Chapter 10: The Ultimate Infiltration Mission, But With Yinglets


Darren, the grumbling Beast-Tamer wearing the traditional garb of the Beast-Tamers guild, and the same lad who had the brown knotted bun with pale skin and dull amber eyes, was busy sweeping the hallways of the Beast-Tamers guild's main building. It's boring work, and Darren hated it with a passion. Just as well. At least it got him out of Grenfack's dwindling hair, and away from Kanio's infectious optimism. Darren would rather have some caffeine tea, but NO, the earwig pandemic with the hill-dogs just HAD to ruin all his vacation days he had been saving up for some alone time with his book project. And worse still, the lout named Zipple got tangled with some business with a yinglet and had to call for a doctor to visit him and treat his wounds.

Kanio approached Darren from behind. "Hey buddy."

Darren jumped slightly but hissed a sigh and squinted his eyes shut in frustration. "Hello Kanio. Nice of you to startle me."

"I know I know. I'm sorry." Kanio said nonchalantly while rolling his eyes. "By the way, the master of Arisota's Hold is visiting our guild."

Darren froze for a few seconds before slowly turning around to stare at Kanio incredulously. "... Are you serious?"

Kanio blinked a few times. His eyes then brightened in realization. "Oh! Right! You had a bit of history with Arrinoka! What was it called again? Oh! The punch bowl incident!"

Darren walked up to Kanio to place a hand on his mouth. "Shut up, you village idiot, and don't you dare spread those rumors around like a damn rumor mill."

Kanio blinked a few times again before nodding. Once Darren's hand was removed, Kanio spoke again. "Anyway, I'm back again and am now here to help. Need help?"

Darren paused before a smirk formed on his lips. "Yeah. You can take this broom and do the sweeping that was supposed to be your task today. I need to do something else."

"Tea?" Kanio asked.

"Tea." Darren answered.

Kanio sighed and nodded. "Alright, well, take care then. I think the doctor is done treating Zipple, so he might be in the break room. Tell him I said hi!"

Darren nodded and let the broom tilt and fall toward Kanio's general direction before walking directly toward the break room. Along the way, Darren had forgotten to tell Zipple that Kanio said hi. Whoops. Ah well. Sorry, but not sorry.


Upon opening the door into the break room, he could see a figure hunched over a fireplace, whom was wearing civilian clothes on his legs. There was two piles of clothes on the floor, one that had small tears and smatterings of blood on the fabric, and the other was a fresh set that was neatly folded. Darren could see that this person had fresh bandages covering his person, with some stitches running up and down his arms, and a strange ointment smell emanated from said bandages.

Darren knocked on the frame of the door leading into the break room. "The doctor still in?"

This man turned and sighed tiredly. He looked much like a younger version of Grenfack Yacktree, what with the tan skin and steel gray eyes. However, his hair was not as silvery as Grenfack, as it was black instead. "He'll be back to check up on me again. So long as I don't move around too much and risk opening the stitches, I should be fine."

"You smell like a soup with strong-smelling vegetables and wine, but someone barfed in it." Darren stated, as he went to the nearest cupboard to search for some tea supplies.

"The doctor's special remedy for infections, apparently. My wounds may smell like bad food, but he says the remedy will make sure they won't fester." He said.

"yeah, I bet all the local ladies would go: 'Oh deary me, Zipple's wounds are infected!' 'What? Oh no! Not the handsome hunk who's the son of guild master Grenfack!' 'We could have totally married him and have him moved in into our noble houses!' But then again, if you did end up remarrying and moved out of Arisota's Hold, we'd have to work your shifts." Darren teased in an emotionless tone. "Also, scooch over. I'm getting the kettle over." He said as he fetched some pouches of cheese-cloth-covered leaves and filled a steal kettle with drinking water. Once he got everything, he began walking towards the fireplace.

"Still an ass in the morning, as always." Zippled said with a sigh as he gingerly made room for Darren. Once Darren placed a kettle over the fire in the fireplace and dunked the pouches into the water, Zipple craned his neck. "Heard if a representative from The Crown visited us yet?"

"Yeah. Arrisota himself. I'm hoping to hide here until he goes away." Darren replied nonchalantly. "Oh, and get some tea too."

