I wish I could say that the first thing I noticed when entering the meeting room was our guests. I mean, they were supposed to be humans and I hadn't laid my eyes on one for the better part of a year now... but no. It was not our visitors but the venue that made me stop in the entrance way for half a beat before continuing on.
Last time I was here it was a fairly simple place with a sturdy and functional table and chairs. All very workable and efficient, if not extravagant. Well, that was no longer the case. I knew they had replaced the table, I saw the thing in the work shop being made! But this was far more than I would have expected.
The table was big enough to fit three chairs at one end and ten more lengthwise. It was carved from the rich wood that grew deeper into the forest and was polished to perfection, the chairs like wise treated. I had thought they were going to make them out of solid wood, but I guess the kobolds informed the goblins that not everyone's back sides were made of iron and padding might be appreciated. Now every chair had green padded seats and backs.
But it wasn't just the fancier table that had thrown me. The whole room had been given a make over with stunning sheer curtains over the long windows, wood decals all over... holly crap were those candle lit chandeliers? All this place needed were some massive paintings of men on horses or Greek goddesses to make it look like a freaking palace!
Oh, man. Better keep that thought to myself, lest I give my adoring subjects weird ideas... I already had beautiful- but rather obnoxious- stained glass windows covered in images of myself, the last thing I wanted was paintings. People were going to think I was full of myself pretty soon.
Sighing, I faced forward as Draxly led me farther into the room. There were at least fifteen people here yet it still did not feel crowded. Unfortunately something else caught my eye.
Oh no. They didn't...
Draxly almost had to pull me along now, as he lead me toward the far end of the room, where, at the head of the table, set up on a raised platform, was a pretty little throne. They made me a dang throne.
I felt myself blush, but tried my best to contain the irritation and embarrassment. We had company after all, and I could hardly complain in front of them. This was a political situation darn it!
Besides, I was sure that the monsters would end up winning in the end anyway and the throne would stay. I am such a push over...
So. I let Draxly hold my hand as my fifteen year old looking self- still dressed like a doll in a white and copper dress that fell to my knees in the front and almost to the floor in the back- ascended the few short steps and sat on my freaking throne like it was what I did every single day of the week.
It was then that I focused my attention to where it should have been in the first place: the humans.
First thing I noticed was that they were not all human. The group was easy to pick out given they were well armored and had three beefy hobgoblins standing around the chairs they had been seated at. But the one that caught my eye first had been the elf. Not so much because she was an elf, but because of the deep red cloths she wore. She also had strikingly red eyes that were a surprise. But I guess I shouldn't hold what earth had told me an elf was supposed to look like as straight facts here.
I mean, I am pretty sure the hobgoblins were proof of that. Any story I read on earth about goblins they look pretty much how I found them before we were allies. Now they looked wildly different.
The next person to catch my eye was the wolf lady. For a split second I had thought she was a monster like the foxie. But there was no way a group of humans and demi-humans would have a monster in their party from what I had heard of the world. Then I saw that there were subtle differences between them, making me sure that she was, indeed, a wolf beastmen, rather than a monster.
If I didn't spend so much time with the foxmen here I may not have know the slight differences in them, but it was clear that the beast woman looked far more human like than the foxmen did. Though she look significantly wild with her thick mane of dark hair, and her fluffy black ears and tail.
As I settled into my throne, sizing up the wide eyed people brought before me- or was I brought before them?- Mittens hopped up onto my lap. I hadn't even realized that he was following us. Though I wasn't surprised. The cat got irritable if he felt like he was being left out of important matters. Lagdon didn't like it, but I didn't really care all that much. The cat was pretty much a slave at this point, and there was no way he could do more than scratch a person's eyes out.
Reihekiu- who I saw was seated to my left now that I wasn't distracted by the decor- thought I should just boil the cat.
There was a deep, but short, growl to my right. I peered over the side of my throne and saw that Kishi was also here. She was laying on the floor, eyes narrowed on the cat. The pair often got in arguments because he liked to needle the Fox Guardian, making it seem like he was closer to me than the fox. I was just surprised I hadn't noticed her till now. She was bigger than a grizzly bear for goodness sake.
Still, giant fox aside, the three humans in the room were what really stood out to me. It was true that it had nearly been a year since I had laid eyes on one, but I don't think anyone of these people would have ever been seen in the hospital. Not on my floor at least. I don't think they allowed swords, for one thing.
