CHAPTER 10:

NIGHT THOUGHTS

Nightmares plagued him once more, and he found himself unable to sleep after one particularly nasty one of Dementors and Umbridge woke him from his slumber. He'd tried seeing a therapist about it, but psychologists who knew about the Wizarding World were few and far between. And in the end, it was easier to speak with friends, few though they were, than to a professional.

He'd actually fallen into drinking for a time, until Delphi came into his life. That had him get onto the wagon PDQ. True, he should have done so for Teddy, but Andromeda did well as his guardian. Harry was his godfather, not his actual father, and as long as he was sober for the moments that mattered, that didn't matter.

He decided to wander into the study of the expanded trunk. While he was no avid reader as much as Hermione was, he'd come to appreciate the comfort of a good book. The Dursleys, being the bastion of anti-intellectualism (amongst so many other things) that they were, never encouraged reading in him or Dudley, but Hermione did, not with the texts she devoured, but with fiction. The works of Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, and the like were introduced to him.

But when he entered the study, he found a surprise that he wasn't sure was unwelcome or not. Sitting in one of the armchairs, next to the fireplace (which had an enchanted flame that gave warmth and light with none of the dangers), was Ranni. And she was reading quietly to herself.

He noticed the title. "A Game of Thrones?" he asked.

Ranni gave little acknowledgement that she noticed him. However, she said, in her regal rasp, "The sound Viserys Targaryen made when that hideous iron helmet covered his face was like nothing human. His feet hammered a frantic beat against the dirt floor, slowed, stopped. Thick globs of molten gold dripped down onto his chest, setting the scarlet silk to smouldering…yet no drop of blood was spilled." Then, Ranni met his gaze. "He was no dragon, Dany thought, curiously calm. Fire cannot kill a dragon."

"You'd probably make a good presenter on Jackanory," Harry said, before sitting down opposite her on a lounge. "Why are you here?"

"I am reading." A sigh escaped her lips. "I hath a vast library, but I hath read aught in it. Indeed, many I hath read many times over. And I listened to thee as thou read out stories to Delphi. Those stories by Terry Pratchett intrigued me. A shame this world is not as filled with levity as the Discworld. My mother instilled in me a great love for reading, as she did with Rykard. Radahn…was never much of a reader, save for accounts of war…and animal husbandry, particularly horses. He was a fool, lapping up every ounce of praise Radagon gave him, being a loyal hound of the Golden Order, but he was beloved by his men, and he cared for animals, particularly horses."

Harry didn't miss the saddened tone in her voice. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Yes," she admitted. "For all that I trusted Rykard more with my plans, and that in itself was folly, and for all that Radahn hath hobbled my plans…he was a good brother. In truth, as much as I despised Radagon for leaving my mother…his eldest children with Marika, I got along somewhat well with. Miquella was no blind adherent of the Golden Order, not when it could not rid his sister of the Scarlet Rot. And Malenia was a fine warrior. I still know not whether it was pride, desperation, or simply a loss of control that led her to unleashing the full horror of the Scarlet Rot on my brother during their clash…but unleash it she did, and Caelid paid the price. I wonder if Marika, from her seat, felt the same knife of guilt in her breast as I did when I heard the tidings?" Ranni shook her head. "For all that I felt hate for him for hobbling my plans, I was horrified to learn of what happened. To him, to his soldiers, and to the lands and people of Caelid."

"…Could you do anything to help?"

"Only the refugees fleeing Caelid, who trickled into Liurnia. There is little to be done about the Scarlet Rot itself. 'Tis the manifestation of an Outer God, more vile than the Greater Will. The disease can be cleansed with ease in most afflicted with it, with the right medicine. But in those the Outer God's influence hath rooted itself most deeply into…whether it be the land or those like Malenia or Radahn…there is no cure. To rid Caelid of the Scarlet Rot, one would need to rid the world of Caelid. I believe thy world hath weapons up to the task, nuclear bombs. But would that ensure the Rot is cleansed? Would fallout be a different curse to the Rot?" She scoffed. "No, I can do little to help as I am now. Not without completely severing the link between the Scarlet Rot and its manifestation here. It hath been sealed away once, but when it was weaker."

"…That's fucked up."

"Mind thy vulgar tongue, but I agree with the sentiment entirely. Incidentally, my thanks for sending the information about Darriwil's whereabouts. I received Hermione's Patronus, and Blaidd received one too. Darriwil hath been put to the sword. However, my debt is to thee and Hermione, not to Sir Gideon Ofnir," Ranni said. "I hath met him but few times before, and I find him disagreeable."

