The Alleged Paradigm

By burntoashe

"You're the Conversation, I'm the Game

Photographs paint mistakes in your suitcase

So listen, Conversation, I've lost the way.

I want to be the fool in your suitcase."

"You're The Conversation, I'm the Game", Chris Corner

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story has been a long time coming. The characters are old favorites of mine, and the story is meant to compliment the story of Cassidy and her Court. The setting is Dhelman, three years after the Purge. If there is a desire to read excerpts, I'm going to be putting up character information somewhere on the web. Let me know in comments who would be interested in supplemental backstory and character information.

Chapter One: Hell Hath No Fury

1.1

Nicole was admitted to Sadi's public office without fuss. She was expected, after all. Prince Sadi had offered to visit her in her own home village, as was proper for a Warlord Prince speaking to a Queen, but she hadn't wanted that. Her home was in the midst of being packed and cleaned, and was not fit to entertain the Black Jeweled Warlord Prince of Dhemlan. Nicole had been to Sadiablo Hall a number of times in the past few years, but she recognized the changes from when this had been the home to Prince Sadiablo. It didn't much matter, though, Nicole mused. While much was changing, and had been changing, in Dhemlan, she would probably not return to Kaeleer for a very long time. She was barely more than an acquaintance to the Sadiablo family, though she had apprenticed in the Dark Court before it's formal foundation.

Nicole settled herself. Her escort had been offered a place to rest for a time while the Lady met with the Prince, and he'd taken it. After all, she was still (for a few more hours) a Province Queen. If she was not safe in the home of the Territory ruler, then it was all for nothing, wasn't it? She had not brought Adan, however. Her First Escort was overseeing things at the manor home they'd called home for years. He'd wanted to come with her, but she'd declined and chosen another. He needed some time alone, to consider everything. Her choice to return to Terreille had come as a shock to him. She knew that. She knew that he wasn't sure he wanted to go back with her. She suspected that duty and honor would win out (after all, it was all Adan really had left) but he needed time to come to that conclusion without her presence.

Nicole was startled out of her reverie when a loud crack and some yapping behind her crashed into her awareness. One ball of fur (Sceltie, she believed) had come barreling straight through the door, while something else had obviously crashed into the door on the outside. The Sceltie pup who had made its way inside spun around and faced the door, but when it realized that whatever had been pursuing it was no longer doing so, its furry mouth cracked open and a tongue lolled out. Nicole stood and walked the few feet to the door, turning the knob and opening the door. Another Sceltie pup was on the other side. It came barreling past her, and Nicole barely moved her legs in time to not be run over.

*CHEAT! CHEATER! You know I do not pass through objects yet!* Nicole laughed, delighted, when the male puppy's voice spilled over her mind. She had missed being around the kindred like this. Her two month apprenticeship had fostered a love of them for her. But her delight was quickly replaced by shock as the male puppy bolted straight for his sister (at least, Nicole assumed they were from the same litter) and knocked her down with all his puppy force. Nicole gasped and darted forward, trying to break the scuffle up. She dove in with both hands, only managed to get nipped in the process. She yelped, and pulled back. The noise seemed to startle the pups.

*You bit a Queen! You are bad!* the girl pup bellowed. Nicole winced from the volume of it, if nothing else. She looked down at her hand, though, and realized that she was fine. No blood had been drawn. But the pups were studying her with a surprising amount of attention.

*Queen is hurt?* the male pup asked. He padded forward and leaned over to sniff her hand. She ran a hand down his back and delighted at his soft fur. He hopped up into her lap, encouraged by her attention. Not to be outdone, his sister approached, too, and clamored into her lap. Nicole laughed as they jostled one another for room, and settled in. And that was how the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan found her. She couldn't move, with two bundles of now exhausted fur using her for a pillow, so she was sitting on his study floor when he found her. And he tried not to chuckle. She blushed, somewhat embarrassed.

"I didn't want to wake them." she murmured as the Prince took first one, then the other, of the pups and set them on the couch. They shifted around a bit, but didn't wake up, for which Nicole was grateful.

