Siren's Reach - Fallen Lands Book 3

Chapter twenty

The City at River's End

Alice

Alice stood outside the Havencross Merchant's Guild, watching the team she'd hired to bring her cargo to Irvine's Ferry. They had just finished hitching up her two new super cows, Mooey and Stompy, to her slightly used Caravan. She'd had her first experience as a makeshift caravanner when they returned the other passengers to Havencross. After the attempted abduction by pirates and their subsequent deaths, no one could claim to own the caravan, its oxen, or its cargo, and Caeda had been quick to point out that meant it was salvage. The only ones present who could honestly say they'd had a hand in fighting the pirates were Alice and the crazy fox girl Amélie. But there was no contest. Their new traveling companion had happily told Alice that she should keep it all, and with how things had been going, Alice wasn't about to argue with her. Besides, those giant, adorable cows were great. She wasn't sure what to make of their new friend. Amélie had been kind to them so far, if a little weird, and she was even a healer. But Alice could tell she was a bit of a mischief maker, and her teasing remarks about why Alice was looking for the other [Hero] were unrelenting all the way up until they'd separated and each made their own way back to town. She was supposed to be making her way down to the docks where Amélie should be waiting, but she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with her just yet.

"You look a little stressed," Caeda said from beside her.

"Not stressed. Exasperated. I'm second-guessin' if we should be takin' our own caravan instead of travelin' with Amélie. Don't get me wrong, she's nice, but the endless teasin' is startin' to drive me a little crazy."

Caeda chuckled, "I don't think she's being serious at all. Or, well, worst case, if she is, it sounds like the [Hero] is very pretty."

"Not you, too!" Alice told her, but her mock outrage was ruined by a grin. "But we'll be stoppin' by your home, and I'll finally get to see the Dragonspine River. Maybe it'll be worth it."

"Traveling with me is always worth it!" a cheerful voice called out from just behind them, causing them to spin in surprise. "Is everything ready to go?"

"I thought we were meeting at the docks?" Caeda asked, hand over her pounding heart.

Amélie nodded, twirling her parasol over her shoulder as she slowly walked closer to them, "Yes, we were meeting at the docks, but that was an hour ago. I was getting worried."

Alice didn't answer at first, taking in Amélie's appearance. When they'd met, she had been wearing a regal, almost heroic set of armor, though Alice hadn't been able to really focus on her appearance much more than that with everything going on. But now, standing in this calm and peaceful town, she found it hard to focus on anything else. Amélie was dressed in a beautiful silk sundress in soft pastels of sky blue, gentle lavender, and sunny yellow that subtly changed as she moved, mimicking the shifting shades of a summer sky at sunrise. Tiny shimmering dragonfly earrings that seemed to float rather than be connected by a chain gently fluttered near her ears, and a delicate bracelet made of twisting vines with tiny flowers that were slowly blooming and fading was wrapped around her wrist. Her soft, elegant sandals were simple in design, but from the base of each, delicate ribbons rose, twining gracefully around her ankles and tracing the contours of her calves in a slow, mesmerizing dance with a subtle iridescence reminiscent of sunlight on water. As her eyes traced their way back to Amélie's face, the foxgirl's mild look of concern turned to one of amusement, and she stopped to strike a teasing pose, but Alice didn't care. Her eyes finally met the impossible blue of Amélie's, shimmering like clear pools under a summer sun. She studied the girl's light yet somehow magically alluring makeup and her perfect red hair cascading down in waves that occasionally sparkled with what looked like tiny flecks of dew.

Dropping her photogenic pose, Amélie smiled brilliantly at Alice and Caeda and finished closing the distance, her presence filling the air with the faint yet alluring scent of roses and summer peaches. "Is my outfit so captivating? I will take that as a compliment! I have been working on some ideas to show off for Sir Regis."

Alice nearly coughed and shook her head, "Well, yeah. That's gonna catch the eye of anyone who ain't dead. You look amazin'. That don't even seem real. Is it magic?"