The one that stood out the most was the young girl in white robes and startling bubblegum pink hair. Now, I had seen pink hair before, Earth was all about the strange dye jobs, after all. But it looked totally different when the pink was natural.
She was small, looked absolutely horrified, and was sitting on the edge of her seat, eyeing the huge hobgoblins with damn near terror in her wide eyes. Who would send such an innocent girl into a freaking monster forest, I had no idea.
Though, it did bring my brain back into a perspective I had lost long ago: The human perspective. Hell, if the first contact with monsters had been the evolved Lagdon rather than the formally foxkin Ozzie, I too may have be scared out of my mind.
Really, a quick glance around the room, and I fully understood the girls terror. My monsters looked far more civilized than when I had first met them, trading in their fur and leather armor for actual cloths in most cases. Except for Lagdon and the guards, that was. I might have feinted if I had seen that hobgoblin in anything but leather and fur...
The man seated to the right of the girl had pulled his chair a little closer to her, and was altering between staring hard eyed at just about everyone and then his eyes would flick my way. Then He would look confused and even a little worried. Not sure why I would make a man dressed as a knight more worried than a room full of men and women with muscles as big around as tree trunks or with fangs and claws.
He was fairly young as well, but he at least looked as if he may be drinking age. Wait, what was drinking age in this world...? He had golden brown, wavy hair and what could be described as dreamy blue eyes. I pegged him as nobility, at the very least. I may not be used to mediaeval like, fantasy world, human society, but he just screamed 'fifth son of the king' too me.
The last man was visibly the oldest here, but given two of his companions were not human, judging by looks could be pretty deceiving. He had the makings of a dark beard starting, and messy dark hair. He looked like what I would expected a seasoned adventurer to look like, dressed in armor fairly similar to what the goblins liked to wear.
This man's eyes were dead locked on me, like prey who know who the real predator was. Given we were in a room of monsters, I wasn't sure if I should have been flattered or offended, if I were to be honest. Given how the rest of the people here liked to coddle me, I was leaning towards flattered. I was a god after all, and when I got mad I got scary... or so I was told, anyway. I don't remember my last 'power up' super clearly. But if you believed Kishi, I was awe inspiring. Or so she keeps telling anyone who will listen... oh man, will they really start painting portraits of me around here? Ugh.
"Lady Enna, I am glad you were able to join us." Said Brax, breaking the uncomfortable silence and drawing my attention to his furry fox face.
He had arrived here not too long ago, giving up his elder role in the fox village to become the representative of the foxes here at the estate, leaving the village to Brixie. He seemed to be taking to his new role well, and the others were very respectful of him.
"Sorry if I am late." I said with a somewhat awkward smile. I really wished I was not seated above everyone on a freaking throne right now.
"Not at all." Said Nord, the representative of the goblins. He had taken that duty on, on top of his job of training the guards. The old Hobgoblin was a far cry away from the Aeros fanatic I had seen locked in a wooden cage so long ago. "We apologies for taking so long to inform you of the situation.
I smiled at the hobgoblin, before turning to our guests. Were they guests? I mean, I am sure in their eyes they were probably prisoners. I didn't want them thinking that! the last thing my people and I needed was to get on the angry side of the human nations.
"I am sure that Brillum and the others brought you here safely, I only hope you did not run into too much trouble out in the forest." I said to, what I assumed, was an adventuring party.
After an awkward silence, where the adventurers glanced nervously and rather confusedly at one another, the older male spoke. "No more than we expected. Much less, in fact." He said, eyeing me strangely.
"Good." I said, realizing that the others were going to be leaving all this to me, I guess. "Though, I really should ask why you are here at all. I was under the impression that humans and demi-humans did not come to the forest?"
"Wait." Said the knight, raising a hand and interrupting the older warrior as he was about to speak. I saw the older man glare at the younger, but I wasn't sure the knight noticed. "Why is everyone here acting like a little girl is in charge? And why does this place even exist in the first place?" He asked, eyes cold as he glared up at me.
It wasn't so much anger that he spoke with. More like the growly tone was to hide the fear I could see about him.
