Elyas was glad to be home. Surrounded by his people, he felt as if he could lay down his guard and enjoy the evening. He hated being away from home for too long.

He had learned who died and who had lived. He now had left a hundred and ten men, from which fifty wouldn't be able to fight anytime soon. In spring, they would be better. Still, he had not nearly enough to fight against the barbarians. Everything depended on what Tribe would come. Some could be swayed with gold. Others couldn't.

Elyas sighed. The war had done no good to his people. Maybe he should have stayed neutral and swear allegiance to whoever won.

" Enjoy this evening, brother," Liana said to him. " Tomorrow you will have to meet with the vassals."

Elyas groaned. " Don't remind me."

Meetings with his vassals were simply excruciating. They would always fight over something, and it was hard to pay them no heed. The vassals had never gotten along. They all wanted to be the richest and to always vw right. Seeing them argue was simply too much for him to handle after a war. But he had to. Elyas was in no doubt his marriage would be one of the many things they would have to talk about. And he didn't even want to know how much they disapproved of the match.

He was no fool. Lady Sayra was a good match, maybe even too good for a simple lord. She was, after all, a Princess. The vassals were sure to push him to ask for help from the Emperor and to use this marriage in his people's favour. Of course, Elyas wanted what was best for his people. He cared about them. But he also didn't want to spend his life with a woman who hated him. He had to make his marriage work somehow. It wouldn't be easy, that was clear. But he had to try.

" Evard's second son died during the fight here," Liana informed him. " He's furious, and he blames you. And the new King."

Well, Evard was a prick who only tolerated his second son because he was so much like him. They were like two drops of water.

" I'll handle Evard." Somehow.

Elyas stifled a sigh. He had the impression that was all he was doing lately. Sighing. Being disappointed. It became infuriating.

" A toast," Kennon, who was drunk, called as he rose from his seat. " For our Lord and Lady."

Elyas glared at his sister. That was the last thing he wanted. A toast. For what? A marriage that had been forced upon both him and Lady Sayra. He looked then at his wife, who was so deep in thought she didn't even notice Kennon's toast. It was strange. She didn't usually wear her expression on her face, but it wasn't hard to tell she wasn't paying them any heed. She started at her goblet and played with a ring, the latter he could only see because he was sitting next to her.

Elyas wanted to talk to her but couldn't find anything to tell her. He could talk about his people, but she seemed to be thinking about something important. Maybe her children. Elyas himself had none, so he couldn't claim to understand what she was feeling. Being away from them couldn't be easy for her. Still, he couldn't promise she would see them soon or ever. He had no way of making that happen, and he didn't want to make false promises. There wasn't much he could do. He already made sure the letter she wrote to her brother had been sent, but it would take a while for an answer to come.

" I'll try to help her," Liana whispered to him. " I think she's better suited at being Queen than running a household. The two are similar, but not the same."

He couldn't disagree. A Queen had more important things than to handle the matters of servants or to plan a feast. No. All of that was left to others.

" I think she would appreciate your help."

" Our supplies have been destroyed by the war. Maybe you should talk to her and see if her brother could help."

" I have been married to her for two weeks. We barely talked during the journey here. I'm not going to ask her brother for food."

" If things don't go well, you might have to."

" I know that."

He would handle it. They still had some gold. A part could be used to buy food and another to keep the barbarians at bay. Of course, it depended on what Tribe came. If it was the Lorvini Tribe, he could handle them. It wouldn't be the first time gold had swayed them. Their warlord, although a bloodthirsty bastard, didn't want his people to starve to death.

He could reach out to one of the Houses he had amicable relationships with. Maybe Sevorln or Toril. They were in the South of Ashinora and were rumoured to have more than enough food. They could be of help if he could convince them.

And if he couldn't, then he would write to the Emperor. With a bit of luck, he wouldn't seem to be trying to take advantage of their new familial relationships or to be begging.

" I asked Myra to prepare some chambers for the Princess," his sister whispered. " Mother has decided to give hers up, although I told her there was no need. She'll want to meet her."

Elyas stifled a sigh. He had to introduce the princess to his mother. Tomorrow. There was still some time, and he had no wish to disturb his mother that evening.

" Tell me, Liana. Do you think I am a fool for being dragged into this?"

He had never wanted to choose a side. He should have stayed in Brumstone. He knew his father wouldn't have wanted to be avenged, not at the cost of so many men. He shouldn't have asked his men to fight for another king. They should all have stayed there, waiting for another attack, preparing. Had the barbarians not been fighting on Felloria's northern coast, they would have taken advantage of Elyas' being away. Brumstone could have been in their hands now.

" You had no choice. It's not your fault. We all have been dragged in this by Kings and Emperors and avaricious noblemen. We have to protect ourselves now and our people. That is all that matters. Now, if you'll excuse me, my betrothed had drunk too much, and I need to remind him not to embarrass me."

Liana rose and left, leaving Elyas alone at the table. Well, there were a couple of his friends there, but they were all drunk. There was also the Princess.

" What do you think of Brumstone by now?"

She slightly jumped as if she hadn't expected the question. She probably didn't. They hadn't exchanged a word since they arrived.

" It is unlikely anything I have ever seen."

Elyas nodded. " It's very old. No one knows exactly how old or who built it."

" It's strange, but... This place reminds me of an ancient palace from home."

Well, that was intriguing. What could a palace and a fortress have in common, especially as they were on two very different lands?

" No one goes there, but I've seen it from far away. It's a sacred place, but too frightening for our priestess. Legend says it's the place where Itziar became a goddess."

" Itziar?"

Ashinora had four gods. War, Death, Love, and Life. They had no names and no faces. Centuries ago, everyone believed in them. Now, they were just representations of the four most common things in life.

" She was a mortal woman, a slave actually. One day, when Ahrion, the King of Gods, walked on the land, he saw her and was impressed by her courage and resilience. So, he gave her the means to kill those who had hurt her. They loved each other for ten years before she was killed. In his despair, Ahrion begged his sister, Thyona, the goddess of death, to release Itziar's soul. And then Itziar became a goddess and Queen."

And her people believed that's where she ascended to her position as goddess? A place that, according to Lady Sayra, was similar to Brumstone?

" It's quite interesting, my lady."

" Please, call me Sayra. Your people do not seem very formal. I do not mind you or anyone else using my name."

" Then I must ask you to do the same and call me Elyas."

She smiled. " Very well, Elyas."

Maybe, just maybe, their marriage wasn't as doomed as Elyas believed.