ethanjory

Of Blood and Bastards

Ash would have accepted the Emperor’s request without hesitation if it wasn’t for the continued presence of Rohaan. All she wanted to do was find out what exactly had happened within Durgan, and save anyone that she could. She’d never claim to be altruistic, but these were the people that she had grown up with, and whatever was happening to them, she knew that they didn’t deserve any of it. Of course, she had no reason to believe that the Emperor had any interest in the lives of those within Durgan Fortress. Ash had no way to know that for sure, but what interest would he have for the people that she cared about? No, it was entirely about something else - and she was even seriously doubting it was about her either. If she had to believe that the Emperor was her true father, then the only reason she was learning about it now was that he had no other choice than to bring her into the fold. He needed her, that much seemed to be obvious. That only left her with a single question: Did she need him?

The other problem that she would have to be facing was that of Rohaan the Vokurian. To put it most simply, she was conflicted about him. Based upon everything that she had seen so far, the Shifter hadn’t lied to her at all, which made her wonder how she had earned such a courtesy. Due to a lack of information, she’d just have to chalk it up to her own personal theory that he had yet to have a reason to use deception. He was a thief after all. Ash was also appreciative that he had chosen to speak with her rather than use force, though that could have been due to a desire to avoid taking such a risk. Ultimately, none of that immediately mattered. Rohaan was performing mercenary work for the Emperor, and there was absolutely no doubt that he had been paid handsomely to find her. That’s why she’d be a fool to place any amount of trust in him.

“Yet you managed to find my daughter with the information that I provided. I will always tell you whatever I believe that you need to know. Nothing more and nothing less.” The words that came out of the Emperor’s mouth seemed to be honest, though they could certainly be taken as condescending. They did, however, make Ash even more resolved to squeeze out any answers out of the Emperor that she could. She wasn’t interested at all about being left in the dark.

“Titles are titles. Anything to inspire lesser men.” The Emperor shrugged off Rohaan’s insult. “I do have to say that neither of you will need to worry about the return trip. I’ll have that covered.” That only served to annoy Ash further. It was yet another thing that the Emperor was hiding from them. She was beginning to think that he had every intention to tell them practically nothing.

Ash rose to her feet after Rohaan presented his terms to the Emperor, clearly more than just a little annoyed and furious. “Am I to stand by as the two of you fucking negotiate? I’m going into Durgan no matter what happens. I just need to know what exactly is going on.” As Ash said this, she looked directly at the Emperor, expecting much more than the cryptic answers that he had been content in giving so far.

“Ha! Let none doubt that the blood of the north truly does flow through your veins!” For a moment, the Emperor was making light of Ash’s outburst, but before her eyes the Emperor’s demeanor completely changed. She had never felt so small and insignificant as she did in this exact moment. “If nothing is done, everyone within this region will die.”

“I didn’t only instruct the Vokurian to retrieve you. I also asked him to find out what was underway at Durgan, though I was being misleading. I’m very much informed about what is happening there, but I was requiring another set of eyes within. From what I’ve heard so far, it seems to me that the situation is progressing much faster than I had previously thought that it would.”

“If you know what’s going on, why did you do nothing!?” Ash had regained her composure, overcoming the previous intensity that the Emperor had forced upon her. If anything, she was passionate about this.

“If I had done nothing, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. Neither would I have enlisted the services of a Vokurian.” The Emperor replied matter-of-factly. “There is a magical aura that surrounds Durgan that keeps Men within its grasp complacent, and prevents those outside of it from entering the aura. That means I can’t simply send a contingent of troops.”

“Vokurians are much more resistant, which was a consideration when I acquired his aid. It is odd that you were able to overcome it.” As he said that, it didn’t seem that he was all that surprised that Ash had managed to do what other humans would find to be impossible. “This is evident to me since I had the aura developed by an Elven occultist named Thoburas. I intended the aura for a different use, but he’s the only one who could have put it into use so masterfully.”

Ash wasn’t entirely sure what to make of all the information that had been revealed so far. “Are you saying that he betrayed you?”

“Thoburas specialized in forbidden magics, which allowed me to acquire certain magical artifacts and items that I found an express interest in. Most of what he was an expert in is outlawed within the Empire, but I often required a specialist so I could be better informed against certain magical threats.”

“The elf is ambitious, possessing a nearly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and power. It was inevitable that he would try to betray me. Of course, I recognized this and had nearly come to a point where I could neutralize him, but he managed to play his hand before I could. That forced me to be much more aggressive than I normally would be. Still, it's quite embarrassing for me, really.” It was rather obvious to Ash that the Emperor would take no greater pleasure than exacting his revenge on the wayward elf.

“Kill him and his followers will scatter. It’s as simple as that.” Ash regarded the Emperor’s words carely. It was true that it would be simple, but he had avoided answering what Ash considered was the most obvious question.

“What exactly is Thoburas trying to accomplish?” If people were dying due to this one elf, then she had to know what it was all for. Additionally, it couldn’t possibly hurt to know what exactly they might be dealing with. And that wasn’t to say whether or not she’d be able to do anything about it. She would try, because she knew that she was beyond the point in which she could choose.

Emperor Karl Valdemar paused for a moment, as if he was considering whether or not he should reveal what ungodly magical ritual Thoburas was trying to perform underneath Durgan Fortress. “Have either of you ever heard of Malachor the Betrayer?”

