No Ordinary Being

"I called this meeting to inform you all beforehand; I intend to go on a journey".

He broke the silence amid two elders, Vincent, and Anna who had taken the position behind him.

"Where...". Elder Burke hesitated.

If he called on them to tell them about his travel plans, then certainly he intends to fill them in on it. So there shouldn't be any harm in asking... Is there?

It hasn't been long since Mikeal was appointed their lord. It is all a bit awkward for the elders as they are trying to adjust the best they can.

"My journey is to Khetis county".

Their eyes wandered with movements and messaged passed across.

"Yes. I intend to have a meeting with Count Grayad regarding the villagers he took from us". He answered to their stares.

"My lord, the villagers Count Grayad took were a result of trading. In return for them, he gave us food to survive on. Asking for them in return is akin to saying we will return the food". Elder Burke explained.

"And we have no food to give. Isn't that right". Says Mikeal.

"Exactly so". Answered Elder Burke, ashamed of his choices.

"You think I haven't thought that far ahead?!".

Mikeal did not spend his six days in the village lazying around, waking, eating, training, and sleeping.

Along with the listed activities, he also did revisions on how to counter the village crisis. The presence of the taken youths is no doubt going to be needed for changes to be implemented.

There is only one able man power who won't easily break down. The rest are too old and worned out to be relied upon.

He also has Anna by his side, and with his druid magic, a lot certainly can be done. However, those are not reliable enough.

He can run out of mana due to magic overuse, and Anna and Vincent can tire out if they are overworked.

The conclusion is that there is far too little labour force to start any basic infrastructural project.

The resources they got in return for the trade have been expended to a low point. It is soon to finish and when it does, the village will end back right where they started.

When that happens, what are they to do next?! They no longer have any able adults to trade so will they trade the teenagers then?!

That sounds viable since teenagers are considered a greater asset compared to adults. They are young with many years ahead of them to grow into potential workers.

That is not an option Mikeal is willing to consider. Not only is it not resourceful, the result would only leave the village completely barren.

If they trade their young, the old are all that will remain of the village, and the old tend to die unannounced!!

'They must have also considered this outcome. That is why they chose to trade their adults and leave the young behind'.

"The young are the future! Is that how the saying goes?". Mikeal muttered to himself.

"You said something". Elder Burke inquired, hearing a whisper from Mikeal.

"Don't mind me. I was thinking about something else. Back to the matters at hand". He says, suspending his thoughts for later.

"I told you all of my journey plan so you can know to oversee the village without me". He looked at elder Burke, his eyes saying it was him he was referring to overseeing the village.

Frankly, Mikeal wouldn't call elder Burke's work on the village as something astonishing. Being their mouthpiece, he has done a very terrific job getting the village to ruins.

At least that would have been the case if Mikeal hadn't been posted here.

"I want Vincent and Anna to accompany me to the county. Can you do that". He turned to Vincent for a response.

Vincent has demonstrated his intention to Mikeal. There are issues between them and he questions if it will get in the way of his request.

"Escort mission is not a problem for me". Vincent remarked, his view at the centre of the table.

"That is good to know. We depart tomorrow morning before the sunrises". Mikeal commanded.

"Elder Burke and elder Robert I leave the village in your care".

They bowed while on their seat, affirming their pledge to oversee the village in his stead.

The meeting was then dispersed with Mikeal's final proclamation. The elders and Vincent went out of the treehouse leaving Mikeal and Anna.

Anna requested permission from Mikeal to venture out of the room under the excuse that she had something to attend to.

Without a doubt he granted her request, even telling her that she was free to go without his permission.

Left alone in the room, Mikeal summoned Siveth.

He filled her in on the plan and told her how he planned on entrusting the safety of the village in her hands. He can't count on the weak elders for that.

...

Anna ran after the two elders. She got to them and excused elder Robert, saying she had something to discuss personally with elder Burke.

Elder Robert and Vincent excused them both and went away.

"What is going on". Anna questioned elder Burke.

"What do you mean my lady".

She wanted to correct him on his use of introduction but was not in the mood to.

"I meant with Vincent. What does he know that I don't".

Vincent's behaviour towards Mikeal had taken a drastic turn. Suddenly he starts to act nice, joining the meeting and remaining silent, even agreeing to go with Mikeal.

Something is going on here and Anna is the only one kept in the dark about it.

"You mean that".

"So you do know something". Says Anna.

"Vincent found out why the lord did what he did. That is why he is quick to have a change of attitude toward the lord".

"And what would that be".

If it is about what Mikeal did, the topic here should be the death of the captured females killed by Mikeal.

"Vincent discovered that the reason the lord had to kill them is out of consideration for our feelings".

"I don't follow". Anna revealed her confusion.

"The captured females have been defied by their captors. If they had been brought back here, things wouldn't be the same. The parents of the captured would distant themselves from their kind. They will be separated and the gaze that would fall on them will be that of deceit".

"The villagers will blame themselves for letting the women to be captured and after some time, that blame will be shifted to the rescued women. They will be contempt, and disgust will be the sole thought to describe them. Eventually, the villagers will be mentally disturbed, leading them to do things that shouldn't be done".

"The lord was able to predict the outcome, hence his reasons for killing them to let all the blame on himself and relieve the villagers of whatever guilt they had of would have had".

Elder Burke stated reality to Anna. He too had been clouded by Mikeal's action at some point. But after viewing things with the insight of the elderly, he came to understand why Mikeal's action was necessary in the long run.

"The lord is no ordinary being. He is a man trapped in the body of a child. His insights are unfathomable and beyond the comprehension of this old man". Elder Burker attested, truthfully.