A Dream of Empire

If you haven't read Chapter 12 (where Talos meets Cassandra), then I absolutely advise reading that first, as this chapter will make little sense otherwise.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tatiana Vittori

Selphyse, Imperial Kingdom of Tardia

1

st

of First Harvest, 1282

D.f.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Bye Dusk!" Tatiana said to her little black kitty, who looked up at her piteously as she clutched a strap of her travel pack and stuck out a hand. She shut her eyes and dreamt of a non-existent fireplace, flanked by ebony statuettes of lions, tigers, and bobcats. Her lids fluttered open three seconds later to meet the quaint city of Selphyse, two-hundred miles to the north.

Talos and Alanna were walking hand-in-hand in front of her, away from her, through a somewhat-crowded marketplace. Tatiana's heart dropped at the sight, but she made herself known by saying Talos' name, just loud enough so that they could hear. Their smiling visages turned towards her, and their fingers unlaced. Alanna, then, bounced towards her with arms outstretched.

"Hi Tatiana! So good to see you," she happily exclaimed. Tatiana knew what was coming next. She was certainly no stranger to Alanna's hugs, by now.

They weren't really

hugs

, anyway, since Alanna always wrapped her arms around your neck, rather than at your waist. It was more like an

attack

; an assault, directed at combating all your sadness and fears. And, like a dog on the hunt, she would

always

find your neck; even if she forced you to bend over to meet her.

The most overwhelming part of the assault came from her massive breasts, of course. Alanna had no sense of propriety when it came to them; she would oft press her massive, jiggling boobs tightly against you, right beneath your face, for the entirety of her joyous hug. And oh how they overwhelmed.

Tatiana met her with open arms. "It's good to see you, too," she softly said, before being attacked once again by the giggling sorceress. Tatiana stepped away after the fleeting embrace, and Alanna lifted a brow at her.

"Where's little Talos?" she asked with a hint of concern.

"He's fine!" Tatiana quickly reassured. "My sisters are watching over him. They just

love

him, Alanna, and shower him with all the attentions. He's in good hands."

Alanna frowned anyway. Tatiana realized her mistake, but it was far too late to rectify now. "Seriously. They don't let him out of their sight, even for a moment."

"Okay..." Alanna sadly replied. Talos wrapped his arms around the enchantress from behind, and whatever fight had been in her eyes instantly washed away.

"Thanks, Tatiana," Talos warmly said. "We were wondering when you'd show."

"Mm! I brought..." she said, opening her backpack to reveal a thick stack of papyrus, "every map I could find from my library. Have you a room somewhere?"

"We have. We, uh, rented a room for Lyrasa tonight," he explained, waving a hand towards the town center.

"You participate in that peasant superstition?" Tatiana scoffed.

"Oh, undeniably. You see, the room is intended for two. Roses included," he smirked.

Tatiana knew what he spoke of, naturally. Lyrasa, held on the first of First Harvest, was a celebration that meant many things to the people of the Empire. Most of those things ended in making love; those of Santaria believed it to be a night where extramarital affairs should be tolerated. The people of Hayades believed it a day where trial marriages of a year's length could be performed. And the people of Tardia, why, they just made love for no reason but to do so. Wine would be flowing in the streets this night, at least back in Redstone, and this year was the first that Tatiana might actually participate.

Tatiana shifted awkwardly on her heels, and cleared her her throat. "Shall I... get another room?"

"Nonsense. You're welcome to stay with us," Alanna smiled. "Unless we find you a mate tonight, that is. We can go without on Lyrasa; we've been plenty busy for

days

."

"Oh... and, what of prophecy? Did the Oracle see you?"

"Oh gods," Talos groaned, wrapping an arm around Tatiana's shoulders. "Come, let's find a tavern. It's a wonderful story that I dare not share without drink."

-=-=-

Tatiana raised a cynical brow at the man sitting across the table from her. The story she had just heard would have sounded completely implausible, had it come from any other mouth but his.

"You...

slept

with the Oracle?" she asked him, awe-struck.

Talos sighed. "Yeah, sure. But Tatiana, the

important

point is that we have a workable prophecy here. Straightened shores, glimmering mountains of void? A peak split in two, half fallen into the sea? We should be able to find this on your maps, right?"

"You're such a heathen, Talos," Tatiana chortled. "Sleeping with the Oracle."