Of Blood and Bastards

"Little trinket?" The Emperor began to chuckle at Rohaan, though from Ash's perspective, he didn't seem to be trying to mock the Shifter on any level. If anything, this was only an extension of a previously existing rapport that the two of them already shared. Ash already knew that the two of them definitely weren’t friendly at all - the only obvious reason that Rohaan was aiding the Emperor was whatever he was promised at the end of his service. She'd have to keep that in mind. Karl Valdemar proceeded to hold up his hand, once again showing to all that the ring that he had was essentially a perfect copy to the one that Ash was now wearing. It glowed just the same as hers, though it didn’t seem to be causing the Emperor any discomfort like it was to her. “What these rings are capable of is much more than a simple parlor trick. It was no easy feat for me to acquire these artifacts, let alone a complete set. Each ring on its own is no more useful than any other common piece of jewelry.”

“I did give away a priceless magical artifact to a known master thief, so do forgive me for keeping to myself what exactly I was giving you. I did expect that the ring would eventually find itself in the hands of my daughter. Yet, it has happened much sooner than I had predicted - I really must commend you for your expediency.” At that, the Emperor turned his gaze away from Rohaan and towards Ash. It was beginning to feel like a lion was staring down a mouse.

“These rings have many properties, most of which would completely shatter all your preconceptions of the world. I won’t bore you with those details.” The Emperor said this as he looked directly at Ash, and despite the distortion that the image had, she saw for the first time that their eyes were the same. That simple realization was slowly suffocating her. “Do you know why the ring reacted to you and not to the Vokurian?”

It was more than obvious that Ash didn’t. Why would she? Information was flying at her faster than she could even comprehend it, and that wasn’t even taking into account that the bloody Emperor of Man was speaking directly to her while being on the other side of the empire. She had never known that magic was capable of such impressive feats. What was even more bewildering was the fact that she had an audience with the Emperor at all, and that he was directly asking her a question. She had spent her entire life having to revere and practically worship this man, and now she had his full attention. “I… don’t know.”

“It’s fine. I wouldn’t expect you to.” He glanced over to Rohaan before he continued. “Nothing much to worry about. The Vokurian doesn’t know either, and he’s the one I gave the ring to.”

“It reacted to you because it recognized that the person holding the other ring shared a blood connection with you.” The Emperor paused for a moment, as if he was waiting for Ash to fully digest his words. “Consider that as the lone condition for these rings to function. Thus, it is undeniable proof that you are my daughter.”

Ash really didn’t want to believe it. How could anyone come to terms that they were the child of the most powerful man in the entire known world? Any normal person would have cast it aside as nonsense, yet the very notion was being reinforced by the Emperor himself! She had known for years that she wasn’t the biological daughter of Lord Cassander of Durgan. The story had always gone that her parents had been killed by the Centauri during their invasion, and that Lord Cassander had taken her in after the death of his only other daughter. She had always known that there must have been more to the story than just that, but she had never gotten anywhere by prying for more information. It almost seemed far too much for her to process at once.

“It would be for the best if you collect your wits quickly, girl.” Karl Valdemar’s sharp words seemed to cut through all the confusion that was consuming Ash and brought her back to the present. Now wasn’t the time for her to freak out and forget what was happening around her. She’d have to deal with this later.

“I need the two of you to enter Durgan Fortress.” The Emperor said with a slight smile.

Of Blood and Bastards

“Hmph. I guess my hand slipped.” Ash simply shrugged at Rohaan’s weak protests, reinforced by the fact that these protests weren’t particularly serious. She didn’t find him to be trustworthy at all. Of course, if proof was provided, then she would be forced to accept whatever he claimed to be true, but there was still a long way before she would accept him as well-intentioned. If this was just another job to him, which it had to be, then it would be at least transparent. The fact that he wasn’t a man had nothing to do with that. Still, a Shifter was dangerous in its own way, which was making her much more cautious than she normally was. She wasn’t bloodthirsty at all, and neither was Rohaan, she suspected. Ash would fight to the death to defend herself, especially if he tried to force her cooperation. She was having a sneaking suspicion that they’d be in each other’s company for the foreseeable future. That didn’t mean that she was obligated to like him at all.

Ash visibly grimaced as Rohaan came over to sit across from her. She considered moving away to keep her distance, but decided against it. She wanted to receive answers to her questions, and it was absolutely no interest of hers to drag things out even longer than it rightfully needed to be. Without much thought, Ash tossed her knapsack to Rohaan that was filled with food and other amenities. Of course, much of that was food that she had taken from the village in the valley below - no one in that village had been of the right mind to stop her from doing much of anything. Though it was mostly dried meat, cheeses, and other foodstuff that didn’t perish easily. She had her fun earlier, and even if she wasn’t fond of the Shifter at all, there was no greater torture that she could have inflicted than depriving a hungry man of food. Besides, it would serve as a nonverbal truce between the two of them.

