The Trial: Journey's End

Written by: AtheistBasementDragon

Edited by: The Usual Gang of Drunken Perverted Idiots

Chapter 1: Reckoning

...Papal Estate...Two Years After the Synod...

Neia savored the warmth of her wife's touch when she woke up, she let her hands drift over the smooth skin of that lovely naked body, the feel of the soft breasts pressed into her side, as Skana had fallen asleep entwined in Neia's embrace. Even their legs had become entwined, a tangle that spoke of the passionate evening they had so recently enjoyed. She moved her arms up to wrap them slowly around Skana's head, and lean herself partially over, as if to press her cheek to the top of her auburn hair.

"So... this is happiness." She said to herself in a quiet voice so that she would not awaken the warrior woman whom she loved.

"Yeah, it is." Skana murmured and smacked her lips, she stretched out and let out a yawn on the enormous bed as the light began to stream through the windows with the rising sun.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Neia asked gently.

"You did." Skana said not even slightly crossly as she slowly sat up, then reached over and pulled on a rope that would alert the servant on duty that the mistresses of the house were awake.

"Sorry..." Neia said sheepishly as they moved to opposite sides of the bed to get out.

"No, it's cute, and you slept through the night again... are the nightmares...?" Skana lowered her gaze momentarily.

"Gone?" Neia finished the sentence. "I didn't have one last night but... they're not gone forever, I don't think... but every night free of them is a good one. I have to be happy with small victories, you know." She reached over for a robe and drew it on only a little slower than her wife.

"I did... a lot wrong, it feels strange to have even a moment of joy after sending so many to their deaths, by my orders or by my sword or my bow... I... I became like her, or close. So I have... have felt afraid for a long time it seems, that my sins would one day come back to me, and that the price would be too great for me to bear." Neia whimpered and her lip began to tremble.

Skana strode swiftly over the floor as if going forth to vanquish an enemy, but she embraced her wife and held her close, pulling Neia into her chest and caressing the back of her head, "I'm sorry I didn't... I didn't mean to bring up... no, listen, you are not that monster... you aren't, no matter what anyone says, I believe you saved lives, you're my hero, like the day at the wall... everything you ever did... even the things you hated, you did for the happiness this peace has given us. You paid a terrible price already... How much more can the world do to you?"

A knock on the door interrupted them, and Skana's eye swept over the well appointed bedchamber to the ornate, dark colored door. "Come." She said calmly.

An elf maid opened the door. "My ladies?" She asked with a joyful smile on her face. She wore a classic maid outfit designed in the style of Nazarick, with black and white frills, an apron with a set of suitable pockets, and a small white cap. "What would you like, bath or breakfast or breakfast in the bath?"

"Bath first, thank you Enlaith, we'll come down for breakfast after, so just have that drawn and make ready with our clothing. I believe we'll go out today. Perhaps have a picnic." Skana said with a pleasant smile on her face.

"As my ladies wish." She said and bobbed at the knees before removing herself and closing the door.

Skana drew Neia's body away from her and she lifted her face at the chin so that they met one another's gazes, "Listen to me, whatever happened in Wheaton, whatever you did at Kami Miyako, whatever happened with the Overseers and the Breakers... all those things were a long time coming to that country. Wars have casualties, and even in a bad place, not everybody that dies, deserves to... but you can't do anything for the dead, and as far as I'm concerned, you've suffered enough. Besides..." Skana said as she moved her hands to cup Neia's face, "you have an obligation to more than just me to make this the best life and best world possible. You have an obligation to the both of us."

Neia looked at her in befuddlement. "You mean to you and I?" She asked. Skana began a throaty laugh and took her wife's right hand at the wrist, and drew it up to where Skana's heart was beating, and then slowly she brought it down, over the center of her body, and turned Neia's palm so that it was lying flat over her belly. "No... to 'us' as in you have an obligation to our first child."

Neia looked at her, stunned, eyes wide, mouth open, for just a moment, than she shrieked with the joy of a girl being given the finest gift on earth, and she yanked Skana's powerful body into an embrace that, had it been to another of lesser strength, might have cracked bones. As it was, it drew a hardy 'oof' from Skana's lips.

Neia immediately let go and went briefly pale, "Did I hurt you, oh god no tell me I didn't hurt you or... the baby..."

Skana shook her head and put her fingers to Neia's lips, "It's alright, I'm a tough one, you're not going to break Skana the Bold that easily!" Neia relaxed and color began to return to her face.

"Which body father did you choose, you had it narrowed down to three as I recall." Neia asked curiously, "Also... he's... fine with... you know? Us?"

"For that I chose one of the heroes of Queen Zesshi's armies, he was planning to travel abroad as one of the priests of the faith, there shouldn't be any problems of jealousy." Skana reassured her wife with the confidence in her voice as much as with the information she'd conveyed.

"I guess that means I get to have the next one then. Perhaps I should approach Chindai, his wives are hard bargainers but... frankly happy as they seemed, he must do something right." Neia winked at the ribald humor, but Skana only rolled her eyes.

