Chapter 7: Return to Edinmire
Natani was in her chamber on the train. Across from her was Ash, the two practicing magic with each other.
Natani's eyes glowed as she tried to conjure fire. However, she only made sparks in her hands.
"Come on!"
Ash smiled coming over.
"It's all about determination, will for the fire to be there." Ash said , his own hands and eyes glowing blue. Natani saw fire form in Ash's hands, the wolf keidran hurling it into the wall. The fire didn't burn the wall, instead it stayed in place, slowly returning to Ash's hand and extinguishing.
Natani growled.
"How are you so good at this?"
"Training with Trace, but now so are you."
Natani sighed.
"I haven't gone through instructional training like this since I was a kid."
"From what I hear about you and Zen, it seemed to pay off. I can't believe you two killed Isaac…Without me."
"Well we could have used you there Zen wouldn't have had to make that deal with Clovis."
"….Natani, I've actually been wondering about that. Zen and Kat said something happened to you, that Clovis had to save your life."
Natani gave a nervous look.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Alright. Just concerned is all."
"Well when I'm ready to talk about it, I will."
"You never talk about feelings."
Natani smiled.
"You always did understand me."
The two joined the others for breakfast.
"So where is our next stop?" Ash asked.
"Edinmire." Trace said.
"Huh, it's been what, a little over a month since we were last there?" Ash asked.
"Sounds about right." Keith said.
"What did you guys do there?" Natani asked.
"We got these mana crystals and got rid of all the Templars in the town." Trace said.
"….How did you do that?" Natani asked.
"Trace healed the garrison commander who was under the Templar's spell." Ash said.
"Actually, about that. There's a reason we're going back to Edinmire." Trace said sweat dropping.
"What happened?" Keith asked.
"Ive been listening in on rumors. Apparently that captain has been assigned elsewhere, another captain has taken his place, a knight."
"And?" Ash asked.
"From what I understand, his troops are all humans, and he's got quite the hatred for Keidran." Trace said.
"Bastard." Flora growled, the others surprised by this.
Natani smiled.
"That's the spirit Flora."
"You don't think he's a Templar minion do you?" Keith asked.
"It's possible, Randal is trying to stir up conflict between the Keidran and the empire in this province. If he's making things hell for the Keidran then it would do just that." Trace said.
"It is possible he's just a prejudice prick." Natani said.
"Yes it is, in either case we can't let the Keidran there keep suffering. We'll put a stop to this guy one way or another." Trace said.
"I like the sound of that." Ash said.
"So we can kill him?" Natani asked sounding excited.
"We can't just kill the commander of an imperial garrison. We'd make ourselves enemies of the empire." Trace said.
"Even if he's a Templar minion?" Natani asked.
"Not without proof." Trace said.
"You said yourself he's making life hell for Keidran." Natani said.
"I agree with Trace, killing him just like that and anywhere we go we'll be outlaws. Bounties on our heads, even keidran villages would hunt us." Keith said.
"For killing an imperial knight?" Natani asked.
Ash looked at her.
"If you saw someone with a large bounty put on them, would you let them go?" Ash asked.
"…Probably not." Natani said finishing her bacon.
"Fine, we'll do it your way."
"When we arrive we need find out more in depth about what's going on. Adira knew the town well enough the last time we were there. Ash see if she can give you anything good."
"A trip to the tavern, no complaints here." Ash said smiling.
"I'll join him!" Natani shouted.
"No, we need you to track the captain."
"What?"
"You were an assassin, spying on him and getting info on him should be easy enough."
"Ash was an assassin too, he can do it." Natani said.
"Ash knows Adira." Flora said.
Natani sighed.
"Keith stay close to Natani in case something goes wrong." Keith nodded.
"Flora and I will look around the rest of the town. With the old captain gone, the Templars are back." Trace said.
The train arrived at the Edinmire station, the group making their way into the town. Edinmire itself looked to be in better shape. Less graffiti, the buildings more maintained. However, they also noticed that there were few to no Keidran walking the streets.
Those who were in the streets looked afraid.
"Get the hell out of here Keidran!" They heard from a human in front of a building. Two soldiers forcing a dog keidran away from a building.
Natani growled.
Ash noticed that all of the auxiliary soldiers were humans. There were very few Templars in the town.
Ash made his way to the Riftwall tavern. Once inside he saw there weren't any soldiers inside unlike the last time, and that there were far more keidran.
