by K. Aten
Olivienne raised dark eyebrow as she slid beneath the coverlets. “Oh?”
“Yes, it seems she will be taking the remains we found back to the Academy for research and the entire discovery is to be kept under tight wraps. General Renou assured me that someone of discretion already spoke with my team to impart the news.” She got between the coverlets herself and groaned as her nude body slid against the cool and clean material.
“It was actually my father that debriefed the team. He spoke separately with those of us that were in the cave and discovered the bones. He was here waiting for us when we got back with the haulers. Lieutenant Madlin said they will return them to the moto yard in the morning.”
Tosh shut off the light that was near the bed and turned toward Olivienne. The Connate’s room was dimmer than her own, as the lamplight from outside didn’t seep through the blinds as much on the second floor. “And how was your meeting with the King?”
Olivienne scooted closer until she could wrap her arm around Tosh’s upper body. “We have a new mission in two daes. He’s assured me that we already have all the supplies we’ll need.”
“Where is the mission this time?”
The Connate closed her eyes remembering the last stanza of the third key poem. “Amongst a sea of scaled beasts, north the tallest mountains tall, an island of breeding danger lies. Beware the place wyrms feast, centered on the lake of blood and gall, for below is where innocence dies.”
Tosh snorted. “I have nowhere near the brain power to deal with such riddles this evening. What does it mean?”
Olivienne laughed quietly. “There is an island in the middle of Dir Nubila, Serpens Island...”
Castellan sucked in a breath at the danger that had suddenly multiplied in her mind. “Dir Nubila, the same inland sea that is full of drakes that are easily twice the size of rocs and who spit boiling acid when they attack?”
“The very same.” Castellan barely made out her nod in the dark. “Anyway, the drakes breed on Serpens Island. And in the middle of Serpens Island lies another lake, Dir Sanguis. They say it is named so because it is red like blood from the high acid content and strange algae blooms. Whatever we seek is in the middle of Dir Sanguis.”
The officer coughed. “Convoluted and mysterious.” She tried to remember the map of Psiere that had been drilled into her head since her time at the Academy. “I’m assuming we’ll take a railer up to Baene, then dirigible out to the island? That’s going to be a long trip, though not nearly as dangerous since we’ll be coming in above the island, out of reach of the drakes.”
“My father said the same thing.”
Tosh continued her line of thought, guessing times and distances as she went. “So about seventeen oors from Tesseron to Baene, including the brief stop at the Academy station. From Baene it will be another...sixteen oors out into the sea. I’m just guessing based on where I remember Serpens Island to be from our Academy maps.”
Olivienne caressed her cheek. “Very good guess, love. It is nearly exactly that.”
The commander shrugged depreciatively while lying on her right side. “I’ve always been good with figures.”
The sovereign grinned lasciviously, mostly unseen in the near dark of the room. “You’re good with much more than that.”
Castellan laughed quietly as she picked up Olivienne’s less than sleepy thoughts. “Aren’t you tired?”
Olivienne made a sound low in her throat. “Not any more. You?”
The answer whispered from between Castellan’s lips as she leaned toward her lover. “Not at all.” Olivienne’s final thought before Tosh proved how good she was at other things, was that she really needed to speak with her mother. The dashing officer had decisively won her heart and it was Olivienne’s sincerest hope above all others that Castellan would want to oath and eventually consor with the future Queen of Psiere.
Chapter Twenty-three
THE AIR WAS cooler near the Dara Mountains. After a grueling seventeen and a half oors on a railer, they arrived in Baene with all their gear. The team had the luxury of overnighting in the northern city and they didn’t leave again until fifteen hundred the next afternoon. The King had chartered a local dirigible to take them south to the inland sea, inaccurately referred to as Dir Nubila. But at eight hundred mahls long and almost half that wide, the body of water was so big it had its own micro-climate. The sea itself was just north of the Dara Mountains and a lot of cold air bathed the eastern end, the region between Baene and Nubila. Not only did the dirigible have to travel seven hundred and fifty mahls southwest from the northern city to their adventurist location, but they had to fight a cold head wind the entire way.
