Kala and I were both looking like a million bucks, and it showed in the reactions we got from those we passed. While awe and reverence were becoming irritatingly common for me, now there seemed to be an almost hesitance to approach us from your everyday soldier or even the Thrainian civilians that sometimes wandered about. Maybe they didn’t recognize me with my makeover, or class disparity acted as a bubble that kept us separate from the general population. It felt kind of lonely if I was being honest.
Matters of social circles and status aside, I had a few stops to make today. First on the list was the workshop that I had hired to construct Jorn’s new prosthetic hand. The second model for combat should have been done by this point, and he would need it if we were going into potentially dangerous situations.
The workshop itself was tucked away in a corner of the city. It was a large blocky building that had huge doors but few windows. The size of the entrances was probably practical as it would allow carts and other large transportation methods to enter for either maintenance or deliveries. Transporting large amounts of metal and wood was probably a pain in the ass without it.
Kala and I would use the smaller entrance that led to a more patron friendly section of the building. The door opened with the jingle of a bell attached to it. I found it somewhat funny how the simple concept of a door alarm for potential customers was just a good idea no matter the world you’re in.
As it was, the bell did get the attention of the owner of the business who came out of a back room. The Thrianian man was getting up there in age if the silver streaks in his hair and wrinkles around his eyes were any indication. He paused for a second when he came into the room, quirking an eyebrow at the two of us before his face lit up in recognition.
“Oh! Sir James, I'm sorry, I hardly recognized you.” He gave Kala a strange look and seemed to want to say something. Whatever it was though, he decided to keep to himself and continued on with the conversation. Probably a smart move if it was something insulting. “Can I assume that you are here for your order, sir?”
“Yes, we will soon be leaving, and I need to give that order to its intended recipient beforehand.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I managed to finish it two days ago. Come, have a look. It certainly was an interesting project to work on.” He beckoned us to follow him while walking deeper into the building.
While moving, he continued to comment on his work. “I have to say, this was quite an intricate piece of work. The first design you gave me was far simpler to produce. In comparison, the number of parts and locking mechanisms in place while making it all sturdy enough to be bashed around was not easy. I had to make most of those parts myself since my workforce was cut in half when... Erm, never mind that.”
He didn’t even have to finish that sentence for us to understand what he was about to say. Kala was projecting restrained contempt for him as her eyes leered openly at the back of his head. I wondered if he could feel that intensity or not, but I could.
Luckily, we arrived at the workshop before anything else could be said or done to exasperate the current mood. The work room was low tech, but very recognizable with the saws, hammers, forges, and leather working stations scattered about. This was a jack-of-all-trades kind of business, and it showed.
We stopped by a long table with many tools scattered around it. Upon its surface was what we came here for, Jorn’s new prosthetic. It was certainly larger and sturdier looking than the first one. There was a cage like structure of thick riveted leather straps that would stretch up to his shoulder. The cup that would fit around his wrist was longer and at least twice as padded as the general use one. Wearing this he would probably look a little lopsided, but I didn’t think he would mind too much if it allowed him to fight again.
“It’s certainly impressive looking, but can you demonstrate how to use it?” I asked him.
“Of course, just one moment.” He marched off to another corner of the workshop and started gathering some metallic objects before returning. What he came back with were some dangerous looking weapons that looked like they were missing handles. There was a short blade, a metal spike, and a steel ball mace that was slightly larger than a fist.
With these tools now in place, he began the demonstration. Gripping the prosthetic by the cup he showed us the top of it, revealing a circular hole. Taking the mace head, he lined up the metal pole attached to it with the hole in the cup.
“Now, while the internals are complicated, its operation is fairly simple. Line up the attachment point, push in, twist to the right, and push in again.” On the last push there was an audible click as something locked into place. As part of the demonstration, he gave the ball several hard tugs and pulls in various directions. “As you can see, it isn’t going anywhere until the release lever is pulled. After that you need only reverse the insertion process to free up the space for another tool.” The pieces, now separated, were laid on the table again. “What do you think?”
I nodded approvingly at the work. “I’d say you were worth the cost for your services. And you are sure that it will hold up in a fight?”
He scoffed. “Of course it will hold up! You paid for the best; you got the best. My people and I have decades of experience over any other would-be workshop around here.”
“Good, because if my friend ends up getting hurt or dying because of faulty equipment, you’ll share whatever fate befalls him.”
“If something breaks, it’s not going to be any fault of mine. Take care of it, keep it clean, and it will serve for years to come.”
