I knew I'd have a huge target painted on my back, but that was too much. The sorting algorithm of antagonists is totally BS. But there was nothing I could do. At least the envoy is stabilized. The jury is still out on whether he will be able to speak again or not though. Or if he is going to catch a nasty infection and die a horrible death. At least everyone in my house washed their hands several times a day but you never know.

I'm not sure if Nanna washes anything. Not asking too. But she always smells like herbs, so she was still in the top ten percentile.

A plan was brewing in my mind. I would do this, wear that, then call these people... I'd need to get the Enshi to come to... And go pick up that thing I commissioned. Four months, it better be done. Then I'd need to face the beast and de-fang it.

I went to find someone to run an errand for me, singing. "The hour is approaching, just give it your best, you've got to reach your prime..." And there I was in front of the guardhouse.

"Atta-Li. Do you know where I can hire or buy a chariot? And a harness for a horse."

The guard thought for a while and Kanu-Kasu shouted from inside, "Go to Hatsa-Mala at the caravanserai. He might have a chariot for sale or point you to who has one."

I poked my head inside, "How much would a chariot cost me?"

"One or two silver mina at most. More than that you're being robbed. With harness."

I gave Atta-Li two silver mina. "Get a horse, go and bring me a chariot. Also, stop by the glassblower, he should have an item for me. I need them in two hours."

He nodded and ran to the stables. Two ticks in my checklist.

Now I need to go to the roof of the villa.

I'm willing to bet the Enshi doesn't give a rat's ass about his nephew. I asked around, rumor has it he has ten wives and dozens of sons and daughters. Most of them are abroad, as political hostages to other Enshis and the Lugal in the capital. Training. But he also has his own share of hostages so trading them is commonplace. He also doesn't give a rat's ass about his envoy. The guy would probably choke on his own blood and die anyway.

Now, I need to mobilize. Gather allies. And strike when the enemy does not expect. For that, I need superiority in communications. Fortunately, I have three advantages over the Enshi. I know his goals, I have four thousand years of documented history to rely on, and I have the technology. I need to talk to the priests, Abil-Kisu, Samus, and Brandon. Any of these might leak information, so what I can tell them is limited.

I need intelligence. I have air superiority. I climbed up on the villa's roof, cleaned the dry rat corpses Dime left behind and prepared my recon drone. Yeah, I got a drone. It is a mix of wireless technology, magic, and biology. I mean, I strapped my phone on Dime's chest and sent the eagle flying to stream the output of what the phone's camera can see using a LAN videoconference app. I have a camping wifi router with three long-range and one-directional high-gain antenna. There's also another antenna with a small parabolic dish that should be pointed at the nearest cellphone tower, but there's no such thing here.

Without the interference of other RF devices, my range should be closer to the theoretical maximum. The terrain and weather also help. No moisture to absorb the signals into heat. After all, the 2.4GHz is the frequency of the microwave oven.

I set up everything and test it with Aristunn. The streaming setup is actually a LAN videoconference but the phone's screen is turned off and against the bird's chest. But I can both receive and transmit audio. I made a chair, table, and parasol out of silicon and aluminum on the roof, and that will be my HQ for the next step of the operation. And let me not forget about Dime's bird perch.

"I can hear myself on your machine, Sandra!" Aristunn spoke to the bird, hearing the sound coming out of the PC.

"Yes, you can," I replied then muted the mic. "Now, let's go and contact Abil-Kisu. Bloodstone, I choose you!"

Dime answered to my mental command and flew in the direction of the merchant's house. Another thing that I discovered is that I can communicate empathically with Dime, and send him images or feelings of where I want him to go. He recognized the place and dove, landing on a branch next to Abil-Kisu. I look at the video feed and see him approach. Two of his guards are eyeing Dime, wary and ready to throw daggers at my eagle.

I open the microphone and speak. "Honorable Abil-Kisu, you have nothing to fear from Bloodstone, my tame sky-lord. How are you, friend?"

