“… looked like a giant serpent’s maw, and I could do nothing but stare into it for days because my workers refused to enter,” Cassandra explained as Leon and Elise walked into the sitting room.

From what Leon had gathered, she’d been in there with the Grand Druid and Anastasios for more than an hour, entertaining them with stories of her expeditions outside of the Sacred Golden Empire.

As Leon and Elise entered, however, Cassandra paused her story to jump to her feet and playfully glare at them both.

“You’re late,” she growled.

“Had work,” Leon simply replied as Elise shut the door behind them.  Without another word, he waltzed over to the bar area to pour himself something to just have in hand, while he glanced at Elise and wordlessly asked her if she wanted anything.  With a smirk and tilt of her head, she gave her answer; Leon grabbed a pair of glasses.

As he rummaged around in the bar looking for something reasonably tasty without much intoxicating material in it, Cassandra practically draped herself over the bar, demanding his attention.  So, he stood back up, a bottle of Elise’s favorite wine in one hand and some random juice he’d grabbed in the other, and grinned at her.

“Want something, Your Highness?” he asked.

She didn’t waste any words, she simply grabbed his shirt, pulled him forward, and pressed her lips against his.  The kiss only lasted long enough for the Grand Druid to gasp in delight and the Lord Protector to laugh in amusement, and Cassandra pulled away from Leon, her face slightly flushed with what Leon thought was embarrassment and perhaps something else if the way her ruby eyes had narrowed was any indication.

“It warms my old heart to see you two lovebirds so taken with each other,” Anastasios said with a teasing smile.

“It would warm mine even more to see some great-grandchildren,” the Grand Druid said with a grin that was both teasing and expectant.

“In our own time,” Leon smoothly replied even as Cassandra rounded on her grandmother with irritation.  “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything when we arrived, but I understand that you two were waiting to speak with me?”

As he spoke, Cassandra seemed to relax and let her grandmother’s words go, while Leon brought Elise her wine.  She’d taken a seat on the sofa opposite the Grand Druid and Lord Protector, and when Leon slid in to sit next to her, she wrapped herself around his side.  Cassandra wasted no time at all joining them on the sofa, leaning into Leon’s other side, to the clear amusement of their tenth-tier guests.

“Yes,” Anastasios replied, his tone taking on a more serious tenor.  “It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to you that we are quite invested in the events taking place in the south.”

“Let’s dispense with the pretenses,” the Grand Druid impatiently stated.  “You and the Sky Devils.  How is it going?”

“Well,” Leon replied.  “Of the Ten Tribes, three have sworn themselves to me.  I’ll be returning to the island shortly to work on the others, though it’s looking like another three will more likely than not support the Thunderer over me.  Still, my allies are confident that we can win a majority in the Elder Council, oust the Thunderer, and return the crown to my Clan—to me.”

Anastasios and the Grand Druid exchanged a look before Anastasios replied, “It sounds like there are still many unknowns.”

“This was never a guaranteed thing,” Leon pointed out.  “I had no one when I started, and in a month on their island, I’ve gained three Tribes.”

“Have there been any… whisperings among them about what to do after you’ve been declared a King?” the Lord Protector wondered.

“Assuming I pull it off?” Leon replied with a self-deprecating smile.  “I’ve been clear that my concern is the rebuilding of my Clan, and that means leaving this plane.  That has been a defining trait of my campaign.  Our attention ought not to be here, but out in the Void.  I’m hoping that there won’t even be a need for a peace treaty between your Empires and the ‘Sky Devils’, because once I’m done, there won’t be any Sky Devils remaining on the plane to be in conflict with.”

“Ambitious,” the Grand Druid whispered.  “I have to say, though, that I don’t like the idea of you taking my darling Cassandra away from me like that…”

“Grandmother!” Cassandra indignantly replied.  “For our family to grow is a good thing!  And just because we leave doesn’t mean we won’t come back!”  She paused and turned a curious eye to Leon.  “… Right?”

