Chapter 6

Bitsy entered the cave and stood in the center of the outer chamber. "Please, if anyone can hear me, I am on a mission to aid my father."

After a moment a deep voice came from the depths of the cave. "We do not welcome those who trespass into our caverns."

The owner of the voice came into view. "Why should we concern ourselves with your quest?"

"My father told me of the night that he and my mother spent in a cave with your blessing when he was new come to this world," Bitsy said.

"I recall no dragons sheltering in our caves these last few hundred years," Said the Cave Dweller as he came up to stand within a few feet of Bitsy.

"My father is human," Bitsy said. "And my mother is a succubus."

The Cave Dweller's eyes opened wide at this news. "Indeed," he rumbled. "I recall that pair well."

He squinted up at Bitsy. "And what aid do you require for him?"

"My father lost his hand when he sealed the rift between the realms," Bitsy said. "The giant smith Tuck told me that you have a mental that could be enchanted and forged into a new hand for him."

The cave dweller spun and strode away. "Remain here," he called back over his shoulder.

Bitsy waited for over an hour, then shifted to her dragon body and curled up on the stone floor of the cave for a nap.

She awoke when she heard footsteps heralding the return of the Cave Dweller.

The Cave Dweller placed a large lumpy bag on the ground in front of Bitsy and stepped back.

"Here is what you seek," he said. "Now what price will you offer for our most precious possession?"

"I will pay whatever it is within my power to pay," replied Bitsy.

"Would you offer your own hand to heal your fathers?" Asked the Cave Dweller.

Bitsy thrust out her right hand. "If that is the price that you demand, then take it."

The Cave Dweller unhooked an axe from his belt and swung it at the young dragons arm.

Bitsy didn't flinch, and the blade of the axe passed through her wrist harmlessly.

"You may take the metal and do with it as you please," said the Cave Dweller. "Rarely do we see such bravery in one so young. If you had flinched or had trickery in your thoughts, the axe would have severed first your hand, then your head."

"I thank you for your metal and for your lesson," Bitsy said with a bow.

"You may visit us in our caverns whenever you wish," said the Cave Dweller as he faded back into the depths of the cave.

Back at the Smithy, Bitsy dumped the bars of metal out on the floor.

Tuck grinned ear to ear as he examined the flawless ingots. He swept up all three girls and hugged them. "This will do fine."

"Can I watch?" Asked Bitsy.

"Sure, Just sit back there on those kegs and keep out of the way, this can get dangerous." Tuck answered.

Tuck built the fire in the forge and pumped the bellows as hard as he could, but even the terrible heat of the forge failed to soften the ingots in the least bit. Exasperated, Tuck shook his head. "Need more heat," he muttered.

Chanting a spell to bring the forge to heat enough to vaporize steel. Still nothing. Tuck was about to give up.

"Maybe I can help," said Bitsy. She slipped out of her skirt and blouse. Her form shimmered, and she reappeared in her dragon body.

Opening her jaws wide, Bitsy exhaled a blast of fire so hot it was nearly transparent. To Tuck's surprise, the ingots began to glow red, then a bright yellow/white. Seizing his enchanted tongs, Tuck brought one of the ingots to his anvil and struck it with his hammer. The metal dented. Only the magic in his hammer and anvil allowed him to work the stubborn metal.

Over and over, Bitsy had to breathe on the partly worked ingots to soften them. As Tuck pounded and shaped the metal, he cast the spells to allow the hand to obey David's thoughts as if it was his own flesh.

Another spell to make it fuse to his forearm painlessly and permanently, and other minor spells.

Bitsy traced the flow of magic from Tuck to the hand as it formed, and she strengthened the spells, adding her own refinements and power.

The two friends made a potent team indeed.

Tuck sent Bitsy, in her human form and dressed again, to gather the family as he quenched the awful heat of the hand in a barrel of specially chilled oil.

David and the others came out to the smithy.

"David, hold out your arm," said Tuck.

David examined the artificial hand. There was enough of a forearm attached to the hand to make up for the missing part of his own arm.

His stump fit neatly into the socket at the base. He felt a tingle as the artificial arm attuned itself magically to his nervous system. Then he saw the fingers flex and the wrist bend. It responded as readily as if it was his original hand. He could even feel textures and temperatures with it. Bitsy handed him a walnut. David effortlessly cracked it with his new fingers.

"I don't know how to thank you!" David said to Tuck.

