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Snoring penetrated Cire’s senses as he was slowly shaken out of his surreal slumber. He was sitting on the edge of his bed of furs half dressed with a sock in his hand. Odder still, he could remember his waking dream from his supposed sleep.

When he laid his head down for the evening his mind had been racing. He tried to force himself to sleep early so he could meet with Maisy and Stout on time. Cire hadn’t thought to ask how he was supposed to wake up before sunrise without some form of alarm. With closed eyes he tried to regulate his breathing and slowly counted down from a hundred. Errant thoughts bounced around, interrupting his count and forcing him to start over.

Why do I have to meet Maisy at the stage? The hamlet’s seal is in the basement of the tavern. I still haven’t figured out the cryptic question I need to ask her either, but I suppose it will be moot come tomorrow.

Somewhere between sleep and mediation, Cire had sat up and puttered around the cabin. He didn’t really do anything constructive, just light tidying, but he had put on the wooden bracelet Selene had dug up the other day. It still rested on his wrist, confirming that his dream hadn’t been one.

Warden’s Bracelet of Elucidation

Description:

A piece of woven aspen root jewelry crafted by Stacy of Sunset. Imbued with a nature magic enchantment with a specific function – Identification.

Rarity: Rare

Quality: Professional

Effects:

1. Identification – Can identify one object or being per month. The information gained is dependent on the quality of the item or level of individual.

2. +1 to Constitution

Pulling the sock onto his foot, he finished dressing and hopped down from the loft. Cire cracked open one of the wooden shutters on the window and peaked outside. Subtle hues of purple invaded on the pristine black of the starless sky overhead. He had more than enough time to make it to the grove.

Not wanting to wake Durg, he stoked the fire carefully and then slipped out into the cold mountain air. Pulling the coat he had scrounged up tight he thought briefly about the first morning he had run into Eugene on this same porch. Cire wasn’t positive, but he thought this might be the same coat that the farmer had been wearing.

While walking towards the hamlet he pondered the weird trance he had been in. It was similar to the metal state he reached when meditating. He hadn’t actively practiced the skill since returning to the valley. The half-sleep didn’t feel vampiric in nature, those abilities came with urges severely different than waking up refreshed and relaxed. That narrowed down his experience some, but not entirely. It was most likely linked to his elven side, but it could easily be something related to all of the bonding experience he had undergone.

Poking around the outside of the woods near the tavern, Cire spotted the stage. Nic and Andre had showed him the spot back when he tried his hand at logging with them. Standing in the center of the expansive trunk, more than big enough to hold the entire town’s population, were Maisy and Stout. Both were dressed in resplendent robes, Stout’s were bright red with with orange and yellow accents. Maisy’s robes were the same ones she had worn to meet with Kalani. Cire suddenly felt very under dressed.

“There you are dear, punctual as always. Come join us so I can introduce you,” Maisy called out from her position.

Finding the steps, Cire ascended the ten feet up to the top of the trunk and walked out into the middle. Looking around and only seeing the gnome and dwarf he furrowed his brow.

“Who are you going to introduce me to? Are you going to tell me why Selene and Durg couldn’t come? I have met all of the folks in the hamlet, it’s not like there are that many.”

“Told you he wouldn’t figure it out. No one ever does unless they have a specific reason. Are you sure we should go through with this?” Stout grumbled while ignoring his question.

Maisy swatted Stouts arm and sighed.

“You just said no one figures it out, he hasn’t been a ruler long enough to put it together. You still want back into the fae court don’t you? Maybe show a bit of deference until we have completed negotiations.”

Stout obviously wanted to add more to the conversation, but he reined in his irascible nature and stayed quiet. Walking over to the edge of the stage, Maisy called out into the forest. At first, Cire thought she was warming up her voice to sing. However, she finished with an odd chittering series of squeaks for over a minute. He was very confused.

In the purple-blue of the early morning Cire saw small shapes darting between the trees and running along the branches. Scurrying through the underbrush were dozens of small chipmunks. Once they climbed up onto the stage he could make out noticeable differences from the rodents he was accustomed to. Clothed in earthy browns and greens, these chipmunks wore clothing and were standing on their hind legs. They had extra bushy faces and long whiskers compared to a garden variety chipmunk.

One group ran over to Maisy quickly on all fours before raising up to stand at her feet. Others were still forming up and running in from the forest, but the dwarf turned back to Cire with an amused smile. She reached down and held her hand flat, allowing the lead chipmunk to walk onto her palm. Dressed in a small green vest and matching robinhood style hat, it even had a small red feather sticking out of it, stood a tiny chipmunk with its hands on its hips.

