Fight the Storm: Thousand Year War, #2

By Michelle Dawn

Surviving death was only the beginning of my battle . . .

Like all Bastran women, I thought my destiny was to become a breeder, forced to help produce an army of soldiers in the war over the Sacred Lands. But now I stand beside King Vaile of Azurin, committed to ending the suffering of women like me.

After our last battle, Vaile placed me as his Second. It's a political position I do not want, but he insists on keeping me away from the bloodshed at the front. Unfortunately, it also means I must navigate a council that wants nothing more from me than producing an heir neither Vaile nor I want to provide.

As the bond grows between us, I find myself drawn to Vaile in ways I never expected, but the fear instilled by my upbringing still holds me back.

When the Bastran royals devise a sinister plan to destroy our army, our combined magic becomes the key to our survival. But will I find the courage to trust Vaile and become the partner he wants me to be? Our lives may depend on it . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Dawn
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201340735

Book preview

1

Magic flew past my head, slamming into the wall behind me. I twisted my body around, throwing my magic back toward my attacker, then ducked behind the nearest pillar.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of my face, and my chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath. The burn in my muscles kept me from heading back out immediately, but the magic around me quickly corrected the fatigue. A soothing rush flowed through me until I was rejuvenated.

Peeking around the pillar, I narrowly missed another attack before pulling back with a smile. Surprise attacks would always be his favorite method.

I threw my arm around the pillar, sending a powerful pulse before sprinting across the room. I raised my arm to shield myself, and it was barely enough to absorb the next attack. My step faltered, and I fell to the ground, reinforcing my shield as I was hit again.

Rolling away, I threw my arm out in a sweeping arc, sending a blast that would have gone straight through an average person. Instead, it was deflected as I sent another in quick succession. I righted myself and raced to the next pillar, reaching it just before another blast of magic found me.

I bent to wipe my sweaty palms on my pants and took a deep breath. I was getting better, but I hated getting knocked down. Someday I would be able to get through these exercises without ending up on the ground, but today wasn’t going to be that day. My magic had plenty of stamina, but my body was physically reaching its limit for today.

Standing upright again, I threw my long silver braid back over my shoulder and wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. I adjusted my fitted dark tunic and walked back around the pillar to face Vaile.

You almost made it that time, he said with a sly smile.

You’re still holding back, though, I returned. You can’t coddle me.

You just died a few weeks ago, he reminded me with his brow furrowed in concern. It was the same expression he had been giving me for weeks, and I was tired of the reminders. His typical impassive stare slowly returned in response to my irritation, and he continued, Forgive me for not wanting to see you harmed again.

You know the entwinement won’t let you actually harm me, I said, trying to tamp down my annoyance. You don’t need to worry so much about me.

The magic might not hurt you, but you can still be harmed. I don’t want to take any chances, he returned in his typical flat tone.

I didn’t want him treating me like I was fragile. It had taken my entire life force to kill my sire, the despicable king Hilest, but I had been given another chance by a goddess. I needed to continue my quest to rid this world of the evil men who were upsetting the balance, taking advantage of women, and continuing a war that has been going on for generations. I didn’t want Vaile standing in my way.

I’m not going to just stay locked in this castle forever, I insisted. You should want to train me. At some point, I’m going to return to battle.

It had been weeks of throwing my magic at stationary pillars and running around in circles. Vaile’s brothers had all returned to their stations. Even Denard had been sent to the front, and nobody else was powerful enough to train with me. It left me completely isolated. The only hope I had was Vaile, and he was not at all interested.

Vaile tried to convince me to take it easy every day, but I couldn’t sit idle. If he wasn’t willing to participate in training me, I didn’t need him to sit around and hold me like a weak woman. My exercises continued without him, and today, he finally decided to join me.

When it makes sense, we can discuss making plans for the front, but you only just returned from death. I want to be certain of your well-being before considering anything, Vaile answered. It was the same noncommittal response he had been offering for weeks. I had no idea when it would make sense enough for him to consider making plans, and he wasn’t giving any indication.

