Today I was told by one of my subordinates that I was being summoned to the castle for a mission.
Making my way to the palace and into the throne room I was greeted by the sight of my father-in-law talking to some of his advisors.
"Ryan glad to see you I have an important mission for you." the king says turning to me.
"What's up?"
"A new mithril mine has been found on the border between us and Veeran. You've been chosen to go and work out deals between us on splitting the mines and signing some papers. They have heard of the famous youngest captain and specifically requested you." he says showing me a paper with the requests.
I look it over and shrug.
"So who am I allowed to go with?" I ask.
"I don't care just pick someone you trust and I'll have Silvia look over the troops while your gone it will take a couple days to get to Veeran. So pack appropriately." he tells me.
"Alright when am I leaving?"
"Today. A carriage will be waiting for you outside the west gate." he tells me.
"Alright I'll go get ready." I head out of the throne room.
I'll be taking Sasha as she always goes with me and then I'll go grab my next companion for the trip.
I make my way to the school and head down into the basement.
I open the big wooden door and inside is my travel companion.
"Yo kroft up for a trip?" I ask the lich who is looking over a physiological book I had given him.
"A trip? Am I even allowed to leave?" he asks me in confusion.
"Yep I'm allowed to bring one person on a goodwill trip to Veeran to discuss a mithril mine deal so you interested in going?" I ask.
"You bet I am! I didn't know I could fucking leave. Need to get some sun on these old bones." he says with a laugh.
"Alright but wear a hood and dim your eyes when we are around people don't need everyone freaking out about a lich running around." i tell him tossing him a nice hooded cloak.
"Ah your just a kill joy." he says pulling off his old dank black robes and putting on the new white and silver ones with the kingdom crest on it.
"Ugh I look so fat in white clothes."
"Your literally made of bones how can you look fat?" I mutter.
"Wide hip bones run in my family." he clatters.
he pulls the hood up and a magic formation covers up his face in darkness.
We make our way out of the academy with him happily clattering on about seeing the sun after so many years.
We make our way to the villa where I pack up some of the stuff I usually keep laying around and pick up Sasha.
"A trip?" she asks me happily.
"Yep to the kingdom over."
"Silvia is going to be mad that she didn't get to go." Sasha says with a smile.
"Well its her dad's decision besides the squad would probably just go drink the whole time I was gone if no one was looking over them. Fucking lazy shits." I say walking towards the city gate with them behind me.
Sure enough there's a nice looking carriage with a few knights around it waiting for us.
"Sir this is the carriage you'll be taking to Veeran." one of the Knights steps forward and directs us into the cabin.
There's some words spoken to the driver before the sound of hooves on pavement and the carriage starts rolling forward.
"So kroft ever been to veeran?" I ask the lich while Sasha clings onto my arms.
"Yes but not to attack them they are a military based kingdom. The only reason they aren't at war right now is because their king is also a kind king who didn't like to see his people slaughtered." he explains.
"So they used war to control the population and make money?" I ask.
"Yeah. I used to follow behind the armies and snag bodies back in the good Ole days." he sighs sadly.
The trip was slow but relaxing. We would just camp out and eat food I had stored and listen to kroft talk of the good Ole days like some kinda old man.
3 days later we make it to the city. It's surrounded by high walls in a rusty red color it looked beautiful on the outside. But once we entered it was an entirely different story.
Poor underfed people everywhere. Homeless in the streets and guards walking around in what appeared to be degrading armor.
"This place looked much better when I visited it." kroft remarks.
Our carriage is stopped by some knights from castle wearing blood red armor. Sasha slips into my shadow like usual.
"Good evening Sir Ryan we have been expecting you and are here to escort you and your companion to the castle under orders of the king." one knight says looking at the hooded kroft.
"Sure things." I reply before hopping out.
We look completely out of place in pure white and silver in this blood and dust colored city.
Guards are surrounding us to keep the beggars away as we make our way to the castle.
Making our way up the castle steps we quickly enter the castle.
We are led to the door of the throne room the two guards make us wait and enter the throne room. After a few minutes they come out.
"You may now enter to see the king." they say before opening up the doors for us.