Gunwitch

“Well,” Vasil said. “Your Order has proven to be quite ambitious and is quite the organized bunch.”

“Indeed.” Hubert perked up. “Viswa had been left in good condition. Perfectly maintained by the strzygi. Which was surprising, but very welcome.”

Vasil nodded. “We have assigned you a manor. We have also allowed your followers to pick a domicile of their choosing. While Viswa is not the largest town, there is still a considerable amount of housing available. Should your flock grow, there is plenty of space. This—” he gestured around— “is the town hall. This will be the base of operations here. We have put the teleportation stone in a side room for now, but we might want to put it somewhere else.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Might want to put it somewhere a bit more hidden. Don’t want someone actually stumbling upon it. Even somewhere in the tunnels below the inn might be a better spot. But I’d rather find something even better. Something that doesn’t require much walking, but still hidden enough.”

“Hmm. Yes. Something to think about,” Vasil agreed.

“Have there been any more stryga attacks? Do you think any strzygi escaped?”

“Impossible to tell, but there have been no sightings. I have instructed everyone to remain vigilant and sound the alarm should anything happen.”

“Perfect. What else?”

“Twelve people is not a lot,” Vasil said. “For a town this size, we are spread dangerously thin. To make this a productive town you need more people. Everyone here will happily do what they can, there is no doubt about that, but it is impossible to prosper with such small numbers. You need a blacksmith. Farmers. A herder. A miller. You also don’t have anyone capable of defending the town. Unless you count Igor. Which I would not.”

Ola suppressed a little snort.

“I’m sure Igor is trying his best,” I defended. He might not be the smartest guy, but he had heart.

Vasil gave me a blank stare. “He stepped into a bucket and spent twenty minutes trying to untangle himself, Hecate. The bucket won. Polikarp had to step in to liberate him from his predicament. We cannot rely on Igor for this town’s safety… or for much else.”

“I can defend the town just fine.”

“No.” Vasil shook his head. “You are their leader, and you cannot be everywhere at once. Nor should you want to be. The town needs people to man the gates. To keep the order. To defend it from monster or bandit attacks. They need people who are present. People who live here and are willing to defend their homes.”

I knew he had a point. I was going to be on the road a lot and taking the teleportation stone with me would probably be inconvenient. Setting up the portals between the cathedral and Viswa would likely be best.

“So I need to find more people with regular classes and offensive classes.”

“And defensive classes.”

“Sure. No idea how to do that.”

Vasil smiled. “You have already been doing it. You just have to be a bit more intentional from now on.”

“It’s not like I can just go out and say hey guys. Anyone want to join my town? Free houses!”

“Free?” Vasil’s frogbrow rose. “Why free? You can charge them rent. It doesn’t have to be much, just a modest amount. You own all these houses, Hecate. You are the mayor of this town. Something earned is worth more than something given. Make them buy in. Make them earn their stay. Make people invested in this town. You can be very convincing if you want to be.” He chuckled. “And I believe with your new look, you will be surprised how many people will offer to join you.”

I crossed my arms. “Something wrong with my old look? That’s how I really look. Are you saying I’m ugly?”

He shook his head. “You were always exceptionally beautiful, but remember, that version of you is being hunted. Hecate the Radiant Dawn and Lady Aurelia, mayor of Viswa are two different people.”

“Uh. So if they don’t know I’m me, why would they want to come? How would that help me?”

“We will slowly convert them into believers for you. Everyone who currently lives here already is part of the Order of the Radiant Dawn. Newcomers will be made to see that this is preferable to the Church of Stvora. I have a plan. Ignacy is a [Minder], which will be of great help. Perhaps Vitek can sing songs of your praise as well from time to time. If you could find a dedicated town [Bard], that would be ideal. True believers may be allowed to visit the cathedral to strengthen their faith.”

“Ignacy?”

“One of the people you rescued from the cage.”

“Right. And what if the Church of Stvora finds out?”

“Then we shall pretend the Radiant Dawn is in service of Stvora.”

“Ehhh… I don’t know. I wouldn’t buy it. They probably won’t either.”

“You let me and Ignacy worry about that. You just keep being you.”

“Aurelia me or Hecate me?”

“Whatever the situation calls for. I trust your judgement.”

Wow. Those four words made me feel something. Pride? Relief? Both? Often I’d felt like a child when Vasil talked to me. Like he thought I didn’t understand anything or that I was too stupid to tie my own boots. Now these boots didn’t have laces, so they couldn’t be tied, which was very convenient, but also it didn’t matter because I could tie my own laces, but the point still stood. He often made me feel like I was stupid.

