by Pirateaba
Regardless, relying on the two adventuring teams I’ve hired isn’t a good move long-term, which is why I’ve come up with this idea. I nod towards the [Witch] as she adjusts her pointy hat. Indoors. I guess she just likes wearing it.
“Wiskeria, do you think you could teach some of the people with magical aptitudes some magic? Gamel knows a fire spell, but it’s not useful for anything but lighting quick fires. If he could throw fire on the other hand…”
“I could teach them a bit, sire.”
“And I’ll show your young folk some swordplay your majesty, don’t fret! If Odveig wants to look out for Goblins, I’ll gladly demonstrate my Skills!”
Beniar is only too happy with the idea, of course. I smile sardonically.
“If you’re willing Beniar, I’d be grateful. However, I’d like you to take a certain student under your wing personally?”
“Who? Your man Gamel? I could turn him into a decent [Warrior] with enough time. It’d be my pleasure—”
“No. Durene.”
The tent goes silent. I sense Beniar gaping at me, but it’s Wiskeria who agrees first.
“Durene? She’s stronger than anyone I’ve met. As strong as a Minotaur. Stronger perhaps, with her [Enhanced Strength] Skill. Give her a sword and we’d have a warrior capable of facing down a Hob.”
“She’s untrained! And there’s not a sword that would fit her hands. We’d need a custom-built greatsword, and that would cost—”
Odveig protests, but my mind is made up. Within the hour, I have Durene, Gamel, and a bevy of young men and a surprising number of young women who have volunteered to train with the adventurers.
Beniar’s all for teaching everyone how to use a bunch of practice swords that Jelov and some [Carpenters] have thrown together, but I stop him and ask him to run the trainees through some exercises first.
“Exercises, your majesty? What, like swinging a sword? I can do that, but holding a sword’s important. Half of your folk look like they’d cut their thumbs off, swinging the swords like they are.”
I nod, watching Durene lift a huge club made from hammered-together bits of wood. It looks like a poor weapon, but I can’t help but wonder how much damage it would do if she smacked me with it. Certainly the other villagers are keeping away from her, and she’s using a partially-converted door as a shield. It still has the door handle on it.
“I know swordplay is important, but from what I understand, classes and Skills still rely on the body of each individual and their skill, don’t they?”
“True…I suppose I could have them train their bodies a bit. Although your villagers are fairly hale, milord.”
“Hale isn’t the same as trained. I’m thinking of giving them a little test first. Some running, arm exercises—”
“Oh?”
I nod to the excited villagers and eye Riverfarm. It’s an expanded mess of tents and lean-tos as the first few proper houses are going up. But the snow’s mostly cleared by now and there’s a good path for people to run around in.
“Six laps around the village might be good. It’s not too far. If they do that every day when they wake, I think it would help. And pushups. Sit-ups…I’ll show you how to do burpees. It’s a delightful exercise that everyone’s sure to love.”
Is there a bit of devil in me? Perhaps. I smile a bit as I see Beniar go over to the villagers and watch their enthusiasm drain away when they hear what they’re going to be doing. I also studiously ignore Durene’s glare as Beniar leads the villagers away at a run.
I’m no expert at swordplay. I have listened to descriptions of how soldiers train, though, and I am aware that a fit body matters a lot in battle. Is this the right method, teaching villagers how to do exercises that have half of them groaning with muscle pains by the end of it? Maybe, maybe not.
All I know is that by the end of the training session, the excited young villagers are a lot less excited about the prospect of training to be [Warriors]. By the time Beniar has them learning to hold a sword, half of them are looking longingly towards the other villagers and their normal duties.
That’s where I step in. Everyone turns to stare at me as I walk forwards. Beniar’s busy showing them how to strike properly. I raise my voice and address them all.
“I’m glad so many of you want to learn to fight. But please know this: if you want to train, I’ll expect you to do what you just did every day, not just today. You’ll have days to rest, but you’ll be exercising like this as well as training and doing your jobs.”
