Alice

Following the conflict that became known as The War of the Dawn, the nation of Xanavene was parceled out by the victors, many of whom had more interest in meting out their idea of justice than ruling the territory. In the fifteen years following the war, civil war and lawlessness reigned, as various rebellions sprang up to reclaim the kingdom for native Xanaviens, which amounted to little more than propped up despots and bandits who would for a time before being deposed by Rhodarcium or Catharone.

Since being crowned, Alice had kept tabs on the kingdom, though Aes Sidhe had lost its territory in the failed state years ago in a proxy war with Rhodarcium. Despite continued efforts, she simply could not convince Maleah to leave her homeland, and thus, a considerable amount of money was spent keeping a mercenary company based in and around the farming village of Balalaika. Money her advisors continually reminded her could be better spent.

Alice’s carriage came to a stop on the road before a small farmers cottage on the edge of the village, her retinue of knights anxiously set up a defensive perimeter before allowing their Queen to dismount. While such a journey would have been easier if she warped, her advisors would not allow her to travel to the lawless land unescorted.

An old Vardo, a wagon that doubled as a home for the roaming carnival folk of Northern Xanavene, lay in a decaying heap beside the old cottage, its paint long ago flaked off and its wood rotted. A slender man with skin like cream in coffee stepped out from behind the wreckage. His baggy trousers and multicolored vest identified him as a member of those landless folk, as did his piercing golden eyes. Alice waved at the man as she helped her son out of the carriage, a boy of similar complexion though with eyes of an amber hue. The boy was bundled in a seal fur parka, despite it barely being autumn, the air was chill, and winters came early in this part of the world.

“Back already?”

“It’s been three years Zuri, I’d hardly call that too soon.” Alice hoisted the young child to her hip as she approached. “This is my son, Kielan, the one I carried during my last visit.”

“Cute kid,” Zuri wiped his greasy hands off on an embroidered handkerchief. “Who’s the father?”

Alice averted her gaze, a tendril of lightning arced off of her to sunder the soil. “The Prince of a Eurithanian province, a political marriage really, we’ve since…separated.”

The door to the farmhouse swung open and Maleah stepped out, carrying a spade and a scythe over her shoulder. Her lavender hair had become a knotted mess of dreadlocks, and almost looked intentional. She had aged well, though was notably fuller in the waist, chest and hips from three children and love of the drink.

“Why’re you here again? That prince guy finally ditch you for shocking him half to death each time you got a nut?”

Alice bristled as her cheeks burned red and electricity arched from her body. “The impudence!”

Maleah jerked her thumb over her shoulder, a look of weary resignation upon her face. “Whatever, come on in out of the cold. I’ll have Keres make us some coffee.”

* * *

The cottage was sparsely furnished with mismatched handmade furniture atop creaky floorboards. Several children with black hair and golden eyes ran about. Their mother, Keres, bustled about in the kitchen preparing coffee, a statuesque beauty, Alice was struck by the uncanny resemblance she bore to her late mother. Upon her back was a swaddled infant, and a toddler upon her hip. She held a pronounced bump, of another child on the way.

Alice offered a tight polite smile as the pregnant mage placed a steaming cup before her. “Keres, you’re pregnant. Again.”

Keres said nothing as she placed two cubes of sugar and a heavy pour of cream. Alice was impressed she remembered. More impressive was her adherence to her departed mother’s request, that she go forth and multiply. Already, she had five children from different fathers, mostly fellow mages, and another on the way. The purpose for this devotion was never specified, likely not even Keres knew. Given the directive came from Morana, there was likely a sinister motive.

“They have offered me a position as dean of the Black arts.” Keres said dryly. “So this may be the last one. For a while at least.”

“Well, congratulations. On both accounts.”