Ash could sense the mood inside the tavern was quite uneasy. Most of the keidran looking afraid, the humans there looking just as uneasy. Strangely enough, the humans inside didn't seem to have any trouble with the keidran.
Ash noticed Maeve handing some drinks to a few patrons at a table.
"Hello there little one." Ash said, Maeve now noticing him.
"Ash!" She shouted.
Ash knelt down in front of her.
"It's good to see you again. Is your mother here?"
"Yes, she's quite busy." Ash heard some shouting.
"Please I'm going as fast as I can!" Adira shouted. She looked very stressed out holding two trays of drinks.
She tried to navigate the crowded tavern , but ended up tripping on a table leg.
"Ahhh!" Adira shouted falling over.
"Gotcha!" Ash shouted, managing to catch Adira with one arm while holding his other hand out.
Adira saw herself being held by Ash while the drinks were held in the air by magic.
Several patrons began clapping upon seeing Ash's magic and their drinks brought to them.
"You look like you could use use some more servers." Ash said.
"Ash, is that you?" Adira asked in excitement.
"In the flesh and fur." Ash said bringing Adira to her feet.
"Thank you for that."
"No problem."
Adira walked back to the bar and began filling more drinks.
"So where are your companions?"
"Elsewhere in Edinmire. I came to see you." Ash said.
"Are you thirsty?"
"Always." Ash said smiling.
Adira laughed a little.
"Let me get you something then." Adira filled a mug of beer, Ash taking out a coin.
"No it's on the house."
"I wouldn't feel right."
"I appreciate it, but I can spare one." Adira said handing it to Ash.
"Well this place does seem to be hopping." Ash said looking around at the dense crowd.
"Yes, one of the few good things that's happened of late."
"I heard about the new garrison commander."
Adira sighed.
"Captain Edric was better for less than two weeks before Jennis took his place. Those were a good two weeks. Now Edric and all of his men are gone."
"I saw some of his work outside."
"I suppose I partially have him to thank for how well the tavern's been doing. This is the only establishment in Edinmire now that allows Keidran inside and where humans and Keidran can socialize."
"He's banned Keidran from the other establishments?"
"One's owned and run by humans. He's from deep in the imperial center. The city of Antica."
"Antica. I suppose that explains it. That city was once the slaver's hub of the empire, life for keidran there is still hell." Ash said.
"Well he's brought some to it here."
"What about the Templars?"
"They're back, not as bad as they were last time. A lot of people around here are actually growing a liking to them."
"That's not good. I can't believe the locals after all this time just turned on us keidran because of this new captain." Ash said.
"They haven't. At least the local humans."
"Hmm?" Ash asked.
"With the captain a lot of new people have been coming here looking for work. He's forced the Keidran out of a lot of local jobs. These people have been just like him."
"What about the other soldiers?"
"They don't seem too bad personally. Even if they've been enforcing Jennis's policies, they don't seem to enjoy doing it."
"Human auxiliaries are usually from the frontier regions, most spend their whole lives around Keidran." Ash said.
"I wish some would come in here, but Jennis forbids them."
"Well we're here to try and deal with Jennis."
"Are you going to kill him!?"
"No! We'll just, do something."
"Well I hope you do. Maeve was much happier being able to go outside again. That was until two days ago she came to my crying with her fur and cloths dirty. A few of the human ruffians had told her not to go in the streets."
Ash put his drink down.
"Who did this?"
"Some of the new human workers. Stone masons I think." Ash growled a little.
Adira sighed.
"Things just can't stay well here for Maeve, first the Templars, then this." Ash seeing the sorrow and anxiety in Adira's expression.
"Things will get better here, I promise." Ash said putting his hand on hers.
Adira smiled a little.
She then saw Maeve trying to count tips she collected from the patrons.
"I just wish she could see her tutor again. He's a human and isn't allowed to come here. The last time she tried to see him is when those stone masons attacked her."
"Where is he?"
Trace and Flora walked through the outer areas near the farms.
There were far more keidran outside the inner areas of the town, many humans looking more local as well.
However, they also saw soldiers and more well dressed humans near the fringes of the inner town, some yelling at keidran or knocking them to the ground. There were more keidran working the plantations than before, and many forced onto the outer streets.
"I could expect this kind of thing in the imperial center. But out here." Flora said in disguise.
"You're right." Trace said noticing a pair of humans dragging a wolf keidran away from a crate near an alley, tossing him away.
"Stay out of our alley!"
"The humans in this town weren't like this at all the last time we were here. Even if the garrison commander thinks of Keidran as beneath him. It doesn't explain why the rest of the town so quickly turned on them." Trace said.
