I have survived. So did many others. We had ventured back to Mountain Homes. I have seen so many die under whips and scourges of that damn ambush. I myself had been disarmed and had to head butt my opponent to get away. I know that Jackal died, possibly along his family, so did Urist-soon-to-be-dead. CrazyFire and Peregar did not survive either. On the other hand HissinWallnuts, Bsnott and Flame are accompanying me back to Capitol. I will convince King to help even if it kills me. NOBODY KILLS MY SUBORDINATES AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!
~~~~~~~~~
We were led to the Kings Audience Chamber in the City of Woundassault, our Mountain Homes. It was as beautiful as during reign of Atis Amemerib, when I saw it the last time, in Year 2, before he was killed by a rampaging elephant. I know Minkot Etolmonom was queen after him but she was killed by a cyclops in the same year she became the Monarch. Funny, aparently she wanted to talk to him and convince him to settle down in a cave close to the City, seems like her name, Passpapers in human tongue, did her justice. Now we are ruled by Tun Nishlurit. I know very little about him, he had been King for around 4 years now but very little is known about his history or ties to the previous Monarchs.
I took Bsnott, Flame and HissinWallnuts with me as my associates and former citizens of the Murderwheel. I hope they will be a help in the negotiations.
~~~~~~~~~
'So you are saying that goblin ambush, payed for by elven pockets, had managed to remove you from the outpost? You? I have heard much good about you, mister Exodius, and this is definitely very disappointing.' Said Tun.
'I know, Your Majesty. You know the reasons for my.... break.... from service in Mountain Homes, they are all in my files. I would be most flattered if you would consider my sloppiness in that situation a fault of a prolonged absence of service. I was simply out of shape. It will not happen again.' I answered in a very respectful tone.
'I believe it will not. However you must understand I will send another party to reclaim Murderwheel while my council and I consider what to do with you. For now you are under house arrest in your old familial mansion. As for your friends, I want to see them one by one, for investigations sake. Ohh, do not give me that look, mister Flame, there will be no torture involved, we simply want to make sure the story adds up. Guards! Please escort mister Exodius to his home. Mister Bsnott, mister Flame and mister Hissinwalnuts, please follow our Steward, he will show you to the guest rooms. You will be given all the courtesies any other of my guest would receive. This audience is concluded.'
~~~~~~~~~~
I wasn't home for a very long time. I do not think of that place as a home anymore, my home is Murderwheel now, and if I manage to get back there I swear I will build a Shrine to Ral, the Wolverine God of Volcanos.