Thankfully they made good progress till the river. Where she had expressed there had been a troupe stationed there and they’d skirt around for a low spot in the current to cross. But nothing could have prepared them properly for the sight that greeted. Especially when said sight was giving them a hello in the form of something thick. Salty and iron smelling. And, “State your business.” A holy knight stood at the bridge’s mouth looking at them both. Not exactly halting the view of a massacre that was across the way.
Calia herself kept travel anxiety to a minimum… maybe because there was so much for her to worry about, that if she rode rode along pondering all the things on her increasingly growing to do list, she’d get to buried and overwhelmed by the weight of it that she’d not be able to move or function at all. Although the way she kept stuffing things down into the pit where she was holding all her feelings was liable to backfire on her eventually, at least when she could focus on one step at a time, one problem at a time, Calia was able to keep moving forward.
The alternative was dropping dead somewhere and she was too stubborn for that.
Rhelic had given her some ideas of what to expect when they’d reach the river – and it sure as hell wasn’t the obvious tang of blood in the air or the thick veil of tension when one of those holy knights had caught sight of them.
No need to hide the grimace of surprise and concern on her face. It was natural to jump to he worst conclusions.
…and now she needed to bury that sudden jolt of eerie fear and do her damn job.
“I am Princess Calia Aryn Dalgaard of Caeldalmor and I am on my way to meet with your Queen. What… What exactly has happened here?” she asked with all the expectations a royal would have for getting those answers. Pretending she wasn’t cringing inside having to use a title.
It was thick. Pungent to a point that one could almost taste the blood upon the air. Stirring discomfort from that of the two beasts of burden. Shaking head and clawing hoof across ground to express loudly that there was certainly nothing good about what they had come across. Would have seen regardless as this was the path forward but surely no one could have prepared either of them for the brutal scene before them. Halted by one fellow in the mantle of the polished steel and white. Ears alert and eyes of oceanic blue settling upon them with natural suspicion.
In turn, Calia expressed verbally just who she was. Where the elven man considered her in an obvious look over and a thoughtful grimace. Then to her where the process was repeated. Lingering in silence for the purpose of thought.
Weighing out the options of conversation till ultimately it may not have mattered who they were. Only that they had come at precisely the wrong moment and needed to be fairly warned. “The troupe was slaughtered.” Which clearly they could tell. Then he hesitated and worried his lip, “Demons have been sighted in the area and the result of their feast is as follows. I would advise that if you are on the way to Queen Ashera, you best wait for that of the commander to present himself. As if you are whom you say, it is dangerous to be out in the area as of now. We’ve only been able to recover a few bodies of the demons that were felled in the fight from our knowledge.”
“Felled? You mean by the troupe?”
The man looked at her again and again, hesitated. “We are not sure. Likely.” Eyes lifted skyward, “There are gargoyle demons in the trees from what we know, it would be best to stay present with us. I can take you to Commander Renus if you wish?”
The way she reached to give Lon a good soothing pat on the neck was just as much for herself as it was for the spooked horse. Knowing an entire troupe was slaughtered (a word that gave full understand of just how terrible the scene must’ve been) and having her fears confirmed that demons were already well loose here in the elven kingdom even beyond where Calia had traveled – that was bad! BAD bad! Calia could expect that Derrick would leave demons to get in her way as she came to chase him down, but there was no possible way he could know or predict that Calia would take this route instead.
Which meant there were plans that Calia could not predict as well. He might be headed north with her heart, but he was clearly up to something beyond what she could even conjure up.
Leaving her glancing up at the trees with another unhidden grimace. Ones that could fly were the worst.
“It would be safer for us to travel with a guard,” she muttered then. tilting her attention over to Rhelic. Obviously they’d already discussed and agreed to this idea, knowing it would be beneficial. So this commentary was merely just a show, to set her up for a successful route towards the capitol.
“Lead on then, sir. Last thing I need is to get ambushed by demons.” Again.
The idea that there was flying demons even potentially present was certainly more than she wanted to deal with. Even with a bow, there was not entirely a lot one could do when they flew and dived and made the air their safety net. Add on that they were likely hard of skin and full of teeth and claws, she was not about to sit there on Setu with a gallant suggestion that they’d weather through it. Plus, they had spoken. If the option arose of finding the guard, then getting escorted with them was only going to help Calia’s cause all the more. And they might learn more about what was happening, perhaps giving the princess a chance to devise a deeper plan that could maybe get her one of the holy weapons she had thought about previously.
With the agreement that they would go to the guard, the holy knight nodded. Seemingly relieved there was no attempt to tough it out and motioned for them to follow him. Directing away –thankfully- from the gory scene but dividing themselves to step into the brush off road. Where eyes were conspicuously raising up every so often and hand on his hilt remained at the ready.
The smell of blood hanging between the damp smell of fresh moss and dry wood, a scent that was hardly pleasing as it once had been. Leaving her to privately wonder a long moment as they came to approach a small tent that had been pitched off the beaten path. A few other people were stationed about but most were likely at the site trying to clean up, find clues and deal with whatever else a holy order did.
She just wished her thoughts had been better constructed to realize that the commander’s name was one she knew well enough. As would most elven citizens. Only seemingly jumping line in her thoughts to come forth and the crown of ginger hair and sharp ears was enough to cause her to hiss. Wishing she was not so concentrated on the event so she could have given Calia a proper explanation as to whom they were about to meet. And potentially very much a good turn for Calia as well. “Commander Renus,” the escort called, drawing around the bright olive green eyes then they rose to consider them. Herself making a prompt swing off Setu.
“A drow and a human. An odd assortment of travelers on a normal day,” Lyrical timbre fluttered from lips as he didn’t offer a smile or a thought too. “Whom may I ask you are and your reasoning for travelling on the road?” A no nonsense attitude ruled from a few short words and Rhelic found herself tipping her head politely.