Flora noticed the same wolf keidran get helped up by a human farm hand. The farm hand then helping the wolf walk away.
Trace noticed a human carpenter talking and carving wood with a cheetah keidran.
"Excuse me." Trace said, the two turning to him.
"Hello, I'm Trace this is my wife Flora."
"Hello." Flora said waving.
"Hi." The cheetah said.
"No offense but we can't really talk right now, we have a lot of work to do."
"A lot of work?" Trace asked.
"My wood is starting to rot and I need to sell as much as I can before it does." The carpenter said. The cheetah looking just as discouraged.
Trace looking inside the shop and saw a pile of rotting wood in the back.
Trace raised his hand while it glowed blue.
The two carpenters' mouths dropping when they saw blue magic form around the wood , reversing the rot.
"Well it seems you have more time to talk now."
"You're a Hospitillar?" The carpenter asked.
"…..Yes." Trace said.
"I'm Don, this is Quill." The carpenter said.
"Hi." Quill said.
"Is there anything you'd like to know?"
"We were here last month and things were rough but not this bad for the keidran." Trace said.
"Well since captain Jennis came here, he's one of those deep imperial types." Quill said.
"That doesn't explain the rest of the humans turning on keidran." Flora said.
"Well there always were a few people in town who didn't like the keidran, but since Jennis came in a lot of people from the imperial core have come with him."
"Really." Trace said in interest.
"I'm afraid so. They've also been taking a lot of the odd jobs keidran did inside the town. There aren't enough farm hand positions for us." Quill said.
"Why don't you walk with us, tell us more about what's happening." Flora said.
Quill turned to Don who nodded."
Quill got up and kept whittling a small piece of wood.
In another building a human man with graying hair read from a book while also writing.
The man thought he heard something and looked around, the book falling out of his hand when he saw Ash leaning against the wall by the window.
"Hello."
He slowly brought his hands up.
"Please I don't have lots of money, you've come to the wrong place."
"I'm not here to rob you."
"Oh no you're an assassin! Please I haven't provoked anyone I-"
"I'm not an assas-, well I guess I use to be but. Never mind, Maeve, you're going to teach her again."
"Maeve? Little snow leopard keidran. Yes I have missed her, she always was a good student, and her mother quite kind. But I'm afraid I can't go to that tavern, I'd be arrested."
"You don't have to." Ash said moving and revealing Maeve behind him.
"Hello Samson." She said softly.
"Maeve, well it's good to see you again." He said as Maeve walked over.
She held a book in her arms.
"I've been reading it like you said."
"Well then, let's continue where we left off." Ash made his way back to the Tavern.
"Maeve is safe with her tutor, in a few hours I'll make sure she gets back safely."
"Ash I can't thank you enough." Adira said.
"I do what I can." Ash said before nearly tripping on a cracked floorboard.
"Woah!" He said barely catching himself.
"Sorry, I haven't had time to do much maintenance around here."
"You could hire some help?"
"You mean the bastard humans who threaten any keidran in the streets."
"What about the keidran?"
"A lot are out of work, they're asking for too much."
Ash looked around and saw the humans and keidran seeming happy socializing together.
"Well this place definitely can't fall apart for tensions in Edinmire to stay stable." Ash went behind the bar.
"You have any tools?"
Adira pointed to a closet, Ash taking them out.
"You know your way around tools too?"
"Legionaries and auxiliaries are trained in engineering as well. Every soldier needs to be able to double as an engineer if need be." Ash said as he began working on the floor.
He occasionally went to Adira to ask where spare wood was or to find the nails.
After finishing the floor, Ash went to work on one of the support beams, the tavern getting hotter from the time of day and his work.
"Damn this thing is hot." Ash said taking his armored jacket off and wiping the sweat out of his fur.
Adira dropped off some more drinks when she noticed a human young woman and two dog keidran girls staring at Ash. She saw his muscular/toned body with sweat in his fur and tail coming out of the back of his trousers.
"My." Adira said.
Ash continued working when Adira came over.
"Here, you look thirsty." She said offering him some water.
"Thanks." Ash said pouring half over his head and drinking the rest.
"You are quite amazing, your parent's must be quite proud of you."
"Wouldn't know, never knew them." Adira's expression did a one-eighty.
"What?"
"I was orphaned as a pup. My friend's Zen's parents watched over me along with the assassins guild in my village."
"Were your parents killed?"
