Those That One Takes as One’s Own

Rowen stood in front of the main hall, looking up and down the main street of the village. To his right were his cavalry troopers all lined up and waiting to move out.

To his left were the 250 or so villagers, Greentree Elves, and 102 of his golem soldiers. The noncombatants and their escort more or less.

The noncombatants were scurrying about with last minute preparations to move out, throwing this and that onto the travoys and wagons.

Also among the noncombatants were the Gatlin Gun and four cannons that were to be used to support them as needed.

He decided to walk back to the rear of the noncombatant column and do one last check over to see if he needed to help any.

The village had several horses and oxen that were used to pull wagons, travoys, cannon and the Gatlin Gun. At the very back of the column was a platoon of infantry troops who were to cover the rear of the column. Immediately in front of the infantry were the prisoners, who were either shackled or wearing the control collars that Rowen had made.

Among the prisoners were the two Greentree Elves that were branded traitors. They refused to make eye contact with Rowen as he walked past them.

He remembered the evening before, how he opted not to have them executed because he had agreed to take all the Green Elves under his protection.

The War Chief was very apologetic about their behavior and offered to stand down as War Chief because of his association with them.

When Rowen asked him, “Are you going to betray me or our people?” He said most emphatically that he would not.

Rowen used his newly learned telepathy skills to decern that he was telling the truth, so he said, “I trust you. I would rather have you stay as War Chief than pick someone else that I don’t really know or trust.”

Xyarra’s interrogation of the prisoners determined that the human man that Rowen shot first was the one who approached them with the idea of seeking out reward for Rowen’s head.

The bowman Rowen shot second was also said to believe Eliarra should have married him and not Rowen.

Well, that explains his motives, but the other two Green Elves were his brothers and they decided to support their brother.

Since they couldn’t interrogate the two humans involved do to their reaching room temperature they couldn’t determine if there was someone else involved.

Rowen had a sneaking suspicion that there was someone else involved. Mainly because none of the participants had demonstrated that they were particularly smart enough to come up with such a plan on their own.

He continued to walk forward to the front of the column. He stopped to look at the travoy that had Aralia laying on it.

She smiled at him and with effort held up her hand and reached out to him.

He reached back and gripped her hand and said, “How are you feeling Aralia?”

“I won’t lie, I am in pain all over. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Did the apothecary give you anything for your pain?”

“Yes, but it makes me sleepy, so I’ll only take it when I want to sleep.”

“Well, remember that it is only temporary. When you get yourself stronger your pain should go away.”

“Yes, I know. Thank you again for your gracious gift.”

Rowen nodded and said, “I hope your journey is smooth.”

He then continued along the column to the very front and saw Eliarra standing next to the horse Rowen arranged for her to have. What he did was promote one of his cavalry troopers to be lieutenant to the rear platoon since he was free thinking and had problem solving ability. He then gave the newly promoted trooper’s horse to Eliarra.

Standing next to her were Chief Hann and the War Chief. Both would act as adjutants to Eliarra and support her anyway they could.

Mayor Tamera was still in charge of the villagers, but she agreed to follow Lady Eliarra’s command and support her anyway she could. As well as act as liaison between her people and Eliarra.

Rowen looked at the leaders and asked, “Any last-minute questions?”

They all looked at each other shaking their heads and Eliarra said, “No my Lord Husband.” Smiling.

He pulled her close to him and gave her a kiss and said, “Stay safe my Lady Wife.” Pride in his eyes.

He turned to the infantry Captain he made and took him aside from the others and said, “Captain, I know that this is selfish of me but, if all else fails, you must see to Lady Eliarra’s safety.”

“Yes…Sir!”

He thought, someday I’m going to fix that pause in them.

He looked over to see the Rias on top of another horse behind Domonique provided by the village and he said to the Captain, “Also, if you can, please see to the safety of the Rias and Domonique.”

“Yes…Sir!”

He took one last look down the column, looking at the supply wagons and he remembered that the ammo making box he made, although wonderful, only could create so much ammo in a day. The rule of threes reared its ugly head again. Each of the gems could only create a load of ammo three times a day. So, three times ten boxes of twenty rounds of the 45/70 ammo times four gems total.

However, the box could also make ball or canister shot for the cannon as well as powder charges. So, he had instructed Eliarra to make sure that they continued to make ammo every day even if they were not engaged with any enemies.