Part of me wondered if I could send myself back to the front. My magic had grown significantly since being returned by the goddess. Part of that was probably from her, but I knew that a good portion came from the entwinement with Vaile. If he would be willing to work with me in training, I might be more inclined to explore a more significant relationship with him. Building our bond would strengthen us, but unfortunately, his protectiveness was only pushing me further away.

I didn’t want to be seen as Vaile’s accessory, possession, or pet. I was my own person with my own abilities, and I hated how much he was restricting me. My mother had done the same, and I didn’t want to live that way again.

Rather than have the same circular argument again, I turned away, walking back toward the entrance. What he saw as resting and rejuvenating, I saw as withering and weakening. If I didn’t get to work on my strength, it wasn’t going to grow. I already learned just how detrimental my weakness could be, and I couldn’t let myself get into such positions again.

Hilest was gone, but his sons, my half brothers, were not, and they were just as horrible. I wanted them all dead for the way they had beaten and abused me, but I had no way of doing it. Instead, I set my goal to rejoining the front. The fighting continued there daily, and I wanted to be part of it.

The first time I went to the front, I was captured, but I was so much stronger now. Vaile was too, and I didn’t understand why he was so opposed to pushing our advantage. Staying here doing nothing was increasingly frustrating, and I didn’t know how much longer I could tolerate it.

With a sigh, Vaile followed me. We walked silently through the halls until coming to the entrance of my suite. He resided in the next room, but I had kept the floral painted door between us firmly sealed. His magic drew me in, and I didn’t want to chance it taking away my senses. We needed to find a way to understand each other as people before I could even consider furthering our relationship.

As I went to close my hallway door, Vaile held his hand out to stop it. His expression was closed off, giving nothing away, just as usual. I would like you to meet with the council tomorrow.

I glared in response. The idea was immensely distasteful to me. I knew that at least one member, Gonche, believed I was nothing more than a breeder for Vaile, and I didn’t relish the idea of sitting through a meeting with a bunch of like-minded men.

There has been a lot of talk about you in these meetings, he admitted. You should be there.

So I can hear their dissension for myself? I snapped. Gonche had said plenty to me directly, and if the others were anything like him, I could count on being berated for my gender. I really didn’t want to be there to hear all the horrible things they would say about me. Imagining them was enough.

I have informed them that I intend to make you my second. It caused quite an uproar. I would like them to see that you are more powerful than they understand, he answered without a hint of emotion.

Shock hit me, and my mouth hung agape. Aldin, his eldest brother, was his second, as the brother nearest to his power. Calling me to that position had implications I couldn’t even begin to fathom.

I’m sure your council will oppose this, I said. It seemed like an awful lot of responsibility to hand to me, and I didn’t even know what the position entailed. Certainly, the men wouldn’t allow it.

If they don’t see the value in your abilities, they don’t belong on an advisory council. He shrugged indifferently. Their opinions really aren’t of consequence to me anyway. I’ve changed much, despite their protests, over the years.

How does Aldin feel about this? I eyed him skeptically.

It was his suggestion. The rest of my brothers agreed. They are able to see your value, he responded flatly.

And what about my opinion? I asked.

I didn’t think you would have an issue with it.

Well, I suppose it’s good to see you’re continuing to make my decisions for me, I challenged with a hand on my hip.

I was acting petulant, sending barbs with my words, but he had been so overbearing since we came back here, and I reached my limit. This seemed like a scheme to keep me complacent here, and I wasn’t going to tolerate it.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated with my behavior. Rather than respond, he simply turned and walked away.

I slammed the door in frustration and forcibly sealed it. The concession he made by training with me should have made me feel like we were going in the right direction, but he was placating me. This council thing seemed like an obvious ploy to keep me locked away here. He was finding a niche for me to fill so I wouldn’t try to head back to the front.

Despite my irritation, I was able to understand his position. I had gone into battle two times and suffered severe consequences, but I had escaped on my own the first time and killed the Bastran king the second. That should count for something, even if it had been at the cost of myself. The enemy hadn’t been the one to kill me. That choice was mine.

