Chapter 237: Journey to the Barony of James VII

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We've been flying for the whole day, and it's now in the late evening. The sun is lighting the sky up in an orange hue that would put any sunset on earth to shame. We haven't really talked for the majority of the day, really enjoying the trip. I bring us down slowly next to a river. Not diving like I did yesterday. I land softly, and Sally hops off my back. "We should be reaching the Barony of James by tomorrow late morning. So let's get some rest and finish the trip." Sally nods her head in agreement as I walk away from the river and set up the tent.

Once fully done with that, I set up a fire and pull out some of the elk meat in my inventory. I sit down at the fire, and Sally sits next to me. I hand her a piece of meat, and we both dig in. While it isn't good food, it's enough to keep us satisfied. "I've been thinking about what you asked me... In truth, I don't know..." There is no need for an answer now. She looks at me from my side, waiting for a response. I look at the mast open sky and orange hue that is being cast by the sunset. She nudges me for a response. I guess she really needs one.

I stop holding myself up and lay on the ground, looking up at the clouds. "I wasn't expecting an answer today, Sally. Decisions like this take time, and you need to relax. Stop worrying about the future for right now. Let's handle what needs to be handled, and then I'll ask you when we are done. Until then, only give it thought when there is nothing else to think about. It's not a big problem or inconvenience if I don't have an answer for it right now." She looks down at me and very slowly nods her head. She decides to lay down and rest her head on my shoulder.

As Cera and Sally relax and wait for the sun to set. The night has already captured the elven kingdom. There is chaos in the capital, more so than there has been for centuries. The royal family is running around with their heads cut off, figuratively, of course. The angriest and desperate of these elves in the royal family is the Queen and ruler of the elven kingdom. The rumors that Slayer Zern is traveling with an elf have been confirmed, and not only does this shake plans for the elves. The identity of the elf Slayer Zern is with causes problems.

I can't believe this is actually happening. A damn half-blood ex-slave is going to ruin all my plans for the future. I'm looking around my council, and many of them are not wearing happy expressions. In fact, we are all royally pissed off right now. "Does anyone know how the hell Saliandra Orvello is still alive and is with Slayer Zern? She is a baby born from rape and has had her purity taken from her when she was a slave in the Barony of James. Why in the hell is Slayer Zern traveling with her?" Many of the council members look at each other.

The Orvello house has been a great ally to my kingdom. Saliandra's mother was supposed to marry my eldest son. Instead, she was captured and raped by bandits on her way to the capital. Having been deemed impure now, the wedding and engagement were canceled. Later we all found out that Saliandra's mother was pregnant with her. Another massive disgrace to the Orvello family. They then banished her, and she ended up a slave in the Barony of James. She gave birth to Saliandra there, and now Saliandra has apparently become a very close ally and possible lover to Slayer Zern.

The amount of problems this causes is insurmountable. Not only does Saliandra undoubtedly bear resentment towards us. "All we know is that a little after Saliandra turned 20, she escaped from the barony of James and has been on the run ever since. The Orvello family demands that we either capture and imprison her or hunt her down and kill her. However, that is impossible due to the relationship she has with Slayer Zern." Of course, the Orvello family will try to cause more problems instead of help fix them.

I sigh and rub my hands across my temple. This is a clusterfuck that I have no idea how to fix. A damn half-breed bitch is going to be the downfall to all my plans. "Do we even know where they are at the moment?" I ask a question that I know we don't have the answer to, but I can hope. The worried expressions across the council tell me that everything is only going to get worse. I'm sure Saliandra hates and resents us. So that will come back to bite us in the ass. Markwer stands up and clears his throat. He is one of my best allies. He is in charge of the kingdom's spies.

He looks me dead in the eye. "I think it's in our best interest to prepare for a bloody confrontation with Slayer Zern and Saliandra. My spies in the palace in Zenith told me that Slayer Zern was asking about specific things about the elven kingdom. Our troop count, how power as a nation, our population. The location of the capital. I'm sure that an attack from Slayer Zern is coming in the future. Most likely at the request of Saliandra." My head spins at the new information. This throws everything on its head.

As the meeting continues in the elven capital, the two people it's about are lying in the tent now that the sun has set. There is something that has yet to be known to Cera. Something that he has put off asking, and it's, of course, about Sally. Cera knows that elves aren't given human names like Sally. He knows that elven names are extravagant and long. That's no different with Sally. He is trying to find the right words to ask her if he can know her full name. After all, she knows his now. It's only fair that his curiosity is satisfied.

I sit in silence as I try to find the right words. I want to know sally's full name, the one her mother gave to her. Perhaps just asking about it is the best thing to do. Get it over with. "Sally..." She lifts her head at my worried voice, and I can see her confusion on it. "Can I ask you something personal?" She wears a curious look, and she nods her head with a smile. "What's your real name? I know Sally is too human for an elf... Your mother would have given you a beautiful elf name..." She looks at me in surprise and shock. She probably thought she'd never had to do this.

She rolls back on her side and releases a deep sigh. I don't know if she'll tell me or not, but I'd like to know. "My mother was from a noble family called Orvello... She was to be married to the eldest prince... Not until my nameless bandit father's gang captured her, raped her, and impregnated her with me..." I can hear the pain and fear in her voice. I wrap my arm around her, and she hugs me a little tighter. "I didn't know my name until I read my mother's 2nd diary... It's Saliandra Orvello... That's my real name... I always preferred Sally..." I kiss her forehead as she finally lets the tears flow.

This girl has been through so much, and so many people would demean her for the things she's been through. Make her feel disgusting and ugly for her existence. I'll never feel that way about her. "My bandit scum father is probably long dead... I don't even know his name..." Her voice is shaky and is choking up between sobs. Asking a simple question can sometimes bring up the worst of someone's pain and past. I shouldn't have asked her, but I'm glad I know her real name now. I run my fingers through her hair as I hold her, and she cries. 

I could say something right now to make her feel better. However, I think just letting her cry and get all the pain out is what she needs right now. There are moments when a woman just needs to vent and cry. Someone to lean on while that happens. It can greatly help. "I'm sorry that I'm such a disgusting existence..." She lets out a put down on herself between her sobs. People have probably been telling her that her whole life, and it's in her head that she is like that. I don't know what to say, so she doesn't think like that, but I'm going to give it my best damn shot.