Umphrieltalia didn’t think much of children. During her time in the orphanage, she was always an outcast. Once she was older, her focus was entirely consumed with the mental affinity and it was never to be used against children, both out of moral concerns and the fragility of a young mind.

Her mentor briefly mentioned her having children but Talia was never interested in the idea. Having a firm understanding of herself, she knew she was too selfish to properly care for another. Especially without the guidance of a contract. She’d also hated the idea of passing on her affliction. Cold as she may be, Talia wasn’t without compassion. She didn’t want to confine an innocent to a lifetime of darkness.

Many things had changed since the time Talia rejected her teacher’s first marriage prospects. She still didn’t have any desire for motherhood but given what she stood to gain from her current partners and the truth of her eyes…she could be convinced.

With such thoughts, she approached her duty to educate Anna as an experiment, taking care to examine her every emotion. There wasn’t much. She felt nothing as the little blonde wandered into the study they used for her lessons, sitting at the table with a small pout. She also didn’t feel anything when the girl growled at her as she sat in a chair opposite her.

She supposed it was a good thing. Talia felt the same ambivalence for most of the responsibilities she’d had throughout her life but had handled her duties with no less efficiency for her lack of emotional attachment. It boded well for any future offspring, whether hers or another’s. She didn’t think for a moment that Lou or her partners would remain childless. Such overflowing love was bound to bear fruit and with Kierra’s abilities, it was more than possible, no matter how their biology differed from the norm.

She also didn’t think that she could escape being involved in the childrearing. A flower was healing, nurturing those who nurtured it. Beyond that, Lou craved a loving household. Talia didn’t need to peek into the noblewoman’s mind to know her most obvious of desires. Even if she hadn’t spent a lifetime deducing people’s motivations in preparation for her eventual role as the head interrogator, the subtle hints given to her by Kierra would be more than enough to divine Lou’s character.

“Good morning, Anna.”

“Morning, Mistress Talia,” the little girl grumbled. Anna had not taken a liking to her new teacher, but she still treated her well. Both because of her good manners and because of what Talia represented. She was left in charge of the house by Lou. That meant, in the noblewoman’s absence, Talia wielded Lou’s authority. An authority the young girl respected very much, the same as her brother.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Then we will get right to it. Do you remember what we reviewed yesterday?”

The blonde head dipped in a nod and something squeaked. Anna reached up and pulled a small ball of golden fur with big blue eyes from her head. One of her pets. Talia didn’t understand the appeal of the creatures, but the girl kept them secure in their pen outside and they didn’t cause any trouble. Better, they kept the girl calm during her lessons. She smiled as she stroked the soft body and answered her question.

“Fortitude.”

“Tell me what you remember.”

Anna frowned but a squeak from her pet eased her frustration. “Oldest city in the kingdom. It started as a large war camp where all the human armies gathered. Then, they built walls to keep out the monsters. The safety drew others. The camp grew bigger, the walls expanded to accommodate them.”

“And soon enough, it became a city,” Talia said, when she was sure that the girl had no intention of continuing. Anna didn’t mention most of yesterday’s lecture, including the names of the relevant generals within the camp, the tension caused by people from many different cultures being forced to live together, and the resulting chaos as the groups attempted to establish a new order.

She supposed the details didn’t stick because the girl found them unimportant.

Talia agreed. Despite the tutors hired by her teacher hammering the entire history of Harvest into her young mind, little of it was relevant in the present. The time of Fortitude’s founding was certainly a riveting story, but, in the end, the struggles of those generals meant nothing. None of their schemes to assume control of the last human kingdom meant anything before the might of the First King.

Those generals, seeing the direction of fate, turned their attention away from the crown and began to battle for second place, the consolation prize. That battle continued into the present, the generals having become nobles and swapping their swords for the ways of social warfare. At this point, the original motivations mattered little, especially for someone like Anna.

What did she need to know about the jockeying of the powerful? She was a servant, a hand with which to carry out her master’s will. Deeper thoughts weren’t the girl’s strength nor her concern. But it was Talia’s role to teach. She would give her the knowledge and the girl would do with it what she will.

“Then, we will move on to the Fortitude of the present.” With an impeccable timing that bordered on unnatural, a sharp knock announced Earl’s entry into the room. He carried a tea tray that he set on the table. The steward bowed to Talia, ruffled his sister’s hair, and exited the room with precise movements that were equally born of care and efficiency.

Talia depended on servants all her life and not a one had a fraction of the boy’s competence. She couldn’t help pitying them, those who would dedicate their lives to something and always be found wanting, and prayed to the saints that the poor wretches would never have cause to meet the Tome servants while fixing herself a cup of tea.

Anna did the same. Once they were both ready, Talia launched into her lesson. “After the war, the founders had a whole continent to explore, settle, and govern. Fortitude was a great place for a military installation but a poor location for living. It was also more convenient for the capital to be closer to the center of the country. However, Fortitude was also an important location. It had enormous cultural value and, more importantly, the area was rich in ore, notably iron.

“Fortitude’s iron armed the human armies. Therefore, the First King bequeathed the city to one of his staunchest allies, a family that would take the name Henagan. The other generals were given edicts to settle the rest of Harvest.

“Few of them retained their prominence though some successfully held onto their power. The most notable of which being the Rosefields. A very interesting tale but irrelevant to the lesson. Our focus is Fortitude.

