Dynasty: The Glorious Strategist (Dynasty Saga Book 3) (21 page)

“And that woman would be you I take it,” Lymee sighed already bored with all of this.

“You misunderstand me, Lord Lymee,” Niimu bowed her head slightly. “It is not I for whom I speak, but you.”

Lymee froze as she slowly turned her head to face the woman who was lowering her gaze to Lymee. Lymee had to make sure she did not drop Kitsune as her arms seemed to go numb and her mouth gaped open.

“Come again?” Lymee said blinking in astonishment.

“From the very start I knew that we needed a new Empress,” Niimu said raising her head. “A new linage to lead us if we were to survive the coming age. But I also knew that person could not be from one of the Major Dynasties. If they were then other Lords would always see them as a usurper and forever be against them.”

“I am still failing to see where I come in to all of this,” Lymee said her mind having gone completely blank. She tried to understand what Niimu was saying but it was as if she was unable to think at all, seemingly paralyzed where she stood.

“During the Long Drought I feared that this day would one day come,” Niimu continued. “So for the better part of a decade I have been searching for a noble for whom I thought would be able to lead the other lords. I had nearly given up hope of ever finding such a noble when I started to hear the rumors about you and your exploits. It was like you were an answer from The Heavens themselves.”

“No,” Lymee shook her head as she started to walk away from Niimu. She was not headed anywhere in particular the only thing that was important was that she got some distance between herself and the craziness that Niimu was spouting.

Lymee had just seen a magical battle between a fox woman and a sorceress but her becoming the Empress was something she simply could not believe. 

“That is why I brought all the lords here,” Niimu stated running in front of Lymee blocking her path. “They all needed to see you. They needed to put a face to the rumors. I knew from the very start that you would come up with a plan to take the city. I had assumed that you would simply take charge at the meeting and lead us that way. What you have done instead is far more miraculous. In a single night with minimal forces and minimal losses you managed to take a city that has never been taken in the thousand years that it has existed.”

“No,” Lymee laughed wagging her finger at Niimu. “What you want is a puppet Lord. Someone you feel you can control and manipulate from behind the scenes. That what you really want.”

“I do not doubt that some will see it that way,” Niimu said. “But I assure you that is not my intention. And if you give me the chance I will prove that to you.”

“How?” Lymee was on the verge of yelling. This was all just too much. Never had it even occurred to her that she would be asked to become Empress. She had never even thought about trying. “You know what,” Lymee shook her head again. “I don’t care. Because I won’t do this. Find someone else.” Lymee turned heading off again in a different direction.

“There is no one else,” Niimu declared cutting Lymee off again. “Lord Sun, no other Lord in the entire Kingdom can become the next Empress. If there were then they would have made their presence known at the Council of Lords. You saw the lords there. A bunch of nobles only concerned about themselves, fighting over nonexistent honor for deeds they had not yet even preformed. They refused to work together and when it became clear that they would not receive all the glory the decided to give up and leave instead. Only
you
managed to do anything. Only you came up with a plan. Only you took action. You are the only option.”

Her words hit Lymee hard. Niimu was right about the other lords. None of the lords Lymee had met were the kind of person that Lymee would ever trust to be the next Empress. Many of them Lymee did not even trust to be the lords of their own Dynasties. She was left with the bitter realization that try as she might she too was unable to come up with a better option.

Regardless, that did not change the fact that Lymee wanted nothing to do with this.

“Who would ever even follow me?” Lymee asked. “Alright there is you,” Lymee gestured to Niimu who was still standing in front of Lymee blocking her way. “But no matter how powerful you may be, you are still only one lord leading only one Dynasty.”

“Lord Voy of Hong Dynasty would,” Niimu stated. “She is a devout follower of The Heavens and when I tell her that I believe that you were sent by them she will, without a doubt, follow you.”

Lymee rolled her eyes a little annoyed that Niimu was able to come up with an answer so quickly. “Even if that were true-”

“Many of the minor lords would,” Niimu cut her off as she continued to list the people. “I hear you even have the favor of Lord Sol’s younger sister. And you have garnered the respect and admiration of many of the other minor lords.”

“And what about Fu Dynasty?” Lymee countered. “Lord Yung would never align herself with me. And Song Dynasty looks as though it will be in the thralls of a civil war in a few years.”

“Lord Yung will be a problem that is true,” Niimu nodded. “And I never said that all the lords would accept you immediately. But she is, as you previously mentioned, only a single lord of a single Dynasty. I am sure you could come up with a way to bring Fu Dynasty into the fold. And as for Song Dynasty,” Niimu paused for a second. “A civil war could be most advantageous to you, could it not?”

