A Dragon's Tale Ch. 27

"These are certainly dark days." Beth trembled slightly. "Does it?"

The wood elf nodded slowly. "Yes, but she left before I could ask if Ethan would be there with me."

"Oh." Beth wrung her hands, feeling like there was an entire dance troupe doing a jig in her stomach. If she would've eaten breakfast, she'd be worried about losing it.

Knock! Knock!

"It's Anthiel; there's someone here to see Ethan." Came her voice from the other side of the captain's cabin door.

"Brave face." Alana gently prodded. "You can do this."

Beth nodded and stood up, painfully aware that she probably looked like she'd been awake all night crying, which wasn't far from the truth. She ran her fingers through her hair, and then stepped out onto the Argo's weather deck with Alana behind her.

Delabor the king's herald was waiting outside, standing near the gangplank. He bowed to Beth. "Blessed wife of the honored dragon, I have come to escort him to the palace for a meeting with the king as promised. Is he nearby?"

The two wives exchanged a look, then Beth turned to the herald. "Well, about that..."

* * *

A long walk saw Selene arriving at the little outpost that housed the inn. As she got closer, she saw there was a man outside the inn's stables hastily saddling a horse. It looked like his nose had been broken and someone had roughed him up good. He had the beginnings of a black eye forming and his face looked a little puffy; probably from being hit. His clothes were ripped in a few places and it looked like someone had thrown him around like a rag doll.

That wasvery impressive as the man was well over six feet, powerfully built, and was saddling a draft horse to carry him.

Law enforcement instincts kicking in, Selene headed in his direction. "Hey, are you okay?"

"That fuckin'..." He trailed off when he saw Selene, and she got a slightly creepy vibe from him. He seemed like the kind of fellow who'd try something sleazy. "I'd get out of here if I were you. You'll get broken in half."

And with that, he cinched up the saddle strap, jumped onto the horse and rode out of the stable like a bat out of hell.

He didn't look back.

"What the...?" She stared after him, more than a little confused at what could've spooked such a large man so thoroughly, and even more confused about who could've beaten him up. She shook her head and walked to the inn's door still thinking about it. She absent-mindedly pulled open the door and walked in, only to stop short.

There had been a brawl.

At least, that's what it looked like.

One of the tables had been flattened and the legs had spun away in all directions. It looked like something heavy had been thrown on top of the table and thus it had smashed it flat. One of the chairs appeared to have been crushed, and another was in pieces nearby. The iron fire poker was laying in the middle of the room and -- most impressively -- it appeared to have been bent in the middle.

Not a little bent either.

Theiron fire poker might've made a good boomerang if it was flatter and lighter.

Sarah was picking up little bits of wood while her father was looking surly in the corner. He looked both disappointed and defeated, while his daughter -- who was maybe 5' 4" on a good day and thin -- was looking morose and seemed to be determinedly staring at the floor.

"What happened?" The ex-FBI agent asked.

"Um..." The girl wouldn't meet her eye.

"Two of them guests got into it, and ran off without paying for the damages." Her father grumbled rather too quickly.

"Ah." Selene nodded. She'd seen the one guest, but what about the other? Where had he gone? More importantly, why was the innkeeper concealing what had happened?

"You want a bed?" He asked, clearly changing the topic.

"Sort of." Selene replied hesitantly, not taking her eye off of the broken furniture. "Does this sort of thing happen often?"

"This was a one-time thing, it's always real peaceful in here." He replied hastily, giving Selene the exact opposite impression.

Hmm.

Curious.

"I was hoping I could get a job here, if you're hiring." Selene finally said. Her situation hadn't changed and now she had something to investigate; she'd be lying if she said that second part wasn't making her decision easier.

"Doing what?" He gave her body the once over.

"Not that." Selene replied firmly. "I was hoping to work here like Sarah. Maybe I could help with serving food, or cooking and cleaning, or making beds, or washing; whatever."

He looked at Selene for a few moments, then at Sarah, then back at her. "For how long?"

"A few days at least, maybe a few weeks." She replied.

"Good enough; I'll give you room and board for all that work you done just described."

"And a few coppers." Selene corrected. "I need the money."

"One copper per day, and you sleep in the barn."

