Zagreus followed Rezu to the door across the hall from Karimere’s room. They entered. It was the size of Karimere’s opulent chambers. Even though he could tell it was real, he would still swear this room had to be an illusion. The walls, floor and ceiling were finely carved and polished wood with intricately detailed dragons in multicolor, interwoven, woods. A row of comfy chairs made of engraved silver and fine leather stood on wide bases in a row in front of a large mirror. An assortment of other, equally expensive and crafted, chairs stools and equipment filled the rest of the room.

“A barbershop?” Zagreus had seen them in some of the shows that were from before the fall. This one was crafted by someone with far too much money and time for their own good.

“My, barbershop.” Rezu said. “That purple haired vixen is good on her deals.”

Over the next hour Zagreus was cut, scrubbed, plucked and painted through more processes than he could have ever imagined existed. His polished nails matched his aqua hair; hair that was now annoyingly stiff and in multiple spikes. It felt like he had a nest of spiders on his skull.

Rezu fitted him in a soft brown outfit. The upper sleeves and thighs were puffed out and the rest clung awkwardly to his body. Rezu had called it, “…the latest fashion, but with muted tones because we want to look more of the people.”

Zagreus had to increasingly fight the urge to tear all of it apart.

“What do you think?” Rezu said.

Zagreus managed a non-comital grunt.

“That bad huh? These goddesses love to train with arcane and weapons and tactics but they forget the personal side of these missions. I can’t imagine what the Queen thought seeing you look almost feral.”

“She thought, ‘I want to have his child.’” Zagreus groaned.

Rezu chuckled. “Some people have no taste.”

Zagreus pulled at the collar and adjusted few other bits, took some deep breathes. For Cinder.

Rezu’s dress changed into a trim looking, powder pink suit.

Nothing muted about his clothes. Zagreus shrugged. Well, maybe less people will stare at me.

They went from the telepad, in the ruins under Gwenyr’s palace, out the gate and down to a street near the town. It was late afternoon. The sun was setting soon. The driver waited by a carriage with a royal crest on the door. He was a dhonzel man with an exquisitely braided beard, wore a fine black long-tail suit.

They traveled in comfort through the town, out three gates and down a long winding road. The ground to the right dropped off into the ocean while the other side was a dense forest.

The forest abruptly ended a few hundred meters from a crenulated stone wall. The driver talked with guards and they were let through.

“What is this place?” Zagreus said.

“Founder’s Cove.” Rezu said. “This was the first place resettled in this region. It has three concentric rings of walls, around a keep. It is backed against a high cliff. It even has a small protected cove that is only accessible from inside. It’s an almost perfect location for defense.”

“I sense a ‘but’.”

“But, the soil is poor and the cove is quite small. It took centuries, but we were finally able to establish Ereopolis at the larger harbor to the south. This place has become a military outpost and royal retreat.”

Zagreus nodded then smiled. “You look funny in a suit.”

Rezu smiled. “Not as funny as you. Let’s hope the Queen does not send us away as impostors.”

“We have time. I could swap into a dress and we could put those test subject rags on you. What do you think?”

Rezu gave him a cold stare. “I have killed people for less.”

“Is the third rule? ‘Do not anger the God of Fashion?’”

“Maybe.” Rezu smiled. “How are you feeling? Nervous? Sick? Any tank fatigue effects?

Zagreus fidgeted with his collar again. “After the last few days, this seems, um, relaxing. I mean, she is only a mortal.”

“Mortals have feelings to. Don’t let her know you think that way.”

“No. I only meant… that she can’t torture or slap me through a wall if she gets upset. And… I just admitted I am living in a nightmare.”

“Mecromancer or not, tonight isn’t going to be easy.”

“How bad could it be?” Zagreus joked.

“How bad do you think it could be?” Rezu didn’t.

Zagreus pondered for a minute. “It’s a date… with a Queen…the mother of my child. Lilithana is going to force us to have sex. And, I am probably a love bite away from a fourth proposal.”

“Fourth?” Rezu raised an eyebrow.

“Lilithana. It was vague, and I sort of rejected her, but I think I should treat it as real until I know otherwise. I need to talk to her.”

“You live a dangerous life Shadowbane. It has been a pleasure to meet you.”

“Don’t say it so ominously.”

“Why? I might never get another chance.”

“I want to argue with you, but you are probably right.”

“Do you have a plan to deal with all of this?”

