Chapter 18
Awakening
Bianca sat bolt upright. She thrashed amongst the rose petals, and found they were sheets. She scented rose, turned towards it, and found flowers in a bowl. Her eyes darted around and she found herself in a well-appointed room, with a wide window.
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” said Jesca, Queen of Romitu, turning from the window.
“I... I saw an Elf,” Bianca said breathlessly.
“Yes,” said Jesca, walking over to her and sitting in a chair next to the bed. “We know.”
Bianca tried to get up, but faltered, feeling how weak her body was.
“Just lie down,” said Jesca. “Lilly has been here the whole time. You've talked a lot in your sleep, and she's read your dreams.”
Bianca eased back into the pillows. “How long?” she asked.
“Just a few days,” said Jesca. She patted her hand. “Alarm bells went off when the strategic mana reserve started draining, so there were already squads on their way by the time the controls locked. When they got the operational sphere free you were out of it. So they brought you here.”
“Was the Ævatar damaged?” asked Bianca.
Jesca laughed. “It's fine. Although I don't think you'll be taking it out for a while.”
“I need practice,” said Bianca. “Now that we know we can operate it, we need to prepare.”
Jesca shook her head. “We've made scant progress filling the strategic mana reserve. Your little jaunt drained three months’ worth of accumulation.”
Bianca hit the bed, weakly, and looked out the window.
“I'll send for some broth,” said Jesca. “Unless you want to wait for Lilly to get back.”
“Where did she go?” asked Bianca.
“To get pastries,” said Jesca, and smiled.
“From the shop on Via Michael?” asked Bianca.
“That shop indeed,” said Jesca nodding. She too looked to the window. “Odd, though. That she would be the one to go there.”
“Yes,” said Bianca. “It was always you who was dragging us off on some adventure, to end up there after it all.”
“You followed because your pride wouldn't let you not follow,” said Jesca. “Lilly. I was never sure. I think it was she just always did what she was told.”
“That was then,” said Bianca. “This is now.”
“Yes,” said Jesca. “This is indeed now. I am Queen of Romitu. You are preparing to fight the gods, hand to hand. And Lilly... is getting pastries.”
“Lilly is happy,” said Bianca.
“Are you sure?” asked Jesca.
“She does what she wants to do. That implies that she actually has wants now. Because she has wants, and can fulfill them, she is happy” Bianca concluded.
“Lucky her,” said Jesca.
“Yes,” agreed Bianca. “Lucky her.”
Jesca sent for broth anyway, which Bianca dutifully drank.
After Bianca finished she asked, “Do you understand all the Elf said?”
“If you are asking if we have a full accounting, yes I think so,” said Jesca. “Lilly, despite having come so far, really has very little sense of personal space and I didn't think you would mind, given the circumstances.” Bianca nodded. “If you are asking if I know the meaning of what she said... No. Do we ever know? Swan said this one wanted to speak more directly. Yet she was so... obtuse.”
Bianca snorted. “They toy with us. It is just a game to them.”
“No,” said Jesca. “I don't think so. Or, if it is, I do not think it is just a game to them. There is something at stake. Something big. It's just not something we understand.”
“She said she had been patron to the royalty of Londra,” said Bianca.
“Yes,” said Jesca. “After I found that out I didn't sleep that night.” She looked sheepish. “I had hoped she was planning on turning up to be my patron.” She then looked wistful. “I could use a new patron.”
“We should ask Gwendolyn about her,” said Bianca.
“I'm not sure we need to check her references,” said Jesca, with a trace of a smile. “But, yes. She must have been around when Gwendolyn was at court.”
“She is someone else who could be less obtuse,” grumbled Bianca.
“Do I have to remind you that you and your mother are somewhat known for being obtuse!” said Jesca.
Bianca snorted. “We do not speak the obvious. Only the necessary,” she retorted.
“Gwendolyn is of the same order as the gods,” said Jesca. “Perhaps less in power. But she has no gaps in her memory. That's a power of a type.”
“She knew of the rectifier, but did not tell us,” said Bianca.
