Crusade Gone Awry Ch. 17

"Oh great, more crusaders!" Oren complained.

"Major Ackler," Talia said flatly. Technically he was higher ranked than her and she should salute, but she certainly didn't feel like it and it wasn't like he cared. Oren scoffed and returned to his whittling.

"Why are you doing that?" Eliza asked.

"As is everything in my life, it is being forced upon me!"

"By who?"

They both heard someone approach them. They turned to see their commanding officer. They both gasped and saluted quickly, their fists over their hearts.

"You're both alive!" Marcus said, in surprise. He saluted back to them, and they all went at-ease. "Captain Fenner, how did you survive the assassin weevils?"

Talia shuffled uncomfortably, knowing this might not go well. "Renard warned me, sir. So, when I saw the signs of them, I began running. I almost didn't get away."

"Well, at least you managed to escape," Marcus replied, sounding uncharacteristically understanding. Oren stopped what he was doing and raised his hands, looking outraged.

"What!?" he demanded. "I leave the army and you make me whittle a thousand spears! She leaves and you want to give her a medal!?"

"She didn't abandon her mission for garlic!" Marcus snapped back. "She escaped a hopeless situation! Now get back to work soldier!"

Oren growled and returned to whittling, far more violently than before. Marcus then turned to Eliza, who had begun to sweat noticeably more than before.

"What happened during your search for Private Miller?" the colonel asked. Eliza's mouth twitched for a few moments as she contemplated telling the truth. Then she realized that it wasn't like anyone could argue the facts with her and she didn't want to spend the next couple of weeks whittling spears.

"I was attacked by pigmen!" she said, only partially telling the truth. "I had to hide for days, but I ran away, and I was saved...by a hellhound!"

"A hellhound?" Marcus asked, unsure.

"Yeah! They're real! I named him Hound!" Eliza looked around and saw part of his body sticking out of some nearby bushes where he was drinking. She whistled to him, getting his attention. Hound then stopped and began trotting over. Marcus stiffened at the sight of the huge monster and grabbed the sword at his waist. When Oren spotted the monster, the human let out a yelp and fell off the stump, wielding the half-made spear as a weapon.

"Oh what the hell!? What the HELL!?" he cried, cowering behind the remains of the tree. Everyone ignored him as Hound happily went over to Eliza and allowed her to rub his face.

"See?" Eliza asked. "This is Hound! He saved and now we're together!"

"Together?" the colonel asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Uh...yeah, I um...you know, as a duo. He protects me, I give him...scratches. He's actually pretty intelligent. He can even talk. Say my name!"

"Eh...ri...ruh!" Hound grunted out.

"See?" she asked.

"Okay, okay," Marcus finally said, raising his hand. "I get it. As long as he's friendly."

"He's VERY friendly!" Eliza replied a little too enthusiastically. The colonel, thankfully, didn't notice.

"I believe you," Marcus said, raising his hand. Before the conversation could continue and Eliza could put her foot in her mouth again, someone jogged over to Talia. She turned to see Renard, and he didn't appear to notice anyone else.

"Listen honey, I have to go lead a new crusader army to..." The foxman finally turned his head and saw Marcus. He instantly stiffened and took a step back. "OH SHIT!" He reached for his belt where his sword was.

Marcus lifted up his hand again. "You can calm down, Renard. I um...actually would like to apologize."

Renard's eyes rose. "Oh...?"

"I was...struggling with my sins. My pain and guilt blinded me to reason. You were right. We walked right into the assassin weevils and my entire army was destroyed. I should have listened to you, and I apologize."

Renard stood still for a few moments, his eyes darting back and forth. He appeared to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never came. Finally, he relaxed a little.

"Well...I think that might be the first time someone's ever actually apologized to me. I guess I can let it go, considering what happened."

"Thank you," the colonel said. There was a brief pause. "Did you call Captain Fenner "honey?""

Both Renard and Talia stiffened.

"Oh fuck, you heard that..." Renard muttered. There was a very stiff silence as Marcus's eyes darted between them, narrowing. It was Talia who ultimately cleared her throat.

"We're...together. We're a couple," she finally admitted. "When I escaped the assassin weevils, he found me and nursed me back to health. We started a relationship after that."