“Help yourself.” Ash offered, officially sealing her act of goodwill. However, as soon as Rohaan began to speak again, she instantly came to regret her actions. Bastard daughter of the Emperor of Man? Who in their right mind would accept that as truth? Rohaan was clearly insane or a liar. Possibly even both. Yet, he knew so many personal details about her, much more than any stranger should. Ash’s head began to spin. Before she managed to gather who wits, Rohaan flicked a silver ring towards her direction, and more out of instinct than anything, she effortlessly caught it. As it rested in her palm, the ring slowly changed to blood-red, with glowing letters appearing on its surface. To a trained eye, the letters were clearly Old Elvish, but Ash had no such eye. As time continued to pass, there was a strange urge for her to put the ring on, and she did, against all her better judgement.

The ring grew hotter as it was on her finger. The heat wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either. Then, before her, there seemed to be a shimmer in the air. Out of pure curiosity, she reached out and touched it, and the air rippled like water before it reformed itself into a man. This man was finely dressed, and he was looking over something, possibly documents on a table. It was hard to tell exactly, since only the man could be seen. Still, it was fairly obvious that the man wasn’t really there before Ash, since he looked like a reflection in water, slightly distorted. Although his back was turned to Ash, something seemed to grab his attention. It was a ring on his right hand, visibly identical to the one that Ash had, and he turned around. The man was Karl Valdemar.

Ash recognized him, even through all the distortion. She had spent years bowing her head in front of a portrait of the Emperor every morning for nearly as long as she could remember. She was completely in shock. Karl Valdemar only returned a slight smile.

“Girl, why don’t you place your hand on the Vokurian? It is best that we include him in our little conversation.” Ash did as she was commanded. For the first time in her life she was at a loss for words and completely out of her depth. She brought herself closer to Rohaan and placed her hand on his shoulder, allowing the Shifter to see exactly what stood before them.

“Shiftling… you make excellent time, don’t you?” The Emperor said as he turned to acknowledge Rohaan.

Of Blood and Bastards

The invisible tendrils that had once ensnared Ash in an effort to keep her away had mostly retracted themselves. Instead, she could feel them now trying to pull her towards the fortress, the darkness that had manifested itself within had probed her long enough to realize that it no longer wanted to keep Ash at bay. To Ash, it simply increased her desire to enter the fortress at all costs, which made her all the more anxious and impatient. This made her much more eager to get rid of Rohaan than she was before, and that was saying something. However, the only feeling that she was getting right now was that it was highly doubtful that she'd part ways with Rohaan anytime soon. That made her feel overly exhausted, and an exasperated sigh briefly escaped from her lips. From what she could tell so far, Rohaan was far more interested in this supposed job of his than any hired blade should have any right in being. Of course, that piqued her curiosity by a significant margin, and she imagined that she'd learn the finer details sooner than she'd like. At the moment, she'd let it come when the situation called for it - she wasn't exactly that interested in learning his life story before she could resolve whatever the fuck was happening.

Ash really should have been surprised once she saw Rohaan's eyes, and she was, to a certain extent. She had gone through plenty of nannies over the years that would scare her with monster stories about Shifters, and that had done the trick for the most part. That same travelling troupe that had the magician, also had a young Shifter boy, who could change himself into a whole series of fantastical and exotic birds. He had been the most beautiful boy that she had ever saw, and she developed a bit of a crush on him, though that had mostly passed a few years ago. If she was reading Rohaan correctly, then it was safe to say that he had none of the qualities that the boy from her memories had. In fact, it likely wasn't a stretch to say that Rohaan was the time of person who would happily slit the throat of that boy while he slept. She shrugged at that single thought. At least that meant that the Shifter that she was now dealing with had a bit of honesty to him. Still, her options had clearly narrowed considering she was dealing with a Shifter whose capabilities she wasn't completely aware of. That didn't really change the endgame that she was currently pursuing. If he ever reached the point in which he had to shapeshift into anything so he could subdue her, then that would mean that he had lost. At the very least, Ash would get some satisfaction out of that.

She let Rohaan speak without interruption, she was in a need for more answers after all. In truth, she didn't think she had ever heard his name before or knew who he was. Obviously, it was to no one's surprise that he was a cutthroat, though that didn't really make the current situation any different than it currently was. Durgan was essentially on the very edge of the Empire, whatever happened in the heartlands was definitely none of her concern. Besides, Ash had never been the type of girl to pursue court gossip. Even if there were whispers of a particularly skilled Vokurian thief, she would have never paid it much mind. She wondered if it would damage his ego if she said as much to him?

Rohaan continued to speak, and Ash really had to restrain herself from striking out to break his jaw. She definitely would have done so if the circumstances were even slightly different. Ash glared at him as she found a pile of rocks that were the remnants of an old structure to sit upon. From her pack, she pulled out a strip of dried meat and bit into it. It tasted like leather and had a similar consistency, but it didn't matter. Her stomach was empty. She was progressively growing more and more pissed off. The only father she had ever known was Lord Cassander, so much of what Rohaan was spouting out of his mouth was nothing more than nonsense, in her view. Still, he didn't seem to be a good enough of an actor to improvise to such a degree, and he knew far too many details about her to completely discount.

"Rio, or whatever your bloody name is, you hungry at all?" Ash offered the other half of the strip of meat she had been chewing on before she tossed it to the ground not far from Rohaan's feet. She doubted it would be the first time he ate something off of the ground. She spit out some gristle that was in her mouth before she started picking at her teeth with her fingernail. "How about you tell me who your master is, and I might actually care about what you're saying?" At that, to took a long drink from her canteen.

