If Daegal had thought that the castle and surrounding city had been in a chaotic flurry of preparation before, he was struck into a state overwhelmed inaction. Nobody walked anywhere anymore. Even the nobles, who were always so preoccupied with how they appeared to those around them, moved at a speed that, while it could still be considered walking, was nearing a running pace. So much was going on as people spoke and argued about what was truly necessary that Daegal felt useless just standing around as he was. Even so, he didn’t have the faintest idea of where to start or what he could do to help.

  It felt like Daegal was going crazy thinking about the approaching army and Envy. Desperately, he turned to the one person who might be able to give him a job that would help all their efforts.

  “E-Excuse me, sir,” Daegal nervously tried to get the king’s attention away from the small group that the man was in conversation with. Thankfully, Reynard paused and gave Daegal his attention.

  “One moment gentlemen. Daegal, what is the matter?”

  “I would... I want to do something to help. Could I have a job?”

  “A job?” Reynard questioned as Daegal nodded in affirmation. The king thought about it for a moment. “Hmm, I’m not sure what you could honestly help with at this point. Most of what needs to be done is logistical, but...” Reynard rubbed his chin in thought. “I see that you are feeling restless right now. I have never before, and most likely never will after this, ask a personal guest of mine to do such things, but perhaps a physical task would help you steady your mind? As much as it strains the manner and cordiality that was drilled into me, the soldiers will be digging trenches along the walls outside the city. If you would like, that is a task that will always be open to more hands.”

  It sounded simple, and active enough, for him to accept. “I can do that.”

  “Very well, then find Leoric. He should be able to direct you where your efforts would be most needed. Now please excuse me, there is more work to be done.” Reynard returned to his conversation with the other nobles.

  Daegal was eager to get to work as he surveyed the room in search of Leoric. The man was not here anymore as he already moved on with his duties, but Daegal could still follow his scent out of the room and moved to catch up with him. He eventually caught up to Leoric outside in the courtyard and stopped him for a moment. After a brief explanation of what had been planned, Leoric accepted his help and led the way down and through the city.

  When the two of them exited through the main gate, Daegal was able to witness another interesting sight. There were at least a hundred men with shovels, pickaxes and wheelbarrows all working in tandem to dig deep trenches and stack the dirt up on the other side of the newly formed, and growing, pit. It was impressive to Daegal how much work they were getting done as they moved together to complete this task. He couldn’t help but think that if perhaps all humans were able work like this then Envy and his army wouldn’t be any threat at all. While that would have been preferable, the disfunction of humans was part of their nature, so he could only accept what reality offered as he focused on getting the job done.

  While the tools that humans used for digging were rather awkward in Daegal’s hands, he could still contribute by removing the larger obstacles that the men ran into. Large rocks and boulders needed to be cleared out of the path, and Daegal could lift most of them with just a bit of effort. When there weren’t any rocks in the way, Daegal took to helping dump the wheelbarrows by picking a filled one up and simply depositing the contents above the trench line, which saved them the time it would take to push the wheelbarrow to the nearest exit slope. Most of the soldiers were a little nervous around him as they worked, but they could see that he was making their job significantly easier, so they were at least receptive to his efforts as a few even took to calling out to him when they needed a hand. It felt nice to be part of a working group when Daegal normally did things on his own.

  Their progress was smooth as they completed a fair portion of the trench by the time the sun was starting to dip lower in the sky. Small wooden stakes were even being set up now in the portions that had already been completed; another added measure to make it more difficult to approach the walls. While they were basically twigs to someone like Daegal, those weird creatures could still be injured or killed by them, and he had a feeling there would be a lot of them.

  Despite the labor not being so strenuous for Daegal’s strength, the repeated motions did wear down on his stamina after so many hours of work. When the shift change came about for those who would continue to work on the trench through the night, Daegal took it as a chance to rest himself and decided to return to the castle. He was covered in a thin layer of dirt and dust, giving him a light tan to his otherwise black scales. The desire to be clean took hold, so the first thing he did upon returning to the keep was seek out a means of washing himself.

  That was easier said than done as most of the facilities he found or asked about were sized for humans. The servants were at a bit of a loss as well because normally it would be their job to help with the cleaning of the guests, but Daegal was not a normal guest, and many of them had reservations about getting close enough to touch. Duty won out eventually as none of them wanted to risk their jobs, and they found a way to get him clean.

  It was more labor intensive as they had to bring buckets of water to his location and dump them over his body in waves. That got most of the dirt off Daegal, but they took to scrubbing his body brushes that might have seen more use for an animal like a horse than it would have for a person, but the thick bristles did a good job at getting between his scales. It was a rather enjoyable experience for Daegal as well, and he made a few involuntary sounds of pleasure as they cleaned his back for him. That may have been a little embarrassing, especially when one of the maids stifled a laugh, but he really needed this relaxation.

