Interlude VI

Zelktor Castle, Capitol of Piran

One Week After the True Coronation of King Philipon of Sidhertha

Of all the things Ezma had expected from this formal meeting with her mother, nothing could prepare her for the horror that she now witnessed. She expected rage, anger, screaming wildly, for these were all things that Ezma herself would do and had done after being relieved from the grand coronation party that followed King Philipon’s successful rise to power.

Yet, what she got was a cold hard stare from her mother. This was bad, for this meant that her mother while clearly angry had time to calm down enough to think. Ezma well knew that a thinking Zelkie was the most destructive force in the world. Ezma stood stoically, at least what she considered to be stoically. In all actuality her posture belied the fact that she seemed to squirm every few minutes from the intense bone piercing glare that her mother now gave her.

“I should say that I am disappointed, but that would be an understatement.” Queen Zelkie began.

For the past few minutes Ezma had wished that her mother would say something, anything to alleviate the tortuous silence that had filled the room. Yet now that her mother had begun, Ezma wished she could take back her wish as silence was much preferable to what she knew would come next.

“Can you tell me what your one task was when I sent you and your protectorate guard to their Magi Academy?” Zelkie asked.

Ezma tried to speak but her voice cracked as her mouth was suddenly dry. Finally, after a long second of silence Ezma managed to suck down enough saliva to speak, “to ingratiate myself to Lykan Vita.”

“First it is now Vov’Vita. And second why didn’t you do that?” Queen Zelkie asked.

“I tried to initially, but he was in a different wing of the Academy.” Ezma began citing the fact that her regular curriculum separated her from the Research Development and Trial section of the academy.

“What of his time after the duel. Was he not stationed at the nearby military post where you could try to see him?” Queen Zelkie asked.

Ezma paused for a second then answered, “I could have, but he was damaged at that point. He had lost his legendary sword, his power, and was little more than a pariah to the community.”

Hearing the words coming from her daughter’s mouth Zelkie paused for a micro-second. Her eyebrows raising ever so slightly, her one tell that she was getting angry. Unfortunately, Ezma either was too far to see the tell, or had never learned to read the subtle facial expressions of her mother to notice the switch in her demeanor.

“You didn’t talk to him because he was damaged and ostracized by the Sidherthan people?” Queen Zelkie asked.

“Yes, you should have seen what he put up with those first few days. Especially with that war trophy he carried around with him everywhere.” Ezma all but spat remembering the way Nayali followed him like some lost puppy.

“So, let me see if I get your thought process for the reason why you never enacted the orders, I gave you of befriending the champion and bringing him over to our side. A man who since this whole project began has done not one but three major accomplishments since you were recalled.”

“Three?” Ezma asked suddenly shocked.

“Yes, he saved not just the Sidherthan Twins, but also the Second Prince of the Belkins and his oracular wife from corrupted dragons. Not just any dragons either, but psychic dragons who managed to rip their way through the standard defenses of the ships used by the Sidherthan military.” Then pausing to herself the queen turned and asked, “this was a mission you were surprisingly absent from. Might I inquire why you were not in attendance?”

Ezma felt a sudden wave of nausea hit her. She had been warned about not going but had decided to skip the trip anyways.

“I wanted to get caught up in my studies. Also, with the task I didn’t think it would be right for Jhamet to have to be a part of slaughtering feral dragons.” Ezma answered.

Hearing this Queen Zelkie gave a disapproving shake of her head. “So rather than go see the top-of-the-line airships in action and see the attack patterns the Sidherthan Military might use against dragons, you decided to what, stay at your dorm and rest?”

Ezma hearing the words flinched ever so slightly, as that was exactly what she had done. She had stayed and rested in, then after hearing about the attack and how Lykan had lost her sword, she thought to go and console him but soon found herself out maneuvered by Lawrence the male twin. Zelkie far better at reading people saw the look on her daughter’s face and continued with an angry wave of her hand to cut off whatever nonsense Ezma was about to say.