Of Blood and Bastards

Upon hearing her own name, Ash immediately pulled out her dagger and took a defensive stance. It was mostly out of instinct and shock, entirely based on the fact that this man that she had never met before in her whole life somehow knew exactly who she was. He was free to go on all day about how he was here to help her, but she didn't recall sending for any help. Her father knew what she was up to despite her sneaking out of Durgan. Could she really be blamed for using the more expeditious way of leaving the fortress? Even if there was some reason in which he would send someone to find her, he would have used one of his own men, and Ash knew them all. Besides, based on everything she had witnessed so far, as well as the vibes that the man was presently putting off, what guarantee was there that anyone in the fortress was still alive? She expelled such thoughts as soon as they appeared in her head. If an air of negative thoughts were to consume her, then there was truly no way she would survive whatever was lurking within the fortress.

Ash hadn't relaxed her body quite yet. She obviously had a considerable amount of combative training for someone of her age. It had been one of the few things in her life that she had truly been serious about, much more than the usual things that were often relegated to ladies of her standing. A constant annoyance to her father to be sure, but it was just another facet of her character that he was forced to become accustomed to. That was partially why she was certain that she'd be able to get at least one strike in if the man attacked her, possibly fatal. Beyond that, she'd be a fool to speculate, especially given how chaotic combat could be. It was to be avoided at almost all costs, to be sure. If the deal was to come with the man willingly and ignore whatever was happening at Durgan, then it was fairly clear what Ash's answer to that question would be. She'd be more than willing to fight to avoid that outcome, and she wagered that was an outcome neither party necessarily wanted.

Her eyes narrowed. The only smart way for her to proceed was to hear the man out. That was akin to torture for her, considering that she was never really known for her patience. Hopefully that wouldn't require a silvertongue of her own either. She was blunt to a fault and more than likely to insult the man and his ancestors than rely on her charisma to convince him to do much of anything. If it was true that he had come all this way just for her, then it appeared that she had at least that in her favor to play against him. Moreover, it wouldn't surprise her at all if he was pitying her. Of course, that made her blood boil, but that could also be harnessed as an advantage. She'd have to let the man speak to place things in a clearer focus, and then she would have the liberty to take things in whatever direction seemed the most sensible. She let out a sigh and allowed her body to relax, placing her dagger back into its sheathe. Her eyes and gaze didn't change at all, still as dangerous and piercing as before. Ash would have to gamble and see how things would go.

"Speak and I will listen." Not like she had much of a choice. It had crossed her mind to just make a run for it and lose him in the tunnels. She probably could pull it off; there was almost no one else alive that knew the fortress as well as her. Still, she had come to the conclusion that she really didn't want him chasing after her when she had no idea of what to expect within the fortress itself. "Just try to give me the abridged version."

Of Blood and Bastards

Ash's dagger was in a sheath that was strapped at the small of her back, placed in such a way that it would be out of the way of the rest of her gear. She gripped the hilt of the blade more as the stranger spoke, unsheathing it ever so slightly so that it would be ready in case she needed it. It wasn't meant for throwing, and she'd be more than foolish to throw away a weapon in such a circumstance. Besides, she wasn't confident in her ability to ready her bow and nock an arrow before the man could react. If things were to deteriorate to such a degree, then the fight would definitely have to be conducted in close-quarters, which wasn't exactly optimal for her. She knew nothing about the possible capabilities of the stranger, which inevitably meant that it would be far too risky to directly fight him. Of course, that was assuming that she was willing to fight fairly, which she was not, and she had more than a few tricks up her sleeve.

By any indication, the man had been following Ash for some time. It wasn't exactly common for others to be able to get the jump on her, as this man had, so it was painfully clear that he wasn't unskilled by any means. She was heavily distracted, though she had a feeling that there was much more to this man than she could possibly deduce at this time. In any case, she was already heavily distracted by the present circumstances, so it wasn't exactly useful for her to make any wild assumptions at this time. Besides, if he truly had malevolent intent, it wouldn't exactly make sense for him to speak to her beforehand. Still, she really had no idea about this man at all, so it would be prudent for her to stay wary for now.

Ash knew that she wasn't exactly prepared for whatever was waiting for her within the fortress. It was a total unknown to her, as was almost everything she had experienced within the last week. Was she fearful for what may come? Yes, undoubtedly. That still didn't mean that she could run away. She couldn't abandon her father, family, or friends. There were so many that she had grown up with, and she was certain that they'd do the same for her, if they could. For her, entering the fortress was non-negotiable, nor would it be possible for anyone to convince her otherwise. She was still uncertain why the man seemed so invested in her. Anyone else would have ignored her under normal circumstances. The only reasonable explanation was that he was confusing her for whomever he was looking for. Odder still was that he seemed to be mostly unaffected by the malevolent force that was emanating from Durgan. Or if he was affected, it wasn't in the same way as it had everyone she had seen so far. Truthfully, the invisible tendrils wanted to grasp and suffocate her at this very moment, but for whatever reason, they were being kept at bay.

