Victor of Tucson

14 – A Lovely Day

For the next few days, Victor mostly kept to himself. Not entirely, though; one morning, he visited Trobban again and reclaimed the Energy Hearts that the Artificer hadn’t needed for Arona’s ritual. They were all rare attunements—void, healing, mind, and metal—and Victor knew he could trade them for what he sought. He gave the job to Bryn, and it only took her a single day to teleport to the capital city, Gloria, and barter on the auction house to get Victor a heart attuned to blue ice.

He’d given her permission to trade aggressively, wanting to get the job done, so he wasn’t surprised or upset to find she’d traded away two hearts for his one new one: healing and mind. When trading for rare Energies, one must be prepared to make sacrifices. So, with his heart of blue ice and the one attuned to magma that Dar had given him, he’d embarked on a new project—a cultivation chamber designed to focus Energy into his Breath Core.

His chambers atop the largest, tallest tower of his palace were extensive, including a workshop and two storage rooms beyond his small library and study. Combined, the three chambers took up a third of the tower’s top level, and, considering his lack of interest in crafting, he felt it was a bit much; he hadn’t set foot in the workshop since he’d first toured the tower. So, Victor brought in a palace work crew, and he had them redesign the space.

He walked the crew through his plan: he wanted to add a wall, effectively cutting the workshop in half and leaving one storage room available to it. The wall would be built from sturdy stone blocks, and in its center, the crew would leave a round doorway designed to fit a vault-style door that Victor would commission from an artisan in the city. On the other side of the wall, the crew was to remove the wall that separated the other storage room from the remainder of the workshop space, and then, to the foreman’s delight, they would remove most of the ceiling.

Inside that ample, open space, the work crew would build a perfectly round chamber constructed from stone molded and made smooth by an Earth Elementalist employed by Iron Mountain. Because of its curved walls and ceiling that rose above the tower’s roofline, some void would be created at the corners, and Victor wanted them filled with stone as well; the chamber had to be sturdy because the interior would be lined with amber ore.

Even to a duke with the wealth of a duchy like Iron Mountain behind him, so much amber ore would have been a prohibitive expense, but Victor had a plan for that. He established a new mining company and gave it the exclusive right to plumb the ore from the enormous wall that the ancient King of Iron Mountain had built to keep interlopers away from the Crucible of Fire. After all, it was no longer needed; the dungeon no longer existed on Ruhn but sat within the vault hanging from Victor’s neck.

So, with things in motion and crews hard at work, Victor happened to be strolling through the palace a few days later when a young page found him and asked if he’d make time to visit with the queen. He’d just received a missive from Trobban—the ritual was ready, and he was embarking on Victor’s mandated two days of rest. Victor had intended to visit with Arona or, more precisely, to see if she was available for a visit, but he looked at the page and nodded. “I’ll go now. Lead the way, young lady.”

The page, probably only twelve years old or so, blushed crimson and attempted a smart salute, fumbling the timing of her heel click. She looked mortified, but Victor just smiled and motioned for her to proceed. She turned and double-timed it, her little legs struggling to keep ahead of Victor’s relaxed stride. He wondered what conquered noble’s child she was. And decided he didn’t have to wonder. “What’s your name, page?”

“Bordany? What nation?”

“Bandia, milord. It's just a province now, however. I am a proud citizen of Gloria.”

“Ah, Bandia.” Victor nodded, rubbing his chin as they walked. He had more questions but feared he might make the girl uncomfortable. For all he knew, she’d lost family members in the transition of power. He hadn’t gotten the details from Kynna about which relatives of Bandia’s ruling house would be banished. So, he pushed his curiosity aside and walked in silence, nodding to the many nobles, retainers, staff, and soldiers they passed along the way.

Kynna was, once again, in the parlor that opened onto the garden, or so her guards assured him. However, when he entered, he found the parlor empty, and the garden doors opened wide, letting in a cool breeze. Frowning, wondering if some coup was about to be sprung, Victor summoned Lifedrinker and, with her held ready, stepped outside into the early afternoon sunlight. To his relief, Kynna greeted him with a smile, standing not far away, leaning close to a row of flowering hedges.

“My Queen.”

“Victor—” Her smile widened, taking in his axe. “—did you fear for my safety?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you were threatened, and, as you know, the great houses aren’t too happy with you or me.”

“No, you’re quite correct. My Queensguards are stationed nearby, but I feel safer here in Iron Mountain. Your palace is nicely situated outside the city, and we’ve got the portal chamber well-regulated. I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly, or I would have prepared some refreshments.”

Victor smiled, sending Lifedrinker back to her container. Kynna’s tone had certainly changed in the days since their last meeting. He’d regretted his coldness and abrupt departure, but only a little. He was tired of the queen’s doubts and irritated that she’d effectively put the succession war firmly on his shoulders. He’d counted on her ambition and willingness to move forward; with her as a partner, he could allay some guilt, but now… Now, he had to come to grips with the fact that everything that occurred moving forward was all on him.

