Lily and Rose had settled into the wagon bed long before Lord Thernous's own return, though sleep had evaded them. They were still quite awake, when the old man climbed up into the wagon, then nestled himself between their silent forms, and under their brother's overly large robes once more.
There was a long, awkward silence, before Lily broke it, and Rose followed after.
"you realleh 'at boy's papaw?"
"Ifn' ya is, ya shoulds has a word wit' im, afore he git himself killed."
They were a bit incredulous that a seemingly nice, and polite old man like this one, could in any way be related to that hot-headed man that had nearly gotten them all turned into red goo on the highway.
That pause returned-- and rather than endure it, they broke it themselves once again, this time with more intensity.
In their view, it was very important that the man, whatever relation he was to this one, very much needed to learn that fighting was not always the correct answer, and that really, fighting should be avoided altogether, whenever, and wherever possible.
It didn't matter if you "could win or not"-- if you wanted to assure survival, you did not needlessly engage in combat.
"He need learn-- 'eres bigger thangs in dis worl' 'an he is. Bigger-- moar dang'rous thangs."
"We gits it-- We's bears-- Fer de mos' part, we's da bigges', mos' dangr'us thangs in da wood."
"But what he need learn-- E'en big ol' bears, dun really like tuh fight. E'en ya win-- Ya git hurt?"
"Good chance ya gunna die af'er. Wil' bears? Ain' noone ta helps ya."
"He may be big'n strong, an; usta gittin 'is way, but all at can change.."
"When he lose bot' his eyes, 'en starve ta death."
"Discression da bigger part a valor, or somat-- Paps said at oncet."
"Yes'm."
The man in turn, finally responded.
" I am, and he is fine... He has not experienced many ancients in his life, and the last one went much better for him. But he did not shoot because it was an ancient. But he had his heart in the right spot." he said quietly looking over at the two girls, "if he had weapons, it would have both caused a war, and whomever got those weapons would have killed more people if they got into the wrong hands."
"But... he has won and lost many fights, he is used to having men at his side in brawls and fights. He is not used to being alone. He assumes since we are all doing the same thing, that we will stand with each other regardless of if they believe in it or not. But he is new to the world away from humans and those he sees in court. He is used to you both, and others like you. He does not care, he sees you as people, he sees you as people to protect if you live in the land."
"I learned the hard way, and I am much better for it... though I have magic on my side, he has a sword and a gun."
Quite likely, the importance of the message did not sink in-- as the old man veered the concept in a different, altogether alien direction-- That if the merchant was carrying weapons, and heading in the direction he said he was, that killing him was justifiable. Further, that his grandson, Erwin, was used to performing these kinds of actions, albeit with significant backup assistance. He was not used to engaging, and then having everyone else refuse to join. This kind of concept was completely antithetical to their more baseline natures.
The idea that Erwin at least considered them "people" was a nice change at least, and they decided to approach that. Maybe help him understand that despite this-- they were still very much bears as well, and behaved and acted like bears-- that this was very important to understand.
That using violence to solve your problems, was something that they had observed, made people even less favorable to having them around-- and that this did not just apply to bears either.
Even more, the way a thing or person looks on the surface, may not mean or be what you expect it to be, and this was a thing they were intimately familiar with.
Deciding without the kind of discernment actually needed, almost always met with very bad, very real consequences. It was something that should always be avoided, if-ever, and when-ever possible.
"Well, 'ats nice he see us as peoples et least-- but we's still bears tuh."
"It be doe's little thangs, as makes a big diffrence, ya knowed."
"An frum what we heared-- settlin' e'ry dispute wit' ya teeth, only make people wish ya's dead."
"Appearances is decievin'. We strips bare butt nekid? Mos' folks caint tell us from wil' bears."
"Shoots on sight."
"Sames at poor merchant fella prolly. He's gotta carries whats peoples wants er needs-- He go ou' inta the deep wood, 'eres thangs out ere as is older an 'e is. We knowed, we met one oncet."
