"Mother?" He questioned hesitantly.
She curled a finger at the girl, beckoning her hither. The child's gait was odd, almost a shuffle. Once she stood before them, she curtsied, hands trembling at the hems of her green dress.
"Queen Rennala. It is my honor to greet you. I am Rya, daughter of Tanith." Ranni and Linde shared twinned gasps as Owain frowned in confusion. This girl looked hardly out of adolescence, and from Tanith's recounting, Rykard had been subsumed by the serpent some seventy years now.
Rennala held a hand forward, steady and opened palmed. "Let me see thee closer, child."
The girl did as she was bid, flinching in surprise as the queen's hand alighted gently upon her cheek. "My lady?" Rya whispered, eyes wide.
Rennala leaned forward, now cupping the girl's face, thumbs brushing across the freckles of Rya's cheeks with unexpected tenderness. Owain met Ranni's eyes, and his princess seemed perplexed by something he could not yet sense. Rennala's voice was calm, warm and slow. "My first grandchild, mine newest joy. Sweet Zorayas, sit awhile with me."
Zorayas? The girl froze, mouth agape in shock. It was a lingering moment before she allowed the queen to pull her to the seat beside her. "How-"
Rennala patted the girls shaking hands with a smile. "It dost not matter. Be not afeard, sweeting." Rennala lifted her brows pointedly at Ranni before turning once more to Rya.
Owain was obviously missing something here, Ranni and Linde seemed to have a mental conversation through narrowed eyes before Ranni turned to him.
"Come Wain, leave mother and Linde with my…niece. We shall make our introductions another time. Let us inspect these other tarnished."
He startled from his thoughts. "Ah. Yes, my dear."
They ambled about the gathering for a few hours, but Owain could see there was something on his wife's mind. She misliked it when he pried, so Owain was content to follow at her shoulder as the rest of the tarnished within the manor introduced themselves.
He would meet eyes with Linde every few minutes and it seemed all was going well. It was not until they were about to leave the gathering that Owain was finally forced to speak with another of the tarnished, a bald man clad in muddy leathers and scratched armor. He had shifty eyes. "'Ello there, my Lady, my Lord. Thought I'd introduce myself. Name's Patches, an entrepreneur of sorts."
Ranni, who'd done the majority of the talking for the last while, looked disdainfully at the man's offered hand. Owain held back a sigh as he came forward to shake it, noting the feeble grip in faint amusement. "Hail, Patches. Forgive my brusqueness, but we make now to retire. It has been quite a long day."
Patches nodded theatrically. "Oh sure, sure. Then, I'll be out of sight real quick. You two seem a discerning couple, I've a stock of marvelous items in my quarters. Should you like to take a look, or if you'd like me to find anything else, I'd be happy to offer my services."
Ranni's eyes made it clear she wished to be anywhere else. Owain nodded at the grubby man, "We shall consider your generous offer. Good evening." Ranni at least would find respite when they returned to their quarters. What Owain would not give to rest without dreams.
Rennala heard the witch's indignant yells long before Moongrum shoved Sellen into her office. After a fortnight of anticipation, the witch had arrived. It was good her daughter had journeyed to Caria to check on her brothers.
Her old friend would not look up from the floor, bound hands fisted tight into the frayed rug beneath. "Do not show her to me! Dare not force me to look upon the rotting corpse of Raya Lucaria!" Sellen snarled. Time and imprisonment had not been kind to the graven one, her robes long tattered, her skin pale, cracked and sore spotted. Her collarbones jutted precariously as she breathed in deep agitation.
Moongrum stamped his foot, "Silence!"
Sellen spit at the knight, "I won't sit before the loon, I'll not coddle and spoonfeed what's left of my rival. I can claim no satisfaction if she can claim no understanding."
Rennala sighed, floating a chair around her desk, to sit before the captive sorceress. It was no surprise the witch thought the queen still lost to madness. She was sure the scholars that had been tending to her prison before the shattering had spread nothing but Rennala's dishonor. Both as a means to belittle the queen, and to taunt the subjugated Sellen, who'd been bested by a now fallen better. "Sellen." Rennala said quietly.
The witches eyes snapped to the queen's, narrowed in suspicion "What trickery is this?"
