Bianca was led from the main hall into the inner workings of the Oaken Keep. Away from prying eyes and the looming throne and banners, the hallways of the castle seemed almost ordinary. Various rooms holding offices of money lenders, bankers, sleeping quarters for soldiers, and everything in between to keep the castle running. This was no longer her old world of Faerie villages and huts. Now, she was seeing with her own eyes the heart of Elbafan politics and the world outside of what she knew.
"So, this is where my quest begins?" Bianca asked as she walked beside Ysolda.
"It began in the hall. This is where we make that quest possible." Ysolda answered. The pair walked the halls of the inner keep, until at last they reached their final destination. A large door with a brass handle, the High Queen reached for it and opened the way forward.
Bianca was greeted by a beautiful room lit by a massive window that stretched the length of a small house. Four pillars held the glass in place, and a small archway leading to a balcony tempted Bianca away from her place beside the queen. Banners hung from the ceiling, and sunlight illuminated the room perfectly.
Yet as her eyes ventured along the room, she was amazed at the things she saw. A large desk with various books strewn along it, as well as bookshelves holding everything from tomes on geography to politics stretched far and wide.
Another thing also caught Bianca's eye: Lucretia. Standing beside the window, reading a book beside two guards, one being Ralof and the other unfamiliar to her. He was an enormous man, though, standing a good head and shoulders above his fellow guard with long, brown hair tied behind his head.
"I see you beat us here, after all." Ysolda chuckled.
Bianca looked to the High Queen. "How does this pertain to my sentence, exactly? Brought me here for a study session?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes." Ysolda strode towards her desk and sat down behind it. "Eren Titan-Born, please fetch Elsa Fair-Hair and ask her to bring the documents regarding immigration and citizenship status, two copies."
"Of course, my queen," Eren said, then made for the door.
Immigration and citizenship, Bianca was curious just what she could need with those.
Ysolda leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. "You seem confused, so allow me to get to the point. Miss Valentina, you will need to hear this as well."
Lucretia placed her book back upon the shelf and began to walk until she reached Bianca's side. In a way, Bianca wanted to say something to Lucretia, perhaps to say thank you. If it wasn't for her testimony, things may have turned out very differently for her. However, given the current situation, Bianca thought it best to remain silent and wait on the High Queen for now.
"I'd like to make some things perfectly clear going forward regarding your situations. Lucretia," Ysolda beckoned towards the Elf. "Your testimony was a very brave one. Most people who knew of the rumors regarding the Osselus manor were reluctant to say anything, especially Elves who knew that speaking out against the Tribune would have meant death or worse."
Lucretia nodded. It wasn't hard to guess that Sha'ani's fate would have awaited Lucretia had she decided to return to Elvehn after the trial. That would definitely explain why she was still here in Autumn's Gate.
"So, in regards to your request, I am offering you the chance to apply for Elbafan citizenship, as well as placing you in the protection of Oaken Keep. Eren Titan-Born is to be your protector for the foreseeable future until such a time when you feel it safe to live outside of my palace. Do you accept?"
"Yes, High Queen!" Lucretia didn't even hesitate.
Next, Ysolda turned to Bianca. "The same offer is extended to you, Bianca Miles, however a bit differently. For political reasons, I cannot allow you to take permanent residence within Oaken Keep. I have risked much by allowing such leniency in your trial, and any more obvious signs of mercy could be seen as my complacency for the death of Verunil Osselus. Do you understand?"
It made sense, in its own twisted way. Ysolda, while clearly on Bianca's side, had to be a queen first and foremost. If Bianca were living under her roof, it could cause trouble. "So, where am I gonna sleep? Back in the holding cell?"
"Nothing so crass," a familiar voice said behind her as Bianca turned around. It was Jardur, smirking smugly as he leaned against the door of Ysolda's office. Frustration boiled up inside Bianca as the assassin pushed off of the door and walked towards them. "You know you're lucky Bree had us do a sweep of the manor after your Faerie friends slaughtered the lot of them. Our friend Lucretia here was hidden under a table on the upper floor. Fae walked right past her. Good thing, too, or we wouldn't be having this conversation."
That explained how Lucretia was here in the first place. Jardur stood beside Bianca, crossing his arms and smirking as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Suppose you'll be wanting a thank you, then?" Bianca scoffed.
"Well it'd be nice considering you're standing in front of the High Queen and not hanging from a noose, or having your head chopped off, or–"
"I get it!" Bianca spat, interrupting Jardur as Ysolda watched and waited as the conversation played out.
"As I was saying, Jardur," Ysolda began, glaring at the pair. "Bianca will not be taking residence in the Oaken Keep, but will instead be placed under the protection of a member of Gaoling's Blade until the sentence is carried out. Meaning, until Prince Nazair al'Citadel is recovered safely, Bianca will be under the watchful eye of Jardur Far-Strider, as per my decree."