“Cire, meet Sir Walnut Pinesong, the Hamlet of Sunset’s champion and spokesman for the chipmunkin of Sunset Woods. Sir Walnut, let me introduce Ciresil Eventide, Lord of the Chimera’s Mane.”

Bowing and removing his tiny hat, the chipmunkin held himself with poise. A high pitched voice rose from the small creature, but he spoke in clear resonate common.

“It is an honor, lord. It has been some time since our lady,” he gestured to Maisy, “has brought any others to meet with us, please pardon the clumsy manner of my speech.”

Cire was caught off guard by the cavalcade of stampeding forest critters, but he was downright flabbergasted by Sir Walnut’s greeting. A bunch of chipmunks wearing clothes was odd enough, but the fact that he was going to talk with one hit him upside the head like a brick. Thankfully, that brick dislodged a few key pieces of logic, solving the puzzle Maisy had presented to him.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Sunset is a hamlet, not a camp like the nagas. That means the population has to be over two hundred and fifty people. They always dismissed any questions by calling it a seasonal hamlet. But the loggers and miners don’t swear fealty, so the bonded people still had to be somewhere. I just didn’t expect them to be chipmunk people.

Bowing in return, while feeling a little bit ridiculous, Cire responded in kind.

“Indeed, it is an honor to meet you and your people, Sir Walnut. Your speech is not clumsy in the least.”

“I have informed them of what I intend and they have consented. However, they did have a couple of conditions. Sir Walnut and his escorts will accompany us to the seal to ensure that I barter in good faith for his people. They all wanted a chance to meet with you first though. I suggest we sit.”

Leading them through action, Maisy folded her robe underneath her as she dropped to a cross legged sitting position. She placed Sir Walnut onto one of her knees and he put his tiny hat back in place. The other chipmunkin, more rodents than Cire had ever seen in one place, gathered around.

Taking Maisy’s example, both Cire and Stout sat down. The gnome was inundated and soon his lap, shoulders, and robe were covered in small chittering clothed figures. Spared the same experience, Maisy’s lap held the small number of chipmunkins that had arrived with Sir Walnut. Cire’s form was absent any of the small denizens of the forest, but he was ringed by a substantive crowd.

Interspersed within the various squeaks and sounds bits of common wriggled their way free. The mass of chipmunkin didn’t stay still, they constantly darted from one position to another. One of the smaller ones ran up, touched Cire’s boot and then ran away, only to be followed by more doing the same around most of his body. He couldn’t keep track, and after he stopped trying, he started grinning from ear to ear.

Boiling off with the morning mist, Cire’s tension and fear of the unknown evaporated in the face of the unrelenting assault of cuteness. Placing his hand down, palm up like Maisy had done, Cire welcomed any who were brave enough. Rushing onto his hand, up his arm, over his shoulders, and down his back, countless numbers of the chipmunkin ran over him in ticklish glee.

“I never saw one of these little guys when I was out and about. Stout, is this why you told me to keep away from the stage when I picked berries for you that one time?”

Sir Walnut answered from his perch on Maisy’s knee.

“We take care of the spearberry bushes in this area of the woods. You wouldn’t have liked the results if you had harvested any by accident. Our guards take their role to protect the berries seriously.”

One of the child sized chipmunks clambered up onto the top of his head, pulling itself up using his long golden hair. Sir Walnut chirped at the smaller member of his tribe and the individual scampered back down. His statement undercut by the rambunctious nature of his people.

“I’m sure they do. I saw that the bushes here were practically bursting with berries. Don’t worry, I won’t be picking berries anymore. So, do your people have any questions or has Maisy filled you in?” Cire inquired.

“Maerria has told us much about you. We trust her judgment, no questions are needed.”

Nodding, Cire let the chipmunkins explore. They tucked into pockets and fished out their contents. He had to safeguard his coin pouch after he saw one wriggle their way in and run off with a silver piece. It felt like he was being mugged by tickly kittens. A pair even tried to tug his sword out from it’s sheath, but they couldn’t manage budging it.

After a while, Maisy clapped her hands and the living cloak of tiny furballs scattered from Cire. Sir Walnut and his party scuttled up to Maisy’s shoulders as she stood.

“Time to go. Stout has a treat for everyone, so you better get it from him before we leave.”

Maisy’s tone was playful and she grinned mischeviously as a flood of chipmunkins poured over Stout and skittered up into his robes. Stout cursed and danced, careful of his foot placement, but eventually relented and stood still.

“You’re lucky we’re such good friends Maisy, most wouldn’t tolerate this.”

“Hush dear, we both know you have a sweet heart regardless of the face you show people. Now, after they find all of those candied nuts, join us at the seal.”

