The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage

WM [62] Woman of Yuhia

Tanisha took her seat cautiously, her every move measured as Bjorn settled beside her. Across from them, Sigrun’s eyes roved over Tanisha in a way that felt unnervingly intimate, as if she were studying every facet of her being. It wasn’t lust or admiration, but fascination. Now that Sigrun knew Tanisha was a greater wendigo, not a demon, her curiosity was palpable despite the regal mask she wore. But Tanisha wasn’t fooled. She could feel the weight of that gaze, analyzing her, assessing her potential.

Tanisha, however, kept her own gaze sharp and unwavering. Her eyes locked onto the First Princess with the focus of a hawk, refusing to stray for even a second. She wasn’t sure if she could outrun Sigrun or her Domination Sorcery, but if things went wrong, Tanisha was prepared to try. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready to spring into action. But Sigrun’s posture remained calm, almost relaxed—there were no signs of imminent hostility.

“Hello, Tanisha,” Sigrun greeted her. Her voice was smooth and measured, but beneath the formal tone was a note of excitement. “You do prefer Tanisha, or should I call you Sif or Freja?”

“Tanisha is preferred, yes,” she replied, her voice steady, though her insides churned with tension.

“Good.” Sigrun leaned back slightly, folding her hands on the table. “There’s a tradition among royals when we meet under circumstances like these. I know you’re unaware of it, as it’s different from how we handle the subservience of nobility. But since you are now our peer, it would be rude not to teach you. There are two parts: the first is the Power Display. It’s a brief exchange of controlled aura. I will release mine first, and then you will do the same. Keep it contained between the two of us. This allows us to sense the Domination Sorcery we share—something unique to the royal family. For you, it will allow us to feel your magic and gauge its potency.”

Tanisha’s heart skipped a beat. She had known this was coming, but the formality of the request still sent a ripple of apprehension through her. Before she could respond, Sigrun continued.

“The second part is the sharing of bloodwine, or a gift from our travels, as a means to commune.” Sigrun gave a slight smile, but the tension in the air was thick. “Shall we get started?”

Without waiting for an answer, Sigrun unleashed her aura.

It was like being hit by an invisible tidal wave. There was no outward sign, no dramatic explosion of light or sound, but Tanisha felt it immediately. Her magical senses were overwhelmed, her entire body instinctively bracing against the sheer force of it. She could feel it pressing down on her like the weight of a mountain. Surprise flickered across her face despite her best efforts to remain composed.

Without any conscious thought, her skill Identify activated.

Identify

Name: Sigrun Al Velidein Qar
Species: Wendigo
Level: 422
Vocation: Sorceress of Domination

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Tanisha stared in disbelief. Sigrun’s aura was so powerful, so oppressive, it registered as though the princess had physically touched her. She could feel the sheer magnitude of Sigrun’s power—something far beyond anything she had faced before. Even Joha, even Ingrid, paled in comparison to this.

She swallowed dryly. If Sigrun wanted to take her, wanted to force her to stay, there was nothing Tanisha could do to stop her. She could capture them both with ease, crush them beneath the weight of her sorcery. Yet, the princess hadn’t done so. She was going through this formal dance, adhering to tradition rather than using brute force. That was what unnerved Tanisha the most. Sigrun was choosing negotiation, respect even, when she could have simply taken what she wanted.

The aura retracted, and Sigrun leaned back, watching her expectantly. Tanisha’s turn.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her own magic. Unlike the typical wendigo, her aura didn’t project outwards. Instead, ambient mana around her was drawn inward, mixing with her own reserves of mana, maya, and aether. It swirled within her, creating seiðr, a magic unique to her. Slowly, it began to circulate around her in a dense, invisible vortex, an event horizon where all mana in the vicinity was absorbed and converted into something entirely her own. It wasn’t just a display of power; it was transformation, creation, an act of pure will.

Sigrun’s reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened in shock, her regal composure breaking as she slammed her hands down on the table and stood, leaning forward in awe. Tanisha, startled by the reaction, instinctively stopped the flow of her magic, cutting off the phenomenon.

For a brief, heady moment, she felt as though she had won. Sigrun all but collapsed back into her seat, her gaze fixed on Tanisha, searching for words.

