M.D.Syl
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Chaper 130 colorless
🕑 Added 2024-01-04 18:47:09 +0000 UTCChapter 130 New Threats I
When you reach the top, you don’t have time to rest!
Keep fighting! Make sure your place at the top is secure!
If you stop and enjoy the fruits of victory,
You’ll find out they’re being taken from you.
Rakisha, Mother of all Demons.
{28} Brigit (August) The 14th
The next few days are spent on reorganizing the confused city and sending food to Apricot City in the south like I've promised. I spend a lot of time attempting to master the shield spell. While I do make some progress, the stubborn grimoire refuses to acknowledge my cantrip as "Mastered."
Despite the blood fae's soul still burning in my veins, I spend the rest of my free time is Kolag's company, too much time is spent in Kolag's company, but I'm rather happy about it. If anything, the feverish feel of the blood fae's soul makes my time with Kolag more pleasant.
While he’s only limited to touching me—and I can’t exactly touch him back—there are a lot of ways to enjoy just that. The weight of his gaze on me sends a jolt of sharp heat across my chest, almost in a mocking mimicry of the pressure from his hands there last night. He wouldn't even removed my corset, instead untying it with teasing slowness and sliding his gauntleted hand across my skin. I’d arch into his touch, desiring more, wanting to unburden him of his armor despite knowing I can't.
For now, these fleeting moments, with our bodies separated by the metal imprisoning him, are all we have.
I shake my head, knocking loose those lovesick thoughts. Focus on the meeting. Have more fun later. Now’s the time for politics.
I focus on the council I gathered around the table. Other than Kolag in his armor, Jerro is there, leaning on his cane. The prophet often sneaks a glance to Sharla.
The fae girl sits near the table in the guise of a black haired maid I've seen around the palace, she even wears the woman's gray dress.
Tasiya doesn't hide the contempt she holds for Sharla and her current form. I know that Sharla pulled more than one prank on Tasiya and her crew of maids, but no matter how much I asked her to stop she wouldn't.
Talbot moves the beads in his abacus with his wrinkly hand, and the sounds of wooden knocking follow. His other hand combs through his long white beard slowly.
Jolla jots slowly in her parchment, and raises her white eyes at me, fixing her glasses on her red nose with a slender pale finger.
While Aisha sits near on the edge of her chair uncomfortably, twirling some of her blond hair around a finger.
“Can anyone tell me where Marasi is?” I ask, looking at my council around the round table. My eyes glide to Kolag's helmet and hands despite my attempts to focus on the matter at hand.
“I believe he left.” The answer comes from Tasiya Keyholder. She isn’t sitting, she’s standing near the door with a pair of maids by her side. Her gray outfit matches the red bricks behind her. Her brown eyes jump to the yellow flower vases on the shelves across the room, I can tell she’s itching to take care of them after this meeting is over.
“That’s how Elflings are, my love.” The echoing voice comes from Kolag. “I believe I’ve warned you. They stay in one place until they've caused enough damage or someone sees through their web of lies, then they up and leave before anyone can bring them to justice.”
Right… so he didn’t have connections at all? Or is he working for someone else? Meant to lead me to a trap in Apricot City while causing riots here? How could I just blindly trust him? Can I blindly trust the people here? Talbot? Jolla? Tasiya? Why do they even work for me so well? Do I need to test their loyalty?
Let’s assume the worse…
I do need a spy master… someone I can fully trust… Someone who can keep an eye on them... “Sharla.”
“Yes, Mistress?”
“I want you to construct a net of informants in this city, I want to know everything there is to know about this place. Think you can do that?”
“It’ll be done, Mistress…” She gets up and heads toward the exit.
“Sit, I’m not done yet.” I stop her. “Take your time and work on it, I want weekly reports about anything of note. When you’re done here, I want you to construct a similar net in Apricot City. I also need information about Green Pear City, we were supposed to go there after Apricot, but now I’m concerned about the situation there. I want you to find everything you can about Marasi’s whereabouts, and who is he working for.”
She nods. “It’ll be done, Mistress…”
I give Jerro a look to see if he has an issue with it, something I do now without thinking.
He smiles at me happily as if I did him a huge favor. He never shows so much emotion… Why is he looking at me like that? What does he see? Hmm… oh wait, his skills could come in handy when it comes to constructing an information net too…
“Jerro, you’ll work with Sharla on this, you’ll dedicate your predictions to assisting with her tasks.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” he replies happily.
“Good, now to the next order of business. Talbot?”