“Your highness,” She bid politely, “I am Rhelic Windsong from the village O’nnora.” Commander Renus Evindal, Queen Ashera’s second son, and the forth prince. They just had some wicked luck, didn’t they!
With the short walk over to the temporary tent that’d been set up, likely to make this investigation easier for the holy guard, Calia was running her thoughts quickly in trying to decide how she was going to present herself. What type of princess she was going to be. A damsel in need of aid would play on the hearts of anyone. Calia could pretend to be like her sister, gentle and soft. Araminta hadn’t a mean or angry bone in her body and always seemed to know exactly the right thing to say for diffusing a situation.
…That would be impossible.
Calia was fairly certain just by her resting expression alone, she was never going to pull off gentle and sweet. So what then? Simply be herself? That sure as hell went over great! That only turned out alright with Rhelic, because the drow woman was cut from the same sort of wild cloth as she! Calia could not be entirely herself, else no one would take her seriously at all.
It brought her to considering her mother. A woman who was no gentle little miss in her own right, being a farm girl that understood the value of strong personality and hard work. Calia had always been her father’s girl, generally rejecting the thoughts and ideas of her mother, because well… Her mother had always been an elegant lady, polished. Now here Calia was wishing she hadn’t always behaved as if she knew better, as there had been something she could’ve learned after all.
Calia snapped herself back to attention once they’d reached the man known as Commander Renus – another ridiculously handsome elf. She was starting to think it was legitimately impossible to meet an elf that wasn’t good looking. Even their elders were distinguished and handsome. The man was a prince no less! Fortuitous but also…. fuck! She didn’t dismount Lon just yet, somehow it felt a lot less exposing that she had no idea what she was doing while she had the high ground.
“I am Princess Calia Aryn Dalgaard of Caeldalmor–” fuck this stupid title! “–and as far as I know, the last surviving heir. My companion has been kind enough to help guide me through these lands on my way to meet your Queen. Unfortunately, it seems we have a problem in common…” she alluded to the obvious, giving a perfectly genuine look of distaste towards the way they came.
The situation was clearly far more dire than what they knew. As if a whole bunch of people being used as meat bags wasn’t bad enough. She’d already been thinking about how potentially critical this was hearing that a commander was present but there was no way she could have been prepared to see that said commander was one of the elven prince’s. Had she thought faster, she could have given Calia the heads up. Not a very good one considering she wasn’t that educated on all the former five total children from the queen. Just knowing that the current heir was a princess, but beyond that? Well she couldn’t advise what sort of personality they would be dealing with.
Just that she knew that things were best to be as polite as mortally possible. Bowing at the crown to show respect and replying to the question.
Thankfully he seemed to be bother uninterested and curious in the same moment. The olive rings were looking them over before settling upon that of said princess of a foreign place. Lightly tensing his brow as if searching for relevant information regarding Caeldalmor and said hierarchy. Corners of eyes tensed further with Calia’s statement of being potentially the last surviving heir. Obviously such a statement was worth wonderment because his hand came up. Silently dismissing the guard that had been gracious enough to bring them over.
And followed the way the girl human had looked. Repeating the action. Lips pursed. “That bodes ill news. If another kingdom has fallen to the point of a lone survivor,” Renus did not continue. Letting the atmosphere play up the foreboding pressure. “It would make sense to why no message has been sent at all. Escape and all being high priority.” Hand opened once more in a sort of gesture that indicated he was expecting them to be on level footing. “Although I am sure you understand my hesitation to believe so swiftly as well. Do you have some sort of proof of whom you are? I know it is terribly inconsiderate and frustrating but anyone can pretend to be a high born and with things as they are, I would prefer to leave us both with a sense of comfort.”
Rhelic looked at Calia, as if silently asking what sort of things she could produce to claim true her stake.
At least all of her awkwardness and insecurity could easily be interpreted as a weary royal having been through a literal hell. So when she shot Rhelic a rejoining look, it’d be assumed that she was seeking confirmation that he was whom she had claimed him to be, and therefore could be trusted.
That’d remain to be seen, but Calia did dismount her beautiful elder horse as elegant as any future queen should. Standing her full height with shoulders back and trying to desperately remind herself that at one point she’d thought she would be teaching future knights, so surely she did actually have the capability of speaking with authority. …right?
“You’d not be a very good commander if you didn’t,” she reassured him. Taking the time to loosen up the collar of her tunic to search for the chain she wore. Pulling it up out of it’s hidden place beneath her shirt to over her head, dangling out the signet ring on silver links to offer to him. The royal seal of her family, albeit with a personal embellishment made just for her – a white stag behind the family crest.
“It is the only thing of mine that I still have,” she revealed, honestly too, for she had surely lost everything else! “Except for the people that have scattered throughout the mountains in every direction they could run. So yes, it does bid ill news to find out that such a thing isn’t giving chase behind, but is already here plaguing this land too.”
Suppressing a chuckle that wanted to leech out when Calia had dismounted that of Lon, only to sidle up and prove that she was a terribly tall thing. Of course Renus wasn’t a slouch but it was hard to miss the way his ears slightly dipped and took notice that he was looking slightly up at the human woman. Needing a moment to blink. Figuratively clearing his throat and agreeing with her that yes, he would be terribly bad at his post if he didn’t try and deduce the truth at all. How easy one could claim they were a queen from some far off unheard of land because the flow of words allowed it.
Once the offering of the ring was made and taken to be inspected, there was a pause of quiet between them. Shortly offered back when it was apparent that Renus had no reason now to think otherwise. Likely having been educated well enough to know how to spot royalty from the true and the jokers. “Demons aren’t exactly uncommon unfortunately in our lands but they aren’t usually this many. One or two every few years. Perks of having a former scar from their existence so many eons ago.” His attention was moving over her face. Looking from ear to ear. Eye to eye. Brow to brow. Giving breath to inflate lungs with a sour hold.
