Chapter 289: Gifts

Chapter 289: Gifts

“I think we might have overdone it last night.”

All three of Jadis yawned in response to Aila’s softly spoken comment. Based on her foggy brain and general weariness, she had to agree with the arcanist’s assessment. Last night had been an obscene whirlwind of lewd acts, almost all of which had been necessary for the purposes of keeping up their sex rituals. They had gone on for hours, even with Jadis’ liberal use of her ritual time reduction skill, which unfortunately had resulted in less sleep than Jadis would have preferred.

Not that she was complaining. The fucking had been fun and a welcome bit of stress relief. Additionally, Jadis saw it as a way to keep the bond between her and her companions strong. They had also managed to redo Eir’s Protection of the D ritual, as well as a refresh of both Jadis’ and Bridget’s Stoke the Ardent Flame. Keeping their buffs active was an important maintenance activity, regardless of any lewd fringe benefits.

Sorcha’s jaw had dropped to the floor after those displays. Her spectator’s view on the whole debauched night had left the goblin wide-eyed and perhaps a bit fearful. Horny and curious, too, but Jadis could sense the trepidation coming from Sorcha’s nervous glances after the show. Jadis planned on having a direct talk with the witch concerning the whole situation, particularly about how while she planned on petitioning to have her turned over to Fortune’s Favored as a ward for the duration of her sentence, she absolutely was not expecting the goblin to join in on their sex rituals simply because she would be working for her. Her participation was strictly optional and entirely up to Sorcha’s interest or lack thereof.

That important conversation would have to wait until later, though. After the long night of messy fornication, plus a prolonged bout of washing to get everyone clean again, the group had gone to bed and woken the next morning with barely any time to spare. Upon waking, Jadis and her companions had to rush to get all of their things packed. That day they were leaving the grove.

“Again I must express my undying gratitude to all of you for the service you have given us,” Yorath loudly thanked the assembled expedition. “Without your timely assistance, we without doubt would have fallen prey to the host of Samleos’ spawn that had beset our grove. Your assistance was invaluable and can never be adequately repaid. Thank you.”

Elder Yorath and the rest of the Dryads, at least those that weren’t planted in the earth, bowed low in a show of gratitude and respect. It was somewhat uncomfortable for Jadis, at least in the formality of the occasion. The elder had lined up with his family and had turned the expedition’s departure into an event. Not that Jadis didn’t appreciate the thanks, but the very public thanks did make her feel a little awkward in that she wasn’t entirely sure how she should speak or act. She wasn’t even sure she was standing appropriately.

Captain Willa and her soldiers were all dressed in their full armor and were standing at military attention. Even the usually easygoing Nora was locked in place like a statue. The Roiling Reavers weren’t quite as precise, but they too had lined up in a double row and were standing at attention as well. Some looked surly, especially with the chains and manacles locked onto their wrists, but others had hopeful expressions. Stavros, however, was as impassive as always. The man really had a stone’s idea of expressiveness.

Jadis’ own mercenary company was somewhat less organized. They were standing in less of a line and more of a loose row. Most of her companions weren’t military after all, and neither was she for that matter. Thea was the only one with any true soldiering training and while she was standing at attention, she hadn’t lined up the same way as the soldiers and had instead taken a stance that more closely aligned her with the rest of Fortune’s Favored. That detail did not escape Jadis’ notice or appreciation.

Something Jadis also noticed was that both Noll and Jack in the form of another therion stood together. The pair had been spending a lot of time talking for the past few days. Jadis had no idea about what since their conversations were hushed and private, but whatever the two were discussing involved no few glances in Jadis’ direction. She planned on confronting one or both on the matter but put the questions as low priority. Chances were good neither would reveal the full contents of their conversations, especially if they in some way involved her.

So, not knowing exactly what to do with her hands, Jadis practiced an outward appearance of calm confidence as she kept her helmets under her arms and her two remaining weapons settled with their heads on the ground. She made sure to keep an eye on what the others were doing and did her best to mimic anything they said or did as Yorath continued with his ceremony.

It wasn’t all just speeches and gestures, though. Once Yorath had finished leading the Dryads in a prayer to Villthyrial that was meant to bless the assembled expedition, he proceeded to give the various parties gifts.

Captain Willa and her soldiers were given a large chest that was filled with various potions and tinctures that the Dryads had crafted. The number and quality of the potions would help to ensure the safety of her small squad for years to come, or at least through the remainder of the demonic invasion. Each soldier was also given a small pouch filled with sparkling gemstones. Not eleria from what Jadis could see when Jaxton discreetly retrieved one of the gems from the pouch he’d been given and held it up to the light, but instead emeralds and sapphires, enough that Jadis was certain their future retirements were secure. Willa herself was awarded a ceremonial shield that one of the Dryad’s had crafted for her. While Jadis was sure that Willa wouldn’t use it since she was dutifully bound to use the standard equipment of the Empire, the shield was beautifully made and looked like it was worth a lot of coin, if she were so inclined to sell it.

