08-28-2021, 02:48 PM
At dawn of the 13th day, a deep, bugling roar echoed from the swamps west of Tarasinau. A procession of carts and couriers marched into the city, led by a large blue dragon pulling an equally large wagon. Though the contents were covered by a large canvas cloth, the rounded shapes underneath showed a bounty of different produce. Behind her, men led pack horses laden with sacks of grain: corn and barley and wheat. Soldiers in Carigsay livery were interspersed through the group, and a glassy-eyed jotunn served as rear guard. Needless to say, by the time the procession reached the hearth, a curious crowd had gathered.
"Good people of Tarasinau!" the dragon cried as she raised onto her hind legs. Her draconic form shifted and shrank to that of a human and she stepped free of the harness. "I am Rendethryn Stormsong of Carigsay, and I have heard your plight. We bring food and supplies to aid our brethren in their time of need!" A murmur rippled through the crowd and grew into a cheer, as hands rushed to unload the goods and carry them into the hearth home. Rendethryn made her way through the crowd to the jotunn, still standing placidly towards the rear, and placed her hand upon his knee. "I thank you for the assistance, friend," she said, her voice oddly echoed with a deep, resonant tone. "Return to your northern lands in peace." "As you wish." And the giant turned for the gates of the city, lumbering out of sight.
Rendethryn scanned the crowd as she returned to the business at hand. A group of smallfolk had already set up a cauldron for a hearty stew, stoking the fires and chattering happily among themselves. Children darted laughing through the adults. There, towards the outer edge of the crowd, she finally spied her target: the pale greenish face of the child from some days earlier, too weak to play with the other children but watching with yearning.
"There you are, little one!" Rendethryn smiled and lifted the child onto her hip. By the gods, she barely weighed anything. "I was hoping I would see you again. Let us go and see what delights await us, hm?"
They picked their way through the crowd. It was slow going, as many stopped her to offer thanks, handshakes and hugs, old women grasping her hand and blessing her name. Rendethryn had a brief flashback to her homeland, when the humans that settled in her territory had praised her as a deity. Her smile grew brighter.
While the bread they'd brought had grown hard on the journey, it made excellent bowls for stew, and one of the smallfolk passed her such a bowl for the goblin child. She sat the child beneath a tree to eat her fill, and turned her attention back to the work of unloading and organizing. "No, no, keep that chest separate from the foodstuffs," she instructed. "There are seeds in there to replant the fields."
By mid-morning, the area around the hearth resembled a festival. Groups of adults chatted among themselves, and children played with renewed spirits. Rendethryn sat beneath a tree with a group of villagers, elders who had done their best to guide the others in the absence of the queen. The goblin child slept draped across her lap, much like a graceless cat. She listened to their concerns and offered guidance as she could, or simple empathy where she could not. In some days' time, she assured them, a ship would arrive at the docks, carrying wood, stone, and 100 skilled workers to help revitalize the city.
"Will you be overseeing the work yourself, milady?" a wizened dwarf asked, puffing on her pipe.
Rendethryn nodded. "At first, to be sure. Once a garden has been established, it doesn't need as much care, but nurturing it to that point is rather intense work. That is, if you wish me to assist further?" She looked around at the group sitting with her, eyebrows raised. Most were already enthusiastically nodding before she could even finish her question. "Of course, my lady!" "Och aye, please!" "Yub rulg!" She smiled graciously and bowed her head to the gathering. "Then I shall watch over the city, and the repairs, until such time as I am no longer needed." She caught one of her guards' attention and nodded to him. "Though you must understand I cannot just leave Carigsay to fend for itself without warning." Another round of nods and murmured agreement. The conversation continued, with the proprietor of the local inn offering her the finest room in the place for the length of her stay. "I couldn't ask a single coin of ye, m'lady!"
As the last of the prepared food disappeared to eager bellies, Rendethryn stood and carefully passed the sleeping child to one of the elders. It had been a long journey, but the result was better than she could have hoped. Now the real work started.
"Good people of Tarasinau!" the dragon cried as she raised onto her hind legs. Her draconic form shifted and shrank to that of a human and she stepped free of the harness. "I am Rendethryn Stormsong of Carigsay, and I have heard your plight. We bring food and supplies to aid our brethren in their time of need!" A murmur rippled through the crowd and grew into a cheer, as hands rushed to unload the goods and carry them into the hearth home. Rendethryn made her way through the crowd to the jotunn, still standing placidly towards the rear, and placed her hand upon his knee. "I thank you for the assistance, friend," she said, her voice oddly echoed with a deep, resonant tone. "Return to your northern lands in peace." "As you wish." And the giant turned for the gates of the city, lumbering out of sight.
Rendethryn scanned the crowd as she returned to the business at hand. A group of smallfolk had already set up a cauldron for a hearty stew, stoking the fires and chattering happily among themselves. Children darted laughing through the adults. There, towards the outer edge of the crowd, she finally spied her target: the pale greenish face of the child from some days earlier, too weak to play with the other children but watching with yearning.
"There you are, little one!" Rendethryn smiled and lifted the child onto her hip. By the gods, she barely weighed anything. "I was hoping I would see you again. Let us go and see what delights await us, hm?"
They picked their way through the crowd. It was slow going, as many stopped her to offer thanks, handshakes and hugs, old women grasping her hand and blessing her name. Rendethryn had a brief flashback to her homeland, when the humans that settled in her territory had praised her as a deity. Her smile grew brighter.
While the bread they'd brought had grown hard on the journey, it made excellent bowls for stew, and one of the smallfolk passed her such a bowl for the goblin child. She sat the child beneath a tree to eat her fill, and turned her attention back to the work of unloading and organizing. "No, no, keep that chest separate from the foodstuffs," she instructed. "There are seeds in there to replant the fields."
By mid-morning, the area around the hearth resembled a festival. Groups of adults chatted among themselves, and children played with renewed spirits. Rendethryn sat beneath a tree with a group of villagers, elders who had done their best to guide the others in the absence of the queen. The goblin child slept draped across her lap, much like a graceless cat. She listened to their concerns and offered guidance as she could, or simple empathy where she could not. In some days' time, she assured them, a ship would arrive at the docks, carrying wood, stone, and 100 skilled workers to help revitalize the city.
"Will you be overseeing the work yourself, milady?" a wizened dwarf asked, puffing on her pipe.
Rendethryn nodded. "At first, to be sure. Once a garden has been established, it doesn't need as much care, but nurturing it to that point is rather intense work. That is, if you wish me to assist further?" She looked around at the group sitting with her, eyebrows raised. Most were already enthusiastically nodding before she could even finish her question. "Of course, my lady!" "Och aye, please!" "Yub rulg!" She smiled graciously and bowed her head to the gathering. "Then I shall watch over the city, and the repairs, until such time as I am no longer needed." She caught one of her guards' attention and nodded to him. "Though you must understand I cannot just leave Carigsay to fend for itself without warning." Another round of nods and murmured agreement. The conversation continued, with the proprietor of the local inn offering her the finest room in the place for the length of her stay. "I couldn't ask a single coin of ye, m'lady!"
As the last of the prepared food disappeared to eager bellies, Rendethryn stood and carefully passed the sleeping child to one of the elders. It had been a long journey, but the result was better than she could have hoped. Now the real work started.