Champion of the Goddess Pt. 07

Ginger closed the door and noticed the bird was under her cloak and hooked to her belt., "What do you know of me, Your Majesty?"

The King sighed, "I know you are the Raven. According to the Duke. I want to know what must be done to fix this Duchy."

The bird flew out and landed on her shoulder and spoke, "I will be known here by helping you. But this is the least bloody and least costly solution to your problem in this Duchy. I have no idea where I will be leading us next and I would ask that you do not seek that answer.

For that, I will give you the information you would not be able to get very quickly. I will direct Korrok to take some actions during all of this, as it involves the Duke and rape of children. Myssara promised him a violent, long, and painful death, Your Majesty."

The King nodded, "Very well. I will agree with your terms. I hear of your name from a complaining royal and I will tell them to address it according to the missive I sent them all in dealing with Myssara's Champion. Regardless if you appear male or female. They will look for the Raven. Including listening and respecting you. This will help in human lands, and from what I have heard from Duchess Reinhart as well. She speaks highly of you."

Ginger nodded, "Not to be shared, but the Elven Queen and the Duchess both share something special from that first life when I ran into them. My children. I have just under, 1,200 children born or on the way.

The Raven spoke, "I can fix infertility and it aided the Elven Queen with her infertile husband. You are fertile. Also, you are the King that Myssara aided to put into place in her world. I did not lie to you, so please do not lie to me.

All of those children are of royal blood. Attacking either of their lands, them, or their children would displease me very much. The last man to wear that crown had an infertile daughter and an infertile wife. He had 58 heirs, many older than his barren daughter, including you."

Ginger sighed, "I have the list from the guards. I doubt this is complete. I would recommend getting the guards to bring every name on the list to the Keep. We take them one at a time, and in the case of several on this list, in small groups. They have the same list of 7-10 items taken from them...mostly.

Myssara does not generally give out that much on some of these items. She has not told me directly. My guess is your guards arrested party members out of given parties. The parties moved along having taken the items or sold them. They should be compensated for their share only.

I can help with that and that reduces the compensation. All of those claiming to be assaulted can identify their attackers. Line up the guards, have them point out the accused."

The Raven started tapping, "Ask them directly if the charges are true. I will let you know which ones are being honest and which ones are lying. I have the ability to tell when someone is lying to me through this bird. You deal with the guilty. Provide restitution to the aggrieved and get justice for those that have been raped and tortured. I assume the Duchess is already dead, Your Majesty."

Raven thought to Myssara, "To add on your good tenants I would ask that those memories fade quickly over this life and be gone into the next life, else you will build up some rather bitter players."

Myssara sighed, "You make a fair point because they suffered from my persona experiments. I will work that into those who are players first. Personas will take longer, not too much longer, as it will add some character depth in the short term."

The King nodded, "The Duke sent ahead an assassin squad on her. They were killed in the court. She would have died anyway for fraud on who the father of the children was and lying to me. Why do you talk through the bird sometimes and to me directly?"

Ginger sighed, "Also for not reporting this injust to you sooner to keep it from escalating to this point. KEEP that in the front of your mind! You need to take steps to do that in all of your courts before Myssara has me do it for you. Then you will be at war again filling in all of these holes.

Once we have dealt with this aspect, you will compensate us. I as Ginger Strongbow and her party for bringing this to light and aiding you in getting this done. I lead this group and I am here primarily to help train others, not clean up royal messes.

I work to help train leaders for the Goddess, I rose to the rank of Captain in your war and you never even knew I was there. Then ripping the hearts out of the King and Queen while in her sanctum. Helping from the back while fighting from the front, just to prove my point about staying in the back, Your Majesty."

The bird spoke, "Sometimes when the bird speaks you are not hearing from the Raven but Myssara instead. The bird sometimes delivers messages to the Raven and other times to others at the same time. You will never know if it is the Raven or Myssara who is addressing you.

That is the way I want it. Now is this Myssara or the Raven telling you this? Does it matter? The questions were rhetorical. It does not matter for The Raven speaks on Myssara's behalf.

