“Mia.”
“Yes, Marina?” She answers, not looking up from her breakfast. It’s the same old bowl of what passes for “porridge” down here, which we have every day. It’s only today that it seems to interest her more than maintaining eye contact during our conversation.
“Are we really going back out into the Abyss chasing this Wolf Queen of the… Wolf Pups that Crow says he’s a part of?”
“He wasn’t lying about it.” She shrugs lightly.
“I wasn’t questioning that. What I’m questioning is, are we really going back out into the Abyss already? It hasn’t even been a week since the Expedition team got back. I missed my bed a lot, you know, and I’d like to spend a bit more time with it before being dragged out beyond the walls again.”
“The Expedition Team is always prepared to venture forth with a moment’s notice. It is what is expected from all members of the team.”
“But I’m not officially part of the Expedition Team, I’m your assistant…”
“Yes, you are. Which means you’ll be joining me, and the Expedition Team, as Crow leads us to meet with the rest of his group.”
“And why would he lead us there? Yes, we have Rann. We have you. We have me. They could still outnumber and ambush us. I’m not assuming the worst about Crow, but I’m planning for the worst just in case.”
She sighs to herself, putting down her spoon and looking up at me for the first time in this conversation.
“Do you trust in my judgement, Marina?” She asks.
“It was your judgement that allowed me to live here.”
“Mm. And what did I tell you a few nights ago?”
“That you want to get everyone out of the Abyss.”
“Everyone.” She emphasises. The conviction in her eyes is clear. It’s her dream, and nothing will get in the way of it.
“Besides.” She continues, loosening up a little. “If we’re going to escape the Abyss, we need more manpower. I want to expand Haven and map out the Abyss. Others have escaped this hellhole before, but the only method ever mentioned is the crane that helped build Haven. Those that escaped via other means never spoke of how they escaped; or at least, no one had the courtesy to write down what they said. If one pathfinder of the Wolf Pups could find a secret way into Haven, they likely know the lay of the land far better than we do. We have resources, shelter, food, and clean water. They have information. It’s a fair offer.”
“I hope their leader sees it that way.”
“I do find “Wolf Queen” to be an interesting title. I hope it belongs to an interesting person.” She smiles to herself.
“... There’s no way you’re not doing this, is there.”
“And when did you feel so inclined to complain about everything?” She questions, crossing her arms.
“I’ve just never seen you this eager for anything before.”
She goes to retort, only to cut herself off as she furrows her brow, quite obviously averting my gaze.
“If you have nothing better to do, go check on Crow. I’ll make an announcement to the town later today. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.” She huffs.
Tomorrow morning. I hope I get to bed early tonight…
…
“So, how’s the daring little thief?”
“Still sleeping. He’s barely slept since he got there, and that’s caught up with him.” Tiff smiles, sipping from her mulled pomegranate wine.
Mmm, mulled pomegranate… or well, bloodseed fruit wine. Served warm and topped with spices I couldn’t name off the top of my head, but it tastes vaguely cinnamon-y. The warm drink of choice in Haven. It’s almost sinfully indulgent, given the place we’re in, but this represents a hundred years of hard-fought comfort and stability. I’ll take it whenever I can.
I should really just start calling them pomegranates around others here. “Bloodseed fruit” is just a mouthful, even if it has fewer syllables than pomegranate. Pomegranate. Rolls off the tongue.
“Marina?” Tiff speaks up, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“A-ah? Yes?”
“You look like your mind is elsewhere.”
“It… I guess it is, yeah. I’m not looking forward to charging back out into the Abyss.”
“Once Mia has her mind set on something, it’s nearly impossible to change it. It’s as much her strength as it is her flaw. She’s…”
“Agonisingly stubborn?”
“That’s one way to put it.” Tiff giggles to herself.
“It’s not something I can complain about, though. I figured out pretty quickly that the reason why things are how they are for me now is because of her stubbornness.”
“Yes, well…” Tiff looks away sheepishly, gazing down at the dim fireplace between us before speaking. “The night you got here, we held a council meeting on what to do with you. Anton, Vann, Rann, and I, all agreed that we… ahaha… wanted to keep you locked in the Cellars. Just for a few days, to see how you’d… handle it. I’m not proud to admit it, but you nearly cut out Aran’s eye. You have wings with swords in them. We all thought Rann had captured some new monster of the Abyss we’d never encountered before.”
