It was early morning, and the two siblings had slept little as they secluded themselves spending much of the night coming to terms with their new reality, devising plans for the future. The siblings had quickly decided that they would not linger in indecision. This was far more real than a game and in treating this like the real world they promised each other to give all risks their just respect and due diligence.

David walked into the room and took his seat, the morning light casting long shadows in the room that was now their makeshift council chamber. Markus Evergreen's strong yet unfamiliar right hand rested on the oak table laden with maps and scrolls. Markus had lost his left hand in an incident that had earned him the moniker “Harvest Shield”. The loss of the arm was very sudden for David. He had found himself making repeated mistakes such as walking into doors he had attempted to push open with his left hand. Flexing his right hand, it's darker tone in contrast to his previous olive complexion yet another new element he would have to mentally adapt too.

Megan, or rather Lady Elke Brown, sat across from him, her eyes scanning the documents with an intensity that matched her real-world focus during exams. They had spent the previous day learning from their trusted aides and council members, and now it was time to face their first real test in this strange new world.

Excuses would no longer work. As the siblings had hammered that nail into complete submission with their repeated excuse of contaminated tea as an attempt to gloss over their repeated mistakes and unorthodox inquiries of their advisors. However, doubt began to inch across the faces of even the most loyal by the previous evening. The strange and often common-sense questions that David and Megan asked would help build a foundation for their plans moving forward.

"So, we agree if we were to allow the king to enact his tax and carve our lands out from under us, we would be forced into a very long and risky war by giving Goldfury and Prada a foothold on our shores,” Megan said, her voice steady but tinged with the surreal nature of their predicament. "I never thought I'd say this, but we have to think like rulers now."

David nodded. “Agreed. So to pin our objective down, we intend to secure our borders and the political support of all the classes before members of noble house Goldfury and Prada arrive."

The siblings had shared the King's letter with their advisors the previous day. All were in agreement that although the letter appeared glowing in its verbose language it was the actions that dictated the letters true intent. All the advisors seemed aware that in the absence of Lady Brown and Lord Evergreen from the King's Court the other noble houses had dominated the King's ear. The other lords and ladies filled with envy must have pushed for many of these measures. The King had been complicit or possibly just as envious to have sent the letter. What presented the largest concern was the burden of a new tax on a new and struggling frontier colony. Even if they accepted the handing over of their settlements and ventured deeper into the heart of the wild unclaimed lands, how were they to properly survive with two obviously envious noble houses in charge of their only access back to the homeland. This move would clearly place Lord Evergreen and Lady Brown as minor lords in this new land, dependent in nearly every way to the whims of these untested nobles. With the loss of the two and quite honestly only settlements it was very likely that House Prada and Goldfury could and likely would extort additional burdens to fatten their own confers while bleeding Lord Evergreen and Lady Brown dry.

The previous day, Gabrial had said it best as had finished reading the letter “The King has spat upon our face and urinated upon our honor. Lady Brown and my dear Arch Magus Katheryne, please cover your ears.” Lady Brown made a poor attempt at using her hands as earmuffs. “Yes, thank you. My Lord I must apologize but I should wish that the willy of the King grow a massive so he may fuck himself and not his subjects.”

Gabrial spent the previous evening drafting the articles of our colonial independence; however, we intended to delay delivering the articles until the last possible moment. It was unlikely for noble houses Goldfury or Prada to arrive before winter. And we needed to continue the current trade environment with the kingdom of Alzerek until we could reach out to other civilized nations for alternative trade agreements. Delaying any notice would also provide us with much needed time to prepare for a possible declaration of war from the King.

As it stood currently the colony had few stone buildings and zero defensive structures. No peoples of any race had yet been encountered. The Drayd’s communicated through mental imageries and had no concept of trade or war. They only cared for the safety of their orchard and would be of no use. The Frost Drakes were a possible resource but only used the nearby mountain range as their nesting grounds. It was actually likely that the Frost Drakes were the very reason the land between the mountains and coast had been left absent of settlements for so long. The Arch Magus Katheryne had mentioned that many civilized nations were aware of the unclaimed lands but all past attempts to establish a foothold it had failed.

David brought his attention back to the present as he tapped his fingers watching the sun's morning light shine bright through the wooden slats of the window. Their advisors and council members began arriving into the dusty room. Not all attend this first of many meetings. Two individuals would not be participating. Pearl Lan the Historian had not traveled down to the Southern settlement with Lady Brown. As a loyal advisor and trusted friend to Lady Elke Brown, Pearl Lane had remained in the Northern settlement and was acting governess in Lady Brown's absence. Petra Love, Spymaster and socialite, was ever loyal to Lord Evergreen and preferred to work from the shadows. From what David had gathered all the other advisors were unaware of Petra Love's role. They assumed her to be in pursuit of Lord Evergreen's heart and wealth, something everyone had counseled him to avoid.

