Eating with the family of someone I'd just knocked out was a new experience
This life or the previous one.
Yet as I stood next to my sister and my loyal subject, Hathor, eating a soup made of herbs and vegetables that the mother bear had graciously provided, I could now say I have.
[I offer my sincerest apologies for laying your husband out cold.] I played with the crudely made ladle and stirred my bowl. I kept my gaze high as I looked into the Firebear's eyes.
"My lord offers his most genuine condolences for knocking out your husband." Hathor spoke with solemn bow, his moon-like eyes containing no emotion.
He brought his head up and then proceeded to eat out of the bowl with his snout.
I was sitting beside my sister, who was eagerly eating the soup, avoiding the vegetables. Next to her was Hathor, who preferred to eat off the floor in a bowl.
We were sitting around a stone table, a big pot of soup on the side, and on the other sat the Mountain Lord's wife. Behind her lay her unconscious husband, who was being poked with sticks by her children.
The creatures in this world were so humanlike, I tried to reel in my feelings of empathy. Or else, I might have left this mountain without accomplishing anything.
"Heavens no," Leah, the Mountain-Lord's Wife, frantically shook her head. "I have to thank you for not killing the old stubborn fool." Her head tilted to the side; her eyes were practically hearts as she gazed lovingly at the knocked-out bear.
[and take such splendid Life from this world?] I asked with my head slightly tilted, not believing the fact that she thought I would kill the bear.
[I didn't come here to fight, but to talk]
"My lord insists he never arrived with the intention of slaughter." Hathor, snout was dripping with soup as he spoke, his posture displaying his confidence in the way he sat. Almost made me laugh.
"So, what did you come here to discuss?" Her campfire-like eyes burned with intensity, but her expression was soft, her lips curved slightly upwards, while her eyebrows were relaxed. Her bright red eyes had a warm gaze. Like a mother would.
Her whole aura was homely.
Her gaze almost made me hesitate. Yet I had to hold strong, pity wasn't something a ruler should have.
I suppressed a sigh before speaking.
[Submit or leave.] I took a sip of the delicious soup before continuing. My eyes firmly held on hers.
[Two kings cannot hide on the same mountain.] It was a saying he once heard, and in the current situation, it was the perfect analogy.
"My lor-"
[Just talk] I interrupted him, tired of the stuffy words at the beginning of his sentence. I couldn't wait till I could 'grow up.' Having someone speak for me was getting old quickly.
He looked at me with droopy ears, his back now hunched over as if he had been reprimanded. The sight was so pitiful, I lamented quickly.
[Fine.] I spared him a glance before returning my focus to Leah. My sister was slurping loudly on her last bits of soup.
His ears returned to their usual position, and his tail started wagging again as he took his prideful position once more.
"My." He coughed, correcting himself before continuing, "My lord insists that you pledge your allegiance to him as the rightful ruler of this forest, or peacefully depart from this land."
It was a wonder how he could stretch three words into so many.
[More.] Tiamat pushed the bowl forward while licking her lips.
Leah served her some more while her hearth-like eyes widened, and her eyebrows were forced up into surprise.
"You can't." She paused before readjusting herself. Her expression slightly broke. This was the first time he had seen her with something that resembled worry since the beginning of the conversation.
"We have lived in this forest for 30-" She clenched her fist before readjusting herself. A sigh left her mouth before she started supporting her head on her hand.
She massaged her forehead, her lips opening to speak.
"What would this allegiance mean?" Her eyebrows raised, her eyes slightly narrowing as she looked at me with an inquiring gaze.
"Although." Her lips pressed into a thin line as she glanced at her husband, "He would never serve a dragon." She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"But this mountain," She opened her eyes and looked longingly at her children, before turning to face me, her eyes narrowed.
Not in hostility but in confusion.
"If you don't mind me asking? How are you here?"
What an odd question.
She spoke again, perhaps because she saw my confusion.
"There are no Dragons in this realm."
It was stated more like a fact than a sentence.
No dragons? What did that even mean? My sister and I were right here.
I looked at her with confusion evident in my gaze.
"It seems you have no more idea than I do." Leah looked at me with a tilted face, "You must be special then, unlike the dragon that took my husband's eye." She nodded to herself, her motherly smile returning on her face. "With that, I can convince him."
"But how?" She mumbled out, absentmindedly speaking to herself while looking out into the distance. Leah shook her head before speaking, her face turning towards mine.
"First"
"What does pledging our allegiance mean?"
[Accept my blood and become my retainer.] This small forest would do until my youth, a starting point until I can break into the main world with my physical body. In reality, there were no downsides but only positives from becoming my vassals.
Besides, I looked at her eyes that burned with flames. She was the perfect creature to accept my blood.
My eyes glanced at the soup.
[Provide tribute and ensure the stability of this forest.] The wonderful soup she made was enough. I looked at my sister, who joyously munching on her second bowl. Best of all, my sister seemed to enjoy her cooking.
I doubted there was anything Hathor couldn't handle that would require the Bears to step in.
So, a formality more than anything.