Amélie's smile began to show hints of pride as she turned to show off a little more. "Yes, a lot of it is, and thank you. I have layered in some illusion and spiritual magic to create the full effect. I'm trying to find that perfect summer look, you know?"

Alice stumbled for a moment to respond until Caeda stepped in, "Well, I think you found it. That is more than a little distracting, and not just to the two of us. We should get back to the ship before you cause a riot."

Amélie grinned, but Alice looked around and saw that she was definitely gathering a lot of attention. She cleared her throat, "Yeah, let's get goin'." She didn't wait for the others to agree and started in the direction of the docks, with them both falling into step beside her as she passed, "Where'd you even find stuff like that?" The crazy fox girl stepped closer, linking her arm in Alice's, "Well, some of it was custom-made by Ophelia Dalen. We have a lot of fun coming up with new designs, and her work is beautiful. And then the rest was, just as you said, magic! And do not worry, I will not tell poor Evelyn how you were looking at me. Her heart is too fragile."

Alice snorted, "I got a feelin' she'd understand. I ain't even into that, and I'm still feelin' a little shook."

Amélie's giggle was not what she'd expected in response, "Well then, I have some good news. Evelyn is every bit as beautiful as I am. Only she is a little more shy. There is hope for you two, yet."

"Maybe I should've just gone with the caravan."

Amélie's laughter filled the air as they made their way back to the ship. As soon as they stepped onto the platform left empty for them, calls went out, and exasperated-looking marines, who were obviously meant to be Amélie's guards, approached and waited with them for the gondola to be lowered.

Once aboard the ship, Amélie had introduced them to the "acting captain," a middle-aged gentleman who was very polite and professional, before showing them to a cabin of their own. While the ship was obviously a military vessel in its purpose, its interior was much more luxurious than Alice had expected, almost making her think of a slightly toned-down early 1900s luxury ship. Not quite as opulent as the Titanic, but it was close. The atmosphere was like someone built it with love and meant for it to be a home away from home. The cabin only solidified that impression. While it was not very large, having a pair of bunk beds, a writing desk, and a pair of comfortable chairs taking up most of the space, all of it was very ornate and elegant. It spoke of wealth on an unreasonable level, and between the deference everyone was showing to Amélie and everything they saw on the way down to their room, Caeda began to put some pieces together that she didn't like. It was obvious from their initial meeting she was at least some kind of retainer for House Dalen, but every interaction made it more and more obvious that she was at very least a moderately powerful noble as well. She really should have figured it out with the fabulous display of magic and wealth she was wearing, casually mentioning that parts were made by Princess Ophelia Dalen herself. She knew Alice didn't care about things like Nobility, which she could likely get away with to some extent – She was a [Hero] after all. But Caeda couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

They stood alone in their room after Amélie left them to settle in, and Caeda looked around before taking her pack off and putting it on a chair.

"Alice, I think Amélie is more than she says she is. We should be careful."

Alice tipped her head to the side questioningly as she put her own bag down, "How do ya mean? And careful of what?" She didn't look worried in the least.

"I mean, I'm fairly certain that she's a noble and not a minor one. I think that while being grateful for her help, we didn't think to ask what she might want in return. She's been very friendly so far, but it isn't like the nobles to be so casual with commoners nor so free with their favors. I'm worried she might ask for something in return that we can't give her or change her mind about letting us talk to her with so little deference."

She received a shrug in response, "I wouldn't worry 'bout it so much. If Amélie wants us to repay a favor, I'll do it, so long as it's reasonable, and if not, I'll tell her as much. She's obviously strong, but I don't get the feelin' she'd try to hurt us. Besides, she seems real close to Evelyn. It's probably in her best interest to help us reunite."

That eased Caeda's worries a little bit, and she relaxed, "I guess there isn't much we can do about it now, anyway. Evelyn is supposed to be a fox beastkin, too. With how rare beastkin are now, it's quite a coincidence. Perhaps that is how they met."