Zipple chuckled. "Wow! Lucky us, huh? We're not the kind of guild that aristocrats from The Crown typically visit. Much less the Fortmaster!"

Darren nodded and yawned as he watched his kettle warm. "Yeah. Usually it's the other way around. But with the hill-dogs needing our help and everything, I guess it's to be expected that they'd send a representative to come to us and get the scav off our hands instead."

Zipple nodded, paused to watch the fire, and then turned to Darren. "Since the lord of Arisota's Hold himself is here, then that might mean he'll be extra generous and give more reward money to my pops."

"Not many people have the same constitution you have to continue working, even with your injuries." Darren huffed.

Zipple painfully shrugged. "Despite the working conditions of being a Beast-Tamer, a lot of people look toward us to help give them a chance to feel safe in a dangerous world. I mean sure, some hill-dogs might end up dying in case an invading army sets their sights on us, but at least it'll provide our people enough time to make their escape to the hold. Of course, a little bonus pay wouldn't hurt."

"Well, the scav's fur color was very yellow. I suppose that could fetch a good price in pelt quality, and line your pocket with extra reward money."

Zipple blinked a few times before staring at Darren. "What?"

Darren looked back at Zipple. "What?"

"What did you say about its fur color?" Zipple asked.

"... It was yellow. Why?" Darren replied.

Zipple blinked a few times. "Last time I saw the scav, it had white and gray fur."

Darren paused for a few seconds. "... Are you sure?"

Zipple's face contorted into a serious expression. "Of course I am. Did it smelled like piss when you saw it?"

Darren shook his head. "No, the scav didn't roll in any hill-dog pee. That, and I doubt its fur got stained by pee overnight. He did get tossed around when he escaped his bindings last night however."

Zipple blinked a few times, paused, and then got up from sitting next to the fire. "Alright. I need your help."

Darren stared at Zipple in confusion. "Why? What happened?"

"I think the scav I caught was not the same scav you saw. Now help me find Lord Arrinoka." Zipple asked.

Darren stared at Zipple before looking back at his tea. "I dunno. I'd rather not let my tea oversteep."

Zipple rolled his eyes. "Oversteeping your tea isn't going to kill you."

"Does it look like I'm payed enough to care about a color-changing scav, or the possibility that there might be two scavs running around Arisota's Hold?" Darren responded.

"I'll split the reward money with you." Zipple offered.

"Hmm... Nah. I don't think getting bitten by a scav is worth the effort. If it somehow did bite me, the medical bills alone will dip into my savings, and I don't want to end up smelling like you. So no thanks. Now let me have my tea." Darren answered with finality.

Zipple huffed before relaxing at the side of the break room's fireplace. "Fine. But I'm not gonna share my bread sticks with you today."

"Bread is temporary. Tea is eternal." Darren stated as he retrieved the kettle and began pouring a small amount of tea into a cup.

After Darren took a sip of his tea, Zipple sighed once more. "So! How is your book coming along?"

Darren hummed after he supped from his cup. "Oh, it's coming along okay. I've finished writing a chapter about the three side characters."

"So it's a whole chapter dedicated to those three side characters that has little impact in your story?" Zipple asked.

"No. About a thousand or so words in this chapter. Felt like giving them a small sendoff before going back to the main plot." Darren answered.

"Ah, okay." Zipple replied before he let himself relax by the fire. "Aren't you worried that putting too many subplots in your story might alienate your potential readers?"

Darren shook his head with a derisive snort. "When it comes to story-crafting, putting in too much details is oftentimes the best way to make a good narrative."

Zipple chuckled. "Oh I'm sure your books would be as useful as paperweights when they get published."

Darren responded with a rude gesture, which made Zipple chuckle.


This is bad. So fekking bad. Incredibly, incredulously, and unimaginably bad. I was eventually brought outside of the Beast-Tamers' guild. I saw a fancy yet strange horseless wagon that was escorted by twenty soldiers, all clad in steel plate armor with the image of a mountain and a fort with a crown and stars on their capes, and a smaller image of the same on a flap of cloth that draped over the left breast of their armored fronts.

