The Chronicles of Harold the Healer Ch. 04

"It is more than I could have ever wished for," he replied, a big smile rearranging the wrinkles on his face. "I am happy to accept. Let's get it started."

Harold paused and looked at Charlie and Mary. "But why are you two here?"

"We have some back pay and a couple of medals to bestow upon you," replied Mary. "Something that is best done in a public ceremony so that people know that they have a war hero in their midst."

"If we get the word out, we can have the event at about six o'clock this evening," said Leila smoothly as Marcie clapped her hands over her mouth to hide a grin. The visitors smiled and nodded, remembering what she had told them as they were on their way into the Dewdrop Inn. "That's the advantage of living in a small town," she deadpanned.

"We can use the pack of kids to help spread the word," Marcie suggested. "They can cover a lot of ground in a short time. The rain has stopped," she added, looking outside to see signs that the sun was trying to break through the thinning clouds. "They should be running around by now, and I think I know where they will be. May I go look for them?" she asked, the very picture of Helpful Daughter.

"That is a wonderful idea," said Leila with a big smile that was of relief, as well as for Helpful Daughter. "Start by going to Pella's to tell them that Mister Wonderful here," she continued, staring at an uncomfortable-looking Harold, "will be needing a suit that is suitable for being presented with war medals." Marcie stood up, leaving an empty plate and water glass, offered Respectful Bow #2 to the visitors, squeezed the breath out of her new-found brother and said,

"I'm so glad to have met you, Mark. When you come to stay for the new school, you can stay with us! We'll have a lot to talk about!" She then hustled out, stopping to exchange some words with Emma before going out the front door.

"War hero? Since when?" Harold demanded as the servers arrived and efficiently collected their dishes and glasses. "I have no arguments about back pay, mind you," he added, rubbing his hands together with what he hoped was a greedy expression and earning some chuckles.

"I heard that a celebration is in order!" announced Chef Ralph, marching out of the kitchen with a bottle of champagne on a silver platter, followed by two of the kitchen staff with champagne glasses on silver trays. "A big boost for our town, and a hero to help run it!"

"I am not a hero!" Harold complained. "But I do like a little champagne. But only a little." The wire was removed from around the cork, which was wiggled out and then shot across the room with a bang, almost making it to the kitchen doors. Ralph expertly caught the foaming overflow in a glass, which he topped up and presented to Harold, followed by filling the glasses of the others and passing them around.

"You are a hero to me, and to all of the other people and animals that you have treated over the time you have been here," Ralph insisted.

"Here's to heroes, past and present, no matter how much of a pain in the ass they were," said Charlie, raising his glass for the toast. They all raised their glasses and drank.

"And here's to friends, past and present, and to unknown sons made known," Harold offered as the second toast, which was greeted with murmurs of approval and the finishing of their champagne.

"We're old farts and need to get some rest before the ceremony tonight," Mary yawned, only slightly theatrically. "We shall retire to our room and will see you lot at the Park at six o'clock sharp."

"Mark, I am also a farrier, making and fitting horseshoes," said Sam as the servers began gathering the glasses and the empty champagne bottle. "It's a very useful skill, and a necessary one, and I am always interested in training new people in the art. I don't know if this has been suggested to be part of the curriculum, Dana, but it would be good to expose people to it."

"Yes, sir, I am very interested," Mark replied, perking up. "I have always wondered about horse shoes. They're necessary in the city because of the pavement in the streets, and hoof health is just as important for horses as foot health is for humans."

"That's an excellent suggestion!" said Dana. "The intent of the school is for practical, hands-on learning in all of the aspects of Veterinary Science, and I can't recall that being mentioned in the initial meetings. I will definitely bring it back with me. Maybe my son does have some Engineer in him after all."

"If you don't mind, I have some affairs to attend to," said Lakash. "I'll go off and meet you at the Park at six."

"And where do you think you are going, Mister War Hero?" Leila demanded, grabbing the back of his shirt as he was heading towards the kitchen with the two servers, holding a few plates and glasses.

"I'm just helping to clean up," he said innocently as a snickering Chef Ralph relieved him of his burdens. He had actually made it almost halfway across the room before being noticed.

"Mark, your father is a champion sneak," Dana scolded, hands on her nicely curved hips. "In the Magic School and in camp or on the battlefield, he could often be found pilfering something from the kitchen, and nobody had any idea how he'd gotten in there." She got a good look at his ass as Leila was dragging him back to the table.

