10:23 am. Everything looks ready and in order. Mental note: Have words with Emilia at some time on her definition and my definition of "informing people beforehand".

That Teresa was nervous was an understatement. She nearly drove the servants crazy in a quest to spruce and tidy up the Academy in some sensible and working order. Under her supervision, they dusted. They cleaned. They arranged furniture. Then when they were done, she decided that it wasn't enough, so they had to do it all over again.

They were probably ready to kill her now, acting mayor or no. And she contemplated doing the same to Emilia before everyone else could get their hands on her. The pretty librarian had waltzed into her office with a big smile on her face, with a cheerful "Guess what, Miss Teresa? I convinced Sir Ridley of Two Rivers to pay Greenhill a call."

She should have taken medical insurance. She nearly had apoplexy right on that very spot.

And after all, she had the right to be nervous. She was a novice still when it came to running a city; what she had done so far she had done based on instinct and what scant experience she did have; General Ridley on the other hand, was a prominent figure in Jowston politics; and if rumors be true, would be a match for Alec Wisemail himself. Even her father had ruefully conceded that on the one occasion he had dealt with the kobold general, he hadn't been sure if he had gotten the best part of the bargain.

Everything looked ready. Greenhill was known for its hospitality as much as it was known for its school. The rest would have to be up to her.

Was there a smudge on that coffeetable?...

The forested city of Greenhill. How many miles north of this prosperous academic establishment was the ruined encampment where General Ridley Wizen started his life?

"General Wizen, thank you for attending. Please, be seated."

Alec Wisemail was a man of power. Ridley had met him only once, five years ago, on an invitation extended for the purpose of putting into play an imporant trade route- a route Makai was wholly against. For what reasons the mayor felt this way were unknown; Makai's rationalizations were his own.

"You realize of course, Lord Alec, that my juridiction in Two River's trade standards is minimal to say the least. I am a military general, not a mayoral leader.

Greenhill had not changed much since then. "Perhaps," Ridley ventured to himself, witnessing a group of teenaged students sociolizing... they paused momentarily to look the rather imposing general over, and returned disinterested to their conversation. "Perhaps Alec has never died. He is hiding behind his daughter's rule, disillusioning his enemies, ready to pounce just as Highland thinks Greenhill is at its weakest..."

"I am uninterested in hearing excuses, Sir Ridley. This trade agreement will be of benefit to both our fine cities. And I'm sure you have more sense than Two River's official mayor."

It was a ploy Ridley himself had thought often about. He and his closest underlings would fake the general's death on the battlefield, Boris would be called into power by demand of the Wizen name, make a few blunders in his leadership, and just when Highland was nipping at Two River's heels...

...Ridley would step back into action and crush them.

Alec Wisemail was the first man in history who was able to convince Ridley to go behind the back of Mayor Makai. As much as Ridley dispised Makai's lack of decisive action, he never dared defy his authority until Alec Wisemail's intervention.

By the time Ridley's mind snapped back from the past, he was standing at the door to the Greenhill Academy. As he stood there in front of the ancient door, he couldn't help but wonder... exactly how decisive would Teresa'a leadership turn out to be...?

Teresa took a deep breath, blew it out slowly. It was time to be her father's daughter and prove her worth. She slowly made her way down the front staircase, pausing as she reached its end, eyes assessing the general standing in front of her.

He looked every bit as her father had described, and every bit as commanding. And then some. "Welcome to the Greenhill Academy, General Ridley." Teresa said, smiling. "You've been here before with my father, am I right?"

"It has been five summers," replied Ridley. "Have you strict rules in the academy about carrying weapons? Shall I check in my blade or do you feel secure with Shenu by side?"

Teresa shook her head. "You'll soon see that Greenhill folk can be at home with weapons just as any other." She said, with a small grin. "Or perhaps you'd like a tour?"

This would prove a perfect opportunity to re-submit the kobold education program... Makai won't likely deny the project once an alliance with Greenhill is forged.

"A tour would be most fascinating, Lady Wisemail."

So far, so good. Without knowing it, she was crossing the bounds that separated the fledgling official to the politician born and bred for her job. Teresa spread her arms wide, as if to encompass the whole of the school. "Here is a good place to start as any. Greenhill Academy, our pride and joy. Weaponry, runes, history, politics; it's all here. I should know, I was taught here myself. This way?..." May as well show him around on the way to her office; get him to know a bit more about how Greenhill works, and then settle down to business.

