53rd of Season of Fire, 59th year of the 32nd cycle

I need to stop leaving my weapons behind, Newt thought as he approached the overcrowded castle. A scant few stragglers pulled on wagons much too heavy for them, but they were safe. Newt had killed all the invading saurians - with his bare hands. Which wasn't much of a hassle at first, and he even handled a couple of spiketails, but he had to leave the trihorns alone and outrun them, which wasn't that difficult.

They were herbivores anyway and wouldn't attack humans unless they got too close. At least that was what Newt hoped.

"Patriarch." The guards saluted. "Lord Stronggrow said you should see him as soon as you return."

Newt grimaced. He was in for another earful.

Helplessly, he entered the castle proper and faced the crowd. The path was clear, but the comfortable private family residences reserved for clansmen had taken on their utility purpose, housing cramped dozens.

Newt guessed there should be at least three thousand refugees in the castle, not including the clansmen who should've moved over into the central keep.

Newt frowned at the blankets strewn about private courtyards before the realization struck him. They must be sleeping outside. Can't say I blame them. The weather is hot, and being cramped with a bunch of people can't be pleasant. A sudden downpour could be a problem, but rain is unusual this time of year.

Newt wrinkled his nose, but ignored the odor of unwashed humanity, and headed for the keep, since his teacher had almost certainly donated his home along with the rest of the clan.

Before heading to the keep, Newt visited the food store. Six first realm awakened stood on guard, Plowson proudly leading them. While Stronggrow had claimed the man was healed, his scars remained, making him look quite fearsome.

Newt left before they spotted him, the locked cold cave behind them, safe for the time being. As for what awaited them once the food ran short, the clan would deal with such problems as they came.

"Newstar," Stronggrow said the moment his former pupil entered the audience chamber, "you are a grown man. Furthermore, you are this clan's patriarch. You can't just jump and run away from all the administrative troubles."

I can, I will, and I'll do it again. But Newt didn't voice his rebellious thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Teacher. I rushed to warn as many people as I could. I hope my actions saved more lives than I would have by staying here and overseeing things when you're already around."

Stronggrow gave Newt a long, hard look. "I've known you since you were a baby, you know. Your father too."

"What's that supposed to mean, Teacher?"

"Nothing, nothing." Stronggrow cleared his throat. "Now, our food store is full, we have enough to keep two thousand people well fed for two moons, or to keep them from starving for half a year. I would start rationing food today, and since our rations are made to last, we should start feeding people by purchasing whatever food our guests from Harthrow are willing to sell. They pay taxes directly to us, so we can't take their food for free, since it's our duty to protect them."

Newt blinked. He knew his duty was to the people of the town, but he didn't know that they were collecting a tax.

"Since when do we tax people?"

"Since the town's founding. Why do you think Harthrow's the only town near the border for hundreds of miles around, while all other settlers live in roughly built villages?"

Newt had never considered the question, but it was odd that the only town was so close to their castle.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Because they have made an agreement with us?" Newt asked, and his teacher nodded.

"We take them in during the onslaught, feed them and keep them safe as if they were our own. Then after the saurians withdraw, we help them rebuild and ensure they have enough food to make it through the first winter."

Stronggrow stroked his beard. "It's a minor source of income for the clan, not really worth the bother and the paperwork, but having a friendly town at the base of the mountain makes it worthwhile in and of itself."

Newt nodded slowly. He didn't really get it, but he was a warrior and a scribe, not a merchant or whatever was needed for handling the clan's finances.

"And the other people?"

"We are under no legal obligation to shelter them, but we will show our hospitality in exchange for tribute, preferably food, so we can keep everyone fed. Don't frown. The food they brought is perishable, and they would keep eating it even after it spoils, then they would stay quiet about getting sick, then soon enough everyone would be sick because people skimped and didn't throw away what needed throwing away." "And we're going to throw away food?"

"No, not really. The clan might not be what it once was, but we still have enough people working as cooks and quartermasters that we can handle this. People of Harthrow can also be trusted to an extent. So we check which food will spoil quickly, and use it first. If there's excess we won't be able to use, it goes into feeding the trudgers or hoppers. The system has existed for centuries, and I have seen it work last time, when my father taught me how to handle things for the family. It would've been better if Brave were here. I'm a teacher, and he was the chamberlain, but he left more than a year ago."

Stronggrow gave Newt a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we'll manage. And you need to know these things. You're going to live a long time, and this is just your first onslaught."

Newt swallowed a lump. The responsibility scared him. He knew he would reach a high realm and live a long time, but the duties he wanted were the ones of a fighter and protector, not a bureaucrat and quartermaster.

"Are you training Brave's replacement?"

"I found a good lad to replace him. He wasn't exactly willing, but he took the job because there was nobody more capable to do it. We're short on mages, all of the newly awakened are knights, so there was really only one choice."

Newt frowned. The clan's only mage, other than the two of them, was—.

"They don't add up! Again!" Captain Marrow entered the audience chamber with a deranged look, waving a stack of papers. "They are either stealing or someone doesn't know how to bloody count! I'll have to go to the storehouse myself to check—Oh, hello, Newstar. You're back again?"

Newt took in the cool, honorable captain of his memory, and found little in common with the man standing before him. Marrow was still huge, with wide shoulders, built like a trihorn, but the grim calmness of a law enforcer was gone, replaced by the insanity of an overworked desk clerk.

Newt's gaze lingered on three sticks of charcoal stuck behind Marrow's blackened ear. The man touched his ear with a look of realization.

"Thank you for your effort, Captain Marrow." Newt offered a completely sincere half-bow, which the confused Marrow returned out of habit.

"Are you staying, or do you plan to hop over somewhere else and leave us to sort things out?" There was a sting to the words, even if Marrow had delivered the rebuke in a joking tone.

Newt didn't know what to say, so he replied earnestly, as if the question wasn't a jab. "I plan on staying until the end of the onslaught, but I will return to the order once it's over."

"You were shouting something Marrow?" Stronggrow steered the conversation away from potentially awkward topics.

"I have three reports with the food we have gathered, but the numbers don't add up."

"Then, perhaps, you should check for yourself." Stronggrow interrupted his younger cousin's grumbling.

"I thought we should do it together. That's why I came over. Maybe Newstar should help too." An evil light flashed in his eyes, but luckily, Stronggrow came to Newt's aid.

"Newstar and I have immediate matters to discuss. Had you been free, we would've appreciated your input too, since you headed our armed forces until recently."

Marrow clenched his teeth. "Don't remind me."

He stalked out of the room grumbling. "See you later. You owe me a huge favor, Newstar!"

Newt looked at his teacher, who chuckled.

"He's just throwing a tantrum, but at least he isn't shirking his obligations. Unlike some."

Newt ignored the pointed look.

"You said we have more to discuss?"

"Yes, during saurian onslaughts, monsters tend to accumulate in a region, fighting amongst themselves and growing stronger. For them, it's a unique chance to consume each other and increase their realms because there's so many of them in a limited space. That's a problem for us, one most painlessly resolved by slaying the saurians."

"But, the only ones who can deal with them are you, me, and Marrow." Newt grinned, knowing what that meant.

"Exactly," Stronggrow nodded, proud of his pupil's quick thinking. "That's why Marrow and I will lead our first realm knights. They need the training and confidence, while you need to learn a bit about administration."

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