A young man in his early teens entered, arguing with a young girl a few years older. Both had violet, curly hair, the girl with ruby eyes and the boy with golden, like his father. Their skin was a shade lighter than Zuri’s. The eldest girl, Nyx, had recently finished her phase one training at the academy, specializing in black magic and hexes. Alice had concerns with anyone else in the family following in their uncle’s footsteps, but her concerns seemed unwarranted. The girl, while a bit odd and mischievous, was genuinely sweet and a bit of a crybaby. The youngest did not appear to have any aptitude for magic, or even a desire to try, content to continue as a farmer, or sometimes expressing an interest in joining a carnival troupe.

“Momma!” The boy whined. “Nyx won’t let me-“

“Quiet Zev, we have guests.” Nyx pinched her younger brother on the arm and offered a clumsy curtsy. “Your majesty, welcome to our home.”

“Please, be at ease.” Alice smiled broadly. “I come as a friend.”

“So then, friend,” Maleah slammed down her coffee in a single gulp, “why did you come out to this backwater dump? Hopefully not to try and get me to quit my ancestral land and come live in some bougie palace again.”

Alice rolled her eyes and gently rocked Kielan as she picked up her cup. “It has been a long time since our last meeting, I’m doing well, thanks for asking, how are the children?”

Maleah leaned back in her chair and brushed off Alice’s sarcastic reply with an obscene gesture. “I’m not leaving. Zuri ain’t leavin’ either, isn’t that right babe?”

Zuri rinsed an apple off in the sink and took a bite. “Mmhmm.”

“See? we’re happy here.”

“Such a stubborn cow of a woman.” Alice grumbled and took a sip of coffee. “Ashe has offered-”

“I’m not staying with Ashe.” Maleah said flatly. “Not after my brother killed her boyfriend.”

Alice’s frustrated scowl softened and she reached across the table to take Maleah’s hand. “I don’t believe that narrative, and Ashe certainly doesn’t. No one blames you or holds any grudges.”

Everyone in the Army Aichlan had created questioned their General's death; an accomplished swordsman taking a dagger to the throat from a dedicated mage was beyond absurd. Even more so when the only witnesses were a shady priest, a Rhodarcian General, and that cretin Ransom.

Maleah looked to Alice with watery eyes for several moments, desperately wanting to believe, but ultimately snatched her hand back and shook her head. “No, they would still be together if not for us. I can’t do that to her.”

“Maleah, they wouldn’t have even met if not for Osric, none of us would have.” Maleah turned away, refusing to meet her gaze, and Alice resigned with a sigh. “Fine. I won’t try and convince you to relocate, but at least try and visit. Clarissa and Severin have just had their second child.”

“I’m not going to Marquez,” Maleah scrunched her face with a look of contempt to mask the underlying pain. “He can come here if he cares so damn much.”

“Maleah…”

Maleah waved her hand and sat back in her chair, bouncing her leg as she stared into space. “How’s Ashe and Aelfric anyhow?”

Keres set down a plate of sticky baklava on the table and took a seat. “He’s an adult now isn’t he? Tell him to stop by sometime. It’s been so long.”

Alice shuddered, hiding her discomfort behind her cup. “Aelfric is doing well, dating someone, if I recall.”

Keres picked up a piece of the gooey pastry between two fingers. “So he’s experienced, all the better.”

“Knock it off, you haven’t even shat out the one you got, don’t go chasin’ another.” Maleah admonished. “How’s being the queen treating you?”

Alice set down her teacup and slowly shook her head. “The Order has been throwing their weight around persecuting mages and encroaching upon our borders in pursuit of ‘heretics’ as they call them. Then there are the aggressive acts by Rhodarcium and Catharone setting up a blockade just west of Prosperity Bay.” Alice laughed and rested her head on her hand. “You don’t care about any of this do you?”

Maleah shrugged. “Not really. But there have been a couple Order knights coming through this way looking for goddess worshipers.”

