“As long as The City remains locked and barred the Wolfyn should not be able to enter it. The Shadow Princes have cast a spell making it impregnable, but that knowledge is ours alone. We do not want Gaius Prospero feeling safe, for that would be foolish. Besides, without supplies from the Midlands the food will eventually run out and being safe behind these walls will not matter then,” Lara said.

“But without aid from the Coastal Province and with no food, how can we prevail over these creatures? Over this Twilight Lord?”

“Your only hope is Terah,” Lara told her. “The rightness of the Women’s Movement that you have begun is now proving to be truth. Gaius Prospero must be removed from his imperial seat. What Hetar does about a new government is their decision, but the emperor cannot be allowed to rule any longer.

“You cannot hope to beat back the Wolfyn or any other of the Twilight Lord’s minions. His armies are great, and are comprised of dwarfs and giants. The Wolfyn are the most frightening of his creatures, so he has sent them first to burn and loot and do rapine in order to terrify you. But when he finds The City is blocked to him he will destroy the forest and the Midlands, then move on to the coast. The desert is useless to him, and he is afraid of the Shadow Princes. They will be left in peace. In the end The City will be isolated. Terah will be his next objective after he has destroyed Hetar and brought it under his heel,” Lara said.

“But how,” Gillian asked, “can we stop him?”

“Here is where our women can help,” Lara told her companion. “We have among our group several wives and daughters of Crusader Knights. Many will have been widowed when the fleet was destroyed. There are women among the Mercenaries now without husbands, fathers and sons. These women must convince those remaining of their men to work with Terah. When the Wolfyn have gathered before The City, as they eventually will, we can catch them in a pincer movement. The remaining fighters in The City will march out to do battle with the Wolfyn while the Terahn forces come at them from the other side. Caught between us the Wolfyn will be crushed and defeated. The Twilight Lord’s remaining armies will reconsider their position at that point.”

“The emperor will never agree to work with Terah,” Gillian said.

“Of course he won’t, for he is a fool,” Lara agreed. “This is where the women come in. They must force Gaius Prospero to do their bidding-and they can, Lady Gillian. The emperor would like to dismiss the women as he previously has done but too many of your men have died in pursuit of his dreams. We all need peace.”

Lady Gillian considered Lara’s words in silence for several long minutes. Finally she spoke. “Aye, we need peace and the prosperity that comes with it. Would your husband really aid Hetar even after we attempted to war with you? Why would he do that? What advantage does it give Terah over Hetar?”

“Aye, Magnus would aid you, for it is to all our benefit, not just Terah. We wish to live in peace, trading with you for our handcrafted and luxury goods as we always have, but other than that Terah wishes no communion with Hetar at this time.”

Lady Gillian nodded and then she said, “What happened in the Outlands before Hetar invaded? The common folk do not question, Domina, but I know you were first wed to an Outland clan chief who was murdered by his brother.”

“The plot to murder Vartan was instigated by Gaius Prospero, who believed by killing him he would set the Outlands into confusion, making it easier to conquer them.”

“But the Outlands were empty of people, of livestock, of villages when Hetar pushed into it. Even the mines in the mountains were gone. What happened?”

“The Shadow Princes were not pleased with what Gaius Prospero wanted to do. They took the clan families under their protection, and as a final punishment for the emperor they sealed the mines and raised up growth over them. It will be many years before they are discovered again,” Lara said. She didn’t really think it was necessary for Lady Gillian to know the entire truth of the matter.

“The Shadow Princes are really the most powerful among us, aren’t they?” the older woman said softly.

“I believe they are,” Lara agreed.

“You have great powers, too. Oh, you need not answer. I remember the exquisite innocent you were the night Gaius Prospero displayed you for sale,” Lady Gillian reminisced. “Your aura was light and beautiful. Now it shimmers with incredible force. To have survived all you have survived, that strength had to be already within you.”

“You have the sight?” Lara asked, surprised.

Lady Gillian nodded. “That is how I knew you must not be sold within The City,” she answered. She paused and then said, “I almost forgot! Kigva, a trusted servant of Lady Vilia, has been attending our meetings. Since she is not a woman who makes decisions on her own, I must assume she had been coming as Vilia’s spy, but to what purpose I am not entirely certain. I sense that Lord Jonah is preparing to attempt to unseat Gaius Prospero and will use his failures against him with the magnates and the High Council. But why does Vilia’s woman bother with us?”

“Perhaps Lord Jonah will use the Women’s Movement against the emperor or perhaps he wants their support if they appear to be gaining momentum,” Lara suggested.

“Lord Jonah’s mother is my successor,” Lady Gillian said. “Farah is no fool. Whatever she does will be to protect herself and her position. But so will Lady Vilia. She is a patient woman and willing to bide her time to gain her objective.”

“If she is like many women,” Lara considered, “she will be in silent competition with her mother-in-law to be her husband’s chief advisor. It is just possible that we might win her over to our side if she believes it is to her own benefit. She may be Gaius Prospero’s former wife but I will wager she yet has influence with him. She would be more of an advantage to us than Lady Farah. Can you arrange a meeting between us?”

“I can,” Lady Gillian said. “When?”

“This time tomorrow night,” Lara replied. “Now I must go, for Magnus worries when I am gone too long.”

“I will try,” the older woman said. “Do we have time though?”

“Not a great deal, but enough,” Lara told her. And then with a nod she disappeared in a puff of mauve smoke.

When Lara told her husband of her meeting with Lady Gillian and the plan she had devised, he was well pleased. “I will go with you tomorrow night,” he said.

“Why?” Lara wanted to know.

