Pawn stared at the ranks of Soldiers under his command and realized that he\u2019d made a mistake.<\/p>\n
Somewhere.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d definitely made one a while back, when he\u2019d brought the idea of Gods into the Hive of the Free Antinium in Liscor. That had been a mistake\u2014or at least, telling the Soldiers had been.<\/p>\n
Hadn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
It had helped them. Pawn that thought it would save them, but it had only led to a terrible moment where they slaughtered each other to find a better place. He\u2019d stopped that\u2014<\/p>\n
But at a terrible cost. Nearly an entire barracks\u2019 worth of Soldiers had been injured, and hundreds had died. Still, many had been saved, and Pawn had realized what his true mission was that day. To make a Heaven for the Antinium. To make a place, a way that they would not die forgotten and alone.<\/p>\n
And he had leveled up after that night, hadn\u2019t he? He was now a Level 6 [Acolyte] with the Skill of [Humble Presence], which was surely a boon to the Hive. And Klbkch had given him command of the remaining Soldiers\u2014<\/p>\n
Perhaps that was the mistake. Revalantor Klbkch had made the mistake here, because Pawn was sure of one thing. He couldn\u2019t lead the Soldiers.<\/p>\n
He had no idea how.<\/p>\n
Pawn stared down at the ranks of silent, immobile giants aligned into perfect ranks in front of him. The Soldiers stood patiently, waiting for his command. Perhaps they would wait there forever, even if he left.<\/p>\n
Such thoughts were terrifying to Pawn. He was no leader. Except, in a very real sense, he was. Moreover, those under his command needed him. If nothing else, Pawn had to ensure they didn\u2019t die of their injuries.<\/p>\n
Yes, every Soldier standing at attention was technically walking\u2014or rather, standing\u2014wounded. Of course they didn\u2019t show any signs of pain, despite some having cracked carapaces or missing limbs. One Soldier was missing his right eye, but he looked at Pawn as if nothing was wrong.<\/p>\n
At least\u2026they were here with him, rather than fighting as they would be normally. Even though the Soldiers here were injured, Pawn knew that they would still have normally been assigned to combat duty if it weren\u2019t for him.<\/p>\n
The most wounded Soldier could fight after only a few days of rest. Of course, they\u2019d be missing limbs but that didn\u2019t matter when they hurled themselves into combat. Pawn had requested the foul, stinging ooze to begin regenerating their body parts, but it was a precious commodity and so the Soldiers would be weeks or even months in regrowing their limbs.<\/p>\n
And in the meantime, what did Pawn do? He stared at his Soldiers, and they stared back. He couldn\u2019t send them to battle. He couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
And yet, they were his responsibility. He had to make something of them. That was what Klbkch had told him. This was a test\u2014<\/p>\n
And Pawn had no idea how to pass it. He was pretty sure on how to fail, but what could he do with the Soldiers? All he had done was give them false hope\u2014<\/p>\n
And get a lot of them killed.<\/p>\n
Pawn shook his head and the Soldier seemed to straighten even more. It had been five minutes since he\u2019d entered the mess hall and found the Soldiers waiting for him. He had to give them an order, he knew. They needed direction.<\/p>\n
Hesitantly, the Worker cleared his throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will not be expected to fight today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Soldiers just stared at him. Did they feel relieved? Disappointed? Confused? Pawn didn\u2019t know. Their faces were as incomprehensible to him as all Antinium were to other species. But he knew they did have feelings.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026just go about your daily routine. That is to say\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Pawn paused. He had to be a leader. So he firmed his tone.<\/p>\n
\u201cAttend meal times as normal. However, since you are not assigned to any post, return to your barracks to rest in the meantime. I will\u2026find something for you to do, and try to visit you and tell stories. Alright?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Soldiers didn\u2019t respond. But they turned and immediately began filing out of the room, heading towards the barracks. Pawn watched them go, limp with relief.<\/p>\n
At least they listened to him. But did they resent him for telling them about God and Heaven? Did they feel regret for their brothers that had died in the mass suicide attempt?<\/p>\n
Surely they did. But Pawn couldn\u2019t ask, because the Soldiers couldn\u2019t speak. The Worker anxiously paced back and forth as the other Workers assigned to food serving duty watched him nervously. He was commanding Soldiers. Pawn knew they would fight the monsters that came out of the dungeon and patrol and guard\u2014but was there anything else they did?<\/p>\n
He\u2019d never known. And now he had to ask. But who would be able to tell him?<\/p>\n
Not other Workers. Klbkch perhaps\u2014but Pawn didn\u2019t feel comfortable asking the Revalantor questions like that. Who else might know?<\/p>\n
The Queen? Pawn would have rather slapped Klbkch than ask his Queen anything. No. No, there were only two other beings in the Hive who might know.<\/p>\n
Belgrade and Anand. They were [Tacticians]. They\u2019d leveled up in that class and been assigned roles leading Soldiers. They would know.<\/p>\n
Pawn found his two former chess companions after only half an hour of searching. It wasn\u2019t as if Belgrade and Anand left signs pointing out their location in the Hive, but Pawn knew where they ate and slept. Happily, he found them doing neither and instead, playing chess in the special break room reserved for Individuals.<\/p>\n
The two Workers sat at a chess table, watched by a small crowd of other Workers. They stood out. Perhaps it was the way they held themselves. With confidence and pride. Or maybe it was just that Pawn knew them so well. He sat next to them and they nodded at him, familiar and warm as the Antinium ever got.<\/p>\n
\u201cPawn. It is good to see you here today.\u201d<\/p>\n
That came from Belgrade. He nodded precisely as he placed a knight in the attack position, threatening a pawn from Anand.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed. I was worried you were being punished by Klbkch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anand ignored the attack on his pawns and instead countered Belgrade with an aggressive push from his queen on the left side, threatening a bishop. Belgrade paused. Pawn observed the playing with interest, his mind half on the game.<\/p>\n
It was true that he, Belgrade, and Anand all looked the same. But they were all different from each other\u2014vastly different in terms of personality. Belgrade was a stickler for tactics and the openings Erin had taught them. He played defensively, cautiously. Almost too much, but it was necessary against Anand\u2019s aggressive tactics. In speech as well, they tended to reflect their traits. It was remarkable, Pawn reflected, that any Workers could be so\u2026unique.<\/p>\n
