As Will and Ilicia followed Yord toward his home, Will could not help but notice how the feel of the villages seemed to have shifted dramatically from indifference toward strangers to a carefully reserved caution. The feeling seemed to worsen as they moved closer to Yord's home.

"They really are putting people on edge, aren't they?" Ilicia asked, catching the looks on people's faces.

"Yes, they are," Yord replied, "and honestly, they are calmer than I had anticipated. Once news that the Grenga were in town, I expected panic, but several people noted Will's arrival, which seemed to mellow out the response."

"Will, are you such a threat?" Ilicia said quietly.

"Ilicia, don't forget how we met." Will said, "I was fully intending and capable of killing your father and anyone who got in my way."

Ilicia thought about how ironic it was that a man as powerful and seemingly motivated as Will would go from trying to kill her father to being her personal bodyguard and potential lover. She blushed at the thought, and Will smiled at her as they walked.

"Well, here we are," Yord said as he gestured for Will and Ilicia to enter his home. He followed almost hesitantly. Inside were two beings who wore a strangely humanoid shape composed of dark shifting skin that seemed to encapsulate a mass of smoke. Both beings were sitting on ornate chairs that appeared to be composed of gold, but when they stood, the chairs melted back into the dirt they had been formed from.

"Greetings," Will said, attempting to perform an introduction for himself and Ilicia, but he was cut off.

"Silence, bodyguard." One of the Grenga said. "You will not speak in these proceedings. We await the Princess of Kolt and the representative of the Gob'Ran. We …” The first Grenga trailed off as the second Grenga placed a restraining hand on the first's shoulder.

"Greetings, Princess of Kolt. Greetings, Will Garrow. we are Likva and Meftar of the Grenga. More accurately, we are of the Jilnary Grenga. We welcome you and look forward to your visit to our city and the potential allegiance you represent." The second Grenga said in a clearly more feminine voice.

The first Grenga, Meftar, seemed to pale, realizing what he had done. Will spoke before Meftar could say anything. "Greetings Likva, Greetings Meftar, I am Will Garrow, grandson of Got'Ro and Yilan. This is Princess Ilicia Ted Koltsheg, Princess of the Kingdom of Kolt. We are here to represent our peoples in the coming meetings and to determine if an alliance between our three peoples is possible."

Will made a point to stare intrusively at each Grenga as he said their names, and Ilicia was thankful for it as she was somewhat flustered. Thanks to Will, though, she regained her composure and stepped in without a reintroduction or some kind of offense given to the Grenga. “Greetings Likva and Meftar. As Will said, I am Princess Ilicia Ted Koltsheg of Kolt. It is a pleasure to meet you."

The pleasantries continued for some time, both parties asking how the other had fared on their way to this meeting place. Finally, Will seemed bored of the games and looked from Ilicia to the two Grenga. "Well, I don't know about the three of you, but I am ready to get this show on the road. Shall we?"

All three stared at Will and his strange colloquialism before the assumed meaning seemed to reach them. Ilicia nodded, and the Grenga rose to follow them out. Yord, who had stepped outside to let them talk, saw them leaving and smiled at Will, who nodded and began to walk out of the village with Ilicia, Likva, and Meftar trailing behind him.

The trip was quick. When the sun started to set, and the three moons began to rise, the strange group of four made it to the city gates. But the apparent friendliness that Will and Ilicia had come to expect from Likva and Meftar was not given by the guards at the gate to the inner city.

"Only those who are supposed to be here are permitted entry." One of the guards said.

"We are supposed to be here," Ilicia said, her voice carrying a note of annoyance at the disregard that Likva and Meftar displayed at this confrontation.

"If you were supposed to be here, we would know. Please move along." The guard reached out as if to push Ilicia on her way and found his wrist enclosed by the massive hand of Will.

"Do not touch the princess." He said, his tone dropping to the dangerous and icy frequency that Ilicia had come to recognize as a warning Will would use toward those who are deserving.

"You will release me." The guard said, somewhat taken aback at the fact that he could not pull free from the hand holding his wrist.

"I will, but first, you will acknowledge what I said. Do not touch the Princess." Will said, his eyes never leaving the guards.

Ilicia was panicking and did the only thing she could. "Will, please release him." Ilicia locked eyes with the guard and spoke again. "I am Ilicia Ter Koltsheg, Princess of Kolt and ambassador of his royal highness the King of Kolt. This is Will Garrow, representative of the Gob'Ran and Princess's Man, son of the champion Brock Garrow. We are here at the request of your leaders, and this is how we are greeted? I will inform my father and the leaders of the Gob'Ran Collective that if the Grenga come forward with requests of trade or assistance, it is your fault we do not have an alliance. So please, tell me your name, guard."

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

Will smiled internally, watching the blood drain from the face of the guard. And then Ilicia and Will were shocked to hear laughter. A hooded Grenga stepped out from the shadows. "Well, met the Princess. I am Halfax, leader of the Grenga, and I apologize for my little test. I just wanted to see if the two of you were anything more than figureheads. And you passed easily, Princess."

