A Dream of Empire Ch. 007

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Two sorceresses visit Falinor.
14.2k words
4.67
6.3k
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Part 7 of the 27 part series

Updated 06/08/2023
Created 01/09/2018
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Alanna

Catriona, Imperial County of Catriona

27th of Zenith, 1282 D.f.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Alanna bobbed and weaved through the streets of Catriona this fine morning, wearing a modest-yet-enchanting dress of twinkling reds and browns. She hummed a tune to herself as her long, shining auburn hair flowed gently over her alabaster shoulders. She spun about when someone called her name, giving the soul a gentle wave as she twirled around just as quickly, uncaring for the raucous display that the massive distractions on her chest produced as she spun. She rocked her shoulders, pleased as could be in that gentle summer sun as she sang a tune just gentler.

She absentmindedly conjured a white spark of energy in her hand, idly willing it to dance around her fingers as she swayed happily through the street. This enchantress couldn't wait to tell her man of the latest restoration spell she had mastered. She even had a mind to cast it on him without his knowledge, just to see his reaction. She giggled at the thought of his piercing green eyes brought wide, his perfect lips smirking back at her from her touch.

Alanna extinguished the spark with a snap of her fingers as she stepped up the stairs to her home. She fished the only key she carried from her purse, unlocking the door to her townhouse and swung it open with a smile.

Alanna found an elven princess just inside, in the midst of singing some beautiful song while she cradled the babe Talos lovingly in her arms. Casiama's soft voice drifted away when she glanced towards the door, and her gorgeous smile waned almost imperceptably.

"Good morning, Alanna," Casiama greeted as the enchantress stepped inside, kicking her boots off as she shut the door.

"Morning Cass," Alanna replied with a smile. "Talos upstairs?"

Alanna frowned when Casiama did, and she stepped closer when the elf didn't immediately answer her. Alanna was one moment away from reading her thoughts as the elf's gaze flickered downwards towards the infant in her arms.

"No. He decided to go to Pinkwater with Emmanuel," Casiama answered softly, keeping her gaze fixed on the Talos in her arms. Alanna squinted with irritation as she stepped closer.

"What?" she murmured, not wanting to startle her son.

Casiama sighed, raising herself from the chair she sat upon to return the babe to his crib with an unimaginable gentleness. She replied only after she was sure Talos was secure in his blanket, with her back still turned towards Alanna.

"You have heard me, Alanna. He went with Emmanuel," Casiama said softly. Alanna stepped even closer still, not three feet from her back.

"And you let him?"

Casiama gracefully twirled about, holding a strong glare and a hand on her hip. She leaned over the enchantress in red, towering over her.

"I did not let him, Alanna," she retorted, imitating the enchantress's squeaky voice, "he told me. I do not demand his obedience like some."

Alanna gasped at the insinuation, placing her own hands on her hip. "Demand his obedience? Cass, what has gotten in to you?" she asked thinly, squinting in return as she gazed up into the elf's eyes.

"Read me and discover. I challenge you," Casiama dared of her coldly. Alanna had sought to do the very same, just before the elf demanded it of her, and instantly decided otherwise. The enchantress spun on her heel, pacing about the room silently for half a minute. Casiama didn't move.

"I know what this is," Alanna claimed. "Talos changed his mind because he feels suffocated now. He didn't want to go when Emmanuel was here last." She glanced towards the elf, feeling the anger seething through her veins. "But now he feels trapped, because you're always begging for his attention."

Casiama took that provocation just as well as one would expect. "Oh, I beg for his attention?" she retorted defiantly, stepping towards her in an attempt at intimidation. "What about you, Alanna? Or are you somehow innocent of all wrongdoing?"

Alanna smirked, glancing at Casiama's knees for a second. "At least I don't go crawling to him every time my fragile feelings get damaged." The elf strode closer still.

"Crawling?! What are you implying, Alanna?" Casiama asked, practically touching Alanna's body with her own. The enchantress didn't back away.

"I think you know precisely what I'm implying, Cass."

The elf paused, returning the sorceress's smirk.

"What I know is that you are too much a coward to say it aloud," Casiama sneered.

