Chapter 531: Unsteady Beginnings (Patreon)

The gilded black carriage of House Veres rode down the pristine cobblestone streets of the Central District. It was pulled by a pair of centaurs who deftly moved around the cracks and craters that had been made during the battle two nights ago. Even now, as Stryg stared outside the window he could see the scars left behind by the siege. This was the heart of the city and yet the enemy had managed to breach it. The greatest symbol of the Hollow Shade, the Ebon Tower still stood, but its foundation had been destroyed. Large cracks ran through the black stone, as if something had ripped through the insides and broken free like a beast from an egg.

A shift in the carriage’s direction pulled the window’s perspective away from the tower and to a large scar running across the district’s central plaza. A battle had happened here, a terrible battle wrought by monsters and powerful magic by the looks of it. The carriage rode right past the scar, careful to not get too close while still keeping its momentum, thanks to the deftness of the centaurs. Stryg made a mental note to have the Gales and Veres free any beastkin they had under their control. If the centaurs wanted to stay in their service they would be paid well, otherwise they would be given a pouch of coins before leaving to whatever lands they desired.

It was a paltry gesture for what had been done to all the beastkin in the realm but it was the first step. He had made a promise to Lysaila to help the beastkin and he intended to keep it.

“That went well. Sorta.”

Stryg tore his gaze from the window and glanced at Gale. He could practically see the frustration oozing out from her scarlet eyes.

“All things considered, I think Stryg handled himself adequately,” replied Gian.

“Adequate isn’t good enough, Uncle. House Veres isn’t what it was since Lord Eldrin’s death. Every House has been damaged from this war, the Ruling Families are searching for weaknesses within one another. The same goes for all the minor Houses and other Great Houses who’ve sworn fealty to House Veres. They ask themselves are the Veres weak? Are they exposed? Is this my moment to strike them down and rise above?”

“It’s as you said, Gale. Every House has been marred by this war. Their focus isn’t on the Veres but on trying to keep their own Houses intact.”

“You underestimate the greed and stupidity of others, Uncle. We’ve lost the entire Veres family, save Elise.”

“Callum still lives,” Stryg spoke up.

“But the people believe he is dead,” she replied. “House Veres appears vulnerable. Especially because our new lord looks nothing like a traditional vampire.”

Stryg sighed and slumped in his leather stuffed chair, “I know I’m not really a Veres… I’m only here because of this sword.” He brushed his fingers across Krikolm hanging from his hip.

“What?” Gale frowned, “No. You are here because you are Lord Veres.”

He smiled wryly and raised his blue hand, palm facing towards him. “I don’t exactly strike the image of a Veres do I?”

“So what? The last wielder of that sword was one of the greatest mage warriors our families have ever known. Stryga Veres was admired by all and she did not strike the ‘image’ of a Veres either, she struck the image of a leader. Other vampire lords might see you as an outsider, but give them time, and they’ll come to see the real you, my lord.”

The real me…? Stryg thought of the words Ananta had spoken to him. If what she said was true, he wasn’t a vampire, he wasn’t even a goblin. He was a titan, the son of the Calamity, Death.

“So far things are going fine,” noted Gian. “You appeared in front of the council and conducted yourself as any noble might, albeit with a few lapses. Though I don’t fault you, half the council has changed since the last time I was there. No one was quite certain what was happening. You’ve taken your first public step as a lord and you made it count. Well done.”

“I mean, the whole thing about killing Ophelia was a bit surprising. I wish you had told us about it beforehand. News about her death will spread like wildfire.” Gale shrugged, “If the people didn’t fear you before, they will now, my lord Ebon Aspirant”

“Fear?” Stryg said curiously. He always wanted to be feared, it was a common dream among Sylvan children.

Gian nodded. “Fear is a good start, it’ll stop the more cautious lords from trying anything stupid. But we’ll need to inspire loyalty and strength if we are to solidify our standing within the city.”

“And how do we do that?” he asked.

“Alliances are a good start.”

