“Where did all that come from?” I asked her numbly.
“You do recall that I was a Queen, my love?” Líann replied, wrapping her arms around my waist as she sauntered up to me.
“I thought Íforn… I mean, I didn’t realize…” I stuttered.
“I didn’t live off my people; my family had its own wealth,” she smiled in amusement, obviously entertained by my state of surprise.
“Now it’s ours,” she added, emphasizing her point with a soft kiss.
I had my own coin, but it was a pitiful sum compared to the massive wealth Líann had just deposited in our vault. Honestly, money had ceased to be a concern of mine since I’d become Empress; my needs were all provided for. I had no idea if that would always be the case, but with Líann’s fortune, money would never be a worry for us.
“Come,” Líann took my hand and dragged me away. “Let’s not spend our whole day here.”
My surprise finally wore off enough for me to seal the vault doors as we left, and I was able to return Líann’s grin while we walked back up the stairs. I had no idea where we’d wind up but led our entourage outside once we reached the ground floor. The next day would bring the return of our normal responsibilities, and I fully intended to take advantage of this final lull before the preparations for our war against the Dark Lands robbed me of my freedom once more.
I took to the seldom-used paths as we wandered through the valley, seeking as much solitude as we could find—which wasn’t all that much, considering the troop of guards by our side. Still, I found a quiet place amidst a small copse of trees, and we settled there to enjoy the afternoon sun. My guardians showed some discretion, setting a wide perimeter that allowed us a small measure of privacy—a courtesy that I was most grateful for.
We spent hours there, sitting together talking or just lying in the soft grass as the time seemed to pass all too swiftly. Eventually, the sky began to darken, and with evening fast approaching, we reluctantly began our walk back to the Palace. One of the guards rushed ahead of us, presumably on some errand of some sort, but I was too preoccupied to inquire what it might be. Momentous decisions and events might lay ahead of me the next morning, but I was determined to enjoy this last night of freedom to its fullest.
After climbing up the stairs and striding through Talína’s offices on our way to our quarters, we were greeted with a candlelit feast laid out for us in the antechamber where we took so many of our meals. The reason one of the guards had hurried ahead of us became apparent as I took in the carefully arranged scene.
“Enjoy yourselves,” I was surprised to hear Saibra whisper in my ear.
Her tone was quite genuine, and I wanted to thank her, or at least express my appreciation, but she was already closing the door behind her when I turned around.
Completely alone again, Líann and I sat beside each other to enjoy the sumptuous food that had been prepared for us. The entire bounty of the valley lay on our table—selections of everything we produced. From livestock and game to the fruits and vegetables that were grown there, we’d been provided with a meal that was not only delicious but also spoke of the incredible accomplishments of my people. Among all the delights, only the rich elven wine was not from our lands; a fact that I was more than willing to overlook.
We ate slowly, relishing every bite and tasting as many of the varied dishes as we could. Everything was quite delicious, and I detected the subtle flavors of Dalona’s halfling chef in more than one of the dishes, as well as the more obvious taste of Morg’s orcish seasonings. The meal truly represented more than just the bounty of our land—it spoke of the unity of its people as well.
When I’d sampled all I could, I pushed away my plate and sat back, sipping on my wine and thoroughly enjoying the fruity flavor of the red liquid. Líann mimicked my actions and took a deep sip from her glass, clearly enjoying it just as much as I was.
“You know it’s from Íforn, right?” She smiled at me as she refilled my cup.
The symbolism of the meal that had been prepared for us took on a new dimension when Líann revealed that detail to me—a subtle flourish that made the scene complete.
The bottle was soon empty, but we still sat together, letting the pleasant thoughts of the last two days linger for as long as possible. Finally, I rose, and taking Líann by the hand, walked her back to our chambers.
With only a thought, the straps and buckles of the Armor of Melía loosened, and it fell to the floor at my feet. Standing in front of Líann in nothing more than my undergarments, I began undoing the fastenings on her armor as well. She was more than anxious to help me, and her green leather soon lay in a pile next to mine.
Líann was amazingly beautiful, as always, but was somehow even more so as I contemplated what I intended for her that night. In the dim light of the few candles, her light blond hair took on a golden tone, framing the delicate features of her face as I looked into her pale blue eyes, and the shadows played softly over the subtle curves of her lithe figure, highlighting every gentle arc of her perfect form.
“It’s time, my Táriel,” I gazed deeply into her eyes as I spoke, hoping that she understood the meaning of my words. Líann’s fingers began to tremble slightly as I held them in my hands, letting me know that the subtle implication hadn’t been confused.
Líann slipped under the covers of our bed, and I felt her nervous anticipation as I climbed on top of her. Staring into her pale blue eyes, I sent a thin tendril of reassurance into her, calming her slightly before we began.
I brought forth a bare tendril of my shadowy energy, peeling away its harshness as I let it flow into her. Despite the weakness of that thin thread, Líann reacted to the sensation of her V’Ríel, closing her eyes as it fed into her, taking in its power.
