Keir strode down the hall like he was the master of the keep. The servants they passed hastily got out of the way at the sight of the pair of ghostly guards who marched silently in front. His three living maids followed behind, he would need them later.
The keep was quite large, designed to hold over a thousand soldiers and officers, dozens of servants and skilled labourers, and the families of the officers and workers. Now it was nearly deserted, the majority of soldiers having been called to more important sites during the long war. Most of the remaining inhabitants were out collecting food or building proper fortifications. So despite the surprisingly long walk from the guest room to General Ajani's office, they didn't meet many people, and none that were important enough to stop them.
Silently Keir commanded one of his bodyguards to knock on the generals door. It was opened a moment later by a badly scarred young man wearing a faded red uniform, his left arm ended just below the elbow. The young officer looked at the ghostly guards with dark, haunted eyes.
“Mage Keira, how can I be of service?” the man asked.
“I wish to speak to General Ajani and his staff about the war effort,” Keir said.
“I'm sorry, General Ajani is currently in a meeting, I will inform him of your wishes as soon as he's done. If you could return to your room, I believe he may have time to speak to you this afternoon.”
Keir took a moment to think about his options. He could insist on meeting the general at once, it would be most satisfying, but ultimately counterproductive. The general was one of the two people he desperately needed to turn into an ally, forcing a confrontation would sour things. Waiting for the meeting to end wouldn't work either. There was too much do, and waiting patiently like a servant would give the wrong impression. So he did the only thing he could.
Hiding his thoughts behind a pleasant smile, Keir said, “That would be appreciated. I'll be busy around the keep or the refugee camp, so my maid Hanina will remain here. When the general is free she will be able to find me in a minute or two.”
Hanina glided forward, taking a position beside the door.
The officer glanced at the ghostly maid, clearly uncertain about having her standing in the hallway. His training kicked in and he nodded. “Very well. I'm certain the general will ask for you as soon as possible. Good day.”
Turning away from the officer, Keir headed for the refugee camp.
Trying to speak to High Commander Alder would likely end in failure. The commander clearly didn't like him, and at best considered him a useful tool, only fit to follow orders. There was no point in trying to change their relationship until he had a firm base of support. The other leaders and dignitaries he'd briefly met all seemed to think much the same way. They'd made no attempt to meet him, or provide support, so seeking them out would be pointless and make him appear weak.
Meeting Von could be useful, but he had no idea where the mage might be. For all he knew Von could be at the pass helping build up the defences, or meeting with General Ajani. Word would soon get around that he was awake and working, the mage and anyone else interested could find him.
In fact having a few hours alone to start his own plans would be best.
He didn't know what Von or the others would say about his next plan of action, and honestly he didn't care. He'd discovered at an early age that simply doing what he wanted and dealing with the complaints after everything was done, was easier than asking permission and spending hours or days arguing about it.
The camp seemed almost empty compared to the first time he'd seen it. There were children, elders, and a few adults resting or playing in the sun. The adults were mostly sick or injured, being cared for by people who might be family and a handful of priests and priestesses. Young teenagers were moving among them, keeping the children in line, supporting the elders and doing chores.
The camp was cleaner. The piles of refuse that had made the camp a source of disease had largely disappeared. The paths were still muddy, but very little could get rid of that until the heat of the day dried them out. The tents and shacks were looking a little more sturdy, freshly cut wood had replaced the rotten sticks from a few days ago. There was also the smell of cooked food and wood fires. He smiled seeing the improvements. More work was needed if they were going to survive the winter, but it was a start.
Off in the distance he thought he saw people working on something that involved a lot of smoke. If he had to guess they were smoking demon meat, and tanning the hides, at least he hoped they were. The mountain air was cool, and winter couldn't be too far away. When it finally came they'd be snowed in for months.
Finding a comfortable rock by a cold fire pit, he sat down to rest his tired legs. He wondered just how much the battle had cost him physically. Or was it that he was in a body far weaker than he was used to? Whichever it was, he hoped he would regain his strength soon.
Turning to his maids, he said “Go collect anyone between ten years and sixteen that wants to learn magic. I'll wait here for them.”
“Yes, Regua,” they said, then hurried off.
Looking up at the brilliant blue sky, he wanted to do more. As emperor, there there had been many times he'd felt that time was being wasted on minutiae, pointless meetings with dignitaries, and travel. Yet there had always been things going on in the background, where his armies of soldiers, bureaucrats, diplomats, spies and mages did their duties, ensuring his goals and desires were met. Now he had so many things to do, and there was only him.
His allies were three maids, two barely more than children, the third an old woman who should be watching her grandchildren by a fire, and all of them had been desert raiders and herders. They were good for fetch and carry duties, and would be a good connection to the Lleial, but beyond that he didn't know what they could offer.
