Book 7, Chapter 29: The Council of Elders
The Sun long set, but torches and oil lamps lit up the night. Their smoke mixed with the sweat of thousands wafted across the battlefield. I watched the generals rush off, most to de-escalate, break the formations and get the men on enjoying the night rather than attacking their fellow humans, and others to set up the feast.
My chainmail was soaked in blood, its irony scent becoming my new normal. I needed a towel to wipe it off, a bath to clean myself, I was thirsty, hungry, my arms and legs suddenly empty and tired, yet I stood there wondering what I had done.
I’d taken Laemacia. And whatever empire Bracken’s lands were called. At least, his forward armies and his son. My new, entirely untrustworthy, vassal. Well, as the saying goes, I’d keep him close. Closer, I guess, if he was an enemy.
And I’d killed Serce. And countless, countless other men.
The phalanx broke apart into lines of men marching back to their camp. They blurred in my vision, moving and moving, my targets as I stared without focusing. They’d move their camp closer, join the feast, and hopefully fights between soldiers of the formerly opposing armies would keep to a minimum.
I’d killed so many, I couldn’t remember them all. Oh, I’d killed even more before. Only this time, it was by my own hands, up close. It bothered me less. Not for the numbers, but for the pretense that they could have avoided death by choosing any other option but to engage me. It was a pretense. They had no choice in the matter, but to die. I was the hammer, their masters the anvil.
I was now the master and I would soon order them into a battle where more – many, many more – would fight and die. And I was not going to give the men a choice in the matter. But I found myself numb.
It’s not that I didn’t care. I’d rather they survive, make homes and homesteads, and make this world safer, better. In shock, standing there, staring. I couldn’t quite process it all. How did I get here? I felt like a doormat, like I’d been forced into this outcome, but if so, I was the nastiest, roughest, and most dangerous doormat that had ever existed.
This was the exercise of power. Serce didn’t believe me. His people didn’t know enough and followed his commands. Mest didn’t initially believe me. I killed my way here. Violence. Well and truly exercised.
“Your Divine Highness?”
Two of Serce’s generals, the two who’d fought for him against my guards, stood nearby as the world blurred into focus. “Yes?”
One stepped forward, “Your Highness, may we remove, ah, Prince Searcian’s body for a proper burial?”
“Oh. Damn. Yes. Yes, of course.” I involuntarily looked over at his body. I’d slain so many people, it was like I’d forgotten the aftermath. I stepped forward, taking this man by the arm, walking toward the body. “I don’t know if he has any family. I’ve assumed control of all his wealth, belongings and these lands. I’m not going hunt them down or execute them. Also,” I nodded toward the nearby wounded soldiers, “See them to a hospital tent.”
“Your will be done.” In step with me, he bowed his head, “Also, my lady, that is most gracious.”
The other one caught up, looking at me, trying to get my attention, “Your Divine Highness,” he nodded at Serce, “I’m his cousin. Otholos put a lot of our family into, ah, nearby positions.”
“You mean positions of power?” Yeah, that made sense. Hence when you took over an empire, you killed their families. I really didn’t feel like a human-culling right now.
“Yes, my lady.”
“Same applies. I’m not going to have you executed, or your family, just for being related to him. You can’t have the throne. But I’m not after revenge.”
He bowed from the head, “That is comforting and very kind of you.”
Possibly kind, probably stupid. While they went to take care of the body, I wondered. I couldn’t exactly leave his family in charge of all the necessary levers of power, but at this point, there was no time to root them out. If we survived the upcoming battles. Hopefully, they wouldn’t rebel. No need to harm them otherwise.
I tilted my head back, breathing in as deeply the cool night air as possible. With the exception of all future paths, this situation was finally, finally in my favor and under my control. I had to either ignore how I got here or somehow fit my actions into a moral structure, but right now, I was dreary and tired to the core.
