Chapter 63 part 4

"Yeah, I know someone," the girl replied cheerfully, though her tone made it feel like the girl already had someone in mind. Someone that maybe Embris should know.

"You mean the woman who directed me here?" Embris asked, unsure how she felt about that if it was true. While she was grateful for the woman's help, she couldn't help but worry about actually having to ask her for a favor like that.

"Uh, no," the girl replied, looking more amused than Embris liked. "I know how to read."

Embris blinked. She felt like she'd been hit in the face with a board, but there wasn't any pain from it happening. She just felt like she couldn't process what had just been said.

"Let's start this over, okay?" the girl asked. "My name's Jennifer, but most people call me 'Jenn.' What's your name?"

Embris wasn't sure if it was the change in subject or something else, but she was freed from whatever had kept her frozen in place, unable to speak. "I'm Embris. I came here with my brother Rephis and sister Nymis."

Jenn nodded, like she expected that, or was already aware of them.

"Do you have something for me to read?" Jenn asked. "Or is there another reason you were asking?"

Embris felt her breath catch in her throat. She wasn't sure what the problem was, especially with how nice Jenn had been up to this point. She felt like she should be able to trust her. After all, it's not like it's a big request. The letter didn't even seem that long, really.

However, she couldn't seem to get the words out. She wasn't sure what the reason was, just that her voice, mouth, and throat stopped cooperating with her for some reason.

"Mother! There you are!" a young boy called out, startling Embris. Jenn however, looked like she was just given a headache. "Gishia gave her report of your squad's return and Tchisa sent me to tell you they need you for the meeting and everyone knows you're back, so you can't hide this time."

Jenn groaned softly with her eyes closed for a minute. "You can let them know that I'll be right there," Jenn said after a minute, sounding like she would much rather do almost anything other than that. Though, she did start heading towards the door without saying anything to Embris. Which Embris was perfectly fine with right then.

Embris wasn't sure if the boy even noticed her or not, but he certainly didn't say anything about her or to her. Not that she minded. At the moment, she felt like it might be better to just let them be and be anonymous, another face in the crowd, at that moment.

When she was sure that they were gone, she felt like she could breathe again. Not that she really understood what the problem had been with her speaking or asking for Jenn to read the letter she'd gotten. All she could be certain of was that it wasn't going to be as easy as she had originally thought.

Jenn sighed as she sat down in the next meeting room. Which was outside the village and wasn't really a room either. Largely because the room where the Blue Rose was officially staying was a little cramped for these meetings and Jenn had used her authority as the Blue Rose to decide to hold these elsewhere when she was present.

Though, with it being outside, she was using her magic to keep their voices from travelling too far, but she couldn't imagine who might be around to hear, aside from the fact that those inside the hidden village could potentially hear what was said if the wind was just right.

"So, what was that… uh, dream conference about?" Maelia asked. "I'm still not sure why you'd want me as your ambassador to the wolf-kin and… uh, jackalope-kin?"

Jenn nodded that Maelia was correct. "I need you there because I think you'd be the best fit. Though, if I'm wrong, then that's fine too as I'm just figuring this out myself."

Jenn wasn't sure if she really should admit to things like that, but she figured with those in this meeting, allowing them to see her unsure of herself would be helpful, as it might keep them from relying on her too much. Or at least she hoped so.

"So, did you select two people to go learn live among them and learn their languages?" she continued after a pause to let her words sink in.

"I chose two, but they wanted to know if this would be a permanent position? As in if they should expect to live there from then on?" Tchisa asked.

Jenn shook her head. "Only if they want to. I was thinking on my way back that we should probably switch them out periodically so more would learn the language as well, though I think a year overlap so the new person could learn the language as well should be good. Though, maybe a three or four year station there?"

While Jenn would have liked a response, all she got were nods. As if what she'd said was her making an official decision. Which she really couldn't say that she was happy about.

However, that matter seemed to be dealt with and she wanted to move on. Preferable to another issue that felt more pressing at the moment. Such as her meeting with the Duchess Versith. As a representative of the Blue Rose about building guard houses in the forest. Partly to give their patrols a place to rest and ease the housing burden a little, and partly to disguise key points, such as the gates. As well as to give them a headquarters to conduct where patrols went and things like that.

As Jenn explained that issue to those in the meeting, she felt like she was making headway until, Laer made a suggestion.

"I think there's two places where we can shorten the road through the forest if we build a couple bridges at those locations," she said, making Jenn feel like the wind had been pulled out of her sails.

