The Blood Throne of Sahirra

[accuscripter]

About seventeen girls had reached the Imperial City, and the discussion about them had already started before their arrival at the palace gates.

Everyone who was anyone was now gathered in the great hall, standing before Darakhal Veir, the Jaw of Judgment Throne. They were loudly voicing their concerns, which were less like concerns and more like cascading complaints about the trampling of their noble honors by the mere presence of such "chaotic species" in the Imperial City.

Vienna was still in her private chamber, desperately dreading the moment she had to go out. It had been easy enough for her to handle the girls of the wild, their defiance was direct and simple. But to answer the questions, the sneering insinuations, and the political maneuvering of the nobles? That was a skillset she was still learning, and she felt profoundly inadequate.

She paced the rich carpet, restless and agitated. Her Lady-in-Waiting, Anika, watched her with visible tension.

"My Lady…" Anika began, concerned.

Before Vienna could reply, the guard outside announced Lord Vael and let him in.

"Lady Vienna," he said, his greeting stiff, devoid of any personal warmth but meticulously adhering to courtly formality.

"Lord Vael," she managed in return, but her voice faltered, seeing him after so long. She was his daughter, after all.

Lord Vael looked up without raising his head, saw Vienna's tired face and weak constitution, and instantly looked back down. A sharp, unexpected pain seized his heart, the same acute throb he hadn't felt since his wife died. He loved his wife more than anyone, but the rigid patriarchal system had forced him to maintain a facade of icy detachment. I am a man! And men don't have soft hearts! he used to tell himself. He'd held that conviction proudly for years.

But today, seeing Vienna's exhaustion, the memory of his wife's face superimposed itself over his daughter's. And with it, a terrifying internal statement ran through his mind: "You will lose her just like you lost her mother."

He stood silently, his hand placed rigidly on his chest. Vienna, seeing her father so numb and still, rushed forward.

"Father! Are you alright?" she asked, holding his arm.

Lord Vael instantly snapped back to reality, freeing himself from her tiny, weak hands and moving back a step, clasping his hands in front of him.

"My apologies, My Lady. It's the old age at play, I presume," he added in a whisper, ensuring the lie sounded sufficiently condescending. "I was here…"

"Father, you don't look good," Vienna insisted, worry lacing her voice.

Lord Vael raised his head up, fixed her with a disdainful grimace, and looked at her as if profoundly disapproving of her softness. When she didn't immediately comprehend his meaning, he spelled it out in a harsh whisper. "My Lady! We are in this very ROYAL chamber, inside this very ROYAL palace! And from here, when you speak with the QUEEN'S authority, I would rather you forget your personal connections and act as such!"

Vienna flushed instantly. She knew what her father was doing, he was taunting her, reminding her about her own order to address her as 'Her Ladyship' instead of 'daughter' while at court. Though he was technically right, the sharp delivery still stung hard.

"Yes… hmm… you were here, Lord Vael, for?" She recovered quickly, forcing her embarrassment down and projecting a tone of authority.

"Ah, yes…" Lord Vael acted as if the whole emotional exchange had been erased from his memory. "My Lady, you must know about the girls?"

"Yes, My Lord. And this very moment, I am contemplating how to handle that..."

"Handling them won't be an issue for you, My Lady. I am afraid your real problem are the nobles, waiting for you outside, who smell weakness and chaos."

"You read my mind really well, Lord Vael." Vienna offered a tired, yet appreciative smile.

Anika stepped forward, trying to defend her mistress. "My Lord, Lady Vienna hasn't slept for days, ever since the news of the girls entering the city came to her knowledge."

Vael looked at the Lady-in-Waiting, and despite controlling himself with fierce concentration, he couldn't help the scorn that dripped from his voice. "It's no use losing your sleep over such little issues, My Lady. If you won't sleep, how would you have the energy to pamper up these pampered nobles?"

Vienna came close, her youthful spark returning, and with a playful smile added, "It seems you are worried about me, Lord Vael!"

"NO! I am not!" he snapped, his hand shooting up in a dramatic gesture of defense, stopping her at bay.

She chuckled softly, then sat down on the couch. "I presume, then, that you must have a plan, Lord Vael. Since you are not worried, of course."

"Earlier, I was thinking that you should adjourn the court without conducting one, but seeing how even you are panicking, I think the earlier we solve it, the better it will be."

"So…?" she prompted.