“Despite its plentiful resources, Fortitude remained a hard city. There were many reasons why but chief among them was the relationship between the royal family and the Henagans. The First King and the first patriarch of the family made an agreement that the Henagans would provide the capital with iron at cost until the king could outfit an army of ten thousand. Not just with weapons but armor. Suffice it to say, it was a lot of iron.

“For decades, the contract meant that Fortitude couldn’t trade its only resource to anyone but the crown. While the other cities were constantly growing and expanding, it stagnated. By the time the deal concluded, the Henagan family was doomed.

“The other families already disliked them, perceiving them to be the reason they were ousted, a great insult no matter that some had profited immensely. Besides that, the distance between the new cities and the lack of roads made trade difficult. Fortitude could only thrive in the shadow of the crown and the royal family took full advantage of the situation. While they no longer took the iron at cost, the crown didn’t allow the Henagan family to charge what it was worth while charging inflated prices for anything they traded. Any questions?”

Anna stared at her with a blank but attentive gaze and shook her head.

“Are you following the lesson?”

“The Hennies rebelled, didn’t they?”

Talia felt the first hint of interest since taking up her educational duties. Perhaps because it was the first time her student had answered with anything other than monosyllabic grunt. “Oh? Why do you think that?”

“Lady Lou says everyone wants to live a good life. We have a good life and we have to protect it. That’s why we work hard. Become strong. Hennies didn’t have a good life. No trade means no money. No money means no nice clothes, warm house, or good food. Anna kill for good life. Hennies do too?”

It wasn’t the cleanest explanation but… “Very good. As for the rebellion of the Henagan family, that is still a matter of speculation. Some say they were trying to escape the crown’s control through secret trade deals, including one with the then up and coming Guiness family.” Talia thought of something and smiled faintly. “A theory that may interest you is that the family turned to summoning to solve their woes.”

Talia was both surprised and amused to see the girl’s head poke up, her bland focus suddenly intense at the mention of the Tome’s family traditional art. “Indeed. You may have been told that Fortitude is currently under the control of a powerful manabeast…but that is a lie. In fact, it is under the control of a powerful elemental. One that some believed was contracted by desperate members of the Henagan family.

“The previous king went to war to regain control of the city but too many years of peace had softened the kingdom’s fighters. Though even if they were in their prime, it was a battlefield unlike any other. The elemental’s forces dug a network of tunnels beneath the city and connected them to the nearby mines.

“The knights, used to fighting on the open plains that dominate the central area of the kingdom, were grossly unprepared to fight in the cramped confines. It negated the kingdom’s greater numbers and better weaponry, as there is no room for shield lines and pikemen underground.

“It was the decision of our current king, Sebastian kor Harvest, to end the fighting. Having seen ample evidence of the creature’s intelligence, he felt Harvest would best be served by negotiating with it. And he was right. Peace was reached and now, more iron flows from the region than ever before. However, that begs many questions.

“Foremost, why would the elemental agree to a ceasefire? After all, its forces were winning. The kingdom’s earth casters couldn’t stop them from expanding their tunnels. If they spread their burrows throughout Harvest, they could take the whole continent. Yet, they settled for one city and its surroundings.

“Adding on to that question is, what is there that has captured the elemental’s attention? With its powers, it could have claimed any land on this continent. So, why Fortitude? What is there? Something the founders missed? Or is it there for the same thing we were, iron? And if so, what would it need that iron for?

“Lastly, assuming that there was a design behind the peaceful negotiations with the crown and the acquisition of a large amount of iron, what would be the consequences should the peace be broken? These are chaotic times we live in. If the nefarious forces had designs on the kingdom, now would be the time to enact them.”

It was strange how true her words were. Never had the kingdom faced so many crises in such a short time, each one more dire than the last. The most recent of which being the goblinoid invasion, something she’d been apprised of as one of the kingdom’s stronger casters and her teacher’s disciple. While she had formerly severed her connection to the interrogators, many hadn’t accepted it and she had yet to break trust.

“Now, we are going to have a discussion about the possible reasons for a hostile force to occupy a city like Fortitude, as well as the implications of the peace shattering.” Anna groaned, clearly not thrilled at the prospect of extended discussion but now that Talia was aware that the girl was capable of deeper reasoning, it would be negligent not to explore it.

An hour into their discussion, another knock on the door interrupted them. Earl opened the door, pausing in the doorway. “Forgive the interruption, Mistress Talia, but you have a visitor.”

“Who?” She couldn’t think of anyone with reason to visit, except for Alyssa and she didn’t expect the woman to accept her invitation to return so soon.

“A Lord Remmings.”

Talia briefly stiffened, a rare anxiety straightening her spine. Then she relaxed and stood from her chair. “Anna, we’ll pick this up tomorrow. Continue thinking on the topic.”

“Thank you, Mistress Talia,” the girl said in a rush while practically running toward the door, eager to escape before her good luck changed. Her brother let her pass with a shake of his head. “Earl, show him in and see that he’s comfortable. Inform him I’ll be there shortly.”

“As you say.”

The young steward retreated and closed the door behind him. Talia closed her eyes. Being liberated for eternal darkness was the happiness moment of her life but she still found comfort in it. It was familiar to her in a way nothing else was or could be. Several deep breaths settled her emotions that threatened to become unruly. Not even someone as stoic as her could remain unmoved when facing family.

Settled, she smoothed her robe and left the room. Talia had always known that severing her old contracts would not be simple or without consequences. Truthfully, she would have preferred throwing Kierra them. One of the perks of being a flower was that there were others who would handle things that she found annoying.

But it seemed fate wanted her to deal with her past personally.