Classes were in session, as they made their way towards the different rooms. Students were busy scribbling down notes, as teachers fired off one fact after another; a few handful were busy fooling around as well, right up to the point where they looked up to see Teresa and General Ridley watching, then hastily shoved their noses back into their books, looking for all the world that they had been listening to their lecturer right from the start. Students will be students, Teresa supposed.

"The Academy specializes mostly in history and politics, especially as Greenhill has a system unlike most other cities; our gross income stems mainly from student tuitions and fees. Fortunately, we get a lot of students every semester, all from pre-school to high school levels; we also offer complimentary college courses..."

It was hard to keep a smile on her face when the "tourist" in question had no outward expression at all, other than a polite nod every now and then. She often assessed others through their body language; how they act or move can speak more volumes than what they say. But she couldn't make out what the kobold thought of all this at that moment; or what he thought of her, for that matter.

And Ridley, for the most part, had no particular wish of being read.

"And here's our final stop: my office." Stopping in front of her room, Teresa opened the door and stepped aside to allow the general entry first. "Technically, it's my office, room and boardroom; we're not very formal in these things."

"I have a tent, pitched in the dust of the outskirts of Two River," commented Ridley, peering at Teresa from behind his eyes. Had Desmond been with Ridley on this expedition, he would have commented on the beauty of the academic world, miles upon miles of books- unabridged knowledge. How many heros lived within these walls...?

"Shall we be seated, Lady Wisemail? I regretfully inform you that my trip to Greenhill must remain as brief as possible."

"I understand." Teresa said, gesturing once more, only this time to the chair right next to her desk. "Now, I've heard from Emilia that you two had come across each other in Two River?" She asked, sitting down herself, behind the table this time. "I've always wondered how she managed to convince you to pay Greenhill a visit."

"My worthy associate Desmond (who no doubt would appreciate the grandeur of this place more than I could) advised me for this trip." He cleared his throat, matter-of-factly, and narrowed his eyes. "What I am about to disclose to you, Lady Wisemail, is information which not even the other leaders of Jowston have hold of. Am i right to be confident in trusting the Wisemail name?"

Information. What she wanted to know, what she had sent her undercover students out of Greenhill for, even to their deaths for all she knew. Please, bring them back safely. Teresa met his steady gaze. "Trust is something not to be taken lightly, General. I swear to you now that nothing you say will leave this room."

"There is a man named Blue Lightning Flik, a hero from the Gate Rune War. In an attempt to fortify the unguarded regions of the eastern borderlands, I have sent this worthy swordsman with a small kobold regiment and a modest amount of Two River military funding in order to keep Highland at bay while Jowston's political leaders unite.

"It is the least I can do," Ridley paused and sighed, "for I am not one of Jowston's political leaders myself. Makai is sure to find me out soon enough and choke the project. If, however, we have the support of Greenhill, it would be more difficult for Makai to undo my hard work."

Teresa nodded. She'd heard of Blue Lightning, and of the Gate Rune War that eventually led to the Toran Republic. "I see your dilemna. And Greenhill would help boost up the defense against Highland."

"Excellent," replied Ridley. "Flik has told me that the mercenaries are in need of a runemaster capable of keeping up with their magical needs. Also, they have recently recruited a young man to lead their archers into battle. By contract of our alliance, a small battalion of mages and archers supplied by Greenhill would greatly enhance the military operation."

"So it would." Teresa took a deep breath. "However, while I can send out the necessary mages and archers your operation needs, I'm afraid that will have to be as far as I can go. You must understand that while we have a substantial army, many of our reserves and fighters are students. I don't want to risk lives - my people's lives - any more than it is necessary to."

Ridley was not taken aback by the reply- he had not himself given an amount of kobold soldiers to Flik which would leave Two River's military crippled. "Obviously this is the case, Lady Wisemail. But Flik's requests are nothing horrid. One hundred men; fifty with runes, fifty with arrows. This small battalion when compounded with the kobold soldiers and the hired-on mercenaries will be more than enough to protect any more border cities from being unfortunately lost in the wake of Highland's nightmarish fire."