“You mean, Anton actually agreed on something with Rann and Vann?”
“Pff…” Tiff stifles her laugh, smiling warmly as she looks back up at me. “You always look for the silver lining, don’t you?”
“Well… I can’t disagree with your decision. I thought I was a monster.” A soft nudge against the back of my neck informs me of my wings’ disdain at being called “monstrous”. Don’t blame me, wings. Wings don’t usually come with swords and a mind of their own.
“Did the Chief overrule all your complaints, or did she manage to convince you in some way?”
“She let us all speak, say our pieces and voice our concerns as she sat quietly and listened. Once we’d all said what we wanted to say, she asked if we knew what she saw in you when you first got here.”
“With her soulseer ability, she could probably tell how much I was panicking and freaking out?”
“She saw that you were the key to uniting the Abyss, the first step on the path to escaping it.”
“... That’s far loftier than I expected.”
“Rann said something similar.” She chuckles. “Mia then congratulated and thanked Rann for bringing the perfect tool she needed for her plans to get us all out of here. We’re stuck in a hole in the ground, and you have wings. Of course, we didn’t know you didn’t know how to fly when we found you, but it was a sensible assumption at the time.”
“But then…”
“Why did Rann decide to capture you and bring you back when he didn’t know you had wings in the first place?” She takes the words right out of my mouth. “You’re right to question that. Normally, after an adult that runs into them gets knocked out, the Expedition Team might tie them to a tree or something and move on so they can’t be followed. Instead, Rann decided to bring you all the way back to Haven.”
“Why did he?”
“In his own words, he thought the Chief would be interested in seeing you. It was his gut instinct.”
“So it was purely on a whim?”
“Oh, you know how men like Rann are with their “guts” and their “intuition”. His gut instinct wasn’t wrong, though. Mia did take an immediate interest in you.”
“I’d almost be hurt if someone didn’t take an interest in a strange girl with wings with swords in them landing on their doorstep.”
“She convinced us of your value to Haven and to her own goals, but her true reasons were obvious enough that we all noticed it.”
“Those true reasons being…?”
“You were someone in need, right on our doorstep. She couldn’t just turn you away. For all her stubbornness and pride, she’s…”
“A compulsive helper.” I finished for her. She smiles.
“Yes. The reason you’re living under her roof and have become part of Haven, is the same reason why she wants to meet the Wolf Pups and their leader. She wants to help, in any way she can.”
“If only she could just come out and admit that…” I sigh in exasperation.
“Oh, but then she wouldn’t be our Mia, would she?” Tiff grins.
‘I suppose not.” I smile. “How much does the rest of the village know about Crow?”
“They know the thief has been caught. They don’t know who Crow is yet, but given the stolen items have all been returned and the Chief stated that the thief has been punished, most of the furor around town has died down. Of course, there are rumours that the Expedition Team is going to set out again soon, and they don’t know why yet. Or that the Chief is going with them.”
“Have any of the past Chiefs of Haven… gone out into the wider Abyss before?”
I pause, as I notice our current Chief has entered Tiff’s home, quiet and unannounced. Tiff, sitting in her chair that faces away from the door, hasn’t noticed that the Chief has entered the building and is standing behind her chair, as she continues speaking to me.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Yes. Mia’s predecessor spent more time outside Haven than he spent in it. His role as Chief was closer to Rann’s position than it is to Mia’s. When Mia succeeded him, she reformed how Haven was run, formalising arrangements with the kitchen staff and farmers, the craftsmen, the guard, and the expedition team. She’s mostly kept busy with making things run smoothly, paperwork, town meetings, and helping teach the children. She’s never even made the notion of her travelling beyond Haven’s walls until now.”
“Time changes, Tiffany. Where’s Crow?” The Chief says, casually joining the conversation.
Tiff nearly jumps out of her chair, spinning around to look up to the Chief and huff.
“Mia!! Don’t sneak up on me in my own home! And I was going to bring Crow over in a few minutes!”
