The Axe Falls 2 -ch 20-

Nick regretfully left his bedroom.

He had unwillingly fallen back into a pattern his father had stuck into him. One that he had thought he had finally shaken.

Waking up with the sun, without even meaning to.

Jessie was still asleep.

She’d slept through his departure to talk with Harlowe, his return for bandages, and even when he came back to go to sleep. About the only thing that changed was she mercilessly cuddled him in bed when he got in.

He closed the door quietly behind himself and took in a short breath, then let it out.

Sara exited her own bedroom a moment later, adjusting her sword belt at her hip. She also had her armor on and her helmet held under her left armpit.

It was clear she had been awake before him and had been waiting for him to start the day by leaving his room.

Then she met his eyes, gave him a smile, and tilted her head. As if inviting him to say something or deny that she seemed determined to follow him.

Ah, bodyguard.

Even if I don’t technically need it, it’s still her job.

If she’s determined to do her job, that’s what she’ll do.

That’s fine.

Nick only barely perceived that someone was on his left.

Turning his head, he saw Harlowe heading his way. She was in the process of adjusting her quiver.

In the light of the morning, he found her lean, aggressive, and highly predatory look was rather fetching. Even her features that didn’t fit the standard of beauty, such as Julie, Jessie, and Claudia did, somehow struck him in a way that he liked.

Realizing he was eying Harlowe openly he wrangled his thoughts, and his eyes, back to where they should be.

It seemed she had slept in the study on the second floor. He’d have to ask her about it later since he had actually told her to sleep in one of the empty bedrooms.

“Morning there, Good Girl,” Nick said in his ‘Harlowe tone’ with a smile. “You look like you feel better. Healing alright?”

Harlowe’s brow creased for a split second, her eyes scrunched, then her features smoothed out. The edges of her mouth curling in a small smile and she finally raised her eyebrows at him.

“Yes, I’m feeling quite well. My bandages haven’t bled and the wounds themselves seem fine.

“It was also nice to sleep somewhere safe for once. It’s been a while since I didn’t have to sleep with one eye open,” Harlowe answered. “Your familiar patrolled all night long. I slept… deeply.”

Nick wasn’t really sure what to say to that.

He nodded his head instead.

“Good morning,” Sara said, having come up on Nick’s right side. “I didn’t realize you had joined us, Harlowe.”

“Yes,” Harlowe said, her eyes flicking to Sara. Nick half expected the Werewolf to growl, sneer, or ignore her. “Good morning, Sara. I’ve been hired on as your hunter, tracker, and ranged fighter.

“Nick informed me of all your positions last night. I’m glad to see his bodyguard was waiting for him.”

Sara’s cautious look morphed immediately to a smile.

“Oh? How lovely. And thank you. I try hard to be what Nick needs me to be,” stated Sara with a small dip of her head. “Did he inform you I’m also a Royal Consort?”

“He didn’t, but that isn’t surprising,” Harlowe said with a small shake of her head. “I assume he has more than one?”

“Myself and Julie are consorts. Claudia is his fiance. Jessie is his… partner,” Sara said as if she had almost blurted out ‘queen’ and given up more information than intended.

Harlowe’s lips quirked back into a small smile as she turned her eyes on Nick.

“I didn’t realize I was being hired into a Harem,” she said in a voice without emotion, which was a strange contrast to the smile. “Should I worry for my sleeping arrangements?”

“You didn’t hire into a Harem and no, you don’t need to worry. Because this is all their own doing and planning, really,” Nick answered with a shake of his head. “This is all their own doing or design. I admit I’ve accepted the situation, but I didn’t create it.

“Now… let’s get going. I want to be there when the adventurer’s guild opens today. We also need to drop by Harlowe’s guild and notify them that I’ve hired her on.”

Harlowe only nodded her head.

Sara did as well.

“Breakfast first,” Nick added since it seemed neither would respond. Moving to the stairs he started walking down.

“Yes, it would be good for you to feed me again,” Harlowe stated.

“I would love to have breakfast with you,” Sara put in and then leaned over to look at Harlowe. “Harlowe, I’d like to change places with you. It’s best if I’m on his left.”

Harlowe blinked, her smile grew, and she nodded her head once.