“I could teleport away and live as a nomad again.”

“You are too stubborn to do that. Something tells me you know what you want to do.”

“What I want to do? I am just trying to stay alive at this point.”

“Maybe you should consider what you want.”

“What I want?” Zagreus said to himself.

The rest of the ride went unspoken.

The first wall had been kilometers from the keep and encompassed enough land to feed the settlers. The second wall surrounded what had been the town. Only a clean grid of streets and stone foundations remained. The third wall was the castle itself. This wall was twice as high and thick as the others.

The carriage stopped in front of the third gatehouse. The path leading to the person sized door was lined on both sides with soldiers and servants. Zagreus stared out the small window. “What I want… is to go back to the lab.”

“Just step out there and stand tall. No big gestures. We will be inside shortly. They are here to show how important you are to the Queen, and to allow them to see you. There is no rumor mill faster than bored servants and soldiers. The entire kingdom will know of you by dawn.

“No pressure huh?”

“The real pressure starts when you are alone with the Queen.”

They stepped out and were greeted by a seasoned female dhonzel in formal military garb with lots of shiny buttons and braided ropes. Rezu translated so Zagreus kept his greeting simple. They soon made it safely inside.

Zagreus lost a step, and almost bolted, when he saw the interior. They were in a highly engineered kill box. The walls had three floors of arrow slits. Murder holes dotted the ceiling. The back half of the long room was three layers of stone defensive works. It was like an inside-out castle. This had to be Mecromancer work.

Rezu continued forward.

Zagreus rushed to catch up. “Did you build this?”

“I helped with the construction, but Zhaan is the engineer.”

They walked up a set of drawbridges, over the defensive works, and high into the back wall of the room. This led to more drawbridges through a U-shaped section of wall and finally into the Keep.

He followed Rezu who clearly knew where he was going. They eventually turned down a hallway lined with paintings of overdressed dhonzel. Rezu said quietly. “The Queen has chosen to honor those that came before her.”

“No need to anger their descendants, who could be my allies.” The Queen walked into the hall, from a doorway beside them.

Zagreus had sensed her, but thought it better to let her make her own introduction.

She was wearing a deep blue, sleeveless, form fitting dress that ended below her knees.

Rezu bowed. “You are intelligent as you are beautiful.”

She eyed him curiously. “With someone as refined as this at his side, I am afraid I might not be of much assistance to your diplomacy training, my Lord.”

Zagreus was floored by the sight and blanked on what to say.

Rezu broke the silence. “Thank you, Queen Gwenyr. I am merely a servant to the Lord.”

“Do you have a name, servant?”

“Rezu.” Zagreus said.

Rezu glared at him.

Zagreus shrugged. There had been some fake name Rezu wanted him to use, but he had forgotten it, and he had forgotten the fact that he needed to remember it, until now.

Gwenyr smiled. “Rezu Archinius. God of Crafting and Trade. I have seen works attributed to you. They say the craftsmanship is impossible to replicate.”

“You flatter me to no end, my Queen. Maybe I shall have an occasion to craft something in your honor soon.”

Zagreus caught Gwenyr glancing between him and Rezu but missed if Rezu gave her a reason.

Rezu said, “My Queen, I see a problem with your dress, if you would allow it, I will fix it for you.”

She gave Zagreus a concerned look.

Zagreus nodded. “I think it is beautiful. But Rezu is the God of Fashion. He won’t harm you.” He smiled, “And I am pretty sure he is house broken.”

She grinned, “Ok.”

“House broken?” Rezu chuckled, “Sharpen your tongue, feral shadowcat.” Rezu touched her shoulder and she glowed with a cyan light.

“What did he mean by fer…” Her thought was lost as her dress changed. The neck, that had barely went to her breasts, plunged down to below her navel, and a slit went up one leg all the way to her hip.

Rezu smiled and took a step back. “Much better.”

She glared at him. “I have an image to maintain. I can’t be seen in such an outfit.”

“Your guards and servants have orders to stay away. I will serve you two tonight. Also, I think he likes it better this way.”

She cleared her throat.

Zagreus looked up to see her glaring at him. He smiled. “It looks lovely on you.”

“I see your point.” She sighed to Rezu, “It took my tailor hours to make this dress presentable.”

“It took me less time to make it. Please wear it as intended, my Queen.”

She stammered. “I… I am wearing your work?”

“Yes, but tonight is not about me. There is a diner table set up in the garden.”