{"id":4140,"date":"2018-03-27T09:34:50","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T09:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wandering-inn\/?p=4140"},"modified":"2025-12-24T00:57:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T00:57:32","slug":"4-22-e","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2018\/03\/27\/4-22-e\/","title":{"rendered":"4.22 E"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 66<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So here it is. My first test as an [Emperor]. I, Laken Godart, am facing my first true crisis since I claimed Riverfarm. The avalanche was one thing, but I had the means to save the village at my fingertips. This time, I have no such ability.<\/p>\n

The Goblins are here. Monsters with the cunning of people who want to destroy my village, slaughter my people, take all we\u2019ve made. I don\u2019t know who they are or what to do.<\/p>\n

I have protection\u2014two Silver-rank adventuring groups. I thought it was enough, but in their first attack they killed one of my adventurers and nearly got Beniar. Now they\u2019re out there, probably planning to strike again and I have no idea what to do.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m no military buff. I don\u2019t know how to deal with an enemy that fights like this. And yet, ironically, I can put myself in the Goblin\u2019s minds. I know what I would do if I came to a village like this. Pick off my enemy one by one. Hide, ambush them, whittle them down and starve them if possible and then go for the kill.<\/p>\n

So I suppose I do know what I have to do. I need to find the Goblins and kill them before they kill me. Simple to say, hard to do. I have to rely on others for this. I cannot fight. I cannot see past the boundaries of my village.<\/p>\n

\u201cOdveig, take your Trackers and find the Goblins. Don\u2019t attack if you think it\u2019s dangerous, but I want to know where they are and how many there are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, your majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProst, I want those palisades built now<\/em>. Forget about the houses\u2014go around the village and find out how many entrances there are. Don\u2019t go alone though\u2014from now on, no one strays beyond the boundaries of the village unless they\u2019re with an escort. And within it\u2026we need sentries, weapons in case there\u2019s an attack, a place for children and the elderly to hide\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

People around me burst into action as I snap, breaking the silence Beniar\u2019s words have caused. I\u2019m scrambling, searching for the right orders. Are<\/em> they the right ones? I don\u2019t know, but I am obeyed. And no one else will take charge; that\u2019s my job.<\/p>\n

The minutes after Beniar tells me about the ambush are watchful, tense. The rest of the Windfrozen Riders and the Celestial Trackers led by Odveig head out while Wiskeria mixes more of the poultice to neutralize the poisoned arrow.<\/p>\n

Beniar has fainted. He screamed as we pulled the arrow out. Now he\u2019s pale, but the poison in him seems to be neutralized by whatever Wiskeria\u2019s made. I saw her pulling roots, dried bugs, and even an egg out of a pouch and pounding it all into the paste she made.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m glad she\u2019s here. I pace around the barn until I realize everyone\u2019s staring at me. Then I force myself to wait for an age before Odveig gets back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found the place where Beniar was attacked. There\u2019s no sign of Fabiel or his horse. We followed the tracks for a bit, but we pulled back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Odveig hesitates. She draws me aside and I realize I shouldn\u2019t be discussing this where all of the frightened villagers can hear. She whispers to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt we were being watched from afar. I couldn\u2019t tell where the Goblins were and if we were ambushed\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand. I trust your decision. However, we have a problem Odveig. What should we do now, according to your expertise?\u201d<\/p>\n

She looks at me. I can sense her head turning, hear the hesitation and fear in her reply.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014your majesty, I\u2019ve hunted Goblins before. But I\u2019ve never been hunted by them. Were I alone, I\u2019d track them and risk a battle on their terms or retreat until I could set my own traps. But defending a village means I can\u2019t do either. I could send half of my group out and keep the other half here to defend, but that would create two weak points for them to exploit.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s explaining. That means she doesn\u2019t know. I nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that case we\u2019ll wait. Pull your team back around the village. I\u2019ll\u2014decide whether to send out scouts later.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, your majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So there it stands. As Wiskeria finishes tending to Beniar, she estimates that he\u2019ll be able to take a healing potion the next day. Prost is mustering the villagers, and they\u2019ve begun working. The Celestial Trackers and Windfrozen Riders are keeping a tight perimeter around the nearby forest and village.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m sitting by myself, trying to figure out what to do.<\/p>\n

The enemy is out there but invisible. Their numbers are unknown. Their levels unknown. They could be just a stone\u2019s throw outside the village\u2019s limits and I wouldn\u2019t know. There\u2019s a way to deal with that, actually. I\u2019ve been working on it for a while, but I\u2019ve been told that it will take a few more days. I want to insist, but it\u2019s only a chance. Not worth counting on.<\/p>\n

What are my assets? What are my weak spots? My assets are two Silver-rank teams. My weakness is a need to defend my village. The Windfrozen Riders are a group of ten\u2014were a group of ten suited to rapid attacks and retreats. Perfect for scouting\u2014not for taking out armored enemies or hunting hidden foes. If they know where the enemy is I can send them at the Goblins. Assuming they\u2019re not hopelessly outnumbered.<\/p>\n

The Celestial Trackers are the opposites of the Windfrozen Riders in many ways. They\u2019re experienced at ambushes, tracking their prey\u2014finding hidden monsters, in short.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve a [Mage] in the Windfrozen Riders who can cut his opponents with air spells. Nothing powerful; it\u2019ll take an eye out and he can cast while riding, but Wiskeria\u2019s the only truly specialized spellcaster in either group. And she can\u2019t throw fireballs. I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour majesty? Prost is asking permission to fell a few trees further into the forest. Miss Odveig thinks it\u2019s safe, but he wanted to ask you.\u201d<\/p>\n

I look up and sense Gamel hovering about me. I nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fine. Ah, what else is going on? Have you, Durene and the others begun training? Without Beniar, you\u2019ll need to get another adventurer to teach you\u2014and what about the markers Jelov was working on? How many has he finished?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree, sire, with one for varnishing. But he says he\u2019ll have another one tonight\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

And just like that, the day continues. Villagers get to work, taking care not to stray far but doing everything they were doing yesterday. Cutting wood, building\u2014only there\u2019s an undercurrent of fear to everything, now.<\/p>\n

Odd, it feels as though everyone should be hiding or getting ready. But you can\u2019t tell when the enemy will come. So the day passes, filled with anxiety and watchfulness, but nothing else. That\u2019s life now. The threat of death is in the air, but we have to continue living.<\/p>\n

