Chapter 1: Sisters
Dislaimer: I own nothing except the story and the fan characters that appear in it. Forgotten Realms and various canon characters that appear are all the property of Wizards of the Coast.
All the hard work had paid off – as did the fact that she wore leggings and a short dress rather than a long one – and she ran faster and longer than anything she'd accomplished back home. It was fortunate that the sun was still up, as that meant any undead haunting the forest would be hiding in some dark place. She briefly wondered how the goblins and orcs had been able to march on the town, then, as they shunned sunlight as much as the walking dead did. No doubt the wizards had done something to help the army along.
The forest was rather small, fortunately, and she made it to the other end with only one incident of a rabbit in a bush that had spooked her. She'd been well hidden from the army's view for the first stretch of travel. Still, she had to take a breather when she reached the other end, panting hard from the exertion of running non-stop at top speed. It was in this moment that she beheld the open plains of Damara for the first time.
It was late summer, so the glaciers hadn't yet returned. Therefore, the plains before her consisted of green grass as far as the eye could see. Tall grass, too. Easy to hide in, if she had the patience to crawl. On the horizon to the north-west towered tall mountains. It was as if Finland and Norway had come together and formed a country. A cruel display of what she'd been cut off from, yet a sweet similarity that softened the blow somewhat. Tuulikki could certainly think of worse places to be, a reminder that had kept her going for two years now. The overall living standards could stand to be improved, though.
She didn't know what was north of Helmsdale, but she remembered the dwarves coming from that direction. In her experience they were a surly and suspicious bunch, but it was nothing a bit of kindness on her part hadn't softened. Some of them might even remember her name – after all, she'd ended up engaged in a lengthy conversation with a dwarf woman once, and she'd been able to trade some of her woodcarvings for some coins from one of their merchants. Tuulikki remembered the everlasting patience of the dwarf woman during her wave upon wave of questions. Dwarves were considered to be "goodly" – a popular term in this world, she'd found – folk, too. It could be they'd take her in if she asked nicely. Not to mention she had important information to share about Helmsdale. No doubt the king of Damara would like to know that one of his towns had been invaded and his people slaughtered. Not that Tuulikki cared about rewards, but it might help improve her reputation. Without family, reputation became paramount if she was to find a place to live. She wasn't afraid of hard work, either, and she'd show the dwarves as much.
After making sure there were no enemy soldiers around the next bend, she proceeded to run at a neck-breaking speed across the open plains.
"Don't forget the black candles," Ansa commanded. Tuulikki rushed back to the chest inside their mother's room, neatly avoiding the swinging door as she went. She picked her way through the messy floor until she came to the only tidy part of the territory – where their mother kept her witchcraft supplies. Bookshelves, cabinets and chests all stood lined up against the sterile, white wall and only a photo of their grandmother hung there. Eliina had been her name and she was one of many women in their family, since ancient times, that had practised witchcraft. No other family members need apply, as they hadn't been the ones to pass along the gift of magic.
Yadda, yadda, yadda. Tuulikki didn't care about family history. She did care about her mother's tools, however, and after rummaging through the candle chest did she find what she and her sister had been looking for.
Black was for protection and banishment. It was the night of Samhain, when the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest and it was time to remember the dead, so it made sense. Still, their mother had never bothered with additional protection spells on this night, so Ansa's reasoning for using them still eluded her.
The altar room was fairly small, but it echoed with generations of witchcraft. It was, perhaps, the most powerful place in the house. Their mother's Book of Shadows lay on a pedestal, opened wide, with the spell's page glaring out at them. Long, dark curtains covered the windows, as they always had, and they created a spooky contrast to the white walls and wooden floor. One summer their mother had simply become possessed, for the lack of a better term, with the idea of sterile, white walls. Once, the altar room had been painted to reflect the starry night sky. Now, without the curtains, it looked like a doctor's office.
In the centre of the room stood the altar, decorated with plastic autumn flowers, paper pumpkins, candles lit for their departed loved ones, burning incense, a food offering and libation, and human skulls made from Styrofoam. According to their mother, their ancestors used real skulls. Ansa had asked why they no longer did so, and the answer had been something along the lines of "DNA tests at gravesites".
Once all the candles were lit, Ansa turned off the one electric lamp that still worked and normally served as the room's only light source. She gave her little sister a disapproving look when she noticed what Tuulikki was wearing.
"Unicorns again?"
Tuulikki shrugged. "It's my best sweater."