"No tricks." Rennala matched her hard stare evenly.
Sellen's voice was an angry rasp. So far removed from its former teasing lilt. "They said you were naught but a mewling maiden, heart-sick and lovelorn. A long addled failure, no champion at all."
"They spoke true, for a time." Rennala smiled sadly.
"Why have you finally deigned to take me from my prison? At last able to stomach ending me, old friend?" The bitter smile Sellen wore as she spoke made Rennala frown. How had they been torn so far apart? How had she let her friend commit such…evil?
She leaned forward in her chair, elbows atop knees in a rather unqueenly pose, "I need thy aid in saving mine son."
Sellen sputtered for a few moments, "Why would I ever aid you? You, who cast me out! You, who cast me down! You, who left me to rot, to harden into stone, trapped and forgotten!"
The queen nodded, "I do not ask thy assistance without proper recompense."
Sellen shook her manacles angrily as Rennala, "There is nothing you have that I desire except your life! Pathetic coward!"
She waited until the witch met her eye once more to speak, " Freedom."
"What?" Sellen asked, plainly dumbfounded.
"I shall wipe clean any stain upon thy name, shouldst thou aid me."
Sellen scoffed, "I'd rather stay imprisoned."
Rennala had expected this would be a difficult negotiation, which was why she had prepared more than freedom to entice her old friend. "A title then? Land?"
The gleam in Sellen's eye let Rennala know there was bravado left to be found, she sighed as the witch scoffed once more, "Hah! You think my spite so easily quelled? The Carians all, can rot. When you are gone, I shall remain. Without your overbearance, I'll divine the primal flow! All the secrets of ancient amber will be mine to grasp."
Rennala frowned at the heavily breathing sorceress, she'd not wanted to have to play this card, but she was desperate. There was no telling what secret magics Sellen had placed in protection of her own mind, Rennala would rather not risk herself wantonly before she could save her son. "If thou wouldst aid me in this, Sellen. I'll give unto thee pardons, lands and…mine own skill."
Aha, this had caught her completely, the triumphant grin on Sellen's face shifted into a considering frown, "Speak plainly."
"I shall aid thee in thy research, though thou must adhere to Carian morality. No innocent can be harmed." Moongrum poorly hid his surprise with a cough.
Sellen sat back on her heels, hands lowered, "You would truly do this?"
Rennala stood, kneeling so that she might be face to face with the sorceress, "Rykard's life hangest in the balance, Sellen."
The witch scowled at her, "Fine! Fine, I shall aid you. Only for all you have promised, and one other condition." Sellen lifted her nose in defiance, "Restore my place at the academy, a s well as those of my old masters." She truly was not making this an easy matter.
Rennala stared hard for a few breaths, it did not seem that Sellen would budge. Though she was no longer governess of the academy, she was sure Miriam would bend to her wants. The queen sighed, "I shall do as thou hast requested." She looked to Linde, "Fetch Tanith."
Her daughter poked her head into the study cautiously, "Moth-" her eyes widened comically at the sight of the bound sorceress, "She is here already?" Tanith closed the door softly after her, hurrying to Rennala's side.
"Sit, daughter. We must convene. Share thy knowledge of the beast and of its nature." Rennala opened an arm for her daughter, tapping the manacles at Sellen's wrists with her free hand to break their hold. "Embrace my spell and mind thy steps within, left thou wisheth to be lost."
Sellen hesitantly brought her own arms around Rennala and Tanith, "I am ready, Rennala. Do try to keep up."
Tanith, though unskilled in sorcery, knew to trust her mother. The princess' slim fingers were gentle on the queen's shoulders as she took a rallying breath. "I too am ready, mother."
The three women leaned forward as one, brow against brow against brow, and Rennala began her spell of conference.
Owain and Ranni had returned from Caria, along with Tricia and the Carian hand-maidens, to find mother had set to plotting. She, Tanith, and the sorceress Sellen, had already devised a strategy they hoped would entrap the serpent so that they might extract Rykard. The only remaining complications lay in actually reaching the beast, which slumbered in a secret cavern whose entryways had long fallen into disuse. The sole path that remained was a portal stone at the other side of the manor town, now awash in lava and the serpent's 'children'.
