How Familiar - 12. Soren - The Absent Mother

Soren Alae

It was not as though his prison was an uncomfortable one. At the top of the prison tower in the Eodaniran palace, the rooms were designed for nobles. Maybe the King of Alaeyas was not imagined to ever spend a sojourn in there, but Soren was far from tortured and starving. He had a big feathered bed for himself, with many rugs and pillows. There were many windows, although fine metal grates interrupted his view of the beautiful capital and even the Eodaniran countryside if the snow stopped falling and the clouds ceased. The stone walls were adorned with dozens of paintings and tapestries - many of the Eoda ancestors and some of the Goddess herself. He had half a hundred books at his disposal - although they were mostly texts of the history of Eodanira and the religion of the Goddess. A pious country, Soren thought when he glumly thumbed through the library afforded to him. Bordering on theocracy. Soren had always put his faith in the good of the Goddess. She had many names. The Queen of Light, the Queen of Life, Lata and Yafi. Many scribes referred to her only as 'Mother.' She will see me through this, he thought. She protects the innocent. I am innocent.

"Do you fancy a game of cards?" Soren asked Vaughn, the enormous giant of a man tasked with guarding the prisoner by day.

Alaeyan King or not, Soren was still a prisoner of the Eodaniran Crown and the Goddess until his trial in the next morning. Vaughn remained by his side to ensure the young King prayed to the Goddess five times a day - morning, night and before each of his three meals, and studied her word for no less than two hours per day as part of his rehabilitation. In the weeks he'd been sequestered in the tower, Vaughn failed to be of any decent company. He had been a loyal bodyguard to Queen Tyffane, but now found himself charged with ensuring that Soren did not attempt to escape - or hurt himself. The most boring bloody man he'd ever met. Vaughn did not even bother to reply. He looked at Soren with cold disdain from his moss-coloured eyes and returned to his book.

"Our time together comes to end tomorrow," Soren reminded him, keeping his distance. The man frightened him, even though he knew Vaughn would never strike him - without orders, that is. "Surely you're just as happy about that as I am."

"When they execute you for regicide, I will return to the side of the child Queen," Vaughn growled in his deep voice.

"Except I'm innocent," Soren fell back onto his bed. "When Archbishop Alimine rules in my favour, my first order will be to remove that pole from your rectum."

"Careful, King," Vaughn's eyes fell back down to his book. "When Her Grace finds you guilty in the eyes of the Goddess, I might not be so nice to you when next we meet."

"Be careful how to speak to me," Soren was Royalty. A man or not, a prisoner or not, he would be treated as such. "Otherwise, I might see to it that your daughters grow up without their father."

Vaughn did not dignify him with a response, and Soren lay his head on one of his pillows and clutched another to his chest. It did not come close to the feel of his Familiar's feathery embrace. The warmth of Vyma's chest. The kindness in his beautiful Alaeyan eyes. Soren closed his eyelids and let his eyes roll back in their sockets. Rylan. Rylan, all the way up in Ulisse, was still asleep at this time of day. Just as lazy as Orion, Soren thought, but when Rylan felt Soren's spirit inside him, his great eyes opened.

King Soren! Rylan's thoughts echoed in Soren's head. How may I assist you?

I just wish to see my brother, Soren replied softly. Is he well?

He's still not awake! I envy him. Rylan looked over to the bed, and true to his word, the suntanned Prince in Ulisse was still snoring gently, his brown arms and legs sticking out at all sorts of awkward, graceless angles. We remain confined to the Palace walls until he treats with that fucking Kaden creature, Rylan explained, and Soren marvelled at how the Pegasus' mouth was just as filthy as the Prince whose soul he shared. Orion does not like to take orders, so he refuses to leave his room in protest.

That sounds like our boy, Soren remarked. Will you give him a message when he wakes?

Of course, Rylan's great eyes blinked, and Soren could hear the ocean crashing against the shores outside the Prince's chamber. Soren loved to visit Ulisse, but the climate was harsh and unforgiving. He burned to a crisp up there, yet Orion froze when he came to Eodanira. If only we could have met with Ronan in Ilaria. We could all be happy.

Just remind Orion that I love him, okay? Soren asked, and he felt Rylan's spirit smile at him. And I love you, too! I count the days until we meet again. Stay safe.

Take care, and take care of my brother, Rylan closed his eyes once more, and Soren decided to leave him to his sleep.