And then there was Von. The mage was hardly an ally. As long as he had the geas on him, Von was his master. The mage didn't openly hold his power over him, but it was always there. One step wrong and he could be made to lick Von's boots while begging for forgiveness.
If he concentrated he could feel the geas, a rough scar that was placed directly on his soul. He'd never heard or seen a geas like it. Most focused on the physical, causing pain or controlling the physical body like a puppet. This was one was deeper than that, he couldn't even think of disobeying it. He didn't know how to start breaking it either. All his knowledge of breaking geas involved bypassing it, so it couldn't affect the body anymore. Could he do the same to his own soul without killing himself or damaging it so badly death would be a relief?
He was brought out of his musings by the appearance of an old priestess. She was wearing the silver robes of the Father Moon sect, with yellow cuffs and collar showing that she was one of their healers. She came over and took a seat beside him, smiling in greeting.
Keir turned slightly to face her, smiling pleasantly. “Greetings Sister.”
“May the Father protect you and the Mother watch over you, Mage Keira,” the priestess said. “It seems the world is full of surprises.”
“Yes it is. I certainly didn't expect to see anything like this when I came back to life.”
“What did you think you'd see?”
Thinking about his answer, he decided to be honest, there was no harm in it. “I don't know. I was focused on the challenge, the results were something I didn't really consider at the time. I'll admit that curiosity is one of my flaws.”
The sister shook her head. “Curiosity is a blessing. Perhaps in this case it's a far greater blessing than usual.”
“You think it's a good thing that I'm here?” he asked, half smiling in amusement.
“How could I not? If not for you we would all be dead.”
He gave a small bow of thanks. “It's nice to be appreciated. I was getting a bit annoyed that only the Lleial seem to want me around.”
Her smile grew bigger. “The stories and books about you don't exactly paint you in a good light. However I have learned to judge people by their actions, not the sayings of another. You may be a force for good, or a force for bad. Your actions have shown that you will fight against the demons, which I appreciate. Whether it was to save yourself or to save others, I don't know, but either way your fight protects those around you.”
“That's a practical way to look at things,” he admitted. “If you don't mind my saying, it's rather unusual to find such practicality among the lower ranks of the priesthood.”
“I spent most of my years doing a circuit of the smaller villages in the Sal Mountains. Spending so much time around village folk taught me to be practical and avoid the eloquent words and metaphors of my peers. There isn't time to preach when a mother is dying in childbirth, or you have to rescue group of miners that have been buried in a cave-in. It's best to get the job done, and then share a few words of comfort as they heal or with the survivors. And if things aren't done exactly as the journals say, we can ask for forgiveness later, the Mother will understand.”
“What's your name Sister?”
“Simply Sister Kaja, I gave up my family name when I joined the church. I don't believe that was common when you were alive.”
“It wasn't, at least not among the higher members of the clergy.”
“There were some reforms after your death. Many questioned how Mother Sun and Father Moon could allow you to form your empire, it was decided the church wasn't devoted enough to the faith. Elder Brother Baden brought about a new era of humbleness and devotion, including removing our bonds to our former lives.” She shook her head. “I wonder what he would say if he was here and saw his church now.”
“I'd have thought you'd be asking what the Mother and Father would have to say.”
“I think they are shaking their heads at how long it took us to follow their plan.”
Keir cocked his head, wondering what she meant.
“You created your Heart, allowing you to remain in this world until you could be reborn in your new body. The Eldritch Council found it and rather than destroying it, they protected it for centuries. Now in a seemingly hopeless fight against the demons, you have been revived, bringing back magic that had been forbidden and cursed. Despite our fears and rules when it comes to necromancy, it may be our only chance at survival.”
He resisted the urge to sigh in disgust. “You're sounding like the Lleial, thinking I'm a prophesied saviour.”
“I suppose I do a little,” she admitted. “But you aren't a savior, you're merely human. The Mother and the Father, simply set you on a path to here where your skills and strength are desperately needed.”
“That doesn't sound very different from the Lleial.”
“They think you're a saint, a single step down from a god. I think you're a person who has done more evil than good in the past. Now you're being given a chance to balance the scales.”
For a moment Keir struggled not to scoff at the old woman. He had run his empire fairly, treating his loyal subjects with care, protecting them from their many enemies. What did he care about his enemies propaganda? As he thought about how to politely tell her what he thought, a group of older children came running towards him. Adria, his oldest maid, followed behind them.
Sister Kaja got to her feet, her joints popping loud enough to make Keir wince in sympathy. “It seems you're going to be busy, and I need to return to my duties. If you would like to talk more, just ask anyone where I am. They all know me.”
“Thank you, sister. I think I'll do that when I have the time,” he said.
“Just one last thing to think about. What do you want people to say about you in another three hundred years?” she asked, before walking away.