Lymee frowned a look of utter bewilderment on her face. She did not currently possess the brainpower to actually consider what Niimu was suggesting. “Isn’t a Civil War kind of what we are trying to avoid?” Lymee asked.

“If Song Dynasty were to go to war with themselves,” Niimu explained. “Then it would allow you to move in and restore peace. This would then give you the opportunity to show the other lords your might, as well as your drive for a unified Kingdom.”

Lymee heard the wisdom in Niimu’s words but she was far past the point of that mattering.    

“I can’t become the Empress,” Lymee stated realizing a major flaw in Niimu’s plan. “I am not even a Dynasty Lord. I have no claim to any kind of throne. I am just some lord with no official title or land.”

“But you are heir to the Su Dynasty,” Niimu pointed out.

“Only until Alia has…” Lymee’s words trailed off. Only until Alia died that was. Alia would never have an heir and as soon as the sickness took her, Lymee would become the head of Su Dynasty. She had accepted that fact but never in a million years had she thought becoming the Lord of Su would let her become the Empress.

“My lord Lymee,” Yoni’s voice pierced through the room.

Lymee had never been so happy to hear the woman’s voice. She relaxed slightly feeling the tension ease as the woman approached the two lords. She walked with a little bit of a limp as one of her legs was sufficiently wrapped with a white bandage a little red seeping through where she had been injured. She had a very serious expression on her face but that was to be expected given the company.

“Yoni,” Lymee called out to Yoni. “Please tell Lord Niimu that I would make a terrible Empress.”

“I can’t do that, my lord,” Yoni said as she stopped in front of them. “My lord has made her feelings very clear on what she thinks about people lying. Especially for political reasons.”

Lymee blinked a few times in surprise as she looked at the woman. Yoni had just said in a roundabout way that she thought Lymee would make a good Empress. Lymee then noticed the look that Yoni had on her face and realized that it was not seriousness that she wore but something else. Something far darker.

“Yoni?” Lymee’s heart started pounding in her chest as dread coursed through her. “Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry,” Yoni whispered her lip trembling slightly.

CHAPTER 7

It was almost surreal. Looking down at the body lying on the table seemed like one big joke. Lymee reached out and touched the body just to make sure that is was actually real. To her horror it was. The skin was cold and it had lost most of its color.

The large gash across the body’s chest had been cleaned and sewn up then covered by a fancy robe making the wound only slightly noticeable around her neck. Her eyes were closed making it look like she was simply sleeping and would wake up at any time. Her hands were folded across her stomach. She was not holding a weapon. Lymee thought that was wrong. A soldier should be laid to rest with their weapon. That was how it was always portrayed in the movies after all.

Lymee was speechless as she slowly reached out and caressed the woman’s face with the tips of her fingers gingerly stroking the bangs out of her eyes. She had such nice bangs. Lymee never noticed that about her until now.

“Was she even a good fighter?” Lymee asked in a whisper never taking her eyes off the dead woman’s face. “I’ve never actually seen her fight. I just assumed she was.” With tears in her eyes Lymee looked up at Keo who was standing in the shadows of the room, her hands folded across her stomach her face blank and expressionless.

“She was my lord,” Keo assured with a single nod, her voice cracking slightly. “One of the best.”

Her reassurance both relieved and saddened Lymee. Part of her wanted it to be her fault, then she could have someone to blame. But if she had been such a good fighter then how had she been killed?

“How will I ever face Alia again?” Lymee whispered hanging her head in sorrow, her tears dripping onto Sai’s dead body. “How can I ever tell her that the woman she loves is dead?”

“You won’t have to,” Keo’s voice was barely on the edge of hearing and yet it was as clear as day to Lymee who shot her head up, breaking out into a cold sweat.

“What do you mean?” Lymee asked in horror as her heart started racing with dread.

Please no.
She thought.
No more
. She could not take anymore.

Keo closed her eyes knocking a tear down her cheek. She rubbed her lips together of a moment before slowly opening her eyes again her gaze fixed on Lymee. “I know this is the last thing you wish to hear but I swore that I would tell you as soon as possible once the fighting was done.”

“Keo,” Lymee dragged out her name as she glared up at the woman. “Tell me,” she ordered.

There was no way she was going to say what Lymee knew she was about to say. She was just jumping to conclusions again. Just like last time.

