50 miles north of Kontia
Tanya, Queen of the Tanaoi
Moving tens of thousands of people from all walks of life across hundreds of miles at a good pace was a logistical challenge beyond equal. But like most logistical challenges, it was possible to solve such challenges via the judicial implementation of simple policies and standards. With an easy to understand series of incentives and punishments there were few things that could not be accomplished with a large enough group of people.
So long as a strict hierarchy was established of course. I was forced by the Saderan invasion to move an entire civilisation south and that required incentives simply to get people to wake up in the morning, pack things away and walk until sunset without diserting and melting into the steppe. The stick used to force this movement was quite literal. Hundreds of older Lepus who understood the importance of the migration but were not fit for battle for whatever reason would beat anyone not performing their duties with sticks.
It was hardly the most elegant solution but it was manifestly effective, no doubt some where abusing their power to apply these punitive measures but that could be dealt with once we reached beyond Kontia. But the stick alone could not move what was over fifty thousand people at this point to march day after day.
The carrot was simple, very generous rations. Tobacco, meat, wine, dried fruits and many other foods besides, of course, grain for bread. None would go hungry so long as they marched. I was burning though what supplies I could to keep the momentum of the march up. I had seen, and experienced, just what people were willing to put up with if they were given a good amount of reasonable quality rations.
This, more than anything else, was the foundation of the 'Great Migration' food and beatings. Perhaps the ever present threat of Imperial subjugation played a part but that was hard to quantify. With the acquisition of the supplies from the Cavalry force we had defeated, the system could continue without issue.
Once I had completed my inspection of the camp I took the time to inspect the Lepus that had joined us on the way from other tribes that were lucky enough to flee from the Imperial advance rather than surrender to them. Seeking out illusions or potential mental contamination was normally a simple matter but there were a number of Lepus who had some small capacity for magic themselves, often little more than understanding of a single simple spell or being able to cast out their senses to the low thrum of magic that pulsed across the world.
There were also bangles and trinkets, less potent than any Imperial enchanted objects but still possessed of magic intended for a dizzying array of different utilities. Some of them would even be effective, others were so inefficient as to be little more than placebo enchantments. Still every object made my examinations over the unintegrated Lepus more difficult so I walked among them. Offering friendly greetings and getting close enough to make my inspection before moving on.
Offering sympathies and asking about their needs and how they were adjusting to the march allowed me to get close to the subject of my inspections without any potential spies suspecting a thing. It also allowed me to get a first hand account of any problems the unintegrated group was suffering from, it was a fine example of multitasking and efficiency.
"I am Vera, Queen of the Mora." I was cast out of my careful scanning of the crowd as my arm was grasped by a tall Lepus with a fiery red mane of hair standing up proudly and cascading down her back. Before I could respond she kissed me on the lips before stepping back and spoke out to the masses of Lepus from every tribe around us. "For all you have done, for fighting for us. I call you sister and acknowledge your bid as High Queen!"
Stunned from the sudden ambush I took a moment to steady myself but Vera did not allow me a moment to collect my thoughts and threw her arms around me. My bodyguards who had likewise been taken by surprise by this Vera quickly pushed through the cheering crowd and politely placed a hand on Vera's shoulder who responded by politely stepping back from me.
She was tall, a good head and shoulders taller than me with well defined muscles and a sharply handsome face. Her eyes cast out across the crowd around us and she drank in the attention with an easy charismatic smile.
"Vera." I began before looking out at the crowd of Lepus around us. There were people from all of the tribes here and I noted that Vera did not have a retinue following her. I inclined my head respectfully to the woman who was claiming to be Queen of the Mora before I continued. "Forgive me, but we have not met before. And I have made no such bid for the title of High Queen" I said pointedly. I had visited the Pomi settlement and taken part in Tyuule's war council before the Imperial Invasion had begun in earnest.
Vera had not been Queen of the Mora then, nor was she one of the Mora presented as favoured by the Queen. While I did not have time to network with my fellow Queens due to Tyuule's attempt to murder me I would have remembered Vera, she is bright red for goodness sake!
"Ah, you are right, I shall present myself before you as you host a war council. But you need not stake your claim as Queen of all Lepus before all the Queens, the gods will forgive us such petty impropriety." She clasped me on the shoulder notably avoiding my unspoken question.
While it was not inconceivable that she had escaped the clutches of the Saderans in such a way that meant leaving behind any companions, perhaps as a result of some battle. I honestly doubted that people of the Mora would not rally around a legitimate Queen of the tribe, even just a mere candidate for such a position required supporters. Surely when a Queen, or even just a claimant arrived at the migration the people of the Mora would have rallied to her immediately.
