Oblivion's Queen

by M. H. Johnson

  Josie nodded her head approvingly. “She's right, Jess. About the herbs, anyway,” the slightly more conservative Josie allowed with a faint, reproving smile even as Jera grinned. “I know for a fact that Raphael would love for you to work with him on a horticultural venture. Just think about it, Jess; with your talents and diOnni resources, imagine the magnificent hothouses we could construct! Growing the most exotic herbs and blooms, using diOnni trade routes, we could quickly establish ourselves as the preeminent source of the highest quality herbs to be found anywhere on the continent!”

  “She does make a good point, you know,” mused Twilight from his favorite perch upon her shoulder. “Not all conquests have to be conducted on the battlefield. A trade empire can be quite a fine thing all on its own. Bringing together all the markets of all the continents under our control would allow for a golden age of trade and prosperity. And just think of all the world's fishies suddenly within our grasp!” Twilight purred happily at the thought.

  Jess smiled politely at her dear friends' enthusiasm even as they sedately made their way to the dining hall, Jess and Jera both wearing freshly pressed Highrock Uniforms, Jera allowing that she too appreciated the ease of movement on foot and saddle that tights allowed. Jess, however, was quite sure that what Jera most enjoyed the way Alex's eyes lingered upon her as she made her way along the grand dining table before sitting sedately at her lover's side with a tender, possessive kiss as she gently took his palm into her own.

  Perhaps Jess had sighed just a little too loudly. Raphael gazed fondly at Jess with a knowing smile even as Josie clasped his hand and smiled happily, leaning into him as much as their elegantly gilded chairs allowed. Malek's warm eyes looked tenderly upon Jess even as Jacob almost possessively squeezed Malek's hand; Jacob's expression an odd mixture of gratitude and jealousy both, as he grimly smiled and dipped his head in Jess's honor.

  “I truly think we need to get our Jessica a beau of her own, dear Malek, someone of far better taste and temper than the fool who treats her so badly," Jacob opined to Jess's sudden embarrassment, even as she moved to seat herself, one of the servitors politely gesturing her toward an empty chair at the head of the table.

  “For the honored guest and hero of the diOnni House, my lady,” the slender seneschal of the house insisted, his eyes also filled with warm gratitude as he gazed upon Jess.

  Jess smiled, acute embarrassment fading as she was able to take on the far more comfortable role of protector and guardian. “And how are you feeling, dear Dayton? I must say you look a sight more invigorated than when last we saw you!”

  Dayton smiled politely. "My Lady Calenbry is too kind. But these last few days have been good for me, thanks to Lord diOnni's undeserved forbearance and, I am given to understand, your own talented intercession as well."

  Jess blinked, not knowing quite what to say. Several days?

  “As we had intimated earlier, you were asleep for some time, Jess.” Josie explained in her gentle healer's voice. “That's why you were so thirsty when we were dressing you. And we let dear Dayton know that your herbal concoctions were a large part of how we were able to break the enchantment that had so ensnared him.”

  Jess nodded solemnly, relieved that her friends at least had the sense not to speak of her more unusual gifts; how exactly she had broken the dark enchantment surrounding Dayton, to say nothing of how she had managed to heal her shieldbrother, a miracle which she herself was humbled by and with no recollection of, for all that she was given credit for the occurrence. She gazed with heartfelt fondness at the man who meant so very much to her, even now laughing and flirting with Jacob, a sight that filled her heart with a lightness and ease that made her smile whenever she gazed at the pair, earning bemused looks from her shieldbrother, and far more strained glances from Jacob.

  “He is a bit jealous, you know," Josie confided after they were served a rather delicious meal of toasted vegetables, venison stew, and a fish fillet that Twilight assured was more than acceptable, Raphael even insisting upon an extra place being set for her familiar, which the seneschal saw to with remarkable aplomb. And strange it was that almost none of her friends or anyone else seemed even able to register Twilight happily gorging himself on fish, Alex alone shaking his head at the sight of the rapidly disappearing fillets, Malek merely flashing a bemused smile in her familiar's direction before Jacob distracted him once more.

