The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Chapter 6)

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Chapter 6)

…

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

My ankles felt like lead between my boots, the soles of my feet felt heated with coals, and my calves twitched with every footfall.

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

Every breath of northern air felt like frost in my lungs. Tree after tree appeared in my vision, needing to be avoided, while I swung my arms desperately to get just a bit more speed.

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

My breath was running out. Darkness creeping in the edges of my vision. Magic coursed through me, improving my strength, but demanding more focus, more air, and more exertion.

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

I spared a glance behind me… and there was a horrific, teeming mass of ugly, wrinkled maggots skittering at me. The description’s the previous evening, the drawings, did not convey how mottled and disgusting they looked. Their legs skittered across the forest floor, across trees, and over each other’s bodies, dragging their bulbous and pupae-like, soft forms with them.

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

They were chasing me with fury and rage, because of the scent that clung to me. The scent of a nest killer. They were prey animals, creatures that would sooner run than pursue their foes, but pods protected their nests together. Even rival pods would work together to bring low a killer of their nests. Right now? I was enrobed in a false scent like I’d ravaged hundreds of nests to enrage them and force them to go after me.

Run.

Roar.

Repeat.

The forest was teeming with them. I found them one after the other, their faint heat radiant in all the snow and frost. I plotted my course, keeping each pod that I found in my mind, then ‘tagged’ them. I ran to them, screamed at them, and then ran to the next. Again and again and again. For well over an hour, I did it again and again, and the creatures just kept piling up like a horde of skittering legs and waxy, wrinkled bodies filled with hate.

Once the horde was large enough, I felt relief for an instant, before running towards the pit.

It was time to risk my life.

They followed me as I changed corpse, running over each other with ease like a moving tide, a living carpet of giant insects over the forest floor. They crept up on me, as I needed to make a turn, and the mass was so long that turning it into a width of pursuers nearly captured me. They spat their webs, their primal magics, and I nearly got caught in the deluge.

Nearly losing my life to hundreds of giant insects crushing and biting me. An ignoble, ridiculous death beneath a writhing, horrifying mass of insects.

I forced myself to run and run, even as my legs screamed for me to stop.

Then, I saw it.

Salvation.

A pit.

I leapt over its edge, and the teaming mass fell into it. Like an avalanche of legs white, globulous bodies, the worms fell into the depths. Some crawled down the walls, many more tried to skirt the edges and come after me as I hung off the edge of the pit. None died from the fall, as they fell into waist-high water, but that was the intent.

If they died from the fall, this would be for nothing.

With effort and will, I clambered up the edge, and clapped my hands together, and creating a circular wall of wind around the entrance of the pit. Then, I jumped, as I willed the winds to drag the creatures into the depths, and smoothed out the surface of the pit before they could clamber up.

Lord Trelawney appeared by my side then and gave a whistle.

“Well, someone’s lucky. That’s the last batch for the day. Over four hundred of them are packed in there. Go ahead and do the honors.” He waved his hands and created a downpour of rain of over the creatures, while I called forth lightning. I harnessed it between two hands, an orb of crackling energy, and packed it tightly. Mayhaps a year ago, I would’ve marveled at my achievement. I was creating a sphere of pure lightning, a feat reserved for accomplished mages.

Now?

I threw it at teeming mass of creatures with nothing but the desire for this moment to be over.

The creatures, wet and wading in a puddle of waist-high water, stood no chance against the orb of lightning. I felt their hatred and rage at me. The scent of dead newborns wafted from me, declaring that I was the killer of younglings, and needed to be destroyed. I felt my legs ache, my underside shredded by rocks, as I chased after the killer of children in pursuit of vengeance. Then, suddenly, I fell along with all the others who sought vengeance with me, then I felt rain, and then saw a flash of thunder.

Over a hundred times in so many views, I felt the same memories again and again, but it was the scent of so many insects suddenly electrocuted to death that threatened to upend my stomach.

I’ve seen and felt those memories so many times in the last six hours that I felt numb to them.

The scent, however, still made me puke.

Lord Trelawney gave me an encouraging pat on the back as what little remained of my lunch vacated my body.

What he called grinding was truly terrifying.

After just two days, I’ve killed more monsters than most soldiers would kill their entire lives.

…

Never before did I think I would find a simple dining chair a luxury, but as I sat on it and reclined I almost let loose an ungraceful note of relief from my lips.

Alice, not needing to remain proper, did give a groan of relief as she sat to my right.

Lord Trelawney chuckled as he took a seat at the head of the dining table, before a fireplace, and beneath a stern painting of the family’s founder in full plate.

“Yeah, that’s what grinding means. It means you’ve ground yourself mentally and physically to your limit.” Both Alice and myself could barely muster the will to keep upright, as we were served in the dining room. Instead of the usual array of meats and heavy breads, which I didn’t think I could stomach, there was pitchers of water, small cheeses, crackers, and dried fruit. Or, so I thought. The water was frosty and cold and had a light blue tint to it. “I doubt either of you can stomach meat right now, so it’ll be reserved for later. You need salt, sugar, and liquid. You both get a pitcher each. Take only sips.”

Alice roused herself to drink first, as was her duty, but I just shook my head and did as instructed.

The water was sugared and salted at the same time, which I found strange, but the flavor of sour wine, mint, and dried berries reached my tongue. Then, I drank it, and my eyes widened as some of the strain on my body began to alleviate instantly, despite the fact no magic emanated from the pitcher. Almost in an instant, I went from finding the drink strange to having to restrain myself from downing a whole glass… and the thought of drinking from the whole pitcher shamefully crossed my mind.

