Jebidiah's Change Bk. 01 Ch. 13

The morning checks on the troops and rounds before resuming their journey put Jebidiah's buoyed thoughts into a better light. While a powerful cleric was not present, there were more than the singular Lt Featherton available of equal skill and most of the injured were now refreshed. He checked on Kelek's injuries as well, remembering the healing they attempted a few days before had only managed to stop the bleeding. He found her to be completely wound free, looking good as new, or what they could estimate 'new' would be. Suspicious, he asked Sift when the healer's had stopped by. Kelek answered for Sift with a single word, "No." followed by her hissing laugh. Something was going on there, but he did not have the time. There were too many things he did not have time for. He contemplated separating the two but decided against it, Kelek had stayed put while having Sift available, no need to tempt changes, however, last night's discussion with Dana was still fresh in his mind. When they had moved off out of earshot, Jebidiah half whispered to Crystal, "Crys, you've been spending a lot of time with Sift. Can you find out what's going on with the healing and whatever else those two are up to?"

"You expecting trouble from them, Jeb?" Dana sounded surprised. "They have both seemed content so far and we've been going off your lead to leave them be."

"I'm delegating, love." The words drew a huge grin from Dana. "Speaking of delegating, where are the munchkin twins this morning?"

"Joy is still doing inventory on the captured trains and Mila is, well, her new shadow for some reason." Crystal answered, staring off in the direction of the supply wagons.

"Did anyone else notice a difference in Mila last night?"

Tenner snorted, "The only one who's fucked her so far are Joy and you, and from all accounts you wrecked her last time. The talking was a surprise."

"Exactly. Not really that she talked. She wasn't raised human and I know others do so after they escape the dorms, I mean from what I hear, not that I talk to others about these things."

"Why Jebidiah Tonstar Valor, are you blushing?"

"NO! Sorry, that came out a little too forcibly. Back to my point, it wasn't so much that she talked, it's how she talked. Did any of you catch that?"

Tenner nodded again. "I noticed she called me 'wife'."

"What?" The surprise from Dana and Crystal was mirrored by the octave they hit.

"You were too far out of it to hear, Dana, but yeah, she called me wife."

"Not only that, did you actually listen to what she said? Her pattern of speech?"

"In the middle of all that fucking, you paid attention to that?"

"Hey, I concentrate on what I'm doing so I pay attention solely to what you do. That would include what you say."

"That's one of the best things about sex with you, Jeb." Dana said. Her words almost made him stop short.

"What's that?"

"When we have sex, it's with all of you, you are completely there with us. Not sure I am describing it correctly, but I just sort of go with the flow and the feelings. It's so easy to just surrender to the feelings and let myself go. But then I can lose track of what is going on, I'm not completely there any more. I know the others are like that too, but you are always there, all of you." Crystal and Tenner were nodding in agreement so Jebidiah just filed that tidbit of knowledge away for further study and moved on.

"We still need to find out what's going on with Mila. She sounded like commonspeak was her first language last night."

"Are you vetoing her?"

"No, I'm not going that far. I wouldn't put it past Joy to stab me if I did. Just, we need to figure out what's going on. If anyone has ideas, I'm all ears."

They were only a day out from Soldier's Rest and, in an amusing pun, all their soldiers were rested so they made good time. The midday meal break brought them a needed surprise when Greta and Farrah along with Corporals Brown, Miller, and Simmons rode into camp, looking much better than when they had left. Greta was immediately swamped by Jebidiah's wives so he headed to the Firsts and thanked them profusely for their help, especially Brown, then focused on the elf mage. "Well met, Farrah, it's good to see you up and about again. I would have understood if you needed to stay rested in the city until we arrived."

"Traveling with you has proved more dangerous than I had expected, Lord Valor. I'm afraid this will be my last trip though. I... there's healing and then there's healing. While I was out I think I had a continuous dream about the attack, all I see are ghouls now, in every shadow. I returned more for Michael's sake and to continue the training. I am hoping that the focus will keep the other thoughts at bay."

He nodded in sympathy and some understanding. The blonde he killed on the Promenade still haunted his dreams. "I'm sure Michael and the girls will be thrilled to have you back."

He left Farrah, unsure what more to say and headed to the gaggle of giggles that sprung from his wives when Greta broke through and rushed him, throwing herself into a hug that nearly knocked him over. "I'm so glad you are ok, Jeb."