This was after the Duke was killed who was told to kill Raven's children. The Raven had killed the King's lover Duchess Reinhart's mother at the time with a writ in hand, he signed it under duress from his wife.

They then sought to kill Raven's children with the current Duchess, who is not interested in your crown, she is aware of your shared father. She is happy being a loyal servant and aided in your rise to power."

He nodded, "She did. Myssara told me not to discuss the fact you did that to the previous King and Queen."

Ginger nodded, "I am her weapon at times to handle some of these matters. She wants that shielded from the public. I prefer a more open and accurate dialog on the details. Especially with royalty as they hold power and need to keep corruption at bay, Your Majesty."

King Porto asked, "Would you have killed me if the Duke had challenged you?"

Ginger shrugged, "She would likely have killed the Duke for you and then issued a warning to you in person most likely. She does not tell me of all her plans or actions. I don't tell her of all my plans or actions. She does not like major upheaval like that.

Yet, she agreed your father and his bitch were being insolent and irreverent to her demands. I will also ask that you ensure intolerance to half-elves is abolished during your reign. Your Duke cousin had it on his list of undesirables he worked to keep from coming into this Duchy.

She chose a half-elven Champion to stress this point. Things you need to seriously consider. The former King's last words of defiance were to call me out as a 'half breed' in the presence of the Goddess, Your Majesty."

The bird spoke, "The Raven is half-elven by blood, even in new forms. A bridge between Kingdoms with Royal blood on both sides. Please keep that in mind."

Ginger looked at the King, "I would simply ask for fine swords for Korrok, Vicor our fighter, and myself. I have a bow given to me by the Goddess already and it has many forms. Better bows for the 2 servants of the lady Mysssara, My Sister Viola and Korrok's wife, and our cleric to Myssrara.

Our halfling 'undesirable by the Duke's list' paladin named Monna. Bows, short bows for my scouts Coral and Fingers, and a magical staff for my mage, Claire. We collected a bounty for the Great Cyclops already and it will let us focus on acquiring other gear as needed.

If you want to add gold or platinum to that, we would not turn it away. I try to keep these tasks reasonable while serving the Goddess, seeking only what we need to further her aims, we leave the quality of those in your hands. May Myssara bless your household, Your Majesty."

The King nodded, "I will pray on the matter for a replacement for here. Write out the types of weapons for your group. I want the groups brought in first you spoke about. I will get the current list and have guards bring them all to this Keep out front. We will address the problems together, from the front this time."

Ginger bowed to the King and walked out ahead of him with the Raven still sitting on her shoulder. She wrote the list and handed it to the page who gave it to the King.

King Porto nodded, "Raven. If you would stand to my right side, please. For those in attendance, Myssara sent her Champion here to fix a high degree of corruption and irreverent behavior. We will do so quickly. I want all city and Royal guards brought before me, out in the courtyard and disarmed.

I will contact the Queen and double the presence of my guards here in this Duchy until we are done as we will work through the night if need be. I want all of those imprisoned brought here to hear of their claims."

Ginger moved over and stood next to the King.

---

They spent the next 16 hours working through the night. Raven, through the bird, warned them all that the 'bird' had truth detection ability going as a blessing from Myssara, and lying to the King would be known. Where he had groups Ginger spoke, "You were members of the same party. You had gear taken but not by the duchy and not by those who detained you. At least not all of it.

Give him an accounting of what was yours and what was taken. What on this list belonged to the party along with numbers in the party who made it here. He will work with his mages to determine the cost value of the items. To see you get a fair share in gold for what was missing based upon your party's arrival numbers.

He cannot return items as we have no known location for your missing gear. You can then go to the DIE store or the enchanters in town and buy what you would like instead. Do not lie or you will end up hanging from the city walls until dead. For those that were assaulted or tortured tell us if you know who they were or identify them if here or in the courtyard, by whom if you know the name."