"Not as far as I know, according to Zen's parent's my father was an auxiliary soldier passing by and my mother a tavern wench. Zen's mother was her half cousin, she took me in after my mom left."
"I'm so sorry."
"It's fine, it hasn't really bothered me." Ash said.
Adira now felt quite bad for Ash.
Keith rode a horse through the town. Natani riding close beside him. Her cloak's hood up concealing her face. Despite this, they received many unfriendly looks, and suspicious looks from the auxiliary soldiers.
They saw the garrison, Keith remembering the small castle from when he helped Ash rescue the child from it.
"So what's the plan oh great spymaster?" Keith asked.
Natani looked at the building.
"I need a distraction." Natani said.
"A distraction? Like what?" Keith asked. Natani turning to his horse and aiming her hand at the mare.
Keith was thrown off his horse, the mare falling to the ground and breathing heavily while making loud sounds.
"Oh no, something's wrong with his horse!" Natani shouted.
Keith saw the soldiers around the garrison turn.
"Ahh right, yes please help!" Keith shouted, a few of the soldiers coming over.
"You don't look like a keidran." One said.
"I'm a basitin."
"Basitin, I don't think the captain would have a problem with that." Another said before they began looking at his horse.
"Easy girl." One said.
Natani dismounted and carefully made her way to the side of the castle. She carefully scaled the side of the wall, doing her best to avoid being seen by the soldiers manning the defenses.
Natani eventually reached an open window and hung from just under it.
She peered her eyes up to see a set of well furnished quarters. Natani also noticed a small panther keidran man with a collar around his neck and shackles on his wrists , but no chains attached.
The door opened as two knights walked in.
Both were relatively young men. One wore shiny silver colored armor with a red cape. He had the same skin tone as Trace and looked about his age. He had light green eyes and thick red hair. The other looked a little under thirty with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a very handsome looking face.
"The grain is all accounted for and ready to be brought to the imperial center captain." The red haired knight said.
"Good lieutenant Reed. How was the harvest?" The other knight asked while the keidran helped him remove his armor. Natani noticing he had a muscular body with many scars.
"Pretty standard sir."
"Standard? Not above expectations? I thought those visiting Hospitaller restored the soil and made it more bountiful." The keidran taking a towel and wiping off some sweat from the captain's body.
"They did captain. But the recent influx of people from the imperial center has forced more of the crops to be diverted to feeding the town."
"Red! I can't believe you'd blame them for this."
"I wasn't."
"You and I are like them Red. Civilized people with good taste and good minds. We're lucky they came here to the frontier. The only silver lining after I was stuck commanding damn auxiliaries on the edge of the empire, surrounded by filthy keidran." The panther handed the captain a goblet before he took a drink. Jennis spit it out and gave a crossed look.
"I said red wine not white wine you fucking idiot!" Jennis shouted hurling the goblet into the panther's face. The keidran raising his arms to cover his face while giving a frightened look. Red having a conflicted look.
"…Captain Jennis, I'm just reporting that there are too many people in Ednimire for us to send more crops back than the current established quota."
"It's the damn keidran, I know how they are. They're lewd ways, walking around naked. Fucking each other left and right. Popping out babies in only a few months. They're the reason the town's overpopulated."
"In any case, there's also the matter of manning."
"What about it?"
"Well when you insisted on only having humans in the garrison here, you left out many experienced auxiliaries who knew about how to run a town like this."
"You can't be talking about those fake officers that some captains allow. Keidran are good for two things. The men can work as farm hands, the women can service soldiers."
Natani growled. The two knights hearing this and looking around.
Dennis looked out the window but saw nothing.
"Anyway."
Natani had begun scaling down.
Back at the tutor's house, Ash waited by the door, receiving many unfriendly looks from humans in the streets.
The door opened , Maeve coming out.
"You've kept up well Maeve." Samson said.
"I'll see you next time." Maeve said.
Ash took Maeve's hand and kept her close as they walked through the streets.
Maeve felt safer with Ash beside her, but was still afraid.
"It's alright Maeve, I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Why do they hate me, other humans don't?"
"They hate you because you're different Maeve, the ones who hate you come from a place where it's mostly just them. They see you as different, and something to be afraid of."
"They're afraid of me?"
"Deep down yes." Ash said.
They got closer to the tavern. Adira watching from the window in relief.
"Hey!" Ash heard.
He turned to see three human men coming from a stone mason's shop holding tools.
"The fuck you doing walking our streets keidran!" The lead one said aiming a chisel at Ash.
Ash saw Maeve shaking while she hid behind him.