“Lady Vilia is a proud woman. While I believe she will respect you and listen to what you have to say, I think we would get quicker action from her if the Dominus of Terah were to ask for her aid. You must remember that this lady has been raised in a society where they are taught to revere their men. Time is of the essence for us, and if the Mercenaries and Crusader Knights remaining in The City are to be brought back up to their strength, then we must begin training them sooner than later.”

“You are right!” Lara agreed. “I had not thought of that. I have been so busy strategizing I did not consider Lady Vilia’s sensibilities. I am certain that your charm will win her over. But the question is, who will she win over? Gaius Prospero, her former husband, or Lord Jonah, her power-hungry new husband?”

“It doesn’t matter as long as Hetar will ally with us to defeat the Twilight Lord,” Magnus Hauk said. “And if Og can win over the giants, Kol will be truly weakened.”

“I will ask him to meet with his sire upon the Dream Plain again,” Lara answered. “But we must have something to offer Skrymir and his people. We cannot just ask for their aid and give nothing in return. The hilly lands that abut the Dark Lands are uninhabited and the clan families do not need them and are far from them anyway. Can I tell Og that you will offer those lands to Skrymir in exchange for his aid?”

“He must pledge me fealty yearly, the price to be at his discretion,” the Dominus answered his wife.

“It is generous,” Lara said and then kissing her husband upon his cheek she wafted herself to Kaliq’s palace of Shunnar, sought out her mentor and told him of their plan to lure the giants to their side.

“I think you may win Skrymir over,” Kaliq answered. “His people were never really hard or brutal. They only became so to protect themselves after the Forest Lords betrayed their long friendship and the survivors were forced to flee. In all the years they have sheltered in the Dark Lands, Kol has never before asked of them what he will soon request. I believe they will welcome an opportunity to leave his realm and settle on the far edge of the New Outlands. Yes, find Og, and speak with him. When he is ready to sleep, tell him to come to me as he did before.”

Lara sought out Og in his green valley among the horses, and explained to him what she wished of him. “Your father was not hostile to you when you last met,” she said. “Do you think he can be turned from the dark back to the light?”

Og sighed. “Oddly, Lara, the impression I got was that he was afraid of what might happen to his people if left to Kol’s tender mercies, but that he did not know what else he might do. I can but make the offer and attempt to convince him. I will seek him out tonight with the prince’s help,” Og agreed. He absently rubbed the muzzle of a small bay mare. “Aye, the sooner the better.”

“Thank you, my dearest friend,” Lara said and then she wafted herself back to her own castle in Terah.

Og chuckled at the puff of mauve mist that she left behind. Then giving the little mare a swat on her rump he sent her off as he walked across the great green meadow to the palace, where he knew the prince his master would be awaiting him. Again, as the first time, Prince Kaliq set the green enameled gold amulet in the shape of a tree about Og’s thick neck. Then he conducted him to the great chamber with its long bed. Og drank down the cup of frine that had been mixed with herbs to help him sleep. Then he lay down while Prince Kaliq sat in a chair by his side. Soon the giant was snoring.

As he was falling asleep Og had concentrated on his father, silently calling out his name as he drifted into unconsciousness. Then he found himself standing surrounded by a gauzy mist and knew he had once again attained the Dream Plain. “Father,” he called out. “I need you to come and speak with me.”

All remained silent about him and then Og realized that his sire was probably not used to be addressed thusly.

“Skrymir of the Forest Giants, I need you to come and speak with me,” he said.

“Who calls me?” his father’s deep strong voice answered.

“Your son, Og, horse master to the Shadow Princes,” Og replied and then he saw Skrymir striding through the mist toward him.

“What is it you want of me, Og?” his father asked as they now stood face-to-face.

“I bring you an offer from Magnus Hauk, Dominus of Terah,” Og began.

“Who is this Dominus of Terah?”

“He is the ruler of the vast territory beneath the mountains of the Dark Lands. His wife was my savior and is my dearest friend to this day. My lord father, you know that the greatest of the Shadow Princes, Kaliq by name, is my master and patron. He knows that the nature of our race is a gentle and kind one. He believes the harshness that you must now exhibit is what has kept you alive since the treachery of the Forest Lords changed our way of life. But my master also believes that given the chance, you would return to your former selves. And it is through him that the Dominus makes this offer. It is a good offer, my lord father.

“Leave the Dark Lands. Eschew the Twilight Lord’s influence and again become the race we once were. The Dominus will give to you and our people all the lands beneath the Black Mountains from the Obscura to beyond infinity if you will reject Kol and his plans for conquest. The land is not harsh like the mountains you now inhabit. The land is rolling, forested hills with broad fertile valleys. It is a good place,” Og said.

Skrymir’s amber eyes grew almost misty at the thought of such a land, but then he said, “When my liege lord conquers Terah, those lands can be ours if we ask him.”

“The Twilight Lord will never conquer Terah,” Og replied. “Without a faerie woman he has not the power to do so. And he must watch his back more carefully than ever before, for there are those who would seek to place one or the other of his sons on his throne. The Dark Lands borders on civil war, my lord father.”

“My lord Kol’s faerie mate gives him all the power he needs for his conquest,” Skrymir boasted.

“She is no longer by his side, my lord father,” Og told his sire. “Lord Kol stole the faerie wife of the Dominus of Terah, but only after stealing her memories so she would not know who she was.” Then Og went on to tell Lara’s tale to Skrymir. He told him that Kaliq had restored her memories and that the beautiful faerie used her magic to create two sons from the one. “It was all planned in advance,” Og said. “The Domina Lara was sent deliberately by the Council of the Magic Kingdoms to bring this chaos to the Dark Lands. It was a part of the great destiny she has. Without her, your master cannot accomplish all he desires. Lord Kol attempts to wreck the perfect balance between the light and the dark. But he will not be allowed to do it.