Marcus's jaw clenched. One of the orders they were given before coming over to this desert was to not fraternize with the people. It wasn't just about mixing with monsters, although there was that too. It created entanglements in this land, entanglements they weren't supposed to have. The people of this land couldn't return with them, so any couples or children produced would be stuck here. Now, at least two of his surviving soldiers had formed relationships here, making returning home either extremely difficult or impossible.

Eliza, still sweating, gulped. The tension could be cut with a knife. It was only a matter of time before she and Hound were caught, after all. She was a terrible liar. When her stress reached a peak, she finally blurted it out.

"Hound and I are in a relationship!" she shrieked.

Every eye turned toward her, many of them in shock. Marcus's jaw hung open. Renard was at least human-like, but this hellhound?

"You've consorted with this beast?" Marcu asked, showing revulsion. Eliza began to turn white and feel queasy. Sensing that Eliza was being threatened, Hound stepped around her, putting his paw in the way and baring his teeth. "Renard is one thing, but this thing is such a monster that...OW!"

Marcus doubled over, holding his side. Someone punched him, hard! Much to his shock, he turned to see Lilly, wearing her hood and veil.

"Oh wow, she actually did follow me!" Renard said.

"What was that for?" the colonel asked.

"You're one to talk!" Lilly snapped. She then pointed to herself. "Who have you been consorting with?"

Marcus flinched and turned red. He finally stood up, still looking like he was in a little pain.

"Lieutenant Bevens," the colonel began, trying to think on his feet. "we have all encountered...many struggles since we have arrived. What we have had to do to survive is something that we...um, shouldn't judge each other for. Therefore, your relationship with this beast is...excusable."

"Um, okay," Eliza muttered, a little confused. She had no idea what had just happened, but it appeared she wasn't going to be attacked. She reached up and began petting Hound, getting him to stand down.

"You as well," Marcus said to Talia. Talia's eyes went to the demon queen and then to her commander. Unlike Eliza, she seemed to immediately understand what had just happened.

"Thank you, sir," she said flatly.

Someone cleared his throat behind them. It was Oren, who had finally sat back on his stump. He was apparently expecting this same kind of mercy. Marcus, instead, turned around and gave a glare.

"Get back to work major!" the colonel barked. Oren raised his arms and looked genuinely outraged, but no one came to his defense.

"Now that we have that settled," Lilly interrupted. "Renard, say goodbye to Talia. Marcus, I need your help with something."

Marcus was surprised but followed Lilly as they walked away. When they got some distance, the queen reached into her robes and pulled out a piece of paper.

"I need you to go get Jadira," Lilly explained.

"Get her? Where is she?" Marcus asked.

"She's on the other side of the oasis. She set herself up over there, throwing a fit. I need her back."

"Why send me?"

"The other servants view her as their boss, but you don't. Also, she's taken up a spot that is surrounded by alraunes, something I believe you have experience with."

Marcus quickly inhaled and stiffened once again. He remembered those people stealing plants. If one stepped on their roots they sprayed dust and intoxicated the person. The alraune then opened up like a giant flower with a plant-person inside. The intoxicated person then jumped into the flower and was closed inside, trapped forever and used as an organ to produce nectar. Marcus had seen one of his men caught by one.

"Is she in danger?" Marcus asked.

"No, I've told the alraunes to stand down and they're listening for now. Jardira's just using it as cover. Tell her that I order her to come back, and if she doubts you, hand her the letter. I put it in writing. Her behavior is getting tiring."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to force her?"

"Maybe not, but she wanted me to be queen. The queen gives the orders, and I'm ordering her to come back. The pigmen will be here in minutes, and I don't have time to deal with her tantrum. Please do this for me."

"Alright, as long as those alraunes won't attack."

"They won't or I'll kill them. They know that."

*

Marcus made his way around the oasis. He had to settle this internal feud quickly. He was essentially relying on Lilly to protect him and his soldiers. If she lost, they would all be killed, and Marcus's sins would multiply even more before he met Vordan. His soldier's current choices in sexual partners notwithstanding, he was still responsible for them.

The other side of the lake had far fewer ruined houses, and much more vegetation. Trees and bushes were quite thick. Marcus was concerned he might not find Jardira, but fortunately for him she was sitting right on the shore, all by herself. Just as Lilly had said, there were close to a dozen huge alraune flowers littered around her. The monster plants were calm, indicating they were following orders. Marcus steeled his will and approached. He nervously eyed them as he stepped over the roots, but they didn't move or respond. Apparently, Lilly really had scared them into submission. Finally cleared through them, he approached Jadira. She was sitting with her knees to her chest staring out at the water, not looking at him.

