Neasa lifted her bow to inspect for the third time since she’d sat down. She was, of course, sitting with her back against the warm spot of Elena’s greenhouse wall where the hot tomato vines grew on the other side. For the third time the Elfqueen quickly realized that she had a living bow and her old habit while brooding was even less productive.
She had nothing to do. There was no battle to prepare for. No threat to ready herself against. No looming shadow of a murderous usurper. Nor did she have to contend with the other source of her dread. No court to rule. No Elves to win over and redeem from Samodiva’s influence. No pressure of having her decisions impact scores, maybe even a couple hundred, other people. Nothing to manage. Nothing to do.
It was unbearable.
Luljeta, Golloriel, and Deryn were awake. They tried to convince her to reverse her decision about casting out the entire court. They had made an appeal to her mother’s memory. ‘Would this really honor the memory of Queen Vershnyk,’ Luljeta had asked her. She said she didn’t care and now she felt deeply guilty about that.
She did care, which was why she didn’t want to rule. She was no more qualified to be queen than Samodiva was. Right by conquest and bloodshed. It was an ugly, brutal, savage way to determine leadership. And she was the most ugly and brutal savage.
She had no sense for politics. No patience for passing judgement. She’d demonstrated that. How many mistakes did Astoreth, Isaac, or the other Elfqueens prevent her from making? If Neasa had taken the heads of Samodiva’s inner circle like she’d wanted to, would she have stopped there? Or would her mother’s court have continued down the bloody path, only with her leading rather than her mother’s killer?
Neasa was pulled out of her midday brooding when Isaac sat down beside her. She tucked her bow over her shoulder and then leaned against him. If there was one thing she did feel better about it was that Isaac and everyone else was safer, and that was thanks to her.
“Elena and I are transferring the berry bushes from the greenhouse to their plots today. We were wondering if you wanted to help.”
Neasa was silent for a moment and then responded with an affirmative, “mmm.”
-
Neasa pushed the mound of dirt up around the stem of the yearling bluebottle shrub, letting the grit and moisture of the soil cover her palms. It was a rich, fertile mixture and they’d poured plenty of water. She could perceive the berry bush reacting to its new conditions, roots and branches both preparing to capitalize on this new opportunity to push its growth and strengthen its claim on life. She settled back to squat on her heels and did nothing but observe and feel the contentment from the much simpler organisms under her care.
“It is good to see you working with the earth, Queen Neasa.” Neasa frowned as she turned her head towards the speaker. It was a woman’s voice but held no feminine charm, gruff from decades of serving as Queen Vershnyk’s chief huntress, which also served as the military commander for the court. Luljeta, as well as Golloriel, was watching her from a short distance away.
Luljeta was what Neasa had been trying to emulate when she’d fled from Samodiva’s imprisonment. Athletic and fierce with blonde hair trimmed close to the scalp. The High Elf had much more practice grooming herself though so her work with a razor gave rise to a certain layered style Neasa couldn’t capture. She had green eyes like Neasa as well, though they were duller in their color, earthy hazel rather than Neasa’s vibrant green. Golloriel was elegant and a rather luscious member of the Grandelf breed. She had retrieved one of her fine linen dresses that clung to her trim waist, revealed her shapely legs with a high slit, and exposed the top of her ample, for a Grandelf at least, cleavage. Her hair was like a cascade of electrum and her eyes dull amethyst.
Elena and Isaac, who were on the other side of the berry plot, looked over the three of them and then towards each other before nodding towards Neasa and then moved to open up space for privacy.
“I’m not your queen,” Neasa said with a sulking tone.
Luljeta strode forward, “Yes, you’ve made your refusal abundantly clear. So then I will serve my former queen, may she rest in the embrace of the earth. I believe she would want me to watch after the only remaining legacy of hers that remains.”
“Then why didn’t you go with the court?”
Luljeta dropped down to squat next to the Elfqueen. As a High Elf she couldn’t sense the vitality of the plants in front of her but she still took solace in the sight and smell of them. “I wasn’t speaking of her court.” Golloriel lowered herself to the ground on the other side of Neasa, sitting with her legs folded underneath her and to the side to allow her dress to spread over the ground.
“Deryn has gone with them, but Luljeta and I believe our place is with you,” Golloriel said in a soft and breezy voice. “We believe it is what Queen Vershnyk would have wanted. Her daughter is still young, lacking in wisdom, and struggling to understand her place in the world.” Neasa glared at the Grandelf who served her mother. Golloriel smiled, somehow seeming apologetic and contrite in the same expression. “Tell me I am mistaken, if I am.”
Neasa did not tell Golloriel her estimation was incorrect. Instead she asked, “Everyone is gone from mother’s court?”
“Yes, Neasa, queen of No-one. Your mother’s court is silent and empty.” Golloriel studied Neasa’s face for a second. “Would you like to go visit it?”