"I know, right?" Alanna agreed, nudging the sorceress-in-black with her elbow.

"Hey, it was

your

idea," Talos declared with pointed finger.

"Nuh-uh, it was fated. I merely played my part," she cutely shrugged.

"Whatever the case, it wasn't my fault."

"Mm," Tatiana mumbled disapprovingly, rolling her eyes. She decided to change subjects before the spell of confidence she had cast on herself wore off. "Well, while you two were gallivanting around and sleeping with demi-goddesses,

I

was doing proper, fruitful research."

"Fruitful? You found something?" Talos hastily asked, his eyes lighting up. She nodded, and smiled in response to his enthusiasm.

"Indeed. For one, I found a historical example which gave me hope of Cass's well-being. One sorceress from Villjord, back in the nine-hundreds, teleported well across the world to Masakrai. When she did, her string disappeared; just like Casiama's did. Yet, it returned to normalcy when she returned to Villjord. This nearly proves that there's a proximity requirement for aether root connectivity, leading me to believe that Cass could just have gone...

really

far away. But, she could still be alive and well."

"That's great news," Talos warmly replied. "You've no idea how good it is to hear that, Tatiana. You said 'nearly'?"

"Well, I've only one source, and you need at least two to prove anything. Anyway, I also discovered something else. Of Dun Aysla. Or, specifically, of the moon towers, which, as you know, exist here-and-there throughout the Empire. Well,

none

of those other towers have

ever

been opened, making Dun Aysla the first. So for

three-hundred years,

no one else was capable of doing what Casiama did completely on accident."

"Interesting, I suppose," Talos shrugged. Tatiana held up a finger to silence him.

"That's not all. Every one of the moon towers share the same riddle for opening the first door. Specifically... one second..." Tatiana said, rummaging through her backpack to retrieve a folded piece of paper, "

'Kings and Queens may come and go, but Noble houses we will know.'

Now, the first part of the riddle is merely a statement, meaning it can be thrown out. It's the second part, 'Noble houses we will know,' which is important.

That's

what allowed Casiama through the door, and why Faranya was denied entrance. Tor Remilla isn't a

Noble

house anymore, Talos. That distinction died with the fall of their city. Noble houses, at least in Elvendom, are houses which rule over kingdoms."

"Makes sense."

"Now, let's look at the second riddle, or at least what Cass told us of it.

'By the Gods we were wrought, of the Gods we have sought.'

If we remove the first half of

this

riddle, as you can of the first, that leaves us with 'of the Gods we have sought.' If you take

that

literally, as you can of the first, it would mean that the door wasn't expecting an

artifact

of the gods... it was expecting one of the gods themselves."

"Hold on. You're not... saying what I think you're saying... are you?"

"It's just a hypothesis. A hypothesis that I'm choosing to believe, mind you, until I hear evidence to the contrary. The riddle only seeks a single authorization vector, and 'of the gods we have sought,' can only mean one thing to me. Plus, if an artifact

could

have opened the door, Faranya would have been allowed entrance; yet, she was denied. In fact, I

wager

that if Casiama had invoked that door

without

the sword, she still would've been allowed in. No way to prove that now, of course."

"And how are you so sure you can toss out, 'by the Gods we were wrought'?"

"Because it's a statement. The gods created us, did they not?"

"Sure, yeah, I guess. But, Tatiana..."

She held up her brows, waiting for him to continue. "Yes?"

"That's

ridiculous

. The gods can't just... come

down

here, right?"

"Why, of course they can. What about all the old stories, Talos? Like, of Valla defeating the King of Trolls, or of Telacar banishing the Dwarven Sky Priests? Those aren't just children's tales. Many are properly sourced, and have multiple eyewitnesses. Heck, you just slept with the Oracle, who is half-divine herself."

Talos smirked in confusion, and glanced towards Alanna. She nodded in agreement.

"Huh. So Cass... is a goddess?" he murmured.

"I think so," Tatiana softly affirmed.

"But she didn't know that. She would've said something, surely?"

"Agreed. In any case, it's very likely that she knows by now. Either she went to the heavens and met herself, then came back... or... she never came back. And she's just back to being a goddess, now."

"Huh. But, you could be wrong?"

