Jadis was beginning to suspect that Demons were going to be the death of her.
“No, you can’t just take stuff that doesn’t belong to you without permission. That’s stealing. Stealing is a crime. You will absolutely get in trouble.”
Cobbler motioned with her upper and middle pairs of hands while her lower pair continued to clutch onto the disputed terrycloth sack. Said sack was filled with various pieces of clothing and a few shoes, none of which belonged to the troublesome Demon. The words Cobbler was trying to convey took a little time to understand since they were all still working out the fine details of the new language, but Jadis got the gist of her meaning quickly enough. The excuse had not changed from the last time.
“It doesn’t matter that you were going to fix them,” Dys signed with her hands as she spoke. “You have to ask for permission. If you don’t have permission, that is stealing and is wrong. You know it’s wrong. No, don’t give me that. Those shoes being damaged is not worse than stealing.”
Dys waited as Cobbler signed what she wanted to say. She wasn’t really mad at the spindly Demon, but she was a bit frustrated to have to deal with such a ridiculous problem when her schedule was already packed to the rafters that day. Her lovers were occupied elsewhere, though, and Jadis considered the hatched Demons to be her responsibility, anyway. She wouldn’t ask them to cover for her if she could help it, not when they were just as busy as she was. The only one of her lovers that she might have considered asking was Alex, simply because she was able to communicate with the other Demons faster, but the blue-eyed Demon was just as busy as she was. In fact, she was with her Jay self that very moment.
Not that they were having any more fun than her Dys self, but that was beside the point.
“If you don’t know who the clothing or shoes belong to, ask someone nearby,” Dys explained after Cobbler had finished her defense of her unwise actions. “If you can’t find anyone nearby, leave it where it is. Those clothes weren’t in the trash; they were in the training yard. Villum had to walk around without shoes for the past hour because you had taken his without asking.”
Cobbler moved her hands in a familiar pattern, causing Dys’ lips to twitch in a suppressed smile.
“Okay, I won’t argue with you on that point. He does need to take better care of his equipment. Still. Those are his shoes, and he has the right to do with them as he pleases.”
When the yellow-eyed Demon signed her next few words, Dys almost shook her head. She was tempted to reject Cobbler’s idea outright, but on second thought she decided it was better to humor her. It was an honestly creative idea, and Jadis wanted to encourage as many creative, and more importantly, non-violent ideas as possible in the Demons.
“You can ask him when you return those shoes to him. Come on, grab what you need and then let’s go. You need to give everything else back, too.”
Cobbler motioned her agreement before briefly scurrying away, though Jadis could tell by her scent that she was still unsatisfied with the results of the situation. She had gotten a lot better at distinguishing between the different smells that Demons exuded and what emotions those scents conveyed, though she didn’t have anywhere near the nuance needed to use the pheromones for direct communication. She couldn’t change her own bodily scent on purpose anyway, so it didn’t matter. Sign language was the best way for her to communicate with the Demons who had no means of vocal speech; scent was just a handy tool for assessing mood.
As Dys walked with Cobbler out of the room, she nodded to Henrietta who was standing guard in the hall.
“Thank you for notifying me about the bag,” she said to the orc woman. “Let me know if any of them cause any more trouble.”
“No worries, boss,” Henrietta replied with a smile and a wave before signing at the sulking Demon. “Sorry Cobbler, just doing my job.”
Showing a better level of maturity than some humans Jadis knew, Cobbler acknowledged the orc’s words with a sign of understanding and acceptance. While the spindly Demon could be troublesome at times, that was one aspect that Jadis had to give her credit for. Cobbler didn’t get angry or hold grudges. She was so passive most of the time that Jadis had a hard time imagining the little tinkerer becoming a violent monster like her murderous mother. If Cobbler had been hatched by the Dead Head Matriarch, she would have become a dead head or some other form of hostile Demon, Jadis was certain. But looking at the Demon who was meekly following behind her while carrying a bag of pilfered clothing, Jadis just couldn’t picture what an evil Cobbler would have looked like.
Exiting the newly purchased fifth building that had been added to her growing compound, Jadis scanned the large work yard that was situated between the six buildings that Fortune’s Favored had acquired thus far. It wasn’t long ago that she had thought that four buildings were more than enough space for her growing company, yet they had finalized the purchase of the workshop to the right of the main mercenary company building as well as the shop behind that structure mere days after returning from Glanum. More buildings meant a larger work yard, which meant they could work on constructing more than one airship at a time without sacrificing the greenhouse or the training yard. Plus, as the company grew, more people needed places to live, which Jadis wanted to provide for them. Not just because she wanted to help reduce the cost of living for those who were joining up with her, but because safety and security were important to her as well.
Which was why she had a whole floor of Building Five dedicated to housing the Demons she had brought back from Glanum.
