Combat Healer Ch. 13

Astaer then went over to one of the guards and quietly requested that the horse pairing be switched up, since she wanted to take that particular covered wagon, but not that particular horse. Astaer and Celestine then began loading supplies into the back, including a couple of bows and quivers along with provisions for us to use on our hopefully short journey.

Not long after, the other team showed up too, since the rest of us were technically early, and quick introductions were made, though it was cut off by both Sylvia and Queen Eliza arriving at the same time.

The blonde Sylvia was of course a Mage, preferring to wear lighter colors, so I wasn't too surprised to see her in a white leather dress that hugged her tall body like a glove, coupled with a rich blue silk cloak, considering it was pretty standard attire as a sort of uniform for those who wielded elemental magic.

Honestly, it was fairly similar to the outfit that Shel wore, though the slit in the side didn't nearly go as high on Sylvia, only revealing up to the middle of her toned pale thigh. Of course, leather was very common attire in general, simply because it held up better in the wilderness, with cloth easily being torn in battle.

Nevertheless, I still had to force myself to not gawk for two reasons.

First, because I could vividly recall watching her eat out the Queen not long ago, and I could similarly remember how the tall blonde's pussy felt against my mouth when Eliza proceeded to have me eat her out while the two women kissed.

And then second, it was because I'd never been afforded the chance to really appreciate her figure openly before, feeling like I was always just one wrong glance away from being frozen to death by her ice magic. But now that such a dramatic shift had occurred in our relationship - and that one of the reasons why she previously didn't like me was simply because I was a reminder of what she believed to be a failure on her part to find Eliza's beloved - now I really wanted to finally look upon the beautiful blonde woman and appreciate her figure.

Her chest was only slightly above average for an elf, but in that outfit, her cleavage was milky smooth swells that were in perfect proportion to her delicate shoulders, bony hips, and long legs.

I had no idea if she'd ever let me have normal sex with her, or let me eat her out without Eliza's involvement, but the idea of her wrapping herself around me as she sat impaled on my cock really turned me on.

But then there was the Queen.

My beloved.

She preferred darker colors that complimented her black hair, causing her pale skin and vibrant purple eyes to really pop. While previously, she'd been wearing a fancy black silk dress, she was now dressed in smooth leather pants and a rich purple tunic that was partially hidden underneath a black leather top that would have revealed quite a bit a skin if not for the dark wine-hued fabric.

Honestly, while of a different design, Eliza's leather top was quite similar to Mel's top, except that it appeared as if the straps that held the Queen's full breasts in place actually wrapped around her neck, with a single strap going down her back, as opposed to only going over her shoulders.

Both Queen Eliza and Sylvia wore Catalyst Bracelets on each wrist, which were silver with an embedded blue crystal, being one of the more expensive weapon options for mages, as compared to a more unrefined staff.

And the moment the two women arrived, Queen Eliza immediately made it clear that she was ready to go. She first proclaimed that she would not be traveling in comfort in a carriage, and that each group was to take one wagon, only to address the other team, calling out their names individually before proclaiming her instructions.

We were against a fearsome demon, and while she was confident in their abilities, she did not want to risk even one life.

Thus, they would locate the second Flesh Collector, but wait to attack unless the situation was overly dire. She left that particular decision in the hands of the other team leader, one of the Fire Specialists, but made a point to emphasize that the Mage's decisions would be scrutinized afterward, especially if there was loss of life.

"I know you've sworn to protect our people, but if any of you should perish, then all may be lost. Do not take an unnecessary risk. Wait for us, unless you truly find it necessary."

"As you command," the female Fire Specialist replied with a bow.

Queen Eliza then turned to us, examining Mel and Val briefly, before focusing on Astaer to ask if she'd chosen a wagon and horse pair for us to take. When the brunette elf indicated she had, and that the supplies were also ready, including food rations, everyone was instructed to get in, with the Queen finally turning to Celestine.

"You are certain that you are ready to return to duty?" Eliza asked seriously, clearly having received the younger sister's message sent by an Elf Guard.

Celestine immediately knelt down on one knee, bowing her head with her hand over her heart. "Yes, my Queen, and I would sooner face death again, rather than see either you or my sister perish."

