“Welcome, Dathan Tadrianus. It has been some time since you were last in the Colony. My Wariors tell me of your new colony in the Gem City.”

  Dathan nodded, then pressed his fists to his chest and bowed from the waist, his eyes never leaving the multifaceted ones of the Queen. As he straightened, he waved towards Dreama. “Thank you for the welcome, Queen Xiri. I present my mate, Dreama Tadrianus. Together we have begun our own colony, with two young, so far.”

  Dreama mirrored Dathan’s greeting bow under the gaze of the Queen, whose never closing eyes regarded them both. Xiri’s gaze seemed to linger on Dreama for a few moments before shifting back to Dathan.

  “Your colony grows too slowly, Dathan Tadrianus. Your mate seems robust. You should make better use of her.”

  Dathan’s smile nearly split his face. Even though he knew he would pay for it laer, he said, “I assure you, Queen Xiri, that I make plenty use of my mate” He could see the blush beginning on Dreama’s cheeks, even as she frowned at him.

  “Only recently has our colony’s position in the Gem City become secure enough to expand. I assure you, my mate and I will work tirelessly to expand the colony.”

  Queen Xiri’s mandibles clacked together briefly. “Your people always do things backwards. Expanding the colony secures the colony. This my people have always known. This I have practiced throughout my life, as my daughter will upon my death. Thus the Colony always thrives.” She crossed her blade limbs over her manipulator limbs.

  Dathan crossed his wrists over his waist. “The Colony always thrives.”

  There were a few moments of silence before Queen Xiri resumed. “My drones tell me your shipment is heavier than usual, and that you bring a strange beast with you.” Her head cocked to the side as she regarded him, an expression learned from interacting with the other races.

  “The beast attacked us on the road and was slain. We present it as a gift to the Irikashi. The extra gems are for negotiation. The Gem City would like an additional troop of Warriors with the next rotation. We believe the giants to be preparing a new horde. The Warriors of Queen Xiri are fierce and powerful.”

  Queen Xiri seemed to stand up straighter, her bulk expanding. She was already almost twice his height in her crouched position. Now she seemed to loom over him, an intimidation display if he remembered correctly. He made sure to continue to meet her eyes.

  “And do you, Dathan Tadrianus, also think the Gem City has need of additional troops? Do you negotiate in the name of the City, or do they send cold words?”

  “I believe the Gem City needs the additional troops. My Colony is there and must be protected, just as the Gem City must be protected to keep the giants from rampaging through the land. I also wish to lease troops for my own Colony, but that is a separate negotiation.”

  Queen Xiri’s blade limbs rubbed together. “My Colony does not know the giants, though we have read the histories of other Colonies and peoples, and I have the reports of my Warriors who have fought in the Gem City. Through eight Queens my Colony has sent Warriors to the Gem City, along with food from our harvest, in exchange for gems and metals. Those negotiations have been unchanged.

  “This new negotiation must be weighed carefully, for what you ask, Dathan Tadrianus, is no easy task. To release additional troops would weaken the Colony. They would need to be replaced, which would expand the Colony. We are already at optimal size. There would need to be a new balance.”

  Dathan nodded. He’d been expecting that. Irikashi Colonies grew to a chosen size then ceased growing, reaching an equilibrium with their surroundings. New births only occurred to replace deaths. Only when a Colony was preparing to splinter did they increase in size.

  “The Gem City understands the complications this would cause the Colony. We are prepared to match the usual rate for the additional troops, plus an increase of fifty percent for the complications, with an option for a longer term lease with full provisions, to prevent the new troops from straining the Colony.”

  Queen Xiri nodded, her mandibles clacking together. “The rate for the new troops is acceptable. It will require future negotiation for the longer term lease. You, Dathan Tadrianus, will return for those negotiations.”

  Dathan nodded agreement. While the agreement had been quick, Queen Xiri had most likely had an amount in mind at the start. That was why he’d encouraged the Council to make the offer it did. The most important part was the offer of the long term lease for the additional Warriors. That would remove the strain those troops would have caused on the Colony and returned it to equilibrium.

  “I look forward to future negotiations with you, Queen Xiri. As for my personal request, I would like two Warriors to join my Colony. I want my young to be familiar with the Irikashi and I hope for continued friendship between our colonies.”

  Queen Xiri was silent, her limbs and mandibles still. This was a very personal request. While her Warriors could be leased, they were always her Warriors, their ultimate loyalty to the Colony. To grant this request was to lose two Warriors and while she could easily replace them, it was not something the Irikashi did, unless they were forming an alliance with another Colony, in which case it was an equal exchange of Warriors.

  “Are you aware of what it is you request, Dathan Tadrianus?”

