Hungry Necromancer

I'm not sure what mother did to her but she's out for the count.

She doesn't look at all like the strict, hard handed woman that leads the Elven North as she sleeps. Rather than that she has on a look of peace and even relief, a supposed luxury she cannot afford herself.

"What do you think she was thinking when she left to face your mother?" 

The voice belongs to none other than Hastra who stands closely behind me, watching over the still woman with me.

I reflect on her words for a moment and looking at the peaceful Yelenia, I can't truly think of anything really sensible. 

Anything sensible that matches with her character at least. Yelenia would never back down from a fight, especially one that could secure the safety of the elves. 

But somehow she's run off to pick a bone with my mother rather than buckle up and be headstrong against the coming oppression of humans. 

In the end all I can say in response is, "I don't know, I'm not sure of anything anymore." 

Hastra steps closer and takes my hand in hers, "You did your best. You didn't want to have anyone killed and everythings turned out alright." 

I bite my lip at her encouraging words. It's true, I held back and didn't kill them the moment they started their posturing. I got hurt because of it, even now my shoulder and side hurt from the burn and stab from my defense. 

"I shouldn't have held back, look what Asher do the moment he walked in." 

Squeezing my palm Hastra says, almost scolding me, "I saw, I was there with him. You're not Asher, you're a different person, a different leader." 

I sigh and pace away from her, breaking the hold. I run my free hand through my hair and find a stool to sit on. 

"Yes but...am I really the leader Aste needs?" it's a question I've found myself asking over and over since I took power and even more so now. "It's looking like Aste isn't to be led with a light hand but an authoritative one instead but..." 

"But you don't want to turn into the past Mayor's" Hastra helpfully completes my thoughts. 

I nod. 

"Why not try both?" she suddenly suggests after a moment of quiet. 

"What do you mean both?" 

"You can be the fair and strong ruler you want to be without including public executions or turning your opposition into undead." she walks up to where I'm seated and squats beside me, hands on my knee. "All you have to do is force your vision, be kind, offer food, offer land and wealth and growth but offer punishment and consequence as well. If yu want to lead these unruly people of Aste, I think all you have to do is have them choose." 

It sounds absolutely ridiculous. Have them choose? 

What would that even look like? I don't know, so I ask, "And what would that look like?" 

She smiles, "Well, think about it this way. You want to make Aste a safe haven for elves don't you?" 

I give a strong nod at this. 

"But the people, the humans who have always seen elves as nothing other than servants and second rate beings to be stepped on stand in your way don't they? They make things hard with their outright defiance which only prompts more people to defy your laws, to defy your words."

"So how do I stop them?" 

She nods and I can tell she's getting there, "All you have to do is punish everyone close to the offender along with them. It could be something light or severe depending on their crime. They assault an elf for no reason? Throw them into the dungeon and send their family and closest friends to work in the mines, the pantry, the fields or if that's too light, take a finger. "

She takes a breath and rests her chin on my thigh, "All you would have done is give them the option they chose. You gave them a choice, respect the law, respect your law... Or be punished." 

"Right..." I mutter, "Let them choose." 

It makes sense to work them that way. I don't kill anyone either. Eventually, if it happens enough the populace would know that I am not to be trifled with. That I know what's best. 

"And the first step?" Hastra starts, "You need to be in complete and utter control of the militia here, they need to heed your word and move into place, they need to hear your orders and act upon them with unflinching resolve... You need to know Juri." 

Juri. The marshal of the city and apparently Asher's head of military. 

"I've seen them together, he's all about Asher." Hastra nods, agreeing with my assessment. 

"He is, which is strange seeing as he revolted at our first encounter with Asher. But he's a natural servant, he is loyal too, fortunately you can use that to your advantage." 

I nod, already seeing where she's going with her line of thought, "I need to make him believe he's doing it all for Asher." 

Hastra chuckles, "Which of course he will be, just in a different method." 

As though the goddess listened to my machinations, the door swings open and lo and behold, standing there beside Aren is none other than Juri, the marshal of the city, of the militia, of Asher's growing army. 

"Is she alright?" Aren asks, jumping to have a look at the calm and peaceful Yelenia, "I heard she got hurt messing around with your mother." 

My eyes are trained on Juri who still stands by the doorway, not quite sure where he fits in this gathering. He does give Hastra who'd gotten off my thigh a courteous nod as a greeting. 

"She got what she wanted." I say absentmindely to Aren, "But she'll be fine."

I get to my feet and straighten my clothes, my gaze fixed on Juri he eventually has no choice but to acknowledge it. He begins to speak but I cut him off. 

"Juri, Marshal if I'm right." I start. He nods, not sure what to say, "Perfect, you're just the man I've been looking for." 

"And why have you been looking for me?" he asks, confusion staining his voice. 

Walking up to him I frown, "Because, Aste needs discipline and Asher needs to expand all at the same time. You are the Marshall you should be wary of this." 

An embarrassed look crawls unto his face and he begins to sputter, I hear none of it. 

"How many men do you have in your charge, Marshall?" 

He stops to think for a moment then spits out a number, "Around a thousand I'd say with the fighters we got from Demme." 

I nod, "That's plenty. I need you to get me three hundred of those men ready for travel and possible combat." 

He blinks at this, "What do you mean combat? Asher has not told me of any such thing." 

At these annoying words I snap at him, "And will you wait for Asher's word before you do something you know will benefit his goals? Do your really...truly want to bother Asher with something as trivial to him as taking over the remaining villages?" 

"We're taking over other villages?" both he and Aren exclaim.

I turn my gaze to Aren and nod, "Yes and you have a vital part to play in it as well." 

He looks confused, "Me? What could I possibly-" 

"The same role you had with the Elven North, you will be our emissary, our negotiator, our peace broker. You will be the one to tell the conquered that they are so, as well as the one to tell the hundreds of men, fighters accompaning you to invade should they resist."

His mouth hangs open, still trying to assimilate what I have said. 

I looks way from him and to Yelenia, "Juri, prepare to have some Elven warriors as well, it's about time the north start to pull their weight. We're not about to hand them paradise without having them lift up a finger." 

To my pleasure, Juri straightens up at my word. 

I begin to walk out the room when an arm grabs hold of me and pulls me back. It's Aren. 

Concern mares his face as he asks, "What are you doing? This isn't you, aren't you going to wait for As-" 

I don't dare let him finish his sentence, I rip my arm out of his grip and shake my head, "Asher is off to do glorious conquering on the rest of the kingdom, the least we can do to show our appreciation for him, for our current enjoyed privilege is to help him put base in order. Don't you want to do that, Aren?" 

He strains to answer, I can see the conflict play out on his face, much like it did mine. But I'm over that now, I know exactly what to do...thanks to Hastra. 

"Hastra, Juri, let's go. We have work to do, Aren will join us when he's done fumbling over his words."