Enchantresses, above all other vocations of sorcery, are known throughout all corners of the world for their strong willpower. With the ability to read the minds of those around them, an unbreakable self-determination is required to merely walk in public, let alone speak to someone close.

Alanna was known to her friends and family for her strong willpower. She came out on top through many rigors of life through it. She was revered across the city of Catriona for it, and she was oft sought by fellow sorceresses because of it.

Alanna's willpower shattered that very instant. She gripped Casiama's arms, shoving her forcefully towards the ground. The action must have come as a complete and utter surprise to the elf, as she wouldn't have tumbled so awkwardly towards the floor otherwise. The enchantress fell on top of her before she could rise, gripping the elf's golden-brown hair tightly.

"Get off of me!" Casiama cried as she shoved Alanna away, only getting her hair pulled in response. She gripped Alanna's shoulders and rolled on top of her, getting kicked twice in the process by one completely unfamiliar with the exercise.

Casiama then brought her hand to Alanna's cheek forcefully, producing a loud smack when palm met flesh. Alanna squealed in pain, pulling on the elf's hair with harder.

"It's your fault, Cass!" Alanna squeaked, forcing the elf to roll over as she wrapped her legs around her.

Casiama had very little experience fighting without her magic. Roughhousing in an elven home was uncommon, typically only suited to males in their earliest years. In the setting of an elven palace, it was unheard of.

"It is not!" she exclaimed childishly, now tugging on Alanna's auburn hair as well.

The pair of gifted sorceresses tumbled around like that for another two minutes, just as many mundane girls do elsewhere. It wasn't until the babe Talos started crying from the commotion did they stop.

Alanna pushed Casiama away from her, the elf falling backwards onto her butt, panting for air as the enchantress rushed over to comfort her baby. Alanna picked him up gently, rocking him ever so sweetly in her arms as she displayed the world's quickest change of emotion. Talos calmed down within the minute.

"What... are we... doing Alanna?" Casiama asked between gasps of air. Alanna shook her head with a frown, her eyes fixed on her little Talos.

"We're fighting," she whispered, unable to speak in any higher tone with her babe so close.

"Why?!"

Casiama pushed herself off the ground, smoothing her dress out when she found her feet. Alanna frowned when their eyes met for but a couple seconds.

"Because... he decided to leave," she replied sadly. The elf frowned as well, plopping down on the chair behind her.

"Because...?"

Alanna sighed, glancing towards her child once more. "Because we're always fighting over him."

Casiama lowered her head into her hands, sighing with exasperation when palms met cheeks. Alanna set her babe back in his crib, wanting to comfort the elf with words she did not know. It wasn't entirely her fault that Talos felt that he had to leave, of course. They shared that blame together. They shared it equally.

Alanna realized just then how tumultuous the past three months have been. At first, their relationship was marked by a hesitant joy; no soul was willing to push another too far, lest they ruin the moment. Joy soon turned to a cordial possessiveness, the girls finding their own personal time to be in their shared man's arms, while being completely unwilling to share those moments with one another. Possessive feelings turned to eagerness, a willingness to at least try and share. That had been but a month ago, just before Alanna and Talos had taken their vacation together. That eagerness quickly devolved into jealousy, an abject failure of their willingness to share.

Alanna sighed, deciding to reach out to Talos at that moment. She closed her eyes as she shut herself off from her immediate surroundings.

She was on horseback now, cantering through the meadows and hills of Catriona towards the morning sun. She thought of everything yet nothing at all, welcoming the simple pleasures of a life on the road once more. She appreciated this short chance to get away from it all, knowing she would appreciate returning home just that much more...

"Alanna. We cannot keep doing this," Casiama said brittly, bringing the enchantress back to her house by the bay.

"I know," Alanna pouted.

Alanna knew wholeheartedly that Talos would return on his own accord as she reviewed the thoughts gathered from his mind, and decided she didn't need to seek him out to convince him otherwise. Yet, her vision of Talos reminded her of the road once more. Binding with him always did, really. The man dreamt of it endlessly, even if he gave his best in an attempt to hide that fact.

She recalled her own time with Casiama in the Borderland forests to the east. She remembered her own astonishment upon learning the elf was a princess, her utter excitement when she revealed herself to be a conjurer as well. She recalled her time with Talos in the Badlands beyond that, remembering all the good times and the bad.

