"It's alright. I am sure it must be off-putting to be near so many beastmen and women all at once."
"Oh no, that's not what I mean! I meant I am very well…I am very different in viewpoints and behaviors. I don't fit it visually yes, but I just mean I didn't live in a militaristic or service family."
"Really? Huh…" Gizzele comments
"What?"
"Well, I just meant you haven't spoken about your past much other than being from the Far East and also being in an isolated rural mountain village. But to be honest, you were very good with those gauntlet blades. I will admit, I was beginning to suspect that there was more to you than what you led on." She finishes almost with a hint of disappointment. But is it for herself, or for me?
"I guess…I guess I like you enough to tell you more about myself."
Her widen up briefly and her ears flate up and turn. Like a puppy smells food. She keeps her eyes away from me but I can see it.
"You see, I….How do I explain this? I am…I am from a family whose…Okay, let me think."
How do I approach this? I want to speak the truth but I came from an entirely different world or society from hers. Would she even understand me?
[Won't know until you try. Just go for it and see.]
*Sigh* "Okay, Gizzele, do you believe in reincarnation 9r good versus bad karma?" I ask as a start-up
She pauses for a moment and looks at the torch from furth away flickering and violently fighting the breeze.
"You know, I never gave much thought to myself about it. My family believes strongly in the code of honor, chivalry, and being a warrior and fighting. But, I never fit in. But I always viewed things as evidential until a decision is made. As a result, I strayed from my family's teaching. So karma was never something I thought about much. It is more of a belief than something I can base everything on."
I think about what she meant and I am not sure how to approach it now.
"Well, what if I could tell you, what you do in the now will affect you then?"
"What do you mean? As in tomorrow?"
"Oh no, my bad I meant what you do in this life affects you in the next. Good deeds here in this life will give you good karma for the next one."
"Ah, I see now. Well because of the way I am, if that is the case, why do so many horrible people exist? The Khuzadon Empire in the East enslaves my people. They live off of the labor of my ancestors and they drink expensive whines. But if people have good karma and move on to the next, why are there so many bad people? Is karma selective? Is karma universal? Wouldn't those with bad karma be lower in life than those with good karma?"
"Wait, The Khuzadon Empire is a slave empire?"
"Yes, they primarily thrive off of the natural rich fertile lands and labor available. They've been around for maybe 300 years. But some might debate longer I am sure. Many of the beast folk in the Kingdom of Celicia have ancestry to a slave escapee.
"Wow…I did not know that…I guess I never wandered into Khuzadon territory."
"Or maybe you just didn't see Khuzadon patrols, or worse maybe Khuzadon rebels."
"Rebels?" I ask
"Yes, you see In the west of the Khuzadon Empire, that is where the centralized government, military, trade, and slave trade operates, but further East closer to the border of the Great Jagged mounts to the mysterious East lands, where you come from, are the Rebel territory, or by most commonly know, as the Badlands. It has a much much higher concentration of beastmen tribes and fighters who ate very aggressively against the Khuzadon Empire, and thus has been no exploration zone for the Empire."
"Do, basically there is such heavy resistance by Beastmen that the Empire can't gain much."
"Exactly, it is too costly. Money wise at least. The Empire enlists thousands of slavers and hundreds of mercenary groups to quell or expand into the badlands for the natural mineral and ore deposits. But it is so expensive they don't gain much."
"I see…" I comment.
"However since they have not been able to quell the remaining tribes, the tribes have had various united Horde gatherings and would commit to a single expanded invasion of Khuzadon. There have been 6 so far."
"You mean like revolts?"
"Not exactly. The slaves don't have tools to use when farming or mining. It is horrible. Imagine trying to mine iron with no pickaxe or shovel. Just rocks."
"Oh geez…that isn't even an efficient means of labor mean…Sorry…that was inappropriate!"
[Did you really just try to explain why they are not using their slave labor efficiently? Damn…]
I didn't intend to, I kind of just slipped. What do you think a blacksmith can do their job without a hammer? Or tell an artist to paint without paint.
I wait for Gisele's response to my unconscious response.
A sile smile appears on her lips and she shakes her head a bit.
"It's alright, I know you didn't intend for that meaning. It makes sense. How can a baker base without flowers? How can a miner mine in a stone cave with bare hands? It just makes no sense. But because of the ruthlessness of the Empire on the slaves' lack of tools and severely harsh punishments, many slaves under the Empire still, they are replaceable and had no hope. In fact, my family was primarily nomads until captured and enslaved for farm labor. But some slaves escape and make the journey further west where Celicia. They managed to have they provide their basic labor skills. Often physically enough to get some recognition and importance."
"So is Cecilia a refuge for slaves?"
"In a manner of speaking. You see, Celicia and Khuzadon had an old agreement centuries ago, where Celicia and Khuzadon would give each other's support during conflicts that leveled to a certain threat level. It was to last about 30 years. And it would be renewed every so often. Celicia got goods such as expensive wines, clothes, an abundance of food, and goods, while Khuzadon got money to fund their expansion east further into the region and what is thought to be beyond The Jagged Mountains into the Far East."
