The aftermath of the sermon ended up being a meet and greet of a sort. People got up from their seats and either visited the altars of their favored deities or came to talk to me and the bishop. I wasn’t sure what they were talking about with the bishop, but with me, it was largely the same as I had come to expect from crowds that knew of my identity. It seemed my title of lord kept them from getting too close to me though, so I only had to deal with their unreasonable questions about my connection to their goddess.
Fortunately, there were a few questions sprinkled into the mass that were music to my ears. People asked what they could do to help with the war, what kind of support I needed from them while I was here, and what my plan was to convince the council to act. The questions about the council were diverted somewhat with me saying that I would need to meet with them first to see how receptive they were to the plan.
This lasted about an hour before finally the bishop called for everyone to return to their lives before they were missed in their homes or their jobs. As the masses slowly shuffled out of the church and back onto the streets the door was closed behind them, allowing me to finally take a deep relieving breath. All things considered, that went exceptionally well, but it still didn’t stop it from feeling draining.
Now with a moment of quiet, I was approached by the bishop again who seemed to be in a good mood if the wide grin was any indicator. “Not used to giving speeches like that I assume?”
I allowed myself a slight huff with a smirk. “I’ve given speeches before, and arguments, but I guess you could say that this one was the most ‘formal’ one that I've had to do. There’s a different weight to things.”
Yolder chuckled a bit in a wispy manner like you would imagine from an elderly grandparent. “That certainly is the truth. I remember the first time I stepped up to that podium. I felt for certain like I was about to throw up in front of hundreds of people.”
That was an amusing thought when I looked at the distinguished old man in front of me. “Is that a ‘with age comes wisdom’ effect?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of experience brings familiarity, but your saying works just as well.”
“It’s funny how many ways you can say ‘get used to it’ in a non-insulting manner.” I said with a huff of amusement.
Yolder found it somewhat amusing too. “Yes, language certainly has its eccentricities in that way. I can tell that you aren’t... let’s say, eager, to engage in diplomatic discussions or negotiations.”
Damn, what gave me away? Maybe I had a look on my face, I’ll have to work on that.
He continued. “In my experience, think of these discussions as a game of words and how best to decipher and use them. If you treat it like a contest with each side being a player, I found that it helps to lessen the mental burden that such tedious discourse can bring. It is only a suggestion, but one I hope that you will find useful.”
“Hmm, well, I have to say that’s an interesting way of looking at things. Maybe I’ll give it a try the next time I'm faced with an ‘opponent.’”
“I hope it helps, and speaking of, I’ll be sure to write a letter of support for your cause that you may present to the council. It will serve as a showcase of unity that does not require my immediate presence, though should my presence be needed, I would be open to scheduling some time to assist.”
“Really? Well, I will thank you in advance for being so willing to lend me your time.” Frankly, I was only expecting something like a written letter, perhaps a public statement during his sermons to that effect. With him seemingly being willing to step forwards and speak to the council personally was a commitment in and of itself.
“There is little that is more important than the war right now. Nothing good has come of this conflict, and people have lost more than they were willing to give, myself included.” That last bit he said quietly, and with such depth to the sadness in the words that I could only come to one logical conclusion.
“You lost someone, didn’t you?” My own voice was laced with sympathy for the old man’s apparent loss.
Yolder’s eyes closed as his brow contorted into a manner that would make an outside observer think he was in pain, and he probably was in a way. “Yes, my daughter. It was after the first few years of the war, she wanted to go out and help the people who were losing their homes and lives near the border. At the time, I encouraged her, thinking she was setting a good example for how one should support those who are suffering. Sometimes, I wish that I had told her not to go, not pursue such a dangerous task, to stay safe at home, but such was her conviction that I doubt she would have listened to me even if I did.”
The memories of his lost family seemed to weigh heavily on him and bringing them to the surface of his mind once more seemed almost enough to break his stoic shell. A quote came to mind that I thought might make him feel better.
“The only thing that evil needs to triumph is for good people to stand by and do nothing.” That wasn’t the exact quote, but the idea of it was still there. “Your daughter sounds like a good person, maybe one of the best out there. I promise that I will do my best to make sure her sacrifice was not in vain and end the war as quickly as possible.”
