Another few days passed on the Noble Road. Before he’d been saddled with babysitting Prince Lorel, Drake had fully intended to take his caravan the long way home. He’d planned to roll along the Merchant’s Roadway and pass through a few towns, looking for new recruits.
Sadly, only the Noble Road was level and stable enough for a carriage as unwieldy as a rolling fish tank. That plus the fact that Sky was also acting as Lorel’s escort put an end to such plans. She needed to get home. Even so, as they rolled through a narrow stretch of Mistvale territory, Drake refused to give up on his hope of recruiting a few new catgirls and catboys.
He’d learned ferals were generally more self-sufficient than humans in this world, since their population remained small and they could live off the land with ease. Unlike human peasants, they had no need to turn to a manor lord to survive, and had no interest in sublimating themselves to the compulsions of a blood pact. Drake had always wondered why Sky hadn’t recruited more ferals, given her preference for rangers, and now knew why.
Very few ferals had any interest in being compelled by any manor lord.
His and Sky’s vanguard would soon pass close enough to Mistvale’s forests that it would be a walk of less than a day to the nearest free feral settlement. While another manor lord might have simply moved on, Drake was determined to at least speak to the feral packs and make an offer. He had one advantage no other manor lord save Sky could claim.
He didn’t make those who worked for him magic slaves.
That was why, today, he was walking down a narrow forest path through towering and vibrant trees with far less bodyguards than anyone in his manor was comfortable with. Only Sachi, Samuel, and Gaby—the young woman with fullstop, the rarity that halted people and arrows in their tracks—accompanied him. Convincing his people to let him meet with this pack of ferals with an escort this light had been a challenge, but it had been the only way.
This particular “pack” had also been the only group with whom Sachi had been able to arrange a meeting. Their conditions had been quite demanding, and one of those had been that Drake arrive with only Sachi, Samuel, one other. Four for him, four for them. Since his only choice had been to agree to their terms or never meet them, Drake had chosen the former.
On the bright side, at least he’d been allowed to bring a weapon. In this case, Magnum.
He understood the requirement of having Sachi come... she was a feral... but had been surprised the ferals requested Samuel. Drake suspected it was because of Samuel’s connection to Sachi, which suggested he also had a connection with the ferals. Annoying, Samuel had simply stated, over and over, that this connection was not his story to share.
“Scouts above,” Sachi said quietly as they continued to walk. “Two of them, watching.”
Drake glanced up as if he were simply admiring the trees, balancing Magnum casually in both hands like a rifle. More bolts rode on the belt beneath his cloak. He saw no sign of the scouts despite the fact that he could see all the way to the forest canopy. He heard no sound of feet or hands scrambling on bark, and not a single creaking tree branch. Only wind.
This was another reason he wanted more warriors like Sachi on his side. If these ferals were this good at concealing themselves in this forest, they’d be invisible in his silverwood with all those branches and all that fog. With his vero to aid them, they’d be undetectable.
“Is that good or bad?” Gaby asked worriedly. “Are we in danger?”
Gaby had alternated between visibly excited and visibly worried for the entire trip. Getting her more field experience was obviously a good thing, and Drake knew from her performance in the battle on the beach outside Korhaurbauten that she wouldn’t freeze up if it came to a fight. Still, she needed to work on her confidence.
“If they planned to harm us, they’d have shot us by now,” Sachi said.
“That’s comforting,” Drake lied.
“I suspect they are simply verifying we have come alone, as they agreed.”
“Any chance they’ve spotted our backup?” Drake asked.
“I can smell them from here. But as the pack hasn’t fled, we can assume you left Cresh and his guards far enough back that they don’t consider them a threat.”
“See?” Drake told Samuel. “I told you it wouldn’t be a problem.”
The old man kept his eyes on the canopy. “You guessed it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Okay, fair. I guessed.”
“Only one watching now,” Sachi said quietly. “The other is moving away, likely to report our presence. It shouldn’t be much longer now.”
Still Drake heard or saw nothing from the canopy above. “How do you even know they’re up there? Can you smell them too?”
