The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Tying up Loose Ends

The soft chime at the door lifted Iris van Tallert's head up from the document she was working on at her apartment's small desk.

"Yes?" she called out.

"Sorry for the interruption, Lady van Tallert, but Lord Commander Lash wishes to have a word with you," the Silver Legion lieutenant in charge of the guard on her door said through the small intercom beside the entrance. "He requests an audience."

"Of course," she said, standing up and smoothing her skirts. "You may let him in."

When Lash stepped through the door a moment later, he found the Ventru High Born Lady standing in the middle of her apartment's living area. With her injuries from her torture long healed, she once again looked the part of a noble vampiress, clothed in a plain but well made dress fabricated by the base's 3D printers. She stood, hands folded in front of her.

"My Lord Lash," she said, inclining her head respectfully. A bow of the head that Lash quickly returned.

"My Lady van Tallert," he replied. "You are looking well."

Iris smiled.

"Thanks in no small part to your excellent medical staff and the facilities here at the base," she said. "My compliments especially to Medic Ellisondra. She is skilled and efficient."

Lash bowed his head again at the compliment.

"I will let her know that you were pleased with her efforts," he said before his smile disappeared. "Now, I know you're not one for dallying too long with pleasantries so I will proceed with getting to the point of my visit."

Lash took a parade ground rest position with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I know you asked me to help restore your holdings to you and drop you at your safehouse in Brussels, my lady. While I defeated your enemies at your castle, I obviously didn't drop you in Brussels. Here's why: your House has been severely compromised by Anna's treachery. I didn't feel you would be safe in Brussels with only a handful of loyal nestari and retainers."

"And, to be frank, my lord, I don't think you completely trust me," Iris added before he could go on. "You wanted me somewhere where you could keep an eye on me."

Lash smiled.

"You are quite right, my lady. I did not," he freely admitted before going on. "With members of my own House betraying me, trust is in very short supply during this pogrom. And you were betrayed by your daughter. However, your daughter's handler, the world eater Makarov, exonerated you under questioning. Combined with your material assistance with the Magnar operation, and your formal plea for assistance, I am now here to put aside that mistrust and discuss with you what that assistance will look like."

Iris slowly nodded her understanding. Then, holding up a forestalling hand to ask for a pause, she stepped further into the living space to the desk she had been working at. Taking up the document she had there, she returned to Lash, stepping close to offer it to him.

"This is a list of things that I will need immediately to be restored to standing in my traditional holding," she said as Lash took the document and began to peruse it. "Along with a formal request to be made a sept of House Lash."

That brought Lash's head back up to level a thoughtful look at her.

"You are a Great House in your own right, my lady," he pointed out. "You don't need a formalized alliance with House Lash for Ventru to recognize you as such."

"A Great House, yes," she said, folding her hands together once again in front of her. "But one that's been severely diminished by recent events." Iris sighed in not a little frustration. "Long has House van Tallert kept itself isolated from Ventru's other Great Houses. We wanted to stand alone as a testament to our strength and resolve. And that decision has resulted in our downfall as there were none that came to our aid when we needed it the most."