"Three coppers and I sleep in the kitchen." Selene countered.

"Five coppers and you sleep with me."

She gave him an icy stare.

"Fine, one copper and you sleep in the kitchen."

"The kitchen and two coppers."

He looked at her appraisingly for a few moments. Worried he might turn her down, she decided to compromise slightly. "How about this; one copper per day for the first week and two coppers after I prove myself; but I'm sleeping inside."

He muttered and grumbled for a few moments but finally replied. "Agreed."

Selene stuck out her hand to shake and seal the deal.

"Well I ain't givin' you no breakfast until you work for it." He harrumphed. "Help Sarah clean this mess up."

"Will do." Selene replied.

"Oh, and no wearing that sword while you're working; I don't want you scaring the customers away." He added as he left the room.

Sarah -- who hadn't said a word during the whole exchange -- smiled faintly as some of the gloom left her expression. " It'll be wonderful having another girl around, and you're really nice."

"Thanks, I--" She started to reply, but the innkeeper stuck his head back in the room. "Sarah, get that poker over to the blacksmith to straighten it, and tell him I want to see him later about that business."

"Yes father." Sarah said instantly.

He left and the girl's face fell again.

"What wrong?" Selene asked.

"I know what the business is." She said quietly, then turned and started cleaning up. Selene wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a sniffle coming from the girl. She turned towards Selene and said without conviction. "It's actually a good thing and I'm grateful, it's just..." She shook her head mournfully and continued picking up the bits of wood.

The Brazilian beauty frowned as she started helping; what business between her father and the local blacksmith could have possibly made Sarah upset?

* * *

Ethan felt like he had the mother of all hangovers. Every inch of his body ached, his head was pounding, and his body refused to cooperate when he tried to remain unconscious. The waking world pulled him towards it like a ten ton jack; utterly inexorable and irresistible no matter how much he fought it. His whole body felt like he'd been put through the wringer.

Mostly, he felt exhausted.

He groaned, and was immediately hit by a soft, warm ball of energy wrapping her arms around him.

"Master, you're okay." A very relieved voice hit his ears.

"Not so loud." He groaned. His limbs felt like they had lead weights strapped to them. He felt like he hadn't slept in a week.

"Sorry master." She said quietly. "How do you feel?"

"God awful." He managed to get out. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." She said. "The last thing I remember is being thrown by that Lady Ekthros person."

"Thrown?" He murmured, then the fight of the previous night came back and his eyes snapped open. The light assaulted his eyes with sharp spiking pains in the backs of his eyes. He closed them again. The events of the previous day rushed back to him and he suddenly felt rather alarmed.

*Alana, Beth, are you both okay?* He asked his wives.

*Ethan!* Then both thought at the same time, their relief so powerful it almost felt like a physical wave that washed over him. It was endearing and did his heart good.

*You're okay then?*

*We're both fine.* Alana replied. *How's Taloni? She wasn't answering.*

*I'm okay.* The Fey replied.

Again, his other wives' relief was almost palpable, though Alana was almost fearful as she asked a further question. *What about Rachel?*

*Rachel is okay.* Taloni replied. *She's exhausted, but unhurt.*

Beth was relieved, but Alana's relief was on a whole other level. Her relief was near equal to what it was upon finding out that he himself was okay. He couldn't help but smile a bit; his wood-elven wife was truly smitten with the beautiful redhead.

Now that everyone knew that everyone else was okay, he turned his thoughts to keeping it that way. *I assume you're already out of Nalatia, and hopefully halfway out of the wood elves kingdom?* He asked.

Silence.

*Girls, where are you?*

*Um, I'm on the Argo, which is still docked.* Alana admitted, then hastily added. *You said to wait for Taloni and she never came, so...*

He sighed, supposing that she was right but wishing they were safe nonetheless. He thought about it for a moment and realized that Lord Delmar had a great opportunity the previous night but hadn't taken it. Therefore, it seemed likely that since he hadn't already made a move on the Argo, heprobably wouldn't.

At least, he hoped he wouldn't.

*Okay, then Beth where are you?* He thought to all his wives.