He sometimes forgot that the Pegasi were brothers too and loved each other the way Soren, Orion and Ronan did. When Vyma and Rylan were together, they played like children. They ran, they flew and they nuzzled each other with their great big noses, and when they slept, they cuddled each other with their wings. Orion and Soren would often sleep in their huge embrace as well, their heads against the feathery chests of each other's Pegasus. They learned when they were eight years old that Rylan and Vyma's hearts always beat at the same time. Bored and lonely, he decided to watch his other brother, Ronan. Soren had never met his brother in Iralia, as much as he petitioned the Iralian Queen. Tyffane was not sympathetic to Ronan’s plight. None of our business, she would say.

Timi, Soren switched to the other boy’s Pegasus. Do you mind if I spend some time with you? It’s lonely here.

Soren! Of course you may, Timi’s voice was timid and shaky. It always had been.

Timi did not like surprises, so Soren always asked him for permission to share his body first. Timi did the same when he wished to see his brother through Soren's eyes. Vyma. Black as night. When whiteness briefly overtook him and he saw through Timi’s sharp blue eyes, he saw that woman who had rescued him from his prison in the Iralian tower. She was a beauty, and she was feeding a vine of grapes to the rhinoceros that was always by her side. Timi, knowing Soren would want to see his brother, turned his head and looked at Ronan, who was gnawing at an apple big enough that he needed two hands to hold it. Timi must have told Ronan that his brother was here, and Ronan waved happily to the Pegasus.

“Soren’s here!” Ronan announced cheerfully, and Viv next to him waved to Timi. “Soren! Look how big this apple is! I didn’t know how amazing apples were, and look at this one! It’s huge!”

You’re a nut, but that is a huge apple, Soren spoke to Timi fondly, and Timi would forward his words to Ronan. When you get to Ulisse, you can eat all the apples you want! I can’t wait to see you get nice and fat.

“Hi Soren!” Lorcan, the amber-skinned young boy with the falcon Familiar jumped down next to Ronan and snatched the apple from his hands, causing the Prince to wail and tackle him to the ground.

“I will not get fat! We’re getting further north! But we’re travelling slowly now,” Ronan spoke aloud, wrestling his apple, his pride and joy, back from the mischievous youngster. “The Forest of Night is behind us so we don’t have cover anymore. We--”

“Stop! Quiet!” Larissa shouted at him, and Ronan’s pretty face fell. It was like seeing himself as a woman, Soren thought. Ronan had the same bone structure as his brothers, but his hair was incredibly long, tumbling in red curls down below his hips, and he was wearing a woman’s cloak. “I don’t mean to offend you, Prince Soren, but the less you know of our journey, the better. While you are in Eodaniran custody, I want you to stop watching us.”

“He won’t tell anyone,” Ronan complained, and Timi slumped to the grass below, sharing his companion’s sadness.

“What part of no chances do you not understand?” Larissa was kind most of the time when Soren watched them, but she was hard and stern. “Until we’re out of Ilaria, this weird communication you have with your brothers needs to stop.”

She doesn’t need to know when I’m watching, Soren told Timi. Make sure Ronan keeps quiet when I am.

“He’s gone,” Ronan’s face fell and he sighed, returning to his treat.

“I’m sorry,” Larissa approached and brushed his curls from around his face. “I know you love your brothers, but we need to be cautious. If Eodanira decides to tie him to the rack and torture your location out of him, we’ll be done for. Stay quiet.”

“Fine,” Ronan replied with a solemn nod, but when he looked at Timi, a flicker of a smile crossed his face. He knew.

"Hey! You know you are not to talk to your brothers!" Vaughn's voice thundered through the room, and Soren was torn from Timi’s body. His eyes opened, and he narrowed them at the big man in contempt.

"The Goddess gave us such a gift for a reason," Soren snapped at him. "It seems strange that you would seek to prevent me from using it."

"Those are my orders. Don't like it? Don't kill the Queen!" Vaughn slammed his book down onto the dining table and reached for the hilt of the massive broadsword he kept on his belt. In the corner, Vaughn's snake Familiar rattled its tail and hissed through its gaping jaws.