"So, I suggest you tackle this head-on. On your own!" And saying this, a small, genuine, utterly naughty smirk came to Lord Vael's face, which he badly tried to hide with a cough before swiftly turning and striding out of the room, leaving behind a barely suppressed chuckle.

"Father!!!" Vienna cried out, then immediately dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"It seems my father is getting naughty now," she said to Anika in between laughs, wiping her eyes.

"My Lord has certainly… changed," Anika added, smiling warmly.

"I can see that…" Vienna sighed, her smile fading as she gathered her inner strength. "I cannot think anymore. I don't want to. Let's go out, Anika, and let's just see what happens."

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[accuscripter]

The early morning air in the forest was crisp and smelled of damp earth and pine needles. Aeryn sat straight on the back of the bay horse, the saber held across her lap, her cloak pulled tight. She looked every inch a normal woman who was clearly, pale, and thoroughly exhausted yet regal.

Rissa, riding slightly ahead on the second horse, looked like a kid who had just won the biggest prize at the fair. Her face was flushed with happiness. She was beaming so wide that her cheeks looked like they might pop.

"Rissa," Aeryn called out, her voice slightly strained from the continuous travel.

"Yes, Your Highness! At yooooour service! Ask me anything, My Lady! I have a whole list of potential problems I've already solved in my head, so you won't have to worry… including how to turn a wild boar into a meal using only a twig and a concentrated fire burst. Also, I know three ways to disable a standard royal tracking charm, which I've been practicing on a pebble, do you want to see? It's very fast, but I can't do it while riding, and the pebble keeps rolling away, which I think is a separate problem, don't you think? Oh! And I also know five great hiding spots if we need to vanish suddenly, but only two of them are actually usable by two horses and one Queen! So, I'm working on new spots for all of us! This is so exciting!" Rissa yanked the reins, bringing her horse to an abrupt, jarring halt.

"Don't do that! You'll break the poor animal's mouth," Aeryn scolded in a low pitched voice.

"Oh! Sorry! I am still learning how to be the Queen's Protector, My Lady!" Rissa apologized, then added proudly, "But don't worry, I am a super fast learner! I have read every tactical pamphlet ever produced by obsessed haters of the Queen that I could find! I bought them all, for verrrrrrryyy high prices, from highly persuasive merchants who claimed to know you better than you know yourself, which, by the way, included seven different volumes on how to tie a proper tent knot! Can you believe it? The knot one was terribly boring, but I read it anyway, because maybe there was a secret Queen-approved knot in there, but there wasn't, which is just typical of... well, typical of... the people who aren't your followers!"

Here rissa suddenly realizing something started to talk in the air …

"Like, the ones who... uh... the Queen haters! No, My Lady, not haters! But not fans either! Like, they don't hate you, but they don't like you either! I mean, like, they aren't your loyal followers, but the other people! Oh, I am so sorry, Your Highness, I didn't mean to talk about this right to your face!" She bowed her head deeply. "is it right? But I am on your left?" she thought out loud, "I didn't mean to talk to about this left to your face!" she corrected herself proudly.

"My Lady, they were scammers by the way … I got to know it after I was scammed of course... if I knew before I wouldn't have wasted my time on those good for nothings... humph!! But no worries! I still have some useful tactics, and the rest? Hmmm, the rest I will learn from the best!" Here, she pointed to Aeryn with both hands, respectfully and playfully flattering the Queen.

Aeryn pinched the bridge of her nose. "Rissa, focus. Tell me where did you get these horses!"

"The camp, of course!"

"I saw the General's tent and I said, 'This one is the fastest,' and 'This one looks sturdy.' They're part of the General's personal stable. A beautiful matched pair, don't you think?"

"You stole them from Sakina!" Aeryn cried.

"No, no, Your Highness! I didn't steeeeal them," Rissa corrected, turning to face Aeryn with extreme seriousness. "I commandeered them! It's a huge difference! Stealing is what villains do. Commandeering is what highly loyal future Generals do when their Queen is in danger and needs rapid, tactical transportation! It's practically a heroic public service!"

Aeryn stared at the girl. "And you knew exactly where I was?"

Rissa winked. "Well, I suspected where you would go. Don't scold me but I never left I was eyeing your tent. The General had the guards triple the security at the front, so, I had kindly loosened the big, flapping hole in the back of your tent an hour earlier. You know, just in case. I always prepare for the most improbable scenarios! It's only sensible!"

