Aphonion Tales (New posts 6/13, 6/15, 6/19)

[Cerebral Paladin]

Kit urgently thought over the mindlink to Aunt Cecilia. <<Remember to not say anything aloud about what you see! But think back to me what you see about her.>>

<<She’s very straightforward. It’s amazing that she has managed to survive, but she is tough. She’s also young-- I should say a few years younger even than young Alistair or yourself. Somehow I thought she would be older.>>

<<But she isn’t a threat to him?>> asked Kit, unable to keep a little bit of hope out of her thoughts.

<<Oh, no, she’s perfectly harmless. At least, to Alistair. She is a fair general already and clearly a warrior. I suppose she would have to be to even try to protect her people.>>

<<Thank you, your highness. Make a hand signal if you see anything about her that I need to know.>> Kit cut the link.

Alistair escorted the Princess to her seat, and she handed off a large bundle of parchment to Mahler.

“Our gift in honor of your coronation: A collection of detailed maps of the southlands. We hope that this information will be most useful to the Archduchy.” Princess Kaitlyn and Alistair each earnestly embarked on small talk.

Kit opened a new mindlink to Dame Brionna. <<I’ve gotten Aunt Cecilia’s report, and I can feed information to you more usefully.>>

<<Greetings. Well, she isn’t evil.>>

<<I know.>> Kit passed on Aunt Cecilia’s report on Kaitlyn. <<Under any other circumstance, I think I’d like her.>>

<<I understand this may be difficult for you.>>

<<Thanks.>>

<<But Alistair has to consider what's best for Canberry.>>

<<And so do I. Which is why I'm watching this. It's not fun, but I need to be here.>>

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Princess Kaitlyn began with a discussion of how much she admired Canberry City. “It is so much grander than anything we have been able to rebuild as we try to make our own settlements. But it is only fitting that you would rule from a glorious capital, your grace. You will clearly be a strong and famed ruler.”

Her efforts at flattery were rather more transparent than she might have hoped, but Alistair judged that she would be more impressed by confirmation that she should respect his abilities than by any attempt at modesty. “Thank you, your highness. One of my few regrets about assuming the throne is that I will not be able to personally fight injustice as I could when I was younger. On our return trip to Canberry, we liberated a barony from the evil priest who had usurped the rule.” He began telling some amusing but self-aggrandizing stories about battling slavers and fighting off drow assassins on the trip back to Canberry.

<<Oh, dear, he’s bragging again.>> thought Dame Brionna.

<<He makes it sound like there were 50 drow! There were a total of about 5, and I got one and you got two!>>

<<I’ll see what I can do to prevent him from seeming too full of himself.>>

As Dame Brionna began to interject some stories of the trip back, Kit thought eagerly. <<Ooh, ooh, tell her about his pants falling down while we were fighting the werewolf. >> She paused and thought to herself for a moment. <<Or maybe not…>>

Dame Brionna lightened up the conversation with some tales of some of the stranger moments in their journey, such as the battle where they were aided by a group of clown golems. She also described Alistair’s efforts to gently dissuade the young boy who wanted to help them fight the drow, earning a pleased smile from the Princess.

“But, surely, our adventures pale in light of your own,” added Alistair. “Your efforts to fight off the slavers and brigands who menace your people are famed throughout Drucien.”

A thin smile crossed Princess Kaitlyn’s face. “Thank you, your grace. I but try to fulfill my family’s duties.” As Alistair continued to flatter her, she warmed a little as everyone strived to make a positive impression. She even began trying to draw Princess Cecilia into the conversation.

<<Uh-oh,>> thought Dame Brionna. <<What will Cecilia say?>>

<<Nothing good,>> replied Kit. <<Something amusing.>>

Sure enough, no sooner had Princess Kaitlyn said a pleasantry to Cecilia than the matron reached over and patted her hand gently with a patronizing smile. “All you need to do is to make a favorable marriage. I know that it can seem a trying task at times, but…”

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Everyone startled at such a blatant statement, and Dame Brionna quickly cut in. “In your fight against the skaven and the slavers, your highness, I wonder if you have heard any news of Sir Denro Barnstaple of Kilbourne? We were betrothed, and I still hope that he will return although he has been missing all these years.”

