Chapter 41

Talia twisted her hair firmly between her fingers. This way, or that way? She thought to herself as she stared into the mirror. Her crimson locks were positively vibrant after several baths. No matter how much she cleaned herself she just couldn't seem to fit in her own skin. She felt wrong. So she was working towards mending that problem the only way she knew how.

Pulling another bead from a small velvet bag she twisted her hair some more before sliding it on. It was a simple bead, metal hand crafted and shaped by some distant smithy she could hardly remember. The work was fine, though it was only human. The designs were simplistic at best, hardly worthy of what it represented. But it hardly mattered, what it represented wasn't exactly her best attribute.

Talia had grown up far away from any giants or giant culture but thanks to Nico and his affinity for books she had learned one little tidbit about her kin. Giants signified their kills with beads. Of course they were highly selective of which kills they would honor in their hair, most often it was to symbolize the slaying of a rival or an enemy in honorable combat. Of course every single one of her beads marked a kill, though the honor behind many of them was questionable at best.

'There's not enough hair on your head for the amount of beads you could braid in if you're counting kills.' Reezara's voice was soft as always but there was a ring of truth behind it. Dark truth it may have been, but a truth nonetheless. Talia sighed as she prepared the next bead.

'I don't carry as many as you'd think. Each bead does signify a kill, but these are all... Special kills. Ones I remember clearly. They have meaning, more so than most of the others.' She was only going to wear eight, three on each side holding a smaller chunk of hair and the two biggest ones to hold her thick bangs out of her eyes. They would flow over the front of her shoulders to showcase her skill. She had dozens of small beads she could weave into her hair but she hardly had the time or the patience to do such a thing.

The fourth bead was the one she was currently working on. It signified Clarence Montagne, a man she had grown to despise throughout her stay within his hold. She had spent three months posing as a half-giant slave of his, always chained to his side like a dog to its master. She was meant to kill him slowly over time with miniscule doses of some of the most rare and potent poison known to mankind. And she had. He died a relatively painless death, slipping away in his sleep. Still her rage and hatred burned for him, she deeply wished she could have made him stare into her eyes as she slit his throat.

Each bead had its own little meaning, most of them signifying her regrets. Her regret for Montagne was that she hadn't been nearly violent enough, she had let him die like any other man would wish to die. But others marked her regret at being too violent, or too quick, or too late. Each was a lesson, a reminder that with perfection came forethought, patience, and diligence. There was a thinly maintained balance between satisfaction and seeing a job done.

'Is it wise to carry around your regrets like a talisman? I can sense the emotions deep within you and I am worried this is only another way to punish yourself.' Reezara had been trying to gently prod her for hours. Her worry and concern were palpable but Talia didn't know how else to explain what she was doing. It was difficult to look at herself in the mirror, that much was true, but there was a reason.

'This is not punishment. It's more of a reprimand. While each lesson was painful, and continues to be painful, they are still valuable. I can't face this... Whatever this is without remembering what makes me so good at what I do. This castle, these circumstances, they're all so new to me. I am a fish outside of my pond and casting about for familiarity is only leading me to drowning in my own despair. These are my familiarity, the part of myself that never changes no matter what face I put on. While my exterior can change to fit any situation asked of me, this is who I will always be. Even if this was never what I was meant to be.' She pulled the fifth bead into place with a swift and practiced motion.

Whenever she felt the way she was currently feeling she'd find herself wondering if she always wanted to be an assassin. If she had ever wanted to be an assassin. Who were her parents? Could she have been something more noble? Someone more respectable? What if she had become a giant warrior, proud and honorable, serving the dwarven kingdom as a stalwart ally? Or what if she had been raised with the elves learning to create rather than destroy? She could have had hundreds of different identities. Yet none were forged with nearly as much blood and grit as her current one. She may hate herself, but she knew that there were few creatures in the world capable of going toe to toe with her in her prime element.

She had spent years forging herself into a capable and formidable weapon. She had taken countless abuses, pushed her body to its absolute limits, sharpened her mind as much as she physically could, all to become something... She pushed the sixth bead on. Why had she done it? Competition? To earn Nazir's favor? To earn the favor of the elders? She had asked Hephatus to grant her power and to break her chains. In exchange she had to serve. At the time it was a worthy deal, but now things were muddy and she wasn't sure if she had made the right choices. Serving Hephatus blindly for years had been her only reason for existence. Her only drive. Now she was discovering that she would need a little more than blind loyalty to keep pushing her forward.

'Even if she isn't hearing your prayers here, we can not rely on the gods to save us from every problem. Hephatus has been incredibly kind towards us but... She has her limits too. Focusing on something else will be a worthy challenge. Maybe it is time to learn new lessons, and push new boundaries.' Reezara was certain Talia just needed a new challenge to focus her mind and energy. Her rider was growing increasingly listless and depressed, her limitations getting the better of her. She knew that Talia's only real joy had come from fighting, but without the ability to walk or run her ability to carve her way through any problem had been greatly limited. She watched Talia continue to play with her hair wearily.

