Jebidiah's Change Bk. 01 Ch. 09

Welcome back gentle reader

I've noticed my chapters have grown longer as I complete each one. I try to stay at least three chapters ahead of what I have published and it allows me to tweak earlier, unpublished entries with more details to support what will be revealed later. But, more details mean more words which can alter the pacing I was trying to achieve. I may have to find a place to muse about the discoveries I make and issues I cross as I explore writing. Enough rambling.

Once again the standard disclaimer, multiply ages by roughly two to get equivalent Earth ages. Everyone is a consenting adult.

-- Somewhen, Somewhere --

Bora fought once again to contain her anger. She was forced to hold her patience in check through sheer willpower. Iztar continued to rant about the 'unfairness' of how this latest round of the game had begun. Everytime the Power started the game it paired the same Divine together, Dark with Light, Gray with Gray, each member of the pair representing spheres the polar opposites of the other member, which handicapped everyone. How the game was supposed to protect them all from the Others was beyond any of the Divine's guess. The only bright side to the game was the break in the monotony and boredom.

"Iztar, please, your constant complaints help only our opposition. I fail to see a downside to Comlain's proposal. It could put our player back into the game in a very advantageous position."

"I do not like being coerced like this, Bora. You may be a slut, but I do not whore myself out in such a manner, paying favors in the night to get what you want." The 'like you' was very implied.

"Such melodrama is beneath you. Comlain simply wants a couple adjustments done. It is not against the rules, and he will owe us. Axteus is the definition of unreliable but Comlain has always kept his word."

"Why do you not grant our player your seductiveness and we can just bed and kill his player? We could be done with this stage and move on to the others. Magard and Avellar are moving to capture a pool! And we are trapped in chains! Why am I always saddled with you?"

"I do not need to grant seduction, Iztar. Our player moves that goal along regardless. There is mutual attraction there. I will save my adjustment until its use can grant us the most. Your continuous impatience made you choose poorly with yours."

"Arrgh, I truly hate and despise you, you cunt. Fine! Whatever! You deal with Comlain and that idiot Axteus. I am going to do the real work and figure out what the others are doing."

-- Chapter 9: Bh'orel Academy --

-- Sixth Tenday of Antaen 813 AGR --

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.

- Asimov

The bed was large, the sheets weren't coarse, the covers were warm, but the mass of female flesh plied against or on him was probably the second most amazing thing Jebidiah had ever experienced. The most amazing thing was waking up to the warm mouth that was working on his very hard cock. The glug glug sound she made as she hit the back of her throat at the wrong angle roused some of the others who joined in the fun. Crystal straddled his face while Dana slipped under Joy. Tenner looked on in amazement, reveling in the sensations bombarding her through her new bond..

"He's about to blow, Joy. You going to share some of that?" Crystal asked from her perch. Jebidiah had involuntarily started bucking his hips in time with Joy's head bobs and soon reached his limit, seizing up with his hips thrust high, loosing rope after rope of his cum in Joy's eager mouth. She hungrily swallowed it all, sucked some more for good measure, then released him from her mouth.

She looked up at Crystal with a sly grin. "Oops."

"You little bitch!" Crystal laughed. "I'll give you a solid spanking as soon as I, ugh, um, finish here. Oh Divines, Jeb, keep doing that."

Yes, Jebidiah thought to himself, an amazing experience indeed...

During breakfast Jebidiah was working through the research the Houses had provided while he ate with the others. He normally didn't read while he ate. He preferred to spend that time talking with the others but this was important. The others obliged and left him to his studies and he felt the satisfaction with no resentment in the bond. It was a nice feeling, the bond was proving useful. He was making progress on his reading but abruptly put his tomb aside and said "I need a map."

Joy looked around then patted her sides and finally cupped her breasts. "No map here. Though you may have to do a thorough search to be sure." She moved her boobs up and down for emphasis. Most everyone laughed and Mila looked lost.

"Are you ok, Mila?" Jebidiah asked.

"Just tryin ta figure this out." she replied.

"You sleep well last night? First night of freedom go well? Any good dreams?"

"It. It was fine. Thanks."

"Nothing remarkable then? Nothing of note?"

Mila blushed and just shook her head.

The curiosity was spiking through his bonds. "Well, Joy, I may have to do a very detailed search later but I'm off to find a map." He got up, leaned over and kissed Crystal's head. "Love you all."