He desperately hoped that he would meet back up with them and find that they would have an extra stockpile of ammo and not expend any ammo, save what they needed for hunting. However, he truly understood Murphy’s law.

He realized he was procrastinating and gave his wife one more kiss before he turned and went up to the front of the cavalry column where Baldy was waiting for him.

Xyarra, Kit and Dana were awaiting him on their own mounts.

He mounted Baldy and looked back one last time then raised his right hand and waved it forward, “Move out!” and the cavalry started to move out.

Then, with only a few moments of lag, the noncombatants moved out as well.

They proceeded south for about three miles until they came upon a fork in the road. One branch continued south while the other peeled off to the east.

Rowen signaled his troops to accelerate to a gallop turning down the eastern road, leaving the other column to continue south.

In the Occupied City of Stiarra Nor:

The streets were unnaturally quiet for such a populous city. Soldiers patrolled the streets looking for any more resistance. There was an uneasiness in their eyes as there was a rumor of some unknown kind of monster feeding off of the unwary soldiers that were traveling in groups of five or less.

Of course, it was said to be just rumors but, soldiers will believe these rumors more readily than any officer’s briefing to the contrary, especially when they see the empty beds where a comrade used to sleep, gone without a trace.

The platoon of soldiers who were patrolling the north side of the city this day seemed to be especially quiet as they patrolled by the old Accolades Temple which looked to be in near ruin. This was the result of when the city was overthrown. The first thing that the paladins and the other priests from the holy Church did was collect any priests and priestesses from other aligned churches and burned them as witches in the center of the city.

They ransacked the temples and did as much physical damage as they could. Well, it is now rumored that the Accolades Church was now haunted by vengeful demons or spirits.

The soldiers continued quietly by the now defunct temple not realizing that they were under scrutiny of a pair of all seeing eyes.

Once the soldiers had passed, the observer quietly moved from their position to head down a flight of stairs well hidden from all those who did not know they were there. This lone individual made their way to the bottom of the spiral staircase then down the short corridor to a room.

In the room was a table with a map stretched out on it showing the city and disposition of the troops of the invading army. Five individuals stood around the table looking at the newcomer as they approached.

“The soldiers have passed now.”

A gruff but female voice answered, “Good. It’ll be dark soon, so we’ll move out and find ourselves some more targets."

Two of the figures wore large cloaks over packs and masks on their faces, revealing only a small view of their eyes.

One of them, with jet black hair peeking out of her hood said in a lilting female voice, “We need to take down an officer tonight. We really need to destroy their morale. This one we leave pinned to a wall with a message maybe. Otherwise, they will just think the others deserted.”

The other cloaked figure, who had grey hair the color of ash peeking out of her hood said, “Now, now. We need to be patient. He won’t be here for another two months to liberate the city and we can’t draw too much attention to us.”

This seemed to start a well-worn debate between the two cloaked figures.

"Spjot, if instead of them just vanishing, we start leaving a token or trace, like their heads here and there, the fear will skyrocket, and we could drive over half to desert before he arrives." The dark-haired one proclaimed.

"Sverth, it's too fast, too soon.' The light-haired one replied. "These things take time to cook just right. if we show the effects too soon, they will fortify their leaders too much too early and make it more difficult for the finale." A slim gloved hand reached out from under the cloak to rest on the other's shoulder.

One of the other people who were standing around the table, a female Felinean of the Tigris variety spoke up, “We appreciate you two and your…ability to inspire fear in our enemies, but I worry that your bloodlust might do us in.”

The grey-haired figure said, “Thirst for justice does not equate to bloodlust. Be thankful that we have curbed our inhibitions and not drawn more attention to ourselves. We have only promoted a nameless fear that will feed the invaders’ nightmares.” Her piercing eyes glinted at the cat-like woman.

The Tigris shrank back some. It wasn't something intentional. It was much more primal than that.

This unnerved the other two at the table, a Wolfen male and Dogua female.

The newcomer, a wolfen female said, “I could smell the fear on the soldiers that just passed, so I say that we continue on like we are.”

Three days later:

Rowen stationed his troopers in such a way that they would be able to envelope the slaver caravan in moments.

He had chosen a point on the natural road created by an ancient glacier which left a layer of bedrock partially exposed. The topsoil had not been able to establish a foothold on the underlying rocky terrain.

Terrain? Yes, they used the term for pre Twalling Cade as Terra Prime. Twalling Cade was ancient elven for “Separated Lands”. Thus, when talking about the ground or earth in the lower case they called it terra or terrain.