"Anything's possible," Tatiana shrugged. "But, I believe the Oracle's already confirmed that I'm correct. You mentioned that she, meaning you, didn't recognize Cass

now

. Meaning, the next time you meet with Cass, she'll be a different person. You also said she knew a truth that scared her? I mean, you? Her being a goddess is

kind of

scary, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's all a bit unbelievable, but... if it

were

true... I'd say it's kind of cool, actually."

"But, now that she's a goddess, perhaps you and her... well..."

Talos squinted. "Oh no. That's not the case at

all

."

"You see? It scares you."

"It doesn't

scare

me. It's just

ridiculous

," he scoffed.

"I'm sorry," she pouted. "I-I'm probably wrong, you know? A-and I'll still look over the maps, of course. Straightened shore, mountains of glimmering void, a peak half-fallen into the sea. I'll find it, Talos."

Talos nodded. "Thanks, Tatiana. And I don't mean to get angry with you. I should never discount any of your theories, nor should I lash out at you if I don't want to believe 'em. Apologies."

She smiled. "Accepted. But, don't ever worry about hurting my feelings. I'm far tougher than my visage suggests. It's a hypothesis, by the way. Theories have evidence."

"Right, right. Hypothesis. And, I know you are," he smirked. "Thanks again, Tatiana. For everything."

"You're welcome, Talos. Any time."

-=-=-

The trio soon retired to Talos' rented room, situated on the main square of town in a three-story inn. Tatiana carefully removed a vase of roses from the room's only table, and replaced it with her impressive collection of maps. Alanna soon left on her own, claiming she had to prepare for Lyrasa at market, and Talos lazily situated himself on a red loveseat leaning against a wall of the room.

Tatiana ensured her butt was pushed out as far as it could be as she leaned over her maps, hoping her compromising position would coax Talos into making a move on her. Perhaps he would find the sight inviting, and come up behind her to grope her? Perhaps a show of her assets framed in silk would drive him mad with lust...

Or, perhaps he would merely sit in that damned chair and toss an apple into the air. She glanced at him and inaudibly sighed before dutifully returning to her scrolls.

"I can't believe Casiama is a

goddess

," Talos mused a couple minutes later, as Tatiana pushed away a map of western Isbrygga.

"Only a hypothesis..." she sang in reply, not sparing him a glance. The map of northern Hesperia was pushed away as well.

"Thought of by Tatiana the Genius," he smirked. If she would have looked at him, then, she would have found Talos' eyes glued to her legs and hips, covered by her thin black dress. But she didn't, and pushed away a crudely-drawn map of Masakrai instead.

"Just try not to get your hopes up. I've been wrong before," Tatiana chuckled. She pulled in a map of Sardonia for study.

"Yeah, but... I wonder what goddess she is," Talos said anyway.

"

Which

goddess do you think she is?" she asked him, pushing the scroll of Sardonia to the side. Talos thought on it; or, at least, he stopped tossing the apple into the air.

"Fiona," he replied a minute later. Tatiana giggled, and shot him a playful look.

"You think she's the goddess of lust?"

"Mhm."

"Well, even if she was, she'd be

Raelys

, not Fiona."

He shrugged. Tatiana smiled and shook her head, and returned to her maps to pull in another. "Raelys?" Talos asked a moment later.

"The goddess of attraction in the elven pantheon," Tatiana answered, looking over the scroll depicting Solais. "Although, I suppose they're one in the same. Humans took in all of the elven gods, anyway, shaving off their pointed ears in the process."

"Ah."

Tatiana found a coastline which intrigued her on the map of Solais, and leaned in further to study it, unknowingly wiggling her butt with excitement as she did. She squinted at the poorly-drawn map, wishing she had one more detailed. Still... everything was right where it should be.

"Talos," she gasped, summoning him to join her at the table. She glanced up when he joined her, disappointingly at the opposite end. He put his hands on the wood and leaned in.

"What's up?" he asked seriously.

She pointed at the scroll labeled

The Kingdom of Solais

. "I found it. I think. It's the only straightened shore on any of my maps."

Talos squinted as he got a closer look. "And the mounts of void?"

Tatiana's finger slipped an inch up the map. "Look.

Ironpoint

Mountains. Named after the black metals visible in their peaks, if I'm recalling correctly," she explained, glancing up at him again. He nodded.

"Yeah. I've seen 'em myself, and, you're right. What of the peak split in two?" he asked. Tatiana's finger traced a line from the Ironpoint chain, down a smaller chain of mountains leading towards the straightened shore.

"Probably here, if I had to guess. There's not much detail, but..."