"Very well," Eliza replied simply. "Then you'll trade off with your sister in the middle of the night, so she can rest."

Celestine's tone was full of appreciation. "As you wish, my Queen."

In the meantime, I was just about to be the first one to climb into the back of the covered wagon, a little surprised this one didn't have benches on the sides, only for Sylvia to be right behind me in her white leather outfit and silk blue cloak, practically shoving me firmly toward the cart, only to climb in right after me.

Literally, within a matter of seconds, she was forcing me on my ass toward the driver's bench, and then she was right beside me, seeming to get comfortable by bending her knees and laying her legs to the side, so that she could sit without exposing herself, even as she readjusted the skirt portion of her white leather dress.

There was a bag of supplies against my left side, so I leaned into that to get comfortable, only for Sylvia to press even more into me, to the point that even a stranger would assume we must be very comfortable together...

Needless to say, both Mel and Val seemed a little confused as they got in, with Mel moving to sit across from me, while Val sat next to her, only for Queen Eliza to finally climb in and sit next to Sylvia toward the back, crossing her legs and leaning into the wooden side to get comfortable.

Astaer had already climbed onto the front seat, with Celestine climbing up to join her, the space being just wide enough for two people.

And then we were off, exiting the stables and following the other team's wagon through the streets, heading for the southwestern gate, so we could travel around the western side of the lake in the north and then begin heading northeast.

Given that the massive Shrill river on the eastern side of the lake connected to the sea, and was thus used as a passage for trade, a bridge had never been built, to allow for large ships to pass through, which meant going east to get to our destination wasn't an option.

Much to my surprise, there was actually a bit of a crowd once we got closer to the southern gate, with there being an entire line of mounted guards once we exited the city walls, all of them lined up as they showed respect to their Queen and the teams being sent out to defend the entire kingdom from this threat.

It was actually pretty encouraging to hear the people cheering for us.

As a Scourge Suppressor, where it was just a normal part of the job to defeat Scourge Beasts, I wasn't used to feeling like I was being celebrated.

The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, being toward the beginning of summer, and the skies were rich with orange and pink hues.

It wasn't until we got a bit down the stone road that Celestine finally turned around, asking if Mel and Val could scoot over, and then climbed in back with us, now sitting in front of me. Unsurprisingly, she focused on me briefly, but then quickly shifted her gaze to Sylvia and Queen Eliza, the former of which still wasn't even being shy about the fact that she was leaned heavily into me, the tall blonde supporting most of her weight on her own left hand, but still pressed right into my shoulder as if she couldn't be more comfortable with the contact.

Eliza finally spoke up then, formerly introducing herself to Mel and Val as their Queen, and then beginning to inquire about them, starting with basic stuff like the spells they could use, as well as their experience in battle, only to explain the basics of what we were up against and what type of magic would defeat it.

"Melantha, your most basic fireball spell will likely be very important to defeating the Arakna'cabra. How many can you create at once, and how fast can you shoot them?"

"Oh," she said in surprise. "Well I've never tried creating more than one or two at a time, but I can fire them off really fast. Practically nonstop if I'm using my staff. Although, with my Flame Daggers, I can create fourteen of those at once. And Mel is fine," she added. "Especially if you insist that we be so informal with you."

Eliza nodded. "Fourteen is very good," she agreed. "But I assume that your Flame Daggers costs more essence per flame, compared to if you used Fireball to create the same number. Tomorrow when we arrive at the last outpost, I shall spend some time teaching you a few things about your spells. Including your Flame Whip. Unless you are already aware of how to ensnare a monster in it?"

Mel's gold eyes were wide. "Umm, no, I didn't even know that was possible."

"It's more simple than you might believe, so long as you know a certain trick to it. I, myself, have a similar spell called Lightning Chain, and it has served me well many times in allowing me to both capture and attack Scourge Beasts."

"I didn't realize you'd ever been a Scourge Suppressor," Mel replied.

Eliza laughed at that. "Young lady, I am the Queen. It's not a title earned solely by blood."

I abruptly spoke up without thinking. "And are you of royal blood?" I asked seriously.

