“Did you know they were coming?” She asked breathlessly as she rushed towards me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Catch your breath, Tási,” I cautioned her as she was practically hyperventilating after having run up the many flights of stairs. “If you’re referring to our unexpected guests, I’ve only just seen them arrive and I still don’t know who they are myself.”
“It’s Queen Nadiel!” Tási exclaimed.
I was immediately shocked by the revelation that another queen had been brought to the summit without my knowledge. I had no idea who she was or why she had been invited without my approval, and my suspicions all came flooding back to me again.
“I have no idea who that is, but she’d better have a good reason for coming here uninvited.” I replied to Tási icily.
“She’s the queen of the halflings, Dreya! And she was invited by Queen Líann.” Tási tried to dampen my ire.
“Without my knowledge,” I responded angrily.
“Dreya,” Tási tried to calm me again. “Líann explained herself to Venna. She apologized for the inconvenience and told her that she didn’t want my people left out of the drafting of the Imperial Charter you proposed to them. She’s one of the few monarchs that even considers my people’s place in the world. Something even you overlooked when you made your offer to Lorida and Íforn.”
That actually hurt. The fact that her jab was absolutely accurate drained every scrap of anger from me, and I immediately caved in.
“That was a regrettable oversight on my part, Tási,” I replied remorsefully. “Thank you for pointing it out to me so… delicately.”
“Fuck you, that wasn’t delicate,” Tási grinned back at me.
Tási almost never resorted to profanity unless it was in one of her epic displays of anger, and her calculated use of it then, combined with the genuine smile that accompanied it, broke the tension of the moment perfectly, and we both let out a relaxed bit of laughter.
“Seriously, though,” I replied when I stopped giggling. “See if Broda can arrange a meeting between us. I should welcome the Queen to my Realm and offer my apologies to her in person.”
“I think that would be incredible,” Tási responded. “She seldom gets much of a reception from the other rulers.”
“Well then, let us once again be an exception to the rule,” I offered her with a smile.
Tási let out an excited squeak and then quickly covered her mouth and flushed with embarrassment at her unintentional display of happiness before hurtling back downstairs. Obviously, my offer to meet with the halfling Queen was far more meaningful than I realized, and I was surprised that such a simple courtesy from an unrecognized Realm would mean so much.
I was on my way to building an empire here, yet there was still so much that I didn’t know about this world. I realized, not for the first time, that I may be the driving force behind the change that I was pushing so hard for, but without the guidance of my companions, and so many others, I would almost certainly fail—it was a rather sobering thought. Part of me wanted to just grab Arrika by the horns and wrestle it to the ground with nothing but pure force, but I knew that my own power and will were simply not enough to subdue an entire continent. I needed something even more powerful if I truly wanted to succeed: knowledge. Information would perhaps be the biggest key to turning this world into a place where innocent people could live in peace, without the nearly all-encompassing fear of violence and abuse that had existed for so long.
These were the weighty thoughts on my mind as I returned to my chambers to get ready for the reception we had planned for the evening. It would be much like the last one, but with even more guests and an expanded menu, and even more spirits to please the varied palates that were in attendance this time. Fine elven wines, human ales, and even fire wine would be served, alongside cuisines from each of the races that were in attendance. The only oversight was that there were no special accommodations that had been made for Queen Nadiel and her entourage, I realized belatedly. Hopefully, when Tási returned, we could come up with something that would address that issue for us. Rhia had only just begun on my hair when Tási came back, huffing and puffing heavily from her hurried rush back up the stairs again.
“Sit and catch your breath before you die on me,” I teased her. “You don’t want me to have to bring Rhia in your place tonight, do you?”
Tási shot me a quick death glare and Rhia blushed far more heavily than I thought my offhanded joke warranted. Oh, shit – had I stumbled into something? I certainly hoped not. My hands were already full dealing with the delicate balance between Tási, Venna, and Ella. There was simply no way I was even going to consider getting involved with anyone else.