"Are they the ones?" Ash asked.
Maeve nodded.
"Oh no." Adira said in fear.
Ash growled turning back to them.
"Big men, threatening a little girl."
"Fuck off you flea ridden wolf-" The lead one said as Ash grabbed his wrist and came down while turning. The man was flipped over Ash's body and landed on the ground.
The other men tried to jump Ash, but he moved fast, knocking away their strikes before kicking one's head and smashing his elbow into the other's jaw.
When the first one got up, Ash flipped into the air, coming down with his foot smashing into the stone mason's face.
He landed on the ground , spitting up one of his teeth.
Ash grabbed him by the throat and snarled.
"If you ever go near this girl again I'll rip your throat out!" Ash then snapped his jaws around the man's neck. He tried to scream but felt Ash's fangs dig into his neck.
Many humans on the streets looking afraid as Ash came back, licking the blood on his teeth while the man shook, holding his bleeding neck.
Ash saw the look on Maeve's face , she looked amazed.
"Come on Maeve."
Adira had come outside and stood in awe.
"Mommy Ash stopped the mean men!" Maeve shouted while running over to Adira.
Adira hugged Maeve but kept looking at Ash.
Trace and Flora walked with Quill across the outskirts of Edinmire.
"So what bring's you guys here anyway." Quill asked while whittling.
"We heard things were bad here, and wanted to help." Flora said.
"Help, the only way you could help is by getting rid of Jennis." Quill said.
"There are more ways to help." Flora said.
"Like?" Quill asked.
"Jennis is only a problem if you let him be one." Trace said, Quill turning to Trace.
"This is your town, the people in it, human and keidran are the ones who run it. You run the farms, the shops, for this town to function it requires you not him." Trace said.
"He's right." Flora said smiling.
"Easy for you to say." Quill said.
Flora looked over at a group of keidran farm hands sharing a single mug of beer looking depressed.
"Hey." She said, the keidran looking at her.
"Why don't you guys to to a tavern if you want to drink away your wages?"
"Look tiger, you're probably not from around here. But we can't just go walking through town anymore and the only tavern that can service keidran anymore is filled up." A wolf keidran said.
"What are you a bunch of cubs, afraid of some racist humans." Flora said walking towards the center of town.
"Flora!" Quill shouted in fear.
Flora noticed a few humans walking around all turn to her.
"Keidran." One said, Flora ignoring him while walking to a tavern.
"The fuck you doing in town!" another said before Flora slashed her claws across his face.
"Oops, sorry." Flora said.
The human got up with a pissed off look, a crowd of humans now surrounding her.
Quill shook.
"They're going to kill her!" Quill shouted.
"They won't get the chance." Trace said smiling.
A few other humans saw Flora and gave uneasy looks.
"Last chance to get out of here keidran." Another human said.
"I can walk the streets if I want."
"Alright, now we're all going to share you before."
"Hey!" They heard, seeing a few local humans approach.
"Leave her alone you imperial pricks." One said.
"What did you say to me, frontier fuck!".
"He said, back off!" Another voice said.
Flora saw the keidran begin to enter the town and join the local humans.
"Listen to me you dirty keidran-" One started before the wolf grabbed his throat and growled.
"I'm listening."
Another one had his arm grabbed by a local human and was held in place.
Many of the soldiers took notice of this and started to come closer. However, when they saw the mob of keidran and locals begin to swarm the turned to each other.
"I'm not dying for some imperial center brats." One said before they walked away.
Quill was in amazement watching the keidran and local humans take back the streets.
"You see." Trace said, the keidran Flora talked to going to a tavern.
"That was incredible." Quill said.
"Love always overpowers hate." Flora said hugging Trace and nuzzling his face.
"I suppose so." Quill said, Trace then noticed he was whittling a small set of wooden armor.
Keith and Natani sat inside a room in the building across from the garrison. The two watching captain Jennis from the window.
"You scout and then eavesdrop. We'll find out everything we need to know about this prick." Natani said.
"I still can't believe you made my horse sick with magic. That some necromancy shit that only Templars do."
"Ha! You moron I didn't make her sick." Natani laughed.
"You didn't?"
"I just used magic to ask her to play sick until I got back down. Why do you think she got back up when I got down."
"…..You can do that with magic?" Keith asked.
"I know Basitin can't use magic, but after spending so much time here and with Trace , I expected more belief from you."
"Shut up." Keith said.
Natani smiled.
"Still it must be nice for you, finally being free of all those laws."