"I'm not going back," she said flatly.

"The queen orders you to," Marcus said.

"I don't believe...!" Before she could finish Marcus reached out to her and held the letter over her shoulder.

"She put it in writing," Marcus replied, also flatly.

Jadira scoffed and snatched the letter away from him. "Of course she did! I knew I shouldn't have taught her how to read and write!"

For a few moments, Jardira fumed, still resisting. Before anyone moved, a piercing shriek echoed across the oasis. Marcus jumped and felt his stomach twist. He recognized that sound anywhere. It was the sound of pigmen. They had arrived and were likely meeting with Lilly. How she tolerated them, Marcus could never guess.

"Goddamit!" Jadira said, abruptly sobbing. She trembled and wiped her eyes, tears steaming out. "I don't want to deal with this!"

"Look, I know the pigmen are awful..." Marcus began.

"They weren't awful when I gave birth to them!"

Marcus froze, his eyes wide and his brain working quickly. When a demon had sex with a human, a monster was born. Jadira was covered with demon brands, which added years to her lifespan. She was probably many centuries old. It made sense. Jadira was a maid of the household. One of her duties must have been to attend to the demon king's bedchambers. The children she had with him...

"What were they like?" Marcus finally asked.

Jadria laughed a little, tears still coming down her face. "They were actually really sweet and gentle! You wouldn't think they would be because they looked like pigs, but they were. They loved to sing, to farm, and to raise their families. They were so gentle that the king had to protect them while they walled off this settlement, just so they wouldn't have to fight. I would visit them all the time. We would celebrate by having a feast and all sing together in the moonlight..." Jadria stopped, wiping her face with her sleeve. It didn't seem to help.

"What happened to them?" the crusader said.

The maid took a deep breath, collecting herself a little. "The centaurs decided to conquer the desert. Unlike others, they could overcome the walls and my children had to defend themselves. The king didn't believe in directly interfering with problems in the desert. He just wanted to slap a bandage over it and forget it. So, he came up with an idea. He would pour a special kind of magic into a nearby fountain. It would give my children increased strength and aggression. He believed it was temporary. It wasn't. They're stuck that way. Savage, cruel, terrible monsters."

"That wasn't your fault though, that was the demon king," Marcus offered.

Jadria closed her eyes and shook her head. "I told them to do it." Marcus fell silent. He then realized this wasn't something that he could fix, and likely no one could. He knew a thing or two about deep sins that were written in someone's soul. The corruption of her children was something Jadira wouldn't forgive herself for.

"They didn't want to," Jadira explained. "The demon king told them it would help them defend themselves, and they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. I told them it would be fine, and they should do it. They drank the red water, and the next day they turned into...those things! They never turned back. Every pigman born after that carried the magic with them. It didn't affect the women, no one knows why. They received the brunt of the abuse. They left the men, and the men scattered into the desert to unleash terror. This place is now a ruin. My children and my home, destroyed."

"I'm sorry," the colonel finally said. "I know you may not believe me, but I know how it feels. I know what it's like to make a mistake that destroys your soul."

"How do you fix it?" Jadira asked, turning towards him.

"Um...well, I can't recommend going a crusade," Marcus said uncomfortably.

The maid let out a genuine laugh, finally relaxing a little. There was another loud shriek, this one sounding like a pigman in pain. Both of them stared across the oasis but couldn't make anything out. Perhaps Lilly was giving them a much-needed attitude adjustment. Jadira finally sighed, apparently finally finished with her crying.

"I suppose we can't run from our sins forever?" she asked. Marcus stared at the ground, feeling the weight of his past press down on him.

"No, we can't," he replied. The head maid finally stood up, dusting herself off.

"I guess I deserve whatever happens," she said flatly. "Let's head back."

