The road to Skahad was nothing but peaceful. Accompanying him were Jen, Tarmon, and fifty Forest Dwellers. The money he had made with the Crystal Syndicate would allow him to feed a small army for some time, though he would need to find a way to make money at some point—a problem for another time.

  A forest dweller with short brown hair walked up to him. “My name is Eurisha,” she said, making sure to keep stride with Arturo. Her blue eyes never left his face.

  “Of what clan?” Arturo asked when she said nothing.

  “I am part of your clan now,” Eurisha said. “When you give me a name, that is how I will introduce myself.”

  The name. Arturo had no idea what to call his little army—a problem he kept pushing off, but he would need a name eventually. “I'll have one soon.”

  Eurisha nodded as if expecting that response. “Then I shall be called Eurisha until then. I have been selected by my people to represent them. What I say goes for all Forest Dwellers. Do you understand?”

  “I do,” Arturo said. He noticed Jen listening to his conversation while trying to hide it. He had nothing to hide.

  “That's good,” Eurisha turned her gaze forward, toward the flat land ahead of them. “Many of you outlanders don't understand such things.”

  Arturo couldn't stop himself from chuckling. The Forest Dwellers were dismissive of people outside their lands.

  “Did I say something funny?”

  “Kind of,” Arturo said. “Tell me, how many outlanders have you met?”

  Eurisha put a finger to her lips as she thought about it. “Too many to say.”

  That took Arturo by surprise. He had expected her to say she hadn't met any. “I thought outlanders didn't visit you very often.”

  “They don't. My people send representatives across all the lands for various reasons. We aren't a savage people, as you outlanders think.”

  “Don't assume we all think alike,” Arturo said.

  “I will consider your words. Do you have any orders for us?”

  “Travel peacefully and don't cause any problems,” Arturo said.

  “We never do.”

  Before Arturo could respond, Eurisha walked back to the rest of her people. This was going to be good for him. He knew so little about the Forest Dwellers. He wondered if the Forest Dwellers disguised themselves as outlanders since he never heard talk about them visiting other nations.

  Then again, what do you know? All you've done these past few years is fight. Arturo thought. He hoped the invaders would wait a bit longer before attacking. He wanted to have his army assembled before then. The thought took him aback, as all he'd been wanting was for the invaders to attack. Now he hoped they weren't, and wondered if that meant the attack was coming sooner rather than later.

  “I hope to speak with that one soon,” Jen said.

  “Her name's Eurisha,” Arturo said.

  “Ah, I didn't hear that part. It'll be interesting to learn about the Forest Dwellers,” Jen said.

  Arturo said nothing and turned around. He could see the Forest Dwellers marching along, talking amongst themselves. Some were laughing, some were eating, and others were silent. Each of them was a skilled fighter. Could they get along well with warriors from all nations? He hoped so.

  “You'll need me if you want to meet with the king promptly,” Jen said.

  “Why is that?”

  Jen's lips curled into a smile. “All the kings are willing to meet with anyone from the Whispering Mists. You're lucky I came along, as getting a meeting can take weeks to months.”

  “Glad you are here then.”

  They walked in silence for a bit. The wind began to pick up, which felt good as the sun had been relentless since entering these lands. Arturo hoped his army was enough to make a difference, but more importantly, he hoped this would give him the chance to kill Kyrad and slaughter as many invaders as he could. That's all that mattered.

  “Do you know about Skahad's odd customs?” Jen asked, taking Arturo out of his thoughts.

  Arturo shook his head, prompting Jen to giggle. “Time for a history lesson! You've heard of the War for Love, right?”

  I'm going to regret this. “No,” Arturo said.

  “Why am I not surprised?” Jen said with a shake of her head. “To keep it short, there was a war between Malvarian and Skahad. Malvarian's king at the time had brought his wife to meet with Skahad's king. Klaus was Skahad's king, and he was enamored by the queen. He kidnapped her, which started a war that lasted for twenty years.”

  “What does that have to do with Skahad's customs?” Arturo asked.

  “Let me continue, impatient brother of mine,” Jen said. “The war was devastating to both sides. At the end of the war, Skahad lost. This resulted in a major change: any important meetings that include people of the opposite sex must involve relieving themselves.”

  “Relieving themselves? You mean sleep with someone?” Arturo asked.

  “Wow, you learn fast,” Jen teased. “Yes, and if the queen isn't available, she has a list of substitutes that the king has to use before the meeting.”

  “You're joking,” Arturo said.

  “Nope! I swear it's true. That goes for lords as well.”

  “That's so absurd,” Arturo said, surprised to find himself laughing.

  “I knew you would laugh,” Jen said, smiling at him. “Now, when we go meet the king, expect a little delay because of me.”

  “I wouldn't have known or cared if you hadn't told me this.”

  Jen shrugged. “I wanted you to learn something new and laugh about it. You rarely smile.”