Eventually looking upwards to the high rising canopies. Searching them slowly, “I loathe to hear that the mountain kingdom has found themselves fraught with the foul cur.” Features came back down, tipping chin to her. “The Queen will not be pleased to know that there is other lands bearing such things but notable to know regardless.” Renus slightly grimaced however, “I must finish what has been started here unfortunately. Reclaiming the dead.” His vision slightly tilted to consider her then, “A drow need not busy themselves with the pale skins if she is not wishing. I know the smell of blood is particular foul to one of better senses.”
“Much appreciated but if that is your way of seeking aid of help, your highness, I am not afraid of getting my hands dirty. Even in the worst ways.”
“Hmm.” He looked at Calia then, “We are appreciative of the aid in any way. This slaughter is certainly not.. for the faint of heart.” It was a telling statement that was both checking to see if Calia was willing and also giving her a way out if she did not wish to busy hands with the red of elves.
Calia took the chain back and for a small moment held the ring in her fingers with a slight frown, almost wondering if she should actually wear it as a ring was meant to. Honestly, no one had ever actually worn their rings in a traditional way aside from her parents and even then she assumed it was because they were the present ruling nobles and it was a lot more convenient than prancing around with a full crown and regalia.
in the end she put it back around her neck where it could be tucked away safe and not liable to be lost.
“I am not so spoiled that I can’t be useful,” she replied, not thinking twice about blood and gore. Calia had hunted, and Calia had killed, and though she’d been in a state of delirium and shock she still had flashes of the massacre in own castle home. That was not something that needed to be said out loud and paint herself and an arbiter of blood and chaos!
“Truthfully, I would like to see for myself in case there might be something I recognize,” she added with another frown. “Or hopefully nothing I recognize, so that it’s all just coincidence.”
“Tarry on,” he motioned firstly at the drow. A sort of way that may have been clear that she was to go and find another one of the holy law knights to assist. As now this was business between that of royalty. Not so much tourist and commander. The girl shot the princess a look but didn’t argue. Much to everyone’s relief surely.
“It’ll be alright then to leave the two mounts present, your majesty?” Renus gave nod to her request as it was best such animals not be privy and forced to wade through such a mess. Doubtful they would be any less unnerved when their hooves waded through entrails. “Try not to say anything on a spur, Calia.” Rhelic offered in such a way that it even got him to lift a brow.
Waiting for the dark skinned underground woman to meander off in a obvious manner. Shooed aside because matters were not for ears and of course him giving the taller woman a proper hum when she expressed she lacked the means of being spoiled. He had assumed due to the fact she did not carry herself as someone so gentle and dainty that they found terror in such news ill fitted. But it was always better to check. Giving additional moments to indicate he wished to be private between the two of them and eventually as the woman expressed she would like to see the state of things.
“With such a selected choice of wording, I would be safe to assume you’ve encountered some demons then. Paired with the statement of being the possibly last living heir to Caeldalmor, I suspect your tale then has not simply one or five demons but a whole flurry of them?” He motioned forward. “May I query the depth of what you are potentially looking for Princess Calia? In turn, I can offer you some information as you seek too.”
Calia was effectively being abandoned by Rhelic, but she couldn’t very well screech that she needed an emotional support drow, could she! Not even daring to cast the woman her usual teasing grin for fear of how that might be misinterpreted. Instead having to give a nod about leaving the two beasts behind, only pausing long enough to give Lon a good pat before she fell into step.
It wasn’t appropriate anyway to be so cavalier right now. To have an entire troupe of people slaughtered at demon hands, this was serious business both for the elven prince and for herself.
Now how best to explain what had happened without putting herself at risk of becoming a dungeon rat herself.
“I awoke to my home being invaded,” she told him. The honest truth, simply at a different point in the story than the true beginning. “There was an entire hoard, though I could not tell you the exact amount. Enough that the entire castle was overrun into chaos. I know for certain that my brother fell to protect my mother and his wife, but not their fates. My other brother and sister fled with refugees towards the western pass, so if they survived they are in the Imperial Kingdoms.”
“…And I watched my father die at the hands of a man I once knew when I was young and foolish.”
Truth, truth, and more painful truth. Saying it all out loud was as easy as ever, as she’d pushed all those feelings aside for now. Calia could ignite that rage on the drop of a pin, but she’d be wise to keep herself in check.
“So to answer your question, I am not exactly sure what I am looking for yet. Maybe if that man has a wicked hand here as well? If something else is at work? Mostly I just need help and I’m at a loss of where to start.”
An offered silence for the woman to speak may have been his gentle intention but to hear that an entire hoard had ravenged that of Caeldalmor, it was difficult to suppress the frown that wanted to move across his face. Steeling it to be hopefully a bare tilt instead of a deep compress, he could tell for certain that this was no rogue ritual summoning. To have so many of the hell breathers stepping out into the realm of their own once more, it meant something larger.
And absolutely necessary to inform that of Queen. Especially when she added on that she had seen the king perish at the hands of someone she had known. It laid enough groundwork for Renus to gather that someone had either been messing with things they did not understand for petty power, or the demons had made a deal of monumental proportion.
Whatever it was, it was not good.
“Well, I am not sure what you will find either. However, the part of my hope is you find nothing and these is merely a slip up. But the way you’ve spoken, I feel it is not such a fleeting hope.” A light gesture was offered so they could walk across the bridge to where the other bodies dressed in the silver and white garb of the order were busy trying to recover bodies that were intact enough. With the drow helping another and he could feel his own stomach turn at the spread of red staining the dirt.
Just pointing a moment more to show one of the fallen demon bodies. A lifeless thing that had been decapitated thankfully so it wasn’t likely to rise up. But for measure, a few holy tipped arrows had been pegged into its chest to keep it as such. “The demons were airborne so a troupe even with some protection wouldn’t have likely known to defend themselves from above. Obviously there are a few here that have been killed but the results in the end were not in the favour of the mortals.”