“I don’t see why not,” Leon replied with a frown.  “That would depend on how we manage to get off the plane, though I have a few plans for that.”

“More of your Clan’s resources that we haven’t managed to uncover, hmm?” the Lord Protector probingly questioned.

Leon shrugged noncommittally.  “Although,” he said in deflection, “if you’re so worried about being separated from Cassie, there’s always another possibility…”

“… What are you suggesting?” the Grand Druid asked with a sly smile.

“Come with us,” Leon replied, with a gasp of surprise from both his wives and a look of shock from both the Lord Protector and the Grand Druid.  “Apologies,” Leon hurriedly said.  “I don’t mean to spring this on anyone.  Just floating a possibility that sprang into mind.  The two of you desire Apotheosis, and I’ve already given you materials to aid in that pursuit.”  He gave the Lord Protector a quick once-over, and while the man’s aura was as opaque and impossible for him to read as ever, Leon could almost delude himself into thinking that it was somehow sturdier or denser than it was.  “I’m guessing there have already been some gains made?”

“You can say that,” Anastasios said with a wide smile.  “Not enough, but more progress in the past month than in the past century.”

“Congratulations,” Elise quickly said.  “It’s always good to see friends and allies growing stronger.”

“It would please me to hear that you think me either of these, let alone both,” Anastasios replied.

“Speaking of Apotheosis…” Leon smoothly continued as he noted the Grand Druid’s smile fading slightly.  “The next harvest of Hesperidic Apples will be tomorrow.  It’s my understanding that we’ll have four spare apples, and a couple of viable seeds.  Since you’ve already gotten one seed, Lord Anastasios, I was thinking the next seed should go to my grandmother-in-law?”

“More than agreeable!” Anastasios quickly confirmed as he beamed at his Evergolden counterpart.

“How many are ‘a couple’?” the Grand Druid asked.

“One for you,” Leon said.  “The other will go to Ilion.  Apple trees need another around them to flower—or so I’ve been told.   So you’ll be getting another seed after the next harvest.  For now, they’ll be split.”

“That’s… amenable,” the Grand Druid said as she shot the Lord Protector a glance, to which he responded with an intrigued look.  Leon wondered what they might be silently planning, but he refrained from asking.

“For now,” Leon said, “we have another problem.  The Sunlit Emperor.”

Anastasios immediately scowled while the Grand Druid put on an expression of pure disgust.

“What has that cretin done now?” she asked, abandoning all pretense of respect for the young Emperor.

“Sent me a message communicating his concern about my marriage to Cassie.”

Cassandra made a noise of disgust that matched the look on her grandmother’s face.  “That pig once tried to arrange a marriage between him and me; did you know that?” she asked him.

“I didn’t,” Leon darkly stated.

“I didn’t let it spread,” the Grand Druid told him.  “He made the offer to me, I refused him on the spot.  No one else knew for years.”

“Sparing him the embarrassment?” Elise asked.  “You didn’t want to make a fellow Emperor look bad?”

“Something like that,” the Grand Druid responded.  With a sigh, she added, “For a man like him, war is a valid response to humiliation.  He’s repulsive and uncouth, but his Empire is powerful, and I have no desire to antagonize him any further than needs be.  Do needs be now?”  She pointedly looked at Leon as she asked her question.

“We can’t say for certain,” Leon replied as his eyes turned to Elise.

“He’s threatened to come to Occulara personally if he isn’t able to talk to someone about these matters,” she reported.

“He can get fucked for all I care,” Cassandra hatefully muttered.

“I will contact him,” Anastasios gravely stated.  “It’s Heaven’s Eye I’m sure he’s worried about.  I can work with the Director to soothe any burns he may have regarding these matters.  Having the both of us putting pressure on him should keep him in line.”  He grinned at the Grand Druid and added, “Making it clear to him that he’d antagonize two Empires if he were to press too hard will strengthen our position.”

