XIV. Fionn's Bargain

Holland opened her eyes when she felt soft fingers brush a few stray strands of hair out of her face. She felt feverish, but that was to be expected. There was an ache in her abdomen, but it was nowhere near the sharp pain it had been before. She turned her head slightly, looking up into relieved blue eyes. "What'd I miss?"

"My heart attack." The queen sighed heavily. "Never again, Holland."

"No promises. We are about to fight a war." The penitent sat up, reaching for the clean shirt that was waiting at the end of the bed. She'd leave the bandages on for a little while, until she was certain the wound was completely closed. A sword was a far bigger wound to heal than an arrow's strike. She wouldn't be just walking it off after an hour or two. Granted, she was sure she'd been out at least half a day. "How is everyone?"

"Fine. Better when they know thou art safe." Seva knew that Holland was listening even as she dressed, no matter how distracted she might have looked. "Cadeyrn just went to speak with Fionn, to tell him what we intend. Everything we've built is about to move out. Missives from the Forgetender of Dhir Dharal say the dwarves are doing the same, as is Murdak War-Son in the north. The High Kingdom is readying its forces. They'll meet us at Narene. Genev's have set sail for the Eth coast near to Losena and Talin's are camped at the border with Ethilir, waiting for us to pass through Leus before they cross lest it be mistaken for an invasion."

"Has Lord Botha heard anything from the King of Ethilir?" Holland's question was soft, but the concern in it was easily apparent.

"No," the queen said softly. "'Tis what worries me, in all honesty. Dušan and Lieren cannot scry so far alone, else we would have an answer for thee. If no message reaches us, we may scry and see for ourselves at Narene." She rose to her feet when Holland did, wrapping her arms around the penitent and pulling her close. Her own anxiety was creeping back in now that she didn't have to keep herself together while her lover was laid low. "I am afraid."

"Me too," Holland admitted. She took a deep breath and held Seva tightly for a moment. "We're doing what we have to do now. This isn't going to get any easier."

"I ken," Seva acknowledged. She hid her face in the crook of Holland's neck, relaxing slightly when she felt calloused fingers smooth across her blonde hair. However bad things were going to get, she took comfort in the knowledge that she would have Holland by her side. Maybe things only seemed possible to her because she didn't know the full extent of what they were facing, but a little ignorance was welcome if it kept her from becoming too discouraged. After a few moments, she reluctantly pulled back a little. "We will be missed. I would hear what the outcome of Cadeyrn's talk was. No doubt Fionn will want to challenge me on it. 'Tis his army, at least in name."

"Is Naris still in Tamaris?" Holland gave her lover a slight squeeze before letting go. She was no more eager than Seva to let go.

"Aye." The queen pursed her lips in displeasure. "The nobles whisper of her involvement, but none have challenged her. Fionn is still protecting her. It makes me wonder if he loves her or if he just fears his bed would be too empty without her. She was absent this morning. Methinks she is planning something."

Holland sighed. "Marvelous. Let's hope the viper bites after we're gone."

"I doubt we are so fortunate, heart of mine," Seva murmured.

The penitent had no doubt that the queen was accurate in her prediction. She'd been asleep for too long. "We have no time to waste. I'm not exactly eager to hear what Fionn has to say about what we're doing, but I would like to get it over with sooner rather than later."

Seva nodded. Holland made it almost to the door before a soft hand caught hers. "Holland, remember that I love thee," she said, giving the penitent's hand a squeeze before letting go. "Whatever happens."

"I love you too, Seva." Hearing those words made the future seem slightly less grim. Still, it was time to face the music. Holland opened the door to see Cadeyrn there, his hand raised to knock.

"Ah, you're up." The Lord Protector looked relieved. "I was actually here for Her Majesty, but you may wish to attend to the King's summons as well. Court is in session."

"How did he receive the news?" Seva asked, worrying at her lower lip as she moved out into the hall.

"As if he'd already heard it," Cadeyrn reported grimly.

