Mythran's Master Of All

Ren had Nathalia and Narhilda on his arms as he left the Council chamber, and everyone watched them go. Several people nodded to them, and Lady Narhilda smiled and gave nods back. They went outside and the guards at the gate held it open for them. Once outside, Ren took the two women over to Princess and helped them get in the front cart. He unhooked the back cart and stored it. A few gasps were heard and Ren turned around and smiled at them.

“Adventurers can do great things.” Ren said and went to the front of the cart, then hooked Princess up to it. “Take it slow until we're out of the main city, okay?”

Princess nodded and Ren took the reins and climbed up into the driver's seat. They left the Main Keep behind and made it back to House Neram several minutes later. Ren slowed down at the sight of about a hundred Warriors gathered in front of House Neram Keep. They weren't on the road, so Ren had Princess drive right into the courtyard with the cart. He climbed down and helped Nathalia and her mother climb down, too. They went inside as Ren unhooked Princess, walked her into the stable, and fed her some food. He went back out to the courtyard to talk to the guards.

“How did everything go?” Ren asked them.

“Great!” Golir said. “Croggart and Dorcot rounded up the stragglers pretty fast.” He smiled and Ren nodded slightly. “They've just been standing there.”

Ren smiled himself. “They're waiting for orders, I think.” He said and went outside to talk to Croggart and Dorcot. “I hear you did well.”

They nodded. “It was just like herding sheep.” Croggart said. “By the way, I hate sheep farming.”

Ren chuckled. “I saw all the farms on the mountainside on the way into the bay.”

Croggart nodded slightly. “Yeah, my family has one of them, near the bottom.” He shook his head sadly. “It's not the life for me.”

“Are they a part of a House?” Ren asked.

“Yeah.” Croggart said. “I left it years ago, and took my little sister with me.”

“What about Groggot?”

“He left not long after I did.” Croggart said. “Signed on to a ship, and was bored out of his mind again.”

Ren laughed. “Yeah, boredom sucks.”

“Speaking of Groggot.” Croggart said. “Guess who we found?”

“No way!” Ren said and Groggot stepped forward from the group of Warriors, and still wore his recruit uniform. “They were using recruits, too?”

“50 of them.” Dorcot said. “No armor, and only a sword; no shield. Except for this guy.” He pointed to Groggot, who carried a battle axe as tall as himself.

“I'm sorry you got caught up in all of this, Groggot.” Ren said.

“I'm not.” Groggot said. “You weren't kidding about the adventure stuff.” He grinned. “How the hell did you get a regiment sent out to capture you?”

“Over-active imaginations of the Council, I think.” Ren said, concentrated on his Command Aura, House Neram pendant, and made a Connection to his Screaming Terror ring. He turned to the gathered Warriors, and several of them stepped back.

“Your Commander surrendered to me, so I won this battle.” He said. “I released him and the other officers at the Council meeting, so I'm going to do the same to you.”

The Warriors all had surprised looks on their faces.

“This shouldn't have happened.” Ren said. “None of you should have been here.” He shook his head. “If you meet any of the missing soldiers, tell them that; and to go back to the Garrison.”

The Warriors all looked at each other, and Croggart grabbed his brother's arm.

“Don't just stand there!” Ren nearly shouted. “About FACE! MARCH! DOUBLE-TIME!” Ren shouted. “MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!”

The Warriors all turned towards the city and trotted away.

“What about you, Groggot?” Ren asked. “Are you sticking with fighting Giants?”

“I haven't finished training yet.”

Ren nodded slightly. “My offer is still open.”

Groggot nodded slightly, and Croggart smacking him in the back of the head.

“You don't have to be so stubborn.” Croggart said. “I'll come visit the rat cage when you want.”

Groggot laughed. “It's more of a mouse trap.”

“That's what I said.”

“I better go.” Groggot said. “See you later.” He nodded to Ren. “Ren.”

“Have fun.” Ren said and Groggot ran after the Warriors that were marching away.

“Now what?” Dorcot asked.

“Well, you could stay here and have a nice meal.” Ren said. “My wife and her mother are great cooks.”

“I heard you're pretty handy in the kitchen yourself.”

“I don't like to brag.” Ren said and grinned. “Come on. Lets go inside.”

“What about the armor?” Croggart asked. “We barely got to use it.” He said. “Do you want it back?”

Ren shook his head. “I could melt it down and reforge it, but if I'm doing that anyways, it's just as easy to make it new.”