Suddenly a short dagger was placed at the knight's throat as one of the hobgoblin guards glared down on him. The others in the room had risen in anger. Kishi had even gotten up off the floor where she had been pretending to be small. It was suddenly very clear that she was a great deal bigger than the adventurers expected as the pink haired girls eyes grew wide and the color drained from her face.
"Stop it!" I snapped at my over protective companions. Gosh, you couldn't take a pack of monsters anywhere these days, could you? "His questions are perfectly valid, if rudely delivered."
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Not liking it much, the others settled back into their seats, while the elf shoved the knight back into his seat with such force that the chair nearly toppled. Clearly she was way stronger than her slight frame suggested. "Fool!" She hissed at him.
I reached out a hand and set it on Lagdon's forearm. He was tense, and though he looked calm and collected, I had no doubt he wanted to do more than call the knight a few choice names. I left my hand there till I felt him loosen up and take a half step back, not taking my eyes off the adventurers.
"I'm sorry." I told the group. "I should have introduced my self. I am Enna, and I am the land god here."
Silence.
I saw the the two younger humans eyes widen in shock, while their older companion simply sighed, lines around his eyes looking worried but resigned. The wolf woman looked more intrigued than anything, while the elf looked the same. She probably noted my feint glow from the start and knew before I ever said anything.
"I am also sorry for the way I look. I swear that normally I don't look like a child." I said with an attempt at a friendly smile, trying to put them at ease. "I ran into some trouble recently that had me reverting to a younger self, but I should be back to normal very soon. Might I ask who you are, now?"
The older man sighed, brushed a hand down his face then stood up, causing the guards to tense. But he made no move to advance on me or draw a weapon. "My name is Braid, I am the leader of this party. Sora, here," He said pointing to the elf dressed in red. "Is my second. Reinga is the wolf and that is Arthas. I apologies for his rudeness, Lady... Enna, was it?"
I nodded. "Yes, and its fine. I am usually surprised that I am in charge here too."
"The real question," Growled Nord, eyeing Braid. "Why are you here? We have zero obligation to explain a thing to those who invade our lands."
Braid eyed the older hobgoblin right back, then slowly retook his seat. "I can tell you that much, at least. We were sent by the guild under orders of the king of Pern, his Highness, King Damian Rightwell."
"And what does your king care for what happens in lands not under his rule?" Asked Brax, lighting his pipe with a finger of fox fire and clamping it between his jaws. "The Forest of Monsters is not of his concern."
Oh, right... I forgot we named it that. It was not a good name, but I could not think of anything witty in time. The monsters had started throwing around names like "The Great Nation of Enna', or 'Ennanasia' and I had to come up with something fast. If I left it to the monsters everyone else would think me a narcissist, naming everything after myself like that. The Forest of Monsters was in the tradition of their bland naming habits, and the only name that didn't have mine in it, so I jumped right on it.
Reihekiu had a good silent laugh about the whole thing...
Braid did not bat an eye at the name change. He either expected it, or the name was so on point and generic that the human's themselves were already calling it that, rather than the mouth full that was 'The Monster Nation of Aeros'. I was betting it was the latter. Hell, I had been calling it that in my head since I got here after all.
"It becomes Pern's concern when monsters begin leaving the forest and coming close to our towns." Said the human. "Some months ago, a large horde of goblins exited the forest and passed through Pern."
I remembered the goblins I had banished. The ones that refused to recognize me as the new land god, and insisted that Aeros was still alive. On my request, Margund the goblin king had allowed them to live, but banished them from the forest.
"Did they attack anyone?" I asked, a mix of both fearful and angry, because I was sure I knew the answer to this question.
"They were delt with before they could." Stated the human.
No one batted an eye. No one but me, that is. Afterall, the goblins were willing to kill them as traitors in the first place, and the foxes knew as well as the goblins that this was a world where the weak and unprepared died. I was the only one who had been naive enough to think that they had some how made it to their ancient homes before they had migrated here to live under the rule of Aeros. I was the only one who thought the world was so kind as to allow that...
The air in the room grew heavy and the light of the candle chandeliers grew dim as I glared at the table, angry at myself more than the humans. After all, it was only second nature to kill monsters, especially ones that arrived en mass next to their homes. I was the fool here.
"Enna..." Said Lagdon, his face suddenly right next to mine, and a four fingered hand on my much smaller shoulder.
