Chapter: 676 – Waking, Sparring, Balance

Tala’s eyes snapped open, her mind fully awake at the barest hint of light on the horizon, radiating through the windows into their room

Rane was asleep beside her, curled around her and holding her close even in unconsciousness.

With a minor flex of her will, she was standing beside the bed, a pillow moved into her place. Even so, Rane clearly noticed something as he contracted inward, squeezing the pillow close and rolling over, carrying the bedding with him.

Tala felt the smile on her face as she regarded her husband for a long moment. Then, she sighed and willed herself away.

Did we ever get a schedule, Alat?

-Oh, good morning, Tala. Yes, it’s lovely to encounter you this day. No, I did not sleep, let alone well, but that’s alright. Did you sleep well?-

Tala raised an eyebrow at the alternate interface, willing her food to appear on the table before her. Are you feeling a bit grumpy?

-Not in the least, but we so rarely exchange pleasantries.-

…Do you want us to?

-No, of course not. That would be a waste of time.-

As opposed to this conversation… Tala looked around, her empty dining room, her eyes lingering on the cold kitchen for a moment. How many mornings had she come for breakfast only to find Mistress Petra finishing up, bustling about, happy and ready to chat for a bit.

Sure, that meant that breakfast wasn’t quite ready, and Tala had to wait. This new way was unquestionably more efficient, but… she missed the Fused.

Alat obviously knew Tala’s thoughts and interjected. -They’re doing well.-

I know. I’ve read the messages, and we respond together. They’re getting time with their grandchildren and youngest kids… Tala felt a sad smile pull at her lips.

-Yeah, I miss them too. This is more efficient, but it isn’t better…-

But I don’t think requiring Kedva to be here would be the solution.

-Oh, of course not. Right now, she’s making food for her own family. She treasures her time with them, and I imagine she’d choose to not work for us if we put that requirement on her. She’s not really fully a Talon, but she has that training and those few duties to work around as well. It is only her ability to fit in cooking in massive batches with her assistants that allows her to do it at all.-

I know… Tala’s eyes lingered on the dark kitchen before she sighed and turned the other way. We could get an arcane cook.

-Oh, yeah, that would be trivial, but do you actually want that?-

…Not really? I mean, I’m not against it on the face of things, but I’m not looking to increase the number of people around just to have more people around. We’re going to have enough people around soon enough, regardless.

-True enough.-

The meal she chose was a fine-ground wheat, cooked with milk and seasonings until it was thick before sugar and cream were added. As usual, basically every ingredient was suffused with magics mirroring her own.

In one sense, it was an incredibly simple meal, but Tala enjoyed it. She’d eaten the mundane version numerous times growing up, and she’d even made it for her siblings quite often when she was in charge of breakfast. -They’re doing well too. Fewer messages over time, but that’s to be expected. Their lives are filling up, and we aren’t really in them.-

Yeah… She actually felt bad that she was more saddened by Mistress Petra’s absence than by the fact that she hadn’t seen her siblings in a while.

Her eyes drifted to the image, prominent upon her dining room wall. It had been given to her and Rane as a wedding present from her family. Within it was set the aura of each family member, and they had kept it current, adding each new member whether through birth or marriage.

In this way, she had a piece of her family with her, and she always would, but she was not with them… Honestly, Tala didn’t know if she longed for the people or the memory more. Like with Mistress Petra, she didn’t actually wish the woman could be pulled away from her life just to be with Tala in her sanctum once more, but she still missed her. She missed them.

And now, some of the people were only in the image, and the Path of Remembrance. Her eyes rested on Illie then her father before drifting to others, taking some comfort in the sight and feel of them, if nothing else.

Alat was patient as Tala contemplated, only interjecting once more when Tala turned her attention from the image and back to view through the dining room windows.

-But to answer your original question, about our schedule today, we have audiences for the various diplomatic groups starting just after lunch. Head Corinis has requested you join him for lunch to discuss various matters before you both attend to those meetings, and we have nothing else on the docket until then.-

Tala nodded, enjoying the sweet, simple fare. “I think I have an idea, then.”

-Oh? That’s a fun plan. Yeah, I can send messages to see about availability. Eskau Reidh should be up for a spar, and if Eskau De-arg is around, morning tea sounds like just the thing.-

Thank you, Alat.

