TSS 3: Knight's Son Ch. 12

"If you are well enough, we should go," the nagini said, ignoring my appreciation.

I nodded, not wanting to be in this place a moment longer than I needed to. I realized my pants were still undone as I got to my feet. My raging hormones were back under control, and I fasted my pants up with a sigh of relief. I noted the dark stains on my clothes and only then remembered my broken arm. Except it wasn't broken. None of my injuries from the battle remained. Before I could ask how that was possible, the maid spoke.

"There is one more thing, Master Brody?"

The meekness in the maid's tone caught my attention more than the fact that she was asking me for something. I turned to face her as I fingered the holes in my armor, finding no wounds. "Yes?"

"Master Willmont is dying," she said in a tone I couldn't read. Was she happy about that or sad? "When he dies, as his bonded slave, so will I."

"Wait, what?" I asked, shocked by her revelation. "No, that's not... I mean... How? Why?!"

"It's the slave magic," Charlotte's voice came from my throat. I covered my mouth, but the damage was done. Willmont's slave now knew that something else was inside me.

Except she didn't look surprised. Even the nagini barely seemed to notice.

"They already knew I was in you," Charlotte said as my hands dropped back to my sides. "Maybe not what I am, but they knew there was more to you than a normal human."

"You moved with too much grace in the fight," the nagini said. "And you can see in this darkness." I also remembered how Charlotte had tried to fight me when the poison first took effect. My hand had changed into a slender feminine one.

The maid merely nodded, and I focused on what she'd said a moment before, though I wasn't sure what darkness the snake-lady meant.

"You saved my life. Is there any way, or anything I can do, to save yours?" Even if she wasn't human, I felt I owed her.

"There is nothing I can ask of you," she said, a note of sadness finally entering her calm voice. "If we hurry, we may make it out of here in time to assist my master."

Read between the lines! Charlotte snapped at me as I began to feel genuine sympathy for the woman's plight. What did she--Oh!

"Nothing you can ask, but something I can offer," I said aloud. But what could I do? I couldn't undo the magic tying her life to Willmont's.

Take over the bond. I was about to tell Charlotte that I didn't know how, but she continued, I do.

I don't want a slave! I snapped before she could say anything more. But then I saw the look of hope in the maid's eyes and remembered how she'd saved my life. Maybe my mother would know of a way to break the slavery bond if I couldn't free her outright.

"How do I take over the bond?" I asked Charlotte out loud and felt a little better at how the maid's face lit up with hope.

"I can't ask--" she started to say, but I cut her off.

"I'm telling you that I'm going to do it. You saved my life. I don't care how forgiving you are about how you did it; I still owe you."

"I still can't--"

This time it was Charlotte that cut her off. "I know how. Where is the spell brand?"

Why do you know how? I demanded of the succubus, but she ignored me as the maid turned and lifted the back of her shirt. Her meek demeanor had returned as she followed orders.

Had I noticed the brand before, I would have thought it was an intricate tramp stamp. Raised black lines that were actually lighter in tone than her skin drew an intricate pattern.

"Is there a clean blade?" Charlotte asked, holding out my hand.

The giant nagini placed the hilt of one of my daggers in my palm as I mentally demanded to know what Charlotte needed the blade for.

The blade's tip poked my left index finger in one swift movement. Then, as blood began to well from the point, Charlotte moved that finger to an ornate swirl in the center of the patterned brand.

Focus your will on this point, she told me. Concentrate on your essence taking over. I can feel the bond weakening. Don't hesitate, or she will die.

Can't you do it? I asked, still uncomfortable with having a slave.

If I do it, she'll be my slave. It has to be you!

Flustered and feeling more than a little pressured, I still did as she bade. I concentrated on the tip of my finger, willing a piece of me into that point and taking control.

I felt no different, but after only a moment, the maid pulled away, and I found myself within her embrace. I'm not going to lie; it was a little weird getting a hug from a woman that was taller than me.

"Thank you, my new master!" I felt something wet drip onto my head and wondered if she was crying. "I promise to serve you well until the day I die!"

"I don't want a slave," I groaned but was ignored.

"I will help you carry these two, and then I must leave to find my family," the nagini said, recalling me to the fact that we were still deep inside the gnoll's fetid lair.