Taking a deep breath Keo dropped her hands to her side slowly letting it out. “Our Lord Alia, your older sister, took her own life a few weeks after we departed from Su Dynasty.”

The world came to a screeching halt in that moment.

Lymee’s chest tightened as she clutched at her heart gasping for air. She felt like she was going to throw up. She opened her mouth to say as much but no words came out as she staggered back holding her hands to her head as if trying to block the world out. Or maybe she was trying to keep her head from simply exploding.

“You knew about this?” she finally gasped her sorrow turning into rage as she practically snarled at Keo. “For how long?”

“For some time now,” Keo said her eyes closed. “I knew that such information would distress you and so I decided to keep it to myself until after this ordeal was over.”

“And Sai,” Lymee gasped her eyes growing wide. “Did she know? My god,” she grabbed clumps of her hair in horror. “Did I send her into battle with her knowing that?”

“No,” Keo stated reaching out towards Lymee to comfort her. She stopped herself thinking better of it and retracted her hand. She collected herself placing her hands in front of her, straightening her posture once more. “Only I knew,” she declared. “I feared that such information would inhibit the two of you from performing your duties.”

“You had no right,” Lymee gestured angrily at Keo with her finger. The anger building up inside of Lymee once again.

“I will not apologize for my actions,” Keo stated looking down at the floor. “I am willing to accept any punishment you deem fit.”

Lymee clinched her teeth as she glared at the woman, a fire of hatred burning behind her eyes. She was not sure what she hated. Herself, Keo, or maybe she even hated Alia. But Keo was right in front of her and was an easy target for her aggression.

But getting mad at Keo would do her no good. Lymee knew that. It was not her fault that Sai and Alia were dead.

The frustration still building inside of her Lymee needed to lash out at something and she did not care what.

With a screeching yell Lymee pushed off the glass bottles filled funeral oils that were laid out on the side of the table, flinging them across the room. The glass shattered against the far wall as Lymee let out another cry of anguish. Her knees suddenly went numb and she slouched to the floor. The tears were flowing now but she was not sobbing. Instead her face was frozen, unable to express the sorrow she felt in that moment.

“Lord Sun,” Niimu who had been standing off in the background until now quietly stepped forward. “I know that this is a hard time for you but this information is also most fortuitous.”

Lymee’s head shot up as she stared at the woman a fire raging inside of her chest. How dare she say that Alia’s death was fortuitous?

“You are now the rightful ruler of Su Dynasty,” Niimu stated. “All you have to do is claim the throne of the Empress and it is yours.”

“Get out,” Lymee said starting to breathe heavily. She had the gall to talk about thrones and titles when the person Lymee loved more than anything was dead. “Get out!” She yelled lunging at the woman from her still prone position. She did not get very far managing only to flail her arms at the air.

Niimu did not flinch but she did bow her head respectfully stepping back out of the room. Once Niimu was gone Lymee used her hands to spin her body around by walking them across the cold stone floor until she was facing Keo again. Keo only stood there motionless, and that probably angered Lymee more than anything.

Using the table to support herself Lymee slowly climbed to her feet never taking her eyes off of the woman. She was sure she had a nasty glare on her face but at this point she could care less what she looked like.

Keo seemed to be bracing herself for some kind of assault, probably both verbal and physical. Lymee raised a finger at her like she was about to say something but the words died in her lungs and she eventually just slumped forward her hand falling back to her side.

“I need to get some air,” Lymee said with a deflated voice. Slowly turning around she shuffled out of the room with no particular destination in mind. She only knew she had to get as far away from that room as possible.

It felt like everything had just come crashing down at once. Alia and Sai dying. Her becoming Lord of Su. Niimu wanting her to become the Empress. At some point she had just stopped caring. All of it seemed so irrelevant and pointless to her as she shuffled forward not even paying attention to where she was going.

How could a day that should be the greatest day of her life end up being the worst?

“Lymee,” Yoni called out as Lymee passed by. She had been waiting for her just outside the room. Kitsune was laying in Yoni’s arms still fast asleep.

“Hey Yoni,” Lymee mumbled as the woman neared turning her body only slightly to her direction. Her voice was flat and nearly void of all emotion.

“Lymee, I’m so sorry,” Yoni whispered. “I had no idea that Lord Hanna was even sick.”

“No one did,” Lymee said reaching out and scooping the fox up and cradling her in her arms. “That was the point after all.”

“If there is anything that I can do to help,” Yoni offered.