Holland did not like the sound of that in the slightest. The knot in her stomach was murmuring to her that Naris had to have done something. Then again, a marshalling army wasn't hard to spot. No doubt word had come to Fionn that the levies were about to hit the road. Yssa's forces were considerable. They hadn't been massing at Tamaris, of course, as Arduinna had been deemed more suitable for its proximity to the Idoas Pass and further removed from Tamaris. It was under control of Lord Astor, which didn't hurt. The penitent felt her breathing deepen like she was readying for a fight as they approached the main hall where the King waited on his throne.

Ardashir, Khagra, and Vladan were waiting near the doors. "We'll wait out here in case something goes sour," the knight said by way of greeting, getting straight to the point. He did offer Holland a small, worried smile as he passed her sword to her. "Good to see you up and about. That wound was a nasty one."

"It did sting," Holland said. She felt a wave of sorrow when she thought of Laenus's body laying out on the field. They would have burned him, with his innate sorcery. Yssan fear would have assumed it would be too dangerous to just bury him intact, which was somewhat legitimate. The last thing they needed was some demon turning him into a flesh golem to do its bidding, which was not an outcome beyond belief. She turned to look at Seva. "Ready?"

"Aye," the queen said solemnly. "Let us see what he has in store for us."

Fionn was the picture of gravity, his jaw tight and his eyes hard like emeralds when he saw them approach. The hall was quiet, nobles gathered on either side of the carpet that approached the throne. Seva's regal mask was back, giving her face a serene cast that she did not feel in the slightest. Holland felt her own heart grow cold. There were more guards than usual in the room, clearly waiting for something to go wrong. A glance to the side from the penitent confirmed that Naris was in attendance as well.

"I understand that you, Seva of Essen, have conspired to take control of the armies of Yssa for your own purposes, with the aid of foreign agents, including those who have been our enemies for generations." Fionn's voice was as frigid as Holland's heart. The murmuring that started in the hall had a dangerous tenor to it.

"Aye, and thou know'st why," Seva said grimly. "The Princes of Iron march on the east. They will be satisfied with nothing short of the destruction of the world of men. We warned thee time and again of the threat. Even now, the darkness spreads in the west."

"So it is said." Fionn leaned back slightly in his seat, though his back remained straight. "And that is why I will offer you a deal instead of imprisoning you for treason, Seva of Essen."

Seva didn't flinch. "I listen."

"In exchange for use of the armies of Yssa, you will abdicate and forsake all claim to the throne of Yssa, which will entail the annulment of our marriage. You will forfeit the title of Barony of Essen, which will be bestowed on my son, Devyn of Mór. You will leave the kingdom and you will never return, on pain of death."

Seva's jaw clenched. "The witch," she hissed under her breath, just loud enough for Holland to catch it. There was no way that this idea was Fionn's—Naris had worked her special brand of wickedness and conjured up this bargain. It was worthy of a demon. "And if I refuse the terms of thy deal, Your Majesty?"

"Then you will be arrested and executed. If you manage to evade capture, perhaps with the assistance of the Lady Penitent, it will be a civil war," Fionn said. He leaned forward again. "The choice is yours."

Holland could feel a black rage trying to claw its way out of her throat. Her hands were knotted into fists at her side, her knuckles bleaching as she looked at the King. She would have glared hateful daggers at Naris, but the elf had only made the suggestion. It was Fionn carrying it out. I should have let Moloch devour you, she snarled at him in her head. You would make a fine demon's meal. She knew that if Seva took this deal, it meant the queen would never set foot on her homeland's soil again. She would likely never see Devyn again; she most certainly wouldn't be allowed to watch him grow or be a part of his life.

But civil war would cost them the entirety of the world, eating up precious resources and destroying Yssa's armies. If they fought Fionn on this, there would be nothing left when the Princes of Iron burned their way across the continent. Maybe the King didn't understand that, but Naris did. Either way, the elf would get something she wanted: the conquest of the continent by Saraqael or Yssa and Fionn to herself. Holland had known the elf served a Prince of Iron, but she hadn't realized just how wicked Naris was. This was a low blow.

Seva knew it too. Her choice was between a son without a future or a son without a mother. "And what wilt thou tell Devyn?" she asked.

