Chapter 39

Talia sat in her chair with a bored expression while Lotus bustled around her room preparing various aspects of it for future use. It was a nice enough room, a wide cushy bed smattered in thick quilts and colorful pillows, a large mastercraft Diomabe rug to cover the stone floor, tapestries and paintings, and of course old wooden furniture that looked as if it hadn't been used since the first era.

"Was this really the princess's room from the first family to rule Arboros?" Talia asked out of boredom more than anything, there was little else to do while playing the role of prisoner. As much as she wanted to focus on freeing herself from the invisible chains she knew there was nothing to be done yet.

"This room has history, though I do not know it." Lotus's voice was always curt and monotonous. It was like listening to a scared servant, one smart enough to even out their tones as not to draw attention. Except Lotus wasn't scared, nor was she ever Talia's servant. She was something else, though just what she couldn't pin down yet.

'Spellwork is obviously in use here, but it's not got a mana trail.' Reezara remarked coolly from the bed. She had quickly taken over the room and settled in. Talia could feel the dragon's weariness as if it were her own, both of them were struggling against the effects of hard travel, battle, and rough healing. It would be several days yet before either of them were back in fighting shape.

'I can handle spellwork at least.' Talia retorted as she cracked her knuckles. Magic wasn't new to her, if there was something the King had done to bewitch Lotus she'd figure it out. It might take a while, she'd likely end up having to knock the woman out, but she'd find her answers with enough time. The only question was how much time they had.

Lotus was pulling out another dress from a wardrobe the King had sent to her quarters when Talia heard a knock at her door. Lotus dropped the foul article of clothing and went to open it, she checked first to assure it was no one nefarious before pulling the slab of wood open to welcome in the head healer. Talia's heart dropped in disappointment to see the creature lingering once more. She had hoped to leave them behind her now that she had a new room, but that would have been too easy.

"I've come to check in on you. How are you feeling? Are you hungry?" The questions were all rather common, she had heard them a dozen times before from Madora. She rolled her eyes before answering,

"I'm fine, just tired. I'm not really hungry either, I'd rather just settle in and go to sleep." The sad part was it wasn't a lie, she was more exhausted than hungry. She couldn't recall the last time she had managed to eat but she was certain it was quite a while ago. It would seem the healer had an inkling as well,

"I have already ordered your dinner to be made. It shall arrive within the hour, I'd like to see it eaten up before you retire for the night. I'll have your handmaiden report back to me when you've gone to bed. In the morning I would like to check your back to see if there's been any improvement. My knowledge on half-giants is limited but I feel food and rest will do you well." Talia hated the creature's raspy voice. More than that she hated wondering if it was truly intelligent or if it was a mouthpiece. Either way she had to play the game.

"Thank you for your forethought, I'll certainly eat what I can." Her reply was curt as it was sharp. The healer seemed to take that as a sign to leave, it bowed deeply before departing. Reezara's tail thumped loudly against the bed as she stretched and yawned.

'They better bring me something too. I may just pass out here before they even get here though.' She nestled her head between her forelegs and closed her eyes.

"Am I expected to do anything tomorrow?" Talia asked Lotus after assuring there wouldn't be any more intrusions. Lotus returned to the box which had once held at least five dresses. She picked up the discarded one to inspect it closely.

"You are a guest here, you aren't expected anywhere though the King would enjoy seeing you at court. However the healers recommend you take it easy for the next few days to allow your body time to heal." It wasn't an answer Talia was looking for. The King had plans for her, she couldn't divine what yet. It was driving her mad.

"Then tomorrow you can fetch my things from the stables. I'd like to write that letter in the morning." She tried to sound authoritative as she said it. Lotus simply nodded, her blank faced stare as upsetting as ever.

Talia spent the rest of the evening picking away at what little food she could muster eating and then crawling into bed to sleep. Lotus had to help her into bed which set her nerves ablaze. There was nothing she hated more than feeling like an invalid. Though the only thing Lotus even mentioned was her lack of appetite.