"Me? I was worried sick about you! By the Divines I thought I had managed to kill you. Your mother must be ready to skin me when we meet."

She smiled up at him, still holding her arms around his sides. "Mamma is fine, she understands, though you need to act contrite when she rakes you over the coals. Besides, do you know how absolutely epic the song I am writing will turn out? Some of the others told me what happened after we went down. I can't hardly believe it myself, I need the whole story!" The others had gathered around by then.

"Wait till I tell you about Shirley," Dana said.

More giggles broke out and his already raised spirits managed to improve even further.

The rest of the afternoon was much the same, everyone in better spirits. Jebidiah tried to speak more with Farrah but she kept subtly fending him off, none of her excuses were mean, snide, or disrespectful, but he knew when he was being brushed off. He decided to ask Michael about it.

"Not everyone is going to be jumping on the Jeb band wagon, Jebidiah. She's not angry with you but I know fear when I see it. Coming as close to death as she did will give any sane person pause before they expose themselves to the same danger twice." The explanation didn't make Jebidiah feel any better, but it held its own logic.

A general cheer went up as the city finally came into sight on the horizon. They all knew there was still at least a tenday more travel before they reached Tonstar, but Soldier's Rest meant actual rest. Beds, full meals, the better things a soldier on the march could hope for. Greta, true to her word, spent nearly an hour pelting Jebidiah with questions about his memories of the battle after she was knocked out. He was mildly amused to see Joy and Mila tag along with her as the trio moved from person to person with Greta's questions.

Jebidiah wasn't sure what to make of the reception they received once through the city gates. It looked like an honor guard greeting, equal to what he had seen the Queen receive on her return from her very rare trips, just slightly less ostentatious. Being at the front of the train, his immediate group was first to move through the line of saluting guards to where the Stockmar delegation waited on their mounts, the Duchess front and center.

"Your Grace," Jebidiah bowed as he could from the saddle, "it is good to see you again."

She eyed him a little wearily. "I had hoped that better care would be given to my daughter. I don't have many of them left and they were a limited run, not going to be any more. I expected better from you Lord Valor, perhaps the banner was too much."

"Mamma, I told you I'm fine!"

The Duchess' eyes snapped to her daughter. "Fool girl, you have to learn better on how to handle a man. I thought I taught you better." A small smile started to peek through her stern look. "Now you've ruined the effect I was getting." She sighed and smiled a little more. "Come, Lord Valor, we will receive you at the Keep as our honored guests. I'm sure a good meal and drink will help your spirits. We have much to discuss." With no more preamble nor waiting for Jebidiah's reply, the Duchess turned her mount around and the Stockmar women followed closely behind.

Jebidiah looked to his wives and shrugged, "She doesn't really give many options, does she?"

"Welcome to my life." Greta said as she urged her mount forward. Jebidiah rode beside her and Tenner joined his other side. Crystal and the rest followed slightly behind, allowing the Stockmar girls the place of honor in their home city.

Soldier's Rest was a relatively young city in the kingdom, having been established in 605, three hundred and fifty years after Silvertoe, so it lacked the rich architecture and history of the latter. Soldier's Rest was built for what its name intended. The stretch between Silvertoe and Kevlar was the longest stretch of uninterrupted highway in the kingdom, running coast-to-coast over the entire length of the southern border region. The years following the Cataclysm brought natural disasters and drought to the continent, causing movement of people everywhere. Unknown before then, the nation of the Drues that inhabited the southern portion of Solumni crept into the north in search of food and water. The natural result of the raids were some clashes with the kingdom's forces. It took a few more years to establish relations and a peace treaty with the Druish Empire, but enough raiding still occurred that the Queen was forced to act. Soldier's Rest was a result, founded close to the center of the region that saw the most raids, it housed the third largest portion of the Tonstar Regular Army, behind the capital and Starn.

The central avenue they rode down was wide even by Promenade standards. Yantzee explained that the girth of the roadway allowed quick deployment of troops when required. He pointed to the right side where several similarly wide avenues intersected theirs, "The main barracks, mess halls, stables, and training facilities are directly behind these shops. This setup allows rapid deployments of full companies onto the highway, in formation, within minutes. I'm told the Starns tore down and rebuilt a third of their city when they saw the advantages this layout offered. I've never had the opportunity to visit their city to see the results."