“Is it ‘our’ position?” Leon asked with surprise.  “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the aid, but… I can’t help but wonder what you get out of this…”

“Apart from keeping the peace in my Empire?” Anastasios asked with a loud laugh.  “We are allies, Leon Raime.  And friends, I’d hope.  This is what we ought to do for each other.”

Leon half-smiled half-frowned.  He couldn’t help but continue trying to discern what else might be at play while shame bubbled up from within just for suspecting him when he seemed so earnest.  It was almost too good to be true that the Lord Protector would offer himself up like this without asking for something in return.  Feeling just a little lost, he glanced at Elise again, and his fire-haired wife just smiled reassuringly at him while she snuggled up against his arm a little tighter.  Looking to his other wife, Leon found her staring back at him with a thoughtful look in her ruby eyes.

[We should accept,] she said into his mind, taking him by surprise.  [I’ve been practicing,] she silently stated with a smug look.

Leon sighed and turned back to the tenth-tier mages.  “Apologies.  Thank you for doing this for me.”

“Think nothing of it,” Anastasios replied.  “You are the one who offered to take us with you when you leave for the Nexus, did you not?  How would that reflect upon me if I were to leave you alone against our honorable neighbor to the south after such an offer?”

Leon shrugged.  “Like a ruthless politician,” he said.

Anastasios simply waved as if trying to physically ward off Leon’s suspicion.  “Even if you didn’t make that offer, based on what more you can continue to offer our Empires, it would be foolish not to support you in this case.”

Leon froze, his eyes narrowing.

Catching the expression, the Lord Protector added, “I speak of peace, of course!  Peace with the Sky Devils!  Why, such a thing can scarcely even be comprehended!  But if it were to come true… few prices would be too steep to buy such a peace.  The conflict between our peoples has gone on too long as it is and has consumed too many lives.  Nothing will endanger this peace of yours if I have anything to say about it.”

“Nor I,” the Grand Druid replied.  “Just show us you can deliver, Leon.  I believe you can, but we need to see it, too.”

“You’ll see it,” Leon replied.  “It may be hard to believe now, but it’s possible.  And I’ll make it a reality.”

“I want to come with you,” Cassandra suddenly declared, and Leon turned to face her with surprise and apprehension on his face.

“… That isn’t a good idea, I don’t think,” he muttered.

“Fuck good ideas!” she declared.  “I hate sitting around here doing nothing while my newly-wedded husband goes off building a new Kingdom!  I have to be there!”

“And what are the Tribes going to think when a Princess from the people they’ve been fighting for dozens of millennia shows up in their lands?” Leon retorted.

“How are they going to know who I am?” Cassandra asked.

“I wouldn’t put it past them to know who all the Royals are from every Empire,” Leon shot back.

“Three Tribes already support you!  Just order them not to touch me if they realize anything!”

“And what of the other Tribes?  What support could I expect from them if I show up with their enemy in tow?”

“If you win them over, they’ll have to get used to me anyway!  Why wait?”

Leon looked to the Grand Druid for help, but she looked more thoughtful than anything.

“It’s… risky, but not a bad idea,” she whispered.  “I don’t like it, but I have faith that you can keep my granddaughter safe, Leon.”

Leon looked to Elise next, who said, “I wouldn’t mind coming, too, but I know that I’ll have work to do back here.”  She squeezed Leon’s arm again and added, “Besides, I get the feeling there’s going to be violence there, and you know how I am with that sort of thing…”

For a moment, Leon remembered the few times he’d been with Elise in dangerous situations and had to fight to keep his heart rate down.  Those who’d threatened her were long dead, but it still provoked feelings of great anger in him to think of the eagles that had wounded her and the vampires that had nearly brought their home in the Bull Kingdom down on their heads.

As if she could see what was going through his head, Elise smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

With a sigh, Leon turned back to Cassandra and said, “Don’t offer your identity and if your mere presence provokes conflict, then we’ll revisit this matter.”

Cassandra grinned and nodded.  “I can live with that,” she said.