My old accountant perks up from his abacus. “Hmm? Yes! Yes! There are currently 5,263 souls living in Red Cedar City. 3,609 whom are adults, and a 1,654 whom are under the age of fifteen. This is accurate for yesterday, hmmph, the treasury is nearly empty, 9462 golden peas and no magical coins. I recommend raising taxes as soon as possible.” He sits down back to moving beads in his abacus.
Is it all numbers to you?! These are people! “You’ll do no such thing! The people have suffered enough!"
“Yes, Your Majesty…” he deflates, sitting down.
"Where did all the money go exactly?” I ask.
"Your Majesty. Ship captains are not free, and we had to ship a lot of food to Apricot City. You demanded that we'll pay any price for transportations, and the captains have demanded a high price. There was also a large payment you demanded to transfer to one named Daor for saving people's lives."
Right... we had over a hundred gems in the treasury, if each gem is 500 gold coins, that was over 50,000... “Talbot, how many captains did you have to pay, and how much money did they demand?"
"Ten ship owners. Each demanded five thousand gold coins."
Are you stealing some of the money? I can't help but frown. "They all demanded the same price? How would that even work?"
Jolla is the one to offer an explanation. "They all work for the Lord Gemhand. He's the one to call the prices on such things..."
Right... well... it looks like I'll have to do something about him... I'll talk to Sharla later. "Talbot, what’s our food count after we shipped that food to Apricot City?”
He moves his hand in his long white beard, absorbed in his abacus. “Hmm? Food?” He raises his head to look at me after a long moment. “Yes, yes. Our stores are full, Your Majesty, do you suggest we export food? Hmmph. We have 602 bushels of wheat, two…”
“Enough.” I raise my hand sharply. “We have plenty of food, correct?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. We have enough food for thirteen months, Your Majesty. Assuming the next harvest will be average, and our storage won’t be…”
"Ok. Good. And Apricot City? How long will their food last?"
The old man raises his brown eyes from his abacus. "I do not know, Your Majesty. I will need their headcount to calculate."
"Very well. You’ll sail to Apricot City. I want you to count the treasuries of Apricot City, give me a headcount of civilians living there as well as their current food situation after the aid we sent them. Please come back when you have an accurate report and a detailed report about the situation within the city from General Salik.”
“Your majesty, I…” He goes quiet, squeezing his long beard as if he's about to rip it off his chin.
I put a hand on my hip. “Yes? If you have any questions, speak up.”
“I-I’ve never left Red Cedar City…” he admits, lowering his gaze.
Let's separate them for the time being. Tasiya was in a direct contact with Marasi. I'll have Sharla investigate her first, and if they're all working for someone, Tasiya will have no one to turn to... Unless it's Gemhand... and if she turns to Gemhand, I'll have the perfect excuse to hang him... “Aw, well, it’s time you leave the city and see the world then. Jolla will come with you, you two seem to be getting along.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jolla raises her head from her parchments and fixes her spectacles, seemingly unbothered by my suspicions. “I’ll be sure to report to General Salik.”
“Thank you.” I move my gaze to my armored boyfriend. “Kolag, how’re the recovery efforts in Red Cedar coming along?”
Kolag's visor moves from focusing on my hips to my face, and I already feel warmer. We've been at it for a few days now. While he's only limited to touching me, there are a lot of ways to enjoy just that. “Pretty well. The orcs haven’t done as much damage to the city, only the people, and the people are recovering. The problem is petty criminals. I want some funds to expand the Peacekeepers Knights, we lack equipment and...”
“Didn’t you hear? The treasury is almost empty!” Talbot gets up to his feet, waving an angry fist at my armored boyfriend.
I raise my eyebrows, surprised. I’ve never seen this kind old man loses his calm before. What are you hiding that you're so nervous? Enough. Enough with the paranoia. He could be innocent. It might just have been my order to leave the city, he’s stressed… “Sit down, Talbot!”
“Ahem… I’m sorry Your Majesty, but we can’t spare the peas.”
“There are nearly ten thousand gold pieces in the treasury, and I also have my personal funds. It should be enough to equip the knights. After that, we’ll see what we can do about coin. I’m suspecting we might have some money back at Apricot City, but if I’m wrong, my personal funds will do until we can figure something out. I have plenty of magical gems left.”
“Hmmph, yes, Your Majesty. Your Majesty, may I ask. How many magical coins do you have?”
“A little over five hundred," I lie just in case. "Should be enough, correct?”
