A Dragon Among the Herd (Whitebrand and TaurianDevourer)

[TaurenDevourer]

The group nervously got up, following after the dragon hesitantly, none sure how the rest of the day would go.

[Whitebrand]

Brand led them on an extensive tour of his home, showing every hall and corridor. He had rooms dedicated to two or three dozen different hobbies and crafts. Alchemy, pottery, weaving, painting, writing, drawing, he seemed to have it all. The upper floor consisted of personal quarters featuring luxuries that they had barely dreamed of. He allowed them to take their pick of the personal quarters, but he concluded the tour in the great baths in the lower level: A single massive room mostly filled with steamy, warm water.

"You will have the run of the place," he said. "But leaving is pretty much out of the question. No harm will befall any of you so long as there is no harm done among you."

[TaurenDevourer]

"No leaving?" The rivertotem asked. "Not even to visit family?" She asked with a soft, concerned voice.

[Whitebrand]

Family?

Brand looked back at the one who had asked. There was a long moment, then he shrugged.

"We'll talk," he said simply. "In private. We'll iron things out. I always do."

[TaurenDevourer]

"Y-Yes, Master," the cow replied with a nervous stutter, continuing to follow after the dragon with a whimper.

[Whitebrand]

"Oh stop it," Brand said. "I'm reasonable. In fact, everyone who has family they want to visit remain. The rest of you are free to go about as you wish...you'll find new clothing for yourselves in your rooms. Don't worry...it'll fit. And remember what I said...no violence. That's the one thing I will devour you over...and I'll always know who did it."

He waited, hands on hips to watch them disperse.

[TaurenDevourer]

The cow gulped softly, nodding lightly. "R-Right..." she answered, trying to compose herself. It wasn't working, leaving her a quaking mess.

[Whitebrand]

Brand turned to her. She seemed to be the only one.

“Tell me about your family,” he said in a much gentler tone now that he wasn’t trying to intimidate potentially violent fighters. “Whom do you want to visit? When? Where? How often?”

[TaurenDevourer]

"The Rivertotem... We're all family," the bovine answered. looking behind her, only to then realise the others had gone to claim sleeping spots. She sighed simply, sitting back. "W-Why do this to us?"

[Whitebrand]

“I believe your own culture runs along the same lines,” Brand said casually. “A bull may take as many brides as he can support, and kidnapping is considered an acceptable means of getting one. None of this should surprise you, really. I gained a taste for bovine females fairly recently, and you are the ones I selected for myself.

“Now are there specific individuals you’d like to visit among your former tribe?”

[TaurenDevourer]

"W-Wait, wait wait..." the cow blurted out. "What?! That's not how we work at all! Where have you been getting your rese - Stonetotem?"

[TaurenDevourer]

"W-Wait, wait wait..." the cow blurted out. "What?! That's not how we work at all! Where have you been getting your rese - Stonetotem?"

[Whitebrand]

"Among other sources," Brand said, trying not to sound irritated at the suggestion he had not done his homework. "The precedent exists even in your own tribe's laws...though granted not many of you go by it these days. If I had to my arguments could stand up in one of your courts."

[TaurenDevourer]

The cow scoffed. "Not Rivertotem!"

[Whitebrand]

“Perhaps it is you who needs to learn more about your own people,” Brand said. Then he shrugged. “Irrelevant. You are here because I decided I wanted you. Really, you should consider it an honor.

“But if you have specific loved ones back in Rivertotem then I can arrange something,” the dragon said, changing subjects so fast it was a wonder he didn’t get whiplash. “Your story will be that you have gotten married to a fine, rich bull. That should keep them happy...and as your groom it will be my obligation to do something about the war between your peoples. Since Stonetotem’s opponents are fighting because of a lack of food, the solution is simple.”

[TaurenDevourer]

The cow blinked. "I uh... Wha-Okay?" she stumbled and stuttered, the words pouring out of her mouth in confusion. "Wait? Simple solution? What the hell are... You're not planning on eating them all, are you?"

[Whitebrand]

”Provide more food,” Brand said calmly. “Find out what is causing the lack and neutralize it. Or find a way to provide more. Simple.”

[TaurenDevourer]

"Right..." the cow sighed. "I'd call the cause the Stonetotem. They have a ludicrously large hunting grounds, and simply won't share it."

[Whitebrand]

“If that’s the problem then maybe I should thin Stonetotem a bit,” Brand said just to get a rise out of the girl. “But I suspect the true cause might be just a tad more complicated. It usually is. Tomorrow morning I’ll begin my investigation. If it is what I suspect it might be, I can begin to solve the problem within a week.

“If it turns out to be all Stonetotem’s greed, then I’ll probably have to negotiate a bit with them. Firmly.”

[TaurenDevourer]

"Yeah?" The cow sighed. "So... What else?" The bovine asked simply.