Owain rubbed at his chin, eyeing the ground. He knew Ranni had secured the manor entire with a spell that hid their voices, but still he worried. "These 'man-serpents', have they wills of their own? Could they be convinced to surrender peacefully?"
Tanith shook her head from her place at Renalla's side, "Nay, bar one sole exception, every serpent-man serves only the great snake. They are devoted, body and soul. I know not all the dangers that await you, brother. It has been…many years since I descended to the underkeep and manor town. The serpent's writhing has swept much of the city into lava. The beast's terrible hunger, long devoured the citizens or frightened them into fleeing. You all must keep your wits about you."
Owain nodded, "I will go forth with my sentinels and clear the way."
Ranni, of course, raised an objection, "Owain!"
He could not be swayed on this, he'd had quite enough with the Carian women's tempestuous natures. This effort would surely be for naught of Ranni or mother lost control. "I shall not be persuaded, there is no need to risk yourselves and I…I fear there will be evils beneath that might disturb your equanimity." His princess leveled him a look of exasperation, though the queen seemed slightly relieved, unwilling to meet his eye.
Rennala waved him away with a sigh, "Fine, Wain, but thou must hurry!" He would not tarry, they were so very close!
Their descent was hellish. All manner of foes beset them almost as soon as they set foot in the darkened corridor that led to the cliffs behind Volcano Manor. Even Ser Felferyn, long bereft of his wits, assailed them. Owain made sure to only knock him incognizant, bloodhound knights were few and far between and possessed of stoutly noble hearts. He would see Felferyn mended.
His company, some fifty sentinels and ten perfumers, made achingly slow progress. As Tanith had warned, the man-serpents were terrible enemies. Strength and blasphemous magic aplenty, and numbers that actually made Owain send Friso back up their path for more men. How could so many of these creatures reside in the manor-town? Within a few hours of combat, they'd already slain nigh five hundred, and they only kept coming.
It was very good indeed that he had remained adamant that mother and Ranni stay behind. Countless remnants of dark evil littered their path. Piles of dry corpses, tortuous edifices of cruel art, hewn from bone and flesh. The devices of suffering that were worn with overuse… goddess preserve him. What had Rykard become? What had he allowed within his house? It was clear why the Gelmir knights had forsaken their lord to a man, why that ghost had begged him to slay his lord. This horrid scene of lingering hate made bile rise in his throat. His men destroyed most all evidence of the terrible sin in cleansing lava.
He had his sentinels gather what texts they could find as they went and, by the beginning of evening, they'd amassed a small mountain of heretical findings. Owain was leafing through them when Sentinel Friso came forward and saluted, "My lord, I have the report of today's combat ready."
"Let's hear it, Friso." Owain placed the papers he'd been reading back upon the pile.
"Twenty gravely injured, though the perfumers are tending to them. All are expected to make full recoveries within the month." He cursed darkly, this was ill news. Their wounds must have been grievous indeed for such a poor prognosis. At least none had yet died to these pests.
"Second company will take tomorrow's rotation, inform the men." He matched Friso's salute.
"Aye, lord." What horror this was, what ghastly horror.
"Husband? Will thou not share thine day with me?" His wife's touch was gentle, palm cool against his brow. She worked so hard to soothe his mind, it shamed him that he was still so restless.
He frowned, looking away from her questioning eyes, "I will not."
She moved to catch his gaze once more, matching his look of consternation, her shimmering hair a curtain betwixt him and the moonlight, "Owain?"
"Please, Ranni." His voice was too fragile and it irritated him. He could tell she wished to argue further, but instead she kissed his cheek softly before settling in their bed.
"Always art mine ears and heart open to thee, my dear." She whispered while borrowing herself into his side.
Owain smiled faintly as she tucked freezing toes under his legs, "I know, Starlight." He did not close his eyes, he was in no rush to witness his queen be tormented.
The second day of conquest unto the lower city brought with it even more nightmarish scenes. Hundreds of albinarics arrayed in tortures of every ilk and manner. Most all of the poor people barely clung to life, but such was the effect of the eternal edict. Owain straightened after tearing another of the suffocating black masks from a frenzied albinaric and binding them gently so that they might be brought above. Friso came to his shoulder, "My lord, why do we not just end their suffering?" he asked softly.
