Hate Springs Eternal

The next morning, after having breakfast that consisted of several different Greentree Elf dishes, Rowen and his women tiredly made their way over to the main longhouse, the “Meeting Place” for the tribe.

He was remembering that he wasn’t allowed to sleep at all that night. He had walked into the middle of a disagreement of some kind. Something about wedding night rights and such.

All he knew was the seemingly placid Eliarra demanded her rights since it was HER wedding night, and after a heated debate the others reluctantly acquiesced but reiterated she would not have exclusive rights in the future.

His mind was brought back to the hear and now when he walked into the central meeting longhouse. In the center of the longhouse was a brazier filled with burning wood and circled around it were something like twenty to twenty-five elders and warriors.

All but a few stood up when Rowen entered the hall.

Rowen carefully noted who didn’t stand so that he could keep an eye on them. He mentally told Xyarra, Keep an eye on those four that didn’t stand. I’m thinking that they may be trouble.

Right, Row sweetie.

Rowen then motioned for the others to sit.

The Chief motioned for Rowen to sit on an empty mat between him and the Rias.

He sat down and said, “Good morning all of you. Thank you for making the time to meet with me.”

One of the dissenters mumbled, “Like you gave us a choice.”

Rowen smiled and looked to the dissenter and said, “You are?”

“My name is Arkeer, I am war chief.”

The Chief said, “Arkeer, you need to hold your tongue…”

Rowen put his hand on the Chief’s shoulder and said, “No, no, I want all here to feel comfortable and speak any misgivings they have.” He turned back to Arkeer, “Arkeer is it?”

“Yes.” Arkeer said roughly.

“Arkeer, I am especially going to need you to be able to talk to me straight and honest. Being War Chief, I’m going to need to know exactly where you stand. On all things.”

Arkeer stood and said, “Then you will want to know that I don’t like your being here at all. You come here with your soldiers and slave women and you pretend that you’re benevolent when you’re nothing but a human!”

Rowen then nodded and said, “Like you’re nothing but a greenie? Or is it hairy goblin? Which derogatory term most gets your blood up in a boil?”

There was a wave of outrage among the rest of the dissenters and Rowen held up his hand and said, “Of course I do not think that any person can be lumped into their origin race.

“If you must know, I may be human but I’m a human from another world. Humanity has gone through a cultural evolution that has come to distain racism. Well, the most of us have anyway. There are still some ignorant people running about that focus on the color of skin and such superfluous things. But to paraphrase a famous civil rights leader of my world, I dream that our children will be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Even though I know for a fact that you hate me because of my supposed heritage, I can’t bring myself to hate you back. That is because your anger is justified, to a degree.”

He then stood up himself and walked over to Arkeer, “My guess is that as a warrior, you won’t evaluate the worth of someone until you test them with arms. Am I not correct?”

“Are you challenging me to a duel?!”

“No, it is you who are challenging me!” he then held up his hand and pointed it towards the longhouse door and said, “After you, Sir!”

Arkeer turned and stormed out the door with his three other dissenters getting up and joining him quickly.

Xyarra rose and languidly walked over to him and said, “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“No. But I don’t really have a choice here.” And he started to put on his gauntlets.

The rest of the elders and warriors already started heading out to watch the “test of arms” while Rowen finished readying himself.

Rowen went outside to see a circle had been formed by the Chief, elders and other warriors. There were also other tribesmen and women gathering to see what was up. He looked over to see his opponent warming up with two short swords in an aggressive but graceful looking two-handed sword routine.

He quietly activated a couple of the spell disks on his gauntlets, one for heightened awareness, one for increased speed and endurance and the last for increased strength and dexterity.

He drew his sword, something like a cross between a saber and a Katana as he stepped into the circle.

Before he could even take a few practice swings his opponent was on him with a flurry of attacks. Rowen was thanking the Guardians for the quality of martial arts that they had imbued his body with. He was able to block or parry Arkeer’s attacks and then duck under and make for the center of the ring, freeing up some space between him and his opponent.

He pursed his lips and said, “You’re good. No wonder you’re the War Chief.” And he did a few figure eights with his sword, but before finishing the last figure eight, he chained it to his attack and brought it in at a high falcon forcing Arkeer to block upwards with both swords, simultaneously bringing his right foot up in a field goal kick to his groin.

He kicked with such force that it lifted Arkeer off the ground a good foot and a half.

All the men in the circle turned their heads and reflexively covered themselves as Arkeer bent over and fell to the ground.

Rowen then laid the flat of his blade against Arkeer’s neck and said, “Now, am I going to have any more problems from you?”

He was barely able to gasp out, “No…”

He then looked up and scanned his gaze on all that were circling him and said, “This is not a game!” he pointed his sword towards the gap and said, “Over there are about five thousand Woague that would like nothing better than to turn you women into slaves and you men into dinner.

“You asked me to lead you, and I will do that very thing. I will do what it takes to fight for you since I have now taken all of you, whether you like me or not, under my protection.” He pointed his sword back at Arkeer and continued, “Arkeer has a grievance with humans. I don’t blame him either. I was brought to this world to correct the church and by extension, humanity’s behavior, and their ignorance.

“But you can’t fight ignorance with ignorance. It’s up to us to put our ignorance to the ground for permanent burial. Along with those who will stand against us.”

He pointed his sword up in the air and said, “Who is with me?!”

A cheer washed over him, and he felt his face warm.

He scanned the circle around him, and he saw his ladies standing together looking… Proud? He wasn’t sure. No one had ever expressed pride in him before. His father always played his emotions close to his vest and his mother…well, being a nurse, she always said things as she saw them. Feelings be damned.

But these four women were looking at him with smiles and moist looking eyes that he only assumed meant pride.

He remembered himself and then said to the crowd, which now looked like the entire tribe had come out to see what was going on and he said, “All of you need to pack up your belongings. Bring only what you can carry. We leave at first light tomorrow!” and he turned to the Chief and said, “Now, we need to finish our meeting so we can sort out the details.”