Chapter 2: The Crown and the Ring

With the assassination thwarted, Empress Raelina convinced me not to resign as a Ranger, but to take on a diplomatic mission for her. Hanelor was to go with me after she finished her Final Confession and Resignation. She had went with Jalin to the Temple of Harsk here in Arethias Castle to proceed with her business.

Denna sat with me in my and Hanelor's room as we drank to absent companions.

"To Halas," she said with a sad smile. "May he rest among the trees, and return to me in the next life."

Her toast caught me offguard. Of all the lovers Denna had taken during the nearly ten years I'd known her, Halas had been with her the longest. A Southern Elf from the Kingdom of Leafspire in the south of the Empire, he had been a Prince there, as Denna was the daughter of a Duchess here in Arethor.

I raised my tankard with her. "To Halas. A damn good Ranger, and a decent guy." We drank.

When we set our tankards down, I looked at her. Her short red hair and soft doe brown eyes marked her as fully human. There had been a time when we had a night of passion shortly after I was assigned to her team, but that was long in the past. No regrets. We had a love/hate relationship which was mostly joking, even if she did sound a bit harsh sometimes in reprimanding me. I smiled.

"You really loved him, Denna." I stated. "I believe he loved you too."

She laughed sadly. "Yes I did, Jon. Look at us. Two old warhorses sitting and drinking to loss and love."

As her Master Sergeant, it was my duty to keep the lower enlisted in line for her as well as bring their concerns to her. She often told me that it brought her no end of grief to have me speak for the enlisted, while at the same time, I ran a tight unit for her. They knew that I was the only one who would joke with her.

"Denna, there's a guy out there for you, you know. Give it time, and I'm pretty sure you'll meet him." I patted her hand and she looked at me as she had during the prelude to our night together.

"Jon, I know I never gave us a chance..." She started.

"At ease that, Captain. We had a helluva night, but that was a long time ago. We both knew then as we do now that it would never have worked out between us." I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Very true, Sergeant." She got a fond look on her face as she smiled. "That was one helluva night, though."

I laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"As well you should. You know that my family would be completely scandalized if they knew, right?" She laughed too.

Human/Elf relations were already frowned upon amongst the commoners. Humans and Elves alike regarded halfbreeds as mongrels at best, and abominations at worst. It was an ancient racism that went back thousands of years to the Great Cataclysm. The war between Humans and Elves had nearly destroyed half the world, and had created The Fallen Lands to the far west past my old home of Elaranan in Treefall.

"My lips are sealed, Denna. I'm honestly surprised that the Empress seems to approve of me being with her daughter." I shrugged.

"Empress Raelina is not Emperor Gregor. He was as racist as they get, but she has never shown anything but respect to the Elves." Denna said. "As a girl, I once watched Gregor tell an Elven Diplomat that if she didn't get the hell out of his sight, he would cut off her ears and send them back to her Human husband and their abomination of a son."

I sat up straight at that. "He insulted my mother, father, and me." I whispered.

"And now he's dead, Jon. He was not a good man, or even a good Emperor. He was scum." Denna said.

"Yeah, I know. But to hear about him saying that, and my mother, Cariana, is a Diplomat for Treefall. She's also the only Elven Diplomat in the Empire with a Human husband and a 'mongrel' son." Denna knew about my family, and she accepted it out of hand. She had also admitted her attraction to Elves when she had propositioned me that first night.

"Well, it's in the past now. I could imagine him turning in his tomb if he knew that his daughter is now with one of the 'abominations' he so despised." She chuckled and raised her tankard. "To Jon Hawke! The best 'mongrel' I've ever known."

I laughed and raised my tankard with her. "Woof woof!" I woofed and we drank.

We were still laughing when Hanelor came back in with just her tunic, trousers, and boots on. We looked at her, and I rose and went to her as I saw the look on her face. She was happy, but also nervous.

She threw her arms around my neck and I held her tight. "I'm free!" She exclaimed, and Denna hugged her as I disengaged. We were both happy for her, and Denna was happy for us.

"You two will make it. I know that much." Denna grinned at us. "What about your sword and armor?"

"I had to turn everything in when I resigned." Hanelor shrugged.

"I planned for this. Your new gear should be here shortly, sweetheart." I told her and kissed her.

