The Next Game Master Pt. 03

He walked back in and she was still as a mouse. He went over. Uncovered her and got her to her feet. He checked her bindings. Satisfied he laid her down. He picked up her feet together and threw them onto the bed, "I can slide your ass over or you can. She slid her ass over. He grabbed the blanket and covered her. "You walked in on me naked only fair. They are checking over your clothes for anything concealed. Feel up to answering a few questions?"

He pulled out her blade and activate it and she looked nervous. He put the flame out. He reached around and undid her gag. "How many of these blades does House Rising Moon possesses? IF you counted these two?"

She looked at Raven, "Then two."

He looked at her, "I thought there were seven?"

She nodded, "One each in the other five lesser royal houses."

He nodded, "They are lesser because they only have one. Even two would not do it for them unless they proved you lost control of one. I bet there is some kind of meeting where the swords must be displayed. It has to be coming soon for your father to sound that desperate. To send his own daughter who is not an assassin. My guess is a Blade Singer."

She looked at Raven, "I am a protector of the elven people."

He looked at her, "The meeting is soon probably within days. With one they would be in a precarious position as they would have to have allies to hold power which means sharing power. He wants both swords for this meeting."

She looked at Raven, "It is months off but if the other houses smelled blood in the water they would start teaming up."

He smiled, "That means he wants to have some sort of display where both the blades can be seen before then. To quell any rumors or suspicions. You know who my father was right?"

She nodded and he sighed, "I asked for a replacement weapon. Something that would be good for where I was going. I asked for a document conferring a diplomatic status for me checking on elven communities away from the elven empire. That was in lieu of any title.

I was going to sign it all over, my father's wealth. The one thing that I was asking to much of was making meaningful strides to bring the half-elven people into the fold and end the discrimination. Does that sound like a lot for what I was giving up? If so, which part was too much?"

She remained quiet on the matter. "You noticed you were of no concern to him in that conversation. It was all the swords. He didn't even acknowledge your sister's right to breathe. Jumping straight to your younger brother. He gave no names he could have said his eldest remaining daughter.

I guess as you were playing the eldest daughter it was his way of saying you failed so your younger brother would be in place over both you and your sister. I guess you should know we have your hand secured. They bring a few scrolls of regeneration I can get my cleric to heal you up so you have both hands back.

The lady you attacked is a member of the mercenary company but she does not share my bed. You really had no bargaining position by bringing her in with a sword to her throat. You didn't know I fought left-handed either.

That is what gave you away as being a blade singer. You focused your attention on my right hand not knowing my left is stronger. If your sister had been consulted, she could have told you about me being left-handed. Important for a potential sword fight."

He looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes. "Now you know what it is to be me. A father or grandfather in my case who does not wish to acknowledge your right to breathe the same air. Sucks don't it?"

She looked at Raven, "This your way of torturing me?"

He sighed and got up, "No. This is a reality check. Your father is a fucking prick who is interested in wealth and power. Not what is best for the elven people. Hell, even his own family does not matter to him. Not unless it has a cock swinging from its pure elven inbred thighs."

Shia walked in with Lirana. He went over and gave the big blonde a hug, "Feels like days since I saw you last. You going to give her a hand in putting clothes on her?"

Lirana nodded, "That and tell her she was lucky it was not me. I would have split her skull open all the way to her heart."

He looked over, "I will be outside you got the watch for a while. Be careful she is really talkative."

He stepped out and closed the door. He walked into the other room and had Shanna run over and hugged him. He hugged her back, "Sorry about the drama."

She looked at him, "You didn't panic."

He looked at her, "Taking a hostage is a desperation move. She did not want to hurt you. There was one person she wanted to hurt, that was me. She wanted the sword. Speaking of which, I need a few minutes with the ladies if you could go across the hall for just a little while. I have something to discuss with them."

She nodded, "Thank you again."

He gave her a soft kiss. "You are welcome." She headed over. He held up a hand, "Give me just a moment."

He pulled out the crystal. She answered, "Is there something wrong we still have time to go."

He sighed, "I needed to speak with you privately can that be done?"

She came back, "I am by myself. What in the hell is going on out there?"

He laughed, "Your sister took a young member of my company hostage kicked in my bedroom door while I was naked. I grabbed her arm and threw her across the room. I hit her center chest with a scorching ray. She charged at me and Brenda threw her to the ground with a command. I stepped on her weapon hand and cut it off. She passed out we stripped her and saw several unusual things given our earlier conversation. You sure I am free to speak?"

He heard her chuckle, "Yes I would not risk it otherwise."

He sighed, "She was a virgin and without a child that was when we figured the earlier you had to be either a damned good illusion or a twin. I asked her about what our deal was and she did not even know the basics other than you failed. Go kill him and get the blade. You know who that reminded me of?"

He heard her respond, "Who?"

He sighed, "The Baron who killed my father, my mother, and wanted me dead. Who was after the blade? He was at war with the Duke when we killed him. Would your father have conspired against the Duke, get his own son killed, and form a deal with that Baron? Would another house do it? If so, is that not against elven interests?

