(Sorry for the delay!)

@Eviledd1984

The red-skinned dracon carefully observed the swing. It was much better. "Hmm. That was good, Smith. Nice form. Maybe you could follow through a bit better, but that was a solid swing. Now, do you know how to use any other weapons? Spears? Axes? A mace, perhaps? I've got them all here, pretty much."

@WingsOfBronze

"A job? Well, I could use his help" Ophion replied.

"Once he wakes up" Aurescia mentioned.

"Well, yes. He's asleep like a log. I won't bother him now." Ophion added.

"We should turn in for the night, and you too, Ennave. We can speak more in the morning" Aurescia explained.

@bloonewb

"I think that attacking it is suicide. Their walls are strong, their army is larger than all of our forces combined, and even if we catch them off-guard, they will likely be able to recall their military way before we can breach their fortifications. And this assumes that we can spare every warrior we have to besiege them and that we don't leave a single one behind to protect Traeton" Rama explained.

"My lord, I beg you, don't attack anything else. We need time to consolidate our power, gather allies, and repair the city. Heck, we need time just to collect enough food to prevent starvation." Rama looked Rughoi in the eye, realizing that this was not working. He decided to change his strategy.

"You know... there's more to be gained by being a builder than a destroyer. This continent sees plenty of conquerors and marauders. Even if you conquer another city or two, you'll be less than a footnote in history. But how many kobolds actually create anything worthwhile? We can fix this place up better than its own founders, and it'll still be here a thousand years from now. There will be statues of you carved from the finest marble, and if you play your cards right, you'll have a dynasty in charge of this city centuries down the line. Now, what do you want to do, sire?"

@Aristocles

With these conversation, Ennave felt something like a wave of relief washing over her tiny body.

"Thank you, kind dracons." She said before hopping off herself and crawls towards where Fasuto's bedroom was.

@WingsOfBronze

Ophion helped his wife clean up after dinner. Once she was satisfied that all was in order, she took him by the hand and tugged on it, as if to lead him straight to bed. Normally, he didn't resist her playful mood, but he had work to do.

"Not now, my love. I've got to check our inventory. And no, it can't wait 'till tomorrow. I expect I'll be out all day."

"Aww, can't we-?"

"I'm sorry, dear. I'll make it up to you later in the week. You know I will."

Aurescia sighed. "Alright. That's fine. If I may ask, just what's going to keep you so busy?"

"For one thing, I've got to practice with Fasuto. If he wants to help us, I've got to get a better grasp of what he can and cannot do. I've only seen him in action one time, and only briefly."

@Aristocles

Smith was smiling at the dracon form the compliment he was given,"Thank you..yes I was taught by my father how to use a weapon" He said lowering his hating to talk about his father in any way.

@Eviledd1984

Adykon nodded, not knowing that Smith had issues with his father. "He sounds like a fine soldier and you'd do well to follow in his footsteps. My father is a farmer, not a fighter. Still, he taught me a few things about self-defense. He could have been more tactful in it, I suppose. One day he came up to me and said 'Hey, Adykon. I'm gonna teach you how to fight', and he did. Not that was very good at it. I'm not really like him. Anyway, I'm gonna teach you how to parry." He paused for a moment, noting the similarity between his speech and that of his father, Cayosin.

@Aristocles

Smith was looking down at his feel biting his lower lip that it started to bleed a little,He did not wasted be compared to his father but he did not want to anger Adykon if he said a anything. Nodding his head waiting for his next instructions.

@Aristocles

(Time Skip we do for the morning?)

"Foolish," said Merat, standing up from the improvised table. "Glory in war. Tax. Power to thre-"

"Shut it you, I'm trying to think," said Rughoi, and Merat sat back down. Rughoi now became lost in thought for a few seconds, but soon came to a decision. "Sound advice yet again, Rama. Rally your troops. I want all spare hands working on public structures. Roads, walls, the castle, all of it. We will bring the city up from the ground within the cycle of the moon, no later. Merat, Kutur, that goes for you as well, and I will not hear a word of complaint about it. I will do my part and lay bricks with my own hands." He stood up then, and rushed outside to give the same command to his own soldiers. Merat eyed Rama with a look full of malice, but eventually got up and reluctantly went off to search for his captains.

