Carving slowly, I kept a keen eye on how the boxwood’s design ran along the spot I was shaving.

I wanted that design to run along the top of the teeth. So I needed to be careful to not cut too much here. A hard task, when I was basically shaving a hairs width at a time.

“Really Renn, you act like you’ve never been burnt upon a pyre before…!” Landi said loudly from behind.

“Burnt…? No. Thankfully,” Renn answered smoothly, and honestly. She had grown long used to Landi’s oddness, which somehow only made Landi want to act even more eccentric.

“Pfa! Well, if you weren’t so adorable I’d need to fix that. But knowing my luck it’d make you bald, so I’ll refrain for now!” Landi said.

Landi laughed, and Renn joined her, and I wondered if Renn realized that Landi had very likely allowed such a thought to enter her head.

Probably did, to be honest.

A tiny slice of thin wood slid along my thumb as I rolled the sharp blade along the wood’s surface. Cutting it as I would an apple’s skin, I kept my focus on the pattern on the wood. The boxwood had a straighter grain, and was a light yellow in color. Not as golden as Renn’s eyes, but pretty nonetheless. And I knew from experience that this type of wood would get a little darker over time, and after I properly stained and finished it.

As long as I did a proper job, it’d suit her perfectly.

“Vim’s a bore. He’s the only man I know that can make an entire whorehouse sober up and become nuns with only a few words.”

My little knife came to a stop after I finished its path, then I turned as to look at Landi and Renn.

They were still on those stupid looking couches. Sitting close to one another, they were lounging happily as they drank dark wines. Renn even had a thin blanket covering her lap, as if cold. Which was good, since her glare could freeze.

Just what had I missed to not hear my own reputation getting attacked in such a way? Hadn’t they just been talking about times they’d gotten caught by humans…?

“You better tell her the whole story, Landi,” I defended myself.

Landi snickered as she waved her glass of wine at me. “Aye, sure!”

Yet she didn’t.

Sighing I returned to my block of wood, and did my best to ignore the feeling of Renn’s glare.

“Look at those daggers. I like that. A woman should be bold. You could learn a thing or two from her, Vim,” Landi said.

“Vim’s bold,” Renn defended me, rather quickly too.

Landi laughed. “Is he now!?”

Was I…?

I’d think Renn would have thought different. Especially since she thought I wasn’t being… well…

Very pursuant.

“What was Vim doing talking to bunch of prostitutes?” Renn then asked.

Landi’s laugh turned into a serious of giggles. “Whores, Renn! You’re so oddly proper in weird ways. They had been mine. I won them in a bet, so I had wanted to show them off to him,” she told the truth.

“Oh…?” I heard in Renn’s tone that she had perked up. I knew if I glanced over at her, she’d be sitting up straight and her ears would be pointed and alert.

“Aye. Nearly fifty of them… I think? How many had it been Vim?” Landi asked as she wondered.

“At least fifty, yes,” I said. It had been a small band of women. They had been traveling, following the many groups of mercenaries and paramilitaries at the time. They got… caught by someone, or something, and Landi had been the one to win them in a duel. I had arrived to check on her on the same day she had come to collect them. It had been an odd task for me. She had basically pushed them off onto me as she cleaned up the rest of the scattered mercenaries she had been hunting at the time.

“What’d you do with them?” Renn asked.

“Hm? Well, made them servants of course! I tell you Renn, humans are dull creatures but women such as those become very devoted and loyal. Most of my servants are their descendants,” Landi explained.

“Huh…” Renn sounded fascinated.

“Men can get loyal, but usually only for other men. Or their lovers. Women though, they can become nearly fanatics for those like us,” Landi explained.

“Like… us?” Renn asked carefully.

“Strong. Proud. Human women are often meek things, especially in these regions. So they love those like us, who have a spine,” Landi further explained.

“Huh…” Renn hummed as she listened, and I hoped she didn’t… learn too much from her.

Landi wasn’t necessarily wrong, of course. I mean… not long ago I had basically said something similar. Concerning those pirate women. But Landi’s explanation had been a little on the nose, and without a hint of compassion.

She saw slaves. Tools. Disposable things.