"My new gear?" Hanelor looked at me in utter shock.

Denna explained. "While you were out, Jon went to the local blacksmith and commissioned several pieces be resized for you and sent over along with a new broadsword and shield."

Hanelor looked at me, and I smiled at her. "My love, you shouldn't have!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around my neck, kissing me lovingly.

"Don't worry about it, shirila. I knew you would need some new gear. I managed to work out a deal with the blacksmith." I grinned. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when her new gear arrived.

"Now, come on over and let's drink and eat some more." Denna said to her, and we all went and sat down.

"We were toasting Halas and other fallen." I told her as I poured a third tankard from the keg for her.

"To Shenala of South Cross," Hanelor raised her tankard for the lady Paladin who had died at Stone's Throw. She had been nearly as old as Jalin, and had been almost a mother to Hanelor.

"To Shenala!" We clanked and drank.

We continued honoring the dead. "To Kavorn! Slayer of Ogres and friend to us all." I toasted the man I had known since Ranger training.

"To Kavorn. He was a good man, and deserved better." Denna raised her tankard and we drank.

"He died a Ranger, Denna. It's all any of us can hope for, sometimes." I said quietly, thinking of all the friends we had lost.

We got quiet as we remembered everyone we served with who had died during the war.

It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." I volunteered. I got up and crossed to the door, opening it.

"Come in, Duff." I said to the Dwarf. Duff and I had travelled to Arethias Castle together from Quarry Rock, and I had saved his life before even becoming a Ranger.

"Gotcher gear for yer missy here, Jonny. We's even now, mate!" He said with a grin.

"Duff, you never owed me before! At least let me pay you?" I reached into my pocket for the gold I had promised him.

"Nawp, Jonny. Not gonna take yer cash. I owed ya for savin' muh life, and a Dwarf always pays his debts! Now we's even." Duff nodded, and I reached down to shake his hand. We clasped forearms in the Warrior's tradition, and Duff nodded. He looked at Denna and Hanelor. "Ranger. Paladin." He nodded at both and left.

I took the bundle off the floor and lugged it over to Hanelor. "Here it is, Hanelor. I hope it meets with your specifications." I dropped it with an audible clank. Every piece was individually wrapped in cloth.

Hanelor unwrapped each piece of armor, the shield, and the swordbelt with scabbard and sheathed broadsword. Her eyes went wider and wider with each piece she unwrapped and laid on the floor. When she unwrapped the Helm and saw the black-gold Angel's face on the visor, she started crying.

"Dragonsteel! Jon, you got me Dragonsteel armor, sword, and shield!?" She asked with awe in her eyes.

"You deserve the best, honey." I drew her to her feet and kissed her. She kissed me back passionately and deeply.

"Ok, guys. I'm gonna get out of here before I get too drunk to resign my commission in the morning and go tell my mother off for trying to marry me off in the first place." Denna stood and smirked, a bit on the tipsy side.

"Thanks for drinking with us, Denna." I nodded to her. "Give her hell from me."

Denna laughed. "I might just do that, Jon. If I don't see you again before you leave, good luck out there." She hugged us both and left, wobbling slightly from all the beer.

Hanelor grinned as Denna shut the door and loudly proclaimed that the guard patrolling in the corridor was 'a real stud'. I laughed outright at that.

"Sounds like Denna has herself a bedwarmer for the night." I grinned.

"Speaking of bedwarmers, I think I owe you a little something for these new toys you got me." Hanelor had a sultry look in her eyes as she moved towards me and slipped her arms up around my neck.

"Shirila, I think you've saved my life a few more times than I've saved yours." I smirked and kissed her. "You owe me nothing. I love you."

"I love you too, Jon." She returned my kiss passionately. As we broke the kiss off, she asked something I didn't expect.

"Jon, were you and Denna ever... ?" She left the question hanging.

"We had a night together shortly after I was assigned to her squad. It was a one-nighter that neither one of us regrets, but neither one of us wants to happen again, if that makes any sense." I admitted. No secrets.

"Ok. I knew I wasn't imagining the way she was looking at you." Hanelor laughed.

"She gets nostalgic sometimes when she drinks. Especially since Halas was one of the fallen we were toasting." I shrugged.