The normal sized side streets they passed went on for quite a distance in the direction they were laid. Tonstar was a hodgepodge of streets, avenues, and allies that curved all over in no apparent design. From what he had glimpsed of Silvertoe, it was much the same. The only place one could look in a straight line for an appreciable distance was the Promenade by the Tonstar Keep. "Is the whole city a grid?"

"Yep." Tenner answered proudly. "Impossible to get lost here. City also doesn't have designated sections. You don't have to travel the whole way to find where all the smithies are, just find the nearest block with one. Also don't need to name the streets with where they go. No, Tavern Street, no Armorer's Way, nothing like that."

"What do you name them then?" Jebidiah had no trouble telling how proud Tenner was of her home, the pride radiating through the bond just reinforced it.

"You start from the gates and go up by number. For the streets running East to West, the first street we passed was 1st Street, next was 2nd, and so on. As you go West from this Avenue the North to South streets go A Street, B Street, and so on."

"What's this one called?"

"Main Street, silly."

"Of course, how silly of me not to know."

"We're here." Greta's words and her horse's turn to the right made Jebidiah hesitate.

"The keep? Where is it? I'm used to them towering over everything."

"It's down this avenue. Stockmar Avenue if you must ask, " she said with a smirk.

They turned into the avenue that the Stockmar sisters guided him onto and once past the shops and a low wall, the keep finally came into view on their left.

It was not the kind of Keep Jebidiah was expecting. Set back behind large green, well manicured lawns and small gardens graced with statuary, the Keep was much wider than every other one he had seen, only it was single story with the exception of a section in the very back. It was a beautiful building, to be sure, but just not what he was expecting. "You don't look as awestruck as I thought you would be." Greta questioned.

"It's just shorter than I expected."

Tenner snickered, "Our home does not have a size issue. It more than does the job."

Jebidiah opened his mouth to say something then closed it again, hesitating. "Was that a size joke?" His women all laughed.

They were eventually escorted into a larger conference chamber. A gigantic richly stained mahogany table dominated the room with enough chairs to sit forty comfortably. There wasn't much room past the table and Jebidiah found himself occasionally brushing against a tapestry as he navigated to his assigned seat. The Duchess, Tenner's mother, what appeared to be a few more of their sisters, and the Duchess's truth diviners sat at the opposite end. Appropriate genuflections done, Jebidiah and his retinue sat at the side to the right of the Stockmar women, showing proper deference. Michael, Shirley, Farrah, and Captain Gentry were announced and they opted to sit to the left. Normally since they were not representing their house they would have sat at the far end. Michael's position in House Tonstar trumped everyone present so really he could have sat next to the Duchess if he desired.

The Duchess kicked the conversation off. "When I sent you off with a banner I was not expecting you to shove the Kingdom head first into a civil war! Our enemies are laying the blame for the current hostilities directly upon your actions and, by proxy, those Houses which have lent you the slightest support as co-conspirators. Our sources say there are at least two full regiments of Crag troops being deployed this tenday, marching on Soldier's Rest."

"Your Grace, everything I did was on the premise of protecting my family. It was never my intention to make things worse, if anything I've been constantly pushed in directions I never intended against my own desires."

She considered his words for almost a full minute, finally deciding against what response she had in mind. "Allow me to introduce you to the rest of my advisers. Some you have met but we did not do the honors of introduction. To my right is my wife, Clara Dupree Harold-Stockmar, Major General of our House. To her right is my wife, Rose Miller Porter-Stockmar, to her right another of my wives, Michelle Brockmar Stark-Stockmar. To my left is my wife, Pearl Maybeth Gordon-Stockmar, our head Diviner, to her left is Mira Vander Stockmar, most of you have met, she is my sister and Tenner's mother. To her left is Sarah Jessup Kender-Stockmar, Mira's wife and Captain General for the House. To her left is Melany Parker Wyatt-Stockmar, another of Mira's wives. Finally Bethany Rivers Stockmar, my sister."

Jebidiah recognized a few, including Bethanay who was the 'Beth' truth sayer from before, complete with her magical nimbus, and Pearl, the diviner, also with her magical glow.

