Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Aela’s POV

Hou Ndours took everything and left us nothing.

For the last week, I have scavenged through every nook and cranny of their officer’s encampments and can not find any intel except large piles of dust. They must have burned anything they couldn’t take before we even arrived. In the end, we were fighting the remnants of their regime, and they didn’t have time to move.

Ethan and the other leaders are also complaining and arguing because there is little food and supplies. Several men have offered to swim into the bay and search for the ships they sunk when they weren’t useful to them. But Ethan just encouraged them to work on rebuilding the wharf and start building the ships we will need.

Another leader suggests we open negotiations with Benlow’s Trading Company, but Ethan doubts they would want to have anything to do with the rebuilding of our country. We were able to handle temporary negotiations, but any prolonged trading deals are denied without a reason listed.

Organizing with the people we have and finding what supplies we can gather has been exhausting everyone. Morale is probably worse than it was while the Hou Ndours were here. Just last week, we celebrated the victory, and now there is doubt we are able to handle all the responsibilities.

After my daily scavenger hunt, I walk back to where Ethan has set up his command post. I hear yelling and arguing, and I know he’s meeting opposition with the other leaders. But I didn’t expect to hear the Lord from Igmorund. We are far from that port, and he did most of his support while we were gaining ground.

“Stop! Have any of you considered asking the Princess? What has she been doing, and why haven’t you appointed her reagent? I brought reinforcements because I thought you guys were going to be battered heavily but found you all lounging about yelling over who gains control of the points of wealth. I’m pretty sure your men didn’t fight just for you to move in to get rich.” He yells out loud.  

The tent is silent before one of the leaders affronts, “We can’t ask her. The likelihood she turns around and bites our heads off is high. The only person who is against putting a damn muzzle on that broad is Ethan. We don’t know when she will turn on us, and none of us have the power to kill her when she is driven mad.”

“Rumors are spreading that during the fight, she shifted into her wolf form and slaughtered a hundred men.” Another says. “No of us want to wake up and find our men killed because she can’t control her impulses.

They don’t trust me. I have heard the rumors and lies being passed around. I laughed at one that said I shifted back nude and walked around for everyone to see. I walked without shoes for most of the day, but very few people were wearing shoes even now. I was covered up, but not nude.

“Ethan?” The Lord’s voice is drawn out.

I rustle myself into the shadows, afraid of what he will say. “In all the years she has traveled with me and my band, my first time seeing her wolf form was watching her fighting against the Hou Ndour bear. She was even able to counter an attack, which would have killed many by him in that form, and I think that’s where the rumors have gotten out of hand. She howled, and the world around her was brighter against the darkness the bear utilized. She defended us from something evil, and to second guess her is a travesty. I think she should be in this meeting with us, but I think she already knows our skepticism is deeply rooted in our fears. She has been hiding away searching for intel in the ruins.”

“So you all hear she’s a powerful monster and cast her out? You all said that you wanted a shield like the Queen gave to ease your feelings. Do you think she can do it?” The Lord asks. Most of the men scoff, and the Lord huffs in frustration. “Has anyone even considered asking her? I heard a rumor that she protected everyone with a shield against cannonballs: a physical object of iron. Are you all so dense not to realize she might be able to do something similar if you just ask her?”

Shouting and fighting answers his questions, and no one seems to be able to get a word out again. The Lord walks, and his face is red. He walks away from the tent, and several of his men rush to his side. He turns and looks in my direction, and even though no one else passing by has noticed me. The Lord stands there with a sad expression on his face.

He continues to pass me but pauses for a moment, “Never could why we fear lupines so much. They were our guardians and protectors for so long, and now because a few have gone mad, we cast out all. They should appoint you to lead the rebuilding. You have a good head on your shoulders and if the queen was here. You would have made her proud.”

I cross my arms and think about what he means. I always tried to keep myself levelheaded and remember I have many goals I wanted to achieve. First, I wanted to remove the Hou Ndour and retake the capital. Looking around at the ruins and realizing the capital isn’t much to really be counting on, but it’s a start. Second, I want to find my aunt and rescue her. I haven’t been able to get any leeway to accomplish that goal. But why did I want to find her so much? So that she can retake her throne.

This land isn’t ready for a ruler at all. It's just a bunch of rebel groups who still feel victimized. Everyone wants to see how it was before the attack, but it's not going to just be a miraculous event without anyone stepping up. I can’t just use magic to gain the ability to feed, clothe, and shelter everyone. The leaders can fight and argue, but no one seems to be directing anyone into building structures to help.

If Lana was here now, she wouldn’t be hiding away like I have been. I’m positive she would be out in the sun finding something else to work on because you can’t rule a country in ruins.

Standing up, I walk towards the forest. Everyone has been working on makeshift shelters, which will be fine for the time being. The best source of food at the moment is the bay, and you can’t get to that without a boat. I’ll start there and then start building the port back to get the supplies we need for better shelters.

Let them argue. They will come around eventually. Just like the night the men were captured. I’ll handle what I can my own way.