"Was the meat not to your liking?" She asked while Talia had picked at the venison and beef stew. It looked hearty enough but it didn't smell right. Nothing smelled right. She couldn't be certain if it was her nose or an attempt to feed her something she'd regret eating.

"It looks very appetizing." She said it monotonously hoping to get a rise out of Lotus, though she was met with failure.

"And the bread?" The woman didn't even pause or react to Talia's attempted ribbing.

"It looks pristine." She poked it with a fork, the fluffy loaf was certainly appetizing but she was in no mood for bread.

"What of the wine? It should pair nicely with the cheeses, I was told that the cheese has been aged for nearly a decade and the wine for three."

"How quaint." Talia's remarks only got shorter as Lotus pushed her for answers on her small appetite. In the end all she really ate was the bowl of fruit slices and the uncooked vegetables. They at least smelled untainted.

"Do you need anything else from me this evening my Lady?" Lotus asked after finally managing to get Talia tucked into bed. Talia's mind was seething with rage, she had no knife under her pillow or on her person. She felt like a quillhog with no quills.

"I would like some assurance to my safety. Get me a knife." She held out a hand with a sour scowl on her face. Lotus shook her head before standing back,

"I am sorry my Lady but the King would not tolerate such a thing. The guards are here for that. Would you like me to call upon more to watch over you tonight?" Talia let her hand drop with a groan. Of course he'd leave guards to see after her. And of course he wouldn't want her looking after herself.

"No that's quite alright. I don't want strangers watching me sleep. If your interest is really to see me well at least lock my door on your way out." That way she'd hear anyone trying to get in. Lotus nodded before grabbing the last candle lighting the room and making her way out.

"I'm posted just across the hall from you. Ring the bell on your end table to summon me at any time. Sleep well my Lady." It was all the woman said before disappearing for the night. Talia heard the unmistakable 'click' of a lock and sighed with relief. At least Lotus would follow a few orders. Though now she was just left alone with her thoughts and a dragon draped across her lap.

'Don't worry rider, your strength and mobility will return. We won't be chained to his city.' Reezara's voice was distant and sleepy but still reassuring nonetheless. Talia lay a hand over Reezara's scaled back, taking comfort in the dragon's presence she was able to close her eyes and take a deep breath.

'I know. And when the day comes that I can walk again I'll find everyone and get us all back together and on the right track. This is only a delay, nothing more.' She had to believe that. She had to focus on that thought if she wanted to make it out.

The next day passed in a blur. Talia spent the first few hours waiting for Lotus to make several trips to gather her things. The woman had to do it alone, no guard would help her despite Talia's efforts to order them to do so. Yet as the hours passed her confidence grew. She was especially eager when Lotus brought in her saddlebags.

Talia dug through the worn leather to pull free an inkpot, quill, and worn paper. The raven constructs remained hidden, she wouldn't use them during the daylight hours when wary eyes could see. But she could at least pen her letters. The first was the one to the elven kingdom, she had to think hard on what she could say. What would sound good? How did one write to a different race? More than that, was her elvish good enough to read? She had learned the language long ago, though so few spoke it she had rarely ever used it. If not for Reezara's ability to pick knowledge from her mind she may have lost the language entirely.

After hours delicately writing out a letter to the elvish King she then wrote a letter to Nico. That one was much easier, though at the same time far more difficult. She was terrified it wouldn't reach him. Terrified the scrawls of black ink on the dark brown paper were nothing more than her throwing her words into the wind. What if there was no answer? She could barely bare the thought.

'He will be there. He will hear you.' Reezara's reassurance was appreciated, but ineffective. Talia kept eyeing her saddlebags wondering if she could get the constructs to work. That would truly tell her if he'd hear her call. He had to be alive to listen after all.