Neasa stood and brushed her hands off. “Let me go tell Isaac where I’ll be.”
-
Neasa let go of Golloriel’s hand and looked at the empty throne. The blankets had been removed, leaving a bare stone. She could never remember her mother sitting there outside of the very start of the four celebrations they practiced on the equinoxes and solstices every year. The blankets had been to serve Samodiva anyway. The usurper Elfqueen had spent much more time seated above everyone, it was her obsession to be seen there. Queen Vershnyk had spent her time among her subjects involved in whatever was going on, or in the times when nothing was happening.
Neasa turned to face the trinket tree and was overcome with emotion. The same complicated mix of emotions she felt when she encountered the memorials on the edges of the fields in the Dnipro farmlands. The trinket tree was bejeweled once again, with far more glittering and sparkling charms and chains than Neasa could ever remember. Where had they come from? She thought Samodiva had taken them all down and they were lost forever. Ribbons and cords were tied around the branches too. Food and drink offerings were left around the roots.
There was a new tree as well, a small sapling facing the throne and far enough out from under the trinket tree’s canopy to not be starved for sunlight. It was a young yew tree that was coiled around Samodiva’s falx, which Neasa had left abandoned on the moss once she had fought free of her lust to make use of it the same way as its owner had. The blade was entrapped as if it’d been abandoned there for years, firmly fixed as a part of the tree now. What was more, between the coils of growth the steel blade was obviously broken into several fragments. The yew was growing up out of a pile of ashes, fine white ash from an incredibly hot fire that had burned over top of a roughly rectangular patch of ground, about the size of a funerary casket. Knives, spear tips, straight wooden shafts, the flight feathers of birds, arrow heads, and bow strings were piled around the base of this new tree.
Neasa felt two hot lines run down her cheeks. The tears fell so easily and without any turmoil in her heart from the sight. Luljeta stepped up beside her. “The court split. Most of those Samodiva brought in went with the two Vesna Elfqueens but everyone left from your mother’s court went to Dnipro. They made this memorial before they left, in honor of you liberating them.”
“Liberating… they… I don’t understand. Why would they serve Samodiva but then memorialize my victory like this?”
“Because Elves serve Elfqueens, Neasa. Only she will never fall into the Nothing. Only she can be trusted to protect them and save them should they fall.
“Your mother’s people did what they had to in order to survive. You don’t understand that what you did in defying Samodiva was remarkable. You have always been remarkable and your mother was always worried she didn’t have the resources to help you reach your potential. Her dealings with the Deaf- with Elena, all of the information Queen Vershnyk was seeking. It was because she was certain you would become an Elfqueen one day and she wanted to be ready to hand over power to you with everything you needed to reach the greatness she knew resided within you. She just didn’t have enough time…”
Neasa started to tremble and then impulsively hugged the High Elf standing next to her. She let go of her first instructor in fighting and hunting, Luljeta, and then embraced her first tutor in magic, mysticism, and philosophy, Golloriel. Tears were still flowing freely and with every drop that streamed down her face it felt like more and more weight was being lifted from her heart. “Can you take me back to Isaac? I want him to bring him here.”
-
Isaac was leaning with his back against the large glacial boulder in the center of Elena’s meadow. It hadn’t warmed up enough yet to be rutting around naked out here, but Neasa wanted to be outdoors and away from the buildings. She had picked a thick handful of wildflowers and was weaving them into a wreath. Isaac was staring up into the sky still ruminating on the question they had asked one another. ‘What do you want to do now?’
Neither of them were sure. Isaac could understand Neasa feeling lost, she’d just won the battle that had defined the past two years of her life. Preparing for that battle had been the focus of every day over the winter. It had been a grand purpose, now fulfilled, and that left a considerable hole to fill.
Isaac’s absence of purpose had not been so recent. He’d had much more time to reflect on what he was to do but the more he tried to focus on the matter the more disparate directions his mind raced towards. Everything was a little interesting but nothing grabbed him over the others. That was why he was so influenced by the expectations of others. If he had no sense of what to do, then it made sense to rely on the senses of others, right?
The opinion that seemed shared by others was that he pursue the study of magic. It would certainly be beneficial for Jin and Neasa had been studying magic as well, though magic with very different fundamentals. Still, she had a sharp mind and they had Elena to help translate. Elena agreed that Isaac should study, but she was reserved about expressing where he should. It was her animosity with the administration of the Sapfirova Konservatoriya Chaklunstva, of course. Isaac had received a digital message from Lieutenant Sobolvich reiterating her advice that he enroll, based on the opinions of Lieutenant Maia Bramahe-Vorona, chairwoman of the academy’s magical studies in Zaporizhzhya.
