The hivemind is conquering for me?

Entering the dining room, I was greeted to the sight of King Sigismund being mauled by a group of children. There were five of them. Three girls and two boys.

They didn’t seem aware of our presence until Elaine shouted. ”What is going on here?”

Her scolding tone made the very air in the room cease movement. The children, and Sigismund, looked like they had been caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing.

”Take your seats. Now.”

The children swiftly got up from Sigismund and ran to the long table taking their respective seats.

Sigismund then stood up and stretched. ”Thank goodness you arrived, Elaine. Those little monsters just assaulted me with no provocation. This isn’t how they are-”

”-Go sit down. Now.” Elaine said in a warning voice. Sigismund lowered his head in silence and went to his seat at the end of the table.

Elaine then turned to me and smiled. ”Forgive what you just saw. My children know to behave better. Sigismund though, no excuse...”

”Alright!” Sigismund said from his chair, folding his arms.

I chuckled. ”It’s fine. Honestly, I found it quite the spectacle. It’s not everyday you see the Military king get beaten in close combat.” I admitted. Sigismund turned in his chair to look at me with a warning look before he made eye contact with Elaine and turned back around.

Elaine let out a soft giggle after that. ”Very true, I suppose I didn’t think of it like that. Now where is- Ah.”

Judging by her pause, Elaine was about to ask where Hailey and Dickon were. But once everyone was at the table, silent. From opposite sides of the room Hailey and Dickon emerged from behind respective pillars, clearly both had seen the assault of the military king take place and chose to avoid the chaos.

Hailey walked up to me, her eyes going wide at what I was wearing before smirking. She looked like she was about to come hug me when Dickon spoke up.

”Alright! Lets take our seats shall we?”

”Daddy, who is that man?” A prim, childish voice spoke out. It was one of the girls, she looked to be six-ish?

Dickon looked at me, his eyes narrowing. ”This-”

”-This Is Sentinel Apollo Lambdason.” Elaine cut in. ”He is your big sister’s boyfriend and will be joining us for the meal. Apollo, these are my Children. From youngest to eldest. Penelope is two. Richard is four. Charlotte is six. Mary and Maxine are eleven and Rickon is thirteen. Children, how do we greet nobles who have come to dine with us?”

Everyone except Penelope stood up from their chairs and performed either a small bow or a curtsy towards me. Each with their own level of enthusiasm. Ranging from obligation to genuine delight.

”Nice to meet you all.” I replied back to them. There was a slight pause, making me think I was supposed to do something else... ’I was definitely supposed to do something.’ Evidence came from Hailey letting out a nearly inaudible giggle.

Elaine then turned to me, smiling. ”Why don’t we take our seats?”

”Sure, where am I sitting?”

”Right here, son.” Sigismund stated, smacking the chair to his right. He was at one end of the table, it appeared that Dickon was going to be sat at the other end... ’Makes sense.’ Both were kings, both deserved to be at the end.

I would also be sat next to one of the eleven year olds. I didn’t know which was which, they looked identical, except for their makeup choices.

As I was about to take my seat, Hailey grabbed my arm and addressed Dickon. ”And where will I be sitting?”

Dickon smiled as he took his own seat. He also patted to his right. ”Right next to me, sweetie.”

’As far away from that scrunt as possible!’ He thought, eyes narrowing unintentionally.

”I see...” Hailey said before looking up at me. ”Go sit down.” Her eyes appeared warm and caring, but I could feel the chill coming off her.

’Kind of hot, not gonna lie...’

I took my seat next to Sigismund while Hailey silently walked towards her seat. Dickon was smiling, that smile widened further as Hailey pulled out her chair. His smile dropped though as instead of going to sit down, the chair kept pulling further and further away.

The legs screeched as Hailey slowly moved the chair down the long table maintaining eye contact with Dickon the entire time. She looped around the back of Sigismund before coming to my side, at which point she looked away from Dickon and at me and was all smiles again.