Soren rolled his eyes. Empty threats. But Vaughn would not leave him in peace if he looked to be communicating with Timi or Rylan. From the sneak peeks he'd taken, Ronan was doing well in the Iralian countryside with that Larissa woman guarding him. He was experiencing so many things for the first time, and Soren loved to watch through Timi's eyes as Ronan ate wild berries and played with Viv's friendly cat. How ironic, Soren thought. Ronan was the prisoner his whole life while Orion and I lived in happiness, now he is the only one of us that can fly on the back of his Pegasus like a free man. He heard the door unlock and accompanied by the lioness Swari, Elisa, the former Queen's number one retainer, lead Queen Charlotte inside, and Vyma as well.

"My Queen!" Soren leapt to his feet, but he did not approach her. Vaughn and Elisa would both strike him down if he did. Charlotte was to approach him instead. "Vyma!"

Vyma was not permitted to stay with Soren, but he was allowed to visit. Soren did not like it, though. The mighty black Pegasus was forced to wear a tight garment that restrained his wings and shackles around his hooves if he were to visit his Human.

"My King," Charlotte beamed at him, her radiant blonde locks catching the final rays of the setting sun and amplifying its beauty a thousandfold.

Vyma approached, and Soren hugged him around his feathery neck, kissing him repeatedly. Vyma used his long, wet tongue to lick Soren's face.

I miss you, Vyma told him, his black feathers shining in the candlelight.

"Take him out, please," Soren ordered Elisa, who pursed her lips. "And take that horrible coat from him! He's in pain."

I don't mind, Vyma lied, but Soren could see the pain in his beautiful blue eyes. His wings were designed to be free, not confined tightly to his body.

Go and fly for me, Soren smiled, fighting tears that threatened to leak from him. Be free, so that I may join you through your eyes and be free as well.

"As you wish," Elisa nodded, whistling to Vyma and escorting him outside. Vyma shot a sad look at Soren before he left.

"Leave us," Charlotte ordered her, and Elisa nodded.

She was used to this order when the Queen of Alaeyas came for her one hour visit per day. Vaughn would remain to make sure Soren did not hurt her the way he allegedly hurt Tyffane. With Vyma, Elisa and Swari all gone and the door locked once more, Charlotte almost pounced on Soren, her arms wrapping tightly around him as her pink lips found his and kissed deeply. Soren looked forward to this part of the day more than any other, and kissed her back with enthusiasm, running one hand through her hair. She smelled of coconut and vanilla, and he enjoyed her scent with every breath.

"I have some news for you, my love!" Charlotte eventually pulled away and spoke with excitement, resting her forehead against his. "Guess!"

"I never win this game!" Soren playfully complained, using his fingers to caress her cheek. "You finally beat Tira in the swordyard!"

"Oh, be realistic!"

"My charges have been dropped!"

"I'm afraid not, pumpkin. The trial still goes ahead tomorrow - but we both know Archbishop Alimine will find you innocent of these terrible charges," Charlotte reassured him. "And then we will find whoever did this to my mother! I stay awake thinking about all the ways to repay them..."

"Why don't you give me a hint?" Soren begged, and Charlotte beamed at him. She took his hand and gently placed it on the bodice covering her belly. Soren wondered if she was talking about what she ate for afternoon tea before he gasped with realisation. "Are you serious? Are you...? Are you sure?"

"I've been suspicious for a little while now!" Charlotte squeaked in joy. "This moon I did not bleed, and the medic has confirmed for me that I have fallen pregnant. Soren, you're going to be a father!"

"I'm gonna..." Soren's words were lost in his throat in his exhilaration. "We're gonna have a baby? Charlotte, if you're joking, it's not funny!"

"I mean it," Charlotte put his other hand on her belly to meet the first. "You are happy, aren't you?"

"This is the best day of my life!" Soren told her, leading her over to the bed and lying down with her. He never moved his right hand from where his child's heart would no doubt begin beating. "I'm on trial for my life tomorrow, Charlotte, and you've made me happier than I've ever been. I will even kiss Reeta when I see her!"

"When you come home to me," Charlotte, rested on her side, facing her husband. "We will be free to be a family. You, me and our child."

"I can't wait!" Soren kissed her again, and again, and again.

When Charlotte flashed that particular coy smile at him, he knew what she wanted. He reached behind her and began unlacing her bodice, the two of them never ceasing their show of affection as he slowly undressed her, and she took his sapphire silks from his shoulders. They giggled as they looked at Vaughn, who was powerless to stop them. In fact, he was forced to watch the pair as long as Charlotte was there, and Soren took a measure of joy in making the big man uncomfortable. The Goddess preached that love between a woman and her husband was sacred. It meant the man could only blush and fidget with his hands as the young lovebirds took off their clothes and made love for most of the hour they were afforded, passion and fire flooding through their bodies with the news they'd shared. Afterwards, Soren began to dress his Queen. It was not his duty. He loved to dress Charlotte as much as he loved to tear the clothes from her petite frame. It made him happy to take care of her, and now that she was carrying his daughter or son inside her, he was going to triple his efforts. My Queen will never lack for comfort while I am with her. I vow it by the Mother.