***
By the time I arrived back at the Bracken command tents, someone had taken the bodies away. There were now five young women, around my apparent age and probably their actual, a much larger layout of tea and munchibles. I left a trail of soldiers behind me, the young prince, and the young vassal king. The abbess was waiting for us, sitting amongst the pillows.
“Ma’am!” said Mest, walking toward me from the far side of the tent, “I am glad to find you well. The wizard has the device. It seems there will not be a battle today, and that is good news.”
“It’s good to see you, too. We were just able to avoid war.” Picking up a white towel, I soon sullied it by wiping and wiping the blood off my armor.
“Excellent news, ma’am.” Mest’s gaze found the abbess, and her eyes narrowed. “Another one?”
“We’re keeping her for now. She may have useful information. Mest, hey, I’m just going to sit amongst these cushions for a bit. Until the generals return. There should be twelve coming, unless more from the city join us.”
“Ma’am.” She turned to her companions, “At guard.”
They arranged themselves in a semicircle a ways off from me. Not too close, but close enough to run over if I, I don’t know, needed the Heimlich maneuver.
I found a pillow set near a tent pole. Even with the candles and lanterns inside, I could see out of the tent. The feast was being set up, cooking fires dotting the wall as long as you could see, for we had over a hundred and forty-thousand troops here. The three armies kitchen’s, plus help from the palace, volunteers from the baggage trains, and a ridiculous amount of food and drinks, and the party would follow.
Snuggling into the soft pillows and leaning back, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the brief respite before someone wanted answers or orders.
It appeared over all too soon as the young prince rose, headed this way. He probably wanted to speak to me on behalf of his father.
I sat up, trying not to sigh, when Mest intercepted him, her hands up, shaking her head and not saying anything. The pillows pulled me in deep.
***
“Ma’am?”
Pushing aside a smaller pillow on my face, I sat up. “Yes?”
“The generals have all arrived.”
I rubbed my eyes, “Thank you.”
Mest handed me a tea, and I took it, smiling, blowing on it to cool it down and stood and, finding it not too hot, finished it off. They were standing around the maps, with the Serce generals pointing at it in various locations, Bracken generals indicating other areas of the map, some nodding, others talking. It had to be new for them, for previous opponents to compare battlefield notes.
One of the serving girls ran over when I glanced in her direction, and stood, eyes slightly downcast, waiting.
“Ah, please see to it that everyone’s drink is filled, whatever they are having. I’d like an ale or a mead, and something for you ladies, whatever you want.”
She curtsied and got busy.
I fired at her a thank you and got a smile. Apparently, she was supposed to be seen and not heard.
After the generals’ cups, mugs, and glasses were filled or refilled, I gestured at the pillows, “Gentlemen, make a half-circle facing me, please.” Evil me gleefully considered making them raise their hand and introduce themselves. Maybe a little finger-painting later.
As they took their seats, it was Sasan and Mazdak from the city, the five Laemacian generals from the field, the Bracken generals, the two royal boys, and the woman. It slightly irritated me that she yet wore her white temple robes.
I raised my cup in toast, “First, let me thank and congratulate you, gentlemen, for how little bloodshed we managed to spill in unifying not only our armies, but our lands,” I gestured at the young king, fully aware that he would demand some blood-spilling to wrest his empire from his brother later and, I have to say, it was nice to have after-apocalypse plans. I nodded to Mazdak and Sasan, at Pasha who didn’t escalate, and at Serce’s cousin, who hopefully swore off any kind of revenge, and the others before taking a sip.
Everyone followed suit, the men nodding and producing their best smiles for everyone. Up until just a few hours ago, these generals were not friends.
“Make no mistake, this is an accomplishment unique in history. And we are going to take full advantage of it. I have plans, gentlemen. Great plans. We will build roads between all our cities. We will expand our population and our reach over these dangerous and monster-filled lands.” I walked forward, to the end of their semicircle of pillows. Back the other way. Tapped my right hand against my chain.
Then I looked at the men, “But first we have to take the Temple of the Gods.” Nodding at Bracken’s former generals, I said, “Where you were ultimately headed.”
