Walking bato the yurt with Wen and Dekarru both trying t an answer out of me about what I meant, I ighem and smiled as I sat dowo the sleeping not-married, married couple. I reached out and shga’s shoulder softly “Hey, Red, wake up.”

  Groaning all around the tent told me that others were waking up too. I had beehan quiet, but that was on purpose. Red grumbled something as she turned her head and blinked sleep from her vision, staring at me in annoyance. “Esme, what the fuck?”

  “Have any iing dreams?” I asked with a smirk.

  Her eyes widened pletely and anger filled her gaze. “That was you? That’s a fucked prank-”

  “No. It wasn’t me, I just knew about it ahead of time. I asked for it after all.” I cut her off and diffused her anger.

  She paused and gnced down at her body under her b. “Esme… what-, what the hell?”

  Brigg sat up and rubbed her fad gred at me. “Alright, too early for this shit. Someoell me what’s going on.”

  I bowed to them both and said loud enough for everyoo hear, “I am Esme Dreamsinger, Saint to Vei’Ryn Tayalora, The Dreamer. My Goddess, who is now allied with The Green Mother.”

  I could feel the eyes on me, everyone aying rapt attention. “Stareyes, what is-?” I held up a hand to Dekarru to forestall interruptions.

  “I told my goddess about yours some days ago, and she took a risk and sought her out. The two are now-,” I could feel myself blushing. “They are quite fond of one another and as I was the oo suggest the meeting, I earned a Boon.” I looked Red in the eye. “I decided to ask for something that would help people I loved. So, you should have had visitors st night who asked you if you would accept something. I made sure to insist that your permission be sought first, but I think I know your response.”

  Tears were falling down Red’s face. “You did that, you used a Boon from yoddess for me, f-for us?” She reached out and pulled Briggavel close.

  “I’m hohat you would ask me to be part of your family that way. But I’ve seen your dreams and I think we’d all rather it be like this.”

  Brigg was looking at us both in fusion. Until Red pulled her b aside and revealed her new dick. Her breath caught and she pressed her fato her love’s neck. “This, this is real? It works? I , me and Brigg -?” She sobbed and held her dwarven wife close.

  “That is ihe purpose, yes.” I smiled.

  Briggavel stared between Red’s legs, then turo me and her face too ith tears. “Y-you did this for us?”

  “I want my tribe happy. I know that nothing will make you tier than having children together.”

  “But, you had a fekkin Boon and used it on us?”

  Dekarru cleared her throat. “It would take a boon to make ges like that. Even the most advanced magics I have ’t alter a body that way. Nothing that powerful exists among mortals as far as I know.”

  “But she could have used it for-,” She looked down at my prosthetic. “Ya could have been whole.”

  I shrugged. “I live with this.” I even almost felt like I meant that for once. “It sucks but I’ll adapt. The joy that you two will bring to our tribe with this will be far greater than the fort I would get from having two feet.”

  Weren practically shouted at that point. “Also Dekarru is pregnant!” Everyone, myself included, stared at her, still holding that pte of pancakes. “What? I’m used to girls with dicks. I’m NOT used to her being preggers!”

  Jaina gasped. “So that means your oracle line tinues!” She jumped out of bed and rushed over to hug the shaman tight. I guessed all the time they spent together training Jaina’s magic had a lot of personal talk too.

  Then something clicked in my brain. “OF COURSE!” I cried out and spped my hands over my face. I got looks from everyone. “Sorry, I just figured it out, why I have a cock I mean. Vei’Ryn said she and her pantheon needed me to have children. From what you and Dekarru said, I take it oracles are all desdants of Saints? She needs an oracle line in this world. Goddess that clears that up.”

  Dekarru made a worried face at me. “Um, Stareyes. What do you mean ‘in this world’?”

  “ht.” I took a breath and told everyone what my Goddess had told me. About their purpose here, and mine as her Saint. About how they chose this world both for the low number of gods and the ret hole where the Uvtrayl pantheon oood. Also about how the Green Mother had said they and the Elders were the only ones allowed to know and they should keep things a secret.

  There was silence for a long time. The oo break it was Jaina, her face pale and her hands shaking. “Wh-what do you mean they’re dead?”

  “Jaina?”

  “N-no, no they ’t be!” She stood and started pag. “Yoddess is wrong!”

  Oh. She’s Uvtrayl and I’d just told her her gods are gone. Shit. “Jaina, I’m sorry but they were victims of the Hegemony and their gods.”

  She stormed over and spped me. “No! No, tell me you’re lying. ods are-, they kept us strong for hundreds of years of occupation. We spent millions on rebuilding the old temples! My uncle gave up his career to go bee a priest. We had an underground clergy that the Hegemony would root out and execute, including those who associated with them! And you’re telli was all meaningless!?”