“For the next two years, if there are no further expenses, but there are always expenses. For the next year then. Hrmmm...” The old man looks at his abacus, but he doesn’t move the beads, only shaking in place.
Leaving the city will be good for him… and I need him somewhere else right now… I hope I’m wrong about more of my advisor being traitors... and I hope I'm right about Apricot City treasury… Even if the gangs took everything, it should be recovered from their hideouts. I hope their hideouts are within the city… I’ll write to Salik to look for it…
“If no one has anything else to add, this meeting adjourned!” I declare, getting out of the room. The soul of the blood fae is still burning in my veins. I want to start meditating, I need to absorb it, and I can't let Kolag distract me from doing that anymore... But before that.
My eyes settle on Jerro, the only one who's walking by my side and did not go on his own way. He knows I have something in mind. "Tell Sharla to investigate the Lord Gemhand. It's high time we expose whatever game he's playing.
Jerro nods. "That is a dangerous move, Queen. If anything should go wrong, the threat to the east shall increase."
"That's why I assigned you to Sharla, to make sure nothing goes wrong."
I leave him behind and head for my room, sit on my fortress of pillows, and lose myself in a deep trance. I can get stronger with this, I will get stronger with this!
*
{28} Brigit (August) The 15th
"Mistress?"
I do not get to meditate for long. Sharla's gentle hand on my shoulder wakes me up from my trance at sunrise. The furniture in my room casts odd shadows with the dim light coming through the window. It's hypnotizing. Twilight was always special.
"Mistress?" Sharla shakes my shoulder again, and our eyes meet.
"Yes?"
"I need you to take a look at this." She hands me a letter.
I unfold the parchment and read the following.
Tell your King that the time to attack is now.
There's no need to wait anymore.
She just killed all of her orcs.
There's no army here.
If he wants this territory, he'd better comes before she recovers.
I'll make myself scarce.
"Huh... Olfgram?"
"He would deny this has anything to do with him." Sharla giggles and licks her lips with a tongue that's twice as long as a human's. "But I stole it from a man who left his mansion. Jerro said this had to be done or we'll all die. We already showed this to Kolag, and Jerro sent him to arrest Gemhand and bring him here."
I get up to my feet. "Lead me to them."
"Of course, Mistress." She flourishes her hand and strides smoothly towards the hallway outside my chambers, ignoring the awe-stricken maid who waits nearby.
I follow suit, matching my steps to hers. "I did not expect you to find such good evidence so soon. Do you know how much of his gold he keeps here in my city?"
"A lot. I know he hasn't moved the share he got of our payment to transport food to Apricot City yet. But he has been moving his money out north for a while now. I doubt we'll find it all."
"That makes sense, if he always intended to remove me."
The dungeons are far less equipped than they were the last time I was here. There isn't a single torture device. Nor is there a single prisoner. Kolag isn't a big believer in prisons. Criminals are to be held here for a day or two until their trial, and not a single conviction leads to imprisonment. They either lose their heads if the crime is severe such as murder or rape, or they're put into work for their city to repay their debt if they cannot afford the fee for their smaller crimes, such as theft and assault.
"You better tell us what you've been planning before Inara gets here. I believe you'd prefer my gentle hands, Lord Gemhand." I hear Kolag's echoing voice and step at the corner to listen. Sharla grins and leans on the brown stone wall near me. She rests her head on my right shoulder, and hugs my arm to her chest.
Olfgram's snort conveys his sneer. "You're a fool, Sir Kolag."
"Maybe so," comes the echoing response. "But if you talk to me now, I'll ask Inara to spare your life. I'm one of the few she listens to, if you have any chance of survival it's me. We both know you'll eventually break, there's only so much a man can withstand. And we both know Inara will kill you the moment you break. Save yourself the torture and pain, and you might even save your own life with me on your side."
No, Kolag... I'm going to kill him regardless... but nice try...
"Now you're making a fool of me, Kolag."
"Punch him." I hear Jerro's voice.
"No." Kolag responds. "I'll leave the torture to Inara. I'm sure she can do better."
"Or Sharla. She can do better than Inara."
Sharla snarls on my shoulder. "Did they just have a venom contest over who's girl can torture better than the other? Men!"
I can't help but snicker. "I think they're trying to scare Olfgram with this. But if we're being serious, can you really get answers out of him?"
"Sure can! I won't even need to torture him. Gimme a few days with the rot, and he'll spill the peas."
"I'll try talking to him first." I step into the cell, and Kolag backs off. The middle aged man is tied up by his hands to the wall by bronze chains and cuffs. Even tied with his hands up in the air, he still manages to maintain a sense of dignity by sitting straight and looking me in the eyes.
