“You’re telling me we have almost twenty thousand people?” Ares asked, aghast by such a large number. He had expected five thousand fewer, and yet, here they were.

“There were a great many children,” Heria said, shrugging her shoulders.

Ares looked between Heria and Lana, then finally rested his eyes on Rori.

“That is quite a number,” Rori said, his face stone cold.

“That is,” Ares said as he rubbed his face.

“A thousand wolffolk warriors, a thousand more that are not warriors. A thousand hyenafolk, all ready to fold into the army.” Heria winced at the thought though.

“They are Riveans, as you and I,” Ares said.

Heria nodded. “They have done well so far…” she supposed.

“We have a great many people now,” Ares said as he rubbed his chin. “The question becomes where we go from here. We need to restructure the army to include some of the new warriors, a third or so should be fine. Then we’ll need to introduce each of the peoples to one another as they become Rivean.”

“You spoke of horses,” Rori said. “Did you wish to bring such a topic up.”

Ares nodded. “Right…” It had been quite some time since he had brought them up, but he may as well mentioned that now too. “I would like to offer the centaur people the chance to be free within the borders of Rivea, allowing them free reign to travel and eat within Rivea’s borders, all the while breeding us horses and such.”

“They will be Riveans?”

“Well, they would be considered so, if they join.”

“If they do not?”

“Well, even so, if they provide us with the amount of horses I would like, then I will still offer them freedom to move within our borders. They would be allowed to run and graze wherever they so please, and I’d like to hire some of them as messengers and such, if they would be willing to do so.” Ares thought of a long network that would allow messages to be sent from the far east all the way to Rivea within no time at all.

“I see no reason as to why we cannot allow such a thing, as long as the long remains for Rivea to be of use,” Rori said.

“It will be ours, though they will be allowed to move in the wildlands of Rivea freely, within the cities they would need to abide by a great number of our rules, like any other. No one will bother the centaurs unless it is by the authority of the Consul or the Crown, but they will be unbothered by Riveans otherwise. Of course if they are attacked, we will lend some assistance as well, for their horses are worth it.”

“How many horses do you wish for?” Heria asked, a wide grin growing on her face.

“A few hundred thousand.”

Heria squealed with such joy as tears fell from her eyes. “Outrageous! That is more than I expected from you, Ares-kin, and that should be expected!”

Ares smiled. “Well, what do you think?”

“It is fine,” Rori said with a nod of his head.

“Horses shall be the key to Rivea’s success on this land,” Ares said, looking to Heria. “Wolves and such too.”

“I will invite many to the army of Rivea, and then we will continue our way to the south to bring the remaining rhinofolk and boarfo-”

“South?” Lana enquired. Ares remained silent as she looked at him, her eyes flashing with a glare. “You do mean east, don’t you?”

“South for the rhinof-”

“East,” she said again, “to heal your wounds.”

Ares dropped the matter at that, and so he agreed with her. “East,” he said, “to heal my wounds.” Lana rubbed along the side of his arm and he sighed.

“How many do you wish to take?” Rori asked.

“A hundred of those that have just joined, and upon our return, they shall be granted full Rivea citizenship, along with their immediate family. About eighty soldiers from our army, ten Reptai, and ten White Cloaks.”

“The soldiers will be infantry?” Rori asked, trying to figure out the specifics.

“Yes,” Ares said.

“Take with you fifty hyenafolk on hyenaback as well,” the Consul said.

Ares bowed his head. If the Consul wished for it, he would agree, for that was the respect he held for the man.

“We’ll sort out the army first,” Ares said. “Though… I do worry a little. Rivea will be outnumbered three to one once I leave, and they may receive ideas.”

“If it comes to it,” Rori said, “then we will fight. Every Rivean is worth ten others, it was as you said.”

Ares smiled. Stupidly, it had eased his worries a little. Ares recalled the fight from yesterday where Rori so easily dispatched two of the, presumably, strongest fighters in the group of warriors that had come to join.

“When do you wish to leave?” Lana asked.

“Probably a week or so. It’ll allow everyone to get into the routine of things, and Orndu should have healed up well. I will take with me Orazuta as well, Zika, and then…” Ares looked to Heria. “I’ll leave you in charge of the wolffolk squad, and Rori and Torak will share duties of the remaining army. Rori and Torak will also share leadership over the Reptai, I will let them know.”

“Half of the Reptai have left,” Rori said.

Ares raised his brows in surprise, but Rori’s stone cold look didn’t seem to be bothered.

“Why?”

“It is mating season for them it seems. Half have left to deal with that matter and they will return soon with children.”

“Make sure we can feed them,” Ares said. “That is part of the deal, that the Reptai will be fed and given great honour. They have given us the best deal imaginable, we shall not break it.”

“I will deal with integrating the new people within the Kingdom,” Rori said. “Rest up and heal so you are at your best for the journey East.”

“I don’t know how I feel about leaving Ares with so few soldiers when he is heading East,” Lana said. “It would be best that they leave with the wolffolk riders, and he could ride in a wagon pulled by a pair of the horses. It would be quicker and safer.”

“What of the White Cloaks?” Rori asked. “We cannot allow the King to leave without them.”

Lana frowned. “Orndu could ride on a horse, and so could Orazuta.”

“That is only one White Cloak.”

“No,” Lana said. “The only Yellow Cloak.”

“There are a handful of wolffolk White Cloaks…” Heria chimed in. “They could ride on wolfback as well.”

“Then fifty hyenafolk on hyenaback, fifty wolffolk on wolfback, and then the ten White Cloaks.” Lana said. “Well, nine White Cloaks and a Yellow Cloak.”

“There’s too many numbers.” Ares said with a frown. “Though I’ll accept it if it makes you happy.”

“It won’t make me happy, but I won’t worry so much.” Lana slapped his arm. “I won’t be happy as long as you are hurt, my King.”

Ares rubbed his face and then nodded. “Yes, yes… I’m sorry.” Ares wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close.

“Are there any projects you wish for us to continue as you are gone?” Rori asked.

Ares shrugged his shoulders. “Go about doing what you can. Though please ask the carpenters to shift focus on creating temporary dwelling for the new people. We will keep half the newcomers, the Silvers, near the fort, and the other half within Rivea proper. I would like the soldiers to increase their presence around the area, but also make sure there are more festivities and such that they can partake in.” Ares had so much more he needed to say, but he looked to Rori.

“The rest I’ll leave up to you,” he said finally.

Rori nodded.

With that the meeting was finished and Ares fell onto the blankets. He looked beside towards Lana and then reached out to rub her side gently.

“Everything is such a bother,” he said.

“Only because you’re the biggest bother.”

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said as he stood up with some effort and then went about walking around Rivea. He wondered how long it would take for him to reach the eastern city of the humans, though he would need to head south from there. They would no doubt need to take an extra hundred or so wolves with them in order to carry their various packages, as well as food for all them too.

He continued to look over Rivea and then looked to Lana. He wondered how much Rivea would change whilst he was gone, and how much she would change. His hand fell along her stomach, feeling the bump. She slapped his hand away.

“Not with all to see,” she said, turning red.

Ares turned red too. “Sorry.”