Calia had thought this would be nothing to her. With the iron and coppery taint of blood thick in the air and the description that it was in fact a brutal slaughter, she’d already knew what it was going to look like. After all, there were flashes of it in her memory, of running past bodies and swinging her own sword with focused intent. She thought she was prepared.
How very wrong she was.
To say there were bodies was such a false description. More like scattered parts and splatter soup. A certain amount of cruel carnage that would set anyone’s stomach upside down, and it seemed Calia was not immune. She’d woken up to a Caeldalmor days later that’d been licked and scrubbed clean of every ounce of edible human meat. Had she awoken sooner, it would’ve been this that she found only in the hundreds. A familiar friends and family and villagers all scattered around like chum in a lake.
Calia had to stop in her tracks to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment. Trying to temper those crystal clear sounds of screaming, to go back into the mental coffin she’d made for them. Right now there was no time for despair and tears – she was not the crying sort anyway! But nor was this the time for her to kick back up into a delirious madness and go tearing off raging mad without a sense of purpose or direction.
For a second she thought she was going to pass out just from the effort of suppressing it all.
After a moment and a long deep breath she finally opened her eyes again, giving a small gesture of her hand and a shaking of her head to indicate she was fine. Fine enough, anyway.
“You said that sometimes demons are loose here because of an old scar? As far as I knew, demons could only be summoned? Into a human vasal or through a gateway. We’ve never had them wild in Caeldalmor, at least not in any history I’ve read.”
The smell alone was nauseating. Practically tasting every bit of bile and blood on tongue with each breath and yet, he refused to leave these people to be naught by fragmented ghosts to plague the realm in-between because they were not lain to rest. By the merit of his oath as a templar and with the weight of the holy bound steel at his hip, this would not be left as is.
Yet he watched the woman curiously from the corner of eye. Making his own private judgments while feeling particularly disgusting himself when he found her to be reacting to the scene. Instead of just pushing through with a grave severity that might have made him wonder if her sense of compassion had been hidden away. Or nonexistent at all.
“We’ve had our own traitor that opened a rift through that of their lands. A scar that large has blackened the soul and has an ebbing wound that cannot be closed forever. It is a gateway of sorts. Small, not too much comes through it but even we as holy knights cannot permanently close it. Attempts have been made but the resources to do so are lacking. So it is usually watched and maintained. It is very few that slide through and provide issues.” Renus frowned as he stepped forward to glance between a pile of smashed crates. Shaking head lightly and grateful that the body had been found by another already. Draped ceremoniously with that of a blanket to blot out the most grisly of appearances but the legs sticking out were evidently small. A child. Rendered to death too soon.
“The scar was forged from one of our own strongest mages. A blighter in his own right. Even in his own books, he did not detail how one could seal such a gateway. But left at least enough for us to craft things to fight back.” Renus patted the sword at his side. Unbeknownst to him that Calia would know whom he was referencing seeing as the tale Rhelic had spun. “I would hope that Caeldalmor was never beset by these pests. But it would seem my hope is in vain. All it takes is one mad fool lusting for things too good to be true and it destroys so much.”
A pause and a turn on his heels to face her, “You wish to speak to that of Queen Ashera, will you be able to detail the means of it all to her? She is a very particular woman when it comes to these things and takes it none too lightly. I would not wish for you to be distressed because she may be uncharacteristic firm in such details.”
Fantastic. This meant that even if Calia was to get her heart back and purge that demon hoard back to wence they came, Caeldalmor too was always going to be scarred. Now that the proverbial box had been opened, forever more there would need to be people who could be guardians over the cracks, those that specialized in demon hunting. There would need to be some sort of holy order and temple established.
…and with a grim realization, Calia doubt that the single cave she’d been in was the only source of unleashing demons. It’d been too small, too compact for the sheer numbers of the hoard. Hell for the size of many of the massive demons. Which meant there had to be other ritual sites across her country. An absolute fucking mess to go through.
There was too much to do and she was surely the wrong person to do it.
Especially when she had to tilt her head up and away to look at the sky, the tree canopy anything else but a dead child. That was a no, no, no. Frozen heart and callous monster that she was, there were things that were still just wrong. Too much. Focusing her attention instead back directly on the elven Commander Prince.
“To be honest, I am… nervous. Out of my element. I’ve spent my life being the youngest child, without any real responsibility to my name and now there is just me and a kingdom to look after. I knew that Queen Ashera was someone of gentle nature and kindness, which is why I have come here. … but I’ve also been told that mentioning demons would get myself in more trouble than I could handle.”
“…I’m already in more trouble than I can handle, so it seems a bit moot at this point.”
Listening to this young woman speak, he could only imagine what was on her mind. And the reality was she had been a smaller princess than elder siblings. Something he knew of being the youngest of the original four himself.
“The Queen is a kind and gentle person. Absolutely. That part is not to be missed but when it comes to demons, it cracks that natural appearance. Due to the past. Due to loss. Due to a refusal to repeat the actions again. Not everyone is limited to one or two words of description and while yes, mentioning it could be difficult to interact with the queen, that would be if you weren’t here.” He made an open gesture around them. Then to himself. “Things have changed. And you are now in alliance with someone who has seen, handles and understands the gravity in which demons cause issues. Especially if your kingdom has fallen, she may be displeased but she will not shirk you away.”
He knew his mother. As much as she was still full of anger and hatred, she would not turn away someone in need. Even if they were unfortunately facing similar problems to their old ones. If anything, that was more of a reason why he was certain his mother would react to aid.
“You’ve made it here. That is a step forward Princess Calia. There is reason you are here even if you may be out of your element, Mother Gaia does not select cowards to start mending what is broken.” His own belief airing and he offered her a quaint smile. Amongst the grim, “If would be far more moot point if you had not come at all. To lay down and die would have been the cowards way. You’re here and I will provide you a straight path to that of the Queen Ashera. I would say, as ghastly as this all is, it was meant to happen. Although I loathe the results of it.”