The Dryads also gave a gift to the Reavers, though it came in a different form. Yorath passed a bound scroll to captain Willa, one that he assured Stavros and his men contained his recommendation to the Magistrate that they be given leniency due to their service to the Dryads, as well as an invitation to remand any or all of the Reavers to his grove for the duration of their sentences. He would personally guarantee their safety so long as they vowed to follow their laws.

When it came time to present gifts to Fortune’s Favored, Yorath was far more personal in the presents that he gave.

To Aila he gave a new staff. The wood had been grown specifically for the purpose of becoming a magical staff, its shape coming from years of tending rather than a crafter’s blade. The red, polished wood was as tall as Aila and the upper third of the staff was lined with a twisting pattern of runic symbols that had been grown into the material, rather than carved. The tip was branched out and wrapped around a large shard of eleria that was eight inches in size, definitely the largest piece of the valuable crystal that Jadis had ever seen. By Aila’s wide-eyed stare, it was probably the biggest piece she’d ever seen either.

“The enchantments grown into this staff will decrease the cost of any spell you cast by ten percent,” Yorath explained as Aila reverently took the magical staff from his hands. “It will also allow you to overcharge a single spell once a day, effectively doubling the power of that one spell’s effects. Keep in mind that it does not work on rituals, nor does it work on spells that are channeled. I am certain you will be judicious in its use.”

“It is a marker,” Carys explained with a twinkle in her eyes. “Of a sort rarely seen. With it, you may ask one boon of Vetregin. Any one favor. Dragons do not give out such markers lightly and in a certain sense it is a dangerous responsibility to carry one. You must be careful not to insult the dragon with your request, or the gift can easily turn against you. However, with this marker you can ask for a service of Vetregin, should you desire. Or, if you make your way to his lair, you could use it in trade for an item from his hoard. A dragon as old and venerable as he possesses many great treasures that you might find to be of value.”

Syd stared dumbly at the rock held in the palm of her hand. The possibilities that Carys had just suggested were, frankly, a little too much for Jadis to fully process considering her sleep-deprived state. She quietly thanked the Dryad for the gift as her mind slowly began to buzz more and more with ideas of just what she could do with a single favor from the colossal ice dragon.

“Your next gift suits your nature as the leader of a mercenary company,” Yorath announced, recapturing Jadis’ attention. “Being a leader entails certain responsibilities, which this meager offering will hopefully aid you with.”

Another chest was brought out, this one small but heavily constructed with thick iron bands around it. Dys took the strongbox and, opening the lid, was greeted by the sight of glittering gold. The chest was filled with coins, most of them gold, though maybe a third of them were silver. The actual value of the coins was incalculable to Jadis. She had only a tenuous grasp on imperial pricing and what coins were worth what, but the sheer amount of valuable metal in the box boggled the mind.

“You will have to trade those in for Imperial coin,” Yorath advised with a knowing smile. “They were minted in a kingdom far from here. But I doubt you will have much trouble.”

“Uh, no, yeah, I doubt that too,” Dys murmured as she slowly closed the lid on the box. “Thank you very, very, very much.”

“Don’t waste all of your thanks just yet,” the jovial voice of Tegwyn called out. “There’s one final gift we have to give!”

Jadis had noted that Tegwyn had slipped away at some point during the ceremony, though she hadn’t seen where he had gone. Now, she saw him walking towards the gathering from the far side of the open grassy area. With him ambled four large forms, each one docilely following behind the grinning Dryad.

“I found these four fellows for you yesterday. So long as you take good care of them, you will have no further need to pull your own oversize wagon. As they are magic beasts, they are more than suited to the task.”

Jadis stared at Tegwyn, the grinning man surrounded on either side by the four huge mountain goats he’d apparently tamed just for her. Each one was just as large as the form that Tegwyn himself could take, though rather than being made of wood and moss, these goats were flesh and blood. Their white fur was dappled with dark gray spots along their flanks and a mohawk of longer fur stood up along their powerful shoulders and backs. Their brown goat eyes watched Jadis impassively.

“You... got me goats?” Jay finally said, her eyes flickering between the huge animals and Tegwyn.

“For your wagon, yes,” he nodded happily. “It hardly seems appropriate that a glorious warrior such as yourself should have to pull her own wagon around. So I have arranged for these four to do the job for you. Now, feel free to shower me with thanks. You are welcome.”

“I, uh... thanks Tegwyn,” Jay finally said as she frowned at the big goats. “I’ve never taken care of goats before, magic or otherwise, but if these big guys can actually handle the wagon, then I really am thankful.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Tegwyn said. “It will be no trouble to show you how to properly care for them. We’ll have plenty of time on the road, I am sure.”

Jay nodded, then froze.

“On the road?”

“Yes, of course!” Tegwyn smiled as he took a few steps forward and reached out towards Jay with a friendly hand. Holding her own out towards him on instinct, he took it in a firm handshake. “I have decided to take your advice on getting out into the world and will be joining you on your trip to Far Felsen. Perhaps if the life suits me, I may even decide to join a mercenary company for a time!”

Well. He wasn’t exactly what she had been expecting, but one small worry was soothed by Tegwyn’s suggestion that he would join Fortune’s Favored. She did need to recruit a couple more members for the guild, and if she was going to recruit anyone, why not a powerful Dryad who could turn into a giant goat?