"It was Bitsy here you have to thank." Tuck said. "If not for her flame, I wouldn't have been able to work the metal at all. And her magic made the spells stronger and better than I could have alone."

"Aw, daddy, all I did was help out a bit here and there." Bitsy blushed.

David hugged her. "You're my special Bitsy anyway." Bitsy squirmed and blushed even harder.

That afternoon, 'Lyssa gave Booger and Rath each a pocket full of gold coins. "Sell these and get the money of your world. You are always welcome to come back." She said.

Black Eagle opened a doorway for them that opened just outside of David's home.

Black Eagle said. "It is time for me to go home also. I have been away far too long."

Asshann stepped up and slipped her arm through the Shamans arm. "I will go with him." She said to 'Lyssa. "That is, if he'll have me."

Black Eagle kissed Asshann soundly. "Always." he said. 'Lyssa nodded her assent.

Black Eagle picked up Asshann and carried her through the portal. The doorway snapped back to normal.

Jenny, Prissy, 'Lyssa, and Bitsy followed David back to the parlor.

Bitsy shimmered into dragon form and curled up for a nap in front of the fireplace. Her tail tip twitched as she dreamed.

Tuck was already asleep upstairs after his exertions of the morning.

One of the other maids came into the parlor where the family was sitting quietly. "Pardon, there is a visitor at the door, Shall I bring him here?"

David glanced over at Bitsy sleeping peacefully with Prissy and Jenny stretched out on the floor, using the dragon1s body as a pillow.

"No, I think we'll go to the door ourselves." David declared.

'Lyssa took his hand as they went to see what the visitor wanted.

David opened the door. "How may we help you?" Asked David.

"I am Maran." Said the visitor. Maran was humanoid, but had large compound eyes like an insects. "I have come to have you settle a dispute between myself and my brother Marad," continued Maran.

"All very flattering," David said. "But why come to me to settle your dispute?"

"You vanquished the Beast is his own Hall. No one else is powerful enough to take over the rule of the realm." Said Maran.

David had a sinking feeling that he was about to get saddled with something he neither wanted nor was prepared for.

"I will need time to settle the dispute between you." David said. "You and your brother bring WRITTEN statements of your sides of the matter to me within 24 hours. I will render a decision at the great Hall in 7 days."

Maran bowed and left.

David closed the door and leaned his head on the wood. "I do NOT need this shit right now," he muttered.

He turned to 'Lyssa. "Well, we have until tomorrow. So let's eat. Then I want to make up for lost time." And he leered at his wife.

"You'll do fine." She assured him.

David gave her a small smile. "With you beside me, how can I do anything else?"

Bitsy was still sleeping, but woke up fast when someone said "Dinner".

Dragon she might be, and a powerful sorceress besides, but she was still a 12 year old. And 12 year olds are almost always hungry in any realm.

Tuck ate hugely during supper. All that effort had made him ravenous.

After the meal, he sat back with a politely stifled belch. "I want to stay, but I must get back to my shop and my home. My customers depend on me."

"Bitsy is going to be sorry to see you go, and so will we." Said 'Lyssa. "Please stay." Bitsy pleaded with Tuck. "I still need you."

Tuck reached over and patted her on the head. "I'm sorry little one, but I'll be back to visit. And you can come see me."

Staffet pouted.

Tuck boomed a hearty laugh. "Cheer up little one. We'll still see plenty of each other. Now it is time for you to spend with your family."

"Oh... All right." Bitsy said. Then she flashed Tuck her old sunny smile. "But I'm going to come see you a lot." Then she jumped up from her chair and kissed the giant on the ear.

She made the rounds of the table collecting hugs and kisses. Then she scampered off up the stairs to her bedroom.

Jenny and Prissy exchanged a look. Then Jenny went upstairs following Bitsy.

"We need to keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure she doesn't do something goofy," said David.

Tuck shook his head. "I think that you are worried overmuch. She has a good head on her shoulders and I think she can be trusted as much as any other 12 year old."

"In other words, about as far as I can see her." quipped David.

'Lyssa, Prissy, and Tuck all laughed at that.

We will open a permanent two-way portal to your home," said David. "That way both of you can drop in for a visit whenever the whim takes you."

Tuck nodded. "This will make things much easier."

The giant heaved his bulk out of the oversized chair. "With your kind permission, I am going off to bed. I am still tired from all that work today."

