Chapter 31:

Chapter 31: Kings and Queen provide for their people and what they provide depends on what they need


I stood coiled on my Wraithbone throne, curled my red hair long hair with my left hand and considered the situation I had found myself in as I held court. I was dressed in my simple red robes for this occasion as it was meant to be a joyous occasion and what could be more joyous that the news of a new queen which managed to tame the monstrous and the mad with love.

'The skin walkers are back.' I thought in amusement.

I am looking in front of me at one and I cannot imagine just why did my grandmother exterminate them from our waters for they are absolutely adorable. At least the one in front of me looked so very tasty and sweet just like fruit ready to be plucked from trees and all but offering himself to me.

'Maybe it's because they were too irresistible? I know I can barely resist pouncing on him.' I thought to myself.

The man claims to be a messenger and he sings so sweetly of his queen and does so as he praises both me and her and even manages to sneak by some praise for the lovely 'Singer of the bloody depths' who came and told me of the man who nearly ravaged her to the cheers of her sons and the honest blush of her daughters and niece. The woman and her family also did call him a skin walker that wears the flesh of eldar and would sing sweet lullabies to any maiden in the voice he stole from his victims.

I did not believe either of those stories before the man was before me and then he started to speak and I changed my tune from disbelief to quiet acceptance.

It is not merely what he says that makes me say this, it is how he does it. He speaks with the mannerism of a sweet talker wishing for a night of fun, he acts with the instincts of a warrior and the intents of a well educated and skilled man on a mission and without fully committing to any of it.

Three different habits, intents and mannerism masquerading as a single individual do fit what the song-keepers say the skin walkers were and I had to ask them of it to make sure.

His eyes were the thing that confirmed it for me, for they too didn't fit an eldar, and I was not speaking of the color. Even if I had not seen gray eyes before it is not what convinced me he was not an eldar for his eyes held a quality no eldar eye ever held when looking upon our kin, for they were soft on the outside yet hiding steel. They were the eyes of a father explaining to his sons why they must start training and what will happen if they are lucky and Eldar do not have those eyes.

I refuse to believe otherwise.

'Are the three of you certain this thing is an eldar? It behaves like skin walkers are sang to behave.' I asked the three.

'Yes princess we are certain he is fully eldar, for while the skin walkers of old could in theory act as he does, they never did. Also they traveled along the rivers because the Maton could spot them and we were prey to them as well because they followed their instincts even if they sometimes could be reasoned with. If they were skin walkers the three coming with him would not have needed special accommodations. ' They sang

"I'm heartened to hear that our people have a queen now messenger Bessar Agail, my lovely lady 'Singer of the bloody depths' did say you had some gifts as well to verify the validity of your claims. I would love to see what gifts her majesty considers fit to prove one royalty." I cooed.

I wasn't fully convinced by my song-keepers argument, but I'll play along for now. And, besides if he was an eldar that is here to trick us… well there are no Maton here to save him or his companions.

The younger skin-walkers remained silent and impassive as they saw their parent perform and so were ignored. If they were equals they would have been a part of the performance so they were most likely here to get their tails dry and watch their parent hunt before they would start doing the same.

"Naturally, princess, there are three gift my wise queen has sent and has claimed that upon receiving them all wise princesses of her people would see that her claims are true. The first I believe 'Singer of the bloody depths' has told you of, for she has proven herself trustworthy and of a good and kind lineage." The maybe skin walker said as he praised both myself and the woman he keeps trying to enter the skin of.

He pulled from his pack the wraithbone contraption and provided it to a warrior near him who said he will deliver it.

"Ah, thank you friend for the assistance." The skin walker said as he handed the strange device to the helmeted warrior who put it on a large tray.

'Are you certain this thing is an eldar?' I asked again as I stopped curling my red hair and gave the device my full attention.

The three deliberated more as the gift approached me.

'Mostly sure, perhaps generational breeding would have made them friendlier and better at evading notice but I doubt it.' The oldest of them sang.

