Chapter 13: Come now, we have goodies!

"Will you be making a crafter's guild?" A villager asked, and Orion gave it a thought. It would be nice, if the villagers and the creatures of the forest worked together to create something great.

"If that is your wish. Just think, all the resources of the forest will be free for you all to enjoy. Some of the people of the forest could teach you new crafts," Orion tried to tempt them, but there were still many disbelieving looks in the crowd.

"And, you want our land? What are we going to eat, if you take it?" Another villager asked, and Orion sighed.

"I don't want all of your land. Perhaps, if you agreed to sell us all the extra produce you had, instead of selling it to the town, then we wouldn't need as much land," Orion told them. His eyes found Ethinir's, who was by the lord. Just behind him. The elf got the hint, and went to the vampire.

"Listen, everyone. This trade-off will be more beneficial for you, than for us. For, you will get a buyer in the face of Orion. One who can pay on time," Ethinir spoke. He looked around. The talk went back to money after that. After Orion promised to pay a copper extra for any food the villagers brought him, their hour was up. Yet, the villagers didn't leave.

"Vampire, do you have someone to take blood from?" An old lady asked. "Or, are we going to find you going from door to door in the dead of night?"

"I do have two donors," Orion told them. "Ones that will last far longer than the average human."

His eyes found Ethinir again, and he smiled at the elf.

"Yes, neither I nor Ossilo mind feeding Orion," Ethinir spoke, a blush coloring his cheeks.

"Ossilo? The Brightest Star? Lucky dog," a man then barked a laugh, and Orion's left eye twitched.

"He is more than his looks, just as Ethinir is more than his voice," Orion snapped, and the man stopped laughing.

"Yes, well, when are you getting married to them?" A woman asked. She was old and hunched over, waving her cane at Orion. "See here, vampire. If you want to be a part of this community, then you need to follow our customs!"

"Yes, get married, or live in sin out of sight," another granny spoke. Some of the men were giving them worried looks.

"What these two wanted to say, was," the lord began, but Orion was already kneeling before Ethinir.

"I don't have a ring," the vampire whispered, as he took out his skull pendant. "Will this do?"

"Do?" Ethinir was confused. Was... Orion proposing to him? A hush fell over the crowd, and even the lord held his breath. 

"Ethinir, my Swan Song, I have known happiness since I met you," Orion spoke, his voice carrying over the crowd. "I dare say that you have done the impossible, and melted my heart."

The confession was interrupted when they heard oinking. They all turned to see a flying pig making its way to the horse watering tub.

"What?" Orion spoke, and the book vibrated. He opened it, searching for clues.

<He is all grown up!

(Hidden achievement.)

Orion is proposing to one of his mates. To make this moment memorable, we have made an illusion to show that the impossible is possible.>

"This is just an illusion, everyone," Orion pointed at the pig, which vanished in a puff of smoke. Not reaching the water at all.

"He is a wizard," a villager shouted, and pointed at Orion.

"We have a wizard in our village," another shouted, and someone began to distribute pitchforks.

"Wait, I am the still the man from a couple of minutes before. Plus, I am no wizard," Orion was backing away, keeping Ethinir behind him.

"That is enough from all of you," the lord spoke, his voice booming. "You will not attack our new trading partner!"

"But, the flying pig," someone rose their pitchfork, and pointed it at the last place the pig had been seen.

"The first one to point their pitchforks on these two, is getting exiled from the village," the lord spoke, and people began to drop their pitchforks on the ground. "Honestly, so witches are ok, but wizards are not? What are you all, children?"

"Witches just brew potions, wizards can cause a bad harvest," the old woman who had demanded that Orion get married spoke, and then dropped her own pitchfork.

"I don't care if he is a wizard or not. This village stands to benefit a lot from him, and he stays!" Harrison bellowed, and then turned to Orion and Ethinir.

"I am sorry about them, but I did warn you," the lord told them both. Ethinir looked pale, as he clutched at Orion. This was the first time he had been faced with a mob.

"I offered you the world, and you tried to lynch me," Orion managed to get out, and a couple of the villagers coughed.

"Wizards are," a villager began, and Orion had enough.

"There are wizards in the forest. Good men, one and all. If you do something to them, I will make sure the witches of the forest curse this village to next Sunday!" Orion snapped. He was sure that the ladies would even enjoy the act.

"Now, wait here," another villager spoke, his voice pleading.

"No, this childish cat and mouse game ends now. If you can't act like civilized people, then the forest will close off for you all. And with it, the trading routes that pass through it," Orion promised, and he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"You are being too harsh," Ethinir told him, and Orion blinked. "They don't know any better. Just forgive them."

"Yes, we are sorry, vampire," Harrison said, and Orion turned to stare at him. The lord was bowing to him, on his knees. "Please don't leave us to starve. There are children living in the village."

Orion had not thought of that. He saw small faces with wide eyes in the crowd. There were no pitchforks at their feet.

"Just because of the children, I will forgive you all," Orion said, and the lord let out the breath he was holding. "But be careful how you act from now on!"

Orion turned, took Ethinir by the arm, and marched out of the village. It would take him quite some time to come back. The conduct of the villagers fresh in his mind.