More friends
Scratching at his beard, Yanig stares at the setting sun in the west.
"Uhm, sir..." The runner says, unsure, "you have heard?"
"Oh, yes sorry, I am just enjoying the painted skies for a moment. You may go." Yanig turns to the young man and smiles. "Taek!"
"Yes."
Yanig jumps back, arms stiff as logs, "Jeez, don't do that!" He reprimands Taek who just grins, he waited beside the door knowing Yanig will call when the runner leaves. "Get me the elders please."
"No, I am certain these people are from the capital." Yanig tells the surprisingly young elders assembled. They are meeting in the new hall, a point of pride for the village. A far cry from everyone being squeezed into a single tent or trying to see who is speaking around a bonfire. Alongside the leaders, however, it seems many tribesmen assume, because they have a big hall now, that anyone can join in, as though they had been excluded from meetings before because of space limitations. Yanig just shrugs as he watches a last straggler meekly find a seat in the back of the now packed hall.
"Will we need to fight?" A scruffy-looking man asks. Yanig notes he is the one in charge of the packlizards, but he could have sworn the man was middle-aged at least. In front of him though sits a mid-thirties child. 'Damn, I am the old one... we should rename the elders to the youngsters.' Yanig chuckles as his thoughts are distracted.
"Oh, uhm, no. I think we welcome them and see. The scouts report only thirty people, likely most of them are soldiers, but we can do well to first gather intelligence." Yanig answers, speaking more slowly so his words carry better.
"A fine point, Yanig," Saqwe adds, and with a flourish, as much of a flourish as one can stand with between rows of benches and then needing to scoot past other people. "Sorry... Excuse me...MOVE!" She finally drops her attempt at being considerate, and the whole bench clears out, letting Saqwe step into the aisle and to the front of the hall.
"I agree that we should act ignorant, and see what our enemies want." Saqwe looks at Yanig only but does speak loud enough for all to hear, then turns to face the assembly, and continues. "I think we should welcome them in, given they are not violent from the outset, of course. Then we prepare houses to trap them and we can easily interrogate them. I think the houses can be outfitted with floor traps, and a means for us to shoot fire down on them from the roof --" Yanig coughs loudly, interrupting Saqwe's speech.
Saqwe frowns at Yanig, giving a suspicious glare as he over-sells the booming cough. A long, noisy moment passes and Yanig speaks as though nothing untoward has occurred. "I think what Saqwe means is, we should prepare for a direct threat but also be ready for any concealed motives from our visitors. We shall prepare a place for our guests to camp, but..." Yanig chokes back a smile, "...without any trap floors, or traps in general."
From the back Doa raises his hand. Yanig nods. "Can we use magic?"
"Good question, and I think we should not change what we are doing. However, we should not allow them to see our full training, and no one utters a word about the ruins." Yanig pauses to consider the implications, then reiterates. "Yes, everyone, you may proceed as normal, but be aware, we know at the very least the Capital controls magic use in their own realm. I don't make this choice lightly, but I believe we will learn the most from those coming by playing ignorant and continuing as we always have. Objections?"
As though she is answering for all, Saqwe stomps out of the hall and soon everyone leaves. After the meeting, for the most part, it is business as usual, unless you take into account more people carrying weapons than usual.
Two days later the group arrives. Yanig watches them march down the line of men he has stationed. The visiting chieftain has also stationed his men with their beasts on each side of the newly made "road". When the group was a day away, Yanig sent a message for the scouts to reveal themselves and guide the visitors from a safe distance.
Now the foreigners are approaching at a steady pace. They have also removed their cloaks, placing their armour on full display.
"Metal armour? In the desert?" Doa asks next to Yanig.
"It is probably enchanted." Yanig answers simply, his eyes fixed on the approaching column of men.
Finally they stop in front of Yanig and the front row of men stand to the side letting someone through. The man is the only one not wearing full armour. His blonde hair is slicked back as though it has just been wet. He pauses a moment, watching Yanig reveal his own face from behind his own sand armour, and just smirks.
"Welcome, visitors, this is our humble village -" Yanig greets the man formally but is interrupted.
"Thank you for this extravagant welcome, Chieftain." The man turns and waves his arms around to indicate the men in their sand armour and the beasts lining their way in. "I am Grelch of the Capital Realms," he bows slightly to Yanig, "I and my men have been tasked with the honour of bringing..." He pauses for a moment. "...I mean, securing good faith and hopefully mutually beneficial trade and the exchange of knowledge between the Great Capital and tribes such as yours." The man finishes, well pleased with his introduction.
A moment lingers before Yanig responds, still mentally noting how the man seemed to hiss the word tribes.
"We are pleased." Yanig replies curtly. "You have travelled a long way, let us show you where you may camp and I assure you the area has been safeguarded for such honorary guests as you surely are." Yanig stumbles through his words, trying to recall fancy ones but sticking with tried and true instead.
Grelch just nods smugly, enjoying Yanig's stumble. "You may lead, my retinue and I shall follow." Grelch's men uniformly turn to follow, each man loudly stomping their left foot to the ground and placing their hands on the swords at their hips, then marching behind the man in their own smug display.
On their way to the newly formed camping site, Saqwe quietly slips next to Yanig.
Yanig glances to his side and notices her. "You still made perimeter traps, right?" He whispers.
She nods.
Grelch raises a brow at the two. Yanig looks at him and smiles.
"I am told we have secured quite the feast for you this evening, uhm, Ambassador?" Yanig lies to the man on his left.
"That would surely be a delight," Grelch responds, then he frowns. "No, my title is one of Senior Arbiter."
"Oh, like an inquisitor?" Yanig asks quickly.
Senior Arbiter Grelch grins, considering the question. "I suppose, it is a stretch, and an archaic term. I assure you... but not useless." He answers, showing no concern for how he may be interpreted.