"I miss my home greatly. I wish I could go back."
"So you could have sex once a year."
"It's efficient!" Keith shouted.
"A all this traveling with Ash and you're still saying that?"
Keith was silent. Natani turning to him.
"Wait a minute, you're telling me that after all the time you've been traveling with Ash, the biggest ladies many I've ever known and you haven't had sex once while in Mekkan."
"Never." Keith said.
"I guess you must only be into Basitins then. How long has it been for you?"
Keith was silent, looking almost nervous.
Natani's mouth dropped.
"Are you telling me that you're a virgin!?"
"….Eastern Basitin culture requires a couple be married before they ever have sex…..I've never been married."
"Wow, you continue to amaze me every day."
"Shut up."
"No I think it's great."
"It's my culture, my beliefs. I live by them and I have integrity because of it."
"Whatever you say."
"Yeah yeah, what are you going to inform me of all the fun times you've had and what I've been missing out on. I get enough of that from Ash."
Keith noticed Natani's expression change as she looked away.
He looked confused.
"What?"
"Nothing." Natani said.
Keith's eyes widened.
"You, you're a virgin too!"
Natani growled and grabbed Keith before forcing him onto the ground.
"Shut the hell up!"
Keith now smiled.
"I'm sorry, did I say something." Keith said while locking his legs around Natani and flipping her.
Keith kept laughing , Natani pushing him back.
"Want to talk about it?"
Natani held her middle finger up at Keith.
"So sensitive, she can make fun of me all she wants, but can't take anything back."
Natani looked away, Keith sitting beside her.
"It's like I said, being an assassin, you grow up around certain type of men. Ash and Zen were the only decent assassins I knew. One was my brother, and Ash is my half second cousin, basically my brother…We killed a lot of bad people, but I never had the chance to do it with someone decent who I wasn't related to."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Keith said , Natani turning to him.
"Back on the Basitin islands you'd be well respected and admired."
Natani smiled a little, her tail wagging.
"I might even give your king a run for her money."
"I don't know about that, one time I saw King Adelaide kill a Scept warlord by beating him with a dead horse."
"Is that it?" Natani said in a joking manner.
The two then heard Jennis speak and quickly turned to listen.
"The keidran are in the inner town again! Doing whatever they please!?" Jennis shouted.
"Our men didn't feel compelled to stop them sir, there were too many keidran and locals supporting them." Red said.
"Cowards, I want lashings for those in charge. Send word to bring in more of our troops from the surrounding areas, I'll show those keidran who's in charge here." Jennis said.
Natani and Keith turned to each other.
"We need to tell the others."
The five met at the Riftwall tavern. Natani finally having her drink.
"So more soldiers are coming to restore his racist order?" Ash asked.
"Yes." Keith said.
"Shit. We need to think of something." Trace said.
Maeve set down more drinks for the group.
"Thank you Maeve." Flora said patting her head.
"But you can take mine back, my stomach has been feeling a bit off lately." Flora said.
"This Lieutenant Reed, what did you think of him?" Trace asked.
"He was from the imperial center, but didn't seem onboard with what he's doing." Keith said.
"His other men don't seem to like what he's doing either." Flora said.
"You don't think we could get them to turn on him?" Trace asked.
"They're soldiers with discipline, mutiny is death. They would- Keith started."
"If these were legionaries I'd agree with Keith. But they're auxiliaries, being commanded by an elitist knight from the imperial center. If he pushes them too or does something that crosses a line, they might just do it." Ash said.
"Flora you knew this Red guy?" Keith asked.
"From Kei yes, I only ever met him three times. He seemed nice enough, and never seemed to have a problem with Keidran."
"Not everyone from the center is like that." Ash said.
"It sure seems like it." Natani said.
"I've actually been thinking about that. Does anyone find it a strange coincidence that a large number racist people from the center came here at the same time a racist captain came. Also I'm from the imperial center, these people's accents, they're all wrong. A lot of them don't sound like they're from the center." Trace said.
"There are almost no Templars here either." Ash said.
"Are you kidding me, those bastards are pretending to be from the center." Keith said.
"Randal does want to cause conflict here, a racist garrison captain, he could be capitalizing on that." Trace said.
"So this captain Jennis is just an idiot in the wrong place at the wrong time." Natani said.
"It seems like it." Trace said.
"So what do we do?" Ash asked.
"According to what we saw, Jennis resents being here. If he were transferred, he wouldn't hesitate to leave. Reed would take command and release tensions, he might even chase those Templar impersonators out." Trace said.
