When I learned of his accomplishments, I had Tási immediately draft Rhal into my personal guard, not only to reward him and honor his oath, but also to set an example for everyone else to follow. I demonstrated my absolute faith in Rhal by entrusting him with my personal security—no one needed to fear anything less.
During those first few weeks with us, I wasn’t the only one making an extra effort to bring the orcs into the fold. Thola held a weekly feast in their small village where they roasted a whole boar in the orcish style and served a potent brew that even the dwarves drank with great care. When word of the exotically spiced food and powerful drink spread, Thola’s little affairs quickly grew into a very popular event, and the bonds of friendship were soon being forged as debates over cooking and brewing techniques dominated the conversations.
The most heartwarming development by far was Hilgreth’s near adoption of Bek, the young orc boy she had greeted so warmly the day the orcs first came to us seeking shelter. He had been orphaned during his people’s arduous travels, and Hilgreth took him under her wing as soon as she learned of his loss. Bek spent nearly every waking hour helping out in Hilgreth’s forge, and Georl’s familiar presence only served to make his transition all the more comfortable.
Upon learning the boy’s plight, the entire Garrison began to look after him, and Bek was soon one of the more popular children in my entire Realm. I was truly moved at how my people looked past his heritage and saw only the child, not just his green skin. Even the most recent arrivals had not merely accepted, but fully embraced the new moral code I had laid out for them, and that knowledge gave me great hope for the future I dreamed of bringing to Arrika.
In addition to the patrols we sent to our outpost, Bane had taken to flying over it from time to time, reporting on any developments there. Typically, those reports were limited to noting the passing of a caravan, or some other mundane developments, until the day the messages we had sent out finally bore the full fruit of our efforts
A caravan has turned away from the main road and is headed here, Sintári, Bane called to me as he landed at my side.
‘How many wagons?’
Twelve, and many people alongside them.
‘Traders or settlers?’
That is not clear.
‘Thank you, Bane. Let’s go see that we’re ready for their arrival.’
Traveling at their typical leisurely pace, the wagons wouldn’t reach us for two or three days, and Bane would be able to keep us aware of their progress the entire time, so there was no need to worry that they would sneak up on us. Even so, it would be wise to start making arrangements well in advance. So, with my ever-present escort in tow, I headed back to the Palace to organize a meeting of my Ministers.
The runners I sent out quickly returned with word that everyone would be in attendance shortly, so I took a seat in the chambers we were using for our meetings and waited for them to arrive. Although the room served our purposes for the time, it was not the actual area designated for such occasions in the Palace’s plans.
Ridge had already constructed most of the official offices and formal rooms, and even my permanent quarters, but Tási and the others refused to even let me see them, let alone move in, until the stonemasons had finished their work and appropriate furnishings had been crafted. I did manage to catch Ilvain and some of his people carting some of those very items up the stairs, but that was all I was able to glimpse before someone always seemed to pop up and shoo me away.
Before long, my Ministers, Ambassador Broda, and the First Marshal were seated around the table with me. Tási closed the doors before taking her place, and my personal guard stood watch outside as I made everyone aware of the approaching caravan.
“We should send a patrol to escort them,” Evans suggested when I finished relating what Bane had told me. “They can provide some added security and give the new arrivals a quick look over to see if they are what they seem to be.”
Considering the fact that an assassin had secreted himself among our first batch of immigrants, it struck me as a wise precaution, and I nodded my approval. When no one else objected, Evans scratched down a few notes before we proceeded.
“Do we have enough homes and shelters for them?” I asked.
“Between Ilvain’s crews and the dwarven miners, we should have more than enough,” Venna replied. “Honestly, I don’t know how they manage to keep building so much.”
There was little else we could do to prepare aside from ensuring that we had enough guards on duty when the caravan finally arrived, so our meeting broke up shortly thereafter. Evans sent out his patrol to meet the caravan, and with Bane’s reconnaissance, we were kept well aware of their progress towards us. So, when the first wagons emerged from the forest and into the open fields outside the Garrison walls, we were ready to greet the new arrivals.
Trumpets blared and the rows of soldiers that Evans had lined up along the road stood at attention as the caravan came through the tunnel and drove inside the Garrison. The people driving and walking alongside the wagons stared in awe at the Dwarven Steel weapons and Khelduin armor that was on display before them, just as Evans intended. A runner had returned from the patrol he sent out, reporting that all seemed well with the caravan, but it never hurt to put on a good show in the First Marshal’s eyes. But even as impressive as it was, I fully intended to outdo his exhibition.
Once the caravan had been escorted inside, and all its members gathered together to be welcomed to their new home, my companions and I took to a raised platform in front of the assembled newcomers to welcome them to our Realm.
With Tási and Bane by my side, and the rest of my companions arrayed alongside us, we stood before the gathered crowd for a moment, letting them get a good view of us and our God-forged Artifacts. Some of them seemed to recognize our gear, or at least have some inkling of its power, because a few gasps could be heard among them, followed by some low murmuring. With at least that portion of my agenda taken care of, I began my speech.
