Chapter 74: Chapter 63 – To Seek Solace and Shelter

"Friends made during times of plenty, their sincerity are often difficult to tell from mere sophistry. It is those friends who stuck with you even through the hardest, most difficult times of your life that are your true friends.

 

Because of this, times of hardship also double as a good way to find out who are truly your friends, and who are merely pretending to be one for their own purposes." - - Emir ibn Khalif Elam El-Ehr, enthroned ruler of the Assadun Emirate, circa 61 VA.

Near the Vitalica-Ptolodecca border, third day of the third week of the tenth month, year 61 VA.

 

It took until evening of the next day before Aideen's small group caught up with the main group of escapees and rejoined them. Fortunately, no signs of their pursuers were sighted during their escape this time, and they regrouped without further incident.

 

Everyone paid their respects to the fallen Templars and Death Guards who laid down their lives in the delaying action, Aideen keeping their bodies pristine during the travels with her magic, which she intended to keep up until they received a proper burial. There were another few Mortality affinity mages amongst the escapees, so they asked to be allowed to help her in the endeavour, to which she gladly agreed.

 

The group was near the border by that time, maybe another half day's journey worth, and they relaxed somewhat that night, having a good rest after the frantic run of the last two days, before they continued their journey at the crack of dawn.

 

When they reached the Ptolodeccan border, they found a veritable army awaiting them. Cadres of necromancers with at least ten thousand skeleton soldiers were arrayed, as were several hundred cavalrymen in black, winged uniforms on skeletal mounts, the elite Wings of Night cavalry.

 

The Civilians eyed the group with obvious trepidation, but soon one man rode out from the army, and greeted Aideen and Diarmuid in a friendly manner. They recognized him as Adalbert, the otter therian who served as the Bone Lord's chief of armed forces, and happily returned his greeting.

 

"Young master, young lady. We meet again," said Adalbert as he gave them a slight bow from atop his mount. "I wish it were under happier circumstances that this meeting happened, but that would be wishful thinking. My condolences for your loss."

 

"Thank you, Adalbert," Aideen said in return. "Do we have permission to seek solace in Ptolodecca? Along with the civilians who came with us, that is."

 

"Naturally, young lady. His holiness had sent us here to escort your group whenever you arrived. As for anyone pursuing, just leave them to us. They will not step into Ptolodeccan soil," replied the otter beastman. "If you would all please follow me?"

 

Aideen nodded, then she exchanged a look with Diarmuid, who gave a signal to the caravan. The army parted before them, as they were let through without incident, while the Wings of Night split into two teams and followed them from the sides from a respectful distance.

 

"This is Captain Ansel from the Fourth Division of the Wings of Night," said Adalbert as he introduced a cavalier dressed in the black uniform, just that theirs had an added quadruple chevron on the left shoulder. Their gender was impossible to tell with the armor they wore. "She will be leading your escort until you reach Tohrmutgent and ensure your safety. In the meantime I will be staying here to ensure that no pursuers would bother your journey."

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"Thank you very much… for everything," said Aideen to Adalbert and Ansel, Diarmuid also worded his thanks on behalf of the civilians to them, which they accepted gracefully.

 

"It is but a task given to me by his holiness, young lord and lady, please confer your gratitude to him instead," said Adalbert.

 

"It is my honor to serve his holiness' will," replied Ansel, now recognizable as a woman from her voice.

 

The trip from the border towards Tohrmutgent was a far more relaxed journey, as there was no threat behind them, and thus they had no need to hurry their mounts to the point that only magical healing had kept them alive.

 

When Aideen broached the topic to Ansel, the woman had agreed that they should take the time to rest their bodies, so that they would arrive at the capital in better morale and shape, as it would also allow the civilians to get a glimpse of life in Ptolodecca with their own eyes.

 

Since they decided to do just that after some discussion, the normally weeklong to ten-day journey between the border and Tohrmutgent ended up taking them fifteen days, with Ansel sending a messenger ahead to notify the Bone Lord about their estimated time of arrival, and receiving his approval in a return letter the very same night.

 

For many of the civilians that followed the siblings from Vitalica, and even Maebh herself, since she had never been to Ptolodecca before, the sight of skeletons standing in guard in fixed intervals around villages and towns, and in nearly every intersection surprised them, yet the way the people simply lived their lives without being bothered by the skeletons, and how some even sat and chatted with them, as well as how children often treated them as playground equipment, quickly ensured them just how integrated the Undead were to Ptolodeccan life.

 

During their stop on one of the smaller towns, Maebh saw a man sitting next to a skeleton while drinking, and telling stories about his children, before he finally finished his drink and stories, hugged the skeleton lovingly, and departed with a melancholic look on his face.

 

Maebh politely asked him why he did that just now, and the reply she got shocked her to the core. The man told her that the skeleton was that of his late wife, who passed away while giving birth to their fourth child five years ago. He had chosen to donate her body to the necromancers over burying her - a practice called a death toll by the locals, where if you chose to do that you were given a cut to your taxes for the following three years - and the skeleton, whether by coincidence or design, was stationed not far from where he lived. He had since often brought his children to pay a visit to their mother, or spent nights talking to her like just now.

 

Maebh did not know what she should say, or even think about how the man lived his life, but his story, definitely gave her another view of Ptolodecca, a land where the dead still stood amongst the living.

 

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