  “Jealous?” Jess asked, her mind still contemplating the perplexing nature of her familiar.

  Josie nodded. "Jacob. He's grateful to you, more grateful than words can say, that you saved our Malek, but I think he also envies the bond you and Malek share." She looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "I don't think Malek is quite as... committed to a certain type of relationship as he likes to pretend, and I think Jacob senses it as well." She gazed frankly at her friend. "I think he's afraid you're going to steal Malek away from him."

  Jess laughed at the absurdity of the notion. "Impossible! He and I, we... experimented once upon a time, where we were both new students. And this was before he had even met Jacob! He had made it quite clear even then, once our passions had cooled after those first few weeks, that he wasn't really interested in me like that, that it had been but a moment's weakness brought on by wine and loneliness, and what he truly felt for me was the love of a dear friend. And, well, even though I felt a bit hurt for a time, I got over it. It had never affected our friendship afterwards, and honestly, Josie, I see him as my brother in truth. Perhaps closer than my brother. Save for Twilight, I feel closer to Malek than I do any other human being upon the face of Dawn." Jess blinked at her own declaration, feeling herself flush when she realized, by all her friend's silent stares, that once again she had failed to modulate her voice.

  “So, you have kissed Malek before, as more than a brother? Kissed and experimented. I am curious to know what that means, pray tell?” Jacob asked in a too calm voice, arching one eyebrow.

  “Stop it, Jacob,” Malek's tone was gentle, though his gaze was firm. “All Jess said was that I'm on the same tier of importance as her invisible cat.” Malek's wink invited a strained smile even as he spoke on. “It happened ages ago. Didn't I tell you this before? During first year, before you and I had even met. Jess and I were high on victory and revelry, and well, we kissed and sort of fell into each other's arms one night, both of us a bit too drunk on apple brandy, honestly. The next morning we woke up together in mutual surprise, heads throbbing, and laughed it off, realizing we made excellent friends, and far better that than some tawdry relationship that would only end in confusion, and that was the end of it.”

  Jess kept her gaze squarely on her cream clotted strawberries, willing her cheeks not to flush, knowing better than anyone how very much Malek was leaving out, and perhaps that was for the best.

  Jacob gave his lover a hard stare for a moment, before shaking his head with a sigh. “Very well, my love. If you say it was but a moment's confusion, I will accept that. I trust you, Malek, and I know you will treat me better than some sad character caught in some weepy play.”

  Malek chuckled. “Well put, my Jacob. Come now. Try the strawberries and cream. Exquisite, almost as tasty as if Jess herself had grown them.” He winked at Jess and she smiled back, her gut twisting in a knot of confused emotions, suddenly finding she had no appetite at all.

  Quickly the lighthearted banter turned serious, their focus now once more on obtaining the Chalice of Absolution, and doing their best to secure it before various diabolist factions could get their hands on it for gods alone knew what foul purpose.

  “So, it's settled then," Raphael said as, appetites well sated, they prepared to ready themselves for the journey ahead. "The next step will be to speak with Father and assure that under no circumstances is the artifact to leave diOnni possession."

  Malek grinned. “It will be a pleasure seeing the head chapter of the diOnni House firsthand. I've always wondered how a merchant prince lives.”

  Raphael gave a deprec
ating chuckle. “You've seen my quarters often enough at Highrock, Malek. I might indulge myself a bit more than some, but not to any absurd degree, I assure you.”

  “Well, they are the nicest quarters save for the dean's own, and I suspect even better appointed," Josie quipped lightly as they made their way to the stables, readying their mounts. Jess herself gave a sigh of relief, fully armed and armored once more. She had felt almost naked without her blade by her side.

  She gave Mercy a gentle pat and an apple, softly blowing into her destrier's nose, her mount butting against her, obviously happy to see Jess and, Jess was relieved to see, free of any injury or strain from the skirmishes they had faced together.

  “She is as fine a horse as any I've ever seen, my lady!" enthused the stable lad happily, and Jess was pleased to sense no lie in his flattery, or his eyes, gazing at her with open admiration.

