The first thing I found out was that the Church of Light's carriage had been sent back after the first week. The driver had tried to stay, so that they emissaries would have a ride; but, Jessica had insisted that he leave and they would contact him as soon as they knew they needed a ride back. The second thing I found out was that Evangeline had a little boy and Josh doted on both the baby and her mother and did everything for them.
The third thing I found out was that Jessica had figured out her Maintenance spell. Instead of just keeping her hair clean and fluffy as if it had just been washed, it now worked on clothes as well. They had to be clean, though. If you cast it on dirty clothes, they stayed dirty until the spell wore off. So, that meant a trip to have both a bath and to wash clothes.
We packed everything up and I helped Maylia boost all of the horses and made them glow blue. It was a good thing that we had kept the extra one, because that gave us just enough to spread Jessica, Steven, Josh, Evangeline, Kara, Dawn, Fred, and Grania among the experienced riders. Dawn's disappointment was almost palatable when Afyne climbed onto my horse and I climbed onto it with her. She didn't say anything about it, especially when Maylia offered the spot in front of her on her horse, which was right beside mine. Kara stared at us when she saw the effect on the horses and I ignored her pointed stare and didn't say anything about it.
Jessica got the spare horse, since she was an experienced rider, and she took Josh as a passenger. He looked really awkward trying to hold onto her and not hold onto her at the same time, which amused me to no end. Allirynn and Imiryl took Steven and Kara respectively, and Evus took Fred while Diofra took the mage Grania. Viri shared her horse with Evangeline and the baby, and that was everyone covered. I was not going to run the horses hard with everyone doubled up like they were, so we trotted at a normal pace and made our way to the closest town... which just happened to be the one we had stopped at before.
We were greeted with a warm welcome by the whole town again and this time, the inn had kept all of its rooms clear for us. I was glad, because even with all the rooms available, we still had to double up to get everyone in to bathe and wash their clothes. It took a while for it to happen, and when we were done, Jessica used a mana crystal to cast the Maintenance spell on all of our hair and pieces of clothing.
We stayed long enough to have a nice meal, then we loaded the horses up again and trotted out of town. The next stop was Fred's town, and it was just as devastated emotionally and population-wise as it had been the last time I had been through there. Fred led us right to his family's house and he left us without a word and went inside. I could see inside and saw a woman react to him appearing. She hugged him and cried, and we could hear her wails. It took her several minutes to calm down, then it took her twenty minutes to clean up and to come out on Fred's arm to greet us and he had a bundle under his other arm.
She pretty much dragged him over to me and looked up at me. “I can never thank you enough for bringing my Fred back to me.” She said, her voice deep and full of gratitude. “I would pledge to be your handmaiden for life if you had a house to take care of.”
“Then its good that I don't have a house.” I said a little sternly and she looked surprised, then I smiled to take the sting out of my words. “Now you can take all that devotion and give it to Fred instead. He needs you more than ever now.”
She beamed a smile at me and turned to Fred.
“I told you.” Fred said to her and she nodded. “Hunter, thank you for getting me out of there.” He said and held out the bundle.
“You can keep it.” I said. “I was going to buy you a set of armor anyway.”
“I told you he was insane.” Fred said to his wife and she nodded. No one just gives away sets of armor.
“Oh, here's your cut of the bounties.” I said and pulled a handful of gold and silver. “I don't know if I'll actually get anything for the other creatures I killed; but, I know how much a garglemacer is worth to the queen, and since you were in my party when I killed one...” I held out the fistful of money.
Fred shook his head to say no and his wife let his arm go and held her hands out for it. That made a few people with us chuckle and I gave her the money.
“You need a better weapon and to get that armor fitted properly.” I said to Fred. “This town's going to need your help for a long time.”
“Aye, it is.” Fred said, both sad and glad.
“Don't forget to charge them for it.” I said with grin and looked at his wife.
“I'll make sure he gets paid!” She said, her eyes and hands full of gold and silver coins, and most of us laughed.
“If I'm ever back this way, I'll be sure to visit.” I said and held a hand out to him. While he was distracted, I floated a tooth and a scale into his pocket.
Fred clasped my hand and held it. “If you need a hand with anything, send word. I'll be there.”
I nodded and let his hand go and turned to the others. “Hey, Josh. Give Jessica a break and let Evus give you a ride.”
“GREAT IDEA!” Josh yelled and was off her horse and on Evus' horse in only a few seconds. That made everyone laugh, especially Jessica, and we bid Fred and his wife farewell and rode away. When Fred was just at the edge of my detection range, I used Presence to whisper into his ear and told him to check his pocket. I caught a short blast of surprise and then we were out of range and had left the town. I suggested taking a boat ride instead of riding all the way to the capital.
“Is there a boat big enough for all of us and the horses?” Afyne asked.
“It doesn't hurt to check, especially if it will cut our travel time in half.” Maylia said. “Although, the last time we tried to take a boat...”
I chuckled. “I wonder if we can book passage on the captain's boat again?”
“I bet he'll love it with all of these passengers.” Maylia said as she waved at us all.