Leading Cire back to the tavern, Maisy somehow made walking with a bunch of chipmunks on her shoulders look dignified. Her white robes, gilded with golden and silver embroidery, shone bright in the morning light. Upon reaching the structure they walked through the empty common room and behind the bar. It didn’t take long for them to head down to the basement and back to the room with Sunset’s seal.

Looking back to the art covering the walls, Cire couldn’t help but imagine what the ruins had looked like when they were full of families and life. What would his capital be like? Would it be full of snakes and chipmunks? He chuckled at the idea.

Then Cire joined Maisy and Stout, sitting cross legged on the floor. Sir Walnut, and his escort, stood to the side of the seal bearing witness. Cire had no way to tell the chipmunkin apart outside of their disparate clothing, but he assumed that there was nuance to their appearance that he was missing. For the moment he dismissed the thought and focused on Maisy.

“First things first, the titles. I know that Constantine Dawnslight was a member of the Unbroken Grove, a dwarven king, and Lord of the Eclipse, whatever that last one means. Since achieving each of those has its own challenges, not the least of which being that I am an elf, I would like to know what you really wanted to achieve by making them a condition.”

“That, dear, has a very complicated and detailed explanation. One that I would be happy to explain at length on another day. For the sake of company and brevity I can summarize though.”

Maisy reached into the small pouch at her side and withdrew a water skin. After a decently long drink she passed the container to Stout as he walked into the room.

“I want to unify my people, and I want you to be the catalyst. I don’t need you to do more than claim the first two titles. Which are within your rights as territorial lord, if you found a capital on the ancient site of Miletus. I doubt you could become a lord blessed by the gods, let alone two. Lord of the Eclipse is a divine title, in this case granted by Artemis and Apollo. I amend the condition to only the first two titles.”

“Your people?”

“Surely you have talked with Durg about the dwarven clans? Our cities are isolationist, our royal houses selfish, and our people yearn for more. Many of the younger generations have traveled the land above and know what the wider world can offer them. I want to show them an example of what that can be.”

“Okay. So, why the elven title? It’s a druidic order, I’m not sure I have the skill set to become a druid or if I want to be one,” Cire asked.

“For the same purpose. I want to show my people that elves, gnomes, humans, and all intelligent beings can do wondrous things when they live together. Hiding away will only lead stagnation and death,” She smiled and her tone shifted to a lighter tone to reinvigorate the conversation. “You don’t have to become a druid, not by profession. All of the elven rulers are members of the order. You will need to pass a series of challenges and swear to uphold their ethos, but the trials will be tailored to you because of your position.”

Cire nodded and rolled everything around in his head. He had a taste of the benefits of bonding settlements, but he knew that was only the beginning. While claiming the two titles still sounded like a challenge, they didn’t sound insurmountable.

Maisy’s purpose was noble enough. It was uncanny how similar her goals were to the ones he had expressed to Kalani. Taking the long term perspective now would benefit him more than quibbling. He had already witnessed Maisy’s value to his house, and he suspected that she still had plenty of tricks she hadn’t shown him.

“Alright, but I am not going to go about it alone. You’ve already involved yourself with the naga. Is it fair to say that you will be serving as my emissary and joining my house as part of the pact?”

“It is fair to say, my lord.”

Maisy’s tone took on a coquettish quality as she responded. The rest of the conversation went by rather quickly. Stout reminded Maisy to include consideration for his future emplacement as the territories ambassador to the fae court. The chipmunkin wished to remain unknown to the hamlet and the valley at large until their tribe wished involvement. Apparently the cute little talking chipmunks spent most of the winter inside the lodge and tavern when the workers left.

Having worked out the details of their agreement, Cire and Maisy shook hands and then placed them to the seal on the floor below them. Maisy didn’t speak, but she bowed her head and closed her eyes offering up a silent prayer. Silver and gold light burst up from the etchings of the seal.

Tinkling clinks of coins striking stone echoed through the small room as the light pooled onto the ceiling like liquid and dripped to the floor. None of the ethereal raindrops struck the seated occupants. When they hit the stone floor they burst into small puffs of sparks, without heat, like divine sparklers.

Soon the deluge of light forced Cire’s, and everyone but Maisy’s, eyes closed tight. He could still see flashes through his eyelids, but a warm feeling spreading over his skin from his head down to his toes proved the larger distraction. Cire wanted to look and see what was happening, but he also didn’t want to go blind. Ceasing with a literal flash, the entire room went dark. Peaking open a single eye, he saw Maisy standing up and rubbing her hands together.

“Now that we have concluded our business dear lord, would you care for some breakfast? We still have a busy day ahead of us and I need to start educating you as soon as possible.”

Cire mock groaned, but he nodded and stood up to take the next steps on his grand adventure.