The soldiers made their way into the Manor, with the officers already making plans to clear the path back to their patrol route for easier access.
"Everyone, please e to the main hall so that the Axbridge Military can get a head count.
According to their maps, we are across the border, so for the duration of your stay here, you are now residents of Axbridge, not Dagos." Dominic explained.
Everyone lined up into rows, with the shortest people in front, a nice touch that would make the job much easier on everyone.
"Alright. This is an interesting group position, but given the status as refugees, it’s understandable. Now, for the important questions. Did you want to return to a port city in Dagos to settle? Or will you be planning to move along within Axbridge?"
That was an excellent question.
Most of them had been working for pirate outfits, so their livelihoods had always been tied to the sea.
A sea that Axbridge didn’t have any shoreline along.
But nobody wanted to go back to Dagos. Not just for the poor treatment of moners, or for the state it was in after the storm, but because it was simply the worst possible option.
It would be better to move further west to Shersdonia or Orleigh, where they didn’t know anyone or have any connections to help them get settled, than to go back to that dying nation.
"I think that most of us would like to stay in Axbridge. Perhaps we can find a job with the airship fleets? We’ve got the experience loading and unloading merchant vessels, stocking warehouses and such, it can’t be that hard to transition to flying ships instead of floating." One of the men suggested.
"Duke Dominic, do you have any objections?"
"None at all. I do a lot of work with the Merchants’ Guild and their airships, as well as their ground caravans. Loading the cargo hold is about the same either way, so their experience should count for something.
They might not be Guild Members, but they’re still skilled workers, not layabouts."
The soldiers added it to their notes. "There are regular patrols along this portion of the border, and supply routes as well. We will arrange for most of the occupants to be transported with them to a suitable city.
Most likely that will be Shove, which is close to seven hundred kilometres to the west. But that is the closest large city that isn’t along the border.
Axbridge is a desert, after all, and we don’t want to relocate new arrivals to Thetle, where their connections to Dagos might give folk the wrong idea."
The sailors nodded in understanding. "Well, I can see how that would be a concern. Is it a good city?"
The mander shrugged her shoulders and frowned. "Seventy thousand, give or take. Good fields, better rainfall than most of the country. It used to be a walled city, but it’s overgrown the walls now, so only the inner city is contained.
That works out well for you, though. The outer city is cheaper to live in, and that’s where the merchant warehouses are."
It went without saying that it was also where the ladies would most likely find work, but the mander was more interested in the ones who were in uniform.
"Staff of the Manor, if you are interested in staying, we are willing to arrange a stipend for you to remain here, along with a permanent detachment."
Dominic gave her a curious look, and the mander shrugged.
"We have dedicated patrols already, with Soutford so close to the border, and with all that’s been going on, it wouldn’t hurt to have fifty men on standby, just to keep the undead from crossing the border."
"Good point. I was intending to go speak to their manders as well. They might have some answers as to how I ended up here, and it appears that they are not allies of Dagos, given that they eliminated the Noble population on arrival, before delivering aid to the citizens," he agreed.
The mander shook her head in dismay. "I wouldn’t remend that. Nobody is clear on whose side those Necromancers are on, and the whole city is full of undead at this point.
There are suspicions that they are waiting for the storms to blow over to go raid the coastal regions to build an army of unstoppable strength, using the victims of the disaster.
There are so many cities flooded along the northern shores that they really could create a huge army of zombies if they had the magical capacity.
If that is the case, then they are a significant threat to the entire region.
If that is not the case, then we have misjudged a mostly humanitarian effort by the Necromancers. That leaves the Axbridge Army in a bit of a conundrum, given that they are on the Dagos side of the border, and we do not have any jurisdiction to go across and ask them ourselves."
Dominic nodded. "And now it sounds like I really do need to go make contact with them, in the most polite possible manner, so that I don’t touch off another international incident.
But first, I really do need to get a message back to Wistover so that they know that I am alive and well.
If I don’t, then who knows what might happen.
I was attacked by Dagos Nobles using portals to ambush, and it has left my family and forces back home concerned for my well-being.
More concerned than a simple radio message will solve."
The mander smiled. "I can see how Princess Alexis might take it personally that someone managed to ambush and abduct you. And how she might not believe any reports of your safe escape until she has seen you in person.
Fortunately, we have a direct contact method, and it should not be questioned."
"Oh?"
"I have a munication rune for emergencies that will link directly to Crown Prince Fahad. Tell me what you want me to send, and I will ensure that the message gets to Wistover immediately."
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