Chapter 28

  "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

  "Peter Piper picked a—peck of pickled… peppers…"

  "If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,"

  "I-if Peter Piper picked a peck of peppered pickles…"

  "How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick if he picked a peck of pickled peppers?"

  Tulla glared incredulously at her father as the smugly grinning man just stood there, looking at her. "Your language is stupid…"

  "That just makes it sound like you're admitting you can't do it!"

  The young woman groaned, not wanting to admit defeat as she returned to her worksheet, her lip spasming as she did so. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper pecked a picked of—peppers… Urgh!" Tulla outright growled, talons cutting furrows across the wooden desk as her hands clenched to either side of the small page. "This is ridiculous! How is this supposed to help me learn anything?"

  "It's a tongue twister! They're supposed to be fun!"

  "This is not fun…"

  "Yeah, the only ones who usually get a kick out of them are the people getting others to read them."

  Tulla's head swivelled to her father. Looking up at the amused man with a slight twitch of her left eye. This was the fifth, so said tongue-twister she'd been told to get right, but if this had just been some—prank, then…

  "C'mon! It's not that bad! Plus, there actually is a point to them! They're helping you get used to the pronunciation of it all. Your mouth isn't the same as mine, so unless you practice, you're not going to get better with something that's not native to you."

  "These don't even make sense! What the hell is a peck?"

  "Well, at least you're picking up swear words… hm… those usually are the first for anyone, I guess…"

  Tulla actually liked that part of this whole process. And, it was earnestly the only thing of value she'd felt it had brought her. Cursing in another language as loudly and violently as she was able, wherever she wanted, was positively fun! And since nobody knew what she was saying, nobody could threaten to wash her mouth out!

  N-not that there were many willing to intimidate her with such a prospect these days… other than her mother, of course… Still, it was viscerally stimulating to simply fly through the air and scream fuck off at the top of her lungs!

  For some reason, that particular conjunction of words really spoke to her on a level that was hard to explain. When mixed with how good it felt to screech such a thing when she was feeling especially frustrated or overwhelmed, well, it had quickly shot to the top of her favourite tools within her vocabulary.

  Still, this—ugh… this felt like it was simply annoying for annoying's sake alone. Like her father had been simply messing with her… With a frown, she gazed back down at the sheet… Tulla was an easy three-quarters of the way through it! But, this last third had felt like it was dragging on forever…

  Thus far, she'd recounted the boring story of Sally and her stupid sea shells… a miserable experience if ever there was one… A-and, of course, there was the infuriating woodchuck creature… Everything around it being made so much worse by the fact that, apparently, woodchucks did not even chuck wood.

  Imagine her surprise...

  Honestly, at this point, it almost felt somewhat fitting to learn that not only was the tongue twister annoying but that the creature it spoke of was inept at this sole aspect of its existence, of which it apparently couldn't even do correctly.

  No, Tulla was earnestly feeling just about done with this whole affair… And, she made her point known not long after as she rose from her seat, genuinely trying to hold back her scowl…

  "Eh, I get it. It's a lot to take on one after another. But seriously, Tulla, they are going to help if you keep at them."

  "Isn't there a—better way to learn English?"

  "Sorry, kiddo, I've made whatever skill books I can. At this point, it really is just about practice." Though, after a moment, her father grinned, letting out a small yawn as he spoke. "Ahhh… you're lucky, though; when it comes to language, immersing yourself in it is one of the best ways to get better. Ergo, the more TV you watch, the better you'll probably get."

  "It's just taking so long! There's still so many words I just don't get, and I'm sick of using the translation tarot! It's so slow, and I don't want to have to keep changing my cards around every time I want to watch cartoons!"

  "It'll come." Her father smiled, placing a hand on Tulla's shoulder and offering a small squeeze.

  Tulla merely shifted into him, wrapping Arthur in a wing and arm, pulling him in for a hug, for which he had very little say. He didn't complain in the slightest, merely chuckling as they embraced. Tulla wanted her dad to know there was no real anger lingering, even after some of the more—colourful ways she'd regarded his lesson... So, she felt it was prudent to try and show there were no hard feelings... on either side of things.

  She was getting big now, the top of her head nearly at the height of his shoulders. Yet, despite being smaller, she manhandled her father as easily as she might a toddler. It was—strange to be sure… And though she'd sort of come to terms with the fact that she herself, and by extension, her upbringing, might be the outlier to how normal things were done, it was still bizarre.

  Until recently, that was the past few months, Tulla truly hadn't had any form of comparison to what normal people would be like. She'd grown up amongst soldiers. Had seen little else than career military men and women around her. Thus, she'd just assumed that they could represent what the average individual was like. Taking them as her standard of how any other person she might meet would fall into her expectations. Whether that understanding was applied to social situations, intellectual discourse or personal competency, it didn't matter.

  The thing was, Tulla had been somewhat off regarding her presumptions. As it happened, the gritty, foul-mouthed and ill-tempered soldiers had actually been on the upper end of the spectrum!