Yolder’s chuckle was devoid of any hint of mirth. “Many have said similar things over the years, all would be heroes who make bold proclamations in front of their town or village only to wind up dead within the year.” His eyes met mine as he gave me a small smile. “However, you may yet be the first to truly keep their word, if by no other virtue than your connection to the goddess. I look forward to seeing what you can accomplish.”
He offered me his hand in solidarity, and I took it, giving it a firm shake. “Thank you once more for your support, Yolder.”
“It’s my pleasure, Lord James.”
“Just James, I feel that it’s improper for me to ask you for honorifics.”
A small huff of amusement followed by a nod of his head came from him. “Perhaps in a private setting I will be inclined to adopt a more casual tone. In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. May the gods guide your steps.”
I really wish they wouldn’t. Couldn’t exactly say that out loud though, and to a bishop of the faith of all people, so I went with something more conventional. “And may you live a healthy and long life. I hope that you continue to help those who need it most.”
“Always.” He replied with certainty before releasing my hand from his grip. With that signaling the end of our conversation he turned and walked towards the deeper parts of the church again
My business here was concluded, and even though it didn’t take too long to complete, I still felt extremely exhausted. Now alone in the main hall with no one else but Holdrem and Velian, I broached the topic of my performance with them.
“Well, what do you two think? Did I oversell it, undersell it? I need some pointers here if this is going to be a regular thing.”
Both of them adopted a considering look as they reflected upon my words during the speech. Holdrem was the first to speak up. “Personally, I would have utilized the name of the goddess to more effect. Your title as lord, your deeds in Yol’vastume, none of that measures up to simply being chosen by the goddess to represent her will. People will respond to that, they will listen to you, obey your commands even. You should use that more.”
I knew I should, it was obviously the easiest way to gain people's attention and respect, yet I was still loath to do it. The lingering resentment I still felt towards her kept me from fully embracing the title as subconsciously my mind tried to distance myself from my divine benefactor. With a sigh I accepted the criticism only for Velian to pile on as well.
“Holdrem does have a point. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t hold the goddess in reverence, and even if they don’t, they probably worship one of her children. You can’t just play the game, you gotta play the people sitting at the table as well.”
“Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll be sure to invoke her name more often.” I said with some exasperation in my voice. Even if my hatred had shrunk a bit since our conversation, I still wasn’t looking forward to praising her, even indirectly through my actions. Whatever I was going to do or say could wait, for now we would go back and take a breather.
The warmth that greeted us upon entering the lodge was very welcome. It was that kind of feeling where it soaks into your very bones, allowing you to just relax. We all returned to our rooms, and I was greeted by Kala who was lying comfortably on the bed with a fire crackling on the other side of the room. She smiled at me while sitting up.
“You know, I'm a fan of the room. I rather like how soft and fuzzy everything is, not to mention warm. Do you think if we ever get a house of our own, we can have something like this?”
Such a casual conversation was most welcome indeed as a grin found its way onto my face. “I’d say that depends on where we end up living. If we ended up with a room this warm at all times of the year further south, I'd probably sweat myself to death several times over.”
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“Aww, you poor warm-blooded man. Do you need me to help cool you down? I’d be more than happy to take some of that heat off your hands for you.”
I laughed while approaching and giving her a hug that ended up dragging us both down onto the bed. There we cuddled for a minute as I breathed a sigh of relief. Kala picked up on that and decided to question me.
“Did the bishop give you a hard time? I knew I should have gone with you.”
“Actually, he was surprisingly cooperative and willing to help. I thought I'd have to pull far more teeth than I did to get his support. It was just what he wanted me to do that has me feeling drained.” I gave her a brief rundown of the whole situation to catch her up to speed.
She seemed rather amused by my story. “Yes, so sad that you must talk to people, exactly the thing that we came here to do. How will you ever last?” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
I was slightly annoyed even with the humor behind her words. “I’ve never addressed church goers before. I’ve barely even addressed the throng of worshippers that showed up back at our place in Yol’vastume. Those people just hang off your words like every utterance has to be some sort of divine message that’s filled with inspiration. That’s not even to mention how important this is and how much I’m concerned about saying the right things to get support and it’s all just... gah!”
Kala was quick to adjust herself and placed a hand on the side of my face. “I’m sorry, I know how big a deal this is and how much pressure you’re under. I shouldn’t laugh at you trying your best.