The old man looked from Ilicia to Will and locked eyes with Will. "You, however, young man, I am unsure of. You grabbed a Grenga and acted like you could have stopped him had he chosen to harm the Princess. Do you know why that is foolish?"

Will looked at the old man and smiled. "Because even if he had gotten the help of the entire guard, it still would not have been a fair fight."

The guards looked as if they were about to explode in anger. But the old man simply smiled and laughed. "You are confident, and I can see from your size, and how you carry yourself you are assured in your abilities. So show me, young man, pretend these two guards attacked the Princess; show me how you would deal with it."

The two angry guards smiled, thinking the old man was allowing them some redemption. They both hefted their spears and made as if to attack Will. But before they could finish the movement, Will grabbed their heads, each head in a massive hand. He was squeezing hard enough to make them cry out. He lifted the two Grenga guards off the ground, powerful muscles rippling under his shirt, as he turned to the old man with a disturbing lack of emotion on his face or in his voice and spoke.

"Shall I continue, or are you satisfied?" Will squeezed a little more, eliciting more screams from the two guards.

The old man looked at Will with a slight fear, but he still smiled. "I am satisfied; I apologize for aggravating you so. But it has been long since I met someone designated a princesses man, and I wanted to know if the title was just for show."

Will set the two guards down, and they scrambled away from Will. The old man shook his head. "I guess I will have to compensate them somehow. Well, another problem for another time. Please, Princess Ilicia and Will Garrow, follow me. We would like to meet briefly with you before we show you to your rooms for your stay."

Will and Ilicia nodded and followed Halfax. They were quickly introduced to a ruling collective and made small talk for a short while before being shown to two richly appointed rooms. The rooms were a suite connected to each other. Ilicia thought, "I wanted to lay with Will" while she slept. But, for appearances, Will insisted they both rest in their own beds.

The next day Will and Ilicia spent most of the day speaking with Halfax and several others in the collective. They learned much, but the day ended with Will and Ilicia understanding the Grenga were seeking the alliance for several reasons. Primary among them was the fact that a wizard of vast power had started enslaving the lower casts of Grenga, and their leadership had done nothing to prevent it. This was also what brought them to this reality.

Several days passed, with results that all parties found acceptable. The Gob'Ran and Kingdom of Kolt would sign non-aggression agreements and mutual defense pacts. In return, the Grenga would assist with major construction projects and trade deals.

Promissory documents were signed, and a month from the day, the leaders of the Gob'Ran, Kolt, and Grenga would meet to sign the official treaties. Will and Ilicia went to bed, staying up for several hours and discussing what they had managed to work out with the Grenga. Just as they were about to drift off to sleep, a horn sounded.

As the horn sounded, Will felt every instinct he had told him to be ready. Then a voice that seemed to emanate from the very walls spoke. "Traitors and betrayers of the true Grenga, rejoice! I am here on behalf of the great and powerful wizard Viltar. I am here to force you to realize your folly and allow you to relearn your place in this world. Do not resist! Resistance is death!"

The voice faded, and Will looked to Ilicia. Even the name of the wizard nearly drove Will into a frenzy. Then he looked at Ilicia, remembered he had to protect her, and found his feelings for her overpowering his rage. So he took a deep breath and began dressing and strapping on the weaponry he always wore. "Pack your things, Ilicia. We need to leave."

"No," Ilicia said, looking out the window. "We just got done promising to help them. We can't simply leave them to rot in this instance. I am staying, Will, and as your friend and as your charge, I have a request for the Princess's man."

Will was slightly surprised. The Princess had never asked him anything so formally before. He was about to speak when a knock on the door stopped him. Will stepped to the side of the door as it started to open. Halfax walked in, and Will relaxed.

"Will, Princess Ilicia, I am glad you are well." Halfax seems to be understandably disheveled. "I have a request. We can deal with almost anything they can throw at us. But not mages. Please call for aid."

Ilicia smiled, stepping forward to take Halfax's hand in hers in a reassuring way. "Of course, we will help you." Ilicia dropped Halfax's hands and turned to Will.

Will smiled and bowed slightly. "Your request, my princess?"

Ilicia's face became the stone face of a royal issuing orders. It was chilling for Will to see it on the face of the woman he cared for. "Will Garrow, I order you, as the Princess's man, to hunt the mages of the force assaulting this city. In the meantime, I will remand myself to the protection of the Grenga."

Will bowed low. "Yes, princess." Will turned to face Halfax. "Please look after the princess."

"Yes, of course." Halfax seemed flustered. "But Will, how do you intend to hunt them? Won't they kill you with their magic? How would you even find them?"

Without saying anything, Will removed his father's ring and watched Halfax's eyes widen in awe and a little fear as Will assumed his natural form, the ring no longer drawing off his sealed magic to power his grandmother's enchantment. "It's all rather simple, Halfax. Hunting mages is easy once you make yourself a target."

Will turned and walked from the room. His hulking form seemed even more, imposing now that his heritage was laid bare for all to see. Halfax looked after Will and then turned to Ilicia shaking his head as if to clear it. "Shall we adjourn to the keep, Princess?"

"Yes," Ilicia said, praying silently. "Please, gods of the world, let him be safe. Let him come back to me."