Neveo watched as one of the vine's leaves caught fire but didn't burn. Then the young beast closed his eyes raising his head. The vines slowly moved with the wind but all was otherwise quiet. After less than a minute the young beast opened his silver eyes.
Ashton waited as the tree fastened a basket large enough to carry a small child from vines and branches, then its roots shifted, raising as a vine reached beneath the soil. Without preamble the vines started pulling out dozens of ripe fruit, carefully placing each in the basket.
Nevou and Nerium didn't let their surprise show on their faces. For the last fifteen years just as fruit started to ripen the first five would go missing. They had thought the mana fruit was using them as nourishment to recover from being uprooted… but clearly negotiations had been made years ago.
Ashton accepted the basket of 75 mana fruits, without the tree preserving them they would go bad within the week… but maybe the fox would trade his secrets… a concern for tonight. Ashton placed the basket down beside his nest, then turned back to Nevou.
"So, this is the tree the Smyrnaeans slaughtered thousands for. This was their hope to stop the human sacrifice of their people, to one day release the souls of their damned and slowly remove their soul binding enchantments. This is the tree that wars were waged over, this tree is why Smyrna took more than ten thousand lives 15 years ago. Why the prisoners captured from the savannah were tortured, then sacrificed and had their souls bound in the empire." Ashton remarked almost off handedly as he gazed upon the nearly fifty-thousand-year-old tree.
The tree had gained its own consciousness, it had memories of the Dolquist tribe for more than two thousand years. Usually, when a mana tree sprouted, it could not be moved. It would draw mana from the surrounding elements, if the flow was ever broken, even for an instant the tree would die. Over the generations of feeding its fruit to the tribe members, they had formed a symbiotic relationship.
While it had been a desperate measure, the tree had been able to uproot itself to be potted as the tribe escaped. The damage had been severe but using the remaining tribe members the tree had been able to survive. With aid from Alphonse through his ember, the tree had been healed and their bargain struck.
Jaxon was staring… while he'd participated in the battles against the different savannah tribes… they had never been told there could be a mana tree… the previous emperor… wait… it wasn't the emperor who had started the battles.
Leonard met Jaxon's gaze, both paling… the church, specifically the previous pope had insisted several times the tribes had attacked and raided the faithful without provocation… If the church had been searching for the mana tree… and was already sacrificing possibly hundreds of people a year…
Jaxon felt his heart turn to ash… the hope from seeing the tree and possibly negotiating for a few of the fruit had ignited a fire in his soul… but Ashton's monologue had burned the last vestiges of his resolve. Now… even if an answer presented itself… Jaxon wasn't sure he could even muster the motivation to reach out for it.
Jaxon's emotions had been fluctuating wildly between hope and despair for days… he'd only snatched a few minutes of rest at a time before waking up in a panic. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Ashton burning Monroe's arm away. Sometimes he imagined Ashton or Caius eating Monroe alive… one particularly jarring nightmare was just an hour ago. He'd dreamt that Caius and Ashton had slowly, piece by piece, ripped Monroe apart starting with the fingers then eating him as if he were a delicacy.
Gouging out his eyes, taking small bites out of his attached arm, Caius biting the leg from the knee down off. All the while… he'd been powerlessly watching as Alexei and Neolani held him down. Screaming for mercy as the Inago, the delegations, the foxes, and even birds cackled.
Their faces of delight, satisfaction, scorn, and anticipation circling around Jaxon as he tried to crawl forward, begging to replace Monroe… begging for mercy… begging for Ashton to just kill Monroe… Then he woke up, covered in sweat, teers still pouring down his face.
Jaxon had only been resting a few minutes, not even twenty… but it had felt as if he'd been screaming for a lifetime…
Leonard's heart clenched seeing the utter defeat in Jaxon's eyes… like a piece of him just died. Monroe was still resting in his room, they had put him in a drug induced sleep that would hopefully last until… until morning. They had also had a dozen mages cast wards and enchantments to lessen the pain. Between the drugs, enchantments, and wards… hopefully Monroe would remain asleep.
Leonard clenched his fist, there was still time… as soon as the Dolquist were done the delegations would present their catches… no matter what, Leonard would do his best to negotiate… Leonard still had hope.
Neveu stood at his full height, he had to prove they were worthy of joining the pride… Regina Neolani had stressed repeatedly that their pride would decide their standing in the young beast's eyes.
"Yes, the Great Tree was the target of their avarice, but for all their power, they could not take it." Neveu proclaimed. He could not faulter here… the entire fate of the tribe would be decided today.
Ashton examined the young man. Unfortunately, Ashton shook his head, "Your pride is not enough young chief, nor are the Dolquist in a position to represent my will." Ashton announced solemnly.
Neveu's heart sank, but before he could try and convince the beast it looked to the Great Tree.
"The Great Tree and I may cooperate, but only because My Ember cried out at the injustice. While payment was made… it was a pittance compared to what was received." Ashton informed, while the young chief tried to hide his growing despair, Ashton gave a short shrug and contemplative look.