She leaned forward slightly to glance at me past Sylvia, prompting me to quickly continue.

"If I may be permitted to speak, my Queen," I added.

She immediately had a mischievous glint in her eye, the kind of look that implied that she was debating giving me a hard time, only to sigh and lean back. "No, I was not of noble blood. It was very hard for me to become Queen, difficult to get them to consider me as a candidate, since there are things only taught to nobles, but I was determined to persevere."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"Don't be," she replied. "I have no regrets. Except one. Only one. Though my mind is finally more at ease."

Val spoke up then, sounding timid. "What was your regret?" she wondered in concern.

Eliza didn't respond right away, and Mel immediately spoke up, almost acting like she'd been the one to ask, like she viewed both herself and Val as one unit.

"We're sorry. We probably shouldn't ask such personal questions of the Queen."

Eliza finally sighed heavily. "Astaer, Celestine," she said simply.

"My Queen?" they both said in sync, with Astaer focusing back over her left shoulder, the sunset bright on her tan face.

Eliza continued. "I have something I wish to share with all of you, but it is of the utmost importance that my words never find themselves on your tongue, lest you cause me great grief and endanger the lives of those I care most about."

Astaer spoke up first, her tone firm. "Not on my life, would I ever speak of that which you had shared in confidence. My Queen, you have my pledge of silence."

"And mine," Celestine agreed. "I would sooner cut my tongue out, than betray your trust."

Mel chimed in uneasily. "Umm, I definitely won't say anything either."

Val nodded. "I can keep a secret."

Queen Eliza smiled warmly at the last two. "Thank you, though I am far less uneasy about sharing this secret with you."

Mel and Val immediately exchanged a glance in confusion, while Astaer spoke up in concern.

"My Queen?" she said in alarm as she looked back over her shoulder, seeming sincerely worried that she wasn't trusted as much.

"I mean no offense to two of my best and most faithful scouts," Eliza responded. "And in just a moment, you will understand the meaning behind my words."

Astaer turned her head forward only to look over her other shoulder at her sister, the two of them exchanging a glance briefly.

Eliza then continued after a moment. "When I was a young girl, roughly a hundred and six years ago, a great tragedy befell me and a boy I loved. I had been involved in a horrible incident, involving a horde of Scourge Beasts unlike the world has not seen in a long time, and lost both my mother and father in the incident."

"I'm so sorry," Mel immediately replied. "That must have been horrible."

Eliza nodded. "It was horrible. But what was far worse was becoming trapped in a Dungeon shortly afterward, in an event called a Dungeon Engulfing."

Mel immediately glanced in my direction, likely thinking about the fact that the same thing happened to me, but not realizing it was the exact same incident. Rather, I suspected what she wanted to say is, "Oh, Allie had something like that happen to him only six years ago," but of course I knew she wouldn't, since I'd told her in confidence, and trusted her to keep it a secret.

It was also likely that she was reflexively seeing how I would react to finding out that someone else had gone through a similar experience, and she would probably assume that my nonreaction meant I already knew this information - that the Queen had already shared it with me.

Again, with her having no idea it was the same experience.

Celestine spoke up. "My Queen, if I may be permitted to ask, what is a Dungeon Engulfing? I've never heard of that, and do not know what you speak of."

Eliza nodded. "It is a rare event where one might find themselves lost in a Dungeon, without actually entering it. Often, the only way out is to conquer the Dungeon, unlike a normal one that can be exited, if so desired."

"How is that possible?" Celestine asked in disbelief.

Eliza sighed. "The nature of the event is unknown to me, but I have experienced it myself, and was trapped in a Dungeon for three months. My only companion a boy roughly my age, whose healing magic was the only reason we survived."

This time, Mel really looked at me, her gold eyes wide, a sharp contrast to her rosy skin. Only for her white brow to furrow as she focused on the Queen again. But Eliza just held her gaze, almost as if she was waiting to see if Mel had figured it out, before Astaer spoke up.

"So what happened?" she asked over her shoulder. "If I may be permitted to ask," she quickly clarified.

"I almost died, at the young age of fourteen, but the boy used a special skill that allowed him to give up his life to save mine. The only reason I'm alive today is because of his sacrifice."

