KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Ares had a wonderful sleep, even if Runar kept kicking him throughout the night. When he awoke, his twin boys had climbed up onto his torso and drooled all over his side. Ares almost flung himself forward to sit up, but stopped when he remembered his children on him. He picked the pair up and then walked out with them in his arms before they threw up on his chest. 

“…”

The milk mothers quickly reached for the children, apologising profusely to him. Ares stared down as the vomit sank into his clothes and then pressed against his bare skin. 

“Is this vomit healthy?” Ares asked as he motioned to it. 

“It seems fine.” One replied back hastily, sweating a little. 

“Ah, that’s good then.” Ares chuckled as he then stripped out of the top and then went to go wash the sick off of him, then cleaning his clothes before he placed them on a branch and walked around topless, for even though they were high up on the mountain, the sun was beaming by enough to make it quite hot.

He saw the representatives and a large number of others, but also Heria. He almost slapped his forehead when he recalled that he needed to check out the wolffolk during the night, though when he had dropped between his children he had passed out right away. He swiftly walked over to her.

“Good morning, did you sleep well?”

“Well enough. There was a bunch of trouble after what I told my tribe.” She sighed. “I had to beat some shits since they wouldn’t listen, but you’ve got my wolffolk as part of your Riveans.”

“Ah! Well, you’re partly wrong. It’s our Riveans. You and I are both the same in that regard.”

“Yeah, but you’re the King aren’t you?”

“Yeah, King Ares, Master of Waters, Kin of all Riveans.”

“Alright. Then I’ll send for my carpenters and warriors too, I left them back just so none of yours started trouble with them.”

“Great. Thanks. I mean, I didn’t think they would have tried to, but I’m glad you thought that far ahead for my sake.”

“You’re welcome.” Heria grinned. “Alright, are we getting to it then?”

“After you.” He motioned with a hand towards the group.

They group had been speaking quite heatedly but then grew silent, as if a raging storm suddenly disappeared. “Good morning, I hope you all slept well, I sure did.” Ares stretched his neck. “Sorry about last night, but I feel much more up to task.” He glanced over to the fifty or so carpenters as well as the soldiers. “I’ll wait to deal with them once the wolffolk have arrived, then we’ll sort out the rest.”

“So have the wolffolk joined then?” Called out an elderly oxfolk. The others all snapped to him and some tried to hush the older man down. Ares recalled this as the elderly oxfolk that did not wish to move into line.

“It’s good to see you again.” Ares smiled. “Yes, they have, as far as I am aware. They, like you, shall also be Riveans, so I hope you will welcome them into our family.”

“Some are still a little sore about it, so don’t tease them too much.” Heria said as she crossed her arms. “I’m a little sore too, but a deal is a deal.”

Ares smiled. “I’m glad. Alright, well, shall we get to it?” Ares asked. “I shall be planning the start of the capital soon, though it will be troublesome with how many people are around and just how much food we’ll need. We can probably hunt for some food, but it’ll be difficult with so many people. We’ll live with the food we have stored up, but I want to speak with the farmers about lands. The dragonfolk, Asyllia, you will meet her soon, will bring us a map and I’ll get started on the plans for the capital. I will try and make it so that all of the people here can live near or around it. I am also going to form a few different orders of soldiers, as well as people. There won’t be a hierarchy, beyond what we have here, though there are some matters I have to attend to, and I want to make sure the people that need help will get it quickly. Such matters we’ll expand upon soon, but I would like to ask of you all what issues you have brought forth. We shall start with my left and then continue along the circle. Please keep it somewhat quick, and if others have the same issue, raise your hands, If you have no more issues you can think of, sit down, and if you get another issue, please stand up once more. This will keep everything properly orderly. If you have trouble sitting or standing, please do tell me, we shall accommodate such a thing, it is no problem.” He bowed his head.  

And so the morning continued, turning into noon as they discussed various issues that the tribes had been suffering. Part way through, the wolffolk joined them and Ares explained the rules to them. It was extremely stressful for everyone involved, and there were many times Ares had to calm the representatives down. Even he felt a heavy mind after the end of it all. Still, they had managed to form various opinions and most had agreed with what they were planning to do. 

Ares then excused himself, leaving it to Rori, who had remained entirely silent and paid keen attention to Ares. “I think you know how to handle this.” Ares had said, raising a hand before then leaving. “Anyone who displeases the Consul, displeases their very King.” Ares warned before leaving. Heria followed him right after, leaving the other wolffolk behind. 