“It’s a family recipe. Keeps well in a skein, and just one is enough for a few days of travel. There’s plenty of snow, but you’re never sure what’s been on it.” Lord Trelawney helped himself to some crackers and cheese. For the first time, our meal together seemed similar in quantity and quality. I helped myself to simple crackers, cheese, and dried fruit. Once again, the urge to stuff myself arose, but quashed it and controlled myself. The slightly sweet and sour drink with the salty foods made for a great combination that aroused my appetite and thirst, despite the tiredness that crept into my bones and gathered like a dull ache behind my eyes. “Drink plenty, and eat well. The two of you did well today. You’re both right on track to finish on time.”

I kept snacking, but addressed him a moment after my second, full bite.

“Today was more dangerous than I expected. You said that our lives will be on the line, but a single mistake then and there truly would’ve been the end for us both.”

He gave a nod.

“It’s called risk and reward. The more you risk, the more you’re rewarded. In this case? The reward is time and power. Or, rather, you’re getting the power that you need quickly.” I could not fault the logic in his words. This was exactly what he promised and exactly what I needed. “Besides, we’re all dancing with death already. What’s a little more risk?”

The turn of phrase was unfamiliar to me, but I understood.

I have been raised all my life to be able to fulfill a role. Part of that role was to become a queen of a nation, but most of all it was to be able to wield immense power against the foes of my nation. All those of noble status has their place of prestige and power, because they must fulfill that role. Whether against monsters, or against other nations, our role is to be the means to protect our own homeland. From the moment we can walk, we trained, we ate, and we were educated to fulfill that singular role.

Everything else was tradition and custom.

“Would it be possible to have a few of trustworthy people brought here to learn? Some of my noble retainers come to mind.”

“My lady!”

I raised my hand to silence Alice’s protests. Her views on those who were supposed to be my allies were poor.

However, what were they meant to do at that moment?

When the crown prince denounced me, then declared a demigod to be his new, willing bride?

Which of them could’ve stood for me at that moment without risking their whole bloodline?

If it were just their own lives, I could see many of them of coming forward to my defense.

But the legacy left behind by their forebears, and the efforts of those that remained?

No.

They wouldn’t have risked that.

Not without power.

Not without what I was now harnessing.

Lord Trelawney paused mid-bite at my words, and stared at me with a gaze that… reminded me of my grandfather instead of a boy of fourteen.

“If they’ve got the coin, sure. Ten thousand gelt a day. And, they’ll need to supply their own potions, equipment, and pay for board and lodging.” Alice’s eyes boggled at the price. That was as much as she earned in five years, and she lived comfortably. It was, however, an understandable expense. Even one knight coming here for a day would considerably strengthen him. “And, there’s a limit. Three per year. Max. Otherwise, the resources aren’t going to return.”

I shuddered at his words.

We were killing monsters, yes, but calling them resources to be exploited seemed a step too far.

But I focused on picking someone that could be trusted amongst my retainers.

Someone who would’ve come to my aid, if they were able.

Only one name came to mind.

“Alice, prepare a letter to be sent to the Rothwell family.” Alice blinked at my words, before a look of understanding came across her face. Then a sad smile of understanding came forth. One that I shared. Now was not a time for mercy. We were going to exploit the one amongst my retainers who belonged to the weakest household under our banner. The one that will not be able to disobey us, even if the crown demanded it of them. “Make it clear that it is an order for her to arrive, and for her to come here with… three hundred thousand gelt.”

Lord Trelawney raised an eyebrow at the price I set.

“I merely adjusted it properly for you, Lord Trelawney. It’ll take much work to whip her into shape. And, of course, it would be best she only receives eight days of training.”

Lord Trelawney blinked, before laughing.

“Alright! I see it now, princess. You really do have head bitch potential!” The words were callous and rough. There was not an ounce of elegance in his laugh. However, still, there was an undercurrent of warm pride in my chest as he laughed. I didn’t dignify his statements with a response, but I did not reprimand him for either. Alice had a difficult time keeping a stern mask on her face. “I’ll do it. Hell, I’ll fly over across the strait this evening and get that letter sent over. I’ll whip whoever it is into shape for triple the price and for only eighty percent of what you’ve got!”

He chuckled and leaned back, a smile on his face for a moment, before a sigh left his lips and he shook his head.

“Been a while since I’ve laughed that much.” Lord Trelawney mused. For a moment, I thought his mood would sour, especially as he glanced over his shoulder at the stern visage of the founder of the family over the fireplace. Instead, he seemed to relax. “Actually, I’ll do that right now. It’ll take me an hour or two. The two of you finish your snacks, get cleaned up, eat dinner, and wait for the night lesson. Tomorrow, you’re going to be fighting packs of wolves. Only three hundred kills each.”

I blinked at the statement, and looked at Alice, as the same thought occurred to us both.

If we were to only kill three hundred each, that must at least mean that our quarry for tomorrow is thrice as strong as what we faced today!

Once again, Lord Trelawney laughed… his good mood refusing to fade.

“Might want to check in on your equipment repairs. Armor is going to be worthwhile for tomorrow for sure. Look into the halberds at the armory. They’re the best for keeping those beasts at a distance.” He spoke casually, while my mind raced at what was promised to us tomorrow. A pit of dread as forming in my stomach. He barely spared a word of concern the last two days, but now he was outright giving warnings. This cannot be good. “See you both in two hours! Have fun!”

It didn’t take long for me to realize that Lord Trelawney was more awful when he was cheery and happy.