Least this was going smoothly.

For now.

“Boss, this one's full of diamonds!”

Walking over to the mid-sized crate, that had taken half a dozen men to carry in; I smiled at the sight of the contents.

“Raw ones,” I commented.

I wanted to reach in and grab one, but they were all too big to comfortably pick up.

“Load it with the rest,” I said.

Turning around to see the next crate, I had to come to an abrupt stop lest I ran into a brick wall.

“Yevin,” I groaned as I stepped away from the man.

“So close,” Yevin said with a hint of regret in his voice.

“You don't need to wait for me to walk into you to make me fall over, you mountain. Just walk into me, the result would be the same,” I said.

“I'd pay to see that!” one of the men behind me said.

“Load it!” I groaned.

“Load the Line to load our pockets,” another said as I heard them finally lift up the crate of diamonds.

“Crate?” Yevin asked with a point.

“Diamonds. Raw ones, big as your head,” I said.

He smiled as he nodded. “Nice.”

“What's wrong then? You should be overseeing the unloading,” I asked as I kept an eye on the next crate entering the compartment. It was a big one.

“Unloading is done,” Yevin said.

“Already...?” It hadn't even begun but a few hours ago...

“Crew's quick.”

Glancing to the large man, I studied his appearance for a moment. The man sounded way too happy, or rather, the fact I had heard him say enough words in close enough succession to notice his current mood worried me.

“Well? What's up?” I furthered, hoping it wasn't anything too serious.

Yevin's huge head made a little bobbing motion to the left, and I followed it with my eyes. At first I didn't see anything, but then I saw what was wrong.

“Oh. She bothering you? Sorry about that,” I said, and meant it. Yevin was the last person I needed to be bothered. He had an important job, and I couldn't afford him being taken from it.

“Not at all. But you might if you don't go talk to her,” he said.

“What's that supposed to mean?” I asked as the large crate was plopped down next to us.

“Huge one boss! Twice as heavy as the Line herself!” a stocky man said with a grin.

“And you guys were able to bring it down here? I'll have to rig you all up and have you pull the Front-Line then, maybe we’ll make good time this trip if we do,” I said.

The other men groaned, and the man who had made the joke flinched. Walked right into that one.

“Only way to open it is on the side Commander,” the oldest of the men said as he tapped the side of the crate.

“Yevin,” I ordered, and the giant man stepped past me and towards the crate.

The other men helped Yevin crack open the side of it, but they really didn't need to. He got it open with ease, and pulled the wooden frame off enough for us all to get a look inside.

“Those bones?” someone asked.

Half a dozen teeth looking objects filled the large crate and they were twice as long as Yevin and nearly as wide at their thickest part.

They had no ridges, or points, but...

“Could be tusks. Of some big animal,” another suggested.

Yevin reached in and tapped one of the bones, and the dull sound that resonated from them told me they were real... whatever they were at least.

“Pack it in, I guess,” I said with a shrug.

Wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with a bunch of bones, but no point leaving them behind. Maybe there was a purpose to them... or maybe I could find some wealthy extravagant noble who wanted to hang them on their wall or something.

“Diamonds and bones... Quite a difference,” Yevin said after putting the crate back together.

While they carried it away and the next crate was brought in, I nodded. “Been a lot of weird stuff. Luckily most of it is just gold and jewels, so we're fine,” I said.

“I like jewels,” the giant man said, and I tried to imagine him decorated in them.

“Want some?”

“No,” he simply stated.

Course he didn't.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Yevin never wanted anything...

“I'll handle the rest. You go handle her,” Yevin said, dismissing me.

“Excuse me?”

Yevin didn't say anything more, and simply stood and waited for the next crate to be brought before him.

I was half tempted to walk around Yevin, and keep working, but I knew better.

Part of dealing with Yevin was to accept his strange quietness. Which meant sometimes he just... didn't say a lot.

Which meant, on occasion, like now, he'd tell me I needed to do something without saying why.

Sometimes he'd not even say the when or what.

Maybe there was a problem with her, and I needed to deal with it...

I sighed, deciding to just accept defeat and left.

The Derri girl hadn't moved from her spot from one of the entrance halls, and stood there silently and patiently as I approached her.

“I'm surprised he told you I was here,” she said once I was finally close enough.

“What's wrong?” I asked her.

She blinked, and the way she tilted her head at me told me everything I needed to know.

Glancing back to Yevin, I saw he and a small group of men were snickering while watching me.

Yevin had just set me up.

“Giant jerk,” I mumbled, and nodded in defeat again.

“He told you something had been wrong?” she asked, noticing my confusion.

“No... not really. I just had interpreted it that way, but that's how he acts when something is normally wrong. So he kind of did, in a way, somewhat,” I said.