Spotting Villum where she had last seen him, Dys made a bee line for the training yard. The poor guy was still sitting there, distressed and shoeless, watching the second group of combatants practice their grappling techniques. The others who had been in Villum’s group had already left; none of them had been too inconvenienced by the missing clothing and had just gone to their rooms to get new clothes so they could continue with their day. Villum, though, had only the one pair of shoes and he refused to wear his armored boots on his date.
After approaching the purple elf, it didn’t take long for Dys to explain what had happened while acting as a translator for Cobbler. Villum accepted the Demon’s apology with only mild grumbles as he pulled the shoes on, though he paused when he noticed that Cobbler had more to say.
“She wants to buy your shoes from you.”
“Huh?”
“Cobbler wants to buy your shoes,” Dys repeated while motioning towards the silent Demon. “She wants to own them, so she can fix them.”
“Ah, yeah…” Villum blinked in confusion as he got to his feet. “I just, you know, need my shoes right now and I don’t have the time to go buy more. I’m already going to be late. I mean, buy them? If she really wants to fix them, I’ll let her, just not today.”
Cobbler made some fast signs which Dys interpreted for the elf.
“She says she’ll sell you different shoes right now. She says these should fit.”
As Dys spoke, Cobbler pulled the pair of shoes she had retrieved from her corner and presented them to Villum expectantly. Jadis wasn’t entirely sure where the Demon had gotten that pair from, though a great deal of old and worn out boots, shoes, and other apparel had ended up donated to the Demon since arriving in Eldingholt, so she was pretty sure these weren’t stolen. She had to admit Cobbler had done a good job. They were nice shoes.
“Uh…” Villum stared at the presentation with furrowed brows. “Those are women’s shoes.”
“Yes, but they are the right size,” Dys explained while doing her best not to laugh.
“Right. Sure. Uh, sorry Cobbler, but I’m not interested in buying those,” the elf said awkwardly. “They, uh, just aren’t for me.”
The response from the Demon was a further increase in frustrated disappointment, along with questions as to why Villum was rejecting the trade. Realizing that it was going to take a while to explain personal preferences to the yellow-eyed Demon, Dys sent Villum on his way. She was willing to spend a little more time helping Cobbler understand, but she wouldn’t hold the man back from his date, especially since Villum was apparently making great progress with his childhood sweetheart. Jadis hadn’t met the girl yet, but after all she had heard, she was looking forward to it at some point. Just not on a day when she was so overwhelmingly busy.
“Are those two of the other ‘reformed’ Demons?”
“Yes,” Jay said with a calm smile as she watched her other self and Cobbler from the window of the recently renovated meeting room. “The thin, wooden one next to me is called Cobbler. She’s harmless, but she has an obsession with fixing damaged clothing items. Sometimes her obsession can be inconvenient to the rest of us.”
“I see,” Ambassador Quintus said, his face carefully composed to show only mild interest. “And the larger one that is currently attacking that orc?”
“She’s called Crash, and she isn’t attacking Heinrich, they’re doing some grappling training. Crash likes to fight, but she isn’t hostile. She’s sort of like the priests and acolytes of Charos. To her, fighting is an art that she wants to excel at.”
“I see,” Quintus nodded slowly as he watched the Demon pin the orc to the ground. “An interesting name, Crash.”
“She picked that out herself,” Jay explained with a slight wince. “We’ve tried offering more, ah, normal sorts of names to the Demons who have hatched, but they generally haven’t been interested. Not sure why, they haven’t been able to articulate their feelings completely yet.”
“And yet you, Alex,” the ambassador turned to face the Demon. “You go by a more typical nomenclature.”
“Yes…” Alex agreed with a nod of her head. “I am… Pleased with… My name…”
“I find that interesting,” the gnome said as he took a few steps back from the window. “Alex is short for Alexandra, which is a feminized version of Alexander. That name is from ancient Voltonian, and it means ‘defender of men’. Were you aware of that?”
“I was… Not…” Alex admitted.
“I gave her that name,” Jay clarified. “I didn’t know that, either. I just heard the name once from a story and I liked the sound of it.”
Quintus nodded once, making a low humming sound to himself as he took his seat at the table again. Jadis assessed the man, trying to get a read on what he was thinking. Like most of the nobles Jadis had met, he had an excellent poker face. However, after having met with the gnome twice previously, Jadis felt she had gotten a decent read of the ambassador’s character.
The ambassador from Volto was a quiet, thoughtful man. He was tall, for a gnome at least, and was probably past seventy years old. His curly hair had turned completely gray, and he kept his facial hair trimmed into a short goatee. Quintus didn’t have many wrinkles despite his age, but the natural blue markings that all gnomes seemed to have were muted on the elderly man’s skin. He moved slowly and with deliberation, yet his dark eyes were sharp and observant. Jadis never doubted for a moment that Quintus was highly intelligent and constantly calculating, even if he kept his thoughts close to his chest most of the time.