Reezara, as a dragon, was well aware of how important identity and drive were to a creature. Talia had often struggled with her own identity. When playing a new role every time someone needed killed it made sense. As a dragon her own identity wasn't hard, she was born with a sense of self. Though she was finding that living outside the shell made it a lot more difficult to be so certain. Sifting through Talia's memories she became all too aware of how easy it was to get washed up in other people's games, images, and words. Beneath the sludge of every other person's opinions and projections lie the truth of one's identity. It was oftentimes difficult to weed out.

'I kept telling myself there's no time for new lessons... But I suppose to slip these chains we'll have to find answers. And to do that... I'll have to learn. Hephatus can't save us this time so I doubt any other god will step in and lend a miraculous hand. So this time saving me is up to me, and the only way I know how to do that is to eliminate the obstacles.' Reezara could hear the little thoughts swirling around Talia's mind. She already had the inklings of a plan pushing their way forward, demanding her attention.

There was no doubt she was capable of murdering the King, there was only the question of how to do so without stirring up more trouble. He was a well protected man with very few private moments. Getting close enough was one problem, getting him dead was another. But Talia wasn't considered the best for nothing. Reezara had all the faith in the world her rider could do it. She only wished that when she looked into her rider's eyes she wasn't swimming in a sea of despair and sadness. The loss of her friends had hit her hard.

'And while we're learning to maneuver in this environment, perhaps we will find the clues as to where he's hiding our friends. He isn't the smartest man in the world, he's bound to slip up somewhere.' Talia smiled slightly at Reezara's reassurance. Gordon likely would slip up, though the time it would take him to do so could be significantly longer than what she was prepared to handle. A man like Gordon didn't stay a king by being a moron. At least not for long.

Slipping on the final smaller bead she reached into the bag to pull free the two big ones. They had far more significant value than the others, both were crafted by dwarven silversmiths. The engravings were far more intricate and detailed, each on signifying a different kill. A different King. She had only killed two true blooded royals, though each one had been a significant challenge in their own way. They had been fighters to the end, their guard had also been there to fight and die for their wards. She had to cut her way through a lot of bullshit before she ever got the chance to draw a blade around the royalty.

Killing royalty was never easy, each mark took years worth of studying from outside sources before a solid plan could be lain. Then came the preparations. The next step was a lot like casting a fishing hook into a creek, one would have to do it over and over again for gods even knew how long before the first nibble, then the first bite. Getting into the Kings royal palace was much the same. It took countless hours of effort and time management to catch the Kings eye and gain an invitation. Doing so without arising suspicion is what took the most time and effort.

Talia was determined to add a third bead to her collection. Gordon's bead would be special, she'd have to have it crafted once they all reached the dwarven city. What would she want the design to be? A spider on a web of fire? It had an appeal to it, that was certain. As she slid the last bead into place she sighed, was it finally that time? It had been nearly a week since she had sent the letters out. With nothing more to focus on she was finding herself more caged than anything. She needed out.

"My Lady, the court will be in session within the half-hour and his Highness would like you present before the gates open to the public. Are you ready?" Lotus's monotonous voice never failed to draw Talia's bad mood. She watched her own face twist into a sour expression in the mirror.

"Of course." She bit out as she watched Lotus's blank expression. As usual there was no change as she bent to grab the chair handles to pull her away from her dresser. Reezara leapt from the bed and scurried over to clamber into Talia's lap.

'She can't help it, don't be too angry.' Reezara hadn't stopped chastising her for her continued anger towards Lotus. She agreed that it wasn't Lotus's fault but it didn't stop her. The blank stare was unsettling, it was as if the person she was just starting to grow acquainted with was gone. No amount of prodding could even earn a flicker of remembrance, she was more frustrated than anything though... With a sigh she replied,

'I know. But I can't help but feel that if she isn't going to be helpful she should just leave well enough alone. She's a spy for the King, every time she's here she's likely feeding information back to him. As it sets she's the enemy.' It was a rather black and white way of looking at it but it was true none the less.

'Then lets give her information...' Reezara's internal glee was like a shot of energy into Talia's heart. She smiled at the dragon's idea, she hadn't considered the possible useful ways she could spin the situation.

"What will I be expected to do?" She asked Lotus loudly as the woman closed the doors to her chamber. Lotus didn't speak for a moment as she locked the door. She pushed the chair once more before replying,

"You will simply preside over the courtroom as citizens bring forward their complaints to the King. You're a figure-piece more than anything. You will not speak to the citizens." Talia's sour mood turned all the more toxic. There was nothing she hated more than being a jewel, a pretty face to be gawked at. It was humiliating.

"Of course." She replied darkly. After that they remained stoically silent. The courtrooms were towards the center of the castle, it took several minutes to navigate the various halls and ramps. Talia was mildly surprised at the accessibility the castle offered for crippled folks. There were also several magical constructs that Talia had never seen before, Lotus would step on the glowing circular pads and they would move up or down depending on their destination.

'Why didn't I notice this at first?' She wondered darkly as she tried to memorize more of the castle. They weren't new, so why had she never seen them?