  Who'd of thought…

  Rather, Tulla had since learned what true normal people were like and how they fell much more in line with something a good deal less impressive… While her father didn't quite tumble so far from grace within her own eye, certain aspects of his—squishiness had certainly emerged to form a new and somewhat perplexing benchmark…

  Not all the new villagers were quite as soft as her father… But, when compared to the ex-legionnaire's—well… there really wasn't much more to say… Other than that, now Tulla wasn't so baffled over the how in regards to her people's military and its successes to date…

  As she said when he had first arrived, Tulla didn't really think her father had been that impressive, physically speaking, of course. In fact, it had been quite the opposite. Now, however, she was beginning to see that his somewhat lacklustre physicality wasn't actually so poor when pitted against the grand scheme of things.

  Instead, she would say that it was her and all the legionaries around her that were quite a bit more abnormal. From everything from strength of body to discipline in their work ethic The differences were glaring if one chose to look at them. And, in all honestly, they were hard to ignore regardless…

  Still, she knew how to regulate her strength and she made sure not to actually crush her father. Instead merely holding him tightly and enjoying the semblance of comfort and warmth that he provided. It didn't excuse the fact he was still so… as he was…

  While he might be getting away with it right now, considering he'd seemed to have convinced her mother to let him carry on as he'd been without her intervention. Tulla was beginning to develop a sort of independent outlook on the matter. One with her own blooming opinions on the issue that was his physical ineptitude…

  Coming to the understanding that she loved the man, not in the same way nor scope as her mother, but rather as family and, beyond that, one of her favourite people and, yes, even a kind of friend, rare for her as it was... Tulla had likewise realized what many might when contemplating the mortality of the loved ones around them.

  She didn't want to lose her father. Not now that she'd finally gotten one, and certainly not after admitting just how much he meant to her. There had been few people in her life who could count themselves among those she cared after. And Arthur had, recency notwithstanding, shot to the very top of that list wherein he nudged neck and neck with her own mom.

  Perhaps, for a girl of her age, it was somewhat unreasonable to expect her parent to abide by her expectations and demands. However, Tulla just so happened to think that it was equally outrageous that she should have to worry about the man's safety, given his potential!

  It drove her insane! All the apprehension, the anxiety, difficulty sleeping… Heck, a loud noise coming from the darkness had her on full alert these days, if for no greater reason than her terror over something snapping her father whole in a single bite!

  Her mother was a monster and had always been one, so, no concerns there. Her aunt and uncle were perfectly capable of defending themselves. Bianca had—well… her cousin was gone, and nobody knew where to, beyond the vague understanding that she'd taken a portal… But her father! He alone stood as the primary and genuinely only recurring source of her fear and dread!

  "When are you going down to the Labyrinth?" She asked, still holding him tight and speaking into his chest.

  For his part, Arthur seemed to almost flinch at her question, his body growing a modicum more rigid and uncertain… "Your mother…" he began carefully, as though working through his own thoughts before bringing them to bear. Sadly for him, she wasn't having any of that.

  "I'm going to drag you down there myself one of these days," she threatened, pushing away from their shared contact to stare at him with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes. "you can't keep putting it off. you promised!"

  "I know, I know, but there's just so much to do! With all the new people and the village… And it getting larger and larger by what feels like the hour and, of course, all my little projects…"

  "I'm half you're age Dad. I shouldn't have to be worrying over your safety! Not yet!"

  "Why? I feel like you make a perfect protector! So chivalrous! My daughter, the nightmare slayer… I don't think I could ever get better security, even if I tired!"

  Tulla was not at all convinced. And rather than indulging in her father's excuses, she folded her arms and made her stance on the matter quite clear. Still, her father merely beamed down at her, grinning from ear to ear while affecting as much charm and confidence as he could, likely with the hopes she'd just drop the topic altogether.

  "Sweety! I'm working on it!" He tried, obviously yielding, if in a small manner, to her displeasure. "Like I told your mother, I've got something on the go that I've been trying to hammer out! And, once It's where I like it, then—I'll go power myself up. Otherwise, what's the point?"

  "You're putting it off." She accused, seeing right through his bullshit and to the underlying reasons beneath.

  The fact of the matter was, her father couldn't seem to be bothered more than they already pushed him. He had his goals and interests, and anything beyond that point was like pulling teeth with the damned man! She'd of thought that the village being overrun by monsters might have given him some initiative! Lit a fire under his ass! Give him a tangible reason to ensure he was strong and safe! Instead, it had merely split his focus—worse than it had already been…

  "That's the same look your mother gives me, you know."

  "No surprise! It's not like she's the only one exasperated with you! Is it really so much to ask of yourself, just to give us a little peace of mind?"

  "I'm fine! Trust me, I've been working on it! Look, look! Take this rock—" He began, suddenly manic in his excitement as he reached down and handed Tulla a small rock.