"How would we do that?" Natani asked.
"Simple, I use magic to forge a letter." Trace said.
"Can't they check for magic."
"Not if I enhance it with one of these." Trace said taking out one of their mana crystals.
"Awesome, stop the chaos!" Ash shouted.
That made Flora think about the book Andrew took.
"Trace, did you ever find out about that book?" Flora asked.
"Oh yes, when I thought about it I remembered something I red back at the academy. Chaos was a name for a dragon."
"Dragon?" Keith asked.
"According to the story, during the reign of the 5th emperor. A dragon named Chaos began enveloped by dark necromancy magic. It corrupted his mind and made him want nothing but to spread chaos and destruction. Even going as far as to renaming himself chaos. In the end it took the Grand Hospitaller and three dragons to kill him. But even that wasn't enough as the spirit of Chaos survived and formed a new body."
"Woah." Natani said.
"What ever happened to him?" Flora asked.
"According to legend the Hospitaller and dragons had to use a curse to trap his spirit inside a set of knight armor. This cursed the knight armor , allowing whoever wore it unnatural strength and magical power, creating the Chaos soldier."
"Do you think it's real?" Flora asked.
"I always thought it was just a story." Trace said.
"If Randal is going after this story he's just wasting his time." Ash said.
"Alright, well I'm going to bed." Natani said yawning.
"I'm feeling pretty tired too. I'll see you in the morning Maeve." Flora said patting her head.
Keith and Trace joined them while Ash finished his beer.
"Ash, I wanted to thank you for everything you did today." Adira said.
"It was no trou-"
"I wanted to offer you a thank you. I've just added some new heated baths in the back. Why don't you have one free of charge."
"Really? Alright thanks Adira." Ash said walking through the halls.
Adira watched Ash walk.
"Maeve, mommy needs you to do something."
Ash sat in the bath chamber, making a relaxed sound as he sat in the warm water in the marble tub.
"This does feel so relaxing." Ash said sitting back.
His jacket and trousers sat beside the tub.
Ash closed his eyes and laid deeper into the water. Not hearing the door open slightly.
After a few more minutes , Ash got up and stretched before shaking his body to dry off.
He heard a door close and looked around , but saw no one was there.
"Huh, must be hearing things." Ash then noticed his cloths were gone.
"What the hell?"
Ash looked around the baths but couldn't find them.
"The fuck?" Ash said trying to open the main door only to find it was locked.
He was about to use some magic on it , when he noticed another door near the back that was slightly opened.
Ash went over that door and opened it.
"Hello?" Ash said looking around. He found it was one of the rooms with a closet a dresser, and a bed.
The door behind him started to close, Ash turning to see Adira standing there, her corset dress undone.
"Hello my handsome wolf." She said , her tongue out slightly.
Ash's face turned slightly red as he covered his crotch with his tail.
"Adira!"
"Just fur? You have the right idea." Adira said pulling her undone dress back then off. Ash's face now very red while his body shook. Adira's fur being fluffier and thicker than many other keidran's he'd met. Especially around her neck and chest, coming around the middle of her large breasts.
Adira ran her hands through her hair while coming closer to Ash.
"Adira wait, I-" Ash started.
Adira wrapped her arms around Ash and kissed him, her tongue sliding into his mouth.
Ash's speech muffled and Adira's foot locking behind his calf. Ash fell backwards onto the bed, Adira pouncing on top of him while growling a little , an excited look on her face.
Ash looked very nervous, Adira stroking one of her claws across his chest.
"Adira I-" Ash was stopped when she came down, his face getting buried in the fur in the center of Adira's chest and her breasts.
Ash's face was as red as it could be, caught between Adira's soft and fluffy breasts. Adira held him there with her arms around his head. At the same time her toes stoking his upper legs. Adira felt Ash begin to nuzzle her breasts with his snout.
She playfully growled a little more and let him go, coming lower and scratching his abdominals and sides with her claws. At the same time she resumed kissing him and feeling up his tongue with her own.
Ash stopped resisting and locked his tail with Adira's, bring his hands to her muscular and large butt. Making excited dog sounds while he caressed her butt cheeks and squeezed them tightly. Both staring to thrust their waists into each other.
Later that night, Adira was cuddled up on Ash.
"It's been too long since I've done this." Adira said purring.
"It didn't feel that way." Ash said.
"I'm glad you think so. Ash I have to confess something."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes, it's just after everything you did today. How well you treat me and Maeve. Since my husband died, it's been difficult raising Maeve and running this tavern on my own. I was hoping maybe, you could stay with us." Adira said nervously.
