The Coward and the Wolf Ch. 03

Barren ground, smoke in the air, and heat that emanated upwards from the ground as well as the blackened skies above. Steve was pretty sure Talia had effectively sent him straight to hell considering the view from the carriage window.

This was the homeland of the Lizard-kin. It was a volcanic wasteland where anything that could have left had already done so years ago. The only exceptions were creatures that were singularly adapted for the environment, or too stubborn to leave. Steve had learned from Sarah that the Lizard-kin primarily fell into the second category.

Which he supposed was only possible because of the innate magic of the Lizard-kin's beliefs. The Lizard-kin believed their home wouldn't shatter beneath their feet, so it didn't. The fact that hope was the only thing keeping Steve safe from a natural disaster was not a great comfort for him, even if it had worked for the Lizard-kin for hundreds of years.

The whole thing felt entirely unnatural. Even if the group had been traveling for days, the biome should not have changed so greatly in such a relatively short distance. The only thing he could attribute it to was magic.

If what Talia said about belief powering magic was true, then desire could likely also power it. In which case if the Lizard-kin on the whole wanted to live in a volcanic wasteland, the environment would eventually change until it conformed to their beliefs. The results of magical intervention seemed to be ingrained into just about every facet of this world. Steve was impressed that Talia had somehow managed to hide it for so long.

Thinking of Talia he remembered to curse her name for the hundredth or so time. She was the one responsible for his current miserable situation. He hadn't even gotten chance to hear her reasons before the Lizards had bundled him into their carriage, and left with all the haste they could muster, as if the werewolves' might change their mind and take him back. The last he had seen of Talia was her talking to her new house guest, Lord Valtek.

He had spent the first few hours of the trip in numb silence. It wasn't that he hadn't expected Talia to screw him over at some point; it just seemed pointless so early in the game, especially when she had bothered to get him a bodyguard for the trip.

He had mulled it over and came to the conclusion that Talia was working an unseen angle, and he was unwittingly playing a role in it. He just had to hope that said angle didn't involve him dying in some elaborate scheme.

He took comfort in the steadfast presence of Sarah, who had apparently followed him during the 'envoy exchange', as if it was only natural for her to be beside him. She was walking calmly just outside his carriage's window, wearing what was effectively a tank top and shorts made of the same cream material the werewolf loincloths were, it made for a pleasant contrast with her dark tan fur. She acted completely immune to the oppressive heat; the only sign that it was affecting her were the darker sweat patches on her fur.

It seemed that when going abroad for diplomatic work the werewolves consented to the bare minimum of clothing. She had her spear gripped firmly, and was watching the Lizard-kin escort just as much as she watched the horizon. Steve was pleased to see that her paranoia matched his own.

He had also come to the conclusion that she was also his only proof of Talia's continued goodwill. It made little sense to gift a bodyguard to someone you planned to have murdered, especially when said bodyguard was as talented as Sarah.

The carriage was being pulled along by a large reptilian quadruped that was wider than a horse but much lower to the ground; he assumed it made a much better alternative to horses in the volcanic environment. He was definitely sure that it wasn't herbivorous as a body that size wouldn't be able to graze enough to sustain itself in the harsh barren landscape of the Lizard-kin homeland. The thought of such a beast being used on the battlefield made him shudder.

The lizard-kin knights were impressive as well. The whole group was fully clad in dark grey plate male, each armed with a large round metal shield, a spear and a short sword sheaved at their belts. He was no tactician but he guessed that when in combat they linked shields together to form one large impenetrable metal hedgehog. He had the movie "300" to thank for his knowledge on ancient warfare, so it was also entirely possible they did something completely different.

The Lizard-kin were much the same in size and build as the werewolves, though they looked larger with all the armor. When he had seen them unarmored, when they made camp for the night, the whole group had dark red scales covering most of their body with the exception of their fronts. There the Lizard-kin had smaller black scales that ran from the base of their groin to their neck.

