Trials of the Inventor Hero

Hera gently brushed a towel against her damp hair. After nearly three weeks of hard marching, it was nice to take a warm bath, and Rumand castle had the best bath in the frontier. The staff warmly welcomed the wounded Duke and his forces openly. The blessing from the Archons was greatly appreciated. She set her towel down to dry when a knock came from her door.

"Hera, are you awake?" Her father's voice called out.

"I am. Please enter."

Lyon stepped inside. The skin around his eyes were sunken and dark. His beard, normally well-groomed, was tangled and disheveled. Keeping the whole expedition together had taken its toll.

"I'm sorry to disturb you this late, but I have an important mission for you tomorrow." Lyon said gruffly, "You will take a contingent of our men to Treante and prepare for the Duke's arrival."

Hera stood up straight. "Why me?" Her voice hitched slightly. "I should stay here to tend to the Duke."

"This comes directly from Duke Sigmund."

A sudden tightness appeared in Hera's throat. Slowly, she nodded, waiting for her father to continue.

"You will also take command of our forces while the Duke is in Treante." Lyon continued, "I will stay here to keep Castle Sigmund updated, and to help coordinate the domain's defenses."

"I understand, father." Hera saluted.

The first rays of sunlight peaked over the horizon, forcing Hera to block the light with her hand. Her horse trotted easily down the dirt road. Behind her rode thirty knights, all fully dressed for combat, with two supply wagons in the center of the column. At the rate they were moving, she expected them to arrive at Treante roughly around midday.

"It's a lovely morning, don't you think?"

Marquess Gabriella rode next to her, having joined their expedition at the last minute. She wore a thick, green riding dress with a fox fur cloak wrapped around her shoulders. Her hair was done up in intricate braids and pulled into an ornate bun. She was a manifestation of noble grace, something that Hera wasn't.

"It's a little dreary for my taste." Hera replied curtly. Even in the pale twilight of dawn, Hera couldn't take her eyes off Gabriella's pristine skin. How she was able to keep it from drying out was a mystery.

Gabriella pursed her lips. "I know you're concerned." She said, "But I'm certain that Nathaniel can help Kane."

Hera couldn't stop herself from sneering. "Forgoing honorifics already? You are a master of worming yourself into men's good graces, aren't you?"

"You could as well, if you simply tended to your feminine virtues." Gabriella's teasing smile annoyed Hera. "I'm certain Kane would appreciate it?"

Hera gripped her reins tightly. "A knight has but one duty to her lord."

"True, but you are also a noblewoman."

Gabriella's reply made Hera's stomach tighten. To call herself a noblewoman would be a farce, she was merely the daughter of a seasoned soldier. All she had to her name was a small plot of land with naught but a single hut. There were no subjects to serve her, nor a single gold to her name. Everything she rightly owned was on her person, even if it was a well-made suit of armor. She was simply a noble in name only.

Hera stirred her horse faster, hoping to put some distance from the marquess. Thankfully, Gabriella didn't pursue but fell back with the rest of the men. The morning sun continued to rise in silence, until it was disturbed by a sharp whine.

The horses stopped suddenly, snorting in distress. Hera flicked her gaze about trying to find the source. Light burned her vision for a moment, and she turned her eyes upwards to stare at a strange flying object. She didn't hesitate to draw her sword which her men followed suit.

"State your business!" The object called out in a hollow voice. Its red crystalline eye stared blankly at her.

Hera glared at the thing, ready to strike, but Gabriella trotted forward.

"We are here for an audience with the Inventor!" Gabriella replied loudly. "Are you one of his golem servants?"

"Affirmative." It stated simply. "Please verify identity: Lady Gabriella VuRant?"

"You already know my name?" Gabriella gasped with a slight blush.

"Acknowledge. Please verify companion identities?"

Hera pushed her horse forward. "I am Hera, daughter of Lyon Oathborne, Knight of Duke Kane Sigmund, here to see the Inventor Hero on his behalf."

The golem stared at them silently, then its red eye turned a bright blue.

"I apologize for the disruption of your travels. We've increased our patrols after hearing about the Duke." The golem's voice became more eloquent. "I am Seneschal, assistant to Master Nathaniel. Please follow this unit to the village, a party will be waiting to meet with you." The eye turned back to its original red color before flying ahead of them.

The encounter sent a shiver down Hera's back, but she urged her horse after the strange golem. Gabriella rode next to her with her gaze trained intently on the flying metal object. A dimple in Gabriella's cheek, and her bottom lip quivered slightly; a clear sign she was puzzled. It made Hera tense when she saw the spymaster chew on her lower lip. The golem led them in silence until the dirt road turned to cobblestone, and a pair of men stood waiting for them.

"Welcome to Treante!" The older, large man said, bowing deeply. "I am Barin, councilor and headsman of Treante. This is my fellow councilor Eladregn." The dark elf bowed slightly when Barin addressed him.

