Princess and Ranger
In her fortified bunker, Syndra was being briefed on the events in Chillwatch, and didn't like the sound of it, at least at first.
"Tell me about Herydark." Syndra said to Ryul.
"She's been AWOL for decades. The general consensus was that as long as she never returned to the North we wouldn't do anything about it. But she's returned and based on the reports is putrid with the stench of corruption from the Great Destroyer."
Syndra didn't say anything, but was inwardly pleased. Vordea did tell her she would be sending someone to help with the infiltration problem in the Rangers, of the Usurper's Bloodline. But an actual corruption tainted ranger? She shouldn't have.
"Let her in. I'm going to speak with her privately." Syndra said after some thought.
"Ma'am?" Ryul asked, looking slightly concerned.
"I can take care of myself." Syndra answered, slightly annoyed. "Send her in, and leave."
Ryul muttered as he left, but Syndra either didn't hear it, or pretended not to. She knew Nalaea was not here to harm her, despite what it may seem like, and forgave Ryul for his distrust. As Nalaea walked in, shouting and arguing with the rangers, Syndra wondered if maybe she bit off more than she could chew. The aura, it felt the same as when Vordea was hunting her all those hundreds of years ago. Nalaea even had the same arrogant swagger that Vordea did, and approached her without any semblance of fear, or respect.
"So you're the one the Goddess told me about, Princess Syndra Valmaris. Your Rangers were very naughty." Nalaea said, licking her lips and showing off her elongated canines, almost like that of a vampire.
"So I've heard. They claim you teleported to them, but you didn't did you?"
"I can move faster than any of you weaklings can think or see." Nalaea said, seemingly reappearing nose to nose with Syndra, her teeth exposed and tongue hanging out of her mouth.
"Yes yes you're threatening me." Syndra said, waving her hand and moving away slightly. "Maybe some sexual harassment to go with it? I have talked to Lady Vordea before, you know."
"Please, you're not my type." Nalaea paced slightly. "Hear you got a bit of a problem with the Usurper King's bloodline."
Syndra gestured at the papers spread on her desk and nodded. "I was planning to kill most of them, until Lady Vordea came to me with a delightful proposal."
Syndra picked up a single paper and thrust it into Nalaea's hands, and gestured at it, as if saying to read it. As Nalaea read it, a smile began to creep across her face, until it was a grin as wide as the sea by the time she finished and looked up at Syndra.
"Really?" Nalaea asked.
"Really. Kidnap them. Break their minds until all that remains is a servile loyalty to your evil God. Corrupt their minds, their bodies, their very souls. But most importantly, keep them. If they escape, or even worse, you set them free, and I see them back in the North, The rest of the Rangers have orders to kill them on the spot."
"It won't be quick." Nalaea said, handing the paper back to Syndra.
"I know. Vordea told me it took years for the mental corruption to fully take root in you." Syndra said, giving the faintest of smiles.
"Mental corruption? What are you talking about?" Nalaea asked.
"That's the beauty of it. You think you aren't. You deny it, even when given the evidence." Syndra answered, the smile growing. "Everything you do you think to be perfectly rational. The Great Destroyer has taken your body, your soul, and even your mind. You follow her with no reservations."
"She saved my life, not that you would know anything about doing something so noble." Nalaea said, anger creeping into her voice.
"Did she? Or did she set up the circumstances for you to be endangered, so that she could swoop in?" Syndra asked accusingly, glaring at Nalaea. "No matter, nothing I could say would ever convince you. You know the scent of your prey, so our business is concluded."
Nalaea turned to leave, but stopped. After a moment, she turned back around. "One more thing, Princess Valmaris."
"Oh?" Syndra asked, raising an eyebrow. This was unexpected.
Nalaea snapped to attention, and saluted Syndra. "Good luck, your majesty. Defeat all the non-believers, and take back the North... Queen Valmaris."
"It's not too late, you know." Syndra said quietly. "You could leave that wretched beast you call a God."
"Sorry your majesty, but the Goddess is the only thing I need now. I don't need my family, my homeland, my soul, I don't need anything. I don't even need... my mind." Nalaea replied, snapping her fingers as she finished speaking, and vanishing from sight.
Syndra sat quietly for a long moment after Nalaea left. Ultimately it saddened her that a Ranger was so thoroughly corrupted and stolen by her people's greatest enemy. Eventually, she called Ryul back in.
---
"So she bought it?" Vordea asked, grinning.
"Hooked like a fish. She thinks you've got me under some sort of mind control." Nalaea replied, suppressing a laugh.
"Hmmm. I kind of do, actually." Vordea said, tapping her finger on her chin. "For what is blind devotion if not a form of control?"
"I follow you freely, Goddess." Nalaea replied, sitting on the chair across from Vordea. "Before you ask, I had Eigengrau confirm my mind was my own quite some time ago."
"Of course it is." Vordea answered, waving her hand dismissively. "Domination is one of the few things I won't do."
"Won't, or can't?" Nalaea asked, folding her hands on her lap.
"What's the difference?" Vordea asked in response, a slight smile on her lips. "You've got a source of Rangers for your little cult, and Syndra won't hunt you over it. So, was this all business, or some pleasure as well?"
"I thought you'd never ask." Nalaea said, licking her lips as she practically leapt into Vordea's lap, and gave her a passionate kiss.