Chapter 284: Ceremony

Drake woke up, both his arms locked in place under Sarah and Claire.

"Never thought I'd wake up like this…" Drake chuckled, both still sleeping soundly.

He wiggled his way out of the bed and made his way for the door, giving one last look to the pair who began snuggling up to one another.

"I'll be back when it's time for the ceremony," he muttered, cracking the door open.

Stepping out he frowned, closing the door behind him.

"Really?"

"Good morning, Boss," Teresa grinned.

"We already went over this. I'm not your boss and you better stop following me."

"Lord Drake is right, Aunt Teresa! He is a very busy man and can't be bothered with your games!" Atropos chided, popping out from behind Teresa.

"What's this pup? Think you're grown enough to tell me what to do?!"

Drake gave a sharp flex of his aura, silencing them both.

"People are still resting, keep your voices down…" he sighed, "Why are you here too Atropos?"

Atropos shook herself to relieve the stiffness from Drake's aura suppression, perking up right away.

"I smelled my aunt skulking to your room… So I came to protect you, Lord Drake."

Drake raised a brow, "Do I really look like I need protection? And where's your brother?"

"He is still sleeping. Not that he needs it with his status, but he has always been a heavy sleeper."

Looking around for a moment, Drake half expected Charlotte to meld out of the shadows but was surprised when nothing happened.

"And the rest of them?"

"Everyone is preoccupied at the moment. Charlotte is dealing with family matters. Kalik Tu' and Landin are both recovering for the coming fight. Mordred is watching them closely for now as well. And I believe Quetz is, well, doing Quetz things," Atropos laughed wryly.

"Right… Well, let's get a start on the day's itinerary then, I have a lot of people to apologize to," Drake said evenly.

—-----------

"Why are you leaving again?" Brodie asked, scowling from the couch.

Charlotte's eyelids lowered, making her cold face look even more so.

"I've told you Brodie. There are still more enemies of the city out there and I have a duty now to protect it and you," she explained.

"That doesn't mean you have to be the one to go. You can stay here right? It's dangerous right?"

"It is, but that's exactly why I have to go. I don't want to put anyone else in danger. And I'm much stronger than anyone else, it wouldn't be right to let-"

"Stronger than Drake?" Brodie interrupted.

"No… No one is stronger than him… I don't think. Maybe the new people that arrived might be just as strong but…"

"Then isn't it okay for them to go? I never get to see you anymore! It's like when Mom and Dad left for work, they're never home! Are you going to tell me it's for me like they did? Say it will make sense when I'm older?"

Charlotte bit her lip. When did her brother get so good at arguing? She looked to Janey for help.

But Janey shook her head, burping the baby on her shoulder, her face telling her she was on her own for this one.

"I don't know why anyone is going in the first place…" Cid grumbled next to Brodie, "I don't see what's so great about that guy anyway. All he's doing is hurting people he doesn't like…"

"Cid!" Janey snapped.

"What?!" he countered shooting up from the couch, "I've heard what the adventurers and tourists are saying! And look what he did to Charlotte! She looks like she aged 10 years! And now what? She's fighting monsters?! Do you even want to do that?! Janey, don't you remember those worms!?" he turned to Charlotte, "You could die!"

Charlotte's expression hardly changed even when Drake was insulted, but she could feel her grip tighten in on itself.

"That isn't true," she shook her head, "Drake never made me do anything I wasn't willing to. And we do what we have to, so no one else has to. I don't know what lies are being spread in the city, but Drake is a good man. The only reason you get to sit here and play games, ignorant to what is happening outside, is because of him."

"You're just as brainwashed as the rest of them!" Cid shouted back, "All of the guards and people under him just want to say how great he is! But the classless and adventurers are the ones telling the truth!"

Cid stormed out of the room.

Janey shook her head, "He's still just a kid. Don't let it get to you Charlotte. He's only saying that because he's worried and he has a crush on you."

"He's right though," Brodie grumbled, "All you do is sing his praises, but is he really that great? Even if he is, you don't need to follow him. You can stay home… Mr. Rotwood says the school will be opening in a few days even. You could ask to teach there maybe? You've got enough experience right?"

Charlotte fought with the urge to tell Brodie more. Explain why she couldn't just sit here and grow weaker instead of helping with the fight. He was too young to understand the importance of moving forward. So she did the best thing she could think of. She told a white lie.

Producing the best smile her cold face could, she answered him, "I'll talk to him, sure. But only after I come back. Is that good enough?"

Brodie gave a disgruntled look but nodded, "It's good enough…" he answered, getting up and bringing Charlotte into a hug.

Charlotte squeezed him close, patting the top of his head, the absentmided thought of how much smaller he'd gotten since she ranked up passing her mind.

—-----------------

"Lord Drake, do you think it best to do this before the official ceremony..?" Atropos asked concerned.