David scanned faces around the table. These were no longer just characters on cards. They were his and his sister's people now, and they had to lead them. David took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.

David and Megan looked across a room filled with their core advisors in this new world. Gabrial Dunn, the steward, leaned over the table with Marshal Casius Deer as they considered possible location for the first defensive facility, Castle Evergreen. Brum Dallas, the master of coin, scribbled notes on a parchment while Arch Magus Katheryne Wright observed with a relaxed expression. Each of them had pledged their loyalty, and now after speaking with them, he saw them as more than just pieces in a game. He had to shake any mindset to the contrary and see the reality before him.

"Lord Evergreen," Gabrial began, "we've identified a very promising location for Castle Evergreen. It offers natural defenses and access to fresh water. Furthermore, we can achieve your request that we include tunnels leading out to multiple easily defendable and hidden fortified outposts. We would be placing Castle Evergreen a bit more inland than we previously discussed but with the depth of the nearby river we could ensure that water transportation is possible, although larger vessels would be unlikely to make it that far in. A possible river barge network would be a great fit for this location. Finally, we'll need to start construction immediately to have it ready before winter."

David looked over the map for a few moments before nodding. "Agreed," his voice more confident than he felt. "Marshal Deer, ensure we have enough men to guard the construction site. I can’t imagine anything worse for us than if the very structure we intend to use as our most vital stronghold is sabotaged."

"Understood, my lord," Casius replied with a nod.

David was quietly considering his three rules of table top warfare. He created these rules when he was sixteen, playing warhammer nearly every weekend. The first rule was to never let them see you coming or know where you're going. It was a simple rule focused on being unpredictable. The second rule was to never let your enemy build or reinforce their defenses and strongholds. This rule was the polar opposite of the first in that it required that you maintain awareness of the enemy and see them coming and know where they were going. Finally David’s third rule was to act arrogant but be humble. He liked this one the most because it gave him the opportunity to act like a prick and sucker his opponent into committing to battles that he actually had no intention of committing to himself. And with his opponent committing to the battle he would be able to utilize both rule one and two and ambush his opponents as they moved their forces into or out of position.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Megan, meanwhile, was deep in conversation with Katheryne Wright. "Arch Magus, how can we ensure our defenses are bolstered with magic? Are there enchantments we can place on the walls or spells to detect intruders?"

Katheryne smiled, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Indeed, Lady Brown. I can prepare wards to strengthen the walls and alarms to alert us of any magical or mundane threats. But I will need rare ingredients we have yet to source in this new frontier. Perhaps many may be found in the forest to the north."

"Brum, see if we have any traders who can procure these ingredients. If none can be found then offer a reasonable reward for the first who brings back both the first cart load of ingredients as well as a further reward for directions to the source," Megan instructed.

"Of course, my lady," Brum replied, his quill moving swiftly over the parchment.

“Oh Brum, one more thing. Coordinate with Pearl Lane on a diplomatic and commercial expedition to Dryad Orchards. Perhaps they know of a source or they themselves have the means to provide the ingredients. I understand they do not grasp the concept of trade but perhaps bringing a few wagons of fresh fish that they can sow into their fields would encourage them to some degree.”

“Why yes, a brilliant idea, my lady,” Brum agreed.

As the meeting continued, David couldn't help but feel a sense of purpose and pride he hadn't felt in years. Despite the absurdity of their situation, they had a chance to build something new, to make a difference. And he was determined not to let his sister or their people down.

After the meeting, David and Megan took a walk around the grounds to clear their heads and discuss their next steps. The air was crisp, and the sounds of the bustling settlement around them provided a comforting backdrop to their conversation.

"I think we handled that well," Megan said, her tone both hopeful and cautious. "But there's so much we don't know. This place... it’s overwhelming."

David nodded, looking at the people going about their daily lives, unaware of the siblings' true origins. "We need to learn quickly. We have to understand the politics, the culture, the economy... everything. And we have to do it fast."

They walked in silence for a few moments, each lost in their thoughts. The enormity of their situation was starting to sink in. They were no longer just players in a game; they were leaders responsible for the lives of hundreds, maybe thousands, of people.

As they passed by the training grounds, David noticed a group of soldiers practicing their drills. He stopped to watch, fascinated by their discipline and skill. "I should spend more time with the soldiers," he said. "I need to understand their strengths and weaknesses. If we're going to defend this place, we need to know what we're working with."

Megan agreed. "And I should spend more time with Katheryne. Magic could be a game-changer for us if we use it right. And I’m the Mystic Eye right, I need to figure out how to control it."

