Madris raised her head, then got up from where she’d been sitting on the floor to ditate. She quickly checked her appearance before passing out of the door of her bedroom. The house was quiet, and her feet barely made any noise on the wooden floors.
“Mistress?” Armin called.
She frowned reflexively. He didn’t call her that often at all, it would have been a bit formal even if they’d been among dark elves, let alone here in Cera. Clearly he was making a point now.
“I’m here,” she said calmly. “I’ll see you in the parlor.”
She hurried and made it to the indicated room just as Armin showed in their guests. Having been able to sense their minds, she wasn’t surprised to see Icnes with a few companions entering.
As Armin showed them in, he lingered in the doorway, cocking his head in a silent question. She nodded and jerked her chin slightly inside the room. He closed the door softly before padding over to stand by the side of her chair. So that was it, he is showing he knows proper manners.
“It is good to see you, Icnes,” Madris greeted her, cocking an eyebrow slightly. “I wasn’t expecting your visit, so excuse the wait, but it is always a pleasure.”
Inces inclined her head. “I apologize for dropping by unannounced, Madris.” Her gaze moved to the lone human in the room. “It is also a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Armin.”
“I am not a knight,” he replied amusedly. “But the sentint is returned, Mistress Oliren.”
“Thank you. You’re certainly very polite.” She turned to face Madris again. “How did you et each other, Madris?”
“Oh, we’ve known each other for quite so ti,” she answered, avoiding specifics and leaving the unsaid ‘how did you co to adopt him into your house?’ unanswered.
Madris wished she had sothing to occupy her hands with, even a wineglass would do. Instead she just pretended to be interested in the decorations of the room, even if the tapestry hanging on the opposite wall and depicting a hunting scene was rather boring. Regina had offered her to stay in the palace, hopefully with Kiara’s permission, but she’d declined. She preferred to have her own space. So instead, Madris had bought a small house. At least small compared to most of the noble townhouses in the city, it was still decently large. She’d been living among humans for a while now and consistently earned more than she spent, so she had the money for it. Although she still wasn’t entirely sure what had even possessed her to want to buy a house in Cera.
“Then you must have seen him grow up, considering human lifespans, how exciting.”
Madris raised her head and finally locked eyes with Icnes, giving her an unimpressed look. She knew the other woman wasn’t a xenophobe or prejudiced. She was also too socially savvy to say sothing borderline offensive by accident. That ant that she was just trying to push her buttons, presumably.
It almost made her nostalgic to see this side of Icnes. The other girl had always been nice and personable when she wanted to be, which was most of the ti. She really was a diplomat at heart. But she also sotis liked to prod at people, to rile them up or watch their reactions.
“Indeed,” she said drily, deciding not to engage.
“We first t when I was around ten, I recall,” Armin said. When she looked at him, he caught her gaze and gave her a ‘What?’ look.
Madris shrugged slightly. “You already knew you wanted to beco a Delver, as I recall,” she reminisced.
“Kids at that age always want to take after their parents,” he replied with a smile, “and you know what my dad was like.”
Madris smiled as well. “Yes, I did.” Of course she knew his father. He had been not just a valued party mber, but actually the first one she had adopted into House ‘a joke and a bit of paperwork’ Ulaven. Of course, that was sothing she didn’t necessarily want to reveal to Icnes if it didn’t need to co up.
“But you didn’t co here to hear us reminisce about childhood stories,” she said, turning to her visitor. Then she flicked her gaze across the two other dark elves accompanying her, who’d taken positions behind Inces’ chair and stayed silent so far. She didn’t recognize them, although the System gave their nas as both being from houses she knew had been allied with House Oliren and probably still were. Neither of them was above level 50, so she could dismiss them as threats.
“True, although perhaps I could share so stories about a younger Madris,” Icnes agreed with a playful smile. Then her expression turned more serious and she sat up a bit straighter. “I originally ca to talk to you about the Delvers. I wanted to ask your opinions.”
“You couldn’t have given notice beforehand?” she grumbled. “What if I was out?”
“I was afraid you would be out if I told you I was coming,” Icnes said calmly. “You have been avoiding , Madris.”
Madris bristled slightly, but quickly let go of the irritation. After all, Icnes wasn’t wrong. “I simply didn’t see much reason to go wherever you’ve been mingling,” she said. “Besides, I was busy.”
Icnes gave her an unimpressed look. “And you couldn’t have t with to catch up on old tis at so point? It’s been months, Madris.”
Madris sighed. Usually she would have slumped into her chair, but seeing Icnes brought back mories and she found herself automatically holding a straight, proper and confident posture. “Fine,” she said. “I apologize. After how we last parted, I wasn’t sure you wanted to see much of .” Or that it would be a good idea.
