We left the crates, boxes, and sacks for someone else to handle and proceeded to the Inn. As we walked Velia informed me of how things went in the capital.
“We spent the night in Tarvelan the first day to break up the long flight. The next morning we arrived in the capital a few minutes after King Horus landed. He said to thank you a million times over for calming the griffins of their hate for men. He mentioned the crown but being able to fly freely on a griffin's back was a dream come true, and a logistical boon a King could only hope for.
“When he learned of the ogre head and parts we carried he set me up with his most trusted vendor. A couple that worked as a team. Trade Masters Harkon and Peach. They operate in the capital and the cities the four Kings reside in. They run a large enterprise that will be able to handle our volume. Our funds will be put into the same banking system that runs out of Lakeland. The base for that bank is Tent Crossing, where the capital for King Horus' realm is.
“We spent the first day getting pampered and enjoyed our time,” Velia said.
“It was so great to get out of the village, we were able to get a proper tea, a well cooked meal that was done by someone else, and the bathhouse was simply amazing,” Pipi added in.
“Yes, it was fabulous and very nice. The next day we went shopping, both for general stuff and clothing. As you saw we picked up a lot of items. I wanted to spend another day when we ran into an issue.” Velia said as we arrived at our bedroom door.
Bella greeted us, and the ladies exchanged pleasantries. Bella was quickly caught up to where we were in the conversation when I pressed Velia on what the issue was.
“King Horus sent a runner to us telling us that we needed to leave the capital immediately. He sent a full team to pack up our stuff and had us escorted to the griffin roost where we were ensured safety. The Emperor has a shaman friend who meets with him on the regular. All this I am telling you is second hand, and that the King himself mentioned he will be wanting to discuss this with you when he is able.
“This shaman asked for the crown you captured in exchange for some gold bars. The Emperor happily obliged, and said he would put a leash on this new Earl of his. That the Empire wanted no looming threats against the Horde and thanked the gods every day for the peace treaty. When the shaman left King Horus made clear to the Emperor, that you, one of his subjects were not in fact in violation of any rule of law. The Emperor ensured the King he was simply placating the enemy. As if he was playing both sides, but King Horus was not convinced. He worried we may be held as guests in the capital to ensure your cooperation. We left that day, stayed the night in Lakeland, where Duke Riza gracefully hosted us, and then returned this morning. The Duke mentioned you should talk with the griffins and see where they stand in the whole mess. Apparently, if you can get the griffins to stop supporting the Emperor it would be easy enough for a different King to take his place. Again, above my knowledge. There also should be a summons for you to see the Emperor yourself soon. King Horus recommended, as well as the Duke, that you decline, and state your new lands have you overburdened with work.” Velia said.
It was a lot to take in. There was politics at play that were foreign to me and dangerous. I did not know the Emperor, but I did know the Duke gave praise about King Horus and stayed silent on the character of the Emperor. The reality was it mattered very little to me. Even if I pissed off the Emperor he would have to ride, which would take weeks through dangerous lands, to get to me. Or fly, and I believed that the griffins now knowing my plans to train them with catalyst in extensive magic would probably not give me up to a lame leader who controlled very little. The accords, while frustrating, were almost a blessing in the buffering of my position way out here on the northeastern corner.
“Well, let us leave the politics out there and focus on Fernlan. You are safe here, and it is probably best if you did not visit any unfriendly cities. I will notify the griffins because we cannot have it risked where one or all of you becomes a pawn. Speaking of leaving I am doing so in an hour. I want Pipi to stay with Bella and aid in the running of the village while I am gone. It will also help Vern get accustomed to his new settings. We will be moving to a much larger and grander place soon. Not the manor I promised yet. We actually built an entire underground town. Well more like are building... and it is a work in progress. Actually, hold that thought, and let me show you both Dais.” I said and held out my arms for the ladies to hook into.