I kept it short, but sweet, and simply reiterated the points that had been made in the messages we had already sent out. The old ways would not be tolerated here, prejudice had no place in this Realm, and that anyone who could not abide by those principles would not last long here. To emphasize how serious I was about this my personal guard that day included Rhal, who stood prominently in front of the raised platform in plain view for all to see. Not only that, but I made sure that Thola and a few more of our orcish citizens were included in the welcoming group. If that didn’t make my point clearly enough for them, nothing else would have.
In all, the caravan had brought us almost a hundred new citizens, none of whom objected to the terms we had outlined for them, both in the notices we had sent out, and in the words that I’d spoken to them. Once I was sure that there would be no problems, I started to head back to the Palace, but my trip there ended abruptly.
“Dreya Sintári!” One of the people we had assigned to help place the newcomers called out to me.
“Yes? What is it, Hazil?” I replied. Although I recognized her, the dwarven woman’s name hadn’t immediately come to mind. Fortunately, the little tag over her head was there to help me out.
“There’s a couple among the newcomers that claim to know you,” Hazil informed me.
I had no idea who that could be, but I had Hazil lead me back towards the crowd of people. My guards picked up on my doubts, and closed ranks around me as we drew closer to the throng.
“There she is!” Wenda cried out as Hazil brought me to their wagon.
It had been so long since I’d seen her and Birt, that I hadn’t even considered them when Hazil mentioned the couple that was looking for me, but as soon as I saw her, I rushed over to welcome them to my Realm.
“I’m so glad to see both of you again!” I exclaimed. “How have you been?”
“We’ve been well, but clearly you’ve done even better for yourself,” Birt said with a smile as he joined us.
> We shared a little small talk, and I told them an abbreviated version of just how I’d come to be where I was before Birt explained why they were here.
“I’ve grown tired of the road,” he confessed. “And no matter where I might decide to settle down, there would be some lord or other noble who would be offended by my choice. I hoped that by coming to this new Realm, I might escape all the bickering and intrigue. Finding you and your friends here makes me certain that I made the right decision.”
“Birt, if you are looking for work, I would be honored to hire you as the official tailor for not only myself, but my cabinet as well,” I smiled at him. “You may remember a few of them.”
“I saw them by your side before,” he replied. “I admit, I was uncertain how I might support myself in such a young Realm, but if you are in need of my services, I’m sure that we can work something out.”
Oh, was he going to try and negotiate with me? Bad move, Birt. Bad move.
“Birt,” I said as I channeled a tiny bit of Charisma into my words, “I’m going to have Venna put you in some suitable quarters in the Palace. Once you’ve had a chance to move in, I’m sure that we’ll be able iron out the details.”
“Oh, why yes, that seems more than reasonable,” he replied in earnest.
I left the two of them, promising to speak again after they settled in, and went off in search of Venna. I had no trouble locating her, as she was in the center of all the action, besieged by the many requests for housing and work that came along with our new citizens. She had been among the first of my companions to assemble a staff of underlings, and they should have taken care of the simple tasks for her, but once she got caught up in the frenzy of activity, she obviously had a great deal of difficulty extricating herself from the fracas.
“I’m sorry, Khara,” I apologized to the dwarven woman who was Venna’s chief assistant as I dragged Venna away. “But there’s a matter of some importance that needs the Chief Minister’s attention.”
“Thank you,” Venna said with no small measure of relief as we ventured towards the Palace. “I know they can handle it, but it’s so hard for me to get away once I get pulled into these things.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied. “But that wasn’t just a ruse—there is something I need you to take care of for me. Birt and Wenda were among those who arrived, and I need you to assign them quarters in the Palace, with room for him to work attached if possible.”
“I have just the thing in mind,” she smiled back at me with satisfaction. “One of the people I spoke with was the former chamberlain at the King’s residence in Olóra. I was going to ask you to have one of your special interviews with him, and if he passed, I intended to assign him those same responsibilities over the Palace.”
“Why did he leave Olóra?” I asked with suspicion. “A position as chamberlain is not something one simply walks away from.”
“No, not usually,” Venna sighed. “But Olóra is not a very usual Kingdom these days either. The new King is somewhat… eccentric and is extremely intolerant of any outsiders. Lelan, the chamberlain, made the mistake of seating the dwarven ambassador too close to the King and was discharged immediately. His story was not the only one like it that I heard today. Most of the elves that came to us today are fleeing the zealotry that is being put in place in Olóra.”
Olóra was not too far away from us. In fact, while Dhel-Ar was our closest neighbor to the west, more or less, Olóra was the nearest Kingdom to us from the East. Having such a xenophobic nation so close to our borders made me uncomfortable, and I could tell that Venna shared my concerns.
“I will speak to Khorim,” she offered without me having to ask. “We will need to acquire some sources within Olóra who can warn us if they intend any harm.”
“That would be a wise precaution,” I replied. “Send Lelan to me as soon as you can, and I will interview him. I’m sure you’ll be happy to have those duties taken off your plate.”