-You are most welcome.-

Tala pulled a mug of coffee to her hand as she watched the sun rise over her sanctum, opting for the warmth and comfort in her hands over the efficiency of willing the liquid directly into her mouth.

Sometimes efficiency was not the most important factor.

Sometimes inefficiency was paramount.

* * *

Tala stood in full armor, Flow manifested as a sword in her right hand, a white steel shield on her left arm, with a grid of reality iron woven through, just like she did with her armor.

Before her stood Eskau Reidh, left arm glistening with a coating of liquid blood. The vestige somehow within the liquid—tied to magics that tapped into aspects of the blood—was the most obvious thing that stood out.

Closer inspection however revealed just how much the blood was being treated as the primary portion of the union. Her curiosity got the better of her. “What is that blood from?”

Eskau Reidh chuckled. “You know, among those in the upper reaches, that question is considered a bit of a gateway, a proof that you are truly paying attention to what is around you. What made you ask?”

“It has inherent magic. Not natural magic, the spellforms aren’t in reality around it. The blood itself seems to have spellforms within it by its very nature. It’s clearly a harvest of somekind.”

He nodded. “Well observed.” He hesitated. “Are you asking for yourself, personally, or as the Eskau of War?”

Tala considered. “Does it directly affect your combat abilities?”

The dragonling sighed. “Yes…”

“Then, I suppose I must ask as the Eskau of War.”

He gave a small smile and nodded again. “It is dragon blood.”

She blinked a few times. “What now?”

He gave a sharp-toothed grin. “Dragon blood. As part of my maturation, I traveled to the hoard-lands, deep within the Doman-Imithe. I distinguished myself among those who survived in that cycle, and I was granted a boon.”

Tala lifted up her hands, forestalling him. “Wait, wait. There is so much in that which I don’t understand.”

He shrugged. “That does not affect my ability to fight.”

She huffed a laugh before sighing in turn. “Very well. Continued.”

He shrugged. “So, as a boon, I asked for a jug of blood. I was initially refused, but when I showed that I had brought the jug along?”

He chuckled, and Tala frowned, considering. “You’d planned on it from the beginning.”

“Exactly. I came in, knowing I would earn a boon and planning on asking for exactly that. The sheer arrogance and greed amused the Great One, and so, she consented.” He shook his head. “Nearly killed me to get it back. Turns out her refusal had at least partially been an attempt at kindness, protecting me from the folly of youth.”

Tala nodded slowly. “Something that magical? In the Doman-Imithe? It must have drawn every sort of thing the Doman-Imithe had to throw at you.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Indeed. She twisted the rules to drop me off a mere hundred yards from the exit.” He shook his head slowly. “It took me a year to finally make it out.”

She arched an eyebrow. “A year? Come now, Eskau Reidh. How could you sleep? What would you eat?”

He shrugged. “I’ve no need to convince you. I’ve lived a long time, and no clutchling since has returned with such a prize. I’ve no need to lie to you nor any care whether you believe me or not.”

She grunted. “Fine.” Tala bounced on her toes a few times. After some thought, she realized that she had no further questions that were likely to be answered. “Then, are you ready?”

“Unless the esteemed Eskau of War has any further questions?” There was a twinkle in his eyes.

“No. That is sufficient, thank you.”

He nodded, raising his left hand and turning to stand in alignment with that arm, his body protected behind the protian weapon. “Close range combat only?”

She nodded. “That should do well as the only limiter.”

“Understood, Eskau.” He gave a head bow of genuine respect, then met her gaze again. “At your signal.”

She smiled and spoke without delay. “Begin.”

Tala lunged forward with a straight thrust, shield held perfectly positioned to cover the majority of her body, despite the fact that her armor rendered that redundant.

Eskau Reidh pushed slightly with one foot, sliding across the ground far further and faster than he should have been able to, easily moving out of the way of her thrust.

Tala turned the blade mid-motion, swiping sideways.

He ducked below the strike, spinning, and punching her shield with his unarmed hand.

The blow itself wasn’t that powerful, but it carried with it magic that rippled across the outside of her body, not trying to subvert her authority over herself, while changing something in the air around her and the ground below her all the same.

It was over and done so quickly that her power and authority didn’t really react in time. It wasn’t a question of power, simply one of precision. On an aura and authoritative level she’d been guarding against a slash to her head, and he’d stabbed her cloak instead.