“Do you not care for them?” Renn asked.

“My slaves? As much as I should, I suppose,” Landi said light-heartedly.

“I’d think being as nice to them as you could would only further enforce their loyalty,” Renn said.

Landi snickered. “A very telling phrase. Take it from me, being nice works for awhile but never forever. Humans become complacent. They eventually take your kindness for granted, and either betray it or come to hate it,” Landi said.

“So you’d be cruel? Wouldn’t that just make you a tyrant to be overthrown once they can do so?” Renn argued.

“Oh some try, occasionally. But it’s far rarer than you think. And it’s not like I mean we shouldn’t be a kind every so often, in certain ways. Keep them housed. Fed. Fat. Let them breed without worrying over taxes or invasions and they’ll be like sheep. Meek and led around with a finger,” Landi said.

Renn hummed as I heard her take a drink. She let her teeth hit the glass when she did, but I knew it was only because of how long her fangs were. She wasn’t doing so as often as before, nor as loudly, so she was adjusting to it. It was just taking her time.

She hadn’t been used to the glasses here. They weren’t circular, but a little elongated.

“It helps when you keep the surrounding nations worse than yours. Send some raiding parties, spread some chaos, and always keep the grass on the other hill drier and shorter and the humans won’t ever think of leaving you. Vim taught me that,” Landi said.

“Did he?” Renn asked, and I noted that once again I was likely being glared at.

Slowly sliding my knife along, I turned the piece of wood a little. As to start forming the small curve, where she’d be grabbing it as to hold it.

It was taking shape. And so far it was looking good.

“What of Gods Renn? You believe in any?” Landi then asked.

“I believe they existed, but I’m not a devotee of any,” Renn answered.

My little knife paused a moment, as I processed what she had said.

Or rather, a singular word. Not the entire thing.

Existed.

Landi hummed. “You don’t think they exist right now?” she asked.

Renn didn’t answer aloud, but instead shook her head. I heard her hair as it moved and swayed. I didn't need to look to know that her hair was likely down to her lap. It really did grow faster than someone of her blood-line usually allowed.

“Interesting. Especially since you basically walk alongside one,” Landi said with a small laugh.

Returning to shaping the wood, I watched as another thin strip of wood shaving slid along my thumb and then off it, to the ground near my feet.

“You also believe Vim’s a god?” Renn then asked.

I luckily had been just finishing up a shaving, so I hadn’t ruined my work as I raised an eyebrow.

Landi immediately went to laughing. “Hell no! But I admit he’s as strong as one. Vim’s too… he has too many flaws, to be a god. I’m not sure why so many of our members think he’s one. But I shouldn’t be surprised, they’re all stupid and small minded after all,” Landi said.

Letting a tiny breath relax me, I went back to cutting the wood. I turned it a little, to start shaping the other side. This side I didn’t need to be as careful with, since I needed a rather large section removed.

“Then… what’d you mean by that?” Renn asked, once Landi finished her laughs.

“Hm? I mean Vim’s basically a god. As far as I’m aware he’s immortal. So I believe that if he still exists, then so too can our real ones,” she said her reasoning.

“Ah… I see,” Renn seemed to find that very understandable.

“You don’t agree do you?” Landi asked Renn.

Slicing off a large thumb sized piece, I shifted the wood again as to cut from another angle.

“I can see why you’d think such a thing. You’re right… in the sense of, if Vim exists, so too can those like him. But… wouldn’t we know if any gods were still here? Based off all I’ve heard, and read about them in their holy texts I’ve seen, they’re rather powerful and obvious. Things that don’t hide, or need to. Why don’t we see them? Or hear of them?” Renn gave Landi her reasoning.

“Hmph. You’re too logical. I admit I agree with what you’re saying, but I’ll counter it anyway. Most humans have no idea we exist. Just as we all have legends of our gods, so too do they have legends of us. Yet we still exist, even if humans don’t know or realize it. So then why can’t gods be the same?”

“Honestly… that’s a good point. I’d not thought of it like that,” Renn admitted.

Landi giggled. “That’s no fun Renn, I want you to argue with me,” she said.

