Mareen meets Mor Natar
After leaving her temporary post at Mako Marith's Blood-Camp where she barely had time to connect with her son, Eight-Two-Sixteen (now named Aroth), Mareen is welcomed to Loanath where the Demon Lord has need of experienced tamers in preparation for secret missions.
When she first approached Loanath the wind carried a strong leathery smell as well as that of excrement. More than a graveyard of beast it felt like latrines. The second baffling by the energy of its inhabitants. Everything is loud and vibrant, running to and fro with huge luggage of wood, beast corpse and camping materials. Countless beasts roam the street like mere house cats. As she heads towards the Demon Lord's tent, she can feel gazes turning behind her, curious and amused. Mareen's outfit contrasts with the nigh-tribal attires of the city, and her pale skin basically reflects the sunlight around her.
However, as she reached to touch the tent, she felt a quiver on her shoulder. The small fox had sunk his claws into her pad, completely terrified. Mareen looked at him tenderly, and delicately paced her hand in front of his face, letting him smell her. With utmost care she takes him in her arms and places him into her coat, determined to protect him against whatever awaits in the Lord's abode. She enters the tent, one slow step at a time
Inside the tent, she sees another flap of cloth leading deeper in. A strange silence settles as she advances, and a strong smell of wet leather invades her nostrils. Finally, she reaches a lightstone-lit room with a throne of bones at its back. On it sits the giant Demon leading the City of Beast, Mor Natr himself. His face stays impassible as he caresses the beast on his right. And what a beast it was. Far larger than anything Mareen had encountered, even in the deepest forests and on her outskirts into monster-hordes. It growled at her approach, and didn't feel tame in the least, as if it allowed the Demon-Lord to pet him, not the other way around. Mareen breathed in, and out, and approached, holding her fox companion closer to her chest.
Imediately the beastmotionned to get up, but a little smack on its head immediately flew. "Don't get the wrong idea, dumbass." reprimanded Mor Natar with a stomping fist on the head of his mount. "This one is an outsider, can't you tell by the smell?" The monster "Nobody explain how I want to relax alone when it's after the noon?" How the Demon Lord could relax next to a giant fiend who could swallow him whole spoke long about his confidence as a tamer. "No my Lord" Mor Natar made a great sigh. Despite him sitting fifteen feet apart, Mareen felt like the room temperature was raising. An uncomfortable feeling.
"Sender's balls." he said, looking at the ceiling of the tent. "Can't they act civilised and give visitors the ground rules? Urk... This is why Grao says we'll never be a proper City-State." "I am sorry for bothering you my Lord." "Nah nah. Not bothering. I just hate people." Instead of bearing his fang against the physical abuse, the beast looked at its master like a sad puppy gazes on its owner. With great contrast to its demeanor earlier, it showed absolute submission for an instant, then went back to being petted as if nothing occured. "Come closer." Asked Natar uninterestedly, scratching the mane this time. "Have the recommandation thing on you?"
Mareen showed the letter. The sigil on its front was all the Demon Lord needed to understand the situation. The beast didn't react when Mareen gave the note, though it did snort when a whiff of the fox cuddled in her coat reached its nose. "Grao knows his stuff. Means you'll be a good addition. Means we gotta celebrate." "Want some Gouniac milk? It's good 'cause I did the raising and the milking. Gives it a Demon Lord taste." Mareen didn't dare say no. As he poured the thick liquid into two bowls that were very likely carved out of bones, "I've some alcohol too if you like better than milk. Have yet to meet Imperial from any City-State who doesn't like alcohol. Is not strong I promise." a ruffling inside the carrier on her chest interrupted. The little fox's nose peeked out of it, drilling his head out of the opening with adorable efforts. HIs nostrils opened and shut visibly the creamy concoction. Mareen and "Cute fox. Gotta grow it good, yes? Milk for it, booze for you." He began lapping it eagerly. "Not easy to keep those ones in one place." "Thank you my Lord." "Still unruly though. Seems you did not cap it." "No." she concurred. "He was a gift my Lord." "You don't talk much. Good." Appreciated the Beastseeker. The great apex Demon took a glance at the files in the letter. Without looking away from them, he asked: "From the accent and the skin tone I take it you're from the north east. Which means Potentia, yeah?" he observed. "I'm still learning Imperial geography." "I do hail from the Cold City my Lord."
"Not a lot of tamers hailing from Potentia I'm told."
"No my Lord." "Not a lot who can cap an Hecatonpede either." "I was fortunate my Lord." "They tell you not to disturb me at noon?" "They?" "The townspeople, the guards, someone at least?" "No my..." "Would you just stop using... any designating stuff?" said Natar with a pause, probably looking for a word in Imperial he hadn't learned yet. "Understood." And since you don't speak much can you speak even less and stop with the stupid Lord?" He glanced up. "That's an order if it helps." "Yes."
