Back with a fresh chapter. It's hard to believe this is still going but there's still a lot of story to come!
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Chapter 44: Dawn and a Sudden Darkness
Estate of Lady Agrippina
Taylor awoke in the guest suite after a fitful night's sleep, although he had to admit the dreams were a little vivid. As he might have guessed, Aurelia and Nayu were already up.
"Lady Agrippina requests your presence at morning meal, my lord," Aurelia told him, an ever respectful but satisfied look on her face, his uniform already laid out. While it was true that Saderan first meal was much more in line with a 'Continental Breakfast' than the meal that Americans tended to think of, it would be the last opportunity to sit down and speak before Taylor and those continuing with him, set out for the estate of Lady Vestus, one of the lesser ranked noble ladies who had chosen to remain at Camp Augustus, at least until she knew what was left of her home.
"Well then! Far be it from me to refuse a lady or risk her displeasure! I'd better not dally!" Taylor replied and reached for his shirt. Quickly making himself presentable, Taylor headed down to the dining hall with Aurelia, Nayu, and knights in tow. This is going to be a thing from now on, he thought to himself. To punish me for my contempt for authority, the gods have made me an authority! Taking the seat offered at Agrippina's table, he recognized Decanus Gallus seated looking almost overwhelmed but doing his best to maintain a proper and respectful appearance but it was clear the young man was looking at Agrippina with a certain sense of awe.
He looks like a smart kid. She'll take good care of him.
"Ah! Lord Octavus!" Agrippina greeted, "Your Lieutenant Ramsey should be with us shortly."
"Yes, I understand he's anxious to have his men take a look at the pipes in your water system."
"Yes." She turned to the decanus. "These people have learned about a few things which can be dangerous to us. Please inform Senior Centurion Julianus I would wish for him to have his engineers on hand to help in this survey." After the hasty departure of the unlamented legate of the 8th Legion and his compatriots and retainers, Centurion Julianus had assumed command of the remains of 8th Legion. Agrippina planned to speak to Julianus later at a more discreet moment. Lady Octavia had taught her the need to maintain the dignity of those she did not claim as her enemy, so she would carefully inquire as to the Centurion's plans and encourage him to view the off-worlders as a beneficial presence rather than a threat. Certainly, having the 8th Legion reconstituted locally would give incentive for these troops to patrol and protect the area. Especially with the word that Centaur raids had been increasing in certain areas.
"Yes, my lady!" The young officer replied immediately, eager to merit her approval.
"Very good," she nodded favorably. She looked up as she saw Lieutenant Ramsey enter the hall. "Ah! Lieutenant! I hope you slept well?"
"Ah… Yes, ma'am. Thank you."
"Good! You and your men are invited guests. It is only proper that your stay is as comfortable as possible." She then turned to Taylor. "My Lord! I know that Lady Octavia bade you to inspect the holdings of several other noble families. Many of them are in this region." She looked at Ramsey. "If the lieutenant would consent to the use of his men, many of those estates are in close by. With a couple of exceptions, we could tend these other estates, allowing you to press on to the holdings of House Germanicus and your own somewhat more extensive holdings."
Taylor considered her offer. "Lieutenant?"
Ramsey paused. His instructions were to establish a radio transmitter and survey Lady Agrippina's holdings and help set up a defensive base in the area. While other estates were not strictly part of Agrippina's agreement, he supposed the information gained in a closer survey of these other locations could be of use. "It sounds like a reasonable proposal. I'll clear it with higher-ups."
"Thank you, lieutenant. I must admit I'm eager to see what 'home' looks like."
Aurelia smiled. "Mother will be pleased to meet you also, My Lord!"
"And her daughter. Well… I guess that settles it!"
"Very good, my lord," Agrippina agreed and lifted her glass. "My Lord, Noble ladies, and gentlemen! Now let us dine in the custom of your homeland, gentlemen! A fair journey to you, My Lord, and good fortune to us all!"