Nick realized he couldn’t say a damn thing since he brought neither his poleaxe nor his hand-axe.

He hadn’t even put on his armor.

“It would seem you do need a body-guard, Sire,” drawled Lucian.

Nick couldn’t blame him for calling him out on it, either. There had been more than a few times that Lucian had advised Nick to ready himself in a way that provided for the possibility of fighting.

Thankfully, breakfast went easy, even with Nick having to go back and get his pack as well as his gear.

Jessie slept through it all.

However by the time he’d come back down, Claudia had woken up and was not chatting with Harlowe rather easily. The Werewolf seemed rather placid compared to how she’d behaved toward them previously.

The four of them left after Nick asked Claudia to healed Harlowe back to full strength.

A slow walk that bled even more time away got them to the adventurer’s guild nearly a full hour after they’d opened. By that point, there wasn’t anyone around inside.

There was a large banner hung up over the guild windows that answered all their questions in a single go.

The Dungeon was open again and quests were being handed out quite readily.

There was no reason for them to stay there and they turned away to go to Harlowe’s guild.

“I did notice one thing,” Sara remarked as they began walking down the road in the direction Harlowe had indicated. “There were no quests for the final floor and no slayer quests for the boss. Not one.

“It seems as if the last part of the Dungeon is now being treated as a security area. Which, honestly, seems about right. It’s a wonder it hadn’t been done previously.”

“Well, after such an event, things will seem obvious when they weren’t originally at the time,” argued Nick. He had seen a lot of that type of thing when dealing with criminals. The ‘how did no one notice’ type of mentality that always popped up after the fact. “It’s the very definition of a blind-spot. The best you can do is make sure you have enough tools and defenses to cover up any might be blind-spot and hope for the rest.

“That or a strong recovery plan just in case it went wrong. I have no idea if Ashcroft has a recovery plan for the Dungeon failing there but… I sure hope so.”

“That’s a good point,” Claudia replied. “You can’t predict all the ways a thing might go bad, but you can predict how you’d handle something going bad. Plan for that if nothing else.”

“If I’m wounded, I’ll have a potion,” Harlowe said plainly. “If I’m hungry, I will find food. If I lack, I shall find. If I’m bereft of a tool, I shall make another.

“That sort of thinking is what you’re speaking of. In this case though, it is a Dungeon, how would one be able to recover from that?”

“You wouldn’t,” admitted Nick. “But you’d have to figure out a way to carry on. In the case of Ashcroft, if I were the Duke, I think I would’ve been attempting to furnish some type of industry this whole time that didn’t involve the Dungeon. Or at least, things that don’t involve the Dungeon as much.

“Maybe schools for classes with veteran adventurers who no longer can dive. Or just basic education. Perhaps attempting to build up a reputation for blacksmiths or woodworkers.

“Just something that could help maintain and steady Ashcroft as a location rather than just the dungeon.”

“I don’t think Goba has anything like that,” Sara murmured as they walked.

“They don’t,” stated Harlowe. “Nick’s opinion and view is well thought out and belies his age and experience.

“This is the location. I will go turn over my contract and let them know I am effectively on mission for the duration of a year.”

Harlowe said it while holding Nick’s gaze for a time before entering the building.

A handful of seconds passed before Sara let out a breath.

“It’ll be frustrating to not be able to talk about things around her. I think she’ll figure things out before we want her to,” she grumbled. “You know it, Nick.”

“I do know it. I’m not concerned though. I think she already suspects something and doesn’t seem to care,” Nick countered. “That or she wants to be involved. I keep seeming to find people who want to insert themselves into this situation.”

Nick looked from Sara to Claudia and found neither had a response, despite Nick feeling like Claudia could have argued the point to a degree. Her father had pushed her in this direction.

He had imagine she could have fought it if she truly wished, but had not done so.

“Well, except you, Claudia. You were somewhat forced into this,” he said finally, feeling like he should put his own thought to words.

“I… chose this,” Claudia argued immediately, her eyes flicking up to meet his. “Just not in the way I imagined. But I chose this. I’m not upset at all about being your fiance.

“At all.

“I do expect you to buy me several engagement presents, however, Nick. Not expensive ones, but nice ones. Something that I wouldn’t be ashamed to show to others.”

