Chapter: 685 – Blood and Iron

Tala felt a bit nervous, if she were being honest. She was always hesitant to have new people in her sanctum, and even letting people into Ironhold had become something she was hesitant to allow.

She really needed to get over that.

After all, the researchers were well ensconced within her sanctum, and Alat said that they were doing just fine, learning what projects she had for them and beginning to catch up on the appropriate materials.

That had actually been a long project, if what Alat conveyed was accurate. The alternate interface had worked closely with their human assistants to decide what information should be provided for context and expediency, and what should be held back for a time to prevent drawing the new researchers into ruts and fallacies that they, themselves, had fallen into.

As should be expected, it had been quite difficult to try to guess where they might be mistaken, as if they knew they were, they would obviously change their approach.

In the end, they came at the problem from the other end, deciding to only provide the minimal information for each project that could be reasonably expected to make the researchers able to proceed. It would slow things down at first, but it should result in a better end result in each case, and faster achievement of workable results over all.

Regardless, that branch of things was progressing, and while Tala would be checking in on things soon enough, her focus was on something else.

On another group of people who were to be allowed within.

Specifically, she stood in the entrance to the House of Blood’s hold in Croi, merchants from Ironhold and guards from the House of Blood giving her and those with her wide berth.

As to who was with her? Twenty Eskau and Pillars of the House of Blood—including the entire council that had confirmed her elevation to Eskau of War, joined by Eskau De-arg—and five sets of Eskau and Pillars from the House of Iron.

Word had obviously spread of the House of Iron’s new stance toward the House of Blood—in particular regarding their Eskau of War—but the House of Blood guards still gave the group composed of the previously ‘other’ House’s more powerful warriors nervous glances. It was likely only the presence of more than double their number from the House of Blood—if just barely—that kept that nervousness from spilling over into unwise action.

Tala’s mind was wandering a bit because she really didn’t want to deal with the House of Iron’s reaction to her. Specifically, the Pillars were all on their knees, hands and foreheads to the floor, the Eskau standing over them defensively, while somehow seeming to show a desire to abase themselves right alongside their Pillars.

“Please… rise.” She kept the pleading out of her tone, managing to make it a polite command and nothing else.

“Yes, Iron Matriarch.” The Pillars snapped as one, rising in a controlled rush.

After The House of Iron emissary had returned to his House with confirmation of Tala’s… nature, word had apparently been sent out through the House’s various information networks, and all who could be spared from among the upper echelon had rushed toward Croi.

This wasn’t even the totality of those coming, simply those who were close enough or fast enough—or both—to have gotten to Croi in less than two days.

Tala hadn’t had the heart to deny them when they showed up early that morning. After all, she’d been planning on giving the House of Blood Eskau and Pillars an… introduction to Ironhold, why not include the House of Iron?

This. This is why.

-Oh, it’s fine. They just realize how awesome we are.-

Tala sent Alat an unamused look.

-Wow, you are really not feeling it of late.-

I don’t want to be revered…

-Of course not.- Tala braced, somehow knowing that Alat wasn’t done. -You want to be Hallowed.-

She groaned internally. I walked into that one.

-That you did! Now, go get ‘em. They’re ready for you.-

Tala nodded, acknowledging that everyone was on their feet and ready. “Know that you are all bound to secrecy around what I am about to disclose to you.”

Her authority as Eskau of War resonated clearly with those of the House of Blood, and her authority—and their deference to it—as Iron Matriarch practically sang within the House of Iron.

All gave nods or bows of assent, cementing the command’s place within them, though it hardly needed the help.

As such, Tala reluctantly admitted to herself that her inclusion of the House of Iron wasn’t purely because they were there, and she didn’t want to send them away. Their submission to her authority—at least in this and similar things—was greater even than those of the House of Blood.

I’m delaying… She gilded herself, smiled and turned, gesturing for them all to follow her.

The House of Iron deferred to the House of Blood, and the House of Blood deferred to Head Corinis, making him—followed closely by his Eskau—the first ones through after Tala.

She felt no need to bring up the rear for this group.

Rather than opening a door into her sanctum, or altering the one she had into Ironhold, she simply led them through the merchant door she’d made into Ironhold the day before.

Thankfully, it was large enough that traffic didn’t have to halt for them, and Alat worked with Tala to immediately move each person to a preselected park as soon as they crossed the threshold.

Additionally, in order to prevent reasonable concerns that might have arisen from the trailing delegates if each Pillar or Esaku before them had simply vanished, Tala and Alat projected an illusion of those who passed within continuing forward as if nothing had gone amiss.

It actually wasn’t very difficult, all things considered, but it had still needed to be decided upon and enacted.

Thank you. Tala really did appreciate all that Alat did to assist in these and, honestly, most circumstances.

-It is my pleasure.-

Tala stood in the middle of the otherwise empty, chosen park, some of the most powerful arcanes on this continent appearing one after another around her.

For the first twenty arrivals—excluding Eskau De-arg—the reactions were much the same as those of the researchers. Disbelief, followed by incredulity, leading the fledging belief and attempted testing. Each—including Eskau De-arg—tried to pull in some of her power, invariably failing as surely as if they’d tried to scoop water with naught but hopes and dreams.

Tala was actually beginning to enjoy the consistency of the reactions when the first of the House of Iron arrived.

The bull-kin’s eyes widened, and he dropped to his knees in stunned, overwhelmed reverence, tears immediately flowing freely. “It’s… beautiful.”

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Tala frowned, that was not what she’d expected.

The nine other members of the House of Iron had similar reactions, each seeming to have some sort of revelatory experience.

She was going to inquire, when one of the women—a dwarf—spoke under her breath, confusing Tala. “Iron… Iron undergirds everything.”

-OH! Oh… Wow… How did we not see that coming?-

Tala only frowned for a moment before it clicked. This space was her, and she was it. Her iron—both reality and mundane—was her, and suffused her entire being… including this expanded space.