“I wouldn’t do that to poor Rhia,” Tási shot back.
“Yes, please don’t,” Rhia added weakly.
“No, of course not, Rhia. I wouldn’t dream of making you endure such a terrible thing,” I replied as I stared into her dark brown eyes intently. Her face was only inches from mine as she worked on my hair, and the effect on her was obviously quite intense.
“I… I didn’t mean it like that,” she stuttered.
“Relax, Rhia, she’s just toying with you,” Tási said, completely ruining my little bit of fun.
Rhia’s eyes flew open wide, and I saw a hint of irritation in them before she reined herself in. She was almost about to say something, but then seemed to think better of it.
“Go ahead, Rhia,” I coaxed her. “Say it.”
“You can be a real bitch sometimes,” Rhia blurted out with a smile.
“And how long did it take you to figure that out?” I replied, matching her grin.
“Only about three days after I was assigned to your guard,” she admitted.
We joked a little more while Rhia finished with my hair before moving on to Tási. Wenda still hadn’t arrived, so I slipped into the new gown Birt had made for me and watched Rhia arrange Tási’s hair while I waited for Wenda. It was an almost mesmerizing process as she pinned up Tási’s locks, picked out a few, seemingly at random, and then teased them out to drape alongside Tási’s face or down to her shoulders.
“Sorry I’m late,” Wenda apologized as she hurried into the room. “Birt needed my help on some last-minute alterations.”
“That’s fine, Wenda, we have plenty of time,” I assured her.
“By the way, Tási, I forgot to ask about your errand. What did Broda say?” I added. The thought had completely slipped my mind amid the conversation that had ensued when Tási first returned, but now that it had, I wanted to know if a meeting with the halfling queen had been arranged.
“I had to leave it in Broda’s hands,” she replied, obviously dejected. “She promised to inquire, but said she was certain that any individual meetings would have to wait until after the summit tomorrow.”
I was a bit disappointed to hear that myself. Once I got over my surprise at her unexpected appearance, I became more and more curious about the halfling queen. She had to be quite bold, or at least self-assured, to simply show up as she had for a meeting in an unknown realm. Her apparent brashness reminded me of myself in some ways, and I was looking forward to finding out if we were alike in any other ways.
We finished getting ready, and I donned the necklace that my people had given to me and Tási clipped on the bracelet from the dwarven King. She looked absolutely amazing once again and seemed to have grown a bit more comfortable wearing the gown Birt had made for her this time. It was a slightly lighter shade of blue, and the cut was noticeably different than her previous dress, but it still highlighted the deep blue of her eyes and even showed off her figure quite well, despite the fact that I hadn’t interfered this time to override her preferences.
“You seem to be growing a bit bolder in your fashion choices,” I remarked as we descended the stairs together along with our ever-present escort of guards.
“Not really. I’d still prefer something a little less revealing,” Tási replied
as she glanced down at the front of her gown where the neckline cut a bit lower than I knew she preferred. “But this is about you, and the image you are trying to project, so I told Birt to make me something that he thought would be appropriate for the occasion.”
“Thank you, Tási,” I said as I squeezed her hand. “I appreciate that so much. But after tonight, you can wear whatever you want. If this summit is successful, I intend for it to mark the last time either of us feel the need to bend to anyone else’s standards. We will set our own example from now on.”
She felt no need to reply, and we walked the rest of the way to the little side room where we would wait for our time to enter the reception in silence. After a few minutes, I grew tired of the charade, and made my first calculated move towards the future.
“This is bullshit,” I declared as I rose from my seat. “We’re joining the party now.”
Karina’s eyes widened in surprise as she and Aiva hurried to follow us into the grand hall. The rest of my guards remained behind, as the two lieutenants would be the only ones to shadow me during the reception. That wasn’t the only limitation we had placed on them, and I chuckled as the two women struggled to keep up with us in the formal gowns they had been required to wear. As I stopped to lift a cup of wine from the tray one of the servers carried around the room, Aiva and Karina finally caught up to us.