“I’m sorry about how things went in our last meeting, Victor. I won’t dwell on it, but I just want to say a few words if you will allow it. I’d like you to understand me a little better, and I’d like to show that I understand you. Will you listen?”

Victor moved further into the sunlight, folding his arms over his chest as he regarded her. She was, as always, dressed in a fine gown, though this one was more sheer than usual, and its pale green material was shot through with silver embroidery that reflected the sun’s light. Of course, her crown did the same, making her seem almost ethereal as she stood there beside the flowers. “I’m happy to listen, Your Majest—”

“First, will you please stop that? You know I prefer you to be informal when we’re alone.”

Victor nodded. “Of course, Kynna.”

She moved a little closer, and when they were just a yard or so apart, she began to speak. Her voice was soft at first, unsure, but her words picked up steam as she made her points. “I understand ambition. I had an older brother; did you know that?” She didn’t wait for Victor to answer. “He was meant to be king, and my father pushed him to be great long before he was ready to give up the throne.

“My brother worked so hard, Victor! He fought in wars on other worlds, traveled to attempt challenges and dungeons, and even served as my father’s champion for a short while. He was nearly out of the iron ranks when he died. He was alone on a distant world, consumed by a great behemoth. An ignoble end with nothing left behind for his troubles, not even a body to send home.”

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She clicked her tongue and looked toward the sun, shielding her eyes as though trying to see something in the clear blue sky. “I was never so ambitious. When the weight of rule fell on me, I depended greatly on Galentine, Tomorran’s father. When he left, it wasn’t long before I found Gloria surrounded, besieged by Xan and Frostmarch. The truth is, I’ve never sought great power. I doubted I’d ever become a steel seeker. Why would I when the next step would take me from this world?

“Of course, that didn’t mean I wanted to die or lose the kingdom. Ranish Dar wasn’t the first person I went to for help. He’s not the only member of our family who has left this world for one reason or another. I sent out dozens of pleas for aid. None were answered. How little we must mean to those people, I thought. Or, I supposed, perhaps it was only me. I wasn’t significant enough to trouble the great members of my kin. It was in desperation that I sent my request to Ranish Dar. I had little hope of a response.

“Are you aware he didn’t respond immediately? It was years before, out of the blue, I received his reply and his intention to send a disciple—an iron ranker who would serve as my champion and free Gloria from her troubles.” Kynna tentatively stretched out a hand and rested her cool fingers on Victor’s crossed forearm. “I could scarcely believe it when I set my eyes on you the first time. I didn’t think you could possibly do what Dar sent you to accomplish.”

She let her fingers drop, shaking her head and chuckling softly. Victor wanted to say something, but she didn’t wait before continuing, “Your victories, one after another, were hard to fathom. When you told me of Dar’s desire for our house to rule this world, you know I was reluctant. I was fearful. I still am. You saw the trouble Gloria was in when you arrived; I am unfamiliar with the mindset of the truly ambitious. I failed one negotiation after another over the course of years to bring our nation to that lowly state. Of course, the decline had begun long before I was queen, but that doesn’t…”

When she trailed off, Victor seized the opportunity to get a word in. “Kynna, I know all that. Well, most of it. I don’t blame you for—”

“Let me get this out, Victor. Please.” She looked up at him again, the fire in her eyes very dim in the sun's bright light. “I fear for myself, my family, the future of our nation. I fear my ancestor and what he’ll do if I refuse. I fear you. I fear our enemies and—” She took a deep, shaky inhalation. “—I fear what will happen if you die or, more bitingly, what will happen if you win. Victor, I barely believe I can be the queen of a small nation. Now, I’m struggling to believe I am the most powerful ruler on this continent. Here I am, hiding in your palace to avoid the drama and in-fighting at my court. How can I possibly be an empress? How can I rule an entire planet?”

At first, Victor felt angry at her words. Was she trying another tactic to get him to back down? However, the more he thought about it, the more he began to understand her. She was trying to confess to him that it wasn’t doubt in him that was terrifying her anymore; it was her burgeoning belief that he might actually pull the whole thing off. “You doubt yourself?” He unfolded his arms and took hold of her shoulders. “That’s fine, Kynna!”

“It’s not—”

“No, it’s my turn. Listen.” Victor took a deep breath, nodding as he gathered his words. “You’re not ambitious. You weren’t raised to rule. You’re fearful.” He saw moisture building in her eyes and smiled. “I’m not insulting you, Kynna. I’m describing you. You have virtues, too, chief among them being the love you engender from your people—they’re devoted to you. You know that, right? So you’re not a great conqueror, not in the traditional sense, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a great ruler. You’ll manage a small nation or a great empire the same way—with love, empathy, and a desire for every person in your care to be happy. That’s more than most ambitious, cut-throat conquerors can boast.

“Of course, your nature left you open to trouble. You allowed people to take advantage of you, and you would have backed off this campaign and been content with too little. That’s why you have to be wise and surround yourself with people you trust, people with the qualities you lack. Right now, that’s me. I know about pushing an advantage. I know when to recognize that mercy isn’t the right choice. I know you’ve already shown yourself to be a threat to the great houses, and, Kynna, they aren’t like you. They won’t let a threat fester.