The stranger talked about magic and cults, which would have sounded crazy to Ash if not for the last few days. Her only experience with magic consisted of being mesmerized as a small child by magicians that found themselves with travelling troupes. They entertained with tricks and minor illusions, most of which wasn't even real magic. The man before her seemed to speak with some kind of authority on the matter, though that was nothing more than an educated guess on her part. As for cults, Ash really had no idea what he was even talking about. There were no one but the usual villagers down in Low Riding, but she couldn't speak for any of the other settlements. It was obvious that he knew much more than her about this entire situation, and the only question was whether or not he was willing divulge this information with her.

"Can't help." Ash bluntly muttered. She wasn't heartless, at least she didn't think she was. Ash had her own issues that were consuming her every thought, and unless this person was in Durgan, there wasn't really any way that she could help the man. She obviously didn't recognize the man, and couldn't think of anyone within that fortress that he could be looking for. Probably much easier for the two of them to go their separate ways. She was more than willing to face whatever dangers were hiding in the fortress alone, even if that made her exceedingly foolish by any measurement. Despite it being early morning, she really didn't want to waste a lot of time in a conversation with someone who she did not know.

"Better if you never saw me. Goodbye." Ash said this with her eyes being clearly visible from beneath her hood. They were unmistakable, and it wouldn't take someone with supernatural perception to see them, even from an extended distance. She began to turn towards the tunnel once again, slightly sad that she couldn't help the man at this time.

Of Blood and Bastards

Ash had been observing Durgan Fortress for nearly three days. It took every fiber of her being not to ignore her better sense and sneak her way back in - she knew most of the hidden tunnels that she could take. Upon her initial return, there was a sense of dread that filled her entire body. It was an unnatural feeling and had to be supernatural. Or that was her best guess, considering she had no direct experience with magic or anything else that could even be considered to be similar. It wasn't long before she felt herself being involuntarily pushed away until she found herself in Low Riding, a small village that found itself in the shadow of the mountains and the fortress. Truthfully, the sense of fear was only slightly alleviated within the village. The village had been reduced to a ghost town, with most of the villagers now being confined to their own homes. For Ash, however, she had a singular focus, and her stubbornness was forcing her to return to Durgan, despite whatever was driving her away.

From observing Durgan for the past few days, no discernible signs of life could be seen. The usual men-at-arms that routinely patrolled the walls of the fortress were all gone, and Ash knew the names of all of them. The gates were sealed and there were no smoke rising from the fortress itself. As far as anyone could tell from the outside, Durgan was completely abandoned. Regardless of this, Ash knew that couldn't be true. So many people that she had known for her entire life, it was impossible that they could be all gone. Thus, this gave Ash the resolve necessary to find out what had happened. She knew that this wouldn't be an easy task in the slightest. Something malevolent was happening at the fortress; it was impossible to know for sure what exactly it was, but the unmistakable feeling was deep in her gut. Worse still, it wasn't abating. This dark cloud that was floating over her would persist until she found out what was really going on.

It seemed like a sensible possibility that the people of Low Riding would have some idea of what could have happened, but finding anyone to ask was quickly proving to be a fruitless endeavor. Most had hidden within their homes, only venturing forth when absolutely necessary. None would speak to her even when she insisted, and it became fairly clear that none of them would be all that helpful to her anyway. The only conversation she managed to have with anyone was with a man who had possibly gone insane long ago, or he was drunk, or both. Of course, the incomprehensible information that she managed to receive wasn't all that useful. She was mostly hoping that someone from the fortress had escaped down to the village, but that didn't seem to be the case. The fact that no one had managed to be impossible, yet that feeling in her gut was still there. She could have searched the other outlying towns and villages, but that seemed to be nothing more than a wild goose chase that was likely to lead nowhere.

It would appear that Ash would be all alone in this new endeavor. It was slightly ironic that she had fought so desperately to have independence for her entire life. Now that was all she had. Each day, she attempted to approach Durgan, and each day she succumbed to the insurmountable force that was keeping her way. However, with each attempt that she made, the weight that seemed to be exhibited from whatever was within the fortress seemed to dissipate by a bit, allowing Ash to progressively get farther and farther. Perhaps she was slowly building an immunity to the force, or she was becoming better conditioned to it. It was hard to say either way, this was entirely outside of her understanding. At this point, she was still at a significant distance away from Durgan, but she was already where she needed to be. There were dozens of open escape tunnels that flowed out of Durgan. It might exist as one of the most impressive fortresses in the known world, but there had always been precautions put into place if it's impressive fortifications were ever to fall. She had know found herself at the exit of one of these tunnels.

These tunnels were easily collapsible from within the fortress, assuming an enemy ever found one of these tunnels, they wouldn't be able to exploit it. This particular tunnel seemed to be wholly intact, which was fortunate considering many had been collapsed over the years. This also showed that her father, Lord Cassander, was no longer in control of whatever was happening within. If the fortress had been compromised, he would have taken every precaution. This definitely wasn't helping her nerves any. As she entered the tunnel, she placed her hood over her head, masking her face. As she continued, the fear that had once gripped her was mostly gone, but the specter of it continued to linger, placing her on what seemed to be the edge of an abyss. She heard a distant voice and reached for her dagger out of instinct.