Damn the Goblins.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Day 67<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I think everyone in the village was awake late at night. Certainly the villagers were a lot quieter the next day. I felt awful and Durene wasn\u2019t her spirited self; but we got through the morning and midway through the day without incident.<\/p>\n

Beniar was up and about by that time. The poison had been flushed out of his system and a healing potion had him on his feet in minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour majesty, I\u2019m as fit as can be. I\u2019d ride out to hit those Goblins in a flash if we knew where they were! Just give the order and I\u2019ll scout with my group\u2014far faster than the Trackers!\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also itching to find the Goblins and exact payback for Fabiel, his teammate. I have to overrule Beniar, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t let you leave the village unprotected, Beniar. I\u2019m sorry for your friend\u2019s loss, but it\u2019s too risky. If you\u2019re shot at again\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll know it\u2019s coming this time, sire. Last time was an ambush. This time I\u2019ll dodge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no doubt you would. But my villagers can\u2019t dodge arrows like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead of Beniar riding forth, I let him teach the villagers and Durene. There\u2019s definitely a renewed interest in learning to fight now, and thanks to my Skill, the villagers are fighting well. But we don\u2019t have enough swords to go around; Helm is working on forging some, but he lacks enough iron, let alone steel to make many. Without that, people are training with pitchforks, shovels\u2014Gamel has a club he\u2019s hammered nails into. He keeps asking to trade it for a sword with someone.<\/p>\n

\u201cA ragtag army, sire. But it\u2019ll do for a small group of Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beniar\u2019s professional opinion is that the villagers are ready for a fight if the adventurers support them. I wonder if they\u2019ll break and run if it comes to that. The villagers might have the ability to fight thanks to my Skill, but the temperament? No.<\/p>\n

As the sun is halfway down in the sky, I hear a horn call and leap to my feet, abandoning a lunch with Durene. It\u2019s not a Goblin horn\u2014this one\u2019s from the Celestial Trackers and urgent. I rush outside with the others and see a woman wearing a dark brown cloak sprinting into the village, shouting.<\/p>\n

I think we were all waiting for it. The villagers freeze and I turn my head.<\/p>\n

\u201cOdveig?\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s already running to the adventurer.<\/p>\n

\u201cReport!\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no hesitation in her voice now, as there always is around me. The woman gasps for air\u2014she must have been on the perimeter, scouting the forest.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoblin group. Five hundred meters to the southeast\u2014I saw two Hobs and at least thirty smaller Goblins!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s our cue! Let\u2019s ride!\u201d<\/p>\n

Beniar\u2019s already mounted. Odveig turns to me as Wiskeria runs up, clutching her magical wand.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour majesty?\u201d<\/p>\n

I hesitate only for a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo it. If you hear a horn call from here, double back at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

The adventurers nod and race out of the village, Beniar leading and shouting, sword already drawn. They\u2019re gone for five agonizing minutes and I hear nothing. Then, to my surprise, they all return at once.<\/p>\n

Odveig and Wiskeria are on foot, and practically dragging an incensed Beniar back. He dismounts, shaking with anger.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.<\/em> They\u2019ve covered their tracks. We could follow them, but Wiskeria and Odveig both agreed we\u2019d be walking into an ambush. We let them get away!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the only smart choice, Beniar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria defends herself as she argues with the leader of the Windfrozen Riders. Beniar\u2019s voice is hot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d ride them down if I knew where they were, ambush or not! We could have attacked\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd done what? Two Hobgoblins were in that group. If they got the drop on your riders\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter than letting them attack again! I\u2019m telling you, we had the advantage!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgainst thirty? You idiot, together we\u2019re only twenty in number, and with two Hobs\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough!\u201d<\/p>\n

I raise my voice to stop the argument. Everyone looks at me. I\u2019m aware of the villagers listening to the adventurers shouting. This can\u2019t be good for morale.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou three, come with me. Prost? We\u2019re going to make a plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so we do. It\u2019s not easy, and no one\u2019s happy by the end of it. All three adventurers reluctantly agree that pursuing the Goblins is a bad idea without making absolutely sure there\u2019s not a trap waiting. If there are only thirty, it\u2019s a close match thanks to the two Hobgoblins. If there\u2019s more we haven\u2019t seen\u2026<\/p>\n

Guard duty. The Windfrozen Riders are now to stay in the village while the Trackers keep watch. At the nearest sign of trouble, the Riders will attack any Goblins that are spotted. That\u2019s all we can do. Meanwhile, Prost is working double-time on the palisades. We\u2019ve got the portion of the village around the barn walled off; hopefully that will help if we\u2019re attacked.<\/p>\n

If we\u2019re attacked.<\/p>\n

What a thought. That night, I stay up while Durene sleeps beside me. I can\u2019t say she\u2019s not as worried as I am, but she\u2019s been hammering sharpened logs of wood into the ground and lifting felled trees all day. She sleeps like a rock, snoring gently beside me.<\/p>\n

Frostwing is agitated. I think she can smell the Goblins, or sense the tension in the air. She flaps her wings at night, forgetting she\u2019s supposed to be asleep. I have to get up and soothe her.<\/p>\n

\u201cShh, Frostwing. There\u2019s a good bird. Eat some meat\u2014damn, not my finger! I know. I know. There are monsters out there. But you have to wait, understand? We don\u2019t know where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

She cocks her head at me in the darkness. I think she\u2019s beginning to understand more of what I say. I smile as I stroke her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cA shame you can\u2019t find them for me. I did ask, you know\u2014I\u2019m not an idiot. But Odveig says Goblins eat anything they can kill, and I won\u2019t risk one putting an arrow into you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frostwing nips at my fingers as if to agree. I\u2019m laughing when my heart stops. It does stop, I\u2019m sure. For a moment the steady beat in my chest falters. The next, I\u2019m shouting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a Goblin in the village!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWha?\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene wakes up as I shout. She struggles in her bed, flailing around for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaken? What\u2019s happening? Is something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene, get up! There\u2019s a Goblin in the village! It\u2019s gotten past the adventurers!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no! Dead gods\u2014where?\u201d<\/p>\n

She springs to her feet. Durene sleeps practically naked. I grab her bare arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got a bow and a knife. I think they\u2019re poisoned.\u201d<\/p>\n