"What places?" Jenn asked, her voice coming out as a squeak to her embarrassment, as she tried thinking of where Laer might be thinking of.

"It doesn't matter exactly where. I can even accompany you if you'd like. That way I can point the locations to the duchess if she wants."

Jenn considered that suggestion. It would add to the workload, but she couldn't see what the problem would be. Especially since they were getting a good amount of cash per month as they kept this job with the guild. Not to mention how she was certain that they'd be able to find places to get the resources for the buildings, and bridges, without having to spend too much. Though, Jenn had a feeling she might have to use her magic when doing the negotiations on the prices in order to do that.

However, that was an issue for another time.

"That'll work," Jenn said. "I'll be the representative for the issues of the mercenaries and you can be the representative for the other issues."

Jenn hoped that what she'd just said didn't come across poorly. As it was the best she could think of right then. Though she wouldn't be surprised if she found out she was wrong in that.

"Um, I was wondering when you planned on marrying us," Roesadra commented, pulling Jenn out of her thoughts. "We were hoping that you could do it before you left?"

Jenn nodded. As long as they didn't want a celebration to coincide with it, she could work it out quick enough. Especially since she thought she had an idea of how to word it so it'd be simple enough for her and not give her that much work to begin with.

"Would the morning work for you?" Jenn asked, hoping that the answer would be 'yes' and that they could just move on from here.

"Uh, morning weddings cast bad luck on the couple," Tchisa whispered to Jenn, which explained the sad looking faces that Jenn was getting.

While they clearly had their beliefs and superstitions on things, she had the feeling that they weren't going to demand Jenn change her mind on this. As their respect for her already seemed more than Jenn would really like in general.

"Or, how about this evening?" Jenn asked, and felt pleased at how Roesadra's and Oleania's faces brightened up at her added statement.

Though, she wished they could do it in the morning before she left, she had to admit that seeing them happy like that made her feel good. Despite the pain she also felt at having to do it so soon without a good rest.

"By the way, have you figured out how to…" Roesadra started but then trailed off, clearly uncertain about something and Jenn suspected that it was what Jenn's answer would be.

"Yeah, I think I have it figured out," Jenn replied. She had an idea of how it would work, at least. If she didn't, she'd have found some excuse to postpone their marriage, since she thought they'd like to get started on a family as soon as possible for them.

"Though, once I have time to teach all of you to use your magic, I'm sure you'll be able to use your magic on each other in the same way," Jenn continued after a minute of letting her words sink in. "I just hope I can do that soon and that things will quiet down once we're able to return to the settlement we started."

"With what we built there, what's still here, and what we'll be building in just the towers, I think we should be able to have our housing situation resolved for good once we have that dealt with," Zirisia commented. "Though, we'll still need to figure out what to do about the winters in that world before the next one."

Jenn nodded. "Don't worry, I think I have a solution that should be acceptable. Though, I'll still want precautions taken in case I'm wrong."

"If you're wrong, then we'll find out soon enough," Tchisa remarked. "I'm sure it'll feel like it didn't take very long before next winter will come on that world."

Jenn sighed. She really didn't want to think about that. Especially not with all that she already had to think about. Such as dealing with the Duchess, the Wolf-kin, Jackalope-kin, and if it might be possible to get a road or something that she could travel along to the pronghorn-kin's location so she'd be able to return home without having to go the roundabout route she'd taken to get to this world in the first place.

"By the way, you don't mind the roommate, do you?" Tchisa asked. "I didn't expect you back for a few more days."

Jenn waved the issue away like she was trying to dispel an odor. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll get along with her just as well as any of the others."

Tchisa grinned. "Yeah, I heard how well you got along with Gishia and how she reacted."

Jenn merely shrugged. The fact that Gishia had taken that girl to her bed wasn't an issue for her. This world didn't seem to have any laws or social rules about ages of consent or anything, so she didn't think this was the time to establish anything like that. All she could do was ensure that she held herself to the standard she was used to and not worry so much about how others would conduct themselves in regards to that.

"So, I take it you won't have any issues with her taking command? Even though she doesn't have children of her own?"

Jenn shook her head. "No, but why'd you stick me with them anyway? I don't see why I needed to go out there myself."

Tchisa smirked in a way that Jenn couldn't say she liked. She was pretty sure that she was going to regret, at least some of, the words she just said.

"I need others among the mercenaries to respect you. That way when you reveal that you're the Blue Rose, then you'll have the respect you'd earned from before to help solidify your position, rather than others trying to undermine you just because they don't respect you."

