A Dream of Empire Ch. 016

"I love her, though," Talos murmured as the gears turned in his head.

Tatiana shook her head, softly replying, "I know, and it's fine that you do. You should love her, Talos, because you deserve what makes you happy. But don't you ever let her control you again. She's weak, and you're... not. Does that make sense?"

"Mm," he replied with his gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "I'm just coming to terms with your... stance. I'm mostly in agreement."

Tatiana beamed. "Great! Now, I've concoted a ward which should prevent her from being able to-"

"No no no," Talos interjected as he finally rolled her way. "You have one thing wrong about her. She isn't looking to control me. She's had every chance to do so, and hasn't ever done anything more than... well, get me to admit my love for you, for one. Little things, really. Look, Tanya, if you're truly my canvas, let me give you my first task," he said to her with a squint. Tatiana cleared her throat.

"O-okay."

"Treat her like she's me and put all this hostility behind you. I don't care if she's weak. Show her how to be great instead."

She nodded in submission. "A-as you say, Talos."

"I mean it. No more name calling."

Tatiana matched his squint. "And I meant it when I said as you say."

"Good. Secondly, I want you to lift your ward for her. Enchantresses can never fully trust those who they can't read. Do that, and I'm confident everything else will work itself out."

"Because she'll be able to control me..."

"No, because she's deathly afraid of your plot to steal me away from her. Only lift it when you're sure that you've completed the first task as best you could."

"H-how do you know that I... um, I mean..."

Talos kissed her on the lips, then grinned. "Because you may be unreadable, Tanya, but you're otherwise incredibly obvious in your intentions. I really need to take a piss."

"I can, um, take care of-"

"Naturally," he smirked.

"O-okay. I'll... get dressed?" she asked him for permission. He grunted the affirmative as he lifted himself from their bed.

"Mm. Damn, you sure made a mess," he chuckled.

Tatiana giggled as she followed him out of the furs, scanning her own legs disapprovingly when she found her feet. "I did, huh? Sorry about the bedroll."

She watched him shrug as he discarded his small clothes and put on his pants, which were bloodied by Orcs rather than by her.

"It was your coin that bought it," he dryly replied as he threw on his bloodied shirt. "Only fitting that you were the one to ruin it." She giggled again.

Tatiana examined what was left of her supposed clothes, scattered haphazardly about the cavern floor. With her panties now ripped, her pants now covered in Orc's blood, and her bra... fortunately still in one piece over there, Tatiana knew they'd need to visit her tower in Redstone before they allowed themselves to be discovered by another soul. They probably looked like bandits. Bloody, bloody bandits. She relieved herself with a spell before pulling her pants up her legs, while Talos stepped outside to relieve himself naturally.

Tatiana was near halfway dressed when she heard Talos speak outside the cavern. His voice sounded tense. Concerned.

"Alanna," he said. Alanna's here?

"Mannfred," he added. Who's Mannfred?

"All you... other people."

Other... people?

She quickly threw her shirt over her head and rushed outside to find Talos. She found him just outside the cavern's entrance, staring at a company of a dozen and four knights with the purple-and-black banner of the King fluttering above them. Alanna, grinning the most shit-eating grin Tatiana had ever seen, stepped forward from the group and swayed towards Talos. Tatiana nonchalantly wrapped her arm inside Talos' just in case they needed to teleport away.

"Talos... Tanya..." Alanna sneered, "I'd like to introduce you to Alfred the Second, the King of Solais," she said with an outstretched hand and a curteous bow as she walked their way.

The man behind her certainly looked regal. He was a tall, older man with white hair and a white beard, clad in black plate from neck-to-toe with purple fineries on top. He wore a golden crown that branched out in every direction as if imitating the sun's rays, and he looked ever-so-displeased as he confidently stepped towards them with a hand on the pommel of his sword.

Tatiana's first instinct was to instantly drop to her knees; that was the tradition when presenting yourself to a King, after all. But Talos wasn't budging, and so she stood with him against her instincts. Alanna made her way beside them first.

"Kneel," she whispered to them.

Talos smirked, but did not budge. The King marched ever onward and glared into his eyes.

"Talos of Evora," he commandingly said with a squint. "I've now heard several reports from subjects fleeing Overton that you destroyed my bridge."

Talos cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back. "Yeah. I did, sire."

The King continued his sternful march. "A bridge I paid quite the handsome sum for just last year, mind you."

Talos glanced towards Tatiana. She squeezed his arm. "Apologies, sire," he muttered after another cough. The King trudged ever onward.

"Sire, don't near him! He's dangerous!"

The King raised a hand. "Silence, Solomon," he commanded as he glared into Talos' eyes. "What kind of King would I be if I didn't embrace the Heroes of Solais?"

Talos exhaled. Tatiana's quivering knees almost took her to the ground. Heroes?

"Oh," Talos said. "Well uh, if we're talking heroes sire, then it was absolutely she who destroyed the bridge," he admitted, tilting his head her way. Tatiana released her grasp on Talos' arm when the King outstreched his, and the men embraced for one back-patting moment before they released.

"The mage Tanya, I presume?" he smiled, finally turning his commanding attention her way. Tatiana gulped.

"Y-yes, sire. Tanya Vittori, personal sorceress of Talos of Evora. And you can direct all your attentions and accolades onto him," she squeaked out as she took a step back. The King laughed at her.

"You're too modest, Tanya Vittori. Mannfred!" he shouted with a hand over his shoulder. A knight in white-and-blue stepped forward, leading a massive black stallion with red eyes their way.

"Alanna's informed me of the loss of your steed. I trust you will find one of the finest Minosian thoroughbreds a suitable replacement?"

Tatiana's eyes widened in shock. "Um... ummm..."

"She will, sire. Gratitude," Talos answered for her. "The Orcs. What happened to them?"

The King nodded towards a still-beaming Alanna. "Why, your Alanna directed our main force straight to the black Orc Shaggoth and his host on a southward march. They're now trapped between five-hundred of Solais' finest knights and the cliffs of the river Topaz, with no possibility of escape. There they will starve, or die, if they have not already done so. I'm now leading my personal cohort north to hunt down the survivors of the Battle of Alfred's Bridge."

Talos elbowed her. "You're telling me Tanya destroyed your personally-named bridge, sire?" he grinned. If Tatiana's cheeks weren't already the reddest shade of red, they now assumed that color.

"And saved countless of my subjects in the process. And on behalf of the Kingdom of Solais, I thank you Talos of Evora, and you Tanya Vittori. The realm is forever in your debt," the King replied with a bow and a fist over his chest. The knights behind him bowed when he did, a bow that they held for five heart-thumping seconds.

"Alanna's told me of your adventure to the easterlands," Alfred said as he rose, "so I will not keep you further. I trust, though, that you will sup with me in the halls of Eastwatch on your return, where I will remain for the next month while we drive the remaining Orcs from our lands."

Talos nodded. "We will. Gratitude, sire." The King smiled, and pounded his steel fist against his chest before raising it skyward. Talos returned gesture.

"Move out!" King Alfred the Second commanded of the host of knights as he turned about and marched away.

Alanna bounced towards them when he left, and as Tatiana was gifted her terrifying mount by the knight known as Mannfred of Morgen. The enchantress was obviously happy with something, since she was performing that stupid dance she always did, but Tatiana was left out of the ensuing conversation with Talos. Alanna jumped into his arms a half-minute later, and planted a wet kiss on his cheek as the King and his band marched ever onward.