"Alright Roy. Here we are." Grenfack said as he settled me on a soft seat within a fancy carriage. "Be good, and remember to be polite to everyone in your new home." He then turned to Arrinoka and another man, dressed in expensive clothes, with a smile. "Thank you for the sixty nine thousand gold grains. This will certainly help us build more kennels. Of course, we'll be needing to hire more hands to maintain them, but that shouldn't be a problem for me for a while."

Arrinoka nodded at Grenfack. "At least you'll be able to afford the medicine you'll need to treat all the ill hill-dogs in spades."

"Sixty nine thousand gold grains for just one scav." The expensively-dressed man said as he shakes his head. "Pardon my opinion, my Fortmaster, but isn't this transaction a bit ridiculous?" He had swirling yellow ribbons that were mainly flowing down his clothes, and had a coat that was similar to the green, gold, black and red colors that both Zuddul and Arrinoka wore. This man also had a blue badge on his left breast, which had a picture of three gold circles stitched into it.

Arrinoka shook his head. "It wasn't a mere transaction, my dear Fladdel. It was an auction. You know how competitive I can get with my brother at times."

The newly named Fladdel nodded. "Ah. So that was why Advisor Zuddul was in such a sour mood. Very well!" He then turned away to face the soldiers. "Okay guardsmen! Once our passengers are inside, hoist up the braking yoke and port us back to the hold! I'll be on the top seat!" Fladdel went out of my sight while Arrinoka came into the horseless wagon, taking a seat that was opposite of me. Seconds later Fladdel shouted something similar to a "Hyup! Forwards!" before the horseless carriage began moving.

I looked at the wooden blinders that partially concealed the windows, though they didn't block my view of the outside. "Huh. So zhis is some kind of big sedan chair." I stated.

"Oh?" Arrinoka replied.

"Yeah. Traditionally, a sedan chair, or a litter, is crafted to be small enough for two people to carry over zheir shoulders, wizh a single occupant zhat's carried in zhe central passenger seat. Zhis wagon, or carriage, or whatever it's called uses wheels in conjunction wizh a pulling force zhat transports it forward. Ostensibly, you could use a large animal to pull zhis carriage, but I didn't see any, which means zhose soldiers are pulling zhis carriage around instead." I added.

Arrinoka leaned towards me. "Ah-huh... I think I can see why my brother would be interested in having you."

I snap back to reality. Fek. I overshared again. "... Um. It's a nice ride. Heh."

After a long pause, Arrinoka broke the silence. "So! Are you a smart yinglet? Perhaps a patriarch that has decided to visit my fine hold? And are there others of your kin that came here?"

Think fast, Roy! "Uh. I'm sorry, Lord Arrinoka, but I'd razher not say anyzhing zhat would risk compromising my position."

Arrinoka chuckled, leaning back and gestured to me. "Ah, but you forget. You will be registered to the Exotic Animals Registry and I'll be having you as my pet. And as my pet, that gives me full right to do anything I want to you."

I stared at Arrinoka, a lump forming in my throat. "Like... flay me?" I squeaked.

"That can be arranged, but only if you refuse to be good-natured or cooperative with me and everyone within The Crown." He answered with finality. He then crossed his arms and stared at me like a shark that was hungry for knowledge. "So I'll ask you this once to not insult my intelligence. Tell me why you're here, and I'll make sure you'll live in the lap of luxury."

I slumped backwards and contemplated my situation. As I stared blankly to the roof of this soldier-drawn carriage, my mind raced to look for any possible way I can somehow come out on top. However, my options are currently limited, since I'm still bound by a tight rope that's keeping my limbs from moving. If I had a modicum of freedom, I'd at least try to escape, but that would certainly make Arrinoka more interested in containing and probing me with more questions, or worse, find that I'm no longer worth keeping and just straight-up having my pelt in the end. And since I don't have any experience when it comes to diplomacy or smooth-talking, I'm screwed ten ways up a creek of runny dookie.

And thus, another option: Tell him everything. Unfortunately, I have no idea if Arrinoka is the one responsible for hiring the mercenaries that are poaching male yinglets and capturing live females from their enclaves. Since Arrinoka is a lord, he would have a lot of cash to throw around, and it wouldn't be out of his character to hire some poachers to get the pelts for him. With that in mind, telling him about the location of Sharp Rock Enclave and all of the yinglets that are there would certainly make Rhondy and the other patriarchs declare me as a traitor to their kind. Or tell every yinglet out in this world that there's a bounty on my head, though I'm unsure how Rhondy or her patriarchs would be able to do that. And even then, once I tell Arrinoka everything, then my usefulness would run its course. What then would I be to a lord that has everything he needs, and me as a yinglet, naked, tied, with nothing else to offer?

