A Dream of Empire Ch. 020

Alfred would let Alanna speak for him for the entire negotiation; with her ability to read his mind, and her naturally-spectacular oration skills, it was a simple decision to make. He noticed a smile form on Kianra's lips even though she was addressed by her mortal name, and was well-aware of the ray of sun beaming down upon her through the dark clouds above. To Alfred's surprise, Kianra spoke for herself.

"I ride with the tribe of Tor Novia, descendants of noble elves who were exiled from their lands three centuries ago, during the Elven-Imperial Wars. My wishes are simple. Grant a fertile portion of your lands to my peoples so that they may live in harmony, and so that they may raise their children without the troubles of nomadism. This land will come at no cost to them, and with no expectation of repayment from this day, until the end of days. Alanna."

Alfred fought his instincts to look upon his sorceress; did she appear fearful of the fact that this goddess knew her name, without it even being presented?

"The King of Solais is ever-generous, and wishes camaraderie with all manner of elves," Alanna calmly replied without skipping a beat, "the descendants of Tor Novia included. The King is already the Guardian of the Elves of the Ocean Wave, Tor Cormina, and the Elves of the Cross, Tor Asuria. He would gladly accept Guardianship over the Elves of the Mossy Tree as well, assuming his generous terms are met."

Alfred couldn't help but smirk. The Mossy Tree hadn't been presented to Alanna either, but she had seen it emblazoned on a banner in a vision weeks ago. Tit-for-tat.

"And what are those terms, mouth of the sovereign of man?" Kianra replied with a hint of annoyance.

"The peoples of Tor Novia will be granted the Cinder Vale, a valley of considerable fertility which has so far remained uncolonized due to its distance from the rest of the Kingdom," Alanna explained with the King's own words. "In exchange, they will agree to the King's Protection and his Suzerainty over them, and grant him a tax of one-in-four of their grain harvest or their coin income, as chosen by them each year. This tax, as is shared by the King's other elven subjects, will only be enforced three years after settlement, to give your people the latitude to build a prosperous home." Alanna cleared her throat. "Lastly, one-in-ten males of the tribe may be called upon in levy for defensive wars, as is spelled out by the Homeland Defense Decree of eleven-twenty-three. Their strength will never be called upon for offensive wars, nor will they be called upon to battle against other elves."

Alfred studied Kianra's face as she mulled over the terms. With a glare, she soon replied, "six years of no taxation."

"Four years," Alanna instantly retorted.

"Five."

Alanna glanced at Alfred, who gave her a subtle nod. "Agreed," she said.

The weight of command finally lifted itself from Alfred's chest. He received everything he wanted from this meeting. He would gain another powerful banner to call upon, another glorious title, and the intangible benefits of legitimacy he so desperately desired.

Yet, as he looked on Kianra and her elven escort, they appeared somewhat unconvinced. Kianra herself broke this tension a half-minute later as she gracefully dismounted from her steed and removed her intricate helmet of white gold. She handed it to one of her escorts, then shook her head to allow her long brown hair flaked with gold to sway alluringly in the wind. Kianra smiled for him, for Alanna, and even for Solomon, and her divine charms and endless beauty spoke volumes on their own.

She offered a hand out for Alanna, and Alfred silently told her to take it. Alanna smiled and lept from her own saddle, then closed the distance to shake hands with their new ally.

So, this was what a goddess looked like... and this is how the divine conducted themselves. Chivalrously, fairly, and ever cognizant of the ways of-

A shining light enveloped Alanna as soon as hands were clasped, and the sorceress Alfred cared so deeply for disappeared from existence before him. Kianra raised a hand towards the heavens as the storm clouds started to swirl overhead, creating a mighty vortex, thundering proudly like today was the end of days.

Swords, accompanied by an unsettling sound and their own flashes of light, apparated above him one-by-one. They remained suspended in mid-air, and were pointed down at him in threat.

Tck tck-tck-tck tck tck tck tck... tck.

"Move and die!" the goddess screamed. "Now you will listen to my terms, or be impaled upon a hundred blades!"

Alfred then realized he was still staring upwards. He gulped, then met Kianra's spiteful gaze. "You have my attention, Kianra."

