Kingdom Come

by James Osiris Baldwin

  Istvan actually blushed, and I laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. Carefully. Between the levels I'd gained and the Spear strapped over my back, I was almost as strong as Suri. I’d accidentally slapped Lord Zediwitz off his feet and into a wall on the Orozlan.

  "That sounds like something he'd say," Istvan muttered. "The man is a disgusting ass."

  "But you love him," I said.

  Istvan gave a testy sigh, and blew a lock of hair out of his face. "Yes, I do. Khors preserve me.

  Karalti reared up beside us, her form shimmering and condensing down into the figure of a lithe young woman. She wore her Naziri armor. Together, we looked like a pair of ninjas at a Ren Faire.

  “If we get Vash to Taltos, Masterhealer Masha might be able to fix him up with a real arm,” I said. “I don’t know if there’s like… a time limit on when the potion has to be administered, though.”

  “I see. May I be honest with you about something?" Istvan asked, glancing at Karalti as she joined me at my side and reached for my hand.

  I accepted it, squeezing gently. "Always be honest with me. I mean that."

  He dipped his head, then hesitated. "After... hearing about your ‘changes’, I was concerned. I wondered if we had swapped one undead tyrant for another. But the fact you told me this news before anything else... I am relieved, Your Grace. Your appearance is different from what it used to be, but you have not become something terrible."

  "Yeah. But I have to sleep in a giant litter box now." I grinned and rubbed the back of my head, grateful that he couldn't see my mouth. I'd taken to wearing the half mask even when I wasn't in armor. The bear trap fangs I'd inherited from Ashur were great for cutting steak and biting people I didn’t like, but they freaked everyone out. "So, what's the SIT-REP?"

  Istvan stood at ease, not missing a beat this time. "The situation is grim, Your Grace. Fully half of our farmland has been laid to waste, and the planting season has just passed. The undead didn't touch the granaries, thank the Nine, but we will barely have enough food for the winter. Great swathes of the city must be rebuilt. The markets are a write-off, as are the Craftsman's Ward and the City Wall. We have squires riding out to all the fiefs of Racsa... as the news spreads and refugees come out of hiding, we will enact an emergency census and determine how many people we must feed. If we can feed them."

  I twined my fingers with Karalti's, and she squeezed them reassuringly. "What about the university?"

  "Safe, thank the gods. The undead merely imprisoned most of the scholars, but the Master of the Archives was slain and rose as a vampire. He was berserk with bloodlust when we found him. We put him down, for our sake and his."

  "Great." I rolled my eyes to the sky, then puffed out a sound of exasperation. "Alright - let's go do this."

  "You're sure you wish to become Voivode?" He gestured to the blackened castle and its collapsed wall. Workers were moving carts of fallen corpses and rubble, hitching them to trains of snorting, stamping triceratops.

  "I've only ever been more sure of one thing in my entire life." I smiled at Karalti. Her face lit up with a glow of pleasure. "Come on."

  The Grand Hall had already been stripped of Ashur’s finery. The silks and cushions had been taken out and burned, and plain wooden benches had been bought in to serve as places for the cleanup crew to rest. The chaise was gone, replaced by an elegant, functional mini-throne in the Eastern style: dark wood, with intricate Arabesque engraving.

  "Lord Bolza sat in that chair for thirty years," Istvan said softly, as we approached it. "And his father, and his father before him."

  "Yeah." I ran a hand over the armrest, buffed smooth over generations of wear. The seat was upholstered in green velvet – that’d have to change. When I looked to Karalti, she nodded. I smiled, drew a deep breath, and sat down.

  [You have earned a Faction Charter: Duchy of Myszno (Provincial)]

  [You have earned 60 Build Points!]

  [You have gained access to the Kingdom Management Menu and tutorials!]

  [You have gained a new title: Voivode of Myszno.]

  [You have earned a new badge: Ruler of All I Survey!]

  "How does it feel?" Karalti asked.

  “Heavy.” I pulled my helmet off and slumped back in the seat. After a couple of seconds, I looked up at the vaulted ceiling overhead. “Open Kingdom Management."

  A new wraparound screen came to life. Front and center was a map of Myszno, with Vlachia shaded out above and to the west.