"No, this is good," he interjected. "I'm not at all surprised by the lack of detail, as there aren't many explorers who journey to Eastern Solais.

I've

never even been, and I've been damn near everywhere. It's a good catch. Can you port us there?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Talos. I've never been anywhere

near

Solais, and, as you know, prior visitation is a requirement for my teleportation. The closest I could get us is Dun Galem, in the Borderlands."

"Oh no. Not making that trek again," he said dismissively, waving a hand. "You'd understand if you've ever been to the Badlands. I'll take a merchant ship from Redstone."

"That's a... month-long journey, Talos," she said sullenly.

"I'm not saying you have to come with. I can go alone, and you can port to me on arrival," he replied, bringing a hand to his neck to pull out Tatiana's black

T

-shaped pendant. She smiled with pride when it was drawn out, delighted that he now wore her amulet at all times.

"Perhaps we can find another teleporter to take us together?" she persisted anyway. In her eyes, a month without Talos would be a month without happiness.

"We've no time for that. How about, I go on the voyage, and you can come retrieve me if you find one suitable?"

She nodded. "Okay. Fine." He wouldn't be convinced to see her point of view, not with Casiama's safety on the line. Tatiana reminded herself to act submissively for him, and tilted her gaze back towards the scrolls.

"When can you port us back to Redstone?" he asked.

"Late tomorrow, I think," she instantly answered, staring through the maps. In reality, she could probably return to Redstone with him and Alanna come midnight, but Talos didn't need to know that.

"Alright. Gives us time to enjoy Lyrasa, then," he smirked.

"Gives

you

time.

I

brought books," she chastely retorted.

Talos sighed, and leaned up from the table. "Oh no you don't, Tatiana. I may've let you get away from drink on Dun Aysla, but it's a double-dereliction to go without on a holiday. You can leave those books unread for another night."

She flashed him a look a pure innocence. "Would you

really

force me, Talos?" she cutely pouted, hoping his answer was 'yes'.

"Force you to a good time? Yeah, I would. And I am."

Tatiana pushed herself away from the haphazard stack of maps. "I guess I've no choice, then," she quietly assented with her own sigh. She watched Talos stuff her amulet back underneath his shirt, and they shared a small supper together while they awaited Alanna's return.

-=-=-

Alanna returned to the room an hour later, holding two filled pitchers of mead from the hall downstairs. She also wore her backpack, but refused to divulge what she had purchased from market for Lyrasa. The pitchers were placed on a side table, and her backpack was removed in the bedroom. Talos, meanwhile, filled three mugs with mead and served everyone. Talos and Tatiana clanked mugs, and drank, but he did not join her on the loveseat afterward as she'd expected. Alanna took that seat instead, much to Tatiana's disappointment.

Still, all three drank and were merry. They spoke of everything, of nothing, and, as Alanna became more and more intoxicated, she gradually became more hands-on with Tatiana. She specifically played with Tatiana's hair, obviously finding it satisfying to mess with. Eventually, she changed her focus from running her fingers through Tatiana's neat, well-groomed hair, to curling a wild lock of her own around a finger.

"So, Talos, what color do you most desire on your women?" she asked, biting her lip playfully and glancing towards Tatiana. "Black, or auburn?"

Talos smirked, swirling his mead in his mug as Alanna's gaze return to him. "Neither," he replied after a moment, staring into Alanna's eyes. "For I most desire blonde." Tatiana giggled at the reply, while Talos drank to Alanna's stunned visage.

"Blonde? Really?" she questioned playfully.

"Mm. You know what they say about women with blonde hair? It's all true," Talos declared with a pointed finger.

"And what do they speak of?" Tatiana asked with a tilt of her head.

"He's jesting," Alanna giggled, elbowing her gently. A wagging finger from across the room disavowed her statement.

"No, no. You see, blonde women are the most adventurous of all the colors, both within and without the sheets. Why, just look at the Isbryggans if you need convincing."

"They're all blonde!" Alanna retorted. Talos only grinned further.

"Furthermore, blonde is the color closest to the daytime sun, and both are the most cheerful things," Talos continued, swirling his mead as if a connoisseur of average drinks.

"Now

I

know you're jesting," Tatiana giggled into her palm. He shrugged.

"But truly? Blonde is simply the natural preference of all men."

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous, honey?

All

men?" Alanna retorted.

"That's right."