'Perhaps it is because you never needed them... Besides, they only seem to be in the towers more than anything.' Reezara noted as they neared the double doors to the courtroom. Talia agreed silently, though she made a note to be far more diligent in noticing the smaller details.

"Announcing Lady Talia." Lotus called out as she opened the doors revealing the council chamber. Talia noted the Lords and Ladies sitting in their respective seats, each one had a gaunt and exhausted expression. They turned in unison to stare at her, not a single one of them looked friendly in the slightest. Was it because they were drowning in misery? Or was it because she had a dragon in her lap? Jealousy was a powerful emotion.

Lotus pushed her in and positioned her to the left of the still absent King. The seats were empty, whoever had the honor of that position before had left it vacant. Talia wondered if they had died or if they had been moved aside for her arrival. Whatever the case it was clear the state of the nobility of Arboros was in complete disarray.

"Announcing His Majesty Gordon Silvestine." The royal announcer, a spindly child, managed to cry out over the dull chattering of the council chambers. Talia eyed the child as he rushed ahead of the royal procession. The King, in his usual scummy glory, marched in with a smirk befitting a scoundrel. She felt her ire spark again. She was aware that the day was going to drag on like a snail through a salt field.

"Good afternoon Lords and Ladies of the court, I am glad to see you all present yet again for another day of mediation. I would like to take a moment to announce the arrival of our honored guest Talia Dragon-Rider, and her mystical dragon. They are here to witness the great machinations of our esteemed kingdom. Please welcome them warmly." He motioned towards her with what he must have imagined as a gracious smile, though Talia only saw the slimy grin of a snake.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Talia said with a slight head bow. He winked at her, she wished she could have shoved a dagger into his neck right then and there as he sat on his throne. With a wave of his hands the doors on the other end of the council chambers opened allowing in a flood of commoners. The area for the commoners to gather was lower than the area where the upper-class resided, the horseshoe like seating sat nearly five feet above the floor where the people were squeezing in. With the added foot of iron bars it was highly unlikely any would make it up to assault the King.

Talia watched with curiosity as the gray and brown clad people started to settle and stare up at the King. The time was upon them it would seem as the King's child announcer pulled a parchment and read off a name.

"David Arlow, please step forward to the provided podium and state your grievance." The child's voice was rather loud, his trilling tone filled the hall as a man in a gray cloak shuffled up. He looked old, crippled, and if she was catching his stink he wasn't long for the world.

"Thank you for this great honor my Lord." The man was hard to hear, even with the ringing silence of the chamber. He bowed before pulling a few crumpled papers from beneath his cloak.

"My Lord, I am here today to ask you for aid. My farm and the farms that surround it are suffering. There's a blight in the soil and we need to eradicate it before the growing season arrives in earnest. We have to burn it out, but to do this we would require a large amount of fuel and manpower to burn the fields." His voice was weak and thready, Talia was certain the blight had already infected him. And if the King wasn't careful his entire city would fall to it.

"Certainly, I will dedicate a squad of guards to transport fuel to your farms and lay it out for burning. Although rebuilding your homes is upon you, I will alert the lumber-men to your need for fresh wood so that they will have a stock ready for you after the blight is burned away." Talia's insides twisted uncomfortably. Even Reezara's tail stopped twitching.

"M... My Lord?" The man stared up at the King in a mixture of confusion and fear, his already pale pallor growing ghostly. Gordon's smile twisted as he replied,

"Blight is an incredibly dangerous threat to the kingdom, it would be negligent of me to leave portions of the afflicted land unburned simply because there's houses on it. It can all be rebuilt farmer, be grateful I'm seeing to this at all." He waved a hand dismissively as two guards marched forward and yanked the man back. Talia watched the Lords and Ladies to see how they would react, not a single one of them even flinched. The announcer drew forth the next poor soul to petition the King.

Talia had been used to bloodthirsty tactics, she had seen some of the most filthy human acts imaginable. Yet it was still hard to witness the King grant every petition, with a twist. Every time the spark of hope would light up in the peasants eyes it would be cruelly ripped away by some underhanded trick. Every time she'd watch their souls crumple she could feel the sickness rising in her. Her stomach was a mess.

'This isn't right. We have to stop this.' Reezara sounded just as miserable as Talia felt. She couldn't agree more as the last peasant was drug away from the pedestal. The last one was crying, begging for forgiveness despite the fact she hadn't done anything to warrant a need for forgiveness. Talia could tell the King was delighting in their misery.

"Lotus, I'm weary. Take me back to my chambers." She didn't want to feel ok in her skin, she didn't want to feel proud of her kills or her prowess in battle. She had just witnessed dozens of people wallowing in pure hell and she couldn't do anything to help them. She wanted to seethe in her rage out of sight from the King.

"Are you certain you don't want to join us for lunch in the dining halls?" The King made sure to sound as inviting as possible. Talia declined him as politely as possible as Lotus pushed her away. She didn't want to stay anywhere near the nobles so long as her murderous rage seethed. She couldn't say what would happen if she stayed, she just knew it would likely end in more chains.