  “Jaina.” Dekarru spoke softly but with power in her voice. “Esme did not kill yods, nor did her Goddess. The Thundering Pantheon has been known to be aggressive and power hungry for as long as my people’s memoes back, and that is a very, very long time.”

  “But-!”

  “JAINA.” The oracle’s voice thrummed with magid Jaina’s mouth snapped shut. “Enough. As an oracle to my own goddess I am horrified at the very idea of the pain yoing through, but do not take that pain out on your tribe.”

  My nurse lowered herself to me and ed her arms around my neck. “I’m sorry.” She spoke with a shaking voice.

  I held her close. “You’re allowed to hurt.” I said and stroked her back. “You wao e to you for all of my hurts. We want you to do the same with us.” She nodded against my shoulder. The best I could hope for at that moment I suppose.

  The hour was a mixed bag of emotions. Red and Brigg wao get right to baby making but the hurt Jaina was going through was the priority. We all forted her as I indulged everyone’s curiosity, answering what questions they asked as best I could. But then someone came with a message for Dekarru and she was sudderemely serious.

  “Stareyes. Get up a dressed. The Elders are all here and the cil is meeting in an hour. You’re ing with me.

  Sudden movement from my side was all the warning I got before I felt Carmil diving into my runes.

  [I am ing as well. Please do nue, this is not a iation. I will behave but I am not leaving my beloved again.]

  With a groan the shaman just nodded a up to leave. Just over an hour ter Dekarru and I walked into a chamber guarded by at least thirty soldiers and mages that I could see. Inside were a colle of middle age to old orcs, most of who seemed at least annoyed if not ht angry. As soon as the doors close behind us, accusations began. I was warned ahead of time and had already figured this was likely so I let it all just pass over me without worry.

  “The hell is your pet champion doing in here, Dekarru? She’s meant to e in after deliberations.” One old man grumbled.

  “Iime you old bastard.” The sage smirked.

  “You’re nearly four times my age!”

  “I’m a, but you’re just old. Grew out of being happy years ago. Fug retire already ahat daughter of yours in. She’s smarter than you anyway.”

  A middle aged woman cleared her throat. “Shall we skip the fight ao the matter at hand?”

  Dekarru grinned, “Lets! In fact, lets skip directly to the end. Esme Dreamsinger is a member of my tribe and this nation.”

  “Not without our approval!” Oremely well dressed man spoke up. Dekarru simply turo me and nodded.

  I stepped forward. “I am Esme Dreamsinger, Saint of The Dreamer. My Goddess, and thus myself, are uhe prote of The Green Mother. You have no power to expel me from these nds.” I gotta admit, it felt GOOD to say that and know it was true.

  A chorus of questions, objes, and insults arose. Dekarru snapped her fingers and a small crack of thunder shocked everyoo silence. “I firm, as oddess’s oracle, that what she says is true. You as well, Ogaro?” she owards an old man that had been quiet thus far.

  He held up a finger and closed his eyes. Everyouro look at him. Several long moments passed before he let out a small chuckle. “The Blue Father sounds annoyed, but agrees. I don’t think his mate asked him before the decision, but he’s not opposing it.” That guy must have been an oracle too, just to their od. I should ask about him at some point.

  Dekarru ughed. “That sounds like them. And there you have it, issue closed. Esme is one of us.”

  There were mostly relieved faces through the group, though fancy boy and one old woman looked worried. I’m guessing that if their gods both say I’m okay that means they don’t have to worry in general, but these two seemed to have other s over me. Which is fine, really. Though I got some seriously sketchy vibes from the well dressed man. He looked too much like a noble while everyone else dressed in simple but fortable clothes. It made warning fgs go off in my brain.

  One middle aged man cleared his throat and pulled out a stack of papers from a briefcase. “Good. Now we get to the bigger issue.”

  The worried old woman gave him a gre. “How in the Green Mother’s tits is there an issue bigger than a Saint of an unknown Goddess being here, Durran?”

  “Yin.” He leveled a very tired look at her. “The Emperor is dead.”

  OH SHIT. Even I caught my breath at that. Everyone fot about me for a moment.

  “What the fuck do you mean dead? He was only a hundred and thirty! He wasn’t even old for an elf!” One very obviously iionally androgynous person asked.

  Durran sighed. “Stroke, maybe heart attack, but my agents are extremely suspicious of that story. His daughter was outspoken against his soft approach to rule and after her older brother died st year in a very unlikely skiing act, she’ll be ohrone in two weeks time.”

  “Well balls. Last thing we need is another fug warmonger leading the Empire.”

  Fancy boy spoke up. “e now Banda, I’m sure she’s not that bad. Durran and his agents are always exaggerating on the evils of the Empire and it’s people. Besides, they ’t do much thty nation anyway.”

