Chapter Three

Farina led her son through the restored halls of their home to the throne room. She pushed open the doors to where the empty throne sat on its low dais. On the throne under a dark purple shroud was the crown of Ascalon. He stood there for a long time, his mother's hand on his shoulder. "You knew that one day you would stand here for this reason," she pointed out. "I miss him as well."

"But I left with too much bad blood between us," Rurik continued to glare at the crown. "He threw me out. I never expected to be in this position again, Mother. He removed me as his heir from what I understand. And so I left."

"He realized his mistake when you did," Farina sighed. "He tried to call for you, to get you to come back. But by then it was too late. You had reached the Shiverpeaks and all effort to contact King Jalis was met with dead messengers from the Stone Summit. Then Gatanx showed up and told a very surprised Duke Barradin, I might add, that you had fallen just outside of the Frost Gate… and that the Stone Summit were responsible. King Jalis was in trouble and needed our help and would give us a way to survive the winter if Ascalon were willing to aid him."

"How did my father react to Gatanx's offer?" Rurik smiled; sometimes that particular Charr surprised the Rift out of him.

"With great mistrust until Gatanx swore on both the shrine of Dwayna and Balthazar that he told the unadulterated truth and may the Gods strike him down if he lied," Farina smiled. "Then Gatanx put his hands on the feet of Dwayna on her statue and made his oath. As you well know, the Gods did not strike him down. Then he swore to act as Ambassador for the Charr to us. Only once these two oaths were made and bound by the Gods did your father stop screaming at his guards to kill Gatanx. Once the battle was over Adelburn cautiously approached Gatanx and demanded to know why a Charr would try to make peace with Ascalon now."

"And?"

"Gatanx's story shocked all of us," admitted Farina. "He told us you fell to the axe of a Stone Summit leader. Your father stood so still for a long time that we all feared that he had died on the spot, and then he cried out your name in grief and fell to his knees. Gatanx stood him up again and motioned for one of his honor guard to take him into the palace. For a large beast like creature Gatanx was so gentle. I approached him after and he deferred to me more than the men."

Rurik smirked. Selena had told him of the matriarchal culture of the Charr in great detail. "And it was through Gatanx you learned of my marriage to Selena?"

"No, actually, Gatanx managed to guide Duke Barradin, Lord Darrin and Warmaster Grast to King Jalis through hostile territory to Thunderhead Keep. It was King Jalis who confirmed that he had seen you fall, but, as no one had actually found your body he actually suspected that you had been dragged off as a prisoner of war in someplace called Sorrow's Furnace," Farina explained. "This did nothing for King Adelburn's peace of mind. He blamed himself that he could have listened instead of blowing up when you suggested backing away from the war. And if he had only listened and not banished you then you would not have been either killed… or worse…"

Rurik's expression darkened, and Farina leaned in to her son to touch his cheek, "What did happen out there?"

With a heavy sigh, Rurik removed his mother's hand and turned from the throne room, "Worse. I had been killed. Selena brought me back at great cost to herself because she could not bear the weight of living alone."

Farina followed her son out into the antechamber outside the throne room, closing the double doors as she did so. He sat down on the padded benches outside, steepling his fingers and looking down at them as he leaned with his arms on his legs. "You know what the worst part of all this is?" he asked. "It's the fact that Selena and I knew this was to happen but could do nothing to prevent it. Even if I could have gone with them—firstly there was no guarantee that it would have prevented father's death—but that it could have killed both of us and left Ascalon with no leadership at all."

"We would have had Selena as Steward until Prince Salamar was of age," pointed Farina. "It was not as if we had no one."

"A Lady of New Ascalon that as far as the rest of Ascalon was concerned was my ward because she was not in her right mind to lead her own life and so needed me to make the decisions for her and a son that would not be able to be confirmed as my own," Rurik shook his head. "No, mother, even had she not brought me back there was no guarantee that the noble houses would accept her as Queen or Salamar as their King. But why force our hands with coming back here?"

