“And you’re her new best friend,” Daki nods, “That’s shrewd of you.”
“It’s not like that,” Benger replies, “I hope to learn a lot from her.”
At Daki’s curious look, Benger explains, “She’s not like the rest of us. She’s barely out of pigtails, but she’s laid a plan, without much effort, and only our master smith for help, that’s so ambitious that Ember and Gethin are seeking the Goddess’s sanction even to start the first phase of it. I can only imagine what she’ll be like with an army at her back.”
“Just how ambitious is this plan?” Daki frowns.
Stepping onto the porch, Emlyn grins at him, “Very. I intend for us to have the very best of everything, not just armor. My people live in a disputed land. What we lack in numerical superiority compared to our neighbors, we more than make up for with superior equipment and tactics. I plan to bring all the lessons that my people have learned to the Temple. If I cannot find the quality that I know should exist, then we’ll make it. What we don’t need ourselves can be sold on, if the potions are any indication, sold on quite profitably. The profits can then be used to expand into other areas where the Temple needs better quality than what’s available in the markets.”
“Just how far do you plan to take this?” Oja asks.
“Let me try to explain the why of it,” Emlyn shrugs, “I think that might be a better answer to your question. Even with the best armor and weapons, we still need horses. Once we have the best horses, we still need saddles and bridles. If the cinch on the saddle doesn’t hold in combat, then the armor, the weapons, and the horse aren’t nearly as helpful in achieving victory. You’ve been unhorsed, stunned, and left on the ground, tangled up in the saddle and at the mercy of those you’ve been fighting.”
“I think I see,” Oja says slowly as Daki and Benger nod.
“Just one small thing, like a cinch coming loose at a critical moment, can turn the tide of a battle,” Emlyn explains, “especially if that saddle is the commander’s saddle, so every bit of our kit needs to be the very best. The Temple invests heavily in us so that we’re able to take the field. It’s a shame to waste all that by sending us out with inferior kit. When we take the field, we need to accomplish our task, no matter what that task is. Due to the variety of tasks we receive, we require a wide range of equipment. If I’m negotiating a peace treaty, I need to look impressive, formidable, and trustworthy. If I’m hunting an elemental or rogue were-beast, I need different equipment than I would need if I had to lay siege to a fortress. Since we never know what’s next, we need to have whatever we might need readily available.”
“So best of the best,” Benger grins, “and ready to go as well.”
Emlyn nods.
“Now I see why everyone thinks it’s so ambitious,” Oja adds wide-eyed, “but I think that the whole thing is amazing. It makes me feel better about Benger’s choice of career.”
“It’s a good choice,” Emlyn nods, “I intend to do my best to see everyone with the best kit for their task that we can manage to create. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go pray for a bit. I need to be sure that my abilities replenish.”
“You’re still healing yourself?” Benger asks, with a note of concern.
“I hadn’t been,” Emlyn replies, “but that bit of excitement on the way here… was a bit much for me in my current state.”
Elbowing Benger, Emlyn grins at him, “I’m sure you burned through a few of yours today as well. You should probably join me.”
Daki shoots her a curious glance.
Emlyn gropes for a moment for an explanation that Oja and Daki will understand. “Think of prayer,” Emlyn explains, “like maintenance on an irrigation canal. The wider and deeper you make it, the more water it carries. For us… for paladins in general, the more often we pray, the more effectively we’re able to channel the abilities that the Goddess grants us. What we can do becomes stronger and more varied. It takes time, but it does work.”
“Hrmph,” Daki snorts, “I was never one for all that sort of stuff. Not really sure that the gods listen… or even care.”
“There was a time,” Emlyn shrugs, “when I might have agreed with you.”
“But not now...” Daki ventures a guess.
“Definitely not now,” Emlyn replies, “Morrighu has been… quite responsive. I would suggest that if your chosen god isn’t responding that you consider finding one who is more inclined to listen. Litau, the Goddess of farming, might be a good choice for you. That said, I might also suggest that there are those you might wish to avoid.”
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Oja nudges Daki with a quiet grin as Emlyn excuses herself and steps out on the porch. Making sure that she’s out of the path of any foot traffic, she kneels carefully and then sits back on her heels. With her hands upturned and open on her thighs, she begins to pray. Sighing, Benger moves to join her.
When the door shuts, Oja eyes Daki, “I told you that we should find a better god for us than Thotar. We have a good house. We’re not really in need of a god of shelter.”
“I intend to keep it that way,” Daki shrugs, “Why would I want to change that?”
“Maybe making a few offerings now and then to some other gods isn’t such a bad idea?” Oja shrugs, “Maybe talk to some of the other families and see who everyone would like to erect a shrine to.”
“Tomorrow’s an early day,” Daki shrugs, “We’ve gotta get up extra early so that we can be done with our chores in time to go claim a good spot for our market stall at the fair. I’ll be taking the wagon and the boys to help set everything up. You can stay here and meet us with Nia and Benger. If their last few days have been eventful, they’ll likely want a bit of extra sleep.”
Abato Simcock stares at the fading blue circle and sighs. “We’ll see if that lot arrives safely when we get back to Harito. Come on, lads, let’s have a drink and toast the newest paladin of Morrighu. This trip is already far more interesting than I had thought.”