He had also discovered that there were females amongst his guard in addition to Saltek. The only defining features he could use to separate the females and males, was that the females were slightly smaller, curvier in the hips, and in possession of breasts.

The lizard-kin knights were walking in a loose formation around the carriage with the exception of their leader. The red lizard woman was sitting across from him, ostensibly under the guise of keeping him company, though he was pretty sure she just didn't want to let her prize out of sight.

He had seen the naked ambition on her face when she had laid eyes on him at their first meeting. It was comforting to him in a way; it let him know he was important enough to the Lizard-kin not to let him get killed off hand. It was harder to show off a dead servant of god than a live one.

She had been silent throughout the trip, her yellow reptilian eyes constantly on him. If she was trying to make him uncomfortable, she was succeeding. He was fully aware that given the 'promiscuous' nature of this planets inhabitants a rape attempt was entirely possible, and short of calling in Sarah, resulting in a lot of people killed, there would be pretty much nothing he could do to stop her if she did try something funny.

He was gradually getting used to the concept that he was not only a 'pseudo-god' but also an object of sexual desire. It might have made him happy, if he didn't get the feeling he was cock with legs whenever anyone looked at him. He preferred it to 'walking lunch' but only just.

It was sinking in for him that the only person who looked at him and saw him as a 'person' was Talia, and that was only because she added the phrase 'easily manipulated' to the front. He didn't mind pretending to be something he was not; it was just difficult when you realize that you're likely going to be hiding what you are for the rest of your life.

Saltek seemed to take his brooding as a sign she should finally began to speak.

"Divine one," She began tentatively. "I am honored to transport you to my homeland, I realize that we may not have met under ideal circumstances, but I want you to know that the Lizard-kin will be overjoyed to see the gods returning to the world." She bowed her head as she finished.

Steve was stunned. She was actually being polite to him. Considering how everyone he had met in this world so far had treated him as a political tool or a sex toy, being treated like the deity he was pretending to be came as something of a shock. Callous disregard for the will of the gods must just have been a werewolf thing. This changed things. He could sense an opportunity.

"Saltek, was it?" She nodded eagerly. Steve now knew he either technically outranked her in terms of hierarchal importance, or she didn't care that he had ignored her title. "I have only been in the mortal world for a number of days. I was sent by the God of Soldiers to stand beside the werewolf tribe and guide them in these difficult times, however that first and foremost I am a soldier just like you. Please be as candid with me as you would any other warrior."

"As you wish, Divine one," Saltek excitedly squeaked. She had initially just seen the human as the means to a promotion, but now that she was sat in such close proximity with the deity, she could feel the raw power emanating from him. She had been overwhelmed at first, held in rapture by this legendary beings presence. He was now even deigning to speak with a lowly knight such as herself. She could barely believe her luck.

Steve could see the excitement, even on her unfamiliar reptilian features. If he wanted to maintain the upper hand, he had to strike now. He would use the same tricks Talia had used on him.

"I must confess, I am not particularly familiar with this world, or the Lizard-kin. I would be most grateful to you Saltek if you could inform me on some of the specifics. "He soothingly placed one hand on her knee as he spoke. He would have unzipped his fly if he thought he could make it seem casual. He was entirely sure subtle seduction wouldn't be effective on this planet.

"What would you like to know...?" She said. He was sure if she was blushing, but being naturally red made it quite difficult to see. It would seem not just werewolves idealized the human form. The key difference here though was that she was showing respect, rather than jumping his bones. Though looking at her through new eyes, he wouldn't mind too much if she did. It might make things more than a little awkward though, being from opposing factions in a cross species incident and all.

"As envoy what will be expected of me when I arrive in the Lizard-kin homeland? I am a warrior, not a politician. I am unaccustomed to politics and intrigue" He smiled insinuatingly, as if he was confiding in her.

He realized this might put him on the back foot if she realized the extent of his ignorance, but considering he had no clue as to what he was to be doing it seemed a better idea to figure it out now. If Talia didn't like it she could give him a fucking briefing next time, rather than suddenly shipping him down river.