“Of course I wanted to see you, sister,” Icnes said, her tone going a bit softer, her fingers tightening in her lap.
Madris looked down for a mont. Forr sister, not yours anymore, she’d told herself that so many tis that hearing the word from Icnes now was jarring.
“Alright,” she said, her gaze rising to et Icnes’ again. When she did, the other woman raised her right eyebrow slightly, jerking her head to the side minutely and then stared straight into her eyes.
Of course Madris recognized what she wanted. And so, she quickly reached out and ford a light ntal connection to press up against Icnes’ ntal shields, which she lowered enough to allow the bridge. Apparently, she would rather talk in private and didn’t trust, or at least didn’t want her companions to overhear the exchange.
If I recall, you said you never wanted to see again, Madris said bluntly. I disappointed you quite a bit.
Icnes sighed without showing any sign of it on her face. Emotions were high, and I think we both said things we regret. Or didn’t you call a coward?
Madris suppressed a grimace. I did, and I do regret that. I know you didn’t understand my decisions, but I should not have begrudged yours. You built a life for yourself in the Eternal Dark — and outside. I can see that.
I did, Icnes replied with a bit of satisfaction in her ntal voice. But it seems you did well for yourself, too.
I don’t regret leaving, Madris agreed. But it seems like you got quite a sweet deal, as my student might say. You keep a ho in the underground and still manage to travel quite a lot on the surface.
Not as freely as you, I imagine. I still have to go where I am sent and defend our interests. That said, I do like my job.
Madris smiled at her, ignoring the slightly questioning look from Armin at their apparent silence. He could probably guess what was happening, anyway. She’d expected more recriminations in their private chat, but it looked like both of them wanted to get over their issues and talk again.
Not that there weren’t still issues, of course. Madris had been young, restless and disappointed. Icnes’ refusal to even consider going with her, her calling Madris reckless and ungrateful, had stung. She’d argued that she could protect Icnes, but that really hadn’t been the issue. With so distance and perhaps a bit more maturity, she could see her expectations had been unrealistic. Not that she would ever quite agree with her stance on politics, she suspected.
Then we’re good? she asked.
Icnes smiled a little as well. We are, she said. Then she broke eye contact at last, glancing at her companions, who remained stoically silent, and back at her. I was disappointed, she admitted. From what Madris could sense through their tentative ntal connection, she had probably considered this for a long ti. You could have been a real force for change in the Eternal Dark, she said, her ntal voice deliberately soft. A unifying force, even, perhaps. Like your student here. And instead you left. You left . Icnes remained silent for a mont, then lowered her shields a bit more to let Madris a bit further inside.
She projected so reassurance and understanding, and in return briefly basked in the warmth Icnes showed her.
You might overestimate , she said. Perhaps I could have done sothing, or perhaps I would have ended up shanked in a side tunnel a few years in. They ca close a few tis. And even if I’d stayed … a single person can only do so much, Icnes, that’s sothing I’ve co to realize. The key would be in changing minds and hearts, but not with psychic abilities. I’m not sure I am up for that. And I already lost my entire house, sister. I understand what you an, truly I do, but … I didn’t feel obligated to give the Eternal Dark more than I already had. I still don’t.
That’s fair, Icnes replied with a ntal sigh. You have to live for yourself. I understand now. I was young and impulsive, too, even if I didn’t think I was.
You’re still young, Madris teased her. And probably impulsive.
Very funny, Icnes grumbled back. It’s not like you didn’t co here on a whim.
Madris let that accusation pass without comnt. You did co here to talk about sothing else, too, though, she pointed out. Perhaps we should move this conversation to the physical world. I’d love to talk to you again soon, though. Maybe you can visit tomorrow?
I’d love to, she smiled ntally, then seamlessly continued out loud, “I assu you have kept in touch with the other Delvers?”
“I did,” Madris agreed, pleased that Icnes was acknowledging her decision with that choice of words. “More Delvers are coming to Cera, as I’m sure you noticed. So of them even from further afield than expected.”
She gave Armin a ntal nudge, so he finally sat down in a chair beside her. As if they were waiting for that signal, Icnes’ companions visibly relaxed and, after exchanging a short glance with her, sat down as well.
“So I’ve heard,” Icnes agreed. “Even your enemies, aren’t they?”
Armin snorted lightly. “There may be political tension between the Esen and the Empire, but that doesn’t make the local Delvers our enemies, Mistress Oliren.”
Icnes inclined her head, wordlessly conceding the point. “Does that an they were representative of their local chapter?”
