“Are they falling for it?”
“It seems dey am, dah token awmy at dah bowdah am awweady in wetweat. Dah west of dis “Equestwian” awmy shouwd be entewin’ showtwy. Dah twap am set…”
“Equestrian?”
“It’s what dewe cawwin’ themsewbes, what a stwange meaningwess wowd. Am dewe somethin’ wwong?”
“No, only a bit shocked. I haven’t heard that word in a very very long time.”
[A conversation between Creator and Creation]
With the battle won and slaves freed, the next course of action had to be quick. immediately I had all of freed slaves brought up to be treated alongside the Royal Guards, there reactions horrified upon seeing the condition they were in. And with what few unharmed Guards were left I had them go deliver a letter to Hawkes, detailing everything that had happened. Than finally came dealing with the dead, 14 Royal Guardsmen will never grow old… For the next few hours things were quiet, mostly just continuing with tending the wounds of those who lived and the slaves, burning the corpses of the Nuuk’s, and finally preparing the place for the rest of the soldiers. The sun was near setting when I saw the caravan making it’s way, the ground shaking as the wagons drew closer.
“Look at that!”
Ix said, shocked. She was right, it seemed for the short while we were gone the amount of soldiers had tripled. The army being so large, it created it’s own dust cloud.
When they got here the first thing I noticed was that it was no longer just Motor and Chicago soldiers. Tribal’s, Changelings, and a couple of Dragons had joined us. As I began helping the last of the freed slaves into wagons designated for them I heard a voice behind me, Hawkes.
“Good work.”
I give the signal to the wagon drivers to begin heading back home and turn around speaking, my tone cold but also a bit tired.
“Why am 'ou hewe, I’be done what 'ou asked of me. Can Emiwy hab a moment of west?”
Hawkes speaks right after I finish, him probably already having a response in his head.
“Firstly how rude… And secondly I wasn’t going to give you orders, just wanted to tell you something.”
I speak, feeling a hint of embarrassment.
“What am it?”
Hawkes speaks.
“In the morning I will be heading off, a front has opened up in the south and I am needed there urgently.”
I speak not know what Hawkes was going to say next.
“And?”
“Since I will be gone for a couple of day’s, somebody will be stepping into my place. He is one rank lower than me, a junior in our Order. And because of that you two are to operate this fort together, co commanders. Safeer come!”
A Griffon about the same age as me approaches, I instantly felt an air of pride as he did. Safeer had light amber feathers with a body of black and white splotches, alongside the usual armor he had a golden cape draped around his back, it slightly to big for him. Safeer bows before me, speaking with a unexpected level of respect.
“So pleased to meet you madam! I of course an Apprentice Officer in the Order of Talon and recent graduate of the Torres War Academy, am ready to command alongside you.”
I speak, already feeling myself not liking him.
“Just caww me Emiwy, nice to meet 'ou as weww Safeah…”
Safeer gets up and quickly nods at my request, Hawkes speaks.
“Well than that settles things. I’ll hopefully be back soon and continue the offensive, you’re to stay here and build up this fort. I will hopefully return with even more reinforments.”
Hawkes salutes and gets on a nearby Raccoon, quickly riding off west.
The next couple of days were let’s just say Stressful… It was obvious from the moment we reentered the fort that Safeer had never managed much of anything in his life or had the respect of much of anybody, becoming overwhelmed with the tasks given to him and often being told off by soldiers not of Chicago origin (On rare occasions even Chicago soldiers themselves!) Meanwhile the tasks I were given proved to be a nice simple break, building up the fort with the help of Motor soldiers, with us building around a dozen builds and an entire outer wall. As the final piece of scrap metal went into the Outer wall, I spoke to the volunteers (Ix, Charles, and Dar included)
“Excewwent wowk aww! head inside an’ hab a bweak, eben get some extwa wations if ‘ou wan’.”
The Volunteers begin leaving with Charles approaching me, speaking.
“y’know Emiwy Hawkes been gone fo’ a coupwe of day’s, y 'think a message am in owdah?”
I speak.
Iit’s onwy been a few day’s, dis fwont am pwobabwy impowtant as weww chawwes."
Charles speaks.
“Weww stiww, Chawwes thinks it’s wite to check on him. We hab dah adbantage, an’ wettin’ dah Nuuk’s wegwoup wouwd be howwibwe.”
I speak, giving a slight sigh.
“Wook if he doesn’t show tomowwow aftewnoon, Emiwy wiww send a wettah.”
Charles speaks.
“that’s aww fwuffy ask.”
Returning to the Commanders tent, I enter to see it completely dark and unlit. As I got to light a lantern, I am frightened when I suddenly hear Safeer’s voice coming from the darkness.
“I can’t keep doing this, fucking hell man!”
I speak, shocked.
“Safeew!?”
Safeer speaks as I light a lantern, going over to the area of his voice.
“EMILY!?”
I find Safeer on the floor next to his bed, several empty drinking mugs lie next to him and he was wearing nothing (Thank Anu that the moment I shined the light over him he pulled the blanket from his bed. Just barely having enough time to cover “that” area) Safeer speaks, shocked and confused.
“Emily what are you doing here! I thought-”
I interrupt him, pissed.
“What stiww wowkin’ whiwe 'ou got dwunk! Dah fuck Safeew!”
Safeer begins breaking down, covering his face and crying. He speaks, the initial overly prideful griffon I met before now completely gone.
“I’m such a fucking useless failure Emily a fucking fraud, and everyone in this camp knows it! Everywhere I go I see members of my own Order laughing at me, and I admit they should… I have never fought in a battle and it shows bad! It’s like-”
I slap Safeer across the face, speaking.