"As envoy you will be primarily required to attend social functions and just generally be seen to represent the werewolf tribes. The actual negotiating will be done by my brother, Lord Saltek and the werewolf tribe leaders directly." Saltek spoke quickly, her eyes darting between his hand on her knee and him. Steve could see her eyes sparkling with lust and awe at his touch, but most importantly she wasn't really focusing on the conversation, which was what he had intended.

He had been right. The 'envoy' thing had been little more than an exchange of hostages to assure no foul moves by either party. Why would Talia do that? He could see no benefit to her from losing direct control over him. In fact it was the exact sort of thing she had claimed he would need to be protected against. He was now being placed straight into the hands of the Lizard-kin goddess.

"Ah," He spoke in an amused tone. "So I suppose my only job is just going to be to look pretty and dance for the aristocracy then?"

"No!" She shouted; a disconcertingly loud sound in the confines of the carriage. Her outrage immediately turned back into sheepishness again. "My people have waited for two hundred years for a return of the gods," she looked him in the eyes solemnly. "You will be very busy indeed over the course of the negotiations. Many factions amongst my people will seek to in some way gain your favor."

"Even if I'm representing the werewolf tribes?" Steve was dubious.

"You may be representing the werewolf tribes, but first and foremost you are human," she began. "Your words will carry great weight. I imagine that is why you were chosen for this role. The pro-war faction will have a very hard time arguing against anything you say. You may be the werewolf's envoy, but you are still a god to my people and will be treated as such."

That was useful to know. Hell if this worked out he might just take the chance to change sides. The Lizard-kin evidently knew what it meant to have a class based culture and show respect for those they believed their 'betters'.

"It is good to know the Lizard-kin have such respect for the divine," Steve said.

"Oh yes," Saltek smiled. "You will find our homeland very much to your liking."

"Really?" Steve wasn't really paying attention at this point; he knew what he needed to know. He could finally relax marginally now that he knew he was out of immediate danger. Saltek continued on anyway.

"Oh, yes," she exclaimed. "I imagine there will be duels to earn the right to champion and host you from the second we arrive." Steve's muscles tensed at that. He had no issue with people fighting for the right to protect him, the problem was that his 'champion' may expect some kind of recompense for their services.

"I am sure knights the length and breadth of the land would fight to the last breath to be your host and guide," Saltek continued.

Steve bloody well hoped not, if he got championed by a faction, he would de-facto be on their side. If he got championed by a faction with an agenda separate to the current war, it would make him enemies he sorely didn't want or need in addition to the 'pro-war faction'. He really didn't want to make his job more complicated than it already was.

He needed to ensure that his champion/host was a member of whichever faction was solely against going to war with the werewolves, and thus already nominally his ally. Forget relaxing, he needed information. Now.

"Saltek, would you be so kind as to inform me as to which faction is most in favor of continued peaceful relations with the werewolf tribes?" Steve asked in what he hoped was a casual tone.

"That would be without a doubt the Divine House. The Goddess has been trying to contain the growing resentment between the tribes for as long as the resentment has existed." Saltek stated, "It only seems to be in recent weeks that her voice has fallen silent on the matter. The pro-war factions have taken this as a sign of the inevitability of war with the werewolf tribes."

Steve now had a name for his would be allies. He just needed to find out how to get in contact with them and accept them as his hosts, preferably before someone chopped someone else's head off in his name and made declining their protection awkward. He supposed he could send Sarah off ahead of him with the message, though he was loathe to let her, and her protection slip away from him.

He needed to know who his would be protectors owed their allegiances to. If he was right about the makeup of the Lizard-kin government, then they operated in the same way of the mediaeval fiefdoms of Europe, with a grouping of landed nobles owing allegiance to the Divine house in the form of taxes and troops. In which case the well-armed and armored troops of his guard must have been household guard of some sort. The question was, which house did they originate from?

"Saltek, I heard that you call your brother 'Lord' Valtek. Was he originally in charge of this diplomatic mission?" Steve queried.