Alice shot her a teasing grin, "Unless there ain't no Amélie, and we've already met Evelyn in disguise."

Caeda barked a laugh, "Oh, that would be something! I seriously doubt it, though."

"Well, maybe we should just talk to her 'bout our concerns and see what she has to say," Alice said, turning for the door. "For now, I think I'm gonna find a spot on the top deck to watch the world go by. They're gonna be patrollin' for pirates the whole trip, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of beautiful scenery to take in."

That made Caeda stop and think for a moment before she quickly moved to follow her friend, "That's not a bad idea, unless she gets offended by it. Maybe I should take care of it. You know, so she isn't upset with you if something goes wrong."

Alice agreed, mostly because she thought the two of them talking would calm Caeda's nerves. It also would give her some time alone to practice her magic while she took in the scenery without feeling like she was ignoring her friend. No one minded them wandering along the deck, and a particularly ferocious-looking wolfkin even gave Alice a suggestion where she could relax to watch the world go by and practice her magic in peace. Caeda left her to it in a break from their normal practicing side by side, instead heading for the quarterdeck where she expected to find Amélie. When she awkwardly made her way up the steps, she was informed that her host was below decks and given directions to find her. With a quick word of thanks, she changed directions back toward where they'd just come from and found that the "Door" she was directed to was an incredibly ornate double door that was much closer to the rear of the ship. She stared at the carvings of battling airships, demons, and what she could only assume were supposed to be gods for a few moments before steadying herself with a deep breath and knocking.

"One moment!" she heard chime out in the fox girl's unique accent. That moment dragged into nearly twenty seconds before the door swung open to reveal Amélie now wearing a strange set of overlapping robes with floral designs that reached her ankles and her hair now back in a simple ponytail. "Oh, hello Caeda! Come in! I've just finished making some tea!"

With that, she stepped back and motioned for Caeda to enter. Still confused about how she should handle Amélie alone, she bobbed into a small curtsy and muttered, "Thank you, my lady."

"None of that. Just wait for me at the table. I'll get another cup!" Amélie cheerfully told her with another encouraging motion, and Caeda obliged.

She took in the size of the room, the large bed and open layout, and the table large enough to be used for a mixture of planning, writing, and eating. She took a seat and said, "This is the captain's quarters.. are you actually the [Hero] Evelyn in disguise?"

Amélie laughed and shook her head as she moved to join her, "That would be a terrible disguise. No, I am exactly who I said I was. Technically, this is Evie's room, but she is not here, so I am using it."

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Caeda stared at her for a long moment, watching her pour them both tea and thinking. When Amélie passed her a cup, she finally asked, "Are you her companion then? You two must be close if she lets you use her room."

The question was not what Amélie expected, and the mixed confusion and amusement gave that away before she answered. "We are close, but no, I am not her companion."

"Then.. are you trying to become her companion?" Caeda asked, but her eyes widened at another possibility, "Or perhaps you are trying to become Alice's companion? Is that why you are helping us?"

Amélie barely held back her laughter, "No, nothing like that. I am beginning to suspect you did not come down here just to enjoy my company. What is on your mind?"

Steeling herself against any repercussion, Caeda decided in that moment to be blunt. "I am certain you are a noble, but you haven't introduced yourself as one. I'm worried about your motives and the repercussions they might have on us."

"Ah," Amélie breathed out before nodding, "I see why you might be worried, but you shouldn't be. I did not introduce myself as one because it is not something I need to flaunt in every conversation. I doubt that Alice would know how to respond to a noble differently from a commoner in either case, and I can already see that it is making you uncomfortable. I wanted to avoid that."

"I hadn't thought of that. So, then, what do you want in repayment for your help? I've never known a noble to offer something without a hidden cost. Alice doesn't deserve to have something like that hanging over her head. She's a good person."

