Keir was in the middle of studying a strix, drawing out the incredibly complex weave of magic that gave it shape. It was not an easy process, especially when combined with the irritation and low level pain coming from his body. The clothes he was wearing weren't helping matters either. With his current monthly visitor, a dress was simply easier to wear for hygiene reasons.

A knock on the door interrupted his work. He wasn't sure if he should be annoyed at the interruption or thankful to have something take his mind off his body.

“Get that please, Jaris,” he said. He'd sent his maids out earlier. His bodyguards, who had arrived that morning, were guarding the door from outside the room. He'd wanted complete silence for his work, and his general irritability was not something he wanted to take out on his servants. They didn't deserve it, so it was best if he was alone.

His ghostly servant silently floated to the door to see who it was. “It's Sister Kaja, sir.”

“Let her in and get us some tea, please,” he said, getting up to greet her properly. He sent a mental command to the strix, which promptly opened the window and flew away, laughing merrily.

“Sister Kaja, it's a pleasure to see you today. What brings you here?” he asked, motioning for her sit by the fire.

“ I noticed you've been blessed by the Mother, Mage Keira,” the old priestess said. She took a small vial out of her robe. “I thought you could use some medicine to help relieve some of the symptoms.”

“Thank you,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat up at the topic. “I've been using hot tea and some minor spells to deal with it, but they're not made for this specific problem and aren't working as well as I'd hoped.”

“That's to be expected. You never had to personally deal with the three tribulations before. This is a simple herbal recipe, just put two drops into your tea three times a day.

He looked at her a little confused. “The three tribulations?”

The priestess smiled, and patted his arm. “The tribulations of womanhood, menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Very few women can escape them, and while they are joyful, they aren't always pleasant, especially the first.”

Snorting at the thought of any of those being joyful to go through, he put the vial on the table. Changing the uncomfortable topic, he asked, “How are things for the Church and the people?”

“With the newcomers, food and supplies, the people in general are doing well. Not having to worry about the demons attacking during the winter has helped ease most of their immediate fears. However suicide is a problem. Some people who have lost their loved ones and aren't being worked to exhaustion, now have time to think of their loss. The Church is doing what it can to help ease their pain, but there is only so much we can do for them.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You have done enough for now, Keira, you gave us time and an army. Now it is time for you to think about how to help yourself,” she said.

“How do you mean?”

“You've come back to life after three centuries, in the middle of a war unlike any the world has ever fought. You have no friends to confide in. Your closest allies see you as a holy saviour from legend. The rest see you as a weapon to be controlled. You've handled the strain well, but you are like the rest of the people here, pushing every concern aside except survival.”

“Survival is rather important.”

“Yes it is. But if someone spends too much time thinking only of that, it will break even the strongest of men. Or worse, turn them into a monster that only cares about survival and will damn everyone else.”

Instead of replying, he thought about her words. Jaris came with the tea, giving him a reason to stay silent as he put the medicine into it and slowly sipped the bitter drink. Sister Kaja did the same, allowing him time to think.

“So what do you propose?” he finally asked.

She smiled at him as if she were his grandmother, despite the fact he was likely older than she was. “Something that is incredibly easy once you begin, but very hard for some people to start. Talking. I've been told I'm quite good at listening, and as a priestess, I hold what people say in strictest confidence.”

He sighed, and allowed himself a small chuckle. “You're right. As emperor, I had my wives, my older children, advisors, and confidants to talk too. Sometimes they even yelled at me when they thought I was being particularly hardheaded, especially my youngest wife Meena. She had a temper on her. Beautiful woman, a marvellous dancer and singer, and when she was angry she could shatter glass with her voice.”

“If you like, I'll be your confident, and your friend. But I won't yell at you, I'm too old for that nonsense.”

“You're what, in your fifties?”

“Fifty-four, come midwinter.”

“That's still young. I'm a decade older than you, and I can shout with the best of them.”

“That is likely true, but you have the advantage of being in the body of an eighteen year old. Whereas I feel all of my physical years.”

“True enough,” he agreed. “So what would you like to talk about?”

“I've only heard of you as an emperor or the Necromancer. What are you like when you aren't wearing those hats?”

Sipping his tea, Keir began to talk.

Von

Resting the stump of his arm on a cushion, Von wrote some notes in his ledger. As the highest ranking mage in the fort, he was in charge of all the other magic users, a liaison with the military and civilian government, as well as the Church, and was part of the military council preparing strategies for fighting the demons. His trip to Kodor, and his injury had allowed far too much work to build up. But there was little he could do about that. He'd pushed himself too hard after losing his hand, and had been bedridden even with magical healing.