*Um, I'm following Delabor to the palace.*

*Following? Oh right, I was supposed to meet the king this morning. It's morning right?*

*Yes.* Beth replied. *I was hoping he could help us find you. You don't know where you are, do you?*

*Haven't the foggiest, Taloni?*

*I don't know either master. The walls are made of wood, but that's about all I know and I don't think it'll help much. I hope the king can help find us.*

*What happened last night?* Alana asked.

He recounted the events as best as he could remember them. *I hope the king can help because if he can't I have no idea how we're going to get out of here.*

*Yes Dominus and I'll do my best, but I'm worried.*The nervous energy coming from his bond with the blonde teen was almost enough to make him jittery.

He almost chuckled. *Beth: you survived being kidnapped by bandits, the ensuing fight, being killed in an alley, you spent two weeks with an angel, destroyed a curse, faced down an actual demon, came back from the dead, then learned to Astral Project and poked a Drago in the eye. You can do this, you'll be fine."

*I did all that?* Beth breathed, her tone conveying disbelief.

*You did.* Taloni said encouragingly.

*And that's just the highlights; a lot more happened in between.* Alana added.

*Thank you.* The blonde replied, and Ethan could just imagine the sigh of relief and the cute way her nose crinkled when she did so.

It made him smile.

*Okay ladies, I'm going to have a look around here for a bit. Let me know if anything comes up.*

*Yes sir.*

*Yes Dominus.*

*Yes master.*

He opened his eyes, slowly this time. The room wasn't very bright, but it didn't feel great on his eyes anyway. He looked around, taking in the steel cage, the wooden room, and the laboratory beyond the door. Then his eyes found Kendra and Rachel.

Rachel...

As he looked at her, he realized that something had changed. Nothing about her was different -- except that someone had put a leather collar on her that looked much like Taloni's slave collar -- but it was almost like someone had put a soft focus lens on her. Something about her just seemed warmer, more inviting, more appealing. She was more attractive, more comforting, more... more something. It just felt good to be around her. In fact, it felt much like being around his other wives.

Hmm.

"How's Rachel?" He asked his Fey wife.

"She's low on deep mana master, and so are you. You were both barely above half. I gave you a bit of mine to help you wake up, and I was meditating to give you more."

He nodded, trying to make sense of what had happened the previous night. "Honey, that spell that looks like a small green orb? That's the kill spell right?"

"Yes Master, sometimes called a ripper spell because it rips a person's deep mana away, killing them instantly."

"And it if brushed someone else first, it might not kill the target?" He asked.

"Perhaps not master, why?"

"And both Rachel and I were only at half mana, so she probably gave me some, meaning we're probably bonded." He said putting two-and-two together.

"I think that's what happened too." The Fey broke into a wide smile as she glanced at Rachel. "She'll be a wonderful wife for you master, now that you've bonded."

"I'm not sure we have, but I could check." He paused, then reached down and -- after making sure that Rachel and Kendra were still out cold and he couldn't been seen from the other room -- let his cock and balls come out of their protective sheath. Sure enough, he now had a full half dozen testicles. He had the two original, plus four more; one each for Alana, Beth, Taloni, and now Rachel.

He now had four wives.

Four.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I hope she doesn't hate me for this." He murmured, looking at the redhead as he let his organs retract. "She told me not long ago that she'd never be okay with marrying me."

"But she must've known it would happen master." Taloni countered. "I assume the ripper spell hit you, and she must've saved you. She's a mage master; surely she knew this would bond you together."

"Good point." He admitted.

"I think she really loves you master."

"I hope so." He looked at the beautiful redhead who he'd come to rely on and trust so much. She was delightful company and he liked that she had chosen to bond to him. He would've liked to have been awake for it, but he was glad that she'd be in his life for the rest of their lives. She really was a wonderful woman and he resisted the urge to gently stroke her hair; he wasn't sure she'd want him to.

"I'm going to focus on collecting more regular mana, turning it into deep mana, and then giving you some master." Taloni said. "Once you're full, you can give some to her too. Then you two can talk about it."

Ethan looked at his Fey wife and felt a grin creep onto his face. "Has anyone ever told you that you're the sweetest thing ever?"

She beamed. "You and my fellow wives do all the time master."

"That's because it's true."