Ever quick on the uptake, the merchant lord claps his hands. "Marvelous sorcery! I find myself in good health, Sandra. What brings your envoy to my place?"

I know the gears in his mind are already evaluating the significance of this development. "I need you to go to the great market at sunset. I will show you something that will settle the dispute between me and the magistrate, Enshi's nephew, and would like to have you as a witness."

"That would bring me great honor, Sandra. You can count on me."

Once he felt my relief, Dime took wing. I knew he wasn't too cozy to remain inside those guard's range. I didn't have a chance to thank him. After Abil-Kisu, I also visited and invited the priests of Tarhun and Enki. I tried to find Brandon but Dime wasn't able to see where he was even though he did two laps around the training grounds. Then I sent him on a flyby of the Enshi's palace. Some guards shot arrows at Dime but he deftly dodged.

I think he was hit only because he was trying to protect the eggs.

But I had no idea what to look for. Guess I'll just watch the feed. People dressed in nice clothes. Check. Brandon? Damn. There he was. He wasn't confined to quarters, he was drafted into security detail in the palace. He saw Dime when he looked up. And waved at the bird. More bowstring noises were heard and Dime banked, tumbled and got out of there. I told him to go around and come back home.

Brandon was escorting a couple of people. Two men. I didn't know any of them but the one to the left looked like an older and fatter magistrate. Maybe it was him. I froze the frame that showed him the best and studied the person. That was the opponent I had to defeat without fighting. The ally I had to conquer without giving myself.

I waited for Dime to return and removed the harness, setting him free. I also stored my devices but I left the solar charger and battery there. I decided to build roof access from my room when I had the chance.

My plan was simple. I wrote an invitation to the Enshi and had Dime deliver it.

Come to the great market by sunset. We'll talk about your nephew there. If you don't come, I'll move out of town.

- Sandra Rinaldi

And I have little cost to make good on my threat. Even though I have the mine I really want to claim in some official capacity, I can just pack up and leave, taking my people with me. The ones that are willing to follow me. The world is vast.

This might work because of its simplicity. He will not expect what will come his way. Cornered and with the public opinion against him, he might do one of two things. Either he will seek agreement or conflict. I'll remove ignore from the table. If he seeks agreement, we can make a deal blessed by the priests. If he goes for conflict, he can't do worse than the hole. There are two lines I don't want to cross. One is murder. Even though people died when involved with me, I didn't kill any humans yet. The other is making explosives for use against people. I won't weaponize chemistry.

I refuse to go down those paths unless I'm truly cornered. Like when I was ready to release a chlorine cloud because the eight guards surrounding the magistrate were ordered to kill me.

There might be a day down the road when I'll have the blood of hundreds of people on my hands. I can only pray I can still consider myself a human being when it happens. This world is a cruel and violent one. Where people will try to take advantage of anyone deemed weaker than themselves. Even I am not immune to this line of reasoning because it is something that stems from our most primitive instincts. If I have resources, I won't starve and die. If you have and I can take them from you, well. The more the better, right? That only changed on Earth when advanced methods of production allowed the offer of resources to skyrocket. No more starving bellies during winter. No more parched throats during a drought.

Enough philosophy. It is time to get ready for battle.

I withdrew to my room and sat by the desk with a notebook. I had to prepare a video clip. I got the raw footage and fired the video editor software. Cut, splice, render. If they wanted to build a narrative suiting their goals, two could play that game. I added one of the best overhead shots of the city Dime took when he flew home as the intro. As for music, something erudite that could hold the audience's attention and generate suspense. J.S.Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor.

And then the full uncut negotiation with the envoy. I replayed the footage once and felt an anvil resting over my heart. I acted like a bitch. I felt pity for the man. In my disgust-fueled rage, I gave him almost no openings. And boy did I sound haughty! That wouldn't do. The masses would feel sympathy for the envoy. My lines were unusable because I couldn't convey the context in which they were spoken. It was time for some creative redacting.