The last letter was to someone she would have preferred not to have written to. She dipped her pen into the ink seven or eight times over the course of what felt like hours just imagining how she could put into words what she needed to say. She hadn't spoken to Midnight in nearly a year, the two had a strenuous relationship at best. But when shit got hairy Midnight was always the one Talia could call on to get reliable results fast. She nibbled on her lips as she made a start,

Midnight, it's Talia. The day is lost to me, my bearings are unclear. I'm in a bind and I need your expertise. There's killing to be done, as always, but the mark is unknown to me. I also need your help in delicate matters that I can not disclose within this letter. Just know that your haste is essential. Find Nico first, he will fill you in on important events. That is, assuming he's still alive. We're in Arboros, but beware the huntsman and his web.

It was the best Talia could do, her ability at cryptic but engaging letters was limited but Midnight would appreciate the effort. She sealed it with the milky white wax of her candle and her thumbprint. By now she had an inkling of mana, just enough for Midnight to detect that the letter did in fact come from her. That was, if her barely legible penmanship wasn't enough to base off of.

'Now what?' Reezara asked as Lotus left to grab them lunch. Talia sighed as she wiped her hands on her legs. Lotus had helped dress her in simple cotton breeches and a silken shirt that morning, it was far from her normal attire but better than dresses by a mile.

'Now I start playing the long game. Without magic and a proper entry this job is far more difficult. I'll have to do things the old fashioned way.' By job she meant murdering the King, she had already decided he was too dangerous to let live, especially after marking her a rider. More than that she was certain he was the puppetmaster, even if they all managed to escape his strings he'd give chase. She hated loose ends, so she would have to start picking away at his web until he had no weapons left save his own venom. Such was the art of killing spiders.

'So what does that mean?' Reezara paced the floor of the room restlessly, her own desire for something to do making her restless. Talia pushed her wheelchair away from the desk to dig at her saddlebags.

'Firstly I need to figure out how information travels in the castle. It won't be easy with us being locked in here, so I'll have to take the King up on his offer to let me sit in on court. The chain of information flow is like a blood vein. Once I can tap into it I can get a sense of the Kings network of non-slaves. He has to have living allies that serve him. That will be a weak spot.' She could start to pick targets for interrogation and execution. She'd have to start small, though not too small if she wanted valuable information.

'Can't we get right next to the King and simply murder him?' Reezara asked impatiently. Talia wished it were that easy, if she weren't tied to a chair it might have been. But there was more to it than her own condition, the King had hidden her charges leaving her at a disadvantage. She could simply kill him and move on but then her chances of finding the dwarves and Nico were diminished greatly. He knew that too or else he probably wouldn't have broken them apart. He was smart, she had to give him that.

'I like your enthusiasm, but straight up murder is off the table for now. We have to play this smart. He's looking for any way to break me down right now, and in turn you. I'm certain he'd much prefer us to be in Lotus's state, blank and malleable. But luckily for us giants aren't easily swayed by the magic of the mind. That gives us a chance.' She pulled her little kit of poisons from their bag and observed the various vials closely to ensure each and every one of them were still ready for use. King Gordon likely had a tenuous hold on some Lords, those Lords likely controlled the last of the food supply for the city. While he was a skilled magi he was still mortal and he still had a city to run. She could apply pressure there first, give him some real problems to focus on for a time.

With a grim smile she recalled the names and faces of the last living Lords she knew of and their places in the Kingdom. Only one of them held vast farmland, the other two commanded military presences. She would leave them for later. She knew none of the King's men could tell her where her friends were, the King was likely keeping that secret close to the vest. But if she could distract him enough with outside threats she could start her search in earnest. She wasn't new to turning over every stone in a hunt. Now the real question remained, how was she going to get close enough to the Lords to cut them down quietly? And how was she going to make it look organic? If the King even suspected her for a moment she'd be clapped in irons. As it was she would already be suspect number one. Though the aspect of having a 'job' to work now was enough to revitalize and refocus her.