These are things you need to be aware of as if he jeopardizes peace with the humans for his own gain. The sword your brother held that would make him a bigger monster than I thought."

She was quite a moment, "He sent me to negotiate with you at the Dukes."

He interjected, "After I killed the Baron and blew through his roadblock and got to the Duke. He did not want me reporting her death. He came with a token force of 30. He brought a hundred to deal with my mother. He was moving fast to intercept me. One of his scouts must have reported seeing the sword.

We got hit by an assassin squad as well. I believe one escaped from that encounter. The swords are not that over the top compared to others they are powerful to an elven house. There are more powerful blades. Even when he sent you, he wanted you to plead with me to just surrender the blade not negotiate. He sent you on a mission to feel me out.

To find out how I would respond to the Elven King's demands. If he really sent you to negotiate, he would have had something for you to offer me. I am just asking you to think about that and check his correspondences."

She sighed, "I can see your take on this but it is my father."

He smiled, "He is my grandfather but it did not stop him from trying to kill me. I will ask you this. Besides your father. Who knew where my father was located when he died? Which other Royal House or Houses would have had that information? Would another elven house go all the way out here to track my father down and get in bed with a Baron to kill my father and seize the sword?

Also, change in topics. Bring some scrolls of regeneration and we will see about getting your sister's hand reattached. I went over the top in regards to the armor to hide our numbers. I do not need 60. I need less than half that. For your father, it is about money and what I am taking.

To me, it is about compensating for bargaining in good faith only to have a would-be assassin sent. I pointed out to your sister that he totally took the title and bypassed both of you to his youngest son. Something is wrong. Play difficult with me on the amount of armor and I will try and get firmer numbers."

He heard her sigh, "Alright. Thank you for your candor and I will work to get those scrolls."

He yelled back, "One more thing. I want to see the documentation of your marriage when you get here. Also lets me know he is out of the picture."

She laughed, "Because he would not let me. I think I might just do that once this paperwork is done. I will call you soon."

He let the crystal go dead and looked across at them. They stared at me and Brenda asked, "You think he would do that?"

He looked at her, "In a heartbeat. Look what he did to his own daughters a negotiator with nothing to negotiate with and an assassin not trained to do assassinations. He threw them both at the problem to prove they were incompetent instead he lost the other blade and his house status is in jeopardy."

They shook their heads and Brenda looked at Raven, "Stay here and sit for a bit. I am going to have a chat with her."

He sat back and thought, "Love, Enjoying this evening's entertainment?"

She chuckled, "You have an active imagination for wild conspiracies."

He thought back, "Not if they are true. Wars cost money and he all but told me two of those blades were worth a million gold pieces."

She was quiet for a moment, "I will give you points for putting these pieces together but there is one thing you have not addressed."

He thought, "Why risk the second blade? First, he thinks very little of half-elves especially one-on-one with a Blade Singer. She was not told it would NOT be one-on-one because her sister did not give any insight to my companions. She did not know the extent of our merged mercenary group, at least not from us."

He heard her laughing, "We will see how this plays out but I am enjoying the roleplaying aspects you do."

He thought back, "Two questions do you control all of the personas' everyday action. Take a shit, fuck your wife, etc? Or do you control only certain pieces of influencing their direction? The other question is when will I see you in that little French maid outfit if you are so into my roleplaying?"

He heard her laughing, "The first I cannot get into. Trade secret. The last I will have to work it into your night time training program."

He thought back, "I will have to check out that computer than to get the answer to the first question then. Get two outfits maybe Mother would want to play along."

She laughed again, "She heard that you know."

He smiled and thought, "Of course I knew. Does not stop me from making her blush."

He heard Mother, "She takes control when she needs to or set a given course in action. She does not watch over every aspect of them THAT closely. She would not tell you but I will. Now, that is enough of that from you two. For now, anyway."

He thought back, "Why of course Mother we will be perfect little angels for you."

He heard Myssara laughing. Mother joined into the conversation, "I know better than that. You have had your cock in my ass."

He smiled and thought back as the goddess laughed, "You forgot the cum on your faces."

Mother responded, "I have not forgotten. Get back to your duties."

There was a knock on the door He had his sword at the ready and it was the lady about the tubs and he looked at her, "We had an incident earlier so our plans for the evening got cut short. Keep the money and thank you for checking."

She nodded, "Too bad I was hoping for another peak."

He looked down the hall, "Come back tomorrow and we will see if we can get you more than a peak."

She looked back smiled and nodded. She gave him Myssara little wink. He thought, "Not quite French maid but it will work."

He heard laughter from both of them.

Brenda came back from across the hall, "She is not very cooperative. I told her your theory and she just went white and said nothing."

He went across the hall and saw Lirana watching her like a hawk. He walked over, "More comfortable having your clothes back?" She nodded.

He looked at her, "You may not want to talk with me. I will ensure you talk with your sister in regard to your brother's death. Also, any dealing he might have had with that Baron. If you were complicit in his crimes you could hang alongside him. Forget losing your virginity. Maybe the executioner will fuck you while your head is on the block. A pity fuck."

She glared at Raven, "You do not act like family."