Unexpectedly, Mel threw out her hands in front of her, one toward me and one toward Eliza. "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Wait, wait, wait, WAIT! Are you...are you telling me what I think you're telling me?!"

Eliza's tone was a little somber. "That the story you heard today was not only true, but also my own story? If so, then yes. And my good friend Sylvia reported it to me the moment my former name had been spoken."

"Oh my God!" Mel exclaimed, causing Val and the sisters to look at her, clearly confused. "Oh my God, you can't be serious! You can't..." She abruptly looked at me, her gold eyes wide in shock. "Oh my God, didn't you say her name was Eliza-something?"

I cleared my throat. "Elizatay Mariona."

The Queen chimed right in. "My former name," she agreed. "Before becoming Queen, and subsequently proceeding to do everything in my power to find the boy I'd lost. To find the young man I'd suffered with, and vowed to."

Mel abruptly placed her rosy hands on her temple, sharply contrasted against her white hair. "Oh my God, how is this even possible? Are you really saying that you knew Allie over a century ago?"

"Wait," Astaer abruptly interrupted. "I am so confused. What is going on right now?"

Mel abruptly gestured toward her, her thin rosy hands going wild. "That Allister and Queen Eliza were trapped in a Dungeon together when they were teenagers, over a century ago, and that Allie escaped the Dungeon six years ago, which means he was in there for a hundred years!" She abruptly focused on me. "Right?" she said in disbelief, only to immediately look at Eliza. "Right?!" she repeated.

"You are correct," the Queen said gently.

Mel just stared at her with wide gold eyes, only to finally lean back fully, just seeming shocked now that it was truly settling in. Her tone was more hesitant now. "S-So what does this mean?" she finally managed. "Are you two..." Her voice trailed off.

Eliza leaned forward and reached out to place her hand on Mel's leather-clad knee, prompting my girlfriend to look down in shock briefly, before returning her gaze to the Queen, seeming uncertain. "I have you to thank for finally releasing me of a century of grief and loss, and now that I am freed of my anguish, I have no intention on interfering with your relationship with my beloved." She focused on Val. "Or yours. You both are free to be with him, even in marriage."

Mel was unexpectedly somber. "B-But what about you?" she asked quietly, seeming sincerely confused and concerned. "You went through so much together."

"Please do not misunderstand," Eliza replied, removing her hand from Mel's knee and leaning back. "I have no intention to give up the man I vowed to spend my life with. But it will be some time before I can announce my intention to make him my partner. Therefore, I am counting on you both to see that his needs are met in the meantime."

Mel and Val exchanged a glance, only for Val to speak up for once. "A-And what about afterward?"

"Then my beloved will have three wives, or however many he wants, as far as I am concerned. My only desire, now that I've finally found him, is to ensure that his life is full of happiness. For this young man not only gave me hope, but sacrificed his very life for my own."

Mel leaned back, seeming just stunned by everything, causing everyone to fall completely silent, the primary noise now the wagon wheels rolling over the stone road.

The sun had set beneath the horizon, visible between the Atacama Pass between the western mountains, and it was now twilight, still light but beginning to slowly dim.

Mel finally glanced at me. "H-How is this even possible though?" she wondered, looking back at the Queen. "And if he really sacrificed his life, then how is he alive again?"

"I do not know," Eliza replied simply. "But I am confident he gave his life for me, and I am determined to ensure that I spend every moment of my life, moving forward, making him as happy as possible."

"As will I," Sylvia unexpectedly agreed, still leaning heavily into me.

I gulped, glancing at Mel who was staring at the blonde elf in surprise.

"B-But didn't you hate him?" she said in confusion.

Sylvia shook her head. "I wanted nothing more than to find my dear friend's beloved, and meeting Allister, a male human healer, was a painful reminder that I'd failed in that task. Of course, I had no idea that he was actually Eliza's beloved. Otherwise, I would have treated him much differently."

"I...I see," Mel said slowly, glancing at Eliza again. "So then, we're all sharing him, I guess."

"Yes," the Queen replied. "And my only request is that you do not cause him heartache or grief. He has been through enough, as have I."