Startled, I looked at my hobgoblin, his eyes sad and worried for me.
I turned back to the others and saw that all looked frightened or concerned. I realized that my glow had strengthened enough that I even noticed it now, and that power was skittering along under my skin. Mittens was now on the floor, hidden behind a table leg, fur on end, and staring wide eyed at me.
"Sorry." I said softly, getting my emotions under control and letting the power I had been unconsciously gathering fall back to where I had left it before, nourishing the slow and sluggish winter lands. I turned back to the adventurers. "I do not blame Pern for wanting to protect their lands and homes... This was due to my own naiveite, please report my apologies to the king upon your return."
Arthas and the yet unnamed pink haired girl looked afraid, the man blocking my view of the girl for the most part, hand on the head of his weapon. Sora, the elf, was half out of her seat, while Reinga the wolf woman was completely on her feat, wild eyes narrowed on me. Only Braid had looked mostly unaffected, though he did look a little paler.
"So we will be allowed to return then?" He asked.
Now it was my turn to looked shocked. I blinked at him probably rather stupidly. "Of course. If you had killed or attacked my people I may have been hesitant, but I am not about to keep you here for no reason."
It was then, looking at their faces, that I realized that they had not expected to be kept prisoner. No, these people had fully expected to be interrogated and killed. They probably thought that they would have to fight the monsters to escape for their lives, having not expected to also have to fight a land god. No wonder Braid looked resigned.
Seeing my face, the older man chuckled darkly. "Yes," he said, reading my thoughts as I was always pretty bad at disguising my facial expressions. "I had thought you were going to order our deaths. I guess I will risk asking 'why' we will be spared then?"
I saw a few of the monsters tense, not liking the man's tone, nor the way he questioned me. No doubt the monsters would have liked just killing the humans and demi-humans, not really thinking through the consequences of such a drastic act.
"I am not Aeros." I stated. I felt like it was a sentence I had to say far too often, and it was getting old. "I have no hatred for humans, nor demi-humans." I said indicating Tera, who sat a few chairs down. She was on a raised cushion, that looked a little like a child's booster seat, as she was the kobold representative. An old friend of the kobold mayor, Wallace, she had been elected as a representative for the kobolds. I didn't know too much about her yet other than she was pretty stern but fair. "I have no reason to be hostile to Pern, or anyone else, at the moment."
"I see..."
I sighed, seeing that the adventurers did not fully believe me. "Before I became the land god here, I was also human." I said, but did not elaborate further. They had no right to deeper insight of my life and circumstances. "In fact, being surrounded by monsters may be second nature to me now, but it was quite a shock at first. So I can understand your reticence. Still, going forward I will need to put forth some ground rules."
"Ground rules?" Asked Arthas the knight, eyebrows raised and stance still protective. I wasn't sure if their was something special about the girl they all seemed eager to protect, or if it was just a need to shield the youngest among them.
"Yes."
"I am afraid that I do not have the authority to make any such promises..." Braid said, glaring down Arthas once again.
I nodded. "I understand. I am aware that an official meeting will need to happen between our two nations for anything to be put into writing. These will be more like guidelines if we are to even start discussions."
Braid looked nervous to agree to anything, but in the end he nodded. "Very well, I will listen."
I smiled. "Good. First of all, I will not hold it against Pern that they had to protect what is theirs, but you all must understand that I will do the same. If I were to follow Pern's example, than you all would have been killed on sight, yes?"
"That was different..." Whispered the girl with pink hair, her eyes sad and afraid.
"Porsha, shhh." Hissed Reinga the wolf, hand on the other girls shoulder but eyes locked on me.
"Why? Because the goblins your people killed were monsters?" I asked, needing to get this one point across very clearly. "Are you saying that monsters can not be people? Because, you are currently surrounded with proof of the contrary, are you not?" I said, looking at all the angry monster faces around us.
I sighed, then gave the teenager my best 'understanding' smile. "Just because something is different from you, does not mean that it is inherently, evil and needing to be killed. The people you see here have family, friends. They laugh, they cry, they think and feel for themselves. They love and protect what they will, and hope for a better future, just as any human might."