Crystal, Dana, Tenner, and Joy all said "Love you." with a single voice and Mila slipped out a "creepy."

He left their suite and wandered over to the doorway across the hall and knocked. After a moment the door opened to reveal a serious looking woman in a black and white robe. She looked Jebidiah up and down then growled. "Early for a messenger, this better be important."

"Forgive the disturbance, please. I'm not sure about the layout of the rooms yet and was wondering who's quarters there were?" Jebidiah asked.

"Unbelievable. Fucking get my sister-wife killed, move us around like fucking pack mules with nothing else to do, then suffer us idiots while we try to mourn? Go away while you are physically able to!" The door slammed in his face somehow making the stone walls shake..

"Yantzee's rooms. Duly noted." Jebidiah thought as he went further down the hall to the next door.

This door was opened by Crystal's guard, Corporal Harris. "Well met and good morn Jeremiah, if I may call you by name?" Jeremiah nodded his assent. "I'm in need of a map. Specifically the areas immediately around Orc Fall Woods. Do you know who can help me?"

Jeremiah scratched at the stubble he had yet to shave. "Aye, I'll have a runner sent. I'll also have a chamberlain sent down to explain how all this is set up. There wasn't much time for it yesterday and we're all still getting settled in."

"Thank you." Jebidiah turned to leave but hesitated. "Did you know her well? Yvonne?"

"Aye. three years. We used to run patrols together. Her sister is my brother Alex's prime."

"We are sorry for your loss. Do you know when her ceremony will be?" Jebidiah asked.

"In two days time. I will give Crystal the details." Jeremiah said.

Jebidiah nodded and turned to leave. He made it a few paces when Jeremiah called out, "She's a good woman, Jebidiah, your Crystal. She's your prime and we'll keep her safe but know she follows you. It is hard for the rest of us to remember that; primes are normally the lead, not the husbands. Have care when you rush into battle that she doesn't follow. Yvonne was stopping her from chasing after you."

Jebidiah stopped, thunderstruck but couldn't bring himself to turn to face Jeremiah. "Corporal Harris, thank you for telling me. That is one lesson I will carry to my grave." The door closed.

He stood there, still thinking about what Jeremiah said when another voice broke into his thoughts. "It's sound advice." Stephanie's wizard Michael had rounded the corner and was walking up to Jebidiah. "Your group dynamic is opposite everything everyone else is used to. You can use that for some advantages but it has many of its own dangers as well."

Jebidiah nodded. "I'm starting to see that. I never worried about any of this, I never imagined it would be important. I grew up around nobles, that should be obvious when you look at our pod, but I never cared for politics. Never thought they would be important but now I am thrust into them. I fear I will make a lot of mistakes before this is done and those mistakes will cost lives. How many ceremonies can one stand for before they break down?"

"Jebidiah, your wisdom far exceeds your years. That will serve you well. Come, I want to see the others. I have a diviner and enchanter, friends of mine, coming to meet us as well."

They re-entered the suite together and Dana came up to greet Michael. "Well met cousin. It's good to have another friend with us."

"While it's been brought up, tell me Dana, why did you never introduce us and why act like you knew not of Michael before? And Michael, if you are Princess Stephanie's husband should I be calling you my Lord?" Jebidiah asked her.

"Blame my prime for that." Michael answered. "Actually we prefer to skip the titles for me. I'm sort of a secret. Easier to keep an eye on me if I'm always around and who would keep their husband so exposed by their side? Hiding in plain sight and all of that nonsense. On that note, don't refer to me by name when in public, even my given name is risky. Just call me 'wizard' or something, keep it at a title level so my importance is muted. Think of me as one of the staff with a sordid secret."

"Maybe we can just call you Bob."

"Now, now, my boy, I wouldn't go that far."

There was a knock at the door and Dana moved to open it. She spoke briefly with someone then said to Jebidiah "Were you expecting a pair of mages? Farrah and Shirley?"

"They are expected," said Michael.

Dana stepped back and two women entered wearing the customary dresses of mages in the black and white of the Academy. One was a blonde elf and the other a red skinned humanoid with two small horns. Michael motioned to the elf and said "Allseer Farrah Gordon, this is Jebidiah, ah.. Valor. The cute little goblin over there is Crystal Stark, his prime. She will be your pupil." He motioned to the tiefling, "Battlemage Shirley Jessup, the beauty beside Crystal is Tenner Stockmar and she is your pupil." He quickly went around introducing the others as well except for Stern who had already retreated to his room.

