{"id":3038,"date":"2020-12-15T20:23:54","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T01:23:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/?p=3038"},"modified":"2020-12-15T20:23:54","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T01:23:54","slug":"3-realms-3-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/3-realms-3-17\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Realms 3-17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s crew was informed that the overhaul would last well into the next week, so they were advised to stay until the end of the Under-union Festival. Elmar took full advantage of that as he visited the Narvens\u2019 castle frequently. While he may not be the most emotional of the bunch, Elmar DID enjoy the visits as it meant he could be with his beloved Calandra. Right now, Calandra and Elmar were sitting on a balcony looking towards the south. They were resting on a swinging bench, Calandra\u2019s arms wrapped around Elmar as they enjoyed the tranquil nighttime moment. Elmar stroked Calandra\u2019s hair, causing her to hum happily. \u201cI certainly hope these moments are plenty when we\u2019re King and Queen,\u201d whispered Calandra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny moment with you, my beloved star,\u201d replied Elmar, \u201cis one I will treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, we\u2019ll be together a lot more often now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard you had gotten the paperwork approved. So, all that\u2019s left is to ask Arsha to officiate our wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen do you think that will be?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we play our cards right, just a few days after the festival.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd at worst?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA full week after the festival.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly, let\u2019s hope it\u2019s just a few days.\u201d She leaned upward, puckering her lips. Elmar took the hint and puckered up, leaning down\u2026then a knock on the door interrupted them. Their faces fell. \u201cTonak\u2019s law! Never fails!\u201d Calandra turned to the door. \u201cCome out,\u201d she called. Her butler then opened the door to the balcony and approached them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI apologize if I\u2019ve disturbed your moment,\u201d he began, \u201cbut I\u2019m afraid I have news on the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s overhaul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI take it that it\u2019s not good news,\u201d replied Elmar. \u201cHas she got hairline fatigue?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThankfully, no, she does not,\u201d assured the butler. \u201cHowever, the shipyards are not receiving equipment in any timely fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d yelped Calandra. \u201cBut I thought they had a contract with the Galdredan Reliable Road Services!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is an investigation into that matter right now,\u201d answered the butler. \u201cSome of the workers are suspecting foul play.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey better be wrong! I don\u2019t want Elmar\u2019s current home to be grounded any more than it needs to be!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, Your Highness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re probably wondering what the Galdredan shipyards are doing with Tornoth\u2019s company. Unfortunately, the equipment came from smithies near the kingdom\u2019s most famous volcano, the Welmark Well of Fire. Railways dared not go near the place and no one built any safe ports of call there. The only safe way was via the road and only horseless carriages could go fast enough to avoid any burning rocks falling from the sky whenever it erupts, which was almost every week. Thankfully, the people in the village at the base of the volcano were fire and lava demons that cast protection spells around visitors and people exporting their wares to other parts of the continent. Somehow, during this time, the Galdredan Reliable Road Services was experiencing some form of slow-down. Eyebrows were raised and so the officer that had Tornoth quarantined decided to investigate. She heard that Tornoth was involved, so she shadowed him and learned of his usual haunts. It was during his lunch break when the details would be known. Tornoth sat at his usual table and placed his order. The waitress left him and took other people\u2019s orders as Tornoth waited. As he sat, he laced his fingers together and rested his snout on them. \u201cThis better be worth it,\u201d he rumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat better be worth it?\u201d asked a woman\u2019s voice. Tornoth looked up to see a Minotaur woman beaming at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLanswey!\u201d he cheered at seeing a childhood friend of his. \u201cI heard you were put away!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI got out for good behavior,\u201d explained Lanswey as she took the seat opposite of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou? Good behavior?\u201d laughed Tornoth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo joke. I\u2019m a model citizen now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI guess Oyed CAN change his tune! What brings you here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, a little investigation of a rumor, to be honest. Before I got out, I heard rumors of a certain troublemaker from the Galdredan Reliable Road Services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReally now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe instant I heard it was Realmfleet getting all the grief, I immediately thought of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow why would you think that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause only you would give Realmfleet what they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe I would, but don\u2019t you think this is a little elaborate for me? I mean, I\u2019m hardly that smart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re smart enough to ask for help in your schemes, so I\u2019d say it\u2019s still you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFair enough. Okay, all cards on the table, it WAS me. I just had an opportunity given to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho gave you an opportunity?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTuurk and Talair, financiers from Realmfleet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy would they ask you to slow down your deliveries to the shipyards?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause they needed to show Realmfleet that they were taking our delivery jobs. You see, it all started after that officer, Torolai\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou mean Chief Inspector Torolai?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know any other Torolais?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour mother, for a start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Okay, yeah, that IS a common name. In any case, yeah, it WAS the Chief Inspector. Anyways, I was trying to deliver cattle from Yutt the mutt\u2019s farm, but he had bribed the agent into letting me approach a train of infected cattle. I had to stay there for a while until I was inoculated and immunized from foot and mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, heights!