Empire Builder 1: Breed, Populate, Conquer by Dante King (free e books to read online txt) 📕

“Is it you, master?” Sir Gallant the Elder asked. “Is it truly you, in this weak and malnourished form?”

Ben glanced down at himself. Weak? Malnourished? I’m not exactly a bodybuilder, but come on.

Sir Gallant the Younger slapped a hand to his helmet. He began to hop from one foot to the other and looked agitated. “Uh, sire, you, uh, you didn’t look too closely at the mural outside, did you?”

Ben turned on Sir Gallant the Younger. “I’m not sure what I looked like back when I ruled this world, but I can’t have been that hideous.” He took a step toward the midget statue.

Sir Gallant the Younger quailed and darted behind Sir Gallant the Elder up on the dais.

But the elder knight rounded on his diminutive companion. “What is the meaning of this? Did you alter the mural outside our chamber?”

“I may have made a few modifications,” the small knight spoke, a tinge of fear to his voice.

“He made me look hideous,” Ben informed the elder knight.

The larger knight had no face to make an expression with, but he put his hands up in despair. “Have patience with my younger companion, I beg of you, lord. He is a foolish and witless knight, and should not be held responsible. I trust he did no further harm to you on your arrival?”

Sir Gallant the Younger was softly but swiftly retreating behind the table at this point.

“Well, Sir Gallant,” Ben replied, “I’m not sure who is in charge of the defenses in this place, but we had a hell of a time fighting past all the monsters in these halls.”

“Why, you little miscreant!” Sir Gallant the Elder turned.

But Sir Gallant the Younger had just scampered to the top of the table and had concealed himself among the figurines.

I wasn’t sure how Sir Gallant the Elder could see without a face, but he stomped around the table looking for his companion. “To think you’d give our returning ruler such a rude reception. I’ll have you punished.”

As soon as he had passed, Sir Gallant the Younger bent over and flashed his stony ass at his elder companion, causing Melody to smirk.

Ben ignored the two bickering knights. He had a suspicion these two had been tormenting each other for quite some time. He approached the dais and Vinata. He laid his scimitar on the ground near the stone table.

“Were you in any danger, Vinata?” he asked. “I’m sorry it took so long for us to get to you, we didn’t know until this morning that you were gone.”

Vinata laughed. “I was lured in here by Sir Gallant the Younger, he’s responsible for attracting adventurers. If I’d come here a few hundred years ago, I’m sure you wouldn’t see me here now.”

Ben clenched a fist and looked over at the two knights, but Vinata waved a hand dismissively.

“These two knights haven’t seen any visitors for several centuries now. They didn’t want to ruin the chance at having company for the first time in ages, so they welcomed me into their reception chamber.”

Ben huffed. “Can’t say they did the same for us.”

The dryad woman laughed. “I’m sure they’ll make it up to you. I would have come out to greet you myself, but Sir Gallant the Elder invited me to play a game of Towers and Castles with him.”

She indicated the table covered in figurines with a hand. “It’s a game I used to play with my mother as a child, and I was having so much fun, I lost track of time. Really, I’m sorry I left without telling you; you must have been worried sick.”

“We were,” Ben said gravely.

Vinata looked penitent.

“You can’t imagine what you put your good friends through,” Ben added, wanting to be sure the lesson wasn’t forgotten. “Next time you’re going to vanish in the middle of the night, you have to let us know first.”

Vinata nodded. “Of course, I will. I’m dreadfully sorry.”

Ben put a hand on her arm. “I’m just glad you’re safe. We all are.” He indicated the women behind him.

Imogen and Lulu, having waited long enough, rushed up to embrace Vinata.

Ben turned aside. He had questions for the two knights, who apparently recognized him from his former life.

Sir Gallant the Elder straightened and stood to attention as he saw Ben approaching. Sir Gallant the Younger hopped off the table and self-importantly shuffled over to stand beside his larger companion, though he still limped on the side where Imogen had kicked him. Ben wasn’t sure if she had done any permanent damage, but right now, he didn’t feel kindly enough disposed toward the insolent statue to care.

“We are glad to witness your safe return, my lord,” Sir Gallant the Elder stiffly announced.

Ben waved a hand. “Call me Ben, I don’t have time for all those formalities right now. I need you to explain who you are and what’s going on here.”

Sir Gallant the Younger tittered. “The doddering old man has forgotten; we can tell him anything we like.”

The elder one stomped at the small statue, who evaded the metal boot with ease. “Silence, fool,” Sir Gallant the Elder said. “It would seem our lord has had a lapse of memory in his absence. That is no laughing matter, but a situation that must be rectified with haste.”

Ben put up a hand to silence them both. “Alright, to start with, I’m confused. This … Sir Gallant the Younger, introduced himself before we entered as my archenemy. I mean, that would make sense of the hostile greeting we got in the dungeon.”

Here Sir Gallant the Elder sighed with exasperation and inclined his head toward his younger companion, but refrained from carrying out further violence against him.

“But you have clearly treated my friend Vinata with hospitality,” Ben continued. He surprised himself with his formal choice of words, but it seemed likely to be the most effective way of communicating with these strange knights.

“Please explain to me who you are,” Ben finished. “And