“…times of turmoil our Hescarian might has shone through over and over again, I speak to you now as Queen of Hescaria, as my mother’s successor, as the monarch to end our subjugation. The time to fight is now, come my people, come and pledge your dedication to a true Hescarian Kingdom because as we fight we will take and carve out lands and waters denied to us for a hundred years. This is the beginning of a new offensive and together, as one, I believe we’ve already won.”

Lumina gives a short bow and the large cubed item floating a few feet away from a one of the Mage-Warriors loses its light and falls into his hands. A brilliant item, one and I used quite a number of times to communicate with the rest of the Empire, be it Nobles or commoners. It required prior investment in infrastructure throughout the Empire, without it some places would be left in the dark or rely on word of mouth to pass on the message, but I doubt Hescaria has such troubles.

Valery nudges me forward as Lumina takes her place on the throne. The long dark grey of her dress pools beneath her feet as she massages her temples, her last two fingers sleeved in a golden metal claw glimmering with magic. The circlet on her head braids back along with her hair, keeping one side of her face exposed with the other falling over a pointed ear with more enchanted jewellery hanging on.

She’s quickly taken to the comforts of her official role as Queen of Hescaria, even as far as beckoning the nobles and warriors of the land to come pledge their support and loyalty to their new Queen.

She sees us approach and waves everyone in the room away, a gesture that reminds me so much of Calridian. Ocean eyes fix onto me as she situates herself to speak to us.

“Nil.” Her voice is soft but certain as she utters my name, I smile knowing last time wasn’t a fluke. “You failed to mention your…companion?” she frowns.

Valery doesn’t say a word, she walks up the stairs leading up to the throne and sits at the half way point. Her mind is a cloud, even if I were to invade I’d be lost in the torrent of thought she’s having.

Maintaining my smile, I nod, “Yes, but only because I didn’t know I had a…companion.” Even I’m not sure what to call King at this point, I suppose partner would be the respectable choice but the technical wording for a soul attached to another is lost on me.

“Your companion-”

“I think partner would be a better word.”

Her frown deepens. “King, left and when she did I don’t believe she intended on returning. We have a pact in place, Nil, these new variables aren’t…reassuring to the agreement we’ve had about this war. I’ve just had to lie to my people, I’ve had to tell them that we’d most certainly win this war against an Empire whose last defeat was over two hundred years ago.”

“If you can’t lie for the sake of the future then what’s the point in you leading a Kingdom?” It’s King that speaks for me this time, and by the flash in Lumina’s eyes I know she recognizes her words.

“So she is here, now. I’d like to speak with her, Nil.”

“Not possible.”

“And why not?”

My smile falters a bit as I ask, “Do you really want King in control? Do you think there wouldn’t be consequences?”

Valery looks up at her and I wonder if one of the many items adorning the Queen allows her to secretly communicate with her sister.

“You think King will hurt us, because Valery’s words don’t hold as much power and mine hold none.”

I shrug, “I don’t want to lose this chance to talk like reasonable minded folk. Besides, King is listening to everything you say right now, you have her attention.”

Lumina pushes her hair back and leans into her throne as she raises her metal gloved fingers. Chains and manacles spurt out of the floor and float an inch away from my limbs, she waves them away but the point is made.

“Right, this is your Palace.”

“It is. This is the last place I could ever be hurt, not even the Emperor would step in her when mother reigned and now I, a Queen blatantly aggressive to his Empire sits on the throne. Don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re in control of every situation, Nil.”

‘I like this one, she sounds almost as wise as I am.’

‘Because she agrees with you on one point?’

‘One point is a start. Get on with it, there are too many places around the continent to check for us to waste time flapping gums here.’

“Point taken, but still, King listens and she wants me to get on with the reason for our meeting now. I promise we won’t act against you, not unless you act against us and our interests.”

“And what of our interests? Valery tells me you plan on leaving most of the battle to us so you can pursue some power that’ll end the war. What reassurance will I have that the lives I’ll inevitably lay down at the front line will bear fruit to the end of this war?”

Again, I shrug, “On that I guess you’ll just have to trust that I want what’s best for me. And the war I need Hescaria to fight will require a strength neither of us possess right now. Let the weak be culled, there are greater gains to be had once we find what we’re looking for.”

