With everything going on with the Goblins, requiring that our defenses at the walls get reinforced, work on our home has come to a temporary stop as every available hand is urgently needed. Something that I can’t honestly argue against.
As much as I would like to have the second floor finished, sooner rather than later, so Lain’s family can finally move in, there wouldn’t be much of a point if the walls end up falling and the Goblins burn our house down…
Looking over the letter sent by Lain before she left - for the dozenth time today - I can only sigh as I read over her words. It is short and sweet, simply informing me that she is heading out to hunt down the Goblins and to not worry about her. Naturally, I am of course worried for her wellbeing. No matter how powerful she is, she is still my lovely little Imp. My precious mate. I can’t help but worry for her safety when she is out at war.
But, my job is to watch the nest while my beautiful warrior is away. A duty that I am proud to have. Even if I would much rather that she be here with me…
Luckily, she had included a nice little note for me at the end of her letter, hinting at what she is going to do to me when she gets home~
Even having read it a dozen times now, I can’t help but blush as my body gets heated at the thought of what she is going to do to me, my imagination running wild with ideas that would most certainly leave Anna flabbergasted with embarrassment and begging for me to stop talking if I were to share them with her. Hmhmhm~
I have to set aside the letter and try to focus as I am getting terribly distracted from my work. With Lain away on her mission, her work on the council for multi-species relations naturally falls to me to handle, at least in regard to Kobold-Human relations. On top of this are requests for shipments of material for construction and home building.
Signing off on a request for more blankets and building materials to be delivered, in exchange for Kobold work forces to assist in monster corpse disposal, I set it off to the side to be delivered to Central later. My people are more than happy to help with this task, especially since we get to keep the bodies, so I have no hesitation in signing off on this. Naturally, I am fully aware that those in charge knew this too when they sent this offer to me. While the humans have little care for the monster corpses, they know that my people are desperate for them. Trading us resources for work that we would have done for free is most likely some ploy on their side to indebt us to them and make my people more comfortable with the humans.
Many of my people are naturally untrusting of the larger beings, or even outright fearful of them. Humans can be pretty intimidating after all. But, by giving them what they want most, by means of what can be considered a trade? One of the most sacred practices of my people? And to make it look like a steal of a deal for us no less? It is quite clear that those in charge have been learning from Lain on how to interact with my people.
There is probably some plan to help them curry favor with Lain and myself as well, by giving us these good deals, but considering how much my people are in need, I am not really in any position to be denying such offers out of fear of future favor repayments.
The humans aren’t stupid. They can see where the future is going and that Lain and I will become big players in due time, our influence carrying more and more weight as our power base slowly grows and our people become more instrumental to the foundations of society.
Which I fully intend to have my people become.
They certainly aren’t the power houses that Lain’s Demons are, but my people are many, and they are skilled with their hands. There will always be work that needs to be done, and I fully intend to have my people integrated into every facet of this place's workings until we become virtually irreplaceable. It will take time, but as Empress, for my people, I will do anything to see them live in prosperity.
I will build them an Empire we can be proud of, and to do that, we need the humans to WANT to help us. Not simply doing it because Lain strongarmed them into a contract in exchange for her protection.
“Haaah…” Setting aside my pen for now, I lean back in my plush armchair and let out a breath.
Off to the side, my maid comes over and steps up on a step stool to pour me more tea.
Watching her for a bit as she works, I can’t help but compare myself to her.
I am much taller than a normal Kobold now. Besides a couple of features, like my tail and ears, my body is practically indistinguishable from that of a human’s, and I am not blind to how attractive I am now by human standards. Even ignoring Lain’s attraction, I can’t even walk outside without catching the eye of most people, or even outright getting showered with complements.
But that is beside the point and also my just wanting to feel good about looking good.
The point is my people are small. Really small. In comparison to the humans, they could most easily be compared to their children in height…
This naturally leads to the humans having a different view of my people. The prevalent thought that they have of us is that we are small and weak, fragile, like their children are. Also, that we are thieves and addicted to getting a good trade, but those last two are most certainly true and I would never deny them. We are what we are, and we embrace that with honor and pride.
