Fantasy Cursed Island

[Fangs9090]

The king answered that. "Much as he may like to, no, not every one. But we do express our thanks to those who play a role in assisting the kingdom. You risked your lives, so a pouch of coins seems a bit small."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Oh," Siege smiled at that, "So we're special!"

Turac resisted the urge to cringe, hearing your family members flirt was never an enjoyable experience.

 

[Fangs9090]

The king chuckled. "One of the special hundreds, yes."

Fitzroy smiled and shook his head. "Don't mind him. He doesn't think I should be quite so open with everyone, but I'd rather my people know their prince well."

 

[Darkling0096]

Siege giggled a bit, "Well I'd rather be one of a thousand than one of eight."

"On that subject," Jalin nodded towards the king, "It is my understanding that that particular band of thieves has threatened your lands for some time. Did they acquire some ability that made them difficult to track?"

 

[Fangs9090]

"It's not that we didn't know where they were. We didn't know what forces they had in there. It's difficult to prepare when you don't know your enemy, and I prefer not to lose men. The bandits had enough scouts in the woods that our own could not get any useful information, so we were at a standstill."

 

[Darkling0096]

"I see," jalin frowned. An invisibility potion would have filled that end, but then perhaps some among the bandits had truesight, or supremely powerful and well trained senses as he did?

"Well, it's not a standstill anymore!", Siege nodded, "Now that fortress is yours again. They won't be bothering anyone ever again."

 

[Fangs9090]

The king nodded. “That is true. We can turn our attention to other matters now.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Indeed," Turac nodded, "I should hope few things trouble the workings of this nation so severly as an army of bandits."

"In our homeland, the monarch is always arguing with our neighbors over borders," Jalin spoke up, "How is it Elyon has such a peaceful relationship with it's neighbors?"

 

[Fangs9090]

"We have little to argue over. Our neighbors have the land they want, as do we. We have our ports and farmland. Whatever we don't produce, we can get through trading."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Surely it has taken some divine intervention to prevent each of your neighbors from finding reasons to squabble with you?"

"I think it's great!", Siege shrugged, "I mean we crossed an ocean to get here, you'd at least want the general scenery to be different." That the political scenery was the polar opposite was just as good!

 

[Fangs9090]

“Whatever the cause, we are grateful for the peace.”

Fitzroy looked at Siege. “You’re from overseas? I suppose that explains a few things. What’s it like over there?”

 

[Darkling0096]

"It's messy," Siege shrugged, "There's magic stuff everywhere, monsters and bandits, mostly." She looked across the table at her siblings, "Turac has the most experience with bandits out of all of us."

"Well... my home seems to attract them by the boatload," Turac cleared his throat as he tried to figure out how he was going to word his response if Fitzroy inquired about that.

 

[Fangs9090]

"Mm, it seems bandits will show up anywhere there's people trying to live honest lives. What of these monsters you mentioned?"

 

[Darkling0096]

Siege shrugged, "What kind? Abberations, undead, monstrocities, beasts, evil plants, constructs. Monstrous blood runs deep all over the place. Never a dull moment."

 

[Fangs9090]

"Mm, it's a wonder your kingdoms can worry about each other when such things are within their own borders."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Adventurers," Siege smiled, "At least, in our home, it takes monsters to fight monster." She nodded to Roy, two children of a dragon shade and a chimera. "Our group is a pretty good example, my mother is a Shade." That was probably safer than 'my father is a chimera'.

 

[Fangs9090]

Fitzroy blinked in surprise. "A shade? Truly?" He looked at her for a moment, as if trying to find any physical evidence of such.

 

[Darkling0096]

Siege chuckled, "Oh, you won't find her other souls on me," she shook her head, "But she gave my brother and I Truesight, and..." she wiggled her lion ears a bit, "I would look like any other lioness if not for the human and dragon in her." She nodded towards Roy, "My brother's the same way."

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy glanced over, silently willing Siege to stop letting out quite so many secrets.

Fitzroy looked over at Roy. "Ah, he's your brother?" He looked between the two, clearly noting the difference in their non-human features.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Well...", Siege looked to Roy and then to Fitzroy, "Monster blood runs deep, even in the beastkin."

 

[Fangs9090]

"I see..." Fitzroy looked at them both again. "A lion and a goat... Sounds like a chimera."

 

[Darkling0096]

Turac choked on his drink. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

 

[Fangs9090]

Fitzroy glanced over. "Apologies, I didn't mean to offend. It's just that chimeras are the only creature I know of with traits from both a lion and a goat."

 

[Darkling0096]

"If our father was a chimera, then the twins would have a third that took after the snake."

"Oh, so you are from an earlier marriage?", asked one of the nobles.

"I am adopted."

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy shook his head. "Our family is rather complicated..."

"I see. I suppose it would be rude to pry."