“The Last Bastion of the Nephilim was in the northern provinces of Volto,” Quintus said after a few moments of silent reflection. “Perhaps that explains how you came across that name.”
“Maybe,” Jay shrugged. “I’ve been reading about the fallen Nephilim civilization, Asteria. I’d like to go there someday soon.”
“I have been to the old ruins of Asteria. They inspired a great longing in me to see their beauty restored. The ancient high temple to Lyssandria in Asteria was said to have been one of the great wonders of ages past. Unfortunately, very little is left.”
“I’d still like to see it for myself,” Jay insisted. “Even if there isn’t much left except for old stones. I’d like to better understand the ancient Nephilim who came before me.”
Quintus nodded silently again for a few moments before turning his eyes up to meet Alex’s unblinking gaze.
“What of you, Alex? What are your thoughts on the ruins of Asteria?”
Jay almost spoke for Alex, but she bit her tongue and kept quiet. She could tell that the question was intentionally provocative. Asteria was the home of her ancestors who had been wiped out by Alex’s ancestors over two thousand years ago. Jadis could tell that Quintus wasn’t asking out of malicious intent, but he was prodding both her and Alex in order to get a better understanding of them. She couldn’t really blame him, even if the whole song and dance annoyed her. It was his responsibility as ambassador to make a decision about letting her and Fortune’s Favored enter Volto, and the man took that responsibility seriously.
It had been two weeks since they had returned to the imperial capital from the Glanum frontlines. With Severina’s help and Prince Kestil’s intercession, something which had cost Jadis a significantly discounted Leviathan-class airship, Jadis had upgraded the Fortune’s Favored mercenary charter to include international business contracts. Further, she had been introduced to the Voltonian ambassador, Quintus, who was helping her arrange the planned expedition to the distant nation. While not as fast as Jadis would have preferred, the process had gone relatively smoothly, barring one aspect. That aspect being Alex.
Not that Alex had done anything wrong. Far from it. The issue, specifically, was Alex’s legal status in Volto, were she to join Jadis on the expedition.
Volto was an independent nation, thus it was under no obligation to follow the edicts of Emperor Somerulf. Alex had been granted pardon in the empire, but that didn’t necessarily extend to elsewhere in the world. Not that Alex would be killed on sight; relations were already strained between Volto and Alfhilderunn and they wouldn’t want to risk further deterioration by attacking an important figure like Alex. More to the point, Volto had already made it clear that they were eager to welcome Jadis and Fortune’s Favored into their country and wanted their assistance with taking Kastoria back from the Demons who held it. Unfortunately, there were a lot of strong feelings about Demons in Volto, understandably so considering how much of their nation had been invaded and how many people had died. If Alex was allowed safe entry, it could stir up a lot of negative sentiment.
The whole argument was so obnoxious to Jadis that a part of her was thinking of calling the whole thing off. Two weeks had passed, which meant the Playwright could have fled to any part of the world by that point, so Jadis’ personal grudge against the murderous psycho wouldn’t be fulfilled by attacking Kastoria. Further, Jadis didn’t feel like she wanted to risk her life and the lives of her friends and lovers to help people who would threaten or even try to kill the mother of her firstborn child just because of her species.
Then again, that way of thinking reminded Jadis a little too much of Prince Hraustrekr. There were a lot of innocent people in Volto who were being hurt and killed on a daily basis by the invading Demons. Sure, they would probably have a lot of negative emotions about Alex due to those circumstances, but that didn’t mean they deserved the horrors that were being inflicted on them. Besides, how else were they supposed to change minds about Alex and non-hostile Demons if not by being helpful and doing good?
“I would like… To visit… Asteria…” Alex replied to Quintus. “To see… What once was…”
“You do not see any incongruity in a Demon visiting the site where the last of an avatar race was slain by other Demons to the point of extinction? Do you not think my countrymen might object to your presence considering what your kin once did, or what they do this very day?”
There was a pause, then Alex leaned forward in her seat towards the ambassador.
“Those Demons… Are no more… My Kin… Than Prince Hraustrekr… Is yours…”
That drew a small smile from the old gnome.
“Well said. I am not certain that you are ready for the senate floor, but I will do all that I can to keep you away from that den of wolves, regardless.”
“Does that mean we’re in agreement?” Jay asked Quintus.
“We are,” the ambassador nodded his head. “I will send word to the senate this afternoon informing them. The Senate and the head of our armies, General Zosime, will be awaiting your arrival. I will pray to the gods for your success.”