I sighed, as though defeated.

Okay. New plan: Just tell him enough to keep his interest in me. I'll paint a picture, but not tell him of the details in the background, or the significance of the metaphors, so to speak.

Right.

"Alright. Fine. I guess I'll tell you why I'm here." I then pointed a hand-foot at him. "But please bear zhis in mind. I'm only going to tell you what you need to know, and not everyzhing I know. I'm putting myself at risk doing zhis, so please keep zhis between us."

I could tell Arrinoka stifled a chuckle, but he seemed somewhat surprised that I'm willing to tell him my purposes in his hold. He gestured to me. "Then by all means! Enlighten me!"

"SHUH-SHUH-SHUH! Quiet voices! Let's just whisper. Okay? Pick me up and get me closer so I can whisper to you." I implored.

A short chuckle escaped his lungs, but he nodded. "Alright alright. But if you try anything, then you WILL be flayed." He warned.

"What? Afraid I might kiss you? As far as humans go, you're a handsome one. But I prefer women. Now hoist me onto your lap already." I hissed. After another chuckle, perhaps out of flattery, Arrinoka placed me on his lap. I then began to whisper to him. "Okay. Zhe reason why I'm here is because my matriarch is looking for zhe females zhat was stolen from zhe enclaves souzh and souzhwest of Arisota's Hold."

"Stolen huh?" Arrinoka repeated.

"We have reason to believe zhat someone from a human colony has been paying mercenaries to poach yinglets of zheir fur. Zhey probably raided zhe fringe enclaves and eradicated zhe male populations, but ended up taking zhe females as zheir captives. We don't know why zhey are doing zhis. Apparently, all we know is zhat zhey are running around down souzh wearing clozhes zhat makes zhem look like street performers or musicians, trading stories wizh zhe tribes for pelts zhey hunted from exiled yinglets. However, someone had zhe bright idea to cut out zhe middle man and paid zhe mercenaries to directly poach zhe fringe enclave's male yinglets and abduct zheir females. All I've been told is zhat zhe abducted females are somewhere in Arisota's Hold, and zhe secret enclave I have joined is looking for zhem." I whispered.

Arrinoka nodded along. "Interesting. Do you know what the mercenaries look like?"

"No, but my matriarch said zhey wore lots of red. Zhe elders quickly suspected zhat guardsmen from zhe Val Salia passage were zhe culprits, but scouts were able to track a band of mercenaries zhat attacked one of our enclaves back to your hold." I then sighed. Please forgive me, Rhondy. "Bear in mind zhat I'm taking a huge risk telling you zhis. I don't know who is responsible for hiring zhe mercenaries. I don't even know if you are zhe one who is paying zhem."

"Well you certainly have my word that I'm not the one that's paying mercenaries to skin yinglets for their fur, or abduct their women." Arrinoka replied.

"Even so, I can't tell whezher or not you are somehow involved wizh zhe mercenaries. You certainly have zhe kind of money to pull off such a zhing, and I doubt zhat you'll believe my story. I don't even know if I can trust you. Hell, I don't even know if you plan to put me to zhe butchers table and zhreaten me to tell you where zhe secret enclave is located, just so you can pay zhe mercenaries to raid zhem." I whispered. I then sighed again before speaking normally. "And zhat's all you'll be getting out of me. Believe me or not. It doesn't excuse zhe fact zhat I'm now completely at your mercy. Do what you will wizh me."

Moment of truth. I looked at Arrinoka's face to analyze his emotions. He seemed to be showing me something that's between thoughtfulness and curiosity. After a few seconds of reflection, Arrinoka began speaking. "Really?"

I nodded at him. "Yeah. Really."

