Claiming the Skies Ch. 02

"As you can see, we're twins. We are well educated, can wield magic, and are under the age of 25. We've had our fair share of bigotry." Arty said.

"You're a rebel. I like that. You don't want to answer to us, fine. Could we try being friends?" Andy asks.

"You're standing there naked, pointing your stiff cock at me, and want me to be your friend? Are you insane?" She asked not even knowing what to think.

"Um, when I said nice guns, I wasn't looking at your pistols. I'm a breast guy." Andy said turning away from her.

"Really Andy, we want her to trust us. Not be revolted with pervy comments." Arty said not seeing the blush of her cheeks.

"What's in it for me?" She asked lowering the guns. "I have needs and ambitions of my own. What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?" Andy asks in return, "If we can give it to you, it's yours. Money, magic, power, your own ship..."

"Affection and security." She says tossing the guns to the ground. "I want to be admired, not kept. Talked to, not at. My turn to be in charge." Stepping behind Andy, wrapping her arms around him. One hand flattening on his chest the other gripping his throbbing manhood.

"This is a little friendlier than I was expecting." Arty says.

"I would be your slut if you'll be my slave." She whispers.

"I could agree to that but not all the time. Equals, in as much as possible. The other stuff, only if we take turns. I'm no one's slave anymore then I want one to be mine." Andy says.

"What about Breana?" Arty asks.

"Who?" Hellena asks squeezing him harshly.

"She took our virginity. She's been fucking us ever since. She acts like our slave but we've never demanded from her or told her to do anything. She loves us and we love her. It's her choice." Andy stammers.

"Is he telling the truth?" She asks glaring at Arty over his shoulder.

"Yes. Every word." Arty says.

"I wanna talk to her." Hella demands.

"She wouldn't come along. She hates bugs." Andy grunted.

"Fine!" She says letting go of him as she shoves him toward Arty with her hip, "You two dress. I'll pack. Either of you think about touching me, I'll shoot your balls off."

With that she reaches down, grabs up her guns, and stalks off into the trees.

"That could have gone worse." Andy says, "Hope she ain't going to be offended if I finishing what she started myself."

Arty chuckled, "Just do it over there. It's bad enough seeing it when Breana makes us watch each other."

Her body shock violently but Hoax held her upright.

"Is she going to be ok?" Apex asked.

Let's get her back upstairs. I've done all I can and it seems to have worked. She'll need rest and time.

"Very well, next order of business is getting the ship." Apex said watching Hoax scoop her into his arms and head for the stairs.

* * * * *

Brent Jordan looked over the list, "And you're paying premium to get this ship crewed by sunset tomorrow."

"Yes." Phillips said nodding.

"The part about not having living family?" Brent asked.

"It's a hazardous transport job. I don't want to leave widows or orphans behind if things go wrong. Hence the higher-than-average signing bonus." Phillips says as calmly as he can muster.

"I can do this. Gender isn't an issue, right?"

"No, if a woman can do the job, bring her on." Phillips says, "But she has to follow ship orders. If she wants company, that's on her and if she doesn't, this is a no means no ship. Violation of a fellow crew member means you're thrown off the ship and we won't be stopping to do so."

A smile plastered itself on Brent face, "They'll be here by noon tomorrow for interviews. No earlier than nine. Does that work?"

"Perfect." Phillis said standing and shaking Brent's hand.

Phillips walked Brent to the gangplank. On the far side of the dock, he saw Lady Raga. He waited for Brent to be out of sight before waving her over. He whistled for Casey and Dean when her cart reached the bottom of the gangplank. He looked over her staff. Jane, he recognized, but the other two were new. Neither looked like a demon.

"Lady, come to my cabin, when you have a moment." he said as she stepped down from the cart.

She nodded in reply.

He walked to the stern castle door, keeping a watchful gaze of the dock. When he reached his desk, she knocked as she entered as well. He gestured for her to have a seat.

"I don't believe that Ellsworth investigator will be a hinderance to our dealings." John said.

"If she survived. I saw her board the ship and hid in the shadows to keep an eye on her. When she left, I followed her. Things got scarily strange after she arrived at some mid-noble house." She said, giving him a brief rundown of the events, she witnessed. "Your thoughts?"

"I agree with your staff it wasn't a Drow. As to the rest, I have a few contacts in the city. I'll make a few discreet inquiries." John said. "We'll be crewed and ready to depart tomorrow evening, no later than the morning after."

"The soon we are away from here, the better." She agreed.

"Your demon doesn't look very demonic. I was expecting something not quite normal." John said.

"I can see what you mean. We'll just have to have that discussion at a later time. We just getting to know one another. This ship will give us plenty of time for conversation. Preferably over tea." She said in reply.

"I'll have to dust off the tea set." He nodded.

"Those young men are the only ones your keeping from your previous crew?" she asked.

"Along with Klein, the chief mechanic." John answered.

"How many crew does this ship require?" She asked.

"Seven, but we'll be taking on twelve. You need crew to work in shifts. We can't just drop anchor at night. Someone has to keep watch." He explained. "Is there an issue with the number of crew? Now would be when these problems need to be addressed."