"Hmmm. She has a thing for guys with pointy ears, doesn't she?" Hanelor raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"Takes one to know one, sweetheart?" I asked with an answering smirk. Hanelor blushed.

"I fell in love with you, baby. Not your ears or your eyes or your hair ... ok, I'm lying. I fell in love with all of you." She giggled.

"Well, I'm glad you're back, baby. I have some news. Bad news first. I'm not resigning as a Ranger. Good news, I'm now working directly for your mother as a Diplomatic envoy. If you'll come with me, our first assignment is to Treefall, where we will be escorting my mother Cariana here to meet with Empress Raelina." I took a deep breath.

It took Hanelor a couple seconds to process that. "Of course I'll go with you! So I get to meet your parents?" She grinned.

"It's only fair, and I want to see my home again. I've been gone from there for ten years." I kissed her. "I have a feeling my parents will approve of you."

"I hope so, Jon. I'm just glad my mother approves of you! My father would have already skinned you alive." Hanelor had a disgusted expression on her face as the mention of her father.

"Denna told me about the time Emperor Gregor insulted and threatened an Elven Diplomat. Turns out that ONLY Elven Diplomat in the Empire at that time was my mother." I shrugged.

Hanelor just shook her head. "The Ogres did us all a favor the day they killed Emperor Gregor."

"From what everyone has said, you're right. I never met him, personally." I said.

"Be thankful for that, my love." She hugged me.

"I am, but I'm more thankful that I met you, shirila." I held her close and kissed her. "Want to try on your new gear and show me how good it looks on you?"

Her face lit up at that. "Yes!" She giggled like a girl and went to put on her gear. I watched as she dressed, and she had to get used to the chainmail undersuit being built in to the armor pieces themselves. She quickly discovered that Dragonsteel armor is much lighter and easier to move in than Paladin plate. It's also far more durable.

She put on her new armored boots and leggings, then her new codpiece. She dressed from ground up, as it must be while wearing full plate armor. She donned her new breastplate, sliding it on over her left shoulder and buckling it on her right side. She then buckled all the pieces thus far to the next, creating a chain effect that the Paladin plate didn't possess. She had much more freedom of motion than she did before with her old suit of armor. She slung the new large roundshield across her back and buckled on her sword belt before donning her gauntlets. Once those were buckled in place, she tried on her new helm.

The gold-tinted black armor looked amazing on her, and was much less bulky than her old plate as well. She grinned at me before closing her visor and looking at me through the panther's eyeslits.

Hanelor moves with a grace little seen in full plate armor, yet now she moved like water as she quickly drew her broadsword and went into a complicated sword kata. Her precision was amazing to watch as she turned and cut, blocked, thrust, slashed, riposted, and twirled around to strike in exactly the same spot five times in a row. She then twirled the sword up and back and scabbarded it without looking as she came back to the Position of Attention, where she had started.

She removed her helm and was amazed at how she had done. "It's like a second skin, Jon!" She exclaimed.

"That's Duff Treadstone's best work, Hanelor. That Dwarf is a Master Smith with Dragonsteel." I explained about how Duff and I had first met over ten years ago, and we'd kind of saved each other's lives when some brigands attacked his wagon. At the time, I only had my old recurve bow, and about twenty arrows. I'd shot most of the brigands down before they got into melee range, but ended up fighting hand to hand with my bow as a melee weapon. Duff had used a Dragonsteel shortsword that he'd forged himself to kill a brigand that was about to run me through from behind while I was busy fighting his buddy. He'd saved my life, but I'd saved his livelihood by protecting his wagon full of goods. He'd given me the shortsword and twenty Dragonsteel tipped arrows as payment, and added that if I ever needed anything from him, it was on the house. I hadn't expected him to remember that when I had went to buy Hanelor's armor.

"So he's been a Dragonsteel Smith here for the past ten years?" Hanelor asked.

"Longer. He was coming from a family reunion at Quarry Rock when the brigands attacked. He's had his business here for at least fifty years, from what he told me on our journey." I like the gruff Duff. He's a good Dwarf, and a decent warrior in his own right.

Like Elves, Dwarves live much longer than the usual Human lifespan. They even live longer than Elves if they can avoid dying in battle. They're tough fireplugs that have served as frontline infantry in the Imperial Army since time immemorial.