He was hardly phased by my threat, which reassured me of the quality of work. “Good, if there are any more jobs, I’ll be sure to bring them to you.” Despite his previous ‘hiring’ practices, he did do good work with designs that are foreign to this world. Besides, change starts small, and maybe having him do some of these odd jobs for members of the coalition would start that change.
“I hope to have your business again one day.”
With the transaction reaching its conclusion, I collected all the pieces, handing a few to Kala because carrying sharp things haphazardly was a recipe for disaster. Jorn would love this, and I was quite eager to show it to him. According to Durdan, Jorn and the rest of our group were being instructed on how to act, which means that they were either around the keep, or the barracks. It was better to start looking for him now, so we didn’t have to carry all this with us for the rest of the day.
The barracks were closer to us right now, so we stopped by there first to ask around. Most of the people we asked said they hadn’t seen him, but a small group claimed to have caught sight of him heading to the inner courtyard. Figured that would be the case, but it was better to make sure.
After backtracking to inner keep again, we searched around the outside for some sign of Jorn. Eventually we found him and the others currently standing in a secluded corner of the town that looked like a training ground for knights. Each of them was dressed in a gambeson, chain shirt, and black tabard that covered their chest. The tabard had a silver circle embroidered on both the front and back of it, an annoyingly familiar symbol of the Eternal Goddess. I understood why they were wearing it, but that didn’t mean I had to be happy about it.
Regardless, the group seemed to be in the middle of said instructions I had heard about. An older looking Nactren was currently drilling them on the finer points of etiquette while serving under a lord, that being me. My approach was noticed by the instructor who paused in the middle of his speech to bow at me, an action that was, disturbingly, mimicked by all my friends.
“Lord James.” The Nactren called out to me. “To what do we owe the honor of your presence?”
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m here with a delivery. Can I borrow Jorn for a few minutes?”
“Of course, my lord, but I must humbly request that it be no longer than that as we still have much to go over.”
“I’ll be sure to be quick about it, thank you. Jorn, if you would.” At the prompting Jorn stepped out of line to follow me and Kala a few yards away from the rest of the group. With us at an appropriate distance, it was time for some gift giving.
Jorn seemed to have an idea what this was about as well, and I could see the eagerness plain on his face. “Is this what I think it is? You got a lot of interesting looking stuff there with you.”
If he wasn’t a six-and-a-half-foot wall of muscle, he would look just like a kid on Christmas. “Well, while I'm not a mind reader, I think I can confidently say that yes, it’s ready for you now.”
Jorn’s smile grew even larger. “Come on then, don’t keep me in suspense!”
With a chuckle, I motioned for Kala to bring it forward. The Prosthetic was presented to him and Jorn leapt forward to examine it. “Wow, definitely looks bulkier than the other one. Can I try it on now?”
“Go ahead, it is yours after all.”
With permission received he quickly undid the buckles and straps for the wooden hand he had been wearing. While moving with haste, he still treated the less elaborate prosthesis with respect and gently set it aside for the moment. With a little assistance from both Kala and I, the new weaponized appendage was pulled up and fastened onto his body.
Now that he was ready, I gave him the selection of weapons so he could choose which one to use first. His first selection was the short sword, so I walked him through the simple process of inserting and removing it as needed. With a click, the blade was locked in, and he maneuvered it around to get a feel for how it affected his movements.
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After a few practice swings that looked like they needed refinement, he examined the blade as his features became much more reserved but still plainly happy. His eyes flicked away from the metal and onto me again. With only one large step he closed the distance between us and then threw his good hand around me, pulling me into a one-handed bear hug that caught me off guard.
It was an awkward few moments being stuck in his vice grip before he finally said something. “I know you hate it when people say things like this about you, but you really do perform miracles. I thought I was going to end up useless, that Otar would have to fight alone without me watching his back. Mom wanted us to take care of each other, and if something happened to him while I was sitting safe in the camp...” He let out a slow sigh before breaking the hug and clapping me on the shoulder. “What I’m trying to say is, thank you, James. I owe you more than I’m capable of repaying.”
I let out a small chuckle while shaking my head. “Why does everyone keep telling me that?”
Jorn smiled wide. “Because it’s true.”
With another brief round of chuckles, I lifted a fist and gave him a light punch on his chest. “Well, just do your job and keep me, but mostly Kala, safe and I’ll consider us even on that account.”
“Ha! Fat chance of that. I can already see you continuing to hold this over me for years.”
“Only if you make an ass of yourself.” I said with a sarcastic finger point.
“Oh, so all the time?”
“You said it, not me.”