Renn huffed. “I can tell. No wonder you find Vim so unappealing,” Renn said as she took a drink.

“Ha! Exactly! I’m glad you get it!” Landi happily shouted.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

As I whittled the piece of wood, I listened to the two women debate… or rather, more so just exchange ideas.

They spoke of religion. Morals. Politics.

They talked of what they thought of humans. Of what they thought of me. Of those in the Society they liked and those they hated. In Landi’s case, those she’d kill on sight if she could.

“You’d say that in front of him?” Renn asked.

“Why not? He knows I’d never hunt them. As long as we never meet, they’re safe from me. Vim knows that,” Landi said.

“But…”

“Many would do the same to her Renn. The hate she speaks of is not hers alone,” I said, interjecting into the conversation for the first time in a good hour.

“Oh…?” Renn perked up.

“Aye. Most are the women, though,” Landi said. I could hear her smirk.

“Why…?”

“I took their men, for some. For others I tried. The rest well… unlike you and I, they’re too meek. So the minute they meet something with a spine their own lack of one makes them full of wrath over their jealousy,” Landi said.

Renn was silent as I blew off some dust. I had mostly cut the thing into shape, and was now just whittling and carving it into its destined form.

“You tried to take their men…?” Renn asked.

Landi giggled. “I didn’t try! I took several!”

“Really…” Renn whispered.

“She caused quite a stir. Most of her banishments are not from her temper or attitude, but because of her attempts of breaking up homes,” I said.

“Oh please Vim, you and I both know that’s the entire reason! Only Lilly and Yangli had been willing to fight me. The rest were too scared!” Landi said.

I frowned as I nodded. “There were a few others Landi,” I reminded her.

“Shush! You can tell her of my defeats but not the ones I had to run away from!” Landi shouted at me.

I smiled at her as Renn giggled.

“You… fought Lilly?” Renn then asked.

“Hm. She’s rather dangerous that owl,” Landi admitted.

“You… actually wanted her husband? Really? He seems like the last kind of man you’d want,” Renn then said.

For the first time tonight, I was the one who laughed first.

Turning, I smiled at the two women as Landi laughed away and Renn smiled at me. “That’s just plain hilarious,” I said.

“It is! Ah, why not stay here Renn? Spend a few years with me, please?” Landi asked loudly.

Before returning to my little project, I spent a moment to study Renn as she processed the invitation.

Damn. She was actually considering it.

Looking away right as Renn’s face broke out into a loving smile, I noticed the way my knife ran along the wood a little too smoothly. Far smoother than it had done before.

“I’ll admit you and your nation would be very entertaining and fun Landi, but I’ve something I want to do with Vim. I can’t afford yet to spend any time away from him,” Renn answered.

Landi groaned, and I had to pause a moment with my knife as a large pillow thumped me in the head.

It rolled off me and fell to the bench next to me.

Glancing over a shoulder, I ignored Renn’s expectant smirk as she waited patiently to see what I’d do.

Landi huffed at me and made a gesture. One fitting of her annoyance over her being rejected.

“Did you just attack me Landi?” I asked.

The woman who had been rather boisterous suddenly went still as her eyes met my own.

Holding her gaze, I found it amusing how quickly color left her face and her eyes became tiny. Her pupils shrunk, and she quickly raised a hand to wave at me. The same one she had just used to insult me with. “Please Vim! Last thing I need right now is a beating!” she said quickly.

After a moment of keeping hold of her eyes, I sighed as I looked away from her. I ignored Renn’s gaze as I went back to the boxwood and the knife I was attacking it with.

Landi let out a sharp sigh of relief, once she was sure I hadn’t been serious.

Seems even with Renn here she hadn’t progressed past that innate fear.

Interesting. I had actually thought maybe she had. She’d never thrown something at me like that before.

Glancing at the pillow next to me, I wondered what had brought that on. Landi would do that to anyone. Anyone else.

But not me.

She wouldn’t dare.

Fascinating indeed.

“What were we talking about, Renn?” Landi asked carefully.

“Um… How about this harem you supposedly have?” Renn easily gave Landi a way to ignore and avoid what had just happened.

“Harem…? Oh. You mean my eunuchs?” Landi asked, her typical haughty tone had already returned.

