Champion of the Goddess Pt. 05

They all laughed at that and got underway.

They all rode until midday at the war ponies' double rate. He ensured everyone was on the best horses they had. The Raven came back, "Roadblock, lots of troops."

He looked at Julia, "Reinhardt's troops had a dead man on the back of a horse who they said was some sort of courier. Those are the royal military. At least what they are wearing."

Julia nodded, "I know my heraldry skills are working. Frank with me."

The two Paladins rode forward as the raven landed on the female halfling's shoulder. Then disappeared.

They rode up to a couple of guards who got a couple of more guards and everyone remained calm sitting there. A group of them appeared to be getting orders and moving out to the east. The Paladins waved them forward and they went right through the blockade. They traveled for an hour. He summoned up his raven on the halfling's shoulder and had it scout the road telepathically. It came back an hour later, "Lots of men, town, city."

He dismissed the bird he thought, "They bullshitted their way past the guards?"

Myssara laughed, "It was supposed to be combat, combat, combat, and roleplaying but combat if you attacked them like the others. They got good intelligence from a pair of paladins who they would trust over an elf or any other race. Good call and having her do the talking, was a very good choice.

She was higher in the class ranking than Frank. I gave the bonus XP to Frank for figuring out why a human paladin. He is learning a few things from her as well; overall you are leading by example and taking questions periodically. You made level five as soon as you get to the inn."

He stored his armor. They rode up and he went into the inn and got the Merchant suite for a week and 2 other rooms closer but not next to that room.

He went back out, sorted the horses, and worked with the ranger on which ones to sell and replaced the war pony while they were at it. They went to the inn, got food and drink, and a nice large corner booth. He sighed, "Level 5 everyone. Beautiful job getting here. Nice talk with the roadblock."

Julia nodded, "They said they wanted us to go to the castle and report the troop movements."

Raven nodded, "We will all go for that except for the fighter and Barbarian. We might have cut off their fun at the first inn having to leave early. Give them some free time. The third room from the end left side for you 2 and the third room from the right side for our Paladin love birds.

Cresna I need one of your toy boxes, you have 3 now. Empty it into the bag of holding. I need to borrow the box. The two paladins may come back ahead of us."

Cresna nodded, "Completing that delivery as well?"

She smiled.

Raven sighed with a wicked grin, "We will see. Last name Julia?"

She smiled, "Sword, yes we know, not very original."

Raven nodded, "But it will work, and simplistic on Paladin's last names are not bad as they can come from humble origins, like the son of a blacksmith or sword maker." Raven put the package in the box with the letters under it inside of the bag of holding. He showed it to her and she nodded, "Alright."

He then had his raven appear inside of the box with its grey eyes. Ccresna smiled, "You are up to something."

Raven nodded, "Always."

He dismissed the bird. Raven heard Myssara in his head, "What are you going to do?"

He thought, "Roleplay my ass off again and screw over a couple more royal families. Exactly what you expected me to do."

He heard Mother laughing in the background.

They went and got horses and rode into the city and into the Palace district. The guard looked at the Paladins, "What business do you have with the King?"

Julia looked at him, "We were requested to see him and report some troop movements of Duke Reinhart's assets south of the city and moving east. They were searching for a courier."

Raven looked at the guard, "Considering the paladins were guarding the courier in hiding if you will, they did well. The Elven Queen of House Rising Moon sends her regards."

The guard looked at Raven and then at the mace at his side, "Cleric?"

Raven nodded, "Cleric and soon to be Scion to the Lady and Goddess Myssara, may her favor fall upon you."

The guard looked to the paladins who nodded. Julia smiled, "Paladins of Caltor who were asked to escort the courier and see him and his package safely delivered. The others are members of his protection detail."

The guard had them escorted to the Palace. They took their horses. They went to take weapons and Raven asked, "You disarm royal couriers normally?"

The guard looked over, "If they are not human then we do. We will leave the weapons on your Paladins."

Raven nodded, "Very well."

