Heanith couldn't say what it was that she had expected to happen. Naturally she expected the group of friends to leave and find a way to keep from getting killed. However, she was torn between wanting to find a place that would accept her and let her keep the credit for her inventions rather than leaving to find a place she could live in peace.
However, she did not expect the marquis to come up himself. Especially not with a rope ladder that could have spelled his doom without her having anything to do with. Despite the fact that she'd have to pay the price for his death anyway.
Though, she wasn't sure if the marquis planned on taking the ship over and confiscating anything related to her inventions. That's what had happened in the past, so she quickly resigned for that to happen again. As at the very least, this was a pretty big invention, though she wasn't sure what practical applications it might have overall. She'd just wanted to see if she could get something this large to fly.
However, she knew that he wouldn't kill her out of hand, since if something happened to the engine on this ship, he'd have to either figure out himself how to repair it or to try and get his people to do that. As she wouldn't be around any more in that instance.
Not that it reassured her that much. Not when she could just as easily end up a prisoner until she could either teach a replacement how to operate this thing or someone else figure out how to do it on their own. After which she was confident she'd likely be executed, since she'd know too much.
"If I commissioned it, would you build more of these?" the marquis asked, shocking Heanith.
A commission would be have the effect of the marquis offering her the credit. Something all nobles that she'd encountered so far wouldn't have done if their lives depended on it. Yet, here was a noble offering her just that. Something that she knew she'd be able to make a living the rest of her days doing.
Which also immediately made her wary. As it was possible that the marquis was up to something. That he was looking farther ahead than she had the ability to do herself.
"I could, but unless there's a place to land this, I can't guarantee that there won't be any damage to it," Heanith replied, hoping that it would stall whatever underhanded motive he had.
The marquis merely nodded, as if he'd already anticipated that result. "I've been informed in something to that effect,' her replied calmly. "I've thought about this on the way up and I think these ships might be useful for transporting goods. Which means I'd be able to sell these to merchants who then could move their goods much faster and for longer distances."
Heanith blinked. She hadn't thought of that and couldn't figure out why she hadn't. Naturally that would require a steady supply of these ships with the engine that would allow them to float. Plus it would reduce, if not eliminate completely, the megalodon attacks that occur to ships in the ocean periodically, as well as sometimes in the river that divides the continent.
Though, it would also mean that there wouldn't be any reason for the marquis to 'dispose' of her at some point, since there'd be too many places she'd need to be to make sure that everythign worked alright.
She felt like she was stepping into a trap that she'd regret later, but at the moment she was certain that it was the best thing she could do right then. Even if she regretted it later for any number of reasons.
"Where would we put this one in the meantime then?" Heanith asked. "I'm not sure how long the fuel will last, since this is the first one I've made as well as from the fact that it's been flying already for about half a week."
The marquis nodded. "I'll have someone pilot this out to the ocean and wait for the fuel to run out. That way they can mark the date and we can figure out how fast your ship consumes the fuel."
Heanith paused for a moment. At first she thought that the marquis had to be on the same page as her as to what she needed, but then she realized that he really didn't understand. That he was talking in a way that would make others think that he understood, because he might think he did so himself, when he really didn't.
"Yeah, I'm not leaving this ship if you're going to do that," Heanith replied curtly. "You know where the ocean is and one of the dangers of having a ship in the ocean, even if its in the harbor. I'm not going to let this ship get destroyed simply because you're looking for a convenient way o leave the ship.
The marquis smiled. "Don't worry, I have a favor I can call in from the Duchess Versith from when I was younger. Her harbor has been made to repel megalodon attacks. So far her harbor hasn't had one such attack. Though, I do have a couple mages who have been working at repelling megalodon as well. Though, I personally think that this will be the best method since I can't exactly get this ship a place to safely land before I expect the fuel to run out."
Heanith sighed. She couldn't deny his suppositions, even though she really didn't like his conclusions. Yet, at the same time, it wasn't like she had any suggestions herself. Or at least on this point.
"Fine," she relented. "You can have someone pilot this over to the ocean. I'll train them on what to do, as well as what to do to get back. Though, you'll need to get more fuel from the people who had convinced me to seek help from you."