Some of my ire was fading as I considered Vaile’s position, and I hated that I was incapable of holding onto a grudge against him. The magic between us pulled me to him, and he was just on the other side of my wall.

Needing more distance, I threw my cloak over my fitted attire. There had been some contention in that as well. Women didn’t wear pants, but I insisted that it would be beneficial to my abilities in a fight. Without the material of a dress catching around my legs, I was much more agile. Hopefully, he agreed after seeing me in action today. These pants had been a hard-won battle.

Before he noticed my movement, I raced out of my suite and down the corridor. Taking turns and staircases, I found my way to the grand foyer and pushed past the guards to make my way outside. They didn’t fight me since I wasn’t barred from the gardens, but if I tried to head into town, they would stop me. Vaile’s orders.

Late winter was still fighting the turn to spring with a bitter wind that blew through my sweat-dampened hair, and I was already second-guessing my decision to come out here. My whole body shivered.

Steeling myself against the cold, I set off toward the large lake in the center of the garden. It was my favorite place to watch the water since my balcony had been permanently sealed after I attempted to end myself there. At some point, I hoped Vaile would give me access again, but as our interactions had become more hostile, he didn’t have any reason to trust me with it.

The lake was still covered in thick ice, even though the surrounding snow had mostly melted in the previous days. I lamented the fact that I wouldn’t even have the peace of the water today, but I sat down on a lakeside bench anyway, letting my imagination wander. Soon the weather would warm, and the ice would melt, so I could enjoy the water again.

I sat staring until I could no longer feel my fingers and toes. Even under my thick cloak, the cold was seeping into my bones, but at least with this distance, I could think without the constant onslaught of magic muddying everything.

Part of my increasing agitation was that the magic always soothed me, making me sympathetic to Vaile even when I disagreed with him. Of course, he had no choice in it, but I hated that the magic manipulated me, and nothing I could do would stop it.

I was used to being reclusive. Growing up secluded with my mother had taught me how to manage on my own, but I had never been idle. With Denard around, I had regular training and purpose. Now, I had nothing, and I wondered what Vaile’s mother had done with herself while being locked up her whole life and waited on hand and foot.

The short answer was probably that she raised her children, but that was definitely not something I would even consider. Vaile didn’t want that either, refusing to have children until the war ended, so what did he expect of me? He had turned me into a weapon to fight by his side, and now he was just telling me to sit around doing nothing.

He handed me this position on his council to try and give me some reason to stay put here, but I didn’t want to be stuck dealing with pointless politics. I didn’t have any experience dealing with discussions, and I wouldn’t be of any use in it. I had spent my whole life avoiding people.

Twilight approached before I decided to head back in for the night. As much as I wanted to continue avoiding Vaile’s magic, it was still calling me, and it would radiate from the next room, helping me rest whether I wanted it to or not.

2

After a morning spent alone doing exercises in the training room, Tyrus came to inform me that the council meeting would be starting shortly. He politely suggested that I may want to take a break to refresh myself beforehand, and I strongly considered doing the opposite. Attending a fancy meeting wearing pants and covered in sweat seemed hilarious to me. If Vaile really wanted to show them the value in my abilities, arriving covered in traces of my recent exercises seemed like proof enough.

The only thing that made me reconsider was how out of place I felt when I met all of Vaile’s brothers for the first time. Of course, they all had reason to dislike me for interrupting Vaile’s mission to kill Hilest, but it was made more awkward by my disheveled appearance at the time.

There was something to be said for dressing the part, and I didn’t want to give people like Gonche one more thing to hold against me. Vaile expected this to be a long-term assignment for me, and it made sense to try to make a good first impression on the off chance the men weren’t as bad as I expected.

Tyrus came to find me again in the midafternoon, and I knew it was only because Vaile was trying to avoid fighting with me. Sending the older, unassuming man had worked to get me cleaned up and back into a dress. If Vaile had come himself that morning, I might not have been so agreeable.