"And what, you find us more agreeable?"

"Yes," Ranni said bluntly. "I hath heard of thee and seen thee for some time. I would like to think I hath the measure of thee, the…eventful nature of our first proper meeting, and thine understandable concern towards my intentions notwithstanding. For all that thine altruism and goodwill is folly in these lands, it doth not mean I appreciate it not."

"When it benefits you."

"Perhaps…but my mother regaining her senses may yet benefit more than myself. I am not entirely self-centred or cold-hearted, Harry. And that comes as a surprise even to mine own self, at least in caring towards those outside of my mother, Blaidd and Iiji. This world hungers for champions and heroes, only to chew them up and spit them out like gristle. Yet despite thy suspicions towards me, despite thy caution, thou helped my mother, to say nothing of her coterie of scholars. Hermione and thee art more than worthy to be considered heroes, not by reputation but by deed, and that is not something I would say lightly, for I oft sneer at many who would be dubbed a hero."

Harry scoffed. "…I'm not a hero. I just have what Hermione calls a saving people thing."

"True, and while that may be folly, to try and save all thou can, 'tis not entirely folly. But enough of such weighty matters. If thou art unable to sleep, I could offer thee a Sorcery to help thee rest."

"…No thanks."

"Oh? Still thou lack trust? Fine…fine." Ranni's tone was admittedly huffy, despite her usual stoicism. "But…while I would not go so far as to say I trust thee wholly yet, I doth trust thee somewhat. I hath spent some time as Delphi's doll listening to her about thee, and observing thee. I hath told thee about my life, so prithee tell me…what more can I do to engender trust towards me?"

"…I don't know. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for you getting Delphi to reconcile with me…but…what happened with Voldemort, with Magical Britain…it left scars on me, Ranni. I'm not a god, I wasn't born into royalty, no matter what that twat Snape might have believed…I'm just me. A human, a mere mortal. Yeah, I have my saving people thing, and that will never change. And yet…" His eyes began to moisten. "…All these problems are too big. Stopping Magical Britain from trying to kill Delphi…doing anything to help the Lands Between…I…" His voice caught in his throat, before he put his face in his hands, and wept quietly. "…I ran away, ran away with Delphi when I couldn't keep her safe. I…I ran away like a coward. Even though I was in hiding when Voldemort took over, I came back to fight, but…I fought for them, and they…they turned on me, all because I wanted to protect an innocent little girl. I…I…"

He didn't realise Ranni had sat next to him until he felt the brim of her hat on top of his head. He looked around to find himself face to face with the doll demigod, her cool aura brushing at his cheeks. So close, he could feel the raw power radiating off her, and yet…it was nothing to fear. In fact, it felt comforting.

"Dost thou truly think thyself to be little more than a craven, a dastard, a yellow-bellied poltroon?" Ranni asked gently. "Thou art a fool, says I. A most vexing and dogged fool who takes too much on thy shoulders. Thou hath been selfless for much of thy life, without desiring reward, save perhaps for a peaceful life, giving too much for those who did little to deserve it. Coward, thou doth say? They art the true cowards, seeing a threat in an innocent chit of a girl solely because of her parentage, and seeking her murder to assuage their fears." She gently brushed away his tears with her cool hand. He idly noted in one of those odd moments of clarity the pattern of cracks on the hand she did so with. "Nay, thou art no coward. A coward would hath left Delphi to die. I am not a virtuous person, Harry Potter, but I can recognise virtue when I see it in others."

"…But I…"

"Hush. Speak no more for now. Thou doth remind me of Godwyn, my brother not of blood, and yet…he sacrificed everything for myself and Marika, and for the Lands Between. Whether his sacrifice hath been worth it, or if it ever will be, I ask myself each and every day. I hath many, many more regrets than thee, and I doth not say such a thing lightly. But I cannot cry. This doll body hath many advantages, but it blunts my emotions, a double-edged sword. And 'tis harder to express my feelings. But even if I cannot cry, I can care. And whether thou doth believe me or not, I hath grown to care for thee and thine, even ere thou came to this world. I too sneer at the title of hero, for many a hero doth not deserve such an appellation, and those who doth deserve it art oft demeaned. What thou art is not a hero, nor art thou the Boy Who Lived. What thou art is Harry Potter. A too-kind fool…and yet, the world needs more such as thee."

