HOME | DD

Description
Rhed and Keisha continue their conversation regarding events before they met: To The Death: Dogs of War

“I know I was there, at that battle you spoke of, but I can’t really recall it.”

Keisha made sweeping gesture towards the sun and brightly lit sky.

“I’ve used a lot of memories to lighten the darkness. But the darkness consumes them. Only the worst remain…”

Rhed wondered what could possibly be worse than a slaughter like Dertosa.

“Like what?”

Keisha sighed.

“I can still remember…” Her voice was very even, almost flat, like someone walking carefully over thin ice.
"I can still remember the girls playing in the sunlight one morning. I had been working all night and Cassia had brought me some watered down wine for refreshment. They had slept on the patio, for the stars and to keep me company.”

“Your children?”

“Mine? No. Of course not. I sent my daughter away as far as I could.” There was that irritated yet defensive note on her voice again.

“She will inevitably blame me for her fathers death. As inevitably as my enemies will try to use her against me. I need her to be my heir. Would I keep her close, at some point I would have to destroy her.”

Rhed felt a tingle in his neck, the hairs rise. So what is she punishing herself for, he thought.

Keisha was talking on, more to herself, it seemed.

“Just some minor noble daughters sent to an illustrious court to learn etiquette and courtesy and serve as ladies-in-waiting until they’re married off.”

She made an angry noise. “I was too lenient. I let them have the time they had, their little games, their friendship, their innocent love.”

“I was soft. But how can someone not long to be loved by such joyful creatures? To watch them awaken to the morning light, kissing and giggling and running over to me, calling me Mom, and then wandering off to coerce the cook into preparing breakfast, singing and dancing all the time… Every time I felt invigorated, young myself, ready to tackle another impossible quadary of politics and strategy and intrigue.
I could love them because there was nothing between us, no bond of blood, no pact, no debt. And worse, they loved me.”

Keisha sat up and looked at Rhed.

“Those soldiers, at Dertosa, they don’t weigh on my conscience. We fought together, they, my soldiers, me, their Empress. Those men loved me and died for me of their own choice. And I love them because they did that for me and for themselves. Because I am the Empire and when they fight for me they fight for themselves. But those girls – they owed me nothing. They were just that, strangers, guests, friends, yes. I should have left them alone. But it was impossible. Through them I could live all that I wanted to be but never was.”

Description
Rhed and Keisha continue their conversation regarding events before they met: To The Death: Dogs of War

“I know I was there, at that battle you spoke of, but I can’t really recall it.”

Keisha made sweeping gesture towards the sun and brightly lit sky.

“I’ve used a lot of memories to lighten the darkness. But the darkness consumes them. Only the worst remain…”

Rhed wondered what could possibly be worse than a slaughter like Dertosa.

“Like what?”

Keisha sighed.

“I can still remember…” Her voice was very even, almost flat, like someone walking carefully over thin ice.
"I can still remember the girls playing in the sunlight one morning. I had been working all night and Cassia had brought me some watered down wine for refreshment. They had slept on the patio, for the stars and to keep me company.”

“Your children?”

“Mine? No. Of course not. I sent my daughter away as far as I could.” There was that irritated yet defensive note on her voice again.

“She will inevitably blame me for her fathers death. As inevitably as my enemies will try to use her against me. I need her to be my heir. Would I keep her close, at some point I would have to destroy her.”

Rhed felt a tingle in his neck, the hairs rise. So what is she punishing herself for, he thought.

Keisha was talking on, more to herself, it seemed.

“Just some minor noble daughters sent to an illustrious court to learn etiquette and courtesy and serve as ladies-in-waiting until they’re married off.”

She made an angry noise. “I was too lenient. I let them have the time they had, their little games, their friendship, their innocent love.”

“I was soft. But how can someone not long to be loved by such joyful creatures? To watch them awaken to the morning light, kissing and giggling and running over to me, calling me Mom, and then wandering off to coerce the cook into preparing breakfast, singing and dancing all the time… Every time I felt invigorated, young myself, ready to tackle another impossible quadary of politics and strategy and intrigue.
I could love them because there was nothing between us, no bond of blood, no pact, no debt. And worse, they loved me.”

Keisha sat up and looked at Rhed.

“Those soldiers, at Dertosa, they don’t weigh on my conscience. We fought together, they, my soldiers, me, their Empress. Those men loved me and died for me of their own choice. And I love them because they did that for me and for themselves. Because I am the Empire and when they fight for me they fight for themselves. But those girls – they owed me nothing. They were just that, strangers, guests, friends, yes. I should have left them alone. But it was impossible. Through them I could live all that I wanted to be but never was.”