  She looked at the thing with open skepticism, accepting the tiny stone into her palm as Arthur began backing away, talking and walking, head flipping back and forth between her and the ground behind him so he didn't trip. "I built a new device, not card-based, of course, but I did get the idea from one, and it's been rattling around in my head for some time! So, I figured I'd make it, show both you and Dia that I'm perfectly safe, and thus—"

  Tulla hurled the rock, not needing to hear much more on the matter and earning herself a small gasp of surprise from her dad who suddenly found himself staring at a pebble floating between his eyes.

  Tulla had a good arm, and she threw the stone with a good deal of force behind it. Not enough to actually cause permanent harm, but if this was to be some grand reveal meant to assuage her worries, then she'd be testing it on her own terms.

  "Haha! Look at that…" Her father grinned, reaching out and flicking the pebble after he recovered his poise, laughing as the wobbling stone seemed to almost reject being in his proximity.

  A moment later, it was spat back towards her, tumbling to the ground as Arthur spread his arms wide as if to ask if this was good enough.

  "A gadget…" Tulla intoned, clicking her tongue before stooping down to procure herself a much larger stone…

  "Whoa, that ones sort of—"

  "But you said the invention was meant to keep you safe?"

  "Y-yes, but—"

  "So, If I were to say, cast this large stone at you… with all my strength, of course, your strange shield would save you, right?"

  "I-I haven't stress-tested it! But, on paper, it should—"

  Again, Arthur ducked, his instincts good but… reflexes lacklustre… She still didn't put everything she had into the throw. Even still, this time, the rock got a lot closer…

  So close, she thought, that it managed to get within a finger's breadth…

  "Tulla…"

  "I'm still phoning it in, you know…"

  "Well, you did get quite strong with the whole—invasion ordeal…"

  "Stronger, taller, more mature…" Tulla stated, ticking things off on her finger while striding towards her father. "Auntie thinks my metamorphosis aged me by two or so years… And not that I want to sound like mom or anything…" Tulla paused, stepping up beside Arthur to stare at the stone that was slowly being expelled from his person. The young woman marvelling at the effect as much as her father seemed to. "But, this isn't enough, Dad."

  "Ha! I'm not some old man that you need to coddle and worry about falling out of bed!"

  "You're missing the point! Those are issues by your world's standards! Seriously! Dad, it's been months now! You promised you'd get yourself at least to silver after you were done helping set up all the new farms. Then, you said you'd get to silver after dealing with the portal situation. Now, you're not even saying you're going to do it, but rather that you don't even need to…"

  At the very least, her father had the good grace to cringe slightly, hunching his shoulders like a chastened child… "What would I even—do? I mean, I need room for all the cards I use to experiment, so…"

  "You could make yourself a Superman card." Tulla reposted, crossing her arms and refusing to back down.

  She didn't know why her dad was so obstinate about all this… she didn't even care if he fought for the cards! Heck, she'd rather that he simply buy them, in all honesty. Arthur was not a killer. He'd done so, and on several occasions, but he just wasn't the same as she or her mother for that matter.

  He was just too—well, good-natured… And she loved him for it! Y-yet, she didn't want to lose him… Didn't want to risk the chance of returning to a life where he wasn't with her… He'd taught her so much! Done so much for her! Been the first morally decent influence in her life that she could remember, and… overall, he was her dad… and Tulla would be damned if anything tried to take him away from her!

  "We both know Superman wouldn't work out here! There's no stars!"

  "You don't have to make it rely on star power! You could make it run on anything! Hell, you could make a card that gave you Wonder Woman's powers! And don't say she's a woman, so it wouldn't work, because we both know the card wouldn't care."

  Tulla smirked at him as Arthur hesitated, clearly caught somewhat flatfooted by his own daughter's ever-broadening comprehension of his culture. Knowing her point had been made, she lifted herself up and placed a small peck on his cheek, grabbing the still wobbling stone while she was at it. "I'm only going to get more aggressive about this." She added without any semblance of apology. "Deal with the problem before I convince Mom to start paying attention to it again."

  "Ha! There's no need for that!" Her father whispered, looking around himself as though the mere mention of his wife might somehow summon the woman who would, in typical fashion, abruptly appear right behind him… Some spectre of exhaustion and brutal training manifesting as if to drag him kicking and screaming to her pit of torturous lessons…

  "She's been too busy doing her whole thing. Playing politics, making plans, training the ugh… the army…" Tulla murmured, sort of wincing at her final words…

  The effect wasn't lost her her father, who, likewise, let out a small sigh… "More of a town watch, isn't it?"

  "Don't tell her that! I mean, they are getting pretty dangerous with all those cards work they're putting in…"

  "Her royal guard, then?"

  "Better than calling them a militia!" Tulla laughed, "But, given how many there are, it just really doesn't feel right calling them, you know, legion… I don't even know what she's training them to fight against! It's like she wants to make war, but… with who? There's nobody left on this damned continent with any real meat to them! The Tricen are ragged and bloody, still picking up the pieces after they're near extinction… My people fucked off back to the Landing after the undead swarmed them all… Whose left to butt head's against?"