"The same thing that all of Yssa will be told: that Seva of Essen went to the west and died." It went without saying that the nobles would abide by that agreement as well. "Now make your decision."

A silence enveloped the room for a long, long moment. Everyone was waiting with baited breath to hear the answer. When the words came, they came torturously. "I accept the terms of thy agreement," Seva said, bowing her head. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in sight of Fionn and Naris. "I am thy wife, mother to the Prince, and Queen of Yssa no longer."

The King nodded. "The armies of Yssa are yours, as promised. You will depart this kingdom now. May the gods have mercy on you. Leave this place."

Seva turned, her head still high, but when she walked out with Holland and Cadeyrn on her heels, she was like a woman in a daze. The moment the doors to the throne room closed behind them, Holland grabbed Seva, taking her weight as the former queen collapsed. She was strong enough that she barely felt it, one arm around her lover's waist and her other hand cradling Seva's head as the former queen pressed her face to the penitent's shoulder. The blonde was quaking like a reed in a gale. It only took a second for the tears to come, accompanied by screaming and sobbing. It was a pain so raw and deep that Holland had never seen its like before. She didn't flinch when Seva struck her, accepting the blow into her shoulder. Her lover was lashing out blindly now. Holland was more worried about the blonde hurting herself than being on the receiving end of this.

It was the pain of a woman losing her child. Few things in the world could ever compare to that agony.

The others looked horrified. They had to have heard the terms of the deal through the cracked door, but none of them knew what to do or say.

"We have to get her out of here," Cadeyrn said urgently to Holland as the penitent. "If we linger too long, she'll be on the headsman's block. Can you carry her?"

"Not like this," Holland said with shake of her head. Seva was struggling and the penitent knew that if she scooped her lover up, she was liable to get two black eyes. "Ardashir, go tell Maebh what's happened. She needs to take care of the boy. Vladan, the others need to know that we're leaving now."

"Understood," the pair said, immediately splitting off to carry out their tasks.

"I can give her something," Khagra said softly.

Holland wanted to let her lover grieve, but this was not a safe place or time to do it. "We may have to," she admitted, turning her head to take a flailing hand on her cheek rather than her nose. It was a solid hit. She would be nursing a bruise, but probably only for a few minutes. "She won't be drinking it, though."

"Lor can be inhaled. It works very quickly," Khagra said, fishing through her bag. "I picked some in the Vale. Turn her towards me and close your eyes. I would exhale or hold your breath too, otherwise we'll be lugging your unconscious body with us as well." She poured out a small pile of rust-colored powder into the palm of her hand.

Holland complied, doing her best to hold Seva. Fortunately, the orc's blowing of the powder into her face caught the blonde on a sharp inhale. She breathed in most of it. The effect wasn't immediate, but it was close. Seva's struggles became weaker and weaker, more and more uncoordinated, until she slumped completely still into Holland's arms. The penitent scooped her up and headed immediately for the stables. The others were already saddling their horses. Khagra sighed. "That was a heavy dose. She'll probably be out for the rest of the day or longer. That's long enough for us to put some distance between us and Tamaris."

Ardashir had already saddled Maël for her. Holland passed Seva to him and swung up into the saddle before taking her lover again. They needed to get away while they still had the chance. Fionn wouldn't have them killed if they were leaving, but that was only if they went without lingering. Besides, the army would be on the road towards Ethilir already. They were needed.

They rode at a gallop through the day and then the night, until the horses were too tired to continue and there were many miles between them and the capital. Holland let the others work on making camp. She focused on tucking Seva into her bedroll. The blonde was still unconscious. The foreign ambassadors were deep in conversation, too far away for Holland to make out their conversation. She was certain it was about either what had happened or the fact that no word had arrived from Sarom. Holland stroked Seva's hair gently. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She knew there was nothing she could have done, but she felt guilty all the same. This was her war, after all. Well, everyone's, but she had been the one telling Seva for months that they would have to pay a heavy price. She had been thinking of battlefield casualties though, not this.

She sensed more than heard an approach and looked up to see pale green eyes alight with strange fires looking down at her. "I came to make you an offer, darling," Lieren said quietly.

