Chapter 60: Is My Friend

Chapter 60: Is My Friend

Sakura

They were not ready for a battlefield, a familiar voice said through the thick door. It was muffled, but my hearing was keen enough to catch that it was Uncle Raif. It was just him, our father, and mother in the small conference room deep in the heart of the Public Palace.

Rayce did well, holding the center against terrible odds next to the squad of Immortals we sent. My father argued. And Sakura stood her ground on the flank, against a much stronger opponent. She fought the elf shaman to a near standstill, and repelled two counter attacks if reports are to be believed. Without them our warriors would have been overwhelmed.

Your son fought a wood drake, and nearly died for the honor. If it wasnt for his hound keeping the poison at bay wed be attending a funeral. Yu interjected. And my daughter was on the verge of death. If it wasnt for the grace of foreign gods, her and her companions would have been taken as slaves.

The conversation lowered in volume to where I could no longer make out specific words.

Rayce sat across from me on stone benches carved out of the hard rock. This place had been created specifically to allow for private conversations, and stood just off the throne room where the nobility and my parents conversed regularly in open council.

Only one other person sat on the benches with us. She had been the most senior captain among the irons. Her three leith silver fox tails marked her as Kin, and she sat waiting to give testimony to our parents.

Dont be afraid, Rayce said.

Thank you young master, but I am not afraid. The twitching of her tails told the truth. She was on edge. Almost more than when I had seen her leading her Irons fighting against the wild creatures the Shaman had summoned.

My brother is right. You did nothing wrong. Speak only truth, and things will . . . My voice trailed off as I heard a loud clacking noise on the hard stone.

Gameras avatar, a withered looking Tortioise man appeared in the long hallway heading towards the throne room. He winced as if his head ached and leaned on his staff for support. Rayce and I both stood, and bowed.

Welcome master, we said in unison. But Gamera waved us both away.

Sit, and think about what you did wrong. What you could have done better in the battle. We will talk in a moment. I did as instructed and sat back down. I had already considered the fight, and my many, many mistakes. As for you, young Fox Kin. What is your name?

Silvia, honored spirit beast. The woman attempted to stand and give a proper bow, but Gamera waved it away with a clawed hand. I am the eldest of nine, and the leader of my band of fifty. My clan is honored to serve as payment for our shelter these last years.

The way she said her birth order, and family size seemed to carry some importance to her. I hadnt had much interaction with the Kin, as most cultivators of their kind had volunteered for military service. Those few whose safety had been purchased by others' efforts, or who had been too young to serve when the refugee crisis had begun five years ago, had been the only ones to attend sect schools.

Even among that abnormally smaller group, most Kin perfered Kin centric sect schools. As such places often specialized on growing and improving ancestral blood lines.

All this culminated in me being largely ignorant of the Kin and their ways.

Gamera nodded. Your service should be up soon, yes? The Fox Kin nodded in agreement. Hmmm. You are peak Steel. But I sense there is much farther for you to travel on the path of the dao yet child. Have you attended a sect?

No master spirit beast.

We will need to see about changing that. I would be, the doors opened, and Raif leaned out.

Raif gestured towards the fox kin. Steel Falcia, please attend us. We have some questions.

No. I am healthy enough, I shook my head as my confusion cleared. Thank you for your concern, Prince Tarvad.

The Golden warrior, or rather Prince Tarvad of the Central Kingdom, as they called themselves, had an easy smile and a quick laugh. His hair was golden blond to match his armor, and his eyes showed a piercing almost unnaturally deep blue.

Unlike most of the people I had met in this world his skin was a pearl white. Similar I knew, to Rayces two friends back at the sect school. They looked like the stereotypical scandinavian or northern European people in their physical description. And that included in Tavads size. The man was clearly close if not over two meters in height, broad shouldered, and heavily muscled. And his spiritual sense was one of radiant, welcoming authority. Similar in many ways to my fathers, if a little less in potency.

Sit children. We have something we want to discuss with you. Ren said, his expression was troubled. Yu on the other hand looked at peace with whatever was about to happen. Rayce and I both took chairs next to Raif, who looked about as angry as Ren did concerned.

Prince Tavad. You know we are refugees from the Jade Empire. Yu said, as she pulled out a small map and placed it on the table and pointed to where the Empire sat. What you do not know is that we are merely the tip of the plow. We are heavily armed and armored for the express purpose of clearing away elven threats as we pass by their northern border. There are at least half a dozen, if not more, Kames with hundreds of thousands of people that will be following in our footsteps.

Tavad went from confident, to concerned at this news.

We knew there would be an influx of refugees considering the growing tensions and risks of civil war in your country. We did not realize that there would be so. . . well, so many of you. He explained. We were prepared to assimilate you into the Kingdom if that was your wish.

That would be a generous thing, your grace. Raif said. What's the catch? Theres always a catch.

The catch would be exactly what I just described. Assimilation. Culturally and religiously, if possible. But legally at a minimum. And we were prepared to do just that. It's one of the many reasons I launched this hunting expedition of mine into the forest when I did. I hoped to run into groups of half starved refugees I could escort back to civilization. But . . . that might not be a possibility any longer.

Too many of us? Yu asked.

Yes, and too organized. Many lords and ladies in the Eastern Duchy, where you will enter in just a few short hours, are leery of foreigners from the east. Whether they have sharp ears or not. And while they would look on half starved peasants being chased by slaver elves with sympathy, I do not think they would see such an . . . organized and well armed exodus with such sentiment. We may be forced to divert you to the south, along the western edge of the elvish forest, just to keep my own nobility from revolting.

So you would just send us on our way? Raif demanded. No aid, no letters of introduction? Nothing?

Tavads smile returned slightly. I did not say that. There are several sparsely populated coastal regions ruled over by small city states along our southern shoreline. Most we have good relationships with, but a few are hostile to anyone not born in their streets. I am sure you could find open land and half decent neighbors in those wild lands.

You mean here? Yu pointed towards where the Great Forest ran along the southern shoreline of the western human kingdom. There were a handful of small cities listed, but most of it was either heavily forested, or abutted the forest directly. We would be within immediate threat range of the forest at all times. Even if we built along the coast line, the elves could easily sally forth and attack us. Theres nothing there to stop them, or even slow them.

What if we passed through your lands? Ren asked. All of our people are organized, and mobile. Gamera here is by far the largest of our Kame. If we can find a safe path through your nation for him, then the others could easily follow it. We would only be in your kingdom for a handful of weeks, and on the other side in the . . .

He looked at the map and read the name of the area just past the Western Duchy. Wild lands quickly. We wouldnt need food, and might even be able to enrich your people with trade along our way. And youd have a new neighbor amenable to good relations, and recently in your debt.

Would you be willing to submit your sovereignty to the Kingdom? Maintaining regional control, but giving allegiance to a new throne? The prince asked, his expression interested and intent on the map.

Yu and Ren shared a glance, and something passed between them. Ren nodded, then turned back to the prince. If it was needed, wed be open to an arrangement. Taxes, service, or trade.

Tavad took a long moment to consider. That . . . might be possible. Ill have to speak to my father about it. He leaned forward, and moved his finger across the map from where we were, to the far end of the kingdom. The last city in the line was a high walled oval shaped city labeled Vlane.

The land around the city was empty. For all intents and purposes, Vlane was the only large city in the entire region of the country. Smaller cities dotted the place, but it was clearly not nearly as heavily populated as the rest of the Kingdom.

Oddly, a large spire was drawn in the heart of the city rising above like a needle pointing towards the heavens.

But I might have another idea entirely. His finger tapped on the spire. Tell me, what level of education have your children received?