“They’ve made efforts to hide their scent, but not from me.”
“And are you going to tell them that?”
Sachi’s ears twitched. “No.”
They walked in relative silence for another few minutes, but Drake refused to let down his guard. Even if the leader of this feral group had promised safe passage, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be ambushed by other people. Lord Redbow still had a manor full of deadly assassins compelled by his blood pact. Drake could never be too careful.
Soon they reached a small clearing. There, Sachi raised an arm to bring them to a halt. “Four ferals wait ahead, including the two I smelled before. Let’s give them a moment to verify we’re alone. Try not to look threatening.”
“I’m very non-threatening,” Gaby reminded everyone.
Drake crossed his arms and waited patiently as Samuel stood beside him, watching the woods with cautious eyes. A short while later, three cat people emerged from the trees like Nicole coming out of penumbra, even though he could swear he’d been looking right where they’d appeared. He couldn’t help but be impressed.
There was a single brown and gray catgirl among the three newcomers, walking behind the leader in leather armor. She looked a little younger than Sachi, which could still make her older than Drake. Ferals looked younger in general. Also... she was missing an ear.
The orangeish-brown catboy on the other side looked younger still, close to Carl’s age of 17. That likely put him in his mid-twenties. He eyed them with what Drake could almost imagine might be nervousness, suggesting he was new at meeting manor lords.
The leader was the oldest, a muscular cat man in weathered brown armor with coal-black fur and piercing green eyes. He looked to be about Samuel’s age, which made him even older. He even had his beard cut in a similar manner, though it merged with his hair and was the same color as his fur. The leader also had a noticeable scar stretching across his face.
The leader nodded to Samuel. Samuel nodded back. They definitely knew each other, so Drake was right about them having some connection. The one-eared catgirl also watched Samuel with keen interest, but Drake couldn’t tell if she was interested in him or wary of him.
Three ferals had emerged from the woods, not four. The last of them must be up in the trees somewhere, likely ready to drop arrows if it came to a fight. Drake could respect their caution. They, unlike him, Samuel, and Gaby, did not have rarities... other than the basics... so they had to be cautious when dealing with people who had any number of super powers.
All three visible ferals carried bows on their backs and quivers filled with arrows that had seen obvious use, as well as multiple knives in sheathes on both their boots and belts. Drake assumed that so long as the arrow could be retrieved after firing it, the ferals would put them back in the quiver. Since they rarely missed, they rarely lost arrows.
The coal-black leader looked directly at Samuel. “This is the favor?”
“It is,” Samuel said coolly. “Now, your debt to me is paid in full.”
Drake understood now. He was “the favor.” It seemed this coal-black catman wouldn’t have met with him at all without Samuel’s intervention, which was both nice and annoying. Nice, because he got to meet with the ferals, but annoying, because he still had no idea why.
“I am Kel,” the leader said to Drake. “I greet you without claws.”
At least Kel seemed polite. “Nice to meet you. I am Lord Gloomwood.”
“Why have you requested this meeting, Lord Gloomwood? Have we offended you in some way? Do you seek redress for a wrong we have committed?”
Drake frowned. “Samuel didn’t tell you why I wanted to meet?”
“I did not ask.”
So Kel had met him without knowing why they wanted to meet. Drake would have a word with Samuel about that in private later. Unless the reason Samuel hadn’t told Kel why they wanted to meet was because he knew Kel would just say no. In which case, Samuel should have just said that.
“I’m not your enemy, Kel. I have no quarrel with you. I’m here to ask you a question.”
“What question?”
“Do you like it here?”
Kel’s tail subtly shifted back and forth. “How do you mean?”
“Do you like living in this forest? Do you have everything you need here? Good hunting? Fresh water? Are you happy with where you live? Is Lord Mistvale treating you well?”
“These are strange questions,” Kel said. “Why would you ask these things?”
“I’m curious if you’d be interested in living anywhere else. Somewhere with better game, more fresh water, and a decent wage.”