Harry didn't know whether she meant it, or whether it was manipulation. But he couldn't help what followed. She gently laid his head down in her lap, and stroked it with her cool hands as he wept quietly. No more words needed to be said. Instead, a demigod, bound to the body of a doll, comforted the damaged wizard from another world…

Sleep was not on the mind of Blaidd as he made his way back to Liurnia. He could have used a Shard of Grace, but leaving aside his disquiet with anything to do with the Golden Order, he felt like taking the scenic route back. It helped calm his mind after putting paid to Darriwil.

Darriwil had been a good man once, or at least as good a man as a savage Bloodhound Knight could be. But he became discontented with being Ranni's errand boy (Darriwil's words, not Blaidd's), and eventually slew one of his comrades, before fleeing. Whatever happened to him since, he had degenerated into little more than a rabid beast, and Blaidd's slaying of him was little more than an act of mercy now, rather than punishing treason.

The sad thing was, Blaidd feared he may go down the same path. Not deliberately, he would never willingly betray Ranni. But the Two Fingers' grasp on him remained, it was bound to the very essence of his being, and he knew that, should they choose to exert their will on him, then he may not be able to resist it, even for Ranni's sake.

If only he could free himself of this damnable curse.

He was taking the part-hidden route that snaked around Stormveil Castle to Liurnia. Even now, he was passing by the Church of Irith when he heard a familiar voice. "…Cruel what hath been done to thee, young Thops, for I saw thine notes. Thou art far from a Bluntstone."

"…You are too kind to me, Your Majesty, but…"

"Kind? Kindness hath only some to do with this matter. I am only freshly awoken from my slumber in the realms of madness, and I need the keenest of minds, leal to Liurnia and I, not to their selfish desires."

Blaidd entered the ruined Church of Irith, to find Queen Rennala speaking with a young man in Raya Lucaria scholar robes, but no Glintstone Crown to cover his shaven head or beard. He realised that this Rennala was not the real thing, but a projection of the real Rennala, presumably created by the original to walk abroad while she worked on cleaning house in Raya Lucaria.

Rennala noticed him, before turning to him. "Ah, Blaidd…my son. Hast thine task been completed?"

"Aye, Your Majesty," Blaidd said, taking out Darriwil's Bloodhound Fang and showing it to her. "I decided to take the scenic route back."

"Hmm. 'Tis only proper. Liurnia is quite beautiful in the dawn's light," Rennala said. "Blaidd, this is Thops, a student who was laughed out of Raya Lucaria for his supposedly absurd notion of creating a special kind of magical barrier in combat. I saw his notes, fond his ideas very promising, and decided to send this projection to invite him back. Thops, this is Blaidd the Half-Wolf, in service to my line, and my son in all but blood. Despite his fearsome visage, he is one of the more honourable and leal warriors in the whole of the Lands Between."

"Ah…I see…" Thops said, gingerly extending a hand which Blaidd took.

"Don't worry, unless you hurt or betray anyone I care about, you have nothing to fear from me. And being sought out by Queen Rennala is a high honour."

"Indeed. I will arrange for a Glintstone Key to be sent to thee, Thops. But excuse me for a moment, I wish to talk with Blaidd." Rennala led the Half-Wolf out of the ruined church, before erecting a number of spells to try and thwart eavesdroppers. Illusion Sorcery, for the most part. "I hath much to speak with thee about, my son. Firstly, I thank thee for supporting Ranni, even as she defied thine creators. It cannot hath been easy."

"The Two Fingers haven't attempted to take control yet, Your Majesty," Blaidd said. "I know they will once Ranni's plans ripen, but I will fight their control until the bitter end, even if that end be my own. But I would rather live to serve and protect Ranni."

"A goodly answer, and sincerely said too," Rennala said. "I expected nothing less of thee, and I thank thee for it. However, I hath some ideas on how to ensure thine loyalty is not broken by the Two Fingers. The leal art such rare creatures. Why, one of the few leal knights left to me was Sir Moongrum, who hath spent these years guarding the ways to my library. True, some Tarnished slipped by him when he rested or ate, but he did his duty. I can at least excuse Lady Loretta, given her origins, and she left my service not out of treachery towards me, but treachery against her for her heritage."

Blaidd nodded. Loretta was a half-breed, part-Albinauric, which, despite her heritage being kept as secret as possible, caused many problems and rumours to plague her. "But she left a projection in Caria Manor to guard its final secrets, and to guard Ranni."

