The New World
Copyright© 2024 by Dark Apostle
Chapter 41: Tourney Part 1
Fan Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 41: Tourney Part 1 - The story follows James Smith, a man who dies and finds himself in a surreal afterlife courtroom, where his life is judged as "zero sum"—neither good nor evil, just utterly average. Dissatisfied with being consigned to eternal mediocrity, he manipulates the cosmic bureaucracy into granting him a second chance in a new world, where he is reincarnated as a child with his memories intact and perks... - edited by my lovely Steven.
Caution: This Fan Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Ma/ft Mult Coercion NonConsensual Reluctant Slavery Lesbian BiSexual Heterosexual Fan Fiction Farming High Fantasy Rags To Riches Restart Alternate History DoOver Extra Sensory Perception Body Swap Furry Magic Incest Mother Sister Politics Royalty Violence
James stepped into the tavern, his boots scuffing against the worn wooden floor as he scanned the bustling room for any sign of Christine. When he came up empty, he turned to Alice behind the counter and asked where she had gone.
“She’s checking the booth’s final setup for the tourney. We have been busy all week providing food for the early arrivals. Many more came than expected, which disrupted work on the booth.”
“People came early?” he asked.
“This isn’t like Earth where you can hop on an airplane the day before. While you were with Kael, we have been delivering two meals a day for every group.”
“How have they been received?”
“Amazingly well. Jacky suggested that we hoard the spices and use modern dishes from around the world. I was shocked by how well chicken teriyaki was received. That dish only needed your ginger. These nobles are used to fine food, but their version was very limited. The Fenrir has earned a reputation for unique and quality items.”
“Excellent. And I am impressed that you didn’t need all the spices,” James added.
“When I was growing up, I was told that the medieval cooks used spices to cover up the taste of spoiled meat. Now that I am here, I discovered that it was all wrong. If you can afford spices, you can afford fresh meat. The spices cost more than the meat,” Alice noted.
“I never considered that. I just knew that my favorite dishes all needed spices not available here,” he mused. “So I can find everyone at the booth?”
“Probably, or they may be at the market. We are going through a lot more food than we planned for. There has not been a tourney in Castletown for over a generation, so no one could help us plan.”
“Okay, I will go over to the booth.”
“James, are you back from the field? I was told Kael would be leaving this week.”
“Yes, he just left. I may go back to the field for practice, but I get to sleep in my own bed.”
“Excellent. Tonight is my turn,” Alice said, grinning.
James soon reached their booth. He saw most of the staff bustling around amid the growing chaos of the tourney grounds. Squires nearby polished gleaming armor and checked the tips of lances, while pages darted between pavilions carrying fresh water and tack for the horses. Banners snapped in the breeze as merchants hurried to setup their stalls. As he walked up, Christine immediately stopped and hustled over to him. “Are you back?” she asked.
“Yes, Kael is gone, and my training with him is finished.”
“Come have a drink, so I can update you.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him to the back of the booth. “Things have been so hectic. Last week, Captain Kenneth notified us that the first group would be arriving the next day. We have been scrambling ever since.”
“How many meals have you served?” he asked.
“Over 40 complete sets. Each of the contestants has an entourage of five or six people. We have probably delivered 250 meals. Each day we have a different menu. Tomorrow, the tourney starts, and the booth will need to be staffed, all without sacrificing the quality of the delivery meals. Garrick recruited extra hands from the surrounding farms to help. We are using both the tavern and brothel kitchens. Even then, we are ordering supplies and prepared food from the other merchants. That has gone a long way to smoothing things over with them. They realized that they could never have handled this.”
“Who designed the menus?”
“Jan, Jacky, and me. Raphtalia and Rachael came in, and we inventoried what supplies were available from Gerrick’s farm and what we needed to buy from the other farms. We then hired extra cooks and helpers.”
“Are we making any money?” he asked.
“Gods yes. The knights are thrilled with the quality and convenience of having the food delivered to their pavilions. Apparently, other cities require them to scrounge for supplies. Our approach saves them time, money, and gives them better meals.”
“I need to talk to Kenneth anyway. I will ask for his thoughts.”
“Please do. We are all at sea here,” Christine said.
“How is everyone holding up? This has turned out to be a lot more work than we expected.”
“We are enjoying the variety. The tavern has become routine. And every girl making a delivery gets propositioned. It’s flattering, but no one has taken them up so far.”
“Have some of Anna’s girls deliver for you,” James laughed.
“I asked. Her girls are already busy with the visitors.”
James kissed his mother on her cheek and set off in search of Kenneth. He asked the first guard he met where he could find the Captain.
“He is over at the tourney’s lists,” the guard said, pointing.
Nodding thanks, James headed for the tourney’s lists. When he arrived, Kenneth immediately came over to greet him. Knights in the distance tested their mounts along the lists while armorers made final adjustments to plate and mail, and heralds called out the order of the coming bouts.
“How was your training? Kael explained that it would be intense,” Kenneth asked.
“It was a unique combination of pain and force-feeding of information, all under a tight deadline. It was like nothing I had encountered before.”
“May I ask how far you have progressed?”
“I truly do not know. I have been given scroll knowledge of so much magic, most of which I have not tried. I still need extensive practice and must take it in slow steps as I have no one to ask.”
“Kael told me he was leaving on a mission for the king. But that is all I know,” Kenneth added.