"Well, for what it's worth, at least, I agree with your proposition, within reason, of course," stammered Kutur.

(Replying to other posts, I didn't forget anyone, just working on replies here).

@Eviledd1984

"Raise your sword and block my blow. I won't swing hard enough to hurt you, don't worry" Adykon took a swipe at Smith, aiming for his torso with his two-handed sword, Dragonblade.

(This is a picture of Adykon, btw).



@WingsOfBronze

(We can skip to morning)

@bloonewb

Part of Rama wanted to shout 'Within a month?! That's just not possible', but he knew that Rughoi wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Alright, I'll do that. I can have teams searching for usable rubble in a matter of hours, and we can begin rebuilding just after that." He gave Merat a look, but decided to save any serious confrontation for later.

"Kutur, we're in a very delicate place right now. When the counterattack comes, we will have to stand or lose everything. If we can hold off an attack, we might gain some allies and recognition and be able to build something solid. If not, we'll be conquered sooner or later."

He went to his tribe and issued instructions to begin repairs. Within a few hours, many more challenges became apparent. A lack of architects, little skill in mathematics, no real knowledge of how to build a scaffolding. Still, they could place rocks on to of other rocks, mix mortar, and clear the rubble. Satisfied with this, he returned to the castle and went to find Krakas, who was still locked in the room. Luckily, he could unlock it.

"Hello? Queen mother? Krakas? I'm saying your name right, aren't I?" Rama stepped into the bedroom, hoping that she was alright.

@Aristocles

Smith was nodding his head holding the sword in a blocking position, He could feel the impact of the sword hitting his own blade. The impact made him move a bit with himself breathing softy.

@Aristocles

Morning has arisen, and the fact that Fasuto skipped dinner left his stomach growling and Ennave can't sleep with that. Time check: 7AM.

"Ugh. Fasuto, we should fix your stomach problem, food should do it, perhaps?" Ennave proposed, turning around to face the blue fox, who groaned displeasingly.

"I should go out and buy 'em myself. Say goodbye and go get one room for an inn." He said, his voice muffled through the pillow.

"Ophion's got a job for you." Ennave said, and Fasuto's ears perked up. He lifted his head and faced the talking spider.

Krakas jumped again, hearing another knock at her door. "Krakas is fine. None of this Queen Mother nonsense for me, please. Do come in," she said, and with that, Rama strode back in to her prison. "I keep hearing little snatches of conversation on the other side of the walls, and word is Rughoi is starting to settle in," she said. "Does this mean I may leave this box?"

@Eviledd1984

The swords made a loud clinking sound as they hit. "Hmm. Good form. Not what I'd do, but it works." Adykon took a step back. "Now, Kara told you that I'm something of a mage, didn't she? It's not something that I like to let others know, so if you could keep it a secret, I'd appreciate it." For emphasis, he lifted up his hand and conjured up a small firebolt, then dismissed it in a puff of smoke. "We can practice combat magic too. It's something I learned in the 20 years since beating Dememoras."

@WingsOfBronze

Aurescia was preparing breakfast when Ophion started upstairs to check on Fasuto. He was dressed in a light white robe, something he normally avoided wearing outdoors. Again, he gently knocked on the door.

"Fasuto? Are you alright? If you're sick, Aurescia said that she'd like to check up on you. We've got breakfast ready downstairs."

@bloonewb

Rama made sure that the door was securely shut behind them. "If it were up to me, you could leave at any time, Krakas. Anyway, your son is listening to me for the moment. He's rebuilding the city, or at least is ordering others to do it. If you want to leave, I guess you can do so, as long as you're with me. I guess he'll tolerate that. Perhaps we can visit the castle's baths; the water might be lukewarm, but it might be good to clean off. Rughoi might want to get those back up to their full capacity soon. Seriously, my tribe has some warm springs in our caverns, but this city doesn't have any working baths outside of the castle. Besides, this room is starting to smell."

