Chapter: 555 – An Excellent Pillar

Tala turned on Eskau Meallain after the fox-kin was out of sight, rather displeased with the elf. “What are the chances that we run into the one fox-kin you’ve had bad dealings with?”

The elf sighed. “There is a mis-assumption in your statement, there. I’ve interacted with essentially every fox-kin who has lived near any city I’ve been based out of for the last few thousand years. They are notorious for being… sneaky, and quick talks with various Eskau is a solid means of helping to keep them in line. As to him in particular? The chances are rather high, actually, even if I haven’t heard news of him in centuries. He is widely known in the House Lands as a trickster, though he’s used other names in the past. His aura is unmistakable. Even so, many—myself included—still used to go to him to try to get assistance at great need. His mastery is unparallelled in some fields, and he has ever been more willing to meet with outsiders than most of his kin. Even though he was known to always get the better end of the deals made with him, he was tolerated for uncounted years because he never out-and-out lied that we could find record of… In the end, though, he fled after he crossed one City Lord too many.”

Tala gave her a long look. “And do you know why he’d dislike arcanes, generally?”

Eskau Meallain shrugged. “His actions—and the authorities’ inability to punish him directly—allowed for some very far reaching anti-fox-kin rules to be imposed throughout most of the southern cities. In a sense, his people were exiled at best, hunted for their treasures or harvests at worst.”

That caused Tala’s eyebrows to rise. “And he’s the reason?”

The elf hesitated, then sighed. “That would be going too far. He is definitely one of the reasons, however, maybe even a core one. The fox-kin are notorious for taking from those who are unable to hold wealth or power. They come in and whisper sweet truths even as they scheme to take everything from you.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why is he here?”

Tala shrugged, not really surprised by the other Eskau’s assessment. “I gave him a home, and it is useful to tap into his expertise on occasion.”

The older woman frowned. “Well… if it were up to me, I’d get him out by any means necessary.”

“Well, it isn’t up to you.” Tala’s gaze narrowed. “You knew we were meeting a fox-kin today. Why didn’t you tell me any of this earlier?”

Eskau Meallan shrugged in turn. “I planned on doing so after I met the fox-kin in question. Some few can be useful, especially those who aren’t old enough to have picked up bad habits from their elders. I didn’t wish to speak ill of the creature before I had met him face to face. Unfortunately, this fox-kin is one of the more… problematic ones.”

Tala sighed. Of course, he is…

Eskau Meallain was giving Tala a searching look.

“What?”

“You never do anything as simple as this… It isn’t like you to just invite a being into your hold… What haven’t you told me?”

Tala shrugged, giving a simple smile. “Well, we’ve extended an invitation to any of his kind to make a home within Ironhold, if they so wish. There are things that will be required of them if they accept, but the invitation has been given.”

The elf’s eye twitched. “What.”

“You heard me. Fox-kin are excellent at expanding the dimensionality they have to work with, and their methods don’t seem to disrupt or stretch my authority, unlike absorbing other holds or cells. They are capable of asserting their own authority within Kit as well, so everyone wins. I have much to learn from them, and I can give them a safe haven.” She shrugged. “They are sapient creatures, and if I can provide them with safety and a better life, why wouldn’t I?”

After a long moment, Eskau Meallain shook her head. “You know the saying ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you?’”

Tala frowned at the obviously leading question, but in the end, she decided to bite. “Of course I have.”

“They don’t stop with the hand.”

Tala snorted. “I’m sure you have solid reasons for what you believe, Eskau Meallain, but Lisa has always spoken true to me. He’s kept his word and been helpful on numerous occasions.”

“Of course he has. As I said, he’s never been caught lying. And as to being helpful? He’s setting the hook.”

She’d had enough of this. Without any warning, Tala utterly denied the elf power. She didn’t just prevent her from drawing any more in, she made the idea of power being within the woman forbidden within Kit.

The elf gasped, her entire body stiffening as the magic left her as utterly as it had under the hammer stroke of Reality.

Tala then lifted the woman with a pure act of will, locking her in place, arms and legs spread out to the sides.

The elf’s clothes were undisturbed, as Tala simply controlled her flesh directly. Tala felt the flicker of a concept try to push her away, but without any weight of power behind it, such meant nothing.

“You forget yourself, Eskau. In the House of Blood, we may have the same rank. In advancement, you might be superior to me out there, but in here?” Tala squeezed just a little, causing Eskau Meallain to shudder and gasp. “In here, my will is law. Unless he is a Sovereign in disguise, he is no direct threat. Even so, I am well aware that I do not fully grasp his nature, and I am aware that he has secrets. I am no fool.”

A hand fell on her shoulder, and Tala jerked, finding Rane beside her, a look of concern on his face. “Tala? Let her down. She’s gotten the message.”

Tala looked up to see that Eskau Meallain had mastered herself enough to paint over her features with the expression she always wore in combat, but even so, there was an edge of uncertainty about the elf. Tala growled, and released the thread of her will that had locked the woman down.

The other Eskau dropped to the ground, falling to her knees, barely catching herself on her palm.

Terry flickered over to her from where he’d been observing all the goings on. As the elf lifted her head to meet his gaze, Terry screeched into her face, the sound so deep and resonant it sounded more like the war-horn of a dwarven Sovereign than the cry of a bird. Even so, it carried the unmistakable notes of a predator claiming its own.

Tala moved herself to stand beside Eskau Meallain, towering over her even as she extended a hand.

The woman took the proffered hand uncertainly, even as Tala spoke again. “And never forget, I am not alone. I will hear your advice and respond to anything solid that you bring to me, but I will not react with fear and rashness to rumors and hearsay conveyed by one with a strong bias already in place.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

As the elf stood, she gave a slow nod, already pulling power in once again. “As you say, Eskau Tala.” She regarded the human before her for a long moment before releasing their clasped hands. “You may have been mis-assessed. It’s no wonder Be-thric fell to your hand.”

Terry flickered to Tala’s shoulder, even as Tala sighed, closing her eyes to try to gain patience before she opened them again and asked, “What do you mean by that? How are you planning on twisting this, Eskau?”

The elf gave a wry smile, strained though it clearly was. “You would have made an excellent Pillar, at least in temperament. Obviously, it would never have happened, but you have the fire to have been an excellent one.”

Tala’s face fell into an expression bordering on a glare. “Rust you, Eskau. I’m nothing like Be-thric.”

Eskau Meallain flinched, grimaced, and then nodded. “I meant no such comparison. Though, funnily enough, I would have said that Be-thric was a Pillar who was more suited to being an Eskau, if fate had allowed. I simply meant that you have grown in the other direction, an Eskau who is now more suited to being a Pillar. Funnily enough, that makes you much like Pallaun, if he cared for much beyond time in his own hold.”

Tala grimaced. “Fine. I will… take your words for the compliment that you seemingly intended them to be.”

“As makes sense.” The elf then glanced toward Tala’s shoulder where Terry was perched, still regarding her with predatory intensity.