  “Yes, Queen Xiri. I hope to create a bond between our Colonies, a bond which has never existed with any not of the Irikashi. This will be greater than the friendship between my family and those of the cities of the plains with the Irikashi”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Leaning forward slightly, Queen Xiri gazed down at him from her lofty height, seeming to fill his vision. Her blade arms extended to each side of his head, settling on his shoulders. With a single move she could take his head, if she took it to be insulted by the request. He caught Dreama stiffening and reaching for her blades out of the corner of his eye and waved her off with just his hand, his eyes never leaving the Queen’s.

  Several more moments passed and Dathan began to worry he may have actually offended the Irikashi. Suddenly she leaned down and rubbed her mandibles on each of his cheeks, then leaned back and withdrew her blade arms.

  “I was right all those years ago, Dathan Tadrianus, when I asked you to be my consort. Our Colony would have been strong. Now, let our colonies be joined in alliance, bonded by Warriors exchanged. I look forward to seeing what you send in trade for your Warriors.”

  The look Dreama was giving him caused Dathan’s face to heat. That was going to be a fun conversation.

  Bringing his fists to his chest, Dathan offered another bow. “I thank you, Queen Xiri, for honoring me and my colony. May we both grow in strength and quality.” After the Queen returned the gesture, he took his leave, guiding his wife back to the wagons.

  “It would appear that I was not the first woman in your life after all, my husband. Care to explain the Warrior Queen to me?” Dreama crossed her arms beneath the breasts of her armor and speared him with a level look. He always enjoyed that pose of hers and silently vowed again to never let her know that fact.

  “Not particularly, no.” Dathan ducked his head with a smile at the sound of her gauntlets tightening, the metal creaking. “I’m kidding, love. It’s actually a little embarrassing. My family has dealt with the Irikashi for generations, handling things like leatherwork and meat trade. I started accompanying my father and my older brother on the caravans as soon as I could hold a sword. On one trip I got lost and encountered the Queen. We got talking about different leather gear. Years go by and on each visit we would talk about some of the ideas I might have had to increase efficiency in the Colony.”

  “And the offer of consort?” Dreama raised a brow at him.

  “I’m getting to that. On one particular visit I brought a new invention I’d had someone build, a hammer for forging that could be used by their blade arms. She was so pleased with the ability to do massive metalworks that she asked me to be her consort and to continue strengthening the Colony. I was twelve.” He gave her his own level look.

  The corner of Dreama’s lips twitched. “So. You’ve always liked older women. It wasn’t just me. Alas, I have fallen in with a serial predator!”

  “You see! This is why I never told you!” Dathan pouted at his wife, who had abandoned her level look, transitioning to an amused smirk.

  “At least I’ve stopped your philandering ways. I have become the sacrifice for the greater population of mature women.”

  Dathan covered his face with a hand. “You’re never going to let this go, are you?”

  “Oh no, Mr. Consort. This is going to be a source of amusement for me for years to come. Never feat though. I’ll keep your secret from the other Knights.”

  “Gee, thanks dear.”

  ***

  Dreama watched as the Irikashi Warriors loped alongside the caravan. There were sixty four of them following behind and around the wagons. A full eight of eights, according to Dathan. Turning away from the troop, she looked to the two Warriors that flanked her and her husband.

  Those Warriors were larger than usual, easily twenty percent taller than the others. They also boasted elaborate leather armor with metal plates. They were also part of the family.

  Dreama listened to Dathan conversing with the two Warriors, explaining the duties they would have at the estate. She wondered how the twins would handle having the Warriors around. Hopefully their exposure to the other races in the city had prepared them, though the Irikashi were far different from any other race they’d encountered thus far.

  Still, for all the strangeness of the circumstances leading to the Warriors joining the family, Dreama was happy to have them. The forces at the estate would stop any vagrant trying for a Knight’s fortune, but they were insufficient against a true attack.

  The attack on the road only convinced her of the danger her husband was in. He didn’t fully understand the resentment among some of the other Knights, especially those who had been after her hand. This was only the latest instance of their efforts to eliminate him. Not that she had any proof, none that she could take to the Knight Commander, or even confront specific Knights over. They were as careful to cover their involvement as they were ineffective in their efforts.

  There were more reasons for all the sparring she did with her husband besides her enjoyment of a fight. She needed him to be as strong as possible, both for her and for her family. It was apparent that those who opposed him had no idea of how powerful he truly was. She intended to keep it that way.

  With the beginning of a true combat force at the estate, Dreama would feel more comfortable tracking down leads. She would find those who threatened her family. She would call their dishonorable asses out and she would drive her blades through their hearts.

  No one got away with endangering her family. Giant or Knight, any who did were monsters in her eyes and monsters were meant to be slain.