“Anna!” “Snow!”
Let the hugging war begin with a shout. Well those two really seem to have missed each other. In two days the next transport is scheduled. With the many presents Snow has in her shadow we will be hard pressed presenting them all before the next trip is ready.
“It sounds so cute! Never thought an Insect can make such cute noises!”
Ah, the darn cricket. Still with us it seems. Snow even learned how to feed it from Spot, as they know what all the animals around love to eat.
Where was I? Ah, the transport. Well I will go again with the Villagers, but seems Snow will come too, as she had so much fun shopping last time. Well I have no complaints, as she has fun with all of it.
By the way the Ballroom in the Castle is ready as is the Study. The ballroom in the east is rather large and has a balcony right to the outside, around the balcony is much shrubbery as I have started a second kind of garden for Bush Man. A giant labyrinth is in the working and while I form the ways and even some parts which are movable to change the ways, Bush Man just tends to his siblings.
He is not really under my control, but he does what the plants say and I am in control of the taken over plants so whatever. For all that is worth he is rather the most peaceful and passive Monster right now. Working on keeping the plants well fed and maybe lashing out, when something gnaws on the roots of a distressed shrubbery, otherwise a total pacifist.
On the West side right opposite from the Foyer is the Study. A rather large room with a nice flooring and big study tables. While there are bookshelves there is a spiral staircase upwards to a still empty library. Just making room as, if the Visions of the Beastkin is to be believed, I will be here for some Decades at least.
North from the Foyer I started something a bit more weird. I call it the towering Stairs. Entering the Room it is kind of an extremely tall room with two large Pillars left and right. Stairs are winding the way upwards to the separate floors. And now to the weird part: You can reach the ground level, second level and fourth level from there. The first third and roof are only reachable if you are on an uneven floor number as the second staircase winding perpendicular to the first one does not start on the ground floor.
Why? Just because. Well Snow and me can always move there without the stairs as I can use my Portal an she just jumps that distance as if it were nothing.
If I ever have some kind of ‘invasion’ they will wonder what is going on. Well, to be honest I just want to create something silly, as I love strange layouts.
For now the only way to the uneven numbers for other people is the Study, to the library via stairs and then from there to the other levels. But who would even need to move around there except us?
…
“Name and purpose?”
“Ava, Mercenary. With me is Snow and our haulers.”
“This way please.”
Wait, what?
…
“Where did you get those plants?”
“None of your business.”
“TALK! We know you stole them from somewhere! Do you think we can not find out where you came from?!”
“Then find it out. You will not have any luck.”
“Well, if you do not want to talk we just ask your little Mouse girl. We can be very persuasive and she will squeal until she talks.”
Deep breaths. If he wants to go against my Family, then he will have hell to pay. Well Snow is able to defend herself, so keep your cool and do not let him antagonize you. Deep breaths…
“If you want to, you can try. I hope you understand what you just implied, as you will have to be held responsible.”
“Do you want to make a threat against me? You might still not know, where you are! Right now I am the one who holds you responsible!”
Yeah, yeah… How about you finally unveil what is going on here. You will be oh so sorry later… If not the whole Town will have to pay…
…
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“Sir, this is the Leader. He might know where it is.”
“Where what is? You still have not made any resemblance of sense.”
“Silence!”
“Be quiet guard, I take over.”
“Yes Sir.”
“So… You are Ava?”
In front of me is a Mage or an apprentice maybe. Black hair, black mustache and a small goat beard.
“Already told my Name. When is the reveal, what you really want? You keep me from selling my wares.”
“You mean our wares. Where is the place for them to be grown?”
“If you do not even know where they are grown, how come you think they are your own? Is suddenly everything you guys see your own property?”
“Obviously those came from a hidden place the Green Fire owned before vanishing. Where is the Mana spring?”
Now they make finally sense. So they think those came from a place the Green Fire owned and now they want the right to it. Well then I can help them.
“Ah! Now we go in the right direction. What was his Name? Seldar? Eldar was with him and… Beryl? Yes, I remember even Mink, who led them to us.”
That gave him a twitch. Does he know Mink? I remember the Name of the apprentice was not known who vanished with them.
“As you now know, tell us where it is, or you will be sorry. The more you wait the more your female companion has to suffer.”
“If you had touched her, we would not even talk anymore, as the whole town would be in a state of emergency. Do not talk nonsense.”
“...what? Do you know in what situation you are?”
“Oh yes, I know. First came Green Fire and thought of taking our land and died miserably. Then we started to sell our produce and all of the Mages got greedy, now you try to take from us again and think you are so superior for having the least sought after border Town in the whole of Telk. Stop me if I am talking too fast by the way.”
He does not even know what face he should make, suddenly going through shock, anger, apprehension and uncertainty.
“Like Green Fire you think yourself on the strong side and running into your demise. You are from Blue Ice, right? Just call Rendlar here from the Peddler King Branch, he will tell you who I am. Now if you excuse me, I am currently busy with being restrained on this chair and have no time for any other questions.”
Huh, for someone who is from Blue Ice, his face is beet red.
“Karl! Break his finger!”
And he tries. By the way my Fingers are bendable and durable.
“What is taking so long!?”
“Eldrik! What are you doing here?!”
“Master!”
A fine woman comes in. The Guard stops desperately breaking my finger and stands upright.
“What is going on!”
“Master Elane, you see… He is the one who knows the whereabouts of a hidden cache of the Green Fire. The things he brought are proof, and we interrogate him right now.”
“And who gave you permission of that?”
“I… um, as a representative of Blue Ice it is my duty to find all secrets forgotten by Green Fire for our Caste.”
“That is not an answer, who gave you permission to just incarcerate, interrogate and now torture some people you do not even know if they have something, that belongs to us?”
“But… The Vegetables are…”
“...Are right now a sought after commodity in the whole of Telk, while you are trying to break the fingers of the one, who seems to be the source of those commodities. Do you want war with every Caste against us, or are you so silly not to understand that?”
“No, the reason is, those belong to us rightfully as…”
“I already TOLD you, Green Fire tried to rob us and died. Do you want to have the same end?”
“Shut up!”
A backhand came from the apprentice. I just caught it with my now free Hand.
“How did you...”
And crushed his arm.
“YAAAAHRGH!”
Throwing him away I break the other restrains slowly while looking at the people in the Room.
“So… Are we finished with the charade? You are the great Rescuer who will free me and I show you out of thanks where the Products come from? Or is the script different?”
Well she starts to get white in her face. She might not thought of me for much, but now she is on guard.
“Prisoner Escape!”
The guard shouts for reinforcements. Seconds later the Room is full with Guards.
“Well?”
I await the start of the slaughter. My patience is at the end and this City will…
“Guards, lower your weapons. You would die without reasoning.”
...survive?