"Though… your Great Tree is willing to pawn all the lives of the Dolquist to me. You would not be my people; you would be my possessions until you are redeemed." Ashton informed raising a brow in interest.
Neveu knew hesitating would not endear him to the beast, but… he needed more information before he agreed. While the Inago might trust the beast with their souls, Neveu wasn't willing to make such a commitment without understanding the consequences.
"What would the Dolquist do while we are your possessions?" Neveu asked keeping his voice respectful. At the same time, his hand… stopped hurting but he didn't look down to check to see if he was still bleeding.
Ashton tilted his head from side to side, "Hmm, you would simply be mine… what does one do with their possessions?"
Neveu slightly relaxed, so… they would just be claimed… "Would the tribe be expected to travel with you?" They had been able to move the Great Tree… but nomadic life still wasn't suitable for it.
"Not at all, it would be rather… impractically to carry around such a large potted tree." Ashton informed eyeing the Great Tree. The tree was a being of power in its own right, a very territorial being. While they would meet on occasion, it would not care for a bird of fire resting in its branches. Ashton had to admit… the great tree would be beneficial… but grudging assistance was not something he wanted.
Neveu wanted to glance to his aunt for help… but he was the chief. He had to navigate the way for the tribe, otherwise the tribe would not accept his authority. "What happens if we die, while you own us?"
Ashton gave an approving smile, "Well, I would still own your souls, until they were redeemed."
Neveu felt sweat trickle down his back, "How would we… redeem ourselves?"
"Food, either a mana fruit, or an acceptable replacement per person. Best to consider yourselves… tenet farmers. To rent the land you work will continue to be the first five ripe mana fruit the Great Tree produces each year. Then the rest of you are…paying extra to eventually own the land you work." Ashton informed glancing over all the people present, including the Inago.
Neveu tried to understand what exactly the young beast was getting out of this deal… food for the level of protection they had been receiving was rather… unbalanced. "As possessions, will our level of protection change from what we are currently receiving?"
"Yes, as of today, I will only be protecting the Great Tree and the Dolquist from those who wish to invade. So, if an army shows up at your door or a beast tide washes over the land. It also shouldn't need to be said, but my natural blessings will continue as well." Ashton added when the Great Tree's vines swayed.
"But only within the lands of the Great Tree… so if we leave to go out hunting… the injuries could be fatal…" Neveu nodded in understanding.
Ashton shrugged, "Additional protection, additional costs. These last 15 years were the gift My Ember requested, even if our meeting had been delayed until I ascended. The protection would have only lasted another five years if Nerium remained the chief. I'm not sure why your Great Tree wanted to renegotiate our terms early, but it matters little to me."
Neveu bowed his head, "What would be the cost… to continue our former level of protection?"
Ashton crossed his arms as he narrowed his eyes. "No less than 15 mana fruit a year." While protecting the hidden Dolquist members had consumed a considerable amount of mana, the Great Tree had received three artifacts from Alphonse. Much like the Ruby Teer, they were unheard for their time. One Blood Sapphire that created an adaptable illusionary ward that would send unwitting invaders away. A Sun Citrine that protected the lives of anyone the Great Tree deemed its follower. And a Life Jade that kept the Great Tree from withering while still potted.
While Jade seemed inconspicuous… without it the lives the Dolquist would have been slowly drained to keep the Great Tree from withering. The gemstones were constantly recharged using the Great Tree's mana fruit, but only his soul kept the enchantments going. Unlike the Ruby Teer which saw use only when needed, the three for the Great Tree were always actively using his soul as a transmitter of mana.
The Dolquist were also unaware of how easily the Great Tree could use their lifeforce as food to save itself, but Ashton wasn't concerned since the Great Tree considered them children. The idea of eating its children had been vehemently shot down, though the bodies of the chiefs were always laid to rest beneath its roots. Ashton didn't ask if the bodies became fertilizer, it was hardly his concern.
The Great Tree waved its branches, then a vine was extended with another blooming flower. Ashton raised a brow as he uncrossed his arms to eat the small flower. A new barter…
Ashton closed his eyes, he still had three dryad seeds to heal for the fae… the Fae would also be extremely interested in this mana fruit tree that had not only gained sentience but could travel. If he accepted the Great Tree's terms… he wouldn't see any returns for possibly hundreds, maybe thousands of years…
But the increased threats would be immediate… Ashton's silver eyes gazed up at the tree while the fox shifted ever so slightly behind him.
"Five seeds." Ashton stated with no room for negotiations. The vines coiled in agitation several times, but Ashton didn't yield. Protecting the Dolquist while inside a barrier was already taxing, for them to be able to travel freely… he would have to mark them or create an artifact for them to carry every time they stepped out of their tribal lands. Regardless… he would be at an immediate loss as he hoped the investment paid off in the long run.