The Ranger: Ch. 08

"Their kind?" I ask before even thinking about it.

"Your unique here, their entire purpose is to keep you alive and make a fortune off of you." Mertil replies without apology or pause, "They make it a point to be overly aggressive if one of your kind are killed to prevent repeats."

"That's true," Triss says, "when we lived east, it was common to hear of what they do, even if it was accidental. Only the Queen is above them, and they barely helped in the war, stating it was no concern of theirs which side won as they are in every kingdom and wouldn't fight each other."

"It's too bad the kingdoms didn't hold the same view." I reply, it sounds cold until you realize if everyone agreed with them, none of this would be happening." I pause though, knowing the scale of things. "They are also the only ones that could have forced the Skaldians to stop." Quite a few more nods at the end than at the beginning, as they knew the scale of power also.

"It often takes the threat of overwhelming force to stop those that wish to do evil things, like what you did here today ladies." Severan answers and calls me over as he walks toward the town.

"I doubt there will be another attack, they'll wait until the ship returns, even if he tries to kill the two and keep it a secret, many others will know the rest came here and never returned. At least a week if he goes that route and Bjorn should be back right about that time. The other is that the news gets out, you will want to help that or if you do get the council involved?" He looks at me and I shrug.

"Wouldn't know how as I've never met them or know where they are." Not sure I like the way they operate compared to nothing like them from my old home. Banding together sounded good, and having your back sounds great. Though they sound heavy-handed like most groups that get a taste of power.

"Making sure people hear of this is the only option we have. That went much better than I thought it would even after seeing them this morning." Severan says.

"It was nice of Twin Rivers folk to let us warm up first." I reply and he chuckled. "We have lost the element of surprise, but should also have rumors spreading fast that exaggerate this to the point most will leave them alone."

"I have no doubt about that, ten-foot-tall women that kill and eat their men after mating," Severan says as we meet up with Jacob. He hears the last sentence and looks at us questioning.

"Just talking about the rumors that will likely manifest themselves," I explain as that was an odd sentence to hear by itself. "No shields and so few crossbows, it was over faster than I thought was possible."

"Regina belongs in that group then, she took two out of the four and the last two surrendered. Feels good to be on the right side of things, AND, win." Jacob's hands were shaking, but the smile on his face was genuine.

Regina? Sounds like she might be average in practice and better in the field. I'd take one of them over ten practice-only champions. Have to find her and make sure she is okay.

"I think we are done for a day or two, going to find Beau and make sure she is okay." Walking back towards Mertil's I hear Severan asking Jacob how all of this came about.

Tremont is outside with the rest, most had congregated to their house and were packed around the front of the home. He is facing out and I can see his scowl as I get closer.

Walking up the steps the ladies move around and let me through. "I'd like to talk with the both of you motioning to Mertil while walking past Tremont through their door, they have a sitting room to the left and kitchen just past it with a half wall between them. Walking into the sitting room and taking a seat, there were no comfortable sofa's like this in the Inn.

"What do you think you are doing ordering us around and just walking into my house?" Tremont says following me in.

"Not going to put up with the faces you are making around the other townspeople when you see me, I don't work for you," His face is still scowling. "And you don't work for me."

"Look here." He starts and I hold up my hand.

"You will speak to me with respect or not at all. I have never disrespected you either in public or in private, have made every effort to ensure everyone knows your role here will be expanding as the town grows, and yet you bellow and roar at me at the Inn, my home. That is something you wouldn't put up with, yet have no issue doing to the person that has saved your life, and these ladies twice now." My voice raised at the beginning and lowering at the end as he looked to calm down a bit. Mertil watches, but doesn't say anything and picking a side.

"What are your plans then." He sits across from me.

"I'm going to reach out to the mage council and see if I can use them as leverage against Twin Rivers to keep them from repeating today."

"They won't allow you to stay here." He states flatly.

"I have support from high places, I think I'll be okay."

"What does that mean? Who, the Queen?" Working through who outranks the council he believes my statement less as he muddles through it.

"Doesn't matter, I'm not going anywhere, I know your dream was to build this town into a better version of Twin Rivers, the war interrupted and almost ruined those plans, but I think we can get it back to where it was headed."

Three people walk into the room, all looking like royalty based on their clothing. I hadn't felt them arrive so it seems they were spying on us and mentioning them so often got their attention. Mertil and Tremont started but neither said anything as they recognized them also.

"Great timing," I say as the man with a smile that took up half his face stopped in from of the other two that came with him. He wore a while silken longshirt that stopped at his knees that thin blue circular designs over dark blue linen pants. His skin was so dark his shirt almost glowed in comparison. The other two matched his clothing.

"Yes, we were waiting for the commotion to die down and some privacy." he replies and bows, "I am Gerald, this is Skyler and Androse, you are Kaethorn." He ends that as a statement, his voice was deep and singsong in nature.