“I asked Marina to go check on him, and I find you’ve sat her down for a fireside chat over mulled wine. I thought she was taking too long. Is Crow in the spare room?” She brushes off Tiff’s shock, glancing over at the stairs.
“He’s still sleeping! And you haven’t said how you’re going to go over this announcement to the village! Are you just going to say “This is Crow, he’s from outside Haven, and we’re going to go meet his friends” Do you think they’ll just accept that?” Tiff calls, getting up from her chair as the Chief heads up the stairs. I get up too, following along behind her.
“They can think what they please. It’s essentially a rescue operation. Bringing capable and resourceful young adults and children back to the safety of Haven. There’s no difference from all the other times we’ve taken in children the Expedition team found.” She stops in front of the door to the spare room of Tiff’s house just as Tiff and I reach the top of the stairs. The Chief knocks twice, before opening the door. “Crow? Time to get up. We have a meeting shortly-”
A black-haired blur shoots past the Chief as she opens the door, barreling past Tiff and heading straight for the stairs, nearly making it past me.
That is, until my left wing flips out from under my cloak, creating a wall of feathers that Crow runs face-first into.
“Pfffhhhh! Gheh! What the hell is this?!” Crow splutters out, as my wing pushes him back from the stairs as he tumbles over backwards.
“And where exactly were you planning on going?” The Chief asks, glaring down at Crow with her arms crossed.
“N… Nowhere…” He grumbles, embarrassed that his escape attempt was foiled so easily.
“Good.” She flashes her false smile as Tiff helps Crow back on his feet. “You’re coming to the tavern. We have an announcement to make.”
“... You’re not going to make me apologise to the whole town, are you…?” Crow asks, glancing up at the Chief.
“Something along those lines. Come along now, you three.” She waves him off, heading past me down the stairs as Tiff and Crow follow her.
Crow stops on the step I’m standing on, giving me an odd look.
“What?”
“Why do you do what she wants without her even asking you to?” He asks.
“It’s that or the magic chains.”
“... Fair.”
“Besides, when she fakes a smile like that, it’s best to just go along with what she wants. It’s just something you learn when you spend long enough around her. Her lips smile, but her eyes don’t.”
“I know that smile. It’s the smile the nobles would give us street kids when they “helped” us with their “charities”... Just did it to make themselves look good.” Crow scoffs, glancing down the stairs.
“Mm, I know that smile too, but that’s not the way the Chief does it. She’s a lot more expressive than she thinks she is. You just have to watch her eyes - it’s easy to tell with her long, dark eyelashes.”
“What, you’ve spent whole days just staring at her eyes like that?”
“... Let’s get moving before she gets angry again, okay.”
“Fine…” He huffs.
…
The tavern is abuzz with activity as the town has gathered for the Chief’s impromptu announcement. Rumours and guesses are traded in hushed whispers and quiet murmurs. An expedition is being organised so soon after the last one, which has caught everyone’s attention and imagination as to what or why another is setting out. Expeditions usually only happen once a month, so why one now? There’s still plenty of meat, fur, and other materials left over from the bloodbeast. Is there a shortage of sweet-tree sap? Was so much stolen that they needed to gather more supplies that can’t be found within Haven?
If they weren’t murmuring about the rumoured expedition, they were glancing or staring at the short, black-haired boy standing next to Vann that no one recognised. Did the last expedition bring back a rescued child? Was this child the thief? Some even pondered if this child had snuck into Haven; an idea that was either laughed off, or taken deathly serious. The largest guarantor of Haven’s security was its secrecy. If its secrecy was breached, was Haven still safe?
Crow, for his part, is not enjoying being the centre of attention. He obviously wants to run away, or at the very least hide behind Vann, but he keeps a brave face even as he’s visibly shaking. Rann is leaning against the wall by the front door, Anton and Tiff are sitting at the Council’s table with Vann and Crow beside them. The barmaids and kitchen crew lean over the counter from the kitchen, as the rest of the town occupies the tables and benches, all waiting for the Chief to come back downstairs and make her announcement. I, for the matter, have found a quiet corner near the Council’s table to lean against and enjoy the show that’s about to begin. There’s no way I’m not going on this expedition, so I’ve accepted my fate. Mostly. Maybe I subconsciously chose this dark corner so I could brood for a bit.
