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Empire of Night Ch24
Alex sat on the floor, fingers sunk into the fur of the animal skin laid in front of the fire. The creature wasn’t familiar to him, obviously, but it was fun to try and relate it to something he was.
Sort of like a bear, but a bit like a wolf, too. It had a long tail that reminded him of a squirrel’s, but it was hard to say how it would have looked if still wrapped around flesh and bone.
He looked over his shoulder; his women had clustered around Elliza’s table, conferring and conversing on whatever it was that had seized their attention, probably something to do with the assassination attempts. Usually, that sort of thing would have been right up his alley.
He hated small talk, preferred to skip to more interesting, important topics. It wasn’t fair, he knew, and most people simply weren’t wired that way. But that’s how it was.
With the excitement, it hadn’t ended up being much of a problem, but on the other hand, he was sort of bored of talking about it.
Sure, there had been some exciting revelations between the time they’d left to meet Eli’s Aunt, a surprisingly short visit, more of a check-in, really. It was a long way to go at the speed of horse, but they didn’t have phones.
Part of him found it charming and felt a little bad that he was more likely to pick up the phone when he wanted to talk to his family, even though travel was so quick and inexpensive on Earth. Maybe he’d have to fix that.
Thinking of neglected relations, his eyes fixed on Serra, lovely and glowing a soft pink in the dim firelight. It had only been a couple of days, so maybe neglected was the wrong word. But he had spent less time with her than any of the others.
He could fix that, though.
Standing, he sauntered over to the table where they all sat.
She was speaking, “and tomorrow I’ll have a look and-”
He took her hand, and she looked up immediately. “Alex? What’s wrong?”
He smiled at her and said brightly to the other women, “I’m stealing her!” And dragged her from her chair and to the fireplace.
“Alex!” she laughed as he sat and patted the pelt next to him.
She glanced back at the table before sitting cross-legged next to him.
He took her arm, pulling her close, resting his chin on her shoulder. “Hope you don’t mind.”
She licked his forehead. “Of course not; I’m happy to sit with you. I’m sorry we ignored you.”
He shook his head. “You have important things to talk about.”
She grinned, slipping from his arms and fetched a blanket to wrap around them. “Warming my husband is important too.”
He leaned against her becoming lost in the warmth of her embrace.
“I didn’t ever finish those debates….”
She smacked his shoulder. “Don’t worry about that,” she chided, “Alex, we have much more important things to concern ourselves with right now.”
He kissed her cheek, “thanks, Serra.”
They lapsed into silence then, holding each other close. The fire snapped and hissed in the hearth, and behind them, they could still hear the low drone of his remaining women’s chatting.
She shifted in his arms, turning to face him more fully, and he pulled her into his lap.
“Alex!” she laughed, “what are you doing?”
He kissed her. “Holding my woman,” he murmured, “is that a problem?”
“Your woman,” Serra said, “you’re sure? You didn’t seem-”
He sealed her lips with his, pulling her into a long, gentle kiss. “I can’t help it.” He pressed his forehead against her’s. “I just- can’t give this up.”
Powerful Dyrantisa arms wrapped around him, squeezing him tightly to her. “Why should you? Why shouldn’t you have a proper married life?”
He burrowed into the small of her neck. “Well, I at least want to try. Just- on Earth.” He shook his head. “Tell me about growing up on Nyx.”
She looked at him pensively, her fingers playing in his hair, twisting and tugging, rubbing it between large dexterous fingers. She seemed about to press him but, at last, shook her head.
“I suppose,” she finally said, “that it’s a different life than most, given my position and who my mother is.”
She sighed. “She’s a hard woman, not lacking for warmth, but hard, demanding. I think the expectations were higher for my older sisters; by the time she got around to me, there were no more portions to give out, so I had fewer responsibilities to look forward to.”
She shifted, carefully adjusting her legs, wary of her claws, wrapping them around his back.
“Regardless, we were all expected to take up arms and fight. My training began the moment I could hold a sword and consumed most of my youth. I wasn’t particularly adept, but if a girl’s instruction is sufficiently strenuous, she will eventually attain some level of mastery.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, I thought I was something special back then. Then I met Lisril. She was far from home, a bit older than me, maybe thirty at the time, had come to my mother’s land as part of a posse, pursuing some criminal or other. I think it was a cattle thief. In any case, she had real talent. I can’t describe it. It was like looking into the sun; you can’t see the shape; all you see is a blinding brilliance.”
She laughed. “But why am I telling you about your own wife?” She shook her head. “That was a formative moment for me; I began to realize how small my world was.”
“That night, I asked my mother to join the posse; I wanted to follow Lisril. She wasn’t leading at that time, but she was the one I wanted to follow.”
She fell silent then, gently rubbing his arm. “I never stopped following her. We didn’t really do anything of particular note as members of the posse; we were old enough that the expectation was we would participate, but only just. And I was perhaps young.”
“I never returned home,” she said, “Lisril had determined she wished to fight on the frontiers, and I wrote to my mother and followed her.”
