Jebidiah's Change Bk. 01 Ch. 13

Jebidiah let out one of his heavy sighs. "Well, first, I want to point out that the only reason I pushed on instead of resting is we needed better healing for Farrah or she was going to die, not some sort of tactile insight. We didn't learn of their ambush until we stumbled upon it. Honestly, the idea that they would ambush us never crossed my mind and it should have. We had been continuously marching since abandoning the ruins, with little rest, and I would never have attempted battle unless we had no choice, which we didn't."

The General interrupted again, "So it's true that you sprung their trap, ambushing the ambusher as they say, at reduced strength after forced marching for what, three days?! Are you truly mad then? How many casualties did you have?" She looked back and forth across the table from Jebidiah to Gentry.

Gentry answered with a grimace. "We were only around seventy percent effective. But General, ma'am, if I may, the women believe in him. Truly believe. Without that I never would have accepted his gamble."

Jebidiah started going off then, his ire rising as he spoke. "Everyone hates me saying it, but I truly had no choice! What was I supposed to do? Turn back? That would have been a disaster in itself. We had just been hammered by the goblins and ghouls but didn't kill them all. We left behind a new, unknown human enemy with necromancers, we have assets now that must be examined, and Farrah was going to die! She did not sign up for a fight, she's a Diviner, not a Battle Mage like Shirley, though I hated Shirley having to get involved as well. Both are my responsibility and I failed her and the others that fell on my behalf. I never intended to lead everyone into a desperate battle like this, Divines know it was just blundering and I don't have the training for it. The first part of the attack was stupid, looking back on it, I took eleven to face over a hundred, and I nearly got our Greta killed." He choked a little, his emotions getting the better of him. "Seeing her fall, I just, I don't know... snapped. All I wanted to do was kill them all. It wasn't right, these attacks on me and mine, I never asked for any of this!" He fought back his tears and rage, breathing heavily now.

"I'm afraid the laughing was my contribution." Shirley interjected, trying to take some of the focus off Jebidiah. "I've been a Battle Mage for a few years now, but I have always lacked the 'Battle' part. The goblins were intense and chaotic, it was more an act of survival than a battle. They cut into us so quickly that Farrah was down before she could cry out in pain. And then the ghouls." She shuddered at the memory. "The battle in the night though, was different in a way I cannot describe."

"We were arrayed in our formation, the enemy was coming, the tension just built to a crescendo and then Jebidiah appeared out of the night, looking like he had just returned from the underworld and he ignored it all, 'I'm supposed to be visible' he said. It made no sense, he looked like stomped shit. Crystal said something about being surprised his plan worked and he didn't reply in anger or anything like what you would expect. He sounded almost like a boy being rebuked and in the funniest, offended voice, whined about everyone telling him that his plan sucked. It started me giggling. I can't relate the feeling well, the sense of the coming battle consumed me, it made me feel all was right in the world, and I was fulfilling my calling. When Jeb asked if I had a present for our foes, I couldn't stop the laugh. I envisioned them walking up to me in a row, hands held out before them in expectation, while I passed out little boxes wrapped in ribbon that exploded in their faces when opened."

"You were a sight to behold, Shirley," Jebidiah said quietly.

Tenner made a huffing sound. "Sight? She was fucking magnificent, pardon my language your Grace. Shirley, you looked like the Goddess of Battle incarnate. It was breathtaking."

"General, my apologies here, but like Shirley I cannot explain it." Jebidiah had his anger under control enough to continue, but his frustration was still threatening to boil over. "She really was magnificent and it was hard not to focus on her. Her laughter was, well, gleeful, happy, joyous. Worse, it was infectious, I couldn't help but laugh along. At first it was just because of her, but then it was also the absurdity of the situation. I think my exhaustion played a part as well."

Clara slowly shook her head. "So you truly sat there in the night, waiting for a superior, rested force to slam into your lines and laughed it off. Un-fucking-believable." She looked to the Duchess, "Your Grace, I don't know what to make of this or how to handle our situation."

Dana finally spoke up, "What situation?"

The Duchess answered for the General, "We'll come to that, Lady Tonstar, I need some more clarifications first. There are reports you have some prisoners?"