We both shared some laughter before calming down with a sigh. I held my hand up to him. “I’ll leave you be for now, but I hope you enjoy your new toy and learn how to use it quickly.”
Jorn grasped my hand firmly in a shake. “You bet. Try not to have too much fun by yourselves you two.” With that we parted ways again so Jorn could get back to learning how to present himself as a guard.
As we were walking away, I caught the Nactren instructor starting a conversation with Jorn. “So, Jorn, what made you think it was appropriate to embrace your lord like that, hmm?”
“Uhhhhh...” The big man replied dumbly only to be berated by the instructor mercilessly while Kala and I made our way out of the blast radius quickly. It was humorous to see the smaller individual completely ream someone who could likely punt them a good dozen yards.
We were in good spirits while we walked. The gift was received well, and now Jorn could fight again. There was only one more stop that I wanted to make for the day before we could relax and that was the stockpile.
While we were moving, I glanced over to Kala. She really did look nice in the flowing garb, but my mind turned back to what Olea had told me earlier. It was hard to imagine that she was concerned about her place at my side, and I wanted to bring it up with her, but that just didn’t seem like a conversation we should have out in public. Biting my tongue for now, I pulled my attention back to the task at hand.
The stockpile was a series of warehouses, large and deep, that were in the eastern district. Everything that you could ever want in terms of raw materials was present there. Wood, stone, brick, cloth, metal, if you had a desire, it could probably be fulfilled here. I was looking for something specific, and ironically enough, something that had already been in my possession once before. Crystals.
I figured it was about time for me to use my knowledge of crystal carvings more and considering that we were moving into what was technically friendly territory, having some non-lethal ways of taking down aggressors would be useful. And so, I would reinvent a classic from my world in this one, if I could that is. It was all still very experimental on my part.
The crates were easy enough to find in the dimly lit building due to the soft glow that emanated from between the cracks in the wood. Opening it felt like how it did in those old video games whenever you found a treasure chest. Actually, if these were in a chest, it would probably be considered as such considering the value of these things. As it was though, I only needed a handful of them, so I picked through the pile trying to locate some vaguely cylindrical crystals that fit in the hand well and could be easily thrown.
After selecting a good five of them that fit that criterion, we left the building in pursuit of some last-minute relaxation and personal time. Kala wanted to spend some of said time with her mother, a desire that I did not deny her as we sought her out. Despite our recent truce, I was still quite nervous about the idea of being around Silia.
Kala led me to a large building that looked to be a series of individual rooms all smashed together in the same structure like an apartment complex. Her mother was apparently staying here, and Kala entered her room with barely even a knock to announce her presence. I guess that’s family for you.
It was an awkward stay for tea, but Kala was happy, so that was enough for me. Silia was so warm and loving with her daughter that the differences between how she treated Kala and how she treated me was even more profound. While it might not be with the same open anger or distaste as she once had, Silia’s stare was still cold and dismissive, particularly so after her gaze fell on Kala’s discolored stomach, relegating me to silence for most of the visit while the two of them talked.
Despite the frosty undertones, the visit was a nice way to unwind and just enjoy a few hours of socialization. Kala had decided it was time to leave when they seemingly ran out of topics to discuss. There was some talk of goodbyes and how Silia would be present for our departure the following morning.
We left to have a meal in the privacy of our own house, or at least as private as you could get with a hundred people outside. That was one thing that wouldn’t be missed during our upcoming trip. While we ate, concerns over how Kala was feeling about our current relationship resurfaced, and figuring this was a good enough time to ask, I brought the question up.
“Kala, are you feeling... nervous, about our relationship?”
She paused mid bite to look at me. “Nervous? What do you mean?”
“I just noticed how defensive you were when the maids came to clean me up, and when I asked about it, they said that our relationship is ‘informal’ by Trelnval standards. I'll be honest, I haven’t really been thinking about that all too much. We talked briefly about it once before, but we’ve just been doing things my way this whole time. I don’t want you to feel like you have to fight for your place at my side.”
She put down her food and adopted a contemplative look. “I guess... I’ve been feeling a little uneasy whenever you interact with another Trelnval, or female in general if I'm being honest. I know that you would never just leave me like that, but that annoying part of my mind keeps whispering to me that our relationship is not secure.”
My hand shot across the table and grasped hers firmly. “Kala, I want you to know that there is nobody that could replace you. I’m sorry that I haven’t considered your customs and traditions more, but I promise you that one day I’ll stand before your village, or even the whole world, and declare that I will love you alone forever.”
