The smoke rose lazily from the embers still glowing in the opulent fireplace. The warm glow remained the only light in the room, thanks to the heavy curtains hiding the sun's hot rays. The Queen turned restlessly over to face her latest lover. This one had a body so similar to Lukas's that it almost pained her. Her hand found its way to his back and lazily descended the muscles shaping his shoulders to the small of his back. Images that could have been memories or dreams overlay the scene before her. Moments of peace alone with Lukas in her bed threatened to push tears closer to the surface than they had been in years.

It had to be the headache that brought such sentimental thinking to the front of her mind. Her hand whipped away from the sleeping man's body and moved to her blankets. A servant immediately readied her slippers before her feet could touch the cold stone floor, and another had her robe wrapped around her as soon as she stood up. The servant tied the loose silk with expert hands without touching the Queen's perfect skin.

The Queen glanced at the unassuming girl and nodded to the lead steward. The older woman would ensure this servant dressed the Queen every morning from that day on. At least until she made a mistake, she would be shuffled back to whatever unknown task the servants did when they were outside her presence. As angry as mistakes made her, servants could make small ones and still survive. Well-trained ones were so hard to raise.

Her cousin stood lazily at her door, smiling at the whole scene. The Assassin's men had brought some helpful information from the Fire Priestess' cell so he could afford to be happy. This news had made her gleeful enough that her lover still lay exhausted on the bed. He had worked hard to satiate her desires.

"This one lives," she informed the steward. "He may grace my bed in the future, but leave him in the harem to rest for now."

"Of course," the small woman bowed as she answered with a whisper. With a wave of the steward's hands, two male servants collected the sleeping man and carried him through the back door toward the harem.

"He ranks the harem, eh?" Lucious commented as he angled his arm to accept her hand. She had grown more comfortable around the Assassin over the past few months. His ambitions aligned with hers more than any other of her relatives and advisors.

"Yes, you did well," the Queen confirmed. "More like him will be welcome."

"I have my trainers watching the recruits for those better suited for the harem than the Assassin Hall."

"Yes, you are more successful at giving me bedmates than the Spy." The Queen nodded at the spymaster as she spoke and sat on the small throne in the center of the study. The table before her contained a continent map with two lines overlying the land. Those of the original Empire and those of the existing countries. She relished removing each line once she conquered a new territory, putting together the puzzle of the Empire one piece at a time. Only the most trusted of her advisors could stand in the room with the puzzle map. Only they could know the entirety of her ambition.

"My spies have confirmed the priestess' ties to the Council Lands. Though very faint, they exist. She may just be an informant, but we cannot rule out she is a spy herself." The Spy spoke as if he had been asked a question. The Queen loved it when he anticipated her questions correctly. It gave her a thrill to be around competent people. So different than those who had preceded him.

"Excellent," the Queen purred as she stroked the line that separated the Queendom and the Kingdom. The Tosk mountain range prevented a land attack, but their ships could easily overwhelm the Kingdom's harbors had it not been for their mages. But, they had discovered a weakness in the Kingdom, a tie between Lukas' new lover and the Council Lands. A weakness they could exploit that would bring Lukas back to her. The thought of Lukas with her princely cousin no longer sent angry shivers down her spine. Lucious had explained that the young man looked enough like her to be a replacement. Lukas may not realize how much he missed her bed, but he made it evident in his choice of mates. "You are sure the little prince will take the bait?"

"Our traitor will dangle it carefully before him," Lucious reassured his cousin from his favorite spot by the fire. This one raged, but its smoke rose into the same chimney as its dying counterpart across the wall.

"Good, he is finally going to be useful." The Queen stood and walked away from the men who made up her privy council. "Then start the charade. I want Lukas back in my bed by the month's end."

"She has been brought to the boat," Lucious confirmed. The Queen did not miss that he did not promise the mission's success. Anger seeded in her belly, but she suppressed an outburst. Her headache always worsened when she let her anger fly, and she could not afford to have Lucious turn against her. The threat of death did not work to gain the Assassin's loyalty, nor the Spy's. Only the illusion of parity with each other and her appeared to motivate them. They still feared failure, but it was different with these two than her other advisors. They feared failure because they wanted to succeed, not because they did not want to die.

Their lack of fear was almost refreshing, but not entirely. Someday, the Queen would remind them of her power, and she would see fear shine in their eyes as her cold rage bore down on their arrogant faces. No man would ever step onto her level. She was Queen, born to lead the Queendom, and fated to rule an Empire.