A life on the road made things simple. Everything hidden was revealed to you when the world was laid bare, and problems were forced to be resolved lest they consume you.

Alanna knew what she had to do. She turned towards the elf, an elf who loved her man just as much as she did, the enchantress's willpower filling her heart once more as she smiled as well she could.

"How long has it been since you've seen a forest, Casiama? A real forest?"

-=-=-

Alanna had haste work to do this morning. She had just convinced Casiama to travel with her to Falinor, a forest to the east, and now had to secure lodging for her child as well as passage to the forest itself. She had to accomplish these tasks before Casiama could change her mind as well, as the elf could simply decide to leave on her own accord rather than accompany her.

Both tasks were simple enough for an enchantress who personally knew half the city of Catriona. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and her babe cradled in her arms as she strode towards her sister's house, just a few streets away from her own. Alanna knocked on the door gently when she'd arrived, her sister receiving her with open arms.

"Morning Alanna," she greeted hoarsely, wrapping one arm around Alanna to ensure she didn't disturb the infant in her arms. Alanna smiled, shrugging the heavy bag off of her shoulder. Her sister took it.

"Hey sis! I'm, uh, in quite the hurry. I'm wondering if-"

"Maria? Who's at the door this early?" A man shouted from out-of-view, from within the house. Alanna recognized it as her sister's husband, who soon appeared at the door with a grin. "Ah, Alanna! Good tidin's to you," he greeted warmly. Alanna hadn't yet met a soul who she couldn't melt with her smile.

"Good tidings, Mattias. How's the leg?" the enchantress asked coyly, already knowing she had healed it perfectly the last time they met. Mattias glanced towards it all the same, lifting his foot from the floor.

"It's perfect, miss. Almost like it didn't break a'tall," he grinned.

"That's wonderful to hear," Alanna replied breathlessly, glancing towards her sister once more. "Sis, I need you to take Talos for a couple days. Until the-"

"Of course! The little one's always welcome here."

"-until the thirtieth," Alanna finished, handing her infant into her sister's waiting arms. "Should have plenty of milk," she explained nodding towards the bag on her sister's shoulder. Maria frowned as she looked over Alanna's worried face.

"Okay," she replied softly. "Are you in trouble, Alanna?"

Alanna shrugged with a half-smile. "Maybe. Guess I'll see shortly," she replied as she leaned over to kiss her child on the forehead. "Be good for your aunt and uncle, Talos," she cooed for him, glancing upwards to the two smiling souls before her.

"Thanks so much, you two. I hope he's no trouble."

Alanna's next stop was to secure passage to the forests itself. Over land, if traveling by horseback, it would take the better part of a week to venture to Falinor. Alanna didn't have that kind of time, or that kind of patience really. Nor did she have a reason to travel by horseback either, as she was friends with most of the sorceresses of Catriona.

She and Casiama would port directly to Falinor, skipping the journey on horseback entirely. Alanna had already settled on Jenna to perform the task, a young teleportation sorceress who was still attending the College in town. Alanna hadn't asked her for a favor for months now, and knew she was always eager to help her when she needed it.

She knocked on the door to her flat, another three blocks from her townhouse. Jenna greeted her with a warm smile; Alanna's adorable demeanor had that kind of effect on people, after all.

"Good morning, Alanna."

"Good morning! Jenna, mind if I ask you a favor?" the enchantress asked breathlessly, having walked at a quick pace to arrive here. She hadn't granted herself a moment of air before knocking.

"Of course not... but only if I get a favor in return," Jenna smirked coyly. Alanna moaned with feigned exasperation, a smile present on her face as well.

"Name it."

"Can you help me with my restoration studies sometime?" the young sorceress asked softly. "I'm struggling on Sonja's third verse, you see, and-"

"Done," Alanna nodded instantly. "I need a port to Falinor, for a friend and myself. Today. The return trip's on the thirtieth; can you do it?"

"My, you're in a hurry aren't you?" Jenna giggled as she nodded her consent. "Of course I'll port you. I'll be here 'til noon, Alanna."