@Aristocles

After a thud and what seemed like mumbling, the door opened and what appeared on the door was Fasuto. He was in his white and blue tunic and leather pants, and he was wearing the shoes too, like he was ready to go. " Hey, uh, Si- Ophion.. Ophion. Ennave mentioned a job and I want to say I'm in." Faduto said with a grin.

Ennave was at his shoulder, shaking her head with a sigh escaping her lips.

@Aristocles

"Ah yes I was taught by my mother but mostly with illusion and healing spells,Although I was taught more destructive spells by my mentor" The young man said his hand engulfed in ice before disappearing.

Krakas sniffed the air. To be honest, it was starting to get a little musty in here. "A bath sounds lovely," she said, getting up from the bed. "Show me where it is."

The bathhouse turned out to be right in the center of the castle. The court of former Traeton was notoriously decadent, and thus protected most severely their centers of pleasure. Thus, even after a long siege, the room still remained opulent, with minimal damage. Elated, Krakas slipped out of her robe and sank into the water, caring little of modesty.

@WingsOfBronze

"Yes. I've received a message early this morning. The city of Traeton has been seized by rebels and my friend Adykon wants someone to scout it out. You can come with me if you want to. I can generate a portal for us, but only once you've had breakfast. I won't have you go hungry in my house. Anyway, He doesn't expect you to be at the city with me, but I'm sure he won't mind some more help." Ophion explained.

@Eviledd1984

"Then perhaps you can put those skills to use soon." Adykon explained. "I've contacted some of my friends about the city which we're going to later. The one this training is preparation for, the city of Traeton. One of my friends will be there. He's a mage named Ophion. When you are ready, I can have Aerta give us a portal stone to get use there. Anyway, he doesn't expect you to be at the city with me, but I'm sure he won't mind some more help."

@bloonewb

Rama slipped into the baths as well, enjoying the hot water but trying not to lose his focus. The room was indeed a wonder to behold despite its neglect and the recent looting. Chryselephantine statues of dracons lined the walls, and Rama made a mental note that they would have to be oiled regularly to prevent the ivory parts from cracking. At least the golden sections wouldn't be quite so vulnerable to decay.

Once he and Krakas had a chance to settle in to the baths, he finally turned his attention towards her. For once, the situation was looking up, although he wasn't sure if his change in mood was the result of Rughoi's newfound willingness the listen to his advice or the relaxing effects of the bath water. Probably both. "So, Queen M- I mean... Krakas. While our situation is precarious, suppose that Rughoi manages to make something of this, either in Traeton or elsewhere. Did you have any plans?"

@Aristocles

"Breakfast, huh? Mmaaaybe we can just go and grab something else to eat. Have you eaten yet?" Fasuto placed an half-sheepish and half-serious expression, it was a surprise he pulled that kind of face.

Ennave sighed and shook her head once more.

While Rama and Krakas began striking up pleasant conversation, Rughoi was on the walls of the city, working alongside his brothers in arms. Kutur was running around, overtaxing himself working on almost every project, considering he was perhaps the only educated kobold within the city walls.

"You see, Your Might," he said between gasps and measurements with a complicated rope system. "It's a classic engineering equation I encountered studying in the human's Bythesea Empire. With two turns of the rop-"

"Telling me the measurements would be fine," Rughoi grunted, sliding in another brick almost as large as his torso.

"Ah yes, Your Might. Five breadths on the x-axis, or as you would say, across would be structurally sound." Kutur said, rifling through the sheets of parchment and adjusting the ropes.

"Good work. Now, I'd suggest searching the palace and appraising anything we could sell," Rughoi commanded, and Kutur bowed, then rushed off to the castle. Quickly, he swung open doors, giving the room a quick once over, looking at the potential valuables and quickly jotting them down on parchment. Then he arrived at the bathhouse, and saw a veritable fortune of statues, as well as . . . something else.

"Eep!" he cried, covering his eyes and turning away. "I'll . . . let you two get decent, if it pleases you."

@Eviledd1984

"Their is other people going to help us?" Smith said rubbing the back of his head now, "Well we can meet them as soon as possible perhaps i should wear something more proper" He said looking down at his bare feet.