He was surely a prince, for he had that natural sort of charm and dramatic flare that seemed to inhabit every royal she’d ever met. Even herself included. Crossing her arms gently as she listened, just so she wouldn’t lay hands on her weapons and give the false impression that it was him making her want to reach for that comfort of a blade.
Commander Renus seemed to respect and care for his mother a great deal in the way he defended her, this was at least good in her opinion. A family that cared deeply about each other was deeply precious and something powerful in it’s own right. With as much as Queen Ashera suffered in the past, though, it still set this uncomfortable churn in Calia’s stomach.
Archimedes had done something terrible in their past that still left the scars a hundred years later. Now here was Calia, at fault for the fall of her own kingdom, even if it wasn’t she who did the deed. This was a new secret she would have to keep; her own, Archimedes… multiple secrets to harbor in place of the single former one.
“So you are a believer of destiny and fate,” she responded, a wry sort of muted smile of her own. These were things Calia didn’t want to believe herself, but with every step she took on this journey and the more she learned? Somehow it did feel like she’d walked into some ancient legend, or prophecy, or some other historical nonsense that wacky old elders love to speak of.
“Well, we can see that laying down and dying is not in the stars for me, even on days I wish I had,” she scoffed with a simple shrug of her shoulders. Expression shifting to something more candid and genuine. “I appreciate the help, regardless. Hopefully I can be as much aid to here as can be given to Caeldalmor.”
Shoulders shrugged nonchalantly, “I don’t know if I am entirely a believer but it is something that keeps my feet on the ground. If I didn’t have that, I worry I might be far more reckless and wild about the things I choice to do. I would sort of express I have more of a desire for duty than fate. But it does sound that way from what I said.” Renus could admit that it did sound rather fluffy. Like destiny was the controller of all lives and he was not about to sway from some unwritten plan.
It was doubtful that was real but he wasn’t against it either.
Just that she expressed that laying down and dying was not an option and that alone helped him create a decision to help her bring her message to that of the queen. “I am sure we can certainly help in some way. I would like to say that if there was still a valid source of fighters, we could give them the weaponry needed to hack and force back the hellish vermin but holy weapons are not easily created. With the Advisor Mage being well in his advance years, the efforts of creating the weapons from the one who burdened us with all this, is no easy feat. And Advisor Omias is well…” He was thinking of a polite word by couldn’t find anything.
Sighing, “He is slow. We don’t have the mages as we used too and any clever ones are few and far between.” Renus gave a bitter laugh, “So what we have is limited and I know there is only Advisor Omias and the Queen herself who know how the weapons are made. Eventually the crown princess will know but that’s a whole other thing.”
He shook his head, “Royal things, surely you understand.” Eyes looked around and grimaced. “Well, if you are not opposed to the gruesome work still Princess Calia, we will need to unfortunately collect bodies. And cover ones that are whole as a sign of respect. There are sheets just over here,” A finger extended to a collection of the white coverings.
“Even if it was simple to make such weapons, I have to create an entire knights guard from nothing. I basically have to create everything from nothing…” that was a heavy thing to admit, of which a wiser person likely wouldn’t be blurting such things out to anyone they’d only been talking to for five minutes. Only Calia was not one to lie if she could help it – maybe leave out details when necessary, but she didn’t find much use in lying. Even if at present it made her sound like the worst, most incapable royal in the world,
“At best I might request something made for myself, as a defense from what is surely going to be a long endeavor,” she went on, nodding that she was indeed still up for helping to right this frizzly affair. Now that the initial shock had passed, it’d be easier to stuff those feelings aside and do what needed to be done.
Almost pausing to roll up her sleeves only to quickly decide against it. The markings on her arm could be any manner of things and she did not want to risk this budding alliance so soon. Later, when she had proven her intent was honorable and true, maybe she could seek knowledge and help on that front.
So Calia did what was needed without hesitation or complaint. Giving each body and even ripped away part the same gentle prayer she’d given to the forest rabbit, so any trapped spirits might feel better guided back to the forest. Only once did her unshakable veneer nearly crack, and again it was because of a small child who did not deserve such a violent and terrible end.
Having to hold on to that one in a special place of her empty heart, because there would be a day she found that piece of shit sorcerer and Calia was going to show him what a true hell could be.
“Fair.” Renus agreed and admired her ability to know that this was certainly an endeavour that did not start in the middle of anything. The beginning was where it had to be and it was going to be very labour intensive. “I am sure we can help each other in such ways as well.” After all he was one of the commanders of their holy order and it had been created by others. Ones who knew the struggle to put something together from literally nothing. It was a challenge he did not wish upon any but for now, they had this one in front of their noses.
Looking around and nodding one more at her statement of how she might merely ask for a weapon to be crafted for herself. A simple thing surely but one that would have to be addressed when they were in the bosom of the capitol. And he hoped truly that the queen would see the pluck and vigor in this young woman. While casting her compassion for loss towards her in the same net.
For now, he gave directions of the ugly reality of cleaning and mending this travesty.
Leaving her to the means of work alongside himself. Busying his efforts between directing and finding lost souls that had fallen too soon to claw and tooth. Unfortunately finding not terribly many demons as one would suspect. These were no fighters. They had been ambushed but the request was to bring the demons back as well. To cast their corpses into the white flame to purify them and hopefully to stop them from being reborn in the blacken abyss. They couldn’t be sure but it was still practice.
It was only clear how long their efforts had been when the cast of the sun was dipping low making the shadows of trees bend and the earth glimmer in a shade.
They had cleaned up most of what they could and what they could not, they would have to burn at a later date. When they had time to alert the area about the controlled burning to spare whatever vitals a chance to leech further into the soil.
They had been motioned to return to the little campsite that was a bit away and to clean from the water. Hands stained in ways that not even a proper washing would remove, there was already a large pot over a contained flame. Although he doubted many were hungry, to stave was useless. Food was vital and them moving forward was just the same. He did notice that the drow had made herself pleasantly comfortable with one of the newer recruits. Busying herself currently with striking up conversation while they seemed to have selected themselves to tend to the very mounts that were present. Her own and Calia’s included.