“I know a little more, but it will take many months. But I came to thank you for the pavilion. It made the many hours in the field bearable.”
“It is the least we can do to help you. I still owe you for your help with the cave bear. And even now, the food prepared by The Fenrir has brought great credit to us. All of the visiting nobles and knights have praised the concept and the quality of the food. They are saving coins and eating better than they would even at home.”
“This is what I told Lord Mallow, and I am gratified that I was correct,” James replied.
“Come walk with me, master James,” Kenneth asked. “Are you available to help the realm? It is reassuring to have a battlemage if necessary.”
“I understand, but there are many things on my plate, so my time and focus are limited. If I agreed, how would you want to use me?”
“We would only call on you for an emergency,” Kenneth assured. “For example, the cave bear inflicted terror on a town, and your help was critical.”
“Perhaps. But there was no planning or preparation. You rushed me directly into the fight, which endangered everyone. There was no backup or supplies if the hunt took longer. You took the word of panicked townsmen and immediately sought me out. If I agree to work with you again, then there will be careful planning, proper resources, and compensation for my time.”
Kenneth blinked at James somewhat straight forward, yet not entirely unreasonable concerns. It did make sense. If James was taking his time out of his busy schedule to help out, then it was the least they could do. Inwardly, Kenneth was disappointed. He liked the option of having a battlemage drop everything to help him. “That sounds reasonable, but many times there we do not have the luxury of planning. And we are a small realm, so, like last time, there are not enough men.”
“One thing Kael taught me was that proper planning can make up for many deficiencies. Let me think on this, and I will make some suggestions for us to discuss. I cannot risk everyone’s lives by charging into a situation.”
“Do you really need compensation? You receive so many benefits from being a subject here,” Kenneth protested.
“You are paid, as are your men. They receive the same benefits from the town as I do. I have unique abilities, and I will not be used every time there is a cat in the tree. If there is no cost, then there is no value to my services.”
“I will let you and Lord Mallow reach an agreement. This is best resolved between the two of you.”
“Then I will wait until the tourney is over. I am sure he has many things to worry about, so my concerns can wait. Thank you for your time. I will let you return to your duties.”
“Thank you, James.”
James wandered the tourney grounds. The pavilions were far more ornate than the simple one he and Kael had shared in the field. Tall spires rose above open flaps at both front and back to encourage airflow, their vibrant colors catching the light. Some structures were large enough to contain a four-poster bed and space for the entire entourage. He had to laugh at the waste of effort required to transport an entire bed. Then he remembered the story of Prince Charles of England, when he was a wastrel. The prince used to bring his complete bed to every house he visited, too important to risk his sleep by using a commoner’s bed. Of course, that probably explained why he turned out to be such a poor excuse for a king.
He wondered if the ostentatious display was simply a form of one-upmanship. The immense amount of labor needed to move these items staggered him. He would have to ask whether the entourage itself brought the furniture or if teamsters carted the items from tourney to tourney. In either life he had never possessed enough money to be that frivolous. Even the spices had been an investment meant to help the tavern grow and stand apart from anyone else in the city. While he gawked at the extravagant pavilions and clothing, he spotted Freya. Waving, she came over and pulled him into a big hug.
“You’re back. And I just finished the afternoon deliveries,” she said.
“Sounds good. I have seen enough for today,” James replied. “I was surprised I didn’t see any of the contestants.”
“They are all at the castle. Lord Mallow is hosting dinner. But I am glad they are not around. Too many were grabbing my boobs,” Freya complained.
“I am not sure I can do anything about it. Except kiss them so they feel better.”
“Don’t worry about it. This isn’t the first time this has happened,” she laughed. “This is the curse of big boobs.”
At the tavern, everyone bombarded James with questions. Finally, he told Christine to call a breakfast meeting. After dinner he collapsed into a dreamless sleep. He woke when Alice came in. Dropping her clothes, she pushed him to the center of the bed and started sucking on him to get an erection. “It’s been weeks. I am not waiting any longer.”
The next morning James gave everyone an update. “Kael is gone for many months, probably at least a year. He spent weeks training me twelve hours a day. I have several spells that I have not had a chance to try. So there will be a lot of practice until I have mastered them. The best analogy I can make is giving a freshman college student all of their course books and telling them to go study. Some would succeed, but most would flounder. Kael’s help gives me a leg up, but it still requires a lot of work. But if I am able to master the spells, I will be one of the few battlemages on this world.”
“How long will you need to practice?” Jan asked.
“Magic requires experience and growth. So I will be practicing for the rest of my life. Just like I must continue my exercise routine to maintain my muscles. But it is a cost I am willing to make. Every day I practice magic, I will be better. The fact that you all have taken over the tavern makes it possible for me to work on my magic.”
“We are glad to help. You being stronger helps all of us,” Christine said. “Why don’t you attend the opening ceremonies? While you are taking a shower, I will lay out your clothes.”
“Thanks.”
An hour later, James was in line for the tourney’s stands. He was a simple business owner, not a knight or a member of the royalty. The stands seemed the proper place for someone of his rank. Finding a seat, he waited for the parade of the contestants. Fortunately he did not have to wait long. Around him, squires hurried past with spare lances and fresh water, while heralds in bright tabards called out the day’s schedule. The crowd murmured with anticipation as colorful banners snapped overhead.
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.