"I can understand the sentiment, Lady. I've considered renaming them Hell and Fury after some of their rampages around the Hall." he remarked. She glanced at them, so harmless now that they were asleep, and only just noticed the Jewels hanging from what appeared to be simply nicely made collars. The female wore a Rose, and the male a Summer sky. Their psychic scents had seem jumbled when they were tossing about, but they were a Healer and a Warlord. And still quite young. She turned to look at the Prince.

"I imagine they're not always that wound up." she said quite diplomatically.

"Actually it's gotten worse since the litter has begun to go their own ways. The Queen of Halaway has one, and two of the others found homes, but these two have not as of yet. I was considering sending them back to Scelt, but..." he seemed to realize he was being overly familiar with a Queen he barely knew, and trailed off.

Nicole smiled, as if to cover that slip up. "I understand." she replied. "Unfortunately I didn't come to discuss the kindred with you, as enjoyable as that is."

"I imagine not, Lady Deloncre. What can I do for you?" he settled into the chair easily enough, and Nicole smiled. Most were uncomfortable around this Prince, but Nicole found him enjoyable enough to deal with on a professional level. She'd been too young, and too sheltered, when she still lived in Terreille to know much about the man they'd call the Sadist. Knowing Prince Sadi the way she did, she often wondered if those rumors were blown out of proportion.

"I've come to resign formally as Queen of Tyre Province." she said. He looked startled. She'd only been the Province Queen for seven years, which was a short time for the long lived. She was young, and in good health. It would be surprising for her to resign and so suddenly. But instead of delving into personal interest, the two quickly hashed out a replacement for her (a young Queen who had apprenticed in Nicole's Court and had recently set up her own-Miranda was still young and untried, but both Nicole and Prince Sadi saw promise and capability in her). That settled, and all the paperwork signed and set aside, the Prince studied Nicole and considered her.

"May I ask why?" he asked. She inclined her head.

"I've decided to return to Terreille." she replied. He looked startled and for some reason, she felt strangely vindicated to have been able to startle the Warlord Prince. She'd expected his response, though. Who would ever choose to return there, after all? It was a desperate, broken place."I believe that there is a great deal of good I can do there, and I would like the opportunity to try." she added. She wasn't asking permission. His authority over her ended with her resignation. Nicole had no male relatives in Kaeleer, and her Court had already been dealt with.

"There is nothing I could do to convince you otherwise, I'm sure." Prince Sadi replied. There was a strange mix of emotions, not on his face but lingering in his psychic scent. She wondered what he was thinking about. Or who. "When do you intend to leave?"

"Within the week." she replied. "I've already sold the manor I've lived in since I came to Kaeleer, and now it's merely a matter of seeing that all of my things are packed and prepared for the move." she explained. He looked at her, though, and his gaze was strangely piercing. She squirmed, uncomfortable with the intensity of it, and found herself avoiding his gaze. When she realized what she was doing, though, she turned to look right at him.

His gold eyes were sharp and searching. "Have you dissolved the Court?"

She nodded once. "I have."

She had known it was the only prudent thing to do. She would need to reform one once she arrived in Terreille, but the Kaeleer males in her service couldn't be expected to drop everything they had here to follow her. His eyes glazed, and Nicole felt her breath quicken. Her Green was no match for the Black, and suddenly she felt like the Prince was eying her as prey. She wasn't sure what she'd done, but she regretted not bringing Adan. Her First Escort would have insisted upon being in the room with her, and she would have had his strength to lean on. The Red was also no match for the Black, but there was a lot to be said for the comfort of having him there. Because she did not, she straightened her spine and met the Prince's gaze, pace for pace.

"Prince, I would not require any Kaeleer male to come to Terreille with me. A few have decided to come... my Steward, and a guard who I have made my interim Master of the Guard... but my males have families here... and Terreille is no place for families." she added, hoping to bring him back to this polite discussion, hoping to sop the temper of a Warlord Prince. He was not hers, and vice versa, but sometimes Warlord Princes were difficult creatures to deal with.

