Chapter 12: Lack of choice

After putting the ship back in the water, the group let the currents push them back to Bakhtiyar.

- Honestly, the speed at which the learn frightens me, left alone, in a few decades they could become serious competition for humanity. (Dalene)

- I am well aware, I’ll ask the mayor to war the lord, but don’t expect anything from that man, unless it directly impacts his own business. (Militia leader)

- On our side, we will warn the central office, hopefully, it will reach the army and they will make a priority to hunt those damn apes to extinction. (Dalene)

The militia’s leader grunt.

- I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen a soldier around here. Even if the crown pays for their wage, the province must offer food and support when the army is mobilized and our good Lord will never spend a dime unless he can get two in return. (Militia leader)

- Aristocrats all have their faults, but this is getting ridiculous, how can someone like that rule a province! (Arc)

- He doesn’t, and that’s the problem, long ago his ancestors received a lordship and some tax exemption for his business for their accomplishment, and since then, everything they have done has been to enrich themselves further. (Militia leader)

- How to hell do you know about this? (Belina)

- Everybody knows, that bastards how half the shops in the province and crush all the other business because he pays neither tax nor tariff. (Militia leader)

- Why are telling us all of this? (Belina)

- Do you know how there are two jobs no one is doing? (Militia leader)

- Yes, it involves behemoth and animals with very large territories. It can take forever to find the target, and the daily wage is terrible. (Belina)

- Both those jobs come from the lord and nobody takes them on purpose. (Militia leader)

- Well, we weren’t really interested in the first place. (Belina)

- Good, you’re pretty nice guys, you went extra steps to preserve our lives when you could have made a lot more money by not using use poison. You chose to do the right thing over making money. (Militia leader)

- And? (Belina)

- If you take those jobs, everybody militia-man, every shop keeper, everybody in the province will do his best to ruin your lives. (Militia leader)

- Can’t the lord use conscription? (Chris)

- Oh, but he did… (Militia leader)

He gives a mocking smile.

- I see… So, it’s best we just leave the province right after getting paid. (Belina)

- Exactly. (Militia leader)

- The Ptedon’s territory goes well into Erebus province though. (Chris)

- I wouldn’t know… If it impacts the people over there, then I can’t blame you if you take it. It’s your job, you do what you have to do. Just don’t work for the lord around here, or people will make you pay for it. (Militia leader)

- Point taken. (Belina)

He nods then add:

- Sorry if I’ve come a bit strong. I’ve got nothing against you, it’s just a friendly warning. (Militia leader)

In a rare case for Belina, she actually smiles when answering the man.

- No offense taken, thank you for your warning. (Belina)

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Other than that conversation, the travel ends up being long and boring, and just as promised, as soon as they get paid, the group leave toward Erebus’ capital Hemera. Dalene and Belina, you are initially from there have mixed feelings about getting back ‘home’ and are very vocal about it.

After listening to them for the umpteenth time, Chris snaps

- If it bothers you so much, just avoid them, how hard can that be?! (Chris)

- But they’re our friend. (Dalene)

- How can you call them your friend if meeting them makes you sick?! (Chris)

- They don’t have bad intentions, they just don’t understand. (Dalene)

- Then stop complaining, or just tell them you’re married, whatever! (Chris)

Dalene jumps on the proposal, everyone, apart maybe Belina knows he sees her as far more than a friend and colleague.

- That’s a good idea. There are a lot of peddlers who work as a couple. (Dalene)

Belina narrows her eyes, thinking about it.

- That might work… But won’t we get caught pretty fast if we fake a relationship? (Belina)

- What happens, happens. (Chris)

Final freed from that insufferable conversation, Chris if finally, free to concentrate on the roads and the surroundings. As they travel through villages and small cities, it soon appears that unlike Nyx, this province as very little bandit problems and is overall much richer, although they hear a lot of complaints about the ptedons.

Dalene though, is not very concerned, judging from the time the demand was first posted, it won’t be too long before the young become adults, at this point the parents not having to feed their you will become a lot more discriminate in their choice of food and won’t travel so far from their nest. If they time it well, there is a good chance they will be able to take on two extremely tired parents and two solitary young, a much easier hunt altogether. The only problem being, that every hunter knows that and it will be a matter of who find them first.

That night, Dalene look at his maps, and the many circles he as drawn, confident he has found the parents nest and the best place to set up a trap. Tomorrow, they will be at the capital, after that, it’s only a matter of how fast they can get in place and how many people figured it out.