While Líann basked in my darkness, I leaned in, laying my body on top of hers, grasping her arms and pinning her down as I did. She offered only token resistance to me, and when I kissed her, I let the second thread flow into her as I took her soft lips in mine.
The tiny thread of passion sent a heated thrill through Líann’s body as I released my desire. Soft shudders accompanied her slow, languid movements beneath me, and I was forced to push ahead faster than I had anticipated, lest she finish before I was done with her.
Through my left hand, I sent her the gentle, giving V’Ríel that I usually reserved for my time with Venna, and Líann took it in hungrily, craving it almost as much as her own. The ragged panting of Líann’s breath brushed warmly against my cheek as she absorbed all three V’Ríels, and I quickly added the fourth and final one before it was too late.
I could feel the intensity of the three V’Ríels within her, threatening to overwhelm Líann at any second. I was certain that adding the fourth would instantly push her well beyond her limits, but Líann’s reaction was nothing like that.
For a split second, everything seemed to stop. The world around us froze, and we stared into each other’s eyes—sharing a brief moment of total clarity before it was gone. In that short time, we understood what had happened: by absorbing all four of my V’Ríel, Líann had become even more than Táriel, she’d joined with me in a way far beyond that. We were one, sharing a bond deeper than any other.
Everything came crashing back in an instant, and the energy of the four V’Ríels came along with it, overwhelming Líann in their power. She clutched me tightly, clinging fiercely as waves of pure ecstasy rolled over her, and I gripped her back just as closely when they began echoing within me as well.
I was completely unprepared for the power of combining all four of my V’Ríels at once; the intense fervor of my release was like nothing I’d experienced before. As soon as the energy hit me, the sheer power of it ran through my body, and I lost all control. Incredible pulses of unrelenting passion took hold of me, and I shuddered irrepressibly under their influence. I held onto Líann during those long moments of absolute pleasure, and the sensation of her warm body writhing beneath me only added to my ecstasy. But even
while the power of the V’Ríels overwhelmed my senses, a still greater force was unleashed inside me.
Just as had happened when Nentai first gifted me the with Godheart, I experienced the odd sensation of its geometric shape unfolding within me. Its nearly limitless energy opened up for a fraction of a second but melted away before I could truly grasp it. Somewhere in the haze of my mind, I knew that I’d unlocked the second key to the Godheart’s power, but all that was lost when I collapsed under the sheer force of what I’d wrought.
10
My eyes opened slowly the next morning, only to be greeted by the sight of my beautiful Queen staring back at me. I smiled broadly as I stretched for a moment before pulling Líann into an embrace.
“You made me something… more,” she whispered in my ear as I held her. “Again.”
“No,” I held her close, whispering back to her in return. “We made each other something more.”
Líann pulled back and stared at me in confusion. Although I’d felt what had happened within her when she’d absorbed all four of my V’Ríel, she hadn’t experienced the sensation of the Godheart unraveling inside me. Remembering how upset she’d been when Mother gifted me with the powerful item, I proceeded with my explanation cautiously.
“I know something’s different with you now,” I began slowly. “But even though neither of us truly understands what it is, we both know that it’s a good thing.”
“The same thing happened to me,” I braced myself for Líann’s response as I spoke. “What we did unlocked another part of the Godheart.”
If Líann had my powers, the room would have been lit with blue light when anger flared to life in her eyes. But she quickly reined in her emotions and replied to me more calmly than I expected when she finally spoke.
“Were there any… ill effects?”
“I was a little too busy with other things to notice at the time,” I smirked back, reminding Líann of just what we were in the middle of when it happened.
She blushed and quickly looked away, once again displaying her odd sense of embarrassment. Líann was incredibly passionate and forward with me at times yet was also capable of extreme shyness as well. I found the strange combination endearing; honestly, she might have been a bit overwhelming otherwise.
With the new day came the return of our usual responsibilities once more, so we only lingered together for a short while before getting ready. After breakfast, we’d attend a meeting of my advisors, where the planning for our war would be the top item on the agenda. I felt a strong sense of nervous excitement over those arrangements since I’d been kept out of things for some time, but with the day of our departure rapidly approaching, I could no longer afford to simply leave things to others.
Líann and I entered the chamber where the meeting was being held and were greeted with broad smiles from my companions and advisors. We hadn’t seen any of them since the wedding, and their genuine expressions of happiness at our union were heartwarming. Still, there was deadly business at hand, so as soon as I was seated, the meeting was called to order, and we began.
“Is Ridge finished?” I inquired about what was perhaps the most important part of our plan. The elemental had completed the fortress on the border of the Dark Lands long ago but remained there to construct the additional preparations that were required for our attack.
“The fort’s commander reported that he was done with everything a few days ago,” Evans replied, letting me know that all the necessary elements were in place.
“And your part?” I turned to Eryn, who had been brought into our scheme due to her unique talents.
“All the devices are in place,” she responded confidently. “I even spiced things up a bit by having Ridge add a little something special to what you provided.”