But still, the problem is that we are small…
This brings to mind a conversation that I had with Lain some nights ago, as I brought this concern of mine to her attention. After all, if I want the humans to take us seriously, I don’t want them seeing us as small and weak.
At that time, Lain had brought up an idea and presented it to me, ‘If the issue is that they are small, then why not become big?’ She said as she pointed towards me.
And she has a point. If I could change and become like this, then why can’t my people as well? Can they not also change to become beautiful and tall? To become more like the humans?
Honestly, I don’t see why not. As their Empress, I intend to lead by example, and if I can do it, then they can to. They just need a little push is all.
And I have a plan that might just be the push they need...
…
Thanking the maid for the tea, she returns to her corner so that she can be available to tend to my needs at any time. A job that she takes on with great pride and joy. Apparently, she already has several suitors pinning after her even though it isn’t even the breeding season yet. She will most likely have her pick of any man she wants when the time comes.
“Ouch!” Reaching out to pick up my pen, I quickly pull my hand back as a little zap hits my finger.
“That was weird…”
“Is everything alright your majesty!?”
“Yes, everything is fine. Just a bit of static electricity is all.”
“StaTic ElecTricity?” She asks with a tilt of her head as she tries to mime the words in English, the hem her little maid’s dress swaying as she moves. We don’t exactly have a way of saying it in our language, except to call it lightning, but that wouldn’t be very accurate.
“Yes, don’t worry about it for now.”
I really need to get my people more education. The work towards getting them to learn English is still progressing slowly though, so it will take some time before we can broaden their education into other subjects, like science and medicine. The humans have so much to teach us, and if I am to go by the library full of books in our new home, my personal knowledge has only just begun to scratch the surface of what is out there to be learned. When I compare my people's level of knowledge to theirs, I can't help but feel a little depressed. The humans must think of us as little savages…
Rubbing my fingers to work out the sting, I pick up my pen and get back to work, occasionally peeking up at the clock to check the time as the hours go by, the fireplace being occasionally fed a fresh log by the maid and crackling with a pleasant glow of oranges and yellows that dye the walls of my office.
As I am writing by the light of my lantern, the day slowly coming to an end as it draws closer to dinner time, a knock comes at the door. The maid goes to answer it and then calls back to me after conversing with the guard on the other side.
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“Your majesty, He Who Strikes from the Green has arrived, as requested.”
“Let him in.”
“Yes, your majesty.” She says with a short bow, curtsying in the way I taught her. Opening the door, she says, “Empress She Who Dances with the Sky will see you now.”
He enters and walks up to my desk, bowing low before getting down to one knee. “My Empress, I have answered your summons.”
He remains kneeling, quietly waiting as I continue to write, not uttering a single word beyond his introductions as he patiently waits for me to address him.
It takes a minute for me to finish the document and sign it as he waits. Moving it off to the side, I set down my pen and finally address him. “He Who Strikes from the Green, it has been a while since we last met. I do hope that you remember me.”
“Yes, your majesty… I do. While I didn’t immediately recognize you after your transformation, your name is one I had not forgotten.”
“Oh? I’m pleased to know that my name remained with you after we parted.”
“Yes, your majesty… I, I would like to apologize for-!”
“There is no need for that, He Who Strikes from the Green. I hold no grudge over what happened. In fact, it is because of what happened back then that I am who I am now. That I have such a wonderful mate. And that I can now work towards bringing salvation to our people. I hold no grudges, and we must not forget that it was my own actions that brought about my banishment, not yours, you simply enforced the rules that we live by.”
“Thank you, my Empress! If you had chosen to take my head for what happened, I would have given it freely.”
“Well, I would much prefer that you keep your head right where it is. However, if it is your desire to offer me anything else, I would very much like your assistance on a matter of great importance.”
“Please, anything!” He practically shouts as he lowers his head further.