“Fine. You missed out on the big field trip and didn’t see the military capabilities and formations that would likely be deployed against dragons. Perhaps the defense of our nation is not something to concern you.” Queen Zelkie began, her words harsh but more than accurate. “So then where were you when he patented not one but two great inventions to speed up his graduation. One of which I might point out would be of great strategic value to us.”

Ezma paused and a look of confusion crossed her face as she tried to figure out how they could get runes onto a dragon’s body. Seeing the look of confusion on her daughter’s face Zelkie shook her head and answered the question for you.

“Not the runes, the parachutes.” She answered. “We had something similar, but his design of a backpack that can be quickly deployed and released is elegant in its simplicity.”

Hearing that Ezma could only bow her head in shame as she realized that could have been a great boon for her country and would have more than justified the expenses of sending her to a foreign Magi Academy to train.

“Moving on. Then there was the battle of Dunthir, and while I understand why you didn’t go as you were not a true member of the military and were not promoted to being an officer you still did nothing in the aftermath.”

“He was broken mother. I checked, constantly. I checked to see if he would ever recover, and the type of damage he took to his meridians should have killed him. I think he could easily be crippled magically for life. What good would a crippled mage who can’t even circulate mana be?” Ezma asked.

“A crippled mage who can still enact world laws. A crippled mage who even a month after the damage was recorded and noted as irreversible was able to extend the peace between the Sidherthan Kingdom and the Azani nation?”

Ezma had of course heard of this event. Someone had tried to attack Lykan in the streets and Nayali had jumped in to save him. Rather than step back Lykan intervened to save the citizen from Nayali’s wrath, which resulted in Lykan getting hit. This strike caused an extra year to be added as recompense for the strike, even though it was inadvertent. Seeing the look of realization on her daughter’s face Zelkie continued.

“That should have been your first warning.”

“Warning for what?”

“Warning that he could still enact the old-world laws!” Zelkie said, her voice rising in agitation.

Silence.

Everyone knew to be quiet when the queen started to lose her self-control. A survival instinct in Ezma even told her that she too needed to tread carefully, a mother’s love would only go so far.

Finally, after a few seconds of silence and two deep breaths Zelkie managed to calm herself enough to continue.

“Perhaps I need to take it back a step.” Zelkie said and hearing those words Ezma braced for the verbal thrashing that she was about to receive and endure. Each time her mother began with such a statement it meant a mental knockout blow would shortly follow. This was akin to the shoreline receding before a hurricane washed up on shore. Or the way flocks of birds would take off before a deadly predator arrived at the forest. Realizing she was in for the final stages, Ezma braced herself as well as she could.

“So, you were there in a foreign country with one mission to recruit a national treasure level asset.”

Ezma wanted to protest, but then soon decided that not knowing that Queen Zelkie considered Lykan Vov’Vita to be a national treasure level asset was not the argument to have at this point.

“Your sole goal for being in the country was to convert the asset to our side. He was down as he lost his legendary sword in a battle to defend Sidhertha. He damaged his meridians, where he would likely never be able to wield mana again. He did this last one to win an un-winnable duel. A duel where the opponent could take down all but the most reinforced airships with the wave of her hand. A duel that Lykan Vov’Vita enacted the old-world law of a duel before the eyes of heaven and won. Then he was rewarded with scorn and derision by the populace. During this time, you did nothing for months while he suffered. I figured this was you waiting for the right time to strike, wait till he was the lowest and then strike. This was a tactic that I approved of. Then your own men informed you that he had made a deal to get out, thus the ‘Vov’ being added to his name. I know you knew this as I made sure to have my informant pass that along to your informant.” Zelkie began.

Hearing this Ezma’s eyes widened as she remembered being told that very fact a week before the celebration ceremony.

“You had a week. A week to make contact, but instead you did nothing.”

That wasn’t true, it was finals weeks and Ezma had been working on her final fire form for hours on end. She also had a final project due in her advanced magical theories classroom, but those would be empty arguments for what her mother was talking about. Hearing the admonishment Ezma let out a sigh and shrank in on herself.

“Then the victory party of Dunthir happened and who was there by Lykan. Lykan who then enacted the hardest and most complex of old-world laws, the coronation of a king complete with a hydra. Then as quickly as it began, he disappeared and I have to ask do you know where he is?”