Elena was very careful to not disagree with their assessment. The conservatory could be a great place to learn magic. It could be an ideal location to network with other brilliant minds. It could provide many resources for Isaac and his pokegirls to expand their studies.
She simply hoped her doubts that any of those things would prove true were from her negative bias.
Isaac’s tuition would be covered by a few scholarships Lieutenant Sobolvich had taken the liberty to apply for on his behalf. Isaac got the impression the Mongoosed officer of the Vorona corps academy was trying to stay busy. To make up for a perceived failure to the cadets under her care, perhaps.
Enrolling really did seem like a situation where it didn’t make sense not to. Everything was all plainly laid out before him. Yet there were still reservations and uncertainty. There were always reservations and uncertainty. Isaac himself had his own doubts born from negative bias. Nothing was that plain and simple. Why, though? Why did he believe that? That question was where he was stuck, his thoughts failing to churn over the morass of memories held in his mind.
Isaac’s stewing thoughts were broken by the electronic chime of his computer indicating he had received a message. Neasa looked up from her finished flower wreath. She’d had it sitting complete in her lap while she gazed down at it with a sombre expression for a while now, Isaac realized. Isaac checked the message notification. “It’s from Gabi?” He wasn’t sure he’d given the Titto a way to contact him. Either there must be a public database somewhere or maybe Gabi had used his connections with the academy sergeants. Anyway, he had the message, time to see what it said.
-
Elena arrived via teleport into a clearing off to the side of one of the farm roads outside of Dnipro with Jin as her passenger. The much younger Enchantress studied the area for a while and then the Grandelf took her hand again and teleported them both away. A little under two minutes later Jin reappeared in the exact same area, this time carrying Isaac. Isaac released Neasa and Oleksandra from their pokeballs as Elena teleported herself back to the clearing. She gave Jin an irritated look and then let the matter go with a click of her tongue and shake of her head. Maybe she’d invite the Enchantress to a friendly practice bout.
The Dnipro’s farmlands were busy. Pokegirls in Vorona uniforms could be seen packing all sorts of equipment and supplies into crates and wagons and farmers were out in the fields sowing seed. Farmers accompanied by Elves. Neasa retreated towards the center of the group, using the bodies of her harem sisters to disrupt potential line of sight with those she’d rejected. “The Elves appear to have arrived safely,” Oleksandra said as she observed the obvious.
“Captain Elefkveen and her people escorted them across the plains, along with the humans who were freed,” Elena said in response.
Neasa peeked around Isaac to watch the work being done around them. “Did they really give themselves to the farmers?”
Elena shook her head. “Most of them went with Brethilbereth. She intended to persuade all of them to serve her and her political ambitions. She wound up receiving the oaths of almost all of Samodiva’s people, none of your mother’s, though.”
Neasa scowled. “Some of Samodiva’s Elves are here?”
“She was the strongest Elfqueen they could reach without crossing the river and were afraid of being captured by fighting tamers. Deryn and I spoke with them, they shouldn’t have any trouble integrating into farm life here.” Elena looked down to the small Elfqueen and quickly took in Neasa’s pensive expression. “You can forgive them, you know.”
“I don’t want to rule.”
“Then don’t. Did your mother share with you her vision for the future of her court? I assume she must have since she told me.”
Neasa thought for a moment and then smiled sadly. “She wanted to bring her court and the farmers closer together. She thought if the two communities integrated it would be better for everyone. We could help the farmers more openly because they would protect us from being captured by tamers from outside. It would also create a stable route between here and Kamianske if the league ever wanted to try resettling again.”
Elena nodded. “Deryn knew this, as well as Luljeta and Golloriel. So we circulated this knowledge among the Elves and they interpreted you exiling them as part of seeing that vision come to fruition. They needed something to tell themselves to have a sense of hope and progress, even if it’s based on sketchy interpretations and a few leaps of logic.”
Neasa’s head slowly swiveled to track the activity in the fields as they walked. Everywhere she looked there were humans and domestic pokegirls, the farmers, working with a handful of Elves. A handful within every rough square that made up the grid of fields. There was a sort of joyful, hopeful business to it all. “What if another Samodiva comes along and threatens all of this again?”
“For that they would need a protector. She wouldn’t have to be involved, distantly watching over these lands and only coming to them in times of crisis and conflict. Otherwise she could be a silent guardian, relying on herself and her formidable companions while not calling any Elves to her service. A dumb queen, you might say.” Neasa stared intently at the Grandelf, who smiled apologetically and shrugged. “Or not. I was just entertaining a whimsical fantasy.”
