“We’ve been attacked.” Her husband’s voice drew her back to reality. Jedoi closed the book she was reading and looked up at him with tired eyes as he entered the basement of the Historian’s Guild. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her at the table. “I’m really sorry, Jed.”
“I don’t care.” She replied, voice horse from lack of use. “It’s just a territory, it’s not like we need it.” She yawned and leaned her head on her hands.
“It wasn’t a territory, Jed. They attacked Auru. They got into the Spire, the warehouse.” Tee sighed.
Her head snapped up. “They what?”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Where in the Spire? Did they get to the vaults?” She stood up and started towards the door. Tee leapt up and followed her.
“No, just the main floor and war room. They didn’t get anything excessively valuable, with the exception of my potions. In the warehouse they got mostly spruce wood and wool.”
“Wool… So, I guess the Hall of Heroes will be delayed, then.” She chuckled. “Not that I’ve worked on it in… gods, how many years has it been, Tee?”
“You abandoned construction eight years ago.” The High Queen cringed and took a deep breath.
“And how long has it been since I addressed our people?”
“Jed-”
“Tell me!” She stopped, turning to look at him. “You’ve been leading by yourself since I hid myself away from the world. How long has it been?”
“It’s been sixteen years, Jed. But that’s okay, we’re still alive-”
“How long does the generator have left?” She asked, quietly.
“Four years.” Came his swift reply.
“Okay. Let’s go.” She led the way next door to her own house, and strode to where her Crown of Auru had been sitting the past twenty years.
The crown that Grubul had forged and worn first, as the Father of Auru built the town she walked through now. The crown that the Prophet Ajaxan had worn as he negotiated alliances and watched their home rise to it’s peak. The crown General Xovious enchanted and wore as he reclaimed Kalros, the crown he passed to her when he stepped down. The crown whose weight she was finally willing to bear once more.
She dusted it off and placed it on her head, before turning to her husband. “Find Ben,” she said, determination flashing in her eyes. “Have him figure out how they got into Auru and get the Architects to fix it.”
“Should we mark them as an enemy?” He asked.
“Absolutely not. In fact, we must send them a thank you.”
“Uh, Jed?”
“They’ve inspired me to return home. We’re not invincible. I had forgotten that. I’m ready to do what I must, now. Let today be known as the day of Auru’s Rebirth.”
“Where are you going?” He asked, falling into step behind her as they strode towards the Spire.
“To be a Queen.”
~~
Happy International Women’s day.
~~
And though I sound snarky, I’m not! Thank you, Nerdie, for the challenge, which I now get to rise and face! If all goes well I’ll be active on Loka again, and once more Auru will be a force to be reckoned with! Long live Kalros, long live Auru!
“I don’t care.” She replied, voice horse from lack of use. “It’s just a territory, it’s not like we need it.” She yawned and leaned her head on her hands.
“It wasn’t a territory, Jed. They attacked Auru. They got into the Spire, the warehouse.” Tee sighed.
Her head snapped up. “They what?”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Where in the Spire? Did they get to the vaults?” She stood up and started towards the door. Tee leapt up and followed her.
“No, just the main floor and war room. They didn’t get anything excessively valuable, with the exception of my potions. In the warehouse they got mostly spruce wood and wool.”
“Wool… So, I guess the Hall of Heroes will be delayed, then.” She chuckled. “Not that I’ve worked on it in… gods, how many years has it been, Tee?”
“You abandoned construction eight years ago.” The High Queen cringed and took a deep breath.
“And how long has it been since I addressed our people?”
“Jed-”
“Tell me!” She stopped, turning to look at him. “You’ve been leading by yourself since I hid myself away from the world. How long has it been?”
“It’s been sixteen years, Jed. But that’s okay, we’re still alive-”
“How long does the generator have left?” She asked, quietly.
“Four years.” Came his swift reply.
“Okay. Let’s go.” She led the way next door to her own house, and strode to where her Crown of Auru had been sitting the past twenty years.
The crown that Grubul had forged and worn first, as the Father of Auru built the town she walked through now. The crown that the Prophet Ajaxan had worn as he negotiated alliances and watched their home rise to it’s peak. The crown General Xovious enchanted and wore as he reclaimed Kalros, the crown he passed to her when he stepped down. The crown whose weight she was finally willing to bear once more.
She dusted it off and placed it on her head, before turning to her husband. “Find Ben,” she said, determination flashing in her eyes. “Have him figure out how they got into Auru and get the Architects to fix it.”
“Should we mark them as an enemy?” He asked.
“Absolutely not. In fact, we must send them a thank you.”
“Uh, Jed?”
“They’ve inspired me to return home. We’re not invincible. I had forgotten that. I’m ready to do what I must, now. Let today be known as the day of Auru’s Rebirth.”
“Where are you going?” He asked, falling into step behind her as they strode towards the Spire.
“To be a Queen.”
~~
Happy International Women’s day.
~~
And though I sound snarky, I’m not! Thank you, Nerdie, for the challenge, which I now get to rise and face! If all goes well I’ll be active on Loka again, and once more Auru will be a force to be reckoned with! Long live Kalros, long live Auru!
