Rage and Providence

9

Azalea and her father both stood warily outside of the Emperors private study, each lost in their own thoughts. Azalea had told him of the Seer's vision when he'd come to collect her earlier and he'd been quiet ever since, and Azalea glanced the pair of guards outside the study as the steward who'd escorted them knocked and announced them. Both she and Irad had opted for simple black shirts, trousers, boots, and gloves, and his hair was bound loosely at the nape to swing over his shoulder while she had hers bound up in a high ponytail, her thick waves twisted around into a loose cord and bound again with a smaller ribbon at the very end. She was planning to go riding later in hopes of avoiding certain marriage meetings Irad had planned for her, and Azalea gave a shallow bow as she and Irad entered the study and looked around.

The Emperor wore a dark red tunic with black pants and boots as he leaned against the front of his desk, and his loose auburn curls bounced at he returned her bow with a nod and gestures around them. Before the desk was a long reddish brown coffee table with black and gold short sofas on either side, as well as a black and gold upholstered chair at the far end with the back facing the door, and Azalea inclined her head to the Five where they sat, Irad going around to settle beside Sirona and Vanir. Garuda's hair was loose around his shoulders as he sat in a plain white robe and golden sandals, his ankles crossed, while Veles' dark green robe had intricate designs of vines and leaves all over it, his covered staff set between his knees and black sandaled feet and his mane of wild dark curls brushed back. Vanir's white tunic and light blue trousers and sandals matched Sirona's pale blue houpplande and white sash and sandals.

By the Dragons, just seeing all of them is exhausting, Azalea thought as she sat in the chair directly across from the Emperor, crossing her legs as she leaned back and rested her head on her fingers. The Emperor gave an amused chuckle and signaled a servant to bring his own chair from around the desk, and he also sits with his legs crossed as he looks her over.

"Before we get into the Seer's vision, I have a curiosity I wish sated. What sorcery was used for you to look and act exactly like Amaranth?"

Azalea grinned slowly at him, and the shift in everyone's face and postures almost made her laugh. Of course, always Amaranth.

"I was raised by the woman, is it so uncommon for daughters to reflect their mothers?"
"That's not what I mean and you know it. From the way you speak and walk to the self-righteous way you sit now to that little display last night; I knew her as well as Irad, even if he was the one she chose, and that's all Amaranth."
"With all due respect old friend, there's more than enough differences to sate your curiosity."
"And which difference would that be Irad? The gleam in her eyes that isn't dark enough, the breath of her laugh that isn't quite as maddening, the hair that curls more despite holding the same silky softness that glides between ones fingers? She's definitely no Amaranth, but a likeness of this level could only be possible through magic, and everyone in this room knows if she'd wished it, there would be no form of sorcery Amaranth couldn't have mastered."

Azalea couldn't stop the disdainful laugh that escaped her. Here sat another fool haunted by Amaranth despite her fiendish nature with her as a reminder of both lost obsessions and nearly unbeatable power felled only by death.

It's ridiculous how much more often this will happen now that I have to meet more of these moronic prats in my extended lifetime, Azalea thought sourly.

"Amaranth was no Dragon, her power wasn't limitless. As much as I would love to hear more of how such a creature haunts you as well as everyone in the room, I believe my supposed decimation of our kingdom is of greater consequence than the shadows of an old fling."

The Emperor glared at her father when his poorly hidden smirk was broken by a chuckle and cleared his throat, and Garuda seemed equally frazzled as he side-eyed her with a deep frown. Azalea sighed and turned her attention fully to him, her mounting annoyance evident in her voice as she crossed her arms.

"Well SunLord, I can tell you now that as of this moment I have no interest or intention to use such a spell, nor do I currently possess enough of the natural essence needed to generate and maintain that spell in particular."
"Perhaps not now, but war has a way of changing people and if you take after your mother in honesty as well as appearance then-"

"Tread carefully SunLord," Azalea cut him off, her glare sharp as she held his gaze. "If I were truly the type to follow in Amaranth's footsteps, then I would've long since followed her example and liberated your tongue from your petulant shiny skull."

Garuda's answering glare only fueled her annoyance, and she held it easily as he silently fumed before he averted his gaze as Veles began speaking beside him.

"The spell not withstanding, the battles we saw may prompt that level of destruction. Filaria has been using more and more magic in this war, and we fear their advancements will require a greater power, YOU'RE greater power, to prepare aid us. We clearly do not doubt your power or intent, but whether it's worth the cost."
"Filaria? I thought our war was with Lumino?"

The Emperor cleared his throat, and they all looked to him as he motioned for a servant to fill a bowl with water, then withdrew a crystal called salifite that was used to store information and dropped it in, activating a simple mirror spell to reflect what was inside as the water drew itself up from the bowl to form a map. From the changing colors of the water, Azalea could see who were allies and who were the enemy, and she leaned forward in her seat to study it closely. It looked as if Kataran Island and the Republic of Kalano, both island nations, were allies with Lumino, as was Filaria, while the far northern nations of Wintara and Norsa we're neutral as was the far east Kingdom of Laysia, the Southeast Republic of Janap which was another island nation, and Aquotar Island. That left the southern kingdoms Calmor and Elimon as well as the desert nation Warfe to be allied with Serpelan, and Kerah was neutral but was most likely going to be helping as a last resort.

"Filaria has been revolutionizing magic and technology for some time, but you're correct Azalea, our war is with Lumino. WarLord Salifet has been keeping the enemy at bay with the cooperation of Viscount Human, but there's signs of invasion that cannot be ignored, and with both Kalano and Kataran on their side plus some communication issues we've been having, it's been difficult acquiring men and materials."
"What is this war even about? The whole truth, not the viel that's been put over the eyes of the public."

The Emperor grimaced but continued, Azalea ignoring the chastising look her  father gave her.

"Two and a half years ago, an incident with a mercenary group in Lumino left nearly a hundred dead and even more missing or injured. We'd hired them to guard and defend our embassy there, however their methods left much to be desired and they were apparently being investigated, for what we still don't know. Authorities had gone to confront them which started the struggle, and a dozen or so knights that had been favored by Lumino's leader Queen Sarula were tortured and or killed, as was her youngest child the 3rd Prince Morin, who'd gone against her orders and had been meddling with the investigation. Lumino deported the surviving mercenaries back to us once they were rounded up and they were all executed, however this incident sparked great malice in Lumino and as of 14 months ago, we've been at war."
"And because Lumino itself is not known for their magical prowess they've allied themselves with Filaria who has part of the Scaled Mountains in their territory and as such, an abundance of cheruline."
"Yes, and the tenuous coexistence between magic and non-magic users is  becoming more and more unbalanced as this war progresses. I'm planning to use your power in the field, with it we'll be able to push them back and work out a peace treaty of sorts."
"That may be a bit too hopeful. Peace has only worked with Calmor and Elimon because both kingdoms were willing to compromise some freedoms and authority for our power and resources, and while Warfe is rich in culture and magic they're still practically a wasteland, hence their continued alliance to us and the ever reforming Laysia is necessary for their survival. A grieving mother will not compromise, and between Lumino and Filaria they have enough resources to eventually bounce back from cutting ties with us in the event they live that long. Your best bet would be to either destroy them completely, or gain total submission and simply absorb them into the empire. If they've truly advanced in magic as you say, then finding a self sufficient force of essence that can counteract any sort of spell they have would be prudent, just having me on the field may-"

Azalea paused with a frown, her father's blank face turning slowly to the Emperor with only the glower in his eyes as proof of his displeasure.

Right, she thought, ME on the field.