“More like shocked, I'd say.” I said. “So, are we going?”
“I'm just along for the ride.” Steven said. “Even if I had my own horse, I can't ride very well.”
“We go where you go.” Allirynn said. “I honestly don't care how we get there.”
“I agree.” Imiryl said. “You lead, we follow.”
“You know I'm not big on the whole blind devotion thing, right?” I asked and she laughed.
“It was a simple answer to a simple question.” Imiryl said. “I don't think I've ever been around a group that was so... fluid?” She said like it was a question. “You aren't rigid in your leadership. You listen, you ask what we want, you even take how we feel about things into consideration.”
“Well, I...”
“Only once did you actually order us like a military leader.” Imiryl said and cut me off. “Because of that, we defeated over three dozen young garglemacers and closed the largest crack to ever exist.” She said smugly. “You obviously know what you're doing and staying with you can only benefit us more than going it alone.” She smiled demurely. “Is my more detailed answer good enough for you?”
I couldn't help but laugh. “I get it. I lead, you follow. Not because you have to, because you want to.”
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
“He finally understands.” Imiryl said. “So, what are you waiting for? Lead on.”
“I'm starting to feel like a Forest spirit being in the lead all the time.” I mumbled under my breath to make Afyne giggle. We turned the horse down the road and everyone followed me for several hours. Almost as it they were expecting us, nearly everyone at the docks stopped what they were doing to watch the large group of horses trot down the road to them. Before anyone else could proposition us, the same woman that had booked our first trip, the captain's wife, ran out to greet us.
“Of course we have the room!” She nearly yelled and I laughed. We all dismounted and she led us to the large boat to show that there was plenty of room in the hold for animals, since they ship them occasionally, to and from the capital. It was actually a good setup and then I asked about the available cabins. She informed me that they were practically empty and could even have single rooms for everyone if they needed them.
We sorted everyone out and I paid for the appropriate number of rooms, with actual money and not trade, which the captain's wife was very happy about. Dawn and Grania opted to share, so they wouldn't be alone, as did Jessica and Kara, and Steven took a single room as usual. Maylia, Afyne and I got the large cabin, since there was three of us, and the rest went to their rooms as well. We all settled in for a two week leisurely journey up the large river to the capital. The next day, while I was recounting my adventures in the elf lands and had both Maylia and Afyne hanging on either side of me, I came to the part within the heart of the forest and remembered something important.
“Goddammit! I forgot to retrieve the second fire bird!” I exclaimed, and both Maylia and Afyne laughed.
“You almost died when you fell, so I think forgetting to look through unfamiliar woods without help can be forgiven this time.” Maylia said and kissed me.
“I guess so.” I said. “I worked hard to not burn it up as much as the first one, though.”
Afyne laughed and kissed my cheek. “I don't think you could get it into your bag of holding, anyway.”
I reached down and pat my main bag, then the creature bag. “Yeah, it's pretty full.”
“Do you think you'll get bounties for them?” Afyne asked. “If they can only be found in the elf lands, then they are pretty rare, right?” She put a hand on mine. “Rare ones are more expensive.”
“Someone's counting gold before it appears.” I joked and hugged her. “I'll ask the captain of the guard if he'll let me bring you in to help count and sort them.”
“Thank you!” Afyne kissed my cheek a couple of times, then she moved slightly and kissed my lips. Her face flushed red and she gave me the best puppy-dog eyes I had ever seen.
She perfected her best move while I was away. I thought, impressed at how easily she affected my heart with the look.
“I'm really glad you're back.” Afyne said, blinked her eyes once, twice, then her eyes went completely serious. “You are never leaving me again.”
“I promise that when given the choice, from now on and until you're ready for me to leave your side, I'll choose to stay.” I said and held up my finger.
Afyne held up her own finger and I felt her mana and Presence try to come forward at her command.
“I've got a bit of work to do with you to fix my mistake about the energies being separate.” I said and touched her fingertip with mine and used a bit of Presence to coax hers to respond. She took in a sharp breath as the competing energies inside her rushed to meet mine. “I've got nothing else to do for the next two weeks, except spend it with the both of you. I'll fix you like my Master fixed me.”
“I can't wait.” Afyne said in a whisper.
I could tell that she wanted to do anything that would let her get closer to me, and that touched my heart. “It might be hard at first; but, we'll get through it together.”
Afyne nodded and hugged me.
“I'm feeling a little left out and I'm right here.” Maylia said with a chuckle.
“Don't worry.” I said with a smile and ran my fingers through her hair. “Now that I know some of the things I know, Afyne won't be the only one to benefit from it.”
“I can't wait.” Maylia said, repeating Afyne's words, then she leaned in and kissed me.
Two weeks passed by as if it didn't exist. If it hadn't been for the occasional meals with the captain and meetings with everyone else, I wouldn't have left the cabin. With lessons, exchanging stories in greater details, and spending time with Maylia and Afyne to make up for being away for almost two months, nothing else seemed to matter. Diofra and Evus took Afyne for the night once a week to give Maylia and I some private time, too. Of course, we took full advantage of this and made up for the time we had been apart.