Aeryn went silent, blinking slowly. Rissa was a disruptive genius wrapped in a layer of pure, nervous energy.

"You knew I would run away?" Aeryn asked. "With how both of you were with each other, it was visible that you wanted to get away from them…so I just helped in case…guess I was right." She chuckled.

Aeryn was silent. They were moving silently now, Rissa making way and whistling every now and then. Aeryn broke the silence. "why exactly did you do that?"

"What My lady?" rissa said while flying away mosquitoes.

"Why did you hurt people in the camp and that in my name…" it was visible that aeryn still didn't trust Rissa. In a world where everyone hated her calling her a curse, and uncontrollable this like girl was like a die-hard follower.

Rissa's whole demeanor instantly shifted to fiery defense. "They were disrespectful, Your Highness! They were suggesting that the Queen's new vision was… illogical! And they were saying it really loudly, which made their terrible logic even worse! I tried to VERBALLY correct them, but their logic was terrible! So, naturally, I had to PHYSICALLY correct their stance so their heads would align with the QUEEN'S strategic goals! It was just a little alignment adjustment, My Lady, purely for strategic benefit!"

Aeryn sighed. "Violence is not correction, Rissa. On your own comrades, especially when I had strictly restricted it. It's rebellion. And that is why I expelled you."

"I know! I swear I have thought about it every minute since!" Rissa pleaded, raising her hand in swear, her eyes suddenly wet. "I was so ashamed, Your Highness. But I am here now to show you! I will learn control, I promise! I just need guidance! And I can be useful! Look!"

Rissa suddenly held out her other hand, and with a short, controlled burst of power, a small, perfect flame ignited and hovered over her palm. It wasn't wild or destructive, but contained, a bright, stable orange.

"I can use the same control to make sure our trail is difficult to follow and that we stay warm without alerting anyone nearby. I only use power when necessary! See? Necessity! Not rebellion! Unless rebellion is necessary, but I think that is a paradox, so let's stick to Necessity for now!"

"The horses' hooves will leave a massive trail, Rissa," Aeryn pointed out, ignoring the fire for a moment. "They are special guards they not only rely on their elemental powers but on their brains. They will track us through the rock and the soil."

Rissa's eyes glazed over with intense concentration. "hmmmmmmmmm….Aha! I have solved this on too! We must ride them backward! They will naturally step in their own footprints, confusing the themm! It's so brilliant!!!"

Aeryn almost fell off her horse in disbelief. "RISSA!!!" Aeryn said, "If we try to ride two horses backward over rough forest terrain, we will break our necks before Sakina even finishes her breakfast. We are riding forward!"

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[accuscripter]

"Oh. Right. Forward," Rissa said, the letting out a sigh as she dropped her head, utterly defeated.

Two days of continuous travel later, the Queen and her aide finally spotted a small, dilapidated hunting hut. Aeryn was swaying in the saddle, feeling like she would faint any moment. Rissa practically carried her inside.

Once settled in the small, dusty room, Aeryn slumped onto a pile of furs. Rissa, seeing the extreme exhaustion on the Queen's face, fussed over her. Unconsciously, Aeryn leaned her head onto Rissa's shoulder, and within moments, she was fast asleep.

As soon as her head hit her shoulder, Rissa went rigid with shock, then her whole face dissolved into bubbling happiness. After a few hours, Aeryn's eyes fluttered open. She realized her head was resting in Rissa's lap, and Rissa was sitting rock-still, her small, dagger hidden near her waist. "Rissa," Aeryn murmured, raising her concern. "You should have slept. Why… you…?"

Rissa instantly launched into an explanation, her words tumbling out like marbles and scattering across the floor. "Oh, no, Your Highness, I'm perfectly fine! I was just sitting here guarding you! I'm practically a squirrel, I only need tiny naps! Did you know some of the toughest mountain folk can go five days without sleep, sustained entirely by strong tea and sheer willpower? I haven't tried the five days yet, but I bet I could do three! And I was thinking about how we can best disguise our trail when we leave." She was talking without taking a break to breath .

"And I came up with eighteen different methods, twelve of which are totally nonsensical, four are too visible, and two are actually genius, but one of the genius ones requires a flock of domesticated sparrows, which we don't have, so I've been trying to figure out if I could train a squirrel instead, but then I remembered your rule about visible power, so I've been refining the stream idea to only use minimal force and perhaps a really big shovel, which I don't have, so back to the squirrel, are squirrels bendable? I bet they are, you know, because everything is! But for that I need your permission. That reminds me, I wanted to ask you if I can use my power for just a little bit, you see……"

"Stop, Rissa! Stop!" Aeryn said, rubbing her temples. "Don't tell me! Stop talking!"