“Jessop was right to send us here,” Damranth says slowly.
“I thought this was going to be some damn babysitting job,” Hrogarth shrugs, “Seems like she handles things pretty well.”
Elbowing Abato, Ralbi grins, “Seems like she handled you well enough.”
Mendek barks a laugh, “Did she really threaten to geld you?”
“It was all a terrible misunderstanding,” Abato sighs, “Had I realized, I’d have taken quite a different approach with her. Perhaps there is still something salvageable there. It seems we need to stop at the bandit’s camp on the way back to Harito.”
“Whatever for?” Damranth frowns, “The Army hasn’t been able to clear out that lot. You think we can do it?”
“No,” Abato grins, “My Roti, my Pavati, and her gallant friend have already done that work. I wish to verify just how incandescent my little red-headed star is.”
“The two of them,” Ralbi says incredulously, “No one else?”
“A few bystanders,” Abato shrugs, “according to Benger.”
“And you believe that?” Mendek says, equally doubtfully.
“I think I do,” Abato grins, “I ended up in her tub of water with a foot of steel right below my belt buckle. That kind of thing doesn’t often happen to me. She knew about the archer in the trees. Told me that she fought with him to steal his quiver and pushed him out of the tree.”
“And you believe that?” Mendek repeats, frowning this time.
“Did you see her pack?” Abato gestures toward the now vanished circle. “She’s carrying two quivers with completely different fletchings, and both of them are almost empty. Benger mentioned that when the two of them left Harito this morning, she had only one, and it was full, because she wanted to see if they could get some hunting in on their trip. Benger also mentioned that she got chastised by their Goddess for racing around the treetops like a mad squirrel.”
“Hmm,” Damranth says, “That does seem to all be consistent, but just the two of them?”
Grinning, Abato repeats the conversation he had with Nia while lounging in her bath. Shaking his head, Damranth sighs, “We’re more than a hog’s fart.”
“I think it’s best we go pay a visit to this bandit camp. I’ve got a pretty good idea of where it is, from what Benger said,” Abato replies, “If she’s newly consecrated and already that powerful, then Duke Arnet will want us to keep an eye on her. Not that I will mind keeping an eye on my luminous Goddess.”
Mendek barks a laugh, “By the gods, Abato. You’re as besotted with her as the duke’s sons.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Shrugging, Abato replies agreeably, “She’s got an excellent palate for whisky. Her left hook is quite respectable. She cheats shamelessly at cards. And the way she threatened that howling miscreant after tacking him to the windowsill... That’s the kind of woman who gets a man into and out of all kinds of trouble.”
“Go after her, then,” Hrogarth says, “You know where she’s at. Go work your magic. We’ll see to things until you make her angry and she kicks you out.”
“That’s just it, my boy,” Abato sighs, “That’s not the kind of woman you take up with for a while. It’s a lifetime or no time at all. She’s got three years before she’s old enough to be courted, and I fear I’ve already blown my chances.”
“How’s that?” Damranth frowns.
“By trying to sneak into her bath. By being a spymaster and dealing in lies and treachery, the very things she’s sworn to avoid. And yet, I will still try for that prize,” Abato sighs, “when the time comes.”
“Why bother?” Damranth shrugs.
“Because of the sheer magnificence of the prize,” Abato replies, unfazed.
At the puzzled looks of his companions, Abato shrugs, “Do you not see her? Truly? Can you not tell what a spectacular treasure she is?”
A ring of slow headshakes meets his gaze, and Abato sighs heavily.
“That explains much,” Abato says, “Perhaps my chances are better than I thought.”
“Hrmph,” Mendek snorts, “If you’re not going to go chasing after your Radha and woo her right out of her clothes, perhaps we can stop at La Maison on the way back and find some women more amenable to a less-than-life-long commitment. Maybe one of them can chase these visions of your Pavati out of your head.”
Laughing, Abato throws an arm around Mendek’s shoulders, “They’ll be lovely, no doubt, but it will be like comparing a dying ember to my incandescent star. Still, I’m willing to let you try.”
Traipsing back into the taproom, Abato returns to their table. “Ho, innkeeper, bring me the bottle this time.”
“The whole bottle?” Hrogarth frowns, “Is that wise?”
“I need to drown my sorrow,” Abato replies dramatically, “I have glimpsed heaven and been denied entry.”
Rolling their eyes, his men allow Abato to drown himself in whiskey. When he’s sufficiently tanked, they cart him upstairs to bed.
Once Abato is tossed on the bed, the men stand around staring at each other.
“What are we missing about this slip of a girl?” Hrogarth finally asks, “The prince and all the duke’s sons are taken with her. Abato is over the moon about her. There’s only been one other time I’ve ever heard him call a woman Radha...”
“Yah,” Ralbi nods, “And you know how that turned out...”
“He’ll be hungover tomorrow,” Damranth shrugs, “and in a foul mood.”
“Off to La Maison then,” grins Mendek, “for a bit of the hair of the dog and a comely wench or three. That will put him back to rights.”
Have you ever had rabbits? Pet or otherwise? Let me know in the comments.