Leaving Baene in the afternoon meant the team would sleep on the dirigible for half the trip, similar to what they had done when traveling to Navis. The captain informed Olivienne and Tosh that they’d make one stop at an illeostone supply station halfway there, but it wouldn’t take more than twenty meens to exchange their spent stones for charged ones. Most dirigibles had a max range of fourteen hundred mahls when the illeostone tank was full so they wouldn’t have to make any additional stops on the way back to Baene. No one was sure what they would find when they flew over Dir Sanguis. They were not expecting much initial danger from the drakes while so high in the air. The real danger would come when the team landed. They weren’t even sure what to look for, if there was a cave or other structure that housed the third key.
Olivienne shivered in the breeze of the observation deck located at the stern of the airship. She left Tosh a half oor before so the commander could hold a quick briefing with her team. Olivienne was planning on heading to her cabin soon but wanted a chance for some quiet contemplation first. There were so many thoughts and emotions going through her and she feared a loss of concentration when it came time to complete their mission. One new worry to Olivienne was the concern she now held for her team’s safety. It was never something she had considered before. But after working closely with the men and women of her Shield Corp unit for nearly half a roto, she had come to admire and like every one of them. Castellan had certainly done an exemplary job putting the group together.
The Connate smiled as her mind veered along another track. Then there was Tosh. The upright officer had in turns vexed and excited her more than any other person Olivienne had met. It seemed as though each dae taught them something new about each other. And Olivienne wanted many more of those daes, nay, all of those daes. It was then, standing at the rail of the dirigible at near twenty-two hundred oors, she knew she had to ask. Olivienne Dracore could not wait a meen longer. She spun on her heel to go search for her lover and ran directly into a solid body. “Oh!”
“I would have warned you that I was here but you seemed so lost in thought. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Castellan’s eyes shone pale in the dim lamp that hung from a ceiling post of the deck. The only other light around them was that of the endless and swirling stars above. The night was clear and black and a sense of waiting hung in the air. The Connate briefly wondered what it must have been like to have a moon in the sky, before the destruction of Antaeus. “I was just coming to find you.” Olivienne reached up to caress Tosh’s cheek and the pale-haired officer shut her eyes at the feel of it. “Besides, you could never disturb me.”
Castellan smiled as she opened her eyes again. “You know, as much as discussing my feelings is far outside my ken, I cannot help admitting that I fall deeper in love with you each dae.”
The sovereign sucked in a surprised breath and a smile broke over her face. “I was just thinking something similar when you walked out here. I was wondering where the search for the lost temple will take us, and I was speculating where we ourselves will go.”
Castellan cocked her head, trying to decipher Olivienne’s words. “Where we will go? How do you mean? If you’re speaking of us, I should warn you now that I don’t see an end.”
It hardly seemed possible for Olivienne’s smile to grow wider bu
t it did. “That is wonderful news and to that, I have something important to say to you.” She paused and Castellan squeezed her hand in encouragement.
“Well go on then, what is it?”
Before she could second-guess her actions, Olivienne went down on one knee. “Commander Castellan Tosh, I have no token to give you save my heart. And within that heart I hold all the things one should feel for a future par...passion, love, honor, respect, truth, and kindness. It is because I hold these things within me that I offer you my Oath of Consorage.”
For Castellan Tosh, time seemed to inexplicably slow to a stop. She no longer noticed the chill air, the flickering stars above, nor did she notice the way the wind mussed her hair, leaving her less than reputable. All she could think about was the woman who knelt in front of her. Not just any woman, but a sovereign and heir to the Divine Cathedra of Psiere. Olivienne’s dark eyes stared up at her, waiting for an answer to a statement Tosh never dreamt she would hear or speak. She cleared her throat and her lover’s gaze never wavered. “You...are you oathing to me?”
