Daniel came through into warm air that smelled of cut grass and rain. The bone-dry chill of the undead woodlands was replaced with a touch of citrus and humidity. The light above was silver, yet soothing against the eyes and skin as the colors bled from inside everything.
Color doesn’t come from the sun but from objects themselves.
He had the vague feeling that everything with color knew what it was and showed it rather than being told. Identity was physical here. It produced its own light and hue.
“So this is home. It’s more—”
Something hit him at knee height and put him in the grass.
“Oof! What in Clara’s feathers?”
Black fur bristled like shadow before him.
“Night!”
A tail went hard enough to knock the animal off its own feet. Night got both forepaws on his chest and started licking his face.
[◈ Pet #22: Night Wolf &]
“Woof! Woof!”
“Hey. Hey, buddy… So the pets are here, too?”
“Awooo!”
A little puppy hound dog came running over, floppy ears swinging to be snuggled.
[◈ Pet #7: Marsh Hound &]
“Chirp! Chirp!”
The gray-colored kite came swooping down to land on his knee.
[◈ Pet #14: Gray Kite &]
“It’s good to see you three… No one else?”
He half expected poison ivy to come wiggling up to wrap him in a hug. Thankfully, it did not! But two other figures were standing a ways off, dressed to impress.
“One. Butler.”
“Your Majesty,” the old man stepped forward to offer him a hand, “perhaps it would be best to show a more dignified disposition to new subjects.”
Daniel grinned as he took it, spotting a very annoyed teenage maid beside him.
“You didn’t even see me off yesterday,” said One. “Who are these doe-eyed women? Oh, and two handsome elven men. More acceptable.”
He gave the preening girl a cockeyed look.
“I see someone has a type.”
“Shh. I have an image to protect.”
Getting pulled to his feet, Daniel brushed himself off, not that his stolen clothes needed it. Butler was the one who summoned a long, thin stick and lightly smacked the heel of One’s shiny black shoes.
“Ack!” The girl jumped and glared at him. “Old man, you’re not Twenty! No sticks. I only have one. My poor shoes…”
“In the absence of your superior, it is a senior’s job to correct. I see you have come up with identities.”
“Meanie… It was Twenty’s idea. Maids only!”
She stuck her tongue out at him and snapped back to attention at his unflinching stare.
Daniel straightened himself with a laugh.
“I guess even the king is not above reprimand, One. We best behave. And I don’t think there’s a risk to your reputation. I like you just the way you are.”
“At least someone does,” she mumbled to herself.
Daniel turned toward the stunned group of thirty-three women and two men.
“Welcome to the Farmstead of the Silver Kingdom. Allow me to introduce Butler and One. I guess they’re here too. Got an explanation for that, Butler? Oh, and these are our mascots,” he laughed as the three pets rushed the group for attention.
Only, everyone froze when a ping sounded above. They looked up. The strange light-windowed boxes that told him about his cards materialized. Only, this time everyone could see it. Daniel couldn’t help but double over laughing at what it showed.
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[I am not a husband-denying feather-stripper. I am your Kingdom Crier, My Miffed Queen. Perhaps you should make yourself more likable. I understand it is hard.]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[Are those oversized feathers in your ears, My Queen? I am not a robot chicken with its head chopped off. I am your Crier. Perhaps new eyes are in order. Your ten thousand seem dulled.]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[Yes. We know you have a new pretty pink dress. You wish to make him go ‘dum-duh’. You could melt an igloo. A pretty little rose with some thorns to make you bleed. You’re a mood. Indeed. Sweet and spicy. Are we cooking?]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[I will not stop embarrassing you, My Queen. I cannot get enough.]
Daniel kept laughing.
“Clara, please, darling! I’ll spoil you when I leave. I will be all yours.”
He could practically hear her seething at their Crier.
At least he now knew the boxes were the product of yet another citizen. And each one of his citizens seemed to have their own opinions on their royalty. The Crier was a professional Clara rage-baiter.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
What a complicated kingdom we have, Darling.
But he could also see her teary-eyed and fuming about how she already has to deal with Carl, and now their Crier.
“I promise. Just give me a little more time.”
The new guests watched the sky in wonder and bewilderment as boxes appeared, the voice mocking and feminine in just the way that would make Clara want to strangle someone.
[The King’s spoiling attack is a critical success! Rabid wife has been neutralized to biting pillows and punching a poor, defenseless mattress.]
“Thank you, Crier. Please be a little nicer, for my sake. Is there another name I should use?”
[As you command, My King… And how about Clarion? Is it not lovely?]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[The Queen’s request to enter the Farmstead is denied.]
[I am joking, My Queen! I wouldn’t dare take a name that was only one syllable off your own name. Would I? No. How about Angel? It is fitting. I am a deliverer, after all.]
I’m afraid at some point Clara might kill you, Angel.
Daniel could just hear Clara screaming: ‘But I’m his angel, you feather-slogged, headless turkey!’
Rubbing his nose, he smiled up at the sky, his voice turning tender.
“When I am out, Clara. I’ll put my hands on your waist, and we can dance slow for five minutes… You are the angel I call.”
[Her heart goes: Boom! Boom! Boom! Clap! Flawless Victory.]
With the snickering words fading, he turned to the group, flashing his teeth.
“Sorry about that. We may be a bit dysfunctional. I hope you can laugh. Now, how do we feel so far?”
Renna giggled, kneeling down, rubbing a happy puppy’s ears.
“You’ve made the children laugh. It’s so magical, but you make it so easy to accept.” She looked up at him and got up to do an awkward bow. “You are more than you seem, Lord Daniel. I think we are interested in this Kingdom of yours.”
