Sebastian had watched from the side, while Lucian and Jaxon had clearly been the focus… Lord Reece and his Beloved had not been idle. The female had set the pace, slow, methodical, passionate, teasing. Lord Reece had answered her ever whim… even as she dance through the bodies, blood kicking up onto their clothes only for him to wave silver fire to burn the filth away.
Ashton slowly brought his Beloved back up so they were face to face. A slow flame engulfed her, starting from where he held her, the white flames burned the last of the color away. How interesting, though how she had learned of this ability would probably be maddening…
Beloved giggled as she scratched Nix's nose before it could fully wrinkle, "Oh my Nix, you worry so! How I learned, does it matter so? All that matters is they are dead, I now know, how safe my bed."
Ashton smiled as he held her hand to his cheek. Her absolute delight of the memory had him chuckling. "So it was, so it seems, how fearsome this birdie be."
Beloved darted away, heading for the small birds. "Who said it was I? Who said it was me, all any saw, was nothing!"
Jaxon swayed for a moment, the jarring return from the illusion made him nauseous. After a moment his stomach settled, he jerkily made his way to Monroe. He was so cold… why hadn't he felt so cold when he'd been in the illusion… or had that been deliberate?
Lucian stood stiff as ice. Those may have only been illusions… but he'd felt those sensations before, hundreds of times. Every time the priests had tried to awaken in dragon blood, those clawing, screaming, hysterical figures had clung to him. Stealing every vestige of warmth. Lucian forced himself to clench his fist… shards of ice fell from his arm. As he shuddered more ice fell.
Sebastian walked briskly to his Majesty's side, with a soft murmur he summoned a ball of heat. Slowly he waved it around his Majesty as the melting ice soaked his majesty threw. "Majesty, are you well?" A few moments had already passed yet his Majesty hadn't spoken a word.
Calix had rushed to grab a cloak, it wasn't much, but it was enchanted to keep a steady temperature. "Your Majesty, please," He offered it up with both hands.
Sebastian took the cloak, draping it around his Majesty as he started to lead him inside. "Majesty, please." Some conversations needed to be away from prying ears, especially as the delegations sat seething in silence after that little show.
Rommel closed his eyes, some of those battles… no they weren't battles. Unannounced massacres. Without rhyme, reason, or declaration Smyrna often launched attacks on their boarder cities. True, they had stopped in the last two years, but Smyrnaean peasants still crossed the boards for raids. Not once in 700 years had compensation been paid.
Zane watched his uncle, he'd met Smyrnaean soldiers in battle more than a dozen times. There was no such thing as victory, not when everyone knew what happened to the captives. Any bodies unrecovered by night were never seen again. In his lifetime alone, more than twenty thousand were known to have been taken. Yet Smyrna wanted peace. What a horrific joke.
Lucera closed her eyes before taking Rommel's hand in hers. There was no undoing what had happened. Even if logically peace was the best option… how could they go home and demand everyone simply forget all the missing loved ones. Many commoners still held out hope their missing were simply enslaved, that peace would see the lost home. Hope that all knew to be false, even the beggars knew to flee as far from the boarders as possible. Whispers of being fed to dragons had haunted their respective nations for centuries.
In a perfect world… the empire of Smyrna would simply cease to exist. Rommel snorted at the unrealistic thought. A perfect world… if only. For now, they need only ride out the banquet, gather as much information on Young Song as possible, then return. Keener minds would piece the puzzle together for them to see the bigger picture. Then, plans could be made.
Lucera watched as Rommel opened his eyes, the clam returning. Despite his usually jovial countenance, Rommel was not naïve. One way or another, Smyrna would be at war again soon. Either internally, or because they would need more sacrifices. At least now their countries could band together.
Beloved held the largest of the small birds in hand. "Hello little bird, hello little brother, what is it like, to have one another?" She'd seen them hiding around the nest, but none had approached her yet. How adorable they were! Ten little pieces, ten little sparks, thought it still hurt, to know they were of Nix's heart.
Ashton glanced over his Beloved's shoulder as the ten little golems accepted her falling feathers. Snatching them up eagerly then placing them over their stomachs. The feathers quickly burned imprints on the golems, who then changed to a new form. They all now looked like… tiny black chicks with cloaks and a belt. Ashton grinned, "I see how it is, I see how it goes, rather than me, its my Beloved you follow."
The ten birds started to chirp as they hopped around the piano, it would appear there was a learning curve as several fell on their beaks.
"Oh you poor baby, how it must hurt! Fear not small sibling, I can share what I've learned!" Beloved changed into her preferred form as she started to neatly walk around. The small golems were like chicks to a mother hen, following behind, chirping happily as they copied her deliberately slowed movements.
Aaron shook himself free of the images, of course he'd known the horrors of war. He'd even read reports on his Majesty's accomplishments, but having the visuals… the visuals made the same information more real. Glancing over the visiting delegations… sighs. If peace had been a dream, now he was awake. Aaron joined the imperials who were following Duke Carlos inside.
Sebastian half pushed his majesty into his seat, having already ordered warm tea and soup, now he could only patiently wait for his Majesty to snap out of his dazed state.
Jaxon escorted Monroe and the imperial children to a separate room before joining the rest. Lucian appeared to just be coming out of his stupor. Jaxon knelt by the chair, "Your Majesty?"