"If they are for Crystal and Tenner, who are you working with Michael? Or will we still be seeing you after this?" Jebidiah asked.

"My boy, I'm here to work with you." That drew a lot of stares with sharp spikes of surprise in the bond. "Come now, you didn't think that I missed that bit of magic yesterday to boost your voice, did you? Prince Matthew sure didn't. And if I noticed it, and if he noticed it, I can guarantee others did as well. Discovering how a Talentless Artificer is able to manage magical energies has become my one and only job for the foreseeable future, Crown's orders. I'm not leaving your side, so get used to me.."

There was another knock at the door. Since Dana was still closest she maneuvered around Farrah and Shirley to answer it. After a brief discussion she closed the door and held several scroll cases in her hand. With a mischievous smirk she walked them over to Jebidiah and knelt holding them up before her in offering. "Your maps, Lord Valor."

"Har har. You are lucky I love you."

"And if you didn't?" Dana challenged.

"I'd have to punish you." Jebidiah snagged the scrolls.

"Then I no longer love you." Dana offered a rude gesture in his direction.

"Is this a clan in truth?" Mila asked. "Insane you all are."

That got a laugh out of the girls. 'First time I've had sister wives, so I'm not sure what normal should be." Tenner said. Crystal and Dana agreed in their laughter.

"And then there were three. Tenner has joined your bond?" Michael asked for confirmation.

"Sister wife number three. Fresh out of the oven." Tenner beamed. Joy wore a frown.

"You performed the bond this morning?" Michael asked. "I would like to see how this is done when you try to bond with another."

"I don't think Jeb's sex magic will work on you." Tenner said.

Farrah was in the process of taking a seat beside Shirley when Tenner's announcement nearly made her miss the chair and she fumbled some to keep balance. "Sex magic? There's no such thing."

"Tell Jeb that."

"For the fiftieth time, here's no such thing. The Allseer backs me up." Jebidiah said.

"That orgy last night? That was sex magic?" Mila asked incredulously.

"You saw that?" Joy piped in. "You should have joined."

Mila blushed again. "Insane." She got up and went to her room.

Shirley had adopted a lost look when the conversation had started, the emotions on her face progressed through confusion, wonder, concern, then more confusion. "I may have to agree with your Halfling friend, this smacks of insanity. Michael, what have you pushed us into here?"

"Friend? Mila, I might as well join in the insanity here, are you friend or foe?" Michael asked, amused at the horrified expressions that take form on Farrah and Shirley's faces.

"My dreams been kind to Valor. Divines changed their minds." Mila answered.

"She has my confidence, Michael. I'm not expecting any more assassination attempts." Jebidiah added the last just to see how the newcomers reacted.

"Try sex magic on me, maybe I will." Mila shot back.

"I feel we may be the brunt of some joke, Shirley. If any of this is true then insanity rules here. I would like to examine the bonds, if I may be allowed." Farrah asked.

"I have no objections as long as I can review these maps at the same time." Jebidiah said as he spread several of the maps over the dining table.

Farrah got up from her seat to start looking over Dana while Michael joined Jebidiah in perusing the current map of interest. "These are Orc Fall and Temay Plains?" Jebidiah nodded and Michael continued, "This map is fairly old, the highway through Soldier's Rest is missing. Those other maps are much newer and more detailed."

"This map looks to be drawn closer to the time frame I need. According to my notes, Soldier's Rest was founded in 605 to serve as a rest point for caravans between Kevlar and Silvertoe. There was another city started in 634 here closer to the midpoint of Kevlar and Soldier's Rest where Orc Fall Woods dips down to the south. It was meant to add more protection for travelers from the denizens of the forest. That city was Valor. Before the highway could reach it the Second Orc War broke out and Betelgeuse released the dragons. In the aftermath of the Dragon Flight, House Valor needed funds to recoup losses from the war and decided to raid Red Roost for the dragon's hoard. This was in 639 and it did not go well. Red destroyed what existed of the Valor City in retaliation. All the women of House Valor perished and the line died out ending the House. No effort was made to rebuild or establish another House and the lands were turned over to House Marlen."