The door at the top of the stairs opens. Some look back to watch the Chief walk down the creaking wooden stairs, but most keep their eyes forward as she rounds the crowd, walks up onto the stage with staff in her white gloved hand, and clears her throat.
“I do apologise for calling everyone here on such short notice. It is most unlike me to do things on a whim, but the circumstances have forced my hand.” She begins, as everyone leans forward to listen.
I shoot a glance at Tiff. She gives me a small shrug and a smile in response.
“Three years ago, when I succeeded my predecessor as the new Chief of Haven, I made a promise to you all; that we would not spend the rest of our lives trapped within this Abyss. There’s an entire world out there beyond these cliffs, and I’ll be damned if I don’t get to see the wider world for myself. I’ve already read every book in town cover-to-cover twice over, and many of those books are not what you’d consider page-turners. Surely, this world has better literature on offer than the exhaustive encyclopaedias of the thousands upon thousands of varieties of moss that grew in some far-off place a hundred years ago.”
The crowd chuckles as the Chief tells her roundabout jokes. Although, some are smart enough to know that she’s being entirely serious in her complaints at the lack of good books to read here.
“I fully intend to keep that promise. Keeping to that promise, however, requires drastic action to be taken. Actions which shake up or outright destroy the status quo. I do not intend to hide behind the walls of Haven forever. I promised to lead. Which is why I will be joining the expedition team on tomorrow’s expedition.”
Surprise and confusion quickly spreads through the room. Not only is there an expedition planned, it’ll be tomorrow, and the Chief will be setting out with them. Little do they know that this is only the start of the shocking news.
“As for the reason for this sudden expedition.” On cue, Vann steps forward with Crow by his side, as all eyes in the room turn to look upon him. Poor kid. “This is Crow, the newest resident of Haven. He would have received a warm welcome… had he not run off and hid the moment the Expedition team returned. Also, had he not run away and hid, he would have known that he didn’t have to take others’ things without asking to survive here.” She glances down at Crow, who desperately wants to hide behind Vann, but he stays rooted in place.
Thankfully, the reveal of the thief didn’t cause a huge uproar. The stolen items had been returned, after all, and Crow was so nervous and shaky he definitely looks like he’s already received some discipline for his actions. Some scowl or sneer at him, but most are forgiving of the fact that Crow is only a child who didn’t know any better; which is the exact feeling that the Chief wanted to leave people with.
“Crow.” She says, and Crow jumps and looks straight up at her. “What should you say to the people you took from without asking?”
“S…” He mumbles, gripping the rough hem of his shirt as he glances across the room, from the kitchen staff, across the crowd, until his eyes finally level with Rann, leaning against the tavern’s doorway. Rann gives him a small nod, and Crow stands a little more upright.
“I’m sorry… for taking things without asking.” Crow says, raising his voice enough so that the whole room hears him.
“That’s better.” The Chief smiles, giving him a pat on the head, which Crow tries to brush off.
“Now…” She turns her attention back to the crowd, scanning their expressions before continuing. “Crow is unlike the other children we’ve brought back to Haven before. Crow is part of a faction of the Abyss. A faction we did not know of until we met Crow. They call themselves the Wolf Pups, and from what Crow has told us… they are a faction consisting entirely of the children that have found themselves reborn within the Abyss.”
Many brows furrow in the light of this news. Some gasp in shock, while others exchange concerned looks and horrified whispers. It’s a disturbing thought, a group made entirely of children trying to survive in such a hostile place. It would be almost too unpleasant to imagine; if it wasn’t so frighteningly reasonable.
“As unpleasant as such a thought is…” Anton chimes in, sitting back in his chair. “It is only logical that such a group would exist. While we do make the effort to rescue and raise every child we can find, we are no less insular than the other factions of the Abyss. Many have to fend for themselves out there. It’s simply human nature to band together in the attempt to survive such a dangerous environment.”
“Anton is correct. Haven’s security is its secrecy; a secret we strive to protect every day. But we will not escape the Abyss by hiding in our little corner forever. This settlement has already stood for a hundred years. We have clean water, clothes, shelter, books, ink and paper, even a successful farm. Even if our cutlery were made of gold and we slept upon sheets of the finest silk, a cage is still a cage. A cage many of us have never left since the day we stepped foot in it.” She grips her staff as a look of frustration flashes across her face.