He nodded to the two as the game continued, both Workers moving their pieces quickly and only pausing for a few seconds even for the hardest decisions. They were clearly playing a lightning game, although there was no timer. Antinium had no need of such devices.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thank you for your concern. I am not being punished by Revalantor Klbkch, Anand. But I am in distress.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the problem?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou may be aware that I have been assigned a command of Soldiers. I am unsure how to properly lead them, and what roles they may fulfill within the Hive. Thus, I have come to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Antinium also didn\u2019t do much small talk. Belgrade and Anand paused for a moment. Then Belgrade tipped over his king.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot win this match. Another round?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two reset the board, moving pieces with amazing synchronization. Pawn waited patiently. The game began with a classic King\u2019s Gambit Accepted opening before Anand spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy experience with leading Soldiers occurs mainly in embattled tunnels and areas of the Hive in which conflict occurs. I direct their movements, reinforce them with Skills, and order retreats and designate targets as necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is my experience as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Belgrade nodded. He placed a knight on the board delicately and stopped. Pawn had observed that Belgrade liked using knight pieces to open with.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have supervised Soldiers aiding in digging and construction at times. But Workers are more suited to those tasks. Patrolling, fighting, guarding, and scouting are the only roles I have seen them fulfill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pawn felt his antennae droop. But he hadn\u2019t really expected anything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see. And you have not ever seen them do anything for\u2014for entertainment?\u201d<\/p>\n
Both of the other Workers paused and turned to Pawn. He knew they were surprised. If they had eyebrows, they would have been raising them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Antinium have no entertainment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNor any other form of leisurely activity. This game of chess is as close as we have to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. It is just\u2014I wish to give the Soldiers something more. You are aware of the details surrounding their injuries?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was your fault, correct?\u201d<\/p>\n
Pawn nodded at Anand, acknowledging the truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. I regret my stupidity. And yet, I must now lead them. But I am no leader, no [Tactician] as you two are. You have continued to level. May I ask what level you are now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFifteen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Belgrade adjusted a piece on the crude board, meticulously centering it in the square before he moved it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSixteen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anand waited until the piece had moved to swiftly take it with a bishop. Belgrade made no audible response, but Pawn knew he was annoyed at making such a simple mistake.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am now a Level 6 [Acolyte].\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed? Congratulations are in order for such swift advancement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Belgrade and Anand turned. Both nodded at Pawn. He nodded back, feeling happy for their praise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just that I fail to see how my class can help the Soldiers. I barely know what to do with myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps Revalantor Klbkch sees something in you that cannot be defined by your class.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anand speculated as Belgrade attempted to regain lost ground. Pawn nodded slowly. He looked around at the other Workers.<\/p>\n
They just stared at the board. He knew they were listening, but the other Workers\u2014Individuals and Workers groomed to be Individuals\u2014they had no spark. Not like Belgrade, Anand, Garry, and Bird. Those four Workers had what Pawn considered personality. The other Workers in the room were more like statues.<\/p>\n
Soulless.<\/p>\n
That was the word for it. It disturbed Pawn, although he couldn\u2019t say why. Were the Soldiers like that? In a way, yes. Both they and the Workers kept their feelings, their true selves on the inside, if they even had a self at all. What could Pawn do for them, besides send them to die? What could he\u2014?<\/p>\n
\u201cPawn. Revalantor Klbkch approaches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Belgrade looked up and Pawn turned in his seat. The other Workers standing around the board scattered to make lots of room for the slim, unique Antinium as he marched quickly towards Pawn.<\/p>\n
\u201cPawn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just that one word made Pawn\u2019s insides knot up. He hadn\u2019t even known they could do that, but then, he\u2019d seldom felt\u2026trepidation before. But Klbkch scared him, and every time they met, Pawn couldn\u2019t help but feel like he was doing everything wrong.<\/p>\n
A feeling which was reinforced by Klbkch\u2019s next words. The Revalantor stopped in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give your Soldiers orders this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n
Pawn cringed a bit. Was he not supposed to?<\/p>\n
\u201cYes I did. Was anything\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey went back to their barracks and began to rest. They remained in the barracks when another shift came to rest, causing a delay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh no.<\/em> Pawn\u2019s insides twisted further, and he saw both Belgrade and Anand pause in playing chess. How could he have forgotten? The Antinium had no personal quarters\u2014rather, they slept and worked and ate at allotted times, in shifts. When one shift slept, another one would work, and then the sleeping shift would switch with another one.<\/p>\n That was the most efficient use of resources and it meant places like the barracks could be used at all times. Pawn had\u2014he\u2019d ordered his Soldiers to take up the space meant for other exhausted Soldiers ending their shift!<\/p>\n The Antinium couldn\u2019t blush, but Pawn lowered his head and antennae. He\u2019d already messed up. And it was such a stupid<\/em> mistake to make too!<\/p>\n \u201cForgive me, Revalantor Klbkch. I did not consider that when I gave my orders to the Soldiers. I am terribly\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have taken care of it. Your Soldiers are being stationed in safe locations on protective detail. In the future do not make the same mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch\u2019s voice was flat. He turned to go. Pawn looked at his back despairingly and called out.<\/p>\n \u201cRevalantor Klbkch.\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium turned. He was graceful, deadly. He walked as if the two swords by his side were meant for him, and he never looked uncertain. How Pawn envied him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it, Pawn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat should I do with the Soldiers under my command? Am I to lead them into battle?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. You have only a single Skill in the [Tactician] class and you are too valuable to risk in battle. Moreover, the Soldiers are wounded. Your command over them is experimental.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen\u2014what purpose will we serve?\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch paused. He looked Pawn straight in the eye.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not know. Surprise me. Or pray for an idea. That is your Skill, is it not?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned and left. Belgrade and Anand stopped their game and watched him go. After a while, the other Workers walked back and resumed watching their game. Belgrade paused.