  “There's good reason for that,” Arturo said. There wasn't much to be happy about. Yes, his sister had come back to life, but that didn't take away what happened in Arindall. He didn't understand how Jen could be over it. She wasn't seeking revenge and appeared happy. How could she get over her brothers' and parents' deaths so easily?

  “I don't believe that. Focusing so much on the past isn't good for you. You need to realize that.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Arturo ignored the comment. He had other things to focus on. “I need to think about some things; we'll talk later,” he said.

  Jen sighed. “All right. I'll-”

  Screaming in the distance cut her off. Arturo could hear clashes of weapons in the distance—a fight? He found himself getting excited. “Follow me!” he told the others and rushed toward the sound.

  Jen and Tarmon drew their swords, and the Forest Dwellers moved swiftly. Arturo unhooked his sword and noticed a tipped-over wagon, along with a few dead bodies. There was a group of people huddled by the wagon, screaming, with one defender against eight bandits.

  The defender had wavy brown hair and wore light gray armor across his chest. In his right hand was a short sword, and a smile was on his face. Five dead bodies were on the ground next to him, all looking like bandits. There were three dead guards with arrows in their chests.

  Before Arturo could make a move, the lone defender attacked. His strikes were quick and precise. The bandits tried to counter and were split apart within seconds. Three heads rolled off, then the defender stabbed one in the heart and slit two throats. The last two tried to run. The defender grabbed a spear off a guard and threw it, piercing the back of a runner. Then, he threw his sword, which struck the last runner in the back of his throat.

  “Impressive,” Tarmon said.

  Arturo walked forward and noticed the people huddled next to the wagon were nobles. Their clothing was fancy, and they were pale from fright. None of them looked injured.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” one of the ladies said to the defender. Tears were streaking down her face as she repeated those words.

  “Does anyone need help?” Arturo asked.

  The defender looked up at him and yanked his sword out of the dead bandit. He wiped the blade on the dead man's clothes and sheathed his weapon. “No, I dealt with the bandits myself.”

  “And a fine job you did,” one of the lords said. An older man with a short gray beard and hair. Sweat was dripping down his chin, which he wiped away. “Young man, what is your name?”

  “Achillion Zannon.”

  “Would you accompany us the rest of the way to Kawell? I'll pay you handsomely,” the old man said.

  “Sure,” Achillion said.

  That was when Arturo noticed the shield on Achillion's back. “How come you never used your shield?” Arturo asked.

  Achillion looked at the dead bandits. “They were poor fighters.”

  “Do you mind if we join you?” Arturo asked.

  “I'm not paying you,” the old man said.

  “That's fine,” Arturo said, never looking at the old man. This Achillion interested him, not these nobles.

  “The wagon was damaged in the attack. It'll be a bit before we can leave,” the old man said.

  “Whatever, just let me know when you're ready,” Achillion said.

  The old man scuttled back to the wagon and started tinkering with a cracked wheel. Arturo had Jen tell the others the plan, and he remained next to Achillion.

  “You're a good fighter,” Arturo said.

  “Yes, Tarmella graced me with these skills, and thus I travel all over Aidris to test myself,” Achillion said, looking Arturo up and down. “That's a big sword, and you're massive to boot. I imagine you are the fifty-man slayer.”

  Arturo nodded. “What about you? Judging by your fighting, you must be known.”

  “I recognize you now!” Tarmon burst out, startling Arturo. “You're a legend!”

  “Aye, that is what the common folk say,” Achillion said.

  “Anyone who says you aren't is a fool,” Tarmon said. “I've heard about you. You've fought and killed multiple legends yourself. The battle for Starian Hill is where you killed two legends at once!”

  Arturo looked at Achillion, finding it hard to believe, and yet he didn't doubt it. Achillion had moved with such grace. Most people wouldn't recognize the finesse that Achillion used to kill the bandits. Each move was precise, wasting as little energy as possible. “I'm creating an army from all the nations of Aidris to fight against the invaders. Would you be interested in joining?”

  “I'm not sure. I don’t know much about you,” Achillion said.

  “That can be changed,” Jen said, appearing out of nowhere. “My brother could use a skilled fighter like you, and I have a feeling you seek glory.”

  Achillion smiled and rubbed his chin. “Glory comes for those who seek it. I don't even know your names.”

  “My name is Arturo Pentori, and this is my sister, Jen, and my friend, Tarmon Mayhee.”

  “I'd introduce myself, but you know my name,” Achillion said.

  “We could spar. If I win, you join my army. If you win, I leave you alone,” Arturo said.

  “Nah,” Achillion said with a wave of his hand. “I don't like to spar. You could be my friend today but an enemy tomorrow. I prefer my opponents not to have experience fighting me.”

  “Ah,” Arturo said. He needed the practice; Kyrad had shown him that. It was a shame he wouldn't be able to convince Achillion to fight. “Perhaps I will change your mind someday.”

