Chapter 61

Jabbit retracted the latch and opened the door, allowing Anseyla to enter. He closed the door again while she looked around the chamber. Anseyla grinned. She took three small steps as run-up and jumped on the high bed, where she belly-landed on Evanis’ back.

“It’s time for you to rise and shine,” Anseyla prompted, tickling her sister.

Evanis squirmed and laughed. “Stop tickling me, you annoying flea. I’m tired and want to sleep a little longer.”

“No,” Anseyla objected. “It’s almost noon, you lazy heifer. You need to get up and follow the herd as they go grazing.”

“Alright, alright,” Evanis squealed in surrender. “Just stop tickling me and get off my back. I can’t get up with such a fat flea sitting on me.”

Anseyla released Evanis.

“I would often wake you up like this when we were kids,” Anseyla reminded while she watched Evanis climbing out of the bed. “Although there never was a man in our chamber, watching our tickle fights.”

“He’s not a man,” Evanis corrected as she went behind the paravent to wash.

“But I liked to watch,” Jabbit stated. “It looked like fun.”

Anseyla smirked at Jabbit. “And I’m sure if I’d been naked too, you would’ve liked it even better.”

Jabbit frowned. “Why would you undress to wake up your sister?”

“See!” Evanis triumphantly exclaimed from behind the paravent.

Anseyla looked at Jabbit and shook her head. “Yeah, she’s right; you’re not a man,” she conceded the point. “However, did Eva chain you to the bed? If not, how did she get you to stay in bed with her all through the morning?”

“Eva didn’t chain me; I promised I wouldn’t leave before she is awake.”

“And you never break a promise?” Anseyla asked.

Jabbit frowned once more. “Why would I promise something but then don’t keep my promise?”

“People often break their promises,” Anseyla answered. “Sometimes because they are simply unable to keep them, but sometimes they never planned to keep their promise. They want to get something without having to pay for it.”

Jabbit shrugged. “I always pay my dues and I’ll always exact what’s owed to me.”

They heard Evanis’ snort and mumble something unintelligible behind the paravent.

“Yes - you’re definitely not a man,” Anseyla reaffirmed. “Actually, I came here to tell you King Dharos resigned yesterday and appointed Sybelien as the Queen of Tunapor.”

“What a crafty old bastard,” Evanis admired.

“No,” Jabbit demurred. “Unlike me, I’m certain King Dharos had two parents.”

“Yes,” Anseyla agreed, rolling her eyes. “I’m also sure Dharos had a loving mom and a concerned dad, but that’s not what I wanted to hear from you, my oh-so-wise Lord. I want to know what you think about his move.”

“I think it was very nice of King Dharos to appoint Sybelien as the Queen of Tunapor,” Jabbit replied. “He must have a lot of faith in her.”

Anseyla groaned.

“You need to ask very precise questions,” Evanis advised, “Or you’ll never get a useful answer out of him. He’s more slippery than an eel.”

“Please, my beloved Lord,” Anseyla tried anew. “I want to know if you will change your plan and help Sybelien with her new responsibility or do you still want the Yorak to devastate her new kingdom, Tunapor?”

“Does Sybil want my help?” Jabbit asked. “Or are you asking me to help your girlfriend?”

“Both,” Anseyla answered. “She’s trapped by her grandfather appointing her as the Queen of Tunapor. Of course, Dharos and Sybil both know she can’t protect her new kingdom against a Yorak invasion without your help. She wanted to ask you herself but I offered to talk to you. Sybil is nervous enough as it is about becoming your priestess tonight. I don’t want any extra hassle for her today.”

“You think it’s a hassle for Sybelien to become my priestess?” Jabbit asked, looking deeply into Anseyla’s hazel eyes.

“I... , “ Anseyla hesitated. “Maybe that came out wrong. I meant to say--”

“No - that is an absolute truth,” Evanis interrupted. “Anything to do with you is a hassle, bunny boy. You’re the incarnation of hassle.”

“Do you need help to wash your back?” Jabbit asked.

Evanis laughed out loud. “Fine - almost anything,” she adjusted her previous statement.

“You two are suspiciously chummy this morning,” Anseyla assessed. “Did you do something special last night?”

“I love your sister’s eyes,” Jabbit replied, “especially when she is excited. I made them glow for everyone to see the beauty. Eva didn’t like it and told me so last night. I realized and corrected my mistake. Now her eyes will only shine for me.”

Anseyla’s expression slowly contorted into a frown while she listened. “Let me try to decipher your cryptic answer,” she said when he was finished. “You want Eva’s excitement all for yourself. So you created something like a magic chastity belt for her, am I right?” Then she turned toward the paravent. “And you allowed him to get away with it, Eva?”

“I only recently noticed the chastity belt,” Evanis answered. “As you can imagine, it’s nothing I felt like boasting about, so I didn’t mention it to you before. What he just said about my eyes and the last night was cutely worded but true. Do I allow him to get away with it?” She paused to snort. “He never asked for my permission, so there was nothing for me to allow.”