The Princess’s face fell. “I know of him, and his efforts on behalf of my kingdom, but as you say, he has been missing for many years. We can hope he still lives and will return, but… So many have been lost.”

Alistair nodded his head and looked at Kaitlyn compassionately. “I have known what it is to lose close family. My mother died when I was young, and then in the past year I have lost both my father and my grandmother. But I can only imagine how much worse your pain must be, with all that you have been through.”

“We have all suffered terribly. The invasion and the conflicts that followed have slain all of the other members of my family, but it’s worse than that. Among our friends, among the vassals that looked to us for protection, so many are goner, and even those that survive struggle-- I sometimes think that the survivors are less fortunate than those that died quickly. Certainly many of those we have rescued from slavery have thought so.” She shook her head sadly.

As the mood veered past melancholy to bleak, Dame Brionna thought to Kit, <<Well, I was trying to divert the conversation…>>

<<Good try… I’m sorry… I wish that she’d had better news.>>

<<There’s still a good chance that he survives…>>

Princess Kaitlyn continued, “My advisor says that those of us who survive are stronger than we would have been; I’m not sure I believe that.”

“Your advisor?” asked Mahler, wary of the influences on Princess Kaitlyn. “One of your father’s old counselors?”

“Yes, his archmagus, Lord Devron Manyhands. I retained his services after my father’s death, because I needed both his counsel and his arcane might to protect my people.” The heaviness in her voice did not abate. “I do not expect that we will ever be able to retake my homeland, much as that pains me. But our best hope is to build a new kingdom. For that, we will need strong allies.”

<<Lord Devron Manyhands,>> thought Dame Brionna.

<<Manyhands?>> Kit managed to make the epithet an accusation.

<<I’m not saying I like the name.>>

<<Yeah, me either. Another person for us to look into.>>

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Kaitlyn looked at Dame Brionna. “How did you come to be betrothed to one of our knights?”

“My family was from Stormreach. The Stanways of Eastbrook.”

“Ah. So many of the old families died; I am pleased to see that some survived. I remember your family from Court, when I was young.”

“My family were among the first to flee. My sister’s daughter was an infant, and my parents insisted that we go.” Long-harbored guilt surfaced on Dame Brionna’s face as she spoke.

“There would have been nothing you could have done if you had stayed. We were overwhelmed. A few more knights would have made no difference.”

“Besides,” added Alistair, “you were what? Twelve?”

“I was sixteen, your grace.” Dame Brionna responded reproachfully.

“Still. It was one thing for warriors in the fullness of age to make a stand, but all that the children could do was to survive and live to defend their people later.”

“Indeed,” agreed Kaitlyn. “You had obligations to your family, as well. I am glad that you have found a place here.”

“His grace has welcomed my family. He even found a position for my sister’s niece as a page to, umm, a member of his Archducal Council.”

Princess Kaitlyn smiled as she looked at Alistair. “It pleases me to hear that. Our surviving nobles deserve a chance to serve in a proper kingdom. And they have a duty to continue their families.” She paused and then looked directly at Alistair. “As I have duties as well. I am the last of my lineage-- the last of any of the lineages of the South Kingdoms, and I trace my line to all of the royal houses. We have nearly 1,500 years of lineage. And yet it will die out if I do not bear legitimate children.”

<<Subtle she's not,>> thought Dame Brionna. <<I wonder if directness is a common trait among our people...>>

<<Heh.>> Kit reached out with her mind and read Princess Kaitlyn’s thoughts. <<But she’s really serious about this duty thing. She means everything she's saying.>>

<<Good,>> replied Dame Brionna.

“Yes, we all must attend to our duties,” replied Alistair glumly. “As I alluded to early, I never wanted to be Archduke. Far better to be on the road, finding adventure and doing good where I could. But when my father died… I could not allow Canberry to face chaos and even civil war for my own preferences. And so I must serve.”