"My wife, I love you, but you are absolutely the second worst joke teller in the entire Sorcerous Empire." Skana said sardonically.

"Second worst?" Neia asked, then paused, "Oh, yes, yes much as I adore him... father is not the god of joke telling, I don't know anyone who worships him in that aspect, and if they had to, then the entire religion would die, and definitely not from laughter."

Skana nodded in firm agreement, "Absolutely right."

"That... was a joke." Neia said gently.

"It's only funny if you're exaggerating." Skana replied pointedly and folded her arms in front of her, as if daring Neia to disagree.

Neia deflated visibly, slumping slightly, "Oh alright, fair enough." She then perked up and grabbed Skana's hands, "But who cares about that?! We're going to be parents!" She shouted joyfully and bounced up and down on her heels.

Skana let the smile form on her face and grow from ear to ear as Neia rushed out the door and flung herself to the rail, her hands gripped the smooth alabaster and she leaned far over the side, "My wife's pregnant! We're going to be parents! Break out the wine! Break out the spirits! Break out the beer! I have to tell father! Nobody works today!"

Cheers from the staff of their estate were followed by questions from those who heard the shouts, which were in turn followed by more cheers, and within a span of minutes the butlers, maids, footmen, groomsmen, and all the other staff of the Papal manor were toasting, cheering, and celebrating the news. The clink of glasses, the popping of corks, and the pouring of countless libations filled the air from one end of the great estate to the other, as elves who served the pair threatened to outdo dwarven enthusiasm for alcohol.

"This... has got to be the happiest day of my life." Neia said with an enormous smile on her face. "What could possibly ruin it?"

Skana grinned like an imp and approached where Neia shouted, and going to where Neia stood with small steps that were ages separated from the urgency of the battlefields of the wars that consumed their lives, and wrapped her arms around Neia's body, bringing her hands up to her shoulders, she pulled the leaning woman upright and laid her face flat against Neia's neck, "Don't fall, my love, strong as you are, I don't want to hear a 'thunk' out of you hitting the floor."

Neia let herself be pulled upright and laughed with the kind of unrestrained joy that Skana had heard only a few times in their short lives together, their breathing synced up together, and peace reigned over their lives. "Fall?" Neia asked softly as she brought her left hand up to stroke Skana's hair and cheek. "I can't fall, I feel like I could fly."

It was just as she'd spoken, standing there on the long open hall overlooking the entry to the estate with her wife, that a great pounding resounded that could only come from a powerful figure knocking. Their reverie was abruptly cut off by the sound.

"Were you expecting someone?" Neia asked as a sudden and unexplained moment of anxiety struck, she felt her heart seize in her breast.

Skana's arms tensed as she sensed the change in her wife. "No... no one." A servant approached from the room beneath and went to the door with the long professional stride of an experienced butler.

His elven ears twitched and he looked up at the mistresses of the house at the rail above, he saw the anxious look on their faces and his previous happiness melted away from his face like wax from a burning candle.

He slowly reached for the door, and held his grip on it as he looked up at them for approval, the knock came again. Neia nodded reluctantly, and the door opened.

As it opened, daylight flooded into the room, and there stood a demoness that the couple knew very well. She was in her human shape, with long blonde hair hanging down to her waist, her customary riding outfit of brown pants, black boots, and a pine green shirt emblazoned with the official emblem of the Sorcerous Empire over her heart. Her gray eyes however, did not have their bounce or sparkle, instead, she had her shoulders stooped.

Behind her, a figure in full armor loomed and held a large hammer over her shoulder, even without seeing her face, both Neia and Skana knew who it was.

"Vanysa! Gagaran! Come in! I have wonderful news!" Neia shouted happily as she wrestled back the anxiety that was still growing in her heart, "Skana and I are going to have a child! We have to celebrate!"

Her face instantly fell when she saw the response. Gagaran stepped back from the door as if struck, and Vanysa's dull eyes welled up. "Neia... I... needja ta come with me."

Neia froze, and Skana tensed her grip so much that Neia couldn't have moved if she'd wanted to.

The elf servant, sensing the tension, froze as well, he barred the way through the door, and the tension rose several notches.

"What... why?" Neia asked hesitantly her hands going to the rail and holding it for strength.

"Neia, ahm sorry... but'cher under arrest!" Vanysa said so fast that for a moment, people traded looks, unsure they had understood her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that." Neia said in a quivering voice as her hands held the rail and clenched tightly enough that it started to crack.

"Neia, don't make this any harder than it has tah be... please... me 'an Gagaran're here ta take yah in. Please... jus... jus come with us quiet like." Vanysa's voice cracked, and even from where she stood, Skana could see the madness growing in Vanysa's eyes.

"On what charge?!" The elf butler demanded with a snarl as he bared his teeth and his hand gripped tighter onto the door.

"War crimes." Gagaran said bluntly, "For her actions in and around Wheaton." The hammer wielding woman was tense, stiff, and unhappiness radiated off of her.