Kingdom of the Elbe
Duran greeted the new day with fondness as he held his dear Ygraine for the first time in months. As he well guessed, her first reaction upon seeing him alive was shock, followed by a tight embrace, followed by a slap, and followed by a renewed embrace and tears.
By morning, his wife had mostly returned to better humor as she greeted her husband's guests. "Please, sit and be welcome your eminence," she addressed Rory Mercury. "Honored guests, I have ordered the cooks to prepare a suitable meal for you. Please enjoy the hospitality of the Elbe!" She turned to her husband. "And I took the trouble of telling the cooks that you're back. May I take it, His Majesty intends to stay for a spell?" Her look was withering.
Duran rolled his eye in acceptance of the vestiges of his Queen's aggrievement. "If you have no objection, my Queen?"
Her expression softened. "I know a king's duty and a queen's. But yes, it would please me well if My King would stay with us. Your Queen is growing old. And the least allow her to do so by her husband's side."
He touched the side of her face gently. "Nothing would please me more."
Waiting for his mother and his father to be seated, Prince Andar regarded them fondly and glanced at his own wife, speculating on the future.
"Father? This new alliance you spoke of? What does it mean? Our men will follow you anywhere as will I but are we to march against the Empire?" Gone was the youthful enthusiasm he had once held for such a notion. He still resented the Empire's air of superiority over them but was no longer so eager to push the nation's men into conflict. Having spent the past few months in his father's boots had soured the Prince on many notions he had once carried.
"No. Our new allies have more than enough power to devastate the Empire if they choose. We are merely asked to allow for the passage of their forces if required and we might provide guides in some areas. They also wish to send a small group of engineers and observers and to construct what they call a 'radio tower'. It will allow them to communicate all the way from Alnus in mere moments." The old king leaned forward, gesturing with his fork.
"In return, our new allies have said that if we wished to press the Empire to address certain… disputes, then we are free to do so. For now, I believe there have been a couple of 'adjustments on our common border based on the last few surveys that may have been in error. Given the current lawless state of much of the countryside, I feel compelled that since the Empire is incapable of properly protecting those lands, our own men should take up this burden until we and the Empire have had a chance to make a thorough review of our borders."
"And what of our guests?" Andar asked, turning to Itami. "Where will your path take you?"
Itami glanced over at Lelei. "We'll be headed to Rondel."
"A long journey indeed," Andar noted. "Of course, with a Lindon mage, you already have an excellent guide." He noted Lelei's reaction, just a touch of irritation and yet discomfiture. "Ah! Forgive me, Lady Lalena. You must be quite skilled to be seeking a Master's standing already!"
Seeing the curious expressions at his deduction from the young mage's companions, Andar chuckled. "I would be a sad disappointment to my father if all I bothered to learn was swords and horses!" The prince noted.
"Indeed, but you have never disappointed me, my son." Duran turned to Itami. "But before you set out on your journey, many are the sights of our Capital we would show you," He told them and then addressed the younger Kuribayashi sister. "Also, I believe I promised an… 'interview'? I believe you called it?"
Nanami nodded with an anticipatory smile. "Yes, Your Majesty,"
Duran looked to his wife. "Perhaps my queen will consent to join us. She has always been the wiser and better speaker of us…"
Italica
Panache completed her daily inspection of the city's defenses with satisfaction, especially as she watched a small caravan of trade wagons pass safely through the west gate. From a city at risk amid a storm of chaos, Italica was once more becoming a haven and a thriving hub for local trade. It was a prosperity sorely absent in the rest of the Empire at present.
She turned to her aide. "We've accomplished so much!"
"Indeed, my lady," Aenaire agreed with a light smile.
"If you are going to insist on calling me 'Lady', then I should address thee as such as well. For surely we are equals? You perhaps even a little beyond me," Panache replied. "By what I understand of Elven culture, Our love declared you his wife by bringing you into his home."
