Braun and Brain

Making your way back through the path you took, the company of soldiers behind you had closed distance.

"Oh, lad!" The company leader called, breaking formation to run up to you "We hadn't seen or heard anything for a while, so we got concerned." He eyes your slimy state "You look terrible, but I guess you found the problem"

"Ya, you could say that." You have an odd smile on your face from the understatement "Not sure why it had to be me though."

"They know our scent." The captain's response was quick but not mean spirited. "We can't get anywhere near them without being able to prepare and mount a defense. They may just be bugs, but they're surprisingly hard to get rid of. You may have done the hard work for us though."

"Ya?" You ask strangely "How's that, I only got one"

"This" He pats your armored forearm, still covered in ant innards "We use this stuff, we smell like them, not ourselves. We use that, we can get close enough to start laying down the firepower, and we can finally make a hole to move the line forward on."

"Knock yourselves out" You point down "Still plenty of its guts or whatever on the ground." You move cautiously with your words "I saw something else in those tunnels. I need to speak with Braun." You immediately see the soldiers turn to each other in hushed voices. Whatever misgivings you suspect they have, the captain is unconcerned "Understood. You've got your mission, and we've got ours. Would have loved to have you around more, but you did what you needed. Now it's our turn."

Speaking to his soldiers "Right! Our human friend here bathed in the blood of his enemy. We all hope to be so lucky before we fall in combat. We've got our one opportunity, and if we do this right, we can be the first step in reclaiming our home and hallowed treasure,"

"For Gold, For Glory, For the Great Hold of Hammerdeep!" The dwarves shout in enthusiasm, as they double time down the tunnel. You don't stick around and watch , but you assume they'll be wiping the remaining entrails on them and pressing further. If they think they're good to go, you have nothing else to do here. Finding an extra spring in your step, you follow suit yourself, heading back to the grand city. Having only been here a short time, you aren't immediately familiar with the layout, and simply retrace your steps back to where Queen Vercion was left. You find a surprising sight; something that had never been discussed. The Queen was placed in armor, likely of higher quality than even your own. It appeared to be an intricate and immaculate set of pressed iron scales held together, providing great protection as well as flexibility. She was also given a training sword, and was sparring with the great general Braun.

"Sir Mastbreaker!" Braun bellowed as he ended the training on seeing you "Look at you, standing tall and uninjured! Triumphant in battle no doubt?" The general was showing a penchant for not discussing the unpleasantries, having missed the obvious stains on your armor from defeating the foe he never explicitly spoke of.

"Quite. The Captain is leading his men off, confident in their success. Found something surprising while I was on my mission, even more surprising than finding my Queen ready for war"

"War is coming, Mastbreaker" Braun was quick and declarative. "May come tomorrow, may come in years, if you're lucky. It may not even be with the Intransicans. It's inevitable, and you may not always be available to protect your Queen. She must be able to lead in battle just as easily she does from the throne."

"It was my idea, Michael" Vercion speaks up, taking you back slightly "I'm tired of being weak and defenseless. I can't continue to be reliant on everyone else to do my fighting for me. If the Emperor wants my head, he'll have to come claim it himself"

"Exactly my dear!" Braun was enthused in her attitude "Now, back to your adventures. Tell me, what did you find?"

"A shrine dedicated to a dragon," While Vercion is confused and mostly just curious, you see even through Braun's beard that his expression changed immediately "A dragon that lived among the humans after being chased by dwarves. Founded the kingdom of Agito, and brought the humans and dwarves in alliance together, through his human child, who was made King."

"Forget everything you saw in there Mastbreaker. I'll make sure you and Vercion get all the help our King can be convinced to give, but do not speak of that."

"What? Why? It's the truth!" You rise adamantly "It not only helps prove that Vercion is a rightful heir to the throne, but shows that you lot are sworn to defend us, and us to you. You owe us!"

"I bloody well know that!" Braun shouted back. He shifted his arms to his neck to retrieve a necklace with a gold pendant on it, with the symbol of the golden dragon emblazoned on it "My family are one of the few that still remember our full history. I know Vercion was your Queen the moment I set eyes on her. I am ashamed that my ancestors cowered from the empire, and that our kind has become content in watching the world around us burn, by the orders of our King. That said, I will not have disorder be brought down on Hammerdeep. This gets out, and my kind are reminded of our ancient solemn oath, and that there are humans to whom we still owe that oath to, it will need to riots. Nothing short of civil war. Can you imagine what manner of terror it would like to see an entire people bred and trained to build, fight, defend, and kill would look like? It would never end."

"Name your price, and be gone." Braun states simply

Vercion, though greatly concerned of the outburst, was confused "Wait, can we back up for a second? You said the first King of Agito was the child of a dragon. Agito only had one noble line. You mean that my ancestors..."

"Someone fucked a dragon, yes." You nod along, bluntly "It's been said that some can change their shape to appear to be humans, or other races. Xargus was his name, and decided to live among humans to blend in and be protected from the constant pursuit of the dwarves. In their company, he appeared to have had a change of heart, becoming peaceful and protective, rather than the cruelty their kind is infamous for. Your golden eyes are almost certainly a sign of his blood in your veins."

"Wow" She replied, sitting down on a small chair "Just when you think the world starts to make sense."

"Now" You continue on, getting back to it "There will be no price to be paid. That's not how oaths work Braun. We are not mercenaries and peddlers. We're allies. Kin. We're all"

"We're all Dragon Blooded..." Braun repeated the phrase with you. "Right you are Mastbreaker. Fixing this isn't going to be easy or comfortable, but we've lived in the comfortable life of the status quo too long. There may yet be an answer that doesn't involve war."

"And what answer is that, General?" Queen Vercion asks

"Banishment"