Wars Are Not Won In The Battle, But After It By The Choices Of All Contenders
Meanwhile, the decision-makers converged on one spot. Kelnsolt wished to consult with the manager on possible security arrangements given the incident, the manager felt compelled to assure Lord Audnauj that sort of thing was the exception at Chunawm Metals, and Audnauj wanted to hear about a fun adventure he had missed. Dirant, Takki, Hugal, and Eyanya, for their part, wanted to tell Audnauj about their fun adventure.
Before all that could be done, introductions were necessary, or at least socially desirable. Disal started as the highest-ranked non-Dvanjchtliv there according to his own judgment. “My lord, this is a fine day to introduce Kelnsolt Aradetnaf. It will be finer when you are introduced.”
Onzalkarnd completed the operation on the Audnauj side. Audnauj and Kelnsolt bowed, the latter Adabanishly and the former in a manner appropriate for a Dvanjchtliv. After that, Disal esIdyuin hesitated, unsure whether he needed to introduce the rest. That might have been difficult, since the only name of the four adventurers he remembered was that conscientious Ritualist's.
Said Ritualist took over with an efficient Adaban mass introduction. “This opportunity is a blessing for me. Kelnsolt Aradetnaf, Battler Millim Takki Atsa, Onzalkarnd Lakchorvu Evrandistraj, Hugal laGihnal, Eyanya esAhnsay.” He tapped each on the shoulder as he named the person in order to deprive everyone of an excuse.
They all bowed or curtsied as they thought proper, but even that left something undone. “Is that how Adabans handle this kind of meeting?” Takki asked. “Should I introduce you to Mr. Kelnsolt, Ressi?”
“No,” Kelnsolt explained before he paused. “Ressi? Are you disguised?”
“That's my Pavvu Omme Os adult name. Hello, Mr. Kelnsolt.”
“Hello, Mr. Dirant.”
That finished it up, leaving the manager free to imagine for what reason Lord Audnauj's personal Ritualist had made the acquaintance of a Greater Enloffenkir condottiero. If only more complete introductions had been made, his confusion would have ended the moment he heard Dirant's last name. Social niceties had their value after all.
Dirant reported on the investigation and its results to the pleasure of Audnauj, who throughout punctuated the telling with exclamations such as, “Well done, Takki,” “Well done, Hugal,” and “Well done, Eyanya,” and also to the befuddlement of Disal esIdyuin.
“We've gotten some inquiries from Stegzi-based firms concerning eardron recently, unusual as that is, but I don't see what could have brought on all this. What does this mean for us, Mr. Aradetnaf?”
Kelnsolt, a consummate professional, ignored the mislocated honorific. “Every patrol must include a Battler. The storehouse roofs can be rigged to make them slippery. Their base of operations cannot be too far. An assault is indicated.” He stopped there, not out of a lack of ideas but because of the return of his riders.
A Tiger Knight dismounted from his beast and saluted. “Captain. The foe is dispersed. No losses on either side.” He also knew Dvanj, though perhaps not well as Kelnsolt, since he delivered the first half of that in Adaban. The rest was in Dvanj mainly to impress the client while manipulating the phrasing in such a way as to obscure the fact the mercenaries had failed to achieve the outcome they so badly desired of heavy losses on one side.
The captain acknowledged the report. “Received.”
The mercenary relaxed then and circled around to get out of the way of his employer and his employer's employer, but he spoiled his discretion a bit by bursting out laughing. “Dirant Rikelta! The Bane of Wessolp! Conquer any cities lately, or do they submit upon your mere approach now? The Stegzins should have hired you. But no, I forgot. You provide subjugation as a complimentary service. Ahahaha!” By this point the Tiger Knight was behind Dirant, shaking him by both shoulders except for when he released his grip to give the conqueror's back an exuberant thump more bearable by a tiger than a Ritualist.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Disal appeared more troubled than ever, but said nothing. Audnauj, untroubled and intrigued, did speak. “I didn't know you had a military reputation.”