  “We'll see,” Achillion said.

  A loud crack and a yell caused them all to turn to the wagon. The old man was visibly frustrated and kicked the side of the wagon. Achillion chuckled. “Suppose I should help them.”

  “We'll talk more later,” Arturo said. He had to convince Achillion to join his army. Perhaps the two of them could take on Kyrad Durmaddon. No! Arturo thought furiously. I must kill him myself.

  They came into sight of Kawell. Arturo followed the wagon but remained far enough away so that he couldn't overhear the lords or be overheard. Some of the nobles glanced at his soldiers suspiciously, most likely realizing they were Forest Dwellers. Luckily, nothing came of it, and they arrived at the capital.

  The nobles scuttled off, and Achillion remained behind. Some of the guards were looking at the Forest Dwellers suspiciously, and Arturo could feel the tension in the air. Thankfully, Eurisha had been true to her word and kept her people away from the guards and nobles.

  Eurisha walked up to Arturo and tapped his shoulder. “May we speak?” she asked.

  “Mmhm,” Arturo said and walked a few feet away from the others.

  “I think it's best if my people camp outside the capital,” Eurisha said.

  “Worried about something?” Arturo asked.

  “A lot,” Eurisha looked around, nudging Arturo slightly to show who she was talking about. “If we stay, I fear we'll be forced to kill some guards.”

  “All right. Don't stray too far,” Arturo said.

  “Why would I do that?” Eurisha asked.

  “It's just a figure of speech,” Arturo said.

  “Weird way to figure a speech,” Eurisha said and walked off, leaving Arturo shaking his head.

  He would have to ask her how her people avoid trouble when scouting the nations. Did they keep out of sight? Arturo had other things to worry about and turned his attention to Jen. “What's the plan?”

  “First, we get an inn,” Jen said with a raised finger. “After that, I'll ask for an audience with the king.”

  “Sounds good to me. Want to stay with us?” Arturo asked Achillion.

  “Sure,” Achillion said with a shrug. “I've got nothing better to do.”

  Upon entering the capital, there were various churches, with priests standing outside. One was standing by the entrance when Arturo and the others walked in. A group of people was praying under a statue of a woman with her hands raised, holding clovers in each hand and smiling. That was how Skahad depicted the goddess of creation, Tarmella.

  “Welcome to Skahad, may Tarmella grace your presence this day,” the priest said.

  Arturo didn't say anything. He had spoken with people from Skahad but had forgotten how religious they were. The city was filled with people wearing necklaces of clovers, with some wearing shirts with one.

  The guards varied in their armor, some had shields with clovers on them, and some had them on their shoulder pads. One thing for sure was that each guard wore a clover somewhere, marking their worship of Tarmella.

  If there was one place in Aidris to learn about Tarmella, this was it. Arturo found it annoying but he had business to do here. The first thing was to find an inn.

  Luckily, it didn’t take long to find an inn. The capital was busy, but the inns had plenty of room, and Arturo wasn't picky. He let Jen take the lead, and they found an inn called The Dragon's Cheese. He had no idea what that meant, but the inside was nice—probably the nicest inn he'd ever stayed in.

  “Now, I'm going to get a meeting with the king. You boys stay here,” Jen said.

  “Yes, ma'am,” Tarmon said.

  Arturo waved his hand, and Jen was off. The sooner she got them an audience, the sooner they could leave. Once he finished here, there would be four other nations to visit, and that would take time. Could he finish recruiting before the invaders attacked? He took a seat and ordered ale with Tarmon and Achillion.

  “I'm surprised you haven’t pushed me harder to join your little army,” Achillion said as he finished his first drink.

  “I understand not wanting to join a group. I want you to join but have no intentions of pressuring you about it,” Arturo said.

  “Why is that?”

  “Problems I’ve had in the past,” Arturo said. The Crystal Syndicate taught him a lot, and he didn't want someone to join his army because he kept asking. If Achillion joined, he wanted the man to do so willingly.

  “I appreciate that,” Achillion said and took a deep drink, wiping his lips once he set his cup down. “What about after?”

  “After?” Arturo asked.

  “When the invaders are driven back. What will you do then?”

  “I don’t know,” Arturo said. “I haven't thought that far ahead. Who knows what these lands will be like after the war, assuming we win.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Achillion said.

  The three stayed and talked for some time. Sometime later, Jen returned, much sooner than Arturo had expected. “Did you get a meeting?” Arturo asked.

  “Yes. We'll meet with the king tomorrow morning. We'll sleep here and get up early,” Jen said.

  “Good, that means we won't be here long,” Arturo said.

  “I'm going to bed. I recommend you go soon,” Jen said.

  She sounded so much like their mother. Arturo almost told her that but bit his tongue. “See you in the morning,” he said. He watched his sister walk off and ordered another drink. He hoped the king wouldn't be difficult in letting him find recruits.