“Sorry about that, Abdan,” Ares said. “I didn’t mean for your troop to wait so long all for nothing.” Ares and Abdan were eating breakfast together as the Riveans danced and sang around the area, still celebrating the victory against the foreign invader.

“It is no matter,” Abdan replied. “It is fortunate that your warriors had come, much death was avoided.”

Ares nodded. It was true enough that Heria, her Flaming Wolves and the hyenafolk that had appeared, managed to stave away a large amount of death that would have come from the lack of their presence. The Reptai especially, who had lost quite a few of their own warriors in order to come and get him…

Even now Ares could feel the guilt eat at him, though he tried not to think of it for the moment. He threw a look towards Abdan but then looked back down at the meat that had been seared for him. He tore it apart and then bit into it. It was soft and juicy, just how he wanted it, and there was a hint of spice to it too.

“I’m glad you were there either way,” Ares said to Abdan. “It was quite… touch and go.” Ares whispered as his eyes darted around to see who else could hear. Luckily for him, only those closest to him and his guard were nearby.

“That is how war is,” Abdan nodded. “I have experienced such as well.”

Ares nodded in return. The two Kings had a harsh path ahead of them. Even now, Ares couldn’t imagine the position that Abdan was in. He was in a foreign, enemy land, surrounded by foreigners who could yet turn on him, and on top of that they had their own issues to deal with, almost as great as his own.

Yet Ares promised to return the man his land, and he would do so, for it would cement Rivea’s future. As much as Abdan may be using Ares, Ares was using Abdan, and the pair were in a mutual agreement about it.

Lana eventually arrived to eat. She fed Runar first, as Ozar and Ozri awaited. They listened to the sounds of the drumming and then began to slap their hands down onto the ground, trying to follow the beat. Ares smiled as he lifted the pair up, and then they started to slap around his neck and chest to follow the beat. Ares should have expected it.

The boys were still rather small. Well, they were big considering their age, and especially to the humans from his world, but they were slightly smaller than Runar. Ares wondered if this was because they were twins, and that typically twins may have grown a little shorter than if they weren’t twins. Ares didn’t think too much about it because the pair were punching him now and he grabbed onto their fists.

“Calm down, sheesh.” Ares continued to play with them until it was their turn to eat.

Runar was warm, and for once she was quiet. She hugged Ares and Ares held her close. He gently rocked with her within his arms. He hummed quietly into her ear as she rest her head against his shoulder.

A Roaring Trident stepped forward, saluted Ares, and then awaited his orders.

“Bring some meat to the fort, as well as whatever other food stuffs we have. I want a delivery every two days so their food stuffs is always fresh. Inform the Reptai I will arrive by noon with their food too. If anything is to happen at the fort that needs my attention, continue using the bell system. They should know to swap shifts every so often, but please do remind them.”

The Roaring Trident saluted and then made preparations to leave.

Runar squirmed within his grasp, but Ares continued to sway. “It’s okay, princess, my little star, daddy is still here, okay?” He kissed the top of her forehead. She headbutt him once but then went back to hugging him and then grumbling before she fell asleep.

Ares couldn’t help but fawn over her. “So cute! Isn’t she? She’s the cutest?” He would often spurt out midway through the conversation whenever he felt her move or catch her breath against him.

“With Rivea celebrating, perhaps it’s time for us to speak about your plans for the future?” Rori asked as he sipped on some milk.

Ares nodded and the swayed with Runar in his arms. “I’ve been thinking about a few things.” Ares paused for a long moment to get his thoughts into order.

“First, food. Let’s sort out food. I want to make sure that we have months and months of food at the ready, if not more. The storage of food is important too. I know of a way where one can store food in the earth.”

Rori nodded, as though familiar with the concept. “We bearfolk have such a technique. We will store grain under the earth for up to several years.”

Ares raised his brows. “Well that sounds good. I’d like that, and perhaps on an even bigger scale. I’d also like to figure out meat production for the wolves.”

“The wolves?”

Ares nodded. “The army will shift it’s focus on horse archers. We will strike hard and fast, and we will spread many myths about our armies. Plus they will usually require less armour, and so we can move more swiftly across the lands.”

Ares then went to explain his rough idea about having a second army, one that’s more typical, similar to that of the humans. He wanted a large force made up of horse archers that would make quick and light work of whatever enemies, raids that would seek to demoralise the enemy repeatedly, and how they would attack multiple places around the same time in order to give the enemy a sense of mythological scale and speed to the army. He wanted people to think he had thousands of warriors, when in face maybe he had only hundred, and that they could move between city and city perhaps three times as quick as most would expect, when in reality they would just be sending off two units in different directions.

“We’ll need more though,” Ares said.

“More?” Rori asked.

“More of everything.”