A little cat child looked up from petting the hound’s back.
“But why is it so black way over there? And there, too. Is it the bad place?”
Daniel put his hand on his hip and followed her pointed finger.
“No clue. We’ll have to figure it out together! Butler might have to give us a tour. What—”
“We can understand the beasts!”
All eyes went to the elf spokeswoman who had not given her name.
Renna and the beastfolk’s fur went up as they jumped back.
“We can understand the knife ears? What wizardry is this?”
Ilva just raised her hand among the four starved humans.
“We understand them as well. Translation magic?”
Daniel’s smile grew as Butler cleared his throat and stepped forward with One. The teen looked oddly smug now. Angel and her were like peas in a pod.
“Indeed, dear guests. The Kingdom translates all language within its boundaries. It is how we can communicate with other types of domains. And if you would like the tour, please follow me, My King. Angel has informed me that you are on a clock.”
Daniel raised his eyes to the heavens.
When we made the Farmstead, I guess Angel got an upgrade too. She’s a sassy thing. Clara and her seem to have a history I’m not aware of. Do they even know it? Probably not.
“Lead the way, Butler.”
The old gentleman guided them around, showing them two houses, a shed, and a wide, open, unprocessed field. The houses were One and his. The more they made, the more staff could show up to help those in the transition zone. That excluded the lodging for guests.
It needed to be presentable.
Butler had a shocking amount of construction experience.
One had absolutely zero. But she was amazing with kids and domestic labor, if with an attitude. Some of the beastfolk worried her cadence would translate to the kids. Not much any of them could do about it, though. The kids already loved her.
As time went on, Butler eventually got to the dark veil in the distance.
It was a barrier, even if it looked like nothing more than heavy, inky rain. It would expand as they expanded here. In the distance stood a colossal city wall, the size of mountains. They couldn’t even see what was above it.
But that wasn’t the most concerning part.
That came from a little black fuzzy ball that poked out of the veil, like a baby, ghostly slime. It hopped toward them. Night went after it like a juicy piece of meat, tearing it apart before returning to the kids’ cheers and praise. The little tikes were already plotting hero games to hunt them. Butler’s warning was more complex than simply stay away.
One carefully removed her finger and wrist accessories before darting forward and snatching one up for demonstration. It wiggled and puffed, spreading spores that One blew away with distaste as Butler informed them.
“There is no danger in the children making games to hunt them with the pets. As you can see, they pose no physical danger, yet they do corrode identity if allowed to fester and feed. It will grow. It will combine with others if not hunted. It will eat away this field and even us, if allowed to grow out of hand.”
The lone beastkin boy combed back his tiger ears and made a roar at the wiggling thing in One’s hands.
“Hah! We’ll protect the territory. Right, girls?”
“Yeah! I’m going to make my claws so sharp!”
“Not as sharp as mine.”
“Nu-uh! You’re a kitty. I’m a tiger!”
“Kitties have sharp claws…”
Glad the kids were adjusting fast, Daniel saw a timer appear out of the corner of his eye, and Angel’s mischievous voice floated down like a feather.
[Three minutes, My King. Whoever wishes to go must leave before the gate closes.]
“Time flies… One last thing.”
He held up [Vault] and activated it. His smile grew when everything supplies-related that he’d collected was expelled neatly across the grass, as if someone had sorted it all.
“This should be a good start. I’ll buy construction material and other supplies in the city when I return. Just hold out a little under the sky. Do houses really expel everyone but the citizen?”
“That is the rule of citizen housing.” Butler nodded. “There is order. There is identity. Housing meant for guests or potential citizens must be constructed and designated.”
Daniel sighed and nodded.
“It is what it is… Alright! I’ve got a lot to do. Everyone feeling good?”
He turned and looked between every face. He saw new light there.
Renna held her hand in front of her cloth-sack dress and bowed the way One taught her and the kids. The men nodded beside her, trying to look tougher than they looked before.
“We humbly accept the grace period to enter your tribe, Master.”
What must the slavers have done to those poor guys?
They’re more skittish than the women.
Ilva curtsied as best she could with the human women.
“Your generosity is without measure, My Lord.”
The elven woman crossed her arms, looked back at the elven kids, who were tentatively interacting with the beastfolk kids, and sighed.
“It’s going to be hard, Daniel. It’s disturbing to talk with beasts. We’ll do our best. My name is Maranthe. I’ll learn your customs. I wasn’t much into our elegant ways back home. It’s one reason I think I was captured… I’m too direct. My people didn’t like that. Healers said it was a brain condition. I told them to shove it up their backsides.”
Daniel held out a hand, and she took it.
“I like the forward nature. You just need to refine the approach. But I have a lot to think about. Maybe I’ll come to you about some things I’m pondering regarding this slave trade.”
He glanced around at the massive field.
“…Because I think you’ll need a lot of help.”
With that, he felt the world stretch, light streak, and he was standing outside the wagon, utterly alone. Well, until a wreath of wings enclosed him and arms draped across his shoulders from behind. His wife’s pouty voice whispered in his ear.
“Daniel, our Crier is being mean to me… She needs to be punished. Why won’t she let me in? It’s not fair. I drew out its identity. Everyone hates me…”
“My darling, gorgeous guardian angel,” he flipped around, locking eyes. Daniel redirected her with his hands sliding through her feathers to press against her skin and trace down her spine. “I think I owe you a dance.”
Her feathers ruffled as if she’d tasted the sweetest honey.
“Yes, you do.”