‘Shouldn’t you be getting ready yourself?’ Brynd asked.
‘Probably.’
‘Cold feet?’ Brynd pressed, largely to amuse himself.
‘Nah. Well, yes. I’m not the marrying type — or at least I never thought I would be. And it doesn’t seem right, does it? To be having some posh party after all that’s gone on?’
‘We’re not doing it for the party,’ Brynd said.
‘You don’t strike me as the partying kind of guy.’
‘I know how to enjoy myself.’
‘Sure you do. Anyway, so why are we doing this?’
‘Apart from your love for Eir, obviously. .’
‘Obviously. .’
‘People want to know who’s in charge now, they’re looking up to us, and it’s better they see a pretty young couple holding a massive celebration, with free food for everyone and land to dispense to deserving families. It’s a focal point and people deserve a little good news in their lives. And it looks like you’ve picked a good day for it.’
‘Huh,’ Randur said. Then, looking at the papers, ‘So what’s new?’
‘Nearly everything. We’re starting all over again. We’ve had to encourage new equality laws so that the Newlanders-’
‘Is that what they’re being called?’
‘What, you don’t like it?’
‘A bit bland for such exotics, don’t you think?’
‘The more familiar their name, the better. Anyway, the rights of the average citizen have changed. No matter if you’re rumel or human, or indeed one of the many races that are now to live alongside us, everyone has individual rights unless they surrender those by committing certain crimes. It’s the only way to ensure people don’t start hurting each other. People may cross borders freely. People will be given free land to farm, in order to restock our grain supplies. What’s more, people are free to worship more than one god — Artemisia’s people have many, it seems. People are even free to take sexual partners from the new races, if that’s their wish.’
‘There’s a niche for everyone,’ Randur declared.
‘As long as it is not abusive — rape laws have had to change accordingly. And due to accommodating the new cultures, men may bed with men, women with women. There are permits for those who wish to take more than one husband or wife, but that will be examined carefully.’
‘More than one? Why would you want extra grief every day?’
‘As you so often say,’ Brynd continued, ‘everyone has their niche. Now, go on, get ready. The priests are coming soon. Put some decent clothes on — if you’ve got any.’
‘Just because you’ve got yourself some fancy new kit, don’t go getting ideas above your station. If anyone does fashion well, it’s Randur Estevu.’
A phenomenal number of species gathered at the ceremony, which was held on an enormous stage in front of the Citadel. Brynd had ensured the setting was as resplendent as could be, without being too ostentatious. Most of the money would be spent on the thousands of tables of free food and drink that would be laid on throughout the city. It had taken a while to stockpile, and wasn’t as perfect as he would have liked, but it was a bold and important gesture, and the city responded positively. The stage was decorated in red and gold cloth, with elaborate yet humble craft items and ornaments gathered about the stage. Brynd had even taken down Malum’s rotting head from the spike so it wouldn’t make the place stink or put people off their food.
It would be another hour before the event started properly, but people were relaxing, drinking and singing already. A band struck up under a bright yellow awning.
Artemisia’s elders were present, as well as some of her more exotic kin but, pleasingly, there were also a good number of humans and rumels too. There were only a handful of people to bring across from her world now; very little remained there, apart from the last skirmishes of the long-fought war. Any remaining Realm Gates were being sealed off by their agents, and should be little for anyone to worry about and given the passage of time anything beyond the gates would be uninhabitable. Of course, when the last of the gates closed, there would be a gradual warming to come. Artemisia’s elders had given specific instructions that they never be opened again.
Jokull was still an island to be healed: the enemy had established a few minor settlements around the coast and inland, so Brynd had dispatched several regiments of Dragoons along with some alien military units to eliminate the threat. Soon they should begin sifting through the rubble of Villjamur. One day, Brynd thought, they might even start rebuilding it.
There was still some time to kill, and everything seemed to be proceeding well enough. Brynd walked through the warm sunlight before he grabbed a lager from a stand in the shadows of the Citadel.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Jeza dancing with one of the kids that she had been staying with at the factory, not the blond one but the one with all the wisecracks. Brynd never could remember their names.
Jeza was now living at the Citadel — it seemed the least he could do in her desperate situation and, besides, he could now keep an eye on all her crazy inventions and ideas. He felt vaguely paternal towards her — a quality he merely dismissed as a sign that he wasn’t getting any younger.
After a refreshing sip, he approached Artemisia at a table near the front of the crowds. She was seated alongside some humans from her world, people old and young. They were wearing green, fitted tunics with bold sashes across their chests. Artemisia appeared much more approachable now she wasn’t wearing her swords, garbed instead in a garish yellow and brown patterned uniform. In the rows behind them were businessmen and businesswomen that Brynd recognized. There were bankers here, too, never ones to shy away from a free meal. He didn’t tell them it was their money paying for all of this.
‘A good offering, by the look of it thus far,’ Artemisia muttered.
‘Thanks,’ Brynd replied, standing behind her. ‘Who are these people?’ He gestured to the two rows nearby, facing each other and divided only by the banquet.
Overhead a garuda swept by, causing a gentle downdraught before coasting up above the nearest row of timber-framed buildings.
‘They are not so much soldiers but dignitaries or ambassadors or organizers,’ Artemisia said, ‘not unlike me, but skilled in dealing rather than the arts of war. I hope you will speak to many of them in the coming days, for they are important people, representing many of our business houses. Though they still aim to keep fighting-ready, as we say. Be cautious, however, for dignitaries in our world are educated in the arts of seduction — of both sexes, they are not picky when the urge strikes them. I tell you this now, to give you an advantage in bargaining with them, should you find yourself in a tricky spot.’
One of the men caught Brynd’s eye, a muscular man about his own age, dark-haired and with a fine jaw. They exchanged smiles. ‘I think I can handle myself.’
Brynd took a sip of lager, before he decided to head through the throng and introduce himself.
The garuda followed the line of the streets before drifting up and over towards the Onyx Wings that guided her like a beacon in the daylight. She soared above the rooftops, looking down on the activities below. Every street was rammed with festivities; even the poorer districts were making the most of their allocations of food and drink.
Low sunlight forced harsh shadows between buildings, and there were clear patches of dark and light across the cityscape. She turned to bank higher, arcing away from the sea and briefly towards the south of the city. Further beyond Villiren’s borders, the Newlanders’ encampments were growing daily, big but tidy sprawls that stretched beyond the forest. A few dragons circled in the sky high above her, enjoying the benefits of a thermal or two; she reflected that it would take a while to grow used to the presence of others. These skies were once the domain of the garuda, and now they would have to share the freedoms that flight offered.