Valkyrie's Shadow

Winter's Crown: Act 7, Chapter 8

Winter's Crown: Act 7, Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ilyshn’ish shook away the rivulets of water streaming down her head and neck, and her senses resolved the surroundings. Nearby, Lady Shalltear stood upon an earthen pier in her usual black gown. To her side was a Human with chestnut hair that hung just below her shoulders. Her forest-green dress gave off an entirely different impression from the sort of formal garb that female Humans tended to wear in E-Rantel. Ilyshn’ish swam over, struggling to free her wings of the sticky webbing along the way.

“Lady Shalltear,” Ilyshn’ish reported in plaintive tones, “there are violent ruffians living in these mountains!”

“Lady Zahradnik,” Lady Shalltear said, “I believe she wishes to report a grievance with your subjects.”

Her subjects? Ilyshn’ish sized up the Human. She was about as strong as the Adventurers on the expeditionary force from earlier in the day. Most of the sheep were at least as powerful – some of them were far more powerful than Ilyshn’ish, as she had belatedly realized. Why would these terrifying sheep submit to the rule of someone so weak?

“The Krkonoše do have a history with Dragons,” Lady Zahradnik said. “It may have just been a misunderstanding. I will have a word with them later…are you injured? I have some healing potions on hand…”

“There’s no need,” Lady Shalltear said, “Dragons are also far more durable than Humans, so trying to empathize with them along Human lines will result in your being taken advantage of. Also, she has a Ring of Regeneration.”

“Ah, right. That’s part of their equipment, isn’t it?”

“That’s all you’ll do?” Ilyshn’ish cut in, “I believe the penalty for committing acts of violence in the Sorcerous Kingdom is far more severe than that.”

The Human female remained silent for a handful of seconds. Was she going to try and cover for these evil sheep? She wondered what it would take to qualify for such exceptions to the law.

“Of course,” Lady Zahradnik said. “Just one moment, please: I will call for an Elder Lich and we will use mind control to take your state–”

“It was a misunderstanding.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“A misunderstanding.”

“I see…”

Did she? Unlike the usually expressive Humans that she usually encountered, this one was unusually placid. Lady Shalltear seemed a bit more reserved than usual, as well. What was going on here? Was there a game of some sort being played – one she did not know the rules to? Was this what she was here to learn?

“Well don’t just float there,” Lady Shalltear said, “get up onto the shore and make a proper greeting.”

Ilyshn’ish went around the pier. Her right rear leg somehow got entangled with her right wing along the way to the pebbled shore, and she had to hop her way up.

“?Freedom?.”

The strands of sticky webbing fell off – or rather they fell through her to disintegrate on the ground.

“T-thank you, Lady Shalltear.”

“Hurry it up.”

Her gaze went from Lady Shalltear to the Human. What was that about a proper greeting?

“Ah, ehm, my name is Shiver, pleased to meet you.”

Lady Shalltear turned her gaze towards Lady Zahradnik.

“No good,” the Human said. “She won’t pass for anything but a commoner with that.”

“I thought so,” Lady Shalltear sighed. “I suppose you have your work cut out for you.”

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, my lady,” Lady Zahradnik replied, “but she’s even worse than Chieftain Esess when he first arrived.”

“He’s progressing well now, no?”

“He is progressing well relative to where he needs to be, but someone in the position that you intend for Miss Verilyn will require a much higher degree of refinement.”

This Human knew her name? Why would Lady Shalltear tell her that?

“Well, do what you think is best to train her,” Lady Shalltear said. “She’s due to start going around the Empire in a few months.”

“I still believe that Wagner would be more suited for this – especially with the Empire being the next target.”

“For a few things, certainly, but then there’s everything else. You’re the best fit for the job – once you’ve covered everything else, you may consult with Wagner for the rest.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Lady Shalltear’s gaze turned to Ilyshn’ish.

“Why are you still sitting there like that?” She frowned, “Assume a more appropriate appearance.”

Ilyshn’ish’s eyes drifted to the nearby Human, but Lady Shalltear’s frown only deepened. Ilyshn’ish let out a quiet sigh as she complied, switching to her Human appearance. Lady Zahradnik’s expression did not change, but she did raise a hand to tap her chin.

“Interesting…wasn’t she the one that was spreading those Frost Giant rumours?”

“The same,” Lady Shalltear said. “You need not worry about reprimanding her for that – I’ve already settled the matter.”

This Human would reprimand her? Ilyshn’ish didn’t like the way their conversation was going.