The blunt words surprised Amélie again. Rather than contest them, though, she let a sly expression fill her features. "You are a smart one. I will make you a deal. I will let you repay me right now and leave Alice completely clear of any debt. But if I do this for you, you have to accept now, and you cannot ask what the price is."

Caeda looked both affronted and terrified. That sounded a lot like an ultimatum, and it would let Amélie demand just about anything. Could she even say no? Considering everything Alice had done for her, did she even want to try? Forcefully stilling the shiver in her spine, she nodded, "I'll do it."

Amélie nodded, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. "Then, my price is simple. You must stop questioning my motives and play along. You cannot repeat anything I am about to tell you until after Alice has met Evelyn, not even a small hint, and you must finish your tea before it gets cold. This is my favorite tea. Please do not waste it."

Caeda quickly picked up her cup, taking a sip of the herbal tea before her eyes went wide. "It's so good!"

"Yes, I know. Now, let me introduce myself again. I am Princess Amélie Shakespeare Dalen, Evelyn's sister, and a [Hero] as well."

Caeda nearly dropped her tea, "Wait. There are three [Heroes]? How is that possible?"

Amélie shrugged, "It is very complicated, but no, there are not three. There are four. You will meet Sibylla soon enough, too."

"I'm glad I'm already sitting down." Caeda muttered, but after a moment, she looked back up, "How serious are you about Evelyn trying to make Alice join a harem? Is she really so deviant?"

That made Amélie burst into laughter that took several seconds to die down, "Oh, gods, no! She's so sweet and innocent! Evelyn has had a few suitors trying to get her attention, but she's oblivious to their attempts or becomes very uncomfortable. I thought she might be interested in Prince Lucius after how well they got along, but convincing her to even consider it was nearly impossible. I thought that if she had a little romance in her life, it would help keep her happy, but she wanted nothing to do with it. She even tried arguing with me that she doesn't need a lover and can just keep a book as her bedmate!"

For several seconds, silence surrounded them, and Caeda stared at Amélie in confusion. Finally, she asked, "Then why are you teasing her so much? She thinks you're trying to prepare her for a very different situation."

Amélie sat back in her chair, a languid smile on her face, "Because when they finally meet, it is going to be hilarious. Besides, if Alice is open to the idea…" At Caeda's incredulous expression, Amélie snorted, "Okay, it really is just a prank. You better not ruin it. You agreed. Evelyn has been through some very hard things since coming here. I think having an awkward introduction due to my games will help them relate better as they turn their ire on me. Then Evie will have a new friend from back home who will be easier to talk to. Sometimes, it is more comfortable to just talk to a friend, without the fear of judgment and expectations you have with family."

"Alice has been through a lot, too. Are you sure that is fair or a good idea?"

Amélie shrugged, "I do not see how it could be unfair. It works both ways. Evelyn is very kind-hearted. She wouldn't take advantage of Alice. Having someone in the same situation they can confide in might benefit them both."

Caeda seemed to relax at her words, at least for a moment, but then asked, "Wait, if you're a [Hero] too, how have you not been through as much as Evelyn?"

Sadness filled Amélie's eyes as she nodded at the words. "Evelyn has done a lot to protect me from the things she's dealt with. She came to find me and saved me from ending up in a horrible situation she later found herself having to deal with. Sometimes, she makes hard decisions that she keeps secret from the rest of us to protect us from the consequences. We often do everything together, but I cannot always be there with her."

The explanation left Caeda even more confused, "What're you talking about? Everyone knows how she killed Jalmonnoth, destroyed the necropolis, and liberated West Peak after freeing thousands of slaves. I've never heard any stories of her related to anything with serious consequences."