  "I think it's more like a junior officer's program." Her father supplied, stretching out his back to the tune of a few pops and cracks. "We're growing quickly, and even if we don't need soldiers, we'll need police."

  "We have Chuck!"

  "People don't like it when robots are peacekeepers… Trust me on that one… It was tried many times, and it never really had much success… I mean, yeah, if your whole goal is a straight-up dictatorship built on fear and oppression, then sure! Robot away… But, that sort of thing tends to end badly for those in power at some point or another." He paused, pulling in a deep breath and yawning again, the slight bags under his eyes speaking towards poor sleeping habits.

  "Otherwise, you really do need actual people in positions of civil governance all the way through. You might not know it, but few things are genuinely more frustrating than talking to a machine that isn't intelligent while amidst the carnage that is a personal crisis..."

  Tulla simply nodded her head, taking his words at face value rather than trying to argue the point. Conversely, she rather felt like having colossal bots of war stomping around everywhere would be the perfect deterrent to crime! Not that they really had any ne'er-do-wells beyond a few rowdy sorts… well, and all the racism…

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Unsurprisingly, putting so many different people all in one place with each other did breed its own sort of problems. Doubly so, considering her people weren't generally so keen on giving up their superior status. Tulla knowing that many, even among those originally from the village, weren't what she'd call enthused by the concept that was equality.

  So far, the open challenge that her mother had put forwards to any who thought themselves better for the job had seen few takers to test their luck.

  Naturally, despite so said job not exactly requiring brute strength from a theoretical standpoint, the challenge was, of course, combat. A perfectly reasonable way to decide things! The biggest, meanest and most dangerous was often the one in charge among most societies out there. But the grumbling was still present on all sides.

  If anything, she'd of suspected people who were freed from slavery to be a deal less ornery… Alas, people were people no matter where they came from or who they were. And despite her father setting them up with homes and work and a means to support themselves and even sell their goods at a magical market without taxation on their end, people didn't seem nearly as thankful as she thought they should be…

  All the same, when their conversation seemed to find a natural lul, Tulla found herself in a position she'd earnestly been seeking for quite a few days now. All at once, she widened her eyes and batted her lashes at her father, lips pouting slightly as she hit him with the full puppy-dog treatment.

  Immediately, she saw her father's shift in demeanour… Part of him getting his defences ready, part of him genuinely curious, he simply couldn't help his nature, and part of him immediately giving in to the desire that was a willingness to spoil her rotten… She loved her father!

  "I have a—favour…" She began, smiling sweetly and performing as she'd seen many girls her own age do while watching TV. Putting on the maximum amount of sickly cuteness that, just as in the shows, her father was not at all immune to.

  "Mmmkay… does it involve parental supervision, approval or money?"

  "Please, Dad! I don't need money; I have a portal card, and I'm silver! I'm already rolling in it!"

  "So then—it's something you don't want your mom to know about…"

  "Also, no. Honestly, I don't think Mom would care either way."

  Thatseemed to confuse her father. The man just staring at her while trying to discern what it was she wanted. One of his hands reached up to scratch idly at his head while he truly did seem to put some earnest thought into it.

  "Okay… so it's not money, and your mother won't care after it… hmm…”

  "Well, I mean, she probably will want to know what I'm up to, but… yeah, I think she'll sanction the second half at least! It's something she sort of wants anyways."

  Arthur considered her for several long moments, brow furrowed in contemplation, thinking hard on what this mystery request could actually be before he simply shrugged. "Alright, you got me! I honestly don't know what you're after… I mean, there's probably a few things, but…"

  "I was—hoping you could give Chuck a body!"

  What Tulla hadn't expected was for her father's face to immediately submerge in suspicion, and more precisely, suspicion of a sort that was wholly—new to her…

  "You want Chuck to have a body… A—male body?"

  "Ew! Dad, no! Don't be gross!" She exclaimed! Suddenly, understanding where his mind had gone. Well, in truth, Tulla had already hit puberty, even before the forced changes to her form by way of her soul. However, it was still a horrendously embarrassing implication that flustered her far more than she really thought it would! "Chuck is like, well… more a brother! You're his dad, too, you know! And besides, he's not—you know…"

  "Biological?" Her father asked. And somehow, the raised brow he gave her made Tulla feel that much more humiliated.

  She really didn't see Chuck—like that… honestly, they were just really good friends, but the fact she was getting grilled on this sort of thing made her want to break out some of her new favourite words and screech them to the sky!

  "Dad…"

  "All right, all right! You know, it's perfectly natural and all… and there's nothing wrong with having a small crush on someone… Plus, I do feel like I need to ask… Not that I—you know, know that much about your body, comparatively speaking, but… has your mother actually had the talk with you?"

  Tulla's ears were burning now, as much or more than her face. Still, she powered through her mortification, head tilted at the chin… "Like I said, we're more like siblings… And besides! The only reason I was asking was because Chuck wanted to see what a city was like and, he's sort of—afraid to ask you himself…"

  "You want to take him to Kaitrice?"