"What was used for fuel?" the marquis asked, turning to look behind him.
Heanith merely shrugged. She really had no idea. To her, it was merely a stone that didn't look any different from any other rock. Yet, it still worked to power the ship. She merely hoped that it would still have enough juice left in it to power the ship to get it to the ocean, let alone where he had in mind to have it rest safely until they could get something built to let it stay here. However long that'd take.
"One of these," Amelia's voice called out from outside the cabin. "They help us restore our magic when we get tired."
Heanith knew that Ralph had been holding one when she first saw them, though she wasn't sure why he had been. Though as she thought about it, it made sense that he'd be holding it if it helped him restore his magic, since he had used to so much of it. Not that she really understood about what it was about those who used magic that made them tired from using it.
"Where did you get these?" the marquis asked, reaching out and apparently taking it from Amelia as when he turned back around, he was holding one.
"We got them from the world we were on before we came to this one," Amelia answered promptly, sounding to Heanith like she was answering a tutor's question.
For the first time, Heanith suddenly wondered if these people were actually from nobility themselves. With the way they talked and acted like nothing was a big deal about anything. Nor had they really been concerned about Heanith wanting them to leave, but rather instead tried negotiating the situation to their advantage.
Whether they were or not, Heanith had to admit that they'd been right about a few things that she'd taken to be a truth in the world. Things that had impacted her ability to do what she'd been doing. Not that she would have been able to find a way to meet this marquis without them, nor would she likely have met these people unless she had isolated herself on Stone Mountain to begin with.
Maybe she could have lived a better life if she had refused to accept that all nobles were the same, but at the same time, she couldn't say that her life wouldn't have involved those who had pushed her into this situation before her if she hadn't.
All she could really do was move on from here. It wasn't like she could go back in time and do anything to change how she saw things or to push herself into making different choices.
"If you don't want me on this ship while you make a place for it to dock here, bring me someone who you'd trust. I'll show them how to run this safely and even how to keep it hovering in place until it runs out of power," Heanith said, partially wondering what might happen after she gave in.
_
Jenn felt like she had a headache as she settle down in the room she'd had when she first came here. It would have been relaxing, but she also had to share it with those who had accompanied her there. As it was the only structure still standing that looked stable. All the others either had collapsed from the weight of the snow piled on them or like a strong wind would blow them over.
Jenn wished she could come up with an excuse to have the others let her stay there by herself, but most of them weren't with her when she'd first arrived, so it wasn't like she could get them to agree simply because she asked.
Although, she felt that everything had otherwise gone well since arriving back here. She'd been able to confirm hich buildings were still sound and that they could pretty much move back in as soon as they could get everyone ready.
It might still be a little cold, but that hardly was a problem for Jenn. She knew eventually it'd get warmer as the season moved towards summer and anyone of her people would have to get used to the climate in these mountains.
Not to mention the ogres. Which her squad had to be reined in when the ogress had left. Since they saw her as something to hunt down simply because she was larger than all of them and had two heads. Which Jenn ordered them not to, simply because of the alliance she'd been working with them, which she was able to get the others to give in by letting them know that the Blue Rose had sought peace with them rather than conflict.
She'd only left out the fact that she herself had conducted the negotiations for it. Simply because she was still avoiding letting anyone who didn't already know that she was the Blue Rose.
Aside from that, she was happy to be done here. That in the morning she'd be able to pass along the ogre chief's request to speak with the Blue Rose as well as everything else they'd been able to determine about this settlement.
With that accomplished, she'd be able to start looking at other things that had been on her list to do for a while. Such as showing Tchisa where she had in mind to give her as land that she'd be able to work with as she saw fit.
Jenn just hoped that it wouldn't be thought of as bad. As she really wasn't sure what Tchisa might be looking for. Although, it at least did include a gate to an island that felt rather tropical. So, that could help mitigate any problems Tchisa might have with it. Including the fact that it was at least a few days away from the gate back to her home world.
Another thing that she hoped many of the new recruits would be able to do was to find some hardwoods that they'd be able to use in construction as well as any kind of metal. Which her advisors had been telling her that they needed to really get this place moving.