An eldar thanking one of us is less likely than a friendly skin stealing man eater being bred for such after all .

'Look into his eyes and tell me again.' I ordered and they obeyed.

They stood to me sides, two on the right and one on the left so his eyes should easily be visible.

The warrior coiled down in front of me and lifted the tray up for me to inspect the nutri-cube maker.

'Singer of the bloody depths' told me what I need to do, just put my hand on the top, pour in some energy and food will come out on one of the sides.

I did so and it did make a strange cube. I decided to eat it despite the advice of my court.

'A princess is meant to sacrifice herself for her people, I will accept no argument against it.' I informed those that tried to stop me or make me reconsider. They apologized shortly after, for to prevent princesses from fulfilling their duty is to condemn all our people to end on the plates of eldar.

I ate the small cube and it tasted good and I have had both better and worse. I've sang to the warrior to put the device that made it to the side gently as we'll test its limits later.

"I hope it fits the taste of a wise princess of the depths?" The skin walker asked sweetly and I wondered if he'd like to enter my depths.

I certainly wouldn't mind it for he continues to make himself such an appetizing target, one so much tastier than the food he provided me.

"That it does messenger, and if my ears do not deceive me, then two gifts await me of equal caliber." I responded.

He continued to look at me with the eyes he stole and corrupted from an eldar.

'Or perhaps they are his eyes?' I thought to myself.

Eyes are the window to the soul afterwards and a skin stealing flesh eater is less monstrous than Eldar after all, so perhaps a few hundreds generations of selective breeding could breed kindness into them. The eldar certainly had none for my people and I doubt you could breed it into them.

"I would not call them of equal caliber princess, but the second is I imagine something one of your wisdom would appreciate to help you in your migrations, for it is a holo-field capable of spoofing maton sensors, allowing single individuals to escape their attention. I have brought ten that can do so with me as a gift, and I wear one myself, albeit I keep it on a lower setting to make it obvious I use one when in kind and beautiful company to not disrespect them.

I imagine it would be quite useful for scouts to able to act alone without needing to mar their beauty for the cults to enjoy, for your people are so much more beautiful as you are now than during the rituals the cults force on you." The skin walker continued as he sang sweet lullabies.

You could hear the heartbeats of those gathered as the skin walker placed the strange thick plaques on a tray the warrior near him provided, tablets it claimed could deliver miracles.

The warrior put them near the food maker for I had no chance to fully test them out now.

"How certain are you of these claims?" I asked harshly and stopped playing with my hair and did not think about the fact I do not remember when I started to do so again.

I do not enjoy pranks, not on something this important at the very least. If this skin walker lied, then he will die for it, no matter how sweet his lullabies of voice and song.

"Would the wise queen, be kind enough to tell this messenger where he is?" The skin walker said, for he wasn't now where he was before he started speaking.

Seven different messengers appeared across the throne room and none of them were where the man previously was.

Servants and warrior tried to find the real one, not even the song-keepers could find the real messenger as they tried to coordinate the search for a full sixty heartbeats and we used any and all knowledge we had to find the real one. All of them did different activities to confuse us, from dancing to silent song to kneeling and jeering, and all of them disappeared upon being touched and appeared somewhere else doing something else.

Eventually I had to admit defeat.

"I admit that it is a gift worthy of a princess messenger and that further proves that you serve a mighty queen, but I will have to test it to see if it works to obscure us from Maton." I admitted reluctantly.

It's certainly better than anything we can do or have and we would have to check if they work on the matons directly for they certainly could fool all of us.

"Naturally wise queen." The messenger spoke.

The voice came from behind my left ear. But there was nothing there, except a wall. I ignored it and whispered to my servants to stop trying to guess which illusion is the messenger for I doubted any of them were.

"And my third gift from my would be liege?" I asked.

If they were of the same caliber then the woman has earned my eager submission. The first gift would have earned it alone but I was promised three and I will receive all of them before I call the new queen my liege.