"It don; think likes yous, er us's does. Don't give no shits. An' if he thinkin a tiny lil gun gunna do it in?"
"Boy he ever in fer a worl' a hurt."
"An asides-- Killin it? What it gunna do?"
"Just gunna sets da whole area outta whack, so bad nobody kin lives 'ere-- man nor beastie."
"Nothing except for kill anyone ancient thing." he said quietly as he looked at her, "there are things now that can lay him low in a moment without magic now."
He said cryptically. They didn't understand what he meant, but he continued unabated.
"But, the thing is... when I was younger I did something similar in Tregator, I went place to place trying to be helpful, I was born right after a massive war and still the realm was reeling from it. I studied books and did my good, I used weapons as bribes to get through an area full of those who were meant to save the peace, in reality they just wanted weapons. That was on the way to a village that needed help, my first wife was living there. I got there and left the next day, I returned a week later, and they had been killed by the same weapons I gave away as a bribe."
"Most things that aren't civil looking get killed unless if they prove otherwise. Erwin, when he was maybe fifteen, when he first became a squire, he almost killed a man for smuggling just like he almost did today. If he had the right ammunition, the ancient would have been dead with one shot. Luckily, I tell him he only needs led and sometime steel shot for those with armor... but... want to learn of his point of view, and some of mine? I understand yours, I think more like that compared to my younger cousin, and his son. Tradition, and balance is what I desire now... for I have seen progress and it disgusts me with how violent it is."
The full implication of what they were trying to tell him had not sunk in. Simply because something LOOKS scary, does not mean it *IS* scary. Like themselves-- Big, sharp teeth. Huge muscles and bodies. Sharp claws on their fingers and toes-- and all they liked to do is pull pranks, and study magic together. For their trouble, people judged them immediately by what they look like, and if they didn't wear clothes to confuse people out of that immediate response, it was met with immediate violence. People had to LEARN to understand and comprehend these scary things in order to live along side them, and if they did not, the violence always seemed to happen eventually. They KNEW people could learn this-- their did LIVED with an actual, WILD bear. Every single day. Basically everyone in the village thought he was insane, or worse, and most could not understand why their mother had not killed and eaten him yet. Sure, their mom was a bit temperamental, and prone to snapping if her boundaries were crossed, but if you knew her tells, you knew when you were getting into trouble long before that would happen. Humans just seemed.... Blind.. maybe even willfully so... to these. How could they make him understand?
Further, the story he told sounded a lot like the one their dad told, only with some different context. Their dad said similar things, about the same place-- but about how he did everything he could not to be involved-- ever-- because of how insufferably destructive all the people were to each other, all the time. From their perspective, this old man had just made bad choices-- that just meant he needed to learn from them better.
Then he went off on some tangent about "Progress". That derailed the conversation-- what the hell was he talking about? Maybe they could understand what he meant, and then veer it back on track some...
"'Progress'? tuward wut? Ya gots ta has a goal, to makes progress, righ?"
"Suh what ya thinkin in min? Tuh maneh times, folks' jus 'wan'' somethun."
They were trying to help him understand that they were aware that humans did unbelievably dumb things, but that it was usually just an ignorant want, borne from not understanding the consequences of that want, that caused those kinds of problems. That understanding the want, and balancing it with the consequences, could lead to a workable and enjoyable compromise, so they broke into an example. Something they heard *A LOT* about at home. Their dad never shut up about it, in fact.
"Takes backs homes-- 'Eres some hansome fellas as only thinks 'bout how many coins somethin' worth."
"Sees a place full a woods-- thanks 'Oh boys, Is kin git rich! People buy all dat wood, an' 'en Is has da good life!" er summat."
"But en all ats lef-- empteh hole were all em trees was-- "
"En de dirt wash inta da crek, kill all da fish, an' da animals all dies."
"En mr rich man? He starve-- or spen all at moneh he made, buying da food he usta get fer free."