He handed the bow and mace over to Frank. They collected the other bows but did not mess with the quiver of arrows he had as he gave them the bow and mace. They walked into the court and Raven carried the box.

They checked his bag for hidden weapons and he gave it to Frank to hold for now. He simply carried the box and opened the lid and they saw the royal seals and the message on it for the King.

He nodded and the 3 of them stood in front with a Paladin on either side and Raven bowed to them, "Your Majesty. Warmest regards from Queen Rising Moon and the Lady and Goddess Myssara, I am one of her most devout followers. Garren'Shia Eclipsing Moon. If I could get a page to step forward for a moment, Your Majesty."

A page came forward, "Please read the message on the package inside."

The page looked at it, "It has the elven royal seals and is addressed to King Jasmire from Queen Rising Moon." Raven closed the box and handed it to the page. "There is more in the box to discuss but it should be done with a much smaller audience, your Majesty.

Yourself, your Queen, and the Royal Princess with myself with no guards would be best. Before you object your Majesty, I would ask for you to take a look into the box, see what you see, and then decide on the issue at hand."

The King looked perplexed, "Why would I do that?"

Raven smiled, "Your page is observant but there was one thing he missed in his observation, Your Majesty."

He opened the box and started at the smoky-eyed raven which quickly disappeared from his eyes. The King looked up, "One of her most devout followers."

Raven bowed, "I am your Majesty. Preferably a room shielded from scrying, Your Majesty."

The King and Queen left the room and everyone bowed as they got up. One of the guards walked over to Raven, "Follow me." Raven followed the man into a small room. The door shut and he summoned on his armor, Raven sighed, "I feel naked without my armor at times, Your Majesty. In order to travel in disguise for Myssara, it is sometimes required. Are we truly alone, your Majesty?"

The King nodded, Raven sighed and turned slightly, "One moment, Your Majesty." He summoned forth his bow and shot the invisible intruder in the corner with a pair of arrows. He screamed and went to cast as Raven put the third shot into the person through the heart now that he could see them completely. He sent his bow away. "I hope that was not one of your guards, Your Majesty."

He shook his head, "How did you see him?"

Raven nodded, "I can detect magic at will to the point I could tell you your necklace, crown, weapon, bracers, boots, pinky rings on both hands, and even your shirt are enchanted, Your Majesty. I could tell you what they all do as well."

Raven sighed, "I am the Raven. Champion of Myssara. She sent me to the elven Queen who sent me to see you with that package for your daughter. The problem is, it has a very small chance of working at all. The Queen's words to me. It did not work on her own husband and she was beside herself on how to aid in this matter until I arrived."

The King looked at him, "She has 3 children already."

Raven nodded, "With 5 more on the way. The fifth from that set was placed there by her husband after I gave her the 4 girls and, in the process, gave them what he needed to fix his fertility.

We are getting ahead of ourselves. Please forgive me if I cut back on, Your Majesty in this private conversation and you will understand why shortly.

The Raven, me as I am a half-elven in my natural form. Even when you see me as such. Next time you see me I could be a halfling, dwarf, or human. Male or female. You would never know unless I choose to reveal myself to you. My being here is restricted information. I was born Lukottan Rising Moon, the eldest son of the former King Rising Moon was my father. My Mother was Marna Reinhardt, Duchess.

I was at the time of meeting the elven Queen for the first time, the rightful heir to the throne of House Rising Moon. I abdicated for a higher calling but I took a pound of flesh if you will from both families for their responsibility in my mother's death. On paper, my mother was the youngest daughter of Duke Reinhardt.

In fact, Lars Reinhardt fathered her with his stepmother who was a duchess by birth. She died after my mother was born. Lars though is not a Duke by blood as he is the product of an adulteress mother with a half-elven father who he helped to kill.

His sister from the same father gave you this information though before an assassin got her in the capital. That information was no surprise to you about his heredity. Lars has a wife who is a baroness, who is barren after giving birth to one daughter named Marna. Lars named her after Lars's daughter with the step-mother Duchess, doing what his father could not do and getting another heir. Yet he left her to die and be killed by that bastard of a baron involved in the civil war.