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, I wasn\u2019t too happy. In any case, after I was given a clean bill of health, Tuurk and Talair approached me and explained that the Endeavor<\/em> caused them no end of financial grief and offered me a sizable cash reward if I were to experience \u2018delays out of my control\u2019 whenever there was a shipment meant for Realmfleet. Given that the Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s going through an overhaul, I saw no reason to complain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I<\/em> do!\u201d called the waitress that took his order! It was then he saw the waitress\u2019 face! It was the officer that quarantined him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cT\u2026Torolai?!\u201d squeaked Tornoth. \u201cWhat are you\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re coming with me, Mr. Steelhorn!\u201d Torolai then turned to Lanswey. \u201cThank you for your help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo worries,\u201d replied Lanswey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLANSWEY, YOU INCESTUOUS PIECE OF\u2026!\u201d Before Tornoth could punch Lanswey, Torolai jabbed her wand into his back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you DARE blame her!\u201d she snarled. \u201cYou made your own choices! You, your family, and I are going to have a VERY long chat about this!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait, just my parents, right?!\u201d begged Tornoth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

His begging did no good. His wife, calves, parents, AND siblings heard the whole story. Now subjected to police questioning, Tornoth buckled and told them everything. Because he gave up Tuurk and Talair, the matter had to be escalated to Realmfleet. The Narvens\u2019 Royal Guard Captain triple-checked every signature involved before he put his own signature to it. Once he did, a taskforce from Sector 1, Realmfleet\u2019s top internal law enforcement officers, arrived in secret. They had long suspected Tuurk and Talair of wrongdoing, so it wasn\u2019t hard for them to take the case. As the taskforce arrived, Elmar and Calandra talked about the whole thing. \u201cDisgraceful!\u201d hissed Calandra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgreed,\u201d remarked Elmar. \u201cI knew they were weasels, but this is something else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood thing Mom\u2019s got something else on her mind. Remember the last time she \u2018helped\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHalmii protect us, I still remember the clean-up. Our room stunk to the Highest of the Heights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeriously, cleaning out a rat infestation with a level 5 stink bomb? I love my mother, but she\u2019s not doing dispelling the stereotype that blondes are all dumb.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer actions don\u2019t do you any favors on that front, there\u2019s no arguing that.\u201d The conversation was interrupted by the butler clearing his throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer Majesty requests your presence in the Throne Room,\u201d he announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt this time of night?\u201d asked Calandra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was most insistent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome on, Elmar. Let\u2019s go see what Mom wants. Maybe we can get some answers as to why she\u2019s been going out at night lately.\u201d Calandra and Elmar then proceeded down the corridors to the Throne Room. There, sitting on the throne, her Fire Demon body bedecked in a silver and gold dress, with all sorts of jewelry on her person, was Queen Andwayla Narven, Calandra\u2019s mother and the Queen of the Galdredan Lava Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSweetest Calandra!\u201d called Andwayla. \u201cCome! I need to speak with you two kids!\u201d Elmar and Calandra approached the throne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMother, what could you possibly want from us at this time of night?\u201d asked Calandra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEspecially after your recent nocturnal walk,\u201d supplied Elmar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve been staying out late for the past week,\u201d continued Calandra. \u201cWhat are you up to?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCalandra, Elmar,\u201d began Andwayla as she motioned for Calandra and Elmar to get closer. The two knelt down as she continued. \u201cI don\u2019t want the police to know, but I am engaged in a project that will continue long after I\u2019ve passed the crown to you, a project that will benefit our people and keep the streets of every village in the Galdredan Kingdom safe, even in the event of Oyed winning the Final War.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd that project is?\u201d asked Calandra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve joined the high life of gathering information and clues that will lead to solving the most heinous of crimes,\u201d explained Andwayla, \u201cand making sure the criminal underworld fears the shadows it uses, since I will be using the shadows to my advantage. Now, the job title has all sorts of slang words, such as a gumshoe, a private eye, a sleuth\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHold on,\u201d interrupted Elmar, \u201cYour Majesty, are you\u2026a detective?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, come on, Elmar!\u201d protested Calandra. \u201cMother, a detective?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re quite right, Elmar,\u201d confirmed Andwayla as she pulled out a detective\u2019s badge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026What?\u201d asked Calandra in disbelief. \u201cYou? A detective?\u201d Andwayla nodded as Calandra ran her hand down her face. \u201cMother, may I give you some advice?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Sure, sweetie. What is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the boys from the Happy Hatch come to have you fitted for a canvas housecoat, do us a favor and please\u2026don\u2019t tell them you\u2019re my mother!\u201d Andwayla snarled at that and showed Calandra the badge again. All Calandra did was laugh at the absurdity of it all as Elmar rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, reminding himself that, the instant he\u2019s married to Calandra and they become King and Queen of the Galdredan Kingdom, he\u2019s going to have to put up with Andwayla\u2019s shenanigans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Endeavor\u2019s crew was informed that the overhaul would last well into the next week, so they were advised to stay until the end of the Under-union Festival. Elmar took full advantage of that as he visited the Narvens\u2019 castle frequently. While he may not be the most emotional of the bunch, Elmar DID enjoy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,236],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-3038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-3-the-first-strike","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3038"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3039,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3038\/revisions\/3039"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}