“Instead to revolt, you decided to accept and submit?” Anseyla asked, even more aghast.

“Accept and submit?” Evanis repeated the question and laughed. “You can think of me whatever you like but I’m not Jabbit’s meekly groveling love slave. However, I also never was a hypocrite. He does what he wants to do because he can. That’s what I accept because I’m the same.”

“Oh no,” Anseyla groaned, “Two evil hearts finally beat in harmony. I worry what that means for the rest of humanity. Never mind though, I didn’t come here today to save humanity or my evil sister from her evil lover. Poor me is here to ask for the help of my evil Lord to protect my girlfriend’s new kingdom before the love of my life sacrifices her innocence to her evil god as well.”

Jabbit smiled at Anseyla. “So I’m Eva’s lover, your Lord, and Sybelien’s god? I like it.”

“Evil lover, evil Lord, and evil god,” Anseyla corrected emphatically. “Evil, evil, evil! But as always you only hear what you want to hear.”

“Alright, so I am evil,” Jabbit conceded. “You asked me to help Sybelien’s new kingdom against the Yorak invasion. How many Yoraks do I need to kill until I’ll be good in your eyes?”

Evanis chuckled. “He got you, little sister. You are a hypocrite. A dead Yorak will leave children and a widow behind, just like any other soldier dying in a war.”

Anseyla chewed on her lower lip. “You’re a god,” she said and rolled her eyes when she noticed Jabbit’s frowning. “Fine - you’re only almost a god,” she dismissively allowed. “Whatever the difference might be, you have the power of a god. You can protect Tunapor without killing many thousands of Yoraks.”

Jabbit nodded. “The Yorak can’t cross large waters. Tunapor could become an island.”

“How could Tunapor become an island?” Anseyla asked, confused.

“By rearranging the lands,” he answered.

“You’ve seen the map,” Evanis reminded. “I hope you remember Tunapor is an inland.”

“Yes, I remember,” Jabbit confirmed. “For Tunapor to become an island, Barrakhur, as well as parts of Barthobar and Hakkar will need to be flooded and cease to exist. But then Tunapor will be safe and no Yorak needs to die.”

Evanis burst out laughing. “You’re not evil, you’re insane.”

“That’s not funny,” Anseyla complained.

Jabbit shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to be funny. You asked and I gave you an answer.”

“That’s the scary thing about it,” Anseyla said. “I know you aren’t joking, I only wish you were.”

“Don’t be such a bloody drama queen, Ansa,” Evanis said and stepped out from behind the paravent. Naked, glistening wet, and with a large towel in her hands, she smiled at Jabbit. “If my goody-two-shoes sister doesn’t want your help, I do. Come to me, my evil lover, and help dry me off.”

“How did you just call me?” Anseyla asked, gaping at Evanis. “I sold my virginity and became a whore when I was thirteen, and you call me a goody-two-shoes?”

“That was your past,” Evanis conceded as she handed Jabbit the towel. “But apparently your past is no longer part of your present. Nowadays you behave as canting as the little Princess Anjatta. With the same breath you ask for his help, you accuse him of being evil. I was a mercenary just as long as you were a whore. I know this kind. You want someone to do the evil for you so the stench won’t be on you and you can still smell of roses.”

“Ouch - that hurt,” Anseyla exclaimed and slumped on the bed. “But you’re right. Asking for help against a Yorak invasion and complaining about the evil things which need to be done sounds pretty stupid. Dammit, I really became a hypocrite.” Anseyla silently looked at the ceiling for a while before she sat up again and watched Jabbit toweling off her sister. “I hope this new harmony will be over soon. I’ve just realized I prefer you fighting with Jabbit.”

Evanis smirked. “Jealous much?”

Anseyla deeply sighed. “That’s a big part of it. Now he has his hands on you but tonight it will be my snuggle bunny.”

Evanis’ smirk vanished immediately. “Thank you for the reminder,” she said and ripped the towel out of Jabbit’s hands. “I think I’m dry now - you bastard.”

Jabbit sat next to Anseyla on the bed as Evanis dressed.

“Don’t you want to wash and dress as well?” Anseyla asked.

Jabbit didn’t take his eyes off Evanis as he answered, “I do but I like to watch her dress.”

Evanis glared at him and then went behind the paravent to finish dressing.

Anseyla chuckled. “You two are really cute together.” Then she sighed once more. “But what am I going to tell Sybil? Choose what path you prefer to save your new kingdom - either the lands surrounding Tunapor will have to be flooded or many thousands of Yorak need to die.”

“I think that would be an easy choice for Sybil,” Jabbit answered. “She doesn’t like the Yorak. I didn’t say you may choose, though, and neither can Sybil. I asked her to become the Empress of Aloria and I’ll protect Katerra, which presently is all of Aloria. But it wasn’t me who asked her to become the Queen of Tunapor. That was the old King Dharos. He placed his faith in his grandchild to save Tunapor and I am no part of his family.”