Hera glanced up the road. "Where is the Inventor?" she said with a scowl.

"Where is the Duke?" Eladregn replied sardonically.

Barin's growled at the elf. "Lord Light is at the dungeon, finishing up preparations for the Duke's arrival."

Gabriella patted Hera's arm. "The Duke is a couple hours behind us. We were sent ahead to secure the road and assist in any way that we could."

Hera glanced towards the noblewoman, nodding reluctantly. "It is as she said."

"Then we'd best not dawdle." Barin said loudly. "Let's get you to the dungeon." He pulled the elf down the road before anyone else could speak.

Hera gnashed her teeth as she spurred her horse. "The Inventor should have been here." She said, "Does he think so little of my lord?"

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"I wouldn't blame him." Gabriella replied cautiously, "The royal family took advantage of him ever since he arrived."

"Then how should I approach him?"

Gabriella gave her a soft smile. "Give him respect, and he'll return it in kind."

Hera gave her a slight nod as she took a deep, calming breath.

"All preparations are complete master." Seneschal's voice rang through the core room. "And just in time for the Duke's envoy."

An image appeared before them. A large party of knights and servants rode into the large, empty garage. Their heads swung wildly at the strange sight. Several robotic servants surrounded them, their arms extended to take the horses reins. A gorgeous woman with deep red hair was the first to relinquish her horse.

"I wasn't expecting Lady Gabriella to come." Aniphrae remarked snidely. Her foot tapped furiously on the metal floor.

"Neither was I." Nathaniel chuckled. "How should I deal with her?"

Aniphrae pursed her lips in thought. "She's here for you, so I suggest treating her as you did me." She sighed.

Nathaniel turned to the core. "Send some robots to the house to prepare a room please."

"As you command. Shall I have our guests brought here?"

"Yes, I'd like to make a good impression. And let Odin and Sierra know our guests have arrived."

Nathaniel two figures leave the garage. Nervously, he straightened the wrinkles out of his fine, steel-blue coat. It was another gift from Aniphrae, and she was adamant that he wore it for this meeting. The young woman clung to his left arm as if his thoughts summoned her.

Aniphrae wore a dress of similar color with long, lacy sleeves. Her hair was meticulously set into a multitude of curls and ringlets, held in place with a golden chain headset. A single golden band sat on her left hand, and she made sure that it was always showing. With a wave of her fingers, she ushered the others around Nathaniel.

Bella moved to stand behind Nathaniel's left shoulder. Her dark purple dress was similarly designed like Aniphrae's except for the open bodice that showed off her ample cleavage. Hope frolicked to the front, standing in between Aniphrae and Nathaniel. Her flowy yellow dress reinforced her natural fairy-like appearance. Ralia took position off Nathaniel's right shoulder, but unlike the other women, she wore armor with her spear in hand. It was completely unnecessary, but Ralia insisted on wearing it. The door opened, drawing his attention.

Gabriella waltzed into the central chamber with grace befitting upper nobility. Her clothes, makeup, and hair naturally drew his eyes. One could make the argument that she was the most beautiful woman in the room which was the opposite to the soldier beside her.

In the nearly four years he'd been here, this was the first woman knight he's seen. Her face was sharp and hard as her armor, and her eyes held no warmth. She stood completely rigid, always on keen alert. There was no softness to her, but there was an inkling of beauty to the knight. Unfortunately, it paled in comparison to the other women.

Nathaniel smiled warmly. "Welcome to Treante. I hope your journey went well."

"It took longer than expected." The knight informed him stoically.

"Thankfully it's come to an end." He chuckled, trying to ease the tension. "However, your arrival is a surprise, Lady Gabriella."

Gabriella returned his greeting with a large smile. "My family serves directly under Duke Sigmund. It is my duty to aid them whenever possible." She gestured elegantly to the knight. "This is Dame Hera, one of the duke's most trusted knights."

The knight's stony face softened, slightly. "Thank you for aiding his Grace, Lord Inventor." She bowed deeply. "If there is anything that I can do, then please ask of it."

"I haven't done anything yet." Nathaniel replied, "But I promise to do everything within my power. When can we expect the Duke to arrive?"

"He'll be here in a few hours." Hera said, "I was sent ahead to secure the roads and deliver the servants that'll be attending to the Duke." Her eyes turned hard as she stared at the women surrounding him. "Could one of your… companions show them to your manor?"

"I'll actually be housing the Duke here in the dungeon." Nathaniel stated, gesturing at the area. "The dungeon has everything we'll need to treat him, and it is the most secure place in the village. We have enough rooms for one hundred people, but they'll have to share with four people."

Aniphrae tapped on his arm with a satisfied smirk. "Don't forget the apartments darling. Although they aren't furnished, they can still house the duke's remaining men."

"Are you sure?"

Aniphrae turned her smile to Gabriella. "Of course, it's a wife's duty to aid her husband."