"Tira will give an ironclad alibi for you tomorrow," Charlotte reassured him as Elisa came to escort her away. "The trial will not last long. Then we will find the cretin who dared to hurt my mother. Who dared to hurt you by letting you take the fall! Whoever messes with my family is going to spend the rest of their lives in Reeta's belly!"

"I look forward to it," Soren nodded and kissed her one last time. I mean it, he thought. When we find whoever did this to the woman who raised me as her own, I will beg Archbishop Alimine to let me hold the knife.

He never slept better than he did that night. A child. My very own. Sixteen was quite young to be a parent, but he was so in love with Charlotte that he couldn't imagine waiting any longer.

~

Soren was woken by the clanging of the chamber door as Vaughn stomped his way in. Nearly seven feet tall, the man stood, and all of it muscle. Soren had seen his wife Sandi, a tiny little thing. He wondered how big Vaughn's babies were when his wife birthed them. He wondered how tall they would get, and whether he would let Vaughn ever have the privilege of seeing them again. I can send him to the farthest reaches of Eodanira for the rest of his days.

"Come on, Alaeyan King," Vaughn spoke to him with proper title, but the words he spat were caustic like acid. "Eat, bathe and dress. We go to trial in one hour."

Servants followed the big man in with pails of steaming hot water to fill the wooden tub, and a meal of buttery toast and hot tea was served to him at the table. Soren did as he was told. I will be disciplined and respectful. I will be so perfect a King today that none of them would dare put me to death for something I did not do. He bathed, dressed in the most elegant clothes he had, and he allowed Vaughn to march him to Lata Tower. The Cathedral was the holiest place in Ytia. The Goddess Herself oversaw its construction, so the books said. Although it resided in Eodanira, it belonged to no country. Archbishop Alimine was the only one with authority inside. Pilgrims, monks, priestesses, bishops, nobles and Royals from Alaeyas, Ilaria and Ulisse often came to Lata Tower to wed, pray or even sightsee. Nobody from Odesh ever came, though. Soren had never been inside its borders, nor had he spoken with anyone who had since Queen Erika seceded from the continent.

As he marched into the main chamber, he felt calm and peace wash over him as though the Goddess was smiling at him. On a beautifully decorated throne sat Archbishop Alimine. To her left and right, Queens Charlotte of Alaeyas and Ashi of Eodanira perched on thrones of their own. Behind them, Prince Torri watched Soren with a face full of pity and grief, and King Darius with hatred. Darius loved Tyffane, even though she was a domineering and challenging woman. He was grieving and in pain, and he needed somebody to blame for her murder. Soren was the one charged with regicide, so Darius was happy to pray for his death. Soren held his head high and kept his back straight, bowing before Alimine before Vaughn locked him inside the box that kept him from the civilised public who filled the pews. Nobles, mostly, and some of the wealthier commoners.

Ashi was in over her head, Soren could see. Tyffane's funeral had passed two weeks ago, but she was still not ready to move on. I would have gone to the funeral, had they let me, Soren thought sadly, thinking of the woman who raised from infancy and married him to her beautiful daughter. Unfortunately, the charges against him prevented that. When Alimine judges me innocent, the first thing I will do is visit her tomb myself and offer my sincerest apologies. Ashi, though, was a Queen of eight years old. Darius ruled as regent in her name until she came of age, with guidance from a few trusted advisers. Archbishop Alimine herself, as well as General Viktor, Lady Teliya and Lady Rebecca, had considerable influence. It didn't scare Soren, though. The Crown was pressing the charges of regicide, but Archbishop Alimine was a wise and kind old woman. She would be impartial today. He knew it. It was her job as the Holy Woman.

"King Soren Alae," Alimine croaked. Everything about her was grey. Her clothes were white, but her skin, hair and eyes were colourless and just... grey. Even her voice sounded grey. "You have been charged with the regicide of Queen Tyffane Eoda. Do you deny the Crown's charges?"

"I deny them, Your Grace," Soren bowed his head in respect once more.