“Lady Shalltear,” she asked, “I thought this was a reassignment for my new residence and some sort of arrangement to learn some things…”

“It is,” Lady Shalltear nodded. “Lady Zahradnik is eminently suited to your training. She will oversee your development into an individual who is qualified to represent my interests in your journeys abroad, should you be required to. You will come to understand and adopt the attitudes of propriety and service that will be expected of someone in your position. Lady Zahradnik has been granted free reign over you for these purposes, so be forewarned: she is a much more stern mistress than I am in certain ways…”

“Train…why are you putting her over me like this?” Ilyshn’ish asked, “Have I displeased you in some way? D-don’t tell me it’s about the Adven–”

“Hm?”

“N-nothing!” Ilyshn’ish quickly said, “It’s just that it feels like you’re giving me to her or something.”

Lady Shalltear blinked up at her for several moments, then that slight smile of hers appeared. A sinking sensation filled Ilyshn’ish’s stomach.

“Lady Zahradnik,” Lady Shalltear said. “I’ll give you this Dragon. You don’t have a single pet yet, if I recall correctly.”

“What!”

“Thank you for your consideration, my lady,” Lady Zahradnik said, “but is she not one of His Majesty’s Frost Dragons?”

“It’s true that Lord Ainz placed them all under me,” Lady Shalltear replied, “but this one came in on her own later. Something like a bonus?”

“What of her service to you?”

“What’s yours is mine, yes?”

“Yes, my lady.”

The Human didn’t even hesitate in the slightest with her reply. What sort of deranged individual was she being inflicted with?

“Then it’s no problem at all,” Lady Shalltear beamed. “She can be your pet…or your vassal? Can she be both? How does that work for buffs?”

“I have no idea about that,” Lady Zahradnik replied. “Perhaps we can make a study of it.”

“You do that – I’m sure many would be most interested in the results.”

Ilyshn’ish stepped forward, holding her hands up weakly. How could she stop this? She didn’t want to become a Hejinmal.

“Um…what about me?” Ilyshn’ish asked, “Don’t I have a say?”

“No,” Lady Shalltear answered. “Actually, there’s one other thing. Go stand beside your new mistress, Ilyshn’ish.”

Ilyshn’ish did as she was told, despondently shuffling over to stand beside the Human. Ilyshn’ish was a bit taller than the average Human female in E-Rantel, but the top of her head was only about as high as Lady Zahradnik’s nose. Lady Shalltear’s gaze travelled back and forth between them.

“This is wrong,” she said after scrutinizing them carefully. “The image is off.”

“Image, my lady?” Lady Zahradnik said.

“Indeed,” Lady Shalltear nodded, “don’t you think her breasts are far too large compared to yours?”

Lady Zahradnik turned to examine Ilyshn’ish, her face a neutral mask.

“She’s a bit smaller than Gagnier, but–”

“Didn’t you swear to be truthful with me in all things that mattered?”

“I…yes, my lady,” Lady Zahradnik turned her head away with a dissatisfied look. “It does make me envious – even adding just a little bit of it to my own would be nice.”

“See, that didn’t hurt, did it?”

“No,” Ilyshn’ish said, “it will definitely hurt if you take even a little bit of this.”

“In this case,” Lady Shalltear told Ilyshn’ish, “we’ll just have to have you shrink.”

“Shrink?”

“Yes, become flatter.”

“I-I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Because this is me,” Ilyshn’ish explained. “It’s how I would appear as a member of the Human race. I can make some minor adjustments, but–”

“Then do it.”

With a whimper and a persecuted look, Ilyshn’ish cut herself down by a half centimetre with substantial effort.

“Not good enough,” Lady Shalltear frowned. “At least half–no, two-thirds.”

“I-Impossible, my lady!” Ilyshn’ish cried, “This is as far as I can go!”

“Then what about a more slender race?” The Human asked, “An Elf, perhaps?”

Ilyshn’ish had only seen a handful of Elves. Lord Mare and Lady Aura were children, if what she understood was correct. Merry was a mean and nasty female that Ilyshn’ish thought was at least thrice her own age. Beyond them, Elves were nearly unheard of in E-Rantel – only paintings and sculptures of dubious authenticity existed of them.

She licked her lips before raising her voice in song, trying to conceptualize herself as an Elf. Her height changed imperceptibly, but she grew lighter. Should she continue using her Fuyutsuki?

“Too big.”

Ilyshn’ish’s eyes popped open, and she looked over at Lady Shalltear.

“Wha–erm, my lady?”

“Too big!” Lady Shalltear placed her hands on her hips with a scowl. “You became an Elf and you’re still too big! How is that possible?”

Lady Shalltear’s expression made it seem like she herself was angry over her bust for some reason, but how could that be? Lady Shalltear’s gaze shifted to the Human beside her.

“Actually, my lady,” Lady Zahradnik said. “The Linum sisters are about that big…”

“They’re Half-Elves, are they not?” Lady Shalltear asked.