  Jess gave the lad an approving nod, flipping him a fat copper adroitly caught, the boy's fond look turning to one of adoration. "My lady, thank you for your kindness!"

  Raphael laughed. “You're going to become a favored guest before too much longer, Jess. I do hope this means you'll be visiting my family chateau again, sometime soon.”

  Jess grinned. "Let us see what the tides of destiny have in store for us, my friend. Come, to the Capital we go!"

  “Well that didn't sound like anything out of a storybook," Jacob wryly quipped, earning a smile from his lover even as Malek finished checking over the straps and bindings of Jess's lamellar armor before she donned her mithril hauberk, her surcoat worn last of all to disguise under archaic pretense the priceless artifact worth a prince's ransom. Jess quickly checked the straps and bindings of her shieldbrother's armor in turn before helping him to don his shirt of mail over his own suit of bronze plated lamellar, grimacing as her fingers shook over the expertly patched spot where a certain mercenary's steel tipped lance had plunged through, almost killing Malek. She was just thankful that the lamellar, quilted gambeson worn underneath, and mail shirt worn above it all had at least mitigated some of the force of the blow, preventing Malek from being run completely through. The combined weight was still lighter than the plate and mail worn by the wealthiest of knights and, save for the wrought iron of Malek's easily removed mail shirt, was perfectly suited to an adventurer entering the realm of dreams as well.

  Jess turned to Raphael even as he bid his final farewell to his seneschal, giving Dayton final instructions in the methodical voice of a skilled administrator. "Are you sure you don't want to don one of your House mail hauberks?" Jess queried. "They really aren't that heavy, and with some padding underneath, you will hardly feel it."

  Raphael turned to Jess with a gentle chuckle. “Sadly, I am quite remiss in my martial studies save for rapier and main gauche, your favorite weapon combination, Jess, I know,” her friend teased, knowing well her prejudices. “Still, I would be remiss to not afford myself some protection, but I know for a fact we equip our men with thicker mail than most.” He sighed. "Still, your point is a quite valid one which is why I have decided to make a habit of traveling with at least the shirt of mail you saw me don at Highrock, for all that mine stops at the waist, and is not a full-length hauberk, such as you and Malek favor."

  Malek grinned, eyeing the shirt of mail Raphael held up for his inspection. "Bloody hells, I do believe all those links are made of sword caliber steel, each individually fused shut, not riveted." Malek gave an impressed whistle. "A master smith and an elementalist working in concert. That must have cost you a pretty penny, my friend."

  Raphael chuckled softly. "It did indeed, and the cost in steel and labor is such that it will never see general production. Honestly, my house smith doubts it is that much better than wrought iron, the way that the links catch and give with the blow, relying on tensile strength, not just hardness, to catch the point of an enemy blade and prevent it from bursting through. Still, it is a pretty piece and a gift from my father, after I waxed quite poetic in my admiration of your and Jess's feats after your first trip into Shadow."

  Josie smiled fondly at her lover. “What was that your father's note had said? We live in dangerous times, and a diOnni man is never caught off guard?”

  Raphael flashed a grin. “Something like that, my love.”

  Malek nodded. “Your father is a wise man indeed. And I sense we really should be off. Just look at Jess glowering, eager to commune with her forest once more.”

  Jess smirked. "To say nothing about preventing a certain dark artifact from falling into the wrong hands. Shall we be off, then?"

  “That's our Jess. Come, Jacob.” Malek clicked, leading with his restive stallion, and soon enough the party made their way up the scenic road winding up the hill back the way they had first arrived, Jess glancing back but once to see her friend's chateau, looking elegant and splendid by the edge of the shimmering river, the field of lush green grasses rippling in the gentle afternoon breeze. Of the men they had killed, there was no sign.

  Soon enough they found themselves at the break in the forest through which Jess had originally led them to this very road, Jess sensing somehow that through these woods she could scout the quickest path to the main thoroughfare leading straight to the Capital, for all that Raphael and Jacob had both expressed their doubts.