Rather than take affront at Castellan’s lack of reaction, Olivienne smirked. After many lunes together, she knew how the officer’s mind circled a thought fully, trying to understand every aspect. “My, you are certainly slow on the uptake this evening, Commander. But to answer your question, yes. Though it is not official until it’s...well, official. Being who I am, there will have to be a public announcement of course.”
Castellan pulled Olivienne to her feet so she could see her eye to eye in the dim light. “But, are you sure?” She paused and blew out a breath at Olivienne’s annoyed look. “Of course you’re sure. I know you would not have asked otherwise. But the Queen, my career—”
“The Queen has already approved, mayhap a little too readily I might add. I dearly hate giving my scheming mother exactly what she wants but in this instance it perfectly aligned with my own wants and needs. And what about your career, did you expect to get promoted away from me?”
Tosh’s face darkened. “Frankly, yes. You know this relationship has been hard for me with the conscience of my duty tugging me this way and that. In the past I’ve always feared a lack of challenge if I stayed in the same position too long. And I certainly don’t want any accusations of nepotism! Fie on that!”
Olivienne could see that Tosh’s mind was still working at the statement and knew it was only a matter of time. But she couldn’t help laughing at the dashing woman’s words. And Castellan Tosh was dashing and so much more as she stood in the dark of the night with her pale hair blowing in the wind and the light of those pale blue eyes gazing on her with all seriousness. “Did you just say fie? Oh my dear commander, nobody says fie any more. How antiquated of you!”
“Are you mocking me?”
The Connate leaned into Castellan and ran a finger along her strong jawline. “Of course not. But look at it logically, do you really think leading a Shield Corp unit for a historical adventurist is going to bore you? In the time you have known me, have you ever lost interest in your job?”
Castellan finally cracked a smile. “I’ve certainly rued it some daes but never once have I gotten bored. And you can promise that no favors will be awarded me by the Queen?”
More quiet laughter from the sovereign. “Oh my dear Tosh, somedae I will be Queen so I can certainly not guarantee the Queen will abstain from giving you favors. And if you consor with me, somedae you will be King.”
“That is a daunting thought.”
Olivienne’s face softened as she recognized the core of Castellan’s worry. It was fear. “I know it is but do you love me?”
Castellan pulled her even closer. “Of course I do! It is as if you are—” She paused to slip her hand between their chests and placed her own directly over her heart. “I feel you right here every single dae. And I worry for you whenever you are not near.”
“And do you want me in your life, do you want to be with me for the rest of your daes? I can think of no better person in all of Psiere to be my protector, to be my King, nor to be my love. It is you and no one else I wish to have by my side.”
“I—” Castellan swallowed thickly and looked down to gather her emotions. Not having full control was difficult for the regimented woman. “I wasn’t sure how deeply you felt. I only know what is inside myself and truthfully we don’t speak of this love between us much. It is a secret after all.”
Olivienne pulled Tosh’s chin up and deposited a sweet kiss on her lips. “Well, I don’t know about you but I’m ready to put this secret to rest. Aren’t you?”
Castellan’s voice was quiet. “I am.”
“And do you accept my oath?”
Instead of immediately answering, Castellan dropped to a knee in front of Olivienne. “My Royal Sovereign, Connate Olivienne Dracore...I, Castellan Tosh, pledge my heart and my future to you. Those things you hold within your heart—passion, love, honor, respect, truth, and kindness—I too hold. I accept your Oath of Consorage and pledge my own in return. Let neither our vows of oathing, nor our future vows of consorage ever be broken.” She stood again and sealed her words with all the passion she could muster. As their lips met, all thoughts of mission, worries of future, and even the night sky, simply dropped away. It was no longer a matter of admitting their love for each other, it had become a promise between them.