The boat pulled into the dock at the capital and there were two different contingents waiting for us. One group from the Church of Light and one group from Queen Celestina. The church one was made up of various acolytes and the head acolyte waiting for her daughter that she hadn't seen in over a year. The one from the queen had the captain of the guard, three mages, two healers, Sam the monster expert, and surprisingly, two guards and the young majesty herself, Milly the queen's daughter.
We all made our way up to the deck to disembark and the rest of us saw who was waiting for us. I had told Afyne and Maylia had seen it for herself; but, the others were completely surprised by the large greeting that awaited them.
“Mother!” Evangeline exclaimed when she saw her mother. They exchanged waves and Josh led his wife down the walkway and he, his wife, and their baby were taken into a bone crushing hug by the short woman. Jessica, Kara, and Steven followed them and were greeted with reverence and nods.
On the other hand, as soon as my party were seen, there were cheers and yells to tell us to hurry up. I laughed and led everyone else down the walkway and over to them, and we were all embraced by hugs, handshakes, pats on the backs, warm words and a few teary eyes. Especially Sam, since she knew I had gotten the fire bird just for her.
Dawn and Grania were included in the warm welcome, to their surprise, and they were quickly checked over by the healers and the mages to make sure that they didn't have any lingering curses or nasty spells on them. I thanked them for that, because I hadn't thought to have them checked, and then the healers and mages checked me and everyone else over. That made me and them laugh, because it was apparently standard procedure and I had just thanked them warmly for doing their jobs. I still would have thanked them, though. I just would have skipped the half hugs when I did it.
“Make sure you come right to the garrison first thing in the morning.” The captain said. “We'll square off the lists the queen and I gave you.”
“I hope your coffers are full.” I said and clapped his shoulder. “We took care of all of yours while we cleared the vampires.”
“You're kidding!” The captain said, then he barked a laugh. “No, you're not kidding.” He said. “All right, I'll be ready.”
“We'll need to use the large courtyard for the creatures I have, too.” I said. “Oh, and Afyne says she's going to make sure you count everything, fair and square.”
“Hunter!” Afyne's face went beet red from embarrassment and she gripped my hand tightly.
The captain laughed a deep rumbling laugh. “I'll be glad for the help! The last time you came by, I was busy all damn day!”
After a few more minutes of small talk and arranging for the horses to be delivered to a nearby stable, Milly, the queen's daughter, formally requested that my party and the Emissaries of Light head to the castle to meet the queen. There were way too many of us to take any kind of transport, so we all walked through the city towards the castle. Everyone noticed our procession as we passed. A lot of people greeted us as normal people, others greeted us as royalty because of Milly, while others got out of the way. Some even ignored us completely as if we weren't worth the trouble.
Queen Celestina was waiting for us in the grand throne room, with rows of lords and ladies on either side, and also a lot of influential people, including shop owners, tradesmen of all kinds, and even a few normal people. The aisle was twice as wide as normal to accommodate us all and when we neared the end where the throne was, the people that had greeted me and mine, split off and took up their normal positions.
The captain of the guard went to the side and stood with the armored guards, the mages went around the queen and stood with the others behind the throne, and the healers pretty much folded into the crowd and disappeared. A hush fell over the room as I stopped everyone at the respectable distance from the throne and the queen stood.
“This is a great day for First Sothen Kingdom.” Queen Celestina said. “After years of attempts to summon heroes to purge this land of the scourge that has plagued us, that has killed our people and destroyed our property, we were finally successful!”
A cheer arose from the crowd and she let it go for several moments and raised her hands to quiet them.
“As queen of this land, it is my great pleasure to declare our land free of the scourge. Heroes, your tasks for this kingdom have been completed.” Queen Celestina said and I felt the emissaries and the acolytes of Light relax, both visibly and mentally. “I humbly thank you for your hard work, and I hope that this compensation will be enough to reward you for all that you've done for me and the people.”
Court attendants appeared like magic and handed out sacks of gold to the four Emissaries of Light and one to Evangeline, then gave one to me and everyone in my party, except for Dawn and Grania. Even Afyne received one and she was completely astonished.
“It is only a token of what we owe you, and I hope that when you leave here tomorrow during the unsummoning ritual, you will remember your time here was a good one.”
Quite a few surprised shrieks cut through the silence. Most of them were from the acolytes of Light, and a couple were from my own people. Afyne had reacted to the words and I had taken her hand to calm her. One of the court attendants stepped forward and spoke.
“Rooms have been prepared for you to stay the night and the ritual will happen at noon.” The man said. “If you will follow me?”
None of us had a choice in the matter and we were led from the throne room as the guards fell around us, with the captain at the head of the group. We were taken to the guest rooms and divided up into the appropriate rooms and guards were left at the doors to make sure that we couldn't leave.
“At least they didn't separate the summoned from everyone else.” I said and hugged Maylia and Afyne. Without another word, we changed for bed and climbed in together to wait for morning.