TRC - Lord of the Glass Desert Ch. 31

"At the very least, I wouldn't need to deal with this damned mage ever again."

"I don't know if that's the best course of action."

"Make up your mind, Liru, because I thought you were trying to talk me out of this mess."

"I am, just hear me out. You are a powerful and skilled mage. I have watched you blossom into that power since you left your father's estate. If his gift can be passed on, Kal can give you children even more powerful than you."

Veles grinned like a shark at the thought. "Go on."

"But compassion and empathy are not your strong points. I want you to consider what will happen once your children surpass you in strength and skill while still thinking like you."

The mage's expression went through a range of emotions as she ticked off the possibilities in her head, each outcome worst than the last, and far too many of them ending with a knife between her ribs. She looked at Liru, her face bordering on desperation. "But I'll be their mother. Surely they will treat me with respect and dignity."

"The way you treat your mother?"

Veles flinched like she had been slapped. Despite living in the same house, it had been years since she and her mother spoke. Once the mage hit puberty and it was clear her father would not be producing any more children with Veles's mother, or any of his concubines, she was shunted off to the side and hardly spoken of. Everyone knew of her dalliances with various staff at the estate, but as long as she kept it quiet and they never produced a child, the rest of the family ignored her indiscretions.

"I think this is why the oracle sent you to Kal," Liru continued. "He'll give you strong, healthy boy capable of powerful magic, but not until you've shown him that you can be a good mother to his child."

"You don't think I can be a good mother?"

"Not the way you are, and not in the way Kal thinks of a good mother. Ria said his own mother gave her life to bring him into the world, then raised him alone after his father was killed."

"So, she didn't die during childbirth?"

"I don't quite understand it either, but Ria wouldn't elaborate. She said it was Kal's story to tell, not hers. But besides that, she was a strong and loving woman who worked herself to the bone, running a farm and raising Kal at the same time. You know I love you, Veles, but you aren't capable of that kind of sacrifice. You have been doing all of this to secure your future in your father's house, then once the child is born, you will pass it off to the nannies just like your mother did to you and your sisters."

Veles's clenched tight as she growled, "Go back to your bag."

The wings on Liru's ankles became blurs as she stood up, floating in the air to bow at her master before fading away.

The mage bounced up off her bed and paced her tiny room. She was angry because Liru was right. She had no plans to raise the child once it had been weaned. What Liru didn't understand is that even if she had planned on being the mother Kal wanted, her father wouldn't hear of it. His grandson would be raised in the manner of his choosing, which would mean utter devotion and loyalty to him and him alone.

But to go against her father seemed unthinkable. And to start her own house? With its first heir being the son of a powerful but houseless mage?

Her thoughts went back to the battle and watching him cast strength spell after strength spell, each of which would have taken large bites out of her own mana crystals. Then once he joined the fight he activated two of the runes on his bracers one that glowed with the red of the strength spell and a second that she didn't recognize. Then after the cow killed Darrow he went and helped the elf heal the wounded before killing one of the crewmen in the hold with a magic arrow. The man had used a massive amount of mana that day. Twice, or maybe closer to three times the combined capacity of her crystals and natural reserves.

And that's only what she knew about. It's possible he had cast other spells she wasn't aware of that day. She was also ignoring that he used a healing spell usually only available to clerics and had at least two spells she had never seen or heard of before, the unknown one during the battle and whatever he used that acted like featherfall but at the same time wasn't featherfall.

All that didn't really matter, though. If Kal could beat her easily in a mage's duel then so be it, but she wasn't going to just flop on her back and spread her legs for him. Of course, even if she did, he wasn't interested.

The fact pissed her off more than a little. She knew how she looked. It drew the ire of her older sisters and made them cheer on her freedom to pursue magic instead of competing with them to produce their father's first heir. Earlier today, her looks got her yelled at and sent back to her quarters for distracting some of the crewmen despite the abundance of naked flesh the monster girls were showing off. Yet this mage, Kal, seemed immune to her charms.