With no prospect of evasion, Dirant admitted it. “I did once participate in a brief conflict between GE members.”
“As the mastermind who ended the war in a single operation,” the Tiger Knight elaborated.
That impressed Audnauj. “What a surprising set of skills you have. But, it's odd. That doesn't seem quite in your company's line.”
“True. I was given twelve days off, you see.”
Takki, an inveterate vacationer herself, said, “You didn't need time off to investigate the phantom debate report case or to save Lord Audnauj. Does that mean you're becoming more efficient at having adventures?”
“It may be that adventures make no accommodation for the situation of the people involved,” opined Dirant in the doubtful tone of a student sure he was correct but less that the professor agreed.
“Talking about it like you didn't have any choice won't fool anyone, Ressi.”
Disal had drifted away to avoid hearing more of that disturbing conversation, but Audnauj's people stayed right there, awed.
“He took a vacation to win a war real fast.”
“Grenlof bosses give twelve days of conquest time per year.”
“Adabans.” Hugal and Eyanya concluded in unison, alike in their disbelief that so warlike a tribe existed.
“My actions had a deep purpose behind them,” Dirant claimed as Audnauj took hold of his shoulders and began to steer him toward somewhere better suited for a long talk.
“And I want to hear all about it. Let's to the cafeteria, everyone. I suppose Mr. esIdyuin will be occupied for a good bit of time. We don't want to interrupt their special celebration later, so this is a good time for a meal, I think.” The Stegzins had denied the warrior aristocrat a real battle that day, and so he insisted on at least a retelling of one.
Dirant told his story, emphasizing the religious obligation aspect over the tears of the conquered. The Tiger Knight, Tlenk Fisklan by name, dropped by to accentuate the details he thought important.
“The mayor surrendered to this man specifically. Disloyal as it is, I must tell you the captain robbed you disgracefully. Wessolp became your city then that had no future but to suffer your will, but you gave it over without a struggle.”
“A struggle is not the word for it when a Symbol Knight brings his symbolic yet very real ax against the head of a Ritualist.” To demonstrate, Dirant cut into a roll which housed a Redrin-standard juicy filling.
Tlenk Fisklan needed more than that to convince him. “Pull up there. Do you think your class cuts you off from a life of warlike exploits? Certainly the captain and the old captain make us marvel with their strength, but that isn't the only way. Sankazor Sinsalta, all peace upon him, enjoyed a career as a condottiero the rest of us can only envy, and he an Arbiter. Do you think Ritualist less suitable for the role, or? Join the brotherhood right away is my advice.”
Takki broke off her running translation Adaban into Yumin meant for the gratification of the servants and to increase her own facility with both languages. “Should you switch to that Stegzin class after all, Ressi? You could specialize in infiltration.”
“That's it,” Tlenk affirmed. “That's it exactly. Change classes and sign on with the captain. Work off the ability debt in the patrols we are to be stuck doing. Ah, isn't a shame? I wanted to go to Dittsen to see the exhibition. The Eight-Way Scale will be there, how I wish I could try it, and that amazing globe, and the jigsaw puzzle that can be put together in any combination but always shows a coherent picture somehow. Instead I must stay to guard against government thieves who have already departed Lesser Redrin as certainly as the bureaucracy above them yearns for regular reports.” The mercenaries had all concluded Stegzi itself was involved in the hostile action and persisted in saying so despite the pleas of the lawyers to shut up about it. “Will my time ever be my own?”
“That does sound like it could be something. Why don't you say a little more about it?” Audnauj was able to express his genuine interest while, by contrast, unreasonable speculation overcame Dirant. That had to be it, he knew, even though it could not possibly be it. Probability was a fable, distance was a dream, and the hands of the gods spun the world, for he felt certain the “amazing globe” must be the thing Penneram Densos wanted a Picker with Edition Freeze to examine. He strove to collect himself in order to seek clarification on that relic in particular as the Tiger Knight told them everything he knew about the subject.