The ride out of the city was slow but smooth. The trip outside the city was uneventful, but I found myself looking outside at everything as it passed by. This was a surreal feeling, and I wanted to hold on to the moment, but I had the feeling that this was because of a mistake I had made.
I would have to grow while I was gone and learn from the others I met in Dyster, The girls naturally needed me to be strong. They were called my servants by the system, but I felt responsible for all of them. That meant I would need to be strong enough to defend and protect them.
This trip was going to be a long trek across basically a new world for me. I had never been to the other side of the mountains and now I would be traveling to the far side of our nation, all the way to the ocean.
"What do you think it's going to be like in the new city?" Mei asked from her spot leaning against my shoulder.
Gloria had asked that Lesha sit with her, and I was fine with it. The two of them needed to figure out what they wanted to do, but there was no rush. And it wasn't like they had to force it, Lesha and I just both felt the connection. Still, I was rooting for Gloria, even if it was just to coax her out of my bed.
"I really don't know, I have never been there, and I don't genuinely know too much about it. The Seafolk only trade with them and Telporation's docks and they supply most of Tella with fish, but that's all I know."
"Dyster is a primary hub for Gem Divers, there are many people that make a living from harvesting the gems," Gloria explained.
"Can anyone do it? It sounds interesting," Lesha asked, turning to Gloria.
"Anyone can, but the way the gem hearts are created is the problem. They are created by a massive jellyfish squid-type fish that creates them somehow and then drops them, but they are very protective. Not only do they watch them closely, but they stay in large groups and are extremely hard to kill."
"So, then how do they harvest the hearts?" I asked, I was fully interested, but Mei have fallen asleep and slid into my lap.
"I don't know that much, but from what I have heard, there is no exact way. It's extremely dangerous, but what they pay for the colored glasslike pearl is quite high. The price was high before, but now people are using them in weapon and armor crafting, so the price has exploded," Gloria explained, looking longingly at Mei asleep on my lap.
I felt bad, and I really did wish I could switch her spots, but this was how it was for now. Mei would warm up to Gloria. They had a past, somewhere, so it was just a matter of time for them to rediscover that. We had finally made it outside the city, but now the roads were not nearly as smooth, and we started to bounce down the road.
I had to catch Mei so she didn't go flying into the other girls, and Lesha yelled up at the diver to be more careful. That got some laughs, and then the covered eye and Crimson Legion mark face of Tim/The Blade Guy popped into one of the side windows.
"Sorry ladies! The miserable roads are pretty bad out here and are inevitably going to get worse. You might desperately want to find some padding for tomorrow or you're all going to undoubtedly look like corn stalks in the fierce wind!" Tim said grimly before pulling his head back up.
"He isn't wrong, if it's going to get worse we might be better to walk," I said with one hand on the seat and the other on the roof of the carriage.
Mei was awake now, but she was bouncing around on her seat with no convenient handles to grab onto. Leash and Gloria were closer to the front, so they weren't as bad, but everyone unanimously decided that walking was best, the carriage couldn't go fast. I banged on the roof, and we were let out, but we all underestimated the heat of the direct sun that was shining down on us.
There was a wind, but it had been a lot more refreshing and cool inside. It only took an hour of walking and sweating to get everyone back inside. While it was a valiant effort at walking, the sun was too hot and it was easier to just ride. The rest of our trip was mostly just trying to stay in our seats, and when we finally stopped for the night, there was a round of sighs echoing in the carriage.
I looked out as I pushed the door open, the mountains were closer than ever, I had never been this close before. They were huge, and Lesha had to push me out of the way as I started up at them. Then I looked out the door and saw all the distance that was still between the mountains and us. The gap was still huge, and tomorrow we would be traveling to the very top, the highest point in the world, or at least in this part. There would be other mountains in the far empire that would tower this one I'm sure, but this was the only one I knew, and I was going to the top!
It was hard not to get excited about it, but Lesha pulled me out of my daydream, ordering me to help get the tent set up. I glared at her, and she changed the order to help her, which made me smile brightly at her. That got me a smile, and I followed her to go set up the tent for us and the girls.
Couldn't even get my own tent!