  Now cleaned and at least somewhat relaxed, he went back to the guest rooms in search of Fiora but discovered that neither she, nor her dad, were there. It was already getting late, so he did feel a slight amount of concern even though she should not have left the confines of the castle today. Unless she was spending time with Leoric, there was only one other place that she would be, and that was in the apothecary.

  His guess turned out to be correct, but the condition that he found the room in was surprising. Mathew, Emil and Fiora were buried nearly neck deep in crates that were filled with various substances and herbs. The three adults were endlessly grinding away at all these supplies, mashing them up and storing them in various vials that were in turn sorted into crates all their own. Osric was doing his best to be helpful in his own limited way, grabbing whatever they needed and bringing it to whoever asked.

  “What’s going on in here?” Daegal asked.

  His words finally drew the attention of the room as everyone looked up from what they were working on for a moment. Emil explained the situation to him.

  “Ahh, good evening Daegal. To answer your question, we are doing our part to assist in the coming battle by preparing medicine to treat the wounded. We will certainly need it if what the soldiers have been talking about recently is true. I can scarcely even imagine what it is we are up against.”

  Daegal could, but even then, he found it difficult to put into words. “There are dangerous things coming our way, yet, but I will protect you, no matter what might happen.”

  “That is very admirable of you, Daegal. We are lucky to ha-”

  “No,” Fiora interrupted, “it’s concerning, not admirable.” She narrowed her gaze at Daegal accusingly. “I don’t like the way you phrased that, Daegal. You’re talking like you are preparing to give your life to protect us.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I... I’m just trying to say that I don’t know what’s going to happen out there when the time comes. There’s an army of creatures strong enough to hurt even me, and then there’s another of my kind leading them. I’m just recognizing that it is dangerous, even for me.”

  “Well, I don’t want to hear that! I want you to say that you will come back alive after this is through; I want you to promise that you won’t throw yourself into needless danger just because you think it’s what you must do. Please, Daegal, I want you to live to see the peaceful life you deserve.”

  That was a wonderful idea, but he couldn’t help but question if that was even possible beyond a few days of quiet at a time.

  “I will always do my best to stay alive, Fiora. I’m not just going to give up on my life, but I can’t predict everything that will happen. While I can’t promise to come back alive, I can promise that I will fight as hard as I can to live.”

  She sighed but did relent. “I guess that’s the most realistic thing that can be asked of you. It probably just hasn’t set in for me yet, but this is basically war, and there is no guarantee that any of us will be alive at the end of the week.”

  The conversation was interrupted by an annoyed groan from Mathew. “As entertaining as it is to listen to you all harp on and on about doom and death, we still have a lot of work that needs to be done in very short order, so if you’re going to talk and not help, then get out.”

  “Sorry, Sir,” Fiora mumbled the apology.

  “As you can see,” Emil chimed in, “we are currently working very hard right now, so I’m afraid we can’t hold a conversation at the moment.”

  “I understand, but it is getting late, so please don’t overwork yourselves. I don’t want any of you to get hurt by accident or by exhaustion.”

  “We will be sure to get a sufficient amount of sleep, Daegal. Don’t worry, our jobs are far less dangerous than a great many others who will be putting their lives on the line, especially you. You are going to be clashing head-on with the enemy forces, so frankly, I would personally be more focused on my own safety if I was in your position.”

  Daegal huffed with a little amusement. “Perhaps, yeah, but I always find it easier to worry about others than myself. There were very few things that I couldn’t do on my own, but I’ve never had to worry about a physical threat ever since I reached my fully grown size. These feelings are all rather new to me.”

  “I imagine so. It is a sobering thing to find out just how vulnerable one truly is.”

  “Ahem,” Mathew cleared his throat loudly to remind everyone that they were still working to which Emil dipped his head in an apology.

  “Yes, forgive me Daegal, but we must speak another time. If you are retiring for the night, then have a pleasant rest.”

  “Thank you, I think I’ll do just that. See you in the morning, then.”

  With the visit concluded Daegal left them to the mountain of work they were facing, silently hoping that they would take his advice and not stay up into the dead of night grinding herbs into paste.

  The next morning, Daegal awoke and sprang into action quickly. It felt like there was no time to waste, and after checking and confirming that the father-daughter duo was still asleep, he left to see how the progress of the trench was coming along. Those who worked through the night got a fair amount done, and it looked to be approximately half-way around the city at this point. Now was the time to get back to work as he jumped into the pit once more and began helping wherever he could. He kept at it for a few hours before his work was interrupted when a soldier from the castle appeared above the trench.

  “Sir Daegal.” Hearing his name drew his attention away from the work as he had the rare situation of looking up at someone, if only slightly. “His Majesty would like to meet with you. He says he has a gift he wishes to bestow upon you.”

  A gift?