“Do 'ou eben heaw what am saying, get ahowd of youwsewf!”
Safeer stops for a moment before wiping the tears and taking a long sigh, speaking in a much more calm voice.
“I needed that… The only reason I even have this position in the first place is because of Hawkes, y’know. With him being my brother in law and him vouching for me, the idea of messing this up had been tearing me apart. He called in so many favors to get me this position and I’m screwing it up, Fuck! Can’t keep my own soldiers in line, can’t stop them from keeping secrets from me, oh n-”
I interrupt Safeer again, speaking.
“Secwets!?”
Safeer clarifies.
“Over the past few days I’ve seen the same group of Knights whispering to each other every hour or so, smiling and laughing as they do. Once I tried to ask what they were discussing, but they just told me it was nothing and to get lost.”
I speak, angry that something like this could just go by.
“Secwets!? Dewe am sowdiews tewwin’ secwets an’ 'ou nu did teww anyone!”
Safeer speaks.
“I didn’t know what to do!”
I speak.
“Weww nao that dis has been bwought to me, we nee’ to inbestigate. Get dwessed, whewe headin’ out!”
After about 5 minutes of waiting outside Safeer emerges fully clad in his armor, speaking as he rubs his head.
“I got a massive hangover right now…”
I speak, not that sympathetic.
“weww once we get dis issue deawt with, we can boff west.”
We head out, in search for these secretive Knights.
Making our way through the overcrowded camp the nighttime made it look pretty scenic, lanterns lighting up tents and making them look like light posts. I speak.
“'Ou hab any idea whewe any of these knites maybeh be, dewe tents?”
Safeer speaks.
“I think maybe the outside of the fort, they gave off the vibe of being “those types””
“Those types?”
Safeer adds on.
“Usually rural Griffons who prefer to keep themselves separated from the “Others” Not big fans of anyone, even including Chicago fluffies!”
“Oh…”
We make it to the outside of the fort, with the new moon making things almost pitch black. Quickly a group of about 5 tents were found, a large fire in the center and about a dozen or so Knights surrounding it and partying. We begin walking towards it, I speaking.
“Emiwy wants ‘ou to wead dis, speak wiff focus an’ authowity.”
Safeer nods and we enter the group of tents, us being illuminated by the cmapfire.
“What the fuck!”
One of the knights said, obviously surprised by our sudden arrival. Another Knight speaks, him so drunk I thought at any moment he was going to collapse.
“The fuck this Motor lady doing here! Fuck you!”
I look at Safeer, him looking at me. I point my eyes towards the knights, giving the que for him to speak. Eventually he does, trying his best to sound harsh.
“Speaking to a commander like that, enough of you right now!”
The Knights begin drunkenly rambling, Safeer speaks again.
“Now I’ve been told that one of you is hiding something from the rest, keeping information from a senior officer. Tell it!”
A few of the Knights look over to the most western tent, one speaking as he spits at us.
“We ain’t hiding anything, fuck off Safeer!”
We both move towards the western tent, the panic on some of the Knights faces becoming obvious. I speak.
“Am howwibwe at keepin’ secwets, spiww it out!”
But before any of them could speak, Safeer pulled open the tent and we finally saw this “Secret”
The tent was covered head to hoove in blood, in the center of it lied a chained Nuuk tortured almost beyond recognizability. The thing had it’s eyes, teeth, snout, tongue and limbs chopped off, barely gasping as it laid motionless. Safeer instantly upon seeing the brutalized beast throws up, spilling much of this stomach on the already bloodied floor. I speak as Safeer regains his composure.
“DAH FUCK AM DIS!”
One of the few sober Knights speaks, panicked.
“We were just extracting information, for the war!”
I speak, instantly detecting the lie.
“What by cuttin’ out it’s teeff an’ tongue!”
Safeer had regained composure speaking.
“This act of insubordination will not go unpunished! I- I-”
I whisper in Safeer’s ear, giving him a suggestion. Safeer nods and speaks.
“Yes, in the morning we’ll do it.”
Safeer turns to look at the Nuuk and pulls out his sword, and after a moment of hesitation he slashes it across it’s neck, killing it instantly. Safeer speaks as we both leave, the knights full of dread not knowing what he was going to do.
“You’re punishment for this act of insubordination will be carried out in the morning.”
We leave, getting some much needed rest.
In the bright morning sun, every single soldier in the camp watched on as the secretive Knights were given their whippings. Every few seconds or so a whip could be heard followed by a scream, the Talon Knights picked to carry out the punishment’s not seeming at all sympathetic. Safeer who was standing right next to me speaks to the Order of Talon, the experience of yesterday hardening him.
“I want you all to look and see what happens to soldiers who think themselves above there post, keeping secrets from officers! I know many of you do not think much of me, seeing me as nothing more than a temporary substitute to Hawkes. But acting like this, acting like a bunch of hooligans! That will no longer be tolerated… If only I knew that before, and not needed that showed to me by the Co Commander.”
Safeer looks at me and gives a small bow, I nod slightly in return. Than just before Safeer was to continue, a Motor lookout shouted.
“AN AWMIES COMING, FWIENDWY!”
We all begin rushing towards the gate, had Hawkes finally returned!? But as we made it there and got a good look at the approaching army, I felt my heart sink a tiny bit. Hawkes was nowhere in sight, with instead an army of Motor approaching, and exhausted and battle hardened Somer leading it. Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I hope to have the next part done in a few day’s to a week and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!