"My lord declares that you have a choice: to become a dragonkin, or your husband, your only duty is to provide tribute, and if something threatens the forest to band together and stop it."
"Tribute?"
"Food." Hathor interjected, receiving a nod from me.
A sound from my right drew my attention, it seemed like the sleeping bear was stirring.
"Oh, my head." Niles rubbed his head, his kids backing away with their sticks hidden behind their backs. He rubbed his chin before standing upright, his eyes locking onto his wife.
"I had the craziest dream, my love." He looked around before continuing, "There were two little dragons and a Wolf that controlled ice." His eyes widened upon landing on me and my sister.
"DRAGONS!" He roared as he got ready to lunge at us before his wife smacked him on the head, bringing him to the floor with a thud.
He stared at her with disbelief written on his foggy pupils. His eyebrows widening as he looked at her with an incredulous gaze.
"Why?"
"They are our guest." Our guest? He seemed to mouth out, and he looked around, noticing the bowls in front of us. I looked him straight in his eyes.
His misty eyes widened before his lips curved downwards.
"Fi-" The words that were about to slip from his mouth were dangerous. My sister was glaring at him from the side, it seemed his initial insult was not forgotten.
[This beast is lucky; his wife provides such good food.] My sister chimed in for the second time.
Leah was about to smack him again, but he cut his words short.
"Stop, I will not have you badmouth your saviors." She looked at him with a stern gaze, he opened his mouth in shock. His face was shaking heavily.
"My saviors, don't be so ridiculous." He glared at his wife before his eyes softened, and he turned to face the floor.
"Would that serpent have spared you?" She asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder, and she gently brought his face up to meet hers.
The fire meeting the smoke.
He let out a long sigh.
"You can't trust Dragons." There was no anger in his voice, no hatred, just pure resignation.
"Then why are you still alive?"
"I-" He stopped himself, sighing before shaking his head. He got up and sat on the seat beside his wife his eyes solemnly looking towards mine.
"What do you want?" His words no longer had the anger in them, but it was still dripping with disgust. His hand moved to rub his chin.
"You dare spea-"
[Silence] I interrupted Hathor. There was no reason to antagonize him further, I would suffer from his hatred for now.
Hathor clenched his teeth but otherwise stayed silent.
[Assist him.]
Hathor summoned some ice and moved it with his mind towards Niles. Niles stared for a while before taking it with reluctance and nodding towards Hathor.
Hathor simply stared at him.
"Don't worry, Dragon-Lord, I will bring him up to speed." His wife interrupted before bowing and moving to Niles.
"Dragon lord?" He grumbled with gritted teeth about his wife's address. She shut him down quickly with a glare and leaned over, whispering into his ears.
I ignored his disrespectful words, and instead focused on eating my soup, my eyes occasionally glancing at them
Every so often, his eyes would widen and then return to normal. When Leah finally stopped, her husband reacted poorly.
"YOU WHAT?" He slammed his fist on the table. Tiamat stared at him with disdain as she held her bowl, making sure it didn't spill. I did the same, but did not change the way I looked at him.
"Calm yourself." Leah pressed down onto his shoulder with her hand.
"But he's asking us to." She glared at him and then whispered something to Niles. He frowned before issuing an apology.
"I'm sorry," He bowed his head with gritted teeth, his lower lips trembling violently. He shook his head with closed eyes, grimacing before swallowing loudly.
"I heard stories of good dragons; I never really believed it until now." He sighed before looking at his kids. The love in his eyes was palpable.
If he were to submit, it would be for his kids, not himself.
"I will admit, you two are nothing like that White Li-" He coughed, clearing his throat, "Dragon."
"May I discuss our decision with my wife?" He looked at me with a solemn gaze.
I nodded.
"Thanks." He turned and left with his wife.
I looked at the bear kids who were playing with each other and smiled.
I quickly returned my face to a neutral expression.
Leaving us with their kids was a huge step in our relationship.
I finished eating the soup while they discussed outside.
[It was good, right, brother?] Tiamat asked me with a tilted face. Her adorable big, round eyes were sparkling. Her tail was wagging behind her.
[Delicious] I spoke to her, giving her a small smile.
[Right?] She spoke excitedly as she shook her head up and down with zeal.
[We must make sure this one stays with us.] Tiamat looked up proudly before going back and finishing her soup.
After a while longer of waiting, they finally entered hand in hand.
Niles, foggy-eyes looked into mine. I could still see a faint hint of disgust. It seems like his hatred for dragons didn't disappear, but instead he's suppressing it for his children's futures.
"Fine, we will submit." His voice devoid of emotion, as he took a knee and kneeled before us.
His words didn't surprise me, his wife mentioned that she wanted to convince him to pledge allegiance.
"After a long discussion with my wife, we have both decided to become dragon kin." He paused, his ashy eyes staring into mine. "And when our children grow older, they will join us as your kin."
I thought greed was a dragon thing.
Not that it mattered to me.
I nodded at him.
"Thank you, my lord." He bowed his head, his wife doing the same.
I let silence enter the cave as I looked at our new allies.