He had no issue naming Marna that. Because you dear King, happen to be the woman's father. After you took all of his wife's virginities on her wedding night and then pounded the fuck out of her for 3 days until she caught another child for you."

The Queen looked at him in shock. "The 2 daughters, one the bastard daughter born hours apart from each other as you fuck around still, with the Duke's wife to this day. Probably many others as well. That is rather sad given the documents in that box.

She has her limp-dicked husband by the balls in trying to keep your legitimate and elder daughter from having children. While Marna is unfamiliar with the political manipulation performed by her false father or her relationship to you. She is the younger of the two here, yet her having children would put her in a position of power.

If something happened to the two of you and she has heirs of royal blood from both parents, while your daughter from your own sister is infertile. In Marna's case, those children are descended from your line, and from House Rising Moon in addition to the Baroness turned Duchess Reinhardt. Those children are very royal if you will as they are my children.

Royalty and power grabs go hand-in-hand. That potion failed on the Queen's husband, but I can fix her fertility getting her pregnant in the process. One of the many things I can do for Myssara if I choose to undertake the task. I have conditions if I do this. Let me list those off before any blood gets shed from the horrified Queen at the moment who looks ready to castrate you.

Her fertility is gone and she is up in years but I would fix hers in the same manner, she would have 2 sons to protect her daughters back. Her daughter would give birth to 7 sons. Her 2 infertile female companions would become fertile and bear 7 girls each.

Two for each of the seven sons for when she makes them her royal consorts. You married your sister so her children doing something similar with half-siblings would not be seen as unusual, less so because they are from different mothers, just the same father...me.

I am of royal blood, a duchess, and an elven prince. Your daughter is of royal blood, as you have the family tree that does not fork into branches. The 2 for your wife are for your indiscretions with a woman who is plotting against you. To go along with that, you will give a signed death sentence for Duke Reinhardt and his wife to the 2 Paladins outside Frank and Julia Sword, Paladins of Caltor.

We would travel there and install Marna as the new Duchess. While I am there, give her more children to go with the ones, she already has from me. I found out she is an excellent cocksucker from Lars and his father taking advantage of the girl for that task at an early age.

Neither could rise to the occasion to get her pregnant themselves after her fop of a husband failed for 9 years. All of the children will have some signs of elven traits, namely the eyes and possibly the ears.

They are a blessing and a warning from the goddess concerning the unequal treatment of half-elves in her world. Especially after she took me on as her champion. Now the half-elven acceptance standards you have been hearing about from both locations make sense to you.

Your daughter thoroughly enjoyed her time with me and my traveling companions. That is why she has so many female lovers of her own. The Queen might find she likes that aspect as well. I have 4 ladies who share my bed and they would participate in all of this.

I should tell you I gave away millions in gold to both families for those children, my inheritance as a half-elf. My higher calling had little need for gold except to accomplish different missions.

Your daughter is free to try the potion in the box, you are free to read the damning documents at the bottom and confirm the facts with the Elven Queen if you wish. You have military troops moving to intercept some of the Duke's military almost 70 miles outside of his area.

I can look at the Princess as I have the Queen here and told you of their fertility issues. One of the powers I have as the Champion is to be able to fix those, control the sex and number of offspring the women conceived, or leave it random. The most I have ever put into a woman at once was 30 and that was with Myssara, just to prove to her that I could do it.

The deal is a package deal, pursuing the traitorous Duke and his wife for you we would do. The children and fertility would be for all of them or none of them in this Palace as one package deal. I leave that choice up to you 3 to decide on the matter.

She should try the potion and I will tell you honestly if it worked. You can have a cleric you trust to tell you as well if that worked. Duchess Marna might like a repeat visit, in fact, I am positive she would love a repeat visit. She is a protected asset by me.

She said one day she would rule that duchy and she will with these actions. To the best of my knowledge, she is completely unaware of the King being her true father. I have no plans on revealing that to her in this process at this time. Provided you cooperate and do not threaten her or the children. My children.

