Chapter 142: The Monster Alliance 2

Word of the negotiations spread quickly. By morning several families had gathered near the front gate, most of them women and children with a few warriors thrown in. They had supported Tanaka’s candidacy from the beginning because they knew Varkesh couldn’t continue to exist the way it had, and now they wanted to experience life elsewhere. A woman with a small child came up to Tharven, "We’ve decided to come with you." Tharven looked over at the group of families, "All of you?" "Most of us," she said, "but some want to stay here. I know life hasn’t been easy for anyone in Varkesh, but I don’t want my son to grow up thinking that the only way to survive is to be stronger than everyone around him."

Tharven was silent. The woman turned to Tanaka, "I don’t know what Eldoris is like, because I haven’t been there. But I want the chance to see what it’s like somewhere else." Tanaka looked the woman in the eyes and then at the small boy peering out from behind her. "He’s shy," Tanaka said, giving the child a little bounce. The boy promptly hid behind his mother’s legs and a soft chuckle escaped the woman. "That’s all right."

Tanaka said. "He can take his time getting used to me." More families came to the gate, each with their own reason for leaving Varkesh. Some wanted to escape the turmoil of the recent civil war, while others wanted to give their children a better future. A few of them simply didn’t believe in the future that Varkesh was offering and wanted to forge a new path elsewhere. They weren’t all followers of Tanaka, but they knew they needed a change and leaving the kingdom was the only way to accomplish it.

One of the warriors who had rebelled against Tanaka during the uprising was lingering at the back of the crowd. When he saw Tanaka, he stepped forward and placed a small pack on his shoulder. "You’ve decided to come with us, too?" The warrior nodded, "I’m not coming because I like you or believe in your rule." Tanaka raised an eyebrow, "Then why are you coming?" "I want to see what Eldoris is like," the warrior said. "Everyone I know has been to Varkesh but no one’s seen Eldoris." Tanaka felt a strange expression form on his face, "Fair enough." The warrior looked surprised.

"That’s all you’re going to say?" "What else should I say? You want to see my kingdom. I don’t see why that should be a problem." The warrior hesitated, then nodded, "You’re not going to try to convince me to stay?" "Not really. You can come and see what it’s like and if you don’t like it, you can always return. The choice is yours, either way." Several other warriors who had rebelled against Tanaka came to join the group, but not everyone was willing to leave Varkesh. Some of them wanted to wait and see what happened to the kingdom before making their decision. Tanaka didn’t blame them - everything was changing in Varkesh, and not everyone was ready to accept it.

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By the end of the third day, the first group was ready to depart for Eldoris. The human mages joined the families that had decided to leave Varkesh, and there were more people than Tanaka had anticipated. Fortunately, several Greater Goblins had volunteered to help with the logistics of the trip and Drakar had insisted on bringing larger wagons to carry supplies. Raishin would travel with the group while Razer and Raveana remained behind long enough to ensure that Varkesh didn’t immediately descend into chaos again. Before the group set out, Tanaka gathered the surviving commanders and Tharven in the fortress.

"There’s one more thing we need to talk about," The commander looked up from the map, "Travel between our kingdoms will be slow and dangerous. The roads are difficult and some of the areas are inhabited by hostile creatures." Drakar nodded in agreement, "Caravans carrying supplies will be slow and vulnerable to attack. Transporting large groups of people will be even more difficult." Tanaka studied the map, "We should build a road between Varkesh and Eldoris." Several of the commanders exchanged glances. One of them spoke up, "A road that will allow your armies to enter Varkesh more easily?"

Tanaka looked at the man, "That will be a consequence." The commander’s expression darkened, Tanaka continued, "It will also allow your people to visit Eldoris more easily. Merchants can travel between our kingdoms and trade goods. Warriors can travel between our capitals without having to endure the dangers of Varkesh’s roads. Wounded soldiers can be sent to healers in Eldoris and return stronger than before."

He pointed at the map, "If either of our kingdoms should ever be attacked, the road will make it easier to send reinforcements to the front lines." Tharven studied the proposed route, "Who will control the road?" Tanaka said, "Both of our kingdoms will be responsible for maintaining it. We’ll set up guards along the route and decide for ourselves whether any military force may pass through it. I will not allow my soldiers to enter Varkesh without a valid reason, and I expect the same courtesy to be shown to my people."

The commander who had spoken with Tharven was silent for a long moment. Tanaka understood his concerns. The road could be a bridge between their nations, or it could be the means by which one consumed the other. It all depended on which side wanted to consume the other. Drakar studied the map, "We’ll need to conduct a survey of the road. There may be places where we need to clear brush or reinforce the ground." Tanaka nodded.

"Then we’ll conduct a survey and agree on a route before we begin work." Tharven said, "I’ll select representatives from both our kingdoms." Tanaka looked at the commander, "We’ll finalize the details of the road in time. Right now, I want you to select a preliminary route and choose the surveyors." The road wouldn’t be completed in a day, or even a week. There were still damaged buildings to repair and wounded warriors to tend to, and Varkesh still had to adjust to the changes taking place. But it was a start.

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The morning of their departure, the group gathered outside the fortress. Tanaka stood at the head of the procession, with Raishin at his side. Tharven came to see his men off. "Varkesh will remain stable while you’re gone," the commander said. "That’s what I expect." Tharven gave a short bow, "I’ll send word as soon as we have a survey team ready." "Good," Tanaka said, "You’d better." Varkesh would continue to exist without him, and not all of its people were willing to accept his rule. It wasn’t as if he could make them all trust him, but the Varkeshi were finally beginning to make decisions for themselves instead of waiting for someone else to make it for them. Tanaka turned to face the families and mages that had decided to visit Eldoris. "Everybody ready?"

A few anxious voices replied, and some of the children were already asking how far they had to go. The human mages were double-checking their supplies while the monsters who had decided to leave Varkesh stood in small clusters, discussing their options. Tanaka started down the road and the group followed him.

Back at the fortress, Tharven watched them disappear around the hill. Varkesh had lost its king, fought a civil war and accepted a foreign monster king as its ruler, and was now recovering from the ordeal. There were still difficult decisions to be made, but the people of Varkesh had decided for themselves what they wanted to happen. As for the road... Tanaka’s kingdom welcomed its first human visitors, who would share their knowledge of magic with the monsters of Eldoris.