It was then a moment for him to approach the foreign royal. Wiping hands off on a mere rag that would be burnt later and gave her a curious look. Gentle. Open. “Thank you for your efforts. I am sure the spirits will be soothed better knowing that even those not of our realm are willing to lend aid.”
It was insane how much energy it took to not be reactive. To not curse and bitch and cry about things that were truly gruesome. Somehow, though, it also had a strange sort of cathartic effect. Calia had not been able to gather up the dead in her own home, to process the things that she felt, or even say goodbye to souls she’d never see again. These weren’t her people, but they were people no less and having the chance to do something for them after death gave her a sense of finally doing something even if all she did was cover them up or help find the missing pieces.
At the end of the day she as exhausted, though. Both mentally and physically. More in thought of finding herself a dark hole to crawl into rather than continuing on in being a sociable presence.
And she needed a hell of a lot more than a good rinse of her hands. Damn, she’d never craved a fancy, stupid bubble bath more in her life! A rare moment of needing to be properly spoiled like a fat over pampered cat!
At least this prince wasn’t nauseating company. Had he been one of those brainless twits out here just to get all of the praise for being so brave, so strong, she would not have been able to hold back any biting commentary.
“I think this might be the first time anyone has claimed I soothed a spirit,” she answered with a sort of smile. “No one of humble nature deserves this sort of violence, it is the very least of what I could do.”
Curiously he gave her a thoughtful look. Not sure what sort of life she had led but with a mere comment, he suspected she was more of the rough and tumble type. Not the gentle princess that was combed and manicured to be a literal statement of grace and decorum. That the tall human woman was akin to something that was probably a bit wild. Made parents stress and siblings laugh. It was mere thought but he smiled eventually though it was hardly as warm as it could have been.
Pulled with worry. Fatigue and that knowledge that they couldn’t do much more than this. It was an ugly sensation that caused a strong inflate of lungs. “A first time is still a good thing.” He offered as head felt heavy. Nodding to agree with the statement of it all. “It is appreciated no less. Most would not have been able to do this without some sort of reaction. One that is understandable.” Turning a bit to look over shoulder to where the pot was being prepared and the sound of the few conversing was at least pleasant. Far better than mumbled prayers or beckoning calls for who found what or finding something else under the horror of it all.
“I am sure you are due for some mental respite after all this. Though you’ll have to forgive me for putting a need to merely confirm that you wish to come with us come the morrow to the capitol? We’ll be riding swiftly after the pyre in the morning. I merely do not wish to pressure you into anything. Especially as tonight may be long. Depending if the smell of blood beckons those of lurking to return.”
Even the man was exhausted, Calia could see it in the corners of his eyes. Here he was experienced both as a royal prince as well as a commander for his holy knight guard, and he was spent with the weight of it. Just a small piece in the bigger picture of his kingdom, and here he was with all elegance and grace trying to keep her reassured when he likely needed to get some real rest before things inevitably got worse.
Calia could not even shoulder half of what he was doing now, how was she supposed to live up to being a queen for a whole kingdom?
“Rhelic and I will be ready to ride in the morning. Best to meet your queen as quickly as possible, if at least so I might warn her of what could be coming,” she affirmed with a nod. Only to hesitate a bit with a thought of her own.
“You should get some rest too, Commander. If something does come menacing in the night, you’ll have my sword and all that comes with it.”
“I appreciate your sense of urgency and desire to handle this as swiftly as possible.” Yes, he was certainly worn out but this was not the first time he had seen such horrible scenery. Although it hadn’t been this terrible for a while, if this was a prelude for what was coming then he did feel her statement was all the more applicable. To hasten to meet the queen and discuss the reality of what had befallen the nation nearest to them.
Just that he slightly considered her and the words of having her sword. Offering her a sincere smile then that was certainly far warmer than previous. “Let us hope that should not happen. I have things I still need to manage. A leader’s work is never truly finished.” Not about to toddle to bed first when his men and themselves were under his responsibility.
Before politely bowing to her. “We are of equal measure, Princess Calia. Renus is more than suitable. If you wish to discuss anything, please do not hesitate. My…” He looked at the tent that would be shared with them all, “Door?” Laughing lightly at the jest, “Is always open. Make sure to try to eat even if it is less than thrilling. Strength is important.”
A leader’s work being never finished sound like a curse to Calia’s ears! A terrible omen of what was to come for her, she might have laughed out right then and there just from nervous horror!
Instead she met his smile with one of her own – moreso at him calling them of equal measure while in the same breath still calling her Princess. Even moreso still when they were some saucy things she could be saying about creeping into a man’s tent at night, ignoring the fact that it was shared space. Luckily she had sense enough not to be making such jokes in such an inappropriate place at such an inappropriate time.
Nay, if she was going to blurt out something stupid, it was best saved for the Queen! That way she’d have a shorter walk straight to the dungeons!
“I’ll eat, your highness,” she responded, still not being to help that bit of cheekiness. Giving a two finger salute of her own instead of any sort of silly curtsey as she stepped back away and turned to go seek out Rhelic.
This was good, wasn’t it? So why did Calia feel there was some sort of chaos and mayhem lurking around the bend, waiting for her to set her guard down!
Eyes followed Calia as she made her return to this wayward arrangement of something they had stumbled into. The buzzing of the sel elf in her right ear mentioning something that she wasn’t entirely paying attention to and, “Over here your highness.” Rhelic made sure to drag out the title for a cheeky twist. Mirth pulling at tired eyes, “You missed the part of dealing with Lon and Setu and all the other critters that were due for some proper care. Leaving us with the work fit for stable boys,” She was clearly teasing even as Elas beside her seemingly took stronger note of the strange woman.
As one did when they were young and met with unfamiliar faces. As one did when they were suddenly showing just how a young curious elven man behaved when met with unusual beauty.