Sitting up again, I turned once more. “Eunuchs?” I asked harshly.

Landi flinched, and for a long moment… didn’t look at me. She kept her eyes on Renn.

About to stand, and find out exactly what she meant, Landi turned and stopped me as she smiled. “Vim! I mean only the human ones! Forte is fine! He still has all his parts, I’ll go show you right now if you don’t believe me!” Landi said quickly.

Studying the way she smirked, I noted the trembling worry. Although she had sounded better, she was still unnerved from my earlier comment.

I sighed as I looked away and back at my attempt of distracting myself. It had been doing fine earlier, what had changed…?

Landi sighed again. “Jeez. What’d you do Renn? Why’s he so touchy of all a sudden?” Landi asked Renn.

“Huh…?” Renn sounded like she couldn’t believe what she was being accused of.

Smiling a little as I went to carving a tiny design on the edge, I waited patiently for their next words.

“Maybe he’s not doing well enough on his little thing. Or did you do something earlier today? While you were out and about?” Landi asked with a whisper.

“Um… No? You sure he’s even upset Landi? He seemed fine to me just now,” Renn said.

“Fine…? Renn, I love you dear but you obviously need glasses,” Landi said.

“I… I do?” Renn sounded hurt, as if she believed her.

“Maybe he needs to get laid,” Landi wondered.

“You think?” Renn asked.

My carving stopped, and I sighed as the two whispered their theories as to why I was supposedly grouchy.

It didn’t take long for them to switch topics. They left me as a focus, and returned to her harem for a short time. Landi told her about the porcupine, and how he was addicted to the drug native to this area. And how we had lost his brother trying to get them off it. He had killed himself out of withdrawal, so now we just let the surviving brother be.

Landi spoke of the humans she had for a short time. How they had failed her. So she made them eunuchs.

It was interesting that Renn had to be told and explained what such a thing was.

“And they survive…?” Renn asked, interested.

“Not always. A few died from the shock,” Landi said.

“Shocking,” I said.

Landi giggled as I finished carving one of the designs. Shifting the piece of wood, I went to carve the next one.

For a few more hours, Renn and Landi enjoyed their talks. It was interesting that the two of them were willing to disagree, and debate, over things. From philosophy to simple beliefs or likes and dislikes. They argued over the moral conundrum of killing the diseased on sight just as harshly as they argued over their favorite drinks.

Yet as the night grew old, and the hours passed… eventually their conversations turned into more somber ones. With each telling of their past sorrows, and failures.

Landi spoke of all the people she wished she had been kinder to. Those she had fought and killed, those she had called friends. She wished she hadn’t hurt them. She wished she could go back in time and not try to fight them.

Renn spoke of the many members in the Society she now hated, or was upset with. And how she wished she was better. How she wished she could overlook the things she saw as flaws. And of the humans she had fallen in love with, and how she would never change her time with them… yet she still in the end regretted spending so much of it on them all the same.

It was a little humbling to hear the two of them speak in such ways. It was as if they were trying to tell each other their life stories. Because they knew, innately, that they might not ever see each other again.

Yet they were doing it in a way that…

Glancing over at the two, and how close they had gotten to each other on the couch as they spoke…

Yes. They spoke as if sisters. As if they’ve known each other their whole lives.

I was glad I had brought Renn here. I was glad that Landi got to meet her, before it was too late.

Renn was unique. She was a predator… but not as brash. Not as cold hearted, or as simple minded.

She could relate to those like Landi. Like the Clothed Woman. She could become friends with those like Merit, or Tosh. Yet… could also become friends with even the meekest of our members. Like little Fly, or Rapti.

At least, she could until fate forced them apart. Like it had done at the Sleepy Artist.

As I pondered such a thing, and carved the piece of wood… I didn’t notice the two go quiet.

I blinked as a shadow shifted nearby… And Landi appeared in the corner of my eye.

Landi was silent as I blew off some tiny wood shavings.

Studying the shape, I was very pleased.

I knew I still had it. All those little bracelets must have just been a fluke. Maybe sleeping on that cart with Renn during that quarantine had… fixed… whatever was wrong with me.