***

"Master Mara, a moment of your time." Diddero's hand was on her arm as she moved to leave the breakfast room.

"Of course," Mara answered, then turned to see those still lingering at the table. "The study?"

"Yes, that will be fine." It seems that the meeting had to be held in a private location. Although any location with the Barrier Master could have been secure, it appeared unlikely that he had revealed this trick to the students still sitting at the table and conversing with Master Jordan and the priest. The growing friendship between the Master's brother and his friend was exciting. Was Destan attempting to heal that wound as well?

Diddero nodded at his wife and escorted Mara to the study without saying anything. Only once the door was closed, and she felt the privacy barrier rise, did he speak.

"Will you speak with the Master today?"

"Yes, I plan to within the next hour. Why?" Diddero knew this was her habit, to speak with The Master after breakfast and before lessons began. Today, the studies would not involve her, so perhaps he had thought things would be different.

"You can tell him he was right. The old portal has been found."

"There is an intruder on the mountain?" Mara glanced towards the window; the portal was far from the Vale itself, but it lay too close for Mara's comfort.

"Paulo long suspected he had been followed. It is why he disabled the portal after the last use."

"I know this, but how has the intruder made it that far into the mountains?"

"I do not know, but you must tell the Master," Diddero calmly replied.

Mara's heart raced with fear and unease as she looked at Diddero. She couldn't help but notice the lack of concern on his face. After all, as the protector of the Vale, he was responsible for the safety of their land. Although he had recommended disabling all portals in the mountains before Paulo left, there was still someone lurking in the area - someone who was most likely an agent of the Queen. This was not the first time the Master's Vale had been discovered, and the thought of another invasion made Mara's stomach twist with anxiety.

"I will, thank you. And the barriers hold?" It was a foolish question, but Diddero did not look offended.

"Yes, Master Mara, I have made it part of our students' lessons to lend the barrier strength and find any weakness. They both show great skill at this."

Another skill this duo mastered faster than should have been possible was that their talent frightened Mara sometimes.

"Ah, well, that is promising. What will you do with Raja for his training today?" Mara hoped Diddero hadn't noticed her discomfort.

"No one here is skilled enough to train him in the martial arts, though I can keep up somewhat in a sparring match. So I have chosen to work on his strength training."

"That is wise." It was not a surprise that the Inyoni Chief's son was skilled at all forms of battle. She knew that Paulo must have a plan for his further training. It would be dangerous to let his skills atrophy. At least Diddero could provide him with some sport. She nodded at the small man as he bowed, dismissing him back to his duties.

As she left the study, she watched Persephone walk down the stairs to join Diddero. Pers had never been much for breakfast with others. Mara had thought that would change with her nephew here, but it had not. At least she took her supper with them. This was enough of a compromise for now. Mara watched the two disappear, then walked towards Paulo's rooms. The communication portal there was the strongest, and she wanted to preserve her power for now.

***

Sweat dripped down Natalia's back. The last few hours had been her most physical exertion since she arrived. Jiyun handed her a glass of water and sat next to her.

"You are not as untrained as the Master thinks," Jiyun commented as she sat.

"I tended to hide my skills from the soldiers, even those I somewhat trusted."

"That is sensible. You will be my match sooner than anticipated. But many parts of the martial arts need honing over time. We will work on this as well."

"Of course." Jiyun had already expanded her knowledge during the morning lesson. "When did you become so strong?"

"I have practiced some form of martial art since I was young. It is a vital part of my people's way of life. However, I did not pursue mastery until I became involved with the Master Council. They convinced me of the importance of protecting the body with more than my magical powers. My early experience did, however, give me a leg up on other new trainees." Jiyun laughed at the memory and set her empty glass next to her. "Let's practice breathing one more time. Then you should rest and prepare for your meeting with Master Jordan."

"Sounds good." Natalia moved to a kneeling position next to Jiyun. "Will we meet again tomorrow?"

"No, twice a week for now. As you advance and gain more endurance, we will increase the frequency. Though, by that time, we will also be able to decrease the length of the lessons."

"Oh." Natalia was still trying to understand the pattern and structure of their training. But then again, it would likely change when Paulo returned, so understanding it might be a wasted effort. She stood up with Jiyun and turned to face her.

"We need to clear our minds again and refocus on the task at hand. This will have to become second nature." Jiyun's face told Natalia that her distraction had been noticed. "Now breathe."

Natalia obeyed and began the deep breathing exercises with arm movements. She kept her eyes open to follow Jiyun's actions. Even so, she found it relaxing to clear her mind completely.

