LOGINShare
Her Bright and Blinding Presence
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Sweat dripped from Ivan’s forehead, falling to the earth in little droplets. He wiped the remaining droplets off with the sleeve of his shirt.
“Your strokes have gotten stronger,” Orlov commented, setting down his sword on the bench. The two were out in a small area behind the temple dedicated to training, be it magic duels or sword duels. Ivan and Orlov frequently made use of this area in order to practice and hone their skills. Ivan had left early to meet Orlov for a spar for old times sake.
“The last time we sparred seriously I was a child. Of course I’ve gotten stronger.”
Orlov chuckled, taking a swig of water. “Of course. I shouldn’t underestimate you.”
“I’m just impressed you can still ke
Related chapters
Where Loyalties Lie Hand in Hand
“Where are we?” Ivan asked. He never really stopped to think about where he was going, all he knew was that he had to find his wife.“We’re under an old shrine. I didn’t know there would be a cave system… what a find…” Ursa mused. She held onto his hand tightly while Ivan’s other hand produced a small, flickering flame from his fingertip. The couple made their way down the tunnel, hoping to see just a slant of natural light.“How’d you get here? Why didn’t you go with everyone else to the morning prayer?”“A few priestesses recommend I check out the shrine instead. They told me it was a tourist attraction, but now I see that they were just being great businessmen.”&ld
Where Loyalties Lie Ursa's Terrible Day
Ivan pulled Ursa along like she was a ragdoll, her arm about to come clean off from the force of his tugging. But Ursa remained silent, knowing that their lives were on the line. She could hear them-- all the creatures gathering up, running alongside them, ready to pounce on them at any given moment. Sure enough, the first creature’s call was meant to attract the other beasts.“Keep going! Do not look back!” Ivan warned. Ursa resisted the urge to disobey, and continued forth, though the loud, pounding stomps of the creatures behind her tempted her. Suddenly, Ivan launched Ursa forward, throwing her in front of him. With inhuman reflexes, he unsheathed his sword and blocked a hit from a monster that had leaped from a distance and would have landed on Ursa.Ivan barely kept the strength to block the creature, for his heart was poundi
Where Loyalties Lie A Man, a Woman, and a Cave
CW: kind of sexual content but like notreallyUrsa sighed into her skin as she watched the small flame slowly begin to dim. She had managed to rub the sticks together enough so a small fire could burn, but she knew it wouldn’t last.From her peripheral view, Ursa noticed Ivan’s fingers beginning to twitch. His eyes fluttered open, but he didn’t move his body. “Your Majesty! You’re awake!” she exclaimed.“Yess,” he slurred, “but I can’t move.”“What do you mean? Can you feel your body?”“I can only get my fiingerss to move.” Ursa resisted the urge to throw herself in the fire. “Undress me.”
Where Loyalties Lie The Great Escape
The first thing Ursa was reminded of as soon as they reached the first tunnel spotted on the cliffside was her apparent nakedness. Yes, she was holding her dress and her undergarments all clumped in her arms-- her shoes were long forgotten in the shallow cave they had fled from. Ivan was no better off, perhaps even doing worse. His giant wound in the middle of his chest had begun bleeding again, and he too was running with his clothes in his arms.“Your Majesty, before we continue, I think we should put on some clothes… at least, you should put on some pants.” Ivan stopped in his tracks and looked down, finally realizing he was still bare.“Good idea.” Ursa immediately turned away and threw the dress back on in record time. All of it was still quite damp; however, complaining would get no one anywhere. The two of them
Where Loyalties Lie The Aftermath
Ursa woke up after two days. The moment her eyes opened, the Oracle and Lord Orlov were immediately informed. A pile of clothes was left at the edge of her bed, neatly folded.“When you’re finished, the Oracle requests your presence, Your Majesty.” Ursa smiled politely and closed the door after the priest. It was the same type of clothes she wore three or four days ago when she went missing. Ursa got dressed quickly by herself and followed the priest to find the Oracle.Orlov paced the room, close to ripping the nails out of his fingers. “You must recognize the issue. I know you feel it, Your Holiness. The darkness. It’s seeping into the energy of the temple, it’s destroying the barrier--”“The barrier is old, young one. It is bound to break sometime soon.&
Where Loyalties Lie The Oracle's Secret...