"Is that how you would wish to be treated after so long in the dark? Viewed as nothing more than a wretch, unworthy even of the effort to save?" Owain's voice was sharper than he'd intended.
Friso lifted his hands, "Ah- no, my lord-"
Owain turned, walking to the large wraparound balcony outside. The heat only worsened, "Gather the men." the captain rushed to do as he was bid.
Owain regarded the weary faces of his soldiers. A hundred and half of his finest, all suffering as he did, all laboring despite the many years of ignoble war in his absence. If ever there was a time for a rallying speech, this waking hell surely warranted it. He cleared his throat, "I know these many years since my death have been difficult. I know these lands between have not treated you all with the respect they should have. That these wars unending have stripped much from you. Hark well, my noble company!" He removed his helm, laying it upon a nearby banister, "No longer do you walk the aimless path, bereft of true purpose. I need you, our people need you. Need your honor and might, yes, but the golden rampart is not strength alone. We must be benevolent mercy, fierce joy, and righteous kindness. I am returned, our order restored. Let not these people see your pity, only your commitment to their safety. There are dark deeds that need doing, darker still to come than this. That is why the light within must burn bright. Waver not, men of gold, I will lead the way." He slammed his spear haft upon the warped flagstones, the eyes of his men now bright in excitement, "Do you stand resolved?" They called out in resounding affirmation, "Can you yet bear the weight?" Heavy gold against heavy gold clanged as they slammed their armaments together, "Do you see the light?" He lifted his spear aloft, casting its shining gleam far into the low light of this deep canyon, his sentinels matching him with their halberds. Their battle roars reverberated off the mountains surrounding them, "Then onward, unto a sunlit future."
They swept forward unto the waiting serpents. Every foe was met with shining death, every innocent with the warm glow of gentle healing. He did not halt their momentum even when fell omen killers crossed them, though Owain did rip the largest of the beast's head right from its shoulders with vicious satisfaction. It was early evening by the time they stood before what had once been a church of Marika. Eiglay and her minions had plainly repurposed the structure. The shed snakeskin that wrapped about the roof was preposterous in size.
He only just formed up his company when scores of black flame monks began pouring from the entrance. "Formation!" He bellowed, his sentinels forming several circles of impenetrable gold. "Advance!"
The monks wielded potent flame, but even they were no match to such an overwhelming number of Tree Sentinels. It was many minutes of frantic combat later that the last of the blasphemers was skewered upon Owain's spear. He did not call for ease, something yet lurked within the temple. An ancient presence he knew too well, godskins. "Shield wall!" His sentinels formed a great wall alongside him, with layered shield atop jutting halberd.
Owain braced as a wave of billowing black flame buffeted the line, the enchantments of their shields flaring out to send piercing magic back at the unseen foe. Since the night of Melina's attempted abduction, more memories of this enemy had slowly trickled into Owain's mind. They were dangerous beyond most opponents, even for him. Six of the fiends, apostles, rushed to break his formation. He rallied his men with more bolstering spells, proud that they did not back down. Owain was glad to have their courage, this would be yet another long day.
Her husband had returned so covered in gore that Ranni almost had the servants aid him in doffing his armor instead of touching him herself. Her love for him won out over her disgust though, and she found herself on one of the large inner verandas of the palace showering her consort in ensorcelled water. A steaming bath awaited them in their quarters if only she could free him of the last of the lizard viscera. He stood thee, soggy and brooding, without complaint.
Even after they'd entered the bath, Owain had yet to speak to her properly, responding only in grunts or hums. Even as she lathered his hair and worked his tense muscles with gentle hands, still he remained silent. "I thank thee for clearin' the path, Sunbeam. I am sorry that thou've lost sentinels to this effort." She kissed his cheek, wrapping her arms about him and pillowing his head to her breasts. The bronze of the large tub was smooth against her back.
Her sentinel allowed himself to relax with a sigh as she clasped her hands tenderly over his eyes, cooling the tired skin beneath with delicate magic. Ranni held her tongue, she misliked when he brooded so, as it made her own heart ache in empathy. She knew he could not be coaxed to smile, not yet, so she was content to comfort him in smaller ways. "Wouldst thou seek succor in me, Wain?" She whispered, lips brushing his ear.