"So did Celicia permit slave purchasing? I never saw this place as a slave country either. Never saw one. Most Celicians don't purchase slaves in general, but also because Khuzadon values slaves more than they do fine silk. As a result, most commoners couldn't afford a slave, maintain one, and also those who did buy slaves weren't viewed in society well, and also those who did buy were Khuzadon nobles who lived in Celicia."
"A little unsettling I will admit," I comment
"Well, remember when I said the beastmen have had 6 rebel Horde invasions, well they've begun getting more aggressive, violent, advanced, and coordinated every Horde invasion. Due to the agreement between Khuzadon and Celicia. Celicia participated in funding and sending troops to stop the invasions, the first 3 were simply small numbered tribes with clubs, spears, and rags rebelling. Easy to squash. But the fourth one saw armor, then the 5th one saw coordinated attacks and command structures. It became more difficult to fight. The 6th one however was the worst one of all."
[This is straight out of a Lord of the Ring book this is getting juicy]
Shut up I am listening
In the 6th Horde Invasion, they were wearing identical formal iron and steel armor, that was forged, with formations, banners, drums, and commands and callouts. They were coordinating strikes that were costly for Khuzadon. The Khuzadon struggled greatly as the horde brought in weapons of war for sieges and weighed most often over 350 pounds. Muscular, and the addition of heavy armor and shields made it impossible for them to stop. Gone are the days of fighting underdeveloped "savage" tribals. Khuzadon fought an actual army, one that was built of fighting. Khuzadon barely managed to maintain its territory but the thing that is feared is that the Horde attacked in a single 2-year span, burning. Destroying, and then leaving. They just pulled back their forces."
[Wait, they had 5 failed invasion attempts, and now when they are WINNING they just pull out prematurely like a scared virgin boy before nutting?]
That is a stupid analogy, and also she is likely going to explain so chill. I hope at least.
"Khuzadons lost hundreds of thousands of platinum to rebuild and replenish its numbers. Hiring more mercenaries and slavers. But also spent tens of thousands in fixing the farms and labor shortages from the Hordes. The Hordes during the last 2 invasions are resulting in slaves escaping in mass and crippling the Khuzadon industry. Short on labor, short of food stocks and also facing a deficit of food because of the ravaged farmlands and labor shortages."
"Sounds like Khuzadon is facing the consequences of having a society centralized on one aspect of the country."
Indeed. But that's not all. After the last 2 Horde invasions, the King of Celicia had begun to have doubts about whether or not to renew the agreement between Khuzadon and Celicia regarding trade and goods. During the 6th invasion, tens of thousands of Celician knights were routed into a canyon and slaughtered. Gutted with each of the heads missing. The king formally didn't renew the agreement and severed trade ties with Khuzadon. Essentially starving Khuzadon's income even more. Now they are struggling to fund the mercenaries, repair the previous invasion damages, and shortage on food followed up by food deficit, and labor shortages on top of that."
"Wow, so Khuzadon is in a decline right now."
"Yes, that is what is still happening. The war was quite short compared to the 5th Horde invasion. Which lasted 9 years. But the damage and costs were more than 10 times as impactful. War scholars and conflict historians debate if this was deliberately the intention of the 6th invasion. Invade in quick destructive means quickly, and then pull them back. And believing Khuzadon will repeat what they've done before for the last 5, which is simply spend money to repair the damages, force the slaves back into place, and just wait for the next invasion instead of investing in a counter-attack."
"But because of the severity of the damage to the Horde, they can't recover. They took heavy losses, and with the infrastructure of the country brutalized, they can't recover. They are waiting for Khuzadon to be even weaker than before."
"Exactly. They've called it the Viper Maneuver. Strike fast, quickly, doing maximum damage, and pull back. And let the damage given take effect. Strike again as the prey gets weaker or it dies. Then the hunch is when Khuzadon is at its weakest, the Horde will devour it and then attack Celicia next for its involvement in many of Khuzadon. conflicts"
"Oh damn…can't have nice things," I say reaching my hand out to drink some water.
But as I do my hand just grabs thin air and I realize I forgot we were waiting for the other patrons to make room for us to go together.
I look over and see that almost everyone has already gotten food on their plates. Some don't even have plates.
How long was Gizzele and I talking?
[Timed, about 15 minutes]
Wow, I really got into her exposition dump of the Khuzadon-Horde conflict.
[Don't care, but I want to eat something already!]
You can't eat, you're an AI in my head.
[So! I like to think I am eating sometimes. Especially since you two war history buff love birds wouldn't stop TALKING!]
Not my intention. But I think it is best to change the subject. Or get something to eat.
*Clap*
I clap both of my hands together to snap the moment to be more energetic and stand up
"Hey! Let's stop all this chit-chat. Not that it was bad chit chat of course. I want to get something. I think the majority of those *AHEM-starving ferals have left the buffet of food.
"Oh, because most of my family has animalistic features? How hurtful!" she says poking at me.
"Oh c'mon you know I wouldn't say something like that on purpose. It is they were-"
"it's alright, I know you are saying an expression. But!" she leans in closer to me and whispers something. "I would be more careful with an expression like that. Some beastmen sadly ar overtly aggressive.