"I am." I reply and Tremont has half a smile on his face, probably thinking his pest is about to be removed.

"We normally work with children, you are obviously not a child and from the diplomats stone and your pale complexion, you are not from around here." Gerald half asks and half states it..

"I doubt I'm even from any of the lands that surround here from what I can tell."

"I am going to delve into your skills, I do this with the children we monitor so don't worry about it hurting, we just need to catalog what you can do." He doesn't wait and I feel him start the wash of magic through me.

He hmmms and nods a few times, "nature magic, plant and animal spells and skills, healing, body and weapon enchantments, something unknown, gifted." he stops and pulls back.

"Unknown?" Skyler asks me.

"A few gifts from Ninhersag, she said it was to protect me and the surrounding area." I answer.

"What?" Tremont and Androse say together, Skyler glances over at Mertil who gives a nod as I'm explaining.

"Protect the surrounding area? I'm afraid you'll be coming with us to evaluate and then assign a location," Androse says as a statement.

"She brought me to this world for this exact purpose," I reply, "I doubt I'll be allowed to leave here anytime soon," I don't want this to devolve into an argument so shift Mertil, could I please bother you for some water or juice, it's been an eventful morning."

"What are these gifts?" Skyler says walking past me and sitting in the chair beside me.

"Power is several times stronger than my old world, two guardians that protect me when threatened."

'Mistress will allow me to talk to them.' Cinthia says to me.

'Only if they are insistent on me leaving.'

"Hmm, it seems you've fulfilled your role so far," Gerald says, "We've watched for a while to make sure you were the source. You are attempting to pass your gift to another in town, a young woman?"

"Yes, she has an amazing natural talent, I'm seeing if she can hold mana and learn what I am doing here."

"We've never been able to do that with anyone that didn't have the spark to begin with, is this how it is done where you are from?" Gerald's demeanor and voice are probably soothing to children making him their speaker.

"It is how I learned, I have no idea if it is going to work or not."

"What about the Ruins?" Skylar says to her teammates. "We've put that off for decades waiting for it to disperse." Gerald starts and then looks at me.

"He has healing and, many other skills that fit." Gerald pauses, "Still too dangerous for one person, we should send Soviet Degendays with him."

"Sounds like something none of you were willing to take on, I'm guessing there might be things in there that would compensate you, what am I getting out of this again?"

"You get to stay here," Androse replies.

"You must be a hit with the children," I reply and both Skyler and Gerald smile. "I'm already here, what else?"

"We protect those under our direction," Gerald replies.

"I've been doing that on my own now a few times since arriving against the Skaldian and Twin Rivers, having you avenge my death is not high on my rewards list."

"What do you want?" Skyler asks turning towards me.

"Ten percent of whatever is found, would be incentive to go where you won't, and the removal of Viscount Aberdeen from office with a declaration that his actions violated the law of the land."

"The Viscount wasn't after you." Androse replied immediately. Ignoring him I looked up and accepted the cup of juice from Mertil.

"Thank you." Taking a drink and sitting back to relax, but not feeling that relaxed on the inside. They've been spying on me, and can teleport, taking me with them would seem an easy thing.

"Ten percent? We'll have to get back to you on that. What if there is nothing of note in there?"

"You've lost nothing and from the story told, you'll get closure on what sounds like a chaotic time. The soldiers sent down to enslave the women were going to kill me to get to them, I believe that falls within your purview, and allow the council to take steps?" I ask again as that is the most pressing issue.

"Based on this morning, it might be doable," Skyler replies, standing up she walks back over to stand with the other two. They all take hands. "We'll stay in touch," and wink out. That has got to be one handy skill to have.

"I let out a breath and look at Mertil, "that went better than expected." Turning to Tremont, "you want to be Viscount?"

"What!? No." He settles after a moment, "And don't bring anything back with you to the town that is dangerous, which is probably anything in that cursed place."

"Before we were rudely interrupted, we were coming to an agreement?" I ask Tremont and he nods back.

"Okay then, thanks for listening, I'm going to take a nap, feeling a bit worn out after all of this." Standing up and walking out the door without acknowledging either of them. Don't want to start a fight between them.

"He is way too dangerous to keep around," Tremont says out loud as soon as the door closes.

"And yet without him, none of what you built would still be here."

"You always take his side."

"You say he is undermining your authority, yet he defers all town decisions to you and then offers you, Viscount." Even after the hassle you've given him, she thinks to herself.

"I don't want to live there, but, he can stay as long as he doesn't cause too many problems." Tremont sat there thinking, Mertil eventually stood up and went back outside to see what was happening.

"Viscount Judicine," Tremont says and shakes his head, it sounds good, but he can do that on his own right here.

*Thank you for making it through this, lost the entire chapter and had to start over, not liking the second take, started over and feel slightly better.