We left the room and went up the stairs. I paused by the bulletin board and showed them how it worked. I mentioned it also could use improvements so if they had any ideas or wanted to manage it to do so. We left the Inn and made our way down the village street. Pipi noticed the layer of muck and dirt was gone, exposing the clean, neatly placed, cobbled stones. We moved at a slow pace and talked about the rapid changes the village was experiencing for the better. One of the things even new to this morning was the old buildings were finally being torn down and the wood stacked into a recycle pile. It really changed how the entire village looked. As if it was an incomplete settlement instead of a mostly destroyed one.
When we got to oversee the fields I got a few comments on how helpful the rabins were, to which I told both the girls they were no longer field workers. They needed to find someone they trusted to manage them. I wanted my ladies to stay clean and work on bigger picture things. If they had to, of course, go back and help. But only after other options were exhausted. We reached the first dugout and Lirkon sat guarding the entrance. He snored loudly, clearly exhausted to be sleeping in the bright sun. I heard the cry of a baby cub echo out to us. I told Lydia congratulations but she responded with only one word, “Sleep”. They were both probably overtired from the long ordeal and there were plenty of griffins around to help if they needed it.
All three of us wanted to see the cubs, but I convinced them to let the parents rest and moved on to the Dais entrance.
“Now Pipi, Velia, this is what an ogre heart combined with griffin aura can do. It is sixty feet deep and easily a mile and a half long and wide. This is why I am leaving, as you can notice it is terribly dark down there. There has been a good amount of work done, but it is too dark for us to utilize effectively. So I am going to Malvia to hunt lava golems until I can get enough torches, lava stones, and some lighting for the ceiling. This is going to be our new home eventually. I will destroy all the buildings up top minus the new roost, and the town center. All that space will be converted into fields, orchards, or stables. It should mean we never starve again. Especially since we can expect this was the only free month of no food due.”
It was more than likely a fact that with the crown now back in the hands of the Horde, it would be reassigned. Also, it probably meant more elites around the village to tamp down on the easy killing we have been able to achieve. It is what I would do.
Pipi and Velia ran a long list of things they wanted to do to make the space the most effective. We talked and debated the pros and cons of some of the ideas for a while. I was grateful to see them looking so lovely and enjoyed the time. Eventually, I cut the discussion off.
“We are short on time, how about you write them on a list and send them over to Fernlan once complete in Malvia. For now, we need to get going. Pipi you look wonderful and I am happy you are home. Be good to Bella and Vern, if you run into any issues let me know when we get back. Velia, I need you to go pack for a three to five day trip. We have about twenty minutes until we are supposed to leave.” I told my wives. Bella who had been trailing us, linked arms with Pipi after I got a goodbye kiss from both.
“Do you mean it, only you and me on a vacation?!” Velia said.
“Work trip, but yes my dear. I would love to spend some quality time with you. I look forward to seeing the city and getting to spend my evenings with you. While I feel we got to connect before we got married, which the rush of it is still not normal for me, we never got to relax and endlessly chat. That will change with this trip as will certain othe
r things.” I said.
“Like how you will go from staring at my butt to playing with it, oh yes dear husband this will be a wonderful time for us to... connect as you put it. I would dare say I am going to ride you till I break you.” Velia said in a dominant way. She patted my cheek and walked seductively swaying her hips as she went. “Hurry up, I am already packed and ready to go.”
I froze and stood there admiring the view until she turned out of the dugout and was no longer in sight. I jogged to her and tossed her over my shoulder. This got some laughs from people as we passed by to the landing area. I was called a brute and told to ensure her skirt stayed modest. Which I did, no use in letting the entire village see my wife indecent.
The landing pad area was a hive of activity. Nate, Donnie, and the eight other men of the Frontier Knights were ready to go. I set Velia down gently and introduced her to Deb who waited on my trunk. They got along immediately, and the little sassy monox was eating out of her palm in no time.