"Your dutifulness is inspiring." Gabriella replied with a tight smile.

The air between the two women became charged, and it made Nathaniel feel tense.

"Enough you two." Nathaniel's words broke their stare down. "Now isn't the time for your feud."

"Master, I have sights of the Duke's party, and a drone is leading them to the dungeon."

A strained sense of anticipation hung over everyone. They all stared through a window, watching the duke slowly rotate on the wire framed table. Two medical robots hovered over him, their tentacle-like arms hovered inches from his body.

The Duchess wrang her hands tightly. "Are you certain he isn't in any pain." She asked Nathaniel with watery eyes.

"I am, ma'am." Nathaniel calmly smiled at her. "This is a simple scan so that we may see the extent of the damage. This will help us see what measures my team and I need to take."

Milieda gave a slight nod, but her shoulder remained next to her ears. It pained Nathaniel to see her so distraught, but this was necessary for the Duke's recovery. The table came to a stop, and the robots floated away.

"Scan complete." Seneschal informed them as the doors opened. "You my now enter."

The duchess ran immediately inside and draped herself over her husband. Nathaniel held up his hand to stop Elias and Gheldrielle, allowing the couple to have a moment. They watched as the Duke calmly whispered to his wife, but his arms remained still at his side.

With a deep breath, Nathaniel entered the room. "How does it feel to be the first person in this world to get an X-ray." He asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Dizzying." Duke Sigmund replied lightly, "Thank you for seeing me, Inventor. I… didn't know who else to turn to."

"Thank your wife." Nathaniel nodded. "If it wasn't for her, then I'd be stuck under the King's thumb." Several images appeared before him. "Now let's see to your condition."

The skeletal picture was reminiscent of the X-rays he'd seen back in his old world, and it was clear what was wrong. There was a huge gap in the spine, just beneath the ribcage, with shards of bone sprinkled throughout his body. Several of the Duke's ribs were also broken but were in the process of healing.

"That's not good." Nathaniel sighed.

Elais' face went pale. "Agreed."

"He's lucky to be alive." Gheldrielle remarked coldly.

"I was given a superior healing potion right after I was wounded." The Duke grunted in annoyance.

"That potion saved your life." Elias replied sternly, "Unfortunately, it doesn't have the power to mend bones."

Nathaniel turned to the two healers. "What are our options?"

"We won't be able to rely on magic." Elias scratched his head nervously. "Only the Archpriests and Saint can use that level of magic."

Gheldrielle shook her head. "The Fairy Royals can use that magic, but they won't want to heal a human."

Nathaniel could see Milieda's grip tighten. "What about potions?"

Elias looked to the nobles. "There's the Divine Blessing potion. It fully heals all wounds and removes all ailments." He said, "But it requires rare components like a beating dragon's heart, a golden sol flora petal, and a pure diamond."

Nathaniel glanced towards Aniphrae, but she shook her head. "I'm sorry darling, but those components are nearly impossible to find on the market. The Church and Academies have the only stock, and they don't sell to anyone."

"We elves have a similar potion." Bella stated sadly, "But they're guarded by the fairies, and only the most trusted are able to acquire them."

"So, cybernetics is our only option." Nathaniel gave the Duke a grave look.

Milieda rose her head. "Is that a bad thing?" she asked with a quivering lip.

Nathaniel gestured for Hope to approach. "No, but it is permanent." He said, "Cybernetics work to replace nonfunctional parts of the body. Hope had no arms and legs when I took her in, so I had to build her some." He watched as Hope proudly show off her metal arms. "I have an idea on where to start, but if you decide to go with this option, you won't be able to receive healing for your back."

"Why not?" Duke Sigmund asked.

"We'll have to remove portions of your spine to accommodate the cybernetic." Elias answered, "Without it, you'll never be able to have the Saint fully restore your back."

"You'll also be reliant on me for any repairs on the cybernetic." Nathaniel interjected with a hard voice.

Fear filled the Duke's eyes. The muscles in his neck turned rigid as he looked at his wife. They stared into each other's eyes, and she gave him a slow, deliberate nod.

"Do it Inventor." The Duke said calmly.

"Are you sure?"

Duke Sigmund gave him a pained smile. "Better to be under the thumb of a noble man, than under the tyrant's boot." He replied, "I will not give the King the satisfaction of seeing me beg."

"I'll begin right away." Nathaniel turned to the healers. "Begin taking stock of everything. I don't want any issues with this surgery. Seneschal, please return the Duke to his room, and provide them with anything that they'll need."

"Of course, sir."

Nathaniel gave the nobles one last smile. "I'll get started right away."

"Thank you, Lord Light." Milieda cried in relief.

"No need to be formal. Just call me Nathaniel." He replied, giving them one last smile before leaving. With a deep breath, Nathaniel steeled himself as he headed towards his workshop.