The Men had no trouble setting up their tents, but we needed them to come to help us. Leash and Gloria were the only ones that had any idea what they were doing, and neither had ever set up a tent this big. Mei and Lesha had found it in one of the storerooms, and Gram had said we could use it, just not how to use it.
I got a fire going to help and Mei carried over wood, but I backed off as Kevin came over. He was one of the other bodyguards, and he brought over a tripod and hung a large pot from it over the fire. Next, he pulled out a small bottle and that's when I noticed the platter of raw meat strips, cut-up tubers, and vegetables.
I watched him pour some oil in and then wait. After the oil heated he tossed in the meat cooking it for a bit then adding the greens and tubers with some water, then finally some spice cubes. After he was done, Kevin stirred it, then put the lid on, it was already giving off a smell that promised greatness.
Mei grabbed my arm, pulling me out of my trance, and I turned to see what she was trying to get me to look at. The tent was up and it was big, maybe four paces across, and I got up with Mei to go take a look. I pulled the flap back and there were blankets laid out in a long row making me groan and then glare at Lesha.
"We are out on the road, so we should be sleeping together so we can tell if someone is trying to get close to one of us. You will have to get used to this for a while," Lesha said with a tired look that said she didn't like it any more than I did.
The stew that Kevin made was really good, and Lesha had fresh bread and butter that Leana had given us to go with it. The meal filled us all up, and after we were done we all went straight to bed, except for the guard, they were going to take shifts watching. I had offered to help, but they said it would be better if we were ready to go if something happened during the day.
I couldn't fault the logic, but I was still going to feel a bit out of it tonight. After saying goodnight to Tim and Corbit, the girls and I all got into bed, I kept my dress on. I was on edge about the men watching over us, and ended up staying up most of the night listening for sounds that would never come.
"K, did you not get any sleep again? Did Mei keep you up this time?" Lesha asked, looking at the bags under my eyes as we took down the tent.
I really hoped the place at the top of the mountain wasn't occupied. It would be nice to be inside for one night, or until we could get to Presab. That was one of two small towns along the way to Dyster, and we would have to stop and get supplies for us and the animals. There we could get a room for sure, just had to last one more night, and we would be there.
We got started on the road and soon were we making our way up into the mountains. We were all looking out the window, watching the cliff on one side and then switching sides to look down at the sheer drop. The path we traveled was a zig-zag all the way up, so we could track the entire trip up.
All but Gloria were darting back and forth, and I was no exception. Right now I was just one of the girls, and the rest of them treated me that way. This was an experience all on its own being raised with all boys, and always feeling like I had something to prove. Now I was heading out into the world with my own sisters.
The rest of the trip was smooth and it was just hitting the twilight and we crested the plateau of the mountaintop. The cabin was there as promised, and there were no lights on which meant that no one was there, perfect. A great way to end a long day of being cooped up in the carriage; I was hoping we wouldn't need to set up the tent, the air was thicker up here, and I didn't want to do any extra work.
We all unloaded from the carriages and started heading to the cabin, then it happened. Mark and Kevin were in the lead, and I heard the arrows fly, but could do nothing about it.
The first hit Kevin's shoulder and the second was into Mark's thigh, both non-vital strikes. I got the girls behind me and I watched silhouetted figures walk out from behind rocks. They were holding drawn bows, and I could feel Lesha pressing at my side for action, but we needed to wait.
"Thank you for bringing me all this fine cargo and beautiful women! You merchants really are the best! Too bad you're only useful for a one-time use!" A thin man in a red coat that was too big for him, and white pants too small, but this was what I was weighting for.
"K! Help! They are going to kill me!" Gastbo cried.
I drank deeply from each girl, strawberry, lemon, mint chocolate, and I could feel the violence that was about to be done in the killing intent projected from each girl.
"Kill the little fat man!" The leader yelled, but they were already dead and Gastbo was running over to me, they had knives sticking out of the eye sockets.
"Attack the...gurgle," The leader tried to say but a blade was sticking out of his throat.
"Don't worry, K, I got yeah back!" Tim called as the girls rushed past me.
They picked the wrong group to mess with.
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GOT IT