“It’s bad enough you required us to wear… these,” Karina complained, as she motioned at the heavy fabric of her dress. “But could you please not rush away like that?”
I took a deep sip of the elven wine and gave her a ‘who me?’ look as I peered over the rim of the glass at her. Karina sighed in frustration at my lack of concern and began scanning the room for any possible threats.
Once we learned that we would indeed be hosting this summit, we had enlarged the Grand Hall considerably, breaking down several of its walls and combining many of the surrounding rooms to make one truly huge chamber. The masons and others had worked feverishly to make the tremendous room ready for the occasion, and their work was absolutely incredible.
They had combined the dwarven technique of highlighting any jewels or mineral veins in the stone, of which there seemed to be an extraordinary abundance for some reason, and the elvish style of carving graceful arches and delicate features into every surface. The collective effort produced a result that was more beautiful than either style alone, and it would have taken my breath away had it been the first time I’d seen the incredible results of their collaboration. I hoped that the splendor of their work, and its implications, would not be lost on our visitors.
“Tási!” an unfamiliar voice called out nearby.
I turned to see who had called out to her just in time to observe a middle-aged looking halfling take Tási up in an enthusiastic embrace. Tási seemed almost puzzled by the woman’s actions before her expression resolved into one of recognition and she replied.
“Aunt Dalona?” Tási finally responded. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m part of the Queen’s delegation, Tási,” her aunt replied. “Her Majesty made me one of her counsellors several months ago.”
“Oh,” Tási stumbled. “We should talk more later then. You’re not supposed to be introduced to Dreya Sintári yet.”
“I won’t stand on ceremony when it comes to your family, Tási,” I offered Tási’s aunt my hand as I broke in. “I’m pleased to meet you, Dalona.”
“Dreya?” Tási’s aunt hesitated. “You are the Sintári that the King of Dhel-Ar has told us so much about? Tási mentioned that name in the letter she sent me. Are you the same one who put my daughter Seera’s soul to rest?”
“Yes, that was me,” I replied softly at the obviously painful memory. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you for that,” she responded with almost a whisper. “Not many would even bother seeking justice for one of us.”
“My goal is to see that justice exists for everyone everywhere, Dalona,” I replied. “In my Empire, no one will be seen as less than anyone else simply because of who they are.”
“That is quite an admirable goal,” she said. “But I’m not sure that it’s even possible.”
“You have not been in my Realm very long, Dalona, but you only need to take a look around this room to know that my vision is within reach,” I replied as I gestured at the ornately worked stone of the Grand Hall.
“Dwarven masons worked alongside elven crafters to carve out the very walls around us,” I continued. “My master smiths, an elf, dwarf, and half-orc worked together to forge the armor and weapons of my troops. We have even welcomed a band of orcs into our community, one of whom serves on my own personal guard.”
“Everything I believe in has already been brought to life here,” I finished. “All that is left now is to spread the concept of tolerance and cooperation beyond my own borders.”
Dalona’s eyes had followed, as I indicated the table where smiths shared their drinks together, and where Hilgreth and Renn held hands in an obviously loving manner. And her jaw dropped open as I concluded by drawing her attention to Rhal, as he stood guard directly behind the chair I would be seated at on the dais.
“She has done all this and more,” Tási added as she took my arm in hers. “And that is why I not only follow her but love her as well.”
“I did not know that you…” Dalona stopped herself, but the words she left unspoken were clear as she stared at our arms around each other.
“I didn’t,” Tási replied to her unspoken words. “At least not before, but Dreya has made me happier than I’ve ever been, and I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“Interesting,” Dalona mused as I could see the wheels of her mind turning towards political considerations. “Queen Nadiel will be most intrigued to know that you are so close to the throne that seeks to lead us.”