<\/p>\n \u201cI am unsure as to what you should do, Pawn. I regret that Erin is not here to aid you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. I dislike Revalantor Klbkch\u2019s requirements of you, and the Revalantor himself if it comes to that. Checkmate.\u201d<\/p>\n Anand placed his queen and created an excellent checkmate. Belgrade nodded. He looked at the other [Tactician].<\/p>\n \u201cI am extremely upset, Anand. I demand a rematch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI accept.\u201d<\/p>\n Pawn left them to it. Well, he had his answer. He was supposed to do something with the Soldiers\u2014only, even Klbkch had no idea what. Wonderful.<\/p>\n That was how, terribly depressed, Pawn found himself walking through Liscor that evening. He was still free to leave the Hive, and so he walked among the Drakes and Gnolls, feeling the cold wind on his carapace.<\/p>\n No one paid any attention to him. Normally, they might, if only to look scared and walk away from him. But today Pawn was more invisible than anything else. Oh, people noticed him, but he was now simply another person in the crowd, rather than a Worker, an Antinium.<\/p>\n It was due to his new Skill. [Humble Presence]. It made him, well, ordinary unless Pawn did something that really stood out or he was by himself. It was perfect for someone like him. Klbkch had already told him it might have useful applications in battle\u2014but Pawn didn\u2019t want to fight.<\/p>\n But he commanded Soldiers. But he had no idea what to do with them.<\/p>\n And he\u2019d already caused trouble. Pawn hung his head, but his feet kept moving. In times like this, he only had one place he wanted to be.<\/p>\n The Wandering Inn. Even if Erin wasn\u2019t there, at least Pawn could rest there in peace for a while. And he was getting hungry. Pawn had begun to hate eating in the Hive, and he had money. So Pawn walked out of the city and up to the inn.<\/p>\n It was the only place where he really felt alive.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She had a guest. Lyonette rubbed her eyes a few times when she saw the figure slowly walking up the hill towards the empty inn. But it was real. Someone was coming.<\/p>\n A guest!<\/p>\n She nearly cried in relief. It had been\u2026so long.<\/p>\n Two days this time. Two days after Lyonette had worked so hard! She\u2019d made food and learned to cook and even cleaned the inn. But it had been two days since Pawn had left, and no one had come by.<\/p>\n Not Olesm, not Relc to ask about Erin, not even the grumpy adventurer. No one. But now she had a guest! The same guest, in fact, as last time.<\/p>\n The Antinium. Pawn. Lyonette remembered being afraid of him, of hating the Antinium. But right now she could have kissed the Worker on his mandibles. He was coming to spend money! To eat!<\/p>\n The girl rushed around the kitchen, trying to figure out what to make. Food! She couldn\u2019t serve him the rubbery noodles she\u2019d been making herself for breakfast, lunch and dinner, could she?<\/p>\n No, the Antinium couldn\u2019t even handle gluten.<\/p>\n No bread or pasta, then. Lyonette froze. Could she make a soup? But when she checked, she had barely half a bucket of water left! And then the Antinium was at the door and there was no time to fetch more!<\/p>\n Screaming internally, Lyonette opened the door.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evening!\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium entered, nodding politely at her.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evening to you, Miss Lyonette. Are you open today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOpen? Of course! We\u2019re open every day! Every night! Let me get you a chair. Would you like to sit next to the fire? I can put more wood on\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Seemingly bemused, the Worker watched Lyonette rush about, stoking the fire, getting him a glass of water. She hovered around him anxiously, trying not to wring her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like something else to drink? Um\u2014we don\u2019t have anything, though. To eat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWater is quite acceptable, thank you. I would indeed like food tonight. What is on the menu, may I ask?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette froze. What was on the menu? She didn\u2019t even have<\/em> a menu! Her mind went blank, but her mouth took over in this moment of crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cW-would you like eggs and bacon?\u201d<\/p>\n That was all she could think to make! Erin normally had all kinds of soups and meat dishes she could serve\u2014but Lyonette didn\u2019t know how to cook any of them!<\/p>\n Pawn seemed to think for a moment, and then nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I will have some, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette smiled at him, dashed into the kitchen, and called herself ten kinds of stupid while she fried up a heaping plate for him. Eggs and bacon? She\u2019d served that to him last<\/em> time! He\u2019d get bored of the food, surely! When she\u2019d been living in the palace, Lyonette would have fired the [Chef] who made her the same meal twice in one week!<\/p>\n But the Antinium didn\u2019t seem offended. Instead, he paused when Lyonette placed the big plate of eggs and bacon in front of him\u2014nearly all of what she had left.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is quite a fine meal. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very welcome!\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette nearly sagged in relief. She hovered around Pawn as he picked up a fork. He paused, looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to sit?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh!\u201d<\/p>\n She was bothering him! Lyonette sat instantly, trying to smile and not be obtrusive as Pawn ate. The silence was\u2026<\/p>\n After a few minutes Pawn spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems the inn is rather empty. Have you been receiving much custom, Miss Lyonette?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe? No I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette paused. How could she tell the Antinium about crying in the inn, counting the few copper and two silver coins left? Eating the same horrible mush she cooked up every day? How could she?<\/p>\n How could she not?<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been\u2026hard since Erin\u2014Miss Solstice left. No one visits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is troublesome. I hope my business can help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt will! I just wish there were a lot more people like\u2014like you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for the compliment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re\u2026welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n More silence. Lyonette looked at Pawn, realizing this was the first time she\u2019d ever been so close to one of the hateful Antinium, the terrors of Rhir. He looked so\u2026normal for some reason.<\/p>\n \u201cUm.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s it going in the Hive? With the other Antinium, I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n The Worker seemed to pause for a few seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is\u2026going well. There are some difficulties, but the Hive is well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette sat with the Worker, refilling his glass, drinking some water herself. They didn\u2019t talk much while he ate his way through the plate of greasy eggs and bacon. When he left, he paid her well. Lyonette stared at the bronze coins and smiled tremulously. Then she cried again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pawn left The Wandering Inn in good spirits. The brief respite and dinner made for a world of difference. Suddenly, he felt happy again.