  That was odd. Daegal did not remember any conversation surrounding the idea of a gift with the king. Whatever this was, it had not been discussed with him, so it was all Reynard’s idea. Still, it did intrigue him as he thought about what might have been prepared.

  “Alright, I’ll clean up a little and then head back up to see him.” With confirmation given, the messenger’s job was done and the man returned to his normal duties.

  Daegal climbed out of the trench and found some water buckets to fill up. He washed his hands and any parts of his body that had gotten overly dirt as best as he could. After drying off, he returned to the castle to see what Reynard had in store for him.

  After making it back to the castle, Daegal found a servant and asked them to lead him to Reynard. They dutifully led him to Reynard, and they ended up in a part of the castle that Daegal had not been in before. It looked like an armory judging by the racks full of spears, swords, and maces. A few tables were around the far wall, each one holding a loose collection of helmets and other bits of armor that looked like they were undergoing maintenance for small dents or other bits of damage. Among this collection of arms and armor, Reynard stood with a sword in hand, casually observing it to pass the time. Once the man noticed Daegal enter, he set the sword aside to begin the conversation.

  “Good evening, Daegal, I'm glad that you were able to join me here.”

  “I heard you wanted to speak with me; something about a gift?”

  “Indeed. I figured that you might be able to make use of this considering what we are up against. Hold for just a moment.” Reynard walked back to the door and opened it, giving a quick order to the servant waiting outside. “Please fetch Master Hughs and his apprentice and tell them we are ready to begin.”

  Both of them waited for a few minutes after that for the two others who Reynard called for to join them. A pair of men that Daegal recognized from a few weeks ago entered the room. They were a part of that group that smelled like fire and metal who measured him all over, and now they were back with two large bags that seemed to be bulging with odd-shaped objects inside. The pair bowed to the king after they entered completely.

  “My lord, as you requested. It took a lot of work and was quite the interesting challenge, but we managed to get enough of it done to cover a majority of Sir Daegal’s body.”

  “Cover me?” Daegal questioned out loud, which Reynard was quick to answer.

  “Yes. While I could explain what we are talking about, I think I would prefer to simply show you. Gentlemen, if you would.”

  The two of them moved to a mostly open table and then started to empty their bags. A collection of large metal pieces was steadily displayed for them. They were far too big to be anything for a human, so Daegal eventually put it all together.

  “Wait, is this armor... for me?”

  “Indeed. I figured that we could use every advantage we can seize, and you are our biggest advantage, so investing in you was a given. Let’s try it on; make sure everything fits.”

  Daegal was curious about this armor, so he was more than eager to see how it felt while wearing it. There were many straps and binding that were attached to the pieces of metal, and Daegal honestly had no idea where to begin with it. Thankfully, he didn’t need to do much more than stand there while the two smiths who made the armor helped him get into it all.

  It certainly was a process as they tightened the straps and made a plethora of small adjustments as they went. Bit by bit, Daegal found his body slowly encased in a suit of steel that replaced his normally dark visage with that of the shimmering metal that caught and reflected the light. Each piece fit the natural curvature of his body almost like a second skin. The layered pieces shifted smoothly over each other where they connected; the edges of each one embossed to add a little definition and flow. His legs, chest, and most of his arms were completed encased now; the only parts of him still visible were around his hips and the joints of his arms. It didn’t feel bad at all, and he still had a free range of movements.

  The last piece to come out of the bag was the helmet, and it looked like a complicated piece of work to not only fit onto his face, but around his horns as well. To an outside observer, it may have had more in common with a piece of bizarre art until it was used for its proper purpose. Daegal slid it over his head, the metal covering his scalp as it ran down the top of his snout. He was still able to bite as his bottom jaw was mostly uncovered; the metal stopping right where his jawbone connected with the rest of his skull. The holes for his eyes were a little strange as they were covered in a thin lattice that did block some of his vision but was intended to protect his eyes.

  Reynard observed Daegal as he was fully suited up. “I say, you do strike a rather inspiring, or intimidating, stature like that. This should work just fine.”

  “It is very well made. I can hardly tell it’s on me other than a bit of weight.”

  “Yes, it should serve nicely when we reveal your origins.”

  That struck Daegal. “Wait, what? You mean... telling everyone?”

  “Now would be the most opportune time considering what is coming for us. People will make the connection between you and this Envy person if they do indeed look like you. Rather than have the uncontrolled chaos of that emergent situation, we can control how people see you and turn you into an inspiring figure, a story of redemption.”

  When Daegal thought about it, the king did have a point. Greed had looked a lot like him, so there was no reason to assume that Envy wouldn’t be similar as well. Having people distrust him on the cusp of a major conflict would be less than ideal. He’d have to come clean and hope that he had done enough to convince the masses of his intentions. Everything was coming to a rapidly approaching climax, and the weight of it all was beginning to settle on his shoulders. He would need to step up and cast aside his reservations. There was no room for them anymore.