I can sense the Goblin all the way in the village. It\u2019s moving slowly, very carefully avoiding the attention of anyone awake. And it\u2019s making for\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere, Laken? I\u2019ll raise the alarm!\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene\u2019s voice is tense. I can sense her fists clenched. I hesitate for a moment out of fear. What if she\u2019s hurt? But she\u2019s Durene. I make up my mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo! It\u2019s behind Prost\u2019s house!\u201d<\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t wait for another word. I hear thundering footsteps, and then the door to Durene\u2019s cottage is thrown open. The half-Troll girl races down the road, running faster than I\u2019ve ever seen her go. I pause at the doorway, about to run out myself and realize I\u2019ll never catch her.<\/p>\n

So I close the door as the icy wind pours into the cottage and Frostwing screams. I find one of Durene\u2019s knives and dress myself as I mentally follow her progress down into the village.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s running. The Goblin is doing something behind Prost\u2019s house, checking a window, seeing if it\u2019s unlatched. It freezes as Durene comes running into the village and squeezes down, hiding. Durene races around Prost\u2019s house and it freezes.<\/p>\n

It has a dagger in its hand. I can see it all in my mind, like some kind of awful movie without sound. Durene doesn\u2019t see the Goblin\u2014she\u2019s looking right in its direction, but she doesn\u2019t see<\/em> it.<\/p>\n

Then the Goblin leaps. It jumps out of the place where its hiding and slashes at Durene. She recoils\u2014the Goblin runs around her, racing for the forest. I see Durene turn, and then her hand. She grabs the Goblin and it slashes at her arm.<\/p>\n

I sense the blade sinking into Durene\u2019s skin; see her mouth open in my head, the wordless howl. But then Durene\u2019s other hand comes up. She breaks<\/em> the Goblin\u2019s neck like she would a chicken\u2019s, in a moment.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all over. I can sense Prost and his family waking up in alarm, sense villagers and the adventurers racing towards Durene. By this point I\u2019m running towards the village.<\/p>\n

\u201cDead.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the first pronouncement one of the [Scouts] in the Celestial Trackers makes when we\u2019re all in the village. The Goblin\u2019s corpse has been dragged out into the center of the village and everyone is shivering around it, staring down at the small body in the snow.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m there too, the only person who\u2019s dressed. Durene is hiding in Prost\u2019s house. She\u2019s naked, and by that I mean she\u2019s got underwear on and\u2014yeah, that\u2019s about it. Modesty came after saving Prost\u2019s life, and so she\u2019s a hero everyone politely thanks\u2014through a closed door.<\/p>\n

Wiskeria is kneeling by the Goblin, intent on it. Beniar and Odveig are both patrolling, looking for more Goblins. They\u2019re rattled by one getting through their perimeter and worry another one\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n

I know there\u2019s not another Goblin in the village, but I don\u2019t tell anyone how I know. To the villagers, Durene\u2019s simply a hero who uncovered the Goblin by accident. It\u2019s better that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re sure it\u2019s dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yesel asks the [Scout] anxiously as she clings to her husband. Prost has a pitchfork\u2014hardly an elegant weapon, but the tines are sharp and he seems ready to use it. The [Scout] nods as he inspects the body.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeck\u2019s broken. Not many Goblins survive that. You say that Miss Durene did it with one hand? Never heard of that before.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shakes his head and whistles quietly as the other villagers murmur. I\u2019m not surprised; I know how strong Durene is.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what was the green skinned bastard doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Prost\u2019s voice is rough as he steps forward and looks at the Goblin. I start.<\/p>\n

Green skin? I\u2019ve never seen colors, but I know how things are supposed to look. Grass is green. And Goblin skin is the same color? I can\u2019t imagine it, or fit together the feel of grass with\u2014with a Goblin.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt a guess, it was coming here to slaughter you all in your sleep. The dagger isn\u2019t poisoned, but it\u2019s dressed in black, see? No need for poison when you can cut a throat easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDead gods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yesel buries her head in Prost\u2019s shoulder. He clutches one of his daughters to his side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve you to thank Durene, truly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re okay!\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene calls from inside. The [Scout] is checking the Goblin for anything else as I kneel down next to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said the Goblin has green skin? Ah\u2026it\u2019s Jeighya, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, your majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

I sense him looking sideways at me, and starting a bit as he realizes that I wouldn\u2019t know what a Goblin looks like. He clears his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve all green skin, some shade of it, sire. Red eyes, too. The color of monsters. Just as well this one won\u2019t open its eyes again.\u201d<\/p>\n

It takes me a minute to remember how our eyes are supposed to look. White and colored in the center, right? Just another thing to distinguish Goblins, but in my head\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen one. It\u2019s not dangerous in any way now, right Jeighya?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo sire, but why\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

I kneel down and gently feel the Goblin with my hand. I pat gingerly at the skin, feel the arms, and then, slowly, the face. It\u2019s a surreal feeling, touching something dead.<\/p>\n

So this is a Goblin. I kneel down and touch the body gently. It feels\u2026like any body would, I guess. Only smaller. Colder.<\/p>\n

I feel like I\u2019m touching a dead child. I shudder and pull my hand back. But for the sharp ears and pointed teeth, I\u2019d think it was<\/em> a young Human kid. I can\u2019t see the green skin or the crimson eyes.<\/p>\n

Standing, I look at the other villagers. They\u2019re anxiously clustered around. I raise my voice, grateful I\u2019m dressed. The dignity of an [Emperor] and all that. I\u2019m not about to recreate the story of the emperor\u2019s new clothes right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re safe for now. Please thank Durene for finding and taking care of the Goblin. In the morning, though. Right now I think everyone should get to sleep; I doubt we\u2019ll see more trouble tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

The villagers are hardly reassured by my words, but they do take some comfort by a dead Goblin. They disperse slowly, murmuring anxiously. I turn to Jeighya.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep a watch. They might try this again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that night I\u2019m made into a liar. There are no Goblins that I sense entering the village, but they are active after Durene makes her way back to her cottage, modesty preserved by a borrowed towel.<\/p>\n

Two hours after the Goblin is caught, someone fires a flaming arrow into the side of the barn. The villagers put the fire out before it spreads, but a second arrow hits a house and sets the roof ablaze. The village is filled with fear and no one gets a lot of sleep that night.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Day 68<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Discontent. That\u2019s the mood in the village the next day, after the villagers wake up from a sleepless night and see the smoke and burnt roof.<\/p>\n