"Speaking of sneaking, were you using the Mask spell to hide that you are a Mage when you came into town?" Harold asked, trying to deflect attention away from himself. "I had no idea at all. Well done!"

"Mom and Lakash helped," he replied with a cheeky grin. "It's a hard spell and pretty draining, but it was worth it. See you all later at the Park," he added with a cheery wave as he, Sam, and Lakash headed out into the hotel's lobby. The Healer shook his head ruefully and glowered at Dana, who gave him a sunny smile and a pat on his cheek.

"We need to get to Pella's to get a suit for you," said Leila, now with her hands on her nicely curved hips. "You can't be awarded medals in your traveling clothes!"

"I've got my formal Healer's Suit in my pack back at your place," he replied. "That's a nice suit, and hardly ever used," he added.

"Definitely not! You need something fancier."

"Like a tuxedo, perhaps?" Dana asked, moving around to scan him with a critical eye. "You can't get any more formal than that. I think that this man would look good in one."

"You have good taste in men," said Leila, eyeing the uncomfortable Harold, who decided to strike some silly poses flexing muscles and making faces, all the while trying to position himself to have a clear line on the doorway, until he realized that he didn't have his staff and would probably have to pay a punitive price to get it back.

"Nice try, Mister Sneak," giggled Dana, quickly figuring out what he was up to and planting herself firmly in the way, making him pout and drag his feet slowly to the corner where his staff was propped and get it, hamming it up for all he was worth.

"Let's get out of here and over to Pella's," said Leila, shaking her head and grinning at his antics. They each grabbed him by an arm, Leila on his left, and propelled him out.

"Please come again!" Chef Ralph called after them.

"Who's going to pay the bill?" Harold asked as they entered the lobby.

"We'll put it on their tab," Emma replied as he was hustled to the door.

"That's what expense accounts are for," said Dana over her shoulder.

"Help meeee," he cried plaintively, looking at Emma with puppy-dog eyes.

"Not a chance, bub," she replied as they went out the door. With those two formidable ladies manhandling him, she had no chance at all. Mark's chance, on the other hand, only depended on whether or not she could get ten minutes (preferably more) alone with him somewhere. He's both cute and fit and she really wanted to see what was in his pants and then put it to the use for which it was intended. She'd just have to wait and strike when the chance occurred, and she had a feeling that he would not need much convincing. She made a mental note to make herself some of the contraceptive herbal tea.

"Hmm, it's gotten really nice out here," said Leila as they marched down the walkway to the sidewalk. The sun was now shining in a blue sky half-filled with clouds and there was a refreshing westerly breeze. "We really need to set up a dedicated crossing point for this damned street," she continued as they looked both ways, waiting for a break in the stream of horse-drawn conveyances. It didn't take long, since said stream only consisted of three going each way, and they all made it across without incident.

"I like this place," said Dana, looking around. "It's got an entirely different vibe from the Capital."

"I have no desire at all to return there," Harold replied. "Collecting my prize for the Air Sled spell was the last time I was there, and I couldn't get out soon enough."

"Unfortunately, as the head of the Veterinary School, you'll have to go there from time to time to report to the Board of Directors in person. Written reports are fine, but they will want to get a good look at you to make sure that they've made the right choice."

"I'll be sure to brush up on my drooling hunchback impressions," he snickered, getting elbow jabs from both of his escorts. "Oof! Nobody has a sense of humor," he complained, grinning.

"Here's Pella's place," said Leila, giving him her best soul-freezing glower and opening the door.

"Hello, Leila!" Pella greeted them as they entered and closed the door. "And the War Hero, and you must be Dana. Marcie told us you'd be coming." Pella was a tall, slender woman who, along with her husband and children, had skin that was a few shades darker than most others in the area. Her long black hair was liberally streaked with gray, but her dark brown eyes had lost none of their flash.

"I believe that this will fit Harold," said her husband Ramon, who was a bit shorter and wider than his wife, coming in from the back with a deep blue tuxedo with a rich red cummerbund and a nice white shirt with only a few ruffles along the buttons. Dana whistled and raised her eyebrows, Leila looked amazed, and even Harold was grudgingly impressed.

"There's only one way to find out," said Sylvia, who was 24 and the spitting image of her mother at that age. "If the gentleman would kindly follow me to the change room, we shall see how he looks."