<\/p>\n The inn. Sitting there and talking\u2014well, it wasn\u2019t the same, but the Human girl had been decent company and the food had been far better than the mush in the Hive.<\/p>\n A good night. A good evening. That was what it was. Pawn walked back down the hill, staring up at the clear night sky as he did. The air was cold around him, but he enjoyed the biting chill and the crisp crunching<\/em> sound the snow made under his feet.<\/p>\n The stars. Oh, how the stars shone. Yellow and red some of them, but green and purple others, shining bright, shining faintly, some flickering behind the occasional cloud. And the two moons were beautiful as well.<\/p>\n A sky full of wonders, a landscape full of snow and silence. Warm belly, good conversation. Pawn felt alive again. This was what he\u2019d missed.<\/p>\n How wonderful. How\u2026Pawn stopped in the snow, struck by a sudden realization.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what I must show them.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes. This.<\/em> This night was like everything Pawn had experienced since meeting Erin, a small capsule of pure happiness. Of course, the inn was different, and it had been Erin, not Lyonette running it. But it had been the experiences of the inn which had made Pawn who he was. Klbkch desired new Individuals, but just teaching them chess wasn\u2019t enough. Chess was only the method. It had been Erin who truly mattered.<\/p>\n And if she was gone, then it fell to Pawn to show the Soldiers the same world she had shown him. Pawn walked back to his Hive, his steps suddenly full of purpose. He needed to take his Soldiers outside. Outside of their Hive where everything was the same.<\/p>\n He would talk to Revalantor Klbkch about the issue that very night. As Pawn walked, he clicked his mandibles together, savoring the flavor of his meal. Eggs and bacon. He\u2019d had it last time, hadn\u2019t he? Well, Pawn didn\u2019t mind, although perhaps next time he would ask Lyonette if she had any good cheese she could add to the meal. He really liked scrambled eggs, but he liked omelettes filled with gooey cheese even more.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He was never coming back. That was what Lyonette told herself again and again as she wallowed in despair in her dark, empty inn. The fire was dying down again.<\/p>\n \u201cIdiot! You stupid idiot!\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette buried her head in her arms and cried. The Worker\u2014Pawn was gone. He\u2019d left coin, but he hadn\u2019t said he\u2019d return. Of course not! Who\u2019d say that?<\/p>\n But would he come back in two more days? Or never? He hadn\u2019t talked much\u2014<\/p>\n Because she hadn\u2019t been a good host! Lyonette remembered Erin being so friendly to the Antinium, but words had failed her when she\u2019d tried to talk to him.<\/p>\n And he\u2019d left so quickly. Had it been quick? It had felt like that to Lyonette, lonely as she was.<\/p>\n He hadn\u2019t liked the food. That was surely it.<\/p>\n Slowly, as the last flames flickered and died in the dark inn, Lyonette raised her head. She stared at the small, circular discs of metal on the table.<\/p>\n Money. The only money she\u2019d seen all week. Enough for a few more days of food, of life. And she still had flour and salt and\u2026provisions enough for a few more days. But that was all.<\/p>\n Water? The stream still ran, and though the water was bitingly cold, it could be heated. With enough wood. Lyonette glanced anxiously to the dying embers, the only thing warming the cold room.<\/p>\n She had lots of firewood, actually. Erin had used Toren to gather a lot of wood from the boom bark, safely denuded of their bark of course.<\/p>\n But she couldn\u2019t eat wood, and Lyonette was fairly certain that Pawn couldn\u2019t either. And yet\u2014feeding him eggs and bacon was an expensive proposition, even with how much he was willing to pay! Especially if he only came by once every few days.<\/p>\n She needed more customers. Lyonette knew that. But who would want to come here, to this empty inn without Erin Solstice? To\u2026her.<\/p>\n No one. No one but an Antinium. Lyonette clutched at her head.<\/p>\n More guests. Drakes didn\u2019t like Humans and Gnolls would probably try to kill her. But the Antinium\u2014<\/p>\n They couldn\u2019t eat bread. Or pasta. That was the huge flaw in Lyonette\u2019s potential base of customers. How could she feed them with meat and eggs and other such expensive ingredients in the winter? A soup might work, but\u2026any inn in the city could serve a better soup than she could, surely.<\/p>\n In her heart, Lyonette knew she was standing on a cliff. Starvation loomed over her head, dark, chittering. She had to do something. And she knew there was one thing she could do. She\u2019d thought of it every night since Pawn had come the first time.<\/p>\n One desperate idea. That was all she had. She couldn\u2019t make what the Antinium truly loved\u2014and she barely had the coin to buy enough food for herself now! But there was a source of free, delicious ingredients for them, wasn\u2019t there?<\/p>\n \u201cThe bees.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyon whispered the word and shuddered uncontrollably. But it had been said. Now there was no going back.<\/p>\n Yes, there was one untapped source of food in this cold winter. One foodstuff that the Antinium would pay silver for.<\/p>\n The bees.<\/p>\n But they were a horror. Lyonette had seen them tear apart Toren when he angered them. She remembered the terrible, buzzing cloud<\/em> of bees, some larger than her hand, enough to sting an entire village to death in minutes.<\/p>\n But she had no other choice. Lyonette sat in the dark in, her heart pounding. She stared at the door. Every night she\u2019d had the same thought, and every night she\u2019d been too afraid. For two nights now. Ever since Pawn.<\/p>\n But he\u2019d come back. He would come back. And she was out of options.<\/p>\n Lyonette sat in the darkness. She wavered. She found a wheelbarrow and filled it with firewood and kindling. She made a torch and wavered by the door. She rushed to the outhouse to pee, and then throw up. Then she pushed the wheelbarrow out into the cold and dark, four huge jars balanced atop the wood, and Erin\u2019s sharpest knife hung at her belt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWatch Captain Zevara, may I have a moment of your time?\u201d<\/p>\n If it had been anyone else, Watch Captain Zevara would have told them it was late and to bother her again the next day. If it had been Relc asking whether he could take the day off, she would have burnt his face-scales off.<\/p>\n But because it was Klbkch, Zevara just sighed and resigned herself to a late night.<\/p>\n \u201cCome in, Klbkch. Is something the matter?\u201d<\/p>\n Senior Guardsman Klbkch entered the room, nodding politely at Zevara. He was always polite, and efficient, something she admired about him even if he was an Ant.<\/p>\n \u201cI regret taking up your time before you go off-duty. However, I am here to make an\u2026unusual request. And I must inform you that I do not come here in my capacity as Senior Guardsman, but rather as Prognugator of my Hive.\u201d<\/p>\n That<\/em> made Zevara instantly sit up in her straight-backed wooden chair.<\/p>\n \u201cGo on. Is there trouble in the Hive? An\u2026Aberration?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing so pressing.\u201d<\/p>\n Gracefully, Klbkch took a seat in front of Zevara. She eyed him, and his new\u2026form. It still unnerved her a bit that after nearly ten years, he could suddenly look so different. True, two arms and a slimmer body wasn\u2019t exactly that <\/em>different, but it was just\u2026odd. Another reminder of who he really was, and why she had to treat him and any such conversations with care.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I am always willing to discuss your Hive. Is there something you need?