by Randi Darren
“That’s pretty much inevitable, really,” Steve said. “Linne is our enemy.”
“No, it really isn’t, and no, she isn’t. Unless we make her one. We could easily maneuver this one around without ever having to openly oppose her,” Nikki said. “We’d just duck our heads a bit, let her do as she would in the citadel city, and manage our own situation.
“Separated and happy on each side.”
“I don’t really believe that’d be what happens,” Steve disagreed. “She’s too evil to not get herself involved. She’d force us to pick a side the moment Geneva tried to exert her authority over her. Geneva seems more likely to have let it lie there, but not Linne.”
“You really think she’d oppose the royal will?” Nikki asked.
“Considering we’re almost certain she’s the reason the Creep was a problem, I can’t see a time and place she wouldn’t,” Steve said. “I mean, come on. She tried to have me turned into a sex slave with little to no care whatsoever.
“And don’t get me started on her belief and treatment of Humans, let alone Human men.”
“Yes… Lamals really is… a nasty little blot on a map,” Nikki murmured. “Maybe we should consider escaping the country entirely. We could probably head south.”
“We’d never get out of the quarantine,” Steve said immediately. “And there’s no telling when it’ll break, regardless of what’s happening with the Creep.
“You yourself said it was quite possible the other nations were attempting to use this as a way to batter Lamals into a corner.”
“I did, I admit it,” Nikki said. “I just… don’t like any of this. It really does feel like we’re inserting ourselves into a fight we don’t have to take. I don’t want to do this, and I don’t feel like you’re listening to me.”
“I promise, I’m only doing what I think is best for the farm. I don’t have aspirations to power,” Steve promised. “I mean, I hear you, but… I think this is best. I’m listening to you, but I disagree with your desired course of action.”
“Okay. Fine,” Nikki said, the space between them growing as she shifted her position around. “I still really don’t like it, though. It’s not what I think we should do at all.
“And as much as I want to stay and talk to you, I believe you have others you should greet and say goodbye to. I think Lucia has the right of it. You’ll need to travel with Geneva for a time.”
“You think Xivin, Lucia, Nancy, and Geneva would be the best group for this?” Steve asked, levering himself into a sitting position. He wanted to move closer to her, to talk more about this, but it felt like she was trying to get rid of him.
“I do. No one else would be as useful as them,” Nikki said. “Kassandra, Jaina, and Ina are best suited to holding the outpost for the time being while you’re away. I’m no good anywhere but here. Misty doesn’t want to go too far from her water source anymore. Ferrah is… Ferrah.
“Though… I suppose you could take Gwendolin, if you wanted. She might not be a terrible option as she’s be the closest to a healer we have. I just… didn’t even think about it because of Nia.”
“Yeah… taking her from Nia would be somewhat… problematic, wouldn’t it?” Steve asked.
“I’d say talk to her, give her the opportunity, let her decide,” Nikki said. Then she nodded her head, seeming to consider the whole situation. “Alright. I’d say you’ve made your choice. If anything, you should leave as soon as possible. Likely you’ll need to be in Filch by tomorrow. Before Geneva gets there. I imagine.”
“Yeah… I guess that’d be the answer, wouldn’t it?” Steve said. He really felt like she’d just dismissed everything and didn’t want to deal with him anymore. That because he wasn’t doing what she wanted, she was going to end the conversation.
“Exactly,” Nikki said. Her tone didn’t quite match the feeling she was trying to put out. Then she reached over and patted him on the back. “Get going. I’ll see you when you get back.”
Nikki walked off, leaving him sitting there.
It was still early enough that he could track down Shelly and talk to her about what was going on. Get her approval and ask to take her with him back to Filch.
Maybe ask Misty to go with her just so Shelly’s not alone.
He felt like Nikki was more upset than she was letting on. The fact that she’d left without suggesting lovemaking later tonight added to that belief.
She’d never passed on such an idea before, and she’d always been the one to suggest it.
I fucked up, I guess.
Getting up, he decided to talk to everyone he needed to talk to before the sun went down.
If he hurried, he might be able to get out to Filch even before the sun hit the horizon. Then maybe he could talk to Nikki again and see if they could patch things up before he left.
Especially since traveling along the river with Misty in tow would be incredibly swift.
“You’ve completed the first task,” said a voice out of nowhere. “While it’s pointless to tell you, as you won’t understand, I must abide by the rules we put down.”
Standing up straight, Steve looked up to the sky above him.
“Rules? I think I’d like you to tell me the rules,” Steve said. “I can’t follow them if I don’t know them.”
“That wouldn’t be correct,” said the voice.
“Then maybe I’ll just kill myself and assume I’ll get to see the rules and start over again,” Steve said. “I wouldn’t know I was doing wrong unless I did it, which means it’s easier to assume I could just start over.”
“That… that’s not logical,” said the voice.
“Logical or not, that doesn’t matter. All that matters is I don’t understand. And if I don’t understand, I could do something truly stupid and not realize it was against the rules,” Steve said. “So… maybe tell me the rules?”