"And Prince Adan?" he asked finally. Nicole kept the wince off of her face, but not her heart. She wasn't sure that she wanted him to come, but she couldn't tell the Prince that. He wouldn't understand. Adan had begun to find peace here. He was the only male in her service that had come from Terreille with her. He had protected her since she was a child... and he deserved the peace. "You will take him if he wishes to go with you." It wasn't a question. It was an order. She bristled automatically at being ordered to do anything, especially by a male who did not serve her. But then she remembered that she, in truth, served him. Or had.

"He's happy here." she replied, sullen.

"No, Lady Deloncre, he's not." The Prince replied. Nicole avoided his eyes this time, wringing her hands in her lap. She knew it was true. Adan never seemed happy. He never had. She wasn't even sure what would make him happy. He had always seemed sad, for as long as she'd known him. She remembered even when her parents had been living... Adan had been a protege of her father's, but with the threat of Dorothea hanging over everyone's heads and Dhemlan in a precarious position. She squirmed. She'd never asked the High Lord why he'd abandoned Dhemlan in Terreille, as she'd thought it was none of her business. And it hadn't been, but now that she was returning, she imagined it was. But the High Lord wasn't here, his son was. Nicole raised her eyes.

"Why did the High Lord withdraw from Dhemlan in Terreille? He had the strength to hold it, but he left nearly 1700 years ago." Leaving the inhabitants to the dogs, so to speak. They'd survived a few more years without his protection, but not long before Dhemlan, too, was a Province to Hayll. Sadi looked at her and she regretted asking. Something in those glazed gold eyes was haunting. But he didn't answer her. She looked away first, and rose. "I'm sorry. It was impolite to ask. I'll see myself out, Prince Sadi."

"Lady Nicole," he said too softly. The rich, sultry tone of his voice made her shiver, and she hated that it did. "Ask him yourself, if you ever have the chance." She fled his study.

1.2

Almost a week passed, and Nicole was getting frustrated. She'd expected to be prepared sooner, but it seemed a million things must be considered before she moved on. So different than her flight from Terreille, in the dark and desperate night.

All told, four males from her Court were coming with her to Terreille.

Vincent had been her Steward from the beginning. He was middle aged and steady, from a wealthy merchant family based in Armdarh, Dhemlan's capital city. He was a Purple Dusk Jeweled Prince, but he commanded authority as the Steward effortlessly, and Nicole had faith he would continue in the same vein. Nicole wasn't sure why he'd decided to come, but she suspected it had something to do with the breakup he'd suffered some months ago.

Sebastien had been promoted to her Master of the Guard when the last resigned. He was fairly young, but still older than Nicole herself. He had trained under some of the best arms masters in Kaeleer, and even had the pleasure of being shown a few things by Lucivar Yaslana some years ago (he'd been standing as Nicole's guard when she had her internship years ago). He wore a Sapphire Jewel, and was a Warlord Prince. She knew he would be invaluable in the months ahead.

Rene had been a Third Circle escort, but his desire to join her in Terreille had earned him First Circle status. His Summer sky Jewels were not particularly impressive in Kaeleer, Nicole suspected that Terreille would be different. Besides, he was just young enough and just enthusiastic enough to perhaps make a difference.

Adan was the fourth… stable, dependable… stupid… Adan.

"There is a messenger from Prince Sadi, Lady." Startled, Nicole looked up from where she had been studying a manifesto of their luggage. The young witch who had spoken was leading a middle aged man by a few paces. The man seemed normal enough, especially for a formal courier, and he wore a mark of service to the local post house. What startled her more was the two bundles of fur padding after the man. He looked uncomfortable, as well, a sure sign that today was going to get interesting. Nicole wasn't sure that was a good thing.

"Lady Deloncre." the messenger bowed, and then straightened. He handed her a letter sealed in an envelope with the Sadiablo seal pressed into the back. She looked at it, and then at the puppies. The same two that she had met at the Hall not a week earlier.

