BOOK 2 CHAPTER 8
The night passed horribly for the group from Rasor as they stayed in their assigned quarters, starting with the “Dinner” that was brought to them as night came.
The food looked normal enough, rolls of bread with slabs of fish and meat and bowls of fruit and vegetables. However, as the group sat down to eat and took their first bites, they couldn’t help but frown.
Claire felt her anger rising once again as she looked over the food and Tirr forgot about his thoughts from earlier as he swallowed the last of his bite. Even Maria, who had grown up on the simple food of her village, discreetly spat out some of the fish into a napkin and put it aside…
The food was not terrible… It was just bad enough to be unappetizing while not being completely offensive. The bread was just slightly stale, the fish and meat unseasoned and slightly overcooked, the fruits and veggies picked too early or too late. It was so just on the edge of being acceptable that it could not be taken as anything but a carefully crafted insult.
Garm was oblivious to the other’s objections as he dug greedily into the portion that had been prepared for him. After a moment Maria rose with a sigh.
“I think we still have some our seasoning left, should make this a bit easier to eat…” She returned quickly and soon they had forced their way through the meal.
They went to bed, anger stewing but hopeful a good night’s rest would help them calm down for the negotiations, only to be awoken before dawn when they realized that the building they’d put in was near the edge of the palace. One of the city’s main roads must have run on just the other side of the wall as the sounds of wagons and carriages and drivers yelling at each other drew them all violently from their sleep.
Finally, as they sat at the common room’s table looking tiredly at the mediocre breakfast that had been prepared, Claire stabbed her fork into the table in front of her, letting out a growl. “That’s it! I’ve had enough of this!”
“Claire...” Arnold started ready to try and calm her again.
“No, she’s right,” Tirr interrupted, having had enough, rising as he channeled his Blessing. “This is awful, how dare they serve this to me! If they want a fight I say we give it to them.”
“Stop!” Maria called to him, “Did you forget the whole reason we came here?”
“We don’t need to do anything so overt, Claire said slowly, a sadistic grin on her face. They want to play games? I didn’t grow up with that snake Nile for nothing!”
Arnold just shook his head in defeat as Claire pulled Tirr in to tell him her plan until soon they were both laughing maniacally.
In the afternoon, the palace’s servants came to collect them for their dinner with the King, led by one of the head butlers who was ordered there to help deal with the understandable anger that their guests would have. They were instead surprised to find the princess grinning as they arrived. Looking at her smiling face, they almost felt sorry for a moment, wondering if the young woman was too stupid to know how badly she had been insulted since she had arrived
“This way please…” The head butler stated curtly, following the king’s directives to push them as close to the edge as possible.
“Ah, one moment please,” Claire stopped the man, smiling at him happily, “We’d like to take our pup with us, it would help me feel much more comfortable.”
The head butler looked over the small wolf cub in the child’s arms and agreed, not seeing what harm it could cause and having received no instructions on the matter.
“Great! It’s been such a long time since he’s been able to stretch his legs properly…” Claire said, still grinning as she shared a look with Tirr.
As the boy set the young wolf on the ground the butler turned once again, wondering how childish this princess must be if she requires such a thing. Obviously, Rasor was never interested in the peace if they sent someone as useless as this. As they started off there was a loud thump that seemed to shake the ground under him, causing the other servants to stumble.
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As they steadied themselves and looked behind in wonder at the commotion only to come face with Garm at his full size. The enormous wolf stretched happily, showing off his powerful limbs and muscular body. He rose, drawing up to his full height that put him above the two-story building nearby, letting out a howl that sent the nearby trees shaking.
The servants stared in terror at the enormous Beast that had appeared. They could not help but look at its terrifying fangs and claws as their hearts raced.
“Oh, are we not leaving?” Claire asked still smiling as she looked at the horrified servants. Tirr patted the great wolf’s paw, enjoying the scene.
“Y-… You!” The butler started as he looked back and forth from the princess to the imposing creature in front of him. A Beast of such size was a calamity waiting to happen, a natural disaster.
“Oh, didn’t you say it was fine? You shouldn’t go back on your words now…” Claire cut the butler off still smiling playfully.