Many of them haven\u2019t slept since the first fire. Neither have I. I slept through the first arrow until Gamel ran to wake me, and when I sensed the second fire starting I went down to the village and stayed there until morning.<\/p>\n

The roof of one of the villager\u2019s houses is toast, but it could be worse. That\u2019s what I tell myself as I cough, smelling the burnt wood in the morning. But it\u2019s still bad.<\/p>\n

The Goblins are harassing us with attacks, striking and fleeing since their attempt to send an assassin in failed. The two arrows were fired from the forest. Both times the Celestial Trackers found the Goblins and exchanged shots with them in the dark. The second time they got one of the Goblins in the stomach, but they found only bloodstains and no body when they went to check.<\/p>\n

No one\u2019s happy about that. But the villagers are the least happy it seems. Especially the ones from Windrest.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t know me. I\u2019m an [Emperor] to them, a strange, majestic class and a blind man with few impressive qualities to recommend him blended into one being. I must confuse them terribly.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve talked with them of course, and tried to reassure them along with the Riverfarm people, but I know I\u2019m not too convincing at this moment. I don\u2019t have the same bond with them as I do with the Riverfarm people. And it shows.<\/p>\n

If I separate the interactions I have, the people fall into three broad groups. The first are like Helm and the older villagers like Jelov. They treat me like Prost and Gamel and the others, grateful for the protection I offer mainly.<\/p>\n

The others are more distant. I\u2019m a [Lord] to them, and since the aristocracy of this land can be touchy, they\u2019re wary of me. Still, if they have their complaints they keep their feelings private.<\/p>\n

However, the last group is vocal in their grievances. Quietly vocal since saying I\u2019m a bad ruler is an invitation to a fight if someone like Gamel hears it. But nevertheless, the lid is boiling. And things get worse when the Goblins step up their attacks the next morning.<\/p>\n

One of the [Hunters] comes back with an arrow in his thigh and cuts along his arm.\u00a0 The Windfrozen Riders gallop off as I hear what happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cArrow. I was at my post when I saw a group of Goblins coming towards me. They showered my position\u2014ran before help came.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not badly wounded, but the incident speaks to how defenseless we are. And the Windfrozen Riders don\u2019t find the Goblins either. Too slow, and the Goblins know how fast the horses can move. So we get back to work. We have healing potions, but how long until they run out? I can hear the villagers talking, sense their nervous postures, and sense the few who are vocally worried. That worry and fear turns to resentment.<\/p>\n

But what can I do? Wiskeria\u2019s still arguing against any attempts to go out and hunt the Goblins down, and I agree. But Beniar points out the obvious each time too\u2014if we don\u2019t do anything, we\u2019ll just keep being attacked. I think Odveig wants me to decide and I\u2014<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t risk it. It\u2019s too dangerous. And while the adventurers understand that, the villagers only see them patrolling and not hunting the monsters. That leads to an incident at lunch.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m about to go check on the villagers training with Beniar. It\u2019s the one thing I feel like I have control over, the thing that I can do to really prepare for the Goblins. I hear someone\u2019s voice raised as I pass by one of the tables set up in the barn where food is distributed communally.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome [Emperor]. Any proper [Lord]\u2019d keep his people safe, but this one just sits about while we suffer in fear. I thought we were supposed to be safe<\/em> here!\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m clearly meant to hear that. I turn my head and sense a group of Windrest folk sitting at a table. The person who speaks\u2026I think it\u2019s a woman sitting in the middle of the party.<\/p>\n

Her words don\u2019t pass by unnoticed either. Heads turn. There aren\u2019t many villagers in the barn, but the ones who are from Windrest stare at me and the ones from Riverfarm stand up.<\/p>\n

Uh oh. I wave to my villagers and walk over to the woman before her words can start a brawl. She\u2019s sitting there, defiant, surrounded by her friends. I stop before her table.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have an issue with me, Miss?\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking right at her. That throws her for a loop already, I can tell. But the woman rallies in a moment. She looks around the room and speaks directly to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do. You\u2019re an [Emperor]. You promised us folk of Windrest we\u2019d be safe if we joined your village. But those Goblins are attacking and you\u2019ve not done a thing! You hide here while we\u2019re shot at\u2014in a few days we\u2019ll be dead for you doing nothing!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her words cause a susurration around the barn. And for all the people of Riverfarm are speaking angrily, watching the woman with ill-intent, I can tell they\u2019re agreeing a bit with what she said. I speak calmly, looking down at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am doing everything in my power to keep you all safe. I assumed two Silver-rank teams were adequate protection for Goblins. I was wrong, and for that I am sorry. However, you are still safer here than you would be on the road or in another village. It\u2019s too dangerous to risk sending the adventures out to hunt the Goblins\u2014they could walk into a trap or leave the village defenseless, and in both cases, we\u2019d all die for my mistakes. I\u2019m not willing to take that chance. You may disagree, but I am choosing the best options as I see fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

My words are the truth. That\u2019s my weapon and how I sway the villagers. I can sense some nodding around the room. How could you argue with that logic? And I do have a plan for the Goblins. I just need more time. A little more time and\u2026besides, how could you argue with that?<\/p>\n

With emotion, that\u2019s how. Perhaps she feels like she\u2019s at a disadvantage now, but the woman stands up. I think her name\u2019s Rehanna. I can sense her glare, even if I can\u2019t see it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBig words for a man who can\u2019t see! How\u2019re we supposed to trust the word of a blind<\/em> man? You can\u2019t tell who you\u2019re talking to, can you? We must all be the same to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

That<\/em> makes me mad. Why do some people seem to think that blindness means I can\u2019t tell people apart or sense where I am? People have voices, tones, and ways of speaking. Idiots who try and change their voices to make me think they\u2019re someone else really get on my nerves. But I don\u2019t snap. I cross my arms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am blind. So what? I am an [Emperor], not a [Warrior]. Why shouldn\u2019t I be as capable as any other [Emperor]\u2014let alone a [Lord]\u2014at my job?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know why. Blind people are\u2014they\u2019re not the same!\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that\u2014that\u2019s an insult. I hear a woman behind me shout something towards Rehanna. It sounds like a threat. I cut her off with a hand. I\u2019m angry now. My voice is loud in my ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I was a [Warrior], I suppose being blind might be a problem. If I were a [Painter], I would understand people having their reservations. But I have known blind painters, blind singers; men and women who have done as well as\u2014if not better than any person with sight in their own way. A blind man climbed the world\u2019s highest mountain. I have met him and shaken his hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silence. I have spoken the truth. But the woman denies it. To my face. She shakes her head and makes a sound like a scoff. Because she doesn\u2019t want to believe what I say is true, she thinks I\u2019m lying.<\/p>\n

