Bk 2: Chapter Five (4)

Lady Vion did not spare them a glance as she took her seat beside the grand dowager empress.

"You came this time," the grand dowager empress of Khul said.

"I never said I would not," Vion answered. The two completely ignored the proceeding of the hunt and chatted without care.

"Whispers say you received a visitor,"

"She? It was only expected. Lady Wickshire sent her," Vion answered.

"You would not have bothered to hear her out if she did not have anything you wanted," the grand dowager empress said.

"She knew before I even knew. I only considered it. She made a way," Vion answered and the two descended into silence.

"You don't have to do this," the grand dowager empress said and Vion scuffed.

The Emperor and some others were avidly listening to the two's conversations while pretending to be enjoying the wait. The emperor had not bothered to give a speech, only saying a few words of caution to those entering the forests and sending them off. He wanted to listen to these two Thraines' conversations. Very few times was he ever able to be around while they talked. He, more than any, worried about how much power they had in his empire. He did not have the courage or manpower to be able to know of their movements, but times like these, when they talked without care for others seated around them, it was both a slap to his face and an opportunity. They obviously did not think much about those around to not bother to hide their thoughts. It was said that adults did not hide to speak in the presence of newborns. Still, they listened in the hope of knowing what these giants were planning.

"Don't flatter yourself, Aiona. This has very little to do with you," Vion answered and the old woman smiled softly. One could see in her eyes she did not care about what her words meant. Others around, on the other hand, held their breaths. They knew they were both Thraines, but they did not know what kind of hierarchy this clan had. Their society was a hierarchical one and such a tone Vion used was not something they could understand.

"It is my burden," the grand dowager empress said and Vion frowned.

"It is no one's burden. I don't agree with any having a hand in my existence Aiona. You must come with me,"

"We should have told her,"

"No,"

"She is walking into a trap,"

"Don't you think she knows? I'd bet she knows but does not care," Vion said coldly.

"It is possible she is suspicious. She sent you that girl after all,"

"It matters not what others plan to do. I am taking you with me, whether you like it or not," Vion sent the grand empress dowager a cold look.

"I will handle my own business, Vion," the grand empress dowager said indifferently.

"You don't have a say in this, Aiona. You come with me, or I will take you the way by force," For some reason, the air around them turned colder than should be many listening froze in their seat, but still somewhat felt a tail of sweat run down their back.

"If I leave now she will know, that old nun," the grand dowager empress said and Vion froze.

"You never told me she knew of this,"

"She beyond knows, Vion. She is part of this. This Thraine name, if we don't understand why they did it, we should do nothing. I will speak to her one more time. Only then will I go with you," the grand dowager empress said and Vion looked away.

"Just this once. The nun's response does not matter. But just this once, we will hear what she has to say," Vion said and got up to leave.

"Vion, I will tell her. Before we make our move, I will have someone tell Lucy," The grand empress dowager said and Vion paused and looked back at her.

"It is my burden, Vion," the grand dowager empress said and the space around herself and Vion locked, not allowing anyone but the two of them to hear her last words.

"If there is suspicion over the Thraine legacy, she needs to know. If that nun up in the Lucen Mountains has something to do with it, she needs to know. If we are all going to die, she needs to know. Lucy needs to know; if she fails, we will die," She said and Vion stared back at her coldly.

"There are many ways to interpret failure, Aiona. The goal for the Thraine name and who set the goal has yet to be determined. It is too late to not fail. It matters not if you tell her. It matters more that we don't alert whoever is playing a game of cards with our existence. You know Lucy, if their goals are aligned with hers, do you think it possible that she may fail?" Vion said and the grand dowager empress frowned.

"She never truly fails, does she?" she said.