I spent a couple days with Sam and our egg. Our children seemed to be developing well enough within their shell. Though it was nerve wracking just waiting for it to hatch. But each day their aura was getting stronger which comforted me greatly. So we ended up spending most of our time reading books or scrolls. That or sorting all the gifts we'd been given after my ascension.
Most of them were gold, silver, precious stones, or finely made weapons and armor. There was even a hammer in one of the packages for Sam. I guess people heard how she is the only one I allow to put me in my place.
It didnt take much convincing for Kyle and Hargo to come and refit Sam with some of the armor for her own safety. She was fully outfitted for combat after waiting a few days for the refitting to be complete.
Naturally after Sam was fully outfitted I needed to make sure she was able to fight normally. So we started sparring again. I held back by only using two of my eight arms which was good practice for me. Having and using all eight arms was actually more draining than people realize. It takes multi-tasking to a whole new level.
Focusing on the placement and strength used by each individual limb is draining on the mind. soon it becomes second nature sure. But it is still draining all the same.
Using two arms was completely natural to me on the other hand. After sam and I sparred we would do squats and martial stances to improve our body posture, strength, and stamina. Only after wearing ourselves out can the body be truly pushed past its limits.
Sam noticed some nervousness in my strikes on our 5th time sparring. "You're nervous. You're not going to hurt me. You know that right?" She said with a cocked eyebrow. I chuckled a little. "I know. But it's not you I'm worried about. It's the girl Hargo and I saved from the gauntlets. She hasn't woken up in almost 3 weeks. Makes me wonder if she's actually alright or if we did more damage than good." I sighed.
Sam nodded with a solemn smile. "I'm sure she'll be alright. It just takes time is all." She said and I nodded in reply before raising my fists again for another bout. Sam gave me a wicked smile before getting into her own stance.
It was on our tenth day of morning sparring that a servant from the palace came to our home. "Your holiness." He said as he prostrated himself. I turned to find him nearly digging himself into the floor such was the aggressiveness of his worship. I nodded while stifling a laugh.
"Rise mortal one. What news do you bring to me? Perhaps of the girl we brought back with us?" I said in as imposing a manner as possible. "Yes Lord! She is awake and humbly asks for you to bear her presence L-lord." He grovelled.
I sighed. "Well. I might as well see what she has to say. Take the day off my good man. My presence is not easy to bear." I said walking around him while waving at Sam to follow.
I heard a sigh come from him as he sat back. Sweat dripped off his face as though he had just done a work out.
Of course I checked on the girl before this. But over those couple of days it seemed that she had gone completely comatose after her ordeal. She had been sleeping for almost a week and a half when she finally felt ready to talk. I entered the house and made my way upstairs. The girls room was at the end of one of our upper hallways for safety and security. I knocked on the door at the end and a girls voice responded. "Enter."
I opened the door and found the girl sitting up in her bed. Another canopy bed similar to ours except it was white. "It would seem that someone has finally managed to rest enough to speak." I said as I sat cross legged on the floor while Sam took a seat on one of the wooden chairs in the room.
The girl bowed deeply in her bed before speaking. "I am grateful sir. You rescued me from a hell that I was lead into like a lamb for slaughter. I can never repay this kindness. Not in a hundred years." She said with a slightly trembling lip.
I nodded solemnly. "We were lucky to have been there in time to fix your body at least to some extent. There may still be bits of your body that are still metal but those will return to normal with time." I said calmly.
The woman looked at me before a sheepish look crossed her face. "Pardon me sir. But I... I still dont know who you all are." She said as her hands wrinkled her sheets in embarrassment. I smiled. "My name is Ignatious Soulsmith. The champion of Aed that recently ascended to godhood. And this is my wife Samantha Von Soulsmith."
The girls eyes widened. "That is a bold claim to make sire. If in fact you did ascend then you should have some form of divine item. It would be more believable if I saw something to prove this than just your words sir." She said in a calm and level manner. I grinned before I tapped the floor with my index finger.
My crown of fire formed above my head instantly giving of a heat and divine light that made me look holy. "This is but one of my items. But is it convincing enough?"
The girl paled as she bowed. "Lord my apologies. I ask your forgiveness for my lack of faith." She said with an even deeper bow in her bed. Her body trembled from the effort.
I raised a hand. "Relax. You aren't ready to bow more than once yet. Your body is in an infantile state at the moment and is still adjusting to growing in a proper manner. So take your time. Else I would hate to imagine having to fix you twice. Hahahaha!" I said with a grin.
"And now that we are on this topic. How about we find out who we have been helping all this time. Hmmm?" The girls face relaxed before turning slightly red.