"If you would accompany me Vera." I glanced at my lead bodyguard who gave me a nod. Vera did not seem bothered and merely grinned and fell into step at my side.
I led Vera through the camp and towards my personal tent, bidding Vera to wait outside for a moment while I pushed inside to converse with my husbands. I had just passed through the threshold of the tent when I was assaulted by the potent scent of heavy perfumes and soap. The once familiar smell of bathing was a balm to the soul and a rare thing when marching day after day.
I took a deep breath and carefully ignored how my body shuddered at the male scent that the fragrant perfumes enhanced. I took a moment to school my features and made my way into the tent proper to be treated to the sight of my husbands chatting amicably while Furea snoozed quietly on a bed of pillows at Art's side.
"My Queen, you have returned." Colla said with a smile, smoothly standing to his feet in a single motion and striding forwards as Art gently shook Furea awake. Colla's natural scent was carried to me along with a rich citrus perfume that clung to his form just like the low cut vibrant blue velvet tunic that flowed softly as he approached.
I felt my cheeks flush as Colla wrapped his arms around me and became instantly self conscious of the fact that I had not had a chance to bathe for several days now. But Colla did not show any offence as he rested his head on my shoulder and held close to me. His grey ears perked up and at attention, the soft fur just ever so slightly playing across my cheek.
"There is a woman who has made claims of Queenhood, of the Mora." I explained, trying to keep the barbarian that delighted at Colla's touch in check. "I would like to know the truth of it, she could be useful in rallying people of the Mora."
"Or she could be a liar." Furea commented as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. "Art, bring me the tome if you would." The man in question smiled and strode towards some of the luggage kept by my harem.
"Thank you." I sighed and swayed slightly as Colla stepped away from me to don his out clothes. It did not take long for the men to prepare themselves, a large leather bound tome was acquired and set upon a desk with Furea sitting down to pass through each section until he reached the records of the Mora while gently rubbing the tattoo on his forehead.
"I will bring her in now." I said, turning about and leaving the tent to call Vera and my bodyguards as well as the guards I kept around my Harem at all times. Vera for the first time looked unsure of herself, eyes flicking between my fully clothed husbands as my bodyguards flanked her.
"If you would." I inclined my head to Vera who for her part looked somewhat concerned. "To prove you have a claim." I insisted, at that she began to fumble with the leather ties at her sides that kept the bronze breastplate she wore secure but eventually she had loosened the armour enough to pull it over her head in an undignified shimmy. She passed over her armour to one of the bodyguards and in short order she stood in the middle of my tent in her underclothes with her hands at her thighs.
I noted that she did have a tattoo on her stomach denoting her as a pureblood but regardless I nodded at Furea to inspect her. Vera stared wide eyed at Furea as he walked forwards and knelt down to look at the tattoo and she even let out a little gasp as he pressed a small gemstone to the mark causing the ink to glow in a slight emerald hue.
"The marking is legitimate and I do recognise the icon. She is the daughter of Halli of the Mora." Furea said at last causing Vera to grin and preen, her hands finding her hips as Furea stepped away from her and back towards the men standing behind me.
"See, I told you I am the Queen." Vera boasted with a grin.
"We have established your claim, now we must establish your legitimacy." I stepped forwards as I spoke with a commanding tone. "You are not the Queen unless the people of the Mora accept that you are the Queen." I pressed, causing the tall amazon to shrink back somewhat.
"You don't understand, it's not possible to do things properly." She protested. "The old Queen died at the hands of the Saderans and most of the Mora have been taken, save the scattered Mora holdings too distant for the Imperials to raid yet." Her tone took on an irritating whine as she spoke but I stood resolute.
"Regardless, what achievements do you have? What wealth? What companions? Who would come to your banner should you call it? You cannot call yourself Queen without these things." She looked at the ground as I spoke and I felt an odd wave of guilt as she clenched her fists.
"We need a Queen!" She said at last, voice carrying across the tent and my bodyguards resting their hands on blades at their hips but Vera hardly noticed as she began to breathe heavily. "You still have everything! The Gods gave you everything! We don't! They are gone! All dead or enslaved! I don't have anything! I admit that, we don't have anything left. So... so you are the High Queen, that's fine but we need a Queen, for the Mora, just for us. We can't just be the Tanaoi. It's not right, I don't..." As if ashamed of herself she let out a panicked sob and made to turn about and bolt out of the tent.
"Stop her." I commanded and as four of the strongest Women of the Tanaoi threw themselves upon Vera causing her to let out a shout of surprise before a roar of anger. All of her emotions condensed into impotent blood rage. She struggled, gnashing her teeth and letting out curses as I slowly approached. Carefully considering how to approach the problem that had fallen onto my lap.