“I… this is beyond what I expected.” Sigrun’s voice was filled with wonder, almost disbelief. “You truly are a greater wendigo, one unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

The tension in the room shifted. Whatever Sigrun had thought she was dealing with, it was clear Tanisha had exceeded those expectations. The power balance had shifted, subtly but unmistakably.

Before further words could be exchanged, a bottle of bloodwine materialized on the table, along with two fluted glasses. Sigrun poured a liberal amount for herself, and a far smaller amount for Tanisha.

“I understand you are underage,” Sigrun said, her tone returning to a more composed regality. “You will have only enough to participate.” The glass floated over to Tanisha. “May the Forest Father guide, may our ancestors watch, and may our enemies die.”

Tanisha accepted the glass, her mind still reeling from the power exchange. This wasn’t just a meeting of royals—it was a battle of wills, and though she had emerged unscathed, the confrontation had only just begun. She broke eye contact for the first time to briefly examine the bloodwine. She had seen this drink before of course but only at extremely upscale parties when she was a little girl. It was far more rare and expensive than the usual cream alcohol wendigo typically drank, much like its namesake it was made from blood in a long process.

Tanisha watched Sigrun swirl her drink for a moment before drinking so she emulated. She found the taste wonderful, not like blood, it was too sweet. She imagined it would taste like how humans described juice. She wanted more, but the glass was empty after just a sip. She placed it back down and looked at Sigrun.

“Okay, now that this is done I must be straightforward with you.” Tanisha said, setting the glass down. “I have no intention of staying in Yuhia. If you hadn’t stopped Joha and me we would have left days ago. Instead we again had to fight and he was corrupted by the maya while defending your territory. I want to leave and go out and find Joha.”

Sigrun nodded along. “Yes, I read the report. We also confirmed that those were the very same druids we had been tracking from the base you reported to the foolish council in Birchgrove. It would seem that we owe you another great debt, from what we found from the remains of their base. They had been operating the domain for months, possibly years, using that stronghold as a staging ground for other operations before the skinwalker experiments.

“I have also interviewed many people around Birchgrove on my way here. It would appear you have quite the reputation. While you were there you had a run in with a werewolf pack. You worked to alleviate the potion shortage, you were instrumental in uncovering two separate intelligent skinwalkers, and even in the subjugation of one of them. Not only that, but you were a key player in killing a Jeweled Wing Monarch before it could wipe out the town completely.

“It appears to me that all you have done since the Salstar’s foolishly kicked you out is fight. I spoke with Ingrid about you shortly after we found out about your evolution. It would appear you didn’t fully expose your secret to her so I didn’t either. She does know that you were Freja, but like most that know that fact she thinks your appearance is a disguise. She told me about your brutal Shaigaunt, how you were left for dead with a single lesser potion and a supposedly dead familiar.

“I interviewed Tyr and the Isi members that knew you. Tyr was the only one that knew you were Tanisha, but he also thought your form was a disguise not a transformation. He told me about the battles with the druids and the gnolls and how you went from a novice to someone that killed a Hand in a few weeks. You have all the hallmarks of a greater wendigo and now that I have seen and felt your aura I am sure of it myself.”

“That puts me back at my earlier statement. I want to leave, but I think you don’t want me to,” Tanisha said with skepticism. “I am at a loss though, you had all the power, but you gave me a means to refuse once you recognized me as a princess.”

“I won’t lie, I thought about coming here and taking you by force. When I first discovered what you were, it was exactly what I wanted to do,” Sigrun said. “I may be seen as the most progressive of my siblings, but I am still a Sorceress of Domination. Over the few weeks I had to think over my plans the more I realized how foolish that would have been.”

“What do you mean?” Tanisha questioned.

Sigrun took another sip of her wine. “Even if I took you against your will you would still become a princess. You would gain the right to challenge me. You could choose to side with one of my siblings who have so far stayed out of the succession. I thought about killing you instead, but no matter how I look at you all I see is someone that has fought for Yuhia despite herself. I see someone with the ambition needed to survive no matter what this world throws at her. I gain more with you as a true ally than a reluctant captive and possible enemy.”

Tanisha absorbed her words for a moment and Sigrun didn’t rush her as she sat back and sipped her wine. Tanisha felt the tension in the air lessen as she mulled over in her mind a response. It was clear that Sigrun had shifted her approach; it explained why she was treating her as a peer and not a mere former noble Shai. That realization settled uneasily on Tanisha’s mind, though she remained cautious.

