The dungeon had definitely been providing him with wealth. Now he needed to turn that into more wealth by investing in things that would help the dungeon.
Charms sounded like an infinitely useful thing for newbie dungeoneers.
Make them semi-rare drops and only for achieving something worthwhile. The simple fact that someone can get them will get others to try more frequently.
Should probably check in on Wynne tomorrow morning and see how things are going. With only one wing open, things are probably much slower.
“Wonderful. What else do you have?” Ryker asked, setting more coins down on the counter.
***
The temples for Harrison and Damia didn’t have a shop in the same way.
With nothing else to shop for he’d been forced to go to the tailor. Which surprisingly had been uneventful. He’d been ushered in, measured, poked, prodded, and sent back out.
Neither Adele or Claire were waiting to ambush him.
By the time he made it back to the inn, evening had settled in and the last rays of the day’s sun were spearing over the horizon.
Stepping into the common room, Ryker felt strange.
It was empty.
Only the innkeeper and a waitress were there. They even seemed nervous. Ryker’s first instinct was to backstep out of the inn and go sleep in a gutter somewhere. At least that’d give him a better chance at keeping himself intact. More so than the feeling he got from this room at least.
“Ah, you’ve returned,” called a smooth voice from the back hallway.
Turning his head towards the voice, Ryker hesitated.
It was the same young woman from earlier.
“My mother should be coming down from her room shortly. Please, have a seat. I’ll order some dinner for the two of us. It’s been a very quiet evening.”
Which isn’t normal. Inns, even high-end inns, have a swift and smooth business in their common room.
Tris, Charlotte, and Marybelle were with him, though, and they didn’t seem ill at ease.
Which means this isn’t inside the realm of physical harm… I don’t like it.
“Ah, certainly. Give me a minute to put my purchases away and I’ll be right down to join you,” Ryker said pleasantly. Making his way to the stairs, and not waiting for a response, Ryker kept a smile on his face. Listening carefully as he passed doorways on the way to his own, he heard nothing.
Nothing at all.
It was as if the entire inn was devoid of life.
Slipping the key into the lock, Ryker gave it a twist and popped the door in, rushing inside.
All three Fairies followed him in with strange looks on their faces.
Getting the door shut, Ryker bolted it and then shoved a dresser in front of it.
“Why are we barricading ourselves in? I thought we were going to eat with the woman?” Tris asked.
“You three didn’t notice it was empty?”
The three avatars looked at one another, then back to him.
“We noticed but,” Marybelle started. “Based on your reaction, I think we don’t have the same context you do for the situation. Is that abnormal for the common room to be empty? Is that not the expectation? We’re not very well acquainted with human culture. This has all been very informative so far.”
Groaning, Ryker rested his forehead against the door. He doubted the dresser would hold back a truly energetic foe, but he didn’t think whatever was going on was going to escalate to that.
Threats, sure. Blackmail, probably. Seducing him and getting him to do something, most definitely.
Violence? Not likely.
He wasn’t going to bet on the good nature of other people though.
People who believed the best of others, or that they’d be kind and generous, were fools who got taken advantage of.
Before he could even take another breath, someone knocked on the door.
“Hello? Are you all done? The mistress asked me to inform you that dinner is about to be served,” said a voice through the door. He didn’t recognize it, and imagined it might be a servant.
“Ah, sorry. I’m afraid I’m down for the count. I had some questionable food from a stall and I’m regretting it. Oh god, it burns. Tris, could you pass me the ointment?”
The silence was deafening.
“I think we’ll need another chamber pot,” he finished after a pause.
“I, ah. Feel better, master Ryker,” said the voice before retreating.
Relaxing, Ryker wanted to crawl into the bed and end the night.
“It’s my turn,” Tris from behind him. Her voice held a trace of heat to it. She was always expressive when it came to bedroom antics. “I want to try that position from last time again. Get in the bed.”
Well, I can stay up for another hour or three.
Chapter 16- Building Out -
Ryker sat in an antechamber that led into the throne room. Reaching up he pulled at the collar of the tunic and felt ill at ease.
His Fairies had been forced to remain with all the other house guards.
It was just him. Alone in a room.
Waiting to be called into an audience in front of the queen and her entire court.
There was no reason to think any of this was going to go well.
But if he wanted to have a hope of being able to get revenge, this was a part he had to play. Having the queen’s support would make everything infinitely easier. Right up until it was time to flee and run away.
I wonder if I can just leave the dungeon to Wynne and… leave. Go move to another country, buy a house, scrounge up some farm girl who’s willing to tame land with me, and… what… farm?
Ryker frowned. He’d never really thought of what he wanted to do once he’d actually gotten the vengeance he so desperately craved.
The idea of not having his fury guiding him made him feel a bit hollow. Void.
Empty.
It wasn’t a good feeling.
The door leading into the throne room swung open.
“Her majesty has summoned you. Please stand, and follow me. The queen will address you, all you need to do is respond directly to her, and nothing more. Kneel after approaching and before leaving,” said a steward.