I smoothed out the wrinkles in my dark silver dress and pinned my light silver hair away from my face. The effect was very monochromatic with my gray eyes, but I was trying not to stand out, if that was even possible. Likely, I would be heavily scrutinized regardless, but I didn’t want it to be for the flashiness of my attire.

Traditionally, the royals wear their headpieces as a symbol of status in these meetings, Tyrus informed me, indicating the circlet that I had left sitting on my bedside table.

I’m not one of the royals, though, so it’s best I avoid causing confusion, I returned.

I had no doubt that Vaile had asked him to get me to wear it. Vaile and I had fought about this before. It was a symbol that marked me as belonging to Vaile, and I didn’t want to further that perception by continuing to wear the circlet. We weren’t bound, and it was unlikely that we ever would be when we couldn’t see eye to eye.

Forgive me for being forward, but I thought you were well integrated into the royal family at this point, Tyrus commented. All of the princes and their wives have spoken of you as a cherished member of their family. It seems to me that they might find it somewhat disappointing that you do not feel the same.

He was clearly manipulating me, but it was a clever tactic to use the others against me. They had all been welcoming to me over time, even the ones that were initially hesitant. It wasn’t their fault that I felt trapped by Vaile, and I didn’t want them to think I was ungrateful for their inclusiveness. They were the only connections I had in this world, and I didn’t want to push them away.

Are any of them going to be attending this meeting? I countered.

Prince Aldin will be present since he is offering his position to you. I am unsure if any of the others have returned or not. They are always invited, he answered.

And they would all wear a headpiece to this meeting? Not just Vaile? I asked doubtfully. It seemed like a ploy, and I really hoped Tyrus wouldn’t outright lie to a direct question.

Yes, miss, he confirmed. These meetings are very formal, as you will find.

I hated the idea of presenting myself as something I was not. Even if I accepted this position, which still seemed more than I should be given, I had no claim to being an Azurin royal. It felt pretentious when Vaile and I were not bound in that way, even if that was his desire.

However, I had already worn the circlet in an official capacity when meeting with Hilest, and I did share the royal blood of Bastran. There was also the claim I had as the Water Queen, for whatever that was worth. I was entitled to my royal status due to my own bloodline and merit, but that wasn’t what this particular item indicated. It seemed that people like Gonche would immediately jump on the implication that I was nothing more than Vaile’s possession.

Vaile and I had started on a path together, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue it. He may be patient and reassuring, but he was also jealous and overbearing. He had always wanted me to stay where he put me, and right now, it was in this council meeting with this circlet in place.

I didn’t want to just be Vaile’s accessory, but part of me wanted to hope this would be a place where I could gain some status of my own. Aldin had the position right now and wasn’t seen as an accessory. Maybe there was a chance I could gain some respect as my own person too.

Without overthinking it further, I snatched the circlet off the table and placed it on my head. Tyrus spared me any further comment on it, his expression giving nothing away. He just turned and headed out, expecting me to follow.

I tried to mimic the impassive expression worn by Vaile. Somehow he was always able to keep a mask in place, and I was jealous of the ability. Unfortunately, my face was overly expressive. Everyone knew exactly what I was feeling at all times, and that was dangerous. Gonche had preyed on my emotions before, and I needed to avoid giving him more ammunition.

We headed to a meeting room with expansive windows facing the front garden, and I was a bit disappointed to find that I couldn’t get distracted by the sea view. The room itself was fairly plain, without anything more decorative than sconces on the gray stone walls. The only furniture was a large central table with an ornately carved chair meant for the king at its head.

Only Aldin was present, and I was happy to see that he did have a woven metal band stationed on his head. At least Tyrus was honest about that part, and I had less concern about the circlet.

Welcome, Aldin greeted me with a half smile. I’m glad to see you decided to join us. I don’t think Vaile expected that you actually would.

It was difficult for me to avoid spilling my frustration onto Aldin. He wasn’t the one to blame for forcing me into these situations, but he was referencing the one who was. This whole situation was immensely uncomfortable for me.