“No,” said the voice. “You’re welcome to take your own life as you see fit, but that would be your own choice.
“This entire examination was your own choice. You sacrificing your memories was part of that choice. I’ll respect what you chose previously and abide by your decision.”
“How am I supposed to succeed if I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do?” Steve complained.
“I would argue that your results indicate that concern is irrelevant at this time,” said the voice. “You’re doing better than you did previously. It’s very likely you’ll achieve your second goal by the end of this upcoming month. At that point you’ll have surpassed yourself previously.”
What’d I do?
I took all those prisoners.
I more or less finished up the fort.
I cornered Geneva into getting into my bed.
I bedded Lucia and put a kid in her.
I can’t imagine having children would be part of my goal. Which means that’s just… secondary. That really only leaves taking prisoners and building the fort.
Or… or that I killed all those murderers.
I gained a title doing it.
If I go on this trip with Geneva, it’s quite likely I’ll find more people to kill and increase my title.
Is that it? Is this all just… how high can I go?
Wait, let’s ask him about the brainwashing.
“I ask for a favor in exchange for having passed my first task,” Steve said.
“No,” said the voice.
“No, I think you need to give me this favor because it’s starting to make it difficult to function,” Steve said. “The brainwashing. The fact that everyone has this insane drive to produce children. Is that Lamals, or something else?”
There was no response.
“I really do need to know. I’m not sure if I should be fighting against that or not,” Steve said.
Staring up into the sky, Steve received no response.
Damnit. I really don’t know what to do about that one.
“That is a function of this world,” said the voice sudden
ly. “They’re required to give birth, and so they must. It isn’t unique to Lamals.”
“Okay. And the way they treat men? Sending them to the front after they have children?” Steve asked.
“Lamals only,” said the voice. “As your wife has indicated, Lamals would be flattened to the ground for their treatment of men alone. Many other nations treat men as citizens rather than resources.”
Which means it really is just the government here doing that.
But… wouldn’t other nations frown on me holding all those murderers as prisoners?
Very likely.
Maybe I’m bound to be in Lamals as much as I dislike the nation.
“Goodbye,” said the voice.
“Wait, I need more answers,” Steve said quickly.
There was no response.
“Please?” Steve tried.
Silence.
Sixteen
Gwendolin had chosen to remain behind. She’d stated she had fears for losing her unborn child along with her wish to watch over Nia.
Steve didn’t blame her. It was more or less what he’d been expecting. To be fair, it was most likely the same exact thing he’d do if he was in her place.
Ferrah, Jaina, Lucia, Xivin, and Geneva all accompanied him on his mission, however.
To say Steve was surprised that Ferrah wanted to come was an understatement.
She’d apparently taught a few of the farm girls how to make iron and bronze bars. Except there wasn’t really any material to work with to make anything.
She could sit at the farm and wait for someone to show up with ore to sell, or she could go traveling with Steve. She’d surprisingly chosen the latter.
Everyone was on the march except Xivin. Despite regaining most of her motor control and even getting to the point where she could walk at a normal speed, she didn’t have the endurance she used to.
In the end, Steve had managed to talk her into riding in a wagon he’d fashioned. It could seat four people and several chests or barrels.
The whole thing was lashed to a Centaur Steve had hired from Filch specifically to this end.
Although there’d been no Creep sightings, there was no reason to chance it. Two barrels of can water had been loaded up for emergency use. Another two wagons filled with watering-can water had been added to the baggage train for general Creep purposes, just in case. Then Lucia and Xivin had sat in the wagon at the front with the rest of the group as the “drivers.”
Lucia due to her pregnancy and Xivin because of the obvious issue.
Ferrah, Geneva, Jaina, and Steve all marched to one side of the wagon.
Steve hadn’t wanted any part of being behind the wagon. Staring into a Centaur’s personal bits didn’t seem interesting to him.
They were all heading north into the lands above Filch after having loaded up the supply wagons with food and water from the farm. Along with half of Geneva’s forces. The other half had been left behind in Filch to hold and build a garrison there.
Stomping heavily along next to Steve was Ferrah.
What she lacked in speed and height, she made up for in endurance and stamina. As far as he could tell, she worked her forge all day and night with little break. The only thing that had stopped her was the lack of materials.
“I hope they have ore,” Ferrah said for perhaps the tenth time.
“Whether they do or don’t, it’s more or less pointless to worry over,” Steve chided. “Won’t change from now till the point we arrive.”
“I know that,” Ferrah said. “I just… I feel useless without ore. I know how to…”
Ferrah paused, glancing past Steve to Geneva.
The Lionan was busy chatting at Jaina. The former was trying to cautiously develop the start of a friendship with the latter.
Geneva had apparently sensed some form of possible kinship with the Kobold and was going after it.
Maybe Chessa’s death affected Jaina more than I realized. She seems very unwilling to let Geneva close, despite her attempts.
“I can make your steel,” Ferrah said in a low voice. She apparently didn’t trust Geneva despite Steve’s assurances. “I feel like I should be making as much of it as I can, too.
“Whether swords or plowshares, doesn’t matter who’s in charge.”