"You do that rather a lot," Holland said dryly. "I'm not in the mood."

The elf looked amused. "For this, I think you may be. My offer is somewhat less than amorous." When she saw that she had the penitent's full attention, her smile took on a catlike quality. "Perhaps Fionn cannot be touched, but I could do something unfortunate to Naris for you. She has a strong will, but not so strong I couldn't make her take a stroll off one of those lovely palace towers."

It was an incredibly tempting offer, one that spoke to the darkness in Holland. "We can't afford to do anything that runs the risk of Fionn reneging on his deal. If you were to show up and something happened to Naris, he would assume Seva sent you and would send people after us accordingly. She's won this battle, Lieren. The best we can do is cede the field and focus on the war," Holland said with a grim reluctance.

Lieren sighed. "You never let me do what I want." The elf sat down beside Holland in the grass, studying Seva's unconscious form. "It's rare that I'm wrong, you know. But I can see it in my mind's eye now, the way she looks at you. I don't know if what you have will survive this—she may very well take her anger and resentment out on you—but it is somewhat heartening to see, in these days of shadow. I am beginning to understand why you refused me."

"She will always have me, one way or another," Holland said.

"Even if the Throne shatters you?" The elf's question was too soft to be overheard by the others, but to Holland it was a deafening reminder of her audience with the Life-Giver.

"Yes," Holland said quietly. "The pieces of my soul will find a home with her even if the rest of me is nothingness."

"Your dedication to her is admirable," Lieren said thoughtfully. "Elves do not love as humans love. We understand that is a thing that fades. Ours does not have the desperation, the need to experience everything before death comes calling, the fearful edge to its passion. Perhaps yours is so strong only because the gods and demons would rip it from you."

"It is what it is." Holland tightened her jaw. "I didn't find her just to lose her. We will turn them back."

"So certain. Good. That is what your soldiers will need."

The penitent sighed. "They're not my soldiers. They're Seva's."

"Tell yourself that if it eases your mind. It makes no difference what you believe, so long as you do not falter. You are a strange creature, Holland Cea Trădată. Humans across history have dreamed of being in your position, with the world at your beck and call. Perhaps that was because they did not know the price one must pay."

"Probably," Holland agreed quietly. "Are your people ready, Lieren?"

Pale green eyes considered her for a moment before Lieren replied. "They await us at Narene. I hope you appreciate the magnitude of what we are doing, darling. There are so few fey elves left. It is entirely possible that even if we are victorious, my people will be extinguished save for the polluted or domesticated Dúath like Naris."

"I wouldn't have asked it of any of you if I didn't know what the alternative was."

Lieren sighed. "Yes, extinction or extinction. A fine choice for us to make. Still, I think that if given the choice, no elf would deny that they would rather go down in history as those who made the Princes of Iron weep for every drop of elven blood. I look forward to demonstrating what we are capable of. Magic versus sorcery: a fine contest. The future certainly isn't boring." The elf smiled, but there was a wistful air to it. "I think it will be a relief, in many ways. Death, that is. I've lived such a long time. A world that was once bright and colorful is just drifting in the grey these days."

"Will you watch over her when I seek out the Throne?" Holland asked. "I know it's a great deal to ask of you, but I would be in your debt."

The enchantress laughed. "You should be careful what you offer, darling. But yes, I will defend your precious beloved for you when you are drawn away from her side. It's the least I can do for you so generously providing me with the entertainment of a lifetime. And that is saying something, considering my lifetime."

The penitent felt a surge of relief. "Thank you."

Lieren laughed. "You can repay me by winning this for us." She leaned in and kissed Holland's cheek before murmuring, "I'll leave you two be. She will need you when she wakes. Perhaps she needs you now as she sleeps."

Holland nodded and looked down at her lover. She didn't know what it would be like when Seva awoke, but she knew it wouldn't be smiles and laughter coming from the former queen for a long, long time. The penitent silently promised that she would help Seva pick up the pieces of her broken heart, no matter how long it took or how much patience it required.

Soon, she would have her own deal to make, and it would not be kind either.