Keir strode down the hall like he was the master of the keep. The servants they passed hastily got out of the way at the sight of the pair of ghostly guards who marched silently in front. His three living maids followed behind, he would need them later.
The keep was quite large, designed to hold over a thousand soldiers and officers, dozens of servants and skilled labourers, and the families of the officers and workers. Now it was nearly deserted, the majority of soldiers having been called to more important sites during the long war. Most of the remaining inhabitants were out collecting food or building proper fortifications. So despite the surprisingly long walk from the guest room to General Ajani's office, they didn't meet many people, and none that were important enough to stop them.
Silently Keir commanded one of his bodyguards to knock on the generals door. It was opened a moment later by a badly scarred young man wearing a faded red uniform, his left arm ended just below the elbow. The young officer looked at the ghostly guards with dark, haunted eyes.
“Mage Keira, how can I be of service?” the man asked.
“I wish to speak to General Ajani and his staff about the war effort,” Keir said.
“I'm sorry, General Ajani is currently in a meeting, I will inform him of your wishes as soon as he's done. If you could return to your room, I believe he may have time to speak to you this afternoon.”
Keir took a moment to think about his options. He could insist on meeting the general at once, it would be most satisfying, but ultimately counterproductive. The general was one of the two people he desperately needed to turn into an ally, forcing a confrontation would sour things. Waiting for the meeting to end wouldn't work either. There was too much do, and waiting patiently like a servant would give the wrong impression. So he did the only thing he could.
Hiding his thoughts behind a pleasant smile, Keir said, “That would be appreciated. I'll be busy around the keep or the refugee camp, so my maid Hanina will remain here. When the general is free she will be able to find me in a minute or two.”
Hanina glided forward, taking a position beside the door.
The officer glanced at the ghostly maid, clearly uncertain about having her standing in the hallway. His training kicked in and he nodded. “Very well. I'm certain the general will ask for you as soon as possible. Good day.”
Turning away from the officer, Keir headed for the refugee camp.
Trying to speak to High Commander Alder would likely end in failure. The commander clearly didn't like him, and at best considered him a useful tool, only fit to follow orders. There was no point in trying to change their relationship until he had a firm base of support. The other leaders and dignitaries he'd briefly met all seemed to think much the same way. They'd made no attempt to meet him, or provide support, so seeking them out would be pointless and make him appear weak.
Meeting Von could be useful, but he had no idea where the mage might be. For all he knew Von could be at the pass helping build up the defences, or meeting with General Ajani. Word would soon get around that he was awake and working, the mage and anyone else interested could find him.
In fact having a few hours alone to start his own plans would be best.
He didn't know what Von or the others would say about his next plan of action, and honestly he didn't care. He'd discovered at an early age that simply doing what he wanted and dealing with the complaints after everything was done, was easier than asking permission and spending hours or days arguing about it.
The camp seemed almost empty compared to the first time he'd seen it. There were children, elders, and a few adults resting or playing in the sun. The adults were mostly sick or injured, being cared for by people who might be family and a handful of priests and priestesses. Young teenagers were moving among them, keeping the children in line, supporting the elders and doing chores.
The camp was cleaner. The piles of refuse that had made the camp a source of disease had largely disappeared. The paths were still muddy, but very little could get rid of that until the heat of the day dried them out. The tents and shacks were looking a little more sturdy, freshly cut wood had replaced the rotten sticks from a few days ago. There was also the smell of cooked food and wood fires. He smiled seeing the improvements. More work was needed if they were going to survive the winter, but it was a start.
Off in the distance he thought he saw people working on something that involved a lot of smoke. If he had to guess they were smoking demon meat, and tanning the hides, at least he hoped they were. The mountain air was cool, and winter couldn't be too far away. When it finally came they'd be snowed in for months.
Finding a comfortable rock by a cold fire pit, he sat down to rest his tired legs. He wondered just how much the battle had cost him physically. Or was it that he was in a body far weaker than he was used to? Whichever it was, he hoped he would regain his strength soon.
Turning to his maids, he said “Go collect anyone between ten years and sixteen that wants to learn magic. I'll wait here for them.”
“Yes, Regua,” they said, then hurried off.
Looking up at the brilliant blue sky, he wanted to do more. As emperor, there there had been many times he'd felt that time was being wasted on minutiae, pointless meetings with dignitaries, and travel. Yet there had always been things going on in the background, where his armies of soldiers, bureaucrats, diplomats, spies and mages did their duties, ensuring his goals and desires were met. Now he had so many things to do, and there was only him.
His allies were three maids, two barely more than children, the third an old woman who should be watching her grandchildren by a fire, and all of them had been desert raiders and herders. They were good for fetch and carry duties, and would be a good connection to the Lleial, but beyond that he didn't know what they could offer.