”I couldn’t stay away, can you shuffle up a bit so I can sit with you?”

Sigismund looked like he was about to say something, but Hailey then glared at him, shutting him up before turning back to me and resumed her smiling.

Feeling everyone’s gaze on me, I just decided not to address any of them and simply moved my chair

Hailey then sat down after placing her chair directly next to mine before wrapping her arms around mine.

I could feel Dickon’s stare and just chose to ignore it.

”Can I ask the man a question?” I suddenly heard whispers from the opposite side of the table. Elaine had taken her seat with her two year old, next to her, her four year old, Richard whispered to her.

”He is at our table. You need to ask him, not me. Go on, he is very kind. I am sure he will say yes.” I heard Elaine say at which point the child nodded before turning to me.

”Excuse me, Sentinel, Lamber... Lamb-uh.”

”Lambdason.” Elaine encouraged him.

”Lambdason... Can I ask you a question?”

I smiled at the child and nodded my head. ”Of course you can, pal. What’s up?”

I wasn’t sure what a child that age would ask. Perhaps how I knew his sister? Why was I here? How old was I? Pretty standard questions, easy enough to ask.

”Are you a pussy noble?”

”PFFFT- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Sigismund lost his shit and began laughing at the top of his lungs.

”Richard!” Dickon yelled instinctively while Elaine looked mortified at what her child just asked.

”Hahahahahahaha!” Sigismund was still laughing while I gathered my thoughts.

”Richard, you cannot ask someone that. It is very rude and a massive insult.” Elaine scolded

”Haha- Ooooh~ I’m going to die... oh man. Sorry Elaine. This might be my fault. Haha!”

”Clarify. Now.” Elaine said with thinly veiled anger.”

Sigismund gathered himself and explained. ”I was giving your children a good lesson on true politics-”

”Oh boy...” Dickon muttered

”I was telling them the difference between pussy nobles and true warriors. True nobles that fight for the empire and not the sad shits that just play pretend... Richard. Apollo is a true noble. I wouldn’t share a table with a pussy noble. Also a pussy noble would have made a fuss at being asked that question. That is another way to tell.

Elaine was massaging her temples. ”Sigismund say that word in front of my children one more time and King or not, you will feel my wrath...”

Sigismund sighed before pulling out an inhaler from his pocket and taking a puff. He grew a couple of inches before putting the thing away. ”Fine... Richard. Don’t go around calling people that word.” He ordered.

”Until you are older...” He then mumbled, getting another glare from Elaine.

The table then turned silent for a few moments before Dickon turned to me and asked. ”So... Apollo. A sentinel at nineteen. That is quite the achievement. Tell me, what did you say to your Praetorian friend to convince them to propose the title on your behalf?”

Feeling everyone’s eyes turn towards me I shrugged my shoulders and replied honestly.

”I still have no idea. I didn’t find out I was a sentinel until after our first day on Lleon T1. Praetorian Nerissa told me it was a ’surprise’ and that it would come with little to no responsibility... That just did not end up being true.”

”Praetorian Nerissa surprised you with your Sentinel status?” Sigismund asked from my left.

I nodded my head. ”Yeah, I think she would have kept it a secret for longer, but Centurion Cockburn was giving us a hard time letting the Psionic elites into his camp so she dropped that bomb on him and well... After that my Sentinel status allowed me to perform a lot of actions on the battlefield that ended up helping save many lives... Oh speaking of Cockburn, that man performed exemplary in his role during the entire campaign. I’d like to use whatever leeway I have in the military to suggest a promotion or something.”

”I’ll take a gander at his record once we are done here.” Sigismund stated, while Dickon followed up.

”So you didn’t ask to be a sentinel?”

I shook my head. ”No. Honestly I was more than happy to remain a fallen Archon. I’m not really planning on being in the political sphere so I don’t need the pull of a better title. As long as I get to be with my loved ones, I am happy.” I said, placing my hand on Hailey’s thigh subconsciously. Angering the king while making Hailey smile and blush in the process.