“You wish us to join your manor,” Kel said flatly. As he glanced at Samuel, his eyes narrowed noticeably. More evidence he would have said no if he’d known.
Drake barreled forward anyway. “I’m looking to recruit a few new people to live on my land and share in the bounty of my manor. I could use skilled trackers like you.”
“Then I am sorry you traveled such a long way to ask this question. I am, however, surprised that Samuel did not tell you your journey would be made in vain.”
“Oh, he told me you wouldn’t be eager to move to my lands,” Drake said. “But you haven’t heard my offer yet.”
“We will not join your blood pact, Lord Gloomwood. It is the same answer we give all manor lords who hope to bind us to their blood pacts, including Lord Mistvale.”
“I’m not asking you to join my blood pact. I’m asking you to join me.”
Confusion and possibly curiosity peeked through Kel’s calm. “You wish to hire us as mercenaries? We have no need for coin, so in that, as well, I must disappoint you.”
“What I’m proposing is something more permanent than a mercenary’s contract. I’m offering you the chance to come live in my lands, in my silverwood, and make your home there. I’d want your vow to protect my lands and manor and help my people if we were attacked, but that’s all I need in return. I won’t compel you to do anything.”
“We will not join your blood pact,” Kel repeated.
Was this catman being intentionally dense? Or had Kel simply firmed up his mental image of manor lords so much he couldn’t imagine one ever asking him to join without being magically compelled? Drake would give him the benefit of the doubt and keep pushing.
“As I said, I’m not asking you to join my blood pact. I’m offering you a new home without any requirement other than that you agree to defend your new home and my manor if they come under attack. I’m offering you a place to live, hunt, and grow old with your families, all without ever submitting to any bullshit magical compulsion. Simple as that.”
Kel looked at Samuel. “Why would he do this?”
Samuel crossed his arms. “Ask that of Lord Gloomwood, and know that I believe his offer to be genuine. This is not a trick. It is an opportunity.”
Kel watched Samuel another moment, then looked at Drake. “Why would you do this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Were we to agree to this arrangement, any one of us could freely conspire with your enemies. We could also refuse to follow your orders or protect your land. I trust Samuel on his own, but you compel him with your words. So I cannot trust him while you compel him.”
Everyone just assumed Drake’s blood pact was still active. It was annoying he couldn’t just tell Kel it wasn’t. Yet Samuel had been clear admitting that before ensuring the news wouldn’t spread wasn’t an option, so Drake was going to have to do this the hard way.
“Obviously, I’d ask that you promise to help me protect my lands and not betray me to others,” Drake reminded him. “But you wouldn’t just be protecting my land. You’d be protecting your land. Once I had your word you’d do that, that would be enough for me.”
“Manor lords believe my kind are not trustworthy.” Kel’s tone cooled noticeably. “You believe we are little more than animals living in piles of our own filth. We cannot be trusted unless we are leashed and compelled.”
“I imagine the other manor lords have all sorts of preconceptions about you people that are wrong,” Drake agreed. “However, I don’t believe any of that, and given I know at least one of you pretty well, Sachi would kick my ass if I tried any of that. I think you’re all people just like us, and I think you deserve the same consideration everyone else in this world gets.”
Kel looked to Sachi. “This is true?”
She bared her teeth. “Lord Gloomwood is a strong man and a good lord. Even if he didn’t compel me to do so, I would follow him willingly.”
Drake had to admit that was a clever use of doublespeak. Drake didn’t compel Sachi... and she hadn’t said he had. She’d only said she would follow him if he didn’t compel her, which she believed. He glanced at Samuel. “Can you say the same?”
Samuel nodded thoughtfully. “I, too, would follow Lord Gloomwood even if he did not compel me. I, too, believe he makes this offer in good faith.”
Kel turned to Drake again. “I do not know what doublespeak you convey. What I do know is you are a manor lord. How can I know you aren’t like every other I’ve encountered?”
“Because I’m not from your world, Kel. I’m from another world entirely, one entirely unlike this one, and in my world, we don’t magically compel people to be slaves.”
