I scoured the town in search of more blacksmiths. I ran into several, but only a few of them were willing to join our cause. I got into a very serious argument with an older blacksmith.
"We don't need war." He said stubbornly. "And I ain't helpin' anyone who chooses it!"
"So then you aren't part of this kingdom! We need to gather smiths of any skill." I stated.
"I don't give a single flick of a rats rear-end about your 'cause'." The man mocked.
"I don't give damn what you think you old man! The kingdom needs you!" I shouted. The blacksmiths apprentice lept ten feet into the air at my sudden outburst.
"Don't 'the kingdom need me' young lady! I don't care if your father is the king, I don't want to get caught up in the kingdoms affairs." He said rudely. " Skye get me the prongs and the hammer."
"Yes sir." The apprentice said, then handed the old man the prongs and hammer.
"What about you, Mr., um Skye was it?" I asked. "Would  you join me?"
Skye looked at his teacher.
"You ain't takin' my apprentice, princess!" He yelled. Skye placed a hand on his master's shoulder.
"I will join you, Princess." Skye said. "Don't worry grandfather, I'll be careful."
Skye had short silver hair that covered one eye. He was tall and skinny, was visible muscle under his blacksmith's apron. "Oh, and I'm a girl your highness. My name is Skyekiria Raven."
I stood there, but the more I looked at Skye, the more he looked like a she.
" I know I don't look like it, but I really am. I have to keep my hair short or else it'll catch fire." Skye said. She wiped her face and smeared some coals on it in the process. "I'll gladly join you in your cause."
"Skye I forbid you to do it. When I tell you mother she will say the same!" The old man said.
"Mom's dead grandpa. It's just me, you and Gran." Skye replied. "Besides mom always dreamt of me working with the royal family."
"Fine. Go, go to that stupid palace and work."
"Let me get my stuff."
"No! You work with the royal family you no longer are part of this family!" Skye's grandfather yelled.
"But-"
"Go on! Get outta here!" He yelled again.
"You can't just disown her!" I exclaimed.
"No, it's ok." Skye sniffed and wiped away a tear. "I didn't like it here anyways. C'mon princess we've got work to do don't we!"
              *********
When Skye and I got to the castle forge, we met with all of the other blacksmiths Landon and I recruited.
"Alright, this is where you will be working." I said loudly. I looked around at the many coal smudged faces. There were only a few female smiths that joined. Skye being the youngest. " you will be treated well, so I wouldn't worry about the treatment. You all are under mine and First Lieutenant Landon Castrel's care.
"You will be paired up and given a room." I continued. " I will need the ladies to come with me and I will show you to your rooms bs Landon with take the men to yours."
Landon added, "Any questions?"
There was silence.
"Alright, everyone. Men go with Landon, ladies come with me." I said.
Out of the fifty smiths, only four of them were females. "What are your names?" I asked.
"Leea Dawn. From the Western Border." One short woman with amber hair pulled back into a braid, said.
Another said, "Deeja Nah-eem, of the Southern Lizard Clans." She had the face of a lizard and had a lizard tail. She didn't have hair, but she had spines on her head.
The third said, "Bexley Darby, from the Outlying Valley. It's a pleasure meet you, Lady Princess." She had pointed ears and looked about forty years old.
Finally it was Skye's turn. "Skyekiria Raven, of Brentwood Village."
"Nice to meet you all. To ensure my safety as well as my family's safety. I will be asking you a few questions, then my team of expert spys will ask a few questions of their own, but don't be alarmed. I demanded that they are to not harm any of you in anyway." I stated plainly. "I would like to know you age and the status of your health. There is Excellent , good, fair, and poor."
Leea, and Deeja were both in there late thirties and were in good health. Bexley was in her mid-fifties and was in fair health. Skye was twenty and in excellent health. "Also, your rooms will be in the shame corridor as mine, so if you have any questions you can see me there." I said. Just then Astrid came in and took the women in for background checks and questioning.
Once they had exited the room, I made my way to a chair the bed that sat in the corner of the room. This was Chai's bed. I thought. I soon found myself beginning to cry. I fell down onto the bed and buried my face into the pillow. It still smelt like him, even though it had been almost a year.
"Arimo, are you still in here?" Landon asked quietly.
"Yeah." I replied. I wiped away my tears and sat up.
Landon came over and sat down beside me on the bed. "You still miss him don't you? Chai I mean."
"No." I lied.
"Don't lie to me Arimo. I can tell." Landon said. He hugged me tightly, then got up to leave. "I love you Arimo, and I hope you love me as well."
He left me alone in the forge to dwell on his last sentence. "Damn it Landon why do you always do that!?" I yelled.
Astrid came back into the forge, but the women were told to wait outside. "I have some news that would interest you Ari." She said.
"What is it?" I replied.
"As it turns out, Deeja, from the Lizard Clans was sent here as a spy. She is a blacksmith, but she was hired as a spy. The lizard people have always been shifty people. What shall we do with her?"
"Get rid of her." I said coldly. "You can imprison her or kill her or sentence her to exile. I am not going to keep her here. If she's a threat, then I want her gone."
"Yes ma'am." Astrid said. She pressed a finger to her ear and spoke. "Send a group of guards to get rid of the threat."
Just then a group of five guards grabbed Deeja by the arms. She tried to fight back, but one of the guards hit a pressure point on her neck and she passed out. The remaining three smiths stood there in shock as an unconscious Deeja was drug out of the palace.
"How'd you do that?" I asked Astrid.
"The spies have special equipment that allows us to speak through a small item that is put into our ear." She said, then turned to the shocked women. "No need to fret ladies. Deeja was a spy. She isn't dead."
"Let's get you three to your rooms." I said.
Once I got Bexley and leea to their rooms, I brought Skye to mine.
"You're older than you look Skyekiria." I said. "Have a seat."
"Don't call me that." Skye said bitterly. "What'd you want, Princess Arimo?"
"Call me Arimo and I will call you Skye. I have a special job for you." I said.
"I refuse." She said quickly. "You got me disowned. I will only do the smithing that you asked us to do."
"Welcome to your new room!" I said with a smile.
"WHAT!?!"
"You're staying with me. You get a separate room that is part of my rooms."
"Nope. Not doing it!" Skye said as she made for an exit to the door, but Astrid  lept in front of it.
"You're not going anywhere. Arimo says you're staying here so that's where you're staying." Astrid said fiercely.
"No if you wish to stay in another room you are more than welcome to." I said cooly.
"No it's fine. I'm used to being forced into stuff." Skye sighed. She plopped onto the chair beside her.
"At least you get your own section of the room. I stay in the same room as her highness." Astrid added.
"It's not my fault you are the one assigned to protect me. If I recall you signed yourself up for that job!" I rebutted. "I need to get going. I have a military meeting to attend to. Astrid, come on."