“It's kind of scary that I kind of understand what you mean,” she said.

“So? What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I... I need nothing, husband. I'm simply staying nearby, in case you need me. Or rather, in case I need to be seen next to you by the right people,” she said.

“Not needed. I don't plan on leaving the Front-Line today, and I doubt anyone will come aboard either. While you were asleep the woman from Hombil came back to apologize, and to begin trade. You missed her groveling, it was amusing,” I said.

“Nervi? Really? I mean I expected it, but... Did Bormor not come back?” she asked.

“The one who got all heated yesterday? No. I've not seen him.”

Such knowledge silenced her, and I wondered if it meant something. Had she expected that man to do something different...?

Although she herself was not of his House, and by the sounds of it didn't really know them, I had no reason to doubt that she did have at least somewhat of an understanding of their personalities.

After all, they were her people. And famous ones at that.

“They seem to fully believe in this wedding thing. I guess they're preparing gifts and everything,” I said.

“Gifts?” she brightened at the thought, and I wondered if she thought she'd actually receive them.

Why would she? They'd be given to me, and then I'd take them when I left.

“So she said. So, you can do whatever you want today. Tomorrow I plan on inviting in a few more Houses to start trading with, so you and I can act out our play then,” I said.

“I look forward to it. Do you have plans on inviting the House of Markith?” she asked.

“I do. They'll probably be one of the next ones,” I said, glancing to the stack of crates nearby. It was growing even larger. Soon it'd be full.

Good.

“So what are you doing then? Manual labor?” she asked.

“Loading what's rightfully mine. Got to earn something for this headache after all,” I said with a wave to the stack of crates.

“Hm. This all from the House of Hombil?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“Looks like a lot more than what we had to give,” she said.

“Thrice more, to be exact.”

She didn't seem too bothered by my statement, and even seemed to smile a little as if it was a good thing.

Maybe to her it was... after all, it meant this plan was going well. The other Houses would be happy, which meant there wouldn't be a need for war... which meant her House would be happy.

Which should make her happy.

Right?

“So? Why don't you go back to work then? I'll be fine,” she said.

“Yevin took over,” I groaned.

“Ah. Well I guess when that man wants something, you just kind of give it to him,” she said with a nod.

“Oh? Who'd you hear that from?” I asked, and wondered if it had been Jamthi or Sarley.

“No one? Look at him. He could eat a grown man alive,” she said with a point.

I laughed at that, and wished he had been close enough to hear her say such a thing. He'd have laughed too.

She smiled at me, as if pleased she had been capable of making me laugh.

“Well, I've told Sarley and Jamthi to cater to you. They have a whole slew of things planned for you. I'm actually a little envious to be honest,” I said.

“Huh...?” She didn't seem to understand, so I nodded and gestured to another hallway.

“Head down that hall and go up the first stairwell on your right. Two floors up, you'll find them near the command stations. If you can't find them, just grab any of the people you pass and tell them to guide you,” I explained.

“But...!”

I pretended not to hear her, and continued, “They'll take care of you. I even gave them permission to let you drink. Though in moderation please, remember tomorrow we'll have work to do for a short time,” I said.

Her face told me she was offended, and wasn't going to have any of it, but I went ahead and nodded anyway.

“I'm working. I'll be here for most the night. Then tomorrow I'll be doing the same, just in different rooms. You can either sit here watching, which is boring, or you can go enjoy the Front-Line. Shouldn't even be a choice, really,” I said.

“You're just trying to pass me off as if I was a burden,” she said softly.

“Not so. I'm a Commander of a Line. It's my job to put resources to use. And that's what I'm doing with you, and my people.”

“I'm not a child,” she said.

Her stern tone told me she had been serious, and it was kind of amusing to see her somewhat angry.

“No. You're not,” I agreed. “However, you are a guest. A guest of the Front-Line, in fact. And all guests deserve to be treated with respect, and pampered... even if they're forced upon me. Enjoy the Front-Line, wife, you'll find none better in this world,” I said with a smile, waving her away.

Luckily she not only kept her mouth shut, but also kept her feet in place as I left her behind. I had half expected her to follow me.

Walking back to Yevin, I took my place next to him as the next crate came in.

“That was quick,” Yevin said.

“She'll spend the next week on the Line, spending all her time drowning in luxuries and out of my hair,” I said with pleased satisfaction.

I should have thought of it the moment I saw how she acted with the liquor. It hadn't clicked until Sarley had told me how much she enjoyed the meal they had together.

Someone like her, who’s never enjoyed any kind of life's finer enjoyments won't be able to ignore them. Especially not when everyone around her keeps her distracted with them.

It was the perfect plan for someone like her.

Yevin released a sigh as large as he, and shook his head at me.

“You marry her then,” I grumbled, and went back to work.