Ansa shook her head. "You're such a kid."
"Duh, I'm twelve," Tuulikki shot back and stuck her tongue out to prove her point. In response, Ansa gripped her sister's cheeks with one hand and squeezed until Tuulikki looked like a confused fish.
"Shtof'at!" Tuulikki yelled and reached up to grab Ansa's hand. Ansa merely grinned and let go before her hand could be subjected to sharp-clawed retaliation. Tuulikki cupped her cheeks and rubbed them tenderly. "That stuff hurts."
"Aw, poor Tuulikki," Ansa mocked with a smirk. Tuulikki glared in response. "Fine, fine, I won't do it again, but don't stick your tongue out at me, either."
A moment's silence passed between the girls in which they simply stared at each other. "Fine," Tuulikki said in the end and the pair got back to business.
Ansa was to call upon the guardians of fire and water, whereas it was Tuulikki's job to call upon earth and air. They lit the respective candles of those elements as they went. A fireman might have had a thing or two to say about fire hazards, if not for the fact that the girls had been trained in this since they were little. Nothing caught on fire except candle wicks and when Ansa had put down the obsidian stones in a circular pattern around them were they ready to begin.
It was a simple chant, one invoking Hekate's epithet of Apotropaia, the one who averted danger and harm. Tuulikki focused her will on the ritual, though she'd never really connected with Hekate, or any other deity for that matter. Not even the Finnish ones. Ansa seemed to have no trouble, at least according to her own recounting of meditations and rituals. She was better at divination, too. Basically, Ansa was better at everything.
Tuulikki knew it wouldn't do to sit there and feel jealous, however, and put her thoughts aside so she could maintain her focus. Once the invocation was over, they stated their request for protection and visualised a circle of energy all around the house. Well, at least Tuulikki visualised the house. She didn't know what Ansa had in mind.
When finished and having said their farewells to Hekate they'd gone to bed. The last thing Tuulikki remembered before falling asleep was the sight of her Android phone on her bedside table.
Next thing she knew, she was in Damara.
One-hundred-and-thirteen survivors out of five hundred. It was more than she'd expected and less than what Zhengyi had predicted. Still, the invasion had been a success and they had their base of operation from which they could operate. Already the giants had set to work building a stone wall and their new human slaves had set to work repairing the wooden palisade. Some of the survivors were women and children, the former of which the orcs were arguing about who got to rape first, and the latter of which they argued about who got to eat first. Ansa settled the matter by slaying the orcs arguing with a particularly nasty – and showy – necromantic spell.
"What remains of these humans will be our labour force," she reminded them, her voice authoritative and her glare enough to have the remaining orcs back down. "His Highness King Zhengyi has entrusted me with these operations. Any orc that pulls his pants down on a woman without her expressed permission will lose what he has between his legs." The remaining necromancers – all men – stepped up next to or behind her, which caused even the strongest orc warrior to hesitate in his steps. "As for the children, we need future labourers. If you eat them now, we will not have any to work for us later."
"We can just make more," one orc said and sent one of the Damaran women a lecherous grin. She glared right back.
Ansa slew him with a spell. "We will not reduce those with proud orc blood in their veins to do mere menial labour," she snarled at any would-be attackers and that had them lower their weapons in acceptance and no small amount of pride rather than fear. "Let these humans mate with each other and create more labourers for us. Your own women will come down from the mountains soon enough, along with your children."
The orcs backed down and any goblin that tried to get to the women and children was promptly slain by said orcs. That was the beauty of monsters – if one group couldn't have something, then any other surely wouldn't either. Not that this agreement would last long, as orcs were chaotic creatures driven by their whims, but it would last long enough for the orcs' families to get here. Ansa had made an agreement with the orc wives to keep their sons and husbands in check as best they could, and the giants would pick up the slack.
"You're a harsh taskmistress," Ilari, Zhengyi's youngest, most handsome and most talented necromancer whispered in her ear as soon as the monsters and remaining necromancers were out of earshot. His hot breath hit a familiar spot – no doubt intentional on his part – and Ansa felt her form tremble with both arousal and the aftermath of battle. Or, as was most appropriate in this case, slaughter.
"His Highness King Zhengyi doesn't want a blooming population in Helmsdale," she explained coldly despite her body doing funny things. "He let me know that in no way, shape or form are any of our forces to reproduce with these people."
He came up beside her and shot her an unamused look. "Not even we necromancers?"
