Chapter 43: Lift Her Up When She's Fallen

Sammy peeked in the mirror as a very lightly-dressed Azure was finishing the last of packing things up into bags. Presumably, more of her things would be crammed into other boxes or crates as there wouldn’t be much room in a ‘person crate’ that would no doubt involve her being crouched or sitting cross-legged to fit.

In addition to her quality hand mirror, Azure had a little necklace mirror she had altered from a locket type that opened — now it had the hinge removed and was just a circular oval facing out.

There was soon a knock, and she unbarred a section of the crate for access. A scraggly sea dog if ever there was one quietly ushered her out and over to an already open crate, which she crawled into, pulling out a little ruby and kissing it — when she did, it began to glow with red light.

“It’s alright, Azure. I’m here,” Sammy sent with warmth and reassurance through the connection.

Sending back her appreciation, Azure took a deep breath and settled into the crate. At least it had a thin cushion on the bottom. She sat cross-legged, though she still had to lean forward and down for the crate top to go over and then be nailed down. Then there was just red glowing box space, Azure, and silence.

“Now we wait, Your Majesty.” She pulled out the hand mirror that she had brought with her and left it in her lap. Sammy took the hint and appeared in it, wearing her most confident smile. She placed her hand up to the portal edge, and Azure put her slightly trembling hand up to it on the mirror face, in response. Luminescent purple eyes met ice blue between realms.

One interesting thing she had noticed about the hand contact aspect with Followers was that their hands never seemed to smudge ‘her’ mirror. When she appeared in one, it stayed unblemished from such minor impurities.

I so look forward to meeting you, Azure. To meeting everyone. What a day it will be! I just have to keep you all safe. You’re mine, all of you. I aim to keep you.

“I take it we should be quiet, despite the visuals,” Sammy asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty. They’ll open the hold gates above, and the crane will swing over until they can grab the rope and nets. They’ll lower it down, then men here will get it wrapped up and secured. The captain assured me he’d be down here for it to make sure it’s perfect and that everyone knows what’s within is… fragile.”

Sammy smirked. “Is it, though? You’re pretty damn tough, missy.”

Azure grinned a bit. “I appreciate you saying so, Your Majesty. Sadly, any capacity for determination cannot prevent bones from snapping from a drop. Or-or drowning as it hits the water — this isn’t water-proo- oh Goddess, please keep me from this fate!”

As she began panicking, Sammy sent a firm mental embrace to soothe her. “It’s not going to happen, Azure! They know what they’re doing if they’re capable enough to pull this off so far. And I can sling out a buff if necessary. Be calm, dear…”

It was strange to call a woman much older than her in actuality ‘dear’ in that way, but it felt like the thing to do.

Azure was a bit stunned by the gesture, but soon returned it, her eyes closing as she let herself focus on that conceptual contact, effectively meditating through it, breathing deeply.

After a time like this, Sammy sent, “I feel a bit lacking here as the Goddess of Illusion and I can’t get you off of the boat without this whole thing. It certainly could’ve been arranged if the timing was different… you’ll have the capacity for better disguise soon, in any case.”

“That will be perfect, I’m sure, Goddess. I would not chance it any time soon, though. People can notice tiny things with such magics that latter investigations might hear about. Better to lay low until he storms through this city.”

“You only have to hold out long enough for Orswyth to get there, then you’ll have a pack of veteran fighting men about.”

“That does sound comforting, Your Majesty.”

Racket and shouting from outside the crate became extensive, signaling the beginning of the process. Eventually, there were sailors right outside the crate, rattling off dozens of creative curses in a span of mere moments. ‘Soddin’ pukefucker,’ ‘slime-suckin’ hagfish,’ ‘seal-fucking tommyrot.’ And those were the nice ones.

The crate rocked a bit… and a bit more, as Azure braced herself up against the walls, knowing what was coming. She just barely suppressed a whimper as the liftoff commenced, the whole crate creaking and rocking slightly. But it was ultimately a gentle beginning, and with wide eyes, the ram-horned woman began to breathe again.

As they were evidently suspended in the air, both women were held in suspense for the results. Occasionally Azure’s eyes widened further and she’d gasp or wince, but nothing violent exactly happened. Sammy couldn’t quite experience what she was, but through the connection, she felt the fluttering off-balance feelings caused by the minor swaying of the payload.

After a perfectly calm spell, there was then a sudden thud.

Azure could not keep from crying out — just the first bit of a yelp, with a hand-clapping over her mouth instantly and eyes spinning around every which way.

“It was the landing, Azure!” Sammy quickly assured her. “You made it! It’s over!”

With a quick nod of appreciation, Azure’s eyes still flashed around, listening for exclamations about talking crates or such things. But there was nothing like that, just the barely heard voices of three men arguing about which alewife made the best ale.

Finally, Azure breathed a sigh of relief — quietly, with extra emphasis mentally. “So it seems. We walk onward, and if we can’t walk, we crawl, and if we can’t crawl… we get crated around on a crane.”

Sammy just managed to mute herself as she burst out a laugh, and they shared a grin.

“Regardless, it’s another step, soon-to-be Priestess,” Samantha sent.