Another few days passed on the Noble Road. Before he’d been saddled with babysitting Prince Lorel, Drake had fully intended to take his caravan the long way home. He’d planned to roll along the Merchant’s Roadway and pass through a few towns, looking for new recruits.
Sadly, only the Noble Road was level and stable enough for a carriage as unwieldy as a rolling fish tank. That plus the fact that Sky was also acting as Lorel’s escort put an end to such plans. She needed to get home. Even so, as they rolled through a narrow stretch of Mistvale territory, Drake refused to give up on his hope of recruiting a few new catgirls and catboys.
He’d learned ferals were generally more self-sufficient than humans in this world, since their population remained small and they could live off the land with ease. Unlike human peasants, they had no need to turn to a manor lord to survive, and had no interest in sublimating themselves to the compulsions of a blood pact. Drake had always wondered why Sky hadn’t recruited more ferals, given her preference for rangers, and now knew why.
Very few ferals had any interest in being compelled by any manor lord.
His and Sky’s vanguard would soon pass close enough to Mistvale’s forests that it would be a walk of less than a day to the nearest free feral settlement. While another manor lord might have simply moved on, Drake was determined to at least speak to the feral packs and make an offer. He had one advantage no other manor lord save Sky could claim.
He didn’t make those who worked for him magic slaves.
That was why, today, he was walking down a narrow forest path through towering and vibrant trees with far less bodyguards than anyone in his manor was comfortable with. Only Sachi, Samuel, and Gaby—the young woman with fullstop, the rarity that halted people and arrows in their tracks—accompanied him. Convincing his people to let him meet with this pack of ferals with an escort this light had been a challenge, but it had been the only way.
This particular “pack” had also been the only group with whom Sachi had been able to arrange a meeting. Their conditions had been quite demanding, and one of those had been that Drake arrive with only Sachi, Samuel, one other. Four for him, four for them. Since his only choice had been to agree to their terms or never meet them, Drake had chosen the former.
On the bright side, at least he’d been allowed to bring a weapon. In this case, Magnum.
He understood the requirement of having Sachi come... she was a feral... but had been surprised the ferals requested Samuel. Drake suspected it was because of Samuel’s connection to Sachi, which suggested he also had a connection with the ferals. Annoying, Samuel had simply stated, over and over, that this connection was not his story to share.
“Scouts above,” Sachi said quietly as they continued to walk. “Two of them, watching.”
Drake glanced up as if he were simply admiring the trees, balancing Magnum casually in both hands like a rifle. More bolts rode on the belt beneath his cloak. He saw no sign of the scouts despite the fact that he could see all the way to the forest canopy. He heard no sound of feet or hands scrambling on bark, and not a single creaking tree branch. Only wind.
This was another reason he wanted more warriors like Sachi on his side. If these ferals were this good at concealing themselves in this forest, they’d be invisible in his silverwood with all those branches and all that fog. With his vero to aid them, they’d be undetectable.
“Is that good or bad?” Gaby asked worriedly. “Are we in danger?”
Gaby had alternated between visibly excited and visibly worried for the entire trip. Getting her more field experience was obviously a good thing, and Drake knew from her performance in the battle on the beach outside Korhaurbauten that she wouldn’t freeze up if it came to a fight. Still, she needed to work on her confidence.
“If they planned to harm us, they’d have shot us by now,” Sachi said.
“That’s comforting,” Drake lied.
“I suspect they are simply verifying we have come alone, as they agreed.”
“Any chance they’ve spotted our backup?” Drake asked.
“I can smell them from here. But as the pack hasn’t fled, we can assume you left Cresh and his guards far enough back that they don’t consider them a threat.”
“See?” Drake told Samuel. “I told you it wouldn’t be a problem.”
The old man kept his eyes on the canopy. “You guessed it wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Okay, fair. I guessed.”
“Only one watching now,” Sachi said quietly. “The other is moving away, likely to report our presence. It shouldn’t be much longer now.”
Still Drake heard or saw nothing from the canopy above. “How do you even know they’re up there? Can you smell them too?”