Trying to be hopeful, even though I still felt that small tug of exhaustion deep down, I nodded as I turned to finally look at Landi.

She stood before me with crossed arms, and a sullen look. If I hadn’t known her better, I’d think she were upset I had been ignoring her. But Landi, although eccentric and a predator… didn’t have that kind of pride. Her pride was a different flavor.

“I have a request,” she then said.

I nodded as I leaned back a little, as to sit properly and not hunched over my wood block. “You always do,” I said.

Renn entered my peripheral vision, but I kept my eyes on Landi. She looked a little too serious, even for her.

“It’s a big one, this time,” she added.

“About the plague, I’m assuming?” I tossed out what I had expected it to be.

Landi shifted, and for the first time in many years… I saw worry on her face.

Earlier when I had challenged her, to see if she had finally grown strong enough to challenge me to a fight… she hadn’t shown worry. She had shown concern. Uncertainty. But not outright worry.

She was usually too proud to let such an emotion scare her.

Frowning at her, I tilted my head. “Is it not?” I asked.

“Well… kind of… did you say that because you know, or…?”

Know…? “Know what?” I asked.

Renn was now closer. She had walked up towards me, and was a few feet away from the bench I was on. To my right. Her bare feet on the stone floor sounded interesting. The sound made me want to turn as to look over the back of the bench, to see her feet. Even though I should be focused entirely on Landi right now.

Landi grumbled, and then sighed. “I hate that. You’re so…!” she mumbled some insults at me, some I noted made Renn’s ears twitch.

Smiling at Landi as she stepped away, and then paced a moment… I wondered what was wrong. She must think I knew something I wasn’t supposed to. But… well…

I did, but also didn’t. I’d studied the city, but honestly hadn’t done much more than that.

I had focused more on Renn. And that young boy. Hawk or whatever his name had been.

“Now who is not acting themselves, I wonder?” I said gently.

“Gah! Seriously Vim!” Landi groaned as she went to rub her head. As if she suddenly had a horrible headache.

Patiently waiting, I smiled gently at her… then glanced at Renn.

Our Jaguar was smilingly softly, if a little unsurely, at our Queen Badger. I liked how she looked as if she was staring at a long time friend.

“Feh! Fine…! Vim… I have a request!” Landi then spun, and stepped towards me.

I nodded. “You always do,” I said again.

Landi was about to say it, but then smirked and laughed. “See Renn? I complain, but Vim is actually a good man. He lets me abuse his mercy, yet always makes it clear his opinion on it,” she said to Renn.

“Hm… I personally think he should be a little more opinionated. You’re right, he’s more open with you about his annoyance, but he still obviously plans to do whatever it is you ask of him. I think he should be a little more forceful with his own beliefs,” Renn said, once again continuing their little weird debate about their different morals and beliefs.

Landi giggled. “Right! I agree… but it’s sexy, isn’t it?”

“Sexy…?” Renn and I turned to frown at her.

She nodded at us. “Yeah? I mean… he’s so strong. So old and wise. Vim could ignore me, or outright deny me, yet he always lets me give him orders and tasks as if he was just a common soldier in my army. There’s an odd indescribable joy to have control over such a man, isn’t there?” Landi said as she pointed at me.

I studied Landi’s expression as Renn shifted uncomfortably in the corner of my eye.

“Why make it a sexual thing…?” Renn asked her.

Landi broke out into a huge grin, and then started to giggle… then her giggles turned into laughs. Ones that were full and loud.

Glancing at Renn as Landi laughed away, I smiled at Renn’s unsure face. She looked more bothered by Landi’s sudden laughter than what had been the cause of it.

“Ah…!” Landi contained herself as she sniffed and grinned at Renn. “Isn’t everything, though?” Landi finally answered.

I sighed as I put my little wood piece to the side. “What do you want me to do, Landi?” I asked her.

The Queen of the Nation of Stone turned to me, and her smirk slowly died.

Staring into my eyes, I noted the weird look in them. Was…

Was that fear…?

Really?

From Landi?

Not just worry, or concern, but genuine fear…?

“Why… Kill the Monarch that’s poisoning my people, of course.”