*Queen! Queen is unhurt!* the boy pup exclaimed. The girl pup bounded past him and only stopped a few paces from Nicole. Nicole looked from them to the letter, and barely remembered to thank the messenger before she cracked the seal. She read it. She read it again. And she looked at the pups.

"Mother Night." she murmured. Adan approached from the side, took one look at her face, and plucked the letter out of her hand. He read it twice, too, before studying the bundles of fur with strange intensity.

"May the Darkness be Merciful... Hell and Fury?"

"It's the Prince's idea of a joke." she replied, raising a hand to rub at her temples. She was already getting a headache. Adan didn't understand, but said nothing. He merely rubbed at his mouth with the back of his hand, as if trying to wipe off the smirk he probably thought she didn't notice. Damn him.

1.3

They passed through the Gate four days later. Nicole was flanked by her four males, with the Sceltie pups at her heels, and she kept her eyes held high. They had been allowed use of the Gate near Sadiablo Hall, and they entered Dhemlan in Terreille near the ruins. Having seen the building in its glory, Nicole couldn't help but think that even the massive field of ruins couldn't do the Hall justice. She was still studying those ruins when Adan approached at her elbow, touching it gently to get her attention. She turned to face the man who had been protector and friend for longer than any other, and tried not to wince at the haunted lines on his face.

"I've sent Sebastien ahead to the city. He'll arrange for rooms for the night. In the morning we can begin inquiries to buy a home." he explained. She nodded. She hoped to acquire what had once been her family home, but knew that was probably not a strong possibility. The manor home near the capital had been lost to her family even before her parents were killed.

"Make inquiries after Cosette and Blythe... if you please." She spoke of her sister and cousin, left behind in their flight from Dhemlan years ago. She still felt guilty that the two had been left in Dhemlan, but again and again Adan had told her that his orders had been to protect her because she was a Queen.

"Nicole..." Adan trailed off. She met his uncertain gaze pace for pace, steady and sure. She needed to know. They were both probably dead. Nicole was not a fool. She understood what had happened in Dhemlan while she was gone. But she still needed to know, if that was a possibility. "Yes, Lady." Adan finally said. She nodded again, turning away from him.

Terreille... it was where she'd been born, nearly 1300 years ago. It was where her earliest memories had been formed. Her mother, father, uncle, sister, cousin... family. Flashes in her memory. Blurry faces.

When Sebastien returned, he led them all to the city, to an inn in the wealthy part of town. Nicole felt ill as she walked the streets. She felt the hungry looks of all who they passed. She felt the acidy fear, welling all around her. Her hand sought Adan's arm, and she clung to it. She felt all awash.

She remembered being a little girl, staring into that chocolate shop with her younger sister. She remembered walking that garden (once, it had been a garden, at least) with her mother. She remembered the lights that would twinkle like stars, entrancing her and her cousin.

The city was run down and dingy, now. The people were frightened and skittish, like mice. She kept her eyes forward, resisting the urge to look around. She couldn't do anything, not now. She needed to settle herself and her men before she could figure out exactly how she planned to help Dhemlan, and by extent, Terreille.

"Prince Vincent... at your first convenience, please arrange a meeting with the Territory Queen." It was only polite. She was a dark Jeweled Queen newly come into the Territory. Before she set up her Court and set about doing anything, she needed to present herself to the Queen. Vincent glanced at her, and then nodded. She knew he'd probably see to it this afternoon.

He looked as ill as the land felt, and she felt a stab of pity. None of the Kaeleer males understood what it was going to be like here. They'd all heard stories, but none of them had lived here. She and Adan hadn't since it had gotten truly horrible. But they would survive... together. She had faith of that.

CHAPTER 2 PREVIEW:

"What do you mean there's no Territory Queen?" Nicole was stunned. It had been almost three years since Jaenelle had purged the Blood. Why had no Queen stepped up to rule?

"The impression I had, Lady, was that there is no Queen of age or strength to rule the whole Territory." Vincent replied cautiously.