"We cannot presume to know the will of the Gods," said Farina. "At least, not in this lifetime."

"Mother, by all rights I should not be King. I was exiled—disowned by my father—and then I was outright killed. I was dead. Rift… I was animated as undead and had the dubious honor of feeling my soul fade away…" as Rurik finished this last Farina's hands went to her mouth and she sat down beside him, hugging him close. "Once that began there was no way to actually bring me back. Even now, and to the Rift with the man that tells Selena this, I still feel… not all here. Not whole. As if I have lost parts of me that I will never, ever, get back. I still feel lost."

For a long moment Farina thought on this, then she simply took her son's right hand and held it, her arm over his shoulders. She knew that asking him to come back so soon was a mistake, but unfortunately events had again forced all of their collective hands. Rurik had still not recovered, that much was clear, and even though he should be confiding this with his wife, he still tried to protect a woman that could very much take care of herself. So Farina assumed. In truth she was not sure if the crisp façade that Selena kept up when all other eyes were on her was the same as Rurik. The same as even Farina herself—and many others she knew. Even Adelburn kept up appearances of being in control as things slipped away from him and it had always scared him to death of what would happen if he actually did lose control.

Perhaps that was what caused most of the fights between the father and the son. The two were so similar it was painful to look upon Rurik. Granted, Farina was a traditional queen. Adelburn had been sent Farina when her father felt that a noble lady would further cement the young king's hold on his own crown. Duke Barradin stepped into the antechamber but quickly backed out again. Murmured voices could be heard, "The Queen Mother and our new King are in the antechamber. I do not think he is ready for audiences yet."

"But I must speak with the King," the woman cried. "I must! It is of utmost importance."

Rurik sighed, "And so duty calls my name again."

He rubbed his face and stood. Farina watched as his expression turned into his usual warm, but distant, expression that he had always adopted for in court. Farina remained seated and Rurik opened the door in one swift, smooth motion, "What's this about needing to see the King?"

Barradin motioned to the young woman, whom Rurik remembered from the gaggle of young noblewomen. She was too young to really be in court alone but he knew that it was common practice to have handmaidens. She curtseyed and said, "My King, thank you for seeing me."

"And what did you need to see us for?" asked Rurik.

"My lady sent me to bring you this message. I am in the service of Lady Maria of Surmia and she wishes to speak to you about a distant member of her family," she answered.

"And where is Lady Maria?" asked Rurik.

"She is in her rooms where she has been a guest of Rin since Surmia was destroyed," answered the handmaiden. "How shall I answer her?"

Rurik sighed, "Tell her I will see her tonight before dinner, if that is proper with her. I shall be sorting out proper funeral arrangements…"

"Your father has already had a proper funeral," murmured Farina.

"I see…" Rurik thought a moment. "However, there are affairs of the coronation to think about, as well as a possible wedding."

"That is what she wishes to speak to you about—she would respectfully request that you consider a niece of her Noble House as your future Queen," the handmaiden was suddenly put off by Rurik's sudden laughter.

"Forgive me, young handmaiden, but I have no need of a wife," Rurik handed the piece of paper back to the handmaiden. "If this is what this letter is about it is wasted paper. I have a wife and Queen. I also have a Prince to carry on my line that was given to me a few years ago. I am afraid that whatever news or gossip in court that makes me available is in serious error. That will be addressed tomorrow when I address the court. Now, was there anything else?"

"No, my King, there was not," the handmaiden curtseyed.

"Very well, you may leave then."

The handmaiden almost ran back down the same hall and Barradin leaned in close, "You know, that cool dismissal of Lady Maria of Surmia is going to cost you."

"I don't care," Rurik growled. "I have been harassed by the Noble Houses since arriving. Anyone with daughters has been beating down Queen Selena's door, wondering why I am not looking for a wife. I will renew my vows with Selena in the grand affair she deserves. We are already married in the eyes of all the Gods and with Noble witness. I want no mistake made in knowing that. As well, I want no mistake in knowing that I have a son who is now my heir that can almost walk on his own. I am not looking for a wife!"

