Chapter 47: A different culture

I wasn't sure which was the real Megan, and I would try to figure that out later. It was even possible that it was all just different facets of her personality.

I just didn't know. It set me on edge.

The first things that I noticed in the mining town on the Fairview side of the mountain were the iron collars. The men in iron collars were quiet, as we rode through town I didn't hear one make a sound. The second was that this town felt off. I couldn't quite place what bothered me, but something did. The buildings were similar to the town on the Roses side, some stone, some wood, all of it old and dirty.

Unlike the mining communities on the other side of the mountains, this one was quiet, too quiet.

Where are the women and the children?

I didn't see one woman or child in the streets, as we headed to the stone house in the middle of town.

I pulled up next to Chandra and told her to be on her guard, we were now in hostile territory. Take nothing for granted. She looked worried at that.

"Don't let it show, we are here as guests and I want it to stay that way." She nodded in understanding. "When you get the chance, let the men know my suspicions."

We stayed in the local lord's house. Lord Grant seemed pleasant enough at first. The Lord was one of those that believed that only the nobility were people. Everyone without a title were creatures to be avoided. This was all too evident from his treatment of his manservant. He did not utter a single request, every interaction that he had with the man came from as far away as possible in the small room that we gathered in. Even his commands were hostilely couched orders, or statements on how the world should me. 'Gallor, tea for four' and 'Gallor you filth, dinner for three', his manservant did not even acknowledge his lord's commands; he just went off and did them.

It was unsettling.

Megan was in Princess mode, and the lord of the village treated her like royalty. She took it as her due. He wasn't sure what to do with me, so he treated me like a visiting peer, neither superior nor inferior. I stayed silent and tried to use his actions to get a better handle on Megan.

She eventually led the conversation to the gossip and news that she had missed over the last six months. Some of it was interesting, but most of it was about specific people that I had never met.

Megan, for her part, didn't look like anything was amiss with his behavior. Though I am not sure that she wouldn't have unless she wanted to. She could be very closed off. You wouldn't know what she was thinking unless she told you.

Sitting back against the hard wooden chair that had to have been custom made for a much smaller person, I was unable to get comfortable. I'd much rather be outside practicing with Chandra, but I felt that information made up for the discomfort.

I requested a room for my postulant from Lord Grant, and he reacted as if I'd asked to take his manservant with me to bed. I glanced at Megan and her expression had settled into her new 'everything is beneath me' look. When he opened his mouth to deny my simple request, I snapped.

"I don't care if you have to sleep in the streets with your slaves! My postulant is to have her own room. Not one with your servants. Her. Own. Room," I stated with my eyes boring into his. I wanted to make sure that he could not misunderstand my requirements.

I was tired of his holier-than-thou attitude, and left to find Chandra before I did something that I would regret later.

I found Chandra overseeing the restocking of the carriage for the last leg of our journey to Megan's home.

"Leave that to the men, I want you by Megan's side keeping her safe from that toad." Chandra, sensing my mood, went to do my bidding after a quick word with Hector, the leader of the quiet soldiers that drove the carriage.

I went to see if he had a garden, or somewhere I could work out my anger. I guess I was still not over Steven's stupidity and Grant's behavior fueled that particular fire.

I found the garden lacking, just like everything else in this stupid mudhole. I used the erratic pathways of the garden to guide my movement.

I started out slowly with my shoulder still stiff and sore, and gradually increased the speed of my moves. I noticed a single flower that still had petals on it. The wilting amber rose did not survive long when I decided to carve it up with my sword. I used the tip of the blade to systematically remove individual leaves from various plants. Each leaf was cut in half on the way to the ground. By focusing on my swordwork, I would be able to release some of my anger. After a while it even started working, well, after four or five hours of meticulous concentration.

Chandra knew better than to interrupt me when I was like this, so I missed dinner. Again. Hopefully they would save me something besides travel rations.

When my anger finally extinguished, I observed my carnage. I had decimated his garden leaf by leaf. For one brief second I actually felt bad for that. Then I remembered what a shit Grant had been this afternoon and I felt a bit better.

Chandra stood against the aged stone wall watching me intently. At her feet sat my dinner and a pair of towels. She looked more at peace now than I had seen her since she joined me.

I sat at her feet, and gestured for her to join me by pointing at the cracked paving stone she was standing on. The fresh fruit was very welcome after long days of hard cheese and harder bread.

"How are you?" I asked Chandra after she settled across from me. The wine was too fruity for me, but the candied apples, sharp cheese, and heavy bread hit the spot after a long workout.

"I'm fine, My Lord. We have enough fresh provisions to last us until we get to the city." She paused, considering her next question. "What did Lord Grant do to make you so mad?"

"He exists," I snorted.

"Exists, My Lord?" She was unfamiliar with the word.

"Lord Grant was just being himself, and I have had enough of his type." I said between bites. I was hungry, I needed to stop for food more often. I keep forgetting that I burn more energy now that I am magically enhanced.

Heh, I would not have to worry about getting fat.

"What's so funny?"

I had forgotten that she was still there. "I was just thinking about burning food at a faster rate than normal. Did you eat?"

"Yes, My Lord. I ate earlier."

The damp cloth felt nice against my face as I washed the sweat away. I consumed the meal faster than I should have, but I did need it.

"Are all of this kingdom's nobles like him?"

"I don't know, My Lord. I only met one and he was very formal."

"Formal? Formal like when Megan gets formal. They are polite but say and show nothing?"

"Yes, My Lord. Just like her," Chandra said quietly. She acted like I would get mad for saying anything bad about Megan.

"Chandra, I want you to tell me what you think, even if it is something that you might think that I don't want to hear. Sometimes even I need a slap upside the head."