“You have no idea,” Venna sighed in exasperation.
I led our little procession back to the Palace and up the many flights of stairs to Venna’s offices. Once they cleared the rooms, both our guard details stationed themselves outside and we could finally relax. Venna poured us each a glass of wine, and we sat down on the large couch she had managed to procure for herself.
It had been weeks since we had spent any real time together, and far longer since we had shared any… quality time. So, after the first sip of wine, I set my glass down and stared into her eyes.
“Now?” Venna almost choked on her drink as she recognized the look I gave her.
“Were you thinking we’d have a better opportunity sometime soon?” I replied as I took the cup from her hands.
Venna only had time to shake her head before our lips met, and I flooded her with the pent-up desire that was inside me. She had been right in her description of our relationship—the love I had for her was an entirely separate thing from the deep bond I shared with Tási, or even the subtler link between Ella and me. Being with one of them did nothing to dampen my need for the others. The longing in my heart for each of them had its own place; its own little facet inside me, and no one else could quench that fire.
In only moments, there was a pile of chain and leather armor adorning the floor beside the couch, and our bodies were wrapped around each other in an almost desperate embrace. I was clearly not alone in my need, and I felt Venna’s longing as strongly as my own in the thick threads of passion I sent inside her. She let out a soft moan of contentment as her lips brushed against the side of my face, and I sent softer tendrils of desire into her as I traced my fingers along the gentle curves of her body.
Her back arched and her legs quivered in response to the waves of passion I sent into her as I slid my hands over the soft mounds of her breasts, and it was far more than I could withstand. The sight of Venna reacting to my touch filled me with desire, and I had to have her right then. I climbed on top of her, pressed my body against hers, and kissed Venna more passionately than I ever had before. Her absence had kindled my desire into a raging flame, and the torrent of passion I sent into her sent us both into a reeling climax.
Our release seemed to last for hours, and I couldn’t say how long we lay on the couch sharing the ecstasy of it together. When Venna finally let out a deep sigh and brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, I rolled over to lay beside her. As we lay together, I let my hands play along the graceful contours of Venna’s body and she smiled back at me in utter contentment, a feeling that I shared with her wholeheartedly.
“I missed you so much,” she confessed after a few moments.
“We can’t let things go so long,” I replied. “There has to be a way for us to escape, even if it’s just for a little while.”
“As your Chief Minister,” Venna said with feigned importance. “I will ensure that this issue is taken care of.”
I couldn’t hold back and broke out in a fit of giggling. Venna’s façade crumbled, and we both fell into unrestrained laughter for a few moments. Once we got over the ridiculousness of it, we reluctantly got dressed and prepared to resume the duties that had kept us apart for so long.
“I was serious though,” Venna said before we reached the door. “I felt your need as much as I know that you felt mine. I’m going to find a way for us to have some time together more frequently.”
“Believe me, that issue will be getting a great deal of my attention as well,” I promised her. “I’m not sure it’s good for either of us to be without the other for so long.”
“I was wondering if you felt it too,” Venna replied in a voice that was barely above a whisper.
“I did. We’re a part of each other, Venna, and being without you made me less than I was. I hadn’t realized just how much until now, when you made that part of me whole again.”
It was a rather profound revelation for both of us—I always knew that we shared a certain closeness, and that our need for each other went far beyon
d a mere physical desire, but the recognition of just how powerful that connection had become, or perhaps always had been, caused us both to stop dead in our tracks for a moment.
“You know what?” Venna finally asked rhetorically. “I don’t care. I’m well past questioning any of this. Whatever happens, whatever it means, I’ll be with you till the end, Dreya.”
“Thank you, Venna,” I replied as I gripped her hands tightly. “I don’t know how long it will take us to reach the end of our journey together, but I have a feeling that I’m going to need your strength to get there.”
We shared a quick embrace before reluctantly leaving to go our separate ways. Venna wasted no time trying to rid herself of the responsibilities of running the day-to-day affairs of the Palace, and Karina announced that Lelan was at my own offices waiting for his interview almost before I had a chance to sit down behind my desk. I smiled as I waved for her to let him in, and two of the sergeants escorted the man inside.
Lelan was an older elf, obviously well into his hundreds, yet still hale and healthy. He sat down across from me and offered a respectful bow of his head before we began. Without any preamble, I cast See Truth on him and started my questioning.
“What is your name?”
“My name is, Lelan, Dreya Sintári.”
“What was your position in Olóra?” I asked him.
“I was High Chamberlain of the King’s formal residence, my lady.”
“Why did you leave that position?”
“I was dismissed from his Majesty’s service after I failed to properly account for his… preferences in making the seating arrangements at a state function.”
“Explain,” I commanded. “Hold nothing back, Lelan.”
“Forgive me, Dreya Sintári, but it is… unseemly to speak ill of a former employer.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “Those words alone tell me all I need to know about what transpired.”
“Do you intend to do any harm to me or anyone else in my Realm?”
“No!” He objected strongly. “I have come here to escape such things.”
Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3) Page 47