They started to pull away from each other but Olivienne’s grip in the back of Tosh’s hair was firm and she pulled them back together. Neither heard the door open onto the observation deck. But the sound of Lt. Savon’s voice brought them out of their kiss as fast as a bucket of water. “Commander Tosh, we have confirmed the gear...oh sheddech!” Lt. Madlin was pacing him and pulled up short when she saw the embracing couple. Only instead of going red-faced like the senior lieutenant, she wore a self-satisfied smirk. Savon stumbled over his manners briefly before saluting and looking away. “My apologies, Connate Dracore and Commander...” Madlin snickered at the flustered man and gave her own salute.
While Olivienne was trying her hardest not to laugh, Tosh had turned all business once again. “At ease, Lieutenants!” She watched closely the reaction of her two officers as she spoke her next words. “Though we’ve tried to keep our relations a secret, it seems obvious that at least a few deductive individuals have figured out that Connate Dracore and I have been engaging in dalliance for quite some time now.” Olivienne snorted at Castellan’s use of the word dalliance but let her continue. “What you may not know is that this has been sanctioned by not only General Renou, but also the Queen herself. So there is no risk to you or your career over my behavior.”
Lt. Madlin spoke up. “Pardon my truth, ser, but it wouldn’t matter to me if it weren’t condoned. I would still follow you because you’re a great leader and this is the best team I’ve ever been a part of. Not only that, but I both admire and respect Connate Dracore and I think you make a good match.”
“And you, Savon?”
Gentry Savon cleared his throat and looked up to meet their eyes. “I’ve worked with you for a handful of rotos now, Connate, and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you happier. And I know I’ve never had the confidence in our Shield Corp unit that I currently have under the direction of Commander Tosh. At this point in my career, I’d be hard pressed to accept a promotion were it offered, simply because this is the best post I’ve ever had.”
Tosh smiled at the man who had flourished in his role over the past half roto. “Good to know.”
Olivienne reached over and took Castellan’s hand then. “What your commander hasn’t told you yet is that we’ve just oathed to each other. It will not be official until the announcements can be made upon our return to Tesseron, but you are the first to know.”
“Congratulations, I look forward to the ceremony!” Lt. Auda Madlin leaned forward. “You will have seats for us, right?”
“I’m afraid not, Lieutenant.” Auda’s face fell until Castellan spoke again. “You will all be there, of course, but the
entire unit will be working that dae. After all, we can’t leave our sovereign unprotected now can we?”
“I suppose not, ser.”
Savon grinned and could barely contain his happiness. “Congratulations to both of you. May your consorage be long and fruitful.”
Tosh turned to Olivienne and stilled when her gaze was caught. In the silence that followed Savon’s words, the four of them seemed frozen. Then with as much tact as she could muster, Lt. Madlin gave Lt. Savon’s telesana-healed arm a poke and spoke up. “Well, we’ll just be going now, and well done again.” Then before the Connate or commander could respond, she all but dragged her fellow lieutenant back through the door of the observation deck.
Olivienne laughed and blew out a sigh. “It took them long enough.”
Tosh laughed with her. “It certainly did. We can follow if you like.”
“Or we can stay right here. Though it is a bit chilly.”
“I hear the Connate was given the nicest cabin aboard ship. Perhaps we should check it out?”
Olivienne smirked at Castellan’s wile. “And who are you to think you’ll be invited in?”
Tosh bent and lifted Olivienne into her arms before twirling the sovereign around. “Why, I’m the Connate’s future par! She has gifted me with a precious promise, an oath of her future. I merely want to show my appreciation and give my heart in return.”
“Oh, put me down! I refuse to be so coarsely handled on my way to the room!”
Tosh raised a single pale brow in the darkness. “Oh really?” Her skepticism was obvious but she acceded to Olivienne’s wishes.
Once the Connate was standing, she took a step toward the door and turned back to crook a finger at her lover. “Mmm hmm, however once we are inside my room...” Tosh gave her a dashing grin and both took off with speed to the sovereign’s cabin in record time.