Chapter 38:

Chapter 38: A duty taken upon freely is most important.



Loyalty is a strange thing I had found. It can take decades or minutes to form and once formed it is incredibly difficult to break. I have known Bessar Agail for less than two months but in that time he has earned himself the right to call himself my Master for he has given me my sister back and taught me to master my blessing and put me on the road to being someone worth being, for I am Lanniar Narainn son of the Copper Sword and apprentice of my master the Sharp and Valorous and today I am to fulfill my promise to him.

I have been doing it for some time as a matter of fact, for I claimed I would help his lady-wives and their people to regain their citizenship in the Empire of Ten Million Suns and while I cannot help my Master in the Ways of Khaine to earn a princely favor, I can help the Sirens to regain it once he does earn it by telling them to head to him and the location he gave me.

I have been looking through rivers, small lakes and isolated streams for Sirens for the last 5 years and I have managed to find 100 of them and guided them to the Sea where they could go and find others of their kind to brave the depths on their way to safety.

I am currently doing the same now and brave through the jungle to confirm whether the song of travelers and merchants spoke the truth and there were sirens here.

'I greet you kind man in peace and friendship for I am Rinceo Natton and I have heard plenty of you, for some of my people had sang strange songs of an Eldar warrior guiding them to safety.' A female song interrupted my search.

That was my master's technique, for the song felt like it came from one direction and yet the area it did come from was empty of intelligent life.

"I greet you Rinceo Natton, I am Lanniar Narainn, son of the Copper Sword and apprentice of my master the Sharp and Valorous, it is good to meet someone who has also learned the lessons of the Smiling Blade." I spoke out loud.

It was an invitation to talk face to face to respond to song with one's voice, and I knew so because my master had taught me the rituals of the people of his lady-wives. I was thankfully near a river and so pulled out a gray carpet from the pack my Master left me and prepared myself to sit upon it as I was taught.

The carpet itself was large, thrice as wide as an Eldar and twice as long as I am tall with the only spots of colors being five circles on it. The two furthest from the center were for people to stand on while the other three for food but they will remain empty for it is not I that wished to start this conversation.

It did not take long for a blonde siren woman to come out of the water and I looked upon her properly.

She had blonde hair and blue eyes but neither of those was uncommon and neither were her fair features, for indeed if it wasn't for her scales one would almost think that face to belong to an eldar woman. It didn't take long to disabuse any onlooker from that thought though for she wore thick armor and she had no sword and instead of a sword she had two plasma pistols.

'At least a princess.' I thought as I bowed slightly.

My master told me that only siren princesses and their families or those possessing the favor of royalty were allowed to wear plasma weapons among the Sirens.

"What do you wish to speak of your ladyship?" I asked softly.

As I spoke her guards came out of the waters and unlike her they wore helmets that hid their faces. They had shuriken pistols and lasers weaponry on them, with only a quarter of the group of 20 wearing holding any sort of melee implement on themselves and yet none were holding them, for they stood in their holsters.

"I have heard stories from a few sirens of an eldar man willing to help isolated families and siren exiles to go to the sea and meet with the migrant groups and I had to come and see for myself." She said as she plopped herself on the rug.

I noticed that her tail was red as opposed to the deep blue or the rare white I have seen her people have but did not comment on it for she did not bring any offerings yet and thus meant the time for talking has not yet come.

I nodded at that with a smile, for my Master told me of the tests the sirens will provide to prove that one is a friend.

She clapped her hands once and her face turned into a false shock as if she had forgotten something crucial but I knew that she had forgotten nothing.

"But where are my manners Lanniar Narainn, let us eat as we talk." She said and made a hand sign to one of the warriors.

'That hand sign could mean too many things.' I thought in irritation.

There are three hand sign the sirens use to call someone over, the light vertical palm movements which is never good, the medium horizontal arm gesture which is always good and the full arm and hand motion she just used which is a signal that they had found what they sought and to act as planned.

The sirens and the clans and the cults are at war with each other and while I consider them friends due to the fact my Master in the Ways of Khaine is Lord-Husband to their queen, not all Sirens would trust me at first or even be willing to hear me out.

The warrior she gesticulated to pulled down his own backpack and took only one plate filled with green and blue fruits and set it down on the carpet before bowing slightly. I saw a flicker in his form.

