“Rivee asked me to come and help you and I said yes, for they are a friend of mine. I came and I helped Ash, Rala and their family. They were being harassed by humans. Then what did they do? They abandoned me. Yet did I go and hunt them down? No. I helped them once more and was brought into their village, I was looked after and clothed. Voshk had taken good care of me. I warned him of the humans, and he passed. Yet what did he ask of me as he passed? He asked me to conquer the Dragon’s Spine. I promised him I would. He asked for my aid, and I gave it to him.” He waited as he heard murmuring and Voshk’s name.

“Rori was to be chieftain and yet he gave it up to me. I fought for the right to be chieftain as was their tradition. Yet I did not force anyone to stay, I allowed them to leave. I ask anyone to stop me if I have spoken a lie yet, and if I speak a lie as I continue, stop me. Yet let us see how long I speak. I became the chief, and then what did I do? I made my way to the oxfolk and was offered hospitality. Then what did I offer them, but a chance to be a member of my family. I faced a gauntlet of powerful warriors, some of the most powerful of each tribe, or those that believed they were. Yet before such a thing, one of their Horns, their leader, was hurt. They needed a particular medicine and on the way to it there was a black viper, nay, there were two. Yet tell me, who was the first into the fray? Salea, do you recall such a thing?”

Salea bowed her head. “It was you.”

“It was me. Did I not face the pair of beasts with you, with Korra, with Roshe, among many others?”

She bowed her head. “Yes, you did.”

“Then what happened? The Horn was healed, not completely so, and yet he still came to face me. He was the first of the gauntlet, isn’t that right, Torak?”

Torak called back. “It’s true.”

“Before I faced all the Horns, before I even faced Torak, is it not true that I saved a great many children from death? Those born with the sickness? I adopted three as my own blood, and yet their names, can I ask which of them I named? None of them. None of them. Runar was named by her birth mother, and Ozar and Ozri, heroes of your kind. I named them not, Rori did. I named none of my children of my own heroes, of my own people. Yet I will forever love them the same.” He motioned to Runar.

“Then I faced the gauntlet, I faced the beautiful Lana here, she too was a Horn. Then I faced a terrifying creature, the most terrifying creature I had ever met, Sohka. I had taken quite a beating from him, and yet I won. Seven warriors I defeated, even once facing three at a time. By then I had earned a prize, what was my prize? Did I command them to kneel for me? No. I asked for them to listen, as each of you are. I asked them, if they wished to conquer the Dragon’s Spine with me, and to be a member of my family. I forced no one to join me, and I offered them every chance to leave. Even those that had joined me and followed me, three of them tried to assassinate me in the night. Yet I did not kill them, did I, Nine? Ten?” He turned to face them.

“No. One, a cowardly lot, left. Yet these two came with me to conquer Dragon’s Spine, with the aid of a few others, one of them being Inta. He came with me to conquer the place, rumoured to house dragons and a god. I even took with me Emerli, who remained peaceful in her own little corner of the area. Yet I did not go to conquer it the first time, is that not true?” He asked.

“No. I went to go and save my daughter. My daughter, who was sick. What happened when we made our way? We faced a great many drakes, yet I ask who slew the most? It was me. We had no time to waste, you needn’t bother yourselves against them.”

“Then what happened when we came across a god? Who was it that took the first blow? Yes, it was me. I had been brushed aside so easily, one would have thought I was an insect. Then Orndu was killed, and Lana was injured. Yet before she could fall, who was it that kept the god busy? Who was it, that when all was going to hell, who was it that remained behind so everyone else could continue? Who was it that faced a god, and potentially six dragonfolk, Asyllia do you recall?”

“It was you, my King.”

“It was me! I was more than willing to die for you all, as I always will be, I went to face a god, I trapped them all with me, so that the rest could flee to Rivee. Who would have thought Rivee was the same friend, for I had known them by another name. What fortune. Then what happened? I was crowned King by the same Rivee. They blessed me so. Then we returned and all was well…” He waited.

“I asked for someone to stop me if I lied. I lied. Not all was well. Was it not that the place was raided? Was it not that I left with Peros, the most dangerous being, was it not I who left with them?? It was, it was I. Then what happened? I returned with them, did I not? Those that were captured.” Ares clenched his fists and then relaxed.

“Then I began to form the first of the Ten, the Ten that are still in training to be a part of the Kingsblut or something similar. I told them, if they wished for such a high honour, that they would work for it. I had them carry much on the way to here, three days. Yet was it just those ten? No. You recall seeing me drag about wagons, had you not Heria?”

“I had.”

“So tell me. Can even the Kingsblut say they have done more for me than I have for them?” Ares asked. “No? No. Rori, do you recall what I said? That a King must be the one who works the most, do you believe I have lived up to that promise?”

Rori bowed his head. “Yes, you have.”

“Yes, I have. Then when I tried to deal with the humans peacefully, who was it that had such faith in me to make a dangerous trek? Two wolffolk I did not know the name of, and another, by the name of Inta, the same Inta that had come with me to such a treacherous area not long ago. I told him that I would be at peace if he were to do this, for I trusted him as he trusted me.” Ares rubbed his eyes with the knuckles of his thumbs.

“I mourned him, did I not? And though may not know of your names, know this. If you pass, I shall mourn for you all the same.” Ares glanced around. “So tell me. Which of you can say you have done more for me than I have for you? Tell me, which of you would do more for this family than I?” Ares asked. “Tell me…” He looked around. “No one?” Ares then looked to Ansa.

