That embrace lasted for a little over ten minutes, rolling up countless memories of the former Lady Hospodia into that fateful moment when the royal entourage had been hours away from arriving at her hovel to bring her to a new sphere of worldly life.

'Father,' the younger Alista had said while clasping the hand of her old man, 'as you well know, I am the last of your three children. Together, hand in hand, we are destined to survive what is gaining recognition as 'the First Supernatural War' and 'the Split'.

'You saw how I've been approached and proposed for marriage to the son of a vampire lord whom I've yet to see--with the additional promise that our family shall be elevated to nobility. You shall be provided for, finally free from a toiling life as befits your advancing age; for that, and more, I am happy and grateful. Would it be too much, therefore, to ask for one more counsel for this soon-to-be lady? I have never dreamed of finding my way in a castle, much less mingle with any of those highborns--'

Her father Vahan had halted her tirade with an earnest look.

'Lista, dear,' he had returned, 'did you not promise, upon hearing of your second brother's early demise in one of the conflicts, that you would do your best for what remains of our family? The time of its fulfillment is at hand.

'Yes, you shall hook up to that son of a vampire lord; yes, you might be entitled to bear his offspring--but do not ever consider yourself a mere pawn in their chess. For example, even though people of your sex are sanctioned by our belief to look for another husband forty days after the death of the previous one, do consider the welfare of people under your care before coming up with a decision. Keep this in mind, for you shall indeed be asked how you'd treated them.

'The same goes if, at some point in your union, your spouse should desire a break from you. Remind him, your companion in this life and beyond, that the vows you're taking for the first union are sacred--more so for the people in the station you'll find yourself in.'

Lista had nodded before embracing him. 'I shall strive to observe these, dear father.'

***

As things turned out, the aging man had had it right: his daughter had been entitled to bear a dhampir grandson, if only one; her husband had hinted on a divorce (though she had not taken it so far as to invoke the vows); and she had not allowed herself being regarded as a pawn. Instead she was again locked in tender embrace with her son, calming and comforting him as Vahan had done to her in years gone by.

For observing her promises, it seemed, Alista--former peasant turned Lady Hospodia--was now well on her way to achieving a higher position still: Queen Regent of Balaras

That is, if the advisors around her son would allow for it. There was also her brother-in-law's fury to consider, at having his birthright snatched away by a 'noble wench'--as Urdin had so often put it.

Besides, it was about time that Vlos learn the necessary trades of a future ruler. She had seen a quirk of it on the way to Balaras, and wished very much to see more.

That way, she thought, Ingi's memory would be honored as well.

"I'm very sorry I can't help you very much with city defenses and the like, Vlos," she said, disentangling. "Looks like I'll have to trust Senna with that, as well as the others. I hope you can keep this city standing, this final legacy of our House, young as you are..."

"You're wrong there, my lady," came his smiling reply along with the shake of the head. "There is still Estreon--from where, I believe, Uncle is also gathering strength. One side of Hospodia might be under siege, but the other shall rise and come to its sister city's aid. I'm sure of it!"

Still that spirited child, are you... Old habits die hard, they say.

"If you say so." Lista kissed the princeling once on the forehead, before truly letting him go. "Train hard, study well--"

"Viva Hospodia," they said it together, and the child giggled. "I'll see you again at lunch. Until then, Mom!"

***

Alista Rastenia allowed herself the luxury of waiting for several minutes after the door to her room was safely closed, before getting up herself and started making her way to the mayor's study--hoping all the while that her son had gone the other way.

I may not be able to help in the field, but I'm able to help.

Her journey through Balaras Castle's maze of corridors, moreover, was marred with memories--this time of Urdin, as there was a time when the general was put in charge of the garrison there. There too, at one rare moment, she had allowed Urdin the chance to hold Vlos--then a toddler--on his lap under Ingi's benevolent watch.

'Consider it my token of appreciation,' Ingeras had said. 'As you have taken many a life these many days, Brother, you ought to feel what it's like to hold one that is just beginning.'

Even then the toddler did not seem to fear him, and instead cooed with one hand in the mouth.

Urdin--much to her amazement--had smiled with indescribable affection at those words. He had even shook the baby's body gently two or three times.

'Defender of the realm, this one,' he had said. 'My congratulations, Sire.'

'Hope he'll remain so when I'm no longer around.'

'In that case I'll aid him, as I had you in having this very bond. Eh, Lista?'

The mother was then too young to retain her composure for long. She had blushed deeply and mumbled assent with her head lowered--thus missing much of the brotherly conversation that had followed.

When next she realized it, Urdi was making well wishes for Hospodia's as well as his brother's familial future, thereafter taking his leave.

The present Alista was, however, as firm as any rock as she stood to face the door to the mayor's study, knocking at it thrice with an open palm.

"Enter."

She soon found herself before Mayor Yasnar Rahandria doing a bit of paperwork. He looked up at the visitor, revealing his clean-shaven round face, chestnut-colored hair and inquisitive amber eyes--and immediately stood.

"Lady Hospodia. A thousand pardons for the mess... How may I be of assistance?"

"Lady Hospodia no longer, Mayor; I am here as a mother."

"Well, what sort of assistance could be rendered to a mother, then?"

"I recall this is your fifth year in this position." Lista approached him, maintaining proper distance.

"Yes, my lady. By Lord Ingeras' terms, I should then step down."

"Even with a siege raging around you?"

"I have my orders. Let's hope this lamentable siege is concluded before that. So?"

"Have you any opinion on my son's rule?"

"With due respect, just what rule are we speaking of, my lady? Prince Vlos is yet to stay aloft in the air, it is known. If anything, he is a minor whom I am duty-bound to obey."

"You sure speak bluntly, sir."

"Pardons. You said you came here as a mother, thus I treat you like any of my other subjects. That has been the way since General Urdin's brief tenure here; indeed, still is."

Alista decided to swallow that. Her brother-in-law might not be the most pleasant vampire to have under the roof, but you can't tackle rebellions by being pleasant. Just ask Ingeras.

"During our journey here, we have come across a potential spy who called himself Resna. My son had seen him swearing fealty to Hospodia. What news of said agent now?"

"Officer Hnakir brought that up sometime ago. Re-infiltration to Arenda had been discussed, but not yet agreed upon; though the officer had intimated that such a move might well aid in cracking open the enemy's walls from within."

"I'm not that familiar with tactics, but I'd say that is insufficient."

"Say what you will, my lady, but I do feel this kind of subject is too delicate even for you. Suffice to say that what resources we could lay hands on, we will utilize fully."

Vlos' mother acknowledged it, and wished him well. "In the meantime, then, I feel I must question our overall leadership. Who is truly in charge here, sir, you or my son?"

"To answer this kind of question, my lady, we must be as fair as we can manage. Here we have soldiers to direct, a banner to protect, and a city and its inhabitants to defend. Your son cannot yet do this properly on his own. I, meanwhile, am just a mayor and I do not wish to overstep my authorities. Our men, however, would listen more to a figure whom they could see leading them directly than to a distant high-sounding figurehead. So--and let's not debate in this--I am in charge, until such time as your son is rule-worthy."

"That begs the question of what you'll do when your term as mayor expires, which is but months away."

"Sometimes it's wiser to just wait and see, my lady, especially on matters not yet within our reach. If there is nothing else?"

"Just an unused book and the necessary writing materials, sir, thank you."

"Might I ask what's to be done with those?"

Lista replied only after such items had been handed to her. "You might have heard, sometime during your present career, that I had not belonged to the noblest of citizen classes. For people of the class I used to occupy, learning is so important that they make it an aspiration; and as one of them, I too carry that trait. Good day, Mayor."