What should've taken about a month and a half for us to reach Bodach palace took little less than a month; I guess the soldiers were really ready to be home. Looking up at the tall walls, I couldn't help but think of the last time I was here.
It'd been a little over a year ago . . .
One whole year . . . Wow. So much has happened in that time. Constant battles, killing, deaths on my shoulders, making new friends (and enemies) . . . .
Have I accomplished what I set out to do a year ago? Corbin's words echoed in my mind,
'You're the only one who isn't complacent enough to stay in this lifestyle. Take Richie and go. You know how to defend yourself - don't allow our race to go extinct.'
Was I any closer to reaching my goals? I guess it was kind of lucky that I still had another year to go to fulfill the agreement with the demon as a Champion, so I had plenty more time to contemplate how to help my people.
Shaking my head to clear my mind I looked back up at the walls. "Here goes nothing." I mumbled.
Once we arrived in the palace, I assumed the demon would want to talk to me right away. However (surprisingly) the only people called to Baymun's study were Kovin and Iren. Everyone else was told to retire and get some rest for a banquet tonight . . .
How odd.
-- Baymun --
They finally arrived. It's about bloody time.
Normally I was a very patient man, however I'd been planning this particular event for months. Everything was in place - The leaders from our neighboring allies were here, the council was here, the banquet was prepared . . . Things should go flawlessly tonight.
I was still slightly unsure what the results would be . . . But I was determined to make sure I did all that was in my power to make this night a success. Tonight would be the second step in showing my subjects that things were going to change . . .
I was interrupted from my thoughts by a knock on the door.
"Enter."
Ushered in by some menservants were Kovin and my little brother Iren. I waved the servants away nonchalantly while leaning back in my chair, folding my hands in front of me waiting for Iren to begin his typical tirade of compliments and questions.
"Brother! It's been too long! Thank you so much for allowing me to study under the tutelage of Lady Ezran, Sir Kovin and Sir Toval. Surely I'm very blessed! Enough about me though, what about you? How've you been? Have you been receiving our correspondence?"
"Yes." I answered simply.
"Great! Awesome! So glad to hear it. When Kovin told me that you were needing info on Ezzie, I was quite dumbfounded."
How familiar had he gotten to her to begin calling her Ezzie? I didn't get a chance to ask because Iren was already continuing, "I mean, why do you need this info? How would we get it? But actually I'm pretty sure I was the one who gained the most information. You should've seen Kovin trying to get a simple answer out of her - Haha! It was like pulling teeth! I've never seen someone so awkward."
Kovin rolled his eyes, "It's not that easy to ask someone what their favorite flower is without sounding stupid."
I raised an eyebrow. I bet that interaction WAS quite amusing.
Iren came over to one of the chairs in front of me and sat down with a humph as Kovin sat in the other all business-like. Iren leaned forward seriously with his wide violet eyes looking at me intently, "But Brother, why did you need her interests and dislikes? It's rather ambiguous."
I gave him a cold glare, "I'm entertaining a business proposal - In order to conduct business effectively you need to know everything about your opponent."
Iren nodded his head in acceptance, relaxing back in his seat. "That's true. And she is different from your other 'business' associates, being a woman and all. I suppose women would be more affected with likes and dislikes especially in negotiating . . . Well done Brother!"
Kovin remained quiet as Iren continued, "Well, we didn't discover much else since our last correspondence. Let's see . . . Flowers, jewels, food . . ." He counted off the items on his fingers, "I got all those! Ha ha, you suck Kovin!"
Kovin's jaw clenched, "You didn't inform m'lord of the game you proposed."
Iren's eyes got wide, "That's right! Not that it's actually an interest or dislike, but she's almost been raped before - five times actually. She maintained her chastity at the expense of harming, maiming, or killing all but one of the men."
Impressive. "What happened to the one she spared?"
Iren waved his hand dismissively, "Oh she just beat him up. It was against policy in her homeland to harm male customers or something like that."
Kovin interjected, "I got the distinct impression that she was beaten for her prior impulsiveness."
Iren looked over at Kovin worriedly, "But she didn't say she was. You don't think her own people would really beat her up for protecting herself, do you?"
Kovin tilted his head, deep in thought. "Well . . . She did rub her shoulder every time the conversation came up. I've been tortured plenty to know the signs of an unintentional tick from prior abuse. She definitely received an injury of some kind during those instances."
That familiar pit feeling I've been experiencing since I last saw Ezran came sweeping over me. Inhaling deeply, I calmed my thoughts. I wouldn't do to have anything swaying my focus.
"Yeah . . . Maybe. But even still it didn't stop her from breaking that guy's neck in Weemason. Oh Brother you should've seen it! It was so amazing how she convinced the guy into thinking she was some weak pathetic little thing when really she has these knives in the back of her boots. She literally pulled him in and twisted his neck with her thighs! So freaking cool."
Kovin looked over at me in alarm, but I expressed no outward emotion. I'd heard of the encounter in Weemason; I didn't hear the extent of what went down in the torture room.
I pursed my lips, giving Kovin my trademark glare, "Is there anything else you left out in your prior report?"
Kovin looked down in shame and stated, "Nothing else m'lord. We have some new information though - Lady Ezran kept the whelp from Weemason. The soldier Rodair is now her loyal servant and has outwardly declared he will no longer return to his homeland even if the life-debt were repaid."
My jaw clenched unconsciously, but I let Kovin continue, "I'm not sure what details were listed in the latest battle report, but Lady Ezran initiated the attack due to their leader killing our informant Lendale unmercifully. She was quite enraged from how the Grimmheim leader handled our signal of peace -"
Iren cut in, "She's not gonna get in trouble for that is she? It was awful Brother - Their leader didn't warn us or anything, he just pulled Lendale down and slit his throat with no respect for our army at all! I've never seen Ezzie so mad . . . She cut off the man's balls."
If I wasn't a strong man, I'd have probably winced at that visualization. Instead I cooly replied, "I've heard plenty from the battle report and will act accordingly."
The two were quiet until Iren cleared his throat and continued, "Well . . . We also found out on our way here what she finds attractive about a person . . . I'm not sure if that's relevant though."
Interesting. "Continue."
Iren looked slightly surprised but he did as he was told, "She likes tattoos and scars apparently . . ." Iren gave off a dimpled grin aimed at Kovin while wiggling his eyebrows, "Remember that Kovin? Scars, eh?"
Kovin looked over at me alarmed once more, "I made it perfectly clear I was NOT interested in her."
Iren laughed, not noticing Kovin's nervousness, "Ha ha! Yeah, I helped you out so you said you liked timid women. I mean, I know I said you're more the 'protective type', but honestly what more could you want out of a woman - Ezzie's strong, independent, intelligent and beautiful to boot! She'd definitely not go for you though - You may have scars but I don't think you're her type."
Kovin winced, obviously offended, but he didn't reply. Iren made some very detailed observations, so I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Is she more your type then little brother?"
Iren's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Certainly not! She's my idol! I mean, next to you Brother, of course . . . She's like way too unattainable for an average guy. It'd take a very capable, dominant, cool guy to reel her in - That's definitely not me. Actually, I don't ever see her settling if you ask me."
Interesting indeed.