\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I would like to request that forty Soldiers be allowed access to the surface and area around Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara froze again. She kept none of her emotions on her face, though, and pretended to cough.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s an\u2026unusual request.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. I would not normally ask, but I believe the need is justified and according to our treaty, Soldiers may only leave the Hive in times of war, or\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the request of the Watch Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara nodded. She sat back in her chair, eyeing Klbkch cautiously.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. And may I ask why you want to take your Soldiers out of the city? You\u2019ve never requested something like this before, not in the six years I\u2019ve served as Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTimes have changed. I believe it may be useful to my Hive to present my Soldiers with an\u2026expanded view of the area around Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n That made no sense to Zevara, but few things the Antinium did made sense. She shrugged, trying to keep her tail still. She knew that Klbkch watched Drakes\u2019 tails and could interpret their movements almost as well as a Drake.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see any reason why I should refuse your request. Only\u2014wouldn\u2019t taking so many Soldiers out of the Hive be dangerous? Of the six hundred Soldiers permitted to your Hive, wouldn\u2019t forty be quite a large number?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI believe we shall be able to compensate for their lack. In truth, our numbers are slightly below six hundred at the moment, but Liscor is a consummate ally, so I see no reason to worry.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch\u2019s face didn\u2019t change. Neither did Zevara\u2019s as she nodded at that barefaced lie.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, reassuring as you find us, I\u2019m afraid Liscor\u2019s citizens might get a bit\u2026nervous when they see Soldiers marching about. What would I tell them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps that the Soldiers are patrolling to deal with any Goblin warbands in the area? I am cognizant that the citizens are restless due to the presence of the dungeon as well as rumors of the Goblin Lord. Seeing them patrolling might reassure the citizens of Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n That was a good answer, and even a helpful one for Zevara. She nodded reluctantly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I see no reason to object\u2014only, I\u2019d hate for them to start a panic if they marched down the street. But then, I\u2019m sure you can be discreet and find\u2026alternate ways out of the city that won\u2019t panic anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Through the secret tunnels the Antinium have dug.<\/em> That was what she meant, but both she and Klbkch knew he would never admit anything.<\/p>\n \u201cThey will not be seen within Liscor if at all possible. Soldiers can be very discreet.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara nearly snorted fire out her nose. She searched for another question to ask\u2014or something else to bother Klbkch with, but she really couldn\u2019t think of anything. Forty Soldiers killing monsters would <\/em>be helpful, and it was hardly likely that they\u2019d start a panic. Ten years ago when the Hive was first established, maybe. But now\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2014fine. I, Watch Captain Zevara, grant you permission and request that twenty Soldiers aid in patrolling around the city. Twenty, for now. We\u2019ll scale up the patrols if there\u2019s not a panic.\u201d<\/p>\n Klbkch inclined his head towards her.<\/p>\n \u201cI am very grateful for your time, Watch Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes. Just make sure they don\u2019t scare any travelers on the main road or run into any Human adventurers. Those idiots would probably pick a fight and that\u2019s the last thing I want to explain to one of the Human cities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI shall instruct them to remain far away from the northern road.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell then, good night, Watch Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNight, Klbkch.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara waited until Klbkch was gone, marching smartly down the stairs. Then she shook her head and reached for a desk drawer she seldom opened. She yanked the handle, cursed, found the small key she carried at all times, and unlocked it. A blank piece of parchment lay on it. Zevara sighed, and began to write down every detail of her encounter with Klbkch. A report. She\u2019d have to make copies, send them to every Walled City\u2014which of course meant a trip down to the Mage\u2019s Guild at this time of night! Zevara groaned. She\u2019d be getting to her bed past midnight, she knew.<\/p>\n As she began to write, Zevara muttered to herself.<\/p>\n \u201cTake the Soldiers out? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n But of course she never got any answers. Like all the reports she\u2019d made on the Antinium\u2019s movements, she only had questions. Questions\u2026<\/p>\n Like whether or not the Antinium were really their enemies. At least, the ones in Liscor. And if they were\u2014<\/p>\n What could be done about them? Only the scratching of her quill on parchment was Zevara\u2019s reply.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lyonette was not in her bed. In fact, she was as far from it as she\u2019d gone in the last month. She trudged through the snow, fighting to push the wheelbarrow through the snow and ice. She wished<\/em> she still had Erin\u2019s sled. But it was gone, with her.<\/p>\n Of course, the effort of pushing the wheelbarrow was only one of Lyonette\u2019s concerns. The numbing cold, the intense darkness, and not least, the pants-wetting fear in her heart were high priorities too.<\/p>\n What was she doing? Every two seconds as Lyon pushed the wheelbarrow she looked around fearfully, expecting a monster to leap out at her. But she had no choice. It had to be tonight. She had to steal the honey tonight, or she\u2019d lose all her confidence.<\/p>\n And night was<\/em> the best time to rob the hive, or so Lyonette felt. Bees slept at night, didn\u2019t they? Or at the very least, they\u2019d be drowsy, and she needed every edge she could get.<\/p>\n It had been a long, uncertain journey across the plains. At first, Lyon hadn\u2019t even known if she was going the right way. Everything looked so strange at night, under the snow. But her treacherous memory somehow managed to guide her exactly in the right direction for once.<\/p>\n To raid a bee\u2019s nest. Even the thought made Lyonette feel weak with terror, but she had no choice. To survive, she had to do it. Steal bees right out of their nest.<\/p>\n Okay, maybe she couldn\u2019t steal live bees, but surely she could get a few of the grubs? Lyonette remembered the one Klbkch had eaten and nearly threw up again.<\/p>\n Honey. That was the real key. Honey was precious, and she could serve it to the Antinium. They liked honey, and with a few bees\u2014<\/p>\n She just had to raid the hive. Full of huge bees that could kill her in an instant. Lyon couldn\u2019t get her mind off of the idea. Just one sting could\u2014if they stung her in the eye would it reach her brain?<\/p>\n But\u2014she had no choice. Lyonette took a painful breath of air. She was a [Princess]. She was a\u2014<\/p>\n She was a girl. A [Barmaid]. Erin had left her inn to Lyon. Intentionally or not. And now it was up to Lyon to live or die. By herself. She no longer had any excuses. Either she died here, or she died in the cold and darkness.