“I promised the oxfolk that, if they so wished, they could challenge me for my crown. I told them that I would respect any challenge, but that I would show no mercy. So I will say this. Right now, I offer anyone here for this crown of mine gifted to me by Rivee. It shall be a fight to a death, for that is the level of my conviction. If you have such a conviction, then come, come and die by my hands, because I won’t let any of you have it. I have this crown to protect you all, to look after you. I will do whatever I must, even if I must become a monster. I would do anything for my Runar, for my Ozar and Ozri, I would do anything. Even if it goes against my ideals, I would slaughter thousands for them, and no doubt I will do the same for any Rivean. We as Riveans will share a great many things. We share our honour, we share our family, we share our resources, and we will share many more things.” Ares waited.

“Yes. I did take the leathers, the furs. Do you think I took them to deny you of such items? I took them, so that when your children are born, they will have furs. I ask of you now, do you believe I am speaking a mistruth? Do you believe a King, who has given half of his power to another, and has given each and every one of you a voice, do you believe I would take such things for myself? Or do you think I take it to keep them safe. So that if needed, whether it is to create trade with another people, to foster friendly relationships with another, to make sure that every Rivean born has something. Tell me, do you believe such things?” He looked around to the speechless people around him.

“Your representatives give me their thoughts. Though sometimes I rush them, sometimes I ask them to delay such things, can you blame me? There is much work to do. You sleep in tents, we are relatively unprotected in a dangerous land, and there are humans but steps away from our border, ready to slay every single one of us. Man, woman, child. Yet I ask for some time so that we can be prepared, so that our soldiers have some weapons and armour, so that they may slay our enemies and come home to eat with us, is that so wrong? Tell me.” Ares ground his teeth. “Is it so wrong that I want Orndu to come back to eat with us? The grandson of a man who died to protect my daughter? Is that so wrong?” Ares asked.

“So tell me. Tell me! Which of you has grumbles of what I have done. Which of you believes that I haven’t done enough for you, that I haven’t yet spilt enough blood for your liking. Tell me, which of you will pretend to believe that they can surpass my love for you.” Ares threw his hands out.

“So tell me. Which of you is ready to pry this crown from my cold, dead fingers? Go ahead. I will take on as many of you, hell, I’ll take you all on. Go ahead, try it.” He then looked at Ansa. “Though I won’t give it willingly.” Ares rolled his shoulders and cracked them, cracking his knuckles too.

All remained silent for some time, save for the somber tones of the flames. Ares looked around to his tribe.

“The saying of our people is simple. I bleed for those who bleed for me. Remember that, for it is the basis of everything we do. Don’t forget. Before you have the chance to call me a thief, before you have the chance to call me a coward, there is one other word you will call me. Dead.”

Ares panted out from all of his words. “I will say one more thing. Many of you seem to believe that I am the most powerful man here, but I shall say this. If I were to ask Rori to kill one of you, he wouldn’t. Yet if Rori asked me to slay one of you, I would. I may swing the blade, but he will have given the order. So remember that before you think you can dare to disrespect him.”

Ares then glanced around. “Where are the two that have assigned to make the medals?” He asked. There was a little silence before he heard a voice.

“Here, my King.”

“Ares-kin. Kin, meaning family. Meaning I am here to help you, not to have you slave yourselves for me.” Ares said before he then raised a hand towards the woman. “Do you have a medal?”

“Yes, Ares-kin, it is still incomplete.”

Ares motioned with a hand regardless and she walked over to hand him over a small circle that had an empty line that spun around towards the centre, like a tornado. “This is a medal. It is a medal for those that have done a great service, not just to me, but to Rivea as a whole. Those that have done something beyond the call of duty, or have stuck to their duty without complaint, and have sacrificed themselves for the cause. I ask of you, who do you think deserves the very first medal? Inta? A good, worthy choice, but there is one other. You may have met them, one of the first that joined me with Rori. His name was Jorgan.”

Ares tried not to break up his voice. “I asked him, when we went to Dragon’s Spine, I asked him to look after Runar, to protect her. It was the most important thing, beyond that of my own life, I asked him to protect her.” Ares looked up as he fought back the tears. “The last I saw of him, I asked him. Why did he go if it meant he could not return back to us. He said that he had one job, and that was to protect Runar. He could not leave her side, not even to Rivee. Now I will ask of you, how many of you would have done the same? How many of you would have faced a god, not for me, but for a dying child? A child that may have died whether or not you would have remained by their side?” He looked out to the people. “So I say, the first medal will go to Jorgan’s family.”

He handed it back to the woman and then nodded, allowing her to return back to her seat. “Those that have been gifted a medal, if any disrespects them, they disrespect the Consul. Really, I don’t care if you disrespect me, because I know what I am. Even if you do not believe any of my words, you will see.” Ares then looked out to the representatives. “Is there anything you need?”

None dared to speak. Ares then looked out to the people. “Is there anything you need of me? Do you still wish to face me?” He asked as he stared into Ansa’s eyes.

“No.” They replied.

“Good, because talking so much has taken quite a bit out of me. Enjoy yourselves.” He said as he waved and then he went over to Lana. “I will take her to bed.”

Lana stood up. “Let us go.” She said. Ares didn’t protest, instead returning back with Lana, Runar, and Torak close behind them.

“Ares, the meat.” Torak had called out.

Ares glanced back at Salea who had just finished parting out the meat. He raised a hand and then shifted the meat away. “Thank you.”