I also thought he believed I was crazy. What had changed? Had I changed? Had I grown that much? When did this happen? Was he just saying this to make me feel better about myself? I didn’t know if I should say thank you or just move on. I didn’t know how to respond at all.

“I… good. I am good, thanks. Thanks?” I stammered.

Kasia gently rubbed my back. Vasil smiled faintly and inclined his head.

“Right.” I scratched the back of my head. “So. Uh. What else? Does Viswa have enough food for everyone?”

“It does,” Hubert said. “But it would be nice if you could supply us during your travel back to the cathedral. Build up our stocks. You could send the items back through the teleportation stones, so you wouldn’t have to carry them.” He paused a moment. “I suppose you wouldn’t have to carry much at all. You could carry large or inconvenient items through the stones. Anything you’d want for the cathedral as well. And when you arrive there we can just bring them over.”

I tapped my chin “Hmmm. That’s a good idea, actually. Berava had these toilets that you can sit on. I’d like some of those for the cathedral. And for my house. Which, by the way, none of you have shown me yet. I wonder if they also make those things out of ceramic.”

“Uhh...” Hubert raised his finger but didn’t say anything else.

“I could show you your manor, My Lady,” Ola said with a bow. “Unless you have more to discuss.”

I turned to Vasil. “Do we have more to discuss?”

“Ola has been so kind to prepare you some new clothes. She believes these are better suited for someone of your distinction.”

I glanced at Ola.

“Not that there is anything wrong with what you are wearing, of course. I understand the utility of combat-wear. You could wear it under your new clothes.”

“Or you could enchant them using runewords,” Vasil added. “You do have a list of them, that that shopkeeper in Berava gave you.”

With my new ridiculous amount of Attunement my [Mana Shield] was stronger than ever and I might not even need the protectiveness of the weave anymore. My tunic and pants were pretty comfortable, and obviously well made, but what if I could look like a pretty princess? Or something that would allow even more freedom of movement? Or if I could look like a pretty princess. I wanted to look like a pretty princess.

“I think that’s a great idea,” I said. “We should also put something aside for Kasia. She could wear it when we’re not in mortal danger and feel like a girl again.”

Kasia frowned. “Aren’t we always in mortal danger?”

“I mean. I don’t really feel like we’re in mortal danger most of the time, but I guess we kind of are. Especially you.”

Kasia’s frown deepened.

“That’s not what I meant!” I raised my hands. “You’re never really in mortal danger. I’d protect you! Obviously! I’m just saying it’s nice to wear a dress sometimes, you know. It’s been too long. Okay, that was not what I was saying at all, but that’s what I meant to say. Dresses are nice. Feminine. This—” I gestured at my outfit— “this is not beautiful. And also not very cool. It’s nice, but it could be nicer, you know. Oh, man.”

“These are the nicest clothes I’ve ever owned,” Kasia said. “You paid two gold for them. Two gold! They cost more than my house.”

“Look, I’m not trying to say your house was a dump, but these clothes are only worth that much because of the runewords inside of them.”

“My house was a dump?”

“No! No! That’s exactly what I wasn’t saying! I’ve never been inside your house. I couldn’t possibly know and I would never assume anything.” I started to get hot. I felt sweat forming on my forehead and back. “I like to have all the facts before I form an opinion. You know me. I never jump to conclusions. I analyze and deliberate. I consider. I take my time. Your house was probably very nice.”

Kasia burst out laughing. “My house was a dump, Hecate. We were poor and didn’t even have anything to eat most days. It’s alright.”

I didn’t understand why that was alright or why it would make anything alright. Being poor and hungry was the opposite of alright. That must have been horrible. Living in a dump and not eating. The only thing that would make that worse if it also smelled bad.

I hesitated. “Did it—”

“It didn’t smell bad.” Kasia said as if she read my mind. She shook her head and smiled. “Hecate. It’s alright.”

I rubbed my arm, feeling uncomfortable. “If you say so…”

Now what? What should I say? Something that wouldn’t make her think of her dump house without any food.

“If that’s all, let’s go check out my new house!” I said, raising my fist in the air. Then I thought to myself that maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Going to a house that wasn’t a dump probably made her think exactly of her house that was a dump. I almost felt like crying at my own insensitivity.

Kasia leaned in and kissed me on my cheek. “It’s alright,” she whispered in my ear.

Why was she comforting me? My house had been great. We always had food.

“Manor,” Vasil said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but didn’t say anything. Vasil the Wise, more like Vasil the Pedant.