<\/p>\n Better here. Better with the flame of courage still in her chest. So Lyonette paused before the dark hole in the rock and took a deep breath. Sweat ran down her legs and back. She felt hot, even though the wind was blowing.<\/p>\n Bees. They were just bees, in the end.<\/p>\n And she\u2014knew how to deal with bees.<\/p>\n It had just been a fancy. When she\u2019d been young, her tutor had told her all kinds of things she\u2019d willfully ignored. Lessons of algebra, governance, taxes, ruling, classes\u2014all of this Lyonette had let pass her by without caring. But occasionally, in desperation her tutor would tell her stories to keep her interested. And Lyonette had remembered tiny bits.<\/p>\n One of those things she remembered was bees. When she\u2019d heard how [Beekeepers] could harvest honey from the stinging creatures, she\u2019d been incredulous. But a bit of smoke and thick clothing could do the trick better than magic could.<\/p>\n \u201cSmoke.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette stared at the firewood she\u2019d hauled all this way. She carefully took the glass jars out and put them to one side of the cave\u2019s entrance. Four jars. This time she\u2019d take as much as she could. If she could.<\/p>\n Fire. The wood was wet from the snow and it was cold, but Lyonette kept striking the flint with steel. Mechanically. She made a small fire at the entrance of the cave, working despite the numbness in her arms.<\/p>\n How many times would she have given up a few months ago? Before this, she\u2019d never\u2014she\u2019d never even made a fire. She would have had a servant make it, or at the very least used magic.<\/p>\n If she could have gone back in time, what would she have done differently? Everything. She\u2019d never have come here, she wouldn\u2019t have stolen\u2014<\/p>\n But if she never came here, she would never have leveled, would she? And she would have been stuck\u2014<\/p>\n The sparks flew from the flint. They landed among the wood kindling and caught. Lyonette held her breath and then desperately tried to shelter the flame.<\/p>\n Fire.<\/em> Once it grew, Lyonette fed it more wood. More and more, until the fire was hot and bright and large. Then she added the secret ingredient.<\/p>\n Flaxen sacks, grass plucked from beneath the snow\u2014anything green that would smoke. The smell was horrible, but Lyon ignored it and kept adding her fuel.<\/p>\n Smoke, dark and noxious, billowed up from the fire. Lyonette stared at it, eyes stinging, but filled with wild elation. Fear had disappeared. Courage\u2014she fanned the flames and the ones in her heart.<\/p>\n Soon, the cave was choked with dark smoke, and Lyon knew it would become overwhelming in a few more minutes. Perfect. She stared anxiously at the dark interior. She hadn\u2019t seen nor heard any bees, but they were further inside. First she had to build the fire. Then\u2014<\/p>\n Thick clothing. Lyonette had many layers wrapped around her. It might stop one or two stingers, or slow them down. She had gloves, and the knife. It could cut into the hive, hopefully. She\u2019d cut away as much honeycomb as she could and put it in the jars. If she was lucky, she\u2019d even get some of the grubs the Antinium seemed to like so much. Then she\u2019d run.<\/p>\n That was the plan. And it was a good plan, brave. It lasted in Lyonette\u2019s head, shining and full of promise until Lyonette heard the buzzing.<\/p>\n At first, it was just a gentle noise on the verge of hearing. Then it became louder, and Lyonette realized the thrumming<\/em> was getting closer. She looked up, screamed, and ran as first tens, then hundreds of bees streamed out of the cave towards the fire.<\/p>\n They\u2019d come for the fire. That was all Lyonette could think as she sprinted out of the cave. By the fire\u2019s light she saw countless flickering shapes, and then heard the bees hit the fire.<\/p>\n They were extinguishing it! Embers and burning wood flew everywhere as the bees scattered the smoking campfire Lyonette had worked so hard to build. They knew! They knew about smoke and they were unafraid of fire!<\/p>\n And then they came for her. Lyonette screamed as she ran into the deep snow outside the cave. She threw herself into the snow, digging herself as far down as she could, desperately trying to cover herself. All the while, she could hear the bees\u2019 wings beating. Like a maelstrom, like thunder.<\/em><\/p>\n Lyonette dug, wiggling herself down, down, crying. She heard a buzzing thing hit the snow next to her head like a falling stone and cried out. But the bee hadn\u2019t hit her! It had missed! Lyonette held as still as she could, tears running from her eyes. The bees couldn\u2019t see her. But they knew she was there and they began stabbing into the snow.<\/p>\n The girl hid in the snow, sobbing, while the thunder buzzed all around her and she heard thumps<\/em> as the bees landed in the snow, searching for her. Hot liquid ran from her eyes, and more ran down her pants. All Lyon could think was that she\u2019d be dead in the next second, then the next ten seconds. Then in a minute\u2026<\/p>\n After a while, after a long while when the thunder had ceased and all the sounds were gone, Lyonette finally sat up. She looked around and saw the snow was torn and thrown about, and extinguished remains were all that remained of the fire she\u2019d built. And of the bees?<\/p>\n Nothing at all. They\u2019d gone back into their hive.<\/p>\n Lyonette stared around at the shattered remains of her dreams. She stumbled, felt wetness on her lower body. She looked down. The snow had dampened her clothes, but that didn\u2019t explain the stain around her crotch. She\u2019d wet herself. She hadn\u2019t done that in\u2014at least no one was around to see.<\/p>\n In the end, Lyonette stumbled back to the inn. She left the firewood behind, the wheelbarrow, the glass jars\u2014she didn\u2019t have the heart to bring them back.<\/p>\n It was over. She\u2019d had one chance, but it hadn\u2019t even been a chance at all. These bees didn\u2019t fear fire, and they were too smart to let the smoke fill their cave.<\/p>\n The girl stumbled back into the inn, still crying. She couldn\u2019t do it. She\u2019d thought\u2014but she was not Erin.<\/p>\n And even Erin couldn\u2019t have done that by herself. Lyonette clearly remembered the real key to stealing the bees\u2019 honey. The horrible monster with glowing purple eyes who\u2019d tormented her so. But for all she\u2019d hated him, he\u2019d been instrumental. And he wasn\u2019t here.<\/p>\n The girl sank into a chair, wet, miserable, despairing. She buried her head in her hands, but now she was even out of tears. She was so tired. So tired\u2014and so lonely.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t have the skeleton. Toren. She didn\u2019t have Erin Solstice\u2019s twisted, insane mind either. Right at this very moment, Lyonette wished both were back and this inn was how it used to be. She would have scrubbed the floors all by herself, hauled as many buckets of water as Erin needed, even watered the flowers and\u2014<\/p>\n The flowers.<\/em><\/p>\n Lyon\u2019s eyes widened with sudden memory. How could she had forgotten? She surged to her weary feet, ran to one of the windows.<\/p>\n She\u2019d forgotten entirely. After all this time\u2014Erin normally watered them. But could they be alive? Could she sell\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cNo!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She cried the word when she saw them. Flowers. Flowers yellow and bright as gold, a faerie\u2019s payment. But wizened, wilted.<\/p>\n Dying.<\/p>\n The pots of flowers Erin had so lovingly grown were full of\u2014Lyonette stared down at them, her heart breaking. She knew they could be made into a drink, even if she didn\u2019t know how. The adventurer, Halrac, had paid in gold<\/em> for it. If she had remembered, if she had cared about her duties from the start\u2014<\/p>\n Now they were dead. Or close to it. Some still lived, and Lyonette immediately soaked the dry soil with water, but it would be long, too long before they recovered.