“We were too young for the legions, but we entered the academy, and by the time we graduated, she was a cavalry commander, and I, her lieutenant.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “I’m drifting from the topic now, aren’t I?”
“No,” he said. “Please, whatever you want to talk about.”
“Well,” she said pensively. “Back to growing up. I rarely had time for play; my time was spent studying. Bladework, numbers and letters, the season for cattle driving, or instruction in scripture. I fear it’s not a very interesting story.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek, nuzzling his nose against her cheekbone. “I think it’s interesting.”
A hand fell upon his shoulder, and he looked up to see Lisril standing over them. “Would it be alright if I joined you?”
He turned to Serra; after all, it was her time.
She nodded, and Lisril folded her legs beneath herself, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Rosslln joined them a moment later, taking his other side. Even Eli joined them, sitting back to back with him, her head resting against his.
He frowned. “Serra-” But she shook her head.
“Let’s just enjoy our family.”
“What were you talking about?” Rosslln asked.
“I wanted to know what it’s like growing up here on Nyx.”
The young girl frowned. “Oh,” she said. “Well, that must have been an interesting story.”
He smoothed her hair; her childhood must have been tough.
Eli shifted, laying her head on his shoulder, looking up at him through twin pools of amethyst. I spent my formative years learning about the Empire and training under Lisril.”
He turned to Lisril, and she shrugged. “I spent my youth in pursuit of the womanly arts, fencing, and bow craft.”
Serra laughed. “I suppose it’s fortunate you found your passion early.”
“Fortunate indeed,” she scoffed. “The Laddy called me to this purpose; I could only answer.”
He smiled, closing his eyes and listening to his women's banter. Their happy voices washed over his mind, he wasn’t the cause of their joy, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was their happiness.
Dyrantisa were easy; of course, he hardly had to do anything. All they wanted was a bit of affection. Hell, he could relate.
He was sure if he looked hard enough, he’d find some poor neurotic lady who needed more. But it was clear that Lisril, despite being extraordinary, was hardly an outlier in terms of personality.
“Alex?” He opened his eyes to find Serra examining him. “Are you tired?”
He shook his head. “No,” he said, “I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“What about?”
He smiled at her. “Just how lucky I am.”
She licked him. “Charmer.”
He squeezed her tight in his arms, her body warm and soothing. She squeezed back, grip almost painful. But he didn’t mind.
Another set of arms wrapped around each of his shoulders, and a third closed around his chest.
He hardly knew where to turn. He kissed each of them, craning his neck to get Eli last.
The Empress smiled at him. “Well?” she asked.
“Well, what?”
She giggled. “You haven’t given me an answer.”
He laughed. “I like you, Eli, but don’t you think you’re going a bit fast? We only met a couple days ago.”
She gave him a look of utter confusion. “So?”
He shook his head. “We don’t really know each other.”
She frowned. “I knew your traditions were different, but if knowing someone is the bar by which fitness for matrimony is measured, then we’re already infinitely more qualified than my parents. They were betrothed before they were weaned and married the day they met.”
He matched her frown. “Oh,” he said, “of course.” It made perfect sense, arranged marriages, marrying for political advantage, why wouldn’t that be the norm here? Just because he’d fallen in love with Lisril?
She’d even said it herself; marrying for love was rare on Nyx.
Still, that left the question. “Then why aren’t you married?”
She looked past him at Lisril. “My mother died before she could make arrangements, and Lisril argued that circumstances being what they were, finding a competent husband was more important than a well-positioned husband. I think my Aunt came to regret leaving it until I was emancipated. But it turned out to be prescient. My matrimony will be better spent marrying into the political class of a great empire than solidifying an alliance with a minor queendom.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Eli, is that all you want?”
“What do you mean?” she asked, “what is marriage if not a partnership between man and woman? It only makes sense to build such a partnership from a commonality of purpose and mutual need.”
He chewed his lip, struggling to find a rebuttal. He didn’t like her reasoning, but that didn’t mean she was wrong. It was just- so contrary to any ideal of romance.
Then again, maybe romance was just an abstraction. A method of distracting from a cold reality. He twisted around, taking her hand. “Can we court in the Earth way? At least for a little while?”
She pursed her lips. “How do you go about courtship on Earth? Should I send Lisril a letter requesting supervised visits?”
“No!” he laughed, “why don’t we go for a ride in the countryside? I could show you the sights on Earth you wanted to visit anyway, right?”
She nodded slowly. “I suppose I did. Very well, I’ll speak to Lisril.”
“Why?” he demanded, “I’m inviting you; I want to get to know you better. In fact, have someone pile up soil out in the courtyard; I’m going to teach you to shoot.”
She blinked in surprise. “Alex?”
“I don’t need my wife’s permission to have friends,” he said, “and I already have her permission to pursue other women.”
Lisril laughed. “He’s an independent one,” she said, “and come to think of it, teaching you girls to shoot doesn’t sound like a terrible idea. We will need a berm though, if you give me some women, I’ll direct the construction; it will take a little time, especially in this season.”