While Alistair and Kaitlyn continued discussing duty, and the evening settled back into gray unhappiness, Kit continued listening to Kaitlyn’s thoughts, making mental notes to herself about the Princess.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Father Waters led the guests through grace, thanking Glor’diadel for the light that grows the crops. Alistair made a careful show of reverence, in case Princess Kaitlyn had strong religious views.

Instead, she looked at him at the conclusion of the prayer and said, “I see that you are devoted to Glor’diadel.”

“Indeed. Canberry has always followed the Lord of Light.”

“My family traditionally viewed Berta as our patron, but I have been unable to follow her since she abandoned us during the intaking.”

“Have you embraced any other deity in her place?”

Kit read a clear thought in the Princess’s mind: “Ah, perhaps his devotion to Glor’diadel is the key…” Kit smiled at that. Religion had never seemed key to Alistair’s affections before…

Princess Kaitlyn shook her head. “No. After the betrayal we experienced, it is difficult to reach a new faith.”

“Glor’diadel is the only possibility for a monarch,” replied Alistair. “For an individual, any number of gods are worthy of respect. We permit any of the faiths that are not aligned with evil to be worshipped freely in Canberry. And when I was younger, I found the excitement of Whimsey appealing and devoted most of my prayers to her on my travels and escapades.”

Kit sent to Dame Brionna, <<Is he going to mention Manumist? I bet he will.>>

“And some of my friends followed the joyful worship of Manumist and found his worship to be all they wanted from a temple,” continued Alistair, thinking of Delbon.

<<Ha!>>

Dame Brionna suppressed a sigh. <<Oh, dear, no. I was hoping not…>>

<<Sorry.>>

“But while those temples all stand with the forces of good, the disorganized temples cannot stand against the forces of Shadow and Darkness in the world. Only the Light of Glor’diadel, with the order he creates in society, can keep a country safe from the perils we face. Besides Glor’diadel, only Paranswarm could provide enough strength to a realm to keep it safe from the forces of chaos and Shadow, but Paranswarm is a terrible faith in its own right. While we ally with the Paranswarmians against the pressing threats we face, and many individual Paranswarmians are good and worthy people, I fear that the temple and the god himself is still as evil as it ever was, just hiding it better. Certainly it is still shot through with evil, although evil of a different kind.” Alistair paused. “Following Glor’diadel is another duty of rulership, and not just because by our traditions the Archduke and his consort are expected to be loyal to the Lord of Light. It may not be what I would wish, but I cannot neglect my religious duty any more than the other duties of rule. So while some of my friends may still serve Whimsey, or Manumist, and there are probably as many devotees of Gunnora in Canberry as there are the Lord of Light, I must worship the only God that can protect my people, and use the people’s faith in Him to strengthen the Archduchy. It is another of the sacrifices we must make for duty.”

Dame Brionna looked at Alistair with more respect. <<Oh, he has learned.>>

<<I guess so.>>

Princess Kaitlyn nodded. “You speak most persuasively. Perhaps I should look more closely at your faith…”

“If you wish, your highness, Father Waters would be happy to arrange for a priest of Glor’diadel to attend upon you and accompany you on your return home.”

“Thank you, your grace. I would appreciate that.”

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Jet served the main course of the dinner. As usual, it was outstanding.

Kaitlyn smiled as she attacked her dinner with gusto. “My compliments to your chef, your grace. It has been years since I have had food that even approached this quality.” A second later, a guilty expression crossed her face. “But how I can think of luxury while my people suffer…”

Alistair said gently, “Enjoying a dinner won’t make their suffering worse, your highness. It would be one thing to refuse to leave your comforts behind when your people need you, but I have no doubt that you’ve eaten many camp meals, and unless I miss my guess more than a few meals of unheated jerky when even a campfire would be too much. You are serving your people best by being here, seeking … an alliance. There would be no point in turning away from a good meal while you are here.”

