavy boots against the stone floor creating quite a ruckus.
“Alright,” Veria replied. “Thank you.”
Normally, Veria would have offered to help with chores until it was time to go to lunch, but she was in such a distracted daze she wandered out of the kitchen with the napkin full of tarts with no particular destination in mind. She nibbled at the tarts as she walked back to her room and skimmed the 'Lore of Morenet' book she had kept in her bedside table, hoping for the scant possibility of more clues, but there were none. When it was time for lunch, she eagerly crossed the expansive grounds to the cottage.
Surely Turqa had mentioned something to her mother about the pregnancy, as Tanisca looked at her daughter with a mix of pity and concern when she entered the quaint little house.
“Mother, don't look at me like that,” Veria sighed.
“Well, I'm worried,” Tanisca retorted.
“Nobody has any time to be worried,” Veria said plainly. “There is too much to be done.”
“Not for you,” her mother argued.
“Yes, for me, too. And you are the only one who can help me with it.”
Tanisca cocked her head. “What ever do you mean?”
“I have to learn to lie,” Veria explained. “I need to train the skill of deception.”
Tanisca shook her head. “Of course...of course Strelzar would have you do that. Of course he would put you in that position, in that danger of having to lie—knowing what would happen to you if you fail!”
“Mother,” Veria said, rounding the table to take her mother's hands in hers, “I won't fail. You are the best teacher I could have on this, and you know how quickly I learn everything—I promise I won't do anything prematurely that would put any of us at risk. But I can't be a part of this, I can't be involved in this cause until I can hide information from him. That's for my own safety—our family's safety.”
Tanisca nodded, a look of contemplation tinging her smooth, youthful face. “You're right, I'm sorry, it's just—I trust him, but he's...”
“Different,” Veria finished. “I have heard.”
“He needs you,” Tanisca whispered. “You kept him sane. Or, as sane as he can be, I suppose.”
“I can't help him until I can tell the King that I haven't,” Veria said.
“Then let's get to work, I suppose,” Tanisca said, forcing a grin.
Veria took a deep breath. “Alright, what do I do?”
“This is how it was explained to me, by Strelzar, when I was his student,” Tanisca said. “A lie has its own energy, its own power. That's why others can detect it. What does it feel like to you when you hear a lie?”
“Like sparks in my ear,” Veria answered.
“That's the Fire energy it carries,” her mother said. “Imagine I had a line of three empty jars. You'd think nothing of them. They're ordinary, nothing to stop and notice or think twice about. But if, among those jars, there was a wrapped package, you would take notice of it. It would stand out. You would pick it up and unwrap it. The truth is plain and ordinary. Nobody takes any notice of it. It's the lies that stand out—that we pay attention to—that we feel the need to investigate.
“So all you have to do is strip the energy from the lie,” she said, matter-of-factly.
“How in the world—”
“I let the children adopt a duckling!” Tanisca said, abruptly.
The lie snapped and crackled in Veria's ears like the embers from a fire.
“I let the children adopt a duckling,” she said again, and this time, the spark was hardly noticeable. “Did you feel the difference?”
Veria nodded. “Yes, you tried to strip the energy the second time.”
“You are too strong—your ability to find the truth is too powerful, even when all the energy has been stripped from a lie, you will still know it is not the truth and it will set off the same alarms—I'll never be able to completely deceive you. But not everyone is as good as you are, Via,” Tanisca said.
“Is Willis?” Veria asked.
“Maybe when he was younger. Maybe when he wasn't stressed and distraught over his family,” she replied with a shrug. “Ready to try it yourself?”
Veria nodded.
“Alright, latch onto the Fire energy in your talisman, then think of a lie,” Tanisca instructed, and Veria followed the commands. I'm looking forward to seeing the King at dinner, she thought silently.
Suddenly, like a sphere of heat, the lie whirred around in an orbit in her mind. Instead of having to search for the truth in her training years ago, the lie popped up, presented itself to her like a...like a gift, she thought, thinking of her mother's analogy about the wrapped package.
“You've got it?” Tanisca asked, and Veria nodded. “Now, connect with that energy and shift it out of the lie and into the talisman.”
Veria did, latching onto the little ball of energy. The lie was the ball, and the energy filled it, so she separated the two.
“Now say it,” Tanisca said.
“I'm looking forward to seeing the King at dinner,” Veria spoke.
Tanisca nodded with a look of pleasant surprise. “There's still a little bit there, but you got quite a bit of it.”
“That's all?” Veria said.
“That is all,” her mother replied. “It is an easy skill to learn, but a hard one to master. Lies have different severity, different energy imprints, and it can be hard to sense the amount of energy in it and have the power to remove it all—and all of it has to be done very quickly. If you stall longer than is normal for a typical conversation, then you will appear suspicious. And none of it matters if you're a terrible liar and your behavior or voice or facial expressions give you away in the end, anyway.