The nerve. I\u2019m fighting not to open my eyes and use [Intimidating Glare]\u2014or punch her at this point. Either one would be satisfying, but it\u2019s not how I win this argument. People are watching. I\u2019ll beat her with words.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think you\u2019re a proper [Emperor], not a real one. I won\u2019t bow to you. What do you say to that? Will you throw me out for disobeying?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but I might cut off your head.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just words. Satisfying, savage words. The woman chokes. I fight down some guilty pleasure as the people around me gasp in horror. I smile slightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am an [Emperor]. Do you think a true [Emperor] would let a challenge to his rule go unanswered?\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think she did. I turn around the room, speaking to everyone listening. Calm. Project calm and confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am an [Emperor]. If I walked around naked or covered in tree sap, I would still be an [Emperor]. Your belief matters not. I am an [Emperor]. <\/em>And this is my demesne.\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think she knows that word either. The woman makes another sound but refuses to back down. She\u2019s cornered by her own actions now. I can sense her approaching. She stops a few feet away from me, glaring.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t speak to her, but to the Riverfarm men and women who approach, looking ready to grab her. They stop, reluctantly, and I stare up into the woman\u2019s face. She\u2019s glaring at me.<\/p>\n

Hah. That\u2019s funny. I smile and sense her stare faltering. She doesn\u2019t get the joke.<\/p>\n

Fierce, glaring\u2026it doesn\u2019t matter. I don\u2019t bother to use [Intimidating Glare]; there\u2019s no point. I can show these people that I can stand up for myself without a Skill.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s pretty tall. I look up and meet Rehanna\u2019s eyes with my closed ones. I feel her hesitate. I almost smile, but keep my composure. Internally though, I have to smile a bit. Yeah, that\u2019s right. Didn\u2019t think about it too hard, did you? What\u2019s the point of trying to scare me?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no way to stare down a blind man.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are frightened.\u201d<\/p>\n

She starts and opens her mouth. I talk over her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are frightened of the Goblins and afraid. I understand that. Everyone is frightened. However, we must work past our fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heads are nodding around the room. I look past Rehanna, hearing her splutter for words, and then back at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t excuse what you have said, but it tempers my decision. I won\u2019t kick you out of my village because that would be cruel and you would die. And I won\u2019t order you beheaded or beaten, and I\u2019ll make sure no one harasses you. When this is over, you\u2019re free to go. But until then, you will address me with respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hesitates. Now would be the time when she apologizes. Does she? Not a chance. That would imply she\u2019d thought any of this through. Instead, she thrusts her chin at me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t kneel to you. I came here to survive, but I won\u2019t bow and scrape under your rule no matter what you offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hear someone growl. Actually growl. I just sigh. Why is it that some people will keep digging a hole when they\u2019re already ten feet under?<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t ask you to kneel, but I will have you obey. And if I were you, I wouldn\u2019t say another word.\u201d<\/p>\n

I turn. At some point you have to walk away from a stupid argument or end up being just as stupid. And I have more important work to do. I\u2019m halfway out of the barn when I hear the woman\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr what?\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it. I pause. The barn is silent, and I can sense the woman behind me. Trembling with bravado and fear. Trembling. I can see in my head her every flaw, her imperfections. Why does she pretend? I can see right through her.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t turn. I open my mouth and say one word.<\/p>\n

\u201cKneel.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n

I hear a gasp and someone falls to her knees. I keep walking and don\u2019t look back.<\/p>\n

Do I feel good about that moment? Yes. I gave Rehanna every chance and she kept pushing. I was lenient in this. Far too lenient, perhaps. But everyone saw.<\/p>\n

Next time, if she\u2019s stupid enough for a next time, I\u2019ll have to get nasty. I don\u2019t want to imagine what I\u2019ll do, I only know that it will be unpleasant for me\u2014and quite unpleasant for her. I don\u2019t fully care. Sometimes you have to trample over people, I guess. That\u2019s what it means to rule. She\u2019ll obey, or I\u2019ll have to crush her\u2014<\/p>\n

Wait, crush her? Where did that<\/em> thought come from?<\/p>\n

Troubled, I make my way over to the training grounds\u2014a patch of cleared dirt where I can hear people shouting and hitting each other or the wooden sticks that have been set up. And then I hear a far more pleasant female voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cLaken!\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Durene. I hadn\u2019t seen her this morning\u2014as usual she\u2019s been rushing about the village, helping people out. I regret not being able to spend more time with her. And she has a surprise for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a Level 9 [Paladin]! I got a Skill\u2014guess what it is? Guess!\u201d<\/p>\n

She must have leveled up from the training and killing the Goblin. I smile at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m no good at guessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust guess anyways!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay\u2026[Shield of Radiance]? [Holy Hands]? [Sword of Justice]?\u201d<\/p>\n

A pause. Durene sounds downcast.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026those sound like great Skills. Mine isn\u2019t that good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene\u2026I made those up. Whatever Skill you have is wonderful. But you did ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

I sigh, but smile at her. Durene perks back up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did? Okay, then. Well I got\u2026are you sure you don\u2019t want to guess again? No? Okay, I got\u2026[Quick Strike]!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh! That\u2019s great!\u201d<\/p>\n

I try to sound as happy as she is. Honestly, I have no idea if that\u2019s a good Skill. It sounds\u2026cheap? But Durene seems happy about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me show you how it works. I was going to try it with Beniar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Durene told me all about it. [Quick Strike]\u2019s a basic move. It\u2019s more common to get [Power Strike] and move from there, but Durene\u2019s strong enough. I\u2019ve a shield\u2014why don\u2019t you try and touch me? She hasn\u2019t so far Emperor Laken. Today might be her lucky day, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beniar\u2019s a bit too cocky and full of pent-up energy at the moment. I\u2019ve seen him training with Durene and the others and he doesn\u2019t let anyone touch him with a sword no matter how hard they try. I suppose he\u2019s got the Skills, but it does seem like bullying at times.<\/p>\n