Of Blood and Bastards

The imperial soldiers took a step back and stood down. Due to the de-escalation, most breathed a sigh of relief except for the captain, whom seemed to be a bit disappointed. The same was true of the Emperor, considering that he wouldn't have minded the extra excitement. The truth was that the lives of the soldiers would have been forfeit if that glove had been removed. None were anywhere as useful to him at the present as Rohaan was. It was probably more of shame that this would enable the Shifter more leverage to hold over him, though that wouldn't be all that significant in the long term. He was already entrusting him with the greatest prize within the entire empire - his only daughter. Besides, he wasn't maintaining the secret for his own vanity. The only concern was that he was giving the Shifter the means and opportunity to betray him later. It was inevitable, depending on whether he chose to continue to make use of the shapeshifters talents after this first mission.

"I could have raised my banners and marched an entire army to gates of Durgan Fortress. But then my lords would wonder why I was committing such significant resources on Durgan. What could possibly be there that the emperor would be so interested in? If I don't keep them squabbling amongst themselves, their focus changes to me. Some are loyal. Most aren't. All would give anything to gain any leverage over me." There was a sad truth in all of that, though he didn't actually fear any of them. They weren't the enemies that actually threatened the empire. They were merely flies, annoying and harmless in nearly every aspect, but they would love the chance to feed off of his decaying corpse as the empire burned around them.

"An assault would be too chaotic and uncertain. We are talking about one of the greatest fortresses ever built in this world. Assuming that it is properly manned, the loss of life would be staggering, assuming they aren't wise enough to figure out what I'm truly after and use my daughter as a bargaining chip. Besides, I need far more precision in this situation."

"The same goes with sending my own agents. I have absolutely no idea what's going on within that fortress. My agents may of been more than enough to challenge whatever may be happening within that fortress. Yet, there's still a risk that something unnatural is occurring; if so, no normal man can handle that. No matter what, I can't be flippant with my daughter's life. I need you." Karl Valdemar had no pleasure in stoking the ego of the Shifter, but none of his actions taken so far was based on a mere whim. There were multiple facets to what he needed done. First, he needed his daughter, preferably alive. Second, he needed to know what was actually going on in that fortress. He was essentially blind, and he hated to lack intelligence about anything within his empire.

"I needed secrecy to shroud my actions. That forced my hand to act swiftly. However, if you ever learn to properly read, then maybe I'll send you that letter that you so desperately crave." He probably wouldn't. He much preferred to inject the Shifter's life with excitement whenever he could. This very well may not be their only partnership. "I think I've covered this well enough, unless you're only broaching this subject over and over again just to annoy me."

Once again, when Rohaan finally shifted back to his base form, it wasn't a pleasant experience for Karl Valdemar. At least it finally ended the odd experience of talking with a nearly identical version of himself. The captain gritted his teeth at Rohaan's latest comment, but it didn't make much of a difference to Karl Valdemar. He hardly needed to two of them to be friends. The Emperor finally returned to his seat, crossing his legs as he did so.

"Oh, I'm not embarrassed by it in the slightest. I just need it to remain a secret for the foreseeable future. Keep your lips sealed and the terms won't change. I can promise you that." Obviously neither of them trusted one another, but so long as their interests intertwined, a deterrent would remain. "Oh, and please refrain from threatening my daughter. It will gain you nothing aside from me placing you in an unmarked grave." Based on the Emperor's expression, it was more than just a threat, and it wasn't a bluff like before. It was a promise.

He let a slight sigh leave his lips before he continued. "When she was born, I named her Astrid, but she does not know of that name. She was given a new name by her grandfather, the Lord of Durgan. I believe it's pronounced... Asharavasti." Though the old man bore him a grudge for many things, at least he was an honorable man. Karl Valdemar was able to entrust the care of his child to him, which was helpful since there was growing turmoil within the empire even after the victory against the Centauri.

"Whatever happened at Durgan… I know for a fact that my daughter wasn't there when it happened. She doesn't care for staying in castles. Mountain-climbing, hunting in the valleys, whatever. More or less, she can disappear for weeks at a time, but she must of returned to Durgan by now, and it wasn't through the gates. Retrace her steps and you should be able to find her." If the girl was smart, then she would have gone back to Durgan, but from everything that had been told to him by his agents, he knew that wasn't the case. Independent, tenacious, and hopelessly stubborn... who did that remind him of?

"As for what she looks like, she has my eyes. Nobody else at Durgan has these eyes." Karl Valdemar pointed his eyes, which were golden. They were warm and bold, almost the perfect set of eyes for an emperor to have. At the same time, however, these eyes seemed to be more appropriate for a beast or predator.

"Keep the flask." Karl Valdemar figured he'd offer the Shifter a memento of their first meeting. "And take this. You shouldn't need it, but it'll show any man that represent my authority." The Emperor pulled a ring off his right hand, which bore the Imperial seal. It was something that could only be given by an emperor, and couldn't be so simply stolen. "You've gotten so friendly with Captain Johann Basch that I think I'll make him your liaison. Go to him for anything that you may need. With your shapeshifting abilities, I doubt travel will be one of those." The captain only offered Rohaan a deathly glare.

Karl Valdemar walked over to one of the fishing poles that were laying on the shore, adjusting the line so it would properly operate. "Upon your return, meet me at Last Vigil where I had you taken from. Seems as good as a place as any." With a quick flick of the wrist, the fishing line was cast into the middle of the lake. He'd probably take the boat out tomorrow. "If that's everything, I'd like to do a bit more fishing while there's still light."