I don’t know why he wouldn’t expect me, I scoffed. He is apparently giving me your position here.

He probably didn’t explain much about that either, Aldin said sympathetically. I had suggested giving you the position, but I hoped he would have discussed it with you instead of just commanding it.

I wondered if Vaile would have discussed it with me if I had given him the opportunity. Instead, I shut him down as soon as it was mentioned. In hindsight, it would have been helpful to know more about what all this entailed, and I regretted not getting more information about it.

My reasoning was based on the power you now command, Aldin explained. "The magic of kings follows set rules of succession, from father to son down the line. I have wondered what would happen if the firstborn was a female, but it has not been allowed to happen in the past, as you know.

The council has been hounding Vaile for years to continue his line. Otherwise, if he were to pass, it is expected that the magic would flow to me as his second. There is some question that it may be lessened in some way, but there really isn’t any way to know for sure. The situation hasn’t occurred with any of the kings before.

Then why give me the position? I asked. If being second indicated who would receive the power, it didn’t make sense to leave it to me.

"The other possibility is that his magic would flow to you since it is already shared freely. There has never been a situation in our written history where a king is entwined to someone alive at his passing, let alone someone who already is powerful in their own right.

"You have proven your loyalty to Azurin by doing more than anyone else could. The fact that you killed the Bastran king yourself should be more than enough to prove your worth to everyone. Of course, this council is filled with old men from traditional family lines, so they will argue.

The position of second is important. It acknowledges that you are strong enough to take Vaile’s place in his absence.

My attempt at keeping emotion from my face was completely unsuccessful, and my mouth hung open slightly. I understood the position of second was important, but I did not understand the full implications of it. This was more than I could possibly handle.

You can’t be serious, I argued. I have no experience in leadership, and there is no way that anyone would ever follow me anyway.

Leadership can be learned over time, he said with an indifferent shrug. I haven’t had much experience myself being the second son. The expectation is that Vaile will continue on until a very old age, but at this time, your power exceeds mine. Hilest is dead by your hand. You deserve the title.

What are the expectations with this title, though? I pushed.

For me, it has required that I stay here in his stead when Vaile is required elsewhere, he returned.

That was the irritatingly honest answer. Vaile wanted me to stay put here, safely out of battle, and what better excuse than a political position I was required to fill when he left. The only way around it was to be away from here without him, and I very much doubted he would allow that.

I suspect that I will continue to fill that portion of the role, Aldin insisted, sensing my frustration. He is unlikely to go anywhere without you, for many reasons.

I gave him a skeptical look but couldn’t comment on it further, as several older men entered the room. Aldin gestured for me to take the seat to the right of the head, while he sat next to me. The chair across from me was left empty as the others filled in seats further away.

Tyrus had been right that these proceedings were quite formal. All of the men that entered wore lavish uniforms with fine jewelry in an array of colors. They were all much older than me, with the youngest appearing close to forty and the oldest pushing eighty.

Nobody bothered to introduce themselves to me or acknowledge me in general. They all gave Aldin a slight bow in greeting before finding their seats, and I quickly became bored with watching their prostrations. I was nothing to them, and it just solidified my perceptions of how terrible this meeting would be.

Gonche appeared last, taking the chair across from Aldin and leaving the one across from me empty. He didn’t even spare me a hateful look, choosing instead to ignore me, and I couldn’t complain about it. This left me with a clear view of the gardens, and I wouldn’t need to bother staring him down the whole time.

I felt Vaile enter, and chairs scraped across the wooden floor as everyone stood, including Aldin. Nobody had explained any of the formalities of this meeting, so I decided to follow his lead.

Everyone gave a bow to Vaile as he regally walked to the head of the table and took his seat. They all remained standing until Vaile gave a slight nod of his crowned head, indicating we may sit again. He was exuding power in both his posture and aura, blanketing the room in his magic.

We have come to conclude the discussion on the matter of changing my second, Vaile addressed the ten council members in the room, his expression stoic. My brother, Aldin, has held this position since my ascension but has deferred to a greater power in Aria.