Eryn passed me a small vial of powder, and after opening it, I took a whiff off the grayish substance inside. The fine dust had a strong, acrid, sulfurous odor that nearly set my eyes watering, and I quickly replaced the stopper to contain the foul smell.
“Yes, it is a bit nasty,” she smiled at seeing my reaction. “But it will also make things much more spectacular.”
‘Spectacular’ wasn’t what I was looking for—my thoughts ran more along the lines of ‘devastating,’ but I understood her meaning well enough.
“What else is there then?” I opened up the conversation.
“Faine has reported no contacts for over a week during their patrols,” Stel chimed in. “While the border fortress is encountering more opposition than ever before.”
The scouting around our outpost by the trade route was a critical element of our plan, and having that area apparently clear of our enemies boded well for our success. Ironically, the increased presence of the forces of the Dark Lands around our border fort also worked in our favor. Our deception seemed to be paying off—we only had to hope that it would continue to do so for a few more days.
“Perhaps it’s time for Bane to begin playing his part?” Venna offered cautiously.
That role required him to patrol the skies over not only the route between the Imperial District and our border fortress but also to scout the Dark Land’s army that was arrayed against us. Venna knew I was extremely protective of my dragon companion, and with the enemy’s ballistae aimed skyward, a mistake on his part could prove disastrous. Still, our success depended on the enemy believing we would attack them head-on, and Bane’s absence could very well tip them off that such an attack was not our true intention.
“I will have him begin in the morning,” I sighed as I reluctantly committed him to the dangerous task. I knew that he wouldn’t have it any other way, but I still regretted the need to send him into harm’s way.
We discussed some of the other preparations, and Evans revealed that our Army was ready to depart on schedule. Wagons were already being loaded with the provisions and supplies that would be needed for us to maintain the long campaign, even while new volunteers continued to show up almost daily. Although they wouldn’t be ready to serve in the war effort directly, Evans still intended to put those new recruits to good use; they would remain behind, serving at the Garrison or elsewhere while they received the training they needed. However, each one of these new recruits took the place of a fully trained soldier, allowing the more seasoned veterans to join our Army when we departed. The strategy swelled our numbers by a few hundred—numbers that could easily make the difference in the difficult battles that lay ahead of us.
Everything seemed to be in place, even more than I expected, so our meeting then turned to address more mundane items. The mines were still producing well, and additional shafts were being explored in each of them as the dwarves delved deeper below ground. At the same time, our fields and pastures were yielding a tremendous bounty, not only feeding our own citizens but exporting to the other Realms as well. Much of the forest beyond the Garrison wall had been cleared, and the small villages and towns that sprung up in the once wild lands were faring well, aided by the continued patrols sent out from our own fortress—which was still unnamed to my continued frustration.
That was it. We’d covered every issue that needed to be reviewed before leading our Army off to war against the Dark Lands. We had complete confidence in Talína’s ability to manage the Empire’s affairs in our absence, just as she had done before. My advisors and Ministers each had senior deputies they would be leaving behind as well; additional support to aid Talína, should she need it. All that was left was to wait for the fateful day of our departure to arrive.
I saw Bane off the following morning, watching as I almost always did while he flew away into the distance. Before departing, he told me not to worry, and I made him promise to be careful and to not stray into the range of our enemy’s deadly weapons. Bane tried to reassure me that he’d be safe, but I couldn’t help but fear for him. He may have grown into a mighty dragon, but in my heart, I always thought of Bane as the tiny, fragile Rhastoren he’d been when we first met.
Over the la
st few days left to me before we set off, I made a point to visit with my Tári. The road we’d travel once we left the safety of the Imperial District would be both perilous and uncertain, and I knew all too well that despite the precautions I’d taken and their individual capabilities, death was a very real possibility. I spent a full day with each of them, and although we never spoke of my reason for doing so, they understood my motivations clearly enough.
Bane returned the night before we were to march off, and Líann and I slept together with him, curled up within the thick coils of his body. It would be a week or more before the three of us would be together again, and even then, it would only be after our battle with the massive army of the Dark Lands was over. Anything could happen in that time, so we huddled against each other in the warmth of Bane’s heat, cherishing the last moments we had with each other.
In the morning, Bane gently shifted, waking Líann and me as he rose. With only a single glance back, he strolled outside and launched himself in the air, sparing us all from an emotional farewell. After he flew off, Líann and I began putting our armor on and gathering our weapons in silence. Although we had a great deal of confidence in the plans we’d made, no matter how successful we were, death would still claim many lives. We hoped that nearly all those lives would be on the other side of the ledger but knew that even our victory would come at a cost.
While Líann slung a small pack over her shoulder, nearly everything I needed fit within the many pockets of The Forest Cloak. In addition to my basic supplies, I even tucked away a few spare quivers full of arrows and several days’ worth of rations—just in case.
Once we were ready, Líann and I stepped into the antechamber outside our quarters where we shared a quick breakfast. After the tragic ending of my last campaign, I found it difficult to eat while preparing to head off to war again, but Líann managed to coax a few mouthfuls into me before we headed off.
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