“You really want to question MY honor?" (Patreon)

I snorted derisively. "How exactly did you manage to raise an army of colossal trees so quickly during the siege of Percysthorpe? Looks like Unseelie magicks to me.”

“Emperor you may be," Bonsai rustled, "but this one cannot remain quietly rooted while the honor of followers of the bush-ido way is questioned. Bargains were struck in haste, it is true. Brave volunteers sacrificed their own wood to overcome the threat of the Duchess. The rage we felt when we believed you were the mastermind of the atrocity that took place here convinced us of the necessity of our actions. After learning you were a mere patsy, they mulched themselves to reclaim their honor.”

“It seems we’ve both done things we aren’t proud of," I continued recklessly. "You’ve made amends for your deeds, and now I must make amends for mine. Unseelie collaborators work for me, it's true, but what emperor has ever refused to use the tools at his disposal? And how many of those emperors have your order honorably served? Seelie or not, I will be keeping a close eye on all parties in my employ. It is my destiny set forth by Fuma that I am to rule Faerie, and I intend to do it. I promise you on my honor as Emperor, King, and as an elf that I will do everything in my power to raise Faerie out of this dark age. You can join me in this great undertaking or you can judge me according to your code. If you would slay your emperor then do it now and be quick about it!”

The wind blew and I heard that flute-like sound again, along with a drumlike clatter of falling bones somewhere just out of sight. I silently prayed to Fuma that the shrubs would not decide to slay me, and wondered if Burnside had a woodsman's axe in her arsenal of sharp objects.

“Bold words," Bonsia rustled sternly. "However, it is actions more than words that make an emperor. This one must admit, your bark has become tougher since last we met."

The Shrubs rustled quietly to each other in discussion. The wend blew and the flute-like tone sounded again. If I survived this encounter, I would have to find whatever was making that noise and remove it from the field.

“Very well!" Bonsai announced after a few minutes of suspense. "One does not return to the capitol bearing the Imperial insignia merely to perform an assassination. The Shrub Knights pledge ourselves to your service. Let us all hope for Faerie’s sake that you will not fail, for if you do, it shall spell doom for us all.”

Another gust of wind blew across the narrow valley, causing the flute-like noise to trill oddly as some large piece of equipment somewhere shifted with a deep, resounding BOOM. After that, there was silence as Bonsai and I regarded each other in the waning light of the setting sun.

Meanwhile:

"Hold on!" Rebecca protested. "Battles and conquest? How can they have done all that if they’re just a bunch of miniature trees and potted plants?"

“With great mastery and skill,” Thomson explained as she drifted in her memories. "Bonsai back in his day cut quite a figure. Truly an impressive warrior."

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