Joy jumped in to add what she could, "We have two score from the Crag and Faltha forces, one of the goblin shamans to question on how the tribes combined, a humanoid lizard we believe was just caught in the crossfire, and two corpses we need to question."

"Corpses?"

It was Tenner's turn to shiver at the memory. "We found two sacrifices in the family crypts, we preserved the bodies to bring back for a necromancer to question and proper burial rites."

"There were fresh sacrifices? You spoke of necromancers before and what was that about ghouls? And what of the other reports of a metal golem?"

"Perhaps it would be best if I start from where we last met." Jebidiah took another sigh and began to tell their tale.

An hour later they all leaned back in their chairs, favoring a mug of ale or glass of wine while picking at the remnants of a meal that had been served during Jebidiah's recounting of events. They all were lost in thought except for Tenner and her mother, who had moved off to a spot more isolated from the rest.

In one such idle moment Duchess Lydia asked, "What became of the assassin you took charge of? The Keep finally sent rangers this far in search of her. We felt it prudent to let them know the assassin was under guard and not escaped." Mila managed to make herself look smaller. She had hardly spoken throughout the entire evening to avoid any attention.

Jebidiah waved his hand in a dismissal of the concern, "Mila is part of the family now."

That brought a snort out of Michael. "I'll say." Shirley let loose one of her rare giggles. Farrah leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Lady Beth raised an eyebrow, "I sense even more stories buried there. Charmed even your own assassin? You really are a singular individual, Lord Valor. Perhaps we need to keep the rest of our daughters hidden away."

This was greeted by a round of laughter but Jebidiah groaned. "I know everyone makes light of these things, and other 'feats' I have done but honestly, ninety percent of what is said, to my face even, are simply distortions of the results."

Michael began ticking off fingers on his hands as he listed off names. "Jebidiah, Crystal, Dana, Tenner, Joy, Greta, and now Mila? Seven of the Eight?"

"Why does everyone keep associating my wives to this Eight that's been prophesied? I know of 'The Eight', who doesn't, but we know nothing real about them other than they sacrificed themselves in a hopeless battle to gain time for the Kingdom to rally. Oh, and for the record, Greta and Mila are not officially bonded but they are full House members until they deem otherwise." The Duchess raised her own eyebrow at Greta's inclusion but said nothing.

"They are sister wives already." Joy announced with a smile.

Mila scoffed and finally spoke with a scoff. "No sex magic yet."

"You didn't bond?" Michael asked, a very apparently shocked look on his face. "But the sounds you made the other night!"

"No sex magic!" Mila growled as she got up, and, for some reason unknown to the rest, glared at Greta before storming off. Joy quickly chased after her.

Jebidiah looked away from the door they departed from to the raised eyebrows of the Stockmar ladies. "Honestly, there's no such thing as sex magic. Please excuse Mila, she's coming to terms with all of this. It's a lot for any human to take in, let alone a halfling from the hill clans. She's also a bit shy."

"She's not a Changed?"

"No. Born halfling, no human parents." Jebidiah answered.

None of the ladies eyebrows lowered, if anything some went higher. The Duchess voiced the Ladie's thoughts, "If she is of the hill clans she never went through the Academy and could not be a citizen. There are no avenues I know of where she could be granted membership to your House."

"Your Grace, after all the rules I've bent, broken, or others had to re-write for me, I am not overly concerned. If I cannot determine who is a member of my own House I no longer rule my House. Someone recently told me I need to be strong with owning and seeing my decisions through. I need to start somewhere." He shrugged it off.

"May we see this golem of yours?"

He nodded, happy with the change of topic, "Sift should be with Kelek. When would you like to see her, your Grace?"

The General and Duchess exchanged a quick look of unspoken communication. "Now would be opportune."

"Before we do, could I trouble you to relate what the 'our situation' comment from earlier referred to?"