Amélie nodded, "Sure you have. Those stories, in particular, are a good example. The parts they imply but never speak of. She did free thousands of slaves from West Peak. We did our best to save everyone we'd heard about from the rebels or stories being told. We even planned to leave after dealing with the leaders of the fallen. But when she understood beyond a doubt that it was impossible to liberate the city and it would only be so long before the demons flooded out to hurt more people and destroy more towns, she made a call. West Peak didn't erupt without prompting. She knew it would clear the mountain of its demonic invaders, and it did. The thing that no one talks about, though, is that West Peak was a city of millions before it fell. She did save several thousand of them, but how many more do you think were in those tunnels, slaving away under the brutal control of the fallen? We had no way of knowing that we'd found all the survivors under that mountain, only that if there were any more, they'd die a slow, torturous death, or worse, long before anyone would be able to save them. She keeps a brave face up for everyone, but I know that decision haunts her even if it was the right one to make."

Caeda's face filled with horror as the words sank in, "That's awful! She killed all those people? How was that the right decision to make?"

"We will never know if she did. But perhaps before you judge her for it, you should talk to some of the survivors from West Peak. I have. Each and every one of them thinks what she did was a kindness and one that they would have begged for if they were still trapped in those mines. I do not even know where to begin explaining to you the horrible things those people were going through. I understand what you are saying. I could not have done it, and Evelyn knew that, so she did not tell me her plan until it was far too late. Even then, I did not realize the implications until after we had made our own escape. She still has not said a word to me about it, and I worry about her."

The elf sat there in silence for nearly a minute before she spoke again. "Perhaps I should not be so quick to judge. It is just such a terrible thing to happen. This is not how I thought this conversation would go. I don't know what I really expected, but not this. I won't tell Alice, but please try not to overwhelm her."

Amélie gave Caeda a soft smile, "Do not worry. A little light teasing is good for her, but I will be careful. Now, drink your tea, and let's talk about less serious things."

The days went by quickly, especially after Amélie introduced them to their new magic theory tutor, Lady Constance. It wasn't something they'd expected, but the first evening when they'd joined Amélie and Constance for dinner, and their classes and inexperience were mentioned, it was as if the lessons were a foregone conclusion. It was simply too dangerous for them not to have at least some guidance. Of course, neither Alice nor Caeda objected. They were both eager to learn more about being mages, and Constance was more than happy to bury them in a pile of books and lessons. They spent a few hours each morning under her guidance, yet another thing that made Alice feel indebted to Amélie and made Caeda feel a little guilty about not being able to explain her greater understanding of the situation. The amount of work almost felt like accelerated university courses to Alice, but Constance made it very clear how dangerous magic could be many times, and they both understood how important the lessons were. It might have felt like a lot in other circumstances, but with nothing else to do over the next couple of days, always having one book or another to study actually helped them both relax.

It was on the afternoon of the third day when the Dragonspine River came into view. Caeda nearly dragged Alice to the bow of the ship to watch their approach and see where the river met the sea. The river was a monstrous thing, far larger than Alice had ever thought a river could be. Alice had expected another town similar to Havencross. What she saw was completely different in its layout, architecture, size, and culture. The city they were approaching – and it was indeed a city, not a town – was built on a series of platforms over the water and islands connected by bridges. Each little island had its own roads and walkways, but they seemed to be mainly for locals, with most people using the canals and waterways between them in place of roads. From as far away as they were, she could see some of the wide piles descending below the floating platforms and buildings to support the city over the water and silty soil. The delta of the Dragonspine was massive compared to what she'd seen around Havencross, and it spread out into a wide fan of distributaries spanning more than twelve miles of the coast. The city looked to span most of it, seeming larger than it actually was with its short structures spread so wide. Alice suspected it might even look more natural from inside the city, with the main channels through the city formed around the major distributaries of the river and the canals spreading out from them into natural waterways for travel. The marinas dotting the coast all had plenty of activity, and the main central port had large ships loading and unloading goods, all protected by a fortified sea wall with several warships in port. It made sense to her that this place would feel safe from the pirate raiders, and it explained why Caeda seemed to have so little concern about the pirate raiders giving Irvine's Ferry any trouble. The place was called Nénalë, originally an ancient city of the sea elves that had been rebuilt time and again as the delta shifted, populations changed, and the world moved forward. As they passed over the city, she could see the influence of each era, starting in the city center with the main docks, the great market, and its surroundings having a distinct style. Each layer of islands expanding out beyond that subtly shifted to different styles of architecture. It was even obvious where some areas of the city had been entirely rebuilt, with large bites in a section being completely different from the surroundings. She was so enthralled with the city she didn't even hear Amélie walking over to join them.

