House of The Dragon-A God Amongst Men-Chapter 211: Shade Concerns

(Drakken's POV)

"My beautiful woman." I said as I caressed Maegelle's cheek, "What is it that is on your mind?"

She looked at me, "Well..." She said, "I have been concerned."

I ran my hand down to her waist, "Is that so?" I said, "You can speak your mind to me."

"The power that the Dark Shade provides...." She said, "With this entire conflict, are you not worried it will be compromised? Someway or another, it will be discovered and targeted."

I gestured her to sit down, "Sit, My Maegelle." I told her, "You worry about the simplest things."

"Isn't the Dark Shade the source of your power?" She asked as she sat down

I gently patted her head and ran my fingers through her hair, "Not necessarily." I said, "It fuels me with some power. But it mostly acts as the fuel for the Duskguard and Draconic Beasts. Even if the Dark Shade decides to stop fueling them, it will not change a thing. What is it that bothers you?"

"It's a massive group of trees that can be burned down." She said

I sat down on the chair next to her, "Oh." I said with a slight smirk, "Physically, the Dark Shade is just that; a group of trees. But they are enchanted, Maegelle. They are very different. The true power of the Dark Shade resides in the powerful psychic plane that I created. Did I not tell you when I created it? I replicated the power of the Raven, the Greenseer that stalked me. I created the Dark Shade using the power of dozens of Greenseers, forcing their minds to become the foundation to the true form of the Shade."

"I..." She started, "I don't understand."

I snapped my fingers, conjuring a paper out of thin air along with a quill. I set the paper down and with the quill, I drew a long black line on the bottom.

"See..." I said as I kept drawing, forming a long black rectangle on the bottom, "This paper....is the physical form of the Shade....and what I draw....that is the psychic plane...but this shape here, this is the Foundation. That's what keeps everything together.....the power of dozens of Greenseers' minds amplified by my power is what shapes the entire Shade." frёeωebɳovel.com

I then began to draw several trees atop the long rectangle, shading them completely black.

"Foundation...." Maegelle said, "So....as long as it is intact...everything should be fine?"

I nodded, "These other trees....." I said, "Those are the other minds, the consciousness of Trinity members that pass along. As I explained before, their mind is amplified and converted into power while in the Shade. And because they're in the Trees, I can freely remove Minds from there without compromising anything. But only I am capable of that."

"I see....." She said softly, "Even if the Shade is physically damaged, nothing will happen?"

"If the Shade is damaged physically, there will be two directives." I told her, "One, the Shade will deploy its defenses; it will seek blood to repair it. It is enchanted by powerful Blood Sorcery after all. Secondly, the Guardian will deploy and will destroy the source of the damage. I don't have anything to worry about. Only those who seek to destroy me will eventually come across the Shade but they won't live to tell the tale, because the Shade itself and the Guardian will kill them. And their blood will feed it."

"I...I think I understand." She said, "W-What happens if you take a Mind out of the Foundation?"

"I cannot." I said, "It is designed so those Minds are completely sealed to the Shade. If they are part of the Foundation, they cannot be removed. If I forcefully rip it out for whatever reason, I can risk compromising the Mind, and not only that, the possibility of the entire Shade crumbling down is high. That is why they are there, to keep everything together, and they are sealed completely."

"Wait....I've overheard you speak to Mya about sending more Greenseers to the Shade." She said softly, "If any Greenseer is placed in the Foundation, how do you physically merge them?"

"There is a specific Tree for that." I told her, "Somewhere within the Shade. If it is physically damaged, it doesn't matter. It will repair itself like the rest of the Shade."

"I see...." She said softly, "So everything is safe? Am I worrying for nothing?"

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me, sitting her on my lap. I then raised her hand and kissed it as I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"My precious Maegelle." I said with a smile, "I appreciate the concern. But....if you wish for me to be honest, then I shall. Right now, there is an issue with the Shade. I do not want any of my Women to get near it. It siphons the power of your Marks."

"Our Marks?" She asked, "Wait, does that mean....? It'll strip our immortality? How? why?"

"It's an error." I said, "I haven't been able to fix it. But as long as you keep away from it, I can work on it patiently. I require a proper sacrifice to patch it. I have not been able to find it. But.....just keep away from it and it shall be no problem."

"Not even the boys..." She said as she patted my cheek, "Right...?"

"The boys are my blood." I said, "They bear a different kind of immortality. As will this one."

I patted her stomach and leaned in, feeling the warmth of her chest.

"I hope....." She said softly, "That you will treat my child well."

"Of course." I said as I rubbed her stomach gently, "Why shouldn't I?"

"I don't know." She said

"You have nothing to worry about." I told her

"I have plenty to worry about." She whispered, "I am scared, Drakken. I don't like War...."

"I know." I said, "But I'd rather die than let any of you be hurt."

She wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned in, hugging me tight.

"I want all of this to end...." She said softly, "So I can live without worry. I don't like any of this, Drakken. But I cannot protest."

"Hm." I said, "One day, you will live with our children happily. I assure you of that."

"I want you to hold me like this forever." She said, "I don't want you to let me go. Please don't let me go."

"I won't." I chuckled, "But.....I did promise your sister that I shall be with her...."

"Right...." She said as she pulled away, "I suppose you should go and do that. Keep her satisfied....."

"So she doesn't cause trouble."