So many rules just to talk to the queen.
“I can do that,” Ryker assured the man.
“Splendid,” said the steward dryly, giving Ryker a flat, disbelieving stare.
Feeling grouchy, Ryker stood up and pulled down on the tight-fitting tunic, getting it to sit where he wanted it. The tailor really had done an outstanding job on him. He really didn’t have any sense of fashion.
Looks good though. Really good. Ryker thought to himself, glancing at the mirror.
Exactly as Lauren wished. She’d hired the tailor, stewards, maids, hairdresser, everything. This was how she wanted him to look.
I look like those court dandies who don’t know how to fight.
Reaching a hand to the tunic he ran a thumb over the white fabric of the tunic. The undershirt that came to his wrists was rather blue. A dark blue.
The pants looked to be silver but he couldn’t be sure.
Fashion wasn’t his thing.
For all he knew, the color combination clashed so badly they might all die of shock.
With that once over done and the dark thoughts boiling up, he fell in line behind the steward and followed him out into the throne room.
Entering the throne room was nerve-wracking. Mostly because it was deathly silent.
Not a sound other than the clack of Ryker’s boots could be heard.
He’d polished them to a high sheen and made sure they were court ready. Now he wondered if perhaps he should have worn a pair of indoor shoes. The tread and pop and click of his footfalls seemed to draw everyone’s attention and began to wind them up.
Letting his eyes roll across the gathered assembly on either side, Ryker assessed the room.
More of a giant meeting hall than a room, really.
<
br /> Lately his dungeoneering instincts had been surfacing. Getting the dust and dirt kicked off and the rust broken loose.
And those senses weren’t happy right now.
On each side were rows of pews that rose in height, giving each an unobstructed view.
There were no windows. No doors to the outside area, though he did see doors behind the queen and off to the sides of her.
Security doors I imagine.
Guards were practically everywhere. Both those armed and armored in physical items of battle, and those trained in magic holding wands or staves.
Every hair on his head and neck wanted to stand on end. This room was a death trap to anyone who would want to harm Lauren, and a wrong word or move would trigger a swift and fatal response.
Putting his eyes forward since there wasn’t much else to see, he found the queen watching him as he approached.
Unable to help himself, he gave her a broad smile and focused in on her.
She was dressed in a much simpler style today. A simple and elegant blue dress that flattered her and pulled the eye up to her shoulders and face.
The steward stopped and bowed low to the queen, Ryker immediately doing the same, breaking eye contact to drop his head to her.
“Welcome, Ryker. We welcome you to our court and home,” said the queen in a very different tone.
Must be the throne room voice.
“You may lift your head,” she said, granting him permission to stand.
Ryker stood up straight and adjusted his tunic again.
“I’m grateful to Her Majesty for seeing me, and honored to be in her presence,” Ryker said.
Lauren blinked once at his statement, and then leaned forward a fraction of an inch towards him with a smile.
“Do not address her without being addressed first!” hissed the steward behind Ryker in a low whisper.
Ah, oh yeah. Eh. Whatever.
“As many of you have heard. The Queendom has a dungeon in its territory now. Not too far from Warrenton in fact,” the queen said, her voice carrying throughout the hall.
“We’ve already assessed the area and were well pleased. A city is already being built, as well as a royal garrison. The name of the city was assigned by its people and we find it fitting. Dungeon.”
There was a polite wave of snickers and titters at that. As the queen had said it was fitting and seemed in a good mood when she did, no one seemingly felt as if they had to keep appearances up.
“The man you see before you is Ryker, the owner of the land Dungeon falls on and that surrounding it. Rather than steal his land and break our own laws, we have chosen to uphold them,” the queen continued.
Ryker was barely able to not swallow heavily at that. He’d briefly considered what would happen if the queen didn’t view his legal claim over the dungeon as valid.
Or the claim on his land.
His goals would have been squashed before they began, and he’d have been forced to pack up the core and flee as fast as possible.
“And to that end, we’re granting the city, and county of Dungeon, to Ryker, and name him the Count of Dungeon,” Lauren concluded.
Ryker’s eyes snapped up to Lauren’s face, his hands immediately balling into fists.
Count? Count of Dungeon? Wasn’t I supposed to be only a mayor? What the fuck, Lauren.
The corners of Lauren’s eyes crinkled as she watched his response to her news.
Oh? Going to smile about this are you? I’m going to drown you later in a bathtub. I’ll break in through your window to do it.
A count!? I’m not even qualified to be a mayor. So why a count? Damn you!
Managing to control himself somehow, Ryker slapped a smile on his face and bowed low to her.
“Her Majesty is infinitely generous and kind. I’m not sure how I could ever repay her benevolence,” Ryker said, unwilling to fall any deeper into whatever she was planning.
“Tut tut, Count Ryker of Dungeon. We have several other gifts for you. First and foremost, a residence here in Queensrest. It wouldn’t do for you to not have a place to lay your head here in our capital,” Lauren said, her teeth flashing in a grin at him.
Shit.