Aenaire chuckled slightly. "That tradition was old even in my grandmother's time! I had not actually planned on holding him to it."
"Oh?" Panache inquired mildly. "And now?"
"Originally, I only sought a safe and loving home for my son. And then I saw how they accepted each other as if they had always been father and son. If only for a few decades, my son will have a true father who loves him without question and who he can hold in his heart for all of his days. When I saw that, I realized I still wanted to be a wife as well as a mother. If only for the span of a human lifetime, it will be far better than without."
"There are still other High Elves," Panache pointed out
"True. And one day, I may meet one who can be a true partner. But why wait for 'one day', when I have what I want already here?"
"That's true," Panache conceded.
"Not to say that I would not like a proper Elven Wedding this time!"
"This time?"
"Faen thought it was silly. I didn't want to push him away by pressing the matter. And you?"
"What kind of proper Noble Wife would I be without a properly impressive wedding? Once the Peace is signed at least."
"In your culture, is the wedding not the responsibility of the bride's father?"
"At least to supply a suitable dowry."
"And how did the noble Baron Kalgi take the news of your intentions to marry an off-worlder?"
"Being a knight requires one to learn proper tactics. In this case, securing my mother's approval and aid before broaching the idea with my father. He'll come around in time but I need to outflank him first!"
"A wise strategy," Aenaire noted as they turned from the wall and strolled to their meeting with the Uial councilors. "And what do you know of the traditions of Warrior Bunnies?"
"From what I've heard, a Bunny Warrior simply takes her intended mate to the village center and declares him to be hers. Of course, that could merely be popular myth and rumor. Aurelia, on the other hand, was brought up in the Empire and its traditions. I know that her father, Germanicus, already approves of a bonding between them and I'm certain that her mother will be quite pleased when they meet. The traditions of Nayu's people, on the other hand…"
Aenaire giggled. "Who are we to deprive our beloved of experiencing all the cultural excitement of this world?"
Jade Palace, Sadera
Princess Pina stepped onto the balcony with more than a touch of satisfaction.
In the courtyard below, Bozes was conducting an equipment inspection of the Yellow Rose. Pina was proud of her knights and even if the thought of taking them into battle against Japan and its allies was too horrible to contemplate, (and thank the gods that real peace talks were finally underway!) she saw that they were needed now more than ever. Between acts of natural calamity and the increase in brigandry and with the Imperial army rebuilding after its devastating losses coupled with the fact that Imperial regulars had garnered a very poor reputation with local populations in many places across the Empire, The Rose Order would need to keep sharp even as she sought to expand its ranks. Negotiating the release of captured Saderan warhorses from the Pacific Allies had allowed her to recruit more enthusiastic noblewomen from less wealthy families but swords and armor still had to be purchased out of pocket.
Whatever it took, Pina would see to it that her knights were as well equipped and trained as possible.
But in the meantime, with the peace talks now underway, Pina could indulge a little in other pursuits even as she hosted the Allied diplomats at the Jade Palace. The latest manga translations had arrived from Alnus yesterday and once the other items had been removed for study, Pina now had time to indulge in what she considered a wonderful interpretation of classic erotic style art.
It wasn't the only sort of cultural exchange that Pina noted that was going on.
"Champagne?"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Tell me," she commanded. "What do you think of the off-worlders as compared to the men of the Empire?"
"I have to admit that many of them have a refined beauty that many of our men lack…"
"But?" Pina pressed.
"A sword can be very pretty but useless in battle, my Princess. The trick is in seeing if the pretty blade actually has true strength and a useful edge."
"And is that not where the fun of testing a new blade comes from?" Pina asked, raising an eyebrow."
"It is," Champagne agreed with a blush.
"Good! Please find Hamilton for me. I need to discuss with her some problems that have arisen in readying the new Roses. After that, you may consider yourself free until evening meal."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Champagne saluted her liege. She had a fair idea here Hamilton was. Of course, she realized, so did Her Highness. This time Champagne was more successful in suppressing the resultant blush as she headed off.