As he approached the representatives, he glanced back towards the humans and then the dragonfolk. “Eh…” He sighed out and then turned, calling for Asyllia, who had a pack on her back. “The map?”

“Yes, my King. Several.” She said as she revealed a great many scrolls, one would thought that she was a wizard. Then again, Ares knew so little about her she could have very well been a wizard. 

She handed one over to Ares as he walked to the representatives and then checked out the area. She had given him a small sheet, perhaps no longer than his torso, which gave him a view of the area from above going from the shrine, which was at the centre, to much further away, perhaps about a mile each way. 

“Ah, good, good.” Ares nodded. There was a lot he could work with. He then looked up at the representatives. “Good morning, or I suppose afternoon. It seems as though the meeting had taken much longer than I had anticipated, for we gained some new family.” He motioned to Heria. “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting. I do hope you are all well.” He bowed his head to the farmers, the carpenters and the soldiers. 

“Would you like me to bring mine?” Heria asked. 

“Hmm. Yes please, though I’ll get started right away.” He said and so she left him be with the people about. “So, farmers…” He said as a few perked up. “Your goal is to find the areas that are most fertile and then we’ll get to work on making such fields. Carpenters, we’re going to speak of design, specifically the way I want the houses and the various buildings designed and the technique I want to utilise.” He then turned to the last lot that were armed. “Soldiers. Great.” He smiled. “I will ask of you to train the other warriors to become stronger, as well as forming several different guards, or rather, tiers of guards. I want to know how each of you fight, what kind of fighting style you have, and which you believe if best. I will say now, there is no best way of fighting, but I want to know the way you fight best so that I can form units around such things for times of war.” He then summoned a blade. “I have a decent amount of weapons, about three hundred blades and spears, perhaps a few more from before, so this is what we’re starting with. If you know any smiths you like the works of, please do bring them to me towards the end of the day, but for now I ask of you to go and train a few warriors whilst preparing your fighting style to show me in the evening. Do not worry, unless it is utterly atrocious, I will not make fun of you.” Ares chuckled.

So he sent the soldiers away and then turned back to the farmers. “Well then, shall we?” He asked as he led them away, calling for a few warriors nearby to come and help them. He then turned to Asyllia. “Is it alright if we cut down the trees and create farms around the area? Will your old tribe be fine with it, those that I met yesterday?” He asked.

She bowed her head. “Peros has left this in your care, my tribe shall allow you such powers.”

Ares stopped. “They aren’t your tribe anymore. You are a Rivean.” He said sternly. She bowed her head apologetically and then followed as he continued on. 

“May I speak?” Asyllia asked.

Ares glanced back. “Yes, of course.”

“I do believe I know where it would be best to grow crops, if that is your plan.”

“Oh?” Ares asked. “Please do tell us.”

It was then the hundred and such followed Asyllia around, going through the wood nearby and then she stopped, still partly in the wood. She then led them around, showing them a large open space they could work with, though Ares had no idea just how much they could make in terms of crops. The farmers checked the soil, astonished by such quality and then began to murmur to one another excitedly. Seeing the joy on their faced caused Ares to smile.

The carpenters had also began to murmur as they checked the wood around the area, one coming over to Ares. “Aye, suh, ya grace and majesteh.”

“What is it, sir?”

“Aye? Ah ain’t no suh, ya grace and majesteh.”

“You are older than I, it is to show you respect for your wisdom.” Ares chuckled.

“Aye, suh.” The older man, an oxfolk, flushed red. “It’s just, we’h meanin’ ta ask, this wood… a’h we able ta use it?”

Ares looked to Asyllia who bowed her head. “We ask that you be careful not to cut down too much so that there is no forest, but we would be honoured for you to use our wood.”

“Is there something special about it?” Ares asked.

“Aye, suh. It’s real special.” The older oxfolk said as he then excused himself back to the group, whom cheered under the news and then continued to check on the wood.

‘Nice.’ Ares said, smiling to himself. “Well then… let’s discuss the methods, shall we?” He called out to the carpenters. He explained what he had recalled from his own world, the way wood could join together and hold strong, even after thousands of years, then even using leaves and carving pieces into it to show the various shapes that he could recalled for the joining of the wood, then splitting part of a tree to reveal more of the shapes in more dimensions.

“I want you all to create small pieces that use these techniques, and whichever you can think of. For now, let’s create temporary shelters using these techniques, nothing too extravagant or extreme, then once we’ve figured all of these things out I’ll get you designing the permanent homes.” Ares bowed his head and then he asked Asyllia to lead them on to more fertile land so they could a few fields, enough to feed their people and then some.