Even Emperor Gregor had nothing bad to say about Dwarves ... at least not in public. What he thought or said in private is on him. All I knew about him was that he despised Elves in general, and my mother in particular.

While I was talking, Hanelor had shed the rest of her armor and weapon belt. She walked toward me slowly, undoing the buttons on her tunic as she approached. I smiled at her and undid the buttons on my Dress Black tunic and stepped toward her.

We shed our clothes and boots as the urgency became overwhelming. I was hard as steel for her, and she was breathing heavily with her eyes half-lidded in lust.

She pushed me back onto the bed and crawled over me like a tigress coming for her meal. Hanelor straddled my hips and my arms went around her as she kissed me lovingly. "I want to make love to you now, my love." She declared sultrily.

I smiled. "Yes, shirila." I would not deny her.

Hanelor reached down and grasped my manhood, rubbing her wet pussy with my cock head. I could feel how wet she was, and then she closed her eyes as her mouth opened in a sweet soft moan of pleasure when she slid down on me, impaling herself onto me. She leaned forward and I took her left nipple into my mouth as my hands went to her hips. We moaned in pleasure as she rode me slowly.

She moved slowly and with the same grace with which she walked, ran, and fought. Only this time she used her sensual grace for lovemaking, and she was glorious. She looked down at me through eyes half-lidded with love and lust. Her breathing quickened as she moved a bit faster, feeling her orgasm coming on. I moved with her, catching and keeping her rhythm as I thrust back into her on each of her downward strokes. She was getting even wetter as we made love more urgently. I could feel my own climax building along with hers. She looked at me pleadingly, whimpering and moaning in pure pleasure as I filled her with my throbbing cock. I flexed inside her and she screamed. "OH JOOONNNNNN YESSSS!"

She crashed around me, setting me off inside her convulsing pussy. She milked me and massaged me inside her as I erupted. "YYEEESSSSS HAANNNELLOOORRR!" I shouted as I came deep inside the woman I love, filling her to overflowing. I lost count of how many times I shot into her, every shot like an arrow of pure ecstasy loosed from my pulsing cock.

We came down from our peaks together, and I held her as she spasmed on top of me in aftershocks of our lovemaking.

She slipped off of me and molded her body to mine. Her eyes were heavy and so were mine. For moving so slowly and sensually, we were exhausted. Night had fallen while we made love, and we drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

I was up with the sun as usual the next morning. Another hundred push-ups followed by the recitation of the Creed of the Ranger. I stood and drew my daggers from their sheaths and started a dual dagger kata. I moved and thrusted, blocked and riposted as my feet kept moving beneath me, lunging and pivoting in circles. The kata was designed for those surrounded by enemies, and was equal parts footwork and skill with a blade.

I washed in the basin by my side of the bed and dressed just as the breakfast cart arrived. I let the servant in and thanked him as he left. Hanelor, awakened by the heavenly scent of bacon and eggs, rose and stretched her long arms and legs. She saw I was already dressed and did likewise. While I had dressed in my Ranger Leathers, Hanelor dressed in her new armor and made sure all her gear was in place before she grabbed her ruck and shield and slung them both.

"Good morning, beautiful." I kissed her lovingly.

"Mmmmm Good morning, my love." She returned my kiss with equal tenderness and love.

We sat and ate together in silence. We had grown used to eating quickly in the field, never knowing if or when another Ogre attack would come.

Once we were dressed, we went down to the throne room, where Empress Raelina was signing orders and hearing petitions. She smiled when she saw us enter. Hanelor had her helm off and carrying it in her left hand until we got on the road.

"Good morning, you two. All ready to go?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am. We'll leave immediately once we pick up a couple of horses." I reported.

Raelina nodded and looked at Hanelor. "Hanelor, will you at least consider my offer from yesterday? You would both be welcome here..." She trailed off when she saw the look in Hanelor's eyes.

Hanelor sighed. "I will consider it, mother. I make no promises, though!" She added forcefully.

"Fair enough. For this mission, you will be officially attached to Master Sergeant Hawke's detail as a diplomatic guard. You will be under his direct command. Is that clear?" The Empress laid down the law.

"Yes, mother. It's clear." Hanelor couldn't help but smile as she shared a glance with me.