Durene\u2019s never come close before. She has that wooden club of course, and her shield, and both are too slow for Beniar who\u2019s adept at dodging and keeping his distance. Now Durene takes a stance and gingerly swings at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo slow!\u201d<\/p>\n

Beniar laughs as he ducks her club and nimbly springs forward to tap Durene on the stomach with his practice sword. She jumps and swings her shield at him, but he\u2019s already moving back. I sigh internally, frustrated a bit.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that Durene\u2019s that slow, I think she\u2019s also afraid of hitting Beniar, a fact which he capitalizes on. I\u2019ve seen them do this before, and I don\u2019t want to see Beniar bullying Durene for a few minutes. However, today\u2019s my lucky day.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake this!\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene lashes out with her shield and Beniar sways back. The shield misses him and he grins. He\u2019s taking a step back when Durene shouts.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Quick Strike]!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her arm blurs. I hear Beniar\u2019s voice and a thud almost at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh sh\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

To his credit, I think Beniar saw it coming. He tried to block and then dodge when he saw the club coming. But he was too slow.<\/p>\n

Thanks to my [Emperor] senses, I saw the entire thing. Beniar stepping back, the sudden acceleration of Durene\u2019s club to wicked fast speeds\u2014and the impact. I enjoyed it more than I should.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath, Durene stands horror-struck over Beniar as everyone turns to stare at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t mean to! I didn\u2019t\u2014is he alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s groaning on the ground, which answers her question. I squat next to him and speak gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing Durene was aiming for your chest, huh, Beniar? I don\u2019t want to imagine what your head would have been like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgh! No, sire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A bit of fun, a bit of frustration. Neither occurrence goes unnoticed. Soon, Beniar\u2019s up and treating Durene with a lot more respect, and Prost\u2019s seeking me out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard what happened, Emperor Laken. I\u2019ve had a word with that Rehanna woman, and let me apologize for her words, sire. Few folk think like her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they do think like her, Prost. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not offended\u2014or vengeful. But if people feel that way, I\u2019d like to know. Preferably without the rudeness, but I\u2019d still rather know than not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sire. I\u2019m sure she\u2019d never have said as much, but that woman\u2019s a hothead and a malcontent. And I think she was prompted to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That gets my attention. I stop as Prost and I walk around the village.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrompted, Prost?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sire. Rehanna won\u2019t speak to me\u2014stubborn as a mule\u2014but her friends say she\u2019s been talking with someone else, getting an earful of what to say to you, maybe. Apparently she\u2019s been having a drink as she does. Building courage to say such things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlcohol? I didn\u2019t buy more than a cask\u2014we don\u2019t have any in the village, unless the Windrest people brought it\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, your Majesty. And Rehanna didn\u2019t have any herself. There\u2019s only one group that brought some drink with them\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe adventurers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sire. If you want I can ask around, see who\u2019s been spreading rumors about you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Prost. Thank you. I think\u2026I have an idea of who it might be. I\u2019ll handle it myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh boy. That\u2019s not good. I excuse myself and leave Prost behind and go for a walk. I have a bad feeling in my chest. I\u2019ve had it before, but I was worrying about the Goblins. Now\u2026a few things are falling into place.<\/p>\n

Pieces. It\u2019s just pieces in my head, but they fit together in a way I don\u2019t like. A few odd events have caught my attention. Someone breaking into my cottage while I was away, the missing Mossbear fur and it attacking the village\u2014and now someone stirring up trouble and prompting people to challenge me.<\/p>\n

It could all be coincidence, but I know for a fact that the people of Windrest were all settling in on the day my cottage was broken into. None of them would have known where I lived, much less done anything on that day.<\/p>\n

And the Windfrozen riders were all riding patrol\u2014save for Beniar and a few who were training the volunteers from the village. That rules them out.<\/p>\n

So that only leaves the Celestial Trackers and the people of Riverfarm as suspects. If you rule out Riverfarm\u2014because if they were going to snoop, why not do it when I wasn\u2019t there?\u2014then that leaves only one group.<\/p>\n

And of that group\u2026only one person I can think of would want to get ahold of Mossbear fur. After all, [Witches] can hex opponents and cast all kinds of spells. Why not<\/em> do voodoo tricks with hair? As for my cottage and stirring up the Windrest villagers, well, if it\u2019s all part of a larger reason\u2026<\/p>\n

Suspicions. I can\u2019t rely just on my intuition and throwaway guesses for this. I have to confirm it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to find Jeighya. He\u2019s not patrolling and the man is maintaining his bow. I sit with him and he reacts\u2014well, cautiously but with a good deal of friendliness. I\u2019m not some aloof [Emperor] and we have bonded over a dead Goblin\u2019s corpse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been wondering about your group, Jeighya. It seems weird to me that a [Witch] is part of your party. I\u2019ve never met one and I was hoping you could explain their class to me. I\u2019d ask Wiskeria, but I wouldn\u2019t want to be rude.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? I\u2019d be happy to share what I know, your majesty. [Witches] are a rare class, I\u2019ll say, but they\u2019ve got useful Skills and spells most common [Mages] would turn their nose up at learning. Wiskeria\u2019s been a boon to us, for all she\u2019s new.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew?\u201d<\/p>\n

My heart sinks. The man with the bow nods as he fumbles with an arrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe wasn\u2019t in our party last spring. Wiskeria and Odveig\u2014they\u2019re old friends. Older\u2019n they seem, I know. Odveig formed our group a while back\u2014she\u2019s not always leading us, but she\u2019s always around Invrisil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. I thought she\u2019d been part of your group forever. And Odveig\u2019s not your leader?\u201d<\/p>\n

He pauses, scratches at his beard.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so much that she\u2019s not our leader as much as that we don\u2019t adventure together all the time like most groups, sire. Begging your pardon. We don\u2019t take on that many contracts each year; a lot of us make our livings from hunting and join up when she says there\u2019s word of a good contract. But Wiskeria now, she joined the group not two months ago. Came out of nowhere, but Odveig knew her and she\u2019s a good thinker. Her spells have gotten us out of a lot of scraps.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see. And she\u2019s got a lot of talents? Did I hear she can manipulate animals?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yes! Very helpful that is. I saw her pull a Corusdeer\u2019s fur out one time and summoned an entire herd later. Helped us take down some Snow Golems. \u2018Course, it\u2019s harder to make animals do what doesn\u2019t come naturally, but Corusdeer love killing Snow Golems. Natural enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria. I let Jeighya drone on about monsters as the worry in my head grows. It was just a suspicion. Now\u2026now I think I have a serious problem.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