'Holo-fields.' I thought cheerfully as my body relaxed.

The fruits and the holo-fields meant they were servants of my Master for my Master told me that if any servants of his ever met me they will bring only green and blue fruits and he is the one that gifted the sirens the holo-fields

"I am glad to see friends of myself and my Master Bessar Agail here." I said as I picked a fruit I had not seen before.

I ate it without hesitation and I was met with a bittersweet taste and it was pleasant if a bit odd.

"You are the apprentice my adoptive father spoke of then? I did not expect to meet you so soon!" She said cheerfully in-between bites.

"You are one of his adoptive daughters then?" I asked as we finished eating.

There weren't that many fruits.

"Yes I am the oldest if not the first of his daughters, and I came here to look after the Eldar that was helping the isolated and the exiles in the area to reach us as they spoke of you but not your name. At first I wished to invite you to come with us but father said you will come when you must." She continued after she finished chewing.

I had to think about what her words meant for I have introduced myself properly to those I had found and helped.

"That is rather strange for I have introduced myself to them, have none of them given you my name?" I asked.

She seemed curious about that as well.

"That you did, but none of them were willing to tell us your name." She replied with a frown.

I'll just ignore that for now as it is probably not important and if it becomes so I can worry about it then.

I looked over the warriors the daughter of my Master brought with her and I could not read anything from them as every single centimeter of them, including their tails were covered in Wraithbone, unlike Rinceo Natton who only had her upper body covered in armor.

One of them nodded at me and I nodded back in assurance for it was a sign and acknowledgement and peace.

"That is strange, but not important for now, what are your plans now Rinceo Natton? I am currently following rumors and song of an isolated clan of Sirens in these waters and I could use the assistance." I asked.

While she might not have been here looking for me specifically she obviously came prepared to meet me and that meant she either had something to tell me or ask of me and I was curious as to what and why.

My Master did not share his exact plans on this world, but he did tell me that he will bring war to this world for it is necessary, as the Old Gods require it so that the world may be cleansed from the cults. I have told my parents this and it was what had convinced them to agree to join 'First cut' on his and the orphanages exodus ,for our family is pious and the chance to cleanse this world of cultists was too good to let pass by.

"We have already found them Apprentice of my father, my warriors are currently conversing with them to convince them to leave these waters and join us to the refuge. They have been aware of you for two days and have been trying to stay away." She revealed.

'Not again.' I thought with a grimace.

There have been others that have been as obstinate and secretive to know of me and for me to not notice them and those were always the worst. I preferred when they tried to attack me as I could at least try to convince them then but those that were better at hiding that I was at sensing and refused to show up were always the worst.

"Good, I'll trust you with them then. I do have to ask again what are your plans for me now, as I doubt you father would have sent you or at the very least prepared you to meet with me if you weren't planning to get me involved with something." I replied slyly.

She did not have the decency to look ashamed that I had to put it into words, no if anything that made her smile.

My master is a deceiver, for he will be honest with you and he will rarely if ever lie and even when he does it, it sometimes feels that the lie made it more likely to catch his true intentions than the truth and yet he was tricked into marriage. Whatever bloodline managed to do such a thing to my master is not one that will produce halfwits, but one of deceivers and schemers and the idea that she did not know what I was getting to never crossed my mind.

'Her smile is quite pretty.' I thought as I looked at her radiant face.

I remembered my master telling me of his plans to unite his family with that of the followers of Cegorach to prank his clan sister and I had to consider if that wasn't her main purpose, for my Master was willing to drown millions in the name of a family he was tricked into and I did not believe for a second he was less willing to plot in the name of the one that welcomed him with open arms and a house full of love.

I'll have to be extra careful if that's what he planned, for I still did not wish to get married as I am only 55 years old.

"Father wishes to start the evacuation of the Orphanages early, for he and his younger siblings have found multiple orphanages that have been founded and dedicated to the Divine by the family of the Smiling Blade on this world so myself and my siblings have volunteered ourselves to ensure they are evacuated." She revealed.

"So 'First cut' is family of the Smiling Blade then?" I asked.

I could feel the headache forming at that information.

"Yes, he is the nephew of one of her clan-brothers due to what I was told is some time nonsense the Smiling Blade liked getting into. She gathered quite a large family with her nonsense and gave birth to three different bloodlines and several clan across millions of years of her travels." She continued.