“You have yet to explain the point of this sudden expedition, Chief Lichtrufer.” Anton comments. The Chief clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, getting back into her usual Chief-y self.
“This group, the Wolf Pups, have a leader they call the Wolf Queen. The Wolf Pups dwell within the Dead Hollows, near Dead Man’s Dream, where they are close to the centre of the Abyss and well-suited for finding and protecting other children within the area. I plan to set out and meet this Wolf Queen, accompanied by Rann, Marina, and several members of the Expedition Team, to broker a deal with them. What I seek is simple: an alliance.” She pauses to let her words sink in for a moment.
Naturally, many have questions as to what an “alliance” between two groups within the Abyss would mean.
“To make myself crystal clear…” She continues, as the audience quickly quietens down and listens. “Not all of the Wolf Pups are children; some are in their late teens, but many, such as Crow, are very capable and self-reliant for their young age. They do, however, have many children too young to look after themselves. The terms of this alliance comes down to a simple agreement: the Wolf Pups do provision runs and keep an eye out for children in need of rescue, and in turn, Haven will open its gates to the Wolf Pups for whatever they need that they cannot procure themselves.”
“And you hope this… Wolf Queen will be amicable to your terms? Are you not marching straight into the jaws of the beast?” Anton questions, leaning forwards and resting his arms on the table. A few in the crowd nod in agreement.
“I will be joining Rann, the core members of the Expedition team, and I will have Marina with me. I am also a mage of some renown. If they think they can trick or betray us, they will quickly discover that they’ve bitten off more than they could chew.” The Chief gives a self-satisfied smile.
“You said yourself that Haven’s security is its secrecy. How is an alliance like this not in violation of that secrecy?” Anton presses, standing up behind the table.
“A secret cannot hold a sword. Nor can it cast a spell. It cannot build a wall, and it cannot plan a defence. A secret is a veil. Sooner or later, that veil will be lifted by forces beyond our control; so the best choice we can make is to lift it ourselves. I do not wish to reach out to the Wolf Pups simply as an act of charity. It is the next step in securing Haven’s future. In such an alliance, we are the senior partner. We will be gaining new explorers, pathfinders, foragers, and warriors. Young, able-bodied men and women to help with the expansion of Haven, and those too young to help will be given a safe and secure home and raised as our own. We are helping those in need. It just so happens that by helping others, we are helping ourselves even moreso.” The Chief glances back at Anton, as everyone in the room waits in silence for his response.
“Hmm.” Anton nods, sitting back down. “You’ve made your point. I have no further issues with this course of action.”
With even Anton himself convinced, there is no further need for debate over the Chief’s plan. Any fears that this was an impromptu, poorly-organised expedition that came about on a whim were thoroughly disproven. This was all part of the Chief’s grand plan to lift us all out of the Abyss, doing just what she promised to do when she first took the role.
“That concludes this meeting. Rann, I want the expedition team provisioned and equipped for up to a week’s leave from Haven. We should not have to rely on the generosity of our hosts if we mean to present ourselves as valuable allies. We depart tomorrow, at daybreak. That is all.” With a stamp of her staff, the meeting is dismissed.
The crowd steadily filters out of the tavern as everyone returns to their duties for the day. Rann heads off to ready the expedition team, while the Chief, Tiff, and Vann take Crow with them back upstairs. I haven’t been given so much as a look by the Chief as she left the room, which means I have some free time for now. Maybe I’ll head back to my room and continue reading that book I started a few days ago.
“Quite the orator, isn’t she.” Anton comments, standing next to me for… I don’t know how long he’s been there.
“Ah… Uh… Yes, she is. She even managed to convince you.”
“I was already convinced. She merely required the opportunity to convince everyone else.” Anton sighs lightly, walking past me. “You clearly still have much to learn in the art of persuasion.”
Before I can get a word out, he’s already disappeared through the side door to the kitchen.
Sometimes, I wish I had the Chief’s soulseer abilities just so I can get a read on whatever his deal is.
For now, though, I’ll go get comfy with my bed and finish that book. Gods knows how many days it’ll be until I see it again…