“I was told that I should not meet your queen until after the summit tomorrow,” I said as I decided to take advantage of the situation. “But if she should wander over while I’m here, I certainly wouldn’t miss the opportunity to make her acquaintance.”
“Yes, I see,” Dalona said as she easily recognized the opening that I had left for her. “Forgive me, but I should return to my Queen’s side and apprise her of what you have told me.”
Once Dalona wandered away, Tási and I went to visit with our people. I hadn’t seen many of them in some time, as my own trips outside the Palace had become severely limited with my increasing duties; not to mention the restrictions that Tási and Ella imposed on my movements due to the threats that continued to plague me.
When I stopped by the smith’s table to speak with them for a while, I was delighted to learn that Hilgreth and Renn had decided to get married. While that wasn’t quite a surprise, their choice of officiant was.
“Would you be willing to do the honors for us?” Hilgreth asked. “We don’t have anything grand in mind. You could even just stop by the forge one day and say a few words, if that’s what you’d prefer.”
“So, whenever I want?” I attempted to clarify their intent.
“Sure,” Renn answered. “We just want to make sure to include Georl. He’s become our closest friend in the time we’ve been working together.”
I smiled at the three of them and reached out and took Renn by the hand.
“Then I choose right here and right now,” I said as I dragged the reluctant smith towards the dais. “Come with me.”
Hilgreth followed behind, only slightly less reluctantly than Renn at having the affair take place so publicly and at such a high-profile event, while Georl had a wide grin plastered on his face and was obviously overjoyed by the unexpected turn of events. I brought the couple to the center of the room and stood them at the foot of the dais where the nobility of five Realms would be seated in only a short while. With Renn and Hilgreth standing side by side, and Georl close by, I began to form some sort of speech in my mind, but quickly gave up, and decided to simply speak my thoug
hts instead.
“Before you stand two of the finest people in my entire Realm,” I announced to the room. “Not only are they both talented smiths, worthy of recognition in their own right, but they have each embraced the tenets of my Realm and learned to see beyond the petty distinctions that have driven this world into conflict and torn its people apart.”
“Today, they have granted me the honor and privilege of joining them together in the bonds of marriage, and as I do so, I hope that each of you will recognize their example as the symbol of our strength and unity that it truly is. Without the ability to look beyond the surface and see the remarkable person inside each of them, they might never have found the love that they share today. And without love, what do any of us truly have?”
“So,” I said as I draped Renn’s hand over Hilgreth’s. “On this day, I am truly honored to pronounce you husband and wife. May the rest of your days be spent together in happiness.”
The loving kiss they shared to seal the bond between them was not unexpected, nor was the enthusiastic round of applause that erupted from the crowd behind me—it was what followed that caught me completely by surprise.
“Dreya Sintári,” Madren asked as he came to stand beside me. “Would you be willing to offer Clorid and I your blessing as well?”
I hadn’t intended anything other than to use the opportunity to show my people, and especially the visiting dignitaries, just what was possible when people abandoned their prejudices. But Madren’s request, and the couples that I saw lined up behind him and Clorid, made me realize that I had done far more than I planned. It hadn’t been my intention, but I knew that my Sintári nature was at work yet again, and while I understood that none of them had been suddenly coerced into taking vows they hadn’t already seriously considered, I also knew that my influence was the thing that motivated them to do so right then and there.
“It would be my pleasure,” I replied as I motioned them to take the places that Hilgreth and Renn had only just left in front of the dais.
When I joined the last couple, I had performed eight marriages, the most remarkable of which was between two young dwarven men, one of whom was the young dwarf who offered Tási and I his best wishes when we’d first made our relationship public. The openness and complete acceptance of all who had come forward that day filled my heart with joy and reassured me once more that despite the many challenges that lay ahead of us, the dreams I had for a united land were within reach, just as I had both hoped and promised they would be.
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