Xyarra said to him in his mind, Sweetie, you’re letting your mind wander again. I know you’re itching to liberate those slaves, but we need to be concise in our timing.

I know X, it’s just that if I keep looking down the road at those creatures that are pushing those people along, I want to spur Baldy here into action. So, thinking about the differences in our worlds helps me distract myself.

Row, sweetie, I can think of better ways to distract you.

Rowen could just hear the coquettish tone in her thoughts.

Kit, as if she was sensing his agitation and anxiety reached over and touched his hand saying softly, “Almost time luv.”

He smiled lovingly back at her and said, “Right, my dear.”

He then got a worried look on his face and he said, “Is there still no way I can talk you out of leading the third platoon?”

She got a fierce look in her eyes and she smiled in such a way to accentuate her pronounced canine teeth and said, “I agreed to make you my lord and husband, but I never agreed to let you tame me.”

He nodded to the inevitable and said, “Yes, I know dearest, but I can worry about you, can I?”

“Don’t worry about me, worry about the fear I’ll instill in them.”

He smiled back with pride at his fierce wife and nodded.

He took his binoculars out and looked along the ranks of the slaves and slavers and said, “There’s only about a hundred slavers but there’s more than two thousand captives. I wonder about the arrogance of that?”

Xyarra said, “It’s no wonder. Once someone’s will is broken, they become easy to herd.”

She pointed towards the group of captives in the middle of the caravan that wore shackles and leg irons and she said, “That group there are the defiant few. They couldn’t be broken, hence the shackles.”

Rowen thought about it and said, “Those will probably make the best warriors then for our future endeavors.”

They continued to watch the caravan approach until it hit an arbitrary point on the road where the space between the trees of the surrounding forests was narrowest.

Rowen said, “Everybody, to your positions now. Remember, no shooting. We can’t have any collateral damage.”

Kit spurred her horse off towards her command, while the others took a more leisurely approach.

Rowen then waited for the caravan to reach the next arbitrary point then he ordered his platoon to move out to cut off the path of the caravan.

Of the slavers there were maybe a dozen that were mounted. These must have been the chasers for any runaways. They were too spread out around the perimeter to make any kind of an effective cavalry force. As it was, their horses were festooned with nets and bolos that were designed for catching runaways that were too valuable to kill.

As he noted before, the group of crossbowmen that peppered the ranks only had loaded blunted arrows that looked to be designed to knock someone down and not pierce them.

Rowen arrayed his platoon across the path where it was only about 100 feet across. His troopers carried lances instead of their rifles.

As planned, a platoon emerged from the woods on both sides of the caravan being led by Xyarra and Dana.

The final platoon of troopers moved out across the path to the rear of the caravan being led by a fiery redheaded fox.

The caravan came to a halt. One of the riders on horseback turned his horse and went back to the lead wagon and looked to have had some sort of brief discussion with the rather fat looking man surrounded by slave women and…boys? Or perhaps very young girls, Rowen couldn’t tell at the distance.

The fat man handed the rider a bag of something then made a motion with his hand towards Rowen.

The rider then turned his horse and spurred it towards Rowen. The rider came to a stop about twenty feet or so from Rowen and yelled out, “Here’s a hundred talons of silver. More than enough to buy our way past you!”

Rowen thought, “Like you could buy your way out of hell?”

He said out loud, “There isn’t enough gold in the world for you to buy your way past me! By order of Princesses Kitarra Foxia and Danara Eilon, you are under arrest for war crimes against the Kingdom of Tier and the Guardians themselves. Surrender peaceably and you may yet see this day out.”

“Do you know who’s caravan this is?! This is the caravan of Lord Tetry himself. To interfere with his process means only death to you!”

Rowen, spurred Baldy closer to the rider until he was within a couple feet distance. His sword already in his hand. He asked the rider, “Is that Lord Titty there on the lead wagon?”

The rider growled, “That’s Lord Tetry…”

Rowen, quick as can be, beheaded the rider then yelled, “Charge!”

His forces moved in quickly but precisely, avoiding overshooting their targets and riding in among the captives.

Rowen spurred Baldy ahead towards the lead wagon. When he was close enough, he could hear the fat man mumbling something and feel the magical energies building up around him. However, before he could unleash whatever spell he was mumbling, his voice was cut off. Literally as Jades knife slit his throat.