Later that afternoon, David met with Marshal Casius Deer at the training grounds. The soldiers were a diverse group, some seasoned veterans, others fresh recruits. Casius greeted him with a respectful nod.

"Marshal Deer," David began, "I'd like to know more about our forces. Their capabilities, their training. What are our strengths? What are our weaknesses?"

Casius gave a thoughtful nod. "We have a core of experienced soldiers, but we lack numbers. Our recruits are eager, but they need more training. We're also short on supplies. Weapons, armor, provisions. If we're to defend against any serious threat, we'll need to address these shortages."

David frowned, considering the challenges ahead. "What can we do to improve our situation?"

"Firstly, we need to ensure our supply lines are secure. We currently have the two primary settlements: your own my Lord and of course Lady Browns. I believe that sea transportation and trade will be the easiest for any forces sent by Alzerek to disrupt. With this in mind I would highly recommend we build a road between the two settlements. I figure that with a road we could reduce land travel between the two by three days, down from the current six days. This may have the added benefit of providing logical locations for smaller settlements along the roadway. I’d suggest manning stables along the road every half day. This would provide supplies and a means of communication even if the coast is being harassed. Secondly, we need to intensify our training regimen. I'll need more instructors, more time. And lastly, we should consider bolstering our ranks with mercenaries or conscripts."

David nodded. "I'll speak with Brum about securing more resources and establishing a contract for the building of the road. It's a great idea. In the near future I’d like to join you for a trip to the Frost Drake Nesting Grounds. It just seems like an obvious advantage we could utilize if we can only figure out the means to tame and harness them. In the meantime, do what you can with what we have. I'll join you for training sessions whenever possible. It's important the men see their leaders standing with them."

Casius smiled. "That will do wonders for morale, my lord."

Meanwhile, Megan spent the afternoon with Arch Magus Katheryne Wright in the library, poring over ancient tomes and scrolls. The library was a vast, dimly lit room filled with the scent of aged parchment and ink. Megan was determined to understand the magical foundations of their new world.

"Magic here is both an art and a science," Katheryne explained. "It's woven into the very fabric of our society. Those who can wield it hold significant power and responsibility."

Megan listened intently, absorbing every detail. "And these wards you mentioned, to protect the castle... how do they work?"

Katheryne pulled out a scroll and spread it across the table. "Wards are intricate spells that create protective barriers. They can be tailored to repel specific threats, detect intrusions, even strengthen the physical structure of walls. But they require precise knowledge and rare ingredients to craft."

"Which is why we need to find those ingredients as soon as possible," Megan said, her determination clear. "I'll do everything I can to help. One further request, I perhaps have been poorly trained in my own limited mystical abilities and I others throughout the settlements may be in a similar situation. Would you be willing to organize and lead a series of publicly available instructional speeches on the arcane arts?"

Katheryne nodded. "Your dedication is admirable, Lady Brown. Yes, if we are truly leaving the kingdom of Alzerek, then I see no reason to hold to their laws limiting such teachings. You know my lady, it has always been my dream to found an academy. I know we have much to do now but if ever there is the opportunity I would like to fulfill this dream. To have not just one but many little disciples growing under my tutelage. I know this is all silly but I even think of having them wearing the cutest little uniforms."

“I uh, yeah I’d love to help make that dream come true. I’ll speak later with Da… Lord Evergreen and see what we can do.”

As evening fell, David and Megan reconvened in the council chamber to review the day's progress. They were exhausted but driven by a shared sense of purpose.

"We've made a good start," David said, looking over the notes they had gathered. "But there's still so much to do. We need to stay focused, stay united."

Megan smiled tiredly. "We will. We've always been a good team, David. And now, more than ever, we need to rely on each other."

“I’ve got to say your idea about providing the Dryads with fresh fish for their orchards was amazing. Do you think it will work?”

“Oh, yeah I think it will work. I was thinking back to what the Frost Drake resource card had said about reducing the roll requirement by sacrificing other resources to the hatchlings. And well it made me think that what it really meant was if we sacrificed or offered something that would benefit the hatchlings development then they would be more likely to work alongside us. More like it's a choice they make, not something we can just beat into them. In a way, we would be showing a shared interest in their well being. So I just applied that to the Dryads and…”

David slammed his forehead onto the table. “Ow!”

“David what's wrong?”

“Nothing, everything. I’m so dumb. I read that resource card like a dozen times but in the game I could never remember to save up resources to sacrifice. Plus why did they use the word sacrifice. It made it sound wrong, Ugh. I know where I’m going tomorrow.”

“Sorry big bro, nesting season isn't for another month and then you’ll still need to wait another two months before they hatch. You got a lot on your shoulders so don’t worry I’ll remind you when it's time. Just remember who your best sister is.”

“You're my only sister. But yeah thanks for the heads up. So about that magic what have you learned so far…”