Ever since the war ended and Donough went off to Eurithania to found a religion based off his niece, several more religions popped up to threaten The Orders hold on the hemisphere. In Thiudoricus, they worshiped Morana, who was seemingly different from that vile woman Alice had defeated in Alfheim. In her own Aes sidhe, many had taken to worshiping a fertility and springtime goddess named Lihn, in addition to the various other pagan beliefs practiced by the fey in the hills.

“Ah!”’ Alice reached into her satchel, thoughts of fertility goddesses reminding her of Taryn and her brood, and retrieved an envelope. “Taryn’s eldest girl, Caitria, is marrying in the spring. they have requested you and your family attend.”

Maleah reluctantly opened the letter and looked it over. “Spring is the time for sowing seed, I couldn’t possibly-”

“Time for me and Zev to sow seed,” Zuri corrected, “you’re either off in town doing gods know what or sipping beer on the porch.”

Maleah’s face flushed as she snatched up her cup. “I’ve got war wounds, you know I can’t be hunched over in the dirt all day.”

“War wounds my eye.” Zuri opened the window above the sink and tossed the apple core. “I’ll go hire some boys to tend the fields, light knows we could use a break from this dreary backwater.”

“Nothing’s keeping you here you know, you can hop in that busted wagon of yours and take off whenever you please.”

Zuri stopped to kiss her as he headed out. “I’ll be back, c’mon Zev.”

“Love you.” Maleah called over her shoulder.

“Yeah, Yeah....” Zuri grumbled back. “I love you too.”

Maleah blushed and took a sip of coffee. "What about Nyx? she's set to start her apprenticeship in...where was it again?"

Alice had forgotten the girl was there, attempting to filch pastry from the tray, her mouth covered in honey and crumbs. "The court of Marquez momma, uncle Severin got me the position under Senka, remember?"

Maleah visibly recoiled as if stung. "Yeah, there's that so...we can't make it. Probably."

Alice gave maleah a disbelieving glare before turning a questioning gaze to her daughter. “What's this all about, really.”

Nyx attempted to hide a smile behind a napkin. “Last time Momma visited with Auntie, she got called fat.”

“Eight! The woman had eight fucking kids and didn’t put on a single pound, I push out three and become a bloated sow!”

Alice laughed aloud, certain her weight gain had more to do with diet and drink than childbearing. “Is that all?”

Maleah turned bright red and looked away with a huff. “Of course you’d think that you skinny bitch.”

“Oh hush.” Alice retorted. “You two are the best of friends, something as trivial as this shouldn’t come between you.”

Maleah shook her head. “It’s too short notice, I need time to prepare.”

“Prepare? for what? The wedding is not for another two seasons, that should be plenty of time.”

Maleah gestured for her daughter to fetch her something from the icebox. “Nyx, get me a drink from the cooler. As for preparations, I got my dress I need to get into.”

Nyx pulled the cork from a bottle of ale and set it on the table. Alice rolled her eyes, it was as if the woman simply couldn’t help herself.

“And that is going to help you fit into your dress?” Alice asked incredulously. “And what dress is this anyway?”

Maleah angrily gulped down her ale. “Don’t worry about it…”

“Maleah…”

“The one I got in Marquez. The black one. It was the nicest thing I had ever owned till that point, and the first such dress I actually got fitted for that wasn’t made from fabric scraps or a hand me down.”

Alice sighed, the dress in question was over ten years old. Even she could not fit into clothing she owned from that time. Assuming she still even had any.

“I been tryin’ to fit into it, working the field, walking, eating more greens. That sort of stuff. Should take a year at best, maybe a year and a half.”

Alice smiled and slowly shook her head. “I’ll give you two seasons, you can do...whatever it is you need to do until the carriage arrives to take you to Aes Sidhe.”

“I’m tellin’ you it won’t fit by then.” Maleah protested.

Alice stood and gently rocked her infant. “Then we can have a new one tailored for you.”

“But what about--”

Alice held up her hand for silence. “You may not be a subject of mine, but you are a protectorate, so consider this an official decree. Now, I have rented out the local inn and would be honored if you and your family would join me for dinner.”