Craydon remained as quiet as he could while Jack Cross told him everything, starting from his talk with the maid, where he pretended to not be so close to Mia until she left his room and looked back at him seductively as if she were waiting for him to make a move.
Jack’s vivid description of Mia’s underwear and the way she surprised him with a passionate kiss made Craydon cover his mouth so that his laughter couldn’t be heard by Sophia or Rusha Banei, who were both in the kitchen talking while he was in the outside bathroom speaking with his Human friend.
After excusing himself for laughing at his friend’s expenses and wishing him happiness if he fell in love with Mia, Craydon told him everything that happened during the day.
In the end, Jack sighed and said, “I would do the same thing, you know? I have known the Guild Master since I was a kid, but if he pulled a stunt like that against my daughter, I wouldn’t be as patient as you. I would have shot him. But it is good that the Fae are on Meryda’s side. They were never on anyone’s side for what I know, so if they chose to protect her, no one would harm her or even touch her.”
“But what about the Fae’s idea for Meryda and me to go see how things are going in the mountain range? To talk with members of the alliance there? Heck, what if it is true that intelligent Demons are pulling the shots, and they can also come after Meryda?”
“Considering all the deaths on the front lines from Oomans and Demis, I think you both should go. You two can also flee and hide forever, but will you and Meryda be able to live like that? Knowing that she could do something to stop the killings? I am not saying she should help the Oomans, because I don’t believe their cover story any more than you, but it’s like the Fae said. You should hear both sides of that conflict. If there is a chance to talk with the Demons, talk with them. Maybe, just maybe, they are willing to let the Oomans get one or two mines to extract Magical Crystals to help them fight Monsters. Or they have other reasons for not letting the Oomans mine Crystals.” Jack Cross said while his Demi-Cat counterpart listened in silence.
“I can’t think of any reason for the Demons to protect those mountains so much. Why don’t they want the Oomans to mine the Crystals?”
“I have no idea. Perhaps the Demons eat Magical Crystals? Or do they need the Magic from those Crystals to live? That is something you can ask them if you get the chance. There are a lot of people in Crosslot who, for sure, would want to know the Demon’s reasons! By the way, what are you going to do now at the Guild? You are not going to work there as a cook anymore, right?”
With a sigh, Craydon answered, “I can’t. I won’t ever trust that stupid Guild Master. I have plenty to keep me occupied on this farm, and the way Meryda and her friends are selling everything we harvest, I think we won’t have money problems. Besides, there are a couple of things I want to test. Finding out that other farms didn’t have good crops because of a lack of rain is worrying me. I know there are a few farms around, and none of them built water canals like we did, mostly because so many of them are far from the river.”
“If you can help people, that would be a good thing. But what about Meryda and her friends? They still want to be Explorers and Adventurers?”
“I think so, even with the Guild Master’s actions. They will probably deal the least they can with him and all the Explorers and Adventurers, but I heard them talking during our dinner, and they still want to protect Amberstar from Monsters and for that, they need training and experience.”
The noise of voices approaching made Craydon whisper. “I have to go. Tomorrow or the day after, we can talk again.”
Craydon took his hand from the mirror, and the knocking on the door, followed by a questioning voice, made him open it and stare at the smiling Demi-Cat woman. “It is you. Do you need to use the bathroom? I just finished.”
“Yes, I do. You were taking so long to return that we were starting to think you fell asleep here! One question: What time do you wake up around here?”
“Not sure. By the time the second sun rises?”
With a slight frown, Rusha said, “I am going to wake up when the first sun appears. You should get used to waking up sooner because the animals will be dead hungry by the time the second sun rises. Go to bed, because I will be knocking at your door at first light, right after I prepare breakfast for us.”
“You will make breakfast tomorrow? Are you sure? You know how to cook?”
“Simple things I can. I will leave the difficult dishes for you. Now go away unless you want to see me pee! But if that is one of your weird kinks, maybe you can convince me to let you watch! Hihihi!”
Craydon hurriedly left, saying, “I will pass. See you tomorrow, Rusha.”
“Sleep tight! And dream about me! Hihihi! If you feel lonely or cold during the night, my door is always open for you!”
Rusha closed the door with a smile, while Craydon was still looking at her, wondering if she was joking or not.
She suddenly opened the door again, rushed to him, and kissed him on the lips. She looked at him seriously, and while placing her arms on his shoulders, she said, “I am not kidding. My door and my heart will always be open to you. Even if you just need an ear to listen to your worries. I care deeply about you, in case you weren’t sure.”
Craydon leaned his forehead on hers and spoke in a gentle tone. “Thanks for saying that. I like to be near you, but I am not sure if our feelings are the same. I am starting to see you differently, in case you didn’t notice. You are a gorgeous woman, and funny to be around.”
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“Let’s just enjoy each other’s company, learn about each other, and see where this takes us. Agree?”
“Sure. I think I would like that.”
She slowly let him go, but before returning to the bathroom, she said, “In no way do I want to replace your dead wife in your heart, because I know how much you still miss her. She was a good friend, and I also miss her a lot, but maybe you can find a spot for me there. You have a big heart, Craydon, and I love you for that. Just so you know.”