Madris considered for a mont how much to tell her. But she did trust Icnes, and she also didn’t think she was her only contact among the Delvers. She would hear these details soon enough, most likely.
"So factions of it,” she said. “Unfortunately, the order in Esen and its neighboring lands is quite divided. They are uncertain what to do about Regina and the actions of the Delvers in Cernlia and Nerlia. So of them believe us, so think we’re lying about her identity and what it ans.”
“And so just want to find out more information before they decide,” Armin added.
Madris inclined her head. “True. That is why Gwen and her compatriots are showing them around.”
“I see.” Icnes frowned lightly. “But if there is such a shift, wouldn’t the more reticent Esen Delvers be an issue? I know the order is generally disinclined to get involved in politics or push nationalist agendas, but surely so of them feel more connection to their holand?”
Madris shook her head. “Perhaps in a more secular country, but Esen is not one that fosters loyalty in Delvers,” she responded, trying to put it diplomatically rather than simply say Icnes didn’t know enough. “I doubt it will be a problem. Even if so of them are skeptical, it would take imnse pressure for them to fight against us alongside the Esen army when they know they would face other Delvers.”
“I understand,” Icnes nodded. “I have been told that the Esen are rather religious, and their political system seems to place value on it. Thank you for answering my concerns.”
“Anyti, sister.”
The conversation was calr and more llow after that, since Icnes had clearly got the information she had co for. Madris found it a bit hard to pay attention to the niceties exchanged, as her mind kept circling back to the psychic conversation they’d just had.
Not that they only spoke about aningless matters, of course. They also took the chance to catch up on information from ho. The Delver chapter Armin — and Madris herself, she supposed — ca from and her ho in the Eternal Dark were considerably closer together than either were to the Empire.
“I could arrange to have ssages carried ho for you,” Madris finally offered. “We do have so contact with the chapterhouse, it wouldn’t be too difficult to arrange for a ssage to be passed to the dark elves. There is at least one ongoing cooperation, as I recall.”
Icnes smiled gratefully. “I would appreciate that, sister. I have a few ideas of my own on how to establish more convenient lines of communication. But we should speak more of that tomorrow. It is getting late and I have already occupied enough of your ti without invitation.”
Madris wanted to protest, but honestly, she would feel better talking to Icnes in private and she did have a eting planned for later that evening. She she only smiled, agreed and stood up to escort her visitors to the door.
Their goodbyes were brief, thankfully. Inces caught her gaze again and gave her a warm smile, which Madris returned automatically. Before she could second-guess the impulse, she laid a hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. Then the other dark elves turned to leave.
Madris exhaled and retreated back inside the house with Armin. She paused and considered him briefly. Perhaps I could … but no, that’s too rash, I should just talk to Icnes.
“So,” Armin drew out the word, “I presu she is the half-sister you ntioned, then?”
Madris cleared her throat. “I didn’t ntion Icnes’ na previously?”
“Not that I rember.” He shook his head. “It’s good you at least talked to her. If you’re sisters … well, family is important.”
“We’re barely considered family,” she reminded him. “I know I told you about dark elves’ social costums. We are matriarchal, and Icnes and I only share a father. That’s worth much less than children born from the sa mother.”
He regarded her thoughtfully. “She’s still your only family.”
“Yes. By blood, anyway.” Madris sighed, staying silent for a minute as they walked back inside the house. “In hindsight, losing my father to House Oliren might have marked the start of the downfall of my house, not that I knew it at the ti. Obviously. I was just a child. Later, I resented him for it at tis.”
“But not her?”
“No, never Icnes.” She smiled fondly, choosing to focus on the nostalgia.
“I can understand why you did. It must have put your family in an awkward position. He wasn’t … stolen, was he?”
“No, only taphorically.” Madris laughed again, and this ti she couldn’t quite keep the bitterness out of it. “He chose to go. There were so hurt feelings at first, but the houses ca to a settlent.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have resented it. I knew my mother didn’t treat him all that well, I should have simply been happy that he was happier with them.”
“You were just a kid.” Armin shrugged. “And it gave you a place to go, didn’t it?”
“I suppose. It brought closer to Icnes. Even if it was brief, until I ruined things.”
“Your relationship didn’t look ruined to ,” Armin pointed out, nudging her shoulder.
Madris smiled again and dodged around him. “Thank you. Let’s hope we can repair what is damaged. If the Delvers, the Empire and perhaps the dark elves all find themselves drifting closer, it may yet be important.”
Armin looked at her steadily. “We should resu our language lessons.”
“If you like, Armin.” She turned and grabbed her coat telekinetically. “Now if you’ll excuse , I should get going.”
Although she knew her full attention wouldn’t be on her engagents tonight.
User Comments
0 comments from readers