Chapter 22: Dining In

“I’ll never get used to that,” complained Talo as he exited the portal back into the palace. The portal dumped them in another random corridor that only Powaw seemed to make use of.

“Yes you will, or at least if you don’t toughen up enough to not mind, you won’t make it past 25.” Powaw didn’t even pause to check on Talo but continued onto the staff dining hall. As they began to pass guards and staff, it became clear that something was wrong.

“Oh! M-m-my Lord,” shrieked a startled Paquine as they rounded a corner.

“Paquine what’s wrong? What’s happened?” Talo could not remember her being so agitated.

“It’s the grand duchess. She...She’s been captured.”

“Oh, and how did you come to such information?” inquired Powaw while glaring around the hall, “And why would you share such sensitive information in the middle of a hallway?”

“A thousand pardons chief physician, but surely everyone in the palace has heard by now? It’s all anyone can talk about. I would—”

“You would do well to keep your mouth shut about sensitive subjects in open places. Go fetch us dinner, and meet us in the war room. Be sure to find the time to gossip about not gossiping. Free voices loose choices, after all.”

Paquine began to stammer out her accent, but Powaw turned and left without giving her another thought. “Keep up boy. The shit is hitting the fan again, and you best keep your wits about you this time.”

It was only a few days ago that I lost them, complained Talo inwardly, but he did his best to keep up. Caloner taught him a simple mana technique last week called mana sliding. Quite simply, it involved pushing mana down your foot and mostly out of the back of the heel. Theoretically, it allowed one to continue to move at a faster pace by sliding one’s feet forward whenever they met a solid surface. In reality, Talo was struggling to apply the technique while walking and wasn’t actually able to move faster than just plain running.

“Don’t even think about running,” scoffed Powaw as he seemed to read Talo’s mind yet again. “It would be quite unseemly for the grand duke’s son to be seen running in distress through his own palace, and will only fuel to these ridiculous rumors. Plus, you clearly need work on your ghost stepping.”

“What’s ghost stepping?”

“Isn’t that what hell you’re trying to do with your feet?”

“Caloner told me it was called mana sliding.”

“He would call it that. You, open the door for the marquis.” A puzzled guard waited only a moment before complying. He wasn’t sure if the grand duke would want his young son to be in a sensitive place like the war room, but Powaw held more than enough authority to enter on his own right and gave deference to the boy’s rank.

“Powaw it’s good that you’re—the hell? What are you doing bringing a child in here?” Marquis Kitchi was a tall wiry man with a long mustache.

“Kitchi! I’m glad someone competent was around. And by child, I assume you mean the young Marquis Huritt? Have you all truly not had a moment to meet yet? He already seemed so familiar with your daughter.” Powaw rarely backed down from challenges to his actions—least of all to those he considered to be below him, which consisted of a vast majority of the population, nobility included.

“I am most honored to make your acquaintance Marquis Kitchi and extended my best wishes to all of Eeyou Istchee. Still, we heard most distressing news regarding my mother, and are hoping that you could elucidate the truth among the rumors?” Having learned from his interactions with Kimi, Talo just gave Kitchi a small nod of the head in deference to his age and length office rather than bow.

Kitchi paused for only the briefest moment to look over Talo with a piercing glare. “I see what Kimi means…”

“What the chattering thespian is trying to ask is ‘was Alsoomose captured?’ On top of that did Ahanu leave you in charge?” Powaw was quickly scanning the room taking note of who was there, and more importantly, who was not.

“Yes, he left the notice with Kimi before taking off...”

“Well I’m damn glad that someone competent was around. So Alsoomose?”

“I’m afraid it’s true.” Kitchi paused and put his arm on Talo’s shoulder. “That doesn’t mean you need to worry, my boy. Your mother is one tough nut, and I think it will take a lot more than a few Lamian bastards to take her down. Your dad is going to have to be gone for a little bit, but I know he’s got a plan and is already working to get her.”

That bastard of a deity...who would call this peace...but what can I do? Talo’s mind was racing, but he still had the presence of mind to look Kitchi right back in the eyes. “That is indeed most unfortunate, but we will have to strive to do our best to support father from here. Do you not have any details to provides to us?”

“The ingénue is right Kitchi, that was damned lacking in substance.”

“Hey, I’m not a girl,” muttered Talo.