The Oracle’s secret… was no secret at all. Everyone in the temple knew about it, if they weren’t blind to the truth.Ursa knocked on the Oracle’s door, and one of the priests opened it.“He’s expecting you,” the priest said, sliding out as she entered. The old man sat at his desk by the window, playing with the extravagant gold rings on his fingers.“Your Holiness, I must speak with you about an urgent matter.”“I know you do. I was waiting for you to return alone.”“What? Why would you need me alone?” she asked. The Oracle turned his chair to face Ursa, his kind eyes usually mistaken for complacency were unusually sharp.
Where Loyalties Lie Roads That Can't Be Taken
“Alright, what was it that you couldn’t say in front of her?” Ivan asked, laying back down in bed. He still felt a dull ache on his chest where he was deeply slashed by that one poisonous creature. Ivan had no doubt that he would be better soon, however, if he was going to fight those creatures head on in a few days time, it would be better for him to take it easy.“It’s nothing that I can’t say in front of Her Majesty, it’s just that I worry she may get in the way of our plans.”“Ursa is harmless in this kind of situation. She has no manna, no magical powers to speak of, and especially no fighting ability. I think she will come around. Besides, Ursa is a tactical person. She’ll understand that it’s better to get rid of those creatures to save all of us in here, rather than wait to be hunte
Where Loyalties Lie The Day of Magia Was Dawning I
By the time Ursa had dried off and put her clothes back on, the Temple was barren. Not a soul could be found in the halls, not even the guard outside the Pool of Burvju was there.“No,” Ursa murmured to herself. “They couldn’t have started, I wasn’t in there for that long--” Instinctively, Ursa looked out the window and up at the sky. The sky was an exquisite explosion of purples, reds and oranges. She did not need to be a mage to suspect what day it was. The sky was already setting-- how long had she been in there? How long had the High Goddess Mai kept her in there? Why did the guard not retrieve her?Ursa did not knock as she arrived at the Oracle’s study. She simply burst through the door, only to be met with complete emptiness. Not even the Oracle was here. Where was he? If Ursa ran to the Med Wing, wou
Latest chapter
Where Loyalties Lie The Ghosts of Wruclas
Aisha spent the entire next day pouring over other material Ursa had pulled from the library and pacing outside of Ursa’s wing. Earlier that morning, she had stopped in to update the Empress on what she and Ivan had found, but the handmaiden Emery firmly stood her ground, chasing away any and all visitors, no matter how important they were.She was like a guard dog, really, the way she looked like she’d bite someone’s head off if they got even remotely close to the doors of Ursa’s apartment. Aisha had wanted to fight Emery on this, but she also knew how much Ivan had been stressing Ursa’s physical recovery from the chaos that occurred at the New Year’s Celebration, so Aisha slinked away back into the library quietly until lunch time, where she and Emery rehashed their earlier arguments. Inside the most heavily guarded doors, an empress laid in her bed with the covers half off, only covering her freezing toes. The rest of her sweated out a non-existent fever, while Cecily dabbed a col
Where Loyalties Lie Sibling Crime
The Poplov townhouse was located in the upper echelons of Ichares. The streets were clean, the houses were opulent and luxurious, the architecture a crude copy of the palace. It was not hard to break into the house, seeing as there were so many windows and not enough guards-- though this criticism could be shared with the palace.Ivan noted this.Aisha and Ivan were both dressed in black clothing-- Ivan in a black poet shirt and tight dark trousers, while Aisha wore a skin tight turtleneck with matching trousers. At present, they sat in a tree, watching the windows as light passed through the dark hallways, a maid checking the corridors.Aisha bounced her leg anxiously, causing the branch to sway with her. Ivan sent her a withering glare, instantly freezing any movement from her leg. They had been sittin
Where Loyalties Lie The Duel
Aisha juggled her broadsword in her hand while her other hand held her dagger tightly. She stared at her brother, only the light from the torches around the arena illuminating his lean frame. Ivan shrugged off his coat and kicked it to the side, his signature sword appearing out of thin air.“How--” Aisha gawked, staring at her own swords that came from the weapons room.“Magic?” Ivan smirked, spinning his sword with his wrist as he got into position. Aisha made sure to note down to have him teach her that trick before getting into her own starting position.Neither of them moved, circling each other. Aisha’s left foot shifted and then she was off, launching herself high into the air, raising her swords up into a crossing motion. She landed on the blunt side of Ivan’s