Pina's eyes twinkled just a bit as Champagne left.
"You seem remarkably comfortable with your knights socializing with our men," Ambassador Russell's voice caught Pina by surprise. The veteran diplomat seemed to have a knack for catching people off guard she noted with wry amusement.
"Many of them are curious. Is it not natural? And we need to know more about you. Our future will be in our ability to learn and adapt and if some of my knights find companionship in odd places, there is a bit of a shortage of eligible Imperial men." She managed to keep most of the bite out of her voice. After all, if the Empire had wounds, they were self-inflicted and Pina well knew it.
"By finding your strength and embracing it for our own, maybe the Empire can survive."
"Many of our people would worry that you are attempting to subvert the loyalties of our people. But I take it that you have no such concerns about your own."
"And why should I? Each knight of the Rose Order has sworn personal loyalty to me and dedicated themselves to a calling of personal honor." She smiled. "Even if that seems a bit naïve, just what would any of my knights have to offer you in exchange for betrayal? The designs of our latest armor types? The location of our training centers? The name of Senator Podawan's newest mistress. We have nothing to offer but our own strength, skill, and honor." She then eyed Russell wryly.
"As for your people, Of course, we're all eager to figure out how your battle staves… your rifles work. But even if we understood it, could we make enough and equip an army and learn how to use them, or would we merely push you into using your might to crush us underfoot? Under those circumstances, all anyone who would betray their oaths to your people could do would be to put us in danger from both you and ourselves. And I terribly dislike betrayers.
"No. The people I want… The ones we need are those who can bridge our two worlds and hold their honor intact."
"Fair enough," Russell agreed. "You said you were having some problems with your 'New Roses'?"
Pina paused. While the Empire and the Pacific Allies were staring at each other as adversaries across the negotiating table, the Rose Order had directly entered into alignment with the Allied Forces in protecting Italica and its environs. It was certainly a bizarre situation but that agreement had proved to be the key in bringing about meaningful talks. As the situation only pertained to the order and was not reflective of conditions in the Imperial Army as a whole, Pina felt she could discuss her concerns on this matter.
"My knights require very specialized and crafted equipment. As one might expect, larger weaponsmiths are somewhat busy of late but those orders don't affect us because we rely on custom-crafted pieces made by master craftsmen. Recently, someone has been hiring up the best weaponsmiths and quality armorers in Sadera. While we have equipment suitable for training, we will need to find someone else to craft their personal weapons and armors."
She frowned. "That part is mere inconvenience. The thought that someone else has both the money and inclination to equip their own private army is worrisome."
"I see." The ambassador made a note to pass that particular bit of information on to interested parties. "Hopefully, this new army won't pose any threats to the peace process."
"I sincerely hope that no one in Sadera is that stupid, regardless of any ambitions they might have," Pina replied.
In the meantime, Champagne found Hamilton with Captain Morgan observing some of his Marines conducting hand to hand combat training.
"Excuse me, Lady Hamilton." Champagne approached respectfully. "Her Highness wishes to see you."
Hamilton nodded. "Of course, I will go at once." She turned to Captain Morgan apologetically. "Duty calls, Captain." She then looked at the young Champagne slyly, noting how the girl was studying the Marines as they practiced.
"Champagne, stay here and observe for me if you would."
"Uh… Yes, Lady Hamilton."
Morgan suppressed a chuckle at this. "I'm afraid I need to take care of some paperwork. Gunny! Take charge, introduce Lady Champagne to your men, and assist her with her observations."
"Aye Captain," Daniels acknowledged and saluted as Morgan returned the salute and headed for his office. He remembered when he had received new members of his unit a few days ago and noted the amusement in Ambassador Russell's expression as the men of Second squad introduced themselves.
Daniels turned to Champagne. "Well, ma'am, I'm Gunnery Sergeant Daniels. These men are Sergeant Busch, Corporals Bartles and James, and Lance Corporal Walker."