  "No… I was actually going to suggest we go to Londis Landing… Mom and Tavir want to see what it's like there and what the odds would be like trying to convince immigration via citizen service…"

  "So, you wanted to bring Chuck along so he can take all the recordings they want and so you two could have a date!"

  "Dad!"

  "Okay! I'm done!" Her father chuckled, pulling Tulla back in for another hug. Of which, she didn't reciprocate, even if she did melt against him… "Just out of curiosity though, when I make it, do you want it—bal-shaped?"

  "It would probably help us blend in!"

  "Sure, sure! A-and, obviously, you'd want him handsome and muscular and tall—"

  "Please stop…"

  "So is that a no on making him beautiful or—"

  "You can make him handsome… but only if you want to…"

  "Of course, sweetheart!" Arthur cooed, kissing her on the top of her head and rubbing affectionately at her back. "I'll have a few mockups sent both you're way this afternoon so you can—approve the design."

  Tulla simply gave up at that point… knowing, in her heart of hearts, that she would rather have the AI looking as it had been described…

  Justiciar's! Why was this so difficult? And why did she want to ask if Chuck would be given a—complete body, with all the various bits and bobs attached…

  Thirty or so minutes later, after she went through the tongue twisters a few more times, Tulla was heading to the village proper.

  Things really did look quite a bit different these days, and with the landscape feeling as though it was changing each damned week, it was no surprise it still didn't feel that familiar to her.

  When her father had first arrived, the area surrounding the old and derelict village had been little more than a sea of tall grass. Maybe the odd tree or bush interspacing the vast expanse of boring vegetation.

  After, when the settlement had been invaded, the grasslands had been trampled, then summarily blown to pieces… That last part had admittedly been her doing… That being said, nobody had been upset with her over the ruination she'd wrought... Rather, Tulla was getting quite an appreciable amount of respect these days! At least, she was by those who'd been privy to the disaster itself.

  Villagers treated her much in the same way as they did her mother. Almost all friendly, of course, though there was a certain degree of eggshell walking to be seen. If anything, it was the younger ones who no longer acted as peers or as though they were somehow superior. Instead, Tulla very much now shared in the same level of respect that any adult in the settlement reiceved, and that was the bare minimum.

  As both the daughter of their new—queen… a-and the adopted child of the village's patron wizard, her status was largely only a notch or two below their own. People often came to Tulla while seeking an audience or meeting with either of her parents, which, in effect, made her a rather important person to keep in good standing with.

  Naturally, her father had found a way to fix the landscape itself after Tulla had bombarded it to kingdom come! Deploying rather large and industrial-looking machines that quite literally pushed the dirt in great swaths to relevel the entire area. Burying much of what her father had claimed to be contaminated dirt in an entirely different location while bringing in clean earth to replace it.

  After that, work began on the arduous process of building fully functioning farms. Barns had been erected seemingly overnight. Animals sourced and purchased from Kaitrice now filled such buildings to bursting! Crops were already planted by the new locals who were offered the outright altruistic opportunity to shift the direction of their lives from slavery to farmers and ranchers!

  Of course, there was all manner of alternate industries popping up around the place! From smitheries yet subsidized by the growing communities leaders while mining operations were sussed out, to a rather large-scale logging enterprise that several of what her father called beaver-people were rapidly taking to with great enthusiasm!

  Fishing, hunting, a few crafting sorts like weavers and carpenters and even, curiously enough, a fey woman who claimed to be an alchemist were all among the budding new communities' latest endeavours.

  In all honesty, Tulla felt it was great! To have so many new faces and new things going on around her had finally turned the dreary settlement into something interesting! And yet, there were problems abound! Most of which could be identified and catagorized as issues stemming from differing cultures and peoples.

  For example, the beast-kin, a, as it happened, derogatory and overly generalizing term for bipedal people who shared in a great deal of animal-like traits, was not a phrase appreciated by those who it pertained to.

  The sole wolf person liked to be referred to as a Lycan. The family of cat-folk, Panthris. The ugh… ahem, beaver people, of which they had quite a lot now, were the Muskra. And, of course, the most unruly of those so far released from their fate, the Lizalti.

  Of them all, the latter had served as the largest and most problematic of the new arrivals because—well… Her people had kind of sort of conquered their people. And once absent a collar to keep them happy and subservient, there was no love lost for their once overlords…

  The Lizalti were a scaly people. Falling into the likewise more than probable offensive term of lizard-kin. They weren't very tall on average, with the adults more her own prior size amongst their average, and appearances that could be very colourful and bright. Even so, they were not venomous. Nor were they wholly dangerous by way of sharp teeth or claws or—anything really…

  Her father had made the comparison that they reminded him of geckos. And after showing Tulla what such a creature looked like, she really had to agree…

  The biggest difference was that they were not cold-blooded, nor did they walk around on all fours. Rather their spines were rather elongated and very, very flexible, sort of like a snake. Their tails weren't prehensile, like her own, but were quite heavy, muscular and fully capable of wolloping somebody in a fight.