"Your Majesty, are you assigning more soldiers to my detail? With all due respect, Hanelor and I can handle any brigand attacks along the way." The way she said it had me worried.

"No, Jon. You two are the detail in its entirety." She smiled. "Good luck, and Gods speed."

We both saluted. "Thank you, ma'am." I said as we turned and marched out towards the stables.

We got a couple fast horses. Hanelor fell in love with the roan that was brought forward for her. I had a black beast with the eyes of a demon, as far as I was concerned. I've never been a big supporter of equines. It's not that I hate horses. We just don't usually get along.

We mounted up, and my horse settled down, as if resigned to carrying me upon his back. He was a charger, and used to war and battle. I thought back to Denna's remark about us old warhorses and smiled. I patted his neck. "We're just a couple old warhorses, aren't we, boy?"

I swear the horse nodded his head in agreement.

We rode out from the palace and through the city. We passed through the Western Gate and into the countryside beyond. It was two days' ride to Treefall, then another day to Elaranan. We stopped for lunch at an inn about fifty miles outside of town, and to rest our horses. We had the stable hands give them a good rub-down while we ate inside. The ground beef sandwiches with cheese and bacon were amazingly good, and we complimented the cook. We also had a couple tankards of the local ale, which wasn't bad at all.

An hour later, and we were on the road again. My horse, Stormcloud, was better than most horses I'd ridden. He was an older gelding well versed in combat tactics and more than willing to carry any competent soldier on his back. Hanelor's horse, Red Devil, was a strawberry roan stallion with a firey temperament to match his coloring. Hanelor had little problems with him, though. She showed him right away who the boss was, and he accepted his role as her mount.

We rode at a canter for most of the trip, stopping just as the sun was setting over the farmlands. The inn was crowded, and we once again turned our horses over to the stablehands. We rented a room for the night, and were hailed as heroes by some of the locals who had served with us over the years. They had heard about our heroics at The Battle of Stone's Throw, as Hanelor had been proven right in naming it, and bought us round after round of beer.

My heritage and my relationship with Hanelor never even came into question. We were accepted. Among ths group of former soldiers and their families, Hanelor and I were accepted. It seemed that in the Human lands, at least, Elves, or at least me as a Half-Elf, were going to be accepted from now on ... I hoped.

"We seen what ya did at Sullen Gully, Ranger." One of the locals said. "That was some heavy fightin'."

"Not as heavy as Heretic Mountain, friends." Another local told us. He was, like Hanelor, a former Paladin of Harsk. He told us he left the Order to pursue his first love of Farming. He had married, and his new wife was a cute redhead from a neighboring farm. "I was part of Marshal Brennan's phalanx there."

"No shit! Brennan gave us a great opening during the push to the summit that allowed the Rangers to get behind the Ogres and slice them a new one!" I raised my tankard to him and his unit. "You lost a lot of good men and women that day, friend."

"We all did, Ranger, but it was worth it in the end." He clanked his tankard with mine. There are some bonds forged in the fires of battle that can never be broken. Heretic Mountain was one such bond. Sullen Gully and Stone's Throw were others. Those battles were key to turning the tide and ultimately winning the war.

As our drinking wound down and our new friends left, Hanelor and I went upstairs to our room and undressed. We were tired from the day on the road, and drew baths in the tubs provided. We soaked and held hands for a good long while, letting the aches of the day flow out of us.

When we were finished and had drained our bathwater, we towelled dry and fell into the bed together. We held each other and kissed lovingly. We were both exhausted, and fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, after my routine of 100 pushups and reciting the Creed, we got dressed and proceeded to check out before retrieving our horses and getting on the road again. We rode together slowly, taking our time as we talked.

"I've never been to Treefall, Jon." Hanelor admitted. I looked at the forest we were in now.

"You see these trees, sweetheart? Well, the trees in Treefall are even larger. The leaves are greener, and the trunks are as big around as a small hill." I smiled at the memories of my home.

"It sounds beautiful, my love." She smiled at me.

"We will be at the outskirts of the Kingdom by nightfall, Hanelor. Then another day to the Capital of Elaranan where my folks live." I shrugged.

