Less Than Human

"Did you rest well, Clement?"

"Very well. The luxurious sheets were wonderful."

Duncan and I walk down the hallway to an area on the first floor that I'm less familiar with. As predicted, somebody arrived early in the morning to schedule this appointment with Duncan. I'm sure they were uneasy to find me awake with a beast child in the bed instead of me.

Peo still appears drowsy as she follows us through the castle halls, shields safely fastened to her back. Duncan pays the girl no mind as he investigates my armour.

"I saw that you were injured. We can bring a doctor should you need further attention."

"These scratches are minor. No need for such special treatment."

I wave off the prince's offer, but that motion on its own caused my body pain. This soreness is a reminder that this is not exactly my body. While all of the physical features appear as they did back on Earth, my muscles don't seem to carry the same memories. During my prime, I could handle double the injuries while still moving fine.

We turn into a large open hall filled with rows upon rows of tables and benches. Knights with and without their armour partake in baskets of bread, buckets of soup, and platters of meat.

Duncan leads me to an empty table and offers me a seat. He places himself across from me while Peo lowers herself onto the space next to me.

"I wish we could offer you food fit for your status, but my father is not in a state to make the arrangement."

"This should be more than enough. I cannot complain when receiving more than simple rations."

"Hahaha! Forgive us! Your expedition required haste!"

The prince is cheery for a moment before recalling the events of yesterday. He may have not been there, but the consequences of that raid have spread throughout every corner of Melior.

Duncan's complexion changes as he recalls the event, causing him to slam his fist against the wood in frustration.

"If only I had been present! Perhaps something might have changed!"

"I fear for the worst, Duncan. Sir Thorsten was a great warrior, yet still he perished."

I would have had to kill you.

I obviously can't say those words, but that would have been my dilemma. Allowing the crown prince to die in battle would have earned me one less head on my neck, regardless of the reasons I could provide. King Aufrey was hit hard by the loss of his general, who knows how badly he would have reacted to the loss of his son.

Duncan grinds his teeth, but cannot formulate a rebuttal. Thorsten wasn't called the strongest knight for no reason.

"Those beasts…"

Duncan's anger hits the beast girl beside me, even if that wasn't the original intent. Despite this, Peo does not react. Her tail continues to sway calmly back and forth behind her even as the prince curses her people.

Men I can only assume to be chefs soon appear and place a series of plates in front of me. One is a basket of freshly baked bread that decorates many of the tables. Another contains a salad beneath a savory chicken breast. To finish off the meal is a soup with cabbage floating within. This is quite the spread, but it seems only portioned for a single person.

"If you could excuse me."

I called to the retreating servers. One turns around and bows.

"How might we assist you, Blessed Knight."

"I require that you offer her a meal as well."

Both the server and Duncan seem to forget how to breathe for a moment. The prince watches silently while the server's face twists into an ugly frown.

"With all due respect! We do not feed animals!"

He doesn't even finish spitting his words before my blade draws a line in his pelt tunic. The man's widened eyes stare in fear at the shimmering shortsword in my hand.

"Have you no sense!?"

It isn't often that I raise my voice, but I occasionally have no choice. Depending on the mask and name, I have to accept the discomfort in my throat to continue the mission.

"This beast is an important tool for Melior! Do you realise how many men died to give us this chance at peace!?"

The server doesn't move aside from an uncontrollable trembling. From this position, I say the lines most likely to follow.

"You intend to starve the beast and render their efforts meaningless!? Should you ever dishonour their deaths, I shall tear this blade through your throat and allow your remains to be fed to the dogs!"

It took a bit of improvising, but I managed to completely bewilder the man. He takes a series of uneasy steps backwards, knocking into the closest bench before retreating off into the kitchen.

"This is quite convenient…"

Having any amount of power makes intimidation easy to perform. Threaten a man's life and honour and he can be forced to obey. I have Duncan to thank for showing me this particular method.

"My apologies, Clement."

The person I impersonated stands from his position opposite the table. He bows his own head in shame.

"I may share his sentiment, but his actions were unacceptable. Your word should bear no less weight than mine. I will be sure that the man is punished."

"Raise your head, Duncan. As long as this does not occur again, you need not be harsh."

It doesn't take more than one minute for the server to arrive with a second helping of food. The portioning is smaller, but I can let that pass considering Peo's physique.

The beast girl doesn't so much as lift her spoon, instead turning to look at me.

"Go ahead."

With my unnecessary permission, Peo immediately begins digging into the meat. The sharp fangs within her mouth make an appearance from behind the silver scarf. From the way she tears at the meat, you would think that she hadn't eaten in days. Considering that we had nothing last night, that may not be an impossibility.

A knight appears from behind us and offers Duncan a salute.

"It appears that I must leave you here."

The prince rises to his feet. He appears ready to follow the knight, but stops to speak with me once more.

"Are you certain that you do not wish to attend?"

"I'm quite certain. I did not know them well and was unable to save their lives. They should be honoured by those who understand their worth."

"Very well. I suggest that you rest, but feel free to do so here or in the city."

Duncan presses no further and leaves Peo and I to continue eating. The taste of each item is quite bland, but that is likely just my past speaking. I'm sure that I'll become accustomed to the flavours of this world soon.

"C?"

Peo interrupts my slow eating. The meat on her platter is gone, a loaf of bread now sitting half eaten in her hands.

"Thank…you."

"Just doing my job. It also gave me a chance to test dealing with these castle folk."

I take a bite of the still warm bread. I can barely finish chewing when I notice that Peo had already obliterated the one in her hands. She transitions into nibbling the fans of lettuce one at a time.

"Where will we…go after?"

She asks just before inserting another green leaf into her little shredder. It was something I was just asking myself, something that I have yet to decide.

"Good question. Definitely not a funeral for Thorsten."

"Because you…killed him?"

"No, because I didn't like the guy."

We continue our meal in silence, or more specifically I do. Peo patiently waits for me to finish as I plan our next move.