"And what exactly does that entail?" Bianca asked.
Jardur chuckled. "It means you and I are gonna get a lot better acquainted, kid. Living together. Eating together. Basically you're my responsibility until the Prince is found, and on the off chance you can't do it, I'll be the one to execute you." He winked.
Bianca slammed her hands on the desk. "That's ridiculous! I'm not going anywhere with him!"
"You refuse? After the show you put on in my halls?" Ysolda asked, and Bianca bit her tongue. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to argue considering she was just granted a form of leniency regarding her sentence. Even so, she would have taken this sentence with anyone else as her warden, anyone else but Jardur. The cocky ice mage infuriated her to no end.
Then there was the fact that he was a man. Bianca had no experience whatsoever with living with the opposite gender. She'd slept in the same hut as Konalan and Kotaro on occasions when she was little, but had mainly either stayed with Sha'ani or in her hideout. She couldn't help wondering just what would happen in the event she was completely alone with him.
"I…" Bianca began.
"Look, to set your mind at ease, you won't actually be living with me personally. I just wanted to see your reaction." Jardur shrugged. "Not as dramatic as I'd hoped. Anyway, you'll be living at the guild hall here in the city."
"Guild hall?" She asked.
"The guild hall of Gaoling's Blade rests within the business district of Autumn's Gate. It boasts many fine facilities such as a garden, a tavern, as well as several rooms available to its members. I'm told it's kept in good condition." Ysolda explained.
"Eh, Rami could stand to sweep a bit more." Jardur chimed in.
The doors to the study opened, with Eren Titan-Born and Else Fair-Hair walking through with two stacks of paper, one for Bianca and Lucretia. The advisor gingerly handed the documents to the pair of women and directed them towards the door. "Please follow me to the Oaken Keep library, if you would."
"Guess that means us?" Bianca asked, trying to look confident.
"You would be correct." Ysolda assured her, and with that the pair followed Elsa out of the High Queen's personal study.
—
Bianca wasn't exactly a stranger to paperwork. Completing forms for jobs in Elbafas and Elvehn came with no shortage of a need to read the fine print and write one's name. However that was merely contracts promising one-time payments on completion of mercenary work. Now, she was having to read over the various laws of the land. Laws on land ownership and due process as well as taxes and employment. The conscription process regarding military service and understanding the rules of nobility.
To say it was a lot to take in was an understatement.
Bianca stole a look to her side and witnessed Lucretia stacking her forms and signing her name on the bottom row of the final page. It looked like she was finished, so Bianca figured it might be okay to start up some kind of conversation given the fact she was nearly done as well.
"Hey," Bianca said as she turned in her seat, facing the Elf. "Thank you."
Lucretia shrugged.
Well, so much for small talk. Bianca sighed, signing her name and stacking the forms just like Lucretia had. The library was enormous, boasting walls and walls of books on every subject imaginable, and every book in every genre one could think of. Bianca wondered if Ysolda kept a copy of "Forbidden Desires of an Al'Maran Prince," though it seemed unlikely. The High Queen didn't seem the type to indulge in erotica.
At their long table, alone, Bianca tried to make some form of connection with the Elf woman who had potentially saved her life. "Seriously, if you hadn't helped me, I'd probably be dead right now. So–"
"Shut it." Lucretia spat, grabbing her papers and starting towards the door. Stunned, Bianca turned back to her own forms when she heard Lucretia's footsteps come to a halt. "I didn't do it for you."
Bianca turned around to see Lucretia, her back still turned to her.
"My father was a slaver during the Elvehn and Elbafan War, and I stood by while Verunil did those horrible things to human and Faerie women. I was complacent, just staying out of the way of the more superior Elves so I didn't share the same fate as those victims. Saving you was my only real chance to finally strike back at the fucked up system of Elvehn. I did it out of spite, Mongrel. Nothing more."
Guessing she wouldn't be making friends with the Elf, she signed the final form before stepping away from the writing desk and gathering them in her hands. She made her way back to the private study of High Queen Ysolda, and opened the door.
"Ah, she returns!" Jardur proclaimed sarcastically. "I thought the act of holding a pen might have been too much for you."
Sneering, Bianca placed the forms onto Ysolda's desk. "Done," she said boldly.
Ysolda smiled and took the first paper in the stack, sliding it in front of her. She reached under her desk and procured a stamp. "Ordinarily, this is done before a much larger gathering. My other Jarls, their Thanes, and family members of the applicant. However, given this circumstance, I'll ask that Far-Strider himself be a witness."
Here we go…
Jardur stepped forward, smirking at Bianca, then looked back at the queen. "Let's do this thing."
"Jardur Far-Strider, the woman in this room has thusly applied for Elbafan citizenship. What say you about her character?" Ysolda asked, authority in her voice.
