Defiance (Rise of the Iliri Book 3) (43 page)

Jase sipped the mead again, casually staring across the table. 
It is na that far of a push.  He probably has eastern Gallicor by now.  Ya have any alliances with them?

No.  Gallicor doesn't ally with anyone.  It's nothing but grasslands and independent villages up there.  Nothing to make an alliance with
.

Jase turned his eyes back to his friend. 
So why would ya even bother pushing them past the line?

Because they'll come back?

Will they?

Ilija started at him in confusion. 
I don't know, Jase.  It just feels like we need to do something.

Why?

Because someone has to do it!  That man is dangerous.  Look at what he's doing.  He has to be stopped!
Ilija shouted into Jase's head, his frustration raising the volume of his thoughts to uncomfortable levels.

Jase just smiled. 
Yeh.  Someone has ta, and the Blades are na enough.  I'd rather na see my pack throw themselves on the pikes, but I know they will.  I'll be right there with them when it happens.  Be a hell of a lot nicer if we had some heavy cav to break the line first.  If we can get a man back, the Blades will live on and someone will hold to the old traditions. 
Jase looked at the prisoners. 
There's a lot a iliri up here pretending ta be humans, and na a lot a real iliri.  That blade Sal gave the kid?

Yeah.  Her offhand weapon.  That's gonna mean a lot to him, you know?

It is na just that, man. 
Jase smiled sadly.
  Pull the blade and look at it.  She carved the swords on it.  That's a free pass.  Any Blade who saw it would know what it means.  It's a free fuckin' pass into the Black Blades if he goes that way.  She's already refilling the ranks.

"Fuck," Ilija muttered.  "Damn it, Jase.  You good here for a bit?  I have to talk to Dom."

Jase nodded.  "I was hoping tha's what ya'd say.  Yeh, man.  I got this."

Chapter 46

Ilija stormed into the King's pavilion.  Verdant Shields piled in behind him, and Dominik jumped to his feet, looking around for the threat.  A young woman knelt on the floor wide-eyed.

"Time to go," Ilija snapped at the girl.  She jumped to her feet, scrambling out of the tent.

Dominik sighed.  "What is it this time?  I just paid her, man."

"Do you know what the Black Blades are planning?" Ilija demanded.

Dominik just stared at the Colonel, confused. 

"Did she fucking tell you what she's planning!" Ilija screamed, and the King winced.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Dom said.

"Sal was in here earlier, right?"

Dominik nodded.

"What did you talk about?"

The King thought back.  "She told me they have to stand up for the iliri.  I told her we were behind her, but she said we can't do it, that we can't be a part of what the Blades will be doing.  Why?"

"Damn it, Dom.  They're cleaning shit up.  Every last one of them is closing up their lives.  It's a fucking suicide mission they've planned!"

"Shit," Dom whispered.  "She said they wouldn't be coming back, but... Fuck."

Ilija sank into a chair across from the King.  "How do we stop them?"

"Ya don't," Vanja said.

All eyes turned to him, and Ilija glared.  "You want to see them die?"

Vanja shook his head.  "No more than you do, sir, but you can't stop them.  That's the Black Blades you're talking about.  Not even we can work like they do.  We can't stop them.  For every block we put in their path, they'll get around it and learn to hate us for it."

Tebio nodded.  "He's right, sir."

"Not Sal.  She'll never hate us."  Ilija chuckled wryly.  "She can't."  He leaned back against the chair and rubbed his face.  "Guys, grab a seat.  Dom needs to hear this."

"Sir?" Caein asked.

"You're good," Dom assured them, waving them to sparse furniture in the pavilion.  "I think this is a bit bigger than worrying about what's proper."

"Jase had a talk with me, sire," Ilija started.  "He wanted to know why we're going after Terric."

Dom looked at him strangely.  "They attacked us."

"Yeah.  So we're going to become just like them?  Hit us and we hit you harder?  When does it end?"

Dom just shrugged, shaking his head.

"Why would we conquer Terric?  Why would we push all the way across the continent?  The Conglomerate, Escea, Unav, Gallicor... all of them are pushing Terric back from their borders, but we're talking about marching on them.  Crossing other nations to 'finish' our fight.  Why?"'

"Sal," Vanja said.

Ilija nodded.  "It's because we know what he's after and we can't bear the thought of Sal being a victim.  Or Jase, or any of the other Blades.  We know that the grauori will come next.  None of that is an excuse to go cause war, though."