  Banda snorted. “That isn’t an excuse for pcy. I say aign for military enlistment.”

  “Well I’ll be damned.” Durran said with brows raised. “We actually agree on something.”

  Banda shook their head. “I know, it feels s.”

  One old woman who was literally knitting looked up. “I agree. I get a campaign going within the week.” She then looked at Dekarru. “It would work a bit better if we had-.”

  “I’ll ask and that’s all I promise.” Dekarru interrupted. I had a moment of fusion before I thought back to that day at the range. Redagga was at least some level of famous, particurly in military circles. So maybe they wanted her to be a figurehead for the recruitment drive?

  Another old man grunted. “More troops would in fact be nice. Last thing I need is my regioing overrun because people think ‘oh the tribes will rally’ and just ignore having a defensive for the first pce.”

  Yin took a breath. “I also agree. We should increase the defenses ireaming Pins. Utros is right, his territory would be hit first.”

  The previous old man nodded in appreciation to the support, Utros apparently. He then turo the knitting woman. “Avarin, how much flexibility do we have in deployment?”

  Avarin sighed. “Not a lot, recious few people with proper soldier csses. Warriors and hunters will do in a pinch but they are harder to move around due to css and ability limitations and focuses. But I see about getting some of the batch kitted out a your way soon.”

  One middle aged woman with her feet oable raised a hand. “Hey, how about we do that thing we’ve beeending to do for years now?”

  “Pellu, what are you talking about?”

  “That thing with Uvtrayl?” Pellu tinued. “The defehing. I mean, they have an actual military aer military aricraft, right?”

  Avarin grunted. “A dragged into their war with Pitrak? No thanks.”

  Durran cleared his throat again. “Actually, that might not be a problem anymore.” Everyouro him. “My people tell me that the Prime Minister of Pitrak is calling for a ceasefire and pushing for peaegotiations. Which from what I hear is pretty heavily supported by the people and even more of the military thahought. The past few weeks have seen them lose a lot of ground to Uvtrayl and with the Emperor’s death, they have all the excuse they o stop the fighting.”

  Everyoook a moment to process this before fancy boy spoke up. “There is no need for this. The Empire isn’t going to start throwing troops at us just because of a ge in hats. Not to mention that if we’re military allies then Uvtrayl is likely to start trying to use us to help muscle in on more territory.”

  “Not if you iate the terms of the pact properly.” I spoke up finally. “Just let them know you’ll happily help them defend their own nds, but not help them take more nor assist them if their greed in that regard causes another war like what they’re currently in. Basically just put in ahical cuse to things that will keep them on their best behavior.”

  “You are not an Elder, you have no-”

  “I think they’re desperate enough for stability they’ll accept it. The warmongers won’t be happy but fuck them anyway.” I tinued on, interrupting him. I did not like the way this guy felt to me so I had no problem just talking over his pints. “It’s not just about the Empire for them. They are also worried that ohings stabilize in the Hegemony they’ll try and recim Uvtrayl. Our nations w together would be one hell of a deterrent. Even for those two. Hell, we might even be able to vine of the smaller nations and vassals to join in and weaken both the Empire and Hegemony while building our own strength.”

  One old man with pale gray ski out a thoughtful ‘hmmm’. “I’m not ied in abs more territory, nor helping Uvtrayl do the same.”

  “Not what I meant, think more just a big grouping of allies. Every nation just agreeing to help each other out if things get messy. ing together in a sort of union of support. Does that sound more reasonable… uh?”

  He nodded. “Targan, and it does. Though it also sounds like a whole lot more political work.”

  “It would be, but it would also mean more safety aer access to trade as you would have a rger number of more secure trading partners.”

  “Are we really letting this… this unknown speak as one of us?” Fancy boy whined again.

  “Junren, good advice doesn’t require power behind it.” Durran all but barked. I think most of the group was getting annoyed with him. “Besides, she’s a damned Saint and allied with ods! That alone means she’s worthy of speaking here.”

  I bowed to him in thanks before tinuing. “Besides, you don’t have to it to anything. Just bring people to the table and talk. If things don’t work out well you just say no and tinue as we have been.”

  “OH! But I do so love ge!” A new voice spoke from the shadows. Everyouro watch a man walk from a er that was far, far darker than it should have been. Tensions spiked instantly.

  Dekarru grunted. “You’re wearing the same face I st saw you in. Losing your touch?”

  The bearded human in heavy furs gred at her and waggled a fihen suddenly his body shifted and ed and a tall elven woman in a dht sdalous red dress was standing in his pce. “Is that better dear oracle?”

  I felt my chest tighten, the Fae Lord had arrived.

  FaultyHyperdrive