One hundred men?! Fifty with runes?! "Greenhill has a fairly low population, and the numbers you suggest will depopulate the city in a relatively short time. I'm afraid that giving you what you ask will leave Greenhill wide open to an attack as well." A Pause. "Twenty men, not including the Greenhill scouts I offer."

"Surely," said the general in disbelief, "you understand the importance of fortifying the borderlands. If we are to stop Highland, every state in the alliance must make sacrifices!" Ridley realized he was standing, reinforcing his point by swiping his hand through the air. He forced himself back down into his chair and breathed deeply. "You mentioned before how the academy is funded. Have you enough money to lend your support financially? As of now the fortress does not even sport a decent cavalry, and we would like to build a team of battle strategists to aid Flik in his tactics. Greenhill can no doubt spare a meager 35,000 potch if it cannot spare its soldiers."

Teresa very nearly choked. If 35,000 potch was meager, she was Ruka Bright. "Yes, I understand its importance as much as its possible consequences. We shall give as much as we can manage to protect the borders, but at the same time, we do not wish to leave ourselves vulnerable for the Highland army, should it somehow find another way to get past your guards. As of the moment, I can sign over 10,000 potch at the most to you this very minute. Anything more will severely tax our own resources." She glared at him before she remembered and pacified her expression. "We have been at war before, general. We do what we must, but it is never easy for the people we have sworn to protect."

"I see." Ridley's composure was about to snap. He kept going over in his mind how the situation would be if Teresa's father sat before him. "Ridley my friend, you shall have the soldiers you need. Let us crush those Highland bastards together!"

"I understand your unease. However, it is of my opinion that, once supplied with the resources I am asking for, Highland will be stopped long before the battle reaches Greenhill's front." He leaned back, folding his hands in his lap. "As senior commander of the Two River militia, once I am certain I can count on your support, you have my earnest word that not a single Highland soldier shall see the lush forests of Greenhill but through dead eyes. Please, Lady Wisemail. One hundred men. It is a meager battalion, but one much appreciated."

Inwardly, Teresa bit her lip. It was a gamble. She didn't know much of betting and gambling, but her father must have, because she knew him to take risks even when faced with impossible odds. And from what she knew, Alec and Ridley had worked together, and he had trusted him. One hundred men. Her father used to say, "Risk was what made life worth livng." Did she dare?

Sitting up straighter, Teresa looked at him square in the eye. "...seventy men, 15,000 potch and a handful of scouts for your command. I can not give any man or potch more. Many of what remains behind are students. Trained to fight yes, but students all the same, and still far from becoming a true soldier. Ask for more, and you may as well have signed their death warrants."

Ridley nodded. "Your help is most graciously accepted, Lady Teresa. Of course the name of Wisemail is in no way attatched to the independant mercenary battalion, as I myself have not attatched my name to it. And as stated before, in the exteremely small chance that Flik's fort is destroyed, each and every kobold warrior in Two River, including their general, shall lay dead before harm befalls Greenhill."

He stood and extended his arm. "There is nothing to sign, merely accept this handshake and I take your word as you take mine."

Breathing easier, Teresa stood up as well, accepting his handshake with one of her own. "I take your word as you take mine." She echoed. "I pray and wish you luck for your success General. We'll keep you abreast of anything we find here."

Ridley noted the blue draining from the sky out of a window in the small room. "The hour grows late, Lady Teresa, and (fool that I am) I did not inform my wife of my departure. I can make it back to Two River by morning if I leave now. By your leave..."

As Ridley Wizen left Teresa's quarters, a thought sprang to mind. "You are as strong as your father, Teresa Wisemail, but have a compassion in you that I never saw in Alec. Perhaps that's what Emilia meant when she told me you were twice the mayor your father was... he could have learned something from you..."

...the same compassion I could learn from my own son...

"Godspeed, General Ridley." Teresa remained standing long after Ridley had departed from the room. She had assembled a small entourage to see Ridley off beforehand, but that was the last thing on her mind at the present. So much like her father he was, forceful and she could guess, stubborn to a fault if need be. Tomorrow, she would send seventy men and some scouts for Ridley and the Blue Lightning's mercenary fort; but sent them to ensure victory or to ensure their deaths?