"Wantin sumthin aint bad--"
"But ta gotta think 'bout what ya might be losin, tryin ta git it."
"pops harps on us all da time 'bout dat. Says we dun think 'bout it 'nuff, hows we pulls our pranks."
"but soun like your gran-sun? He dun think 'bout it all."
They had hoped that this would clear it up; they lacked the experience and vocabulary to better explain that "Hey, your grandson's desire for border security, is going to make lots of people suffer ultimately, maybe even himself, and ourselves too, if he does not start using his brain for more than just thinking about what he wants, and what it takes to get it." ... More, that he REALLY needed to start thinking about what the consequences of his getting it, would be.
It wasn't to be though. Polite as ever, the kindly old man just breezed right past that very important point, like it didn't matter. He did better clarify the idea of "progress" though, but only in a cryptically human way. No explanation for WHY anyone would want those things-- only that they did. It was so... Frustrating... trying to understand humans some times. The explanation he did give, didn't make a lot of sense either.
"Progress as in things that can make a man like Erwin collapse a city's wall in minutes, or demolish the ancient he just fought, and its cousins standing near it with a moment pause." he said quietly, "progress as in the ability for things to die. The trade is good for everyone, but once you start letting ideas flow freely, people develop things they desire out of greed, the betterment of man, or sadism. It becomes something else besides hope."
"But, going back to the topic... See that lass Erwin is talking to, he cares about her like a mate... Imagine if someone came down burned your forest, killed your friends, and then killed your mate. Imagine if you could have stopped the forest from being burned or cut down. He doesn't want to risk any chance of going to war. He has seen Tragator, he has seen the destruction there. He doesn't want that here."
He *NEEDED* to understand, that "wanting it all", with such blind want, would result in having NOTHING AT ALL. How could he NOT grasp this? How could he not understand, that just because you CAN do something, does not mean you should!? That the urge NOT to do something, is what THEY had-- that the urge TO do something, is what humans had!? That one way led to a silent but workable peace, and the other led to utter ruin?
Moreover, this avenue of thinking was WAAAAAAAAY too much like the preachy lectures their dad and their brother gave them when they misbehaved. It was all just too much. Maybe explaining how their dad and brother wanted to work with the villagers, and why, would get through? It had a shot, as much as they hated to admit it.
"Protectin ya home, fine an' dandeh--"
"Buh bein' all selfish 'bout it jus' as wrong."
"Dammit-- why you makin us has to side with our damn brudder?"
"At fuddy duddy-- ALWAYS harpin on hows stuff more complicat'd an' deeper'n we wants em tuh bes--"
"Haireh rat-bastah'd..."
"Likes em pretty men as wants tuh cut trees-- Cedah say at it aright fer em to cut daown suma dem, jus' not alla dem."
"Trees kin git sick, er gets bugs in em suh bad as dey cause problems aroun' em. Sos, cuttin em daown a good thang-- So 'e says."
"--Easy nuff fer 'im tuh says-- he jus plant anothern, and growed on it a bit-- make anothern tuh replace da ol' one."
There was a pregnant pause, where they tried to recollect, and steer this their way. In the INTENDED way.
"Buh stills-- he dun stop em all comin' in, he jus' insis' dey only takes certain ones-- an deys gets all uppiteh about it. Says EM ONES ain't as val'able. Cause muh brudders an muh paps tuh has to whollop em and sen' em home-- but ne'er kills em. Says ya cain't brings back da dead--"
"Em lots always thinking too far outs-- but all da sames, ifn' dey din' let em fellars in, ere wou'ldn' be no village tuh buy stuffs in!"
"Suh dey caint all be stuffed up nonsense, now cain it?"
"When any one sides tries to makes it say wit'out any thoughts' t'all, ya ends up with ei'er no village--
"or an empteh hole, an' a dead crek."