"Johnnie Walker, ma'am." The young Marine informed her eagerly as she blushed slightly.
A short time later, as Pina and Hamilton were discussing Her Highness's plans to further expand the order and how to overcome the latest problems in equipping it, an Imperial Messenger breathlessly hurried into the room and knelt.
"Your Highness! You need to come to the Imperial Palace at once! The Emperor has taken gravely ill!"
"WHAT?!"
"His Majesty was attending a meeting with his advisory council when he collapsed. He lives but has yet to regain consciousness."
"And the healers?" Pina demanded.
"Healer Graccus is there now. Please, Your Highness! You should hurry!"
Pina nodded. At that, Hamilton ordered for someone to notify Bozes and Vifita and to ready Her Highness's mount and a suitable escort.
Pina nodded, projecting a calm she did not feel as her mind raced with both questions and worry.
"Hamilton! Stay here but go and ask Captain Morgan if he would get his medic." Given her druthers, she would go to the palace with one of the off-world healers but without some persuasion, none were likely to simply allow a 'barbarian'... even a healer… to touch His Majesty but she hoped she might persuade her father's advisors and guards to permit it. "I will try to get permission for their healers to examine His Majesty. They may be able to help!"
"Yes, your Highness!"
Pina set off with Sir Grey and her two Knight Commanders and escorts, galloping at full speed. As it was, her brothers were already there.
"Father!" Pina cried as she rushed into the palace.
Zorzal greeted her as Diablos stood quietly behind him, thinking as always, not speaking.
"The healer is with him, sister," Zorzal said. "At least he is alive. We can only hope and have faith in the gods, Little Sister."
"The off-worlders know a great deal about medicine! Let me summon one of their healers to help father!"
Zorzal shook his head, he had not planned all this for the cursed off-worlders to swoop in with one of their 'miracles'. "Pina… I know you would do anything to help our father but that cannot be permitted. We are still technically at war and while I understand your need to trust them, I do not and WILL not trust the safety of His Imperial Majesty to them!" He allowed his face to soften as he played his 'reasonable' face.
"Sister! WE must hold the Empire together until father recovers! We must not be divided, especially now. I must do what is required of me."
Zorzal raised his voice for all present to hear. "Given the illness of His Imperial Majesty, I, Zorzal El Caesar, Crown Prince of the Empire, am assuming authority as entrusted to me by His Imperial Majesty until, gods willing, His Majesty is able to resume the throne! Send messengers to every command and every city to inform them!"
He turned back to Pina. "I need your help, Pina. There may be those who would try to usurp power in this crisis. I need you to stand with me."
"What would you have me do, brother?" Pina asked as she tried to process all that was happening.
"You must continue the dialogue with the off-worlders. Can I count on you, my dear sister?"
"You still intend to pursue peace?" Pina asked, hopefully. For as much as she feared for her father, she also feared that without him, her attempts at peace would die as well.
"Of course! We cannot maintain order in the Empire with the threat of war on our heads. Continue the dialogue but remind them that progress will, of necessity, slow for now. I will be frightfully busy trying to keep order in the Empire."
"As you will, brother."
"Then I'll let you get back to the Jade Palace. I will have you notified when father wakes."
Pina recognized her dismissal, a part of her certain that if she had gotten there faster, ahead of her brother, that she could have brought help for her father. Not knowing that was never a chance.
Zorzal watched his sister leave and then threw a look at Diablos. He had isolated Diablos and would do his best to keep him away from any real authority. As for Pina, his little sister needed to be protected from herself but even still, she would be useful while Zorzal and his generals sought the Achilles heel of the damnable barbarians.
As for dear father, Zorzal still needed him alive. Healer Graccus would keep him 'alive' as if his life depended on it. Which of course it and the lives of his family did. In time, Zorzal would be able to consolidate his power and then Emperor Molt would open his eyes for the last time.