Dom scrubbed at his face.  "That's what she was trying to tell me.  Fuck."  He stood and grabbed a bottle of liquor, opening the top to suck back a long swallow.  He passed it to Dag and gestured for him to help himself.  "Worst part is, she's right."

Ilija huffed out a frustrated breath.  "But what if we go on a, well, a humanitarian effort of sorts?"

The men all looked at him.  Danku spoke up first.  "Jase gave you something, didn't he?"

"Yeah.  If we're not there to conquer, but rather to remove the "unwanted" iliri and offer them asylum?  If we offer aid and assistance to the people and aid to our allies?"

"Then we're not extending the war, we're ending it," Dom agreed, smiling.

"What are we gonna do with 'em all?" Caein asked.  "Some will come back here, some won't.  What do we do with them?"

Tebio chuckled.  "Protect them, help them rebuild, educate the humans, and introduce the grauori to them.  It's a big undertaking, sire."

"Yeah," Dom agreed.  "Can we do it, Ilija?"

Ilija nodded at him.  "Oh yeah.  Sal put some good programs together.  But that doesn't completely solve the problem with the Blades."

"If only they were Anglians, then we'd have some claim on them.  As it is..." Dom trailed off.

Ilija stopped him.  "They aren't yours anymore than the grauori are, my liege.  Even if they were Anglian, you still couldn't stop them."

"Then don't stop them," Zain said.  "Sir, you just gave yourself the damned answer.  Give them the grauori.  Nothing's stopping them, and human laws don't apply to them."

Looking up, Dominik laughed.  "Soldier, which one are you, and what rank?"

"Zain, sir.  I'm a specialist."

"Promote him, Ilija, or I will – and I can never remember what comes next."

Ilija chuckled.  "Congratulations, Corporal Rosha.  Happy Dom?"

"Yeah.  Who has the bottle?  I need a pull," Dom said, taking another drink when the bottle was passed to him.  "I'm giving her the damned title."

"Ya know what ya should do?" Vanja asked, reaching out for the bottle.  Dom passed it to him.  "Thanks, sire," he said before taking a gulp.  "Change shit up.  A title means land, right?"

Dom nodded, confused.  "Yeah.  I planned on giving her Arhhawen.  She keeps refusing it, but it's between Dorton and the Grauoran hills."

Vanja grinned.  "It isn't just Sal, sire.  It's all of them.  They're a fucking pack, man.  Ya don't get one without the rest.  They're a packaged deal."  Dom nodded, and he went on, "So change shit up.  Make Kaisae her fuckin' title, and rank her over Ilija.  Military adviser to the King.  She doesn't care if she's a Marquis, or whatever, and the laws screw with 'em.  Sal's heirs are those pups."

Dom waved that off.  "Nothing says you have to be human to inherit, and Sal can name her own heirs."

Vanja shook his head.  "Males, Dom.  The males get the preference.  That's backward.  If Roo has a boy next time, the whole thing gets fucked."

"Shit," Dom said, realizing it was true.

"So change it.  You're talking about making the grauori their own leaders, right?  Make Arhhawen the seat of the iliri.  Three kingdoms, one land.  Human, grauori, iliri.  Ya do that, and ya just got your reason for riding out to save "your" people."

Dominik stood up and grabbed the bottle from Vanja's hand, nodding.  He looked at Ilija and pointed at the young soldier, his head still bobbing.  "Him too.  Do it with him."

Ilija laughed.  "Corporal Loka, congrats."

Vanja chuckled.  "The rest of ya better start thinking.  That or drinking.  Shit Dom, this stuff's potent."

"Vanja," Ilija hissed.  "Sire!"

"Yeah," Vanja waved his hand in Dom's direction.  "Sire, this stuff is potent."

Dominik laughed.  "Ilija, right about now, I don't care what anyone calls me.  Fuck, Ilija, promote them all.  None of the Blades are less than a damned Corporal, so same for the Shields.  Any man with balls enough to come storming into my tent, running off my whore..." Dom groaned.  "I don't know why I like you guys."

The men laughed, and Tebio said, "Because they just solved your problem.  You really think the grauori can keep the Blades from killing themselves?"

Ilija lifted empty hands.  "I don't know, but if they can't, we sure as hell will."

"This is going to be a mess, you all know that?" Dom said.

"What will?" Ilija asked.

"Them.  The iliri and grauori.  We make them people, we recognize them as people, and the rest of the nations will
not
like it."