Grumbling, I moved to grab Al, but the maid stopped me.

"I will carry Master Mckay, Master. He will not be a burden to me."

I turned to Derrick, but the nagini already had him on her snake's back.

"I don't know the way out of here," I told the ladies, realizing they wanted me to lead. It also dawned on me that my headlamp was the only one that still worked. Despite that, I could see clearly and wondered if I even needed the light.

"I can guide us," the nagini said and slithered forward.

We walked silently for a couple minutes before a question occurred to me. "By the way, I don't know either of your names."

"I do not have a name," the maid informed me. "My previous master didn't see a reason for me to have one."

As if I needed one more thing to be upset with Consul Willmont about....

"I am the Royal Princess Ashani Devesh Aaban. If you were not a Paladonic Knight, there would be great reward for saving me. However, they will likely kill you on sight if my family ever meets you."

* * * *

1072 A.D.

Ardin waited as the sun set below the hills. His plan was reckless, but it'd taken him almost five days to figure out that this massive edifice was the pagan temple. He'd mistaken it for an official's residence or maybe government offices. It didn't look like what he'd expected a pagan temple to be.

Where were the bloodstains? The sacrificial goats? The women dancing around naked and calling out to false gods or the devil?

None of that was visible. Instead, a massive pale stone structure sat high, with beautifully worked columns and frescos. Ardin hated to admit it, but it was beautiful to look upon.

One of the other reasons he'd mistaken it for a standard building was the guards patrolled and turned back people. Their robes carried a stylized cross, so Ardin knew they were upstanding Christians. Then why would they be guarding a pagan temple?

Once he'd realized this was his destination, he'd considered going up to them and asking to be let inside. But after they beat an older woman when she approached, he decided on a different plan. Unfortunately, it took him two more nights to find a way in.

Guilt washed over him as he backed away to wait a little longer. How many commandments had he broken so far? He'd been unable to keep the Lord's sabbath while marching and committed adultery. He'd committed murder while in a rage as another man copulated with his mistress and had impure thoughts about other women. He'd stolen food to survive and planned to steal from this temple.

Instead of dwelling on his failures, he turned his mind to his successes. He still honored his parents and hadn't worshipped any gods besides his true Lord and Savior. And he hadn't born false witness against anyone. Of course, it wasn't much, but he held onto that with his remaining sanity.

As the sun kissed the horizon, Ardin knew it was time. Slipping from his hiding spot, he walked a path to the temple that was out of eyesight from the guards. He'd witnessed a young boy make this trek the evening before. He could make it to one wall if he remained within the long shadows and moved when the guards had their heads turned. The boy had vanished, and Ardin suspected there would be some way inside.

Following the same path he'd witnessed the boy take, Ardin only had one scare. As he reached the halfway point, he heard a shout and froze. He was between shadows and exposed, should anyone look his way. Ardin looked to where the cry originated, with his heart pounding, then rushed to the next shadow. He couldn't hear or understand what was said, but it appeared another guard was joining the first two. That shout must have been a greeting given from a distance.

His progress was only hampered by his bandaged hands and pain in his back. He still had sores from the last lashings, and his hands were blistered and beginning to stink. He knew that was a bad sign but didn't dare see anyone about it. Not that he could speak the language.

Reaching the pale wall, Ardin saw a wide crack in the foundation hidden behind a growing bush. As significant as the crack was, it was smaller than he'd hoped. The boy would have no problem slipping through, but even with the weight he'd lost recently, it'd be a tight fit for Ardin.

Unwilling to give up, he dropped to the ground and started crawling on his hands and knees. The wall was several feet thick, and as he ventured deeper, the walls grew closer. Soon, Ardin found himself inching forward on his stomach. The sides pressed against his shoulders and arms., He felt the sores on his back reopening as they scraped with his passage. The puss-filled bandages around his hands unraveled and loosened, allowing dirt into the popped blisters.

Ardin didn't stop. He was so close to his destination. He didn't know how he would return to his wife, but his instincts told him to get the fruit, and the rest would come.

Had she given birth yet? He didn't think so, but he'd heard of women delivering early. The babies always had a hard time when that happened and rarely survived. He couldn't waste any more time. He needed to steal the ambrosia and get back to her. He'd confess his crimes and sins to his wife and the priests when he made it back. But one thing at a time.