Rissa immediately shushed, freezing mid-sentence, her mouth slightly open. She looked utterly deflated, like a balloon losing air. Then, she brightened slightly. "My Lady, last thing I will ask... allow me to get us some food! Please! I'm starving! I ate my last fruit an hour ago!"

Aeryn waved a weary hand in assent. Seeing this rissa ran outside and aeryn allowed herself to fall on her side, sleep again catching on her.

Rissa came back soon after to the glorious scent of sizzling hot food. After two days of eating nothing but dried grass and whatever meager fruits they could find, the warm, fragrant meal was worth dying for. Aeryn ate to her heart's content, barely looking up.

When she finally finished, she looked at Rissa, who was still eating with focused determination, a roasted hen leg in one hand and the soup bowl in the other. Aeryn smiled and then sighed.

"Do you think they know where we are?" Aeryn asked.

Rissa shook her head, still chewing vigorously.

"It's the first time I've been out without anyone. Without guards, without protocol…" Aeryn added, still looking at her. "It's actually nice, you know."

Rissa wobbled left and right happily, blinking her eyes, expecting more quiet reflection and approval of her aide skills.

"Do you think the General will come after us personally? Or send a whole battalion? Like what must she be planning??? I think we need to be ready to move again quickly, don't we?" Aeryn pressed, needing a serious strategic answer.

Rissa paused her chewing just long enough to shrug one shoulder, then immediately went back to demolishing the hen leg.

"Are you even listening? This is important! We need a plan for tomorrow, and I need to know the risks!" Aeryn said with a rising voice

Rissa nodded quickly, her mouth full, giving a vigorous thumbs-up sign with her soup hand.

Aeryn got irritated. "RISSA! I am talking to you! Why are you not replying to me! Earlier you couldn't stop talking and now you are silent like a mute!!!"

Rissa stopped eating, looked at Aeryn as if saying, Seriously?, and then put her food down and started pointing with her fingers, trying to tell something.

"What the heck is the problem with you!" Aeryn said angrily.

And then Aeryn's tired eyes widened in sudden realization. "Ahhh... I told you to stop talking! That's why you are silent!"

Rissa beamed, hitting her hand on her knee with an air of achievement, and instantly picked her food back up as if to say, Yes! That is what I was trying to tell you!

Aeryn smiled, shaking her head. "You can talk, Rissa… I was just saying, you don't have to take it too seriously when it's only us." She said it softly, as if she was trying to soothe a pain only she could feel. She remembered Sakina, who had been left kneeling on the ground by the same unconscious, rigid command when Aeryn lost her memory.

It hurt her that her every word, even a casual phrase, was taken as a command which, if unfulfilled, might command death.

Aeryn shivered, suddenly coming back to her reality as Rissa burped loudly.

"Hehe… forgive me, My Lady," Rissa said, slightly abashed, and promptly burped again, even louder this time.

Aeryn chuckled.

"Where are we by the way? It's quite chilly even at this time of the day!" Aeryn said while stroking her arms, looking here and there.

Rissa immediately put the food down. "We are near the Azure Dominion, My Lady! Just outside the borderlands, near the peaks!"

"AZURE?" Aeryn gasped.

"Yeahhh… Azuuuuure," Rissa replied dreamily, starting to pick up the dishes and plates.

"But weren't we closer to the Cinder Hegamony from the campsite? And from statistics, we should have been in that territory by now!"

"Yes, My Lady, but I knew Sakina would lead the hunt there, because Cinder was closer from there, and from any sane person's point of view we should have gone that way! BUT…" Rissa said, eyes shining with strategic pride. "because I am not THAT much sane and still enough to know that we obviously shouldn't go that way unless we want them to caught up to us …I realized this on the way, so I changed our path to here. I think …after leaving this hut, we will be in the Azura's territory after a day's travel more. It was a perfectly executed plan! We're brilliant!"

Aeryn just stared at her for a long moment. Rissa wasn't just loyal, she was strategically brilliant, if maddeningly literal. She was calling herself not sane and yet she planned it so well. Aeryn nodded with deep approval.

"Finish your food," Aeryn said, a soft, genuine smile on her lips. "And then tell me what are you thinking. And how do you even know the directions?"

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