Another tactful pause passed before he placed me back on my previous seat. "I've often heard that the intelligence of the average yinglet as, and please forgive me if what I say is offending, infinitesimal and unimpressive. That, and they are not typically versed with lying unless they learned the concept of deceit and how to apply it to suit their needs. Considering that your intelligence is greater than that of the average yinglet, it would stand to my reasoning that you once lived with humans before, and learned how their deceit works. And yet..." He then leaned forward towards me. "When you said 'do what you will with me.', you spoke quite plainly. It was as though a beggar was stripped of their dignity while knowing he would not survive the next day. It was sheer. Profound. Forthright. Humble honesty, said purely and truthfully."

I grew confused by his explanation, which made me tilt my head at him.

He sighed as he leaned back into his seat and chuckled in a different tone, looking at me like I was more than just an ordinary yinglet. "Oh my dear brother... Why would you be so interested in this golden yinglet?" After another pause elapsed, feeling like a whole eighteen or twenty seconds had passed, he leaned forward again, but this time to untie the ropes that bound me. "As a show of trust, I will grant you the ability to use your limbs once more."

Once my binds were finally off, I stretched my limbs in the freedom that was bequeathed to me. Oh. Ooh. That is nice. So so nice. Ah. Once I finished my stretches, I smiled to Arrinoka. "Zhank you. But why?"

"Let's say I was touched by your story." Arrinoka said as he laced his fingers together in his lap. "Though I am woefully ignorant to the livelihood of the yinglets that live beyond my borders, my brother has a habit of taking part in various side projects behind my back. He acts like a recluse, but he does keep up appearances when his duties are needed. But he stopped bidding for you at sixty nine thousand gold grains at the Beast-Tamers' Guild, and I find that peculiar."

I nodded along. "Of course, you could be saying zhat and implying to me zhat he might be involved in zhis as a deflection to zhrow me off. I don't know if you are still culpable wizh, or related to everyzhing happening souzh of Arisota's Hold."

Arrinoka nodded sagely. "True. But then again, I did release you of your binds. Wouldn't that show of trust from me merit something of equal value from you?"

I sighed and looked down. "Honestly, I don't really have much to offer, save for revealing zhe location of zhe secret enclave." I was motionless. I then fidgeted for a bit. I then groaned in contempt. "Unless you want me to offer myself to become your pet."

Arrinoka nodded with a whimsical chuckle. "Yes. It's quite a catch, isn't it?"

"More like a disadvantage. On one hand, I might be able to ask for your resources to help me look for zhe mercenaries or find zhe abducted yinglet females. But on zhe ozher hand, I'd have to obey your commands and do tricks in order to blend in wizh zhe royalty up in Zhe Crown. Considering zhe pros and cons of such a situation, I first need to learn a lot about living like a pet in your Hold. I'd gain a powerful ally zhat is able to charitably offer resources wizhin reason, sure, but I would have to ingratiate myself wizh whatever tortures being a pet would entail." I then looked back at Arrinoka. "Again I say: Do what you will wizh me."

Arrinoka's smile then became sincere. Huh. That's actually a comforting thing to see. "Oh fret not. I'll ensure that your stay in my hold won't be as unbearable as you might think it to be."

"Zhen I hope zhat when zhe day comes, I'll earn my freedom and help put an end to zhis yinglet trafficking operation. If you feel inclined to help me, I would appreciate it." I reached a right hand out to Arrinoka. "My name is Roy, and I'm from zhe Secret Enclave, by zhe way. It's a pleasure getting to know you."

Arrinoka reached his right hand out too and shook mine, which completely enveloped my own. "Fortmaster Arrinoka Arisota. Also, is this enclave really named 'Secret' Enclave?'"

I shrugged. "Well I figure it's better zhan telling you its real name. Or would zhat invite too much attention?"

"I'd imagine so." Arrinoka answered.

I sighed and shrugged again. "Well, for simplicity's sake, I guess I'll just call it zhe Sharp Rock Enclave or somezhing mundanely yinglet sounding."

Arrinoka chuckled. "Yeah, that does sound like a name for a yinglet enclave."

I really hope this pans out. I really do. But hey. At least I got acquainted with the lord of Arisota's Hold. Best case scenario: I'm able to get some help in finding the abducted female yinglets. Worst case scenario: All I did was extend my lifespan by a few days under the mercy of a man that might be behind this whole mess.

Ah well. Baby steps. Or whatever the yinglet equivalent is.


A/N: Looks like somebody got some o' them fancy benefits.