<\/p>\n And of course, some were beyond help. Lyonette stared at one dead flower in despair. She picked it out and stared at it.<\/p>\n Another lost hope. Now her heart was well and truly broken. Lyonette stared at the fire in the inn. It was barely even embers now; the last flickers of light hidden at the center of the ash.<\/p>\n Fire had failed her. Angrily, Lyonette stalked over to the fireplace and tossed the dead flower into it. The faerie\u2019s flower smoked and gave off an acrid smoke. Lyonette coughed, angrily waving the fumes away\u2014<\/p>\n And woke up on her back. Lyonette blinked, stared at the dead fire, and then at the remains of the flower. She blinked\u2014stared at the way the darkness had become lighter, at the dead fire, long extinguished, and then at the wilted flowers. Then she sat up.<\/p>\n \u201cFlowers.<\/em> And bees.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was just before dawn when the girl lit the second fire just inside the cave of the Ashfire Bees. This time her body was nearly completely numb and she was shaking from exhaustion. She\u2019d brought another huge glass jar, and a handful of the most dead flowers she could gather. She prayed that was enough.<\/p>\n The kindling refused to light. The wood was so wet from its exposure to the elements\u2014Lyon kept trying. She struck sparks until her fingers cramped, and then the fire lit.<\/p>\n She fed the fire. She added wood, feeding it, growing it frantically. How soon before the bees noticed the flame and heat? How soon before\u2014<\/p>\n She heard the thrumming<\/em> again, but this time she was ready. Lyonette cast the flowers into the fire and saw smoke go up. But it was only a glimpse because she was running out of the cave, diving into the snow again.<\/p>\n The bees came, a howling sound louder than anything. Lyonette waited for them to scatter the fire, but suddenly the beating noise lessened. She heard small impacts, as if something was falling to the ground and then\u2014<\/p>\n Silence.<\/p>\n Lyon got up slowly. She stared at the cave, and then dared to approach, holding her breath. The last vestiges of smoke faded and she saw the bees.<\/p>\n There were hundreds of them. They lay on the ground in droves, legs folded, some of them with wings still extended.<\/p>\n Asleep.<\/p>\n Lyonette\u2019s heart beat faster. She grabbed a jar. She grabbed the knife. She danced about with both, and then wondered how long the effects of the faerie flower smoke would last. Then she ran into the cave.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Three jars of honey and honeycomb, cut from the hive. Two jars stuffed with bees, still alive but sleeping. Lyonette sat in the snow, far away from the cave, shaking so hard she couldn\u2019t even stand.<\/p>\n She\u2019d seen the bees waking up as she\u2019d scooped them up into the big glass jars. But she\u2019d done it. She\u2019d cut into the hive, full of grubs and sleeping bees and taken as much as she could. Then she\u2019d filled the jars, pushed them into the wheelbarrow, and fled.<\/p>\n And now\u2014<\/p>\n Some of the bees were moving in the glass jars. There was no air inside, but they were still alive, somehow. Lyonette stared at a huge one that wiggled its feelers and moved its legs weakly. Lyonette smiled at it, lip trembling. She held the big jar up, gloating, mocking the bees.<\/p>\n \u201cI did it!<\/em> You stupid bees! I did\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n One of the bees inside the jar tried to fan its wings and escape. It smacked into the glass. Lyonette screamed, nearly dropped the jar, caught it at the last moment, and then put it carefully back on the wheelbarrow. She shuddered as the jars full of bees vibrated. She made sure the lids were secure, and then slowly made her way back to the inn.<\/p>\n She was exhausted<\/em>. Lyonette felt as though her muscles would tear. Her bones\u2026seemed to ache. And yet Lyonette held her head high. She smiled, even as she ascended the hill, pushing the wheelbarrow up to the door of the inn, legs ready to give out.<\/p>\n She felt so proud of herself, she could burst. Then Lyonette pushed the door to the inn open, and found a small bundle of white fur wrapped around a table leg. Mrsha blinked as Lyonette let light shine on her face, and then looked up hopefully. Her wagging tail slowed when she saw it was just Lyonette.<\/p>\n \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n The Human girl stared at the young Gnoll. The Gnoll stared back. Lyonette sat down, a jar of honey in her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing\u2026? Why are you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha just blinked at her. Lyonette blinked back. Then, tremulously, she smiled. Mrsha edged closer, wary.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re so thin.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n That was all Lyonette said as she sat on the inn\u2019s floor, stroking Mrsha\u2019s head. The Gnoll nuzzled her. She was indeed thin, and she looked\u2014<\/p>\n Sad. Lyonette couldn\u2019t read Gnoll\u2019s faces, but she saw it in the way the Gnoll curled up next to her. Sad, and lonely.<\/p>\n Just like her.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like some honey? It\u2019s fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll\u2019s tail wagged. And Lyonette opened the jar. And for the first time in a long, long while, as the sun rose and her weary body ached, Lyonette ate breakfast with someone else.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMrsha!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Selys burst through the door of the inn twenty minutes later. Lyonette looked up as she and Mrsha stared at a wriggling grub half-submerged in a bowl of white, gelatinous stuff. The Drake stared at the Gnoll, stared at Lyonette, and then at the grub.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s happening? Mrsha?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll immediately hopped off the table and fled into the kitchen. Selys ran towards her, and stopped as Lyonette got up.<\/p>\n \u201cIs something wrong? Miss\u2026Selys?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2014no, nothing\u2019s wrong\u2026Lyon.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake glanced distractedly at Lyon, not looking particularly happy to see the girl so early in the morning. She pointed at the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did Mrsha get here? I\u2019ve been looking for her all day\u2014ever since I found out she\u2019d run away!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRan away?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake nodded distractedly.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s been doing it all week. I normally find her but this time\u2014is she okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think so. She\u2019s so thin\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe won\u2019t eat!<\/em> Mrsha, come out of there! Come on! I\u2019ll feed you anything you want, just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake went into the kitchen. Lyonette heard scuffling, then Mrsha bounded out and ran up the stairs. Selys went after her. A few seconds later, Lyon heard another shout and Mrsha bounded down the stairs. Selys came down after her, gasping. She had to lean against a table as Mrsha circled the chair Lyonette had been sitting at.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t stay here! You\u2026give me a second\u2026you\u2019ve got to come back, okay? Be a good girl until Erin and Ryoka come back!\u201d<\/p>\n But Mrsha refused. Lyonette knew the young Gnoll couldn\u2019t speak, but she saw it in every line of her body, and especially in the way the Gnoll clung to one of the tables as Selys tried to drag her outside.