12 guards from the dungeons stood in the rooms and as they were pointed out for torture and 'the raven' confirmed it the King had them executed on the spot. For those in the courtyard, they were asked to answer honestly. Those who lied were executed by being hung spread eagle by the city walls until they died. Those who were honest died quickly. The room's floor and courtyard were soon covered in puddles of blood.

The Duke finally returned and his army was ordered to stand down as he was placed under arrest. The Duke arrived in court to see servants as they mopped up the blood from the floor. The King looked at him, "I have 84 counts of rape listed against you, my cousin. All of them are males, Some of them children. How do you plead?"

The Duke looked forward, "They are vicious lies and unsubstantiated, Your Majesty."

The Raven Squaked, "LIAR!"

Ginger called out, "Korrok, the Duke is yours to deal with as the barbarians suffered the most from him."

Korrok walked over and looked at the guards. "Drop his pants. Viola standby to heal."

She nodded as his pants went down and Raven ripped his cock and balls off with his bare hands to the sound of a screeching Duke. Viola healed him to keep him from bleeding out. He looked at the Guard Captain, "We have not questioned the boy who served you wine yet, but we have 50 charges against you, including children. How do you plead?"

The Head Guard Captain looked over, "Guilty! I ask for mercy."

He pointed to the other 2 guards, "Pants." They dropped his pants and Raven pulled out a Dagger and cut his cock and balls off, "Let him bleed out, that is all the mercy he will get. The Duke should be taken back to your Kingdom. Hung from the walls to die as the others have been, naked. After 2 days, feed him and put him back.

After a week, take him to the town square where Raven's statue sits. Chain him down and flog the skin off of him until he is dead with a cat of 9 tails. The Raven can tell a truth from a lie. Others the Raven told in advance, but not you. Not for everything you have done including others who confessed to doing it as well to children.

The Raven does not believe in torture. The goddess does believe in the punishment fitting the crime. The Raven warned you she would make your death quick and I would make it painful.

Raven turned to the King and dropped the Duke's genitals on the floor with the head guard captain's genitals as well. "I dealt with a rapist the barbarian way. When 'IT' is dead, then bury 'ITS' ashes in an unmarked grave out in the woods. You have wizards who can burn his body quite nicely. Pyrotechnic eruption works well for that." As he turned back to his party he looked back at the King, "Your Majesty."

The King was shocked but nodded, "Thank you for your service, Korrok, and yours Raven, Champion of Myssara. I will work on those other matters we discussed. Ginger Strongbow, I will have your payment sent to your room at the inn in a few hours. I will send it from my Kingdom's royal vault. I thank you for the use of your group in bringing this corruption to light and easing the financial impact in the settlements."

Ginger bowed, "Always pleased to serve, Your Majesty. We are getting a bit tired, ourselves. We have been at this for a long time. We would like to sleep soon."

He nodded, "I will have them work to expedite it for you. I have one more thing for you Ginger Strongbow, take a knee."

She walked forward and took a knee. He smiled, "I am knighting you into my court. The paperwork will arrive with your payment. Thank you again for your service in this matter, Lady Strongbow. I know as the Champion you do not crave titles from me.

Yet it will aid you in dealing with any other royal entanglements you might encounter. Also, your service in my army when you worked from the back being undetected. You may rise, Lady Strongbow."

Raven and the others applauded her for her new title.

They all bowed to the King before leaving the Keep. Raven looked at Ginger, "He is a good man for the job, Lady Strongbow."

She looked at him and whispered, "Being you for part of that. He has knighted you under my name."

Raven shook his head, "Barbarian, who was not loyal to him but the people at large. I turned my back on him before calling him 'Your Majesty' even. I technically sit above all of the Kings and Queens already.

He likely knew that but the illusion we gave him and the fact you supported his rise to power lends credibility to his rule. He now has it on record that he knighted one of Raven's Personas if you will into his court as you 'were known and it would aid you.'

I am Myssara's Champion and knighting me could have seemed blasphemous if he had done it. I am not loyal to his kingdom, even as a guise this life. You were. That was a testament to your leadership and diplomacy skills. Your roleplaying efforts. You do understand what I am saying?