*

The screaming of pain from across the oasis was genuine. The pigman who fancied himself a king turned his nose up in derision at the sight of Lilly. He immediately began degrading her, calling her a weak woman who had no place to tell him what to do. That was a mistake. In the blink of an eye, Lilly overcame him. She wrestled him onto his stomach and twisted his arm behind his back. She was now pulling it at an odd angle, threatening to break it. The Pig King squirmed and screamed but couldn't break her hold. All the other pigmen who came with him were staring in shock, muttering among themselves. This tiny woman was manhandling him, ready to break his arm into pieces. Lilly's savage pink eyes scanned them, daring any of them to come forward. She then stared back down at the Pig King, snarling and slobbering into the ground.

"Submit or lose your arm!" Lilly demanded. The pigman let out a porcine growl and jerked his body again. Lilly rolled her eyes and pulled a little harder. She heard a small cracking noise, showing that his joints were at their limit. A sliver of more pressure and every bone in his arm would snap apart. Finally, the Pig King belted out a cry of submission. Lilly scoffed and released his arm, but not before stomping his face into the dirt, hard. She stood up, dusted herself off and walked back to her throne. She sat on it and glared at the leader of the pigmen, who was getting to his feet, holding his arm.

"I trust we won't have to have this conversation again?" she demanded. The Pig King let out a shriek of begrudging agreement. "Good. You will camp nearby and all of you will stay in that camp. You will only leave when I tell you and you will do what I tell you. Any deviation from this will result in your senseless murder, do you understand?" The Pig King angrily agreed. "Good. Also, that...woman that you took. Did you give her the potion made from alraune dust?" The pigman nodded.

There were multiple methods were using the pink alraune dust. It could be used in its raw form, which caused intoxication and delirium. It could be distilled down to remove the delirious effects and hen it could be used like vapor or incense, which would just make someone horny. The worse form, however, was to take the raw dust and boil it into a potion. It intensified the effect, and the repeated use of it could permanently break someone's mind.

Lilly shook her head and sighed. "The woman, is her mind broken?" The pigman nodded again. "Then I expect you to keep that thing out of sight. She is to stay in your camp. No one is allowed to see her. Do you understand me?" Although confused, the Pig King agreed. "I don't want there to be a single incident involving you or your people. I will hold you personally responsible if anything happens. Do you understand me?" The pigman agreed, although not without disdain. "Now get out of my sight."

The Pig King growled before turning to his followers and shrieked out orders. They all began shuffling away, apparently to go make camp. Right as the lead pigman was leaving, two people approached the canopy. The hateful eyes of the king laid upon the ancestor of all pigmen, Jadira. They both stopped, Jadira looking pale. After only a moment, the pigman snarled at her and then stomped away, showing no emotion. For a moment, Jadira looked as if she were going to throw up. Ultimately, she walked over to her queen, who was covering herself with a veil again.

"So nice of you to join me, Jadira!" Lilly snapped. "And with very little trouble as well! I appreciate your cooperation!" The head maid didn't respond, she simply looked away. The queen only scoffed with disgust. "Bring in the next one! Marcus, you stay here too." The crusader was confused but obeyed. They stood on either side of her as the next group approached.

"Oh god..." Jadira muttered, turning green and looking away. The group approaching were wearing robes and veils, a lot like Lilly herself. They were noticeably much curvier than most people Marcus had seen. Judging from Jadira's reaction, the crusader figured that it must have been the female pigmen. As they all approached the canopy, Marcus's eyes widened. Someone was walking with them, holding hands with a surprisingly skinny pigwoman. Marcus would recognize that auburn hair anywhere.

"Major Ageril?" the colonel asked. Sam's head turned and he spotted his commander. He quickly gasped and snapped to attention, saluting.

"Sir! I didn't know there were any survivors!" Sam quickly said. "How...how are you here?"

"That's um...a long story," Marcus said, gutting his gaze away.

"One you may tell him along with the others," Lilly interjected. "If you two will excuse us."

"Right," Marcus said. "Major, if you would accompany me. The queen here needs a word with her people."

"Queen?" Sam asked.

"That is also a long story. We should go."

Sam briefly turned to the skinny, clothed woman beside him, looking worried. She patted his shoulder, reassuring him. He nodded to her, and the two soldiers then left the group of now only women.

Lilly dropped her veil and gave the same explanation she had several times that day. Unlike the pigmen, the women seemed perfectly amicable to the situation. The leader of them walked forward and knelt. Lilly eyed her for a moment. The lead pigwoman was older than the others. She remembered things the others might not. She was wearing a hood and a veil that limited her vision.