"What could be more worthy of a wise princess with a heart of molten gold as bright as the sun, than the words of wisdom of a queen? My lovely and kind queen does ask you that they remain private however, and only shared with your closest advisors at the very most." The messenger said.

His voice came from behind my right ear this time, yet he appeared kneeling in front of me and presented to me a small box made out of wraithbone. The only decoration was a red ruby in the shape of an eldar skull at the top.

He continued to look at me with those too kind eyes. I averted my eyes even if I could not avert a blush and gingerly took the offered gift and opened it. I put the lid below the box as I inspected its contents.

Inside the gift there were three sheets of paper, each covered in their own nearly transparent envelope. I picked the first one and gently opened and read it and I felt my heart skip a beat for every ten it took as I read it.

It was a plan for the eradication of 90% of all eldar on the planet that could be accomplished in one day. All one needed was an eldar to provide protection from Maton reprisals and enough tide callers.

'Verify this!' I demanded of my song-keepers.

Twenty heartbeats passed as they deliberated and compared the plan to what they knew was possible and the geography of the world.

'We see no fault in the plan your majesty, it can work if there are enough tide callers protected from the Maton to implement it.' The three said reverently.

I stood in awe and was frightened to look at the other two pages, for I do not think my heart could take in more joy in it lest it burst.

"I accept the rulership of queen Sian Ceasanna, I offer… no I beg of you to allow me to offer my vassalage and that of my people, for your queen is far wiser than me." I spoke and sang.

My song was sweet, so sweet it could rot still living wood as I looked upon the most beautiful thing I and perhaps any siren on this world could ever see. I put the plan back in its envelope and closed the box.

All of my people, every single soul of the 2329 sirens under my protection heard me. All of them looked in stupefaction at my declaration and probably wondered what could a single piece of paper contain that would cause me to so enthusiastically swear myself to another.

They still cheered, for the first two gifts alone were something we desperately needed and the queen would provide more if we would join her.

"The princess is as wise as my lady queen believed her to be, if far more beautiful. She has asked that the other two pages be read in privacy and by yourself, and none of the contents of the three pages be widely spread, also I would ask for a favor of you." The skin walker asked sweetly for a favor.

'I do not care if he'll sneak into my skin and eat my flesh, one way or another I'm getting his bloodline added to mine' I thought to myself.

I had hardened my resolve into thinking that this thing is not an Eldar and even my song-keepers sang their apologies for being wrong on the matter now.

"Ask it, royal messenger of my new liege." I spoke gently.

The skin walker certainly deserves one for the show he put.

"I have a second letter to deliver from a man called 'First cut' to his daughter 'Shatter blade'. I would like to meet her and offer the letter to her, then when I am done I will give a letter to you to bring to my queen, for I have things to inform her of but I will not be able to reach her for some years, and they are things she and her court should know." He asked as he looked into my eyes.

I did not need to think much about his request before granting it.

"Granted, my Lord Husband will show you to where 'Shatter blade' dwells, they will provide you and your companions with a room where you can rest and write your letter in privacy." I said promptly and did not ask for details.

I did not wish to know what would keep this thing from going where it liked and do so for years, for I certainly couldn't hold it in place for a heartbeat, but soon I will no longer be a princess. After I offer my vassalage I will just be a noble lady and thus it will not longer be my concern.

"Also before I do forget, the location where my wise queen and her family are at is also written on the second page on the back."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Master why are the sirens kissing us so?' Iameas asked.

We were moving through their settlement that was rejoicing at their supplication at their new queen. That was… expected I suppose for we too rejoiced when we heard we would serve her and her sister-wife.

What wasn't expected was that they showered us in kisses both on the soul and mind and on our cheeks and hands.

Or perhaps it was Leiam that spoke? We always get confused on which is supposed to be which. But I am pretty sure Iameas is the female between us.

'Do not worry about it Iameas, they are doing it because they like the both of you.' Or lord answered.