"Enna is correct." Spoke up Reihekiu who had been rather quiet till now. The adventurers seemed to have not noticed her either. "I will be the first to admit that I had thought monsters nothing more than mindless beasts before I came here. And it took some time for me to see other wise. But, in the last couple months especially, I can tell you that these monsters are, indeed, people, and are just as deserving of respect as any human, elf, dwarf, or what ever else."
"I don't expect the entire nation of Pern to see this immediately." I told the others, drawing the adventurers eyes back to me. "But, I do expect this to be respected by any Pernian entering my forest. So, that being said, I have to ask that the adventurers stay out of The Forest for now."
"Adventurers depend on jobs taken in here-" Began Arthas, seemingly unable to help himself. I think I was right in thinking he was of some kind of noble status. That boy was just far to used to his words being listened to for someone hardly into his twenties. But Braid's cold glare shut him up fast enough.
"I understand that some may have gotten accustom to entering the borderlands... but can you comfortably tell me which monsters may or may not be considered people here?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. I saw the man's eyes darting to the others in the room and cut the thought off before he could fully form it. "Do not think that a monster needs to have a humanoid appearance to be considered sentient." I said, this time using my stern voice.
I turned to Kishi, and she stepped forward, standing in a way that there was no way the others would miss her now. Not that it was easy to miss her in the first place. "This is Kishi, would you not try and kill her on sight?" I asked.
Arthas grew pale and lowered his gaze. I nodded. "I thought so. I can assure you that Kishi is a person, with as real and vibrant a personality as any one else you may consider to be a person. She is one of my nearest and dearest friends, as a matter of fact."
"Thank you, Mistress." Stated Kishi, causing the pink haired Porsha's eyes to widen. The Fox Guardian bowed her head slightly my way, her lightly wagging tails indicating her pleasure at my words.
"And this-" I said, bending over and snatching up the black cat that had been trying to slink his way back up the steps to hop up in my lap again. Holding him by the scruff as I lifted him up, glaring, for the others to see. "Is Mittens. He too, is a person."
"Debatable." Mumbled Lagdon standing above me.
"A matter of opinion.." Sighed Kishi at the same time.
For his part, Mittens just continued to glare and growl, seeming very cat like. SO I gave him a hearty shake that made Reihekiu chuckle. "Stop that!" Snapped the cat, making Reinga jump slightly and eye the purpled eyed feline like it might be a snack.
"He is a bad person." I said. "Killing him, would probably be fine... But I am sure that it is something a court of law would need to decide." I pulled the cat closer to my face. Had I of been anyone else, Mittens made have made a swipe for my eye, but he was well aware that I could declaw him just as easily as I had trapped him in that body in the first place. "Or for an exceedingly generous land god to decide, right?" I asked the cat, giving him another little shake.
He did not answer, but I hadn't expected him to. I set him down on my lap and patted his head.
"So, since you all do not know what is and is not alright to hunt, I can safely say that it is very fair to ask that no one be allowed to enter just yet." I told Braid. "Maybe, with further discussions, I can arrange for your guild to set up shop here, or make it so that we can send requests to the guild in Pern. That way, we can pay your people to deal with problem monsters while also preventing senseless deaths and war, yes?"
"I understand. I can, at the very least, inform the king of these stipulations..." Stated Braid. "Was there anything else?"
"Yes, I would like to request a meeting with a representative of your kingdom. I wish I could go and see your king myself, but I would imagen that a retinue of monster marching to your capital would not be looked on favorably."
Besides, I had no clue on the rules of a land god leaving their domain. Maybe I would just die the second I left my lands, or turn back into a powerless human. Heck, for all I know I would make the other land gods mad for just showing up unannounced. I know that I wouldn't be best pleased to learn that another god had shown up and not even announce them selves first. The problem was that I had no clue how to go about announcing myself to them.
No, it would be better that the humans come here, all things considered.
"You- you wish to enter peaceful negotiations with pern?" Asked Braid, this time looking genuinely surprised.
"Of course. I think it could prove beneficial to both of our nations, once the finer points are ironed out." I smiled down on my guests. I really wanted this to work out. "I want to build a nation that accepts all forms of life here, in my forest. As I have told the monsters and demi-humans you see here before you now, I ask only that they all get along, and respect the land that I am working very hard to rebuild."
I could only hope that other people were willing to go along with my idealistic views. At least, long enough till I could build up a sufficient power base that they would have to respect them.