Serra shook her head. “Then maybe it’s not the right time, all things considered.”
“I want to learn,” Rosslln said.
“And that reminds me,” Lisril said, “I still need to put those lumps on you.”
The young woman made a face. “Guess you do, huh?”
“Don’t let her scare you too much,” Eli chuckled, “she’s more than fair.”
“Is that so? Maybe I should go a couple of rounds with you and see if you still feel that way.”
“No, thank you.” Eli stuck her tongue out at the older woman. “I’m too old to let my old teacher humiliate me in front of the women.”
Alex closed his eyes once more, dozing as his women resumed their play.
He leaned back against Eli, laying his head on her shoulder.
His women, despite his bluster, he did still think of them as his. Could he give that up? Could he break up such a happy family?
Probably not, but being obstinate made him feel a bit more in control. He felt Eli shift behind him, and her cheek came to rest on his head.
He sat back up, kissing Serra softly. “Mind if I turn around and give Eli a turn?”
She chuckled and slipped out of his lap, turning her back so he could untangle himself from their blanket and twisted around to face his Empress.
He opened his arms to her, and she hesitated a moment before slipping into his embrace.
“I’m sorry if I was harsh,” he murmured, “I do want to try; I like you, and you and Serra are important to Lisril. This is all new to me, though.”
She swallowed. “I’ve been terribly inconsiderate.”
“No!” he shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean it that way. I try to- to fit into Dyrantisa expectations. But I’m not very good at it, and sometimes I forget you ladies didn’t grow up on Earth.”
She caressed his cheek, shaking her head. “You don’t need to sound so abashed. I forgot that you were a man of a different country, also.”
He hugged her tightly to him. “Eli, I-”
She shook her head and changed the subject. “You ride? The countryside is beautiful in the winter, though; it seems an inopportune time.”
“Eli,” he said, “I can’t hide forever, and you’re not likely to end this threat any time soon.”
She closed her eyes, expression pained. “I’m sorry, I failed to protect you.”
“None of that,” he said, “I didn’t mean it like that, and I don’t want to hear you bad-mouthing yourself.”
He framed her face in his hands. “It’s not your fault; you can’t protect me from everything; it would be insane for me to expect you to.”
Her lips thinned, and she tightened her grip around him. Finally, she shook her head, “we’ll go early in the morning. Not tomorrow, but soon. I’ll make arrangements.”
He settled into her embrace, kissing her cheek. “Eli?”
“Mm?” She rested her chin on his shoulder.
“Is it-” he lapsed into silence, his stomach twisting.
“Alex?” she asked, voice gentle, smoothing his hair. “What’s wrong?”
He swallowed the painful knot that had formed in his throat. “Is it really just my position?”
She frowned, examining him closely. “I’ve hurt you,” she said at last, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know how sensitive a subject it was.”
His eyes fell; he didn’t want to see her unhappy. But she wouldn’t let him get away, delicate blue hands pulling his eyes back up to meet her expressive purple orbs.
“Of course it isn’t,” she said, “I couldn’t consider you if your moral character weren’t exceptional.”
He shook his head, smiling ruefully. “How do you know?”
“Lisril vouches for you.”
He snorted, and Lisril jostled him with her elbow, “I told you your wife’s connections would work for you.”
He chuckled and leaned over to kiss his wife. “Thank you, Lisril.” He took and squeezed her hand. He really did owe her thanks.
Any worries, any cultural friction, aside. Having these women around him, having their love and affection. It was paradise.
He was afraid he would wake up at any moment and find the past two years had simply been a dream, that there was no Lisril, and his married life had all been a figment of a wishful imagination.
He shivered as though to shake off the thought and kissed his wife’s cheek. “I’m tired,” he said, “I want to lay down with you.”
Lisril smiled. “I suppose it’s time for bed then.”
She stood, and Eli helped him to his feet. He took his young empress’ hands and squeezed. “Eli-”
She shook her head, stepping close to him, placing a dainty lick on the tip of his nose. “I’ve overstepped,” she said, “I’m sorry. Let’s look forward to our ride.”
He nodded, giving her hand a shake. “I will, just the two of us?”
“Well,” Eli said, “we’ll have to bring my guards, but they don’t count.”
He grinned. “Good night Eli.”
He pulled away from her, rejoining his burgeoning family and following Lisril out of the room.
As they came into the hall, Serra caught his sleeve, tugging until he came around to face her. “Alex….”
Her tone was worried; it seemed he’d frightened her a bit about her status when he rebuffed Eli.
He smiled brightly and seized her hands. “I still need to meet your father! When are you going to introduce me?”
She blinked, off-balance at the sudden shift in topic. “Ah.” She shook her head. “Soon, I’ll find a time that’s good for everyone, I promise.”
He nodded and turned to Lisril. “We should plan to visit with your parents again, too. I’m sure they’re worried.”
“I’ll make arrangements,” she said, “but for now, let’s get you to bed.
He nodded and wrapped an arm around Rosslln, pulling her close. “I want you to think of things we can do together, too.”
