98 Chapter 98 Flee (2/2)

Murmuring immediately broke out and Daniel had to shout to get them quiet again. The mages all looked pale.

”The n.o.bles will likely install the nasty first prince as a puppet, and divide up the royal lands. They will probably also start a civil war against each other to grab more lands, while the central kingdom is busy fighting and can't deploy troops to attack here. I am leaving as soon as my father arrives. He is at most two days out. We are taking all of our people. If you wish to be one of our people, we will take you with us to avoid the war that is coming. If you stay, you will have one month of food left, so that you can make it back to your home towns. I can't free you. As soon as the king died, I lost all power. Even if I free you now, the n.o.bles will likely just enslave you again.”

He bowed.

”I am sorry I was not able to fulfill the king's promise to you.”

Turning to the mages, he said, ”You can come with me, or be used by the n.o.bles to fight a war. It's up to you. Decide before father arrives.”

”Can we come with you if we don't sign one of your slave contracts?”

”Not a chance. Many of you were sent here as spies. I won't risk it.”

The mages nodded in understanding.

The rest of the day pa.s.sed in a frenzied haze. No one had time to write down reports, so Joseph had a half dozen men at any one moment giving their reports before he could give more orders. Then they would run off. He didn't sleep that night, in order to keep working on preparations.

Chug arrived at dawn, leading the northerners. Joseph ran out to meet him.

”Chug, I'm so sorry. I couldn't keep up my side of the contract.”

Chug nodded.

”No hunter finds food every hunt.”

”It is my will, to release all of the northerners from the contract, as I have lost my power, as a delegate of the kingdom.”

”Chug wish to end contract as well.”

As they continued talking, once the contract was released on the northerners, Chug told Joseph of a valley in the mountains to the north, that they could over-winter in. The goblins and orcs lived in the mountains, but didn't normally raid the valley. The ice fog hadn't reached that far south, so there may even be some things for them to hunt and forage in that valley. The hope was that with all of us, the goblins and orcs wouldn't dare to bother them.

Tekaun, and her village, arrived at lunch, and village 4 and 5 arrived early in the afternoon. It was fortuitous that the barbarians were nomadic by nature. They were a huge help in helping to supervise and collect the supplies they would need.

Joseph hated this. He always tried to be prepared. Doing things in a rush like this, was bound to make mistakes, and mistakes may kill people.

Walter had gone to collect all of the harvest taxes, even though they had enough food for now. When he was late, Joseph had figured the n.o.bles were just being disruptive again. Clearly, he had overestimated the intelligence of the n.o.bles.

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