“I don't think she understood the implications of it,” said Jesca. “I'm not sure we understand all the implications of it, given how crucial Rose seemed to think your shield was.” She helped herself to some of the broth. “No, I don't think she is holding out on us.”
“There is much she could teach us. She's been studying the six books for millennia,” said Bianca.
“I didn't say I thought she was extending herself for us,” said Jesca. “I wish she would. She knew the gods when they were people. That could be invaluable.”
“Yes,” said Bianca. “The gods will act soon.”
“Mostly they just posture and stir up the people,” said Jesca. “It's pretty irritating.”
“They will stop posturing and start acting,” said Bianca. “Soon. Probably very soon.”
“How do you know?” asked Jesca.
“Because that is what I would do,” said Bianca. “First: The reserve is low. Lower than it has ever been. Our standing army is useless against a direct attack from the gods. We are at the weakest we've ever been, from their point of view, right now.”
“Second,” Bianca continued. “We're not filling it quickly. Why? Because we've started resurrecting all who want it. That costs us mana, but it also deprives the gods of mana.”
“Third,” said Bianca. “We've just made a breakthrough that holds hope for filing it quickly. Put it all together. We're weak, but every day that passes we grow stronger, and the gods grow weaker. Any delay they make lowers their chances of winning.”
Jesca nodded slowly, drinking the now cool broth. “That is what you would do,” she said. “But the gods are fractious and temperamental. It has been so long since they went forth, themselves, into battle that they do not remember it. They are not yet even decided to act.”
“They will act,” said Bianca. “It's just a matter of time.”
“I agree with you. Your logic is sound. That will win out in the end. Despite all their bickering,” said Jesca. “They certainly will attack. But how soon? I am not sure.”
“At least we now know the Elves will not aid us,” said Bianca.
“I didn't hold out much hope they would,” said Jesca.
Bianca wrinkled her brow. “Perhaps that shield. Maybe we can deploy it with the troops to shield them from divine wrath. Then they would be a force.”
“You said, yourself, they are useless if the gods come personally,” said Jesca. “If they bring their heavenly host with them, sure, like with the demons, it would give them something to do. But if Sky Father turns up personally and is flinging deadly sleet left and right, I don't think a shield will help.”
“We need the Ævatar,” said Bianca.
“We need power,” said Jesca. “If we had enough mana to power the Ævatar, we would have enough mana to put up a credible defense against the gods by other means.”
Bianca glowered for a while. “The Elf was right about one thing.”
“What's that?” asked Jesca.
“The connections are complicated,” said Bianca. “There is no measure of what is most important.”
“I didn't need an Elf to tell me that,” said Jesca. “I'm the wretched Queen. I know all too well that it's impossible to know how to spend our forces. That's the problem of my life.”
&nb
sp; “Are you still trying to find a successor?” asked Bianca.
Jesca rubbed her forehead. “What would be the point? None of the generals will do it. We're well past any scenario envisaged by Scioni. Even if he was alive, I don't think his idea of five-year reigns would work. The armies are nigh unto redundant. Why select a leader from amongst their commanders?”
“The armies still have use,” said Bianca.
“But they are not the power at the forefront right now. That's in the hands of the mages,” said Jesca. She then looked up. “That's it! Why not appoint a mage to the throne? That's where all the tough decisions are now. We need a leader who understands that.” She stood up and pointed at Bianca. “You! Why not you? You're no younger than I. You've been raised in almost the same way: to be a power. You shall be Queen Bianca!”
Bianca looked at her horrified. “No! I do not think that is a good idea! Who would follow me? Bianca is not even my name. You gave that name to me.”
Jesca shook her finger at her. “Only because you have some bizarre cultural tradition of not telling anyone but blood relatives your name.”
Bianca's eyes narrowed. “There is power in a name.”
“Fie on your superstition,” said Jesca. “Tell me your name and I will make you Queen.”
“No,” said Bianca. “I do not want to be Queen.”
Jesca's shoulders slumped. “Neither do I.”