"You've had your chance, Lord Gemhand, you'll regret not taking it," Kolag declares.
Gemhand scoffs in his direction for a split second and focuses on me again. "Let's talk business."
I cross my hands over my chest. "Let's. What do you want for the information of which king this is and who you were writing for?"
A bitter smile forms on his face. "My head itches... do you mind?"
I fold my hands over my chest. "No. I'm not scratching your head for you. Go on."
He shakes his head and sniffs haughtily. "Hands... you don't appreciate them until they're bound in metal. Very well. Negotiations can only be called negotiation if both sides hold equal power. We do not. My only power is the information I have, and once you have that, we both know you'll end my life."
He's not wrong... "What are you suggesting then?"
"I would recommend you not to kill me, for your own safety, but I doubt you'd listen. Here's my request: Bring me a woman's head, and I'll give you all the information you need. If I'm going to die, I'll drag down the rotten harpy who framed me for something I never did."
"Who?"
"Her name is..." The words die on his lips when Sharla shift into a petite middle aged woman with her graying hair tied up in a bun.
"Me?" she asks, a mocking grin etched on her face. "Or the real Nira? Because the real Nira is already dead, for a... I don't know? Three, or four days? I've lost count."
A vein pops in Olfgram's forehead. "I'll KILL YOU!" he screams. He turns his red face to me. "You think that's everything, little brat? No. A full scale attack is coming to eliminate you all. My letter was only meant to rush this attack. You and me are dead, whether it's now or whenever that attack will come. It's just a matter of time. Even if you somehow survive, my extended family will still come after you."
I raise an eyebrow. "I thought we're talking business, not threats. I thought you were a business man, not a brat who tells me what will happen to me once I hurt him..."
My words seem to offend him from the way his jaw clenches. He takes a deep breath in order to calm down. "Apologizes for the unsightly display..." he almost whispers in a futile attempt to regain his dignity. He turns to Sharla. "I... Is Nira really dead?"
"Want me to bring her body? Or just her head?" Sharla asks mockingly. "Yesterday you told me how you had everything a man could wish for. For a man who had everything, you sure made everything in your power to lose it."
Olfgram clenches his teeth and turns his head toward me again. "My businesses won't last for long under these restrictive laws, if you didn't regulate my prices, I wouldn't have to do this. It's all your fault to begin with."
"So. You've tried to replace me because I've been regulating the prices merchant buy from the craftsmen? Is that it?"
He sniffs. "Is that it, she asks? Is that it?! IS THAT SNAKING IT?!" He takes a deep breath again before he talks in a calmer voice. "A word of advice, young lady. Don't threaten a man's family. There's nothing a man won't do for his family."
Right... he still holds a grudge about that... even if I allowed him to move his family away as a show of trust... in hindsight that has been a mistake.
"What now?" I ask, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"You tell me, young lady. If there's a chance I could ransom myself for information and gold. I know you need gold..."
I raise my hand to cut him off. "I actually don't need gold, I have enough magical coins as you call them to last me for a few years, probably with an army of mercenaries. Aside from the gold I'm going to take from your vaults anyway. No. You can only offer me information, and the only reason I'm even talking to you is to see if you can offer me something so good that'll be worth sparing your life."
"The Gemhand family will..."
"I do not care what some merchant family think they can do to me. Whatever you already did was bad enough. You made an enemy of me, now you're warning me not to make an enemy of your family who are already my enemies. If you give me one more empty threat, I'll let Sharla handle you. Offer me something worthy of your miserable life. Think. Think hard. There must be something worth your life."
He squints, shakes his head and snorts. "There is. But you'll just kill me after I tell you. I'm afraid I'll be taking my secrets to my grave."
"And if we promised to spare you?" Kolag butts in.
Olfgram shakes his head. "Your promise means nothing. You're nothing but a gullible idiot this witch keeps around as her personal pet snake."
I sigh. "Sharla. He's all yours. Get out that other secret too. And don't take too long."
"Of course, Mistress." The smile on her face seem unnatural for a brief moment, it reaches her temples and makes me shudder. It then it turns back to a normal human grin.
I glance back as we turn to leave the cell. She reaches for her pouch, and chokes Olfgram with her free hand. The man opens his mouth, gasping for air, and struggling in her grip. Sharla uses that open mouth to push a small item into his throat. She lifts Olfgram's chin and forces him to swallow.
"What was that?" Olfgram asks, horrified.