Jenn sighed. She had hoped she'd be able to avoid politics, but she could see that her hope was a vain one at that, since it's clear that she was stuck as the Blue Rose. Even if she could find someone she thought would do well, she suspected none of those in her 'inner circle' here would let her abdicate so easily.

"Fine, I can deal with that," Jenn replied, not really sure she understood. It just felt like an issue that she just really wasn't going to understand anyway. That it'd be something she'd have to just accept and move on from.

"Oh, by the way," Maelia asked, looking uncomfortable in a way that Jenn hadn't seen her before. "When you're done marrying Roesadra and Oleania, would it be alright for me to spread the word that you're officiating weddings? I'm sure there's others who'd like to get married as well."

Jenn stared at Maelia for a minute. She wasn't sure what the woman was up to, but she was pretty sure that she wasn't going to like whatever it was when it came down to it. However, she also couldn't think of any reason to refuse, so she merely nodded.

"Alright, I can do that," she said, wondering how many there could be. As she did remember the two people who had the issue about whether or not her people should be forced to procreate in order to build up their numbers or not and how she'd ruled that it should be up to the individuals and if one party didn't want to, that she'd side with them. Regardless of who it was.

Embris stayed in the room for as long as she could stand. She'd gotten the mattress as comfortable as she could and dozed off for a while. Yet, she could only do that for so long before she got bored and had to get up.

She was pretty sure that Rephis and Nymis were still out playing with the other children, so she didn't see a reason to need to go collect them. Yet, as she stepped outside, she suddenly heard something that felt out of place. Or at least out of place from how things had been before.

There was a gathering of people who all looked nervous about something and the only ones who didn't seem interested in the gathering were the children, who were still off playing whatever game it was that they were up to at the moment.

Curious, Embris walked over to the gathering, partially wondering if she really should since she hadn't decided to join these people here or not. She hadn't had a chance to talk with her brother and sister about how they liked it here. If they did, then she might consider living her doing something other than being a mercenary. As she didn't want to leave them alone if she could help it.

Like their mother had periodically.

When she reached the reached the gathering, she saw a young woman in a hooded tunic and mask telling to two girls that they could share their first kiss as a married couple, which surprised her. She suspected the voice was the same as Jenn's but she couldn't be sure with the other noise going on as well as the distance between them.

When the two women kissed, there was a cheer by the others in the crowd. Then The woman put her hands on the two women and it felt like she did something, but Jenn wasn't able to tell what it was. All she knew was that it was over almost as quickly as it started.

"For all those who would like to be married, I'll happily officiate your weddings tonight," the woman said as the two women she'd just married moved to the side, their actions making Embris certain what they were about to do, even though she'd never done anything like that herself.

When she knew most girls her age already had done that. Some with multiple people already.

Eventually Embris returned her attention back to the gathering. She had expect a few people to be wanting to get married, but what shocked her is that it felt like nearly everyone present were in line for that. Naturally there were some stragglers who weren't with anyone, but most were already lined up. Some were two girls, some were two guys, but most were a guy and a girl. Although, in one instance, one girl was with two guys.

Embris wasn't sure what to make of that, but she also wasn't going to complain. After all, there were always rumors of people who had more than one spouse and it wasn't like the church outright forbid it. It was just something that wasn't very common to have happen.

In fact, two men, which the church did forbid, were more commonly to want to get married than a person with multiple partners was.

Embris couldn't see the expression of the girl with the mask on who was officiating it, but the couple at the front of the line, seemed to be throwing her for a loop as much as the sheer volume of the people wanting to be married were.

While each couple didn't take very long to marry, it was clear that it was taking a long while to get through everyone. To the point where torches had been set up as the sun went down, leaving them in almost pitch darkness outside of the torches.

While the torches were getting set up, Nymis and Rephis found Embris, each looking happier than she'd seen them in a long time. Which she couldn't help but feel happy about in return.

Though, they didn't say anything as it was clear that something was still going on. Where the girl was nearly done with the people getting married and that the girl was sounding rather tired.

Embris couldn't help but wonder if the girl was going to plead to get out of it so she could rest or if she'd power through the last few. It wasn't something that Embris was accustomed to, so she couldn't say which she'd consider better for the girl, but typically powering through being tired was the more feminine thing to do, while taking a rest would probably get others thinking of her as a twig, if nothing else.

However, Embris wanted to take her brother and sister back to where the mattress for them was set up, but at that moment is when the celebration of the weddings started. Which Embris couldn't help but want to join in on. After all, she knew there'd be good food and plenty to drink. Which she hadn't had in a good long while.