“You of course have the loyalty of our House,” said Gale with a small bow of her head.

“But you’ll need more. From what occurred in the council chambers today, it seems you already are on your way to just that. Tell me, Stryg, what is your relationship with Freya Goldelm?”

“She is a friend. Overconfident, rude, but loyal and trustworthy. I’d be glad to have her by my side on any battlefield.”

Gian nodded. “Good. The friendship between Veres and Goldelm stretches back a thousand years, since Goldelm II and Veres I. What about Vayu Glaz?”

“He was my instructor in the Purple Chromatics. We get along fine, I suppose. But he seemed off today.”

Gale’s expression darkened. “I don’t blame him. I was there when Vayu’s brother died during the siege at the Western Gate. His mother fell a few weeks ago in battle along with my father, Lord Veres… and his daughter, Carmilla.”

Her shift in tone troubled Stryg. Freya’s words rang in his ears. Every Veres scion was assigned a Gale warrior from young. They grew up together, close as siblings. Carmilla Veres had been the same age as Gale.

“Was Carmilla…?” Stryg let the words hang in the air.

“...She was like my sister. She was my Ward and I was her Guardian,” Gale admitted quietly. “I should have been there with her on that battlefield.”

“But you were with me, in Undergrowth,” Stryg muttered in realization. “I’m sorry…”

“It isn’t your fault. If anyone is to blame it is me,” said Gian. “I asked Gale to accompany you.”

Gale smiled bittersweetly and shook her head, “It wouldn’t have made a difference. The entire army was wiped out. For all my power, I wouldn’t have been able to save Carmilla. At least, that’s what I tell myself.” 

“Gale…”

She cleared her throat and straightened her back, “I’m fine, Stryg. I’ll mourn our dead when the war is over. Until then, I will fight.”

Gian glanced between the two of them and spoke in a soft but clear voice. “It is customary that a child of House Gale is chosen to be the guardian to a child of House Veres until death. It has been that way for centuries, yes. But such a bond does not always begin at childhood.”

“What are you getting at, Uncle?”

“Both of you have suffered losses, but it seems to me that you’ve already found each other. The Guardian and her Ward,” Gian’s lips curled into a small smile.

Gale and Stryg glanced at each other uncertainly. He knew Gale somewhat blamed him for the death of Clypeus. And now he had inadvertently taken Carmilla from her as well. A brother and sister, gone. Gale followed him out of loyalty to House Veres, not him.

She turned her scarlet eyes on him and swallowed hard, before bowing deeply, “If you’ll have me, I’d be honored to serve as your Guardian.”

“...Huh? W-Why? You don’t have to, you know?” Stryg said anxiously. “I… I don’t deserve it.”

Gale shot a glare at him, “What?”

He looked away. “I have only taken from you and your family. You’ve already had to pledge your loyalty to me because of Krikolm. You don’t need to bind your life to mine as well.”

“I didn’t pledge my loyalty to you because of a sword. I pledged it to you, because it is you. …I felt lost after Clypeus. But when my father, Eldrin, and Carmilla fell— I fell apart. I didn’t know what the future of our Houses would be. Especially with Elise, a woman who murdered her own siblings, at the head of House Veres.” Gale’s eyes brightened, “But when I saw you breaking through the gates, carrying Kirkolm while riding a giant wolf, a war cry on your lips, your eyes ablaze with righteous fury, I knew I had found someone worth following.”

Gale shifted in her seat, “I know things have been difficult, but if you’re willing to stand for our Houses then I swear to you, I will not abandon you at your weakest. I will stand by your side through it all, if you’ll have me.”

“...I’d be honored,” Stryg whispered.

“The honor is mine, my lord.”

“Very good, very good,” Gian nodded, satisfied. “Now, you said your relationship with lord Vayu Glaz is amicable. I am aware that your relationship with Lady Noir has fallen.”

“I suppose you could say that,” Stryg muttered.

“And you’ve clearly never met Tristan Helene or Calantha Ashe before today, though the same cannot be said about Lord Krall. Gale tells me you are to be married to his daughter, Elena.”