  [Do you wish to give your castle a new name?]

  "Hey, Tidbit - what's the Solonkraatu word for 'Castle'?" I asked her.

  "Kalla," she replied.

  I nodded, turning my attention back to the HUD. "Rename Egbolt Castle to 'Kalla Sahasi'."

  The castle title on my screen changed in an instant. Istvan got an odd look on his face, then shrugged.

  [Your capital city is currently Karhad. You may change capital cities or choose a different name for your capital once you have gained 2219 or more points of Leadership Renown in Myszno > Racsa Province > Karhad.]

  [Would you like to create a faction name?]

  Faction name? What, like... Hector's Heroes? East Side Hookwings? I cringed, scratching my head. "Duchy of Myszno works fine, thanks."

  A yellow exclamation mark appeared in the corner of my eye: a High Priority message that chirped and sprung up automatically:

  World Alert: Vlachia

  After a long and difficult battle, the Province of Myszno fought off the invading nation of Napath. This is a server alert to announce the new Voivode (Earl) of the Duchy of Myszno, Lord Dragozin Hector.

  Somewhere, Baldr was off answering the call of nature – and he had to have hit himself in the face with his own stream when that alert popped up in front of him. I let myself gloat for approximately one second, though, because now every man and his dog knew I’d become Voivode of Myszno, there was about to be a sharp escalation of hostilities. My only consolation was that we had the might of Vlachia standing between us and Ilia.

  [Rin Lu has asked to join your faction!]

  [Do you want to add anyone else to the Duchy of Myszno?]

  "Suri Ba'hadir," I replied.

  [NUMBERFETCH-00-0000AA1-TypeXX-Dkh-???BSKR has been sent a Faction Join Request!]

  Yikes. No wonder I hadn't been able to find Suri on the system. I waited for several tense seconds, waiting to see if she accepted... then I remembered that stupid Incareration status. Fuck. I dug my nails into the wood. "Alright... Tidbit, if you’ve got anything to do, now’s the time. I'm going to sit here and get the hang of this menu until the ships arrive. Is that something you can help with, Istvan?"

  "Certainly," he replied. "Is there anything I can provide within our decidedly limited means before we begin? There is some wine left."

  "No alcohol, for me or for you. I need a seat for you and two more chairs up here," I said. " One for Suri, one for Karalti."

  He brightened. "The Lady Suri has returned?"

  "She's alive in Dakhdir, somewhere," I said. "Which leads me to my next question: I have to go and pick her up. Can I appoint you as my Steward while I’m gone?"

  Istvan grimaced, scratching the three days of stubble on his jaw and neck. "Yes, you can register any person or Starborn to various positions around the castle and town. But... with all due respect, Your Grace, Karhad needs you here."

  "And I need Suri," I said. "WE need Suri. I theoretically know where she is. All I have to do is find that place."

  "Al'Asad Prison," Karalti said. "I remember that."

  I nodded. "I'm not sure how we'll find it, but we will. Anyway, the ships will be here soon - I want to have an audience as soon as they arrive."

  "An audience?" Istvan arched an eyebrow. "With who?"

  I grinned behind the fabric covering my mouth. "Lord Soma. We have to sort our shit out. He's my peer, after all."

  ***

  A couple hours later, the ships had landed, Rin was back on the ground with her beefed-u
p turrets, and Soma was brought to the Grand Hall with an escort of Knights of the Red Star. They all looked vaguely shell-shocked to see me sitting on the high muckedy-muck's chair. None of them were more surprised than Soma himself. He had been allowed to dress in proper clothing, have a bath and a shave, and generally put himself together, and his expression was incredulous as he approached the ducal seat.

  "Khors Balls. You actually did it," he said. "Count me impressed, Dragozin."

  "We did it, plural," I said. Rin sat to my right in the seat that would one day be Suri's, while Karalti sat to my left - the heart side. "All of us. Even you."

  His eyes narrowed. "How generous of you, my lord."

  "Look dude, square up with me." I sat forward in my chair. "You were pretty fucking wrapped up in your own shit."

  His eyes glinted, blue and pale... but then he sighed, and turned his face. "I suppose that's true, yes. I am the youngest of three brothers, which is why I was sent to the church to learn my family's trade. But then my brothers both died, one earlier this year and one in the fall of Karhad, and suddenly, I faced a terrible duty. It got to me."