Errr, right.

“I can do that,” he promised. “Though, I think we’ll be stuck grinding it out in the Dungeon for a while. There’s only a month left before fall. All those farmers will have to go back to tending fields.

“The only ones left will be those whose job is full time work in the military or the Dungeons. That means they’ll be a lot quicker to die considering there won’t be masses of the unclassed all battling one another.

“Which… neither the Dukes nor the King will want to do. It’s more likely they’ll hunker down, create static lines of battle, and wait.

“Given how heavy winter can be I don’t think they’ll march during then either. There’s… the distinct possibility the entirety of the war will grind to a halt till spring.

“Which… by that point, it’s pretty likely that both sides will have new goals and plans. New weapons and armor.

“New adventurers and mercenaries.

“All while we grind away at the Dungeon endlessly.

“It’s going to be a boring… fall. Likely a very boring winter, too.”

“Hm, you’re not wrong,” drawled Sara with a sigh. “Ah well, what can we do other than live each day?”

“What can we do indeed,” murmured Nick.

***

As they exited the Dungeon, Nick looked up.

The snow was falling heavily from above.

“Oh, did the winter snows finally arrive?” said Jessie, bouncing right up to his side then throwing her right arm through his left.

At some point over the last four months Jessie had forgotten all about their plan. Nor did anyone seem to care either.

Nick’s party had become a staple to the city and had done a very large number of quests. Endlessly taking them and putting them down to the appreciation of the guild and city both.

“Seems like,” he answered, looking to the ground. There were already several humps across the terrain of where snow had been piling up. “We were only in there for a week but it seems like we missed the season change completely.”

“Yes, yes. Season change,” Rahak croaked, then shivered. Huddling down into herself. “I should go visit family. I’ve stayed too long. Winter isn’t… for a Corvu.”

Hm.

That’s a good point.

Everyone has been unceasingly in the Dungeon for months.

It’s time to take a break. Let everyone go about their own duties and things for a time.

Trooping beyond the limits of the Dungeon entrance and exit, Nick looked to Jessie, than Harlowe. The two of them were perfect for knowing if they were far enough to speak without people listening in.

“We’re far enough,” Harlowe rumbled.

“Oh, oh! Yes, yeah. We’re. Yeah. We’re good, Nicky,” Jessie put in with a laugh. “Whoops! I’m just all butterflies and glitter after finally getting a chance to touch you.

“I hate Dungeons. We don’t get to really do anything over than grind away the days. I rarely ever get to see you.”

In the end, the group had split into two.

Nick spent his time almost exclusively with Claudia either Claudia or Rahak, while the other half of the group, moved together. His experience needs went better with Rahak and Claudia as it was a smaller way to cut up experience.

On top of that, having a higher leveled healer and support class wasn’t a bad thing at all.

It did make it harder to spend time with everyone though.

Just as Jessie had mentioned.

They planned their exits as best as they could so they would leave together.

The difference in level had kept growing, however. Everyone was now in their mid forties while Nick was trudging along in his thirties.

The second group often went much deeper than Nick did just to get similar experience to him despite his abilities. The only saving grace was he was able to push further and faster despite the difference in level. He could just about kill three for everyone one they killed.

“May I?” Rahak asked, hopping along in the group.

“Yes. Of course you may,” Nick answered with a smile for the Corvu. “Go with my thanks and wishes for a safe return. Please be sure to take a bonus for yourself out of the treasury.

“While you’re visiting family, I wouldn’t be upset if you manged to find a treasurer for us as well. You’ve been doing well at the job, Rahak, but you’ve mentioned several times you’re not a treasurer.”

“Yes, not a treasurer,” repeated Rahak, sounding in a perfect mimicry of him. “I will seek but I don’t think I’ll find anyone. Corvu not suited for money. Currency or exchange.

“Corvu just… take things. It’s easier. Hard for others to follow and… we all look alike to you.”

Rahak said the last with a croaking laugh that sounded as if she found the situation hilarious.