“Thank you, Ambassador Quintus,” Jay grinned with relief. “I’m glad that Fortune’s Favored and Volto will be working together to defeat our common enemy.”
“It is I who should be thanking you,” the elderly gnome stated gravely. “You and your company are coming to help my people in a time of great need. I do not know if we will ever be able to repay you.”
“First we’ve got to win the war before we can talk about repayment,” Jay said, wisely not turning away the possibility of future rewards. “Now, would you like a tour of our work yard so you can see the latest airship design up-close?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Quintus replied as he stood from his seat. “While we walk, tell me more about your child, Hope. I am fascinated by the news of a new hybrid race being born into the world. Is it true that she can fly?”
“Not yet,” Jay answered. “Thank D for that.”
“Hope is… Growing quickly… And strong…”
“That’s good,” the old gnome nodded as he walked out the door. “Health is the most important thing when it comes to children.”
“Do you… Have children…?”
“Oh, my, yes. Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Why, I—”
“The deal’s finally secure,” Syd informed the others with her. “We’re one step closer to retaking Kastoria for Volto.”
“Finally,” Kerr let out a huff as she emptied the pitcher of blue liquid she had into a larger cask. “This is why I hate politics. We should have just gone to Kastoria a week ago. Hraustrekr’s orders be damned.”
“Yeah, well, none of us want to lose out on all this luxury,” Sorcha grimaced as she continued to squash the yellow berries in her bowl into a fine paste. “I mean, where else could we go if we wanted to crush fruit and herbs into dyes all day?”
“You would be welcome in my grove,” Meli said as she used a mortar and pestle to grind a fine red powder. “Including your large insect.”
“It’s not my large insect…” Sorcha grumbled as said bug shifted against her side. “This thing is supposed to be Jadis’ divine spirit grub or whatever.”
“Guardian soul grub,” Syd laughed at the goblin’s grumpiness. “And Rolo likes you better than me.”
Since the four of them had gathered in the greenhouse to do their prep work, Syd had let the emerald-green insect out of his pen to stretch his many grubby little legs. Little being relative, of course, since the grub currently weighed a hundred pounds and was the size of a sheep. The shining, jewel-like beast was curled up against Sorcha, munching away on a large melon. It was hard to tell if the grub was happy since there wasn’t much of a face to go off of, or a tail or anything else to use for body language, but Jadis thought the big bug looked content.
“It just knows I feed it the most,” the witch said sourly, though she still gave the grub a few idle scratches. “This guy’s a glutton.”
“Perhaps the grub thinks you are of the same species, since you are around the same size and are also green,” Meli asked seriously. “It may even think you are a potential mate.”
Sorcha’s big eyes grew bigger as she stared at the Dryad in horror.
“Ha! You’re going to get humped by a bug!” Kerr cackled gleefully.
“I am not!” Sorcha screeched while hurling clumps of crushed berries at the therion. “Fuck right off!”
“That was a joke,” Meli said quietly, her face deadpan. “You don’t look anything like a grub. Also, grubs are the adolescent stage of an insect’s life cycle. They don’t mate.”
Meli’s explanation went unheeded as Kerr continued to tease Sorcha over the idea of too-literal buggery. Syd chuckled at their antics while giving the Dryad a comforting pat on the shoulder. She noticed the way Meli leaned into her touch, and she smothered the grin that tried to spread across her face. While they were both still very interested in each other, they were also still feeling each other out. Jadis could tell that Meli was the sort who needed to go at her own pace, so she was being patient. Not always easy considering the Dryad’s charmingly awkward attempts at flirting, but Jadis had learned restraint. Not everything had to be done immediately. Instant gratification wasn’t always a good thing.
The ritual preparations, though, she wished she could skip.
“Alright, we’re halfway done,” Syd measured the green liquid she had produced and stored in one of their casks. “If we keep up this pace, we should be ready in time for the gathering tonight.”
“Can’t wait,” Kerr grinned as she switched tracks from Sorcha to the plans for that night’s event. “It’s going to be so fucking funny to see everyone you invited doing the Vital Overflow ritual.”
“Yeah, it should be,” Syd grinned widely at the thought. “I can hardly wait for sundown.”
“I can…”
“Why’s that?” Syd asked Sorcha, who suddenly looked more glum than a moment before. “I thought you liked our test run of the ritual?”
“Because that’s half a day closer to tomorrow,” she said as she stared at the bowl in her lap. “And tomorrow my parents should be arriving.”
“Ah,” Syd exhaled loudly. “Almost forgot about that.”
“Family sucks eggs,” Kerr sighed loudly. “Big, fat, stinking eggs.”
“I have issues with my family as well,” Meli stated bluntly. When the rest looked at her expectantly, she frowned. “I did not mean that to say I wish to talk about them. I am just commiserating.”
Rolo wisely did not comment.
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