“Perhaps. But so many of my people are hungry, and thinking of when we had luxuries of my own reminds me of the family I lost.”

While they continued talking, Kit carefully monitored Princess Kaitlyn’s thoughts. Kaitlyn had enormous regrets over the death of her father. Her thoughts of the intaking were her most selfish; she had been too young to worry about suffering beyond her family’s, but she missed her brother who died in the intaking terribly. Now, however, her concerns centered on her duties to her surviving people.

Kit listened carefully for any hints from the princess about romance or marriage. She could not probe Kaitlyn’s mind with the simple power she was using, but small talk left plenty of time for Kaitlyn’s mind to wander and Kit carefully read those thoughts. Kaitlyn had a pretty clear idea that there might be a possibility of a political match with Alistair, but had not managed to summon up any warm and fuzzy feelings about him. When Alistair mentioned the possibility of an alliance, the Princess’s thoughts reflected a willingness for her followers to even be incorporated as a new duchy, although her sense of familial honor made her want to retain the royal title. And she knew that the only way she could keep that title if her lands became part of the Archduchy would be if she married the Archduke.

Kit also noted that none of Kaitlyn’s thoughts about an arranged marriage touched on any current romances. Kaitlyn thought about how part of her duty to her family would be to marry as a virgin, but Kit did not detect any particular regret about that, or any excitement about the possibility of physical relations with Alistair. She wondered if Kaitlyn might be lesbian, but without the ability to probe the Princess’s thoughts more deeply, she couldn’t be certain. All that she knew for sure was that the increasing interest she was showing in Alistair over the course of the evening was completely feigned.

Over dessert, Dame Brionna asked Kaitlyn whether she had followed any particular path in her training before the South Kingdoms fell.

“Yes, I was training to be a ranger. I wasn’t supposed to be the heir, of course, and so could pursue my own interests. And some of those skills have served me well leading our troops against the slavers. But since the intaking, I have devoted myself more purely as a warrior. A general needs those skills more, and there isn’t much call for the minor woodland magics or empathizing with animals.”

Dame Brionna nodded approvingly at that answer.

“Perhaps you would care to join me in the map room after dinner? As you know, we have deployed several field armies to help the refugees against slavers and against unscrupulous ruffians who are seizing power. We could perhaps coordinate some of our efforts.”

Dame Brionna thought wryly to Kit, <<Oh, is that what they call it?>>

<<Hey! I have to keep quiet back here,>> thought Kit with mirth in her thoughts.

<<Sorry… You probably don’t want to hear about that…>>

<<No, it’s better to laugh about it.>>

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

As the dessert finished, Alistair rose and offered his arm to Kaitlyn. He put on a show of his most charming behavior, and he could be charming, indeed. Kit could tell from Kaitlyn’s thoughts that she was still not actually interested, but Kaitlyn did a good job of faking interest and edged ever closer to Alistair as they left the room arm in arm.

<<Ugh.>> thought Kit.

Dame Brionna ignored her distaste, aware that nothing she could say would help. “All right, time to slip through the corridors,” she said as Kit emerged through a secret door.

“Right.”

“You know, she could definitely make up for Alistair's weak points in the next generation - looking at the handclasp.”

Kit chuckled.

“I mean, at least, if she has common sense.”

“It sounds like she does.”

The two of them passed through a secret passageway and entered a tunnel running along the map room, where they could hear Alistair and Kaitlyn engaged in quiet conversation. When Mahler saw that they were heading off to spy on Alistair’s private flirting, he turned quickly away. He wandered off to a quiet, private spot within Alistair’s chambers and began flipping through the detailed maps that Kaitlyn had given the Archduchy. As promised, the maps were detailed indeed. They included political and topographical maps, and even specialized charts such as water tables. They also carefully depicted the southern coastline, noting all of the useful harbors, including both the port cities that fell to the skaven and other harbors that had never been developed into trading ports.