That night I summoned Wiskeria to Durene\u2019s cottage. It wasn\u2019t hard; I mentioned that I wanted to see her, and so she came. Nothing out of the ordinary.<\/p>\n

Nothing out of the ordinary with Durene being there either. Frostwing being gone might have raised an eyebrow, but she doesn\u2019t mention it. Durene barring the door though\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cYour majesty? Is something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria glances towards Durene as I sit at her dining table, across from Wiskeria. I sigh. I don\u2019t want to do this. I don\u2019t want to be right.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing much. I just wanted to clear up a few things, Wiskeria.\u201d<\/p>\n

The [Witch] glances towards Durene and back at me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m at your majesty\u2019s service.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you? Good. So tell me something. Why\u2019s there a clump of Mossbear fur in your pouches?\u201d<\/p>\n

She freezes. I stare at her. It wasn\u2019t hard to sense the distinct fur in Wiskeria\u2019s belt pouch. And when I found it, I knew.<\/p>\n

I knew.<\/p>\n

Silence. I can sense Durene glaring at Wiskeria. She knows. I told her, and no one else. I didn\u2019t want to alarm anyone in case I was wrong, but\u2026the fur. I\u2019m waiting for an explanation and hoping against hope that I\u2019m mistaken.<\/p>\n

Because I think<\/em> Wiskeria\u2019s trying to sabotage my village. I think she\u2019s my enemy, and I don\u2019t know why. But something Ryoka mentioned to me makes me think she might be in this Lady Magnolia Reinhart\u2019s employ. It\u2019s just a hunch, but Ryoka says Magnolia sent [Assassins] after her. Why not a spy masquerading as an adventurer in Wiskeria\u2019s case?<\/p>\n

At last, Wiskeria opens her mouth. She glances at me and Durene, and I\u2019d bet she\u2019s lost all color in her face. I always wondered what that would look like. How would that work? And why does it happen when you\u2019re scared? Blood flow? It makes no sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014know how it must seem, your majesty. But I swear I took the fur before the Mossbear woke up, while it slept! I was sure I did it stealthily enough not to wake it\u2014you have my oath on that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? And so this Mossbear just woke up around the same time you cut the hair? You didn\u2019t set it on the village with a spell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? Set it on the village?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria repeats my words as if she can\u2019t believe what I\u2019m saying. She hesitates. The pieces click together and she bursts out.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2014no! I would never intentionally wake it if there was no reason! Emperor Laken, please believe me! My taking the hair was just a precaution! I\u2019ve no notion why the bear woke up. If it was my fault, it was a mistake I truly regret!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally.\u201d<\/p>\n

I stare at her. Wiskeria\u2019s trembling. Is it an act? I clear my throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well. Say I believe you, Wiskeria. Onto another matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

She says it as if she has no idea what might be coming next. I nod gently.<\/p>\n

\u201dSomeone was in my cottage. It wasn\u2019t one of the villagers. I\u2019d suspect one of the Windfrozen Riders, but they were patrolling a good ways out from the village. However, I recall that the Celestial Trackers were deployed closer to the village. Just in case. Which means you could have snuck in on that day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014are you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

I fold my arms. I can hear Durene\u2019s teeth grinding from here. Wiskeria makes a few incoherent noises. Then\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do it. I cannot prove I wasn\u2019t there, but\u2014I would swear to it under truth spell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo bad we don\u2019t have one. And I suppose you had nothing to do with a villager from Windrest named Rehanna challenging me publically today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! How could you assume I\u2019d\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMossbear attack, going through my cottage, inciting my subjects\u2026all actions worthy of a [Spy].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean\u2014me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Disbelief. Shock. A hint of outrage, but mostly confusion and fear. That\u2019s what my ears tell me and my senses confirm Wiskeria\u2019s posture matches these emotions. For a moment I feel uncertain.<\/p>\n

She sounds very convincing for a spy. But isn\u2019t that what any trained spy would sound like? My stomach hurts. I can only trust in what I\u2019ve observed, the conclusions I\u2019ve come to.<\/p>\n

\u201cEmperor Laken. Your majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria licks her lips, clearly afraid. She glances at Durene again before speaking urgently to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did not do\u2014any of the things you believe I did. I did<\/em> take the Mossbear\u2019s fur, but only as a precaution! Its attack was a mistake, and I swear that\u2019s the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the other things? Are they coincidences?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps. Perhaps not. They seem suspicious\u2014but I can only say I had nothing to do with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says it faintly, knowing how it must sound. I sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t believe you, Wiskeria.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hold up a hand as she protests.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026But I can\u2019t prove you\u2019re not telling the truth. So here\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do. I\u2019m going to imprison you. Take away your wand, put you in a house and under guard\u2026and ask some questions. If you can\u2019t answer them, or your friends can\u2019t, well\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t accept that. Sire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria interrupts me, sounding panicked. She half-pushes back her chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would be in danger for my life if your villagers found out what I was accused of. They\u2014your subjects would kill for you. I don\u2019t want to die or be held captive for weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene growls at Wiskeria. The [Witch] hesitates, and does not. I look at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no choice, Wiskeria. I\u2019m not about to risk another incident, or working with someone I can\u2019t trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t. Not now so much is at stake. But Wiskeria is shaking her head.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I can\u2019t\u2014won\u2019t be held here when there are Goblins about! What if they attack?\u201d<\/p>\n

She speaks pleadingly to me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m willing to leave and void my contract, Emperor Laken. After the Goblins are dealt with. Or return with a truth spell testimony proving my innocence. But I can\u2019t let you take my wand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWiskeria, I have no choice. You have to know how this looks\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do. And I\u2019m sorry for this. [Paralyzing Touch].\u201d<\/p>\n

Before I can react, I feel her finger on my chest. I gasp and my body goes rigid. Durene shouts. I sense Wiskeria going for the door.<\/p>\n

My body\u2019s frozen, but my mouth can still move.<\/p>\n

\u201cWiskeria, stop! Don\u2019t make this worse!\u201d<\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t reply. She\u2019s ducking around Durene, hand raised, shimmering with magic. I can sense Durene hesitating. What do I do?<\/p>\n