When she first approached Loanath the wind carried a strong leathery smell as well as that of excrement. More than a graveyard of beast it felt like latrines. The second baffling by the energy of its inhabitants. Everything is loud and vibrant, running to and fro with huge luggage of wood, beast corpse and camping materials. Countless beasts roam the street like mere house cats. As she heads towards the Demon Lord's tent, she can feel gazes turning behind her, curious and amused. Mareen's outfit contrasts with the nigh-tribal attires of the city, and her pale skin basically reflects the sunlight around her.
However, as she reached to touch the tent, she felt a quiver on her shoulder. The small fox had sunk his claws into her pad, completely terrified. Mareen looked at him tenderly, and delicately paced her hand in front of his face, letting him smell her. With utmost care she takes him in her arms and places him into her coat, determined to protect him against whatever awaits in the Lord's abode. She enters the tent, one slow step at a time
Inside the tent, she sees another flap of cloth leading deeper in. A strange silence settles as she advances, and a strong smell of wet leather invades her nostrils. Finally, she reaches a lightstone-lit room with a throne of bones at its back. On it sits the giant Demon leading the City of Beast, Mor Natr himself. His face stays impassible as he caresses the beast on his right. And what a beast it was. Far larger than anything Mareen had encountered, even in the deepest forests and on her outskirts into monster-hordes. It growled at her approach, and didn't feel tame in the least, as if it allowed the Demon-Lord to pet him, not the other way around. Mareen breathed in, and out, and approached, holding her fox companion closer to her chest.
Imediately the beastmotionned to get up, but a little smack on its head immediately flew. "Don't get the wrong idea, dumbass." reprimanded Mor Natar with a stomping fist on the head of his mount. "This one is an outsider, can't you tell by the smell?" The monster "Nobody explain how I want to relax alone when it's after the noon?" How the Demon Lord could relax next to a giant fiend who could swallow him whole spoke long about his confidence as a tamer. "No my Lord" Mor Natar made a great sigh. Despite him sitting fifteen feet apart, Mareen felt like the room temperature was raising. An uncomfortable feeling.
"Sender's balls." he said, looking at the ceiling of the tent. "Can't they act civilised and give visitors the ground rules? Urk... This is why Grao says we'll never be a proper City-State." "I am sorry for bothering you my Lord." "Nah nah. Not bothering. I just hate people." Instead of bearing his fang against the physical abuse, the beast looked at its master like a sad puppy gazes on its owner. With great contrast to its demeanor earlier, it showed absolute submission for an instant, then went back to being petted as if nothing occured. "Come closer." Asked Natar uninterestedly, scratching the mane this time. "Have the recommandation thing on you?"
Mareen showed the letter. The sigil on its front was all the Demon Lord needed to understand the situation. The beast didn't react when Mareen gave the note, though it did snort when a whiff of the fox cuddled in her coat reached its nose. "Grao knows his stuff. Means you'll be a good addition. Means we gotta celebrate." "Want some Gouniac milk? It's good 'cause I did the raising and the milking. Gives it a Demon Lord taste." Mareen didn't dare say no. As he poured the thick liquid into two bowls that were very likely carved out of bones, "I've some alcohol too if you like better than milk. Have yet to meet Imperial from any City-State who doesn't like alcohol. Is not strong I promise." a ruffling inside the carrier on her chest interrupted. The little fox's nose peeked out of it, drilling his head out of the opening with adorable efforts. HIs nostrils opened and shut visibly the creamy concoction. Mareen and "Cute fox. Gotta grow it good, yes? Milk for it, booze for you." He began lapping it eagerly. "Not easy to keep those ones in one place." "Thank you my Lord." "Still unruly though. Seems you did not cap it." "No." she concurred. "He was a gift my Lord." "You don't talk much. Good." Appreciated the Beastseeker. The great apex Demon took a glance at the files in the letter. Without looking away from them, he asked: "From the accent and the skin tone I take it you're from the north east. Which means Potentia, yeah?" he observed. "I'm still learning Imperial geography." "I do hail from the Cold City my Lord."
"Not a lot of tamers hailing from Potentia I'm told."
"No my Lord." "Not a lot who can cap an Hecatonpede either." "I was fortunate my Lord." "They tell you not to disturb me at noon?" "They?" "The townspeople, the guards, someone at least?" "No my..." "Would you just stop using... any designating stuff?" said Natar with a pause, probably looking for a word in Imperial he hadn't learned yet. "Understood." And since you don't speak much can you speak even less and stop with the stupid Lord?" He glanced up. "That's an order if it helps." "Yes."
Themes
Mareen is feeling lost, being seperated from her love and her child for the second time. Her duties as an experienced monster-tamer is leading her to Loanath, the City of Beasts. It was her old dream to meet such taming enthousiasts. She is telling herself that this will be a dream come true and cheer her up.
This chapter is about expectations coming to face with reality. Mareen's wish is coming true like a student getting into the job they studied so hard to reach, and yet being faced with the problems of the job shatters there preconception. Mareen is skilled to be sure, but not only is her mind not into it because of what happened in recent years, the people of the south-east of the Demon Empire have a very different culture from her. Culture shock, disappointment, and unbalance await her. Though the Demon Lord looks like a down to earth Demon, if a bit odd.
Plot type
Meeting
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