While Jenn wasn't sure why just any metal would do, she was willing to at least give them the benefit of the doubt. That while she might not understand, they at least knew enough of what they were telling her to not argue with them.
"Yo, captain!" one of the members of her squad called out. The oldest in fact, in her mid-twenties, who had two children back at the hidden village, each with a different father. "What's the plan for tomorrow? Collect more firewood or are we leaving this dump for good?"
Jenn couldn't help but chuckle. She was pretty sure that these people should know what the intentions about what they had been 'sent' to do were. That they should be getting ready to live here, regardless of what they'd prefer or like.
"You can collect firewood if you want to," Jenn merely replied. "I plan on heading back through the gate tomorrow and giving our report. We'll be coming back soon enough and maybe this time we'll be able to get some better structures built. You know, with some hardwoods rather than this soft pine that won't last nearly as long."
The startled expression on the woman's face was worth it to Jenn. She clearly wasn't one who liked how cold it was, not that Jenn could blame her, but Jenn didn't like that she was judging this entire world based on that fact alone. After all, sometimes it could get rather cold in the world that this woman was from and she didn't hold that against her own world.
Still, Jenn couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about how relaxed she was feeling. She was starting to worry about how when the time came, that she might not want to leave. Even though she wanted to return to her family and even see her girlfriend again.
She wasn't sure if she'd be able to relax very well back on Earth knowing what was going on here. Especially when she wouldn't be able to do anything about it herself from there.
That was the only thing really bothering her at the moment. She couldn't be sure if her friends would understand or if they'd pretty much kidnap her in order to get her back to Earth. She couldn't say if she'd even meet up with them again or if she'd find a way to figure out where they were without giving away where she was when she finally got the crystal that contained Alairna's memories.
Jenn couldn't help but sigh at the thought. She really wasn't sure what to do about it. It wasn't like she could even talk with anyone about it, since she couldn't be sure that anyone would fully understand if she spelled everything out for them, nor was she sure if she'd be able to phrase it in a way that didn't involve other worlds, but rather her and her original home versus this place that was becoming home for her as well.
As she turned over on her side under her blanket, she did her best to ignore the chill in the air. Not just from the environment that her blanket hardly kept out, but also from her inner thoughts. The thoughts that made her wonder if she'd be comfortable when she went back to Earth in the first place.
That even though it'd be a 'dick move' that maybe she should let go of Alex and find someone from among her people. As then at least Alex would be able to eventually find someone else that would be able to satisfy her needs while she'd be able to cut ties with Earth and let everyone think that she'd just disappeared.
While she knew her parents would miss her, and maybe even Cherie, she knew that eventually they'd get over it and move on with their lives.
Jenn wasn't sure what she'd want, but she knew that things were changing in ways that she wasn't sure if she liked or not.
_
Embris felt like she was getting ready to go crazy. Not only had she been kept in the hidden village for about a week, she wasn't even given an explanation of why. Nymis and Rephis were happy that she was able to spend so much time with them, but Embris still wanted to be doing something that would allow her to prove her worth. Rather than 'standing by' like the woman in charge, Tchisa, had told her.
She didn't even know what she was standing by for.
She was told that the Blue Rose had sent out a group to see if they could return to their old settlement, but that was hardly two days prior. Where Embris had started getting restless before that occurred.
She wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle it if it turned out to be nothing. That the plan was abandoned for whatever reason. Reasons that she had doubts she'd be given. Maybe Jenn would be given them, but Embris couldn't be sure if Jenn would be allowed to share them with her if she was.
Embris shook her head as she paced around the building she shared with her siblings and Jenn. Although, as she thought about it, she thought it a little strange that Jenn didn't share the same sleeping space as her adopted children, who were clearly children themselves.
Embris sighed. There was too much going on that she hadn't been able to figure out. She wasn't even sure what the raising and lowering of those wooden platforms were about. Just that many people were talking about them since they had started moving several days ago.
Embris stopped her pacing and turned towards the door. She was starting to think that maybe she should leave these people. She hadn't actually committed herself to them, though she did think she'd be giving up a great opportunity by leaving, but at the same time, she needed to be somewhere that she felt good about. That she'd be able to see a way for her to improve not only her own life, but that of her sibling's as well.