"Very well," Alimine nodded her head. He did not know what she believed to be the truth, but he reminded herself that she did not take sides or pass judgment - until she heard every facet of the story. "As is Ytian custom, the accused is afforded the privilege of beginning the proceedings. Would you defend yourself or would you allow the Crown to bring forth a witness?"

"I have a witness, Your Grace," Soren spoke with a strong, confident voice. No matter what, I must not appear weak. "I would have her take the stand first."

"As you wish!" Alimine smiled down at him. "Tira Pilwood, you are called to the witness stand."

The crowd muttered amongst themselves as a tall, sturdy woman picked herself up from the front row. She was sober, and she wore an elegant emerald gown. She looks good, Soren thought. Maybe it doesn't fit her waist or broad shoulders so well, but any man of noble birth would be privileged to have her as his wife. If she even liked men, that is. Tira strode by him, not even looking in his direction as she took the stand.

"Miss Pilwood, do you swear in the presence of the Goddess that everything in your testimony is the honest truth?" Alimine asked, adjusting herself in her seat. "Do you understand the penalty should you bear false witness in this Holy place?"

"Yes, I do, Your Grace!" Tira bowed her head and spoke with a masculine voice.

"Then proceed. Speak it all and speak it true," Alimine briefly closed her eyes. She was getting too old for this. Some rumours claimed that the woman was a hundred and thirty years old, and only the blessing of the Goddess kept her heart from stopping. "Tell us what you know of the day Queen Tyffane died."

"As the court knows, I am a swordmaster by trade," Tira began uncomfortably. "I am not of noble birth, but Queen Tyffane judged my talents to be a blessing from the Goddess, and she allowed me to hold classes in the Palace walls. The swordyard, we call it. I teach young noble children, and the Royal children too, how to wield weapons. On the day in question, I was holding such a lesson in the swordyard, and young King Soren came to me. He seemed angry. Agitated. He demanded an impromptu lesson, and I did not refuse him. He is the King of Alaeyas, after all."

Wow, Soren thought. Tira was indeed very blunt. He counted on her to speak the truth, but he did not expect to come across as so... nasty. I was in a mood that day, he told himself. Perhaps I did demand it of her. I can be a brat. It runs in the family.

"What then?" Alimine encouraged Tira to continue.

"I offered to use the wooden training swords, but the King would not be satisfied with anything less than steel," Tira admitted, turning pink. "As I'm sure the court is aware when we train with steel, armour is to be worn at all times. Points are scored by hitting the opponents' breastplate. As the young King insisted on using weapons, I deemed it necessary to spar with him myself. I did not want him hurting any of my younger students."

Wait, what? Soren was beginning to frown. This isn't what I was praying for. Tira, what are you doing?

"If I may," King Darius interjected from his seat. "Did King Soren equip his personal blade? The finest steel in Eodanira, with a golden grip, imbued with the sapphires of Alaeyas."

Alimine allowed his question, and Tira nodded.

"That is the one he used," the young woman confirmed. "We sparred, and then the King cut my wrist with his sword. I have the scar to prove it," she rolled up the sleeve of her gown, and sure enough, an angry purple line up the woman's forearm proved the slash he'd accidentally made. "I believe it to have been intentional. As I was injured, the King then absconded from the swordyard with his armour and his sword. Swords are to be locked away in the armoury, but I was injured, Your Grace. I could not stop him leaving. I believe he went to murder Queen Tyffane. That is the only explanation that makes sense."

The spectators began murmuring and gasping. Soren's jaw dropped. What the actual fuck was she doing??

"This is a bizarre testimony, Miss Pilwood!" Alimine exclaimed, rubbing her wrinkled chin with some gnarled, spotted old fingers. "I believed you to be defending the accused. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I cannot lie in the presence of the Goddess," Tira explained, avoiding Soren's confused and hurt gaze. "The Alaeyan King wished me to bear false witness in this Holy place.

"I can't believe you," Soren's pained words reached the woman's ears, and she awkwardly looked to the floor. Why should she tell lies about him? Only a week ago, she believed him. She was going to testify for him. What changed?