  Their faces, like most peoples, could be quite expressive and familiar in a way that Arthur had claimed was abnormally uniform... However, the creatures were otherwise quite gangling and awkward looking, even if they seemed to get along quite easily and could outright be deceptively quick on their feet.

  Given their homeworld was directly adjacent to the Tricen's, her father had theorized that the two peoples might even share some form of distant heritage with one another, both species sort of fitting into the aforementioned kinship with reptiles…

  Quite honestly, even the Bal had scales, mostly on the tails and wings but, still, they were there. And after seeing the other lizard-kin, Tulla knew her father had a growing hypothesis regarding it all.

  Tulla was, of course, quite interested in this side of what Aruthur called science. And after spending so much time with Chuck and learning about biology, Tulla could honestly see the similarities. All the same, if there ever was some sort of ancient kinship that had existed, she rather suspected the Lizalti and Tricen wouldn't ever feel any kind of bond with theyre oppressors.

  As it happened, given the, shall she say, abundance of Lizalti that had been subjected along with their world, there was always a great deal of them available in the black quarter, even if there was now a kind of hesitation to attempt further liberation.

  While Arthur certainly had a bleeding heart, even his patience was not infinate. And with the general chip upon the shoulders of the rather large Lizalti community that had sprung up, Tulla knew her father's patience with their constant complaints and general thanklessness was wearing quite thin. And at this point, she knew the man was more taking it on the chin, more feeling bad over their situation rather than being anything that was approaching happy about it all…

  As it happened, when Tulla made her way to the now somewhat sprawling town that surrounded the spire, she could hear the argument she was approaching before she actually saw it. Not a huge surprise given the spire's platforms were surrounded on all sides, but as she flew in to land on the aerial arrival pad, she did so with a bemused expression.

  "In all fairness, your ladyship, my people never agreed to bend our knees! We were forced to do so, and now, right after being released from unjust servitude, you want us to scrape and grovel on our bellies all over again!"

  The man, or that was to say, the Lizalti, who Tulla assumed was a man, marked a pause as he glanced behind himself, seeming to take a semblance of confidence from the few others he'd brought to stand at his back. Twisting his oddly flexible midriff after the brief break in conversation to begin again, this time while clearing his throat.

  "I won't apologize either. I don't think, out of the two of our people, that we are the ones who should be doing so. Thus, I am here to make certain demands toward our independence, sovereignty and—"

  "Please stop!" Cassandra sighed, shifting a hand that was already raised as if to forestall a conversation that hadn't abided by her wishes. "I already told you you're speaking with the wrong person!"

  "Oh, but I don't think I am! You see, I already took this to this supposed—queen of this mud pit, and not only did she laugh, but she told me to shove off and go back to the labyrinth if we didn't like it!"

  "And you think I am going to tell you any different?"

  "The Wizard—"

  "Is not in charge," Cassandra stated, staring down at the much smaller man as she spoke. "And even if he indulges in your people's seemingly countless issues, he does so of his own whim, not because it is owed to you."

  "Then we will pack up our farms and build elsewhere!" A creature behind the first shot back, its hissing accent of her language somewhat hard to really capture.

  "You are free to leave; we won't stop you, but you are not taking the farming equipment! Nor anything from the land you've, hmhm… been allowed to settle!"

  "You mock us?"

  "Yes! Is that not what people do when others approach them with absurdity?"

  "You expect us to leave with nothing? How will we build? How will we support ourselves?"

  "Then just go back to Kaitrice, do what everyone else does down there and work for yourselves by hunting monsters… Honestly, I really don't know what you want from me?"

  "And if we refuse to leave, then? Refuse to bow the knee, refuse your laws and your taxes and—"

  "What laws? What taxes?" Cassandra chortled, looking wholly amused as she was annoyed! "You've been given your freedom free of charge, given land to work with half the struggle and toil already finished for you, and as of yet, nobody expects a thing from anyone at the moment. Honestly, it comes off like you're simply complaining because you feel the need to for whatever reason or are possibly simply annoying by nature…"

  "Watch your tongue when talking to the elder!"

  "Why? What are you going to do? Leave? Go ahead! We'll have those farms being worked by those grateful for the opportunity within the week!"

  The evident elder of the small procession seemed somewhat at a loss for words. Stimied and entirely taken aback…

  Frankly, Tulla wasn't entirely sure what the group had been expecting… nothing having been said that she herself found unreasonable, at least, that was to say, on her aunt's side of the argument. Still, the young woman knew that, in a way, this was sort of her problem as well… And though they seemed to have singled Cassandra out as someone important, her aunt hadn't really been the same since Bianca's disappearance. If anything, she'd grown much more irritable and reserved. Taking a step away from any form of governance while she worked on a project of her own making.

  Tulla knew she had visited her father on multiple occasions for entire weeks now. The purpose of which possessed the lone goal of somehow finding out where her daughter had vanished to.