It was true that many tribes would be facing a crisis of legitimacy at the moment with many Queens dead or enslaved and their potential successors at best scattered across the steppe. But Vera was engaged in a rather unimpressive ploy here. She sought to use my backing to unite her tribe with herself at the helm. In part this no doubt had noble intentions but it was likewise self serving.
A poor Queen would bode poorly for the reputation of the Mora. While things were dire, if I did manage to fight off the Saderan advance, putting Vera into a position of governance as a subordinate or a peer could cause untold disasters in the future. I knelt by Vera's head as my four bodyguards laid atop her, pinning her limbs to the ground.
"What mockery would the Mora endure should the migration see their so-called Queen fleeing my tent in her underclothes sobbing like a child?" I asked pointedly, causing her struggles to weaken. She had steel enough in her spine to look me in the eyes as tears ran down her face.
"Don't want to speak? You were quite chatty before, confident too. What exactly was your plan here? Did you expect me to do everything for you? Put your tribe back together? Well?!" I snapped, causing her fury to once again break as her lips began to wobble.
"I don't know." She muttered at last. Strength failing her as she surrendered to misery.
"Not how you expected this to go, I expect." I offered rhetorically. "How old are you?" I asked, something nagging at the back of my mind.
"I'm almost seventeen." She said after a moment and I looked upon the many scars that marred her body. And the frustration that had built in my gut uncoiled. A child, or close enough to one at least. I held her gaze for a moment longer before sighing and turning to my husbands who watched the affair at a safe distance.
"A cloth please, a clean one." I requested, a moment later Art stepped forwards, producing a clean handkerchief. And offered it to me. "Give it to her." I said softly. Art blinked at me but after a moment he approached the pinned woman and kelt down next to her as she stared at him with wide eyes. With little fanfare he gently laid the cloth onto her chest and hurried back away from her.
"What is..." Vera began, her face flush as I waved a hand towards the bodyguards who stepped back from the young woman.
"First you are going to dry your eyes. After that you will put your clothes back on." I settled down into a chair sighing as I took the weight off my feet for the first time in what felt like days. "There are Mora here, in the migration. You will go to them, learn their names, their duties. Ask them if they have problems, if they have enough food. You will listen to them and their worries." I looked at her as she slowly collected herself clutching the cloth to her chest.
"I can be Queen?" She asked and I shook my head.
"No, not if you have to ask, not if you need me to command the Mora to accept you. Once you have spoken to your people, come to me and we will try to resolve any problems. Then we will do the same thing tomorrow, the day after that. Until the Mora come to know you, come to rely upon you and know that you act in their interest. When the Mora accepts you, then you shall be Queen, it's not up to me." I explained as Vera took her armour when it was offered to her by my bodyguards.
"You want me to speak to the halfbloods?" Vera asked as if the idea was alien to her.
"To any of the Mora, pureblood, halfblood. It makes no difference, these are the people you intend to rule. Convince them that you are worthy of doing so. Blood alone means nothing." I dismissed her as she pulled her armour on, before she departed I offered her advice on where she should go in the camp and what she should ask of people and shortly after she left.
I took a moment to collect myself, drumming my fingers across the desk as I turned to the bodyguards who stood waiting for new orders.
"Perhaps next time you can restrain them before they kiss me?" I asked my bodyguards, causing them to flinch.
"...Sorry your majesty." Came a flurry of embarrassed replies.
"Kissing women again? Must you neglect your husbands so?" Furea teased. Wrapping his arms around my neck from behind and letting out a sigh into my neck.
"They always kiss me first." I protested as Art took my hand and wove our fingers together as my foot began to tap on the carpeted floor at the attention I was getting. I had the presence of mind to turn to the guards once more and open my mouth to speak only for Furea to take that opportunity to press his lips to my neck.
In a feat of supreme self control I took an unsteady breath.
"You are dismissed." I said at last to the guards who looked oddly disappointed as they left the tent. Not a moment later Colla attacked from the right, taking my hand and beginning to knead the tired digits between his thumb and forefinger.
"You don't have to..." I protested the multipronged attack. Only for Furea to silence such protests with a kiss to my jaw, then cheek, and finally he captured my lips.
"This is just efficient delegation of duties." He teased me as my body became entranced by their ministrations. "We delegate fighting a war, winning every battle and now slaying wyverns, to you. But when it comes to the needs of our Queen, that is our responsibility." A part of me wanted to protest, to rail against the notion that they were indebted to me. That they had any responsibility for my feelings or the needs of a Lepus form that were forced upon my mind.
But I did not find the words as Furea captured my lips once more.