The men murmured their agreement.

"But we're Anglia," Dag said.  "Fuck 'em if they don't like it.  They thought we had a military before.  Damn, they ain't seen the grauori yet!"

They all laughed, but Dom waved them down.  "We can't beat them all into submission.  We need Viraenova.  I got a very polite letter from them, but that's all.  We need Viraenova behind us."  He sighed and leaned back, rubbing his hands through his hair.

"The grauori," Ricown said, finally speaking up.  "Gramma always said I'd never believe the things she grew up with.  She talked about them, but I never... Maast."  Ricown looked up at them.  "We need Rragri.  She can get Viraenova for us."

Ilija looked at all of his men.  "Which of you does the best with the grauori?"

"That's me," Caein said.  "Made some friends over there."

"Ok.  Run over and explain the deal to her.  The whole deal, man, Sal and all of it."  Ilija glanced up at Dom to make sure he wasn't out of line.  The King nodded his approval.  "See if she can get Viraenova to support what we want to do.  She should have an answer for you before you'd expect it."

"Got it, sir," Caein said, saluting before he ducked out of the tent.

"And you, sire, had better figure out how you plan to work the government of this new thing you're making," Ilija pointed out, "because this is going to get very confusing, very quickly.

"I already have that figured out.  Three people, three rulers.  I'd planned it with two, but adding the iliri won't be much different."

"And if any of you even breathe a word of this to any of those damned Blades, I'll demote you to private and put you in the archers," Ilija threatened.

The Verdant Shields grinned at him, shaking their heads in promise.

"Ok.  Then we're good.  Vanja, go find Dom's girl and tell her to get back here.  The rest of you, tell the men we're breaking camp in the morning and heading back to Dorton.  I'll make sure the Blades and grauori know."

"Yes, sir!" the men replied, scampering to do as they'd been ordered.  When they left the tent, Ilija turned back to the King.

"I thought you knew, Dom.  I'm sorry.  I should have known better, but I thought you knew and just didn't care."

Dominik shook his head.  "No.  She explained that we couldn't become like Terric, but I had no idea what they were doing.  How'd you figure it out?"

"Jarl.  Your page I mean.  Sal gave him a weapon.  She said he'd earned it for his bravery today, but she gave him her offhand weapon.  The kid said when he grew up, he wanted to be a Verdant Shield, and I said I'd train him how to use it."  He paused.  "Jase told me later – when Sal and the page were gone – that it's a pass, not just a reward.  The kid's part iliri, sire.  Sal gave him a free pass into the Black Blades, and he's wearing it on his belt."

"Shit,"  Dom whispered.  "Shit, she told me.  Before the first battle, she told me I had some iliri.  The page, that's my sister's boy, so he has it too."

Ilija chewed at his lower lip.  "When he's older, sire, I'd be happy to have him in the Shields, but he'll have to earn his way in.  The Blades don't work like that, but if he joins them, they'll change him.  He'll never be a human again.  Jase made that very clear."

Dom tapped his fist against his lips.  "Sal knows who his dad is.  If I could figure that out, it'd make things so much easier."

Ilija turned his eyes to the floor.  "I know, sir.  There must be a good reason you don't know."

Dominik seemed to ignore that.  "He's my heir.  Well, he would be, I mean.  Shit, Ilija.  None of us are perfect, and Nica's always been a hellion." Dom laughed, and Ilija shifted awkwardly.  "I could believe she's as bold as Sal.  Nava will be the same.  Fuck, I'm going to have to keep a close eye on that one."

"Yes, sire." Ilija muttered.

"When I saw the Terran holding him today," Dom continued on, unaware of Ilija's awkwardness, "I thought I was going to lose it.  I thought I was going to lose
him
.  I love that kid, ya know?  I wish I knew who his father was.  I'm sure he has a good reason for not claiming him, but damn.  I'd do anything to make it work."

"It wouldn't help them much unless he was a noble, sire," Ilija muttered.

"I'd fucking ennoble the man right now!  I have lands to bestow.  I have titles to give out.  Fuck, Ilija.  It makes so much sense now that I've met Sal.  Nica's part iliri."  Dom laughed.  "She chose her mate, she refuses to tell us, and she doesn't give a damn what happens to her.  My title protects her and the kids.  I wouldn't have it any other way, mind you, but damn.  The man that she's got her eyes set on, he's got one hell of a fight on his hands to tame her."