I can’t help but smile as I look down upon the man that I used to so desperately chase after, now kneeling before me, my station in life now so far above his that he would never be able to pursue my hand. Only the greatest of chieftains or shamans would be able to try now, and he is neither. And even then, he would have to contest Lain, and I already know how that would end~
Ah, careful Sky. Lest you end up like Lain and her mother, and start bullying people for fun…
Regardless of his station, I do have a use for this man, and I can thank Lain for bringing him back to my attention.
“He Who Strikes from the Green, I would like to see if it is possible for our people to become more. Would you have any interest in becoming like myself? To change your body and become greater than your current self?”
He looks up, his eyes filled with shock as he gazes upon me with reverence. He is quick to return his gaze to the floor and answers, “My Empress, to become like you would be the greatest honor! But, I do not believe myself to be worthy of such a gift.”
“Hmm, I believe otherwise. My mate told me about her fight with you on that day. How you charged towards her and challenged her might with everything you had. Even as everyone else failed against her and were captured, it was only you that managed to reach her. Only you that managed to strike her. That you didn’t stop fighting, even as she subdued you.”
“But I could not harm her. She is simply too powerful. Even though I reached her, I could do nothing…”
“Yes. But that is only natural. She is my mate after all~”
“Yet… You would offer me this chance? Why?”
I can’t help but giggle as I hear the hope in his voice. “Hmhmhm~ She called you a Hero. He Who Strikes from the Green, you have a great potential inside of you. The potential to become a truly great warrior, one that our people can be proud of.”
“Thank you, your-“
“BUT…” I interrupt and he quickly clamps his mouth shut. “You are being held back, He Who Strikes from the Green. You are weak. As you are now, if I were to be attacked by a person capable of getting past my mate, do you believe yourself capable of protecting me?”
“No, your majesty. But I would die trying!”
“Yes, you would die. And I am quite certain that I would soon follow soon after.”
He can only clench his fist at this, unable to deny the truth. Even putting aside Lain and her Demons, there are many powerful and dangerous things out there. Threats that my people are simply not strong enough to face. Even the very humans who give us their protection are potential threats. I cannot allow our defense to remain in the hands of another for too long, lest they decide to one day betray us. I am not so blind as to think the humans as wholly good and united in their cause. The only ones I can wholly trust is Lain and her creations, and only them because they cannot betray her. To attack me and my people, would be to go against Lain’s wishes. It hadn’t taken me long to figure this out, but her Demons and the Gremlins, regardless of having been given free will, are physically incapable of doing anything that would truly anger her. It’s in their nature to want to please her now, even if they don’t fully realize it.
“We are only here, safe and sound, because of the protection of Lain and the humans.” I tell him with a stern voice. “This needs to change if we are to one day build an Empire for our people. To claim a stretch of land for ourselves and be able to truly call it our own. We need power that is ours, wielded by our hands, for our people. We need to change as a people and become more. More than just the fluffy little Kobolds that everyone knows us to be. And I would like for you to be the first, He Who Strikes from the Green.”
He slowly raises his head and gazes up at me, a shake in his body as the emotions become too much for him to contain. Most likely imagining a grand Empire of Kobolds, a place where we can all be safe and live happy lives; just like the stories told by our mothers, past down from their mother and their mother’s mother, from a time nearly forgotten. If he could cry, I am quite certain that he would be right now.
A strange thing this. We are of the same people, yet the way we express our emotions is very much different… to not even be able to shed tears...
“He Who Strikes from the Green, it is my desire that you become our people’s Hero. An example that they can strive towards. An image that they can use to compare themselves to, and work towards fueling their own growth. This is not a role that I can fill, as there can only be one Empress. I am not a goal that can be reached as I am certain your soul will tell you to be true. But any pup swinging around a stick can look up to and desire to become a Hero. Any warrior can strive to become better. And any mother can hope that they might one day be the one to birth the next Hero. Hahaha, any female can dream of one day mating with a Hero~ You will become the cornerstone of our people’s evolution, the spark that shall set our people into motion. He Who Strikes from the Gree, will you do this for me?”