My master once commented on the fact he found Eldar age shenanigans funny, for he once he told me his children are older than him and yet the first godfather he had was younger than him. I did not and still do not find such funny and if anything time nonsense gives me headaches trying to make sense of what I'm hearing.

I massaged my temples once she finished speaking, for that explanation gave me more headaches than him explaining how his clan is structured and how it became such.

"I do not know why Master finds time nonsense hilarious, for I am trying to find out how this fits into whatever nonsense his clan is currently looking like and it's giving me a headache." I said annoyed.

I like simple and orderly things, I want this to make sense and while I'm not an idiot that would stumble and rage at the first bit of nonsense I'm hearing, this level of absurdity makes my brain hurt because by the rules guiding family in the Orphanages this would make Bessar Agail the Grand Uncle of a quarter of the city I live in and judging by her words of other cities as well.

"The Houses of the Smiling Blade are not part of the same clan, and those founded by her family even less so. The Divine take the children born there as their own, so while they are family in a sense they are not a clan. It is only those raised in the same house that are considered family that is close enough to also be clan, and even then only under certain circumstances." My master's daughter explained.

I was very glad to hear that and wished to not hear of whatever circumstances those are for I did not not want more headaches.

"I will go back and inform 'First cut' and those that will join us of it, where do you wish to meet?" I asked.

Telling 'First cut' the timeline has moved up should be easy, especially as Rinceo Natton was probably sent with some way to verify this.

"No need to meet anywhere, for I will come and speak with him myself." She replied cheerfully.

The joy in her eyes was only matched by my rising headache as I doubted Master ordered her so, but she most likely will pretend he approves regardless.

'If she is anything like my Master she won't be convinced of changing course.' I thought in despair.

I looked at he guard to see if perhaps I could find any voice of reason among them, but all I could see was their shoulders slumping and realized that yes, she is like my Master and won't be convinced of changing course.

'Master, you owe me one.' I thought in exasperation.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since my adoption I have been infected with a most insidious poison, that of hope.

The day I had met my new father had been the most miserable day of my life, for it was the day I had prepared myself to serve my own mother on a plate to the land monsters and do so for nothing, for our bet had failed and my mother, many of my aunts, uncles and cousins died for nothing and I was forced to thank the creature that would eat my mother for it.

I remember how simpering and sweet my voice and song were as my heart knew nothing but hate, of how much I wished to kill the abominable sword mistress whose fault would be that my people would starve to death or be killed and eaten as we tried to cross the river in search of clan lands where we would not be bothered and could rebuild.

'The lands around this city would have been considered ideal then.' I thought with cheer.

I have been cheerful since my adoption, for the day I had met my father was both the most miserable day of life and the best for my mother was crowned queen, for we have learned of our creator and how she had given us all we could need or want in life of the Divine that truly and deeply loved us and wished us well and of the fact that thanks to the designs of our creator, the dead divine and my father we can cleanse this world of Eldar whenever it was convenient.

I can't not be cheerful, for my father brings nothing but good tidings to those he loves and I know he loves me for I love him too.

'Rinceo Natton, please reconsider or at the very least shape-shift into a bipedal form as that will make it easier for everyone involved. Master Bessar Agail is known and feared in the city, if you just pretend to be a normal Eldar and we go meet with 'First cut' and explain the situation discreetly we can enter and leave the city with no complications.' A song interrupted my cheerful recollections.

Lanniar Narainn is the name of the one that did so but I did not hold it against him, for I knew he meant me well, but I knew what I was doing, for what I did was a holy mission!

He was my father's second apprentice and one of the candidates of his family to join mine, for father wished to join our lines still to prank his clan-sister. None of my brothers are interested in marriage with an Eldar for they are already trying to trick proper Siren women into their houses to turn them into loving homes. This left it to me or my sisters to see if he was worth considering and of my sisters only I was unmarried now.

I have not decided on whether or not to see if I can trick him into my house, but considering the fact I hold nothing but hate in my heart for most Eldar that is saying something. The people that he helped guide to us said the same thing and that something was that he was a lovable fool that wished people well.