  Cassie didn't even look like the same person… Her hair was cut short to the ears, just as it was required for those on active duty. And rather than civilian clothes, her aunt had returned to the habit of wearing her war robes. Much like herself and her mother, Cassandra had entered into a state of militant familiarity.

  The woman spent no inconsiderable amount of time in the labyrinth, both improving her revised soul deck and searching for clues as to Bianca's whereabouts. Given her access to portals, she often returned back home to rest. However, she was seen less and less around the settlement, the distortion of time between the above world and the below making it seem like she could be gone a week between appearances.

  No, it was no longer her aunt's responsibility to act in the function she'd been accosted to perform. And while Tavir very much had submerged himself in his work, as much from grief as a genuine desire to build a place for his people to thrive, Cassandra had her own designs…

  "Princess Tulla!" Her aunt beamed as she gave the woman a knowing wink, sauntering up to the disgruntled group to relieve her aunt of their nuisance.

  "Auntie! What's all this about?"

  "Princess Tulla…" The Lizalti elder scoffed, offering her an unimpressed look from head to hooves as she interspaced herself between his people and her kin.

  "Ah, this is… hm… honestly, I couldn't be bothered to remember his name…"

  "It's Kushlach!"

  "Yes… well, anyways, they're unhappy with all the free and wonderful things your father has given them, so—have at it, dear…" So saying, Cassie bent down and kissed her cheek, walking away with a wave a moment later as Tulla sighed to herself.

  "Your mother—" The elder began, clearly starting to build up steam before Tulla simply snapped at him.

  "No! Shut up, I don't much care either. Leave." She commanded, ice forming a barrier to emotion over her own heart. "You've all been nothing but a nuisance."

  "We—"

  "If you speak again without my grace, I will execute all of you where you stand," Tulla warned her expression not so much as twisting with annoyance. "My soul is nearing gold as an average among my deck, elder. I could butcher your entire community all on my own."

  The dark promise in her words seemed to finally reach the man as he leaned away from her, his entire group shying away from her menacing glare, none opening their mouths to speak.

  "You will have your provisions." She continued, never once taking her eyes from their leader. "You may draft up a list of what it is you believe yourselves to need. If you've no paper or parchment, that too will be given to you in good faith. A warning, however," She stated, now allowing her eyes to meet each person in turn. "if you feel as if this is an opportunity to try and wheedle as much as you can from us, understand that it is much easier to deal with you and your people by digging holes in the earth. Rather, of course, than any alternative. I sincerely hope you will all be gone from our lands with all due haste; else, I will simply take your souls and be done with it."

  She turned, making to leave as she spoke over her shoulder, "If I hear you've bothered anyone else with this, I shall take it as your kind being too far gone to bother speaking with again. And simply act as is needed. You shall have an automaton visiting you presently to assist with the details. Good day, elder."

  When Tulla began walking away, she had to fight every iota of her nerves to ensure she didn't look back to the group nor trip! She was feeling positively jittery! Stomach doing flips and flops, hands so badly wishing to shake she was positive they were doing so, despite her iron-like clench.

  This had been one of her first major intercessions within her supposed position, or at least, one of the only ones she felt were meaningful… And since she wasn't sure what her mother might do if they were allowed to continue causing grief, Tulla had decided to make a decision of state.

  She would personally make sure the Lizalti had everything they needed. Then, she would see them off on their merry way, and the village wouldn't need to deal with them ever again. Already, it had been agreed that their people were to be avoided at the market. So, once gone, no more would come back.

  Tulla wasn't enthused about needing to murder so many innocent people if they ultimately continued on as they had, but she was already resolving herself to do it. Her father wouldn't be happy, but it was something she felt needed to be done. The man was already ragged with all the various tasks that pulled at him from all sides, and she wouldn't allow the thankless creatures another moment of his grace.

  "Ooooh… that was splendidly done!" Her aunt cooed, the woman seeming to have been resting just beyond her eyesight, leaning up against a building while clearly having listened in. "Positively ruthless, my dear! But, both fair and tactful."

  "You don't think it was too much?"

  "No! Arthur wouldn't condone it, but he's too soft for governance. Everyone already walks all over him… He's too—nice... At least until he isn't… And, your mother really didn't have too much interest in speaking with them either. She's on the other end of the spectrum, really… Not much for governing either, as she intends to be a warrior queen, winning glory and the adoration of her soldiers by fighting on the front lines with them! Not a very remarkable showing of her state-craft, but that's what ministers are for."

  "Eh… Mom's just focusing her efforts elsewhere… We do need a military, and I know she's been pushing hard at looking for survivors in the wake of—well… the undead…"

  "No… she's doing what she knows she's good at." Cassie countered, now reaching out and giving her niece a hug as they walked. "Dia will never have what you just did come naturally to her. You saw a problem and decided to deal with it in as judicial a manner as could be hoped for all partys involved. My sister, however, just doesn't think like that. She has plenty of tact to go around, don't get me wrong. But she's not a diplomat and doesn't much care about other people besides. She's very—selfish, in a manner of speaking… It earnestly runs in the family!"