“Luckily, it's a skill that can be practiced easily on your own at any time,” Tanisca continued. “However, unless you have an Earth or Fire Mager around, you won't have anyone to verify how well you did. But practice is always valuable, and what I suggest you do regularly.”
“So, when Fire Magers plant deceptions, is it just moving the energy into the person you wish to deceive?” Veria asked.
“Yes, precisely. It has to be very powerful to stick, though. So generally, the Mager would focus a large amount of energy on it for a long period before placing it, or place it in smaller amounts over time,” Tanisca answered.
With a clamor that made both Tanisca and Veria turn sharply to the back door, Irea rushed inside from the garden, Turqa and Aleon following close behind.
“Momma!” Irea squealed and rushed to her. Veria dropped down to her knees to hugs her.
“Veria, how are you feeling today?” Turqa asked.
“Fine,” Veria sighed. “It's still early.”
“Your appetite has picked up, though, I hope?” he asked.
Veria nodded. “Yes, I think so.”
“Good,” Tanisca said. “Speaking of which, there is a whole tray of sandwiches in the kitchen, some fresh greens, and a pot of caro soup on the fire.”
“Oh, what prompted the feast today?” Veria chuckled.
“A very successful harvest from our vegetable patch,” Turqa answered.
“Veria, there is so much of it, I don't think we'll ever be able to eat it all—and there will be more!” Tanisca complained, but Veria could tell she was proud.
“Sell it!” Veria suggested. “Take it to the village, or take it to the coo
k in the castle—her name is Merrimiss, she's a friend of mine and she would pay you for your extras.”
Tanisca and Turqa exchanged a glance and shrug. “I suppose so,” Tanisca said.
“Browan is taking care of us, but it's the minimum and having some extra money wouldn't hurt,” Turqa said. “I still have a few patients that I tend to, which brings in a little, but I haven't been taking any new ones on, which was my plan after the wedding. Retire with my beautiful wife.”
He grinned at Tanisca and she blushed until her cheeks matched her ruby red lips and flame red hair.
“I'm hungry,” Irea groaned in Veria's arms.
“Of course, sweetheart,” Veria laughed, standing up with the little girl still in her arms and seating her on the bench at the table.
They all ate their feast of sandwiches, salad, and soup amongst conversation that was led mostly by Irea, and heavily featured her descriptions of how she had helped in the garden. Irea had helped with weeding, which she explained in depth, giving great detail on what the different types of weeds looked like and how many there usually were. She had also helped water the garden, and she proudly told Veria about her flower pots that she watered in addition to the vegetable patch.
After they all finished, Veria told Irea the story of the Dragon Maiden and both her children went down for their afternoon naps, and she went back to the castle with a fiery ball of nerves in her stomach as soon as she remembered what she must do that night...
In her room, she practiced with the skill her mother had told her about until her brain felt like mashed vegetables. It buzzed with leftover energy from the lies and truths, but she couldn't focus on anything. She sighed and thought that natural state would have been fairly handy at that moment, which at first made her think of Andon, but then, as she ran her hand along the old, solid stone bricks of the wall, she thought of Daloes.
What in the world would Daloes say about her now? she wondered. She had created not one, but two mixed element talismans, she had used a never before seen hard elemental skill to take out an entire unit of soldiers, to assassinate Ellory Mielyr, and now she was learning the skill that was the exact opposite of what she had come to him for.
The truth. She wanted to train because she wanted the truth.
Now she had it. She did, and her family and friends did...and she couldn't do anything with it. Not on her own. Not with just her skills—especially not with the two measly skills he had taught her all those years ago.
They needed every element, every skill.
'I am Tarddiad, born of the Water, creator of the Wind, and I have slept in the Fire of the Earth. No man may lie to me,' she fondly remembered the poetic passage from the story of Tarddiad.
Suddenly, the urge to see her first Master was overwhelming. There was no way she'd have time before dinner—Daloes lived outside of the village of Longberme, which was a solid two hour carriage ride one way. Not to mention she'd never get permission from the King to leave for what would likely amount to six hours away from the castle.
She sighed again and decided to change into something a little more regal for dinner, something that might distract Browan a bit...might make this whole mess go a bit more quickly and easily.
The red dress, the one he had given her as a gift before their first meeting at the castle. She shuddered as she pulled the velvety frock out of her wardrobe. If she had known then what that meeting would lead to, this dress would have gone straight into the fireplace, like other garments before it.
But for tonight, she had to wear it. Thankfully, it still looked incredible on her, she noted as she surveyed herself in the mirror once she had slipped it on. By the time she finished braiding her hair and freshening her makeup, it was time for dinner.
Steeling her nerves and straightening her spine, she marched through the castle to the Dining Hall.
-X-
“Veria...” Browan murmured in shock as she entered the Dining Hall. He stood and rushed to her side to escort her to her seat. “I never thought I would see you in this dress again.”
“Oh, this old thing?” Veria asked casually, brushing his words away with a haughty wave of her hand.