“We purchased the home in your name, of course. We did take the liberty of hiring on a staff for you, though. I’m sure you’ll forgive us. In fact, let us introduce you to your chamberlain and head of security.”
Lauren lifted one arm and indicated off to one side.
Turning his head to follow the length of her arm, he watched as Claire and Adele stepped out of an adjacent room. They were dressed in similar colors to the clothes he’d been forced into. White, blue, and silver. There was even a crest above their hearts. He couldn’t quite make it out, but he didn’t doubt it was more than likely his own.
Which he’d yet to see, since the queen had obviously designed it for him.
“Claire, your new chamberlain. Adele, your head of security. We felt that since they would be your envoys to the queen, we might as well give them a suitable job to work with you as well,” Lauren said, smoothly inserting her ownership of them, yet that they worked for Ryker.
She’s been planning this. For a while. I’m now inexorably tied to the throne, and the throne to me.
“Your first duty as our Count is to oversee the construction of our guest palace that’ll be built in your city. Preferably attached to the royal garrison and the Count’s manor.”
The few whispers and muttered conversations that had been going on stopped dead at that.
I get the feeling that her building a palace there is abnormal.
“With all of these concerns, and needs, we think it best that you report directly to us instead of Duchess Chas,” Lauren said. Taking a breath, she turned her head to someone in the crowd.
Ryker followed her gaze and found the woman from the inn, along with her daughter.
“Our apologies Duchess. We’ll be sure to grant you something in apology for this slight.”
The Duchess. That’s who was trying to seduce me? I don’t even… I guess…?
Ryker closed his eyes and with a small shake of his head, faced forward to the queen again.
“Of course, Your Majesty,” said Duchess Chas.
Opening his eyes, he found Lauren was watching him again, her eyes peeling him apart and putting him back together.
Like a puzzle.
“We thank the Duchess for her gracious forgiveness. We will now close this session of the court. Attend to us, Count, we’ll retire to your home and discuss things further,” Lauren said, standing up.
She lifted her left hand towards him and stepped down from the dais.
Catching the hint, Ryker closed the distance immediately and offered her his forearm. Giving him an arched brow, Lauren laid her hand on his forearm and guided him, without even looking as if she were, towards a door back behind the throne.
“Don’t look so cross. This’ll help you in the future. You do have to marry eventually, you know. And as a count you’ll have much better prospects,” Lauren said softly.
“You’re setting me up with your cousins, Lauren. That’s why you’re having them work for me in that capacity. So they’re familiar with myself, my house, and me with them. You’re going to ask me to pick in the end, aren’t you?” Ryker grumbled.
“Goodness. That’s an accusation if I ever heard one.”
Sighing, Ryker grimaced.
At least they’re tolerable. They’re each aggravating in their own way, but they don’t actually mean me any harm.
“Better than Duchess Chas trying to set me up with her daughter. She practically threw her at me,” Ryker said.
“I heard. She bought the inn you were staying at outright, kicked everyone out, and made her play. I was told you didn’t even have dinner with her? How cold of you. Making a lady wait around.”
“Heh. I told her I was having bathroom problems. She fucked right off after that,” Ryker said with a snicker.
Lauren’s mouth flattened for a second, before she started to laugh. Everyone around them stared at their queen laughing at whatever comment Ryker had made. To her credit, Lauren ignored them all, and laughing, led Ryker out of the throne room.
***
Ryker was still getting used to the idea that everyone here was a servant to him, and that this home was his.
Which seemed fair to him since he’d only been here for about five minutes.
“Sit, sit,” Lauren said, motioning to the chair across from herself. “Oh, and how long do you plan to remain in the city?”
Doing as instructed, he sat down, watching the servants swirling around them, laying a full breakfast down on the table between the two of them.
“Not terribly long. Or much longer, that is. A day or two. Then back to Dungeon,” Ryker said.
No sooner than the breakfast had been laid out, the servants all vanished. Leaving Lauren and Ryker alone.
Again.
“You’re making a habit of getting me into situations where I’m alone with you. You’re probably making me the worst enemy to your guards that they’ve ever had,” Ryker said.
Not waiting, he started to fill a plate, even eating from it as he did so.
Lauren reached up and loosened the straps on her dress till it started to slide down her shoulders.
“Ahhh, that’s better. These look quite nice on me but they do a number on my shoulders and back.”
“Wound ointment,” Ryker said, picking up a sausage and practically swallowing it whole. “It isn’t just for wounds. Works for sore muscles. I had some on me when I started farming. Since I wasn’t exactly going to use it for a wound, I tried it out. Worked pretty well. I doubt most people are willing to use it for something like that but… I wasn’t going to go back into Warrenton anytime soon.”
“Oh? I’ll have to try that. I’ll have a guard pick some up on the way back to the castle,” Lauren said. She picked up a fork and then began to politely plate herself.
“Seriously? You going to fork out every single piece of food? I promise I bathed today and I’m sure you did. Get in there and use your hands already or I’ll be done by the time you start,” Ryker said.
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