“Earl Gryff, I have received reports from the capital griffins that arrived this morning. King Aves has been informed of our plans to create the magic academy for both humans and griffins. Even if he did not hear of such a grand and worthy endeavor, he would not support the Emperor in your confinement. Your wives were lucky to get out when they did. King Horus saved them from a friendly imprisonment. They were going to be used to get you to stop warring against the Horde. More truths will come later, but for now, know us griffins hear what the Emperor is saying behind closed doors. We also are getting recent reports of malnourished griffins across specific sections of the Empire. Almost if that shaman is telling the Emperor to not feed us. It is not promising toward our future or humanity's future. It really seems like the shaman who he talks with is distorting his mind. Griffin King Aves has mentioned wanting to put a different King in charge. One less willing to please our former enemies. We suggest, and not lightly, that you align yourself more closely with King Horus, be it a squire from one of his sons or a wife from one of his daughters.” Lord Nova said.
I rolled my eyes so hard that Velia asked what the problem was. Drama I told her, lots of drama and politics.
“Lord Nova, I, of course, will take all your recommendations with seriousness. I admit I am probably one wife too many at this point.” I said. Velia punched me hard in the arm at that statement. I rubbed my arm where she slugged me. “Not complaining, but I got other things to focus on than empire politics and adding wives. I want to focus on the here and now of Fernlan and turning it into a town with Dais. I do know that there are bigger things at play, and some of the changes I am trying to make will ripple across the Empire. It will be my honor to meet the King, and hopefully, end up with four squires to run errands for me. With that being said, if you do need my help with the Emperor's removal let me know.” I said with a nod.
“Excellent, we are ready to fly west to Malvia now, I will personally be leading the flight. Five of us will be going, so sort yourselves however you want to. I can carry the most weight as I am awesome and the best.” Lord Nova said with confidence while striking a pose.
“Alright men and my lady. This is going to be a five hour flight to the west of here to Malvia. Take the time to ensure your bladder is not full then load up. If you forgot anything we can buy new stuff in the city. I already need some items anyway. These five griffins will be the ones flying us today, one of them will need to take three of you the rest two. Donnie, Velia, and I will ride on Lord Nova. Be on the lookout as we cross above the lands close to Fernlan, anything of note that can be used to our advantage should be notated. Get in the saddles, then these fine handlers will hook up our bagged equipment and then away we go.”
Lord Nova lowered himself and I helped Velia up the saddle ladder. I smacked her ass hard as she was on the last step. Her tight butt was at the perfect angle for it. Donnie and I chuckled while she grumbled. We situated ourselves comfortably into the saddle seats and were ready to go. Lord Nova loaded up our supplies under his body and we took off. I noticed at that point that Deb had stayed behind. I saw her playing with the other monox on the ground.
As we flew west I looked around. I saw the river off to my left, it was easy to find by tracing our creek to it. Within a minute we flew over the battle spot of yesterday where we massacred the trolls. I tried to find the troll settlement but had no such luck. Maybe they lived with the orcs further up north in that city. My best way to find out was to have reconnaissance done by the griffins in an ever widening search pattern around Fernlan.
Fifteen minutes into the flight Cern appeared on our left. Lord Nova took us by the repaired battlements of the outer wall. The siege that happened here during the war did large damage to the city that had been hastily fixed. I got to see the empty roost, a group of women at the peak of the structure waved to us. The city had a portal in its fields, an exact replica to the one in Lakeland. I saw workers in the farms planting fresh crops, a few guards on the battlements, and the general population moving about. I gave the ugly city that had seen better days another long look. I hoped Hanz could do a better job than the former Baron Liffa. I am sure I would hear all about it from the immigrating griffin riders when I got back.
A few minutes and we soared beyond Cern. The mix of pines and open fields transitioned into rocky terrain. Here I saw some sort of grazing animal I did not recognize. It had horns, walked on four legs, and was smaller than a sheep. It moved in herds that numbered in the thousands.
