Tanya's Third Life as a Barbarian Queen, Chapter LIV

I will have the chapter as links to download at the bottom of the post. As well as a link to the Google Document page.

Kontia.

Tanya, High Queen of the Lepus.

Building two hundred and five apartment blocks took a remarkable amount of resources. Labour was not an issue; I had so many slaves, freemen, and legionary prisoners, I could have near-constant work shifts. Mortar, stone and concrete were likewise plentiful, even if focusing on the apartments meant that the bridge repairs would be delayed.

Even things like textiles, iron fittings and nails were being produced and stockpiled faster than they could be made. I did need to source iron mines as I was quickly depleting the surface deposits and stockpiles of Kontia, but supply would hold out for a while longer.

Clay too was a near infinite resource as far as I could see, but the abundance of clay meant little if the fuel to fire bricks was being rapidly depleted. Trees far and wide were being cut down, dragged back to Kontia and set aside for carpenters or fed to the charcoal burners. A truly remarkable amount of wood was being consumed daily and the scattered forests would be depleted before I had an acceptable stockpile of fuel for the winter, or had enough bricks fired to finish my apartment blocks.

It had become critical after the Wyvern’s had damaged hundreds of buildings in Kontia itself. Homelessness had become an issue and people would freeze to death during the winter if I could not build enough insulated structures to make efficient use of the fuel I had.

I had to pick up the pace, make sacrifices, interfere in the free market by restricting the use of fires and the stockpiling of fuel. Hardly something I wanted to do but quite necessary considering the situation. Food was a concern of course, we had enough for a year and a half considering our current production and stockpile. There had been a noticeable dip in production from the fishery sector and I had to hold myself back from grinding my teeth in frustration at that.

That issue had been resolved.

I watched as one of the Kontian architects ordered a support pillar pulled down when it did not meet his standards and I felt my face twitch as bricks, mortar, concrete representing days of manhours was rendered worthless by one sloppy work team.

Regardless I had to source more food and more wood. I had considered coal as a fuel source but there were no suitable surface deposits in the local area and that very likely meant there were prospective mines either. That put a rather harsh dampener on any potential industrialization program I attempted. I was effectively operating on borrowed time, Kontia was a near perfect city in terms of defensive capacity if I could intensify farming, but I had to look outwards if I wanted to secure future growth.

I looked out at the field of holes, streets marked out and foundations as well as basements dug, furnaces built with channels between each structure for future installation of plumbing as well as air ducts for shared heating... for a moment uncomfortable similarities to socialist housing projects worlds away pressed upon my mind but I quickly dismissed such misgivings.

I was not restricting the capacity for any person to build their own apartment blocks, or to build up their own ability to produce such structures!

“You called for me, My Queen.” I gladly cast aside such musings and turned about to see the prospective queen of the Mora approaching me with Lieutenant Breha behind her. Breha commanded one of the few cavalry formations I had established. An experiment with mixed success, the women under her command were fine warriors and were equipped with the highest quality weapons and armour we could find, each of them having at least one enchanted piece of equipment.

Yet they remained a somewhat mediocre cavalry company, compared to Saderan Equitates, they simply did not have the riding experience or the training to make effective use of shock attacks or rapid riding. It did not make them useless however, on the strategic level Breha’s company could move more material faster than any other formation and when dismounted they were unmatched heavy infantry.

It was just a bit frustrating that I still lacked any competent cavalry. 

“Vera!” I gave the young woman a smile and put a hand on her shoulder. “I apologise for making you walk all the way out here.” We were a mile or so from Kontia owing to my desire not to build over any land currently being used for agriculture. Hardly an issue for logistics considering how flat everything was around here. “You too Lieutenant.” I offered and she returned my consideration with a smile and a nod.

“Think nothing of it.” Vera laughed as I turned about and placed my hands at the small of my back.

“Very good, the task I have for you is somewhat sensitive and it’s best discussed well away from the people of Kontia.” With the young Prince in the city there was a risk of an intelligence network being formed, there were some things that I wanted kept outside of the notice of the Saderans until they had sufficiently matured.

“We have to go all the way out here for that?” Vera said with a frown.

“It is trivial to use magic to eavesdrop on conversations happening within a few hundred feet of a Mage.” I informed the pair of them. “For the sufficiently skilled it is also possible to totally conceal that sort of magic. It is unlikely that the remaining undetected mages in Kontia have the talent to do that without my notice, but it is not impossible.” 

“What would you have us do?” Breha spoke up, prompting me to turn to regard the pair of them.