Kitchi seemed to glance over Powaw’s insults as though they didn’t exist. “Right, Satrap, come give them the executive summary before you leave.”

Satrap looked tired and ragged as he got up from a steaming mug of tea. Etiquette might have demanded that he stood up when Talo entered the room, but leniency was often given to worn out messengers during wartime. “Yes, Your Lordship…. My Lord, perhaps it would be best to start from the beginning,” began Satrap as he stood to face Talo.

“His Grace sent me to fly hard to Landgrave Arêtes encampment to inform him of the Lamian rebellion. After I received commitments from the landgrave to join forces with His Grace, I flew to the main encampment at Escanaba. The Great Plains Alliance forces arrived two days after I did, and the assault was carried out that day. Lady...Your mother...she insisted to compete with Landgrave Arêtes on the front lines.”

“That does sound like the girl. She was always headstrong.” Powaw leaned back against a wall as he continued to stroke his beard. “So how did the capture happen? Surely a firebrand like her wasn’t overcome with mere numbers.”

“Quite true. There were four direct accounts, and they all concur. There were only two capital class individuals among the rebels. One engaged the landgrave, the other the grand duchess. It would seem that one detonated himself with some sort of sacrificial spell, and the other forced the grand duchess through the gate-head. Then...then the gate exploded. It was the most horrifying explosion I’ve ever seen. Far more than the autodestruct of a command tower.”

“What were the losses?” Powaw was now overtly scanning Satrap’s body.

“On their side, it was a total loss except for the one capital. Zero captured, estimated 185 dead. Our side...well the wounded tallies I was given only includes major injuries. Officially there are 36 wounded, 19 dead, and another 20 wounded and 9 dead from the GPA. His Grace is fine but for the mental anguish, and Landgrave Arêtes is regrowing a kidney and part of his intestines. They both blame themselves for the capture.”

Powaw nodded and extended his hand to Satrap’s abdomen. A blue light pulsed from Powaw’s chest and ran down the length of his arm into Satrap. Satrap groaned a little and Powaw repeated the process five more times. “There you go, kid. Should be feeling much better. So what did Ahanu leave you with?”

“I give my utmost thanks to the chief physician. His Grace had me ride here to drop off secured memory crystals, and then I fly straight for Vindar to request aid and secure a writ to march on the Lamian capital.”

“Good son,” assured Powaw with a pat on Satrap’s head, “I’m afraid I’ll have to add a burden to your corps. Get word back to Ahanu, and that idiot Luke if he’s still around, that they need to garrison away from the city and the medical teams are going to have to assure their magical decontamination. You practically reeked of magical decay.”

There was a knock at the door and Kitchi called for the guard to enter.

“My Lord, there is a monk wishing to enter, and a handmaiden has brought dinner for the young Marquis.”

“Oh, send Caloner in. Surely you two don’t actually intend to eat in the war room?” asked Kitchi as he waved off the guard.

“That might have to wait,” called Caloner from the door. “Earl Machayis says he speaks on Antipater’s authority, and that this incident was caused by rogue terrorists.”

“Surely you don’t believe him,” began Kitchi.

“Wait a damn second, you let a Butterfly hold talks with the enemy?”

“And what is wrong with the Eternal Order of the Butterfly, you savage witch doctor?”

“Both of you calm down,” interrupted Kitchi, “Brother Caloner was the only one with the language skills on hand that could adequately handle any side talking from Machayis’ entourage. That said, Caloner, surely you pushed back against such absurdity?”

“Of course I did. You don’t live to my age without learning how to negotiate,” humphed Caloner. “But that’s just the thing. He says the Lamians are willing to waive any territorial agreements and welcome the ducal forces into their lands to help suppress the terrorist uprisings within their borders.”

“I suppose they didn’t offer any details on that in writing?” Powaw respected Caloner as a tutor for Talo, not as an agent of the West.

“Well that’s...that’s where things are getting tricky. The Earl is willing to sign and has Antipater’s seal with him, but only after negotiating directly with the ducal household.”

“Damn the slimy bastards! That’s clearly a stalling tactic. Satrap, fly to Vindar as soon as your birds are ready,” ordered Kitchi.

“Wait,” interjected Powaw. “We can use this. Satrap, witness this till it’s through. Guards! Get the master of ceremonies; we’re throwing an old fashioned peace banquet. We have a trump card they will never see coming,” announced Powaw as he thrust his index finger right into Talo’s forehead.