I sighed. It wasn’t fair to be frustrated at her for trying to lighten the mood. Her attempt was just poorly timed was all. “No, it’s fine Kala, I know you were just trying to make me feel better with a joke, I’m just not feeling very amused right now.”
Neither of us said anything for a minute as Kala laid her head on my chest. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, knowing that this may be one of the rare instances where I would be allowed to. After we had enough time to decompress, Kala placed a reassuring hand on my chest, right in front of her face. She seemed almost to study her own hand as she rubbed soothingly across the front of my body.
“You shouldn’t worry so much. I know you will get through to them. They will understand how important it is to act and send their armies.”
“I hope so, but people are stupid and greedy at the best of times.”
She was having none of my pessimism though and gave me a light slap on my pectoral. “You will convince them, it's only a matter of time.”
That caused me to do a rumbling chuckle. “What would I ever do without your ceaseless optimism?”
“Probably complain about people a lot more.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Though I wouldn’t have to complain if people would just make intelligent decisions instead of focusing on their own shortsighted problems. It’s frankly a miracle that I made it this far considering just how much hatred was thrown at me.”
“And you showed them the errors of their ways in that regard too. So, stop fretting so much. You’re not doing this alone either. If they refuse to lend you their ears, I’ll be sure to give them a thorough chewing until they’re open to you again.”
That amused me quite a bit. “You know, you and your mother share a lot of similarities with each other. You both jump straight into threatening people that you don’t like.”
“Hey! I don’t threaten, I motivate people to be better through the use of stern words.”
“Surrrre, that’s what they call it.”
She gave an exaggerated frown before rolling her body on top of me as she began trying to wrestle me with the goal of smothering my head. My laugh was muffled by her body as she wrapped her limbs around my face. I had a counter prepared for her though. Going against what she probably expected me to do, I pulled her torso closer until her belly was pressed against my face. Taking a deep breath, I blew out against her which resulted in a successful raspberry.
“Eeekk!” She squealed in surprise at my unexpected attack. The cuteness of her reaction prompted me to continue, resulting in a more desperate struggle from her. “No! Ahh! Hahaha! Stop! Hahahaha! Curse you, hahaha, and your damn lips!”
I stopped my attack long enough to speak. “Oh, so you don’t like my lips? You sure changed your tune real quick. Does that mean you don’t want kisses anymore?”
She was slightly winded from all the laughing. “You know... exactly what I mean... and what you did. You weaponized a tool of pleasure against me, the most evil of crimes.”
“Aww, well here, let me make it up to you.” To repay my evil deeds I came up and gave her a kiss on the side of the face.
A hum of contemplation met my ears from her. “A good start to your redemption, but I require more tribute for your absolution.” Following her demands, I planted another kiss on her face. “Another.” She received it. “One more.” Her wish was granted. “Hmmm, perhaps you have redeemed yourself now, but be warned that further missteps will receive punishment.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” She rolled her eyes at me before snuggling into my grip once again. This was just what I needed, time alone with Kala was therapeutic in more ways than one.
We had enough time together for it to be considered a decent break, that being about half an hour, maybe a little more, before an interruption came. There was a knock on the door that disturbed the peace. The familiar voice of Jorn called out from the other side soon after.
“My lord James, there are messengers here that wish to talk to you.”
Still getting used to that. “Are they from the council?”
“I believe so, sir.”
“Make sure everyone is ready to go then. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Jorn confirmed the order, and I got up from the bed to straighten out my attire and hair after Kala and I had our little tussle on the bed. Once I was presentable again, I turned to Kala who was throwing the large fur cloak over her body in preparation to step outside. It covered most of her form, stretching down to just above the ankles and looked to be effective at trapping heat. She should be comfortable while moving between buildings at the very least now.
“You ready to leave?” I asked while extending my hand to her.
Her own hand emerged from within the cloak to grasp mine. “Of course. Ready when you are.”
I collected my thoughts, flipped the switch into the closest setting to diplomat mode, and exited the room hand in hand with Kala. Our entourage was there waiting for us. All six of them were standing with backs straight and dressed for action. I gave them a nod in acknowledgment as Jorn took charge of letting me know the situation.