The trip from there was a bit grueling, uncomfortable, and hot, effectively just a waiting game. The sound of wagon wheels turning over old cobblestone and the clip-clop of oxen hooves, then softer sounds over dirt. Eventually, the wagon stopped and unloading commenced, along with the sounds of muted conversation.

Before long the ‘yah yah!’ sounds were the distant kind, and a man’s gruff voice called, “Madame Laina? Are you alright in there?”

“I’m ripe like a summer peach!” came the answer. “But hale.”

Laina? Ha, guess she’s sticking with an alias just in case some yokel slips up. Clever girl.

“Getting you out of there right away, madame!” The sound of creaking wood and the clanging of tossed nails resounded again and again until finally the lid was thrown off.

Just barely through the mirror in her hand, Sammy could see a sweat-drenched Azure rise up with a groan, squinting briefly at the relative light, though she appeared to be enclosed in a hay barn. The Devout of Samantha took a deep, appreciative breath. And another few more, eyes cast upward and exultant in the air of freedom — on multiple levels.

Two men were there — one was a thick, portly, balding man of middle years with a kindly sort of face, but he seemed relatively finely dressed. The other was a pinkish-skinned, perhaps thinly-blooded Naugite, as he had dark eyes and tiny little horns. He was wiry and perhaps in his mid-to-late twenties. He was also well-dressed, though dressed down like so many, for the heat.

The portly fellow set down his prybar and huffed, wiping his brow and grinning with a smile that had one gold tooth. “Thank the stars you survived in this heat, madame. Must’ve been hell.”

“Hey,” the Naugite man admonished mildly, about the last word.

The portly man held up his hands. “Sorry. No offense.”

Azure laughed richly about it, though, as she stepped out of the crate and stretched languidly. She placed the mirror on top of another crate, with a pack behind it to prop, allowing Sammy to observe. “Certainly none taken! In the Land of Naug, you’d find only liars if you asked after our original, fleshly origins. No one knows.”

“Yes, well, Yadmin here certainly doesn’t feel a kinship to anything infernal. He’s always been as mild as can be.” The man cleared his throat and held out his hand to Azure. “Welcome to the old estate of also-old Nestor Elgorios. That would be me. It isn’t much here, but we have room for you as long as you wish, on the honor of a favor owed.”

Azure shook his hand and said, “You have my eternal gratitude, Mister Nestor.”

“Just Nestor is to my preference, madame.”

“Then Laina is to mine, Nestor.”

They shared a grin, then Nestor gestured ‘out and away.’ “Let’s get you some refreshments, Laina. And you can meet the ladies of the house. A bath can be arranged if you like.”

“That all sounds divine.” Azure turned to grab the mirror, winking into it before they all headed off.

“I think I have it from here, Your Majesty,” Azure sent. “Thank you.”

“Of course. And be ready for your ordination. Laina.”

“Oh, please, no alias with you, Goddess! And I am assuredly looking forward to it. Farewell!” Even as it was being sent, she was getting a ‘query’ for her attention from Orswyth.

Immediately after, she switched over to her hierophant. “What is it, Lord Orswyth.”

“There is news from Fobent, Your Majesty, and it isn’t good. It was sacked by Naugite forces. Or taken, I suppose. They commandeered all ships and left a small force raising their banners everywhere, thinking it enough, but underestimated the way the Fobentines can raise levies in the hinterlands. They retook it under the capable general Linnore, but the city suffered mightily.”

“Great… So, what are the odds you can get a ship now?”

“Reduced. I’m not entirely sure. But it seems that the Naugites didn’t hold it very long. There would be many ships out there that never got the news. Maybe even most of them. So, there’s… still a chance we can get out of here. That or we get drafted into the Fobentine militia…” It was a darkly humorous thought.

“I have news too, though I wondered if you’d be spared it at first… I can’t withhold it now. I believe Merrington isn’t going to get liberated at all...” Briefly, Sammy shared what she had learned about Zadkiel’s group, the existence of a literal god leading them, his supposed intentions, and the fate of Count Ambrose. “This region is going to be in trouble for a while, I think, Hierophant. Zadkiel seeks war and expansion.”

Orswyth was quiet through it all, stunned and saddened by the news. “The land will be turned into a field of death, Your Majesty. It will rouse the sages, maybe even the Seven. One of them might be enough, with the sort of army they will raise. Not an easy land route but they’ll come eventually, once they puzzle out what is happening.”

“We need to get you and your men out of here — that’s all you need to worry about. There’s nothing you were ever going to be able to do about this, Hierophant. It’s beyond us right now. If nothing materializes when you get to Fobent… well, we’ll figure out something.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The urgency is certainly increasing. And now I understand why it’s a quest just to get to Geirkos...”

When Sammy checked in with Carlisle, the party was moving through the forest, and the lord had a bit to report.

“Advance scouts are reporting about further down the path,” he sent, “and saying it leads into the thicks. Nowhere that anyone chances going, even to hunt. Green ape territory, not that they’d mess with a force such as ours. Has to be some kind of hideout or camp back here. I don’t look forward to making camp in it…”

Sammy nodded slowly seated upon her throne, contemplating. She knew that the quest was coming to a head, to its end. What awaited them was the question.

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