"It is a beautiful city, isn't it? Perhaps we can return sometime soon with the rest of our friends to explore it. I am sure they have a lot of fun things to see and many romantic places a pair of young lovers could sneak away to."

Alice shot her a look, but Amélie only continued to lean on the rail beside her, looking down on the city innocently. She shook her head and sighed, "I wouldn't mind a bit of tourism with friends, but I kinda expected we'd be jumpin' right into savin' the world." The fox girl only shrugged, "Oh, I am sure you will get around to that, but you are still very low level. I think first, we are going to need to help you get stronger. Sometime in the next few years, we can worry about the rest of the world. There is plenty to do right here. This planet is much larger than Earth, after all. It's quite the journey to travel to another continent."

Caeda leaned forward around Alice to look at Amélie, "Where would you even go? The other continents are dead, aren't they?"

"Oh? Is that the story they tell? Well, it would be impossible to know for certain what waits for us there, but it is a fair bet that the rest of the world isn't a barren wasteland. The Fallen need something to feed on, after all."

The conversation brought up something important. Alice didn't really know much about the world. She'd picked up a lot of little things along the way about the going's on of the region she was traveling through, but when it came to the greater world and its history, she hadn't even thought to worry about it. Now, she was suddenly very curious. The moment she opened her mouth to say as much, she found herself faced with an entirely unexpected side of her new friend as Amélie took on the air of a studious professor and filled the rest of their trip upriver with lectures on an abundance of history and culture. She began by telling her more about the "Noble Lands," and even with just a general overview, it quickly became obvious to Alice that the Noble part of that title was propaganda. The history was more tricky, filled with caveats and speculation. Still, with all of Amélie's recent studies and the secrets she'd uncovered with Evelyn, she was able to put together a respectable breakdown of the world's history over the past twelve hundred years. It was far more than even Caeda knew, and there were some uncomfortable revelations. There were a lot of questions, not all of them able to be answered, but by the time Amélie was finished, both Alice and Caeda had a far greater understanding of what they faced.

They were only hours away from Irvine's Ferry, following the meandering path of the river, when Amélie excused herself from the conversation, but as she turned to leave, Alice stopped her, "There's one thing you left out. Nobody seems to know who performed the ritual to summon us. Has Evelyn ever talked to you 'bout that?"

Amélie froze mid-step for just a moment before smiling back at her, "That is a discussion you should have with Evelyn in private. There are some parts of the story that are best not spoken in public."

They watched her go for a few seconds before Caeda elbowed Alice in the side, "That wasn't ominous at all."

Alice only shrugged, "It ain't like it matters much. I'm here now, and I've got a job to do."

Caeda bit her lip, trying to think of a way to speak her mind without breaking her promise. "Maybe. But I have a feeling that if Evelyn knows, Amélie does too. I think they are very close."

"Knowin' that weird fox, it's just another one of her plots to get Evelyn and me alone."

They watched the river below as they continued to travel in silence for some time. When they'd first turned north, the river had been over a dozen miles wide, broken into so many channels to form its delta. As they continued traveling north throughout the day, they all wove back together, and the river narrowed, now only about two miles across. The forests along the east bank began to fill in with thicker and taller trees spanning all the way to the mountains around them, making the entire scene feel majestic. That wasn't what had captured Alice's attention, though. Just looking at the water below gave her a feeling of peace. She knew she was somehow bound to the river, but she'd never expected that feeling of coming home that it filled her with. She only broke out of her daydreams of floating around in the water below when Caeda began excitedly pointing out boats and ferries that she recognized from home, and not long after that, the docks of Irvine's Ferry came into view.