Lucian looked up, "What are the Empire's chances at establishing peace treaties with the other nations?" First and foremost, without concrete peace, the other nations would pick at them like scavengers.
Aaron sighed, "I do not believe any nation will enter formal treaties with us, at this time. There is hope for the future if we can show we've changed. Perhaps crown prince Serafin can take up such negotiations in a few years' time."
Leonard nodded, "Your Majesty, those specters… I recognized a few. Do you have any idea… what Lady… Beloved meant?" For now, securing their survival was paramount.
Lucian leaned back, unclenching his fists. The bone deep chill was slowly fading, "I saw those creatures every time the priests tried to stimulate my dragon blood. When I was younger… they could sometimes injure me."
Jaxon didn't miss Lucian's address had changed, nor the eyes looking to him for answers. "I never saw them before. When the priests worked on me, I felt like I was being dipped in fire. Nothing, nothing like what I felt earlier."
Leonard paced back and forth, "That may be because your dragon breeds are different. Or because you are not a descendant of the greed dragon. We should have the memories recorded so we can look them over from different points of view. Mage Nelson?" The thought reminded him once again that Mage Amin was still missing.
Jaxon shook his head, "We still have no word on Mage Amin, if nothing is heard by first light, I will personally lead a small party to find him."
Aaron leaned back in his chair, his head ached. "We must meet with the Ophion head priest, perhaps they may have answers. Regardless, they insist on meeting his majesty with all due haste. Something about returning has… addled me. I knew he wanted to meet, but the urgency didn't return until after that song."
Charmaine gripped her handkerchief, one not from the Karbonovich family. After sorting the details out, three of every five items she used was somehow related to them. How heavily she had been influenced remained to be seen, for now, solutions. "As much as I dislike the illusions, they are clearly helping. For now, we should remain close in case another opportunity arises. Master Wilt, please escort the head priest here with all due haste."
Sebastian nodded in agreement, "I admit, I believe it to be her voice that… cleanses us of whatever influence has taken hold. I would be interested to know… what manner of beast she is." When the others looked speculative, he elaborated, "To better ingratiate ourselves to her. Despite the… pranks earlier, if that is the worst they will do, better unsightly colors than maiming or death."
Charmaine took a deep breath, all of Natasha's clothing had taken that horrendous shade, "I agree, though if she is so quick to tell obvious lies, she may be willing to lie about other more important things."
Leonard hesitated, "Or, she was not the one to cast the enchantment. Perhaps one of the others, the black ones, cast the spell at her behest. Ash- Lord Reece was adamant, for now I say we take that at face value. It could have also been any of the foxes."
Charmaine nodded, "Of course, I should have considered that." How narrowed had her thoughts been as of late? She was not picked for her looks, or even her family status. She had become empress because her mind had been her greatest asset. She had reigned over the social circles as crown princess, using any means necessary. She should have immediately looked to other possibilities… She shuddered at how one dimensional she had become… and not just with Ashton Reece. For several years she'd been so blind.
Aaron nodded, "I will go see the head Priest, they dared pass the capital. I'm beginning to think for reasons other than it being dragon territory."
"Should we inform Lord Reece? Before bringing the priests of another beast here?" Sebastian queried almost absentmindedly.
Leonard stilled, priests of a snake… while Ashton was a bird… that could put them at odds. "Duke Carlos, if you would be so kind."
Sebastian eyed the marquis, even as his Majesty's aid, to make such a blatant request was not proper.
Jaxon stood up, "Please, your grace. We will not forget the favor." Leonard was too smart for such a faux pas.
Sebastian could see they wanted him gone, "You need not contrive reasons to have me leave." Sebastian did not wait to be dismissed.
Jaxon waited for the duke to leave before turning to Leonard, "What was that about?"
Leonard sighed, "Now that I have taken the fall, yes Master Wilt?" He asked turning to the man who had sent a silent whisper to him directly.
Devlin cast an additional anti scrying spell, as well as half a dozen separate sound dispersal wards at Aaron's pointed look.
"I dared not bring the subject up in Duke Carlos's presence, but the head priest asked if we were also after Lord Reece's heart. It was implied, but not stated, that his heart could… replace the ancestor dragon's heart. Then we would not need sacrifices…" Aaron explained solemnly. Aaron wasn't surprised when everyone turned to him in shock.
Jaxon started to pace, Ashton's heart… the heart supposedly given to Neolani, fiercest Regina the Inago tribe has ever seen. "Did the priest mention… how to use the heart once we have it?"
Aaron shook his head, "He merely mentioned it in passing, but said there wouldn't be a third chance."
"Third?" Leonard asked, "A previous body… the church must have tried and failed. Perhaps that is also why they were so insistent on the annihilation of the nomad tribes." Perhaps that is how the previous Ashton's body perished. Someone had attempted to take his heart… but then… that didn't change the fact they would still have to get it from Neolani, then figure out how to use it. For now, it was a possible answer.
Aaron gritted his teeth, "I only mentioned it so we would all be prepared should the topic arise. I do not believe it to be a viable solution. First, we do not know how to use it. Second, obtaining it would be a herculean task in itself. Third, Duke Darnings made mention of a possible beast god who visited just recently. If the priests hold up their end of the bargain, we need never even mention this conversation." Aaron reiterated looking around. If taking Ashton's heart was even remotely possible, he might consider it. But the way the priests had asked… they had been fishing for information.