"No, it's fine. Rilla gets aggressive in large groups. Under two dozen crew shouldn't trigger any Amazon dominance behavior." She says.

"I was unaware this would be a concern." John said.

"No one that many would have to think about. Cities and crowds aren't tribal. A ship's crew is kind of tribal when lager in number." She explains.

"Rilla works for you. Outside of the chain of authority." John said.

"That doesn't change the social aspect." She says.

"Perhaps you should sit in on the interviews. As the chief client, passenger, your input on the personalities of preceptive crew would be welcome." John said. "Which bring this to why I asked you in. Ship supplies. We'll run down what needs to be on board and anything you want to see onboard."

* * * * *

"Alright girl. How the heck did you open an anti-magic field on the Flos?" I ask looking over my shoulder at Ses.

"The usual way." She answers.

Her study of magic has been in it's use during this decade. We are out of our depth. Just show her where we need it cast.

"I was hoping we could keep the young ladies out of this as much as possible. The fewer people lurking around the dock trying to slip into restricted royal holdings the better." I say to the collected group in the library.

"Then just the two of you go." James says pointing at his daughter and myself.

"You can't send her like that." Renfro says.

"I've been sneaking on to that ship for years. I doubt I'd be viewed as being out of place." Ses added.

Under cover of night, a male and female sneaking to an out-of-sight location on the docks wouldn't raise a question. With a little role-play, you could possibly be purposefully ignored. No one wants city guard or church clerics sniffing around after a call-girl. Best to just not see it in the first place.

"We wouldn't, um?" Ses asked.

"You're my grandniece. No touchy-pokey from me." I say getting to my feet, "How long until sunset?"

"I would think that would go with-out saying." James said.

More a stray thought of youthful feminine fancy. Hoax offered without emotional context.

"That's uncalled for, Hoax." Ses said, getting a giggle from Anka.

It's not my fault you have so little discipline controlling your thoughts.

"Hoax, you're just as out of practice. Try to refrain from voicing the privet thought of others." I say walking to the door, "Now I think food and a little sleep are in order. James, after I eat we'll open the vault."

You're thinking we should empty it?

"You are out of practice. Putting it to good use would be more accurate." I say. "We're facing an institution with a lot of financial clout. We're going to have to get corporate if were going to survive long term. Plus, we need time to figure out what's wrong, with magic or us."

"Is something wrong with magic?" Anka asks.

"Marcus is what's wrong with magic." Hellena groaned from the stairs as the group made its way to the dining room.

"You shouldn't be up yet." I said turning to help her down the rest of the stairs.

She knows her body better then we do. How are you feeling? Hoax asks.

"Betrayed, belittled, and useless to the point of ineptitude." She said taking my arm.

"That seems a bit harsh." I say.

"None of that is directed towards you two or anyone else in attendance. Marcus wish that magic only be wielded by the pure. Creece didn't understand what that would mean to the rest of the world because it would only affect those that couldn't currently wield magic. Add to that Marcus's lack of understand of what magic is and the world of arcane is what it is today." Hellena said.

How was the wish granted? Genie, item, divine gift?

"A ring. A tithing was made and a wish was imparted." Hellena said.

"The Signet of Nelderoth. We learned about it in school." Anka said as she sat down at the table.

"It reigned in the chaos factor inherent with wielding magic." Ses added.

"What the hell are they teaching you these days? Chaos inherent in magic? No such thing. The chaos is totally the result of the wielders flaws. Be it inexperience, hurried casting, or lack of focus. If their teaching this, there has to be books. Can we see those?" I asked.

I doubt things like that would be just handed out. Hoax pondered.

"It's all in my first-year text book. I have it upstairs." Ses said.

"Hoax, you alright? Wouldn't think you'd be surprised by something like that." I say grabbing a few pieces of fried chicken.

I can't understand how this would be taught as common knowledge and no one has raised a question. Even after thirty years there would be those that remember what magic really was. Surely if wasn't forgotten so easily.

"The rise in mechanical arts and restriction of magic in the major cities made those that had it move to more rural areas. Fifteen years ago, the schools opened to teach magic to students. In an effort to combat the countries lack of military magic and diminishing number of healers. The doors were open to the public, with a test for potential students and the rules regarding purity to combat magical chaos." Anka prattled.

"How about I go up and grab that book. You two can read it for yourselves." Ses said crossing the room towards the door.

Just what freaking ass backwards Gods let this one pass.

"I'd agree with that one." I said before sinking my teeth into a third piece of fried chicken.

"The Gods have fallen." Renfro says setting a covered tray in front of Hoax, "Chucked fresh liver, with a skewer for eating. As suggested by Apex."

What, no brains? Hoax thought with a better then average portion of mirth.

"That's a joke, right? This is Kings Bay. I'd have to off twenty nobles just to get you an appetizer. Not a lot of brains to be had." Renfro said with his own brand of sarcasm.

James sat there, jaw dropped.

"Thirty years my left tit. You two never fucking change." Hellena says shaking her head.

I stood, "I'll be grabbing that book, doing some light reading, and taking a nap. Wake me around sunset. I try to brush up some new comedy while I'm at it."