He throws his head to the floor, kowtowing to me as he calls out. “Yes, My Empress! It would the greatest honor to do this for you!”
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I watch him, letting the power get to my head a little bit too much as I see him prostrated before me. Taking a breath to regain my composure and push down my smile, I speak with the confidence of a Ruler.
“Then rise, He Who Strikes from the Green, and become our people’s Hero.”
Accepting a teacup from my maid, who carries it to me with a lowered head, I beckon him forward to stand before me. Taking a knife from my table, I cut my palm and let the blood flow into the cup, not but a few drops, before then passing my hand over to the maid so she can bandage my hand and stop the bleeding.
“He Who Strikes from the Green, drink my blood and go forth with my will. You are to become our Hero. You are to grow and change. Every time that you partake of monster flesh, you are to imagine yourself growing. You are to see yourself as changing into a form like my own. Every time you swing your weapon, you are to feel yourself growing stronger. To know that you are becoming something more. Every time you sleep, you shall dream of our desired future, and how you will have a hand in shaping it. If you succeed, you shall find yourself by my side, serving my will to better serve our people. Now. Drink, and become more.”
He receives the teacup with great reverence, his body shaking with barely contained emotions as he brings the cup to his mouth and takes in my blood.
I take the teacup from his hands when he finishes, handing it back to the maid for her to clean. I don’t miss it as I catch her hungrily eyeing the blood herself, but I ignore it. Even if she were to lick up my blood from the teacup’s side, it would do nothing for her.
Reaching forward, I pet his head, a finger tracing over one of his many scars, and say, “Good. Now go, I have given you your mission. Now it is up to you to see it through.”
“Yes, My Empress! I will not fail you!” He declares as his tail is just barely held back from wagging, the tip twitching with far too many emotions to possibly be contained within his little body.
“Mhm, see to it that you do. And remember, you need to really want it. And eat lots of monster meat, every day.”
“Gladly!”
“Good.”
The maid opens the door for him and shows him out, one of the honor guards, waiting just outside my office to escort him out of our home.
When the maid shuts the door behind him, I can’t help but let out a tired breath and sit even deeper into my comfortable chair.
Hopefully that will work. I already know that my blood doesn’t have the same mutagenic effects of Lain’s blood – I already had Dr. Doe test it. - But I if I am not mistaken, that isn’t what is needed for this to work. Even though I have ingested Lain’s blood on a couple of occasions, that isn’t what caused me to change. After all, I am not like her Demons or the Gremlins. She doesn’t have the power to command my mind or bend my soul, like she does them. Though, part of me finds that a little disappointing… The thought of her bending and breaking my will as she pleases, ordering me to anything she desires, no matter how depraved~!!! Ahhhhhh, that would be so much fun!
Mmmmmrr, bad Sky, getting sidetracked… No horny, as Lain says.
Mmmm, no, what caused me to change was my desire to be with her. To be like her. And that wish of mine most certainly fed off of the power of the monsters that I ate. Their power became mine. And because of this, because I grew to become the first of the Greater Kobolds, I am now the Empress.
I am living proof that there is more potential for our people. But in order for the rest to realize this as well, I need at least one of them to change as well, to act as an example. Thank goodness that Lain reminded me about that man. He will make a perfect test subject, to see if this is even possible. If we do get results, I will have to be sure to have him get checked over by the good Doctor. I am certain that she would be more than happy to assist me with this project of mine. I guess I should get back to work and write her a letter informing her of my experiment and request her aid…
Putting pen to paper, I reach up to my neck to feel the beautiful necklace that Lain had gifted me when we became Girlfriends.
“Ache!” I have to pull my hand back as I get zapped again, a static shock stinging the tip of my finger.
“Ahh, why does that keep happening? Weird…”
Disregarding it, I get back to work, my tail lazily draped over my lap as I work, the smell of freshly baked cookies coming from the kitchen, and the snow outside the window, slowly falling and further dyeing the world in a blanket of white.