"Not even we necromancers," she echoed and finally met his gaze directly.
His look remained in place for another second before it broke into a grin. "A good thing I have you, then."
Ansa finally allowed herself a smile, albeit a coy one. "I'll see you tonight, then." Then she moved on, ignoring the glares of the remaining necromancers. Their partners would arrive soon, too, and everyone would enjoy themselves tonight. "Send some of the locals to my office, however. I have some conversations to make." She stepped up to the mayor's house – now vacant – and allowed the orcs to drag the bodies of the mayor and his family away. His servants were still alive, something she was pleased to see. "Do set to work cleaning this place. There's no sense in letting this place go to the dogs." She thought to dismiss them with a wave of her hand before adding. "If you betray me, attack my person or my allies or attempt to aid my enemies in any way, I will kill you and have your corpses feast on your friends and family members, after which I'll use you as fodder in the army." She sent them a look that brooked no argument. They looked horrified, but didn't object. Just how she preferred people.
The house itself was the largest in town, after the town hall, of course, and extravagantly decorated for such a small-town mayor. Long, heavy curtains in dark blue velvet were draped over the windows, with golden rope keeping them in place. The floor was a forgiving, soft, bright wood which name she didn't care about and the walls were a lovely wallpaper of off-white with white flowers. Door frames, the staircases and upstairs banister were all made of brown wood and so was most of the furniture. A chandelier hung from the pale, chequered ceiling, although the candles had all been blown out. She cast a few spells of illumination, however, and soon enough the foyer was lit up with pale, heatless flames that danced where the candle flames would normally burn.
On the floor was a beautiful rug in silver and blue and she found similar colour themes as she explored the house. Her colours. It was as Zhengyi had said – this house was basically made for her.
After threatening the chef to cook up a decent meal and ensuring he wouldn't poison it, she helped herself to some wine from the cellar and got settled in what looked like the study. Shuffling feet could be heard not long after and, after she stepped back into the foyer to show where she was, the orc warriors pushed a couple of farmers towards her. Once settled in the mayor's armchair, she motioned for the men to take a seat. They hesitated only to be shoved into the chairs by the orcs.
"You will find your lives to be much easier if you simply obey." She folded her hands and regarded each of them in turn. "Now then, we have some business to take care of. First thing first will be funeral rites for your dead loved ones."
One of the farmers, a young boy, spoke up. "Funeral rites? I thought you necromancers-"
She cut him off with a shake of her head. "There's little value in using farmers to fight, and if we were to raise them for farm work, they'd only end up feeding off the rest of you."
"That's fine and all," the other farmer, a grown man, interjected, "but I won't so soon forget that you murdered my little girl, nor will I ever forgive it." The anger was clear on his face and in his trembling hands.
Ansa shot him a sympathetic look. "For what it's worth, the second she caught my colleague's eye, she had a far worse fate than death in store for her."
"Then why kill her in such a gruesome manner?" he demanded, angrier rather than calm. One orc reached for him, but she stopped the warrior with a raise of her hand.
"The esteemed archmage Jalo Korhonen doesn't take pleasure in the company of women," she began. "Personally, I find his... preference for little girls distasteful."
"That doesn't answer my question," the man argued stubbornly.
She shot the orc behind him a meaningful look. Before the man could object, he was hoisted up in the air and left to dangle, slowly choking away at his own scarf. The young boy looked around, shocked and horrified, but stayed in his seat nevertheless.
"Patience is a virtue, my good man," she told the man dangling. "Interrupt me again, and you lose your tongue. Is that clear?"
A barely perceptible nod was the response. She nodded at the orc who let him fall back into his seat. He coughed and sputtered, but didn't object further.
Once the worst of his coughs had settled down, she spoke. "Jalo is a necromancer. If I had killed your daughter with means that left her face and body intact, he'd either fuck the corpse or raise her as an undead and fuck her."
"You laughed rather loudly as she burned to death, though," the younger man interjected, his suspicion and distrust obvious.
"Because of the look on Jalo's face." She didn't miss a beat. "Suffice it to say I have many good reasons to sabotage his perversions." She shot them a meaningful look and that, effectively, seemed to shut them up. Ansa leaned back in her seat. "I understand that funeral rites are usually seen to by clerics of Ilmater. His Highness, King Zhengyi, however, doesn't tolerate their religion and has outlawed it within his organisation. As such, the best I can offer you is a large pyre upon which to burn their bodies."
"They wouldn't be dead if your army hadn't killed them," the young man argued.