I do not know how my father turned one of the mad and murderous whispers of Khaine that killed as they breathe into a lovable fool I now have to consider whether or not I am to marry in less than a year, but he did do that and the unreasonable results of his work are begging me to be reasonable. A pity I can't be so and I hope he will forgive me for it.

He cares for my people, he looks upon them with kindness that I believe he holds for his own as well and that is adorable, but it is not what made me not hate him for existing, it is not even the fact that he is my father's Apprentice that gave him this consideration.

No, the reason I have turned my opinion of him from hatred to undecided is that he acts as a man should when faced with a woman's madness, and that is to agree to help her openly while begging her to reconsider or provide advice to mitigate risks which is adorable and how a husband should act. As I am not married I will probably need such advice in the future.

'If I do that it won't be as impactful as it should!' I replied with cheer.

My warriors have been begging for much of the same for the last few hours after all and judging by the way their shoulders slumped as well the man-folk have been trying to plot arguments to convince me otherwise.

'Silly men, you can't convince a woman to not get on the plate of an eldar, that's just common sense!' I thought but did not say.

They've been trying to convince me to only let Lanniar Narainn go and say this but I refused, they tried to keep me from doing it and instead having some of my warriors go with him, then they tried to appeal to the fact that I am the daughter of royalty and would be held as an hostage and other such nonsense as if that would stop my father from emptying this world of Eldar life.

'What impact?' He asked.

I could feel the hooks he tried to pry into the meaning of my words, hoping that it would get him something to bite in that would help him convince me. My warriors were already back from their slumped postures and paying attention and I could all but hear them dissecting my words for any possible angle of attack like the adorable little eldar killers they were.

'You will see it when the city does and please stop trying to convince me otherwise, for the city has already noticed us.' I replied slyly.

My warriors and maybe, possible future husband did not slump upon hearing that but their focus shifted and went from trying to dissect my words into protecting me and allowing me to run.

Even the eldar man in his black robes moved just slightly ahead to be able to block any attack that would be aimed at me, because I was obviously the most important and obvious target. It's why I recolored my tail red after all, I do not intend to keep it this way but I do intend to make everyone pay attention to it now.

My warriors sang their plans to me and included my father's apprentice in them with nary a thought about including an Eldar man in their battle plan which further proved to me that my new father works wonders on Eldar and now it is my turn to be a part of his plans.

We approached the city from the South Gate and I could already feel the city growing alert and spotting us. Their focus, fear and chaos and hate was so delicious.

"I would like to greet the city of 'The third Shatter Blade' for I am Rinceo Natton, daughter of the queen of the Sirens Sian Ceasanna and I have come here because you lousy lot have earned the favor of Bessar Agail who is my father, so come here or you will face the wrath of my father just as the cultists are currently experiencing!" I shouted in both song and voice and combined both so that the entire city could hear me.

Derision met my declaration and a single woman rose and spoke against their salvation.

"Why should we not just kill you beast?" She shouted and thousands of shouts joined hers.

I now understood why father loved answering questions that are easy to answer, for enlightening the ignorant is so tempting and fun and it is all the more joyous when those you wish to enlighten are Eldar.

I gave the signal and one of the devices my new uncles have given me to send long range signal activated and shortly after the whole world started to lurch as 7% of it's surface started to move, volcanoes erupted and tens of millions died in heartbeats as the plasma charges exploded and the seat of our power started being cleansed of the filth that has been infesting it.

The city felt it as the world shuddered and millions died by my father's designs and earthquakes thundered and the gods both old and new cheered and wept in equal measure for doom has come to the fools of 'The World of Clashing Blades'.

Outrage and confidence was replaced by fear as the soul-screams did not end and the Eldar could feel them themselves and they felt us as well, they felt the joyful bloodlust of my people as Eldar died and as more of them died more of us cheered.

"My father is a very kind man that loves to answer questions, especially those that are easy to answer and as his filial daughter I hope that my answer was sufficiently informative, for I do not wish to disappoint him by being a poor teacher." I said as I gave a slight bow.

'Ah fear, it truly tickles the tongue when it is eldar that feel it.' I thought with a grin.

The Eldar did not seem to agree with me as their fear has obviously taken their minds from them, but they will learn for father is a very eager teacher and I truly wish to emulate him and become as him for he has given me hope and I do so love to share it with others.