The young men and women look horrified at the thought. Durene opens her mouth, and I shake my head slightly at her. No favoritism. I look at them all, and then do a rare thing. I open my eyes slightly. I can’t see obviously, but I want to look into their eyes like I’ve heard all good leaders do.
“Yes, I know how you feel. These exercises are grueling. But that’s the point. Learning to fight is not fun. It’s not easy. In fact, if you want to fight, you’ll have to work twice as hard as everyone else.”
There’s silence. I’m sure if I let them go now, not more than one or two would turn up tomorrow. Which is why the next bit has to count. I look at them all, trying to convey my feelings as openly as possible.
“You might ask why you have to work so hard. Well, it’s because being a [Soldier], being a [Warrior] isn’t an easy job. You’re fighting for your life. Not just your lives either—you’ll be fighting to defend your families, your loved ones—it’s not a game. If you want to learn to fight, I’ll gladly let the adventurers train you, but only if you are serious.”
That’s all. I nod to them and step back. I sense the villagers looking at each other. I don’t know how many will come back tomorrow, but to my surprise, Prost comes over for part of the sword fighting lessons. I don’t make him run around the village. He runs about enough without that.
To my surprise, Helm and a few of the other older villagers know how to fight too. Beniar trains with them and some of the adventurers and puts the young people through their paces.
“What do you think?”
I ask him that when the adventurer has returned to drink some water. Beniar mops sweat from his brow and frowns at me.
“Maybe it’s luck or a Skill you have, your majesty, but I’d swear half of those villagers could put up a good fight if you gave them arms. I’d hate to be a [Bandit] gang that tries to rob this place.”
“And Goblins?”
He grimaces.
“Your average Goblin? Hardly a threat, sire. But Goblins around Invrisil are nasty. They have to be—we purge every tribe we come across as a matter of course. And the monsters around here get nasty. So the Goblins—”
“Are just as nasty.”
“Just so, sire.”
“Well, keep training them. I’ll—”
I break off. Frowning, I stare away from the village, in the direction of our cottage. Beniar stares at me.
“Something wrong?”
“There’s someone in my cottage.”
I sense it. But when I get there with a panting Durene and Beniar, there’s no one to be found. However, Frostwing is shrieking her brains out. I ask Durene to look around, but nothing seems to be missing.
“Maybe it was someone from Windrest?”
“Maybe.”
I frown, but there’s nothing I can do, and there’s certainly no reason for me to post a guard on the cottage. Still, I wish I could identify people precisely with my [Emperor] senses. Who would want to check out my cottage in the first place?
It might just be a coincidence. But the next day, I find something else unexpected.
Day 65
“Are you sure we should do this, Laken?”
Durene’s voice quavers a bit as I hike up the slope with her in the lead. I’m grasping the back of her shirt as she walks. I’d normally use my cane, but I’ve grown so accustomed to moving about without it that I leave it in the cottage most days.
However, my [Emperor] senses don’t extend beyond
the village limits, and so I’m blind out here. Blind, and possibly making the dumbest mistake of my life.
We’re trudging up a small hill towards the bear’s cave. Yes, the Mossbear’s cave. Durene has a large basket of dried fruits, cured meat, and other goodies. All things a bear might like.
“Why are we doing this, Laken? Couldn’t we just let it sleep?”
“Yes, but the trouble is, I don’t think it’s asleep anymore, Durene. The bear woke up once—it might wake up again. And I’d rather not have it go looking for food, especially if we can parley.”
“With a bear?”
“If we can. Just let me do the talking. You hang back a little bit.”
“What if it charges at you? I’m coming with you!”
“…Okay.”
In truth, I’m grateful. It’s one thing to have a stupid idea, and another thing to carry it out. But the Celestial Trackers have said the Mossbear is moving from his cave now and then, and I’ve been worried about what he might do.
What would you do if a bear was active in your vicinity? Run from it? Set a trap? Hunt it? Bury it in its cave? All of these options were given to me, and so I chose the dumbest idea I could think of myself: feed it.
