Chapter 136: Chapter 122 – Meeting the In-Laws

"It's funny how stories and plays tend to demonize in-laws, especially mother-in-laws, doubly so when the story had a female protagonist. Life is as varied as they come, and while such cases do happen from time to time, most people aren't plagued with such dramaticized issues. To be fair, my own experiences might have lent a bias to my views though." - Written in the diary of the Silver Maiden, circa 35 FP.

Aideen found the subsequent interaction between the emperor, Drietven, and the Bone Lord somewhat amusing, as they caught up on old times, times long before even her grandfather was born.

 

She nearly laughed when the Bone Lord chastised the emperor for "showing off" earlier in the throne room, secure as he was in the knowledge that the Bone Lord would have allowed him the jest out of their prior relationship.

 

Even so, she had to admit that it was a calculated move, one that would show to his people that he had not feared the Bone Lord. She and a few others knew better, but the people of the empire were not as informed, and would have looked up to him for that.

 

As for Khaer Ul himself, Aideen found him to be a bit idealistic, as his goal - the one he had pursued over the past centuries - was to fight for a better life for his kind. He was a life affinity mage much like Drietven, and had been known as a wandering healer before.

 

When the civil war had arisen, he had been one of the leading figures of a popular movement that received support from many therians. Artair's father throwing his lot with them gave them the military might they needed to eventually triumph over their rivals and reunify the empire in their names.

 

Since by that point it was already decided that Aideen would join the delegation that would go to the empire, Khaer Ul pointed out his two most trusted compatriots to her. One of them was Artair's father, while the other was a large bodied elephant therian sitting together with the heads of several temples, the current prime minister of the empire. Also seated on his table was the therian woman Aideen noticed eyeing people earlier.

 

Since Khaer Ul mentioned that he'd introduce her to the prime minister later, Aideen decided to go meet with Artair's father - technically her father-in-law now, she thought - first, as there she wouldn't need the emperor to introduce her. After excusing herself from the table, she handed Lucea, the little youngling granddaughter of the emperor, over to him, before she got up and left.

 

The table where Artair sat with his father was a bit more sparse, even so, Aideen recognized some of the people there. Other than Artair and his father she saw another therian woman who shared their features, but with less pronounced fangs, probably a relative given how comfortable Artair was with her.

 

There were several other delegates from the Elmaiya side she doesn't recognize, but amongst those from the Ptolodeccan side she recognized Adalbert, the otter therian who still served as the Bone Lord's army chief of staff. He looked notably older by now, as he was entering what was considered old age for his kind.

 

Seated alongside him were a half elvish woman Aideen had met previously, Ansel, formerly commander of the fourth Division of the Wings of Night. Over the past decades the other commanders had retired or passed away of old age, and nowadays she served as the overall commander of the unit.

 

Ansel, Adalbert, and Artair noticed her approach, and Artair pulled an empty seat next to him for her to use. Aideen greeted the occupants of the table, then seated herself. Artair quickly introduced her to the man who shared so much of his features first, confirming her guess.

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"Dear, this is Erstgertsog Illyvich Veros. Minister of War of the Elmaiya Empire, and my father," he said as he introduced his father to her. "Father, this is Aideen, who I've told you about in my letters."

 

"Charmed," said the therian man politely as he grasped and shook her hand as appropriate. Aideen herself nodded at him and gave him a knowing smile, while Artair's father returned. They exchanged pleasantries for a while, before Aideen's attention was diverted to the therian woman sitting between her and the archduke.

 

"This is my elder sister Zoya," Artair mentioned from beside her. The therian woman clasped her hand when she offered it with a smile, and when Aideen looked at her, the similarity between the family was even more pronounced. Had Artair not inherited his mother's fur color she might have had issues differentiating him from his father, even. "Sis, this is Aideen."

 

"He told us so much about you, you know?" said the therian woman excitedly while she held Aideen's hand. "Little Artair was always a rather shy boy, it's rare to see him gush over someone like that."

 

"He did talk about you and the rest of his family often," replied Aideen. Unlike Artair's father who seemed more calculative and cunning - not that she blamed him, as he must be somewhat nervous being in another country like this, and besides she assumed that those are part of his job to begin with - his sister was far warmer, her interest a genuine one. "I think he missed you people quite a bit, even if he didn't say it."

 

"He's always been like that since he was a kid. I swear, often you have to pry his mouth open for him to speak bluntly," said Zoya with an amused tone, as if she was used to the issues mentioned. "He was always our little bookworm from back then. Why, there was even a time when our big brother copied his notes on an assignment dad gave them. Dad found out and thought he was the one copying. He just stayed quiet until big brother confessed out of guilt, can you imagine that?"

 

"Sis!" protested Artair with an expression Aideen had learnt to be embarrassment on his face.

 

"Oh… Yeah, I definitely know what you mean…" said Aideen conspiratively in an amused tone to Zoya as she winked at the therian woman. Beside her Artair was already covering his face with his hands, while Adalbert gave him a knowing look of pity.

 

His father on the other hand, looked genuinely amused for the first time in that night.

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