We rode on in companionable silence, which reminded me of how we had first met after Denna's Rangers had been teamed with Jalin's Paladins over five years back. We had first talked that day as we'd ridden out. She had taught me how to gain my horse's respect so it didn't keep trying to throw me. I listened to her, and had gained control of my mount.

"Do you remember when we first became friends?" I asked.

"Shortly after the Tiger Strike Team was formed, unless you have some other time in mind?" Hanelor smiled and raised her eyebrow.

"When you taught me how to control a horse." I smiled back. We reached across and squeezed each other's hand.

"Yes!" Hanelor laughed. "You were so scared!"

"I wasn't scared! I just didn't like horses." I nodded sagely. She laughed even harder at that.

We rode onward, spurring our horses into a canter. We found the Inn just inside the marked boundary for the Kingdom of Treefall, and two Elven guards posted at the checkpoint. They looked us over, sneering at my 'mongrel' features and with outright disdain for Hanelor. Elven feelings about halfbreeds and Humans were nearly as bad as in the central Empire. I let it slide off of me as usual.

"Who might you be?" One guard asked, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Master Sergeant Jonathan Hawke of the 1st Rangers, formerly attached to Tiger Strike Team, and veteran of Stone's Throw." I handed him my identification packet as well, keeping my voice even.

"And who is your companion?" He asked, looking at the fully armored Hanelor with her visor down.

She lifted her visor and let him see the coldness in her eyes that matched his own. "I am Hanelorina la Cionan, Princess of the Empire and former Paladin of Harsk. I am also a veteran of Stone's Throw and countless other battles at the side of Master Sergeant Jonathan Hawke, as part of Tiger Strike Team." She had the voice of command and caused the Elven guard's eyes to widen. He bowed immediately.

"Y ... your Highness. My apologies, ma'am!" The guard bowed.

"I'm not the one in need of your apologies, guard. Master Sergeant Hawke is an Imperial Ranger, and you will treat him with the respect due his rank and station. Is that clear?" She asked archly. I'd never seen her pull rank before, but damn!

"Personally, I don't care, Hanelor. Words aren't going to change his opinion of a 'mongrel', even if that mongrel's mother is Cariana Windspire." I shrugged.

"M ... m ... my apologies, Ranger. I didn't realize..." He stammered.

"Don't worry about it, guard. I'm used to it from the Elves and even some Humans. It's just a shame that Elves would lower themselves to base racism." I said.

"As you say, Ranger. Once again, you have my apologies." He bowed and let us pass.

We rode in and turned off the road at the inn. We handed off our horses to the stableboy, who didn't care if I was a halfbreed. He smiled and asked me about being a Ranger.

"It's hard training, son." I told him. "But by the end of it, you know you're the best of the best." I smiled at him as he perked up his pointed ears at what I had said.

"I want to be a Ranger then!" He exclaimed. He couldn't have been older than 15.

"The war's over, son. But if you wish to join, you'll have to make the trip to Arethias Castle and join the Imperial Army. Then you will have to apply for Ranger training after your basic is over and done. The minimum age is 18, though." I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then in four years' time, I will be a Ranger. Thank you, Sergeant Hawke." He smiled.

"Anytime, son. What's your name?" I asked.

"Forlas." He replied.

"Forlas, I have a feeling you're going to make a damn good Ranger. Train hard, hone your body and mind. But don't neglect your duties here." I told him with a smile. The kid had promise.

"Thank you, Sergeant. I will take your advice." He nodded and smiled back, then turned to rubbing down our horses.

Hanelor was smiling as I turned to her and we walked towards the inn door. "Does he really have what it takes, Jon?" She asked.

"He reminds me of me at his age, shirila." I leaned over and kissed her. "I was just as wide-eyed and eager to serve my Empire as he is."

"And now look at you. Ten years in, and you are still serving your Empire, but not quite as wide-eyed as you once were." She said as I opened the door for her. We entered the inn together.

"Welcome, travellers!" The innkeeper greeted us. "I am Baldros, and you are always welcome here, Ranger and Warrior." He bowed.

"We're going to need a good meal and a room for the night, Baldros." I nodded at him.

"Of course, Ranger." He bowed again and turned to his wife. He spoke in quick Low Elvish to her. "Roasted venison steaks, potatoes, and tankards of beer for our guests."