Jardur chuckled. "Frankly, my queen, Bianca Miles is by all accounts a menace to society. Brash, murderous, and simply too angry to die. Were I High King, she'd be strung up in the streets at this very moment."
Why you smarmy little shit…
"But, alas, I am not High King. You are. Well, High Queen, anyway. You made the choice to vouch for her, so I'll take your side in this. I bear witness, and accept all decisions made by your hand, my queen."
Bianca heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"Then by my right as High Queen," Ysolda said as she stamped the paper with her seal, the bear and crossed axes upon a shield. The symbol of the War-Bear, and the symbol of Elbafas. "I hereby name Bianca Miles a citizen of Elbafas. I grant her full rights and privileges of my people, including the right to buy and own land, and to be employed in any profession she is deemed qualified for."
She slid the paper back towards Bianca. It was right there, as plain as day: Citizen of Elbafas. Of course, Bianca knew this wasn't a charity. Rather, it was a formality. She couldn't necessarily do her job if she wasn't a full fledged citizen, so this was mainly to make things easier on their court.
"Thank you, my queen," Bianca said, bowing.
The day was drawing to a close. Bianca walked out of the keep, escorted by the guards and Jardur himself. As they left the halls of the Oaken Keep, Bianca took one final look at its grand, majestic gates and sighed.
"One year," she said quietly.
Jardur nodded. "Yup," he said. "One year to find Prince Nazair al'Citadel, or I get to take that pretty head off your shoulders. Besides that, no pressure!"
Bianca rolled her eyes. "So now what do I do?"
"Whatever you want, girl. Drink some ale at the local tavern, go to the library, bed the next man who gives you a sideways glance. I'm not your mother. Do whatever pleases you. I know I will."
He left without another word, walking down the stairs that led into the city of Autumn's Gate. Bianca stood at the top, looking out over the city that would be her home. At least for the next year. Her execution had been suspended, at least long enough for her to reclaim the prince of Forswaron and restore her freedom. One year to make good on her promise.
She could have done a lot of things. Bianca could have gone down to the local inn and met with a man. Maybe she could have drank to her heart's content. There were so many options, yet none of them appealed to her. Instead, one thing came to mind. That her life, after this day, would never be the same again.
-Some Time Later-
Jardur slid his sword belt off of his waist and laid it on the table in the Gaoling's Blade guildhall. He rested on the nearest bench, looking down at a glass of mead left for him. The firelight illuminated the green banners that hung from the banisters above, and the wooden beams that crossed the length of the roof. He took the glass and drank, shirking away at the hotness of the drink before cooling it with his own touch.
"How'd it go?" A familiar voice came from the doorway. Brialla Nivenor, Bree for short, walked into the guildhall in her usual leathers and axe at her side. The only difference: her hand bandaged and arm in a sling.
Jardur smirked, taking another drink. "Good look for you, mommy dearest."
Bree rolled her eyes, sitting down across from him. "I could have taken her down, Jardur."
Of that, he had no doubt. Bree was fierce with magic and strength. "Oh, I know. She just surprised you. Who in Infernus actually bites their opponent in a duel?"
Bree, however, didn't answer. She only looked down at her injured hand with a pained, forlorn look on her face.
"Ben's daughter. After all this time." She shook her head. "Licenia, I can't believe you…"
"Who?" Jardur asked.
Bree looked up. "No one you need to concern yourself with, Jardur. No one of importance." She glared to the side, her pained expression now one of anger.
"No one of value."
Jardur nodded. "Understood. Oh, to answer your question, it went swimmingly. Bianca avoided death, and she's now going to be under our jurisdiction until she finds Nazair. She'll be staying in the guildhall until that happens."
Turning back to face Jardur, Bree sighed, taking a mug of mead and drinking. "Good, good. That's–" Her eyes went wide as she drank, then she promptly spat the contents of her mouth out onto the table.
"Wait, what?!"
Gaoling's Blade Saga
Mercenary Arc
-End-
***
Verathorn of the Heartland Fae,
My heart aches for what has been done. The sanctity of your people, violated. The child you took in so many years ago, now clinging to her life. It is inexcusable.
Yet despite all this, I must ask of thee something of great importance. As I write, I intend to put in place a summit of peace one year from today to be held at the Orcish city of Stonetooth. Shogun Sorthark, leader of the Stonetooth Clan, has already attempted to make contact with the Dwarven Kingdom, Kal-Oto. My contacts in Elvehn also seek audience with Battiatus and the Elvehnus Senate. All that remains is the desert kingdom of Forswaron.
That is where Bianca comes in. I have no doubt that her might and ferocity will lead us to the path of peace. She will reclaim Prince Nazair, reunite him with Queen N'fube, and we shall use this to ensure a lasting peace between us. I ask only that you be in attendance, my old friend. You and the full might of the Heartland Fae at the backs of Elbafan warriors.
Let the dream of a single banner finally be within reach.
-Ysolda War-Bear