The butler could see now the sadistic joy in her eyes as she watched him and his coworker's reactions. He felt a chill down his spine and quickly ordered one of the others to go and inform the King. They all took the chance to run off, quickly leaving the butler behind.
“So, are we leaving? Claire asked happily.
“Yes…” he answered forcing himself to turn, wondering how quickly the Beast swallow him whole. The butler led the way slowly, trying to buy time for the others to inform the king. However, it ended up working against him.
Garm was too large to fit onto the paths made for humans, instead, his great paws stepped into the delicate lawns of the palace, crushing the grass and flowers under him. His paw prints looked like large craters as he passed.
As they worked their way further towards the inner palace, his tail swung wildly, knocking over statues and decorations that dotted the grounds, leaving them a broken mess. He even caused a bridge that crossed one of the many streams and waterways of the palace to collapse, reducing it to a watery rubble.
The butler could do nothing, too scared to even speak. He just kept going speeding up slightly as the destruction worsened. Nearby, gardeners and other servants could not help but stop their work to stare as the Beast followed the group.
Finally, as they reached the inner palace, they found King Agir waiting for them with a troop of the palace’s guards, who instinctively raised their spears at the Beast as it approached.
The Butler relieved, to be able to let go of this burden, ran frantically to the King, murmuring to him quickly of how the situation came about. Agir frowned deeply as he looked at the smiling princess in front of him and back at the giant Beast near her. He could not help but swallow uncomfortably as he spotted the large shining teeth…
He looked back at the destruction left in the wake of their path and felt his anger rising higher as he put on a brave front. “Are you planning an attack bringing such a creature here Princess?”
“I don’t know what you mean your Majesty? I was just taking our puppy for a walk on our way to meeting with you, which I even asked about, and now you greet us with weapons drawn? Aren’t you the one in the wrong here?” Claire asked with a smirk.
Agir let out an angry growl, “You know exactly what kind of impact such a creature would have…”
“Impact?” Claire asked looking at Garm as if oblivious. Maria could only frown and Arnold scratched his head awkwardly at the terrible acting, though Tirr was enjoying himself immensely as he watched.
Claire turned around still acting confused, until she laid eyes on the guards around the King, barely holding onto their weapons as they faced the massive creature. “Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t think our little puppy would scare your people so badly, I guess people in Rasor must be made of tougher stuff…”
Agir felt his cheek twitching in anger at the insult, “The Beast is a disturbance and won’t fit in the palace, so it’ll have to leave…”
“Oh?” Claire asked sharing a look with Tirr, who quickly ordered Garm. The Wolf nodded obediently, jumping into Tirr’s arm as he returned to his puppy size.
“Now there shouldn’t be any problems at all correct?” Claire said cheerfully.
Agir felt his face tic worsen. Would he have to negotiate with this beast able to eat him at any moment?
“Fine!” he said finally ordering the butler to get the palace grounds cleaned up before turning to lead the way inside.
Claire gave Tirr a wink as they followed, having thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They followed the King and his guards who still looked back nervously at the cub in Tirr’s arms. Finally, they entered the Palace’s meeting hall, where food was already prepared and waiting and seats arranged.
“We’ll start soon so feel free to eat,” Agir said as they sat, sarcasm fresh in his voice. “You all look like your staving; I’m guessing that our food didn’t agree well with you?”
“Unfortunately, we’re used to better fare, I’m sure I could arrange for some to be brought in the negotiations, it must be terrible to have to eat like that constantly …” Claire answered, never dropping her smile.
Agir let out a grunt, “We’re just waiting on the temple representative and then we can star…”
“No need, she has arrived…” Said a bright voice as Nerida walked into the hall, a bright smile on her face as she greeted them each sincerely before sitting near Agir.
The young king frowned at the woman, “I thought I asked the temple for…”
“Well, I was available, so I decided to handle it.” She answered pleasantly, “Where are my manners?” The young blonde turned towards them, giving Tirr a beautiful smile as she bowed her head, “My name is Nerida, I have the honor of being the Holy Priestess of the Water Temple. It’s great to finally meet you…”