That's politics for you. Everything is a lie.

So I recorded a few lines and phrases to splice as voiceovers. It helped that my face was never shown because the camera was shooting my POV. In some cases, I just recorded the same words but with a different emotion behind them. Why not add a piece of dramatic incidental music. I replayed the preview before I started rendering. Yes, that will do. Anyone on Earth would be able to tell the audio was dubbed, but I doubt the natives will. I called Dime to my windowsill and asked him to watch over the computer. While the video was rendering, I had to prepare myself.

My battlefield was not one of the bodies, blood, and sweat. It is one made of ideas, words, and hearts. Cheesy but true. If I only avoided devolving it into violence, I will. The Enshi can have his cake but everyone will eat a slice. This world needed to learn about win-win negotiations. I entered the master bedroom. The gray mortared walls greeted me in all their irregular roughness. I needed sandpaper and time. White acrylic paint too. I had neither of the three.

I went past it into the bathing room. The tub was shedding streams of vapor, filled with warm water. I stored my clothes, instantly revealing my naked form. I sat down with a bucket of cold water and poured it over my head.

I used the soap, shampoo, and conditioner from Earth. Each drop was irreplaceable but I was going to face a king. Or a duke. Their political system was more like a federation of free city-states bound together under a stronger one. The masses of bodies would grow and then ground in some war. That's how they controlled their population. I feel the marvelous feeling of clean skin, of silky hair again. The scent of the shampoo reminds me of home. And to think this was a cheap brand. I could buy one-liter bottles for the price of a fast-food combo.

I took almost an hour to undo all the knots in my hair.

After rinsing the soap I move to the tub. The bits of porcelain were glued forming a geometric mosaic that was easy on the eyes. I soak until the neck and look down at my skin. I had a nice tan building up but after four months in the dark depths, it all reverted back to my healthy white-ish beige.

I got out of the bath and looked down at my longer hair sticking to my breasts. Yes, that was a dead giveaway that four months really went by. Funny enough there were no split ends. Not-a-single-one. The strands were strong, bright, hydrated, and now, clean. I dried myself using Decompose. Just as an experiment, I tried to Decompose the tip of a single hair. It didn't happen. The hair was considered a living thing even though technically it wasn't. Same thing with my skin. I couldn't exfoliate or clip my fingernails with my power.

Or the other parts. Let me tell you, these rainforests were in no danger of extinction. Four months without a razor can do that to a girl. Legs too. Call me sasquatch. And I didn't bring a razor because I wouldn't spend that long out in the wilderness.

Somehow I didn't make it through. I know exactly how lost I am.

Now, how to shave without a razor? A sharp knife? Wax?

Hold on. I'm onto something. Wax. That is going to hurt. Like a bitch. I get my scissors and clip the hairs short. Then I get a block of silicon and use my power to spread a layer of silicon around the area, making sure the silicon wraps around the hairs. In the area of influence generated by Decompose, the material has a fluid-like viscosity. I can even make a handle. Now pull!

________________________ !!!!!

The space above is reserved for an interjection of searing pain. Maybe one or two cuss words. Be creative.

I can't tell if I'm happy or sad that it worked. I bled for a few seconds before my fast healing took care of the micro-lesions. I'm thankful that it also erases the pain as it heals. But it worked so now I need to finish both armpits, the legs and...

I'm no longer in the West where girls are required to keep their pubes down. I can leave that unshaved. Theresa isn't here to harass me. That's a win. Except I lost by W.O.

I wrapped myself in a towel and moved back to my room. The video was 80% rendered. Time to put on my battle gear. A pushup bra, granny panties that wouldn't leave a mark underneath the thin fabric of the cheongsam. I put on light makeup to both save on material and avoid looking over-the-top. Nail polish, red to match the dress. Decompose to dry them, easy now that I know the compounds.