“Good.  With all that out of the way, I was hoping to broach another topic with you two.”  Leon turned his eyes to the Grand Druid and Lord Protector, making it clear who he was talking to.

“What is it?” the Lord Protector asked, speaking for them both for the moment.

“I have found myself in need of a large amount of Titanstone.  I have some potential options for gaining some, including large deposits on Kataigida.  But… I need a lot.  I was wondering what it might take to open any stores of the stuff you two may have.”

“Titanstone is a valuable material,” the Grand Druid gravely stated.  “The most valuable material on the plane, as a matter of fact.  Very rare and hard to quarry and refine.”

“More than that,” the Lord Protector added, “Most Titanstone that is refined is almost immediately used.  Stocks aren’t usually built because it’s in such high demand.”

“That’s… unfortunate,” Leon said with a grimace.

“What are you intending to use this Titanstone for?” the Grand Druid asked.  “And how much of it do you need, specifically?”

“Several tons,” Leon quickly partially answered, and both the Grand Druid and Lord Protector stared at him in shock.

“That is far beyond our capabilities to provide,” the Lord Protector replied.  “A fraction of that would even be hard.”

“There is another option, but it’s not attractive, especially after what we just discussed,” Leon continued.  “My Clan had an old Titanstone refinery on this plane, and I suspect it hasn’t been found yet.  The problem is that it lies in what is now Sunlit territory.”

“Then it might as well be beyond our reach,” the Grand Druid said.  “The Sunlit Emperor is not going to allow anyone to take that resource from him, assuming it still exists.  And taking it would cost thousands of lives, if not hundreds of thousands.”

“War with a powerful neighbor for resources that won’t directly benefit our Empire isn’t possible,” Anastasios added.  “Even our power within our Empires has its limits.  We can keep the Sunlit Emperor in his own lands, but anything more than that is out of the question.”

Leon sighed again.  “Understandable.  I’ll think of something else, then.”

“It would help if we knew what you need such a vast amount of Titanstone for,” Anastasios said.

“Secret project, and one that won’t come to fruition without that Titanstone,” Leon dismissively said.  “One that promises to embarrass me greatly if it doesn’t come to fruition, so I hope you two can understand that I’m not too keen on revealing anything more.”

“Hmm, very well,” the Grand Druid said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing whatever project this is be realized,” the Lord Protector said.  “It should be quite a sight if you’re going to insist on building it up like this.”

Leon chuckled.  “Maybe.  Maybe.”  After a moment of silence, he hesitantly said, “Should I expect, if gaining access to the Sunlit Empire for that refinery is too much, that my Clan’s old planar capital in the east is out of the question too?”

The Grand Druid burst out laughing at that question, and even the Lord Protector let out a couple chortles.

“Absolutely,” Cassandra said almost dismissively.  “The Sentinels don’t let anyone in there.  I’ve tried and I’ve always been flatly turned down.”

“Really?” Leon murmured as he gave her an amused look.

“What?  A people came to this plane from the Void and established themselves in a great city in the east.  Anyone who hears something like that and doesn’t want to explore it isn’t worth interacting with, I say.”

“It does feed the imagination, doesn’t it?” Elise dreamily said.  “Like visiting Argent Palace, if a little less personal, right?  An old ruin kept free of scavengers by those who live there…  What wonders might be left there just waiting to be rediscovered?”

Leon frowned for a moment at her initial comment but found himself nodding as she continued.  “If nothing else, Keeper has already shown himself to be hostile to me.  If they won’t let me in to see the place, then I’ll find my own way in at some point.”

“Let us know when you do,” Anastasios said.  “Keeper has always been… difficult.  Seeing him get kicked around would be entertaining.”

“I’ll see how accommodating I can be,” Leon replied.  Silence again fell upon the room, and he eventually said, “Well, I’ve got nothing else.  Apples tomorrow; we’ll talk again then?”

The others agreed, and like that, their meeting ended.  Leon spent the remainder of the night with his ladies, the three of them leaving to join Valeria and Maia in their private wing of the villa.

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