"Gentleman? Where?" asked Harold, looking around the shop. "I see a couple," he added as he was firmly propelled to the back of the store, indicating Ramon and Franco, his 17-year-old son. "But who's that disreputable rascal?" he added as they passed the floor-length mirror with floor-length wings on either side. "Hey!" Someone had squeezed his rump, but he couldn't tell who.

"Here is the suit," said Ramon, handing it to him as Olivia, their 21-year-old daughter, who looked more like her father, drew the privacy curtain around the right change area. It took him about five minutes to get the clothes on himself. He peeked around the edge of the curtain to see if the coast was clear, and of course it wasn't and he was rapidly exposed and propelled to the mirrors.

"Oh, my," said Leila, putting her hands to her mouth, her blue eyes shining brightly.

"Huh. You really clean up good," Dana admired. "It really flatters that ass of yours." As she walked around him, she saw that Leila was distracted Olivia's asking her about something and she bent to murmur into his ear, "It makes me want to forget my marital vows and drag you into a bedroom for a few minutes."

"In spite of everything over the years, I have never forgotten you or the things that we did," he murmured back, looking in her sky-blue eyes. "We need to find some time to catch up. Oh, and in those few minutes, I'd massage you into oblivion and leave your snoring body on the bed. I've had many years to improve my skills," he added with a wink. "I should get back into my regular clothes so that I don't spoil this wonderful suit," he said aloud, turning towards the back of the shop, only to find no clothes in the half-open change area. "Hey, where are my clothes?" he demanded, glowering at Pella, who wouldn't meet his gaze. "You even took my boots!"

"Oh, we have a pair of nice shoes for you," she replied smoothly, producing a pair of shiny, black leather walking shoes from behind her back. "Put them on, and we'll make sure that your clothes are kept safe for you." She graced him with her smile, still brilliant after all the years they'd been in Magwitch. As she helped him get them on, Dana drifted over to Ramon, who was unnecessarily rearranging some dresses on a rack.

"Ramon, this is a really long shot, but I was wondering if you had another suit or some such thing. My son Mark will be wanting to look nice for the ceremony as well."

"I have a few on the rack over here," he replied, eyes lighting up. "What size is he?"

"He's a bit taller than Harold and a bit wider in the shoulders and hips," she said as they moved to the rack. Ramon flipped through a few that were clearly too small, and came up with one that was a soft gray. Another rack surrendered a plain white dress shirt. "Oh, he'll look nice in this! How much?" Her eyes widened a bit when he said it, but she could see on closer examination that they had been hand-made and very well, so she nodded and fished around in the pockets of her slacks, extracting a gold Sovereign and handing it to him. "They pay me the big bucks to be Head of Engineering, so I might as well use some of it," she added. "Thank you very much! I'll have to get this back to the Dewdrop Inn for when he gets back from Sam's place."

"I've always wanted to see a farrier in action," said Harold, perking up. "We have some time, so why don't we go join them?"

"You'll get your lovely suit all filthy," Leila replied, giving him the evil eye.

"My Clean spell will clean anything. And I won't touch anything, I promise."

"Too risky," Dana concluded, shaking her head and making her blonde hair move enticingly. "We turn our backs for one minute and he'll be gone." Harold tried to look innocent.

"We should go back home and you can have a nap," said Leila firmly. "You've had a busy day and I don't want you falling asleep in the middle of your ceremony."

"That's what coffee is for, isn't it?" he replied with puppy-dog eyes. He then unsuccessfully stifled a yawn. "Damn it, now you've put it into my head." He turned to Olivia.

"Can I at least get my regular clothes back? I can't sleep in this."

"Sorry, Healer Harold," she replied with a sweet smile as hands once again clamped on his shoulders. "I have my orders." He sighed theatrically.

"Come along, Mister War Hero," said his beloved, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Time to rest." They left with cheerful waves and embraces all around.

"I'll go drop off this suit and catch up to you. Where can I find you?" Leila gave directions, which were very straightforward since she lived up the street a few blocks. "See you later. We have a lot to talk about." They stayed long enough to ensure that she'd crossed the street safely, then turned to walk back to Leila's. Harold was in no hurry, checking out the horses attached to the carts that were parked at the side of the road while their owners were off shopping somewhere.

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for reasons to delay getting home, would you, dearest one?" Leila inquired after steering him away from an attractive red roan gelding who was enjoying a scratch behind the ears. Both human and horse made complaining noises as he was pushed away.

