Chương 1271: [1187] - Y06.087 - Trouble in Floria IV

The old man continued to huff as his metal leg struck the stone beneath, with a single arm wrapped around his back, while he continued to shuffle about from side to side. The estates continued to swap places as he shifted around upon his good foot, not wishing for his ire.

"Mad Dog," called an Iyrman, waving a hand towards the one armed and one legged Iyrman.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am walking!" the Mad Dog replied, full of annoyance.

"Yes?" the Iyrman dared to ask, refusing the hint from the Mad Dog's tone. The old man let out a long sigh, feeling the rage simmer within him, but he forced it away. His knee pulsed from how the metal leg still dug into his flesh through his clothing, though the leather straps around his leg and waist pulled away much of the stress.

"I have fought for the Iyr for decades! Is this old man not allowed to walk?" The Iyrman chuckled, waving a hand towards the old man, who bowed his head, and the Iyrman pulled away, glancing aside to another.

"Why is he walking around?"

"I do not know," the other admitted.

"He has paced for some time now." The various bells rung in the air and the old man straightened up, no longer pacing, waiting patiently as the children began to swarm onto the road.

"Babo!" cried a voice who had instantly found the Iyrman, the pair charging towards the old man.

"Ho! My Jirot, my Jarot, you were here?" the Mad Dog called, as though he hadn't spent the last half hour walking around nearby waiting for them. Jirot and Jarot hugged their greatfather close, pulling apart for a moment, and before the excitement could burst forth, the old man reached out a hand and accepted the triplets, who embraced him close.

'So that is why they were so distracted,' the Iyrman teacher thought, watching the triplets hold onto their babo.

'I will have to inform the Family Head to…' The Iyrman's thoughts dropped there for obvious reasons.

'To think the Mad Dog would behave like this,' the nearby Iyrmen thought, as the old man showered his greatchildren in his affection, before limping away with them, each of the children yapping away about their day excitedly.

'To think someone who caused so much trouble could behave so…' The Mad Dog's stories were well known, indeed, for they were among the best of his generation. Many of the children had grown up hearing his tales, and even those that were his grandchildren's peers grew up hearing of such tales. So it was a surprise to hear how meek the Iyrman could behave.

Had it not been for the mess he had made at the fort in the previous year, and him slaying a Vice Commander on the way to cause such a mess, one might have thought he had lost his fangs. Who could match the chaos caused by the Mad Dog?

"Sure," Adam said, causing a wave of confusion. The soldiers had half expected Adam to put up a fight, and even his companions glared curiously at the half elf. What was most peculiar was that even his own brother was giving him a queer look, though the stone face quickly returned back to the Iyrman.

"If that's what you gotta do, that's what you gotta do, right?" Adam replied playfully, flashing a warm smile towards the Commander.

"You'll allow yourself to be arrested?"

"I only ask that my brother remain at my side the entire time, and I wouldn't like to be chained up, if that's not too much to ask?" This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The Commander blinked, trying to catch up to Adam's pace. He had been ready to negotiate down from the refusal, but the fact that the half elf had accepted had suddenly caused his mind to go blank.

'Is this not for the best?'

"What am I going to do if the King broke his word to me? What am I going to do if he doesn't want our magical weapons to assist him against the Reavers? What am I going to do when our customers are all Aldishmen? Surely once the Aldish are done with the Reavers, those magical weapons will be put to rest, for they don't have business in Floria, do they?" Adam's tone continued to provoke the Florians, the half elf speaking so lightly, and yet the threat remained knocked like an arrow.

Dunes reached up to brush his beard, trying to still his pounding heart, as Adam was definitely being annoying on purpose, but what could the Florians do? He had accepted their request, and if they refused Jurot, then… would the Iyr let Adam remain in captivity for long?

"I came here for some business with the King and the Orders, I heard that they were interested in procuring magical weapons, and since our business has provided so many great weapons, sorry, wonderful weapons, to the Duchess of East Port and even the Grand Duchess of the North, I thought perhaps the King would be interested, but if he's not…" Adam shrugged his shoulders.

"Is this some manner of trick?" the Commander asked.

"You are surrendering yourself to us?"

"That depends…" Adam kept the Commander's gaze, even as the half elf began to smile wide.

"Can you take responsibility?"

"…" The second threat hung in the air, an axe ready to cleave at their neck, but whose neck? The temperature fell slightly, the electric anticipation filling the air. Though the half elf was surrounded by at least a hundred soldiers, it felt as though he was still the predator.

"Commander, may we speak privately?" Adam asked, raising his brows. The Commander recalled the last time the half elf had asked him to speak privately. In that moment, all the tension fell away, and the Commander hoisted himself off his horse, and stepped to one side, the half elf stepping towards him and the pair leaned in to speak in hushed whispers.

"What do you want?" Adam whispered, raising his brow towards the Commander, who was certainly thinking far too much.

"I wish to escort you across the land to Gold Port, so the King may deal with you as he pleases."

"What are the terms?" The Commander hadn't expected the half elf to speak terms, not in this kind of setting. As the Commander opened his mouth, he saw the half elf's eyes widen, wishing to speak first.

"Look, Commander, we of the United Kindom have no issues with Floria. Last year, it was… it was awkward, that's for sure, but I have a lot of respect for the King, and Floria, and Aswadasad. If you want to take me in chains, you're free to do it, but you have to understand what that means for Floria, and for my family, and through my family, the Iyr. I don't want that mess. You don't want that mess.

So tell me, honestly, is all you want that I, Adam, am in Gold Port, with little to no trouble, so that the King himself can deal with me?"

"Yes."

"Great, because I wanted to speak with the King too, so how about we do it this way. The army, just you know, twenty or so, take me to Gold Port. You will escort us, not as prisoners, but as guests. I don't want to be in chains, and I want to be able to bathe, and I want certain freedoms, in exchange, I'll not cause a mess or trouble, and I promise I won't escape."

"How can I trust your word?"

"Commander, how many times have I broken my word to you? You don't have to think about it, it's been zero. I make no airs, even when it troubles me." Adam raised his brows, as though to dare the Commander to suggest otherwise, because he was ready to argue.

"You caused me great trouble last year."

"Now I'm making it up to you, so give me that chance. I've got no problems with you, the King, anyone else in Floria at this time, and hopefully for decades to come. You get the credit for escorting me to Gold Port, and I won't cause any trouble as long as no one causes me trouble, and whose going to cause trouble when we're being escorted by you?" Adam glanced over his shoulder towards the rest of the soldiers, noting some of them were looking at him while others were staring at the rest of the large group.

"Look… I'm a Priest, right? I've got to be afforded certain respects. Let's, you know, keep everything respectful and proper. There's no need to get the Iyr involved. You don't want that, I don't want that." The Commander could already feel the stress flow through him, his entire head pulsing as he tried to follow along Adam's words.

"Even if you don't take me in chains, my grandfather will cause trouble. The Mad Dog, you know how he is. The old man's going to start killing everyone again in order to make sure my children know no one can mess with them, and my wife, Ray Vonda, is going to be upset. I can't have that, Commander Silversky, please. So…" Adam held out his hand, ready to shake the Commander's forearm.

"Let us hand you over a chest full of silver and gold, you escort us to Gold Port with no issues, and everyone's happy." Adam hoped the dice would roll in his favour.