"I'd rather get this over with sooner than later. And the families of the Rahk deserve to face the person who sent their loved ones to their death…"

"In the Ice Wolf Tribe, dying in battle is a good death. I can't understand why you would need to apologize for doing what is necessary as a leader," Teresa scoffed, earning a scowl from Drake.

"Let's just say its a difference in culture," he said, taking in a breath as the sound of a pop rang next to his head.

"I have explained this to you as well Drake, you can not act like this for much longer as the leader of a city this large. We are on the cusp of being a capital and blooming into a nation. With the summits on the horizon, we are even in more dire straights than I expected as well…" Natto sighed.

"What makes you say that?" Drake asked.

"We have done a poor job of gather other cities to our cause. You're constant running around has left us without allies Drake. Meanwhile I can only assume your brother and the leader of the United Colonies has done nothing but recruit and topple cities for votes. Also have you finally read the report I have given you?"

"N-no…" Drake admitted, "I haven't had time."

Natto gave him a side eye, "Too busy playing snooky I see…"

"Have not."

Atropos and Teresa gave him a sniff, nodding in agreement.

"I do not smell the auroma of lust on him," Teresa said, crossing her arms.

"Regardless," Natto continued, "The results of the summit will be directly correlated with the amount of killing you must do. I hope you understand that."

"What?" Drake asked incredulously, "Killing?"

"Yes, you fool! Your lack of awarness on the subject is astounding! Did you think that if you should fail to become the leading city of the summits you would be allowed to sit on your hands?! Certainly not! Should your brother or that lunatic vampire win, you will be forced to attack their cities to bring them to submission! That includes all of the people they have tricked or coerced to their side!"

Drake wanted to protest but he knew in the back of his mind that would be the result of his efforts all along. He had pushed it down, thinking he was doing the right thing helping those in front of him and around him. But there were always consequences to all actions and he was learning that more than most now.

"Fine. If that's how it is, then so be it. I won't back down in thinking helping those around me was a mistake. All those people we helped save was not a mistake. And if my brother wants a war, he can have one," Drake growled, "Enough about the summits for now, we can continue that later with Princess Aralleen. What about the ceremony?"

Natto gave a sigh but nodded, "Dear Theo has taken care of most of the preparations per Rahk tradition. A funeral pyre is being constructed by the rest of the Rahk tribe. As for Mikhail's party members… We did our best to identify them from the corpses you retrieved and buried them. Mikhail oversaw the process but I believe you should speak to him when you have time. He is still in shock of what happened and the state you returned Yorth in."

"How is Yorth…?" Drake asked.

"He is in a perpetual state of haze. Whatever has happened to his mind will not be easily reversed. I suspect it is a potent item or mind control spell that can only be removed by a higher ranked purifier or purifying item. I regret to say we have neither, nor the funds to purchase one. That being said the only alternative we have is to destroy the item or caster of the spell."

Drake nodded, "I'll see to it. Have Mikhail attend the ceremony and I'll speak to him there. Now…" he trailed off looking at the tents in front of him. The homes of the Rahk tribe members, "I'll have to take my whippings…"

He motioned for Atropos and Teresa to wait for him at the edge of the Rahk's encampment within the city, Natto vanishing off his shoulder to continue with the preparations of the ceremony.

Taking a deep breath he made himself known at the first tent.

"Excuse me! It's the Patriarch…" he said with a little less confidence, "I'm here to apologize for what's happened."

There was no answer for a few moments, before an Orc woman came out of the tent, folding back the flap and rubbing her hands against a cloth-like towl.

"What is this?" she asked.

Drake bowed his head, completely ready to be reprimanded for his fault as a leader.

"I wanted- No, needed to face you and apologize for your husband falling in battle due to my poor judgment. I will take any punishment you see fit!"

He felt a sudden slap across his face.

"You disrespect their fight, Patriarch," the woman said sternly, "It is the duty and honor of a warrior of the Rahk to fall in battle for their tribe! Being bonded to the Chief's daughter you should know that!"

Other Rahk members exited their tents hearing the commotion.

"Sah Ul' brought justice and vengeance to our fallen, letting them reach the great hunt above! The Chief has no place bowing his head to us!" she shouted in anger, "If the Chief is not strong then who will be?!"

Drake raised his head, seeing the contorted expression of anguish in the woman's face, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"Honor them! Honor the brave Rahk warriors by trampling on those fiendish people that dared to take them from us! Do not apologize and show such weakness! You dishonor Rvul Rahk and your bonded!"

Shouts and yells of agreement rose up throughout the tents, forcing Drake to stand back up. He had not expected such a reply from mourning families, but their world was different from his. Life and death were something they must have lived with closely compared to his peaceful life.

He felt his jaw clench.

"Then that is what I will do…" he said firmly, raising his voice, "As the Patriarch of the Rahk tribe, I will honor them! I will wipe these undead and those that aid them from this planet, even if it is with my last breath!" and added in a whisper, "Even if it means killing my own brother…"