Soren was numb for the remainder of the trial. The testimony he had counted on ended up turning on him and striking him down. General Viktor gave his telling of events, and many of the Palace guards backed his statement with their own. King Darius gave a testimony too. Bishop Lalemi pointed out the many times Soren clashed with Queen Tyffane, putting special emphasis on the late Queen’s refusal to steal Prince Ronan from their northern neighbour. Even though both Queen Charlotte and Queen Ashi gave him strong support and doubted his involvement, it did not seem to matter in the end. When Archbishop Alimine reluctantly gave her verdict, Charlotte, Torri and Ashi all burst into tears at once, whereas King Darius looked only relieved. Tira... why? He looked to the colossal stained glass window that depicted the Goddess in all her beauty. How could you betray me like this?

Lata… Fiya… Mother? A lie. Fuck you, Goddess. Fuck you and fuck everything you stand for!

“Eodanira will not be permitted to remove a foreign King of his life so long as he remains in the service of the Goddess,” Alimine ruled. “You will spend the rest of your days in Lata Tower in repentance for what you’ve done.”

~ The Puppeteer ~

Mmm, Queen Tyffane’s portrait. It always was an intimidating one, wasn’t it? The likeness is incredible. I remember when you had it commissioned and the painter recommended you enhance what beauty you still had with powders and creams, and you shot a look that would curdle the poor girl’s breast milk. “I am not the Queen of beauty,” you scolded her with that smug fucking frown on your face. “Paint me as I am.” Who would ever think you’d end up like this? Stabbed through the chest in your own Palace. Now, you rot down here with that monster of yours next to your ancestors.

Such a strong woman. No doubt you thought you would live forever. You rarely took ill, and you were careful with your diet and exercise regime. Nobody could stand up to you. And your oldest daughter, that Charlotte, definitely her mother’s daughter - although she hasn’t aged and hardened by experiencing true rule for herself yet. Nor will she. Heh. She may as well be a widow now. I can’t say I thought she’d stick by Soren the way she has. Those Royal brats, too. Oh, well. The truth isn’t what counts. It’s how the story is told - Goddess as our witness. Hah. Give me a break. “Mother” is a children’s tale. What good are tales? Well, that’s not quite fair. Tira told a terrific tale. I must thank her when next I see her. She played her part better than I expected, and I have always been in the habit of giving reward where it’s deserved.

A creepy place, these crypts. I expected you to demand burial in the crypts of Lata Tower, you pious bitch. They’re much nicer, and I wouldn’t have to linger in the smell of death and decay just to pay my respects. Respects. Funny. You're not deserving of respects. You never were. Oh, you knew how to command it - I’ll give you that. When Tyffane spoke, the walls themselves trembled. Well, being a greedy, selfish bitch didn’t work out for Palona, did it? And you followed her right into the grave. Who next? Ninon? Maybe Erika? Perhaps your little Charlotte or Ashi might… succumb. Who knows? So long as they play their part and don’t get in my way, then they’ll live to a ripe old age. If not, then I can always call in another favour. I have many friends who will do anything to see Eodanira fall and Queens don’t have a long life expectancy these days.

I’d like to say I’m sorry you had to die, but… I’m not. That Zyria fellow had the right idea when he killed Palona. A shame we never saw what he did to her. A shame he never said anything. I’ll bet it was painful, though. The Zyrians love to burn the skins off their enemies. Why he was stupid enough to give away those three kids has always eluded me. What do you think he was doing, Tyffane? You knew everything, didn’t you? I guess it’s too late for you to tell me the truth - but you’d never do that anyway, would you? A key to Alaeyas dropped into your lap? You’re nothing if not predictable. You should have knocked the kid on the head or left it to freeze in the blizzard. It matters not now. I’ve gotten rid of both of you.

Soren’s going to live a long, long, long life in the Lata Tower. Praying to the absent Goddess for mercy and wondering why she would do such a thing to him, I would imagine. Pious bloody fool. The lot you, thinking the Mother is going to keep you safe. Had to be done. Charlotte isn’t going anywhere without him, and he will never be going anywhere ever again. Tyffane, you would have executed me for saying this. Fed me to that beast of yours. But fuck Alaeyas. Fuck you. Fuck your plans to drive our country into ruin with your greed. Did you think we were all going to watch while you married the Crown Princess to foreign scum and took our armies over to get roasted alive by those Zyrians? You were so smart, Tyffane, except when you weren’t. I suppose the only regret I have is that I needed an alibi, so I couldn’t be the one to stick you myself. Still, I paid my debt. Soren is as good as dead, and Ashi is the perfect puppet. So long, Tyffane. I can’t say it’s been nice knowing you.

Thanks to everyone who reads my stories.
Larissa is next in Iralia.