Ezma looked up from the ground and made eye contact before shaking her head “no.”

Hearing this Zelkie let out her own sigh.

“Then you leave me with but one choice. Hear my words, Ezma Loren. You are hereby banished from these lands. Normally such failure would mean death or more. But for you I will grant you one last act of redemption. You are to be banished from our lands until you return to me with Lykan Vov’Vita. Either corpse or as ally; however he gets here is of no concern. But to be allowed back into these lands you will need to bring Lykan’s body, living or otherwise, with you to enter these sacred halls again. Until such a date occurs you are hereby banished from the book of sacred names, you are to be stripped of all titles, and your name is to be forgotten on the wind.”

Hearing this Ezma felt like her heart was shattering. How could this happen? Yes, she had gotten lost and forgotten her true purpose for being in Sidhertha, but she had made friends and connections. She had befriended nobles and merchants alike while at the Academy. She had improved future trade negotiations for years to come, but even after realizing this, she knew she had lost track of her one true goal for being there. She had but one task and it was clear that she had failed the task, to convert Lykan to their country’s cause.

“Where should I go?” Ezma asked, her mind reeling as it tried to catch up to what was happening.

“Wherever you want to go. You are now free of my orders and decrees. In a way this is perfect for you, as you seemed to disregard my rules and the tasks, I provided for you. Now you no longer must deal with them.” Queen Zelkie said. Then seeing the look of complete devastation on her daughter’s face she relented just a bit. “Though if I were you, I would head to the far north, past the jungle basin.”

Ezma let out a sigh of relief as she had a direction, but then also had a note of concern about the dangers she might face while traversing the jungle basin.

“What of Jhamet?”

Hearing that Queen Zelkie looked at her for a second then responded. “What of Jhamet. It is not my job to rule dragons, but to rule people. Whether you convince a dragon to follow you or not is entirely up to you. Now be gone.” Queen Zelkie said, and with that the final conversation between Queen Zelkie and her daughter Princess Ezma ended without a word of fanfare.

Silence followed Ezma as she got up on wobbly legs and forced her way through the sacred halls. Each step felt like thunder as she felt her entire body trembling as tears began to form in her eyes. The path was blurry, but she had traveled these steps too many times with tear filled eyes to care at this point. Walking the path with her eyes closed as just as natural as breathing to her. As she exited the room the doors were opened by the guards who were on duty. She slipped through the door and quickly made her way around the winding hallways, then found her favorite alcove. Her chest heaving as her heartbeat faster and faster. It felt like her heart was trying to rip its way free of her body, as if it too was tired of being a part of her incompetence.

There in the corner away from all prying eyes she broke down in tears for the last time. This was the last time she would let herself be reduced to tears from her mother. This was the last time she would ever have to justify her many failures to her mother. Realizing this, that this was as much a new gift of life as anything she slowly composed herself. Her tears and crying silent, years of practice made this an important part of growing up in Queen Zelkie’s shadow.

Finally, after a few minutes, the last few minutes of weakness she would allow herself. Ezma rose to her feet determined to not only get Lykan, but return with him, if only to see her mother’s face when she left with him. A final act of scorn. With that in mind, readied herself.

“Jhamet, will you follow me?” Ezma asked her bonded dragon through their mutual mental link.

“Of course, dear one. I will always be with you.” Jhamet responded.

And with that, the many shards of her heart that had been slowly fading away stayed. Her heart still felt broken, but it had finally stopped shattering. She felt that she could do anything, so long as she had Jhamet by her side. With that realization, she went to her room but found that the room had already been cleared and her personal items and affects that she would be allowed to take were laid out in a nice, neat pile before her door. Seeing this, the full force of the events of the day played out in her mind.

Seeing the pile was another reminder that her mother knew everything. At least she made it seem like she did, as she had already prepared the guards to clear her chambers and prepare her personal items for her.

“At least she is letting you take some gear with you.” Jhamet shot back.

Realizing her friend and only true companion was correct, she grabbed the items and made her way to the courtyard where she would meet her one true friend and begin her new life of freedom.