"Elves are not your playthings. We do not desire to live under the heel of man, nor will we again from this day until the end of days. You will grant the Cinder Vale to my peoples without overlordship, and you will rescind your overlordship of both Tor Cormina and Tor Asuria immediately. You will recognize their independence, and make no move to enslave them again."

"And what makes you believe that they would wish for this, Kianra?" Alfred asked of her, garnering a chuckle from a goddess.

"How you forget your own vassals, sovereign of man. I am flanked by the Kings of Cormina and Asuria at this very moment, and yet you do not recognize them."

As if on cue, the two elves behind Kianra removed their helms and held them at their sides. Traitorous scum. Alfred recognized them now; he had never met them in person before, but had seen paintings drawn in their visage.

"This is an absurd request, Kianra," he scoffed. "To demand such things during a meeting of peace is farcical and-"

"Your rules of hostility do not apply to me, mortal," Kianra angrily interjected. "Or have you already forgotten that you gaze upon one descended from the heavens?"

Alfred could not believe it. To put his faith in the gods like this, only for them to behave so childishly... he would never trust them again.

"Cormina and Asuria have been part of the Kingdom for generations. To lose them now would be far too shameful to gallantly bear."

"How tragic," Kianra laughed at him. "Choose your fate, sovereign of man. Would you rather die uselessly this day, or witness the next sun wearing a mark of shame? I for one have walked the gates of perdition, and would strongly advise the latter."

Alfred looked to the skies in haste contemplation, gazing past a hundred suspended swords and towards a raging storm that would have no end if he chose wrongly.

"Release her," he muttered.

"Choose," the goddess persisted. Alfred's glowering gaze fell back to Mundus.

"I acquiesce to your terms, Kianra. Take your realms, release our sorceress, and let us see peace."

Kianra nodded. She delicately raised a hand and spun a finger in the air, causing a hundred floating blades to instantly vanish from existence. She pointed towards the ground with her other, returning Alanna from whatever hell she had been trapped within in a blinding flash of light.

The coughing mage rolled to her feet, and shook her head as she looked on Kianra with a pout. The goddess stepped towards her, unstrapping her sword belt from her hip. She held her intricate blade out for Alanna.

"A gift for my husband," the goddess explained with an infinite grace. "Tell him that I would rather fight with him in the future, rather than against. And, that... he is always welcome to come see me."

Alanna took the sword in both hands, clutching it to her breast. "Your... husband?"

"The man you know as Talos of Evora, of course."

... What?

Alfred watched Alanna bite her lip, appearing visibly shaken from the sudden revelation.

Kianra turned her gaze back towards Alfred. "I am unsure what formalities are required here, sovereign of man, but I do not believe they will be necessary for my peoples."

"Or mine," Alfred gruffly admitted. Written treaties were for courts of law, and to make men feel more sure about themselves. Words upon a scroll wouldn't placate either fear this time. Kianra gracefully returned to her white horse, mounting it in one fluid motion, then looked through Alfred as she spoke.

"Very well. Then let us part ways with both threat and promise; if you ever aggress against my peoples, I will return to your shores with an unvanquishable army and crush your throne underfoot. Otherwise, peace will hold."

Alfred only glared at Kianra as she turned her horse about and cantered back towards her people, Alfred's former vassals following in her wake. He then heard a single horn blast from the trees ahead, then another from the left, and another from the right.

And yet another, from behind his own army even. He watched Kianra as she raised her arms towards the heavens. He looked on in horror as hundreds of elves under every color of banner were suddenly revealed. They appeared from behind every blade of grass, from behind every tree, and from behind every hill around them, and marched with one purpose towards their goddess.

"My children!" Kianra cried to them. "I give you freedom!"

And in every direction, the elves cheered for her to the percussion of drums.

"Kian-ra! Kian-ra! Kian-ra!"

Drums. Drums. Drums.

And the storm clouds parted overhead.

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Author's Note: Apologies for the lack of sexual scenes the past couple chapters; the mood just didn't feel right at all, and I wasn't going to force it. Good news is Chapter 21 has a scene, and Chapter 22 has three separate scenes (two with Alanna ;). I'll be cognizant of it going forward.

And yes, between Talos' anxiety attack and Alfred's 'outside' POV, there was a shit-ton of unreliable narration in this chapter. Thanks for reading!