You know how I get about the abuse of children, half-elves, women, and just plain torture. I gave the one man a quicker death than the Duke, as he asked for Mercy and admitted his crimes. We both knew it would happen when that list hit your hands.

My helping was a foregone conclusion but I did it from the back. The Duchess worked to get her husband killed. The husband sent assassins to kill her before he arrived. They were made for each other, Lady Strongbow."

---

The King heard from Myssara, "You know only a small fraction of what my Champion is capable of doing. I did not lie to you, I send messages to the Raven in the mind like this or to the bird at times when I want it known by more than one often.

As to your Duke issue here, I will aid you with this once. The others you must choose. The head of your guard. You should make him Duke and regent over these lands. He has always been loyal to you.

He has a wife and children for heirs. He would be a good Duke because he has learned from you. Put him at the bottom of the list of succession, because of the Royal blood issue, it would be expected. Loyalty should be rewarded.

His son could end up marrying one of your daughters. Setting it up for royal blood in the future. You earned the respect of my Champion and further respect from me. Now, follow through on those promises to Raven and get the rest of your house in order.

As to Knighting the Raven. You did it as Ginger Strongbow correctly. Next time I will consider that blasphemous as the Raven sits above you and you are, while well-intentioned, placing the Raven loyal to you instead of to me. As you will ensure the verbiage contained nothing of the Raven and allow Ginger to slide back into hiding I will not hold it against you this time. You have work to do."

She sent him the names of 5 other dukes and dutchesses and 3 other counts and countesses to address and why. Many were other cousins of his from his mother's side. All but 2. He now truly felt the burden of command at potentially having to kill off so many family members who aided in his rise to the crown.

Yet, what they did was ultimately unforgivable. As his mages were rested they took him back. He made his Guard Captain Strongheart, Duke Strongheart in his court for his many years of service. He was ordered back with the payment and his family as soon as possible.

Duke Strongheart looked up, "Why me, Your Majesty?"

King Porto smiled, "You have always been loyal to me, fought at my side, and saw to my protection. I prayed on the matter and Myssara saw this in you as well. She said you would make an excellent Duke over that area.

You have seen first hand what the Champion Raven will do when he or she finds corruption. Even letting a barbarian rip the genitalia off of a rapist. I recommend choosing your staff wisely. You find me a new Captain, from within the ranks. Then pick another from my guard to take the role for your Duchy.

You need one you can trust to have your back and one who you would trust even more to watch over mine. Not based on seniority, but loyalty for both of them. Get them inline in that Duchy. Many will be unhappy about the deaths. Others will be happy that a tyrant was put down and that The Raven stood by our side to do it."

The new Duke bowed and left to inform his family and then returned and took the payment in a portable hole. He had them teleport him directly to the inn with his new Captain at his side.

He got to the door and knocked as Ginger answered. He smiled, "Lady Strongbow, Raven, your payment is in here. Keep the portable hole. The King made me Duke over these lands. Thank you."

She smiled, "Your, Grace, it has been a pleasure. I would ask that the Duchess's children be sent to the church of Myssara to be raised, given new family names based upon who they divine the fathers to have been."

He nodded, "That I will do, first thing in the morning, Lady Strongbow."

She closed and barred the door and got undressed and the ladies had fallen asleep at his side. She was stuck with cock sheathing duty tonight. She shook her head and climbed on top.

---

Raven was back in the sanctum with a bubble around him. He chuckled, "Keeping the evil pheromones away I see."

Myssara nodded as Ginger and Viola appeared, "I will be moving your whole party to another inn while you sleep. Including your horses, which you will likely replace anyway. Screw it. I will give you the gold to replace your horses and your tack in your rooms. Easier to deal with. You will find better ones, you all fucking earned them.

I did not send the King. I left his free-will alone in the matter. One of the personas I spent the most time working upon. He seems to be doing well and I am pleased with his performance. The work I did on him to make him far less 'brain dead' in matters dealing with my Champion especially. You turning your back and then looking back and saying 'Your Majesty' was an interesting move.