Chương 1009: 1039 - Keeper Negotiations

The apartments that Leon and Cassandra were to stay in were the same that she grew up in and were just as lavish as her rank had demanded then. They had more than a dozen rooms all to themselves, while Cassandra's guards would share their barracks with Alix and some of the Tempest Knights that accompanied them. The remaining knights would alternatively guard Silver Spear, Gaius, and Leon's other secretaries.

The Grand Druid escorted them to Cassandra's old room ostensibly to join in helping them settle into Evergold for the few days they would be there, but as soon as the door closed behind them, Leon and the Grand Druid put on more serious expressions and headed to Cassandra's most private sitting room. With a great sigh, the Grand Druid slid into one of the plush seats in the small, heavily-warded room.

"Theeeere," she whispered. After a moment, she turned her red eyes toward Leon and quipped, "At the rate you're gaining power, Leon, you may never experience old age. That is something to celebrate. I may be tenth-tier, but sometimes I feel like I'm one step away from the Ashen Fields."

"You're not that old," Leon remarked flatteringly.

"Even if you stopped gaining power, you'd still have centuries of life, right?"

"Yes, though often I wish it weren't so. My bones ache, I tire far too easily, and when I wake from my ever-more-frequent naps, it can take half an hour for my blurry vision to sharpen. If I'm to enter the Ashen Fields anyway, then I'd rather not suffer long before reaching them." Leon almost argued, but his words caught in his throat. The Grand Druid was still strong if her aura was anything to go by, but aches and pains accumulated over a lifetime as long as hers had been had to be deep.

Finding his voice again after a silent moment, Leon asked, "Is there nothing your healers can do to alleviate that pain?"

"Not even the best healers can stave off death forever, Leon," the Grand Druid replied with a sad smile. Leon grimly smiled.

"I suppose we're going to have to ensure that you get some more Hesperidic Apples. Or, perhaps some ambrosia?"

"Ambrosia?" Leon quickly filled her in on what Helen and Tikos were going to collaborate on, and she looked more and more intrigued with every word.

"That's… something to think about, isn't it?" she said when he'd finished.

"I meant it when I offered for you and the Lord Protector to join us in the Nexus," Leon replied.

"I wouldn't make the offer only to let you two die of old age—unless that's what you want. And, as I understand it, once a mage achieves Apotheosis, their body undergoes a reverse aging process until it reaches its physical peak."

"Heh. That would be fun. But we're not here to talk about my wrinkly ass, are we? You told me that you wanted to talk about my other granddaughter." Leon nodded, taking note that if the Grand Druid already knew what he was going to talk about, then she didn't let it show. So, cutting straight to the chase, Leon said, "Andromache is terrified of Cassie. Whether it's conscious or not, I believe that Andromache sees Cassie less as a sister and more as a threat to her position as heir."

The Grand Druid's face fell in a shallow frown as Leon continued, covering his brief conversation with Andromache while on Silver Spear. Finishing, Leon said, "I know that Cassie doesn't covet the title of Sacred Golden Empress. I doubt she would've agreed to marry me if she did. But… the fact that Andromache even suspects it might be possible is fostering nothing but resentment between them. I would like to make peace between them, if possible, but I'm not sure I can do that."

"A noble goal," the Grand Druid whispered.

"Such age gaps do tend to get in the way of good sibling relationships. My own brother hardly ever gave me the time of day before he died."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's all in the past, dear boy." The Grand Druid waved her hand as if she were brushing the matter aside.

"I will talk to my daughter and see about having Andromache permanently returned to Evergold. I will spend more time with her and see what I can do about this. I love her, Cassie, and their brother to death, and… I see that I've failed in my duty to ensure harmony between them."

"I've seen what siblings will do if they have no love lost between them and see each other as a threat," Leon stated.

"I don't think this will turn out quite so badly as I've seen it, but I'd rather my children by Cassie and Andromache's kids don't have any kind of animosity between them." The Grand Druid's frown immediately turned upward until she looked like the cat that ate the canary.

"Oh? Are you two finally trying?" Leon half smiled, half grimaced.

"As much as we can. It's… At our tiers and with the power in my blood, having children is going to be a difficult process. We haven't even been trying that long and it's already kind of demoralizing." The Grand Druid reached over and patted his hand on the armrest.

"Best not to overthink it, Leon. It'll happen in its own time, so long as you both remain as attracted to each other as you seem. Why, I was hardly restrained in my passions early in my life, and yet my daughter is an only child. Even my grandchildren number only three, and the time between each one's birth is measured in decades."

'And you don't have two Inherited Bloodlines,' Leon thought, though he knew that was going a bit too far, so he didn't let the thought touch his lips. Still, something must have shown on his face as the Grand Druid's hand squeezed his again, and she said, "I could have some literature brought to you? To help with any deficiencies?"

"We're… adequate, thank you," Leon rushed to reply.

"My family's archives are vast and we're still working through them, but they've had similar issues in the past and have tens of thousands of years of techniques and tricks for getting past them. We'll be fine, I'm just being… dour for no good reason, I guess."