Absentmindedly he reached for his cup of tea. He looked up in confusion when he couldn't find it, only to see he was trying to use his missing hand. Putting his pen down, he grabbed the mug and sipped the special painkilling medicine.

He could feel his lost hand. He'd wake up feeling it burning. The missing fingers would twitch when he struggled to button up his shirt. His nonexistent palm would itch seemingly at random throughout the day. He'd been told it would decrease with time, but for now he could only endure it.

Looking over the documents he had to read, Von decided they could wait. He needed to get some air and stretch his legs. Placing his arm in a sling to keep it from being bumped, he put on a winter coat and left his office.

Going outside, freshly fallen snow crunched under his feet. The sound of soldiers marching and drilling wasn't as loud as it had been two weeks ago. While training was still ongoing, the freezing temperatures made it less of a priority. No one wanted to deal with frostbite if they could help it. The sound of construction from the refugee camp was also almost nonexistent. After the backbreaking pace of work preparing for winter, now people just wanted to stay warm in their hastily built barracks and homes.

Work continued, but it was being done inside, and it was generally quieter activities. Making bullets, sewing uniforms and clothes, repairing weapons, making bandages, all of it preparing for the coming spring.

A translucent figure squatted off to the side of the path, staring in fascination at the snow. Curious Von made his way over to the ghost.

“Good day, Jaris,” he said.

The servant looked up, smiling pleasantly. “Ah, Mage Von. It's good to see you on your feet. How is your arm healing?”

“Slowly, but it's getting better. Where is Keir?”

“Mage Keir is in his room talking with a friend. Since I wasn't needed, I was given the afternoon off.”

“Would you care to walk with me, I needed some air and some company would be nice.”

“It would be my pleasure, sir.” The ghost rose to his feet and fell in beside Von.

“How are you finding everything?” Von asked.

“After several centuries in a dusty room, the freedom to move around and explore is quite pleasant. The current situation is not quite the same as wandering the streets of a city and enjoying a night at the theatre, but I am not one to complain.”

“Hopefully we'll both live to enjoy a night of peace and happiness,” he said. Then he remembered who he was talking too. “I'm sorry, I'm not used to talking to a ghost.”

“Quite all right. I've come to realize that ghosts are not very common nowadays.”

“That is very true, most people have never seen one. And those who do, usually call for a mage as soon as one is found. If you don't mind my asking, you are much more lively than the other ghosts Keir has raised. Why is that?”

“It's because Mage Keir paid special attention to my personality when he created me.”

“Created you? But I thought you're the ghost of Jaris.”

“I am, and I'm not. The soul of Jaris went wherever it was supposed to go to. I'm actually how Mage Keir perceived Jaris, with some of the original's memories and personality that were captured in my creation.”

“Interesting. When we first met, you didn't act like this, you were a bit more...” he tried to think of the right way to say what he thought.

“Rude?”

“Ah, yes.”

“The living Jaris was one of the people who helped keep Mage Keir from rushing into things without thinking. Not always the easiest task in the world. He was often called by those who knew him as 'the sober second thought'. When Mage Keir created me, he focused rather heavily on that aspect, making me almost a caricature of Jaris. That flaw was tempered at the time by other servants and researchers, and my sense of loyalty.”

“So you acted more like you do now?”

“Exactly.” If it was possible for a ghost to look embarrassed, Jaris did at that moment. “When you first met me, I'd have three centuries of being alone. My old habits had come to the fore, rather excessively so.”

Von nodded in understanding. “Thank you for explaining that, it helps clear some things up.”

“Might I ask what your plans are for Mage Keir?”

That caught him off guard. Rather than show it, he stayed silent and collected his thoughts. “My plans are to assist him in destroying the demons. After that, as long as Keir doesn't plan on rebuilding his empire or harm people, I will happily let him go on his way to live as he wishes.”

“And what of the Eldritch Council?”

Von wondered how much he should admit, and how much he could. “Provided Keir assists us in the war and acts for the overall benefit of humanity, they'll act much like myself. I won't lie and say they're happy about raising Keir, but they're not idiots. We need Keir to help defeat the demons, and they know that.”

Jaris nodded, but didn't look happy with the answer.

As they walked in silence, Von was very aware how the ghost didn't ask for any assurances that the Council would allow Keir to peacefully live his life after they didn't need the necromancer.