I didn't have high heels. Hiking boots? What decade was it again?

I summoned the bag with left-foot shoes. I took two of the high-heel shoes that fit. Well, Lily James could wear crystal slippers, I doubt anyone would complain about my titanium ones. Using the real shoe in front of me, I shaped a copy made of titanium. Bonus points for unbreakable heels. Then I made the right shoe. I cannibalized two shoes to get the insoles and I was done. Can I add a gold plating trim and finish? Yes, I can.

I asked Belili to help me tie my hair. Make a bun, leave some strands out for that wow effect. I use the Dremel and make an aluminum hair clip and cover that in gold. Put on my trademark gold choker with matching earrings and bracelets. Slip into the cheongsam, pull all that flesh back in place. Put on my titanium slippers with gold trims. The warranty lasts until the next sunrise or your magic back.

I felt the world shrink as I stood on the heels. I made them ten centimeters tall. Balance? No problem! I checked my makeup one last time. Spotless. Now, off to knock some socks off!

I check the video, it is fully rendered and encoded. I copy it to the iPad. Yeah, that will do just fine. I'm as ready as I can be. Before I leave, I put on my leather bracers. Time to see my new chariot.

If only I could catch on fire too. I mean, I can. But not without burning.

I go down the stairs, mindful of the high heels. Arwia and Belle are playing with the children. They see me and freeze.

"What? Is there something wrong with me?" I ask with a smug smile.

"You look like a princess, Sandra!" Mot shouts and comes to check my outfit.

The other girls also come to take a closer look at me. I just stood still.

Belle goes around, checking every single bit of my attire. "Sandra! You really look like a princess! Or a queen! I've seen several guests here, but never one looking as good as you!"

I'm totally making them some jewelry. Later. I had to or I'll be late. I go through the back door and find the chariot. And Penny, refusing to put on the harness. I reach for the mare.

"Hey, Penny. I'm riding on that chariot. If you don't want to pull it, I'm going to use some other horse. Don't you want to come with me? Would you pull my chariot?" I get her fear of whips through our link. "I'm not going to use a whip on you. Why would I?"

I couldn't soothe her. We had to attach another horse. Thankfully the chariot had room for two, someone else can guide the vehicle for me. The best pick would be Huzzi-Ya. The former gladiator has fought on a chariot before. He hasn't raced with four horses though. I checked the package lying on the chariot. Yes, perfect. Another tick in the checklist.

"Your orders, milady?" He asked.

I smiled. "Gather everyone. I have something to say before we depart."

He went, leaving me with Penny and the other horse. I could sense Penny was anxious. I was too. I patted her neck, caressed her head. Penny wanted to come with me. Maybe I should. I couldn't ride her with a saddle though. The cheongsam had a slit for the leg that showed almost the entire thigh if I lifted my leg enough, but it still wasn't enough to ride a horse. Maybe sideways.

"You want to come, girl? Will you help me?"

Penny snorted. I could feel her determination in coming. While I had a moment with my horse, the people gathered.

"Everyone is here, Sandra," Arwia reported.

I turned around. These were my people. People that chose me and stood together, waiting for my return. They could've disbanded, they could've even looted the house and gone on their way. They didn't.

"I am thankful that you decided to stay on my side and wait for me. This loyalty must be rewarded. When I took you from the caravanserai, from Hama-Tula or Abil-Kisu's houses, I told you you were no slaves. Some of you are at risk of being harmed by those outside, so I didn't change your official status, but I have no slave. The children here, are my wards. Once they come of age, they are free to follow their own path. I expect no gratitude but I hope we remain friends.

"For those that work in this house, wages are expected. I am ashamed to admit I am four months late. Because of greater force, of course. It is hard to send money from the underworld."

They laughed at my bad joke.

"Here are your wages, plus a bonus to compensate for tardiness."

I summoned the bag holding the coin holders and gave them to their recipients. They saw the yellow metal and cheered.