"Of course not, my love!" he denied virtuously. "I'm just exercising my duties as veterinarian to ensure that these lovely animals are in good health." As expected, she was neither swayed nor fooled.

"You are tired and need to rest. I'm feeling a bit tired," she admitted. "Maybe I need a rest too." Her stare and holding him close to her side made it clear that clothing would have to be removed and that bucking and thrusting would soon follow, before any resting would occur.

"It is not necessary to renew your claim on me, Leila," he replied, leaning down for a soft, lingering kiss as they continued to walk north on Main Street. "I am yours, body and soul, and I'm pretty sure that Dana, who said that she has a husband and other children, is well aware of it. It's interesting that she would show up now after all these years, and with a son that I never knew that I had."

"It's even more interesting that he would be named Mark, just as our daughter is Marcie," Leila mused as they passed by the bakery and waved to its inhabitants, who waved back. "From time to time I've wondered how many other offspring you've littered the Kingdom with." She squeezed his ass, making him even more uncomfortable.

"I honestly don't know. I've been a, for lack of a better term, surrogate father for six women in various parts of the Kingdom whose husbands were infertile and whom I could not cure, and was shown the door once they knew they were pregnant. There are probably others who lured me into their beds and may have 'forgotten' their contraceptive tea, and I'll never know."

"Unless we go back to the Magic School and look for kids with those blue eyes of yours," she purred, as they finally began approaching her house.

"We are not discussing how many cocks have paid visits to your pussy over the years," he said, trying to deflect the subject away from himself, "or how many quarts of hot cum have squirted their way into your insides," he continued as they mounted the steps without seeing them, only seeing each other. He fished the key from his pocket and opened the lock without looking. She moaned into his mouth as his other hand squeezed her ass and pressed her unresisting body against his. Somehow, they made it through the door, closed it, and made it into her bedroom, whose door was also forcefully closed.

"That fancy suit of yours will only slow me down a bit," she muttered as the jacket was removed and tossed away, the shirt with its too many buttons was ignored, the shiny buttons on his nicely-fitted pants were undone and the pants and the seriously tented underwear were yanked down to reveal his hard cock, glowing in its colours of turquoise and forest green. "Damn these fancy shoes!" she muttered, having to pause to yank them off so that she could complete the removal of his pants. She milked a large drop of clear precum from him, then gobbled his cock, making him roll his eyes inward and groan helplessly as she sent some sparks into its sensitive tip. She stood up and pushed him onto her bed, where he sprawled helplessly as she made short work of her clothes, including her hat, then pounced on him like a hungry wolf on a helpless deer, stuffed his glowing cock into her pussy, which, along with her breasts, was glowing brightly with fast-moving patterns of turquoise and yellow.

"My love," wheezed Harold as she squeezed him and bounced up and down, nearly disintegrating his consciousness, "what has gotten into you? You're so beautiful, and so feral."

"Your cock is what's gotten into me," she said with a ferocious grin, tickling his nipples with more sparks from her left hand. But the deer wasn't so helpless, and with the last reserves of sanity and strength he summoned his own sparks, tracing his fingers around her sensitive nipples and overloading her clitoris. With a helpless groan from him and a banshee's wail from her, they came hard, with his cock, despite being nearly crushed by the force of her orgasm, delivering two high-pressure squirts of cum. Minds blown, she collapsed on top of his now sweat-soaked ruffled shirt and then rolled off, with both of them breathing heavily and staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

Dana had left the suit with Emma at the front desk with the assurance that she would give it to Mark when he returned from Sam's. Dana had not failed to note the slightly predatory gleam in the attractive blonde's blue eyes despite her seemingly professional manner. She had no doubt that Emma would be a great help in removing his clothes, and a substantial hindrance in his putting on the suit, she smirked to herself, remembering more than a few similar occasions with her husband Stanley. He had had to take a few minutes to pound her into a screaming orgasm with his wonderful cock in order to dress. More often than not, he would then fondle her bountiful breasts, lick and suck her sensitive nipples, and gently rub her already activated clitoris into another devastating orgasm. "Oh, don't forget the meeting we have in half an hour," he had once said, making her sit up with a shriek and scramble to clean herself up and cool off to maintain a professional appearance. Her revenge had culminated in carefully riding his cock while allowing him to lick and squeeze her breasts until it had gotten so hard that it would have exploded were it not being crushed by the force of her orgasm.