Oaths sworn
Only, Sasha could not hold on till the end.
Even if Sasha has a dragon, she knew, as long as Dan Frost, a.k.a Daemoncles Pendragon goes to the side of Dahlia Drakon, or even just to his previous destination of Valhalla, she would not be able to hold.
If he goes to eastern empire, not to Dahlia, the sorcerers of Quartz city will sacrifice him, and with him, the rest of the world to gain immortal lives for themselves. They submitted to the ice sorceress rather than fight her.
If he goes to Queen Dahlia, she would convince him to join her in a fire cleansing ceremony to enslave all the dragons in the world, thus ending his life. However, fire of all dragons is no match for ice sorceress, thus, she was the one who won in the end.
It is the same no matter where he goes. He turns into a sacrifice given to higher powers in exchange for a great amount of benefits. However, none of those powers are willing to fight the ice sorceress to the end, and if they did, they never achieved victory in the end.
Worst part of the knowledge is that she is the same as everyone else.
The side that has Dan Frost would last till the end.
Right now, he may have agreed to swear loyalty to herself, but he is not with her.
Dan is not even reconciled to taking back the strong fort, much less getting back all land that promised to serve Raul.
However, Sasha did not answer with a negative no matter how close to death she came.
Outwardly, the face is formed on the elder tree. At the same time, Sasha's face became paler and paler, it is visible to anyone with any amount of sense that she will bleed to death before submitting.
Dan couldn't wait any more.
He just got back his family, he refused to let her die so unfairly.
He sliced his palm with a dagger, and placed it in the mouth of the elder tree, beside Sasha.
Immediately, he appeared in nothingness besides Sasha, who was kneeling on the mirror lake due to lack of strength.
"Sasha" he screamed as he tried to get her up.
"Dan! Why are you here ? " She asked him in shock.
She imagined many situations to convince herself of her victory in the end. She just has to find one where she wins against the sorceress by herself.
However, looking at Dan's extremely concerned face, she had a strange epiphany.
What difference is there between the ice sorceress and herself if she depends only on herself ?
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
She will take every help that is given to her, may it be from a reed in the wind, or a dragon above clouds.
Sasha winterchld would last till the end, because she will fight alongside her friends and family, not by her lonesome.
The win may or may not come to her, but she would last till the end, by hook or crook.
She stood up once more, with the help of Dan.
"Thank you, Dan." she told him.
Dan nodded his head, stood a little aways from her, like he was standing guard over her, or accompanying her.
"There is no hardship above me, there is no deed below me. I will protect myself and mine till the end of all time to come. I will last till the end of it all and Beyond. Mark my name! Countess Sasha Winterchild, I SHALL LAST TILL THE END AND BEYOND !!!" Sasha imbued all her soul into her words.
The next moment the illusion shattered as if it vanished into smoke. Her hand is let go from the tree.
Sasha retrieved and looked upon it.
There is a blood red mark of a snowflake on her hand. Dan's hand cured as if it was never cut at all.
The lords around looked at their hands in utter shock.
"Bless my balls ! It's a true winter mark! " Lord John Borland exclaimed.
" Blimey! I din't th'nk it really works! An Ise Goun'twess !!! " Moiree Icemount's speech has reverted to half old tongue and half common tongue in surprise.
The other lords are equally surprised, their language a mess, their expressions utter total shock of the phenomenon.
Five hundred years ago, it's not just due to religious concerns they have given up the old way of swearing oaths.
The eldertrees stopped marking winterchilds.
Since the ceremony failed, they had no choice but to adapt to the ways of summerland.
Now, it seems, winterchilds of old are back.
"Good! Good! Good! I will go first." Lord Borland said before any one could stop him, he sliced his hand deeper than necessary. Then placed it in the mouth of elder tree.
" I, John Borland, hereby swear my loyalty to Sasha Winterchild, Countess of winter. Heart and hearth I yield unto you, my liege, my sword will always be with you in any and all battles to come. " he said.
The next moment, a cool shiver ran up the spine of John, then he removed his hand from the tree mouth.
His hand is all cured, and the scar resembles an elder tree leaf. He watched the symbol in amazement, admiring it from all angles.
"Oi! Move your arse, Borland! " Moire grumbled, as she repeated the oath after him.
The rest of the lords followed.
Yet, even among those, Sasha could see some of them are afraid of placing their hand inside the mouth of the elder tree.
She noted down their names.
Elder trees see the truth no matter how deeply you hide it. It's impossible for a traitor to be able to swear an oath in the elder tree.
This is the reason oath swearing uses an elder tree.
To refuse to swear an oath in the elder tree is tantamount to admitting they were traitors.
Lord ironfist dawdled until the last minute.
He looked far too frightened to go to the tree and swear the oath. However, the looks from the nearby lords forced him to go forward, and place his hand in the tree, after a small cut.
He swore his oath while sweating bullets.
However, his oath was also accepted the same as lords such as Borland.
He smiled happily looking at his mark.
Sasha could sense the degree of loyalty owed to her from each and every lord.
She was surprised to see Lord Ironfist's loyalty to her is higher than most lords who did not hesitate to swear through the elder tree.
Perhaps he was just frightened of blood and eldertrees. After all, Lord Ironfist followed the new gods, the religion more prevalent in summerland.
Now that the business here is taken care of, she is officially the Countess Winter.
Sasha returned to the First stop by the dragon.
The number of refugees increased by twenty five thousands. However, from what she has seen, it's not just Snorcs and Giants, but all living beings on the other side of the frontier are gathering north of the Barrier.
Wild herds of mammoths , wild packs of winter wolves, Shadow lions, earth boars, polar bears and even the ever so rare giant aurochs !
If they all attack at the same time, Sasha is not quite sure that the frontier guard could hold on.
The herds of animals of prey are good to have in these times, but not in this quantity. Soon, it will form a beast tide. Once that happens and Barrier is not open to them, this entire beast tide will turn into an massacre.
Sasha is not quite sure that she wanted such a thing to happen at first stop.
So, men may stay here, but the beast tide should be averted.
Thankfully, she could control more than one animal. More than that, when push comes to shove, she still has sunshine in her hands, sunshine could more than lead beasts away, so they could be allowed into the gift at a different place.
" Lord Edgar, Take the count of men, giants and their animals. Update me by the hour. " Sasha ordered, looking at the guard captain.
He nodded and left. The lords remained.
" I advise all of you to return to your lands, take stock of your winter stores, My lords. Be ready to arm and move at a moment's notice. Gather your tenants, and have them do the same. Flayers might not be the only war we face this winter." Sasha said solemnly.
They nodded and left for their own territories. Thankfully, there is no more debate of whether to let the Snorcs in or not.
They will break in at this rate if the situation continues.
Sasha went up the wall in the elevator. The guards who were guarding above the Barrier on it's dangerous slopes sneaked a look at her every five seconds.
All the same, Sasha placed her hand on the naked ice of the Barrier.
Then, she closed her eyes, let out her spiritual senses, sensed the situation of the barrier.