Stryg felt his ear twitch. He chuckled nervously, “About that—”

“The marriage alliance will strengthen both House Veres and Katag’s standing,” continued Gian.

“More importantly, it will take power away from House Noir,” said Gale. “Lord Elzri was close friends with Lord Krall, that friendship will undoubtedly be carried onto Elohnoir. But once you marry his daughter, Krall will no doubt side with you on the council.”

Stryg hadn’t forgotten the words of vengeance Gale had sworn at Loh for Clypeus’ death beneath Undergrowth’s coliseum, and clearly neither had she.

“And with the friendship of Lady Goldelm we’ll have three of the Seven Ruling Families on our side,” added Gian.

Stryg parted his lips to speak but he didn’t know what to say. How did one say they had no interest in marrying their fiancé but wanted to marry her sister instead?

Gian took his silence as nervousness. “Is something wrong?”

“Wait, is this about Feli?” asked Gale. “I know you care for her deeply, but she is a commoner, which is fine, but it is expected from someone of your position to marry a noble of similar standing as well.”

“Feli is aware of that and I don't think she really minds.” Feli had said as much to him in the past, although her reactions when she saw him drinking from Maeve’s neck weren’t particularly pleasant. Stryg wasn’t certain if that was due to all the blood or from Maeve having her hands underneath his tunic.

“Are you certain?” asked Gale.

“...Yes.”

“Then what is the problem? Is it your fiancé?”

Stryg winced.

“It is!” yelled Gale.

“Stryg, Elena Katag is a very suitable match. The alliance born from this marriage is a necessity at this point. Breaking off the engagement could cause an internal feud between both families that I guarantee you will not wish for.”

“I’m not going to break off the engagement, not exactly.”

Gian cocked his head to the side, “Meaning…?”

“Don’t worry, our Houses will marry,” said Stryg with a half-smile.

“Gods help us,” Gale sighed.

Her words struck a painful chord in him, but he buried it. “I’m to meet with Lord Krall tonight, I’ll finalize the engagement’s details then.”

“Gale will accompany you when you do.”

“I was already planning on it, Uncle. I am my Ward’s shadow. It’s my job to keep him from doing anything stupid.”

Stryg crossed his arms. “As much as I love your vote of confidence, when it comes to the Lunar Elects, I’ll need to go speak with them alone.”

Gale frowned, “Did you not hear anything I just said?”

“The whole reason I’m going to speak with the Elects is to convince them to speak with outsiders. Your presence as an outsider will not help.”

“It’s too dangerous—”

“I’ll be fine. I am the Sylvan War Master.”

Gale sighed, “This better not become a habit.”

“Thanks,” he smiled.

“When do you plan to go?” asked Gian.

“Today. I know my people and they don’t take orders from authorities they don’t recognize. It’s only a matter of time before some idiot city guard tries to take matters into their own hands and ‘liberate’ the Commoner District from the Sylvan army.”

“Yes, I can see how that would be— troublesome,” said Gian dryly.

Stryg glanced at Gale, “I’ll finish speaking with the Elects before nightfall, then you and I can head over to the Katag manor and deal with this whole engagement.” He lifted the edge of his scarlet and black cape, “First, I’ll need to stop by the manor and get a change of clothes. I can’t walk into the Sylvan encampment dressed up as a city lord.”

“Why do I feel like all of this will be harder than it sounds?” she muttered.

~~~

Lynette Gale stood with her arms behind her back and looked straight into her Ward’s crimson eyes before relaying the urgent news that had just arrived from the council chambers’ messenger.

Elise Veres jumped to her feet, knocking her desk’s chair to the ground. “Gian and Gale did what!?” 

“They denied your authority and introduced the council to a pretender, a new ‘Lord Veres.’ But it wasn’t your brother, Callum,” replied Lynette calmly.

Elise bared her fangs and hissed, “Then who was it?”

“A young drow hybrid it seems, by the name of— Stryg.”

“The fucking Aspirant!?”