But Kal wasn't some horny lower noble thinking he could make Veles his next conquest. He had his choice of any of the women on the three ships. The man also seemed to have a special bond with the cat he fought beside and was in the process of forming one with The Dauntless's new captain. She questioned a few of the crewwomen about Kal, and they mentioned the mage had several children. Liru had also given the impression that his harem consisted of more than these monster girls.

She didn't mind the harem or that they consisted of monster girls. Like her father, powerful men had many women. It was just the way of the world and a good sign of Kal's virility and power. Once she began learning magic, Veles quickly rejected the notion that monster girls were demonic in nature.

The witch sighed and touched the bag on her hip. Liru thought Kal was a good choice to father her children, even if he was a lowborn. Over the years, and especially since she left home on this quest, the bag of holding's advice had been sound and, at times, lifesaving. For her to push Veles towards the mage meant the avatar perceived something in the man she didn't, or couldn't, see.

But compassion? Empathy? Those were dangerous in her world. She had heard the stories growing up. Not the fairy tales told to the lowborns to keep them in line, reinforcing the superiority of the nobility and making them think that love and togetherness were all anyone needed to be happy. No, she heard the real stories of how a lord loved a son or a wife too much, and people used that love to destroy them. Or how a nobleman tried to be kind and generous, only to have his ranks infiltrated by enemies because his 'compassion and empathy' didn't let him see the threat until it was too late.

Compassion and empathy were death sentences in the world of nobility.

Her thoughts went back to what Liru had said earlier about what might happen once her children surpassed her power and skill. At best, she ended up like her mother, trying to find happiness bouncing on a cock in the corner of the castle, and at worst, she ended up with a dagger between her ribs to remove any challengers to her child's inheritance. There would be no tender mother and son or mother and daughter moments like she had witnessed during her adventures. No celebration of each other's achievements or happiness. As with her own mother, there would be a brief period of genuine affection before she began seeing her child as a threat to her position, and her child would see her as an obstacle.

She expected this life, but was it the one she wanted? Liru thought she could make her own house and become a noble in her own right. But again, was that what she wanted? Did she want to live a life of waiting for a knife in her back and vying for the king's favor? Or did she want her son as a young adult to run up and lift her into a great big hug as he announced that he proposed to his lover and she accepted?

The second option felt so good, but so alien at the same time.

"Liru," she called lightly.

The little avatar appeared beside the bag on Veles's belt, then flitted up to float in front of her face. "How may I help you, mistress," she said coolly.

"If I do as Kal says and learn to be compassionate and caring I won't be able to return to my father's house. I will be targeted and taken advantage of until I am either exiled, a husk of a woman like my mother, or dead."

"Veles... you're a mage. You don't need your father's house. You don't need any house. You can build your own home far away from the intrigue and backstabbing of the nobility. Not just a house, but a mansion where you can raise your own family without worrying about answering to your father. You can have a family that you love and loves you in return instead of treating you like a piece in their game of power."

The witch nodded slowly. "So... how do I start?"

---

"Roka, you will stay in port once we reach Soma and begin recruiting and training operations," said Scarlet as they finished up supper in Ratt's cabin. The commandant looked noticeably uncomfortable during the beginning of the meal sitting opposite her seat for the past few years. But this was now Ratt's ship, and the seat at the head of the table was hers. "Wonna you will take The Bitch's time-critical cargo onto The Gazelle and set sail as soon as you are loaded. I will stay with The Scarlet Bitch and help Ratt replace those cargo contracts if we can.

"Captain Kolas, what are the men saying?"

"A Lot of them are fighting their superstitions about free women on a ship. Those that lose will walk, and those that win will likely stay. It's just a guess, but you might have thirty to thirty-five stay, aside from me and my first and third mates. If you'll have us, that is."

"Mind if I ask why you want to stay aboard?" Scarlet asked.

"Permission to say something crude, milady."

"Granted."

"My cock's been buried in a warm wet puss every night except one. That night I was testing to see if your girls would honor me wishes if I said no. While she begged a little, she left me alone afterward. I've done just as much or more fucking these past days as I ever did as a slaver. But the puss has been better than all but the highest-paid whores."

Kal chuckled. "Many times I've been accused of thinking with the head in my pants, but I don't think that explains why you suddenly want to stay on board."