“Can you bring back the dead?” Lymee asked peering into her eyes.

Yoni pursed her lips together dropping her gaze. “No,” she admitted.

“Then there is nothing you can do to help me,” Lymee’s words were more bitter than she had meant them to be but she was in no mood to care either. Holding the fox close to her body she turned and continued walking down the hall.

Finding a quiet secluded spot away from any prying eyes or ears she looked down at the fox in her arms.

“Can you hear me?” she whispered at the fox. But she was not actually talking to the fox but instead at the person who was listening in on everything the fox heard. “Please,” she begged. “I know you’re listening. Sorceress please. Please do something. I will do whatever you want.”

“You should be careful directing such words at me,” a stern female voice said. “It was making such statements to a sorceress that started this mess in the first place.”

Not five feet away standing against the far wall was a stunningly good looking woman wearing a jet black outfit with white embroidering. Her skin was pale and her cleavage was exposed as the sleeves of the outfit were resting further down her arms closer to her elbows. Her arms were folded under her ample breasts and in one hand she held a very long and thin pipe that had a very faint trail of green smoke trailing from it.

“You should direct such requests to The Heavens,” the woman stated biting down on her pipe with the corner of her mouth. “They have more power than I and they at least claim to only have your best interest at heart. I on the other hand have never made such a claim.”

“I would rather pray to the things that are real,” Lymee stated.

The Sorceress rolled her eyes taking a long drag from her pipe. “Well then,” she said blowing out the smoke. “You have my attention. Now what do you expect me to do? I am powerful but even I do not have power over death. What’s dead is dead and that cannot be changed. Believe me, many have tired,” she said a look of pain and regret flashing across her face.

“I’ll do anything,” Lymee pushed. “If there is something you need. A talisman or spell or something. I will find it.”

“Lymee,” the Sorceress raised her voice cutting her off. She took a deep breath moving forward and resting her hand on Lymee’s cheek gently stroking it. “Death is a part of life. Without death then life wouldn’t be precious.”

“Don’t give me that,” Lymee slapped the hand away and spun around turning her back to the woman. “I don’t care about what is precious or what isn’t. I want,” Lymee’s voice became a little choked up. “I want her back. It’s not fair.” She clamped her eyes shut trying to hold back the tears that were starting to well up again. The action knocked one down causing it to run down the side of her cheek.

“I find death is remarkably fair,” the Sorceress stated her voice soft and soothing. “It is the only thing that is not swayed by money, or power. It comes for us all when our time has come.”

“We are all equal in the eyes of the reaper,” Lymee said.

“Reaper?” the Sorceress raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” Lymee shook her head not feeling up to explaining herself. “Just another way of saying that death is the great equalizer.”

“Ah,” the woman smiled.

The Sorceress stood there for a long moment unmoving as she stared at Lymee’s back. She then raised her pipe to her lips and took a very long drag then exhaled a plume of smoke.

“You know, I saw your little bout with that sorceress earlier,” the Sorceress said leaning her back against the wall in front of Lymee her hands once again folded under her breasts.

“Of course you did,” Lymee sighed. She did after all see and hear everything Kitsune did. “What? You now going to tell me that you are all apart of some secret organization or something controlling the world from the shadows?

“No,” she dragged out the word as she thought that over. “But that does sound like an interesting idea.” She glanced up as she thought it over.

A sickening feeling ran over Lymee as she thought she might have just given the woman the worst idea ever.

“I did think you might want to know that the woman had used her spirit too physically alter her appearance,” the Sorceress stated taking a long drag from her pip never taking her eyes off of Lymee. “That is how she was able to sneak into the Kingdom without raising any attention. And if she did it to herself then it is possible she did it to others as well. And I doubt that her alterations will vanish with her passing.”

“You can do that?” Lymee said slightly surprised. “Just change your appearance however you want?” But then the other sorceress had threatened to take on Lymee’s likeness so it should not have been all that big of a surprise.

“You think I was born with these?” the Sorceress asked pointing a finger at her voluptuous breasts. “It is also how I have retained my youth for the better part of three centuries.”

“So you’re immortal then?” Again not that Lymee should have been all that surprised. In fantasy stories wizards and the like were always super old. How else could you explain them always being so cryptic?

“Not quite,” she shrugged biting down on her pipe with the corner of her mouth. “But my life is far less fragile than most. I could do the same for you if you wish. Though,” she looked down at Lymee’s chest. “I would think that if I made those much bigger they would give you back problems.”