“And what does that mean, exactly?” Steve asked.
“Uh… well,” Ferrah said. “It kinda feels like there’s two groups in our marriage right now. One group thinks we need to just… keep going. Take more land, put more people under us, and expand.
“The other thinks we should just keep what we have and settle in. Get comfortable. Defensive.”
“Oh,” Steve said. It wasn’t that surprising. Glancing over to Nancy on the other side of Ferrah, he caught her eyes. He’d mentioned his concern about such a thing to her previously. This feeling, like there was a split forming, seemed to be confirmed with Ferrah’s remarks.
I’ll have to tell Nancy to work on fixing it. She doesn’t care about it one way or the other, so long as she continues where she is right now.
“And where do you fall in all of that?” Steve asked.
“With Kassandra. I don’t care,” Ferrah said. “I’ll just stand where you tell me to. Till then, I’ll keep beatin’ iron, bronze, and steel to shape. Doesn’t bother me none at all.”
That… makes sense.
Dwarves will be Dwarves.
Though it’s good to know Kassandra is in the same boat.
“First I’ve heard of it,” Steve lied.
“Really?” Ferrah asked.
“Yep. I’m afraid I’ve just been busy trying to get our family and fortune squared away, you know?” Steve said. “So, help me out. Who’s thinking we should just settle down?”
“Pfft, as if you couldn’t guess it all on your own,” Ferrah said. “The Faun, of course. Even though she’s the one who wanted you to build the outpost. Now she’s all frettin’ about how much land you’re taking.
“Then there’s Misty, Xivin, and Ina. They all support Nikki in that.”
Just the mention of Nikki gave Steve an odd stomach-lurching sensation. When he’d gone to track her down before leaving, he couldn’t find her. In fact, he’d had the distinct impression she’d been avoiding him.
“Ah, I take it Lucia, Jaina, Shelly, and Gwendolin don’t support that view then?” Steve asked.
“Hah, no. They all want to push, push, push. Take more and keep more,” Ferrah said. “The Fae leads that group. Seconded by the Siren. Was surprising to me. She changed sides not long after you got to her insides.”
Not to me.
Gwendolin would do anything for her daughter. If she thinks taking control would protect her daughter, then she’d push for that.
Likely more so for an unborn.
“Kass leans more toward the Fae at times,” Ferrah said.
“And which way do you lean?” Steve asked.
“Towards you,” Ferrah said with a shrug. “I’m… enjoying… this weird fluttery feeling I get when I look at you. I like how you treat me. I don’t really care about anything else, so long as I know which way you’re going.
“Which makes me have ta’ ask. Which way are you leaning?”
Steve didn’t know how to answer that.
Because he truthfully didn’t think he knew the answer. There were times he felt like he should bring his foot down and crush Lamals until it was the country of Bril.
And other times, he wanted to just go back to his farm and think nothing of anyone.
“What if I wanted to burn Lamals to the ground?” Steve asked.
Ferrah grunted at that, wiping her hands against her hips.
“Would need some time to make swords and spears, but I’ll do what I can,” Ferrah said.
Grinning at the support, Steve laid an arm around Ferrah’s shoulders.
“You’re a sweet little lady, you know that?” Steve asked.
Ferrah looked up at him through her brows and didn’t respond.<
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***
“I begin to believe,” Geneva mused, then paused. “That the capital has gravely underestimated how much devastation has been wrought on the nation.”
Bexis stood before them, her gates torn asunder and bodies everywhere. Lots and lots of bodies, in various stages of decomposition. From the road leading into town to the gates and beyond.
Everything in Bexis looked to be dead.
“I mean… what exactly does the capital think?” Steve asked. “We’ve kinda been out here doing our best to survive. It was honestly lookin’ pretty grim for a while.”
“They’re firmly of the opinion that the lower classes were devastated, much in the way a plague would go,” Geneva said. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure myself of the extent of the damage. I may very well be a military governor of a ghost district.”
“Perhaps,” Lucia said. “Perhaps not. I think what we saw with the villages was more likely to be the truth. Raiding one another, killing, living, dying. The city had one major problem.
“Very few ways in, very few ways out. I mean… look at those doors. Someone must have ordered the gates closed at night. Except the Creep was maybe already inside.”
We’ve seen the Creep just vanish rather than pull back. It’s possible it was already inside the city. Polluting its residents.
“If we really look at those doors,” Ferrah said, “I’d bet my hiney they were broken down from the inside, not the outside. Whoever remained, escaped.”
We didn’t really see any of these types of problems with Filch.
The mayor had the gates closed before night fell. That was a long-standing order.
After I killed the mayor and bedded the daughters, they kept most of the same rules in place. Didn’t they?
Or maybe… maybe the fact that we had the watering can was far more beneficial than we ever understood. Once I connected the trench to Filch, did that pretty much remove any type of long-term rot the Creep was causing?
“Let’s go inside and look,” Geneva said, then turned and made a hand signal to a group of guards. “It would be good to know what state the city is in. Perhaps I can organize a colonization and have people moved in.”