  "If we'd known that, a lot of the shit that went down could have been avoided," I replied.

  Soma's mouth twitched. "What? How? By rolling over and revealing my belly to a foreign usurper? Perhaps that is the norm for commoners. You will quickly learn to be guarded in court and society, Dragozin, or you will be torn to shreds by the other Voivodes and by His Majesty in the capitol."

  "Ignas likes us a lot, though," Rin said. "I'm... uhh... kind of dating his assassin."

  Soma sniffed. "The Volod is thousands of miles from here. While we lord over our province, the cosmopolitan types - Earl Janos of Czongrad, Duchess Elizabeta of Timarila - are whispering in the ear of the king. Everyone knows that the closer you are to His Majesty, the better - so much so that the most powerful people in the Kingdom are the servants that towel his hands and run his baths. They are positions for which the sons of nobility will duel to the death."

  "See, that’s great information for me to have. This is the kind of thing you're fantastic at.” I jabbed my finger against my other palm for emphasis. "This kind of shit, right here. I want your support, Soma. I don't want to be your enemy - I want your help and I want to offer you what I've got in turn."

  "And what do you have that could interest me?" He replied. "You have no wealth."

  "Yet. I’m Starborn. I’ve got generations to become wealthy." I shrugged. "Besides, I'm holding out an olive branch to try and make up, not offering to marry you. You don't need a fucking dowry."

  Soma snorted. Then, he began to laugh.

  "Alright, Dragozin. You may be a folksy boor, but I'll do it - if nothing else but for the sake of the women who endure your company," Soma chuckled. He bowed to Karalti, who lifted her chin and made a face, and then to Rin, who bobbed her head back at him. "Speaking of that... where is the Lady Ba'hadir?"

  "She’s on recon duty," I replied, thinking back to his earlier advice about not revealing my weaknesses. "We’re going to pick her up soon."

  "I see." The big man rubbed his chin, nodding to himself. "Well, by the Voivode's leave, I shall return to my county and put it to order. When you are ready to talk trade...?"

  "You'll be invited back here under much better circumstances, for sure."

  Soma arched his eyebrows, and flashed Istvan a sly little smile. Istvan pinched the bridge of his nose.

  "What?" I asked, looking between them.

  "Your Grace, it is customary for the higher-ranking lord to make an appointment, then travel to the lower-ranking lord's home and request hospitality," Istvan replied dryly. "The only time you invite a lower-ranking lord to your own castle is if you wish to chastise them, flaunt the strength of your fortifications, or both."

  "Unless it is a social event with multiple Houses are attending," Soma added. "And then the event is hosted at the highest-ranking lord's property. Typically not your castle, but your un-fortified summer home."

  "Oh." I let out an awkward chuckle. "I'll invite myself to your place then, I guess. There's a lot to learn about this role, huh?"

  "Your actions directly affect your renown, so yes." Soma gave a short bow from the neck. "Now, please excuse me."

  Once he had left, I slumped into the chair and rubbed my eyes. "Okay. That's a wrap. So, Istvan - you're Karhad's Steward for the time being. Rin - are you willing to take on a role here?"

  "Sure." She nodded. "You're going to get Suri, right?"

  "Yeah." Buzzing with energy, I stood up and stretched.

  Rin got up as well. "I can go with you, you know. I’m starting to get a taste for this adventuring thing."

  I thought about it. Then, I shook my head.

  "Suri's in hell right now," I said. "But so are the people of Karhad. They need someone to look up to here. You led the soldiers at the Pass - I'm asking you to do it again. Just for a while."

  Rin's blue-on-blue eyes widened. She looked down, pressed her lips together, and nodded. "Okay. You can count on me."

  "When do you leave?" Istvan asked me.

  "Tonight." I turned to Karalti, who rose smoothly to her feet. "But there's one last person I need to see."

  Chapter 56

  Lazar and his team of medics had moved Vash and the other injured to the castle hospital, which had been left largely untouched by the undead. He had insisted on being out in the main ward with the soldiers, not by himself in a private suite.