Rurik stalked away in the opposite direction, seething. How dare they assume that he was still a single man! Court intrigue and ladies' gossip had by far never bothered him before but this was almost acidic in its affect. He had no recourse but to refuse and in so doing had likely damaged his reputation with the Noble Houses. "Damn them!" he slammed the door to his rooms and Selena jumped from where she leaned on the balcony to stand up straight and blink in shock.

Salamar began to cry and Selena ran to the neighboring room to comfort their son. Walking back in with a gurgling Salamar in her arms she hissed, "What was that about?"

Rurik crumpled on the spot, barely hearing the cries of his wife as she called for help.

He woke with Siuil and Devona hovering over him and could hear Mhenlo say to Selena, "He pushed himself too far today. When he wakes give him… oh… he's awake already. Never mind then, I will do so myself."

Siuil moved and Mhenlo replaced him. As Mhenlo poured a cup of mulled wine, he added a few herbs out of a sachet and Siuil helped the half awake Rurik into a sitting position, "Here, drink this. It will make you feel better."

Rurik drank it greedily, not even noticing the faintly cloying sweet smell or the strangely bitter taste of the herbs. He lay back in his pillows as the room slowly spun around him. Selena laid a hand on his arm and feeling that he sank into a deep sleep.

Selena crossed her arms after Rurik's face relaxed and he began to snore softly. She turned to Siuil and Devona, "I think I will also lay down with him. Delei has Salamar tucked in for the evening as well. I suspected that this journey would tax his strength. I did not expect how much."

"He may never fully recover from Khilbron's magic," pointed out Mhenlo.

"He has not," they turned as Queen Farina stepped into the room. "My son and I had a long conversation before he collapsed. Just so you know, Siuil, Devona, the entire palace is buzzing with rumors now that he has. I do think most of Rin knows he collapsed. Some of the rumors are far darker than that. Some claim conspiracy and says someone tried to kill him. Some claim that the air of the Shiverpeaks or Kryta has weakened him that the slightest shock may kill him. I do believe that some countering would be a good thing."

The three left, leaving Selena alone with Farina. "What happened?" asked Selena.

"He told me about dying in the Shiverpeaks, Khilbron and being animated, and of being resurrected. He did not tell me what it cost you. I think he was about to. However, I know plenty of what it has cost him," Farina sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed her son's hair out of his face. "He feels lost."

"Lost?" Selena walked over to them and asked. "Lost how?"

"Like part of him is missing, but he feels he can never find it again," answered Farina with a sigh. "Like too much of his soul is spreading thin and stretched. Granted, that may because he also is still recovering from the physical aspects of it all. He did not want me to tell you because I think he was trying to protect you from the knowledge."

"I know he feels lost like that," Selena sighed as she sat down in one of the plush chairs. "I do as well because I know why he does… and why I do as well. He knows. Farina, he was losing his soul. I am not sure if you are familiar with what the catacombs of Ashford held far beneath?"

"The undead. The angered undead that have lost—oh good heavens no!" Farina gasped. "He was almost as they?"

Selena nodded sadly, "It took half of my soul to fill in what he lost, but I took half of what he had left to fill in the gaps made by that. In essence, our two souls were made one and then cut halfway down the middle to share between the two of us."

"The Soul Bond…" Farina closed her eyes. "The cost to bring him back. Oh, by the Rift. You are far stronger than either Adelburn or I gave credit to have gone through that with your mind intact. As is Rurik. You will both be the best leaders that Ascalon has ever seen, this much I can see. And I am glad because this generation will be hell on you."

Selena smiled as she looked out the window. "I know but I have Rurik. I could have never survived without him. I am surprised that we never met before. We were both the adventuring type. I had gone through the Academy a few years before the Searing and inducted into the Vanguard."

"I am surprised as well," admitted Farina. "At both not meeting him if in the Vanguard and also that you were at all. What happened to you that your mind was gone after the Searing?"