He finally spoke, shifting his face so that he looked up at her, gaze darkened, but not by lust. "I would not touch you with these hands of mine, too recently mired in evil." He kissed her jaw sweetly and she did not miss the slow tears that slipped from tired eyes. "When all is done, when I…" His voice wavered and she held him tighter to her. Her man suffered and she was useless.
"Hush, my dear. Thou'rt safe in my arms, clean and hale." She murmured, shushing him softly as he broke into quiet sobs. If Rykard's rune did not bring him relief, she would take this burden unto her own shoulders. Ranni could not bear to watch her guiding light be so tormented. Her lips were downturned as she pressed gentle kisses to his hair.
The cavern that held the serpent was vast, with ornamentation that looked to be stolen from the manor's main ballroom. It was a harsh contrast to the many piles of flesh within her sight, their foul stench overwhelming. Towering pillars and uneven stalactites upheld the weight of stone above them, Ranni realized with rising disgust that they were made from many thousands of piled bones.
Mother, Sellen, Moongrum, and Wain readied themselves to face the threat. An unexpected addition to their party was the lady Lansseax, who had insisted on coming to help ensure mother's safety. Her aid was welcome, though her motives clear.
Their plan was simple, Ranni was hopeful that there would be no complications, as mother had proven surprisingly stable of late. They would bind the beast in powerful magic, while Sellen would parse apart what was serpent and what was prince. Sellen was the foremost expert on the magic of souls, and Ranni understood why she had been conscripted for this task, even if it rankled her. Ranni herself would aid mother in the initial casting, then work free Rykard's great rune, transferring it to Owain. Moongrum and Lansseax would protect the casters from any unexpected threats. They did not know if all the minions of the great snake had been slain, or if yet more lurked in the shadows.
The serpent had yet to wake, even as mother finished preparing her grand spell of binding. "Let us begin. With prudence and care, that Rykard not be harmed." The queen said to Sellen, motioning Ranni forward as well to assist her.
The beast writhed in defiance as it first felt the weight of the enormous glintstone chains that held it tight. Ranni felt ancient mana blast forth as lava erupted beneath the thing's belly. Owain's readied shield blocked she and mother from the debris that flew their way. She almost wretched as she realized that the serpent had limbs. "Steady!" Mother called out, voice thunderous.
They could do this! She prepared herself to venture nearer to the…thing. Sellen too began her own spell, the sorcery making the beast thrash ever harder. "Come Wain, we must steal the rune!" Ranni cried above the din of roars.
She and her husband sprinted forward, she was thankful to be tucked to his broad back, shale and stone flew forth from their foe at terrible speeds. The carian chains squeezed ever tighter, and Ranni looked back to find Lady Lansseax in her true form, standing protectively above the others. The dragon roared fury of her own at the great serpent.
At last they reached the thing, Ranni leaving Wain's side to levitate above the broling lava beneath. She slapped her hands to the rough scales, surging out magic of her own. The princess could feel the winding paths of Sellen's intricate spell, as well as the brutal weight of mother's chains. Where was it? Where was the shard?
There! With a cry of defiance, she wrenched it free, Owain catching her in startled arms as red smoke blasted forth from the beast. Its roars were deafening, shaking fragments of the cavern's ceiling down around them as well as many of the pillars of bone. "Art thou ready?" She yelled above the noise. She could not hold the shard for much longer, a few more seconds and it would slip from her control.
"Aye, wife! Do it!" She slammed the rune into her beloved's chest, his bellow of pain ringing her skull. They were so close, victory was within their grasp!
"Mo-Mooother!" Called a rasping, agonized voice. Ranni froze in terror.
Who had said that?
It happened too quickly, their failure. She saw mother's chains flicker and break as the queen screamed out in inhuman grief, face contorted in complete wrath as she flew forward. Saw Sellen collapse to a knee, hands outstretched as the weight of both chains and her own spell fell unto her. Heard Lansseax roar out a warning even as Owain's skin began to blare in blinding gold. She felt her husband throw her towards the others, turning in the air just in time to see him knocked clear through several pillars to impact a massive crater in the far wall. Watched in true, mute and ultimate horror, as the great serpent turned its head, and her brother's face scowled down at her.