Chapter 765: Business Trip

“Jadis!”

Jay let out a happy, if a little befuddled, laugh of joy at the excited ball of flaming fur that threw herself into her arms. Grinning widely, she raised the visor of her helmet only to be immediately beset upon by heated nuzzles and licks from an expected source whose form was unanticipated.

“Ammy,” Jay kissed the top of the Lares’ head as she held her cat-like lover against her armored chest. “Why are you in your natural shape?”

“I haven’t seen you in two weeks and that’s the first thing you ask me?” Ammy pouted in a way that was made extra potent by her feline features. “Don’t you love me no matter how I look?”

“You know I do,” Jay gave the witch an amused sigh. “That guilt trip shit isn’t going to work on me. I know you too well. So, skip the foreplay and tell me, what’s up with the change?”

“Fah, you’re no fun,” Ammy used her tail to slap the side of Jay’s face. “And you love foreplay.”

“That’s true,” she admitted. “I do. Lots and lots of foreplay. But my question still stands. And, I think I’ll add, is it okay that you’re in this form when, you know, you’re—”

“The kits are fine,” Ammy cut Jay’s concern off before it could take root. “Especially at this early stage. I wouldn’t have changed if they were in any danger. Jocelyn even checked with Valtar during her last oracle ritual. There’s no issue.”

“It’s true,” the kindly brunette agreed as she walked up to where Jay held her Lares lover in her arms. “Your babies are perfectly healthy despite the switch. Hello Jadis. I hope you’ve been well.”

“Doing great, Jocy,” Jay greeted the oracle. “How are you holding up?”

“Well,” the smile on the woman’s face faltered slightly. “All things considered.”

“All things considered,” Jay echoed as her gaze scanned their surroundings.

Jadis had kept the oath she had made to Amarantha that night in the war camp after their victory in Kastoria. The Mystic had to follow the Hero; she was his companion, a vital member of the team, and a good friend to Wilhelm. When he had left for the border of the Rubaline Dominion, Ammy had gone with him just the same as the rest of his companions. However, Amarantha’s duty had not stopped Jadis from visiting as often as she possibly could. The schedule usually worked out to once a week, but sometimes an extra flight was made if time allowed. The visit that night was one of those irregular times.

Emperor Somerulf had marched several of his armies to the western border of the empire where his nation met the Rubaline Dominion. A strong border defense had already been established at the start of the demonic invasion by Prince Hraustrekr’s policies, meaning that hundreds of thousands of soldiers had already manned the walls, rivers, and canyons that served as barriers to the Demons who had taken over the dominion. With the additional armies that had been pulled from elsewhere in the massive Alfhilderunn Empire, those numbers had reached the millions, with more on the way.

While Jadis was not directly involved in the planning of the offensive operation that would see the empire’s forces push into Rubaline, she visited the forward camps often enough to have a good idea of what was going on. Six different armies had been formed at various points along the border, each one set to march in tandem towards six strategically valuable locations in the northeastern territory of the dominion. That particular section of Rubaline was cut off from the rest of the nation by a mountain range to the west and south and was bordered by the Siren Sea to the north. From what Jadis had gathered, the plan was to secure that territory first since it would give the empire nearly complete control of the southern shores of the sea, making transportation of troops and supplies far easier. Of course, the plan could have been to take the southern region of Rubaline first, with support ships coming in along the Southern Ocean, but since that territory was far larger and the Demons there were more entrenched, the northeast territory had been chosen as the easier target and therefore the better first step.

The armies had not finished assembling along the border; it took more than a month for so many men from such distant areas across the empire to gather. From her own limited experience marching to Kastoria in Volto, Jadis didn’t think Alfhilderunn would be ready to perform the big push for another few weeks at least. However, that didn’t stop the Demons who saw the massing forces from responding.

Around Jadis were the ruins of an old, outdated fort that had been left to rot hundreds of years ago when it lost its strategic value. Beyond the partially collapsed and moss-covered walls were the thousands upon thousands of tents that had been set up for the imperial version of a field hospital. Two of the nearby armies were sending those who could not be quickly healed by their assigned clerics and priests to the backline encampment where the soldiers were receiving far more powerful treatments. While the Hero and his companions were free floating through many of the areas, this encampment was one of their more frequent stops, since Jocelyn could do a lot of good with far less effort when so many sick and wounded were gathered in one spot.

And since Jadis had brought Alex and Eir with her for the trip, even more good was going to rain on the soldiers than they could have ever expected.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Jay nuzzled Ammy’s tiny nose.

“It’s stupid,” the Mystic huffed, her breath smelling like ashes and cinnamon. “A lot of Lares from around here and Rubaline came to the camp to help with the healing, and they didn’t think I was a real Lares. Even with detect stones they still thought I was some kind of Fetch pretending to be a—a whatever I am when I drink that potion.”

“Catgirl.”

“Catgirl,” Ammy repeated while pulling a face. “I’m not a cat, Jadis.”

“I know you aren’t, I didn’t say you were,” Jay grinned at her. “But that other form is definitely ‘catgirl’ form.”