So Iameas was the female, that made sense, and if it didn't use to be like that then it now was. Names are just labels after all, and they're not that important.

'What do all the kisses mean my lord?' I, Leiam asked.

'Kissing on the left cheek means an invitation to join under their sheets, on the right a request for them to join under yours. If two of them kiss you on the cheeks at the same time they want your children or to give you some and are willing to do so without marriage. A kiss on the hand is a request for your hand in marriage, if two kiss you on both hands then they both wish to marry you and each other. If two kiss you on the same hand at the same time they are married and wish for you to join theirs as a new member.

You can safely just thank them and sing that you are not interested for now and that should stop it, just don't let the calls unanswered for they'll take that as a yes.' Our lord answered.

We did so, for we are to be the guardians of his lady-wives and we will not have time for love and the like, even if being showered in love felt nice.

'Master, one of them kissed my neck, what does that mean.' Our lord's apprentice asked as we walked under an avalanche of love.

'They offer themselves in slavery to you and promise to give you children and kisses if you would take them in your home and shower them in love. You can accept it or not but you must answer it.' Our lord answered kindly.

The young man bowed and said that he cannot and will not accept any offers of marriage, servitude or anything else for he still needs to prove himself worthy of such.

That did nothing to stop the sirens from repeatedly asking, if anything it increased the number and brazenness of the requests he received as the sirens tried new requests after the old one was denied. Eventually his master and our lord intervened when we were actually stopped from walking by the number of requests.

"Beautiful and kind and loving ladies and men, I thank you for showering myself and my companions with love and care but we have those who await us at home, or are truly not ready to settle down yet. I'm sorry that we cannot accept what you offer us, for it saddens us greatly to not feast on such lovely and shapely fruits but we cannot do so. Please grant us some privacy and room to move." Our Lord spoke.

That stopped the physical kisses, even if the soul ones remained unabated but at least we could move again.

'Master, I did not fully know what I was expecting but this isn't it.' Our lord's apprentice said in song.

We liked the young man too for when we were allowed to observe the lessons of master and apprentice he would sing to us in secret before and after them and ask us if we had any questions and he would ask them for us, if we would teach him what our lord showed us of how to use his Murderous Medicine.

We gave the boy two Swords of Valor, for master gave us spares. and taught him what we could in exchange for asking some of the questions we had as it would not do for us to interject in a lessons between master and apprentice, especially not when we weren't even students but servants.

We agreed with his assessment as well, but we did not care what the culture of the people of queen and her sister wife we were to defend was, for we would defend them or die trying regardless but… it felt nice to be showered in love for we missed it dearly.

"What were you expecting apprentice? The sirens used to be Eldar, and that's why they have and make wraithbone, and while their bodies are not anymore their souls are the same as yours, they had only been taught different lessons." The master asked kindly.

We did not know that either, but it wasn't that surprising as nobody except the orphanage caretakers would grant us any knowledge or consideration as we had promised to serve them until we could find a master for the meager care they provided to us was more than what anyone else did in 800 years.

'I expected something closer to the stories of the cults with sacrifices death and deranged revelry, not this downpour of love and desire for marriage.' The boy said and it was what we both thought as well.

'The sirens do those things to earn favors for their flesh is very tasty to the cultists and they need them to stop the Maton from catching and cooking them. So they came up with the plan of making the cultists the best meal they could do of their pampered noble ladies and princesses so that the rest of their people could either earn favors from the eldar to be used at a later date or immediately to ask for safe passage through various lands if it became too dangerous or food dried up. They offer such to the Sword Cults because they're the only ones that would trade favors with them even as they eat them.'

We did not like that answer, we spoke among ourselves and decided to say so quite clearly.

'Your lady wives will not die before us lord, we won't allow such nonsense.' We spoke as one.

We did so for in that heartbeat we were one for we swore an oath and we won't allow our charges to be eaten and then be left without purpose again.