“I would do this myself if I could.” I confided in the pair of them. “But I am needed here for a great many things. Developing the shipbuilding project the most pressing. We need boats.” I mused.

“Boats? You know how they are built?” Vera looked surprised and I supposed she had never actually seen a boat, like the majority of my people.

“More or less, I also have an idea that could vastly improve on them, but I need Mages for it... and to test the enchantment itself.” I hummed. “So while I am working on this I need to rely upon the pair of you as my diplomatic envoys. Vera, you will prepare a small retinue, no more than ten persons, take people who are capable of travel and who are diplomatic. People who are not prone to outbursts of violence. Breha, gather your company and take them to Fort Twenty Six. Likewise you are to prepare for several weeks worth of travel. You are not to inform your subordinates where you will be traveling nor will you tolerate speculation. In a few days I will have some wagons sent to the fort and I will arrive to give you your final orders.” 

“Understood My Queen.” Vera and Breha offered before turning around and beginning an admittedly rather excessive walk back to Kontia.

I however had an Amethyst deposit to visit. Without a word I began to jog though the planned city, drawing curious glances from the Legionaries building it for me. 

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Okuillin, Head city of the Eastern Coalition.

Tlaue’Lilok, Sacred Priest of Emroy.

A pair of young fillies giggled as I chased them through a shallow river, sparkling in the sunlight. I could feel my youthful and potent muscles propelling me forwards as I hunted the pair, letting them stay just beyond my grasping claws and enjoying the squeals of delight as they only just escaped my lunges. The air was so warm my scales were dry moments after being submerged with not a single cloud covering the vast blue sea of the sky. I threw myself forwards grasping the flailing limbs as the object of my desire feigned resistance, dragging her to the riverbank as her fellow pranced about laughing. 

I threw my prize to the soft grassy incline and laid atop of her, drinking in her scent, her lustful gaze, I felt her fellow lay on my back and whisper promises of such pleasure th-

I fell, the sudden sensation of my stomach being launched into my throat as my mind tried to explain how I could be falling before I blinked awake. My back hurt, my knees hurt, my arms... pretty much every single joint in my body was stiff and painful even if I had not just been kicked out of bed.

“I hate you so much.” I deadpanned as I glared up at the wizened, decrepit form of the High Priest who glared down at me.

“You missed morning prayer and in case you forgot you have a meeting to attend today.” The half blind old bastard sneered at me where he had kicked me from my bed. “To compound that there have been reports of a man eater harrying villages to the north, I have promised our oh so renowned Tlaue’Lilok will resolve the matter.”

I struggled to get my limbs under my body before I pushed myself to my feet on muscles that were far from youthful. The potency of my youth being perhaps the most enticing part of that now distant dream.

“You should be attending Coalition meetings.” I snapped at my superior as I shuffled over to a water basin in that awkward gate one had to adopt when you woke up after having a very interesting dream. “I don’t care about politics.” I snapped as the bane of my existence loomed, his faded scales competing with gold chains wrapped around his body that shone in the candlelight.

“It’s tradition that Sacred Priests attend such things.” The High Priest of Emroy in Okuillin explained as if I was a child. “But you have bigger problems! A man eater harassing villages is unacceptable!” He snapped at me as if it was my fault that people were being killed by some beast.

“We have so many promising prospective Sacred Priests tha-” I began, only to be cut off.

“And waste the lives of our most promising youth!? What an absurd and cowardly sentiment!”

“Ah, better to use up the old then?” I looked at my mouth in the bronze mirror and used a small pair of pliers to pull out a few teeth that had seen better days, dropping them in the basin as I glared at the old fool. “Send me off, hope I get eaten, will you?”

“Obviously.” The vicious old man agreed with a toothy grin. “But before your demise I want a full report on what the magistrate wants. I expect they will be talking about the Tlakatl a lot, the other temples are looking to us after the Envoy approached Aksu out for an alliance with the Tlakatl. Don’t make a fool of us and don’t overstep yourself.” He glared at me as I pulled the silken black and white clothes denoting my station onto my body, hiding old scars and scales whose luster had faded with time before I approached one of my few friends in this life.

I stepped past the stupid old man and grasped the handle, black as night, and tested the weight of the halberd. Even after all this time her beauty was breathtaking as I adopted a series of stances to test her weight in my claws. “Good morning.” I whispered to the weapon as she thirsted for blood.

“You had better hurry, the meeting starts within the hour.” The High Priest snapped as I cursed and shouldered my weapon and launched myself forward, my advanced age forgotten as I had to get to the other side of the blasted city.