***

Raja could feel the presence of the Mother beneath his hands as he gripped the rocks. Diddero was a master at climbing these jutting rocks. They had been free-climbing in silence, clawing and pulling their way higher and higher. The views from the initial climb had been breathtaking. Raja now knew the Vale was a natural phenomenon enhanced by magic, not a magical construct. Several other small valleys, similar but less lush, were visible in the mountain range. Diddero nodded to the final ledge for the day. They would rappel down; it was quicker than they had climbed, and their time was short. Diddero had promised his family he would be home on time for dinner.

They rested on the ledge. Diddero poured them both a warm drink from his pack.

"Thank you, Master Diddero," Raja began after a few minutes resting and admiring the view. "It has been long since I have climbed anything for climbing's sake."

"Yes, I imagine it has been," Diddero answered without looking at Raja. Raja could feel a decision being made by his companion and waited for the rest of his words. "I sense the tension between you and your bondmate."

"Yes," Raja answered, unsure what else to tell the Barrier Master.

"This affects your magic," Diddero said unexpectedly. The small man stood from the rock he had rested on and walked closer to Raja. "You may not feel it, and I am not sure that the other Masters have yet, as they do not train you together currently. But Minho noticed the discordance, so Jiyun and I watched. Your magic, we believe, works best when funneled partially through the bond. Minho has just begun his training, but of those in the Vale, he can see the patterns of the mind the best."

Raja glanced back at the Cottage resting in the distant Vale and thought about Natalia as he touched their bond. He could feel her gentle response. She was busy. There had been an awkwardness between them since last week. Had it been a week ago? Lukas had recommended giving her space and time, so Raja did not complain when she remained with Destan. However, he could feel his jealousy rise when he thought of it. Raja could not help feeling resentment towards the priest despite his every effort. When Natalia had a concern or required comfort, she did not run to Raja, her bondmate and now lover; instead, she fled to the water priest.

"Raja," Diddero continued more hesitantly. Raja looked at the man, who was now very close, and saw understanding and sympathy in his eyes. "This is a complicated situation. I cannot understand the level of confusion you might feel.

I have a simple life, have only ever loved one woman, and have not had to contend with all you have. I do not speak with the Elements or think of any magical construct as my friend or family. But, I am not naive to the world because I have chosen a simple path. What I have seen both in my homeland and since coming here has deepened my understanding."

I have seen good men and women betrayed in small and large ways by their friends and family, and I have seen some fall into the trap of anger and revenge. But the strong ones overcome and rebuild, their relationships tempered by the betrayal and trust rebuilt brick by brick.

You must decide if this will destroy you and your relationships or make them stronger. You can blame your bondmate or yourself for what has happened or blame the Elementals.

Sometimes, it is necessary to find blame and punish those who are guilty to move on, and other times, the search for responsibility only makes you weaker. Are you mired in this pit? Do you want to find blame but do not know where to assign it? Or do you blame your bondmate, as it seems to us who observe from outside?"

Raja could not help staring at Diddero as he spoke. He had never heard the man talk so much, and his oration belied a training that ran deep. This mysterious Master had been trained in speech-making, and he did it well. Raja felt the impact of every word and knew it was not from any magical influence.

"I do not," Raja answered honestly, trusting this man. "I know that Natalia is not at fault. Nor is it truly all the fault of the Elementals. They pushed us together but did not force us to do anything." He saw Diddero's surprised look and smiled. "It has taken Lukas and me this whole time to put it all together, and it has added a layer of complication to my relationship with him. When we explore the moments, the Elementals are there. They are nudging, protecting, assisting, but not forcing."

"They broke down the barrier you had constructed between Natalia and yourself," Diddero's immediate understanding was telling. He had a more complicated history than Raja had first thought. It embarrassed Raja to realize he had never pursued more knowledge of this man. "This was the barrier you built due to loyalty to your Lukas, yes?"

"In part," Raja felt restless, so he began to stretch. "She has been through so much, and I can only offer her half of me at most. It is unfair."

"It is more than many have." Diddero checked the security of the rope he had anchored to the rock. It was time to head back down to reality. But as Raja prepared his descent, the shadow of the Air Elemental appeared before him.

"Master," Raja started as the pale male Elemental fully materialized. "Would you mind if I remain here alone for a few moments to think?" Diddero flicked his head towards the Elemental, then back to Raja.

"Do not tarry long. Dinner will be ready soon," Diddero answered after a short pause and began his descent.

WC2958

Last Edit 2/17/24