  "I still think she'd be a good queen…"

  "As do I, but not all rulers are of similar minds or skill sets. Your mother, for example, fully intends to be a conqueror, though as to who or what she wants to claim, I really have no clue… While, by contrast, your father would much rather spend his days, nose pressed firmly against as many projects as he can get away with. He's a builder, an idea's man! But again, when it comes to dealing with people—"

  "Yeah…" Tulla admitted, seeing her aunt's point.

  Arthur's response to those asking him for things was generally categorized as, yes, I'll see if I can fit it in. It didn't seem to matter if he was already swamped or if the request was outright unreasonable. The man simply seemed much more prone to taking on ever more work than telling someone to take a hike…

  In all actuality, her father was the engine that was driving the settlement's massive changes, but they'd had to all but sequester access to him, hiding the man away behind a damned secretary whose whole job was to take the somewhat endless supply of requests and basically stamp most of them with a big red denied marking…

  "Hmhmhm! Yes, it is delightful to see everyone coming together in their own ways to make this place into something of value…" Cassandra admitted, chuckling lightly as she did so. "But if you want my opinion, darling? You should spend a few weeks shadowing your uncle. He's very good at dealing with people, logistics, making hard decisions, and more or less smoothening out the inevitable road bumps from day to day. All skills one needs to be what most would consider an ideal ruler."

  "I don't—my mom's already—"

  "Oh please, you are not so shortsighted to see that, one day, you will eventually be in a position of rulership. Whether that is as a queen in your own right or nobility with an estate or city yet under the crown of your mother."

  Cassandra stopped, taking her niece by the cheek, smiling warmly at Tulla while rubbing at her with an affectionate thumb. "Trust me in this, love; you will find great benefit in what Tavir has to teach. You're already plenty strong, have a mind for warfare, know your father's magic and how to best make use of it. What you currently lack is a tutor in politics and leadership. Don't pass the opportunity by while it is so easy to take advantage of in the moment."

  Tulla—nodded at her aunt, taking the woman's words to heart… Not long ago, she'd probably of scoffed and sneered and disregarded half of what she'd said as boring or pointless… But, she'd been feeling somewhat less standoffish and angsty since her changes…

  Though it was weird to say, she honestly found the prospect somewhat desirable… Tulla wanted authority. She wanted adoration, she wanted respect. Desired for those around her to treat her much as they'd begun. Much like her mother, Tulla craved the trappings of power in all its many forms. And as much as she'd left the confrontation with the Lizalti elder a veritable bundle of nerves, it had been thrilling right from beginning to end!

  She liked solving problems. She liked feeling important. And though she hadn't ever thought a position of command would be that interesting to her, Cassandra's suggestion was actually quite attractive…

  "You think he'd let me?"

  "Don't be like that! He'd love to! Both because you can doubtless help him work through the many problems that he has to deal with and because you are family!" Cassandra hesitated, pulling away as her eyes took on a more distant look, her form deflating slightly with a sigh… "Bianca's disappearance is hurting him, even if he doesn't show it in his demeanour… He's aged these past few months more than he has in years, and it will do him wonders to have such a fine young woman as his protege; take my word for it. You'll be helping him more than you realize…"

  Again, Tulla nodded. Moving back in to embrace her aunt, who took her affection quite willingly. Holding her niece tightly and taking in a shuddering breath before they separated, the older woman smiling again, though with less mirth.

  "I'll be heading back to Kaitrice tonight… Make sure you speak with Tavir about my suggestion before I get back."

  "You know, if you ever need help—"

  "I appreciate it, Tulla, but you and your father have already done plenty. I've a man who claims to have details on a lone and suspicious Bal presumed involved in several murders. The description provided seems—accurate as it is disturbing… But it's the best I've managed to find. Now, I'm just waiting on the information broker to compile what he knows about her. I'm meeting with him as soon as I get back."

  "Same kind of deaths as the other's?"

  "Violent, close questers, always where there are few to no people. None of them have been recent, nor have any more arisen; thus, it seems likely that the culprit has departed the city, but I am hoping to discover where that may have been…"

  "Where would she even go? To Cornin?"

  "I honestly don't know… but, hopefully, I'll learn something from all of this…"

  When her aunt seemed to quiet, allowing the air between them to enter into a comfortable silence, her thoughts clearly drifting towards her objective. Tulla sighed, took in a long breath a moment later, then forced out a smile. Attempting to return a semblance of levity back to her person before anyone saw her now dour mood. Speaking about her cousin was hard for most in the village... almost taboo really. Still, when the time came that Cassandra found her, most would likely be lining up to help.

  All the same, the two women said their goodbyes as they went their separate ways, Cassandra back home, Tulla heading to her mother's war room. The girl now supposing she had a few people she needed to speak with beyond the settlements ruler…