There-- Maybe that would do it? Was it really so hard to understand? It was second-nature to the two of them-- why was this so hard for this man to grasp?! You NEEDED to let the other half the the arrangement do and have what they need, in order to mutually benefit from the relationship. Simply excluding them straight up, just because you don't agree, or understand them, only served to cut you off from the good things those others could provide. If there were no trees cut, there could be no village. With no village, there were no iron workers. There was no library to read amazing books in. There was no apothecary to learn about amazing potions from-- So many things... JUST NOT THERE. Was this SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND!? Likewise, if the village just had its way-- there soon would be no forest at all, and all the "wealth" the villagers thought they would gain, would just get pissed away, importing the things they used to have right outside their doors, at many many times their real valued prices. It was in the village's fucking INTEREST not to over-harvest! But they seemed incapable of grasping it! It was impossibly frustrating!
"I believe you see at least some of my point. Erwin, reckless as he may be, has both a brain and a heart. Mostly the latter, but he will fight anything to keep his form of your forest safe and protected. He doesn't mind a few trees being lost, as long as he gets something back in return."
Said the man, before he slowly rubbed both of their heads with a smile, "you are both smart, and gentle creatures. But, the thing is, sometimes killing is a necessity, Erwin sees that more often than not like his great uncle and cousin. He was grown into a lifestyle where death is common, his mother died, his grandmother died, his father is stuck in a bed and a chair for the rest of his short life. He looks up to his uncle... He takes after him, but he is young, youthful and zealous. He takes everything seriously because needs to. Will anything come back to the crown for this, no. Honestly it will likely be favorable, I have trained my disciples well in government, and in the printers guilds. It will be a positive reaction for the kingdom, and a death sentence for the ancient in question if he wants to enter Kindeance through legitimate ways again."
This was just incredulous. Was it so hard to understand, that just because the old man with the cart had lots of power, and was hauling weapons (akin very much to their SIMPLY BEING BEARS, with TEETH, and CLAWS), it did NOT mean he was in any way hostile, or intended to use those for any kind of hostile purpose?
After a moment, they decided to try finding out why he was so adamant on murdering that old man. Things like him were rare and special, and often times, removing them would have very large, very extreme knock-on consequences, far larger than people even cared to consider. Further, they were very powerful beings in their own right, and fighting them was simply a dumb idea unless you had a VERY VERY specific, and poignant reason for doing it-- "Could maybe cause problems" was not suitable. Especially for something that in all evidence, was not going to in any way cause them any kind of harm, as long as they did not pose it any. That instinct for not acting. It serves very well, both ways. If neither acts, there is never violence, and the difference in strength is meaningless.
"Bu' he ways tuh happeh tuh does at ol' merchan' fellar in, ya asks us."
"At kin? Dun make babehs at off'n. Killin; em, no' a good ideah."
"Our' real points tuhnight fellar--"
"He 'bout got da lot a us killed, in a fight as didn' really need tuh happen--"
"Ifn' wes thinks about it like em woodcuttin honehs..." started Lily, with both girls giggling mischievously at the thought, before she continued. "--En dis like seein one fellar wit' a big ol axe, just walkin through--"
--"while all his buddies jus' saunters in elsewhere, while ya busy, and makes at big ol' hole."
"Firs fellar big as a barn-- He lop ya head off, but he only cut suh many trees ya let him be-- Only one."
"But oncet ya dead? All hims friends-- cuts da whole damn place."
"Doc say it right-- Picks ya battles, yeah?"
"I would have stepped in before anyone got hurt. It is not my first tussle with an ancient, because unlike Erwin and his father." he said smiling a bit, "I have a bit of magic up my sleeve, and with a bit of refinement, you can control it in dangerous ways."
"But, as I said... there are things that would lay him and his cousins low in moments." he said quietly, "magic can do so much, but the destructive force of progress is far worse. A single good mage can destroy an army, imagine a weapon that can do the same."
"But as I also said, he is used to running with a pack that will back him no matter what. He is not used to working with mercenaries and those who see gold as a desire before they see motherland and honor. But, honestly he picks any battle he can. He will defend his honor, and country before he thinks of what might happen. Only difference is, he usually is better than everyone else. When he shot, it looked like he hit a man, not an ancient. Moments later, his true form was shown."
