The Empress made quite a bold statement, but the Deacons could see the effects.  Lydia could see Kyrie’s eyes, and saw how excited she was. She could see the excitement in Ayn’s eyes as well.

“So does that mean there are no more feasts?” Lydia asked as she wondered how the bars would react when they realized that the feasts of flesh may halt.

“They feasted like their sisters were slaves made for their table, and they were Queens, worthy of such treatment.” Kyrie said angrily. “Some wished they could die because they were not loved, only consumed.” Lydia knew that the goddess didn’t prevent them from behaving in that manner as each one of the Others could prevent themselves from being consumed as they matched each other in strength. The thing that they lacked was the desire to stop.  If they said no, or struggled in any way, the goddess, and they still continued, the goddess would have reacted in such a way that no one would ever attempt to force their sister ever again.  However, the ladies were too submissive.  They never spoke up.

“I wonder how the Empress will deal with those beasts.” Lydia pondered quietly. Kyrie licked her lips as the flavor of Lena’s lips came back to her mind.

“She was quite tasty, goddess. Will she let us taste her in the future?” Ayn asked her as she watched the show through the window.

“See her eyes when she watched Sol? I think she will most likely taste you.”

*****

“Sire, we have a messenger.” An armored soldier tapped his breastplate and presented a scroll to the attendant at the side of the war room table.

“Is it urgent? You know the Emperor is ready to launch the invasion of the north.” The attendant opened the scroll and turned pale. “It is urgent.” He waved his hand and let the soldier leave quietly. He saluted and left as quickly as a dignified march could move him.

“Everyone. Except for the Emperor and the Prime Minister, everyone else must leave.” The attendant handed the scroll to the Prime Minister and bowed. He left the room and closed the doors as the generals reluctantly left.

When the attendant to the Emperor made this kind of announcement, no one had the courage to question that decision. They knew that if the Emperor lost his temper, they would most likely be skewered by his sword.

Their current Emperor was someone who used the sword to keep his power over others. The problem with that is that eventually, someone will decide that he was too dangerous to keep around. If he was a foolish ruler, or he stepped on too many toes, he would already be dead.

“What did he give you, old man?” The younger Emperor asked with a frown. He had respect for the minister, but they have been teacher and pupil for so long, there was a camaraderie between the two men that transcended their political positions.

The Prime Minister, Sami, son of Reimar, read the scroll quickly, then frowned and read it again. He closed his eyes and handed the Emperor the scroll.

“The seer requests an audience.” Sami said quietly. He watched as Emperor Soudeles scanned the scroll.

“It doesn’t say why.” He threw it behind him.

“The seer requests an audience! Everyone, every single person who ever disrespected the Seer is dead! Not one of their family members has lived beyond two days after the incident!"  The Prime Minister growled.  "You represent the entire Empire!  The Seer hates being in public!  She would not leave her quiet temple life unless it was urgent!” Sami said angrily as he went and picked up the scroll.  He felt like he had to teach this man how to behave like a man at every turn.  Why couldn't he see the simple things that were so obvious?

“But why not just tell us what she wants?”

“Would you trust something that could affect the well being of the Empire to a messenger? We must prepare for her arrival. It should be within the hour.”

*****

Every single attendant within the Imperial Palace was employed to clean a small pond kept for meetings with the Seer. It had existed for over a thousand years, but in the last seven hundred years, the Emperor had not met with the Seer for official matters. To the Emperors of the Digallan Empire, the Seer was a tool to use, but not an important figure. She had lost her importance after the Digalla had defeated the Asmarians, and merged their two empires into one.

This Emperor was no different then the last twenty five. He had no respect for the goddess of death as he saw her as merely a figment of the imagination.

When the seer arrived, all humans, other then the PM and the Emperor, left the small park and headed for the other wings. They could not be within a thousand feet of the seer, or the one who whispered in her ear would react, and curse them for their lack of respect.

“Seer.” The Prime Minister gestured to the pool, a place she found to be tranquil so she could ponder over the whispers within her mind. Her attendants, all female, guided her to the edge of the pool.

“Prime Minister Sami, son of Reimar. Emperor Soudeles.” She sat down on the stone, her eyes still closed.

“Why did you seek an audience, Seer?”