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“There is of course the matter of the Tlakatl City.” The magistrate began, drawing a talon across the smoothly polished stone table. “Since it has been overtaken by the Tochtli we have seen many new buildings being constructed as well as new farms being built further from the walls of the city itself.” I hurried through the hall as more than a few faces glanced over to me, but they could glare or snicker all they liked.

I was only a little bit late after all. I simply had to stop in the marketplace and have several dozen of Otleko’s renowned fish rolls. Emroy would understand. I quickly found my seat and settled into it, looking around and trying to meet the eyes of a servant.

“It’s curious that the savages have not reduced the place to rubble.” The minister for public works commented before sipping from a warm cup of tea. “This new Tochtli war-lady is said to be quite cunning, she will prove to be a dangerous neighbour if the Tlakatl are unable to defeat her in the next battle.” 

“The Far Seers have said that she has created an army unlike any other in the world. The women under her command march in ordered ranks and use spear and sling as a common weapon. It’s quite the departure from how they would fight before.” The Sacred Priest of the Wise Twins spoke up, her melodic and frankly sexy voice effortlessly carried through the hall. “But the Seers also report seeing a particular Envoy in her company.” The entire room shifted to look at me while I tried to whisper to a servant that I wanted a cup of tea.

“Ah yes.” I began, suppressing a yawn. “It is understood that the Envoy of the Dark One sought to bring the people of Aksu into conflict with the Tochtli by aiding the starving Tlakatl.” I told the assembled lords and bureaucrats. “But the Tlakatl refused the aid of the Aksu and now the survivors of that army are slaves to the Tochtli. In recognition of her mastery of war it is likely that the Envoy is serving as an advisor to the Tochtli War-Lady.”

“It is likely?” The magistrate prompted.

“Emroy has not seen fit to offer us any specific guidance on the matter. Only visions of frustration from the Envoy that the Tlakatl refused an alliance with Aksu.” 

“Perhaps for the best.” The magistrate offered with a shrug. “I dislike the idea of our blood being spilt for the sake of the Tlakatl. In this way we can offer the Tochtli gifts of peace and allow them to war against the Tlakatl as is their way.”

“Indeed.” Commander Tokatin exclaimed between bites of dried meat. “The Tochtli deal poorly with our waterworks in war, this new War-lady will do well to not see her eyes grow bigger than her belly, she has a city to digest and shall gain nothing but death from seeking one of ours.”

“How do we present such a sentiment to her however? We must convince this War-lady that there is no fortune to be had doing battle with us, that there can be peace between our peoples... After her victory over such a large Tlakatl army she could very well be blood drunk.” The Magistrate offered with a sigh. “We should be careful not to insult her.”

“She could view our gifts as an indication we are scared of her, that we have wealth that can be taken.” I cautioned. “While our Temple might be able to commune with the Envoy, she is unlikely to side with us if we are unworthy or weak. It is through our cunning alone that we should navigate this situation.”

“As is expected from the fickle servants of the Dark One.” Kihtosneki, the Sacred Priest of the Ordered One offered his snide and stupid commentary. I showed him a trio of claws before I ignored him.

“If we do not offer gifts she might believe that we do not recognise her claim to her new land and take great offence at that.” The magistrate countered, ignoring the petty jabs from Kihtosneki.

“Do we recognise that claim? It might be best if we challenge her here and now before she can recover from her battles with the Tlakatl.” Kihtosneki asked.

“If all the cities of the Coalition joined together we could raise an army of perhaps twenty thousand professional soldiers and fifty thousand volunteers.” The Magistrate informed the foolish servant of a foolish God. “If this was a typical Steppe War-Lady then victory would be ours but this one is far from normal. Already hundreds of thousands of Tlakatl and their slaves have been killed in battles across the steppe. I will not have our kin join the hordes of the dead.” 

“We should call for some banners to be raised regardless and set aside funding to refurbish fortifications across the eastern dikes, so much has fallen into disrepair that will be vital to a war effort if we are att-” Commander Tokatin’s proposal was cut off as a runner burst into the hall.

“My Lords!” She shouted, clearly out of breath. “My Lords the Tochtli... The Tochtli have sent a petty war-lady with a retinue to speak with us, they have arrived outside of the city!” The hall was silent for a moment as everyone digested that piece of information before a cacophony of voices all competing with each other filled the hall. Shouting, arguing, assuming, I tuned out the hundreds of officials as I finished my tea and got to my feet, picking up my Halbard as I made my way to the door.

“Where are you going Tlaue’Lilok?” The Magistrate called out as the voices started to die down.

“To see what they have to say of course. Then we can decide what we will do.” I flashed a toothy grin at the assembled lords, priests and officials before more started to get up from their polished stone chairs and join me.

