KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Ares did not spend much time dwelling on the last day’s events, instead he went to check around the area and the soldiers. He trained with them again in the morning, listened to the representatives that would soon need to be named something cooler than representatives, and then he went to speak with Torak.

“Have you thought much about becoming the first Patrician?” Ares asked as he shook Torak’s forearm, who returned the handshake.

“I don’t need to do much thinking. I will be whatever you need me to be, I am wholly loyal to you.”

Ares smiled and continued shaking their arm. “I’m glad I can trust you. I’ll be teaching everyone around noon, I’d like for you to pay as much attention as you can…” Ares looked up as he saw Asyllia before she dropped down to meet with the King.

“My King, the oxfolk will soon arrive.”

“Ah, well then… I suppose I won’t be teaching today, then…” Ares laughed and then he nodded. “Alright, I’ll be off in a moment.” He turned to look at Torak. “Will you do me a favour and look after Emerli for me?”

“The witch?”

“The witch.”

Torak nodded and then Ares shifted into his phoenix form and flew off, following Asyllia to the base of the mountain. As they approached the new fort that was being created, Ares could see that the Marching Blades, who had wished to remain to defend the fort though they were still injured, standing outside the fort with many other oxfolk waiting outside.

There were thousands of oxfolk, many of them they had fought alongside, and yet the Marching Blades who had been given strict orders to allow no one through, would not allow any by.

Ares dropped down into his human form in front of the several Horns. “Sorry about that.” He laughed as he looked over to the Marching Blades who very quickly saluted their King. “I’m glad to see you are all well. Welcome, welcome.” He extended his arms out. “This is still a work in progress…” He bowed his head some-what sheepishly. The work wasn’t going very quickly, but with the new oxfolk that would be joining, he assumed it would go much quicker.

“Still, you have come. Have you thought more of my words?”

“I have. I am willing to give my tribe to you, to be ruled fairly, as you have said.” Sohka replied, and the others shared his sentiment.

“Alright. I will say to you then, the rules that I expect all Riveans to obey. Whatever a Rivean earns, they earn for all Riveans. The formation of the army is far more structured, and there are many structures within the army…” Ares then went to explain the army in great detail and then how he had high expectations of all Riveans, and that they would treat Ares with a level of respect, but also all of those that hold a high position of power.

“The politics have yet to be sorted out and well…” He looked out to the rest of the oxfolk. “There are far too many to invite to the capital as of yet.” Ares sighed. He looked out to the fields. “Would you give me a short time to speak with the representatives?” He crossed his arms. “In fact, I think it’s time I change such a structure…” There would be hundreds of representatives, and that would be far too much. In fact, even now, Ares’ mind whirred with a great many ideas. He smiled.

“Let’s create some towns, shall we?” He said as he looked out to the landscape. “Do you have anyone you can delegate your duties as Horns to temporarily? I’d love to speak with you with my representatives.”

Sohka conferred with the other Horns for a moment before nodding their head and then Ares waited. Once they had sorted someone else to keep charge of the other oxfolk, the large groups began to split off to find a place to stay and some food. Ares was unable to provide for so many, but luckily they had brought enough food that he didn’t have to worry about such a thing.

Since they were riding oxen, the journey back barely took a day as they pushed their beasts forward and Ares led them on. Evening had soon come and the representatives had already gathered by the time Ares had arrived, a smile on his face. “Great! I was hoping everyone was ready and eager. I’m sure I don’t need to introduce the Horns to some of you, but I think that introductions are still in order for those that don’t know these fine people. I am unfamiliar with a couple of them, but I have enough faith in them that I don’t think this will be too much of an issue.”

Ares introduced them as best as he could to the awaiting group. Then he quickly moved on to the topic at hand. “The Horns have brought their thousands to come and join, and I realise this may be disruptive. For the next short while I will begin shifting around people throughout various parts of the land, creating small forts and such and then villages and towns around them, though all roughly nearby one another. I expect to create a few dozen of these places along Dragon’s Spine and the area beyond the base of the mountain where we will be creating the large fort. I will also be mixing many of our people, so that way each and every one of us is equally as uncomfortable. I expect you to mingle with your community and help one another, and beyond that, I hope that everyone remembers the motto of our people…” He waited until then Rori spoke aloud.

“I bleed for those who bleed for me.”

“Excellent Rori-kin. I told you before that these fine folk had bled for me, and therefore, I will bleed for them. As far as I am aware, they have accepted becoming Riveans, and therefore they will be afforded all rights afforded to such. I would like for us to become quite close, and to quickly become so, that way we can expand ourselves to meet the humans that will soon come for us.”

Ares pulled back and then waited to see if any of them would have liked to speak. Sohka indeed did want to speak, they spoke about their worries and about how they would like to settle food, duties, more information about the army since Ares had mentioned quite a bit about it before, but he had rambled that it was still newly forming. Ares answered each question as best as he could, and Sohka eventually was placated. He waited for each of the Horn’s questions before then calling to attention the new plan.

“Once we’ve assembled everyone to these new villages, each of which will be several hundred people, a representative will be chosen, and an assistant to the representative, that will take the same role as the representatives here. I realise that it will become far too unwieldy if we have one for every fifty or so people, and so we’ll have to deal with that.”

Ares could see the grumblings on their faces before many of the representatives began to complain. Ares allowed them to, but then he raised a hand. “I shall expect you to earn your right here, for I shall give any that manages to become a representative as a Speaker, and those that help them, a Vice-Speaker.” Ares really had wished he made a cooler name for them, but that was that.

He thought for a few moments and was about to ask if they had thought up of a name that may have been cooler, but he let it go.