"Red's name is Bellatrix, if that makes a difference. I had not heard the history of House Valor before. I did not see you reference any notes or anything of the like, your recall of your research is impressive" Michael said.

"Um, thank you. It comes naturally?" Jebidiah shrugged.

Tenner, having listened in, joined the conversation. "If the House died off in 639, that's like 175 years ago. You're talking about ten or eleven generations. How did the line skip down to you?" The confusion she had was shared with the rest.

"That's part of what I want to find out." Jebidiah said. There was another knock at the door.

"I am not playing butler." Dana said. "Besides, Farrah is busy with me." Joy went over to answer the door and called out, "The chamberlain is here?"

"Is that a question or a statement?" Tenner asked.

Jebidiah sighed and ignored Tenner's sarcasm. "Show them in."

"Oh, someone else is here too."

"Did you call everyone in the Academy here Jeb?" Dana asked.

Their new guests entered the room. The first was an older man in standard Academy staff attire who bowed when he had entered far enough. Behind him was Corporal Yantzee and one of the largest women Jebidiah had ever seen. To say she did not have a pretty face would be an understatement. Dark brown, nearly black eyes stared out from under thick brows with a large bulbous nose set between them. Thin lips adorned a pock marked face and two angry scars went from her chin up through the right side of her face barely missing the eye socket. All of that was topped with short onyx black hair. There was a good chance she was as tall as Stern and nearly as solid with large pendulous breasts. Each one was easily the size of Jebidiah's head.

Yantzee said "Corporal Smeck is here for Stern."

"Thank you Corporals. I must say Yantzee, you expended a large portion of your vocabulary ration yesterday with the Captain." Jebidiah said.

"You angered the prime." was all Yantzee said in reply.

"Oh, this morning. I'm sorry for that. But come, I need your advice." Jebidiah motioned for Yantzee to join him at the map. Curious, he went to go see.

Joy ran off into the bedroom hallway and brought Stern out with her. When he saw Corporal Smeck Jebidiah could swear he caught him blushing.

"Well met.." was all he got out. Smeck looked him over with an approving stare and said, "Down one level are the training rooms. I'll wait for you there. We begin today." She abruptly left.

"Go get her big guy." Jebidiah told his friend and Stern left with one of his boyish goofy grins on his face.

"Now, Corporal, I need to get to this area here." Jebidiah pointed to a spot on the map he felt was closest to where Valor was built. "What would we need to prepare and how long do you think it would take?"

"No." Yantzee said without hesitation.

"I'm sorry but it wasn't a request for permission. We are going there. You can use your words."

Joy sat down next to Michael and Shirley to watch the interaction. Dana, Tenner, and Crystal were busy talking to Farrah.

Yantzee pulled over a map of the kingdom and began tracing routes with his finger. "This would be folly of the greatest order. The safest and fastest path would be the southern highway route through Silvertoe then east through Soldier's Rest, but with carts and supplies it would be at least two tenday before we reach the spot if we don't run into problems. Silvertoe is run by House Faltha and they aren't friends of yours so we could expect no help and possibly a fight. I wouldn't put it past them to 'arrange' some problems for us. If we take the eastern route we pass through Crag and that's worse than Silvertoe. There is no doubt House Crag would move on you."

"But if we go through Silvertoe to Soldier's Rest my family controls those lands." Tenner said. "We have a caravan leaving today to return family from the Council Session. I'm supposed to meet them before they leave."

"A caravan would add a few more days, but it would be much safer having Stockmar soldiers around us. I don't like it but it would make the trip more feasible if you insist on this madness." Yantzee said with a scowl.

"Tell me how you feel about it." Jebidiah tried a grin to lighten the mood. "I've heard the word insane too many times this day, madness has a better ring to it. Unfortunately, we need to make this happen."

"I'll go see my family now, have them stay until we are ready then all go together?" Tenner asked.

"Do it." Jebidiah said. "We need a couple days minimum. We can leave after the ceremony. Corporal.. Hiro, I understand if you need to stay and not journey with us. We, all of us, can empathize with the loss and will respect your family needs."

"I thank you for your words. But no, if you are set on this path then we will travel it together. We do our duty." Yantzee said.

Someone cleared their throat and Jebidiah looked up, forgetting the chamberlain was there. "Forgive me sir, my mind is stretched today. I did not intend to make you wait. I think we are going to need staff. Runners or porters, a cook, etc. Can you arrange that for me?"