The Duchess finally decided to answer Jebidiah's initial statement. "I, we, all, understand you did not choose this path, but it is the path you walk on. Or, it may be better to say, the path you are stampeding on, crushing everything in your path. This isn't a schoolyard fight where you can cry 'she made me do it!' Grow up young man. You lead a House, start acting like it and take responsibility for your actions."

Jebdiah couldn't help but chuckle and Dana did her damndest to kick him under the table. The Duchess' eyes bore into him, "This is far from a laughing matter."

"Your Grace, my apologies, I fully acknowledge what you say, and agree. I just had this conversation last night, in fact. Somebody tried to beat it into me."

Somewhat mollified, the Duchess looked at the women around him. "Well, whichever one of you had that discussion, I congratulate you."

"For now, we need clarification on your exploits and then discuss the consequences. These stories being passed around are hard to believe, I can only imagine what further stories will be added now that your survivors are back. And I use the term 'survivor' in every aspect for what the word was meant."

Jebidiah tried to answer but Clara stopped him with a raised hand. "Objectively, on this expedition alone, you fended off and destroyed a goblin king of not two, nor three, but four full tribes, and single handedly decapitated their chieftain and roared your challenge. If you had more understanding about how goblin tribes worked, you were in a position to take over leadership of the remaining warriors. Having a mage goblin wife already would have solidified your hold over the tribes. And you did this with just under a full strength company, on your first expedition, with troops you never led in combat before, a third of which were with the company for only a tenday! PLease tell me you did not engage in single combat with a goblin chieftain!"

"I had help! And the goblin was pretty much a me or him situation and I wasn't ready to die just yet. " Jebidiah tried to defend his actions, but Crystal and Dana couldn't restrain a laugh.

Clara glared at the girls. "What, pray tell, do you find amusing about all of this? This light hearted manner in which your family treats this is even more disturbing."

Crystal answered first. "My Lady General, you recount it all like we went on a heroic adventure and Jebidiah was this great warrior who vanquished his foes and did the impossible. I guess he sort of did, but after the dust settled, Jeb went on a full rant about how much a clusterfuck it all was, begging your pardon for the language your Grace. He kept on about how it wasn't like what the bards tell, how he needed to do better. He even apologized to the wounded."

Her answer brought the General up short. "That part of the story had not reached us and it does us all well you at least understand how precarious your position was, Lord Valor. We did hear tales of an oath to the troops, that one spread worse than the plague, we were hoping to squash it once we finished this debrief?" She raised an eyebrow to emphasize her query.

Both Michael and Jebidiah answered at the same time, "No." Jebidiah was surprised Michael's thoughts mirrored his own and decided to let him elaborate, curious if Michael's reasoning matched his own. "Captain Gentry and I coached Lord Valor about how battles are managed, how true leadership works, and how battles are won based on the morale of those who fight, more than the strategies of those who lead. If you had been there to see how the troops performed in the last engagement you would never question his wisdom in making an oath no one had considered before. The banner we now wave may declare he has a House, but that battle... in that battle he forged a House in fire, blood, and steel in a way I have never heard of. His people chanted his name, spontaneously, and instead of joining in his own praise, he carried a wounded armswoman off to the infirmary."

The Duchess smiled weakly. "What sort of charms do you weave, Jebidiah? You have the next Prince Consort referring to your House as 'we'."

Michael made no reply past a small sheepish smile of his own and the General continued with some hesitation. "I... I was unaware of that portion of the tale as well. All we heard about is the 'Mad Lord and Lady'. Allow me to recount what we, and presumably the rest of the kingdom, will be hearing shortly. Our young Lord Valor, being the tactical genius he is, fresh off the improbable feat of defeating one of the largest goblin hordes in recorded history, learned of an ambush by the combined forces of House Crag and Faltha. You then decided to ambush the ambushers and, instead of camping for the night, called for a forced march managing to catch the opposing forces split into two groups. These brilliant maneuvers allowed your forces, outnumbered more nearly three to one, to easily defeat the Faltha contingency with a handful of your companions, and then, in detail, route the remainder of the Falthan's with only part of a company. Then, while laughing your asses off, bleeding all over yourself, received a charge by the Crag forces. Which, according to the tale, still greatly outnumbered you, but you also easily defeated them. Does any of that sound familiar?"