David held up his new hand to the light and studied it as he flexed the fingers into a fist, then stretched them out. The detail was near perfect, right down to the hairs on the back of the hand and forearm, and the nails and prints on the fingertips.

"Truly, you are a grand master of your trade." David said. "I would appreciate it if you would teach Bitsy something of your work. It would help her studies immensely to be able to observe directly how things are made."

"Of course, I would be delighted." Said Tuck. "I have a cousin who is a master glassblower. And another who is the finest goldsmith in my city. They would also teach her if I ask."

"We would be eternally grateful." said 'Lyssa. "Now off you go to your well earned rest." And she also rose and kissed the giant on the cheek.

Prissy kissed his other cheek, and David shook the giants hand with his new one. "Oh," Said Tuck. If you ever wish to take it off for any reason, just pull on it and think hard about taking it off, and it will release. Then you simply slid it back on, it will do the rest."

Then he lumbered off to his room.

David slipped his arms around his wives. "Have I told you how much I love you all? Well, I do. Very much."

Prissy smirked at him. "Words is words, big boy. Why don'cha show us how much ya love us?"

David slipped his hand down to Prissy's butt and goosed her. Hard.

Jenny appeared at the top of the stairs in time to see Prissy leap into the air and land running for the bedroom with David and 'Lyssa in grinning, laughing pursuit.

Jenny wisely stepped aside as Prissy came pelting past. David scooped Jenny up and slung her over his shoulder.

Jenny was laughing and 'Lyssa was tickling anyone within reach as they all tumbled onto the big bed.

In her room a few doors down, Bitsy shifted into her dragon form for a moment and listened. Then she was human again. "Parents." She muttered. Then she giggled and bounced onto the bed and under the covers. It felt so GOOD to be home!

And all of her mommies seemed to love her as much as her daddy did.

On that happy thought, Bitsy dropped off to sleep.

Marad met with several of the other domain lords in his palace among the twisted and warped forest that covered most of his fief.

"We have to do something about these upstarts!" Marad stated. "The old system worked well enough for millennia, no reason to change now."

"Agreed." Said a figure cloaked in a dark red hooded robe. The being gestured with a withered claw of a hand, "Look what they did to Seth, and to our Dark Master. They cannot be allowed to live."

"Carefully, carefully." This came from a feline looking woman curled up in a well-padded chair near the fireplace. She moved aside with an expression of distaste as a pair of Troll arms men dragged a human peasant couple into the room.

Marad looked at the terrified man and woman. "Bind them securely, then put them in the fireplace. It's getting cool in here."

The troll guards tied the struggling humans with braided metal cords. They carried the screaming couple to the fireplace and threw them onto the glowing coals.

The peasants screamed in agony as their hair and clothing burst into flame. Their screams grew louder and hoarser as their very flesh caught fire.

The gathered domain lords crowded close around the fireplace, feeding on the terror, agonies, and life forces of the dying humans.

The sole exception was the feliniod woman. Snarling her disgust, she left the hall before the others knew she was gone.

Marad turned around, sated for the moment by the death energies released by the now quietly burning couple.

"Where is the Lady Shadow?" he asked the troll guards standing next to the door. "Gone away." answered one of them. Marad sighed. The guard who had spoken was almost a genius among troll kind. He would get no further information there.

Marad felt a shiver as someone gated away from his courtyard. That explained where the damn cat woman had gone.

"Never could trust those damn cats anyway," he muttered.

Marad summoned his ablest assassins and dispatched them to go after and slay Lady Shadow.

The conspirators could not afford to have their plans exposed just yet.

He turned back to the rest of the domain lords.

"Lord SSSS," Marad addressed the lord of the swamplands. A repulsive creature looking like a cross between a toad and a particularly ugly snake. "We will need a few dozen of your most venomous kin." "Ssssaaagrrreeed." hissed the swamp lord.

Marad turned toward the red cloaked figure, "Dread Lord Canis, We require undead of various types, your choice of course."

"You shall have them," rasped the hooded figure.

From each of the varied domain lords, Marad extracted vows and promises of creatures, equipment, and spells that would be used to trap and attempt to destroy the man who had slain the Dark Lord. With any fortune, they would also slay the rest of his family as well.

A gate opened in the main hall of a fortress deep within the rugged mountains bordering the fire plains. The Lady Shadow emerged and spun around to close the gate behind her.

The lady Shadow was furious. Both with her erstwhile conspirators, and with herself.