We saw a few lakes but no big waterways, which probably led to the low grass and limited human settlements. There were a few villages that had been burned to the ground and only one that was like Fernlan, barely hanging on. It was an interesting time to get to see so many new areas of Vin.
The one steady constant sight was the Horde. A few caravans that numbered in the tens of thousands pushed south from the distant north. Small outposts and settlements dotted the landscape with the easy to identify tent living. I saw many ogres roaming and even one crushing a squad of orcs. The battle brought out my inner thirst for blood. Velia saw my facial reaction to the fight and distracted my by talking of what supplies we needed.
We discussed my lack of regular clothing and how it was an issue. I did mention I now had two pairs of pants but only one shirt that was not armor. She replied how she and Pipi now had enough clothing to be proper ladies. That included summer, and winter outfits. We never went over exactly what they bought so we took the flight time to discuss it. Poor Donnie had to sit there and endure our endless banter.
The ladies had picked up bedding like blankets and pillows. They had acquired proper cutlery fitting to my station, which I found out was really expensive silverware and crystal glasses. I told her I was fond of the dirty, poorly washed, wooden mugs and bowls. This got a laugh from her. I was told how Pipi had bought all the supplies she would need to become a candle maker. Velia mentioned how she thought it might be fun to try to make some herself. The ladies also bought lots of supplies for schooling the villager's children. That had always been a want of hers for the last few years. She mentioned a lot of the items purchased were long term storage foods. Jerky meats, jarred fruits, and other foods that preserved well.
After that conversation, we relaxed and enjoyed the ride. Endless amounts of fields and forests of trees passed underneath us. It brought home the reality of how vast Vin was. It would take a really long time to walk the distance that we were flying. We had to be nearing the end of the trip when Lord Nova informed us we were leaving the realm ruled by King Horus and entering the realm of King Devon. He told me everything he could about King Devon.
The man was the son of the current Emperor Salvoni. Both father and son were originally from the far north, some rumored even on the equator. When the Horde invaded the world of Vin they were smart and immediately fled to the southern stronghold of Deltan. They took their wealth and liquidated it early before the people of Vin truly realized how dire things were or would become. With t
heir vast resources, they then rose in power in the current capital for the Empire. It took a few deaths of Kings and Emperors. Some died to fight the Horde, others died in what is assumed to have been assassinations. The father son combo was strategically placed to eventually assume both thrones. The griffins considered both men to be weak and cowardly rulers when it came to fighting the Horde. They were however not to be underestimated on the political battlefield of rumors and backstabs. Lord Nova mentioned that of all the realms King Devon had the most recent reports of malnourished griffin. He was interested to see how the roost in Malvia was doing.
Malvia was ruled by a Count Winter, he was a Trade Master who had made the Emperor and his son some good deals early in the war. He was made the ruler of Malvia when its former Count died in battle. The only other thing I got to find out about Malvia was how close in proximity it was to the Maltan volcano. The city which was barely larger than a town rested on the eastern side of the massive mountain. Maltan spewed lava predominately to the south, it poured into an old lake that had long since evaporated. The lava pooled and dried there, slowly building up the once deep basin. Lord Nova informed me my human eyes should be able to start to make out the city on the side of the mountain any minute now.
He was almost perfect in being able to tell how far I could see. The mountain was tall with an ember trail leaking out the south side. The lava was slow moving and the color was in stark contrast to the black solidified rocks. There were no trees on the mountain as it climbed into the air. It was a black cone of bleakness with its ever present danger from the contrasting bright colorful magma. Nestled into the mountains eastern face was the city.
Malvia's walls were a mix of lava black rock and gray stone. Portions of the black randomly reflected the sun’s rays. They were smooth and tall, even taller than the walls at Lakeland. Whatever earth mages had done the work here had built a majestic outer barrier. The backside of the city was protected by the mountain itself. A river that originated from a set of mountains further north flowed outside the cities walls. Once again I saw perfectly blue water turn to muddy brown from use.
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