She was an accepting woman of Raven and outraged at what her father and grandfather did in regards to my mother and myself. This life I am Garren'shia Eclipsing Moon and should be referred to as such, Your Majesty."

He walked back to the assassin and pulled the destroyed arrows and stripped it of magical gear and stored it in a bag of holding the person carried. All while he stored his armor. Raven stood, "We are staying at the inn outside the gate to the south of the city. If the ladies prefer to do this here or there or turn down the offer makes no difference to me.

I can only offer the service. I give you the free will, collectively, to decide on how you wish to proceed." Raven took the box and left the documentation and handed the Princess the package, "You can try the potion now. I will tell you if it works. The elven Queen looked at me in chambers and told me I was the package to help you.

I sighed and grumbled about that. I prefer the ladies to be willing to take me into their beds. I will warn you no infertility blocking item works on me and I get women pregnant 100% of the time. I even managed to get a halfling pregnant this life but that was a test Myssara was not happy about me attempting but I succeeded."

He waved his hand and she took the potion out he thought, "Myssara there is your free will to the solution I provided. Does it work or does it not work? How do you wish to decide that? I told you I would work to screw over the Royal family for putting me into this mess."

He heard Mother laugh and Myssara groaned, "I put you in this mess and you took it to the fucking extreme, yet you have given me an out as I gave you all of that information in your past life.

Fuck it, it does not work. My lust side is kicking in. I want her to get it through my champion. Damned, you know how to fuck with royalty minds. Also, my mind."

He shook his head, "Myssara said if you want fertility the path to that lays before you. I will return to the others now and let you discuss this as a family. You know where to find me as we will be returning to the inn for this evening and be here for a couple of days.

Again, my presence needs to go unnoticed. No discussing this with any guards or advisors. Else I will end up leaving early for wherever Myssara decides to send me next, Your Majesties."

He bowed to them and then left the room while all 3 shocked royals just stood there. He walked out to the others, "We should head back now. They will be in contact in the next couple of days. They have a few family matters to discuss."

They walked out and he got his bag from the Paladin, his bow, and the Mace. They mounted up and Cresna asked, "What happened?"

He laughed, "Myssara, send my current party members the roleplaying exercise for the future."

By the time he got to the inn Cresna could not stop laughing, Julia was in shock. Tonya was all smiles and the two new ladies looked at him in shock, "You really fucked with them."

Raven nodded, "I cleared the air. I told Myssara on that first life that royalty should be a ranger favored enemy option. Sticking it to 3 royal families this life. Working from information Myssara gave her champion long ago."

He heard in his head, "Yes, I realized I gave you the resources to do that from back then and am still shocked you just did that!"

Raven smiled and thought, "Bonus XP!"

He heard Mother rolling in laughter from his comment.

Then Cresna and Tonya started laughing. Tonya smiled, "Mother sent us that last exchange."

They stabled the horses and went inside. Ox and Jeremiah were in the booth smiling and waved them over. They went and sat down.

Ox looked at him, "You put the fucking screws to all of them in their own damned palace."

Raven nodded, "I left them the option but he has a lot of explaining to do and those documents do not help his case at all. Only Cresna and I read them all. She was with me that life."

He thought, "Send them that role-playing exercise."

Ox shook his head, "Alright, you are the master and we are humbly learning from you. Played both sides against each other. How masterfully you did that."

Frank shook his head, "You got a devious mind."

Raven nodded, "A lust-filled one as well. I was forced into a royal situation again. I was going to take another pound of flesh and give Myssara a reason not to do it again for a long fucking time."

He heard in his head, "Message received."

She did not sound very sincere to him. He pulled out the map and looked at it, "A little out of the way if we want to get to the Countess, Cresna."

Cresna busted up laughing and he heard Myssara groan, "I got it. Seriously I got the message. I should not have stuck another royalty situation in front of you like that again."

He thought back, "Your count for 20 starts over, right?"

She groaned out, "Yes it starts over, I might even make it longer. You are creating all kinds of ripples in my world's political landscape."