This is unwise, Gonche immediately interjected. We have suffered through the women you have tried to bring to this council before. None of them have had the fortitude to deal with the requirements of this position.

I wasn’t at all surprised that it was Gonche that spoke up first. His dislike of me was already well known. I kept my face impassive, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction, despite how much his words irked me. During our previous interactions, he had been able to discern that he was affecting me by my expressions. I would not be giving that to him today.

You mean to say they have not withstood the unnecessary torment you have inflicted, Vaile chastised Gonche with a withering look. But Aria has shown herself to be more resilient. Those tactics will be unsuccessful if you should bother to try them.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only woman Gonche disliked, and I wondered what he had done to the other women Vaile brought here. I might be more resilient, but I didn’t relish the idea of being subjected to more torment. Other than the first day Gonche found me in the gardens, I hadn’t had any further run-ins with him. Hopefully, this position wouldn’t mean that I needed to suffer him berating me whenever I tried to go outside.

From his place near the other end of the table, the oldest man observed me with an air of superiority before turning back to Vaile. He was clearly disgusted with my existence in the same way as Gonche and wasn’t afraid to let it show all over his aged face.

You cannot mean to weaken the position in this way, the old man said as he regarded Vaile.

There is nothing weak about her, Lorit, Vaile insisted. You are all aware that she killed Hilest herself.

Allegedly, Gonche added.

You have decided I am a liar, then? Vaile snapped, his facade beginning to crack as his anger radiated through. I personally witnessed her do it, but we can throw you to King Eston and let him confirm if you need further proof. I’m sure he would love to discuss it with you.

Averting his eyes, Gonche didn’t bother with a response. Even his pompous self could tell that he crossed a line, but he wasn’t willing to admit it.

I appreciated that Vaile was standing up for me but was annoyed that he needed to do it. If the other men didn’t believe my own accomplishment despite Vaile telling them directly, they definitely wouldn’t believe anything I said.

If you are so interested in demoting your brother, there must be another you could consider, continued the oldest man, Lorit.

You are welcome to suggest another, but they would need to challenge her for the position, Vaile offered, his face again impassive. I very much doubt anyone would be interested in that fight.

I suggest Aldin remain. A middle-aged man regarded Vaile as he narrowed his dark eyes.

I want no part of that challenge, Olest. Aldin shook his head. My wife very much prefers me intact.

Ridiculous, Gonche chastised Aldin. Since when do you consider yourself so weak?

I am by no means weak, Aldin said, and I will happily prove that to you, but I also acknowledge the power Aria possesses. The position should belong to the strongest, and you will not find another to match her.

Her power is derived from the entwinement, Lorit suggested. Without the king present, she would not have the necessary power, and that is the whole point of the position. If you wish to use her as your consort, please feel free to finally produce an heir, but pretending she has more value is a waste of everyone’s time and will only demoralize the kingdom.

My stomach sank. We had finally come to exactly what I was expecting here. Gonche had suggested that my only use was producing an heir, and it was likely that all of these men felt the same way. Vaile told me that he had no interest in it, wanting to end the war first, but they didn’t care. It was unlikely they would ever see me as anything more than a breeder, even with Vaile’s insistence.

She is from a powerful line, regardless of me, Vaile insisted. If you think her presence would be demoralizing, then you have completely lost touch with the pulse of this war. She has fought alongside many soldiers who would readily go into battle with her again. She has even convinced the most skeptical.

Vaile paused before adding, As far as breeding, I have been more than clear about where I stand on that.

It soothed some of my concerns that he reiterated his stance directly to them, but none of them looked at all convinced by his words. If they had no intention of listening to him, what hopes did I have of ever gaining any respect?

We had hoped you changed your mind, Olest responded. She has been wearing the queen’s circlet, and there were rumors that you had been spending nights with her.

I couldn’t help the heat seeping into my cheeks, and Gonche smirked in my direction, catching my embarrassment. Vaile and I had spent nights together. Servants had seen us in each other’s rooms.