"True, the puss is top-tier, but you have other ships that need their crews dismissed and re-hired. Most likely, you're going to need another captain or two, and I'm hoping to have earned enough trust by the time we get to Silvermoon to consider me."

"That won't be up to me, but Commandant Scarlet. I'm leaving her in charge of my affairs until I can take care of Darrow's holdings."

"Since we are talking about Silvermoon," Said Scarlet. "Wonna, I want you to avoid Silvermoon and sail straight for Calfera. Try to pick up some more shipping contracts while waiting for us to join you. If one of Darrow's other ships sees monster girls sailing The Gazelle, they might try to take it back."

The quokka's ever-present smile faded for just a moment before appearing again. "Aye, Commandant. If that happens, I assure you they won't take us alive."

Scarlet shook her head, "If it comes to that, don't throw your lives away. We have new friends who have considerable resources. I know the thought of being captured is disgusting, but if it comes to that, you will have people actively trying to rescue you. That's something we never had before."

"Aye, Scarlet," said Wonna, "but I make no promises."

"That'll be a risk for all of you except The Scarlet Bitch," said Kolas. "We were told to leave you to the pirates Darrow was paying to take you out. Until he decided the pirates weren't moving fast enough, that is. If the other ships sail past here and see Roka and crew they might try to take the ship back. However, that's unlikely. Darrow was paying off the pirate bands to leave us alone, so none of his ships have a security detail aboard. Silvermoon is a different story. Rumor is that Darrow's been putting money into the constabulary for years now. If The Gazelle or Dauntless shows up with monster girl crews, you'll likely have soldiers on deck before your mooring lines hit the dock."

"Good to know. The Bitch avoided Silvermoon for our first few years since they are friendly to slavers. But eventually, we got a couple of contracts that were too juicy to pass up."

"But we've never docked in Silvermoon either. We've only ever transferred cargo by longboat, and paddled back the moment we got paid," said Roka.

Kolas lifted his mug to Scarlet. "Smart of you there."

"She's turning the largest ship in this little fleet into a training camp," said the bovine. "It's a smart move, but I can't say I'm happy about it. I finally have my own ship, and now I'm stuck in one place."

"But you have the most important job," said Ratt. "We're just hauling cargo. You're going to be training our next generation of sailors."

"Oh, I understand how important what I'll be doing will be," Roka chuckled, "but that doesn't mean Red won't hear about anchoring my first ship for years to come."

"I'm looking forward to it already," Scarlet grumbled with a smirk.

The conversation continued with a jovial tone until Ratt pinned Kal with an intense stare. "What would it take to let Kashka stay on The Scarlet Bitch?"

The table quieted as eyes turned toward the mage.

Kal sighed. "I can't. It's not that I wouldn't if that was what she wanted. But for her and my protection, I can't right now."

"That's about what she told me. I'd like to know why."

"I've made some powerful enemies, or inherited them, depending on how you look at it. One tried to attack me here," Kal tapped his head, "but I was ready for him with wards and protections. When he couldn't reach me the normal way, he tried slipping in through Kashka's and my connection. He very nearly succeeded.

"But once you touch another person's mind, they are easy to find again. I visit her every morning because I love her, but also to refresh the ward keeping him out of her head."

"What did he do to her?" Ratt asked.

Kal quickly asked over the bond for the cat's permission to tell the story before continuing. "He implanted the memories of one of his victims in her. Azrin has discovered how to control others by possessing them. He made Kashka relive one of his victims killing her own child. As much as she loves you, Ratt, and as much as she loves sailing, I can't let her go through something like that again.

Unfortunately, there's more. If I let her go with you, you wouldn't be safe. The woman we're going to meet nearly killed me because of his meddling and he's only gotten better since then. If he gained control of Kashka in the same way, you and your crew would be dead by her blades in minutes."

"I saw her fight," said Scarlet. "She's good, but taking on an entire crew?"

"She is," said Kal. "Even I got nicked a few times in that fight, though I healed almost as soon as they cut me. I didn't need to heal her. Do you need a demonstration of her skills?"

"If'n you don't mind, I'd be curious to see," said Kolas.