"I saw… too many of my fellow villagers die in the Searing. I was also gravely injured, perhaps hit in the head. I can't remember many details but those I can I wish I didn't," she answered. "I was training in the Catacombs with Necromancer Munne—"

"With a necromancer?"

Selena sighed, not sure how well the Queen would take knowing that the new Queen would be able to call armies of undead. Before the Searing the Necromancers were considered barely even human. Some weren't. "Yes… I am a Necromancer myself," explained Selena. "I follow Grenth, but, conversely I am also Monk and follow Dwayna. Perhaps I follow Dwayna more than I do Grenth, but it is very difficult to survive as a Necromancer without in the least a nod to the Lord of the Undead."

Farina's eyes were wide, "A Necromancer?"

"Yes…" Selena rolled her eyes and walked away. "But am I like any that you have seen, heard about or met?"

Farina eyes the small woman, noting the lack of scarring, the unbleached hair or even the lack of some strange hair color. Even in this her hair was so normal for any class. She was modest. She also looked far more alive than many of her counterparts who looked more like the undead they commanded than living beings. "No, you are not," admitted Farina, relaxing a bit. "But I cannot say how the rest of the Noble Houses will react—wait, you also said you were Monk?"

Then it connected, "You are that one—the one Siuil could not find but Rurik swore he would. Oh my, how delightfully ironic. You were underneath our noses the entire time."

"Trust me—that's what Rurik said too."

A few days later and Rurik was up and around again. This time he felt better than he first had when arriving. As he walked through the halls of the palace he was aware of those who followed him with their eyes until he was out of their sight. The first few times they bowed as he went past. Eventually they stopped when they realized that his mind was not actually on his surroundings and that he was, in fact, brooding.

One woman stepped purposely in his way and he stopped short, a frown on his face as he looked up at the older woman. For a long time they simply stared at each other after she bowed slightly. Rurik could recognize a contest of the wills when he saw one and was determined not to let the older Mesmer get the best of him. Finally, knowing that he was not backing down, she said, "Forgive my intrusion into your thoughts, your Majesty."

"Forgiven only if you tell me why you stopped me," he said.

"My name is Lady Maria of Surmia," she inclined her head. "I received your message from my handmaiden. I was going to seek you out then heard that you," she paused as if searching for a word, "were under the weather suddenly. How do you fare this day?"

"Better," he answered.

"Ah, good, I had to ask you directly as I think my handmaiden may have made an error in passing along the message," Lady Maria continued. "If I may ask you, that is."

"Ask."

"I sent my handmaiden to you to speak of the possibility of you taking one of my nieces as your wife and future Queen," he was about to speak but she played as if she didn't see him as she walked over to the window. "But she tells me you already married and have a child?"

"I do."

"Now you see—what?" Maria turned to him in surprise. "Forgive me, but that's not possible. I have not heard of any noble lady marrying, nor having any acceptable heir."

"Ah, and that is the crux of the matter," Rurik smiled, although it was not a warm smile. Too cold to be warm and he hoped that this would settle the matter. "I married a hero of Ascalon, not a Noble. As is my right and as a hero she is to be accepted as a Noble. She led our people to Kryta and dealt with, often personally, threats to them. In essence, that also made her a Noble when New Ascalon was recognized as a nation in its own right and she its Lady. So now will Lady Selena La Rune also become Queen Selena de Drascir. I fathered one son by her who is now two years old and is my heir. I am sorry, but you are too late to ask for your niece to be given to me in marriage."

Maria looked at him searchingly, "We shall see, your Majesty, we shall see. You can bet that I will bring this matter up in court. I will see that this 'Lady' of yours is seen no more than an affair and this so-called marriage is annulled. Your bastard son will not rule as King after you. Those are our laws."