“So, we need to clear the table. We need to put you in charge, and you need to fill this empire with kings and queens who are loyal to you. I’ll help you get there, but you’re going to have to keep what I earn. You should be spending the time between now and the day you ascend the final throne building up a close inner circle of people you can trust. People with the qualities you lack. Let them help you keep the empire. House Khaliday has been in power how long?”

“Eleven centuries.”

“A long time, in my opinion. Do people love the Emperor?”

Kynna shook her head, her voice small as she replied, “No.”

“Well, they’re going to love you. I’ll write to Ranish Dar and let him know that he needs to find you a strategist—an advisor, someone you can trust and who will help you control the other monarchs. I’m not an expert at diplomacy, but even I know that when you rely on ambitious people, that very ambition can lead to your downfall. You’ll need someone crafty to help you keep control. You’re the kind heart; someone else must be your iron fist.”

Kynna reached up, resting a palm on Victor’s knuckles where he gripped her shoulder. “What’s wrong with this fist?”

Victor smiled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kynna. I think you’re wonderful, and I’ve come to truly care about this world. I have other ambitions, though. I didn’t come here with any intent to stay.”

She inhaled deeply through her nose and then sighed out the breath. “I know. I know, but I hate it.” They stared at each other for a few moments, and then she asked, “Will he listen to you?”

“Ranish Dar?” When she nodded, he answered, “I think so. He has thousands of iron-rankers vying for his attention—people dreaming of being his students. I’m sure among them are a few crafty strategists. Let them earn his tutelage by helping you.”

She sniffed and let go of Victor’s hand. She gently brushed away a small tear that had leaked from the corner of her crystalline eye, and, at that moment, Victor wanted very badly to hug her. He knew better, though; the gesture would do too much to encourage her burgeoning affection for him, and he didn’t want to lead her on. “I feel better.” Again, she sighed heavily. “Much, much better. Thank you for helping to clear the air between us. Thank you for giving me hope that I won’t fail as a ruler. I don’t want to feel too hopeful, but I find it difficult not to trust your word by now. If you think my ancestor will send me advisors, I will try to believe.”

“Thank you for being so open, Kynna—for sharing your fears. There’s nothing shameful in that, you know? I’ve had to battle my fears for my entire life.”

Kynna chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s hard for me to believe. Thank you for saying so, Victor. There were other reasons I asked you to come here, chief among them being to tell you that I’ve accepted Rogan Bayle’s challenge. We’ll discuss terms in three days, and if things go well, you will fight Loss Chenasta the following morning at dawn.”

Victor nodded, pressing his lips together. “Four days. All right.”

“I also have a gift for you.” She reached into the neckline of her dress and lifted out a silver chain, from which dangled a large, ornate, platinum-colored ring. It was made for a much larger finger than Kynna’s, and as she pulled the chain over her head, he saw that it was set with a beautiful gemstone that shimmered between amber and ruby hues. “This is a very durable and capacious dimensional storage container. I’ve been assured that it can hold the equivalent of ninety thousand tons. Moreover, it’s been designed to allow Energy to stream in and out; conscious items will not suffer within.”

“Wow,” Victor said, opening his hand so Kynna could place the ring in his palm. It was heavy and cold. He wore many rings these days, but he had room in his right pointer finger and slid the new ring onto it. “I need to get rid of some of these old rings. I’ll confess to being a bit of a hoarder.”

Kynna chuckled. “It’s easy to do when you don’t have to see the contents! When I was a child, my governess would make me sort my storage devices twice a month.”

Victor flexed his fist, nodding. “Thank you, Kynna.”

“You’re welcome. I sent an emissary to Sojourn to buy that at their auction house. We couldn’t find a suitable one locally. I’m not complaining; you’ve more than earned it. In fact, I know I owe you more growth items per our arrangement with Ranish Dar. However, it isn’t easy to find items that will appropriately affect you. I don’t know your exact level, but growth items for iron rankers near the peak are few and far between. Moreover, I have it on good authority that your bloodline is within the epic tier, and epic-level racial advancements are even harder to come by.”

“I trust you, Kynna.” Victor smiled and nudged her shoulder. “See what I mean? People believe in you, even me. I know you won’t hold out on me. Just let me know when you find something.”

“I will, Victor.” She nodded toward the garden path. “It’s such a beautiful day, and I feel more at peace in my heart than I have for months. Will you walk with me?”

“Yeah.” Victor crooked his elbow so she could take it with her hand. “I’d like that. Let’s enjoy the day.” He’d almost said, “Let’s enjoy the calm before the storm,” but aside from it being too cliché, he didn’t want to throw a dark cloud over Kynna’s good mood. So, feeling better about things and glad to know the fate of the world wasn’t solely on his shoulders, Victor walked Kynna through the garden, enjoying the scent of the blooming flowers, the trilling tunes of songbirds, and the soul-warming rays of the sun.