And then there was Von. The mage was hardly an ally. As long as he had the geas on him, Von was his master. The mage didn't openly hold his power over him, but it was always there. One step wrong and he could be made to lick Von's boots while begging for forgiveness.
If he concentrated he could feel the geas, a rough scar that was placed directly on his soul. He'd never heard or seen a geas like it. Most focused on the physical, causing pain or controlling the physical body like a puppet. This was one was deeper than that, he couldn't even think of disobeying it. He didn't know how to start breaking it either. All his knowledge of breaking geas involved bypassing it, so it couldn't affect the body anymore. Could he do the same to his own soul without killing himself or damaging it so badly death would be a relief?
He was brought out of his musings by the appearance of an old priestess. She was wearing the silver robes of the Father Moon sect, with yellow cuffs and collar showing that she was one of their healers. She came over and took a seat beside him, smiling in greeting.
Keir turned slightly to face her, smiling pleasantly. “Greetings Sister.”
“May the Father protect you and the Mother watch over you, Mage Keira,” the priestess said. “It seems the world is full of surprises.”
“Yes it is. I certainly didn't expect to see anything like this when I came back to life.”
“What did you think you'd see?”
Thinking about his answer, he decided to be honest, there was no harm in it. “I don't know. I was focused on the challenge, the results were something I didn't really consider at the time. I'll admit that curiosity is one of my flaws.”
The sister shook her head. “Curiosity is a blessing. Perhaps in this case it's a far greater blessing than usual.”
“You think it's a good thing that I'm here?” he asked, half smiling in amusement.
“How could I not? If not for you we would all be dead.”
He gave a small bow of thanks. “It's nice to be appreciated. I was getting a bit annoyed that only the Lleial seem to want me around.”
Her smile grew bigger. “The stories and books about you don't exactly paint you in a good light. However I have learned to judge people by their actions, not the sayings of another. You may be a force for good, or a force for bad. Your actions have shown that you will fight against the demons, which I appreciate. Whether it was to save yourself or to save others, I don't know, but either way your fight protects those around you.”
“That's a practical way to look at things,” he admitted. “If you don't mind my saying, it's rather unusual to find such practicality among the lower ranks of the priesthood.”
“I spent most of my years doing a circuit of the smaller villages in the Sal Mountains. Spending so much time around village folk taught me to be practical and avoid the eloquent words and metaphors of my peers. There isn't time to preach when a mother is dying in childbirth, or you have to rescue group of miners that have been buried in a cave-in. It's best to get the job done, and then share a few words of comfort as they heal or with the survivors. And if things aren't done exactly as the journals say, we can ask for forgiveness later, the Mother will understand.”
“What's your name Sister?”
“Simply Sister Kaja, I gave up my family name when I joined the church. I don't believe that was common when you were alive.”
“It wasn't, at least not among the higher members of the clergy.”
“There were some reforms after your death. Many questioned how Mother Sun and Father Moon could allow you to form your empire, it was decided the church wasn't devoted enough to the faith. Elder Brother Baden brought about a new era of humbleness and devotion, including removing our bonds to our former lives.” She shook her head. “I wonder what he would say if he was here and saw his church now.”
“I'd have thought you'd be asking what the Mother and Father would have to say.”
“I think they are shaking their heads at how long it took us to follow their plan.”
Keir cocked his head, wondering what she meant.
“You created your Heart, allowing you to remain in this world until you could be reborn in your new body. The Eldritch Council found it and rather than destroying it, they protected it for centuries. Now in a seemingly hopeless fight against the demons, you have been revived, bringing back magic that had been forbidden and cursed. Despite our fears and rules when it comes to necromancy, it may be our only chance at survival.”
He resisted the urge to sigh in disgust. “You're sounding like the Lleial, thinking I'm a prophesied saviour.”
“I suppose I do a little,” she admitted. “But you aren't a savior, you're merely human. The Mother and the Father, simply set you on a path to here where your skills and strength are desperately needed.”
“That doesn't sound very different from the Lleial.”
“They think you're a saint, a single step down from a god. I think you're a person who has done more evil than good in the past. Now you're being given a chance to balance the scales.”
For a moment Keir struggled not to scoff at the old woman. He had run his empire fairly, treating his loyal subjects with care, protecting them from their many enemies. What did he care about his enemies propaganda? As he thought about how to politely tell her what he thought, a group of older children came running towards him. Adria, his oldest maid, followed behind them.
Sister Kaja got to her feet, her joints popping loud enough to make Keir wince in sympathy. “It seems you're going to be busy, and I need to return to my duties. If you would like to talk more, just ask anyone where I am. They all know me.”
“Thank you, sister. I think I'll do that when I have the time,” he said.
“Just one last thing to think about. What do you want people to say about you in another three hundred years?” she asked, before walking away.
