Tama

  "As if you care about anyone but you or Tama, Saki!" Tera said in anger. "I was wrong when I said you didn't care about Tama. It's been made clear as day that you care for her more than anyone.

  The key point there is anyone . You clearly don't, and until meeting Tama, never had, cared about anyone in your damn life, Saki. Let's be honest, you're doing this for revenge.

  You think you're the only one who has lost friends to that... thing?! But throwing these goblins and our own lives away on a foolish assault that we both know will fail is suicide and will only make that damn thing stronger!"

  Silence filled the hall. I slowly and quietly slid off Jiggle's side. The boar grunted quietly, but even he took the mood in the room and stayed mostly quiet. I made eye contact with him and spoke silently: Go eat, Jiggle.

  Jiggle turned and left out the tent. I turned as well, but faced the trio. It seemed the battle plan wasn't going well.

  "Nya! Saki, Tera! Fighting each other will not kill the Lich!" I said with a loud and clear voice. I stood tall and pointed towards them. "We have the greatest living ninja and the smartest person that ninja knows. Tama knows we are more than capable of killing some smelly old Lich!"

  Their reactions differed greatly. Saki blushed and smiled at me. Grok's eyes lit up and he grinned, nodding happily. Tera actively deflated and looked into my eyes with sadness. "Please Tama, I understand you are amazing and perfect and..." She stopped herself for a moment before continuing. "But you can't protect everyone. The goblin wave that took us out showed that. You might be able to fight their armies, but even you can't do it alone, my mighty empress."

  She seemed to give up avoiding the word empress and just said it. I winced but said nothing about it. "Tama doesn't need to protect everyone. We were caught off guard by the goblins. Even then they gave up when it came to Tama's might!"

  Grok actually nodded vigorously at that and jumped up and down. "Yeah! With Tama we is gonna win! The smartest fox lady said so!"

  Tera looked uncertainly around the room for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. She stepped forward and looked at me for a long moment before she spoke. "Fine, I can't stop you, my empress, ruler of my kingdom, queen of my existence. It's clear you wish to see Saki's suicidal plan to the very end. But please, great one, allow me to protect you and be your shield. I cannot sit idly by and let you run to your death."

  I stood, completely stiff at her phrasing. She had stopped doing that when I had gotten back, but now she was back with it. I wondered why. Saki seemed to know but...

  "I am glad you agree, Tera, though I expected nothing less when Tama took our side. So will you help us plan now instead of shooting holes in our plans?" Saki said with irritation in her voice.

  Tera didn't respond. She continued looking into my eyes. I knew what she wanted. I didn't want to give it. But after everything... I looked deep into Tera's eyes and asked softly, "Is it really what Tera wants? Tama will only do this if it's what Tera wants, and only if Tera promises to help."

  Tera didn't even stutter in her response. "Yes, my empress, I wish more than anything for such an honor." She looked at me, determined.

  "You can't seriously expect Tama to do that, Tera! You know she hates being that way! She doesn't even understand..." Saki began, but I spoke over her with sadness in my voice. My tone, imperious with tears in my eyes.

  "Teranthia Tulip," I said, my voice quivering slightly as I remembered what Saki had called her after she thought I left. "Princess Tama hereby decrees you as her royal protector. Your life is Tama's."

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  My words were simple, but the point was made clear. The room reacted differently once again. Grok looked puzzled. Saki's eyes had widened and her mouth was hanging open.

  But Tera, her response was the most drastic. Tears filled her eyes and she bent until her head touched the floor. "I accept this greatest honor, my Empress. I shall never let you fall!"

  After that, silence filled the room for a very uncomfortable amount of time. It was Saki who spoke next. "You knew the whole time!" She said, her voice incredulous as she continued. "And... and you didn't say anything!" She looked at me in disbelief.

  Though I thought there would be betrayal in Saki's eyes, I didn't see it. I only saw confusion and shock, like she had always suspected but didn't question.

  I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded, then thought better of it. "Nya, and no... Tama doesn't understand everything. But Tama knows her words did weird things to people. Tama is not dumb! Tama knows she is a princess of Arrisaile too, but she doesn't want to be."

  "Trissaile, my empress," Tera said quietly behind me.

  "Nya! That place!" I continued, ignoring her and continuing on. "Tama is, and always has been, Tama. She is not special, she doesn't want to be special. Tama wants Tera to feel better, so Tama gave Tera what she wanted. But Tama doesn't like it!"

  Saki smiled at me as tears filled her eyes. She said nothing. Instead, she ran over to me and hugged me. I was surprised for a moment, but slowly I smiled and closed my eyes before wrapping my arms around Saki, my best friend and royal advisor. Our tails wrapped around each other and I felt her fox fur on my back rubbing gently.

  Reminding me I was still in my underwear and covered in dried mud, which was now getting on Saki, who seemed to actually notice for the first time. She stiffened, but instead of letting go, held on tighter.

  "So is we gonna fight the smelly guy?" I heard Grok say quietly, still standing around twenty feet from all of us. "Or is the scary ladies gonna fight again?"

  Tera, Saki, and Grok all sat down in chairs the goblins brought. Goblins were great engineers! The stuff they made wasn't the best ever, but it was easily rebuilt by them when it broke.

  The table was also proof of this, despite it falling apart, the goblins had it rebuilt literally minutes after.

  Saki looked at the chairs and tables with distaste, which I didn't understand. I wish I could build as well as the goblins. Drestor was big and confusing. The goblins had it right in my opinion: huts, tents, and campfires. Best ever and easy to fix!

  All this was to say, I was bored. Like, really bored!

  "No, obviously the ghouls and zombies could easily take on a goblin or two. They need to outnumber them to even stand a chance," Saki said seriously at Grok's comment about his great warriors.

  "I agree with Saki. Your goblins are strong amongst themselves maybe, but even we can take out like a hundred each. The undead aren't as strong as us, but there are a lot of them and they are stronger than your goblins. Not to mention they continue to grow in number as your men die," Tera said matter-of-factly, glancing over at me for approval. I pretended not to notice and looked at Grok.

  "Does Grok think he can build those big shooty things that throw boulders at things?" I asked curiously.

  Grok beamed at me before responding, "Obviously! We has lots of them. We lob lots big rocks at the enemy!"

  Saki and Tera looked between me and Grok before Saki spoke up. "Umm, Tama, what are these big shooty things?" Her voice was filled with shock, so I decided to show her. We walked outside in the now bright sun. After last night's events, everyone had simply gone to bed.

  Tera had insisted on sleeping in the same tent as me. When I refused, she had slept outside on the ground in front of the tent. I dragged her inside and let her sleep on the bed with me.

  I was worried she would try something, but she hadn't, and come morning we had all met up. David had heard the word 'meeting' and left for the arena.

  I tried to join him, but Saki grabbed me and told me I needed to be here for this. She also had the goblins spray me down and give me fresh clothes.

  I glared at the goblins. One of them outright killed themselves as I glared at her. It actually caused me to wonder how scared the goblins actually were of me. I saw them as friends after all, but killing themselves like that because I was angry?