Mythran's Master Of All

Ren woke up early, much earlier than he thought he would. He looked at the woman that was sharing the couch with him, and sighed mentally.

“What is it?” Teepo asked from his perch on the ceiling.

I think there's only two things I can do about this. Ren thought. Well, three.

“What's the first thing?”

I'll go to the Main Keep and see what the restrictions are on dating someone from the same house.

“They're pretty strict.” Teepo said. “Members from the same House are usually family.”

That's what I was worried about.

“It doesn't hurt to check, though.” Teepo said. “What's the second?”

Tell the people that made all these stupid laws to go screw themselves.

Teepo chittered in laughter. “That I'd like to see.”

Ren smiled. It might come to that yet.

“What's the third?”

I don't want to think about the third one. Ren thought. It involves giving up all of this; including Nathalia.

“I don't want to think about that option either.” Teepo said. “It's bad enough we have to leave in a few months, but giving it all up right now, then have to stay around to serve your sentence?” Teepo chittered sadly. “That would be depressing.”

Yeah. Ren moved his hand from where it held Nathalia around the waist, and caressed her cheek. She murmured and held the hand to her face.

“I have to go.” Ren whispered in her ear.

“Don't... don't leave me.” Nathalia whispered back. “I forgive you for breaking your word.”

“Thank you.” Ren said, lifted the blanket off of himself, and slid over Nathalia to kneel on the floor. She hadn't let his hand go, so he still had a hand on the side of her face. “I'm going to the Main Keep to check on a few things, then I have to stop in at the mine for a minute, and I'll come back to work for a few hours in my workshop. After that, I have to go to Aurora.”

“No, Ren.” Nathalia said as she opened her eyes and looked at him. “She's going to be so mad at you.”

Ren smiled. “I don't doubt that in the least.” He said as he leaned in close, pressed his lips against hers for a moment, then tucked the blanket back over her. “Go back to sleep.”

Nathalia nodded slightly, and closed her eyes. Ren used sneak, and went to the kitchen. He didn't have a lot of time, so he only made a small batch of french fries for Princess, and went out to the stable.

“Good morning, Princess.” Ren said, and presented her with the french fries.

Supposed to be last night...

“I know.” Ren said. “I was too tired to do anything but sleep.”

You didn't eat...

“No.” He said. “If you didn't eat, neither should I.” He smiled. “I still haven't.”

You are nice... for a human...

“Thanks. I think.” Ren said. He left the stable, with Teepo flying out front, and went to the gate. Wohrum was there in full armor, and greeted him.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Morning.” Ren responded. “How's Golir?”

“Still in the medical building, sir.”

Ren frowned. “I hope he's okay.”

“He's just not feeling well.” Wohrum said. “Hasn't been for a few days.”

“And he wouldn't go to the medical building until I told him to.” Ren shook his head. “He should have gone as soon as he felt that way.”

“I'm glad you cared enough about us that you made a medical building and hired healers.” Wohrum smiled. “His wife would have had to travel all the way to the Main Keep and the Medical Wing, otherwise.”

Ren nodded slightly. “That's one of the reasons why.” He said. “I mainly didn't want people to have to go far for treatment.”

Wohrum nodded slightly, and shut the gate. Ren took off running down the road and stopped at the medical building to check on Golir and to talk to one of the healers.

“Hi, Ren!” Malenka said, came around the reception desk, and jumped on him to give him a hug.

Ren caught her and held on, so she wouldn't fall. “What's this for?”

“Artrude surprised me the other night with...” Malenka held on with one hand and slid the shoulder of her tunic slightly to the side with the other. It revealed a lace covered strap of a bra. “...a great surprise.”

Ren chuckled. “I'm glad you liked it.”

“Liked it?” Malenka grinned at him. “I loved it!” She gave him a big kiss on the lips, then hugged him tightly. “Thank you for making them!”

“You're welcome.” Ren said, with his face flushed a little red.

Malenka let him out of the hug, and he put her down. “I guess you're here about Golir?”

Ren nodded slightly. “How is he?”

“He's sweating a lot, and his skin is hotter than usual.”

“And you don't know what's wrong?”

“Artrude's gone to the Medical Wing at the Main Keep to see if they've seen anything like this before.”

“I hope they have, and know how to treat it.” Ren said. “Do you mind if I try something?”

“You?”

Ren nodded slightly. “I have to make a very strong Fear Aura, though.”

“F-f-fear?” Malenka hugged herself.

“I can wait for Artrude to be here, if you want.”

“Um...” Malenka looked around. “I...”

Ren took her hand. “I don't want you to feel this, so I am ordering you to walk 200 feet out that door and down the road. Wait 2 minutes, then come back.”

“It'll be over that quick?”

Ren nodded slightly. “It's just a test.”

“O-okay.” Malenka said, and walked to the door. “See you in a few minutes.” She left the medical building and Ren walked to the recovery room to stand beside Golir.

Okay, Teepo.

Teepo flew out of the room, then the building, and followed Malenka. Ren equipped his Dire Wolf Hooded Cloak, and it added 40 feet to his Personal Aura's 50 feet, for a total of 90 feet. His shield was next, and he made a Connection between it and his Screaming Terror ring, then between the ring and the Dire Wolf Hooded Cloak.

“We're in position, Ren.” Teepo said. “She's 200 feet away.”

Ren activated the enchantments and funneled them through his Fear Aura. He watched as Golir started to shake in his sleep from fear, but after a full minute of basking in Screaming Terror, nothing came out of his head.

That's a relief. Ren thought, deactivated the enchantments and stored the shield and cloak, then went back out to the reception desk.

“We're coming back.” Teepo said. A minute later, Malenka came through the door, and Teepo flew in behind her to land on Ren's shoulder.

“Thank you for letting me try that.” Ren said. “I had a few encounters with giants, and they had brain worms in their heads.”

“By the gods!” Malenka said. “Wait, did you say giants?”

“Yeah.”

“Giants are real!” Malenka exclaimed and started hopping around.

“Why are you so excited by that?”

“Brunhilda was one of my favorite heroes as a little girl!” She said, and sat down behind the reception desk. “To think that all of it was real!”

“Um... there's no proof that all of it was real.”

Malenka laughed. “Ren, you found giants. Real life giants.” She grinned and spun around in her chair. “I wonder who you're going to find next?” She stopped her spin and had a serious look on her face as she stared at him. “You will tell me if you find fairies and pixies, right?”

“I promise nothing.” Ren said and smiled.

“You better!” Malenka said and pointed an ominous finger at him, then she laughed. “The next thing I want you to find is a monocerus.” She said and leaned back in the chair with a smile on her face. “I've always wanted to see one of them!”