Thank god there was a shared tent, she did not want to hear whispered sweet nothings and Calia threatening to be a harlot just to annoy her. “Elas, this is Princess Calia.” Rhelic motioned to the youth beside her and the boy mumbled some sort of greeting. Obviously enrapt with said princess. Sometimes she hated being right. “Calia, Elas. Now don’t be starting to make googly cow eyes at another, I don’t think my stomach can take it.”
“I see you’re going to be a menace while I can’t properly defend myself,” responded Calia in good humor, crossing her arms upon wandering over to the beckoning drow and her present new companion. Rhelic was going to have a grand time twisting the needle here and there, Calia was certain. She’d be doing the same thing if the positions were reversed.
The eyeballing she was getting from the young elven man was so obvious that Calia might’ve started cackling, or worse – turning up a bit of charm just to be a pain in the ass. Luckily for him and for Rhelic that she was far too weary to get up to shenanigans. Many thoughts were weighing on her mind, and not even a bit of fun frolicking with a stranger seemed all that appealing.
Maybe if he didn’t look like he’d hang on every word she said.
“Elas, you need to go make yourself useful, unless you want your Commander to come teach you how to greet a princess properly.” Curt, maybe. Necessary? Probably not. …but honestly, the boy should know his manners better anyway, had Calia not been herself, some other puffed up royal would’ve been giving him an earful.
Easily lips pulled into a bright impish grin. Lending neck to nod to assure that all knew that she entirely agreed with the on point assessment. “You know how it goes surely. Attack when that of your adversary is at their weak point.” As if they were enemies. But the point stood. With the princess now known in the accompaniment as a royal blood, it was best to be sure that some bits of playful salt were rubbed in. Nice and gingerly. Also playing the means that she didn’t think Calia to high and mighty now that she couldn’t casually speak as she had either.
Although all of that was apparently going to go to waste with how Elas was far too busy trying not to swallow his own tongue while being properly entranced with the young round ear. Likely his first time seeing one at least so close and one that was pretty at that. The poor guy didn’t have a chance.
Especially when Calia took notice and decided her own little bit of fun was to be had. Where the cool yellow eyes widened and his legs were becoming like two petrified silts. Standing to attention so quickly that it was a surprise the rest of his body didn’t whiplash itself from the speed! “Princess Calia,” he bowed so deeply that brows could have touched that of knees, “My a-apologies. Please,” He motioned to where he had been sitting beside her and then turned woodenly to face her. “I must attend to some things now, Rhelic. Perhaps we can speak more later.”
“Sure.” Cupping chin into palm, barely containing the smirk pulling upon corners. Again he bowed and promptly toddled off to where her own gaze rose up to look at Calia, “Such a way with the little ones. I’m not sure if he now thinks of you as this beautiful enchantress or wicked woods hen that had just chased him away.”
Calia almost felt bad watching Elas escape practically with his tail between his legs… but that empathy didn’t go far! She knew more than anyone there was a certain level of expectations for people, and if she couldn’t go around acting as she pleased, she sure wasn’t going to let someone else make the sort of mistakes that’d get them in trouble. The next time he met a royal, maybe he’d remember those dumb manners.
Soon she was stealing his seat, though, plopping down next to Rhelic with a tired sigh only to just as quick give her an exasperated look.
“Trying to marry me off already? At least let me have some fun first. Take me to a bar where the patrons are actually old enough to be there.”
Poor Elas. Calia finally just laughed.
“In any case, luck is with me today. We’ll have an escort straight to the capitol thanks to your Commander and Prince, who thankfully doesn’t make me want to ram my head into a tree. This mess, though, is concerning. I almost wish it was about me directly, because if demons are getting set loose everywhere, that is such a bigger problem.”
The poor guy had just been so enamoured with someone strange and new and the very person had scared him swiftly. Chasing him off to go and do whatever else even if she was shortly bursting into a laugh at Calia suggesting that there was no marriage to be had and that she required fun first. “He’s probably older than you.” Elves did mature differently after all but in the grand scheme of things, Elas was maybe a few years older than Calia in human terms. Just a city boy that hadn’t seen too terribly much. “After today, he probably thought you were a breath of fresh air. For two seconds.”
Her lips curled and eyes glittered with all sorts of rascally fun.
Stretching arms out before her when the whole sound of the other laughed and declare that they now had an escort straight to the heart of it all. By the care and gentlemanly nature of Prince Renus. Leaving her to raise a brow at the whole ram her head into a tree comment. “I mean, you did say you were something like an omen for bad luck or something.” Flipping her hand through the air to dispel the thought, “But surely you wouldn’t think the demons to be neatly contained in Caeldalmor like good little busy bodies. Especially with the rest. Naw, they’d likely want to branch out quickly if they were smart.” Rhelic hummed thoughtfully, “Well at least this works in your favour. Soon you get to put on your best royal airs and try to impress the big crown. How exciting!”
Calia doubted she was a breath of fresh air for anybody, just a pretty face covering up a whole lot of trouble. In fact that very omen of bad things to come that Rhelic was having a grand time teasing her about. At least one of them was having fun here!
The drow woman also wasn’t wrong about the demons. Of course they wouldn’t stay contained within the mountain valley, there’d been too many of them to keep proper track of. Honestly, Calia had no idea if Derrick was using them as an active army or if his intent had just been to unleash chaos and then take off with her heart on his own.
She really didn’t know anything at this point and it pissed her off.
“Best to eat and attempt to get that royal beauty sleep then,” she grimaced with another sigh. “This really isn’t how I imagined spending the night with a bunch of elves.”
In a manner of seconds that cheeky play spread across her features dampened. Replaced with a gentle concern when the queen of chaos and a good quip had clearly had more on her mind than she was saying. Not that it was difficult to exactly know why and what. “Wow, I was at least expecting some sort of rebuff,” The drow turned to face her a little better upon their selected spot. As if about to conclude between the two of them some massive and telling secret of all time.