She shrugged. "Military invasions tend to do that. Would you rather we asked nicely first?" Those last words were spoken with a sly smile. The orcs chuckled.
"I'd rather you hadn't invaded," he shot back. "I'd rather you'd left us alone."
"No can do." She shook her head. "This place holds an important strategic position. I'm afraid you're stuck with us." She leaned forward again, this time with a friendly smile. "That doesn't mean we can't get along, though."
The older man had regained his voice, it seemed, as he was the next to speak. "With orcs and goblins? And giants that will eat us?"
She shrugged. "You have enough livestock to go around. It's butcher's season soon, isn't it?" She grinned. "Next year we'll increase the number of sheep, pigs, chickens and cows, of course. However, none of the giants here will eat you. They don't constantly hunger, like trolls."
"We won't be seeing them here as well, will we?" the young man asked, a worried look on her face.
Ansa shot the orcs a meaningful look. "No, that's something we can all agree that we don't want." The farmers looked behind them and saw the orcs nod in agreement. "But now that the first matter is settled, I conclude from your lack of objections, there is the matter of a personal one. I understand that a young girl came to live here for two years, working for a farmer named Aimo. Her name is Tuulikki, and she can easily be spotted among the people living here. Yet, I can't seem to find her, neither among the dead or the living. Do you know where I can find her?"
"Why?" the young man asked. "What is she to you?"
"My sister," she replied in no uncertain terms. "We were separated two years ago and I've tried to find her ever since. And before you ask, no, she has no role in the invasion of this town. I'm simply looking for personal reasons."
"Ensio went to buy her today," the youngest farmer began. Ansa's eyebrow moved up to the middle of her brow and she found herself most unimpressed.
"You mean you treated my sister as a slave?" She openly glared at them. The orcs moved their hands closer to their weapons, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to inflict pain.
The young man's eyes widened in terror. "No, no! Well, Aimo did, he had a nasty streak in him and would steal whatever money she'd earned through trade with the dwarves. Ensio hoped to free her from him."
"Let me guess," she sneered, feeling more than a little disgusted with these people, "in exchange for sexual favours."
"It was only right for Ensio to get a wife in return," the older farmer argued and got slapped in the back of his head for the effort.
"Consider such activities illegal from here on out." She rose to her full height. "I didn't let the orcs treat the women here like cattle, nor will I allow you to do so. Anyone attempting to... buy a wife in this place will face the same punishment of castration, is that clear?"
The men looked appalled and terrified, but they didn't argue. Behind them, the orcs grinned viciously. If there was one thing she'd noticed about orcs, it was that they appreciated her consistency almost as much as they did her brutality. "It's clear," the eldest of the farmers said and the young man was quick to follow with an exact repetition.
"I take it, then, that you have no more clues to my sister's whereabouts than I do," she continued after sitting back down.
The men shook their heads.
"For the record, Tuulikki was well-liked here," the young man cut in. "Despite Aimo's abuse, she was good at humiliating him in ways where he couldn't fight back. She made us laugh at his expense quite a lot."
"Of course she did," Ansa agreed. She knew her sister better than anyone. Still, it irked her how she'd been treated. "Now get back to work. We will discuss the maintenance of the infrastructure tomorrow, after breakfast. Have everyone show up in the town hall or there will be more deaths."
"I don't think the farmers here will put up with constant threats, even with such a considerable army at your command," the grown man pointed out.
"Threat?" She shot the man a surprised look. "No, I'm stating the facts. If we let the farm work fail now, we will all starve come winter." She paused. "Unless I let the army eat you." She smirked. "However, that would be contradictory to all our interests, so instead, let's do our best with what we have." Her smirk turned into a charming smile. The men shot her confused looks, but nodded regardless. She waved them out. The orcs grabbed them and pulled them along before they could get out of the chairs on their own.
Ansa set to work writing her report to Zhengyi. Everything had gone according to his plans, except for the number of dead. She hadn't been able to locate Tuulikki, however, much to her chagrin. That was only a temporary problem, she realised, as Ilari stepped into her office much earlier than planned. He'd been able to scry her sister's location once and would no doubt succeed again. She got out of her seat and let him embrace her before whispering the news of her missing sister into his ear and telling him what she needed him to do. He sighed at the prospect of a delayed coupling between them, but agreed nevertheless. Finding Tuulikki was, after all, of the utmost importance to Ansa.
After all, how else was she going to get rid of her?