He knew Venita would forgive him. He'd done it all to protect their family. He hoped it was enough for God to forgive him.

His finger found the crack's edge, and he used his flagging strength to pull himself forward. Unfortunately, that's when he finally became stuck. He couldn't push himself back with his arms out in front and couldn't gain any purchase with his feet. He also couldn't bend his legs enough to try and push forward.

Panic welled up in him as he pictured himself dying here, under the wall of a pagan temple. This seemed the worst of all the ways for him to die since setting out on this cursed mission. A runaway slave in a foreign land, dying because of his own foolishness. He should have found another way. He should have turned back before now. But instead, he was stuck.

Closing his eyes, Ardin prayed to God. "Please, forgive me my transgressions. If it is your will, allow me to escape and make it back to my family. Take my hands and pull me free. If not, please accept my soul, filthy and worn though it is. All I ask is that my family be safe, and if possible, let them know how much I love them."

He felt calm as he accepted his fate. This was in God's hands now. Whatever would be, would be.

He heard a noise ahead of him, and he held his breath. Fear warred with hope that it might be a guard. Even though it would mean facing them for trespassing and being a runaway slave, it would mean his life.

A firm grip slipped into his outstretched hand. The walls seemed to retreat, releasing their prey as Ardin was pulled free.

Once free, Ardin dropped to his knees and spoke, knowing that the guard wouldn't be able to understand him. "Thank you! I owe you my life. I would have died in there if not for you."

"Heh, well now," a deep and sonorous voice boomed in Ardin's tongue. "It's been some time since I've been owed one of those. So what's your name, boy?"

Ardin looked up at his rescuer, grateful to hear his own language so clearly. Unfortunately, gratitude was soon replaced with a fresh wave of dread. It wasn't a guard that'd pulled him free but an impossibly tall, white-haired and bearded man wearing a bright white toga. Despite how dim and dirty the room they were in, the toga and hair seemed to glow. The man stood half again as tall as Ardin and wore a laurel wreath on his brow.

Ardin knew this giant by the images he'd seen in his mistress's private chambers. This was the false god, Zeus.

"Your name, boy?" Zeus demanded, his bushy eyebrows drawing together. "I want to know the name of the life I now own."

It took him a few moments to work moisture back into his mouth to speak. "A-Ardin, Sir." His voice cracked, but he managed to be heard. He didn't know if he was more terrified that a guard would hear Zeus or that the being would fry him for being a Christian.

"Aardinsir, huh?" Zeus gave him a strange look, then shook his head. "I don't know many from your lands, so I guess that's probably a common name down there. Now, why don't you tell me why you're sneaking into my favorite daughter's home? Not that she's alive to defend it... Arelius dropped off his offering last night, so what brings one of the faithful here?"

One of the faithful? He knows I'm a Christian! Ardin thought as he moved his tongue inside his mouth to build back the moisture he'd need to talk. No, he thinks I follow after him and his ilk. Maybe I can use this? Venita didn't warn me that a fake god was guarding this place. Did she know?

He didn't know much about these creatures, but he needed to get that ambrosia.

"Oh, great and mighty Zeus," Ardin dropped to his knees and spoke as words came to him. He didn't know what to say but hoped his imagination was up to the task. "I have come a long way, seeking the means to protect my family. My wife told me about a fruit that would save us."

"You're wife?" Zeus interrupted. "Is she hot? You're filthy, but I can tell that some women would find you attractive once cleaned up. I'll bet your wife has a nice figure."

"I..." Ardin worked to reorder his thoughts. He reached into his pockets where the broken silver chain and pendant resided. "She is the most beautiful woman in the world. Even in all my travels, I haven't seen a woman with more natural beauty."

"Oh really?" Zeus stroked his beard in thought. "And what is that in your pocket? I sense a totem of power."

"All I have is this gift my wife gave me on our wedding night," Ardin pulled the metal disc and chain out. He gripped the chain with his thumb as he showed off the jewelry. He feared the being would snatch it, but he only looked at it with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, ho! Your union was blessed by Aphrodite, huh?" Zeus chuckled, and the sound made the walls shake. "Either she has taken a shine to you, or your wife is a true beauty, indeed!"