“The goddess of death has a message for you.” She said softly. The minister’s face paled, while the Emperor started to sneer. “Emperor, if you can not believe in her existence, all you have to do is take your navy north. You will then believe.” The Seer said in another soft tone. The minister knelt down.

“What does the goddess wish us to do?” Soudeles’ mouth fell open. His minister was on his knees? The proud man who trained him for war was on his knees before a woman? A simple powerless woman?

The Emperor's attitude reflected the attitude of the Empire.  Women, though they can be powerful, were still seen as second class, and as tools to be used.  This attitude would 'awaken' the one they wished remained asleep.  The sands of the Great Desert would shift as the goddess of death looked at the south once more.

“The Emperor will take one ship north. It will go until it reaches the Undying Cliffs. He will take a small boat and go through the pass not cut by human hands, and meet with the temple master there. If more then one ship tries to cross the Great Desert without walking on the sands, the ships will never reach the shore. The soldiers will die. She will then send a squad of Others to the Empire.” She said in an eerily soft voice.

“What does she want him to do?”  Sami felt a ice cold shiver run down his spine.  Their war would not proceed if the goddess does not want it to.

“Only to speak to the temple master. She will decide whether or not you will be allowed to cross the Great Desert without walking upon the sand.” The Seer then lifted her eyes from the pool. This was unheard of as this Seer had eyes that were solid white, and many didn’t believe she could see.

“Emperor, if you should act upon your foolish thoughts, the goddess will rip your skin off, and boil you alive in salt water for thousands of years. Her words.” She looked directly at the emperor. She then looked back at the pool, and sighed. “Prime Minister.”

“Yes, Seer?”

“Your daughter should go to the desert shore, take a ship, and travel the distance of the caravan. She should then go to the temple. You know why.” He nodded and let out a slow breath.

“I do.” The Seer stood up, her attendants came close, and guided her back to the carriage that brought her here. The only other carriage on the planet that was built by the sisters in Haven was gifted to this Seer when she first heard the whispers of the goddess.  It was a symbol that she had her protection, and anyone who attempted to harm, or disrespect her in any way would learn that quickly.

The goddess was ruthlessly protective of her Seer, and for a reason beyond the fact that she could hear her whisper.

*****

“I will not go!” The Emperor roared. The Prime Minister sighed.

“Do you understand what you’re saying? The Death Squad worships the goddess, and guides our citizens through the Great Desert. The Empire has not bypassed the Great Desert for thousands of years for a reason.” Sami kept his face calm, and his emotions locked.

He had served this Emperor’s whims for many years. His ancestors even helped Emperor Viomur to conquer the entire South. He had helped to advance their Maritime technology, and make them a true power in the south. The Empire raided Ados in centuries passed, and other small island nations, but have not been able to cross the oceans.  The Prime Minister felt that if they could advance it even further, they could see other unspoiled lands.  That might also sate the Emperor's thirst for conquest.

When the old Emperor passed on, his son had dreams to surpass him. To bury his father permanently, he wanted to conquer the north. It took nearly a decade to convince his ministers to go around the Great Desert, and another decade to muster the strength to do so.

Sami, the Prime Minister, who sacrificed everything for the good of the Empire, now saw it all crash around him, and realized how foolish he was. The goddess could sweep it all away with only a squad of her Others.  Was there a reason he believed in the goddess of death?

Yes.  One of the governors who made an attempt to purchase the rights to lay with the Seer was violently executed as soon as he handed over the money.  It was in his own carriage, and Sami watched as that slender woman entered the carriage, and left within seconds.  Her eyes were solid blue, with no other color visible.

“That is just old woman nonsense!” The Emperor raged.

“Then I will go on a ship with my daughter and head to the Undying Cliffs. If you bypass the Great Desert on your own before I return, the Empire will suffer.” He bowed and left the Imperial Palace, which left the Emperor in shock.

When he came to his senses, his rage went through the roof, and he destroyed his entire library. By the time his rage eased enough for his mind to process rational thoughts, the Prime Minister had already left with his only child, and the concubine who gave birth to her.

When they went to find traces of the ship that took him north, there were no records to find. They had to assign a new dock master after that as the Emperor had him drawn and quartered.