"You'll be feeling that in less than an hour, honey pie~" Sharla calls out behind her as she joins the rest us.
"I'm not comfortable with torture," Kolag admits with an echo.
"It's not torture, silly silly knight~ I'm incapable of harming people directly. I gave him a drug."
"A drug?"
Sharla licks her lips and I notice that her mad inhuman grin is threatening to split her face again. "Yeah. Pixie dust. It'll make him feel really good. Want some? I've got tons, Ryon loves this stuff."
I can tell Kolag is frowning behind the tilted helmet. "How will that help us?"
Sharla pats his pauldron affectionally. "Leave the information gathering to me nighty knight. You focus on bashing skulls and piercing hearts, especially this young lady's heart. You two are so cute together, you almost made me cry."
My face heats up, but Kolag's voice is neutral. "I'd still like to know your plan, Milady Sharla."
"Oh I'm Milady now? You know that trick won't work on every woman you meet, righty sir nighty knight?"
"What trick?" he asks, a baffled echo from a steel helmet, impossible to read. "Will you stop changing the subject and answer me? Please?"
"Ohhh fine! Fiiiine! I'm just going to give him a lot of pixie dust for a few days. Then he'll want more, and he'll only get more if he talks. This works on most mortals. If that doesn't work, there are other methods." She turns to me. "Mistress, there should be magic that lets you read minds, or a potion that forces him to speak truth. You should look these up."
"I still have to unlock my grimoire, but a potion, yeah, I'll look that up..."
*~*~*
Interlude 130.1
Berthold.
Berthold passes between the trees of this wide forest. Berthold always liked the forest, he might find a new fairy here.
But he's loyal to Sharla, yes, he is! And he has a mission, he can't stop for fun. He can spot the road and he follows it from within the woods. This leads to Green Pear City. Another city that's supposedly under Inara's control. Mad people who worship mages should live there too. Berthold shakes his head. He can't understand their minds.
This city should be close. The road is wider and have more tracks on it. People who leave the city for foraging tend to widen the roads near the city, Berthold knows this. Yet, there are no new tracks on this road. The newest tracks he found are over three weeks old. Something is wrong in this city. This is why Berthold avoids being seen.
And there, between the trees he can finally spot a wall. Berthold holds his fist, signaling for his scouts to halt. He doesn't want to be spotted by the sentries and the men behind him are really bad at sneaking in a forest.
He guides his men to turn back, they'll make camp. Tonight, he'll go alone and scout the place. with his new gifts and ability to see in the dark, he will be undetectable.
*
Night has fallen. The crickets and owls mask Berthold steps, and the moonlight shine brightly in Berthold's view, casting a wide array of solid looking rays of silvery light. Berthold touches one and feels the caress of his patron on his arm.
He has no time for fairy wonders though, he has a mission here. He strides forward, closing the distance on the walls that are visible between the trees a few kilometers ahead. He spots the orc sentries on the trees and he already can tell what he'll find in the city.
Orcs.
These savages are here.
And unlike the ones in Red Cedar, these aren't exactly friendly.
He climbs a tree and peeks at the city anyway, he needs to confirm things.
The gates are open wide, broken. There are bodies near it. The city had experienced a battle not too long ago. He watches quietly and spots a pair of orcs drag a group of bound women from the city. Their screams are loud enough to hear from the other side of the forest.
Inara’s going to love hearing about this...
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 85
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 21 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral 6:1, neutral : elemental 1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 30 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/23 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 69 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 7 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 15 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 93/104 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freeze. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIa. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.
Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Spells known:
Light: Rika's Electric Channelb1
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2.
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.
(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)
Focus capability: 20 patterns.
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Personal Wealth: 1465 Magic Gems. 1420 Golden Peas, 45 Silver Scales, 32 Copper Bits.
Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
1 potions of Lesser Healing.
2 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
42g Rose petals.
20g Lavender petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 30/100. Locked.
Present Companions:
Kolag of house Befar.
Jerro.
Sharlafyn Nettledew.
Languages:
Toml’a <People’s tongue> Fluent
Sinteo <Speech> Fluent
Myrsha <Gravity> 8/10
Felul <Wind> 1/10
Nim <Water> 1/10
A'arkalu <Wolf Tongue> 4/10
Injuries and scars:
Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.
-
Kingdom’s treasury: 4462 Golden Peas.
Kingdom’s citizen: Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children. 5263 total.
Apricot City: approximate 800+ humans.
Kingdom's army: 93 Footmen. 13 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.
Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?