Of Blood and Bastards

"Pride? No, I'm merely offering you perspective. I deal death with purpose and intent, which makes me different from a murderer. However, the work is very similar." It wasn't a matter that he would ordinarily concede, but if Rohaan was so curious to ask, then he would receive an honest answer. Guilt wasn't an emotion he ordinarily experienced, therefore he lived out much of his life without regret. There was only one thing that he truly regretted and it had happened so long ago that there was barely any benefit in thinking about it at all. Very soon, it would be left in the dust of the past, where it truly belonged. Perhaps his lack of humanity was something to regret on its own. Does anyone miss something that they never had? It doesn't matter. No one holds onto power through the generosity of others.

"It may also be worthwhile for you to remember that there are no men like me." The Emperor didn't speak in a conceited manner. There was a hidden meaning within his words, of course, although that was assuming anyone was being particularly observant. Needless pondering would only amount to little more than weightless speculation. Karl Valdemar could hardly ever be described as being an "open book" in any sense of the word. Oddly enough, it could also be said that he was more than just a man, or at the same time, others may say that he was less than. Depends on the perspective. In Karl Valdemar's own view, the distinction wasn't all that significant.

Rohaan didn't trust Karl Valdemar. It would have been amusing if he did, though the Emperor hadn't made any effort to establish trust in the first place. Nor would he ever. The damage had been done generations ago and it was a waste of time to overcome that fact. Besides, trust was an illusion. The only tangible difference between loyalty and betrayal were the incentives. He knew that Rohaan would relish the chance to betray him. It would be much the same for nearly anyone else who had a similar shared experience as the Shifter. It was all about the incentive and opportunity to do so, and the Emperor had went well out of his way to stack the deck in his own favor. This would persist until his daughter was back in Last Vigil and then the question would become irrelevant.

For all intents and purposes, it had seems as if the deal had been struck. That was good. It would have been less than optimal if the negotiations had dragged on for any longer. He'd commit it all to paper soon in the pavilion. They were losing the light of the day much faster than he would have liked, and besides, it was a bit windy outside for the signing of official documents. Still a pointless gesture, ultimately. If he were to die suddenly, he truly doubted that even a signed document would make much of a difference. It would be far from the first time proper procedure was ignored at the disadvantage of a non-human. Rohaan needed the Emperor or his daughter, and that was exactly what Karl Valdemar was counting on.

Then the Shifter spit ale in the Emperor's face. That was... entirely different from the dozens of things that he had thought the Vokurian would do in response to a perceived poisoning. In a certain way, Rohaan still hadn't disappointed him. Any tension that may have existed had broken, and it was admittedly an entertaining outcome. Possibly the greatest shame was that the ale wasn't even that good. He wouldn't even be able to chastise Rohaan for wasting quality alcohol. This had gained the attention of the Imperial soldiers, and they were beginning to move in to assist their emperor. Most had nearly gotten to the banquet table before Karl Valdemar managed to react.

"At ease! The only harm that's been done to me is that I now smell like a drunkard." He had already taken a finely embroidered handkerchief to wipe his face down. His eyes were still stinging from the alcohol while Rohaan broke into a laughing fit. Yes, the tension had clearly been broken. Karl Valdemar spat on the ground to remove the ale that had found its way into his mouth.

"I've no idea what you're rambling about," Karl Valdemar managed, though he clearly wasn't trying to be all that convincing. "I wagered that you wouldn't mind a taste of whiskey from my person collection, especially after all that ale." He shrugged, putting the diversion to a definitive end.

"The rest of you may as well help yourselves. Negotiations are nearly concluded, and there's far too much food and drink left." He directed this to the soldiers and servants within range, and they did as he commanded. None were bold enough to ever disobey him. It truly was a shame. If he had subordinates like Rohaan, then being emperor would definitely be more interesting. Not to say that the constant assassination attempts weren't a different kind of entertaining.

There was only silence as Rohaan transformed himself into the Emperor. It was much more disturbing than watching the Shifter change into an animal like he had done. It was certainly a surreal experience to see a nearly perfect doppelgänger of yourself, but the eyes gave it away. It was always the eyes. His left arm was already reacting to the transformation, causing Karl Valdemar to turn his back to everyone so it was less noticeable. His arm twisted and convulsed, much more than it had before. There was an audible cracking noise, as if bones were breaking or joints were dislocating. However, just as quick as the transformation, his arm calmed. When Karl Valdemar turned back around, nothing was strange, he was simply rolling his shoulder as if he had slept on it wrong. His soldier were already on their feet, readying their weapons in opposition to the Shifter.

The Shifter was now openly taunting him by offering to remove the glove. Karl Valdemar's eyes narrowed. Rohaan's curiosity no longer seemed charming or interesting. "Captain, if the shiftling removes the glove, kill him." With that command, all weapons were fully unsheathed and at the ready, fully prepared for Rohaan to make the next move. Some secrets were better left unknown.

Of Blood and Bastards

Karl Valdemar simply shrugged at Rohaan's outrage. It was likely both warranted and genuine, but it still wasn't something that the Emperor particularly found to be interesting. "You misunderstood me. I said you life may have been easier as a slave. I would be right, from a certain point of view. A slave would be of no value to me, and you would have made for poor one besides. I don't mind the passion, though."