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The City Magistrates Office was the biggest building in Okuillin owing to the settlement's origin as a secular administrative hub for the Eastern Coalition Cities. It stood atop an artificial plateau eighty feet tall and half a mile in diameter. Built from pale stone blocks carefully cut to preclude the need for mortar. The Office complex would stand for thousands of years, high above the waterline and turning the Office into what was effectively a fortress as the only way up to the structure was to climb steep staircases to the east, west and south. 

The Office was a campus with a range of buildings and functions that required a staff of hundreds of officials and thousands of servants to operate as it coordinated a dozen cities across the eastern lakes. 

Long roads from each of the grand staircases were lined with canals with polished pink wooden bridges at regular intervals leading to commercial or residential sectors of the city. Burning incense and vibrant red, blue and green paint on tall stone buildings along the canals were breathtaking. Larger stone bridges were built over the canals to link the main roads with decorative plazas that hosted vast markets or stood in the shadow of great Temples all the while tens of thousands of people filled the streets with shining scales denoting a hundred different tribes and just as many dialects filled the air served to make Okuillin one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in all of the world. Not that I had seen much of the world, it was just plainly obvious that we had the best city.

It was upon the long eastern road that the Tochtli were waiting for us. One hundred and eleven warriors in the most brilliant and potent Tlakatl armour. Just as many horses and six wagons were behind them. They were being escorted by over a thousand of my kin, painted Kuetspallin warriors, likely from outlying settlements. Yet the Tochtli did not seem terribly concerned as they lounged on the cool stone block road me and over a hundred people had walked down to meet with them.

When we reached the waiting Tochtli, one of their number, a tall warrior with a mane of bright and vibrant red running down her back, stepped forwards and opened her arms wide. She spoke in the tongue of the Tlakatl with a strong Tochtli accent.

“I am Queen Vera of the Mora.” She began. “Pureblood Warrior of my Tribe. Head taker of one woman and six men. I command these women and have been given command of the Tanaoi Company of Lieutenant Breha. I speak with the voice and authority of the Mora as well as the voice and authority of all tribes granted to me by my High Queen Tanya.” She finished and waited for someone to come and greet her in the traditional way of the Tochtli. I glanced around at the blank and confused faces of my fellows before I sighed and ambled forwards.

“I am a Sacred Priest of Emroy.” I joined her in speaking in the Tlakatl tongue. “My name is Tlaue’Lilok. I have killed some people, fathered some more, I like to believe I have some authority.” I offered the Petty War-Lady Vera a winning smile as she regarded me for a moment before deciding to accept my greeting for now.

“Well met. I have come because my High Queen regards your kind highly, she is a wise and tolerant person and wishes for us to have an understanding.” I found myself enjoying the exotic tones of the Tochtli woman more than I expected and I ignored the hushed whispers as the woman's words were translated for the people who had never bothered to learn the Tlakatl tongue. “High Queen Tanya, Great Witch Queen, Chosen of Emroy, Slayer of Wyverns, would have your people furnish us with Marketplaces. That your cities open themselves to free and unrestricted commerce between our peoples. She demands nothing more than the opportunity to trade and in the spirit of her desires she has deigned to offer your kind a gift. A petty token of her respect for your... Eastern Coalition.” With that she turned and nodded to one of her fellow warriors as the wagons they had with them began to be unloaded.

It was almost casual how one of their number carried a large and heavy chest forwards to us, opened the top and upturned the chest. There were murmurs of confusion as a pile of large and shiny blue scales was dumped onto the ground in front of us.

Until one of our Shamans gasped, it took me a moment to realise what we were looking at until I sensed the faint hunger on the wind.

Wyvern Scales.

More chests were brought forwards and dumped in front of us, then came steel Tlakatl swords, they were laid out before us without little concern, what must have been a thousand swords and just as many precious wyvern scales giving true credence to the claims that her High War-Lady was a Wyvern Slayer. 

“High Queen Tanya offers this gift as a token of friendship.” The War-Lady of the Mora grinned at the lot of us as I turned to regard the Magistrate who had clear gold-lust in his eyes as he looked upon a gift of such absurd value it beggared belief.

“They want you to allow free trade between them and all of our cities and settlements in return for this gift.” I told the man who gave me an incredulous look before a wide and eager grin consumed his face.

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I am back from my adventures! I did not manage to get much writing done while I was away and things were a lot more stressful than I expected. I am glad to be home and getting back into the swing of things.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_uNS74gsTPWhi4u6VqegQpMESKvx6DEeaaT8DOJLx-M/edit?tab=t.0