"Indeed. It is those who betray me and mine out of cowardice or lust for power or spite that I cannot countenance, and many of those in Raya Lucaria and the Caria Manor fall into that category. Incidentally, Blaidd, I hath heard tales of an apostate scholar, the Graven Witch Sellen, one who rejects all that Carian Sorcery stands for, and treads a dangerous path in her dissent."

"Aye, I know of her. Iiji is still friends with Jerren, who has recently captured Sellen and is…well, bluntly, torturing her. She wished to restore the Primeval Current. I wouldn't be so sanguine about her predicament if it weren't for the fact that Sellen has been rather vocal about her intention to usurp you. Not that the scholars who exiled you to your library were loyal themselves, but they at least paid lip service to you. Honestly, I think Sellen just went against their paradigm. She associated herself with Azur and Lusat, which tells you all you need to know."

"Oh, indeed I do," Rennala said. "If she ever breaks free and makes the mistake of coming for me, believing her heresy and my madness would give her the advantage, I will prove her sorely mistaken. But what of those who helped heal me of my madness?"

"What, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger? Decent people, the sort to help others. Even despite their wariness towards Ranni and myself, they agreed to heal you of your madness, or at least remove what prevented Ranni from curing you, as it turned out. Probably a little too idealistic and heroic for the Lands Between, and yet…if what Ranni told me of them from her observations as a doll were true, then they have been tempered by their poor prior experiences. But if we take the time to build up their trust…well, they're quite formidable allies. And Harry's daughter is a dear little thing. I gave her piggyback rides just as I did with Miquella and Malenia, to say nothing of little Melina."

Rennala nodded. "Then we art in accord, Blaidd. Caria will become a power to be reckoned with once more, regardless of how Ranni's plans turn out. But to do so, we must gain allies where we can. We can expect little help from Leyndell, from what Ranni hath told me, Rykard cares for naught but his own ambitions, and Radahn hath fallen into bestial madness from the Scarlet Rot. The Tarnished, the Albinaurics, the Misbegotten and Demihumans…we need a powerbase, and those disaffected with the Golden Order will provide. Even if Ranni's ambitions come to pass, and the Age of the Stars comes about, the people still need an order for their lives, even if it is not a divine one…"

CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:

So, here we are. Ranni and Harry have had a long-overdue chat, and Rennala's making plans.

Now, most of the discussion between Harry and Ranni was written in one go, but after a certain point, I felt it needed something more. The story was lacking some much-needed chemistry between Harry and Ranni. Both characters have very different natures in many regards, and yet, they also have a number of similarities. And as that is the main pairing, I needed it to happen without it feeling forced.

Hence this scene. I changed things from the moment Harry refuses Ranni's offer of a spell to help him sleep. Originally, they were going to talk about his adventures, and it wouldn't have gone anywhere, but this version of events feels better. This marks the turning point in their relationship. They don't love each other yet, what with Harry being damaged goods in a big way, and Ranni being reluctant to choose a consort, partly because of her own trust issues and partly because she does not want to inflict her lonely path on anyone else (witness her inscription on her ring). But the seeds have now been sown. They have chinks in their armour now.

Plus, I wanted to show Rennala when she is sane. Her calling Blaidd her son is not at all far-fetched: cut dialogue suggests that she would have summoned Blaidd during your battle with Ranni's emulation of her in her prime, calling him her son, and Ranni and Blaidd view each other as siblings. And I wanted to show that Rennala could be a force to be reckoned with, both in terms of magic and in statecraft.

Review-answering time! NecrorexSparda Juubi-No-Kishin: An angle I've considered before, but adding the Hallows as part of the Lands Between seems like it'd be another complication too many.

jgkitarel: Indeed. I may not like the way Gensh, for example, took Soulsborne lore for his fics, especially his latest one, but they're still relatively valid interpretations all the same, and they're enjoyable fics anyway.

ZLC genesmith: Eventually, though not for another two chapters. Unfortunately, the events of that chapter has dire consequences. Melina will warn Harry about the Flame of Frenzy sooner, though.

Ares897: No I haven't, but I'll look into them later. I presume they're on Youtube or something?

Wall1114: While I had some ideas myself, I have to say the videos of VaatiVidya are, as always with my Soulsborne stories, a great help. So too were a few videos from Zullie the Witch.

No numbered annotations this time.