It’s not entirely insane. I’ve explained my reasoning to Durene and she doesn’t buy it, but it makes sense to me. I was able to speak to the bear once. Intimidate it. Get it to leave. True, I had a bunch of scary humans and Durene with me at the time, but I am a [Beast Tamer]. And what is a bear if not a beast?
It’s just…a lot bigger than Frostwing is, that’s all. I feel Durene stop and stop with her.
“Is it…?”
“Just ahead. I can see the entrance. Laken, if it attacks—”
“Beniar’s waiting with a group of his riders. If the bear’s angry, he’ll lure it away. Just run, and take me with you.”
“If it comes after you I’ll kill it.”
There’s a steel core of determination in Durene’s voice. It shocks me for a moment.
“Don’t risk yourself, please. Running is fine. I know you’re strong, but I couldn’t bear for you to get hurt.”
“Hah!”
“What?”
“Bear. You said bear—”
“Oh, right. Haha.”
I’m too nervous to laugh at my own pun. I reach out and feel Durene deposit the heavy basket into my arms. I step forwards with it, and guided by Durene’s voice, place it at the entrance of the cave.
“Hello? Bear?”
Something ahead of me growls. I back up fast, and hear Durene move. I hear movement—and wish with all my heart I could sense what’s ahead of me. I get the impression of something big and heavy coming my way, and then a wet snuffle. The bear is investigating the basket, but it smells both me and Durene. It growls warningly.
Time for my brilliant plan to go into action. I clear my throat nervously.
“Uh, hi.”
The bear growls. I hear Durene shift and raise a hand.
“Hold on, I’m friendly.”
The bear doesn’t seem to listen. I hear it take a step and then Durene speaks.
“Laken—”
“Stop.”
This time the bear stops dead. I stare ahead, sightless, and hear Durene’s breath catch. Yes, now the feeling’s in me. Will. That is what an [Emperor] is. I project it at the bear, ordering it.
“Listen to me. I am not your enemy.”
It makes a whining sound and I think it backs up. I step forwards and Durene squeaks. But in this moment, as I am, there is no fear. An [Emperor] cannot be afraid when he is ordering a subject, and this bear is my subject. That’s how I must think of it.
“Look at me. See? I am a friend. Friend. And this is food. For you.”
It’s like speaking to Frostwing, I feel. I have a bond with my bird that allows me to feel what she’s thinking. With the bear, I have no such link, but I can still imagine what he’s feeling. Confusion, hunger, maybe a bit of fear—but I am not his enemy.
And I think my voice reaches him. The bear doesn’t retreat and he doesn’t whine—instead he makes a whuffing sound that sounds tentative, almost inquisitive. I smile.
“Hello there. I’m Laken. Who are you?”
Shuffling. Durene makes another noise and I turn to signal her to stay put. And then—fur. I jerk in surprise and feel the bear’s face jerk back from me. Durene moves.
“Stay put, Durene.”
I breathe the words. The bear is only a few inches away from me. I can smell his sour breath, hot on my face. He’s sniffing at me almost like a dog, and I can feel his size. My knees want to quiver. A small, primate part of me wants to shriek and flee. But the rest of me is calm.
He is not my enemy. He is my subject.
And then the bear nudges my face with his. He blows hot air into my face—I sneeze on him. We become friends.
Of a sort. The bear is wary, but when it’s clear neither I nor Durene are openly hostile, he immediately turns his attention to the basket. It’s got all the food I know bears love. He paws at it, knocking the basket over and begins gulping down the food on the floor.
“Laken, do you think I—?”
Durene starts to the bear and it backs up in surprise. I wince as it nearly tramples my foot with its claws.
“Better not, Durene. I think you might be a threat to him. You’re as big as he is—”
“Take that back! I’m not as big—well, maybe I’m sort of—he’s a lot heavier than I am!”
