My Servant System

The carriage ride over to the Western Border was just as tedious and boring as the first time we had done so, especially now with the addition of Adelina pulling all of Nirinia's attention.

Our giant Djinn companion was constantly stealing glances at her childhood friend turned lover turned ex lover, her jade eyes complicated.

Besides Nirinia's pathetic attempts to hide her confused glances, Mom was also present, and she was very clearly enjoying the awkwardness between her Squire and the Commander of the Legion she had just been gifted.

A wide grin was on her face, and her ruby eyes were filled with warm mirth as she looked at the two from the corner of her eyes.

However, no one made a single sound; Anput had taken the time to sleep, her head resting on my lap as she curled into a small ball beside me, while Leone flipped through the pages of a thick tome, her eyes scanning the various runes and words written down with incredible focus.

Adelina stared out the window, her face expressionless as she watched the landscape roll by, while Nirinia fiddled with her hands, the normally cocky and assured woman now unsure of what she should be doing.

As for me, I rested my head against the cushioned seats as I let my mind wander around, recalling memories from better times or going over the information available to us for this upcoming Crusade.

Thoughts about how Kat and I had made love inside a carriage like this before swirled around with potential troop configurations based on the available soldiers the Western Kingdom had access to.

Memories of the various events I had attended alongside Kat as a younger girl faded into ideas for how I would go about subjugating key defensive cities inside Romagi.

Each of my thoughts was seen from the outside in, like they weren't truly my thoughts and memories, but someone else's.

That the emotions I felt - and feel - weren't truly mine either; that I was just... a husk, trying to be filled with these other feelings.

And that... scared me.

Being controlled by emotions was just as bad as not having them at all, and I had already gotten a taste of one of those before; I wasn't looking to taste the other now either.

Opening my eyes, I frowned slightly as I noticed Mom staring at me, her ruby eyes narrowed.

Her stare was heavy, pinning me to my seat and making me feel like I was strapped down and being dissected by her.

It was a gaze I had felt once before, and a gaze I didn't ever want to feel again.

Gulping, I reached down and stroked Anput's ears, hoping the fluffy Jackalkin could provide some comfort for the time being, all while I was subject to her piercing stare.

Thankfully, it lasted only a few more moments as she eventually looked away, focusing on her Squire instead.

Breathing out a silent sigh of relief, I spent the remainder of the carriage ride playing with Anput's fluffy ears and smooth hair, much to her delight when she woke up.

Hopping out of the carriage when we reached the fortress, each of us stretched before making our way towards the large command tent, nodding to the soldiers who were relaxing around the starting point for our Crusade.

Our glorious, wondrous, perfect distraction of a Crusade...

Inside the tent was Lady Sker, the Wolfkin banner bearer, and the giant Minotaurkin, as well as Kolia and an older snakekin man, who I presumed was Asklepious.

Hearing us enter, everyone turned and greeted us, with the Wolfkin and Minotaurkin both surging forwards to greet their Commander, the worry and care in their actions evident as they asked her various questions between their apologies.

Lady Sker smirked at Mom as they clasped forearms in greeting, before they both turned and leaned on the large table, overlooking the map of the Empire and Western Kingdoms.

Standing next to Mom, I too turned to the map, my eyes searching for the best possible routes to take whilst I listened to Mom speak.

"Adelina has agreed to resume the mantle of Commander for the Ashen Legion, and you two - Luna and Bess - will be bolstered by two more veterans of your choosing to reestablish the Command Squad. Sker and I will remain hands off unless the need arises for us to do so. Sker will protect Asklepious and the healers, whilst I'll protect Kolia and the mages. Jahi, Anput, Leone; pick a healer and mage from the detachments and round out your numbers to five; just to make things easier, you will be forming a squad of your own.

Now, first things first. We need to make our way into the Western Kingdoms and establish a foothold for the Empire, and personally I believe that Goron City will be the perfect beachhead. Connected to trade routes, well protected from attacks coming from inside the Western Kingdoms, and a crucial part of the supply chain for Romagi; taking Goron would deal a harsh blow to the Western Kingdoms whilst also giving us the perfect outpost to begin the Crusade."

Raking her gaze over those of us assembled in the tent, Mom got nods from everyone as we looked over the map, each of us digesting her orders for now.

Adelina tapped the map, circling the city of Goron as she asked "Are we splitting the Legion when we reach Goron then? The roads split, leading down into Tragon and up into Romagi."

Taking a deep breath, Mom drummed her fingers on the table as she glanced at Sker, who shrugged.

"We can, yes. Depending on the validity of the reports on Romagi's current military power, we can reconsider once we've established the foothold inside of the Western Kingdoms. If it is like we think, then yes; I will be heading down towards Tragon to begin one half of the Crusade whilst Sker heads heads to Romagi to begin the other half.

The quicker we act, the less time we give the other countries times to bolster the ranks of the Western Kingdoms. Currently, we have no exact location on the Sariel and Kameiel Families, but we do know they fled West. If they were capable of pulling what they did here, then there's no doubt they're currently thriving in their new home. Halting our advance into Romagi and forcing the Crusade down to a crawl would give them more time to prepare, so if we can get this done quick, that would be best."

Once again, everyone nodded in agreement, before Adelina began to suggest more ideas, displaying the talent and experience everyone expected of her.

Our time spent in the tent plotting the course of the Crusade was long, but when it was all over, the Crusade was ready to begin.