  “Just because Jess has a way with plants doesn't mean she knows the face of Erovering,” Jacob had sighed, though making no further protest. Raphael had tentatively suggested that they could always go by riverboat as was custom, but one look from Jess and the clipped assurance that they would shave days from the duration of the trip going through the heart of the ancient wood had closed off all further argument.

  “Through the forest once more, shieldsister?” Malek queried, gazing upon the rustling branches arching high overhead.

  Jess gave a contented nod, already humming happily. Her lingering cares and worries were soothed just by being in the presence of the great forest that still covered so much of Erovering. Prized for the caliber of its hardwood, its outskirts in many areas were carefully logged so as to maintain forest integrity while still allowing for a steady supply of the highest quality lumber, a trade good that was much in demand, when the royal family allowed it to be sold at all.

  Jess smiled in warm memory of her father's counsel, he who had explained so much of the world's workings to her, gazing fondly at her with gentle blue eyes, the mirror of her mother and brother's. As hale and healthy as a man half his age, his face still that of a handsome man, for all that it was lined with the struggles he had faced defending Erovering from Velheim in battles fought long ago.

  Many an hour they would spend walking sedately together, Jess learning many bits of wisdom from her sire while inspecting their extensive apple orchards. Prized throughout Erovering, their groves of Calenbry Reds and Golds were considered among the finest apples for flavor, crunch, and brandy making in all the continent. Her father felt such contentment, caring for their apple groves, a place where he truly seemed happy. He was, Jess reflected, a far different man than the one time general who had once been responsible for reaping a far bleaker harvest on the king's behalf. Indeed, the joy her father felt tending their apple groves was matched only by the satisfaction he seemed to feel watching his daughter carefully tend to her own personal garden, always taking the time to commend her natural gifts with plants, amazed at how vibrant and lush were the many exotic herbs under her care, plants that her father swore no other herbalist in their barony had ever been able to cultivate successfully before.

  Her father's words of warmth and praise had always made her heart soar, Jess reflected as she and her companions walked sedately along the forest path forming before them, her friends murmuring in quiet hushed voices, seeming almost intimidated by the sheer grandeur of the massive trees arching high overhead, spreading their bowers in a grand canopy of vibrant green, dappled shafts of sunlight causing the lower hanging foliage to sparkle like jewels, for all that the forest itself was dim and quiet, s
ave for the rustle of endless leaves.

  “Jess?”

  Jess turned and gazed into the warm brown eyes of the man who meant so very much to her, as close as a brother ever could be. “What is it, Malek?”

  Malek offered a sheepish smile. “Nothing, I suppose. You just seem so distracted. And you're humming again. I just wanted to make sure all was well.”

  “What's wrong with my humming?”

  Jacob rolled his eyes. "What he's trying to say is we want to make sure you're not lost. Because no one else among us can make heads or tales as to where we are going in this trackless wild forest, and if you start woolgathering, we're all in a heap of trouble," Jacob sighed. "And why is Erovering covered in so much primeval forest, anyway? You all know how much I absolutely adore my father," he quipped acidly, "but he does have a point when he comments that we only farm the edges of our woodlands for hardwood. The great majority of it is relegated only for travel, forage, or hunting! If we allowed our loggers regulated access into the heart of our woodlands, we could easily double or treble our hardwood supply, particularly if we coupled that with a few more high roads through the forests, connecting the capital and the major port cities, without having to rely on routes that only hugged the outskirts of our forests."

  Raphael nodded thoughtfully at their friend's declaration. “To be honest, Jacob, my father has wondered the same thing himself. There would be quite a bit of coin to be made, carefully harvesting the great virgin forests all about Erovering, and my father has it on good authority from his own forest warden that a careful pruning of those woods would open the remaining trees to added sunlight, and that would hardly be a bad thing at all.”

  Raphael's voice had risen almost to a shout with those last words. He blinked, gazing about in confusion, only then realizing the curious roaring was the ever increasing rustle of the leaves. All the leaves of the forest, as if a fierce and terrible wind were blowing through them.