I can hear Durene flushing, but the moment breaks the tension. The bear continues eating. I poke it in the side and it doesn’t even feel the gesture. So I take the moment to run my hands along the bear’s side. It grunts. In pleasure?
“You really are crazy.”
Durene’s voice is wondering. I can hear her edging around the bear for a better view, and then her voice lifts in surprise.
“Hey, what’s that?”
“What’s what, Durene? Is there something in the cave?”
“No, on the bear.”
“What on the bear?”
“It looks—looks like there’s a patch of his fur missing. I can’t see at this range.”
“Wait, what? Where?”
“Along the neck. Can you find it?”
Tentatively, moving very slowly I run my fingers down the bear’s head, trying to find the spot Durene mentioned. The bear lets me do it—it might be my insanity talking or my [Beast Tamer] class, but I have the sense that I can interact with him, at least to this level.
My fingers run across something odd. Short hairs, bristly. The bear farts. I recoil and Durene gags. When the air clears I go back to the bear, coughing.
“Hm. That’s odd.”
Durene’s right. A patch of the Mossbear’s fur is indeed missing. It’s hard to tell with my fingers, but my impression of the bear is that a good chunk of his fur is definitely absent near the nape of his neck.
“Why’s that there? Do you think someone cut it off when we were fighting?”
“No, there’s no blood. And the fur’s too neat. This was no accident but…huh.”
Another mystery. And not one the bear can solve; he eats all of the basket, turns, sniffs me, goes to crap in the woods and walks into his cave. That’s about the extent of my interaction with him; I never claimed I would be best pals with him, and nor is this Winnie the Pooh.
Lovely book. Not many people know that Winnie the Pooh came from a book written by an English author, long before he became a Disney animated character. But I digress.
Durene and I leave the bear’s cave and twenty meters later, Beniar rides out of the woods, practically shouting his amazement. The rest of the village clearly thinks I’m insane and fearless by equal measures.
It’s just more embellishment for my reputation as an [Emperor] if you want to be cynical, but I did it because I wanted to see if I could. I know something now. An [Emperor] can command more than people. I know this because the second test I did was to get a f
ew dogs and march over to the fields where the first house’s walls were already standing upright.
A few rats survived the purge of two days ago. I sense a few under the earth. The dogs pad around me and warily edge back from Durene as I stand in the frozen snow. I point at the earth. At the rats hiding there.
“Out!”
The earth shifts. Three rats wriggle out of the earth and the dogs bark and fall on them. I stare at the ground. One of the rats is staying put.
“So it doesn’t work on all of them.”
“So you can command rats? Can you call me a deer? I’d love to eat fresh meat for dinner.”
Durene looks wistfully at me. I shrug.
“Worth a shot. If I expand the boundaries of my domain, I could try it. Not all of the animals obey me entirely, though. Maybe if I level up as [Beast Tamer]…or is it [Emperor] that decides it?”
“Dunno. Look! Ew! One of the rats is in pieces!”
“I’m just as glad I can’t. Durene, could you kick up the dirt right here, please?”
She does so obligingly. I failed to mention the rat. I didn’t think it would be an issue, but when it ran up Durene’s leg and she screamed—well, I supposed I didn’t think to ask how afraid of rats Durene is. It took several apologies and some cuddling that night to calm her down. But on the whole? Another successful day.
[Beast Tamer Level 7!]
[Skill – Animals: Basic Command Obtained!]
“Wow. I’ll finally be able to make Frostwing stop crapping on my hands.”
“Wha…? Laken, you say something? It’s late.”
“Nothing, Durene.”
Day 66
It’s just past midnight when I hear the pounding on Durene’s door.
“Emperor Laken! Sire! Please get up!”
The shouting wakes me and Durene in an instant. We untangle ourselves from the sheets and I’m the first one at the door. I yank it open and Gamel’s there, gasping and panting for air.
“What is it, Gamel?”
“It’s Beniar! He’s hurt!”
“What? How?”
Gamel opens his mouth and I hear a mortified cry from behind me.