'Good my blades, and you won't need to bother with that nonsense for the sirens name royalty that which gives them a life that for as long as they live will prevent such nonsense and I am very interested in preventing my Queen-wife and her sister-wife from being subjected to such. Also please do not tell the sirens that the queen is my wife, we're working very hard to prank her future subjects.' Our lord asked us.

We will obey that order regardless, but we'll laugh as we do so for all love a good prank.

'I think your lady wives are playing a prank on you as well master, as I doubt you wanted to charm an entire settlement.' The boy said after he too promised in song not to reveal anything.

We thought so as well, for our lord was many things but willing to charm so many people was not one of them, for he always told us that he wouldn't have bothered with wives if he wasn't tricked by his godmother, for he was always too busy to look after a family.

'I have become aware of it from the moment I started to speak with the princess and I realized that what they taught me on how to act did not match what I wished to present myself as. Pay it no heed, for I have already set in motion my own retaliatory prank against my lady-wives for it is normal and how spouses should act.' Our lord replied and ordered with a smirk.

We'll obey that order too to help our Lord with his marriage, for we will have to protect his wives from that which will make marriage less pleasant as well and we will do our duties regardless of the cost.

"We are near the dwelling of 'Shatter blade' royal messenger. I have notified her of your presence and will move further back until you are done. Please let me know through song when you are done so that I may show you to your temporary dwellings." The lord husband of the princess said.

He serves as our guide in order to show the respect the royal messenger of his new liege should be given.

"I thank you good man, this shouldn't take long then you can rest as I need no guard and you should celebrate with your lovely and wise lady wife and if you do not listen to my request know that I will abuse authority I do not possess to order you so, for a man should not let his beautiful wife be happy alone!"

The man smiled, I could not see his face but he smiled for his body language betrayed him.

"I will do so royal messenger and thank you for it, I will join my lady wife and allow others who have no families of their own to celebrate near you and be ready to receive your summons after I have shown you to your dwellings." The man replied jovially.

"Good, it would not do for my queen to punish me for keeping the family of her new vassal miserable!'

The man laughed now, our lord's charm once again proving universally effective on Sirens. The Lord-Husband of the princess quickly bowed and moved to a respectful distance away.

'Should we join him my lord?' I, Leiam asked.

'No, I need you near me because I'm almost certain the woman will try to get me to join the festivities with her brother-husbands. More people there should keep her from peddling her charms too much.'

'We hear and obey.' Was my reply.

Our master knocked on the door of the wraithbone door and awaited a response.

The entire house was made out of a mix of choral and wraithbone like all the others and it was very small, same a all other homes here. It only had a ground floor and half a floor above it that was kept as a pool of all things, for while the Sirens insist on keeping their settlements dry for some unknown reason they are still creatures of water.

The door opened and a woman slithered out. The only distinct feature on her compared to the rest of her kind was that she had the same natural black hair as songs say 'First cut' used to have and she did so because she was his daughter.

"Saya-Abrisea, I come here to fulfill a request from your father, for he is owed many favors from me and mine. May I please come in?" Our Lord asked.

We did not expect her to radiate terror. Was there something we missed or perhaps some foe we could not see?

'My lord, should we be worried?' I Leiam asked.

Everyone was reveling in joy at the words of our lord and master, but she was brought to terror with the same ease he charmed the rest of her people.

'No my blades and apprentice, she is it seems familiar with my craft and that of my expanded family.' Our lord replied

He was unworried and we relaxed, for we did not care for that nonsense nor did we wish to hear it. We have our mission and purpose and whatever nonsense his family was getting up to was not our concern, they're not the ones we're meant to be defending so we will wish them well and not bother with their fate.

"I do not go by that name anymore, but do come in as I assume you are here to repay the favors you owe my father?" She asked sweetly.

She was hiding her fear but it was obvious she still felt it.

"Yes I am my fair lady, your father has earned many favors and now I am here to repay some."

We entered as our master continued to speak with her. We had nothing to care about in this conversation so I ignored it. My purpose was to protect my lord and our charges, not care about favors earned and exchanged.