Overwhelmed by fury Lumina springs out of the throne, “Culled! The weak? You dare!” her voice booms throughout the throne room startling both Valery and I. “I should expect nothing more from a demon than cruelty, this is what I’ve bargained us into Valery.”

Just as quickly as her anger sprung forth does it simmer into the forlorn look she wears now. Valery skips up the steps and takes her hand in hers, whispering reassurances and taking the blame for this debacle— me.

“I phrased that wrong…uh, well, you get the idea. I can’t protect the frontline while searching for what we will need. If I knew I’d need this, if I knew it existed before now then I would have stopped you from your declaration of war and better prepared ourselves. It’s unfortunate but it’s happened, we can only move forward.”

“My Kingdom will prove you wrong, the both of you. Valery and her team will accompany you at all times until this power you speak of is found, and if it is, we will have a piece of it.”

I hold back a groan at Valery’s addition, “Well, firstly, this power isn’t one Vuius would be please to see any elf wield and I promise she will take action even if a condemn wench like your sister dares to. Besides, it would kill her and I’m not sure you want a powerhouse like Valery and her team away from the frontlines.”

“I need someone I can trust beside you, I won’t compromise on this.”

Valery doesn’t seem to agree with pulling away from the frontline but she understands the need as she adds, “Lumina, how about Kelv, Jerad and I go with them, the rest of my team will take their place at the front. But don’t hesitate to call us back to aid Hescaria, I’ll drag the demon with me.”

I snort and she fixes me with a glare.

“That should work fine, make sure whatever this power is we know of it and know how to wield it.”

‘Lumina was born for that throne.’

‘Why are you so supportive of her? She’s basically our enemy.’

‘Your enemy, you’re the one with the pact. But…she reminds me of me, a softer, eager to please version of me.’

‘I don’t think I had the honour of meeting that you.’

‘I don’t think you were born yet.’

Ignoring King I nod at Valery and Lumina, “Well if that’s settled I suppose we can head back to the hill.”

Valery smirks at this, “Yes, the hill I dragged you from.”

‘I can’t say I see you two becoming friends.’

‘I can’t say I do either.’

***

We leave Lumina to her duties, the demands of the army come in folds. Valery leads me out to a room, a large, tall and long room and throws open her wardrobe.

The room nearly matches the grandeur of King’s bedroom, it falls short in the key splendour that comes from jewellery, there’s a considerate lack of it despite this being her childhood bedroom. The walls, like the Palace itself speak of a great length of time spent.

Greater Cognizance allows me to clear up the usual clutter of the degraded history the room speaks of, so I know at one point or another the room met the standards I’d expect from a Princess of an aged Elven Lineage.

As Valery rifles through her wardrobe, I rifle through her shared past with the room. The memories and events it whispers are fractured for the most part, but they aren’t noisy pieces like Gerim’s hovel was.

From it I gather that Valery wasn’t always the tough nail, not the hardest nut to crack either if her wails at Lumina being taken away for lessons says anything about it. I gather glimpses of other figures familiar with the room, Lumina, the dark haired warrior and the Queen. Each delivered a different emotion as they appear, but that changes as well. Before long there’s a slight but obvious budding rivalry and resentment— I can’t tell why it went sour but I know it did and that’s enough.

‘If it happened once it can happen again.’

“You’re going to need something to wear from now on, I don’t think that dress…or what’s left of it, isn’t going to do you any justice.” Valery says.

“Do me justice? You want to enunciate my best features?” King voices through.

“Your sense of humour is still intact, great you’re still enthusiastic about this.” She tosses me a set of robes and leather trousers. “You’re good walking barefoot yeah? None of my boots will fit those giant hooves of yours.”

“My feet are whatever size I want them to be.” I say with a quick demonstration.

She frowns as she forfeits a pair to me, “So you chose to have them at that size then, demons are intriguing truly.”

“And mortals remain ever so mundane.”

She scoffs and takes my new look in. A grey cloak with the belt hanging out by the side, my bare chest and her the dark bottoms. With Seeker floating beside me I feel rather confident.

“Like what you see? I know I do.”

She walks past me and out the room, “Let’s go, we have to meet up with the others.”

On the way out I catch a memory filled with pain and anguish, and instantly recognize Valery, eyes red from crying into her pillow and smashing into the wall. Whatever she mourns— still mourns by the lasting one-sided glance at the picture sitting at her bedside table— is what led her to me, to demons and to war.