“They’ve made efforts to hide their scent, but not from me.”
“And are you going to tell them that?”
Sachi’s ears twitched. “No.”
They walked in relative silence for another few minutes, but Drake refused to let down his guard. Even if the leader of this feral group had promised safe passage, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be ambushed by other people. Lord Redbow still had a manor full of deadly assassins compelled by his blood pact. Drake could never be too careful.
Soon they reached a small clearing. There, Sachi raised an arm to bring them to a halt. “Four ferals wait ahead, including the two I smelled before. Let’s give them a moment to verify we’re alone. Try not to look threatening.”
“I’m very non-threatening,” Gaby reminded everyone.
Drake crossed his arms and waited patiently as Samuel stood beside him, watching the woods with cautious eyes. A short while later, three cat people emerged from the trees like Nicole coming out of penumbra, even though he could swear he’d been looking right where they’d appeared. He couldn’t help but be impressed.
There was a single brown and gray catgirl among the three newcomers, walking behind the leader in leather armor. She looked a little younger than Sachi, which could still make her older than Drake. Ferals looked younger in general. Also... she was missing an ear.
The orangeish-brown catboy on the other side looked younger still, close to Carl’s age of 17. That likely put him in his mid-twenties. He eyed them with what Drake could almost imagine might be nervousness, suggesting he was new at meeting manor lords.
The leader was the oldest, a muscular cat man in weathered brown armor with coal-black fur and piercing green eyes. He looked to be about Samuel’s age, which made him even older. He even had his beard cut in a similar manner, though it merged with his hair and was the same color as his fur. The leader also had a noticeable scar stretching across his face.
The leader nodded to Samuel. Samuel nodded back. They definitely knew each other, so Drake was right about them having some connection. The one-eared catgirl also watched Samuel with keen interest, but Drake couldn’t tell if she was interested in him or wary of him.
Three ferals had emerged from the woods, not four. The last of them must be up in the trees somewhere, likely ready to drop arrows if it came to a fight. Drake could respect their caution. They, unlike him, Samuel, and Gaby, did not have rarities... other than the basics... so they had to be cautious when dealing with people who had any number of super powers.
All three visible ferals carried bows on their backs and quivers filled with arrows that had seen obvious use, as well as multiple knives in sheathes on both their boots and belts. Drake assumed that so long as the arrow could be retrieved after firing it, the ferals would put them back in the quiver. Since they rarely missed, they rarely lost arrows.
The coal-black leader looked directly at Samuel. “This is the favor?”
“It is,” Samuel said coolly. “Now, your debt to me is paid in full.”
Drake understood now. He was “the favor.” It seemed this coal-black catman wouldn’t have met with him at all without Samuel’s intervention, which was both nice and annoying. Nice, because he got to meet with the ferals, but annoying, because he still had no idea why.
“I am Kel,” the leader said to Drake. “I greet you without claws.”
At least Kel seemed polite. “Nice to meet you. I am Lord Gloomwood.”
“Why have you requested this meeting, Lord Gloomwood? Have we offended you in some way? Do you seek redress for a wrong we have committed?”
Drake frowned. “Samuel didn’t tell you why I wanted to meet?”
“I did not ask.”
So Kel had met him without knowing why they wanted to meet. Drake would have a word with Samuel about that in private later. Unless the reason Samuel hadn’t told Kel why they wanted to meet was because he knew Kel would just say no. In which case, Samuel should have just said that.
“I’m not your enemy, Kel. I have no quarrel with you. I’m here to ask you a question.”
“What question?”
“Do you like it here?”
Kel’s tail subtly shifted back and forth. “How do you mean?”
“Do you like living in this forest? Do you have everything you need here? Good hunting? Fresh water? Are you happy with where you live? Is Lord Mistvale treating you well?”
“These are strange questions,” Kel said. “Why would you ask these things?”
“I’m curious if you’d be interested in living anywhere else. Somewhere with better game, more fresh water, and a decent wage.”