“So what,” Tanisha said. “You want me to stay willingly?”

Sigrun set her glass down slowly, the pause deliberate. “Not just stay. I want you to be part of something greater. I want you by my side as a true Princess of Yuhia, not someone kept here against her will. Together, we could reshape this kingdom, and you could find the power you seek—not just for survival, but for everything you’ve fought for.”

“So, if I refuse, you will kill me?” Tanisha questioned. “You even admitted that you thought about it.”

“No, I wouldn’t kill someone so steeped in the blessings of the Forest Father as you are,” Sigrun said. “But I will protect my interests. This is a negotiation. I’ve told you what I want, and you've made your desires clear. Now, let's find a solution that benefits both of us.” She leaned forward slightly, her fingers steepled in front of her as her voice lowered conspiratorially. “I know you plan to return to Yuhia in a few decades, or have you changed your mind about that too.

“Yuhia is still my home,” Tanisha said. “I will come back after I have seen the world.”

“Good, then this can still work. This is what I propose.” With a graceful motion, she retrieved a crystal flower wrapped in a white bow from her magical inventory, holding it delicately between her fingers. The ethereal object shimmered in the light. “I am sure you know what this is. I want you to marry my son Óðr in two decades. If you are still out of the country he will come to find you, if you still do not wish to return all I ask is that you give us an heir.”

“No.” Tanisha flatly refused. “I do not want to be engaged to anyone right now. I don’t need that responsibility.”

Sigrun’s smile only deepened, a gesture that unsettled Tanisha. “I know you want to find Joha. Do you even know where to start? The Chaos Lands are vast, and there’s no guarantee you’ll find him on your own. In exchange for my support, I want you to accept my proposal. However, I’ll extend the timeline—twenty-five years. If, by then, you are still not ready to return, Óðr will come for you. He will challenge you for your hand. If he wins, you’ll be his wife and return to Yuhia as Queen Consort. But if you win, you’ll still marry him—on your own terms, as Queen of Yuhia, with the Scalebound Dynasty beginning and the Qar Dynasty ending. Of course, it will be after I die, but it is guaranteed.”

“You would go so far as to give up your son’s claim to the throne just to have me?” Tanisha questioned.

“I believe that even if you are now a Greater Wendigo you still possess our desire to dominate and grow stronger. I think that it is stronger in you than it is in us even if you haven’t lost yourself to it yet. You have felt it though haven’t you? The Founding King Hjalmar, the Nature's Wrath called it the Blood Price for Power. It drives us and it always has. As a woman of Yuhia I know you want your children to one day be secure in their power as well. As daughter-in-law and queen or consort your lineage and mine is all but guaranteed. My grandchildren will be descendants of two greater wendigo who could challenge such a lineage?

“If you were stronger now and could challenge me I would give up my claim if you could take it from me. If it meant ensuring Yuhia thrives under a ruler worthy of my father’s legacy. I want what’s best for our people. I want to ensure the future generations of wendigo continue to grow stronger, more powerful. And to that end, I would do anything. My proposal is thus: I will help you find your adoptive father, guarantee that you have a place in Yuhia when you return and secure your bloodline for generations to come.”

Tanisha drummed her fingers on the table, her mind working through the proposition. “There’s one problem. you have to become queen first. From what I’ve heard, the First Prince is still the favorite for the throne.”

Sigrun’s smile widened and Tanisha realized it was because she hadn’t outright refused again but was entertaining the idea. Sigrun noticed it and was already maneuvering the conversation further into negotiation. The princess wasn’t wrong about Tanisha’s desire for power and how it had grown over ever since she became a greater wendigo. It wasn’t lost to her what it would mean to actually be queen or queen consort and to have her descendants be the rulers of the country. It would be the dream of any wendigo to have such a lasting and powerful legacy.

“Then we will make that part of the deal as well,” Sigrun said confidently as she floated the crystal flower over to Tanisha. “If I am not the chosen successor, or queen when Óðr comes for you in twenty-five years our deal is off. You won’t have to marry him or even accept his challenge for your hand. Regardless of the outcome of my succession to the throne, I will still give you my support.”