"No, I was the one charged with leading this mission by the Goddess. My Brother only came along to give our party legitimacy with his ducal rank, and give the pro-war faction a representative." Saltek said. Her sudden loss of enthusiasm made this seem like a sore spot.

Steve was thinking back and he sure he remembered Duke Valtek having a very different sigil on his armor when compared to Saltek's. He was confused by the fact that Saltek had the much more impressive armor when compared to the higher ranking Lord. He put it down to her being the 'leader' of the envoys.

"Ah, I hope you give me if I'm wrong but I was under the assumption that a Duke was higher ranking than a knight?" Steve said.

"You would be correct Divine One; however Duke Valtek accompanied us on negotiations as representative head of his own household as well as the other houses of the pro-war faction. I on the other hand am leader of this party as a representative of the Divine household and thus the Goddess's will.

I have sworn my life in service to the Divine household, in doing so leaving behind all lingering attachments to my own house." Saltek, damn near snarled when mentioning her brother.

Steve thought he understood. Saltek had been sworn into service to the Goddess as a knight, much in the same capacity Sarah was to him. The likely result of that would be her being taken out of the line of succession for her own birth household.

Her brother on the other hand had remained a member of their own household, and now held the rank of Duke, having ascended to head of the family.

This had the unfortunate side effect of putting the two siblings on different sides of the pro or anti werewolf war debate. Saltek was the Goddess's woman and Valtek was the pro-war factions chosen man.

"So, if I requested for the Divine Household to be my host and protector for the duration of the negotiations, you would be able to orchestrate that?" Steve said nonchalantly.

She turned to look at him as if she couldn't believe what she had heard. Her eyes were bulging as she exclaimed, "Of course Divine One, the Divine household would be honored to host you and provide you a champion for the duration of your visit but... I mean no disrespect, but are you sure you want that?"

Steve had no clue as to why he wouldn't want that; it was the most logical choice after all.

Saltek must have understood his confusion as she continued, "It is considered normal for a dignitary to observe the champion's duels first, and then pick their host from whichever house the winning champion represents."

Steve resisted the urge to sigh. In other words the Lizard-kin idolized 'strength above all things' just as much as the werewolves, even if only in a more regulated fashion. He shuddered to think of the sort of political intrigue that took place in an environment where muscle made a better substitute than cunning.

He put on his best 'god' voice before speaking "Dame Saltek, I have with me a single bodyguard. I have a single bodyguard for one reason. I need to sleep. The rest of the time you may assume I am the single greatest threat to anyone in any given room. The time when I am sleeping you may assume my bodyguard is the single greatest threat to anyone in any given room.

I can assure you that no matter which house I choose; that house will be the strongest house in all of Sapheros, because it will be associated with me. I choose the Divine House because they seem agreeable to me. Do not question my choices in this matter again Dame Saltek, are we clear?"

"Yes, of course Divine One" She nodded, obviously shaken by this sudden change in demeanor. He hoped she wouldn't take this as a sign not to bother protecting him. That would make for a very ironic death if something did happen to him.

Looking at her squirm he almost felt guilty, but it was a requirement that he was believed utterly invincible. He had taken that lesson from the previous human's fate.

If he showed any signs of weakness he would be devoured by this world instantly. If he was going to be treated as an all-powerful deity he had to start acting like one. Hopefully Saltek would spread this little talk around the guards that were with them. His actions would also stop any awkward questions anyone might be thinking of asking.

"Good, I hope we can enjoy the rest of the trip together then Saltek," Steve said slipping back into his pleasant demeanor.

-------------

The next few days of the trip were pleasant enough. If you considered blazing temperatures and the constant smell of smoke to be pleasant. Steve didn't.

The Lizard-kin were perfectly happy in the insane environment, but Steve and Sarah were suffering, even if they would never admit it.

Steve would have asked Sarah to ride in the relative cool of the carriage as opposed to walking beside it in full view of the sun, except he felt much more secure with her in a position where she could observe any threat and immediately remove it with extreme prejudice.