One of the slavers made the mistake of backing away from Rowen’s forces only to find himself among the shackled captives. He was pummeled to death mercilessly by their chains and shackles.

The battle if one could call it that, was over in seconds.

Rowen used a spell to amplify his voice “You are free now!”

The former captives reacted in many different ways. Many fell to their knees looking upward in thanksgiving whereas the defiant ones shouted triumphantly.

Rowen rode Baldy up to the defiant ones and cast a spell over the ones in chains and watched with satisfaction as their shackles fell away.

His satisfaction ended quickly when he heard Xyarra say in his head, Kit is down!

He spurred Baldy to go over to where he saw a circle of soldiers surrounding someone who was on the ground.

He jumped off of Baldy and pushed his way to her.

He looked with relief as he saw her sitting up on the ground with a trickle of blood coming from her forehead.

She smiled up to Rowen and said, “Damn blunted bolt hit me.”

Rowen embraced her and held her tight. He just held her while he was shaking. He didn’t know how long because, Kit had given herself into the embrace but finally Dana was standing there mumbling, “Healing light, succor.”

Rowen leaned back and brushed aside Kit’s bangs and saw that the-inch-long cut had disappeared leaving only drying blood to show that it ever existed.

Kit said, “To quote my husband, I can get used to this.” As she pulled Rowen back into an embrace.

Rowen pulled Dana into the embrace and he felt Xyarra’s generous mammary glands press up against his back.

Xyarra said, “Now Kit dear, you know that you’re the only one who I’ll let put me in my place, so don’t go and get yourself killed.”

Even Dana was brought to tears with the emotion of the moment.

Finally, Xyarra broke away from the group hug and started to see to the former captives and the few prisoners.

Before Rowen knew what was going on, Xyarra and Jade were dispatching the remaining slavers to their individual destinies.

Xyarra was especially merciless with the only crossbowman found within range of Kit.

In Wailers Canyon:

Eliarra and her column had arrived at the canyon, late in the day. As was what had become routine over the last three days, the people under her command set off to their individual tasks of setting up camp.

She turned to War Chief Arkeer and said, “Have the troops fortify the mouth of the canyon. Make sure that the cannon are up and ready just in case.”

He nodded and said, “Yes, my Lady.” And motioned to the captain to follow him.

She said, “A moment. Captain, please let Lord Rowen know that we arrived here safely.”

“Yes, Lady Eliarra!” he saluted then stood absolutely still for a few moments then nodded and said, “Tis done Lady Eliarra.”

“Thank you.”

She turned to her father and said, “We need to look at building some semi-permanent buildings because winter is still yet among us.”

He nodded and looked to his daughter with pride and said, “I always knew that you would make a great chieftain someday. But look at you now. And you’re only fifty at that.”

Her dark green skin darkened some more, and she said, “Stop it father, you’re embarrassing me!”

Along the road where Rowen, his wives, troops, and freed captives had made camp, he let out a sigh of relief and said to the others, “Eliarra just sent a message that they arrived at Wailers Canyon safely.”

His other wives all smiled in relief as well.

Kit, who was hanging on Rowen’s left arm said, “That is a relief to know. So, how long will it take us to get there?”

Xyarra said, “Considering that the captives were on a near starvation diet for the last week, it’ll probably take a week.”

Rowen said, “Yes, we can’t push them too fast. Since I haven’t used much magic over the last few days, I can make them some supplements and easy to absorb proteins, but we still can’t push them too hard. Fortunately, there is plenty of grain and other ration goods among the wagons to ensure that they are well fed for that week.”

A male Felinean of the Leo variety was with Rowen and his wives around their campfire said, “My lord, I know that the grain will keep us alive, but is there any possibility of some meat for those of us who are in need of such?”

“Of course, I plan on having Princess Kitarra here and some of my troopers go out hunting as we go along. I’m very aware of your dietary needs.”

The Leo whose name was Marek said, “Thank you my lord. Forgive me but trust of humans doesn’t come easy to some of us these days.”

Rowen said, “I understand, but realize this, you are going to have to trust me because in the upcoming days failure to do so could lead to the death of some of us.”

“Of course, my Lord.”

Rowen turned to Jade and said, “Now that Eliarra is there safely, you can go on your next mission.”

“Yes Master!”

“Oh, and Jade, do please be careful.”

“Aren’t I always, Master?”

Rowen nodded and he watched Jade disappear into the darkness.