“Your Highness,” said one of them, “we sent an army to the Temple. Perhaps ten thousand men. As they are now your men, we have but to walk there.”
“I’m not so sure. Have you had any messages from them?”
“No, ma’am.”
“On that issue,” I faced Arsaces, “we sent out many scouting parties and messengers to your army in the field. None of these men returned. Did any reach you?”
“No, ma’am. Had any reached us, we would have known of your ascension to the throne, and we would have adjusted our approach.”
Sasan said, “We sent the majority prior to Her Highness assuming the throne.”
“I’m afraid those didn’t make it to us either.”
I walked to the other side of the pillows, then back, pacing, “I apologize. I believe the troops sent to the Temple are dead.”
“Excuse me, why do you believe that? There were no other armies between here and there.”
I continued pacing, wondering just how to explain this crazy situation to these men without them locking me up. Maybe just everything. There have been plenty of unhinged, even demented rulers in history who weren’t institutionalized. Everything it is. “Please be assured that I am well aware of the absurdity of the situation I am about to explain.” The city generals nodded, the Bracken generals stared at me, the new king shaking his head and slightly rolling his eyes, the young prince unabashedly eyeing me.
I took another sip, “Alright, onto the crazy. I really and truly am a goddess. Ask the abbess here.”
All eyes turned to her. She nodded.
“Just explain it to them,” I said.
After nodding again, brief smile, she began, “We find beings like her every few hundred years or so.” She shook her head, “I did not expect to in my lifetime. Truthfully, I was beginning to doubt.” She took a deep breath, “I don’t know if they answer prayers or create life, but we call them deities. For they have immense power.” Even without sight, she looked around the room, “We trap them. Our mages are parasites to them, drawing from their lifeforce to give us magic.”
“Jesus, lady, that is not what I meant. Alright,” I held out my hands, capturing everyone’s attention, “this magical trap of theirs houses not gods. No, not beings like me, but otherworldly creatures. Well, these women successfully trapped my brother.” I looked away, “But he’s now dead and gone. Listen! They’re coming out, the creatures, these ‘Others.’ And I have no idea what they will do. They might just go home. They might enjoy eating your children. I don’t know. But these beings have been trapped in that prison, because of women like this, because of all your mages, for hundreds of years, having their lifeforce being drained bit by bit, spell by spell. It’s painful, I have experienced this. Trust me, they are not happy.”
Prince Fada nearly stood out of his seat, “You were inside this prison and the mages drew magic from you? How . . . how’d you escape?”
I looked away, “It was difficult.”
“Excuse me,” Sasan said, “they killed your brother? Your brother was, ah, in this prison?”
“Yes. I asked him to stop the Others from coming out. He died in this task. I believe the Others will break out soon. If they haven’t already. They have been sending their agents out from the, ah, Temple. Monsters unlike any you have seen. I believe these captured or killed the scouts and messengers we sent.”
“What kind of monsters?” asked Arsaces.
“I don’t fully know. I do not know the limits of their power. They sent the harpies – the winged women – among other creatures.”
The city generals nodded, and the others looked at them with questions on their lips.
Mazdak cut through that, asking, “Your brother died protecting us?”
“Yes,” I looked down. “I asked him to stop the Others from leaving.” Looking up, I paused at Arsaces’ face, Mazdak’s, Sasan’s, several other generals, “Listen, I need to make this clear. These beings killed my brother to get out. And he . . . he was the god of war.” The tent became as quiet as the outside was noisy. I waited. Mainly for them to start laughing. But they didn’t. This was a land with dryads who steal men, trees that eat animals, and flying dragon-like wyverns. They had magic just over a month ago. These men were used to the strange, the unknowable.
“What,” asked the young king, “what are you the god of?”
I stared at him hard and, through clenched teeth, said, “It’s considered rude to discuss such mysteries.”
He looked shocked, then disbelief hovered over his face, followed by the harsh and utterly true realization that I was a hypocrite in the extreme.