“Isaac! Hey,” a boyish voice shouted from a field they were passing by. “Jin, Neasa, Leksya!” Gabi, dressed in farm clothes and accompanied by Mandi and two Elves, came jogging towards the road. The Titto stopped and with a quick, “Mizz Elena,” dipped his head in greeting. Her head. Gabi was not wearing the form of an obvious boy, rather the unusually androgynous and pale body the Titto had admitted felt most natural, with the addition of elongated and pointed ears. Mandi elegantly curtseyed to everyone and the two Elves quickly followed suit with awkward bows of their own, both seeming rather flustered by Neasa’s presence.
“Hey, Gabi, Mandi.” Isaac responded with his own greeting and all of the pokegirls with him offered their own.
Jin narrowed her eyes a little as she examined the Titto who was happily facing Isaac and energetically pivoting his hips. Her hips. “What’s with the new look,” the Enchantress asked with poorly concealed suspicion.
Gabi grinned broadly, “Oh, well I’m getting older and after a conversation with Isaac I decided I wanted to start being more… me! I don’t know what that means though so I’m just going with whatever feels natural in the moment. This is what’s most comfortable, except I’ve got pointy ears right now because I’m really excited about Queen Ne-ah… Queen Vershnyk’s Elves all joining us.”
Jin’s eyes narrowed more and she shifted her weight to cock her hips as she adopted a more challenging stance. She crossed her arms across her chest. “Okay, are you still a boy then? You don’t really look like a boy anymore.”
“Who knows?” Gabi answered with a laugh.
“Then what should we call you,” Jin asked with growing annoyance.
“Just call me Gabi, what else would you call me? Anyway, I’m glad you all came. Another thing I want to do is get better at fighting so I was hoping you guys wouldn’t mind going to the pit and letting me try out some of your powers and stuff. Check this out!” Gabi’s eye’s shifted from pale teal and amber to rich hazel, his skin gained a rich gold cast, and his hair became the green color of young shoots of grass. The Titto’s eyes closed with concentration and he extended a palm towards a spray of weeds, which grew out the woody stems like the spines of a sea urchin. “I’ve been practicing after copying Mandi and some of the Elves and that’s what I can manage all on my own!”
Isaac had seen far more impressive use of the command plants technique, but he’d never seen Gabi use any techniques besides throwing stones so he had no idea what was impressive regarding the Titto’s growth in capabilities. Elena didn’t hesitate to offer her praise though. “That was well done, Gabi,” she said with an appraising tone.
“Yeah, nice job,” Isaac offered his agreement.
Gabi beamed in response. “So, do you mind helping me figure out some more techniques?”
Isaac checked his pokegirls for signs of agreement or dissent. Neasa was trying very hard not to meet the eyes of the Elves who were also trying not to meet hers. Oleksandra was studying Gabi intently with her ears pulled slightly back and together, the angle when she was deeply puzzled over something. Jin was glaring stonily with suspicion. “Uh, girls, you mind training with Gabi for a bit today?”
Jin plastered her practiced and obviously insincere smile across her face, “Of course.”
“I do not mind,” Oleksandra said.
Neasa muttered something monosyllabic that sounded like agreement.
“Great!” Gabi turned to the two Elves. “Crina, Roza, you two mind if I take off a little early? There isn’t even one more row to go before we’re done anyway.”
Before the two Elves answered Neasa spoke up. “We can help finish.” Everyone looked to the Elfqueen in surprise. “Well, I can help. I’d like to help… A little.” Everyone was looking towards Isaac to decide now.
They were seeding the fields with wheat, which didn’t seem to be a very complicated process. Broadcast by hand and then cover with a shallow layer of dirt with a rake. “That’s fine, I’ll help out too.” Everyone but Jin wound up contributing to the little bit of work that remained. The Enchantress elected to watch with a sour expression.
It definitely had something to do with how close of a distance Gabi was maintaining with her man, and the comparatively more feminine form and manner the Titto was adopting while doing so. “So Isaac, the sergeants think they’ll be able to get approval to operate in the area again since Neasa took out that other Elfqueen. Are you going to be joining again?”
“I’m not sure,” Isaac said with a dull, musing tone. “Lieutenant Bramahe and Sobolvich are actually encouraging me to enroll at the conservatory.”
“Wizard school?! That’d be awesome!” Gabi started to chatter excitedly about his expectations of what learning at the institution would entail.
(-[|]-) End 14.3 (-[|]-)
Isaac sighed, having signed the last form and now having nothing to do but wait and debate with himself whether he made the right choice or not. He was never certain about these sorts of decisions. Jin was excited because this was the most access to knowledge on spellcrafting she’d ever encountered. Oleksandra was awestruck by the sights and sounds of the Sapphire League’s most developed urban center, its capital of Kyiv. Neasa was disgusted for the same reason, and also offended by the fact that she was forbidden from living within the limits of the city, even though she detested the idea. So Isaac would continue living at Elena’s and commuting to the Sapphire Conservatory of Witchcraft via teleportation. Classes started in less than two weeks.