At this Rurik laughed, "No, Lady Maria. In that you are wrong. And if you disrespect my wife I will make sure that your own nobility is stripped from you. You dare give your King ultimatums? Here is one of my own. I am now King, which means my word, and whim, is law. If say I wish for Lady Selena to be my Queen and my son to be King that is my choice, not yours."

"Is that so?" Maria stepped closer to him; the expression in her eyes was as cold as ice. "You are not King yet, Prince Rurik. I will see this matter closed to my satisfaction."

Rurik sighed as she stalked off and another Noble, this one he recognized as from Ascalon City, came up to him, "You handled that shrew as bold as your father did. She has been harrying both King Adelburn and Queen Farina about this for years. When your father decided that Lady Althea would be your wife, Lady Maria was livid. And now she is has been skunked again out of being a Duchess. You realize that's all she's after, eh?"

"Thank you Lord Allen," Rurik said. "Your support is appreciated."

He looked once at where Maria stalked off to, then Allen grabbed his arm, "I'd be careful and put some extra guard on your wife and son, if I were you. Not saying she'd commit murder but I wouldn't put it past her either."

Again Rurik slammed the door to their suite. This time, though he didn't collapse and as Delei had taken Salamar to see Queen Farina, it was only he and Selena. Rurik laid down his circlet and ran to his wife, nibbling on her ear again then he moved down to her neck as she helplessly writhed in his grasp. "What brought this on…?" she asked as he pushed her back to the balcony. "Rurik… no… the entire city of Rin will see us…"

He came up for air long enough to swing her around so that anyone looking could see him and the one he embraced, "Let them all see."

With that he swooped down to seize her lips in a hard kiss. He was barely aware of all the traffic and the activity in the streets below stop suddenly. He pulled her close, almost as if trying to bury her inside of him, nearly crushing the breath from out of her. Finally, tired of mere kissing, Rurik swept her up in his arms and carried her inside. Just inside her he let her down again, and hurriedly undid the laces to the bodice of her gown. "Rurik, it's in the middle of the afternoon!" she protested.

"I need you," he whispered. "You can sense this… I've just been reminded of how delicate our situation is here and I need to know that I will not lose you to the politics. I need the simplicity of us."

Selena could sense the anger, although not directed at her, and the lost feeling again. He needed her more emotionally than anything else. She pushed him away and let the corset drop from her waist, and then the dress fell down from her shoulders. He smiled, "You're wearing that Bonelace armor from the Granite Citadel…"

"I wanted to be prepared just in case of attack when on the road," she answered. "I am the last line of defense for you and Salamar."

He ran a hand down the lace on her back and pulled her close again, this time letting her undo the laces that held it together on her own. When the top came loose he grabbed it and let it fall to the side where her gown lay. Rurik looked her up and down, taking her wrists in his hands. "You are scarred… you never were before."

She closed her eyes, whispering, "I am Blood Necromancer. It requires… certain sacrifices."

"You cut yourself for your magic?" he asked, and then noted the scarring was old, almost healed. "But this is old."

"I have not cast my Blood Spells in a long time. I haven't needed to," she admitted. "Not since we returned from Hell's Precipice."

He smiled, and then ran a hand up her bare stomach, "And what an amazing gift you have given me, Selena."

His hands rose higher to her bare chest. Rurik ran his hands over her breasts that were still slightly swollen from childbearing and nursing. She swatted his hands away but he said, "No, let me see. You are still as beautiful as before, you know. Perhaps more. Never be ashamed in front of me—you gave me life again, you gave me a son." He held her breasts in his hands. "These are badges of glory, as are the stretch marks on your belly."

She sighed heavily, but he bent down to kiss her slowly, then he moved to her neck and she caught her breath as he massaged her breasts working her nipples into hardened peaks. "Rurik…" she murmured. "Love you…"

"And I you," he whispered as he pushed her to the bed, undoing the laces to her skirt as he picked her up again to allow the Bloodstained Boots fall to the ground.

Finally she lay nude on the bed below him, and he bent over her as she pushed his shirt off his back. "Selena… make me whole," he whispered.

"I will try."