  "Well, look who just swaggered in." Vash's voice was raspy, but he was alert and alive, propped up in bed with his new arm resting on a pillow. It was a heavy, brutal looking thing - riveted, hydraulic, plated in cold iron in the same way his gauntlets were. "It's polite to ask before staring at a man's parts, you know. Karalti - teach your dog some manners."

  “But it’s cute when he barks at stuff.” She danced up to the edge of the bed with her hands behind her back, her hair swirling around her face.

  "Glad to see you too." I strolled up beside him and squatted down on my heels. "I thought you ate shit and died."

  "Bah. I leave shit-eating to the arselickers at court," he grumbled.

  "How are you feeling?" Karalti asked. She leaned in and sniffed over the arm, flinching back when Vash flexed his fingers.

  "I punched a full-grown dragon in the head hard enough to crack its skull. I lost the arm, but now I get to drag my balls around the edge of the door when I enter a room." He grinned - there was a new gap in his teeth. "A fair trade, all in all. But my lady, you have a questioning look on your lovely face. Ask."

  Karalti scowled. "Am I that easy to read?"

  "You're a book so simple even Hector can read you," Vash replied smoothly.

  I laughed. "Fuck you."

  "We already had this discussion, dog. You don’t have the tool I need for that particular quest." Vash waved his other hand. "Please, Karalti. Continue."

  "Well… I learned that I can take a Path in human form." She glanced at me. "I have to train it and only have the skills available while I'm polymorphed, but I figure I'm gonna spend more time like this as I get older. I want to train as a Baru."

  "Hrrm." Vash frowned. "Well... tradition says that you must have died or nearly died as a child to join my order."

  "She did," I said. "She couldn't hatch out of her egg by herself. I chopped her out of it and resuscitated her."

  "Oh! Well, then. Resuscitated by the right hand of the God of Darkness… yes, that ought to count." Vash nearly lifted his prosthetic arm and grimaced with pain, easing back down. "Ay-yai-yai, this thing hurts. Once I am recovered, I'll be more than happy to train you in our ways. You will not need to travel to Myszno Village: I doubt you need to spend two to ten years living in a charnel ground learning to eat carrion."

  "Yeah! I already like carrion." She beamed at him happily. "Does that mean you'll teach me how to fight?"

  "I'll teach you all sorts of things." Vash winked at me. I gave him my best disapproving dad fa
ce. "All of which involve you being fully-dressed and completely safe from violation."

  “Yay!" Karalti swung her hands around in a poor, but earnest imitation of a boxer, nearly clipping Vash in the head. "Punch ALL the things!"

  "You're sure this is a good idea?" Vash asked me, pointing at my dragon as she hopped, feinting and jabbing. "You really want her to be able to put you in a headlock?"

  "I'll risk it. It makes her happy." I shrugged.

  "Hah." Vash shook his head, and winced. "Karalti... would you mind if I spoke to your pet alone for a few minutes?"

  "Huh? Oh! Sure. I'll wait outside." Karalti stopped what she was doing and came back to me. She flung her arms around me and squeezed, nuzzling the side of my face, then broke off and wound her way through the hospital ward.

  "She has a sunny personality for such a dark creature, doesn’t she?" Vash made a sound of amusement. "Alright, Dragozin. Talk to Uncle Vash: what happened to you?"

  "Ashur bit me." I shrugged. “I’m immune to Corruption, so I ended up half-vamp instead of all-vamp.”

  "A Halfblood?" The monk's brow creased slightly. "Take off that mask. Let me see."

  Wordlessly, I complied, pulling it down to bare my face. After drinking a Dragon's Blood potion the day before, I looked pretty much the way I had before I'd been turned, except for the teeth, sharper features, and the dark metallic skin of my lower arms and legs. Vash seemed to know the signs. He made a rumbling sound, lying back on his pillows.

  "You're not undead. I'd be able to sense if you were," he said after a minute. "But you are no longer human. A Dhampir."

  "Yup. Dhampir with extra damp." I pulled the mask back up. "Matir seemed okay with it. He didn't remark on it one way or the other."

  "I imagine he had other, more pressing concerns." Vash's gray eyes darkened with concern. “Was Ashur killed?”

  I shook my head. “No. I hurt him pretty bad, but he ran.”