"Roka, can I borrow one of your tail hairs?"

"Sure, but you'll need to make it up to me tonight," she said, swinging her tail forward then wincing as she plucked one of the long coarse hairs from the tip. Rubbing the end of her tail with her thumb she held out the hair, but Kal directed Kolas to take it.

"Now open the door and hold up the hair like this," he said, miming holding the hair vertically away from his body.

The Dauntless's former captain looked dubious but got up from his seat and did as Kal instructed. "Do I need to call her or somethin'?"

"No, just hold very still for a second--" Kolas's arms jerked apart as Kashka's dagger thudded into the cabin's floor.

The man stared with astonishment at the two halves of the tail hair still pinched between his fingers. "Bloody hell," he breathed, then peeked out the door. "Where is she?" he asked, looking around outside.

"The foremast," said Kal

Kolas peered through the small gap at the bottom of the mainmast's topsail to see Kashka clinging to the side of the forward mast waving back at him in the fading twilight. Shaking his head, he looked at Ratt and chuckled, "Better your ship than mine."

"That was in good fun, said Kal as Kashka's dagger vanished, "but imagine giving someone who can possess bodies that kind of power. I'm sorry, Ratt, but until Azrin is dead, she has to stay with me."

Her face fell. "And how long will that be?" she asked.

"Soon, I hope. The woman we are meeting has the same issue and will need my protection until Azrin is dead. As much as I love Kashka and Ikuno and want them to stay with me forever, I would prefer it be because they love me back and want to be with me, not because their lives depend on it."

"Speaking of being with you. I'd appreciate it if you would join Tavorah and me tonight, Kal. Soma isn't far now, and these opportunities are dwindling."

"I think Captain Roka mentioned I owe her tonight for the tail hair. If she doesn't mind being woken up once I get back to The Dauntless...?"

"Mmmm, my favorite way to wake up. I wouldn't mind a little extra from Red and Tavorah if you can manage it."

"What about Kashka?" asked Ratt. "You two haven't spent much time together lately."

"Right now, her time with you is limited, and she'd rather make the most of it. We'll have plenty of time together once we're back on the road." He turned to the Dauntless's Captain, "Roka, once you drop anchor, I think you should send messengers to the slums of Kuji and see if you can get a few of them to come up here for training. Between the gold Darrow had on board and what I can give you, you should be able to stay and train your recruits for close to three months."

"Why did Darrow have so much gold on board?" asked Wonna.

"To pay the mercenaries," Kolas answered. "Not many mercenary bands will set foot on a ship as they don't know ship battle tactics or how to fight on a moving deck. Those mercenaries cost a good amount of gold. Obviously, gold won't do fish food a lot of good. Besides that, he always brought a decent-sized chest when sailing in case he ran into any 'investment opportunities,' as he would call them."

"I don't want to know," said Scarlet.

"Given yer past, no, ye don't. If you're training new sailors, I recommend you move my first mate to The Dauntless. The man has the patience of a mountain when it comes to teaching."

"A few of my crew won't be happy about that," said Ratt. "He's made a name for himself among the girls already."

"I'm not surprised. The man usually had a couple women at each port to toss about with instead of visiting the lower hold."

Scarlet stood up from her seat. "We'll do this a few more times before reaching Soma and hammer out all the details. But while we're on the topic, there should be an elf in my quarters waiting patiently to 'toss about' with our mage," she said, crooking a finger at Kal.

"Lucky bastard," said Kolas, raising his mug to the mage before draining it.

---

After supper, Kal followed Scarlet to her and Tavorah's room. Though one of the larger crew rooms, it didn't compare to Ratt's cabin. Scarlet was already talking about knocking out a wall and taking the adjacent room as well. Tavorah was just happy to be The Scarlet Bitch's navigator once again.

They entered the room, and Kal's cock immediately started growing at the sight of the elf lying naked in bed reading. Grinning with anticipation, she set the book to the side and beckoned Scarlet and Kal forward. The mage's cock became hard as stone when the elf scooted over to the side of the bed, then kicked her legs up into the air showing off her beautiful smooth pussy and the puckered pink rosebud below.