Rather than just checking in on the girl. “I mean, you’ve still got plenty of time to have a banger of a wild night with the most rowdiest of elves.” Rhelic attempted even if her brows were scrunched up. “This is affecting you, isn’t it?” Giving not so much a physical gesture but a clear enough tilt of head to indicate the day they had spent clearing up the gore from a feast, a terror and an eventual pyre.
At least the idea of a wild banger with a bunch of elves made her weary stoicism crack long enough to let out a laugh. That’d be such a good time if there wasn’t other things to worry about. A hell of a better than time than all of this.
The question, though, gave Calia a moment of pause. Fading out of that laughter into a pensive sort of quiet. At first a flickering gaze of no shit, before eventually softening to something a little more genuine. Upturning her palms and wriggling her fingers, as if she was expecting to still see blood there despite the fact she’d scrubbed her hands as best she could.
“I didn’t think it would,” she admitted with a frown. “I’ve seen dead before and I’ve killed before, with flashes of gory things from the capitol’s fall. There’s dead little children here, though, and that’s… When I think too deeply about it I can’t function and a different instinct takes over. Something violent and angry, and stupid which would not be a help to anyone right now.”
Calia let out a slow breath and with it was attempting to at least calm those nerves and bury those feelings back where thy belonged.
“I wish I could go back to not feeling anything at all, but I guess that’s equally as dumb. That’s probably how you get hedge witches and evil queens.”
With a moment of silent contemplation after the girl ceased her laugh and in turn, said what she needed too about what they had unfortunately stumbled upon; Rhelic hummed. Looking out amongst the way. Seeing the movement of the few knights that had been chosen for this gruesome event and found herself properly frowning. Lips deepening and a sense of utter waste present on thoughts and chest. Knowing that there was little now they could do besides what they had. To honour the dead. To try and put their wayward spirits to rest and hope in turn that the night wouldn’t result in another attack.
Somewhere she could absently wonder just what did a demon think about all this and in turn, could’ve laughed at her stupidity. They didn’t care after all.
“Feeling something is better than nothing at all. Even if it’s the emotions we’d sooner not want to feel.” Rhelic sighed. Leaning back in her spot and deciding attempting to try and see the night sky through the thicket of canopies hundreds of feet above them. With little success.
Just catching glimpses of the argent light from a half full moon trying to bask the grounds with its rays. Having as much trouble as she was doing the opposite. “It’s twisted anyway you look at it. Alas, death doesn’t pick favourites or excuses any particular age. All the more reason why we gotta see if you can convince the queen to lend you aid or give you some spectacular advice that somehow mitigates all of this. Although that last one I highly doubt.”
Calia too was wondering what demons thought of such things, through the lense of what she’d run into so far. There were beats that were no different than any other wild animal one’d meet in the forests. Purly predators out to eat and survive. Ones with more sentience, with thoughts and wishes that stemmed out farther than just what the next meal would be. Archimedes who wasn’t born demon, but made demon through a series of unfortunate choices. There were Demon Lords and demon law and a demon realm… all of which had to be more complicated than just kill, kill, steal a soul, murder, and more kill.
And Calia did not have the time to waste pondering such things. A thousand problems on her plate and only a few hours in a day. If only she still had her magic, as she could accomplish so much more so much faster!
“At least it will no longer be difficult to convince her there is a problem,” Calia answered with a sigh. “It’ll be the steps afterwards that area pain in the ass. I’m done brooding about it for the day, in any case. Food, rest, and then letting the Commander Prince be in charge until we’re at the capitol. I think I can manage to stay out of trouble until then.”
Of course, the flickering glance to Rhelic and the sideways grin she shot Rhelic suggested that she wasn’t so sure the drow woman would stay out of trouble, but Calia did not say a word about it. Instead rising up to stretch before going to fetch that food she’d promised she’d eat.
That she couldn’t disagree with. Even giving a gentle agreeing hum even if it was certainly not something that was overly grand. After all, running into the holy law out here after such a massacre only to aid Calia being certain to get a chance to Queen Ashera, was well… not the best way of things. Although it would let her avoid Omias so that was maybe a very thin silver lining.
Which of course as Calia said, it was going to be the steps afterwards that would be truly quite the mountainous climb to deal with. Having to figure out which way to navigate to hopefully obtain aid from the elven lands rather than being deemed a catalyst if not the root of all problems and thrown into the dungeon.
Such a thought had her properly frowning.
Almost missing the way the princess threw her a grin and articulated just who the trouble maker was liable to be. Warranting a narrowing of eye and a turn of mouth, “Go get your damn food, before I take that grin as a challenge rather than a mere expression.”
Calia almost shot back that she’d like to see Rhelic get up to no good, only to just as quickly decide the grin on her face said it plenty enough. Besides, this was not the time and place for any sort of mischief, even if Calia was up to having any sort of fun. She was starting to think there was never going to be time for it, as all of her attempts to think ahead beyond the next few days had Calia’s head spinning with the heavy weight of responsibility.
What cruel thread of fate thought it should be Calia! There were surely better people!
Though she’d said she was done with brooding, that is exactly what she did once she’d acquired a bowl of the meager fare. Brooded about being trapped in this position, brooded at the fact she was doing it to her own self, no one was forcing her. Angry about everything that was outside of her control, and angry that a stolen heart didn’t also steal her emotions because this loop she was trapped in was getting her nowhere fast.
The first chance she got, Calia was going to get so hammered drunk. Just so unreasonably smashed that there wouldn’t be a thought left in her head. At least for a night!
For the time being, once she’d eaten it was back o returning to Rhelic and bedding down for the night with their holy escorts. Leaving herself silent for the most part, though shooting a cold imperial stare once or twice at any young man that appeared to have a stupid idea on their face.
At least she didn’t have any fear about sleeping around strangers, for truly she was still the most dangerous thing there even without her magic.