" I seem to have forgotten myself. Where are my manners. My name is Valkyria Felmenia Queensgrove. Daughter of Queen Felmenia Queensgrove of Melra. You are welcome to call me Val. A pleasure to make your acquaintance Lord and Lady Soulsmith." Her voice was smooth and well practiced. Obviously she had been practicing talking for the past while before meeting with us.
I raised an eyebrow slightly unphased. "A princess of a distant kingdom found within the hands of brigands in a foreign land. Now that's something one doesn't see every day." I grunted as I stood up. Sam looked up at me as though she was asking where I was going.
I ruffled her hair a bit. "Worry not. I just need to let Kyle know about our important guest. Things have just become more complicated than I thought." I rumbled as I nodded to Val. "Perhaps we can continue this discussion later. But I'm certain my wife can answer any questions you have at the moment in my stead." I said as I exited the room with a wave.
I found Kyle in his study in one of the taller towers. The room was large at about 20 feet wide and long. Shelves covered all the walls except one. It was the map wall showing the entire continent with another map showing all the continents and their capital cities. I turned around looking for Kyle and noticed a desk next to a large window stacked about 3 feet high with paper and parchment documents. "Kyle?" I called out.
A stack of paperwork suddenly tipped over followed by cussing and swearing from the dwarven king. "I swear people don't knock any more." He growled as I started laughing.
Apparently I had startled him.
"What can I help you with my friend?" He said as he started picking up the paperwork. I bent down to start helping but he waved a hand at me. "No need for you to help. Just tell me what you need and go do your godly business." He said with a wave of his hand.
I chuckled. "Perhaps I could help a bit." I said as I crossed my arms. "Better now than never." I hummed as Kyle raised an eyebrow. I held out my arms and the floating metal disks came to life. They liquified as I began to chant in dwarvish.
"Rasac matuna metlym.... " Translated
"Rise oh mighty metal. Show me your useful forms. Make out helpers to guide and change these boring and distasteful chores." I rumbled out as the metal morphed and shifted. Little balls were formed that were about the size of large marbles. The balls grew tiny arms, legs, and a featureless round head. As I watched the head gained a tiny red diamond on it. The heads looked around and noticed the paperwork before looking at me.
"Have at it boys." I said with a wave.
The dozen or so little men suddenly hopped to the task. They were really eager I should say. Like really bored children that were suddenly given something exciting to do.
The paperwork was quickly stacked into neat piles no higher than a foot across the floor in front of the desk. They then grabbed quills and ink pots from a storage shelf close by and began to deal wih each document.
Kyle leaned in close. "How do you know they'll deal with the paperwork correctly?"
I smiled. "The earthen elements remember everything that happens around them. Paperwork included. And it shares that knowledge with similar elements. I doubt that paperwork is a hard thing for them." I hummed out.
I went over and sat in a chair by the fireplace and waited for Kyle to take a seat. "We have an issue it seems." I said.
He raised an eyebrow as he settled in and poured us both some tea. "Such dramatics. What is it? The girl? We already anticipated something in order to return her home." He said with a wave of a hand.
I took a sip of tea. The watered down taste was mellow and had a citrus kick to it. "But a missing princess is an issue." I said taking another sip.
A spray of tea went into the fireplace. "A princess! And your sure the girl isnt lying to you?!" Kyle said in shock as he picked up a napkin to dry his face.
I raised an eyebrow. "I have my methods. Her pulse remained steady and her speech was well practiced. Her mannerisms alone say shes royalty." I said and finished my tea before setting the cup gently on the table.
"She's bold yet reserved, watchful yet kind. I saw that in you when we first met." I said thinking back to our first meeting in the throne room.
Kyle leaned forward. "Very well then. Which princess of the Melra Kingdom is she?" He said as he rubbed his hands nervously.
"And you said I was dramatic." I chuckled out.
"Her name is Valkyria Felmenia Queensgrove."
Kyle let out a groaned as he sank in his chair. It actually looked like he was suffering at the moment. "Why Me!?" He growled out.
"What? It cant be that bad can it?" I asked.
He leaned forward with a suddenly very tired looking face. "It is when shes been missing for the past four years." My eyebrows rose.
"Now I see the predicament." I said as I tapped the arm of my chair. "Hmm. I guess the best thing to do now is have her explain where shes been the past four years and return her home." I said as I stood up.
"But I'll leave that for tomorrow." I said with a wave of a hand. The marbles were still working hard on the paperwork when I left.
(A princess that's been missing for four years turns up at our doorstep. This has to be something of a sign.) I thought as I mulled it over in my head. "It was no coincidence that our enemies had used a missing princess as material for a destructive weapon. This could spell disaster for Kyle if we do this wrong." I hummed on my way home. (What could they possibly be planning?)