Ren told the guards to keep an eye out; but, they didn't all need to be on duty now. He went into the house and was introduced to everyone. Teepo flew around their heads as Ren talked to them. The most interesting one of the group of people was Croggart's sister, Ereka. She was 3 feet and 10 inches tall; was only 22 years old, and had shoulder-length blonde hair. She used to be a secretary for House Lodur; until the incident with Croggart came up, and she lost her job over it.

“Have you met Lady Narhilda and my fiance Nathalia?” Ren asked.

“Only briefly, sir.” She said in a soothing voice. Ren held a hand out to her, and she took it.

“Please allow me to introduce you to them.” Ren said. She blushed a little, and nodded slightly. He took her into the kitchen and told Narhilda and Nathalia about her, then asked her to tell her story in greater detail.

“Why, sir?” Ereka asked.

“We've been looking for someone to help run House Neram's accounts.” Lady Neram said. “You're the first person we've met that hasn't been tied to another House or already had a job that they didn't want to leave.”

Ereka frowned a little. “So, you're saying that if someone else had come along, you'd be offering them the job instead?”

Ren chuckled. “No. We're saying that you were first, and you get the top spot. Head Secretary, Lead Assistant, or Head of Accounts. You can call it what you want.”

Her eyes widened. “I can name my job?”

Lady Neram nodded slightly. “The House hasn't needed someone with your skills before.” She said. “When my husband was alive, he took care of everything.”

“I... I see.”

“Perhaps you do.” Ren said. “You'll be handling payments, wages, incoming money, appointments, ordering things we need, keeping records, and pretty much everything else that we might be too busy to do ourselves.”

Ereka smiled. “It sounds like fun.”

“I knew I liked you the moment I met you.” Ren chuckled. “Having fun while you work is the best feeling!”

She nodded. “When can I start?”

Narhilda grinned at her. “Is last week too early?”

Everyone laughed. After a bit of chit-chat, Ren led her back into the main room and went back into the kitchen to help make supper for everyone. It was decided to eat inside, as most of the picnic area Ren had made was quite the mess after the battle. There wasn't much actual damage, just lots of knocked over tables and chairs from all the fleeing dwarves. They enjoyed supper, and the impromptu gathering broke up afterwards. Lady Neram bid everyone a good night, and sighed as the door shut behind the last guest as they left.

“I think that was more exhausting than the Council meeting today!” Narhilda said and laughed.

Ren was sitting on the couch, and nodded slightly. Nathalia sat down on his lap and kissed him.

“You were wonderful today.” She gushed, and Ren smiled.

“I would have had you out there, if I'd needed more help.” Ren smiled. “It was more important that you were in here and kept your mother from strangling some of the guests, though.”

Narhilda snorted a laugh. “That little boy was running around like he owned the place, and she didn't do a single thing to stop him.”

Nathalia nodded slightly. “Thankfully, we'd gotten all the precious things stored in Ma's and my room, right before everyone came in.”

Ren smiled. “I guess that means I'm going to have another chaperoned night of sleep.”

“Of course not!” Narhilda said. “I'll be staying out here in the main room.”

“No, you're not.” Ren said. “There's plenty of room in that huge bed.”

“But what about... you know...”

Ren smiled. “I think Nathalia's had enough of me pawing at her.”

“I have not!” She exclaimed, then blushed as she realized what she'd said.

“I was kidding.” Ren said and laughed. “I've got Adventurer's business to take care of tonight.”

Nathalia sighed. “Oh, all right.” She got out of Ren's lap and stood up. “Let's get you out of that dress, Ma.”

“I'm not so decrepit that I can't undress myself.” Narhilda said, then grinned as her daughter rolled her eyes.

“Of course not.” Nathalia said. “Extra hands just help it go faster.”

Narhilda nodded slightly and went into the hallway to go to the old bedroom.

“See you later.” Nathalia said and kissed Ren briefly and left him alone in the main room. He took out a paving stone and several stone bricks, set them up into a pen, and enchanted two of the sides with fire runes. Ren reached into his hood to grab the baby fire elemental, then activated the enchantment. The baby fire elemental hopped into the pen and stretched out to luxuriate in the heat.

“I'll feed you soon.” Ren whispered, and rubbed it's back. He heard a crackling fire and smiled. “Stay inside.” It's color changed slightly for a moment, and he grinned. Ren looked around at the disheveled state of the main room, and decided to clean it. He even put some things into the pen for the baby to eat. It took about an hour, and because he was using Sneak, no one heard him as he worked. Ren sat back down and sighed.

I better check my status. Ren thought. I need to see what it gave me. “Show status.” He whispered.

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