"It's natural to worry, especially for a man in your position. But you two will give me great-grandchildren one day, I'm sure of it." Leon smiled and bowed his head slightly as thanks for her words.

"Though," he said as he straightened up again, "The archives of House Raime are still tiny compared to those that must exist from the Thunderbird Clan. And if the Keeper kee— is good for his word, then I may be about to gain access to whatever may remain of those archives soon."

"Yes," the Grand Druid agreed.

"Keeper has been here for a few days, now, with a tiny contingent. He's rarely ever left Sentinel land for so long, especially without any apparent purpose. But he'd been here, meditating up in the canopy waiting for you since his arrival."

"Has he… I don't know, let anything slip in that time? Anything I could possibly use?"

"He's remained tight-lipped, even when speaking to me. Though I think he's going to honor his word to you, Leon. Keeper does not use deception, nor is he particularly fickle. He keeps to his ideals, and when he gives his word, he keeps it." She flashed him a teasing smile, as if daring him to comment on her choice of words. Leon, having avoided the pun earlier, ignored the obvious provocation.

"Well," he said, "I suppose I shouldn't keep him waiting."

"That's terrible, what an awful pun," the Grand Druid sarcastically stated. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Leon shrugged.

"Cassie will be fine for a while, I think. She's been excited the past few days to reach out to some old friends and acquaintances. And when this thing with Keeper is done, I think we may need to speak again—or at least, the Empress and I, about potential tourism and visitation. Not on a large scale, mind you, but enough that Cassie doesn't have to come so far just to see old friends."

"That… might be workable," the Grand Druid said with a thoughtful look.

"If we get an embassy down in your capital—Stormhollow, was it? —then it'll be even easier."

"Done," Leon stated. And with that, after sharing a few more pleasantries, Leon and the Grand Druid rose from their seats and made their way into the canopy of the palace-tree, stopping only to speak with Cassandra about where they were going.

As he had the first time Leon had been there, he found the canopy of the palace-tree to be quite a marvel. The palace-tree was a gargantuan thing, and its branches extended a long way, growing thick enough that earth and stone could be brought up to fill in any gaps, allowing the canopy to turn into something of a hollow dome.

Smaller branches of the palace-tree shot up from this transported earth like trees unto themselves, while countless stone paths meandered past ponds, pavilions, fields of flowers, and hedgerows artistically grown to provide plenty of private spaces within the canopy—one of which was the throne 'room' for the Sacred Golden Empress.

Leon and the Grand Druid didn't head there when they emerged from the largest bough of the palace-tree, but toward one of the more private pavilions—a small stone square surrounded by thick heavily warded hedges, with a pond on the far side filled with colorful fish. In the center of the pavilion was a circular stone table with three high-backed chairs made of what seemed to be roughly hewn wood, but Leon knew them to be quite comfortable.

The Keeper, however, wasn't using any of these chairs, choosing to instead sit on a boulder by the pond, his eyes closed, legs crossed, and arms folded across his chest. Once Leon and the Grand Druid entered the pavilion, however, his completely white eyes almost immediately snapped open.

"Leon Raime," he gravely stated, "you have arrived."

"And you waited for me," Leon replied.

"I think we both might be equally surprised."

"I extended the invitation; I am committed to honoring it."

"Forgive me if that's… hard to believe. Seems quite the turnaround for you, given how you've acted toward me in the past." Keeper rose from the boulder in one smooth motion, and Leon tensed for a moment before he noted that Keeper's aura remained calm and free of killing intent.

"I acted out of wariness for the power contained in your blood. Whether or not you were a good man factored into it not at all, for even if you were a good man, others might desire to use your power for destructive ends."

"Men like the Sunlit Emperor, who you supported?" Leon shot back. Keeper closed his eyes for a moment, and the Grand Druid took the moment of silence to jump in.

"Now, now, boys, we've only just arrived, let's not start tearing each other's throats out just yet. Let's have a seat and talk about the future, not the past." The Grand Druid then sat in the nearest chair, while Leon stared at Keeper for a few seconds longer before doing likewise. Keeper remained standing the longest, but a few seconds after Leon sat down, he flexed his fingers and brought his boulder rolling over to the stone table, whereupon he sat back down on it, his back ramrod straight.

"Let's lay everything out neatly so that we all understand our place," the Grand Druid said once everyone had taken their seats.

"I am here only as a mediator and will claim no decision-making authority over your meeting. I only wish to keep you civil, in case you two were incapable of doing so on your own." Leon grinned and bit back a retort about how many times he'd tried to kill the Keeper in contrast to how many times Keeper had tried to kill him. Keeper, meanwhile, remained just as silent but looked even more undisturbed by the Grand Druid's words than Leon was.

"So, as the party who extended the invitation, Keeper of Memory, why don't you share with us the reason for reaching out?" Keeper smoothly replied, "King Leon Raime expressed interest in exploring the undisturbed palaces of his ancestors. I am willing to negotiate in good faith to allow that to happen." Leon almost couldn't believe his ears. It was one thing to read it, even if in a handwritten letter, but another thing entirely to hear the man state his invitation aloud. Still, he kept control over himself.

This was why he was here at all.