If she could blush, I imagine that she would be bright red right about now. As it was, she had a bashful smile, and her tail was swaying quite happily behind her. After our meal and discussion, we decided that we would do nothing else today but spend time together.
We spent some time indoors having a little to drink, talking, and cuddling. When we got a bit stir crazy, we went for a walk around the town with no destination in mind. We browsed some businesses in the area that sold interesting items, looked at a few public works of art like statues, and regrettably, visited the out of place forest in the eastern district. I didn’t like being around it for obvious reasons, but Kala said it was calming and beautiful.
At the end of the day, we returned home to lay peacefully in bed for an hour or two. Both of us seemed to be thinking quite a lot about the days ahead of us, so I think we just wanted to squeeze as much time as we could out of the time we had left. Eventually, the gentle touches and quiet breaths shared between us led to the inevitable conclusion of sleep.
The next day felt weird to say the least. It was almost like everything was unreal, some false veneer hiding the rough truth underneath. I didn’t know what to feel exactly. Some combination of nervousness, anxiety, and determination.
It wasn’t long after we had finished our morning routine that there was a series of knocks at the door. When we answered, there were several soldiers in full dress there. They threw up a quick salute before moving on to the reason they were there.
“Lord James, the carriage is packed and ready for you.”
I was getting the lordly treatment again, escort and all. With an exhale through my nose, I nodded at them. “Alright, let me just grab a few things then we can leave.” Kala and I collected our personal supplies and packs. Once we were ready, we returned to the escort and gave them the go ahead to lead the way.
They cleared a path with a callous efficiency, even going so far as to physically move people who weren’t fast enough. We moved with purpose and speed towards the main gate of the city. Some of the worshippers followed along behind us, but most of them either stayed put or moved on with their day.
Soon enough I saw our transport waiting for us on the side of the street. A pair of carriages, one ornate and wealthy, the other simplistic and utilitarian, both carrying a fair amount of luggage. They really did not hold anything back when it came to providing us with supplies for the journey.
All our friends, and Silia, were there too, dressed in their armor and heraldry while looking very attentive. When we got close, Otar stepped forward and opened the door to the carriage for us. “We’re ready to depart when you are, sir.”
I paused for a second and then made an overexaggerated gag sound. “Huegh! ‘Sir?’ What the hell Otar?”
He cracked a slight smile. “Forgive me, sir, but I am working right now. It is best to maintain professional standards.”
That made sense, and I nodded along with the explanation. It probably wouldn’t win me any friends in the upper echelons of society to allow what are essentially my guards to casually address me. Another thing I would have to get used to.
“I see. Well then, keep up the good work. Our safety is in your hands now.”
Kala came up and bumped shoulders with me. “You don’t have to be that serious right? I mean, we’re going into friendly territory now. It can’t be worse than Yol’vastume.”
“Maybe not, but you’d be surprised at the kind of dangers that can circle supposedly friendly territory.”
“More history from your world?” Kala asked.
“Yep, and a general understanding of how cutthroat politics can be. Don’t get complacent out there, and that goes for everybody.” There were some nods and general agreements that went around the group.
Kala said her last goodbyes to her mother, sharing in a rather lengthy hug. When they finally broke apart, Silia shot me a stern stare. “I expect you to keep her safe. Is that understood?”
“Mom, I’ll be fine.” Kala’s complaints didn’t register with her mother who still continued to glare at me, demanding an answer.
“Yes, Ma’am. That is my first priority.” I answer, meeting her gaze.
“Good.” She gave a simple nod in acknowledgement.
With everything sorted, we entered the carriage and prepared to leave. The inside was nice. Richly colored wood, padded seats, small curtains for the windows in case you desired privacy or darkness. This would probably be the most comfortable trip I’ve taken to date.
Otar and the others hoped onto either the front of the carriage Kala and I were in, or the back of the carriage behind us. We were ready to leave, and with a crack of the reins the horses started dragging us forward. The small crowd that had followed us began waving and shouting out cheers of encouragement as we passed by. It was a strange feeling, knowing that all these people were depending on you to keep them alive. They were willing to die to hold this ground, and the next time I saw any of them, it would be amid a battlefield.
That was a sobering thought, one that made me take a deep breath to center myself again. My thoughts were brought back towards a more recent future as plans for the upcoming diplomatic meetings started to fly through my head. Reading through Durdan’s notes again, I tried to think of how to approach these individuals and who seemed to be the easiest to make contact with. This was essentially like planning a battle, though it was unlike any fight that I had ever been in. While convincing the people and the military would be the focus of my trip, I could hope the council would be willing to listen to reason.