The Emperor was leaned back in his chair with is legs crossed. He was entirely comfortable in this setting, and it could even be said that he was enjoying himself. The one peculiar thing of note, however, was that he hadn't even so much as touched the food before him. The same was true of the wine, which by even a laymen's perspective, was extremely expensive. Every time that Rohaan took a drink of his ale, a smile flashed across the Emperor's lips. It was so fast that it would have taken a well-trained eye to catch, yet it appeared with such frequency that eventually even a fool would notice the pattern.

"Little shiftling, you must remember the man that you're speaking to. You cannot even fathom the amount of deaths that I'm directly responsible for, and that's only scratching the service of the trail of bodies that continue to follow me even to this day. For as long as you hold inherent value to me, the number is utterly insignificant." Karl Valdemar did not mind the leverage the Shifter was holding over him at the present moment. In fact, it made things so much more interesting. The opposite was true so often that he generally found negotiations to be utterly dull in most respects, though he did have to acknowledge that they often ended with a dead body of some sort.

Karl Valdemar allowed the Vokurian to present his own terms, threats buried within and all. The Emperor found it to be amusing more than anything else, but he kept his silence. Even if he agreed to it, an independent nation of Vokurians would never last. They had never had their own country, to the best of his knowledge. In antiquity, they had coexisted in disparate tribes, before they had been subjugated by the Old Empire. From that point onwards, Vokurians had existed as a minority race, though their rights and privileges had come and gone in the multitude of successor states in the years after. This was only compounded by the reality that the majority of the Vokurian population was enslaved. That hardly left room much for skills that could successfully organize or administer an entire nation. Many were quite content with being enslaved by the upper nobility - which most Vokurians were. They are quite the novelty after all. Being a slave to the aristocracy still meant a better life than living in abject poverty, unless you counted the freedom to starve in a ditch as something worth having. Of course, there were many other issues that could be rattled off, but it was rather refreshing to see that Rohaan was a true idealist, though it was also amusing that he was so quick the abandon the other enslaved races.

"Despite your illiteracy, you still want this all in writing? This makes me feel as if you don't trust me at my word." He scratched his cheek with his gloved hand as he spoke, more than aware that it had finally gained the attention of the Shifter. There still lacked good reason for the Emperor to divulge this particular secret to the Shifter at the present time, yet he was very much aware how dangerous Vokurian curiosity could be when left unchecked.

"I am not quite against agreeing with your demands as they currently stand, but wouldn't it be dull to give you everything that you want before we even begin? That seems to me that you would lack every incentive to act satisfactorily as my agent. No, I'm afraid I must present my final offer."

"If you prove to be successful, I will grant you everything that you have asked for and more, assuming anything else pops into your head from now until then. If you happen to fail, however, I suppose I'll still liberate the Vokurians from slavery by having my soldiers round up as many as they can find and exterminate them. High risk and high reward; that certainly would give you enough incentive to competently act upon my behalf." The Emperor's tone and look didn't change at all while he spoke. He could have been discussing the addition of a new aqueduct to the capital and his demeanor wouldn't have been any different.

"My previous offer still stands, if you are not as confident in your abilities as I previously thought. Your choice. Before you decide on anything, I suppose it's high time that I provide actual context over what exactly I need from you." The Emperor got out of his seat, turning his back to Rohaan as he began to gaze towards the setting sun. It was blood red.

"Some years ago, before I was emperor, my father tasked me with breaking the siege of Durgan." For a thousand generations, Durgan had served as a fortress that prevented passage into the Imperial lands from the lands beyond the mountains. Those lands consisted of open plains and steppes that were currently inhabited by the Centauri nomadic clans - half-horse, half-man abominations that were a persisting scourge to all neighboring civilizations. It was over 15 years ago in which a charismatic chieftain had united most of these clans and assembled a horde that had never been seen in recorded history. For whatever reason, they had committed themselves in attempting to take Durgan so they could overrun the Eastern Marches.

"As a result of that war, I had grown close to the daughter of the Lord of Durgan. She died in childbirth as a result of giving me a bastard daughter." Karl Valdemar had no legitimate children to speak of, and a common enough rumor was that he was sterile or worse. Those that spread such rumors often found their tongues cut out. "My father didn't allow me to acknowledge her and I had already burnt a bridge with the Lord Of Durgan. So she was left at Durgan, though I had spies in place so that I could continue to keep tabs on her development." Karl Valdemar paused for a second, as if he was reminiscing about his lost love and child. It was possibly the only moment so far in which the Emperor of Mankind had shown any humanity.

"Roughly a month ago, I stopped receiving correspondence with my agent at Durgan. Not long after that, Durgan's gates close, and nobody has entered or left the fortress since. It would look odd if I interfered directly, and I do not want the fact that I have a bastard daughter to become public knowledge. Especially considering that there are certain other developments that I have only become aware of recently. I need you to investigate Durgan and retrieve my daughter if she's alive, or her body if she's dead. I have no interest in the rest."

"In any case, I do hope that you'll act as my agent on this matter. After all, there's little that I can do for you if you decline." With that, he pulled out a small flask and set it on the table, not so far from Rohaan himself. The Emperor only cast a look at the cup that Rohaan had been drinking from and gave him another smile.