“The messenger is waiting with a small escort in the lobby.”
“Alright, let’s not keep them waiting then. Eye’s open, but don’t do anything unless you see an active threat.”
After receiving a few nods showing that they understood, we began the journey to meet with these individuals. This group ended up being a trio, two of them dressed in armor that was similar to my own escort though with more plate pieces. The tabard on the guards also showed an image of the coalition's flag instead of the ring symbolizing the goddess. As for the person they were defending, it was an Ulgor, one who was a bit on the older side with wrinkled skin and greying hair including a beard that grew in a bushy sort of way. This elder was dressed in thick robes that looked to be designed for comfort and warmth. They were mostly black with red highlights and a small number of gold-colored trimmings.
The man gave me a courteous smile and a respectful bow to open the conversation. “Greetings Lord James, it is a pleasure, and honor, to meet you. My name is Feren and I have been sent here at the behest of the council to call you into a meeting with them. I was told that you would be expecting this?”
I nodded. “Yes, there are events in motion that need a quick response from the council, so the sooner we meet, the better.”
“In that case, let us not delay any further. Please follow me, I will lead you to the council chamber.”
We moved with purpose at the speed of a brisk walk, like how someone with somewhere important to be should move. Everyone in our way moved out of it very quickly in the face of such an imposing formation of bodies marching through the street. We were the high and mighty at this moment, and nobody wanted to risk messing with us.
It was obvious where we were going. There was a rather large building nestled up against the side of the mountain where artificial construction met natural formation. It looked like one of those mega mansions on the front while still maintaining décor synchronicity with the surrounding gothic style buildings. At least a dozen different large windows were visible, which was a clear display of wealth and power for this kind of society.
The dark wood double doors stood waiting for us, and the two escorts for the messenger pushed it open for us. If this city had one thing going for it, it was that they kept a very consistent temperature in their buildings of toasty warm. The interior of the building had hardwood floors and stone walls. In the opening area of the building there were four ways to go. Down the hallways on the left and right or going straight ahead down another hallway or up a set of stairs that flanked that hall, all with carpets that stretched down the center of the walkways.
Our predetermined path was down that hallway directly ahead. Along the way we were exposed to many different works of art. The walls paintings, sometimes scenic, but mostly portraits. Marble busts and eight-foot statues were spread about intermittently, each of them probably depicting a leader of the coalition from the past, or perhaps some heroic figure of note in history. I wasn’t a fan of this method of power display. ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’ was always a favorite quote of mine. Kala seemed to like them though as her eyes wandered the many works of art with that glint of wonder in them. For a girl who spent her whole life in a small village, this was probably a drastic departure from what she knew.
I don’t know if it was just stress or what, but this hallway seemed to be ridiculously long. It came to my attention then that this was stretching further than what the building should be capable of holding, meaning that we must have been burrowing into the side of the mountain at this point. It wasn’t extreme, like a mine or anything, but it was noticeable enough in distance that the amount of work needed to complete this building just to have a private meeting area must have been significant.
The hallway did eventually end though at another set of double doors. This one was carved with the symbol of the coalition on its surface, mirrored on both sides. We stopped just outside as the messenger turned to address our group.
“You are about to enter the council chambers. I ask now that the escort and accompanying lady of Lord James please wait near the door upon entering. You may witness the proceedings but do not interfere or speak unless called upon by the council. Lord James, you will enter and then proceed to the center of the room in the illuminated circle. Do you all understand what you are supposed to do?”
After a round of nods to show compliance, we were finally allowed into the chamber. The most notable feature of the room was that it was circular, as all good council chambers must be. In a half circle on the other side of the room there were a bunch of elevated stands which contained seats, podiums, and of course the council members themselves, sitting in their dimly lit chairs. A bright light was shining down at the center of the room, highlighting a podium that stood alone. Looking up revealed a collection of light crystals connected to a reflective lamp like bowl to create the spotlight effect. Everything was set up to manipulate a sense of reigning power.
My nerves were starting to get at me, but a bit of encouragement came when Kala gave my hand a light squeeze. Her smile was warm and supportive, and we shared a brief moment before she let me go and moved to the side to stand with everyone else. Nothing left to do but face some of the most powerful people on this side of the continent. With one last fortifying breath to gather my courage, I stepped forward into the light.