"And you, Leon?" the Grand Druid continued.

"I am also here to negotiate in good faith regarding the repatriation of my Clan's property," he said.

"Then let's start there," the Grand Druid said.

"One has only invited the other to 'explore the undisturbed palaces of his ancestors', while the other speaks of 'repatriation of his Clan's property'. Let's reconcile these two." Keeper looked like he wanted to speak first, but Leon jumped in ahead of him.

"Let me make this clear right now: I seek neither weapons nor any other means to cause death and destruction. The palaces themselves can remain as monuments, rubble, or spolia, whichever you prefer. But there are certain things there that I do want to take possession of if they yet remain. And all of this is on top of my desire to simply see the palaces and walk in the halls built by my Ancestors."

"And if such weapons and destructive means were found?" Keeper pointedly asked. Leon let silence fall for a moment before replying, "Anything designed primarily as a weapon I'm fine with destroying. But weapons that are just attached to something else, like a Lance on an ark, I would not allow to be destroyed. I have a use for any arks we might find—that being to leave this plane and head to the Nexus."

"Your stated willingness to destroy any weapons found is admirable, Leon Raime," Keeper said with a neutral tone, giving nothing of his inner thoughts away.

"Is there anything else you would want to take from the Sundered Lands?"

"I seek the knowledge of my Clan, whether that be in books or any other form. Wisp maintenance tools, equipment for refining Titanstone or any other advanced material. That sort of thing."

"It sounds like you would like to take everything that isn't nailed down," Keeper observed.

"Yes," Leon unapologetically replied.

"That's exactly what I want. It's my Clan, and I will take back everything I can get my hands on, save for what you find unpalatable."

"What if I were to find you taking anything at all to be unpalatable?"

"I would be disappointed." Leon said no more, not giving any concessions about his desire to explore the palaces anyway.

"You demand much, and offer little," Keeper said.

"I am stating what I want, nothing more," Leon riposted.

"What do you want, Keeper?"

"I want peace on this plane, for no more blood to be shed over this conflict than already has been."

"We already have that peace as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to conquer this plane, I want to leave it."

"And that is why I extended this invitation at all. What guarantee do I have that you won't turn around and attack the mainland once you get what you want?" Leon resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I have a marriage alliance with one Empire and a nonaggression pact with two others. If the Pegasi States were to calm down and request agreements of their own, I would sign nonaggression pacts with them, too, and make efforts to open up trade."

"How valuable is trade if your goal is to leave this plane?"

"So you'd rather we not trade at all, even if it's only temporary? Would you rather we just exist on Kataigida and never venture beyond the misty veil? Just leave everyone else alone?" Just as unapologetically as Leon had replied to him earlier, Keeper simply said, "Yes." Leon softly chuckled.

"We're not giving back the Sword—at least, not while we're still here—but in any other respect, you've already gotten what you want. The Thunder Kingdom desires only friendly—or at least, non-hostile —relations with the mainland, and I know that many in my Kingdom would be willing to trade peacefully if given the opportunity. We want peace, Keeper. We want to be treated like any other Kingdom on Aeterna."

"You're not any other Kingdom," Keeper pointed out.

"Your ancestors invaded Aeterna and conquered it, enslaving everyone they came across. When the stakes are this high, I cannot take chances flippantly."

"Then what guarantee of peace would you prefer, if paper and ink are so fragile? If my word is not enough?" Keeper sighed.

"Your word is enough, Leon Raime. I do not want to reopen old wounds. I just want peace, though I yet doubt any such peace will last."

"Is that what this invitation was supposed to be, then? A bribe for peace?"

"An offering," Keeper stated.

"A starting point for us to begin discussions. To get to know each other better, and possibly find some common ground." The Keeper went quiet as Leon processed his statement. After a long few seconds, he said, "I want all that my Clan left behind. But I don't need to have it now. I would like to explore my Clan's old palaces in the Sundered Lands, and if you stipulate that I can take nothing, then I will abide by that.

So long, that is, as you agree to renegotiate this agreement after we've gotten to know each other better."

"That sounds like a wonderful compromise!" the Grand Druid exclaimed.

"What do you say, Keeper?" The Keeper contemplated the offer for a moment that stretched almost to a minute, but neither Leon nor the Grand Druid interrupted his thoughts.

"Our renegotiation will happen at a time of my choosing," the Keeper stated.

"Until then, you may take nothing."

"Deal," Leon said.

"Then you have my permission to journey to Memoria at your earliest convenience," Keeper said as he rose from his boulder and, a moment later, pulled the large stone into his soul realm. Leon almost burst out laughing at the sight of the man so concerned with the rock that he was carrying it around with him, but he supposed there might've been some hidden enchantment in the thing that made it valuable.

'Or maybe it's just his comfort rock,' he thought with a note of derision.

"Send word ahead," Keeper continued.

"I will be in touch about how to do so." Without another word, Keeper strode right out of the pavilion, leaving Leon and the Grand Druid there alone.

"So?" the Grand Druid asked.

"Not what you wanted, I think, but was it enough?" Leon quietly laughed and grinned.

"It's enough. For now. It's enough."