Rebellion and New Life

Chapter 25

All the Skeksis were gathering in the dining hall for their dinner, but none of them dared to sit down until their leader appeared. He and Sil were the last ones to join them.

"Be seated." So said. "And get an extra seat for our young guest of honor."

Another chair was pulled up from the back by Chamberlain since it was his child. He was happy to do this. He had never thought he would have ever lived to see his child again. He pulled it up on his own right side. La would sit on the other side of Ryuu. This way, both parents could sit next to him.

Ekt and Ok sat on the other side of La. All the other Skeksis were still suspicious of this young one until further notice.

Ryuu eyed all the ones on the other side of the Emperor warily. He wasn't about to pull anything. He also noticed that some female Podlings played some music. It made it a livelier atmosphere. He knew Podlings were quite the music lovers.

"Podlings! Food, now!" the Gourmand ordered.

The male Podlings who were serving the Skeksis' table knew rather well about the kind of food their lords liked by now. But today, there was a new one in the dining hall and they were curious about him.

As the Chamberlain's meal was delivered to him, he heard the Podlings talking in their native tongue. He ignored it though. But Ryuu could understand them perfectly.

Ryuu was still wary, but he couldn't resist replying to the servants. The Podlings were surprised that a Skeksis was talking to them in their own language. They had been discussing what the young one might want to eat and were guessing. Ryuu told them that he wanted some plants or vegetables, but would like to try some meat, like his parents that he sat in between.

The other Skeksis were shocked when Ryuu started talking in a strange language, and the Podlings seemed to respond in a positive way. He hadn't had to hit them or anything. They rushed off in an excited manner. They even looked happy to serve him.

"What were you doing?" the Ritual Master asked.

Ryuu looked over at him. "I was talking to them." he replied.

Sil and La were both also looking at their child in amazement. "We talk to Podlings all the time too. Ordering them to do tasks for us." Sil said. "But not like that."

"Do they understand you?" Ryuu asked.

"If they get the orders wrong, they are punished." the Slave Master blurted out.

"I was raised by Gelflings, and naturally talked and got by with some Podlings too. So I know how to talk to them. That's why they were so eager to serve me. I told them what I wanted, in a friendly way." Ryuu explained.

"And what did you ask them to bring?" La asked.

"I want to see what they have first." Ryuu said.

Moments later, the Podlings brought some vegetables and some meat out on a big plate for Ryuu. The animal the meat came from was already dead. Ryuu thanked the animal for serving his nutrition in Podling too. He also thanked the Podlings for their service. They replied in thanks as well.

The older Skeksis would have to get used to this. None of them had ever thought to learn the Podling language. Some had tried and failed to do so. It had just been too complicated for them to learn it. Soon they decided it was pointless, and just commanded Podlings the same as Gelflings over the hundreds of trines, regardless of them understanding the Gelfling language they used with them or not. But at least Gelflings and them had a language both kinds could speak and understand.

The food that Ryuu had gotten in return looked good. He dived into the vegetables first. It was what he was used to eating.

Sil and La couldn't help but watch their child eat his first meal here. They were just curious to what he liked. He didn't touch his meat yet, but at least he had gotten some.