Alistair and Kaitlyn devoted their time in the map room to practical pursuits. They discussed troop dispositions and strategy, each praising the other’s acumen, and continued to speak of duty. The conversation was heavy and somewhat morose, but they felt a shared sense of the burdens that they each had. They also each sent as clear signals of interest as they could without being too forward, and as the discussion wore on, the degree to which Alistair fooled Kaitlyn into thinking that he was interested in her as more than a political marriage was only matched by the degree to which she fooled him.

As the discussions of battle strategies and duty continued, Dame Brionna thought to Kit, <<Wow. I thought only Knights of Valor flirted like this.>>

<<Heh. Well, I can't call this romantic, but you know, that's all right. She just wants to do this for her kingdom and her duty. She's fine if he has someone on the side. Doesn't know about me, though.>>

<<Hey, compared to Look, compared to Crazy Hanalian and Rat-Girl?>>

<<I said that was fine! All she cares about is duty.>>

<<She's been through a lot!>> replied Dame Brionna, a touch defensively.

<<Oh, I know that.>>

Kit concentrated on the conversation between Alistair and Kaitlyn. Knowing that the visit was coming to an end, Alistair was again as charming as possible, while correctly deciding that a fairly formal and polite approach would elicit the best response. Kit giggled

<<Why are you laughing?>>

<<She just thought, “He isn't as awful as I had heard! I might be able to live with this.”>>

<<Oh dear. What stories are being spread?>>

<<I don't know, but I'll find out.>>

<<Do. We need him to have a good reputation.>>

<<She just thought, “Maybe they were lying about him.”>>

<<Huh. Based on that, we need to research her advisors.>>

<<I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot to combat here,>> replied Kit. <<But believe me, I'm trying.>>

After the perfectly appropriate time for a private visit between two unmarried royals, Kaitlyn straightened from the maps. “Thank you, your grace, for a lovely evening and for honoring my people and myself with this invitation.”

Alistair stared into her eyes as he responded. “The pleasure and honor was all ours, your highness.” He kissed her hand again, but this time with a certain amount of hesitancy, apparently from nervousness. “I hope that we will be able to see each other again soon, and I wait eagerly for that hour.”

“Thank you, your grace. I am certain that we will.”

Alistair escorted the Princess to the doors of his apartment, and she gave his arm a tiny squeeze just before he left. As the doors closed, Alistair was positive that the Princess was falling for him, although Kit knew that it was just a show. But Kaitlyn was equally fooled.

 

[Quartz]

Hehehe! Nice one.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Alistair and his friends gathered in a sitting room. Alistair knew that he had made good progress towards a tremendously valuable political marriage. But there was also no possibility of love or even light romance, and her sadness and fixation on duty would make him unhappy in all their interactions, as she kept his mind focused on the sacrifices he made for duty. That most of the world would scoff at his “sacrifices” and view him as tremendously privileged never crossed his mind.

They sat in silence for a while. “You could do a lot worse,” said Kit.

“I know. The match would be politically useful, and she is a good and able person.”

“And her children would make fine heirs for the Archduchy,” added Dame Brionna.

“We should think about whether there are other candidates that we should meet before we pursue an actual agreement. Like should we still arrange a meeting with the sister of the King of the Cities of the Gates?”

Dame Brionna scowled. “I don’t like anyone described as quiet as a mouse, your grace. These days, analogies to rodents…”

“I know. But that may have just been an infelicitous turn of phrase.” Alistair shook his head. He walked across to a liquor cabinet, searched for the hardest liquor he could find, and poured a very tall glass.

“Your grace,” said Dame Brionna reprovingly. “You still have duties to attend to, and there will be more work in the morning…”

“And I think I’ve spent enough time on duty tonight.”

Kit nodded. “Better pour me one, too.”

As Alistair reached for a second glass, a young page rushed into the room and prostrated himself before the Council. Alistair scowled and gestured for him to rise. “Get up, get up. What is it?”

 

[Quartz]

Ooh, so they do a proskynesis rather than a kneel, do they?