Inside, Ardin cringed to think that this gift may have been blessed by a pagan god. But, on the outside, he offered a smile.

"The most beautiful I've ever seen," he reassured the man.

"Hmm," Zeus looked deep in thought as he alternated between licking his lips and shaking his head. Ardin left him to it, unsure of any wisdom in speaking.

With each passing moment, though, he grew more worried. The guards never left their post at the entrance, but surely they heard the large man when he spoke and laughed. He was neither silent nor subtle.

After several minutes, Zeus spoke again, his voice solemn. "What you ask for is no small boon, Aardinsir. The very last bit of ambrosia resides under my care. It's why I remain here in my dead daughter's temple. Her wisdom has fled this world, but I stay to guard it. One bite holds incredible power. Athena would advise against giving you what you seek if she were here. Instead, she'd say something about the journey being its own reward."

Ardin's hopes dwindled. Even if he were fully healthy, he didn't stand a chance of getting past this beast of a man. Wounded and exhausted, Ardin knew his quest was hopeless.

"But Aphrodite would say to follow my heart, and there is no mistaking the heart that beats within you," Zeus went on, his voice changing to one filled with joy and hunger. "I see how weak you've become, yet you still fight for this love of yours. So I will grant your request."

A single tear slid down Ardin's cheek at hearing those words. Zeus held out his empty hand. For the briefest moment, Ardin feared the pagan deity wanted the necklace. Then, a bolt of lightning flashed without warning, and thunder reverberated within the enclosed space. Ardin's ears rang, and when he touched his left one, it came away wet with blood.

But when he saw what lay in the giant hand before him, everything else faded away except the reddish-gold fruit shining in Zeus's hand.

With trembling hands, Ardin reached out and accepted the offering. Zeus said something, but Ardin couldn't hear, so the deity mimicked taking a bite. Hesitant but too dazed to resist, Ardin brought the goal of this quest to his lips. The first thing he noticed was how fragrant it smelled. Somehow the scent reminded him of laughing next to Venita in the flowery fields and the joy he felt when they married. Then, he recalled how his eyes lit up when she told him she was pregnant, and he began to laugh before he even took a bite.

If just the smell brought that kind of euphoria, what would the actual flesh of the fruit do to him?

Unable to hide his excitement, Ardin sank his teeth in. Sweet nectar, unlike anything he could have imagined, washed over his tongue. His mouth tingled as he bit off a piece and chewed. When he swallowed, he felt light and strong. His heart hammered away at his ribcage, but it didn't hurt. In fact, nothing on him hurt anymore. In awe, he examined the hand holding the locket. It was whole and healthy, but the craziest part was that he glowed!

Ardin turned his gaze back to the miraculous fruit and saw that the bite he'd taken was healing. New flesh grew over the missing piece, but the fruit as a whole became smaller. He didn't know if the core was edible but suspected that there were about two or three good bites left before the fruit was gone.

He looked up at Zeus, wonder and joy written across his face. "Thank you," he told the being, meaning it with every ounce of his soul.

"You did say your wife was beautiful, right?" Zeus asked, stroking his beard and giving Ardin a look that bore equal parts hunger and joy.

Even the joy of being whole and able to hear again wasn't enough to squash the worry in his heart at that look. Had Ardin made an unwitting deal with a false god? He'd pretended to be a follower of the pagan belief to get what he needed, but now he worried he'd gone too far. Hadn't Zeus claimed he owned Ardin after saving his life in the tunnel? Would he have to give up his wife in repayment?

Before he could burrow too far down into that pit of despair, Zeus's eyes grew large, and he looked behind him. Then he did something new and actually lowered his voice. "I'll be watching you, Aardinsir. I can't wait to meet your wife."

Zeus vanished before Ardin could respond, and then he heard what'd spooked the pagan creature.

The guards were coming, and they didn't sound happy. They shouted for whoever was inside to reveal themselves and come out or face their wrath. Instead, Ardin dove for the crack he came in through. Part of his mind noted that he moved through it easily, only having to hunch over. But when he turned back, he couldn't see the opening behind him. Had Zeus somehow manipulated its size? If so, then did he really owe the thing his life? It was a pagan god, and though he'd been gracious enough to give Ardin the Ambrosia, he didn't trust the giant.