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

since they’d met, but she’d quickly grown used to her, even fond of her.

She’d been on her own for a long time after her mother was killed, so even though her efforts were clumsy, the fact that Tora was trying to look out for her felt... nice.

Which led to more complicated feelings when her thoughts inevitably returned to the physically underwhelming, yet still somehow imposing, figure that was her brother.

__________

While Nameless and the other were dealing with Tora and Kriss, Volka was in the Bastion, responding to a summons that she had known had to come eventually.

She stood before the Aegis high council, her helmet under one arm and a questioning eyebrow raised, while to one side Lady Essig looked unhappy, Xalanth at her side.

The white haired woman had met Volka in the hall and followed her inside, earning a few scowls from the councillors at her uninvited presence, not that they dared complain about it in front of her Dragon.

“Volka- pardon. Dominar Volka-” Margaret Bloom began, clearly trying to be diplomatic.

“That is who and what I am.” The Valkyrie replied mildly.

“The Aegis has stood for centuries. As you well know. And in that time we have always maintained a strict chain of command. Having fought in the war I’m sure you can appreciate the necessity of that.”

“I can.” Volka nodded, her usual cheekiness gradually fading.

Now Booker spoke, his expression stern.

“In the midst of this crisis we’re up against, you and yours have been acting more or less without oversight. Don’t think we’ve forgotten how you absconded with the Brael and Saenga tribes, not to mention Lilly and her pack.”

The Valkyrie was outright frowning at the accusations, but she let the one-eyed man continue.

“When it comes to Evadne, we can’t be working at cross-purposes.” He insisted in a more conciliatory tone; “That chain of command? Aegis Armstrong is at the very bottom of it. And since you are his bond-mate...”

The way he trailed off made his meaning clear to the Dominar, and she sighed at the folly of what he and the other councillors were suggesting.

“I could argue that Lilly and the Saenga were not under your jurisdiction, but that is beside the point.” All of the mirth was gone from her posture as her back straightened; “Aegis Booker, esteemed councillors, I am Dominar of the Angelic Hosts. My knee bends to no one, not even my husband. As it must be in this. Forgive me, but you are simply not prepared for what is to come.”

One of the other councillors shook his head in exasperation.

“Did ya not just hear us say that the Aegis has stood for centuries? Angel you might be, but it is our sworn duty-”

The Dominar’s eyes flashed with light, while the council nearly had the wind knocked out of them by her sudden ire.

“Do not lecture me upon duty! Or have you forgotten that your oath calls upon the blood of my people?” She demanded, glaring at the councillor until he swallowed and had to look away.

Volka slowly shook her head as she looked to each of the human leaders.

“How many battles have you waged?” She asked with her voice now deadly calm; “How many times have you stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands, knowing many or perhaps all of you were marching to your deaths?”

Her sacred armour showed little signs of the struggles she described, but they could not doubt her words.

She began to pace slowly before the suddenly anxious council, her helmet still tucked under her arm.

“And how many times... have you picked your way through the dead and dying, desperate to save as many as you can even as exhaustion claims your limbs?”

It was a grim and deliberate reminder of the state of Lipton Falls when the Aegis arrived to find the result of Evadne’s unleashed rage.

Volka paused in her pacing, taking a moment to meet each of their gazes once more.

“You speak of the founding of the Aegis as if I was not present for it. I know well your mandate, as I helped the original council draft it. And I also know well your duty!”

The five councillors were beginning to look like children being rebuked by the irate angel, while Sadie wasn’t bothering to hide her smirk at their expense.

“As for the warriors I am assembling, do not misunderstand my intentions. I do not seek out war. I have seen far too much of it already, lost too much to its fury. But war is what Evadne intends, and indeed, it is what she has already brought against this world. Or have you already forgotten about the tribulations faced by the Longinus family?”

She sighed again as she turned her shield to consider her heartstone in its center.

“When I tell you that you are not ready for this, it is not a critique of your courage or abilities. No one is ready for war, not even those who have seen it and know well its indiscriminate wrath.”

With firm movements she set her helmet on her head and strapped her shield to her arm again, as if preparing to go to battle right in that moment.

“I will act now as I must, as I should have done from the moment Evadne revealed herself. I admit it was my mistake to delay accepting the mantle of Dominar. But now we can only move forwards, and no longer can we do so with half-measures! Real preparations need to be made, stocks of food and medical supplies need to be assembled, as well as caches of weapons. And above all else we need to take account of our disparate forces.”

“Many of the preparations you’re talking about, we’ve already made. But at the end of the day, the Aegis is a peace-keeping organization.” Margaret Bloom said carefully.

Volka drew in a