Alanna had almost forgotten to thank Jenna as she rushed down the steps from her flat. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

-=-=-

Alanna returned to the townhouse in a hurry, sighing with a mixture of relief and exhaustion when she found Casiama waiting for her, dressed and ready to go. She soon led the pouting elf through the streets of Catriona, to the teleportation square just a block from Jenna's house.

Teleporters of Catriona required these squares - a simple thirty-by-thirty foot marble platform checkered in black and grey - to port from one location to another. The squares were linked together across vast distances through a network in the aetherial wind, allowing a sorceress to reach out to another square across the empire to port themselves or others there instantly.

Sorceresses of other schools eventually learned to port without need of these squares, due to the fact that Catriona held a monopoly on their use and construction. To port without a square, however, required a considerably larger amount of willpower and magic than porting with one. Jenna, for example, would be able to port twenty people through this square on the very same day if she wanted to; and she was still going to school.

Jenna gifted a small pendant to Alanna before she departed, an amulet which, when activated, would let her know that Alanna was ready to return to Catriona. With a quick 'thank you' and a wave, Alanna and Casiama were consumed by a bright, glimmering portal of purple light, forcing their eyes shut. When their eyes reopened, they were standing directly atop a similarly-checkered square in Falinor, a mountain range and two-hundred miles between them and their positions a second before.

The city of Falinor was certainly nothing special, especially compared to the wonder of Catriona. The stone walls which surrounded it were worn from the passage of time, barely a thought spared towards their upkeep in the past three-hundred years due to the city's naturally-remote location. Dirty wooden houses surrounded dirty marketplaces, and the only stone buildings of the city were the churches and the castle keep itself. The teleportation square of Falinor was, fortunately, not within the walls of the city itself. It instead stood two miles outside of town, atop a hill which overlooked the city.

Casiama instantly squinted with disgust at the sight. Alanna felt her displeasure and placed a haste hand on the elf's cheek to push her gaze to the side, away from the town. Alanna had brought her here for the valley; Falinor itself was worthless, as far as she was concerned.

"Oh," Casiama murmured, her frown instantly disappearing.

The city of Falinor was nestled between two snow-capped mountain ranges on its east and west sides, both about thirty miles away. Before those peaks were foothills, covered with miles and miles of dense forests where no humans bothered to tread. Streams and rivers of all sizes ran from those mountain peaks towards the valley floor, weaving and twisting their way under the endless canopy of tall trees.

The girls soon made their way to the west, their gazes fixed on the forests before them.

-=-=-

After two hours of walking, the sorceresses were now surrounded by all manner of oak and redwood standing proudly around them, forming a thick canopy of foliage which both sheltered and hindered the saplings and smaller trees closer to the forest floor. The copses of redwoods dominated all else around them, rising hundreds of feet into the sky as if defying the unwritten laws of nature themselves. Most redwoods refused to give in to the sigh of a spring wind or the frost of a winter's chill; their trunks were straight and firm, as if incapable of taking any other shape.

Casiama had her hands clasped behind her back with her gaze turned ever skyward, marveling in their magnificence. The princess was unsure where she should look, so she twirled instead in graceful appreciation. The trees of the Borderlands, of Tor Valliya, of all she'd ever known were positively diminutive compared to these miracles, and she couldn't help but grin as she danced beneath them. She wondered how many years those wonders have seen. How much they had lived through.

Alanna gazed happily upon Casiama's contagious joy, deciding to answer her unasked question.

"A sorceress told me once that some of these same trees were alive when dragons ruled the lands," the enchantress said softly. "They've... a thousand and two years, at least. The red ones anyway."

"A thousand and two..." Casiama repeated in awe, her gaze only falling from the canopy to locate the nearest redwood. She bounced over to it, placing her hand on it's trunk. "Kianra could have touched this very tree... just like I am," she whispered reverently. Alanna noticed the elf's trembling lip, but made no move to remedy it.

The girls shared a wondrous quarter-hour of silence, then, treading softly through the undergrowth of Falinor forest to only listen to the songs of the gentle wind and the forest's many birds. Casiama broke that silence with her gaze still fixed towards the heavens, soft tears blurring her sight.

"Imagine if they could speak, Alanna. What manner of story would they tell? All our problems, all our concerns... I imagine they are pitiful and pointless to ones so wise."