The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

Julia and four of her daughters, along with a portly man in a garish dress uniform.

The fat man was huffing and puffing as he walked, but he managed to keep pace with the Antlions until they reached the Bastion and could present themselves to Volka.

“Dominar. I can see that our arrival was poorly timed.” Julia greeted with a frown at the state of the city.

“Poorly timed or not, it is well appreciated!” Volka disagreed.

Julia stepped to one side in deference and gestured towards the man standing at the head of the Antlion column.

“May I present my lord and consort, Barnabas Rosenbaum Longinus.”

Everything about the short and plump man screamed ridiculous.

He had innumerable medals pinned to his chest while the ornate plumed helmet perched on his head wobbled dangerously every time he moved.

Though to the tubster’s credit, he met Volka’s gaze unflinchingly as he offered her a florid bow that made his face red from the effort of it.

“Greetings Dominar Volka, I’m told I have you to thank for the rescue of our daughter, Avita?”

“No thanks are necessary, Master of Longinus.” The Valkyrie replied, the relief on her face plain to see even through her serene mask; “Though the assistance of your legions and those of your daughters’ will help greatly in our struggle.”

Cornelius looked around at the damaged building and the rubble still strewn about the courtyard as Volka spoke, then leaned in to address her in a lower voice, his royal façade slipping slightly.

“Er, is the city supposed to look like this?”

While they conversed, not far away Tiana and Erica watched, the Amazon biting her lip with an almost covetous expression on her face.

“What is it?” Erica asked as she noticed her attention.

Milly had only been able to spare a single glass of her milk to their dear friend to help her ribs heal, but the Amazons were hardy folk and she was well on the mend after a brief visit from a Dryad.

Tiana casually placed her arm around the Katje’s shoulder, squeezing her into her uninjured side as she sighed in obvious longing.

“Antlion soldiers are amongst the most well-trained in all of the world. And those are Myrmidons. The personal guard to their queen and her bond-mate.” She gestured with her chin towards a group of larger Antlions, gathered around the queens at the front of the column; “See the length of their antennae? Not to mention the height difference between them and the regular legionnaires? Only the most elite of the soldier caste evolve to become them.”

Erica snuggled closer in the crook of the Amazon’s arm, purring slightly in her throat at the casual affection in her embrace.

“Okay, so why do you look like you’re pining after them?”

Tiana chuckled as she scratched at the Katje’s ear.

“Because just about any Amazon I know would love the opportunity to test their mettle against such an opponent. Myself included!” She sighed again as she shook her head slowly; “But such a contest will never be.”

“Why not? I thought all the warrior breeds were up for a challenge.”

“Not them. They have no ego at all. No desire save serving their sovereigns and enacting their will.”

Erica’s tail swished behind her as she watched the Antlions.

She huffed and then pinched Tiana’s ass.

“Can’t you just pick a fight with the queen then?”

The Amazon initially yelped, but began to laugh at the mischievous cat’s suggestion.

“I could if I were mad! The entire colony would fall on me all together! One does not insult a queen. I thought you would have known that what with your dealings with Oldeera and her hive. Even Yana addressed her with respect.”

Her face fell as her mind was called to her warleader, dragged into darkness by Jonathan and Evadne, but she shook off the morose thought before it could distract her, ruffling Erica’s hair in recompense for the ass-pinch.

But the cat was undeterred, now acting a bit smug.

“Oldeera got on Nina’s bad side by snagging our man when we first met. I don’t want to offend the most-high Longinuses and their Myrmididians over there, but my mountain trumps any queen alive.”

“Keep talking me up like that and you’re in for a real spanking.” Nina called from one side, her hammer resting casually on her shoulder; “Volka’s asking for you, Tiana. Think she wants you there with Myrina and Alcaia while everyone makes words with the Antlions.”

__________

Given the number of individuals attending the meeting, it was necessary to hold it in the mess hall where Milly and Nameless had encountered Evadne.

The pillars and damaged walls were repaired, though instead of the strange and perfectly smooth stone they were now an amalgamation of different strata of rock, the magic of the Gnomes and Golems that repaired it making it appear more like a natural formation than an artificial one.

Standing before the gathering of monster girl and human leaders, Volka drew in a deep breath as she gathered her thoughts before speaking.

“Most of the warrior breeds know that in a friendly contest there is no shame in defeat, for to wallow in it is to disgrace the one that bested you, to whom you owe all of the glory. But here it cannot be about shame nor pride, because here the consequences of defeat are unthinkable. No matter how many of us fall, Evadne and her puppet must be brought down and they must be brought down now. Afterwards it shall behoove those victors that still stand upon the field to venerate the glorious dead.”

“But not Evadne?”

The Valkyrie turned to Xalanth, the two of them sharing a long look before she finally shook her head, her eyes sad.

“No. For her there are no more tears left to shed. There was a moment, one tiny moment, when we fought above Garland where I saw