"Oh, yes, that." The General's tone of voice with the comment had the unintended effect of stopping all the side conversations around the table. She looked around the others with a wry smile, "Now that I have everyone's attention, let me explain the other mayhem you have been brewing. Greta and Farrah's escorts had a head start on spreading the stories of your exploits, and, since your arrival, they have only been magnified. Word has already left the city by several means that House Crag and Faltha attacked another House along with their Bh'orel Regulars. Houses will take sides, falling fairly close to the divisions you saw play out at the Council Session. That leads to large-scale engagements the likes we have not seen since the Second Orc War as the kingdom is guaranteed to officially enter a civil war. I cannot fathom how the Queen will avoid it. To say the professional troops are in a 'tither' would undersell how much excitement the women are feeling at the prospect of war rather than dealing with Druish bandits and goblin raids, as stupid as that sounds. It makes no sense. Sane women should want to avoid fighting, but it is what it is."

"We understood from your casualty report that reached us that your troops would need replenishment, at least a platoon's worth, and you are in desperate need of corpswomen. One of the reasons we are called Soldier's Rest instead of Stockmar City is that this location is indeed the soldier's rest. We are the regional hub for the Bh'orel Regulars, Tonstar Regulars, and Tonstar Guard, giving us ample response time for problems so far from the capital. Upon announcement we immediately had twenty women and a couple men volunteer to join you, not quite what was needed, but a decent start. The stories that preceded your arrival and the stories that followed, however, changed all of that."

"We now have at least a company's worth of women, probably more, clamoring to join the 'Mad Lord and Lady.' It is one of the many reasons we were hoping to squash the rumor of an oath to the troops. You are like a lighting rod for trouble and I honestly question if your trouble outweighs your value. Our 'situation' is what to do about it all. We should have signals back from the Keep in the morning with instructions. On this I need the Queen's guidance before I make a decision. Now, let's go see your golem."

It was not a short walk to reach the House Valor bivouac, the Stockmar Keep grounds may have been pleasing to the eye, but they were unkind to the logistically minded or one's feet. Only Jebidiah, Crystal, Duchess Lydia, and Tenner's mother Mira made the trip, along with everyone's First, and their conversation was light and more relaxed in the smaller setting. Jebidiah found himself warming up to the normally serious Duchess. When relaxed she had a witty personality that kept him on the defensive. Her advanced years gave her ammo enough that her off-handed verbal shots normally found a hit. By the time they found Sift and Kelek, the four of them were laughing more often than not.

They arrived to find Sift and Kelek were deep in some discussion once again, and Kelek began emitting more hisses than Jebidiah had ever heard from her, something had started her laughing so much he caught himself looking for tears in her eyes. "What is so funny, Sift?"

"Sir. Can you explain why 'feeling foolish' would make a jester require a healer?"

Crystal burst out laughing and Jebidiah groaned. The Duchess and Mira, however, were completely entranced with the exchange, lost for words.

"It's a joke, Sift. And a bad one at that." Jebidiah said with a smile and a shake of his head. "Kelek, you seem to be in good spirits today."

"Yes," she answered, the s at the end of the word drug out to a point where it was humorous in itself.

"The lizard talks as well?" Lydia asked, pure amazement and awe in her quiet voice. "We know of the lizardfolk from our trading partners but to our knowledge one has never entered the kingdom."

Jebidiah nodded. "Sift has been teaching her. Kelek understands more than can speak, your Grace. There are some sounds she just cannot make with the way her mouth works. It is a work in progress. Sift, I would like to introduce Her Grace, Duchess Lydia Stockmar and Lady Mira Stockmar. Lydia is Greta's mother and Mira is Tenner's mother. Your Grace, My Lady, this is Sift and Kelek."

"Your Grace. Duchess. These are an aristocratic form of address and title used in monarchies and peerage. Is that the correct usage here?"

"It is, Sift." Crystal answered.

"Do you have a King as well? Or is this an empire with an Emperor?"

"We have a Queen and the only Empire we know of is along our southern border and they do have an Empress." The Duchess answered without thinking, her voice still full of wonder with her attention fixated on examining Sift. "We need to move these two into the Keep. I have so many questions."

"Multiple matriarchal societies are uncommon. I have had limited exposure, however the disproportionate ratio of women to men now has context."

"Sift, explain." Crystal prodded.

"My protocol definitions are in the perspective of a patriarchal expectation. My military expectations were for a reversal of the male to female ratio. Having the male Jebidiah in charge of troops with the current gender composition was not matching established parameters."

"I'm going to pretend I understand that answer." Crystal said.