He laughed, "Your father sent you here to assassinate me. Alone. With two dozen armed men and women floating around working with me. Do YOU want to talk about how a family treats family?

Alright, I am letting you know when you talk with your sister you better come clean on what information you have. Your father sent you here to die so your younger brother could take the throne. Why would he bar your sister from getting married?

I bet your younger brother has married and has an heir already. Likely another male or even two. That explains it. My father was a bad son who did not listen to his father. Your younger brother the good son. He did not want girls he wanted males to carry his family forward. You don't need to answer that. If you tell me your younger brother does not have a wife and a child already. I will drop the whole thing."

She did not say anything. "Good thing your sister is assuming power right now. She was crying when talking to me because she thought I had killed you. She regained her 'royal' composure after learning you were alive. Do you like the life of an assassin?"

She looked at me. "I am the protector of the elven people. The elven way of life."

He looked at here. "You are the fool and barely a fighter now. I reached a deal with your sister. Do you feel so much hatred toward half-elven people? Wait. You said you were told I was being unreasonable in my request. You did not know what the sticking point was.

That one item was 'unreasonable.' Do you agree that was unreasonable? If you were the Queen. 'Protector of the elven people' where half-elves live. Some do at least. I would suspect that a royal who would lead her people could answer that one question."

She looked at him, "I am not my father or the ruler. The ruler decides. I do not know all the details of the request."

He looked at her, "Bullshit. I gave you the request. All of it. He attended the wedding. My mother was with child. I had surmised the wedding had to have occurred in the elven empire, to an elven goddess. I did that because of his and her wedding bands. Which you would not find here. I wear them both now. My uncle returned his sisters, my mother's ring. You have all of it. Was that unreasonable?"

She looked at Raven, "If I were the Queen, I would not find that unreasonable to have you away from the court and not pursuing your father's money."

He cut her off, "My inheritance."

She nodded, "Yes. You did not put any hard and fast requirements into so to judge if it is meaningful would be difficult."

He smiled, "Not that difficult. I could walk into an elven community and see how they treat me. Not knowing who I am. I would also talk with any half-elves I came across to see if the effort has improved their lives. I could record all of this as I have a diplomatic status to check it.

It is up to me to determine if he broke his word by how his people are treated and how I would be treated if I walked down the street, went to an inn. Ordered a drink and got it right away or forced to wait an hour even when it was not busy. I made the same request of the Duke's son. My uncle. The Duke has one foot in the grave and he would die if a stiff wind knocked him over. Still unreasonable?"

She thought some more. "If you found them lacking?"

He smiled, "I would go to him with my document proof and ask him to address the issues found. If he refused then it would be a break of his promise. If I died the responsibility, assets, and everything would go to Shia's son. Who would be elven by birth and the true rightful heir to the throne!"

He sat beside her, "You already gave me your answer. You asked the question. He sent an assassin instead. You would not be a very good protector of the people, not the royal family, and not your father. I bet right now you are scared because you have lost your blade singer abilities. You are barely a fighter in the scheme of things, less than nothing in your father's eyes.

My father was a Blade Singer so I know something about them. He was of the mind that there were elven people everywhere. Who was protecting them? I believe the best way for you to atone is to take your sword up and visit your priests. Ask every god or goddess who has a temple in the capital for forgiveness.

Then go someplace and pray until your powers are restored. Fasting the entire time. Or you could admit that attacking me blindly was against your oath as a Blade Singer. Make a promise to me, your nephew and the goddess to be the protector of the elven people.

Which includes those of elven blood but not fully elven. Work away from the empire once this display of weapons takes place and follow in my father's footsteps. Protect the elven people outside of the elven lands as well as those within.

I could have pursued two titles and assets from both of my parents. I did not do that. I made a few demands to address the injustice I saw. Who is more the blade singer in actions?"

She curled up and turned away from him. "We get your hand reattached we will get you a sword. Not this one. But a sword. Then you can check your abilities. If they fail to work then you know the paths you can take to atone. As the aggrieved party in this matter, I have given you two paths to do it. The choice would be yours."

He got up and left the room. Lirana smiled at him as he walked past. He ran a hand over her breast and then her face softly. "Thank you for having my back."

She smiled at him as he left the room. He went back across the hall and rested his eyes. The goddess took the opportunity to bring him to her.

He was as naked as was she. She was in the water. He walked toward her. She started to rise and he walked into the water with her.

She was shocked to see him do this and she came forward as he fell into the water. She got him out of the water and dried him off. She roused him awake and he looked at her. "What just happened?"

She looked at him, "You should never enter the water here." He looked at her, "The other goddess, she had a cave with a waterfall. The water and waterfall are the sources of your powers. It is the manifestation if you will, your pool of power."

Mother arrived, "In this universe that would be an apt description. For this life, until we redo your body you will have an increase to all stats and the ability to recast another spell-like a doubling of your arcane focus. Myssara will take steps to see this never happens again."

He looked at her, "If I had stayed in there too long, I would have undone your universe. It could have killed me or remade me into a God."

Mother sighed, "Both of those are possibilities. It is also possible this world would be thrown out of this universe or destroyed. That decision would have to have been made in a hurry."