Rolling her eyes, which was an interesting expression to see a Lares make, Ammy lightly batted a paw against Jay’s face.

“Whatever, marble butt. I’ve got three or four doses worth left from my original batch anyway. I’ll transform back before we do anything lewd, don’t you worry. Right now, I just want to be pet by my pale giant.”

While her grin didn’t fade, Jay reluctantly shook her head at Ammy’s request.

“Sorry, but we’ll have to delay the petting, lewd or not, at least for a little while. Unfortunately, my reason for visiting early isn’t you today.”

“Jadis, that is not the kind of sweet talk a girl wants to hear.”

“But it’s the honest truth,” Jay sighed as she continued to nuzzle her face against Ammy’s flames. “I’ve got business to take care of before I can devote my time to you. So, the sooner I get it done with, the better.”

Turning her attention to Joceyln, Jay shifted Ammy to her armored shoulder so that she could speak to the Oracle without a fiery feline blocking her face.

“Do you know where Wilhelm is?”

“He is with the emperor,” the healer inclined her head to the west. “They are surveying the battlefield from yesterday’s attack. Well, they may be on their way back by now, but that was their intent from a few hours ago.”

Jay frowned slightly at the news. She might have to wait until the two were separated before speaking to the Hero. Jadis wanted to speak with Wilhelm first before she approached Emperor Somerulf with any of the things she had to say. She wasn’t sure how things would turn out after she had her conversation, and she wanted to give her friend some warning beforehand, even if it was only by a few minutes.

“Is there something wrong?” Jocelyn asked, noticing Jay’s obvious discontent.

“Not really,” she replied, lightening her expression. “Some political shit is getting stirred, though, so I have to deal with it. Do you want to know about it?”

“Probably not,” Jocelyn admitted, “but if it affects you, then yes, please tell me, and I will help as I can.”

“I don’t think you can help,” Jay smiled at the smaller woman, “but I appreciate the support. If you’re going to hear this, then you’re going to want to come with me to somewhere private.”

“This isn’t your usual level of shit stirring, is it?” Ammy asked suspiciously as she balanced herself on Jay’s shoulder as she and Jocelyn walked further into the old fort ruins. “I’m sensing velvet cushions and gold spoons.”

“Your senses are sharp and accurate. Now, let me give you the quick rundown on exactly which golden spoons are involved.”

Once they were in an area with as much certainty of privacy as could be had, Jadis told the two an abbreviated version of what Elodie Brunholt had revealed about her grandfather’s plans. Jay also went over the capture of Ned Aubert and some of the things that she had learned from the man during their subsequent exchange. She didn’t hold back, not on her opinions or her intentions, but she did avoid going into detail on some of the specifics, both for reasons of time and for a certain level of deniability. If the discussion Jadis intended to have that night didn’t go as planned and she was forced to take her backup measures, she wanted Jocelyn to be able to distance herself from the ensuing mess if she needed to.

Jadis had no illusions as to just how deeply Ammy would be involved if politics moved in that undesired direction.

“I… fervently wish that such difficulties were not placed on your shoulders, Jadis,” Jocelyn said with an exhausted sigh as Jay wrapped up her tale. “You have done so much for the people both in the empire and in Volto. You shouldn’t have to worry about the ambitions of others.”

“You shouldn’t have to either,” Jay put a hand on the Oracle’s shoulder. “You and Willy never talk about it, but I know you two have to have the same kind of pressures being applied to you.”

The wan smile that Jocelyn gave her spoke volumes.

“The temple protects me from what it can. High Priest Oswin has been a stalwart shield in that regard. Wilhelm… has less protections than I do.”

“Speaking of,” Jay raised her head to look in the direction that her other self had seen distant movement. “I think he and the emperor are almost back to the camp now.”

Indeed, from what Dys could see, a long train of soldiers were moving down the road and would arrive at the recovery camp within the next ten minutes. Even if she couldn’t see Wilhelm riding on Taube at the fore of the caravan, Emperor Somerulf’s imperial guard stood out like a sore thumb. A hundred highly decorated, extremely powerful guardsmen flanked the aged emperor’s carriage; Somerulf was too old to ride horseback. The guards were almost all elves, and they were without doubt all elites who not only had tertiary classes, but had classes rated as rare at a minimum. By Jadis’ estimation, those hundred men and women were not a simple security force, but a small army unto themselves.

“Wilhelm will appreciate that you are telling him about your plans before you speak to the emperor,” Jocelyn said as she turned to follow Jay’s gaze with a smile on her face. “He is no politician, and he knows it, but he will support you in any way that he can should you need him for this discussion.”

“Ideally, I’ll keep him and you and everyone else out of it,” Jay replied. “And that includes the emperor, I hope.”

“Wait,” Ammy perked up. “You aren’t going to tell the emperor about all this Colgrave shit?”

“Not if I can avoid it,” Jay confirmed as she lifted the Lares from her shoulder and set her down on a nearby stone wall. “It really all depends on the word of one other person who I need to speak to first. Now, tell me, where can I find Prince Hraustrekr in all of this mess?”