This man, and his grandson, were dangerously overconfident. Having power was not something they were ignorant of, nor were they ignorant that having it, did not mean you were invulnerable. This man really needed to learn that just being big and powerful, and used to getting your way, did not mean you should always, and without fail, try to bull your way through. NOT ACTING was the better instinct, could he not understand? This was getting incredulous to the point of humor.
So much so, that both of them let out an absolute cackle, before Lily took over again.
Hot to explain this? Why not talk about Dad... He was a human who had it fucking RIGHT.
"Oh honeh-- We knowed ALL ABOUT pow'rful magic."
"Our paps, he gut so mucha dat shit flowin' in hims, he practically shit da stuffs!"
"Get hims excited 'nuff, all da grass goes inta corkscrews, and da trees preten it a dance parteh!"
"Funneh as hell!"
"E'en so-- he dun wan' no trouble ei'er. Simpleh because ya big, --er has enough magic ta gag a moose--"
"Dun mean 'ere ain't summat bigger fella."
"We's bears-- but e'res bigger stuff an us. As we said."
But he just chuckled a bit and scruffled their heads again then looked at them, in a far more serious tone. "I hope you both never see the next war that is fixing to happen." he said in a deadpan voice, "I hope you never have to see any war. I can only do so much with my magic, but few magi in this world can do what machines can do. They are built to destroy as much as possible, you don't even have to be in it's vision and it will strike you. It can cut buildings down in a single hit, and blast a cities fortications in hours. It is worse than magic, it does not need mana, it does not need anything but to be reloaded. Erwins rifle, if we waited a week you would have seen what I am talking about."
He looked at them both and just smiled bit as he got cozy for a moment closing his eyes. "When it comes to it, there are few thigns the man wants anymore. Today, he got the opposite of it, those he considered allies turned on him in an instant. The threat was seen as some form of hero, and he was villanized for somethig that he had done many times before. You four are innocent, young, and have not experienced many hardships in life. You both, Erwin and Louise I will do my best to protect, but at the same time, protect each other. If you watch his back, he will have yours forever. He is a good soldier to have at your side, but he is also a pain in the ass the other way around."
This was just more rhetoric about people wanting things without stopping to think about what the consequences REALLY were-- Being met with things trying to stop them, and just looking for bigger and bigger teeth, trying to force the issue. Bigger did not mean you were right. Getting what you want, would still kill you in the end. WHY EVEN SEEK IT!?
Clearly, he just did NOT understand. Being irrationally unsatisfied, --and unsatisfiable-- only results in self destruction. And it makes you act like an asshole, too. Nobody likes assholes.
"Oh yous silly ol' mans..."
"--At's peoples wantin sheit 'gins."
"Thanks we dun knowed? Em pretteh boys ag'in-- As we saids-- em bunch ne'er happeh wit whut dey gits."
"--An dey always lookin' fer ways tuh put a stop tuh our pa, an' our brudders."
"Not tuh nice tuh us ne'ers.. Shames em boys don' wan come play wit' us astead."
Both of them let out a weary, dreamy sigh, and lamented in unison--
"... --Eh IS real purdy boys..."
"... --Eh IS real purdy boys..."
"Buh as'long as em boys be like at-- aint no rest for any uh us. Sound da same ou' here, but with hotter heads. --Ya gonna end up wit holes."
"an missin vllages."
Thernous stared at them both, and just smiled, "you don't know... If you did, you would be as scared at Erwin."
He patted their heads gently and nussled back into his place yawning, "but I'll keep you both safe from it, I'll make sure war doesn't happen... I don't want to see a beautiful forest brought down in poison, fire and smoke."
This conversation was just too exhausting. Maybe in the morning. Maybe.
They sighed, rolled over in opposite directions of the man, and just tried to sleep.
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