"You will not lay a hand on her! I won't allow it! You will not take her! you will not touch her! Get out! Get out! Get ooooout!" The butler shouted in a furious rage as his savior was threatened, he tried to shut the door, only for Gagaran's meaty hand to shoot out and stop it cold.

"Help!" He shouted as loud as he could, his earlier protests had gotten attention, but as he continued... "The pope is in danger! They're going to take her! Stop them! Stoooop them!" The sound of stomping feet echoed throughout the manner and it yanked the stunned couple out of their disbelieving silence.

"Hold!" Neia shouted as she called on the power of her voice. "I'm... coming down."

"Neia... please... don't." Skana whimpered and clung to her arm as Neia stepped away, leaving handprints in the rail that would never come away.

Neia's back stiffened, and despite her small size, she seemed impossibly tall, Skana's mind flew back to the day she'd fallen in love with the heroic archer, the day on the wall, the day she died and her legend began. Neia looked over the rail, "This is father's will, isn't it?" She asked.

Vanysa bit her lip, "Don make me sayit!"

Gagran grunted uncomfortably, "The investigation was completed, people were asking questions about why you never answered for anything. You brought this on yourself."

"I assume you told them everything you remember?" Neia asked quietly.

"I did." Gagaran replied, lifting her chin defiantly as if daring her to criticize her for it.

"Good. I'm glad you kept your justice." Neia said sadly as she lowered her gaze, and walked away from Skana, down the stairs, and through a knot of elven servants that had come with everything from rolling pins to kitchen knives to keep her from being taken. Gagaran flinched with Neia's praise, her eyes widened in abject disbelief.

"It's alright." Neia said softly, putting a low reverberation of ease into her voice, calming their spirits little by little as she held up her hands.

Skana stood frozen at the rail, unable to move, unable to comprehend what was happening. 'No! No! Not again! Not again! Please no... don't take her, we just started... just began to get her back... I can't... Move Skana! Move! They're going to take her! Move your damn legs!' But she could not move. She could only blink in disbelief as Neia stood below near the door.

"If it is father's will, it is just, but... why both of you? Why did he not simply summon me?" Neia asked hesitantly as she approached and placed a hand on the quivering butler's shoulder.

"Because it couldn't be seen that he was showing you favor. He is a just lord, and any appearance of favoritism on his part would taint the outcome." Gagaran said with admiration as she spoke of the Sorcerer King, "And... it was possible your servants or... your wife, might lose control and do something... unfortunate. This is for everyone's safety. Now... please. Come with us."

Neia's eyes narrowed, 'No... she's not lying. Even if she were, Vanysa... she wouldn't, she took me to get help.'

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Neia craned her neck to look up at the giant woman and spoke only through tightly clenched teeth.

"I thought I would, I really did... but no I don't. Now are you going to come along or not?" Gagaran asked with resignation as she hefted her hammer.

"Jus come along, 'kay? Get this o'er with." Vanysa held out her pale hand and it slowly turned golden as her demon nature took hold.

Neia looked over her shoulder to the head butler. "Look after my wife, and our child, while I'm gone. I'm entrusting them to you." His eyes welled up, but he gave a subtle nod.

"Can we do without chains? I promise not to make a fuss." Neia asked hopefully.

Vanysa and Gagaran traded a look. "Ah didnae bring any, ah knew yah'd be good. Now c'mon, the carriage is waiting." Vanysa spoke quietly, without the enthusiasm her voice usually carried.

"Where are we going?" Neia asked, "To see father?"

Gagaran shook her head. "No, the capital of the Minotaur Kingdom." The door shut behind them as they walked, flanking the warrior pope.

Neia looked up at the sky and around at the grounds of her papal residence. The great high hedges that flanked the outskirts, and the garden and streams within that crisscrossed the place, statues ringed the massive complex. "Gascon, Gilcrest, Tiksin, Taskaros and Taskarosi, Moira, Petyr, Segunta..." She pointed from one statue to the next on a long path that ran beside the manor as she looked back at it.

"What?" Gagaran asked as she looked down at her charge.

"Heroes, warriors from the wars and before, some living, some dead, their statues though, from the men and women I knew, they're idealized versions of what they looked like. I walked the path beside those statues many times, I know the names of all of them, even the ones I never met. I've often felt like they were watching me as I passed under them." Neia said with a self deprecating smile. "It's a little humbling, really."

"What's your point?" Gagaran asked, more than a little lost, if Neia were to judge by her cockeyed look.

"I was just thinking, if I don't come back here, I wanted to remember all that, and then I wondered, after all is settled, how will I be portrayed? Silly thing to worry about perhaps, but... finding out that we were going to have a child, I wonder what they'd be taught of who I am, or who I was, such as it were." Neia said thoughtfully, "Come on, let's go, thanks for giving me a moment to look around, both of you."

She said and strode to the carriage and got in without another backward glance. As they got in with her and the undead horses began to pull the carriage away, a terrible cry arose from the manor, as Skana, still frozen where she stood, let out a cry of anguish that felt like it would never end.