“What if I die in the Chaos Lands or your son can not find me,” Tanisha said.

“If you die, then you weren’t worthy of joining our family, let alone becoming queen. And if you try to hide, we don’t want the blood of a coward or liar. But that doesn’t mean you have to make it easy for him—it will be a trial, for both you and Óðr.”

Tanisha looked at the floating crystalline flower. The light reflected off of it in a beautiful dance of magic and sorcery. It was another proposal for marriage which she was not sure about, but twenty-five years was a long time and there was alway the possibility that Sigrun would not become queen. She reached out, taking the flower in her hands, carefully unwrapping the white ribbon.

Tanisha twirled the ribbon between her fingers before looking up. “I will accept this ribbon as an oath that I will fight Óðr for my hand in marriage, but this does not bind me until he or I win, but only if he is worthy of me, the Fourteenth Princess. When I return in twenty-five years, any royal scion of my generation—fifteen years older or younger—can challenge for the right to face me. Only the strongest will earn my hand.”

Sigrun’s smile faltered, and for the first time, Tanisha saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “By your generation, do you mean any one of royal blood within that range?”

Tanisha nodded. “Yes. Let it be known to the royal family. They will all have a chance, and only the most deserving will have me.”

Sigrun hesitated again. Her mind seemed to race as she considered her nephews, potential rivals for her son. Then, with a slow, satisfied smile, she reclaimed the crystal flower, causing it to vanish back into her inventory, leaving only the ribbon in Tanisha’s hands.

“I accept,” Sigrun said, her voice smooth once more. “It will be a spectacle. Óðr will rise to the occasion.”

“Hold on,” Tanisha interrupted, raising her hand. Sigrun’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden cut-off. “There’s one more condition.”

Sigrun blinked, caught off guard. “Another?”

Tanisha’s expression softened slightly. “Queen or no, I want to open an alchemy shop. It’s something I’ve always wanted, and I won’t give up on that dream.”

Sigrun’s surprise gave way to laughter, a soft, melodious sound that filled the room. “An alchemy shop? Making you queen won't be a problem, but that might be a bit difficult to arrange on such short notice, but… I think I can make it happen.”

Tanisha smiled, her hand stroking Bjorn’s nearest head as she absorbed the gravity of what had just transpired. She had just agreed to a future that could either elevate her to the height of power. Despite its flowing delicate fabric white ribbon felt heavy in her hand. It was a promise of what was to come. For now, though, she tucked it away in her inventory, ready to focus on the immediate tasks at hand.

“Then it’s settled,” Tanisha said, her voice calm but firm. “Now… tell me where to find Joha.” 

Sigrun’s expression shifted, turning serious. She reached into her inventory and retrieved a small mirror-like object. Tanisha’s eyes widened slightly in recognition—it was a prototype Communication Disk, similar to the one Signe had shown her in Lavi. This device, she recalled, allowed direct communication between two holders without the need for line of sight, unlike the standard divination stones used by light mages. It was impressive, a leap in magical technology.

“Signe told me you have seen this item before.” The First Princess held the disk for a moment running her hand across the surface. She then levitated it towards Tanisha. “It is still a prototype, but it functions as intended. It has a range of five hundred miles and is directly connected to its sister prototype. I’ve sent scouts into the Chaos Lands to track down the surviving druids who escaped when Signe collapsed their tunnels. They’ve also reported signs of Joha. Keep this disk. As we gather information, we’ll relay it to you. The last reports had him heading north along the mountain’s edge, moving off the standard routes. Signe will be your primary contact through this—does that sound agreeable?”

Tanisha took the disk. It was about the size of a personal mirror, but the surface was covered in magic circles embedded with thousands of tiny magic crystals which made up some form of technomancy circuitry. Tanisha had never seen anything so complex although technomancy was the newest specialization of the Spellcraft Discipline. She ran a hand over the front and back of the communication disk feeling the unusual magic it emitted. Bjorn scooted closer to get a better look.

“Yes,” Tanisha replied, still marveling at the intricate device in her hand. She looked up at Sigrun, her voice steady with anticipation. “I look forward to our partnership, First Princess Sigrun.”

Sigrun’s eyes gleamed with the same intensity. “As do I, Fourteenth Princess Tanisha.”