Where Loyalties Lie Respect, A One Way Street
Ursa gave a shallow wave to the guards stationed outside of Ivan’s study as Aisha trailed behind her with a tray of food. The guards instantly bowed and one stuck their head in to announce her presence. Ivan was hunched over his desk, staring intently at a particular piece of paper as his quill moved on its own-- most likely enchanted by Ivan, writing furiously. “Ivan.” He looked up, surprised to see the two women. “What are you two doing here?” Ursa gave him a funny look. “Our arrival was just announced. Didn’t you hear?” Ivan didn’t respond, choosing to just lounge back in his chair. The quill fell back and landed unceremoniously onto the paper. “We brought you dinner.” Aisha set the tray onto t
Where Loyalties Lie Poplov's Numbered Days
“Your Majesty, Lord Volkov is here to see you,” one of the guards from outside said, peeking his head slightly into the office. Ivan only waved his hand as an indication for the other man to come in. It was the middle of the afternoon, a few hours after the morning’s court session had ended and he finished his meeting with his advisors (without Orlov, he thought bitterly), but Ivan felt so very unproductive.He had sat there while everyone talked at him, only nodding or shaking his head, sometimes yelling at people who got a little too presumptuous. It wasn’t that Ivan didn’t understand the things being said in court-- after so many years of attending, it would be quite stupid for him not to have an idea of how these things worked. But Orlov made it easier for Ivan, always taking a load off of the heavy weights that already pushed Ivan to his knees.
Where Loyalties Lie The Tetsi Trial
“The prosecution would like to call its first witness up to the stand: Yuri Tetsi!” Orlov announced, and waited for the Young Tetsi to make his way to the stand. Ivan sat in his throne in his usual posture, his hand holding his face as he leaned into the side of his throne. Yuri Tetsi clambered up to the stand and took a seat, his hands nervously shaking. Once Young Tetsi looked ready, Orlov began laying the foundation of his questioning, asking simple questions about Young Tetsi himself before delving into the real case. “You claim to have recorded evidence of secret plots against the Empress?” asked Orlov. “I do. My own father, as well as Lord Haschoff, Lady Salisterova, Lord Grieschkov, and Lord Telbor all had conversations with each other and others about a few things. At first, they conversed abo
Where Loyalties Lie Big Reputation Brings Bigger Enemies
Ursa returned to her chambers after a quiet dinner with just Ivan and Aisha. It was a nice and gentle dinner, where the only mention of Orlov was Aisha excitedly announcing she would be helping. Otherwise, the dinner was the perfect glimpse of a life without Orlov constantly breathing down Ivan’s shoulder, and Ursa enjoyed it. But even Ursa could admit, a piece of Ivan was with Orlov in his home, eating dinner alone. Ivan would smile and joke with them, but his gaze was far off, not even in the room. It burned Ursa. It burned Ursa even more to know that a part of her also felt deeply while staring at the empty chair next to Aisha. Once upon a time, Ursa thought that she and the prime minister were friends. Friendly rivals, intellectual equals, and respected colleagues. She missed the mirage.
Where Loyalties Lie A Handmaiden's Tale I / The Princess
Ursa’s lunch didn’t end up being as peaceful as planned, as the second Vasil barged in on her meal. “Sister, I hear you’re heading the Orlov Investigation!” Ursa put down the little bite sized sandwich Cecily had prepared for her as Aisha made herself at home in the chair across from her. “You heard correctly.” “I want to help.” “No.” “Please?” “This is a delicate political matter, Aisha. My apologies if I don’t think you’re quite ready for such a complex matter.” Aisha slid down her seat, crossing her arms. “I can handle it. I’ll be covert. No one has to know we’re working together.” Ursa smirked as she put he
Where Loyalties Lie She Who Does Not Break So Easily
Ursa dropped a bag of coins into the maid’s hand, and the small girl scurried out of the library. After more than half a year at the palace, Ursa learned who could be bought and who could be swayed to join her cause-- her cause being keeping her in the loop of things she otherwise wouldn’t be. That just happened to be any and all court matters, seeing as Ivan specifically kept her out of political matters. “You’re still recovering, Ursa! I can’t have you getting all stressed about these matters when your health is so fragile!” But her health has been ‘fragile’ for a little more than a month and a half. Physically, Ursa was already back in her original form, and more than capable of delving back into court. But the most work Ivan had even let her see had only been the preparations for the upcoming annual Royal Hunting Trip, renamed to the Imperial
