David & 'Lyssa Ch. 03

Safer by far to seek other prey.

At the great Hall, All but Booger and Rath could sense the magical resonance of all the power that had recently been expended there.

However the road to "Lyssa's mansion beckoned. The party set off in high spirits, (and in some cases, just plain high!)

The trip took another 2 hours or so, but no one really minded the long walk.

Tuck grumbled good-naturedly about being a pack mule, as he ended up carrying Bitsy and Prissy on his shoulders. But their combined weight was negligible for him and he didn't really mind.

~Reunion #2~

Jenny ran ahead when they reached the mansion. She opened the door and darted inside to look for David and "Lyssa. Bitsy levitated off Tuck's shoulder and sped inside as well.

The rest followed more slowly. Prissy guiding everyone to the parlor.

Asshann popped in, looking slightly disheveled as if she had just gotten out of bed. "Please wait here. The mistress will be with you shortly." Then she vanished to have a chair brought that could hold even Tuck.

'Lyssa met Jenny and Bitsy at the door to the bedroom. "You can have a peek in now, but he has been hurt badly, and needs rest. So you will NOT bother him right now." She bent a stern eye on Bitsy. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes mommy," Bitsy said in a small meek voice.

'Lyssa opened the door partway to let them see David lying on the bed. Then she closed the door and herded them both down stairs to the parlor.

Tuck saw the tears streaming down Jenny and Bitsy's faces. He stood and went to the young girl. "Are you all right?" he asked. She flung her arms around the giant's neck and started crying with great racking sobs.

Tuck picked her up and sat down in his chair with Bitsy on his lap. Her sobs quieted, and 'Lyssa explained what had happened to David.

"Can't a guy sleep around here anymore?" Came David's voice from the doorway.

Bitsy was a streak as she sped from Tuck's lap to hug her daddy. "Daddy!" She shrieked.

David chuckled and patted her hair with his remaining hand.

"This is the best medicine I could have." David announced. "My family all together."

He made his way to a chair and sat down, an undertaking hindered by Bitsy' s determination to hang onto him like a leech.

Once he was settled, David had a request. "Will SOMEONE tell me what the hell has been happening

around here?"

Explanations took several hours, and many drinks.

Finally, David pried Bitsy from his lap and passed her to Jenny. Jenny carried the youngster

up to bed. Booger and Rath were assigned adjoining rooms.

Tuck was shown to a room next door to Bitsy's that had a suitably large and sturdy bed.

Jenny came back down and went back up to the master bedroom with 'Lyssa, Prissy, and David.

Further decisions and talk could wait until morning. David1s wives knew exactly how they wanted

to comfort him and be comforted.

David however wanted mostly sleep. And for once, David got what he wanted.

~Homesick Stoners~

The next day, Booger and Rath borrowed David's pickup to explore the surrounding area. Asshann sent one of the mansion staff, an imp called Craven, to ride along as a guide. "Pizza, beer and ESPN." Said Rath. "Urt?" went Booger.

"Hey man, this place is starting to weird me out big time." explained Rath.

"Yeah, I wanna go home too. I mean, this has been a lot of fun, but enough is enough." Said Booger.

"Right on," replied Rath.

"Ya know, I wonder how we're gonna get back home from here." mused Booger.

"Let's head back and ask Prissy and Jenny," Rath suggested.

"Urt!" said Booger with a nod.

~More surprises~

While Booger and Rath were out exploring, Tuck and 'Lyssa were out in the back of the mansion looking over a flat place just off the side of the garden.

"I think here will do to build a forge and a smithy." Rumbled Tuck.

"Give a list of what you want to Asshann, and she will see to it," said 'Lyssa.

She stretched up on tiptoe and pulled Tuck's head down to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for bringing Staffet home safely." She said.

"Aw, No problem," said Tuck as he blushed. "She's a sweet kid even if she is really a dragon." "You are forever welcome here," 'Lyssa told Tuck, "whether for an hour or a decade." Tuck just gently patted her shoulder and nodded.

Tuck was already envisioning how he would arrange the smithy in his minds eye. "I wish I had my old tools and my anvils from my shop." he said wistfully.

"That can be arranged." said 'Lyssa. She clapped her hands.

Asshann appeared. "Yes Mistress?"

"Send a crew to Tuck's home world and bring back everything from his shop."

"At once Mistress." replied Asshann. She paused for a wink at Tuck before vanishing to carry out her instructions.

'Lyssa wavered and would have fallen had Tuck not steadied her. She was dizzy and sick to her stomach. She staggered over to the garden and vomited her breakfast all over the flowers there.

Alarmed, Tuck scooped her up in his arms and sprinted for the mansion, bellowing for help at the top of his lungs. David and Jenny met him at the back door.

"What's wrong?" David asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure, she almost fell over, and then she threw up on her flowers." 'Bring her upstairs." David told Tuck.

Trailed by Jenny and a late arriving Bitsy, Tuck carried 'Lyssa's limp form upstairs and laid her on the bed.

Paul Black Eagle came running. "Let me see her." he ordered. Everyone backed off a bit. "Go on, get out, I will let you know what is going on when I know." And Black Eagle shooed them all out the door and closed it.

Turning back to 'Lyssa, Black Eagle stroked her sweating brow and soothed her.

'Lyssa was terrified, she had never been ill before. Succubi just weren't disease prone.

Black Eagle passed his hands over her body about an inch from the skin. He frowned when his hands passed over her stomach and found nothing. Then he passed his hands a bit lower. Ah, that explained everything. "You're pregnant." He told her.

'Lyssa went dead pale, then her eyes rolled up and she fainted.

Black Eagle had seen odd reactions to pregnancy before, but the look on her face had been pure mortal terror.