“Gentlemen!” I grabbed their attention, “We are marching on that temple. At the earliest! We are stopping those Others in any way we can. We have no choice. Do you understand?” I looked at my new vassal, “Your kingdom is going to burn.” I looked at Sasan, “Your city will be destroyed.” Mazdak, the blond general, other generals, “Every single person you know and love will die if we cannot stop them.
“I did not take Laemacia because of my birthright! I did not take the Bracken land because of avarice or insecurity. I brought our armies together in the only way I could because I need you, I need every last man under you! And all of us, every single one of us to our dying breath, has to keep those beings from exiting the prison. And kill them if they escape!”
After a moment, all eyes on me, many wide in surprise or disbelief, I didn’t know, they realized I was finished and gave me honorifics, mismatched and over quickly.
“Thank you, gentlemen. That will mean you will need to work together. You’ll be organizing our expedition to the Temple of the Gods from tomorrow. We need to get there as quickly as possible or,” I looked away for a brief moment, “the road will become more dangerous. Let’s save that until tomorrow, though. Sasan, the feast is organized?”
“I would imagine they are ready for us now, Your Divine Highness, and most of them already cooking food for the men, but more cooking pits and alecarts are yet being set-up and brought.”
“Excellent, excellent.” I again lifted my cup, “Then, please, enjoy the feast and get to know each other. To peace and survival.”
They all lifted, we drank, they began talking with each other. I backed up, looking away while they stood and began talking to each other.
“Ma’am?” Mest was at my side. “Perhaps we should get you out of that armor and into clean clothing?”
“Oh, that would be lovely! It is starting to, well it’s gross. It’s very gross. I wonder if someone can wash the gambeson instead of, you know, airing it out.”
“It may shrink, my lady.”
“Maybe I’ll just ask for a new one.”
“While you were sleeping, I took the liberty of arranging for the royal stores to be searched. After finding an appropriate suit of armor, I’ve asked the smithies to have it ready for you post-haste.”
The chainmail I was wearing was fine steel, with a golden X pattern. It wasn’t as nice as my previous perseidian iron one, nor as light, but it protected me well enough. “You found a better suit of armor?”
“It may be ready even now. They assigned many journeymen to the task.”
“Ah. Wait, while I was asleep? I was only resting for a few minutes.”
“Earlier today, my lady.”
“Oh! That was very thoughtful of you.”
Sasan walked up beside us, “If you’re ready, the nobles are waiting on you.”
“The nobles?” I’d imagined us all heading over to the first firepit and tearing meat off some roasting animal, to eat and drink with the men. Nobles! Yuck!
“Yes, my lady. I arranged for an indoor feast for you. They are most eager to speak with Your Divine Highness.”
“We can really drop most of the formality, you know, you don’t have to insert ‘divine’ and ‘holy’ every time.”
“Ah,” he nodded.
I deflated. “The nobles?”
“Waiting on you, yes.”
“They will have to wait longer,” said Mest. “A bath is waiting on Her Highness, and cleanliness has priority.” She gestured toward the city gates, “After you, ma’am.”
I gave Sasan a smile. “A bath. Then I’ll find you.”
He smiled back, “Excellent.”
Walking through the men scattered about the cooking fires and alecarts, talking and laughing, patting each other on the back, I felt lonely. Perhaps it was the empty feeling you sometimes get after accomplishing a long and arduous task. I had nothing to do but become pretty again for other people when I was looking forward to chatting with these generals, even soldiers. People I’d fought with and for. Not so much the nobles.
Yet it had to be done. After all, I’d be leaving the city more or less under their control. Oh, for sure it’d be run by the military, but with me in the field, the nobles would reassert power. I had to get to know them and get them to understand – firmly – that I was the new empress, and this new state of affairs was unchanging.
After I got that across, I’d sneak out and . . . meet the soldiers. Maybe share a well-earned drink with them. Yet I hoped and hoped that nothing else and no one plagued us tonight. The soldiers deserved a night off. Maybe I did, too.
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