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Dynasty of Dovak	By : JohnDoe Category: +A through F > Exalted RPG Views: 4983 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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Chapter List
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At the top of the Wall, Reya looks down on the damage.

The gardens are untouched, the Tower of Air is locked and barred. No sign of smoke or danger comes from the city below or the mines above. But there are signs of fighting the length of the Mnemon quarters in the Wall. Several sections look breached, and some structural damage is obvious.

The low, primal, voice of the bear snaps Reya back to the immediate present. It snorts and paws the ground before charging at Reya.

Reya brings Perdurant Vault to bear, turning aside the swiping claw and bludgeoning the bear on the snout. The bear grabs at Reya, who speaks the Burning Name again, scorching it, and driving it back. They circle and Reya tries to close the gap, the bear batters her back again. Rearing on its hind legs the bear comes down bodily on Reya. By rights, she should be crushed. By rights, no woman her size and strength could lift a bear. By rights… she is an Exalted hero of the Elemental Dragons. She catches the bear on Perdurant Vault, Essence surging through every limb and crystallizing as frost on her brow, Reya turns the bear’s momentum against it and flips the beast over her head, and over the Wall, where it plummets to its death.

Exhausted, Reya collapses to the ground.

****

“We found her!”

Every sound seems distant. Underwater. Her body seemed distant. Shaky.

“Where?”

Ganan’s voice, unmistakable.

“On top of the wall. I was sweeping outside, saw a scorched and beaten bear. Looked pretty crushed, so I checked the top of the wall and there she was.”

Father? No… Ferad.

“Is she- Let me look at her. Give us room! Set her down here!”

Muli. Worried. Always worried.

“At least the bearfolk didn’t get Perdurant Vault after all.”

Nula. Practical.

Reya opens her eyes, blinded by light and pain. “I’m fine. Don’t fuss.” She wriggles out of her brothers arms and steadies herself. Her arm feels numb, and the rest of her body aches. “Haseti’s dead. Bear got him: took a chunk out of his throat. I picked up Perdurant Vault and took care of the bear. Casualties?”

Ganan approaches, chisel in his hands and plaster caking his fingers, “Haseti, a few of the native guards. Some of ours were badly mauled but Melody thinks they should pull through. The Satrap is meeting with her advisors… if you’re up for it.”

“After I’ve looked at her!” Muli interjects.

“No, I’m fine.” Reya insists, show me.

Ganan leads her to the Satrap’s quarters in shamed silence. “Wake me next time.” He gives her forehead a quick kiss, and Reya enters the Satrap’s quarters alone.

Mnemon Nanals smiles warmly as Reya enters the room, “There she is. And with Perdurant Vault retrieved no less. Congratulations grand-daughter, we were worried the barbarians had made off with it.”

Perdurant Vault glistens as Reya draws on its power, making herself a mirror like the shield, “I hear there were minimal causalities and the royal’s Tower was not breached. Do we really suspect these savages attacked us to get a shield?”

“The bearfolk attack us constantly,” Bekara states wearily. “They would have seen your arrival from miles off, this was a move of desperation. To strike at our reinforcements before you had the chance to settle in.”

“Was it?” Reya bats back, “The desperate attack was after our reinforcements arrived, not before? How often do these barbarians breach our walls?”

“Never before,” Sahar shakes her head, “We clash in the woods. Sometimes the outskirts of the city – farms and lumbar yards. They’ve never made their way through the city to the Wall before. Never.” She shudders.

Alinos speaks, “Never?” Bekara shakes her head.

“It didn’t look like they attacked the city either.” Reya adds.

“Of course not,” Bekara snaps, “They wanted to catch us off-guard.”

“So they marched an army through our streets and no-one noticed? How much do these people hate us?”

Bekara stares flintily, and allows a stony silence to settle before speaking, “A powerful sorceress arrives, suggests the kings guards are inadequate and that her husband should lead the army, then we are attacked, proving the guards are inadequate, her husband wins the battle almost single handedly, and the sorceress, suspiciously absent the entire fight, is later found with a powerful magical artifact and her husband’s rival dead. Not too much later though, she’s found just before the vote on who should lead the army. Thoughts?”

“The Deliberative should choose the new Garrison Commander. And it shouldn’t be Ganan. Haseti was your enemy.”

Nanals raises an elderly hand, “I agree Cynis Ganan is too… impetuous to lead. But we are under attack now. We need a commander for our forces, especially if we are to guard the king. I suggest Jorod – he’s relatively impartial, military schooling, young enough to be biddable. If the Foreign Office want to replace him, let them send an auditor with the mandate of the Deliberative.”

Reya shakes her head, “Mnemon Jorod is still of House Mnemon. Our house. The Satrap’s house. We replace a Ragara with a Mnemon and our enemies in the Deliberative will have a field day. But if we replace him with someone from the Regent’s house. Young. Military experience. Relatively impartial. Who could argue with a Tepet leading a military force?”

Bekara smiles like a shark, “Now there we agree. Tepet Agoram. He could well be our perfect interim Commander. Any objections?”

The assembled women give their assent, and Bekara continues, “Good. Agoram is hereby appointed. Once the current crisis is resolved and the bearfolk are defeated, we will inform the Foreign Office of Haseti’s death – until then, we cannot allow the Anathema of Jiara or Thorns to become aware of our weakness.”

“Well decided my sister,” Alinos turns to Reya, “Danireya, brief Princess Tinkara. Then get your wounds seen to.”

Reya gives a short bow and the Satrap’s advisors depart.

Princess Tinkara is not hard to find: she’s in the middle of the Mnemon quarters, inspecting the damage. Ganan and some mortal architects are shoring up the damage… mostly caused by Ganan. Nula is trying to calm the Princess down.

“Reya!” Tinkara pushes past Nula and hurries over to Danireya, “The mines! The beastmen have never struck this far deep, I don’t know how they got past us – I slept through the entire attack. But if they penetrated this deep they could have done real damage to the mines. We need to sally out now.”

“Tinkara, don’t worry.” She waves Ganan and Nula over, “That was my first thought too. I checked last night, there was no evidence the mines were attacked. But I will send my two best people to check the mines for you now. With a scale of our finest troops.”

Nula and Ganan bow, “We’ll leave now.”

“Don’t worry Tinkara, Ragara Haseti is gone, but Tepet Agoram is a capable commander. He will lead the Realm forces until the Blessed Isle send a replacement. My husband and daughter will secure your mines. Now, where is my son.”
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Dynasty of Dovak