"Please don't spend it all in frivolities. Try to plan and save money for an emergency."

The women from the caravanserai, Kali-Maru and Sere-Naha, were holding each other, crying.

Nanna came to my side. She was holding a wooden box. "The best way to kill a fool. Make him rich. Here. This is for you. Use it as a bargain item with the Enshi."

She handed me the box. I kept looking at her, waiting to see if the witch would tell me what was inside. She didn't.

The witch snorted, "You can open it. It is a gift, not a trap or anything harmful."

The box was polished and varnished. It didn't have any engraving, just a leather hinge. I raised the lid and a soft baby-blue, almost white, light poured out. I opened even more and saw six orbs, shining.

"This is amazing. What is this?" I asked her.

"Enchanted water goblin eye. It draws ambient magic to produce light. They shine brighter when next to people with lots of magic. Since you were nearby when I enchanted them, these are fully charged and will last for at least a year."

I grinned. "This is amazing, Nanna! Can you make more? How many eyes do you have to use?"

"I was able to extract eighty-two useable eyes. The teeth also. I can only enchant six per day though. These orbs are very valuable, girl. Water goblins are rarely seen on the surface."

I bit my lower lip and did some math. "How valuable are we talking about?"

"These six you have there, they should be worth more than one gold mina each. If someone such as Abil-Kisu took them to the capital, he could get four times as much."

Light is too important. Almost all Humans are helpless without light. A good source of light in this moonless world? Priceless.

"Arwia, get me a fancy bag that can hold two of these balls. There's no use in giving him all six. Gifts should be given sparingly and frequently, so one stays always in the receiver's mind. A large gift will generate unbalanced expectations."

She snorted and raised an eyebrow at me, "Said the girl that just gave out more than twenty gold shekels."

"You're wrong, Nanna!" I raised my voice a bit more than I intended. "Those were not gifts, those were wages. The men expected to be paid. I gave them a bonus for enduring times of hardship, that much is right. But in no way it was a gift."

She scoffed. "Suit yourself. You and those weird values from another world."

Arwia returned with a leather bag. "Here, put them in here."

I placed two orbs in the bag. Some light seeped out through the seam gaps. I checked the box, afraid the other balls would roll around. There were depressions carved on the wood to hold the light balls in place. I wondered since when Nanna had that box but I wouldn't ask. It looked old.

"You know that unless you make a show of force," Nanna warned, "he won't even pause to listen."

I nodded. "I am well aware that for him I'm just merchandise or some sort of tasty morsel. Heck, for most people around here too. I have my plans. I have contingencies. If he commits to catching me, he's doomed."

"I'll fight to protect you," Huzi-Ya hit his chest.

"Maybe you should take more guards with you!" Zinwa-Seli, the veteran caravan guard with good night vision suggested.

"You are mistaken. I'm only taking Huzzi-Ya because Penny doesn't want to pull the chariot. If I take an army with me, there will be bloodshed. If I go alone, I can try to make sure nobody is killed. And it reminds me of one thing."

I found him among the guards and spoke my mind with a soft, kind voice.

"Tiwatura, you have your heart in the right place. Fight to protect. That is exactly what I want. But I am not the one that needs protection. You tried to shield me and you made me lose my footing. If the envoy went for Arwia, she could be dead now. I say this to all of you. You are here to protect Arwia, Belle, Rimush, Mot, Belili, Kiya, Gula, Tullius, every other child and worker of this house. And Nanna too. If she needs protection."

"I do!" The witch protested.

"She does. Protect Nanna." Some guards laugh. I clap my hands. "I am strong. Resilient. I can heal from almost any wound. I can fight. I can defend myself. You do not protect me. You protect the things that are important to me. And that includes yourselves. You protect each other. This ground where we live."

The guards shouted a war cry that felt more like some monsters' mating call. Maybe it was but I wasn't too keen on asking.