She sat in her usual seat, and he returned to his, not taking his eyes form her for a second.
“You look stunning, my Queen,” he said. “I mean, you look wonderful in everything Veria, but this was always my favorite.”
“Is it?” she asked as their plates were brought out to the table. “I had no idea.”
“How was your day?” he asked, shoving a stack of maps to the side to make room for his plate.
“Well,” Veria said after a deep breath, “I did a lot of thinking today. A lot of deep thinking, Browan, and...I've come to a decision on something very important.”
Browan cocked his head at her and his eyebrows inched up his forehead. “Really? And what might that be?”
“The kingdom expects the King and Queen to provide an heir,” Veria said, and Browan dropped his fork with an echoing clink. “I know I didn't choose this position, but you do know I would do anything for the kingdom of Londess. The impending birth of an heir would do so much to lift their spirits.”
Browan slowly closed his mouth that had gaped open in shock.
“You...you are absolutely right, Veria,” he agreed with a nod. “It would be wonderful news for the people. I am just quite shocked, as you can likely tell—you didn't seem agreeable about this when I mentioned it.”
“Well, as you realized yourself at the time, it wasn't a great moment to bring it up, Browan,” Veria said plainly, following her assertion with a large bite of fish from her dinner plate.
“Yes, I suppose it was quite awful,” he concurred.
“It was over two months ago,” Veria said. “And things have changed. The luncheon made me realize how important my role is, whether I asked for it or not—I am Queen, and I should be doing my best in this position.”
“I knew you'd come to see it that way,” Browan said smugly.
Veria suppressed an angry eye roll as a flashing sear of heat rippled through her skin at his remark.
“But,” she said slowly, “as this is a huge responsibility and burden that I am taking on, for you and for this kingdom, I have some requests.”
Browan's face contorted into a skeptical glare. “Of course you do,” he groaned sardonically. “I forgot who I was dealing with for a moment. Alright, then, what are these requests? And I am assuming if I don't fulfill them, you will suddenly change your mind?”
“It is possible,” Veria said calmly, and Browan snorted a laugh of disbelief. “First of all, since a potential pregnancy and newborn will take away much of my visitation time from my children, as you mentioned when this was first discussed, I would like Andon Villicrey to be reassigned to a job that allows him to visit with his children every night for dinner.”
Browan rolled his eyes and waved his hand. “Fine. Consider it done. What else?”
“To continue to expand my role as Queen, and to bring back credibility to the community of Magers after you single-handedly tarnished it by turning the Elemental Guard into a brute squad—”
“Oh, stay on topic, Veria—you were just as responsible for that as I am—”
“Don't you dare accuse me—I had nothing to do with you allowing Raken to torture my mother! I had nothing to do with sending a dozen guards to ambush an ambassador in public—”
“Alright! I agree, the public perception has taken a turn for the worse since you left,” Browan said.
“Since you stripped me of my command and then kicked me out?!” Veria corrected angrily.
“Well, you left, didn't you?” Browan asked with a smug grin.
Veria sighed and clenched her fists.
“So, what is your suggestion to fix that, Your Majesty?” he asked.
“Re-establish the High Council. Rebuild the Shrine at Tarddiad.”
Browan stroked his chin in thought. “Other than rehabilitating how the ki
ngdom feels about Magers, how do I benefit?”
“The Council often weighed in on important world conflicts and decisions,” Veria explained. “They served as mediators, advisers, as a voice of wisdom. If there is a message you want spread across the kingdom, across the world, they can help.”
“Who would head this Council?” Browan asked.
“Well, I think you would want some previous members, so it's reputable within the Mager community,” Veria said matter-of-factly. “But since a Council hasn't been appointed for several decades, the only surviving previous council members are—”
“No!” Browan interrupted, slamming his fist on the table. “Absolutely not.”
“Browan, he is under your command as much as anyone else,” Veria persuaded. “He wouldn't let anything happen to me. If I am in danger because of his actions, he will walk the line. He will follow whatever you tell him to do.”
“The people think he's insane and dangerous, Veria!” Browan argued. “Why would I put Plazic in charge?!”
“Fill the Council with puppets, Browan—with pretty, likable figureheads who have no political ties,” Veria explained. “But Strelzar will supervise everything that happens on Tarddiad. I won't be able to supervise everything, Browan. I will be with child, if we are able to conceive, and then we will have a newborn after that.”
“There has to be someone else,” Browan shook his head.
“Well, I would have suggested Ellory, but you know how that went...” Veria sneered, and Browan rolled his eyes in response. “Daloes Caircliff won't do anything I ask, Virro Ladny is missing, and Strelzar Plazic is the only one who cares about me enough to follow your orders. He has been compliant this whole time, hasn't he?”
“Not a peep out of him, in fact,” Browan muttered. “Which is just as unnerving to me, but I suppose you're right—he would do anything for you, and if you think he will follow orders, you are probably right. You know him best.”
Queen of the Earth: Book V in the Elementals Series Page 8