Rusha closed the door, and Craydon mumbled as he was going to his room, “She is astonishing… I never knew I could like cat ears and tails, but I am dying to bite the tip of her ears and caress that fluffy tail of hers.”
…
Morning came, and Craydon jumped out of bed at the sound of someone knocking on his door. He went to it, still rubbing his eyes, only to meet a smiling Rusha, who said, “Good morning, gorgeous! Get dressed and go wash your face! Breakfast is ready, and we have a lot to do!”
“I am going… Just give me a couple of minutes…”
The moment he turned around, Rusha slapped Craydon’s tail. The strange sensation made him flinch, and she mocked him, “Oh! I found a sensible spot! Nice! Now I know what to do when you don’t do what I say!”
She rushed out of the room before Craydon could catch her tail and squeeze it, so he looked into his closet and started to get dressed.
Meanwhile, at the border between the Demi country, Shoq League, and the Ooman country, Laichian Empire, an Ooman army was marching forward after receiving permission to cross the Shoq League country to reach the Kingdom of Malgudria, where the city of Amberstar was located.
A messenger sent by the Ooman envoys relayed their message to the Ooman army stationed at the border, and now they were moving, straight to Amberstar, and next, to a certain Monster Tamer the envoys had heard about.
The commander of that regiment was heading to the mountain range with a contingent of new troops that barely had any time to train in military procedures and tactics.
They were all common folk, drafted into the military by the most recent campaign. Some saw the opportunity for a career change as a chance to improve their hard lives, while others didn’t have any other option because they were in prison until they got word that their crimes would be pardoned if they joined the army for three years.
The message from the envoys made the commander change the course of their march, and the soldiers were only told they were going to pick up a powerful Monster Tamer to join their ranks.
Everyone knew that having one of those rare Mages around was a good way to stay alive because their power to tame and control any Monster that got near was the stuff of legends.
They were marching all night with only a few minutes of rest every hour so that they could arrive in Amberstar as fast as possible.
At first sunlight, the regiment saw a green line a few hundred metres ahead, and orders were sent to the fastest scouts to go see what that was.
The commander was accompanying the cavalry, which was at the front of the foot soldiers, waiting for the scouts to arrive.
He saw them going ahead, as fast as their horses could, stopping near the green line, and returning at maximum horse's speed. The two scouts stopped near the commander, and one of them stuttered, “S-sir… Fae… those are Fae! A long line, as far as our eyes could see! They spoke at the same time, and I am still shaking! I never heard so many voices at the same time, speaking as one!”
The commander frowned and asked, “Fae? What do those weirdoes want?”
“Sir… They told us to go back. We are not allowed to go any further. They said the Monster Tamer we were ordered to retrieve is their friend and is under their protection!”
“Nonsense! What will those peace lovers do to stop us? Defeat us with kisses?”
The scout looked baffled at his commander and asked, “Sir… You never tried to fight a Fae? They are impossible to kill! Even if all our men fight them, they will keep sprouting from the ground like weeds! We will all be dead tired, and we won’t even go further than one millimetre! Perhaps if you spoke to them and tried to convince them that we must absolutely get that Monster Tamer, they will-”
“I will not waste my time with them! Let’s go forward! Kill them all if needed!”
The scout trotted his horse right next to his commander and tried to dissuade him. “But Sir, you didn’t hear me! They are impossible to kill! They won’t attack our men, but they won’t let us pass!”
“Shut up! You have your orders! Knights, with me! Charge!”
The scout went silent and turned his horse to the side, getting away from the cavalry charge. He looked at all the knights riding against an unbreakable wall. The other scout was riding next to him and asked, “What do we do? This is pointless! He never met a Fae or what?”
“Probably not, or he did, and their peaceful attitude made him think they were not dangerous. I once saw a Monster die of tiredness while trying to kill a Fae. That weird green being stood up to all the attacks without even avoiding them. Every time it died, a new one stood in its place, and the Monster kept attacking. And the Fae only did that because a Party of Adventurers was lying on the ground, some of them already dead and others badly injured, to put on a decent fight! When the Monster died, the Fae waved to the Adventurers and disappeared.”
“Wait, wasn’t Fae supposed to never intervene or help anyone? They are mere observers, like they always say!”
The scout shrugged his shoulders and spoke, “Beats me what is inside those Fae heads! Perhaps they thought one of those Adventurers was interesting? One Fae once told me they like to follow interesting people, be it Oomans or Demis!”
The two scouts went silent, trotting next to the foot soldiers and watching the cavalry get near the green line of Fae.
The moment the commander reached the line of green beings, he shouted for his knights to attack. As soon as he raised his sword, he got pulled down from his horse by a Fae that suddenly sprouted from the ground right next to his horse.
All the knights went down as well and lost their swords and horses when the Fae grabbed them and left.
The commander looked baffled at the horses going away and asked the nearest Fae, “What is the meaning of this? You attacked me and my men?”
“We did not do such a thing! You attacked; we grabbed the swords and pulled. Not our fault if you guys have weak arms!”
“What about the horses? You stole my horses!”