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on! Please?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha yowled<\/em>, a noise more bestial than anything else. Selys pulled and pulled\u2026but five minutes later she sat at one of the tables as Lyonette served her eggs and toast drizzled in honey. Mrsha licked her plate\u2014she\u2019d eaten so much Lyon was afraid she\u2019d throw up.<\/p>\n \u201cI just don\u2019t get it. She doesn\u2019t eat anything I give her! Not even steak! Do you know how expensive that is\u2014and where did you get all this honey?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI stole it from the bees.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe bees?<\/em> You?\u201d<\/p>\n Lyon just nodded. She hadn\u2019t even had time to change her clothes. She knew she was filthy and wet and from the way Mrsha had sniffed at her, she knew she stank as well. But there was something keeping her upright, and\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s with that?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Selys turned a bit pale as she pointed at the grub swimming in the liquid. Mrsha sniffed at it and Selys pushed an inquisitive paw away.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t touch it, Mrsha. It could be\u2026well, it\u2019s gross.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a grub. A bee larvae. And that\u2014I think it\u2019s jelly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJelly?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRoyal jelly. It\u2019s this thing in hives that bees make. You can eat it, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Well why not take the grub out and\u2014boil it first, maybe?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe jelly? Or the grub? I\u2019m trying to keep it alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys paused, mid-bite, a piece of toast in her claws.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? Are you\u2014are you going to eat it? Do Humans\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I want to feed it to the Antinium.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo the\u2014and you stole honey from those killer bees Erin mentioned?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot just honey.\u201d<\/p>\n Proudly, Lyonette pointed to a corner of the room. Selys looked and nearly jumped out of her scales.<\/p>\n \u201cGah!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The dead bees pressed up against the glass walls of the jars, obscenely squished together. Selys stared at them as she slowly pushed her plate away. Mrsha just sniffed at the jars, tail wagging with curiosity.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha, don\u2019t. Those are\u2014come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n But the Gnoll refused to move. And as she ran from Selys and the Drake futilely chased her about, Lyonette had an idea.<\/p>\n \u201cShe can stay with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys looked up at Lyon, panting. She shook her head, glancing around the empty inn and then at Lyonette.<\/p>\n \u201cOut of the question. Erin trusted Mrsha with me\u2014and she\u2019s far too young. And besides\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette knew what Selys was saying. Besides, how could Mrsha be entrusted to her, Lyon\u2019s care? But she just pointed to Mrsha.<\/p>\n \u201cShe likes it here, though. She likes honey. And\u2014there are lots of beds. I could take care of her. I could, Selys.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake stared at the Human and Mrsha chased her tail. But when Selys grabbed for her, Mrsha just ran behind Lyonette. The girl stared down at the Gnoll, and the Gnoll stared back up.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t as if Mrsha knew Lyonette that well. They\u2019d\u2014well, Lyonette remembered feeding the Gnoll scraps from her plate and scratching her behind the ears, but that wasn\u2019t what made Mrsha want to stay with her over Selys.<\/p>\n It was the inn. It was that Lyonette was here, waiting. And so was Mrsha. And no matter how much Selys argued and tried to coax the Gnoll to come with her\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got to go to work. I\u2019ve got to go but\u2014this isn\u2019t over, Mrsha! If I have to I\u2019ll get Krshia!\u201d<\/p>\n The young Gnoll hid behind a chair as Selys pointed at her. She quivered, but she still refused to budge.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t want to have her come up here, do you? Do you? Come on Mrsha\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take good care of her while you\u2019re gone. I promise. I can make food\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust don\u2019t let her go outside, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys looked ready to tear the spines on her head off. She stalked over to the door, angry, upset. She yanked the door open and blinked at Pawn. The Antinium\u2019s hand paused, ready to knock. But that wasn\u2019t what made all the blood drain out of Selys\u2019 scales. She stared up at the massive Soldier, huge, imposing, staring down at her. Her mouth opened, she gaped\u2014<\/p>\n And then fell backwards in a faint. No one caught her. Lyonette stared at Pawn. He stared at Selys. Mrsha hid behind the jar of bees.<\/p>\n \u201cOops. I was going to knock.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded to Lyonette as she helped him drag Selys inside. The Soldiers walked in behind Pawn, so many of them! They filled the room, standing perfectly still behind their leader.<\/p>\n For a few seconds, in that moment when Selys had yanked open the door, Lyonette had wanted to scream. But that instinct had fled the moment she had seen Pawn. She looked at the Soldiers as they stood in the inn. They looked\u2014<\/p>\n Scary. There was no other word for it. But all Antinium looked like monsters, didn\u2019t they? Until you got to know them.<\/p>\n Pawn sat at a table, clearly wavering over the unconscious Drake. He nodded several times to Lyon, and distractedly stared at Mrsha who was creeping closer to him.<\/p>\n \u201cI do apologize. I didn\u2019t mean to scare anyone. I just\u2014I had hoped you were open for business.\u201d<\/p>\n Open for business. The words made Lyon\u2019s eyes open wide. She stared again at the Soldiers, but this time not as a stranger seeing something unfamiliar, but as a\u2026a [Barmaid] sizing up a potential client.<\/p>\n And there was a lot of client, and a lot of them. How much could they eat? Lyon\u2019s eyes traveled to the jar of bees. Her heart beat faster. So she stood up.<\/p>\n And smiled. She smiled at the Antinium, even at the huge Soldiers. Mrsha stared up at one of the silent behemoths, and he stared back. He was missing a hand on one of his four arms. But he was a customer, a guest. And\u2026oh, how would Erin say it?<\/p>\n Lyonette gestured to her empty chairs. She pointed at the bees and remembered there was a special pan for frying them. She looked at the twenty Soldiers, at Pawn, and at the Gnoll poking the unconscious Drake. She smiled, because she wasn\u2019t alone anymore. And she asked them one simple question.<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Pawn stared at the ranks of Soldiers under his command and realized that he\u2019d made a mistake. Somewhere. He\u2019d definitely made one a while back, when he\u2019d brought the idea of Gods into the Hive of the Free Antinium in Liscor. That had been a mistake\u2014or at least, telling the Soldiers had been. Hadn\u2019t it? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693083,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693132],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-3267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-3","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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