“You wish us to join your manor,” Kel said flatly. As he glanced at Samuel, his eyes narrowed noticeably. More evidence he would have said no if he’d known.
Drake barreled forward anyway. “I’m looking to recruit a few new people to live on my land and share in the bounty of my manor. I could use skilled trackers like you.”
“Then I am sorry you traveled such a long way to ask this question. I am, however, surprised that Samuel did not tell you your journey would be made in vain.”
“Oh, he told me you wouldn’t be eager to move to my lands,” Drake said. “But you haven’t heard my offer yet.”
“We will not join your blood pact, Lord Gloomwood. It is the same answer we give all manor lords who hope to bind us to their blood pacts, including Lord Mistvale.”
“I’m not asking you to join my blood pact. I’m asking you to join me.”
Confusion and possibly curiosity peeked through Kel’s calm. “You wish to hire us as mercenaries? We have no need for coin, so in that, as well, I must disappoint you.”
“What I’m proposing is something more permanent than a mercenary’s contract. I’m offering you the chance to come live in my lands, in my silverwood, and make your home there. I’d want your vow to protect my lands and manor and help my people if we were attacked, but that’s all I need in return. I won’t compel you to do anything.”
“We will not join your blood pact,” Kel repeated.
Was this catman being intentionally dense? Or had Kel simply firmed up his mental image of manor lords so much he couldn’t imagine one ever asking him to join without being magically compelled? Drake would give him the benefit of the doubt and keep pushing.
“As I said, I’m not asking you to join my blood pact. I’m offering you a new home without any requirement other than that you agree to defend your new home and my manor if they come under attack. I’m offering you a place to live, hunt, and grow old with your families, all without ever submitting to any bullshit magical compulsion. Simple as that.”
Kel looked at Samuel. “Why would he do this?”
Samuel crossed his arms. “Ask that of Lord Gloomwood, and know that I believe his offer to be genuine. This is not a trick. It is an opportunity.”
Kel watched Samuel another moment, then looked at Drake. “Why would you do this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Were we to agree to this arrangement, any one of us could freely conspire with your enemies. We could also refuse to follow your orders or protect your land. I trust Samuel on his own, but you compel him with your words. So I cannot trust him while you compel him.”
Everyone just assumed Drake’s blood pact was still active. It was annoying he couldn’t just tell Kel it wasn’t. Yet Samuel had been clear admitting that before ensuring the news wouldn’t spread wasn’t an option, so Drake was going to have to do this the hard way.
“Obviously, I’d ask that you promise to help me protect my lands and not betray me to others,” Drake reminded him. “But you wouldn’t just be protecting my land. You’d be protecting your land. Once I had your word you’d do that, that would be enough for me.”
“Manor lords believe my kind are not trustworthy.” Kel’s tone cooled noticeably. “You believe we are little more than animals living in piles of our own filth. We cannot be trusted unless we are leashed and compelled.”
“I imagine the other manor lords have all sorts of preconceptions about you people that are wrong,” Drake agreed. “However, I don’t believe any of that, and given I know at least one of you pretty well, Sachi would kick my ass if I tried any of that. I think you’re all people just like us, and I think you deserve the same consideration everyone else in this world gets.”
Kel looked to Sachi. “This is true?”
She bared her teeth. “Lord Gloomwood is a strong man and a good lord. Even if he didn’t compel me to do so, I would follow him willingly.”
Drake had to admit that was a clever use of doublespeak. Drake didn’t compel Sachi... and she hadn’t said he had. She’d only said she would follow him if he didn’t compel her, which she believed. He glanced at Samuel. “Can you say the same?”
Samuel nodded thoughtfully. “I, too, would follow Lord Gloomwood even if he did not compel me. I, too, believe he makes this offer in good faith.”
Kel turned to Drake again. “I do not know what doublespeak you convey. What I do know is you are a manor lord. How can I know you aren’t like every other I’ve encountered?”
“Because I’m not from your world, Kel. I’m from another world entirely, one entirely unlike this one, and in my world, we don’t magically compel people to be slaves.”