Lydia was nodding though, "It makes sense in a way. The Ancient texts we have been able to peruse were written from such a perspective which confused us. Everything was 'man' this, 'men' that. The term 'woman' was hardly used. Fascinating. Corporal," She turned to her First. "Fetch two long cloaks with adequate hoods so we can move these ladies into the Keep without much notice."

Jebidiah noted Lydia's use of the term 'ladies' with a pleased thought. His estimation of the Duchess moved up another notch.

Lydia began grilling Sift on the trip back into the Keep, and on occasion Kelek. Kelek for the most part looked like a gawking tourist, her head swiveling about so quickly to take in the sights that Jebidiah thought she might give herself a concussion. On the steps of the Keep Kelek looked at Jebidiah and hissed out "Thanks."

"Um, you are welcome Kelek. I am not sure what for?"

Kelek spoke to Sift for a short time. "She gives thanks for removing her from her prison and allowing movement. She also gives thanks for the new experience. I believe she has had a desire to see a city but never an opportunity."

Jedidiah nodded in understanding. "Kelek, if you have things you want to do, let me know. You are not a prisoner, I am sorry that felt like a prison. I do not plan on keeping you with us for long, I just need to have some questions answered before I do." Kelek gave her own nod of understanding.

Once inside the Keep's entry foyer, the Duchess was immediately swamped with several messages delivered by three different runners. If a simple stroll in the gardens was greeted with that many petitions upon return, Jebidiah was second guessing the decision to run a House. They continued to walk through the Keep's halls, led by the Duchess as she quickly rifled through the slips of paper in her hands, finally stopping at one with a sigh.

"We have our answer. The Queen has authorized a full battalion for your command, Lord Valor. She also allows for you to act as an independent force, under your banner, the start of the Valorian Army group. Hostilities have already broken out between the Tonstar Regulars, Bh'orel Regulars, and Houses Crag, Faltha, Denbar, Stance, Plusk, and Kaern. That gives them hold over nearly the entire Eastern portion of the Kingdom. Kaern are fools, they are completely cut off from support. I expect they will capitulate quickly. We need to find Clara." She turned to her First again. "Find Clara, have her sent to the conference room. We will meet her there." She turned to Mira next, "Dear, if you would, gather ours and Jebidiah's wives to the conference room." To the rest she simply said "Come." and moved off into a side corridor with haste.

Once everyone was re-assembled in the same room as earlier, with a few additional faces including Sift and Kelek, Lydia took charge. "This is not something I ever thought to do, but it is with great sadness that I tell you all the Kingdom is officially at war with itself. Clara, did you bring the map?" Clara nodded and made a gesture; one of her aides unfurled a large map on the table. Several wooden markers were set on its surface and a long wooden device was handed to the General. She began moving wooden pieces around on the map using the wood device, the pieces painted in a variety of colors that Jebidiah quickly understood were House colors.

"House Stance holds Road's End in the far east. North of them House Denbar holds Pacheon's Cove but House Johnstein is loyal and between the two. That should keep them busy and hold Stance in check for a time. The next city in line, following the coast around the bay here is Crag. That will be the hardest opposition. Luckily we have Houses Stevens and Paxton stopping Crag from linking up with Denbar." More markers moved around the map. "The next city in line to the south is Kevlar which has stayed loyal. We intend to send the Tonstar Regulars stationed here to support House Kevlar and attempt a push north at Crag. We had word earlier of Crag forces on the move but they should not have reached Kevlar yet. House Marlen is along the way to Kevlar and will contribute what they can to our forces. That sums up the East. Our immediate objective is to the West. We will take the House forces we have here, along with a significant number of the Bh'orel Regulars, to march on Silvertoe. Faltha will be reinforced by House Plusk but the Queen's forces will be pushing south through Plusk land, limiting that support."

"What about Starn?" Dana asked, intent on the map. "And Kaern?"

The Duchess cut in, "Starn is sitting this one out. They have a bigger problem."

Everyone stopped and stared, unsure what to make of her statement. "Your Grace, what can be worse than a civil war?" Dana asked for the rest.

"Darkhunt has called in the goblin tribes."

"Fuck the Divines." Shocked gasps went around but Kelek started a hissing laugh. Jebidiah glanced around him with a sheepish look. "I said that outloud, didn't I?"