“Their mother is the same,” Lady Zahradnik answered. “My entire household is bigger than I am, actually…”

The Human released a tired sigh that sounded as if a fragment of her soul had escaped with it. Lady Shalltear turned her attention Ilyshn’ish again.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” she said. “If this place has Wood Elves, why not be a Stick Elf? That sounds suitably slender.”

“A S-Stick Elf? I’ve never heard of that kind of Elf.”

No matter how much she thought about it, the concept of a ‘Stick Elf’ failed to manifest in her mind.

“Do you have to hear about it?” Lady Shalltear said, “Just use your imagination – do you think there’s only one kind of Elf?”

“O-of course not, my lady,” Ilyshn’ish replied. “Then…how about a Dark El–”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I have a feeling things will just become worse. Try again.”

“Eh…”

Ilyshn’ish gave up trying, and the sort of Elf that best suited her just formed in her mind on its own. Her voice rose in song again. She grew taller; felt sturdier. She made adjustments to Fuyutsuki based on her new height, adding a midnight blue skirt that was longer and covered more of her legs than the Human version. The material of her short coat transformed to match, becoming a soft, dark leather that contrasted against her pale white skin.

She opened her eyes a crack to see what sort of expression Lady Shalltear wore.

“Oh, a Snow Elf. You're still a bit bigger than her, but the new coat makes it hard to tell. This is just what we needed, I think…”

Lady Shalltear came over and stood between Ilyshn’ish and Lady Zahradnik.

“Hmm…”

A hand snaked out around Ilyshn’ish’s waist, and Ilyshn’ish and the Human were pulled in towards Lady Shalltear until they squeezed against her tightly.

“Oh, this is very good,” Lady Shalltear’s hands roamed as she leaned her head this way and that with a smile. “It’s like having a model on both arms.”

“What’s a ‘model’?”

“Ehm, never mind that for now,” Lady Shalltear cleared her throat. “From this point onwards, you will use your Snow Elf appearance when you’re working directly for me in an official capacity – this includes your duties with Lady Zahradnik. When you’re exploring or performing investigations in Human lands, or participating in Adventurer Guild activities, you are to use your Human appearance. Be sure that similarities in how you present yourself between different races don’t clue people in to your other identities.”

“I don’t understand,” Ilyshn’ish said. “Why all the fuss about what variety of mortal I appear as? What does it have to do with this reassignment?”

“You do it so naturally,” Lady Shalltear said, “yet you don’t understand what you’re doing? I suppose you’re like Lady Zahradnik in that sense. It is appeal – the power of your personal image. The both of you would do well to heed my words.”

Lady Shalltear released her hold on them to walk forward. Her crimson eyes glowed in the night when she turned to face them, and her voice gained an authoritative tone.

“How others perceive you is independent from how you perceive yourself,” she told them. “Until you learn how to expertly wield the image by which others perceive you, your image does not belong to you, but to them. They will do what they wish with it: idolize you; fear you; scorn you; slander you – whatever it is, it will be entirely out of your control. You both deliver a strong image naturally, but appear incapable of fully harnessing the power that it gives you over others. Worse yet, you both demonstrate the ability to turn certain aspects of your image in your favour, yet seem mostly unaware of the full breadth of its possibilities.”

Her attention turned to Lady Zahradnik, who straightened under her scrutiny.

“The impression that you make is at its strongest when your natural talent as a Commander takes over,” Lady Shalltear pointed a manicured nail at her. “You inspire the confidence, loyalty and adoration of your subordinates as if they were your very own army. The order, stability and security you have established in your demesne have the makings of a military base – actually, you are planning for that in the future, aren’t you? Even your enemies on the field seem to have no choice but to fall to the impressions that you cast over them. You have set off on the path of becoming a great captain, yet, it is as if you are being helplessly and unknowingly led along that path by your own ability. Does this not seem absurd?”

“And you,” Lady Shalltear leveled her gaze at Ilyshn’ish, “You’re just as bad, if not worse. Not only are you wrestling with your nature as a Frost Dragon, but you continually allow the wrong impressions to slip out, and those around you run off with them. Your talent as a Bard can either mitigate the damage that this causes, or make it exponentially worse.”

Lady Shalltear furrowed her brow at her own words, and she crossed her arms.

“Now that I think about it,” she said, “the both of you are ridiculous. It’s not even a class penalty like my Blood Frenzy – you’re just being compelled into doing what your classes are capable of. Your ability has become your identity. Are all the people around here like this? Is this all that you are? Ludmila Zahradnik, the Commander? Ilyshn’ish=Verilyn, the Bard?”

“O-of course not!” Ilyshn’ish protested, “Honestly, I haven’t a clue about most of what you said just now, but I am my own person!”

“Then seize control of who you are,” Lady Shalltear told her. “If you are to serve Ainz Ooal Gown, the supreme sovereign that stands above this world, it would hardly do for you to remain subject to it.”