"What? Adira I can't stay."
"You'd love it here, running a tavern, a stable home, plus ever night would be like this night." Adira said stroking his chest.
"Plus, you could have a family."
Ash smiled, giving her a kiss.
"Adira, I appreciate the offer, but you miss-understood what I said earlier. I have had a family my entire life. Zen and Natani, the army, Trace, Flora , Keith. They're all my family, I couldn't bare leaving them."
Adira sighed.
"I understand."
"I suppose I could spend the rest of the night in here though."
Adira gave a mischevious smile.
"Although if you did get my pregnant, you'd be compelled to stay here."
Ash nervously sweat dropped.
"I-"
"I'm only thirty-three, I'm still fertile."
"Adira." Ash said nervously before Adira kissed him and resumed making love.
The next morning , Natani was carefully scaling the walls of the garrison with Ash beside her.
The two got inside and carefully made their way to the mail room. Ash placing a letter in the bag of incoming mail. Natani saw two auxiliaries coming towards them.
"Come on!" She shouted.
The two hurrying out the window.
Red entered Jennis's chamber.
"Sir a letter from general Fullmix."
Jennis opened the letter and gave an exited look.
"Yes! Ha ha! I'm getting out of this shit hole and going back to the imperial center!" Jennis shouted.
"Congratulations sir." Red said.
"This place is yours now Lieutenant. Shim pack my things we're leaving."
"Yes master." The panther keidran said.
Trace and the others watched as Jennis got on his horse with his servant and two auxiliaries. They rode away with many locals cheering.
Red came out of the garrison with a few auxiliary soldiers.
"Alright let these imperial center people know things are going to chance."
"Yes sir!"
They saw new notices being put up about keidran being allowed in town and every establishment, and that assaulting keidran would be punished.
"We did it!" Flora shouted.
"Yes we did." Trace said hugging her.
"We saved Edinmire without unsheathing out swords. That is an accomplishment." Keith said.
"Yes, onto the next town."
They went to the train station where Maeve and Adira saw them off.
"Goodbye, I'll miss you." Maeve said, Flora giving her a short hug, Ash doing the same.
Ash came up seeing Adira in front of him.
"I'm sorry to see you go."
"You never know, we might be back."
"Well if you do come back." Adira started before coming forward and kissing him.
"I'll be waiting."
Ash's tail wagged before he got on the train with the others.
Jennis rode across the road with Shim and the other two soldiers.
"Finally back to real society." Jennis said.
Shim looked back at the forest for a moment, Jennis hearing grunting.
He turned back to see Shim now in a full set of wooden armor with an edged wooden sword.
His auxiliaries were on the ground bleeding.
"Shim." Jennis said.
Shim roared riding at Jennis.
The knight drew his sword and knocked away Shim's wooden sword before punching him off the horse.
Shim leapt back up and held his sword up, Jennis riding at him. Shim leapt up and kicked Jennis off his horse. the knight getting back up and holding his sword up.
"You dare challenge me you filthy keidran."
"Yes!" Shim shouted running at Jennis.
Jennis kept up with Shim, knocking away each strike while holding his stance. Shim snapped his jaws, but Jennis punched his face.
The keidran backing up. Jennis grabbed his sword by the blade and turned it around smashing the pommel into the shoulder of Shim's wooden armor, breaking through it.
Jennis hurled him to the ground and held his sword up.
"Die filthy!" A blast of blue magic smashed Jennis into a tree.
Jennis moaning before Shim ran over and kicked his head, knocking him out.
"Well done." Quill said in a mocking manner as he walked out from behind a tree.
"I had him."
"Of course you did. Come on Randal's waiting."
Randal waited outside Edinmire with a hint of impatience.
He gave an excited look when he saw a knight ride towards him. Red dismounting from the horse with a glowing bag in his hand.
"Red, there you are. I was wondering if you were coming."
"Master Brahn asked me to give this too you. Your mana crystals."
"Yes!"
"Hold on! He's also expressed his concern. Your men masquerading as people from the imperial center was stupid. I was going to handle things in Edinmire with Jennis as my patsy. No Trace and the others found a way to get rid of him."
"All will soon be taken care of, I have everything I need for the Chaos ritual."
"Master Brahn hopes it goes as planned. He would be quite disappointed if all this was for nothing." Red said, Randal giving a nervous look while taking the crystals.
Author's note
Randal has everything he needs, what happens next?
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)