No good answer. But I know she can\u2019t get away. I look to Durene standing by the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene. Hit her. Gently, so she can\u2019t get away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria backs up, hands raised as Durene makes a huge fist. She knows how strong Durene is. My half-Troll girlfriend could kill Wiskeria with a punch. Durene looms over Wiskeria, abandoning the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive up or I\u2019ll hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria slowly raises her hands and backs towards a wall. She glances at me, and realizes she\u2019s got no excuses. But she still speaks desperately.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m innocent. You\u2019ll see that in the end. Just don\u2019t\u2014I don\u2019t want to die. Not here! I didn\u2019t even want<\/em> to take this contract on! I was against it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene pauses for a second. Wiskeria speaks rapidly, eyes flicking left and right, too afraid to move and be hit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe normally take on contracts for monster exterminations, scouting, that sort of thing! We get the occasional request from the Reinhart family! I told Odveig there was no need to spend this much time on escort duty, but she insisted!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOdveig did?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes! She insisted! Said we\u2019d get no better deal though we could have been hunting Frost Golems or making gold coins selling pelts! I have no idea why she wanted\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWiskeria? I heard [Emperor] Laken wanted to talk to you, and I heard shouting. What\u2019s going\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n

Someone opens the door. I sense Odveig come in.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the\u2014? Odveig?\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria gapes at her friend. Durene turns, but keeps her focus on Wiskeria. I\u2019m\u2026<\/p>\n

Dumbfounded. Was that coincidence? No, it can\u2019t be. That was movie-level timing right there. Was Odveig outside? Why was she here? I didn\u2019t notice she was outside the cottage!<\/em><\/p>\n

And suddenly the pieces in my head change. Odveig. Wiskeria\u2019s actions. One of the Celestial Trackers. I shout.<\/p>\n

\u201cDurene! She\u2019s the spy! Get her!\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene swings around. Odveig curses.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn. He is smart.\u201d<\/p>\n

She steps nimbly to one side, unhooking her mace. Wiskeria is gaping, staring at me. Durene raises a hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, stop\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Durene grabs for Odveig. The [Macewoman] steps back and as Durene misses, slides forward like a ghost. She taps Durene behind the knee with her mace and Durene\u2019s leg collapses.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

The half-Troll girl goes down onto one leg, sounding stunned. She turns, reaches for Odveig, and Odveig taps her on the head with the mace.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hear Durene hit the ground. My protector, my mighty [Paladin] knocked out. Just like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cOdveig!\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiskeria raises her hand. Odveig steps back as Wiskeria tries to touch her with the [Paralyzing Touch] spell. She hits Wiskeria; I hear a cry.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry, Wis. I didn\u2019t want to let you take the blame\u2026or let you find out this way. But I have a few secrets.\u201d<\/p>\n

The [Witch] crumples to the ground. I\u2019m still locked in place by her spell. I sense Odveig coming around behind me, still holding her mace.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you are a very intelligent young man, Laken Godart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. Is this the part where you tell me why you did what you did?\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m stalling for time. Odveig shrugs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guessed. I\u2019m a spy. That\u2019s not my class, but\u2026how did you know I broke into the cottage? How did you find out what was in Wiskeria\u2019s bags without looking?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI sensed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh. Interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel all the hairs on the back of my neck trying to dance. I wait. Odveig moves closer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have so much I\u2019d like to ask you, but your protector might wake up soon and my cover is gone. So I\u2019ll just say this.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel someone brushing hair around my ears, and then a higher-pitched voice, an elegant tone, so unlike Odveig\u2019s accented words.<\/p>\n

\u201cLady Magnolia sends her regards. She will be very interested to speak with you once I deliver my report. If you survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel a chill as Odveig whispers into my ear. I\u2019m afraid to make the wrong move, tense. I can sense her holding her mace at her side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you really? Why did Magnolia send you? What does she want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t say much, Laken. But my real name is\u2026Sacra. I regret that we couldn\u2019t speak under more pleasant circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shifts. I wait for the end, or at least, unconsciousness. But Odveig doesn\u2019t lift it and smash my brains out. She turns and strides out of the cottage. I sense her pick up speed as she leaves\u2014she\u2019s running down to the village incredibly quickly. Then she\u2019s on a horse, trotting it out of the village until she\u2019s out of sight, and then racing it\u2014<\/p>\n

She\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n

It takes five minutes before my body starts being able to move again. Wiskeria\u2019s magic wears off slowly, and I feel like I\u2019m moving through molasses. My arms and legs tingle like they\u2019ve been asleep. At last, I stand up, around the same time Wiskeria and Durene wake up.<\/p>\n

Both of them get up and immediately start a riot. Wiskeria runs out of the cottage and Durene chases her shouting for Odveig. That leaves me in the cottage, alone. I put my head in my hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn. I feel like an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m an idiot. That\u2019s my conclusion after the chaos, with Prost rousing the village and the Celestial Trackers demanding to know why Odveig\u2019s run and Wiskeria trying to defend herself and avoid Durene hitting her. I sort it out by shouting at everyone and kick myself that night.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m an idiot. Have I said it enough times? No. To put it in a delightfully American way, I done goofed. That\u2019s an appropriate way of thinking of how stupid I was.<\/p>\n

What was my plan? Confront Wiskeria and hope she\u2019d confess? And then what? Confine her as a prisoner or\u2014kill her? Let her go? Aside from the fact that I was wrong, I didn\u2019t give any thought to what I was going to do.<\/p>\n

I panicked. And because of that, Odveig\u2019s gone and I\u2019m left with more questions and one less warrior to defend the village. If I had been smarter, I could have observed Odveig and let her help me\u2014or see how far Magnolia was willing to go to attack me and my village.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m down another adventurer, and a good one if she can knock out Durene in a single hit. If only I\u2019d\u2026<\/p>\n

Too late now. Too late. At least one of my worries has resolved itself. Only, now it\u2019s a bigger worry and I still have to worry about them.<\/p>\n

The Goblins.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 66 \u00a0 So here it is. My first test as an [Emperor]. I, Laken Godart, am facing my first true crisis since I claimed Riverfarm. The avalanche was one thing, but I had the means to save the village at my fingertips. This time, I have no such ability. The Goblins are here. Monsters […]<\/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":[11693084,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693133],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-4140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-4","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n4.22 E - The Wandering Inn<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wanderinginn.com\/2018\/03\/27\/4-22-e\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4.22 E\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Day 66 \u00a0 So here it is. 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