* * *

Beth had been in intimidating situations before, but for some reason this was still daunting. She was standing slightly frozen at the bottom step leading up to the enormous wood elven palace. The steps must've been enchanted to be more durable, for they had the most intricate, delicate carvings she'd ever seen. Everything about the place was incredibly elegant, and she wished that she was. She was painfully aware of her own appearance, and how it would be obvious that she'd been crying and had passed a miserable night.

"Come, wife of the honored dragon." Delabor said. "The King and queen await."

She nodded and followed him up the steps, marveling at everything. Once inside, it was even more impressive. Suddenly, she felt very underdressed. While the blue dress that Alana had enchanted for her was wonderful, fit her perfectly, and she'd been told it looked amazing on her, she wasn't sure it was appropriate for meeting a king. She didn't have a single gram of makeup on either.

She grimaced.

*You'll do fine.* Ethan's soothing voice came over their bond, and directly to her instead of to everyone. *You can do this.*

*I hope so.* She replied, feeling her nerves set in again. Her palms were starting to get a bit sweaty and she hoped she didn't let her knees start trembling. *Are you sure I'll be okay? He is a king.*

*I'm sure. It's not like facing a Drago, which you've done.*

*Okay.* She took a deep breath and continued to follow Delabor through ever more elaborate rooms and corridors.

As she approached what she assumed were the grand double doors to the throne room, the herald turned and led her through a smaller side door. They moved through a few short side halls which were no less ornate than the larger ones before finally stopping outside a small door.

Delabor opened the door, stepped back, and bowed. "The King and Queen will receive you in here, wife of the honored dragon."

"Thank you." She curtsied and entered.

The room was quite small compared to the ones outside and differently decorated. This one was less ornate and more a 'simple elegance' style; a less-is-more kind of thing. It looked more 'homey', and unless she was much mistaken, she guessed that the queen had influenced the style.

Speaking of, she was sitting at a small table with the king. The queen was the picture of feminine perfection and bore a striking resemblance to an older, blonde version of Alana. The king had dark hair and a confident, relaxed posture. Both seemed to regard her appearance with concern as she entered.

"Lady Beth, welcome." The queen said, rising and giving her a curtsey.

"Indeed, welcome." The king said, then gestured to an open chair. "You may take a seat."

"Thank you your majesty." Beth replied as she sat, hoping that was a reasonable response.

"Delabor sent word ahead that the honored dragon couldn't meet us, and sent you in his stead?" The queen said.

She took a deep breath before replying. "Yes, Ethan was attacked last night by Lord Delmar's men."

"That is a serious accusation, requiring serious proof." The King stated.

"Where are your other witnesses?" The queen asked.

"Other witnesses?"

"Of course." The king said. "The Book of Light requires every accusation to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses."

"Oh." Beth felt her shoulder slump slightly as she remembered that they wouldn't take an audience with Alana. "I don't have any other witnesses."

"Then you should not speak out against a Lord." The king said. "Were you not the wife of the honored dragon who is my guest, honor would dictate you receive a lashing for this."

He didn't sound threatening, or even convinced that such a lashing was proper. If anything, she thought she caught a note of skepticism in his voice when he mentioned what honor required.

"Regardless, you can tell us what you saw." The Queen said kindly.

"I didn't see it." Beth said, realizing how that sounded the instant the words had left her mouth. "Ethan told me about it after it happened."

"He told you? How?" The Queen looked skeptical.

"I know we haven't been bonded very long, but we can send our thoughts to each other. He somehow made it possible despite us not being married very long."

"He must truly be a prophet of Illuminar -- blessed be He." The King said. "None but one of His prophets could accomplish such a feat in so short a time."

"Could you help us find him?" She asked the monarchs.

"That we will do." The King replied. "Within the hour, every guard in Nalatia will be on the lookout for him and they will conduct extensive searches to find him. However it would disgrace Lord Delmar to even request that we search his holdings or vessels."

"Okay, thank you." Beth tried not to let the sinking feeling in her heart show on her face; they would never find him if they didn't search there. It seemed that her husband and his companions would have to free themselves.

There was no other help coming.

* * *

The moment that Kendra started to wake up, her entire body was instantly ready for action. The fight from the previous night rushed back to her and she had to resist the impulse to leap up. Often, a more subtle approach was better. She strained her other senses, especially her hearing to gather information about her surroundings.