“Right. Well… still. Thank you though, Rahak. I couldn’t have asked for a better Steward. I look forward to seeing you when you come back,” Nick said, looking at the Corvu with a grin. “Till then, I’ll just heap all this on Claudia. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“Yes, Claudia will be fine,” agreed Rahak, her tone had shifted rapidly for some reason. “I shall leave after I collect things. I’ll return with spring. Mm.”

“I’ll take the opportunity to report in. That and the most recent purchase went through with the Dukes. The contract sales have been going well. I’ll travel back with it and see if they’re willing to start trading with you rather than through me and my limited budget,” mused Julie. “After all, I’ve spent the entirety of my budget every single time so far and there’s never been an issue.”

Jessie had turned around and was looking at someone behind them and didn’t seem to be listening to Julie. Only to shake her head a bit.

Jessie then looked back to Nick with a smile.

“I’m staying with you of course,” she said. “My family wouldn’t approve of… of… uh… anything. Yeah, they wouldn’t approve of anything. Haha. Whatever.

“I’ll just stay with my Nicky and let him lord himself all over my bits.

“It’ll be nice to take a break after all, though I’m fairly certain he’ll just want to go to the Dungeon by himself anyways. Knowing him he’ll want to grind away during the day and come back at night.

“But that’s fine, Nicky my love, you can just grind away at me at night and that’ll be fine.

“Though it’s rather dissapointing that I still haven’t gotten knocked up yet. I swear I didn’t think it’d be this hard to catch a pregnancy considering how often my mother would squawk at me to never have sex without something to protect me.

“’All it takes is one prick to make the biological clock tick’ she would say. On and on as if she expected me to get pregnant as soon as I was out on my own.

“Now here I am trying to get fertilized as fast as I can and getting my field planted more regularly than the farms are and I can’t grow a damn thing.

“Maybe I should go see an alchemist or something. Maybe something’s wrong with my insides and—”

Sara had moved over from Nick’s laugh to stand behind Jessie, only to clamp her hands around the Dark Elf’s mouth.

“Do forgive my queen, she’s just excited about seeing you. She was quite sad the entirety of the seven days and spoke of you often, your highness,” Sara murmured, smiling at him. “I missed you as well, by the way. Though we’ve yet to consolidate our relation, I do miss your companionship. I will of course remain by your side as your body-guard.

“Now, now… my poor vulgar and spastic queen is likely going to apologize. She’s working very hard on her etiquette and she’s done wonderfully. She’s just… having a moment.”

Jessie was nodding now, not even fighting Sara or her hands, all while looking at Nick.

“I will remain with Nick,” stated Claudia before Sara could even remove her hands from Jessie’s face. “Though, Nick, I would ask that we please go visit him at some point. I think it would be good for you and I to do that.”

Ah, that’s a good point. As much as I really don’t want to go back that way, it’d be good to do it.

“I of course will remain with Nick,” Harlowe declared.

She had remained more or less separate from everyone and stayed outside of the Dungeon while everyone else was inside. Her level was simply high enough that’d it’d create a problem for everyone else attempting to level up.

Which in the end had more or less kept her as an extra to the group that wasn’t really part of it.

Harlowe had earned her keep more than once during that time. Having curtailed a bandit group that’d decided to make a move on them as they came back from a Dungeon.

Before the enemy had really been able to understand the situation, Harlowe had knocked three down with arrows and alerted the group.

Nick was glad he had decided to pay her at near full price to insure her loyalty, despite the risks that came with her.

Jessie cleared her throat and let out a strange laugh.

“I’m very sorry for that,” she said, only to laugh again. “I love you, Nicky. I can’t wait till you ram it down my—”

Sara had put her hands back over Jessie’s mouth, graced Nick with a beautiful smile, then looked to Rahak.

“I don’t know the exact distance to your home, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if they need anything in your home if we can manage the mercantile side of it,” said the Bright Elf. All while keeping Jessie quiet.

Who seemed unbothered by the situation.

In fact, Nick was pretty sure the Dark Elf was smiling under the other Elf’s hands given the way her eyes were crinkled.

Oh.

Rather than losing, she’s winning now.

Sara is failing as a teacher, is that it?

“Probably, Sire. Our dear queen is a tricky thing that I genuinely can’t pin down at times,” murmured Lucian. “I do think you’re correct however and she will likely lord it over Sara at a later time.”